Press info: “Dark Blue sits in that liminal space where jazz, noir pop, and trip-hop overlap, but the real engine is Nicole. Her writing, her arranging, her ability to take the tension of long months on the road and turn it into something soft, bruised, and unmistakably hers.
It is a record full of late-night light, small scars, little mercies, and the quiet
ache of wanting someone who is always a few thousand miles away.”
Laurenne: “When you’re doing what you love but the person
you love is always far away, you get stretched thin.”
📸 Brian Kasnyik
TUTV: Dark Blue connects fluently with debut album After You, continuing to soundtrack your night out at your favorite downtown club. Laurenne‘s 24/7 songwriting production (The Darts & solo) doesn’t affect the quality of her torch songs, not in the slightest.
You’re drawn into this new, relaxing record from her first sensual whispers on ( ‘Dark Blue’ and ‘One’ with some smooth organ touches). Jazzy-brassy trip-hop musings (‘Gimme Your Love’ / ‘Not Too Bad’ / the 1936 jazz standard ‘Why Don’t You Do Right?’ / ‘No Fool Like Me’ and the vulnerable closer ‘Whiskey Eyes’) and some more up-tempo reflections (‘Take Me (Or Leave Me)’ / ‘Got Me Down’ / ‘Just Met’) intertwin.
Dark Blue is an ode to love, as blissful as it can be, it also can cause a kind of tristesse when lovers need to miss each other for some time, as Nicole Laurenne experiences when she’s flying around half of the world to entertain us music addicts.
Think of soul legend Otis Redding‘s heartfelt ballads on his classic Blue L (with a lot of Sam Cooke songs on it) from 1965. Similar melancholic mood swings, similar amorous longings, similar midnight hour lovesickness.
Black Viiolet echoes universal emotions that many of us can relate to.
That’s what pop-ular music was, is, and always be about.
Artist: BLACK VIIOLET Who: Alter-ego of American garage punk ‘n’ roll
turbo The Darts‘ front Amazon Nicole Laurenne.
Track: DARK BLUE
First single and title track of her upcoming
new full-length, 2nd in 2 years. Pre-orders
from January 29th on.
TUTV: I’m sure bootylicious Nicole Laurenne‘s days count 48 instead of 24 hours.
Only last week she announced the 4th LP in 4 years from her riff-racing band The Darts, and shared the first taster, Midnight Creep. Now comes the news of her 2nd Black Viiolet full-length following last year’s debut After You (part of TUTV’s best albums of 2025).
Oh, let’s not forget the endless touring with her gang and now with her alter-ego too.
That said, BV’s lead single Dark Blue echoes the overall flirtatious ambiance of After You. Jazzy and trippy-hoppy vibes in slow mo. Her slightly hoarse, whispering vocals fit the nightclub’s contra-bass/trumpet/drum melodiousness like a glove. Music for the midnight hours, away from the brutal reality we have to endure.
NME: ‘Again’feels like Belair Lips Bomb
are auditioning to be the biggest band
in the world.”
TUTV: Just one spin and I knew this LP was a winner. Ace tune, after ace tune, after
ace tune. Guitar pop at its most move ‘n groove exciting. In the middle, vocalist and
guitarist Maisie Everett draws all attention. Wonderful voice, striking performance.
She’s backed by a well-oiled rock turbo. Hype or not, these
revved-up Aussies are going places, all around the globe
that is.
Press info: “The album explores themes of unnecessary hatred and
division. It’s political, but ultimately personal. More Genet or Kafka
than Orwell or Huxley.
TUTV: Without a shadow of a doubt, the perfect soundtrack for Doomsday.
Sledgehammer after sledgehammer, drone after drone, brainfucker after
brainfucker. Always tension in the air.
Any track would work in a zombie horror movie. And we know all
about horror, right? Just take a look outside the window, and you
see a lot of it. For free.
Cal Francis‘s spoken word performances are bone-chilling. Their primal screams
send shivers down the spine. Lyrically, they operate in a space where reality and
surreality meet. No room for birds and bees.
Cal Francis – Pukkelpop Fest 2025 – Photo by TUTV
Never Exhale is an other-worldly Götterdämmerung experience.
It smells like something is alive and kicking here. No regression,
only progression.
Sprints about the LP: “While the world is literally burning down around us there are voices that seem hell bent on pointing the finger at anyone but those actually responsible. There’s no need to dream-up dystopia, we’re living in it. And somehow, while the world has never seemed uglier, our life has never been more beautiful.”
TUTV: Their riff-ripping quiet/loud/quiet formula works again, big time. Their sucker-punches hit you, piece by piece, hard in the teeth while Karla Chubb‘s hepped-up vocals rule again. Here and there, her unbridled explosiveness brings young Courtney Love‘s borderline cry-outs to mind. Only the 6 last cooking/boiling/bloodcurdling haymakers
are already worth a full album.
Band: LAMBRINI GIRLS Who: Two razorblade riot girrrrlzz – vox/guitarist Phoebe Lunny
and bassist Lilly Macieira – from Brighton (UK), with an insatiable
appetite for mass moshpits.
NME said: “Lambrini Girls prove punk is alive and kicking. They’re unapologetically amplifying chaos, calling out societal wrongs, and daring us all to feel something. This record is loud, raw, and impossible to ignore.”
TUTV:
Faster than a Formula One Ferrari.
Louder than a supersonic jet.
Punkier than any punks around.
Press info: Inspired entirely by the life and mythos of actor Dennis Hopper, Mike Scott
and The Waterboys created this expansive album as tribute to one of American popular culture’s most compelling public figures.
TUTV: This a remarkable piece of work. It could be the soundtrack for a yet to be made Dennis Hopper documentary. Hats off to Mike Scott for his boldness, imaginativeness, and ingenuity to score this musical movie, constructed marvellously with its sonically cinematic versatility.
Pop, rock, blues, country, bar-room jazz, and musing balladry take turns and puzzle
a most coherent and highly entertaining whole together, spiced with magnificent vocal contributions by Fiona Apple, Steve Earle and others. Never a dull moment with its varied stream of entertaining songs and Scott‘s awe-inspiring vocality throughout.
TUTV: Trois is one of the most balanced, the most arousing and the most vitalizing
noise rock records I heard in a very long time. Heisa grab you by the throat for 40 wicked minutes, and you won’t protest for one second. The cliché all killers, no fillers is so accurate here.
No arty farty tricks, no unnecessary overdubs, no useless volume exaggerations.
The production is flawless, and is an instrumental factor for the overall organic
resonance of this expressive exploit.
TUTV: Loudmouths Andrew Falkous and Damien Sayell still spit and sneer their 4 lungs
out and rip politicians to shreds while they wield their razor-sharp axes. Chainsaw guitars everywhere, backed by a hellacious drum/bass duo. And they’re still maddening masters when it comes to search and destroy punk havoc.
Press info: An intense and raw reflection
of grief, trauma, and the desire for healing.
‘A Mass In The Water’ roughly describes the last day of Wolf Vanwymeersch‘s father,
who took his own life during a psychotic episode. The album balances between
mockery, anger, powerlessness, grief, understanding, compassion, and love.
TUTV: It’s both a scary and flabbergasting opus that takes a lot of courage to make and share with the world. The album’s ominous dynamics, distorted vocals, and riff-roasting razzmatazz resonate like if you are listening to the soundtrack of a modern day horror movie.
Vanwymeersch and Wholes created their own Dante’s Inferno.
Bloodcurdling, pitch-black, and bone-chilling. Helter-skelter.
TUTV: Nele Janssen bewitches with her crystalline voice and enchanting piano play. Intimate, passional and heartfelt. From a Peuk scream to a solo whisper. A beautiful,
soul-stirring record that silences you from start to finish.
Eleven bittersweet reveries for the midnight hours. Stony Beds is an ideal companion
for cold winter nights, while relaxing with dimmed light on your couch and your favourite drink at hand.
Band: THE NEW EVES Who: Must hear/see indies from Brighton (where everybody is in a band).
They cruise from folk to punk, using, besides traditional instruments (guitar,
bass and drums) also cello, flute, violin and other classical gear.
NME: “A record that mines the unpredictable free-spiritedness of freak
folk, the loose, louche nature of rock’n’roll and the no-rules attitude of punk.”
TUTV: Eccentricity is the new normal. Poetic, medieval music is among us. The New Eves are something special, really special. Next to drum/bass/guitar
they use more untraditional instruments such as cello, flute, violin and other
classical music gear.
At their core, musically, they’re a folk punk rock band, an outlandish one, that is.
One of those that play gloriously out of tune at times, enthuse up with splendacious chants and have your bewildering attention for the full 40 baffling minutes. One of
the most innovative full-lengths of the year. Hands down.
TUTV: TAP funk and punk, buzz and fuzz, move and groove on this voltaic
record. They shoot a series of titanic tunes from their hips with a hair-raising
impact.
Avalanche Party have become masterly songwriters who know exactly how to construct adrenalized knockout killers with the right combination of roasting riffs, jagged hooks, bang-on licks, powerhouse drumming, effervescent synths and sultry horns here and there. Stupendous record.
TUTV: With The Clearing, the changing, musical process since their debut LP is complete. It’s now more ELLIE + THE WOLF (yes, FLORENCE + THE MACHINE territory) than before. Pop music in all its seducing and alluring ways. It’ll make them superstars in and outside the UK.
Laurenne: “The songs were written in the style of vintage jazz standards, but are then drenched with Rhodes piano and sparkling horn parts, with upright bass and triphop beats holding down a groovy, downtempo feel underneath. The vocals are the polar opposite of my garage rock sound in The Darts – in Black Viiolet, I am quietly telling you secrets in the dark.
TUTV: After You is delectable music for the midnight hours that massages
your ears for 40 minutes. The most sensual record I heard in a long time.
It transfers you to a place where you can dream away, far from today’s
depressing outside world.
Artist: PREWN Who: The moniker of Massachusetts‘ born, LA-based chilling
singer-songwriter Izzy Hagerup. She released her debut album Through The Window in 2023.
Hagerup: “I need to tap into my grief and sadness and stuff because it’s there. And when
you don’t live in it then you’re just numb. You can’t see the beauty and you are running from
the pain. It’s this Groundhog Day feeling. I feel that’s the antithesis to art, love, and connection, and giving a shit about the world.”
TUTV: The combination of creepy violins, ominous cello shadow play, and last but
not least Hagerup‘s wailing voice dominate this record causing bone-chilling sensations.
Her laments evoke moments of uncomfortableness, but her grip is so overwhelming
that you just can’t get away of her sonic exorcism. Like watching a traumatic thriller
you can’t escape from without knowing the end of the story.
Press Info: “This album, was born from the difficult experience of the floods that hit Valencia on October 29, 2024. During this time, the duo lost part of their studio and actively participated in the cleanup efforts in their city.
The Valencian duo offers six tracks (plus two digital bonus tracks) to remind us that despite
the difficulties we may face, we must always fight to get ahead, get back on our feet, and not
be swept away by the current.”
TUTV: Eight titanic techno thrills, eight 90s inspired trance tunes. Think Chemical Brothers, The Orb and The Prodigy. The pair’s Mire Chronicles have a hammering impact on their post-drama demons. At the end of the traumatic tunnel there’s a Spammerheads light that
illuminates a healing future.
Album: LOVE CHANT
Their first in 19 years,
their 11th overall.
TUTV: Dando has resurrected himself and his band gloriously. Now and then he touches turbulent memories from the past and does some soul-searching again, but you can feel he’s truly happy, healthy and excited to be here in great artistic shape. A welcome reaffirmation of The Lemonheads‘ riveting pop mastery.
TUTV: Writing songs is Doherty‘s oxygen. He has music running through his veins.
Enter this new solo album. A collection of daily life tunes that puts a smile on your
face. The man entertains, charms and shows his inspiring skills once again. It’s clear
that the French air stimulates his productivity. Poetry in motion.
Artist: MARK STEWART Who: One of the most adventurous/inventive/original post-punk & dub artists/performers
ever. He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group The Pop Group and released lots of solo and collaborative records. Unfortunately, he passed away 2 years ago,
only 62.
As a prolific solo artist, he scored 7 LPs, collaborated with countless
other artists, and caused poignant waves with his Mafia outfit.
Album: THE FATEFUL SYMMETRY
His 8th solo LP, released posthumously
by Mute Records.
Album artwork
TUTV:Stewart expresses again his mixed emotions about humanity and its messy planet. Both pessimistic and optimistic reflections, but always with sparks of hope. Musically, it’s
a very accessible pop work with several crooning musings.
His characteristic, captivating voice, both heartrending and heartwarming at the same time, feels so real, so close, and as always, engaged and genuine. Mark Stewart was one
of a kind and will always be in my book.
TUTVTalkin To The Trees brings Young‘s 1975 masterwork Tonight’s The Night instantly
to mind, sonically that is. Raw and rough, as if the LP was recorded live in one take, in
a garage with lots of echo and plenty of ramshackle guitars, buzzing electricity and Young‘s characteristic, ardent vocals. Very familiar, very entertaining.
It’s vintage Young, musically and thematically, wondering about the world’s future, warning for environmental pollution dramas, difficult times to come for our children, and the need of a big positive change.
They met in 2022 at the SXSW festival. They met again while exhibiting visual
and conceptual art pieces in London and began recording together early
last year.
Album: LIMINAL
The duo’s third in only 5 months.
Talking about a fertile collaboration
TUTV: I always loved and embraced Eno‘s sonic ambient paintings, his chimerical and fanciful synth symphonies with its calming impact and starry-eyed radiance. Liminal is another Eno opus I added to my headphone music playlist for psychological relaxation.
An invitation to ease your mind and ears in their
phantasmagorical universe. A record to cherish.
Band: LAMBRINI GIRLS Who: Two razorblade riot girrrrlzz – vox/guitarist Phoebe Lunny
and bassist Lilly Macieira – from Brighton (UK) with an insatiable
appetite for mass moshpits.
Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Lille, France – 24 February 2024
Press info: “The album rips through a laundry list of social ills. Sirens blare over a heavy distorted bass and a live drum breakbeat. The band dance between upbeat poppunk, dirty grunge tones and discordant post-punk. There’s even some noise-popcheer for putting yourself first, whether it’s having an autistic meltdown or doing apoo at your mate’s house.
With instrumentals that inhale you like a Level 5 tornado and sentiments that make you want to kick the nearest door through, it’s a take-no-prisoners debut from one of the UK’s most fun and fearless bands.”
TUTV said:
Faster than a Formula One Ferrari.
Louder than a supersonic jet.
Punkier than any punks around.
Press info: “The album explores themes of unnecessary hatred and
division, Space/Smile and It smells like something died in here, aging, Senor Siniestro
and the separation of the physical from reality, The Body As A Structure. It’s political,
but ultimately personal. More Genet or Kafka than Orwell or Huxley.
Album artwork
TUTV: Without a shadow of a doubt, the perfect soundtrack for Doomsday.
Sledgehammer after sledgehammer, drone after drone, brainfucker after
brainfucker. Always tension in the air.
Any track would work in a zombie horror movie. And we know all
about horror, right? Just take a look outside the window and you
see a lot of it. For free.
Cal Francis‘s spoken word performances are bone-chilling. His primal screams
send shivers down the spine. Lyrically, he operates in a space where reality and
surreality meet. No room for birds and bees.
Cal Francis – Belgium 2024 – Photo by TUTV
Sonically Ditz produce a volcanic and bombastic wall-of-helter-skelter havoc.
Blood-curdling emo-punk exorcism. Chainsaw chaos. Flabbergasting and
jaw-dropping are the keywords.
Never Exhale is an other-worldly Götterdämmerung experience.
It smells like something is alive and kicking here. No regression,
only progression.
Press info: “HEISA embarks on a new chapter with the release of their third
album. This album showcases an evolution in their sound, keeping the bombastic
drums, droning guitars, and dynamic vocals, but pushing further into melody and
experimentation.
On this new record, Heisa brings their emotions to the forefront, revealing a raw, edgy
intensity in tracks like “Lazar” and “Sad Dancer,” where vulnerability and tension intertwine.”
TUTV: Trois is without a shadow of a doubt the most balanced, the most arousing and
the most vitalizing noise rock record I heard in a very long time. No, never a dull moment. Heisa grab you by the throat for 40 wicked minutes, and you won’t protest for one second. The cliché all killers, no fillers is so accurate here. In a normal world this should be a hit record.
Les trois singles (Nandor / Flowers / The Harmonist) were the harbinger for something really special. Which we experience now. Every song stands as tall as the Eiffel Tower. There’s always an enigmatic anxiousness in the air that tests your nerves and boggles your mind.
On several occasions (Flowers / After Hours / Shifting / Sad Dancer) Heisa tease you with voltaic foreplay riffs before heading towards an orgastic burst of demonic hullabaloo. Primal screams out of the darkness, schizophrenic guitars and raw and rough post-punk dynamics work together to create a hell-raising turbulence. Think Fugazi and The Jesus Lizard .
No arty farty tricks, no unnecessary overdubs, no useless volume exaggerations.
The production is flawless, and is an instrumental factor for the overall organic
resonance of this expressive exploit. I’m quite sure that the late great Steve Albini
would have loved it.
Heisa is going places. Don’t miss them.
Embrace them. Join them. Love them.
Band: MCLUSKY Who: Welsh notorious noiseniks featuring Andrew Falkous, made
a loud and clear mark on the indie list of decibels-producing acts between
1993 and 2004 with three ear-piercing and politically loaded albums.
In 2015 Mclusky suddenly returned for a benefit gig in London and played
some more here and there. In 2023, they released a new 4-track EP, called Unpopular Parts Of A Pig / The Digger You Deep to fund a delayed US tour.
Press info: “Having formed in the late nineteen-nineties and releasing music, if that
is what it was, from 2000-2004, Mclusky disbanded soon afterwards in a slow motion
farce of not enough drama to get much press off the back of it.
Falkous with Mclusky – Brussels, 9 May 2025 – photo by Turn Up The Volume
TUTV: The world is still spinning and Mclusky decided to come back after 21 years
to see what’s going on and let us know what they experienced/experience in their
own tumultuous way. To be honest, it’s Mclusky by numbers, but their furious
numbers still slice and slash as a set of first class Swiss knifes.
Loudmouths Falkous and Damien Sayell‘s immense, clamorous, badass voices rip
politicians to shreds while wielings their razor-sharp axes. Chainsaw guitars everywhere,
backed by a hellacious drum/bass duo. They’re masters when it comes to search and destroy punk havoc.
Press info: Inspired entirely by the life and mythos of actor Dennis Hopper, Mike Scott
and The Waterboys created this expansive album as tribute to one of American popular culture’s most compelling public figures.
Deeply conceptual, this album of all original songs brings together high-profile
featured artists like Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, and Steve Earle to musically
weave through Hopper’s life, including a song for each of Hopper’s wives.
Ghent, Belgium – 5 July 2025 – photo by Turn Up The Volume
TUTV: This an amazing piece of work. Could be the soundtrack for a yet to be made Dennis Hopper documentary. Hats off to Mike Scott for his boldness, imaginativeness, and ingenuity to score this musical movie, constructed marvellously with its sonically cinematic versatility.
Pop, rock, blues, country, bar-room jazz, and musing balladry take turns and puzzle
a most coherent and highly entertaining whole together, spiced with magnificent vocal contributions by Fiona Apple, Steve Earle and others. Never a dull moment with its varied stream of top-tier songs and Scott‘s awe-inspiring vocality throughout.
Movie shots from Hopper‘s parts in doom and gloom films such as Blue Velvet, Apocalypse Now, True Romance, Speed and, of course, counterculture classic Easy Rider pop up on the screen in your head. He was at his best when he played psychotic characters. And Scott is here at its best too. Supreme accomplishment.
Band: THE MOONLANDINGZ Who: English electro-pop combo started by the Eccentronic Research Council
duo, featuring Adrian Flanegan and Dean Honor back in 2015. Lias Saoudi (Fat
White Family, Decius, author, modern day, philosopher) joined them, as well as
different guests.
Press info: “No Rocket Required delivers brassy squawks, motorik convulsions and
sinister soothing vocals from a righteous line-up of guest singers and ranters: Nadine
Shah, Iggy Pop, Jessica Winter and Ewen Bremner. Plus, of course, there’s The Moonlandingz’ own front man, Johnny Rocket aka Lias Saoudi.
What to do, as we potter and fret, as we watch bodies, homes and lives destroyed every day while our elected leaders, so forensic and so sensible, use their weasel words, shrug their coward shoulders and saunter off to raise our bus fares. Dancing of course and togetherness, looking out for each other, and that’s not enough. What kind of fight are we bringing? We will always need to organise, to fight, to collaborate, to connect and to dance dance dance. And that is what The Moonlandingz do.”
TUTV: Where the first album was a 24-hour party affair, this 2nd one is musically a
sonic melting pot of 70s disco (like Sign Of A Man that clearly is inspired by 1978 classic Born To Be Alive by Patrick Hernandez) and 80s house uppers (like Yama Yama) and midnight hour downers (like Roustabout, and the romantic ballad It’s Where I’m From with perfectly matching vocals by the one and only Iggy Pop) that messes with your mind, body and soul.
To make sure that you hit the (dance)floor in the end, Flanegan and Honor knock you
out with the 9-minute hyperkinetic brainbreaker The Knack Drought Suite (Pts 1-3) that hammers your head in relentlessly and gives the last word to film-noir crooner Lias
Saoudi. Lyrically, NRR echoes Twin Peaks‘ unhinged stories from the dark side of the
human psyche. Everybody happy now? I definitely am.
This project blends his iconic Madchester groove with fresh, infectious energy,
delivering music that’s both raw and transcendent, and also features the irrepressible vocals of Rowetta making the sounds of 1990 come alive again in glorious fashion.
Gaz: “Yogi-G and The Family Tree are not hippies, we give a fuller human experience that
is more devolved from the punk experience, where you never quite know if you’re going to
get a hug or a headbutt. Life is filled with peace and love but equally excitement and pain.
I got fed up waiting around to try to agree to write a new Mondays album. When it
became apparent, we couldn’t agree, I decided to do my own. I think it’s bloody great
and the support has been outstanding and for all the good ones we’ve lost along the way
like Gil Scott Heron, Tony Wilson and more recently my bandmate Paul Ryder, this is for
them and for all those who just love to get off on good music.”
TUTV: Madchester 2025? Absolutely. And why not? ‘Show Me The Truth‘ is the Happy Mondays album, that should have been the perfect follow-up to their 1990 masterpiece Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches rather than the mediocre Yes Please!. It’s an album that activates your hips, and makes you ignore our daily rat race, for at least 40 minutes
This dance-and-turn-around-inviting record with several vocal guests, doubles your adrenalin production. From happy-7-days-a-week gospel stimulants The Blind Man And
The Monkey, Shine On Brother and Show Me The Truth to groovy-orchestral musings Black Symphony, and The Return Of Apollo Creed (be ready Rocky) from the special(s) ska vibes
of The Ballad Of David Bowie to the closing sing-hum-whistle chant We The Peaceful.
Yep, there’s way more sonic versatility than on any Happy Mondays longplayer. There’s
no way to delete today’s grim reality, but look around and you’ll find a lot of love, peace, happiness, family and friends too. That’s the hopeful spirit that Yogi-G And The Family Tree celebrate. Join them. Embrace their soul-uplifting gusto. Shake your booty.
Press info: “Talkin To The Treesis a personal and powerful album featuring
ten new compositions by Young. “Big Change”, the first song from the album,
comes with a message that left no doubt where Neil Young stands in these
challenging times.
The Chrome Hearts are Spooner Oldham (Organ); Micah Nelson (Guitar and Vocal); Corey McCormick (Bass and Vocal); Anthony LoGerfo (Drums); with Neil Young (Guitar, Harp, Piano, Vibes). The album is co-produced by Lou Adler and Young, and recorded at Shangri La Studios in Malibu.”
TUTVTalkin To The Trees brings Young‘s 1975 masterwork Tonight’s The Night instantly
to mind, sonically that is. Raw and rough, as if the LP was recorded live in one take, in
a garage with lots of echo and plenty of ramshackle guitars, buzzing electricity and Young‘s characteristic, ardent vocals. Very familiar, very entertaining.
From riff-robust rockers (Family Life, Dark Mirage, Let’s Roll, Big Chance) to country-bluesy musings (Silver Eagle, Moving Ahead), to melancholic balladry (Talkin To The Trees, Battle Of Love, Thankful).
It’s pure Young, musically and thematically, wondering about the world’s future, warning for environmental pollution dramas, difficult times to come for our children, and the need of a big positive change. At 79, he’s still socially and climate concerned as he was in his prime and he still delivers soul-and-ear pleasing records.
Laurenne: “The songs were written in the style of vintage jazz standards, but are then drenched with Rhodes piano and sparkling horn parts, with upright bass and triphop beats holding down a groovy, downtempo feel underneath. The vocals are the polar opposite of my garage rock sound in The Darts – in Black Viiolet, I am quietly telling you secrets in the dark.
After You was recorded by nine producers on two continents with fourteen French and American jazz musicians – including Digable Planets drummer Conrad Real – and contains thirteen original tracks that I wrote all the parts for and arranged, plus one special cover song, “My Baby Just Cares For Me.” My influences include spy movie themes, Nina Simone, Portishead, Budos Band, Lovage, Nouvelle Vague, Digable Planets, Propellerheads, Sneaker Pimps, Forniquette, Nick Waterhouse, Hooverphonic, and even cartoon character Jessica Rabbit!”
TUTV: Imagine Nicole Laurenne‘s sultry alter ego coming from behind a curtain
on a stage in a smoky nightclub, leg by leg, with a bright spotlight on her and
making all spectators go ‘sigh‘.
From there on she becomes Black Viiolet. A femme fatale that entertains us with
bouncy trip-hop vibes à la Portishead (AboutA Woman / Never Know / New Day / Drop),
jazzy candlelight musings (Don’t Leave Me On The Dancefloor / Not It / Stayin / You Can’t Afford Me) and a seductive version of 1930 jazz standard My Baby Just Cares for Me
made immortal by the late great soul diva Nina Simone.
The record is subtly, yet richly orchestrated. The instrumentation at work here – contrabass, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano – serves the overall mood perfectly.
On top of it comes Viiolet‘s near-whispering, hoarse and sensual voice to complete the arousing sonic picture with a saucy sensuality. The ambiance is spellbinding and ravishing.
After You is delectable music for the midnight hours that massages your ears for
40 minutes. The most sexy record I heard in a long time. It transfers you to a place
where you can dream away, far from today’s depressing outside world.
Dim the lights, relax, sit down, have a bottle of your favorite wine at hand, close
your eyes and let Black Viiolet enter your spicy fantasy of choice. Trust me, you’ll
love the tantalizing trip.
Since Doherty got clean (already several years) and living in France with his wife and big dog, far away from the temptations of party cities he became quite productive releasing albums with one-time outfit Puta Madres, with French musician Frédéric Lo and with his first-and-forever band The Libertines he scored one of the best albums of 2024 with All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.
Press info:“Felt Better Alive is Peter Doherty’s most confident solo collection yet,
sprinkled with radiant playfulness, almost innocence at times, shot through with
Peter Doherty’s signature melodic nous, quirky poetic realism, and visual storytelling
gifts.”
Brugge, Belgium – 14 June 2025 – Photo by Turn Up The Volume
TUTV: Writing songs is Doherty‘s oxygen. He has music running through his veins.
Enter this new solo album. A collection of daily life tunes that puts a smile on your
face. The man entertains, charms and shows his alluring skills once again. It’s clear
that the French air stimulates his productivity. Poetry in motion.
Laurenne: “The songs were written in the style of vintage jazz standards, but are then drenched with Rhodes piano and sparkling horn parts, with upright bass and triphop beats holding down a groovy, downtempo feel underneath. The vocals are the polar opposite of my garage rock sound in The Darts – in Black Viiolet, I am quietly telling you secrets in the dark.
After You was recorded by nine producers on two continents with fourteen French and American jazz musicians – including Digable Planets drummer Conrad Real – and contains thirteen original tracks that I wrote all the parts for and arranged, plus one special cover song, “My Baby Just Cares For Me.” My influences include spy movie themes, Nina Simone, Portishead, Budos Band, Lovage, Nouvelle Vague, Digable Planets, Propellerheads, Sneaker Pimps, Forniquette, Nick Waterhouse, Hooverphonic, and even cartoon character Jessica Rabbit!”
TUTV: Imagine Nicole Laurenne‘s sultry alter ego coming from behind a curtain
on a stage in a smoky nightclub, leg by leg, with a bright spotlight on her and
making all spectators go ‘sigh‘.
From there on she becomes Black Viiolet. A femme fatale that entertains us with
bouncy trip-hop vibes à la Portishead (AboutA Woman / Never Know / New Day / Drop),
jazzy candlelight musings (Don’t Leave Me On The Dancefloor / Not It / Stayin / You Can’t Afford Me) and a seductive version of 1930 jazz standard My Baby Just Cares for Me
made immortal by the late great soul diva Nina Simone.
The record is subtly, yet richly orchestrated. The instrumentation at work here – contrabass, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano – serves the overall mood perfectly.
On top of it comes Viiolet‘s near-whispering, hoarse and sensual voice to complete the arousing sonic picture with a saucy sensuality. The ambiance is spellbinding and ravishing.
After You is delectable music for the midnight hours that massages your ears for
40 minutes. The most sexy record I heard in a long time. It transfers you to a place
where you can dream away, far from today’s depressing outside world.
Dim the lights, relax, sit down, have a bottle of your favorite wine at hand, close
your eyes and let Black Viiolet enter your spicy fantasy of choice. Trust me, you’ll
love the tantalizing trip.
Last July jaunty garage rock punkette/singer-songwriter Nicole Laurenne of Phoenix hit team The Darts suprised with her self-tiled solo debut EP. Why? Because, with her new alter ego Black Viiolet, she came up with, sonically, vocally and lyrically, a totally different musical approach than we’re used to from her band’s fervent fireworks.
TUTV said: Black Viiolet‘s EP with its four sultry, seducing candlelight melodies appeal instantly. Her sexy, near whispering voice and her attractive film noir appearance fit the mood just perfectly well. It wouldn’t be out of place in David Lynch‘s dark movie Blue Velvet or on a Sade record.
STREAM/BUY
. Laurenne‘s 24/7 musical creativity already led to a full length.
It’s baptized After You and arrives on February 1, 2025, on Adrenalin Fix Music (Bordeaux, France).
Nicole: “The songs were written in the style of vintage jazz standards, but are then drenched with Rhodes piano and sparkling horn parts, with upright bass and triphop beats holding down a groovy, downtempo feel underneath. The vocals are the polar opposite of my garage rock sound in The Darts – in Black Viiolet, I am quietly telling you secrets in the dark.
After You was recorded by nine producers on two continents with fourteen French and American jazz musicians – including Digable Planets drummer Conrad Real – and contains thirteen original tracks that I wrote all the parts for and arranged, plus one special cover song, “My Baby Just Cares For Me.” My influences include spy movie themes, Nina Simone, Portishead, Budos Band, Lovage, Nouvelle Vague, Digable Planets, Propellerheads, Sneaker Pimps, Forniquette, Nick Waterhouse, Hooverphonic, and even cartoon character Jessica Rabbit!”
TUTV already had the privilige to listen to After You.
It’s one of the most sensual records I ever heard. Fact.
All-female US garage rockers THE DARTS are one of the most energetic, exciting, pizzazy bands around since they dropped their self-titled debut LP back in 2017. On stage, the daredevils ignite a let’s-go-crazy-tonight ambiance, turning clubs into sweaty saunas as I experienced many times along with buzzing crowds.
Their creativity, on record and live, is off the charts. With this year’s Boomerang album, they had their second longplayer out in two years, and touring has become second nature.
Front Amazone/vocalist/keyboardist/songwriter Nicole Laurenne will tell us all
about her band’s 24/7 rock ‘n’ roll frenzy and her new solo persona Black Viiolet.
But as usual we start an interview with a slice of music. Let’s get in the
mood with one of TUTV’s favorite singles of the year, Pour Another.
Hello Nicole, so great
to meet and chat again.
In the past 2 years THE DARTS released 2 top albums and toured non-stop.
Where did the inexhaustible huge creativity and inexhaustive energy come
from, Nicole?
“The muse is a strange and wonderful thing, isn’t it? I honestly don’t know where all these songs come from. Even with all that we released and toured, I still write songs constantly, recorded two albums for the band and also toured with my solo project Black Viiolet, on two continents.
All this activity is a blessing and a curse. Not many people get it, or can keep up with
the schedule I put out there, or they feel threatened by it all somehow, and a lot of people tell me to slow down. But I don’t like to sit still for too long. I guess I get it from my mother, who, at 85 years old, still came on tour with us many times this year and sold merch and hung out with Jello Biafra and ran circles around both my bands.
I am really enjoying my life right now, it is turning out exactly the way I always wanted
it somehow, plus I have been sober and vegan and mentally in a good place for a good while now. That last part might sound boring, but trust me it is most definitely not. I already have new albums written for both the band and for my solo project. I hope to
get them recorded this Spring and Summer, if the labels don’t kill me for suggesting it.”
The LPS were named respectively SNAKE OIL and
BOOMERANG. Any story behind both titles?
“Both kind of sprung from the same place. Snake Oil refers to all the misinformation and fake news we are fed all the time. I was raised by scientists and it just crushes my brain when I read so much patently false information and dangerously, provocative, ignorant opinions circling out there. This has always been the case of course, which is why the old term “snake oil” was coined in the first place, but the cyber world makes it especially ubiquitous and confusing now for people.
The internet requires an advanced level of skepticism and self-education. Snake Oil is full of little warnings about taking care of yourself and not letting the salesmen get into your head, whether they are selling love, booze, food, politics, or war. Form your own opinions carefully.
Boomerang refers to two things: the fact that we turned right around after Snake Oil returned to the studio to record right away, and also that annoying type of person who doesn’t take a hint and continues to contact you despite every effort to lose them. We all have one of those. Boomerang contains a lot of messages about trying to get toxic things and people out of your life.
As you can see, I have been doing a lot of work on myself
in the past years, and it shows in the songs, obviously.
What’s your favourite track on BOOMERANG and why?
“The Middle of Nowhere” is, in my humble opinion, one of the best songs I’ve ever written. Not only do the lyrics convey well the broad sense of vacancy and disorientation I feel at times, but the echoes and chords and spaghetti-western guitar line evoke exactly the sensation I was trying to put out there.
Wandering and lost and searching for something or someone that will recharge and redirect me. And the bridge is a great shift into a little anger and frustration about the whole situation. Mark Rains produced it brilliantly; he and I sat and worked out everything on Boomerang together, just as I heard it in my head and tried to get on the demos.
In a normal world single HANG AROUND should be a hit. Catchy as hell.
And the video is pure THE DARTS.Tell us about the song and the clip, Nicole.
“The song itself was one that Jello originally wanted to put on Snake Oil but we didn’t
have time in the studio to make it happen. So it was the first track on Boomerang instead. The song perfectly captures that whole concept of trying get toxic people out of your life. It contains the lyric that inspired the album title: “I try to end it every way / but you’re a fucking boomerang”.
And it was the most fun video shoot ever. We were booked to perform in the center
of a roller rink in Seattle, which in itself is incredible, but then our long-time videographer Matt Eskew agreed to come up and film during the show. We shot all my vocals in the few minutes before the show and then he took it from there. It was just a regular live Darts performance, nothing special for the video, and captured so well by him.”
You’ve been on JELLO BIAFRA’s record label for years now. How’s
the collaboration between the band and the former DEAD KENNEDY
legend?
“Jello is a force of nature. He is rightfully a legend, with very strong opinions about
what he likes and what he wants music to be. He has surprisingly eclectic taste in genres, from eastern European folk music to metal, but no matter what the style is, it has to be instrumentally powerful and has to have great vocals.
He doesn’t suffer fools, as we say in English. He lets you know when he wants you to
push yourself harder. We have spent hours on the phone together over the years, talking about politics, our mothers, and managing bands, and… a lot about how he thinks
I can always do even more, even better.
He is such a strong advocate for my vocals. I cannot believe it, to this day,
that someone with his experience is so staunchly in my corner on this.
Jello Biafra – Alternative Tentacles Records
But he also doesn’t pull punches. He recently told me “you are one of my all-time
favorite singers,” and, while I was dizzy from that, he followed it with, “but I think
you can write more than just love songs you know.” Jello is one of a kind, and
everything he says comes from a real love of music.”
THE DARTS played a massive amount of gigs in the past 2 years. Any idea
how many and which one was the most memorable one and why?
“I think we might have hit the 250 mark. There are bands who do more of
course, but we have crossed the Atlantic too many times too count and that
makes us maybe a little unique.
The memorable ones are also too many to count but if I had to pick one that
I can’t really believe even happened, it would be our performance at Barlinnie
Prison in Edinburgh Scotland, in the actual prison chapel, on the actual altar
itself, for the prisoners, while my daughter was there also as crew.
The prison in Scotland where The Darts spend a night this year (to play)
It was like some surreal dream sequence, with beams of sunlight pouring over
us from the stained glass above the altar while I sang songs with veiled lyrics
about booze and sex, inside the prison walls. You can’t make this stuff up.
The tiring travelling, the many interviews, the explosive gigs. What keeps the
band going on and on and on? Energy drinks? Caffeine? Naps between shows?
“It looks like a lot of physical stuff, but in truth, we spend 6-7 hours a day usually just
sitting in the van, on the way to the next show. For me that means lots of gas station coffee, writing songs on my laptop, dozing (I am an expert at dozing in vehicles), and responding to a zillion emails and social media messages to help arrange and promote
the next shows.
Just managing guest lists and interviews and accounting and the whole business end of running the band with my agents Ludo (Adrenalin Mix Music) and Mickey (Ivy Agency) for two bands with lots of releases is really a whole additional hugely time-consuming
job that no one sees me doing when I’m not on stage. So yeah: caffeine. Lots, please.
Brussels, 18 October 2024 – Photo by TUTV
When, in the van, what songs/music is on the stereo?
“Our driver gets to choose. The rest of us have ear buds in anyway. We have had drivers over the years who play Scandinavian stoner rock, American classic rock, Belgian triphop, Serbian garage rock, you name it. My favorite was when someone programmed the GPS
to have a Mr. T voice giving us directions in French.”
How is it to live so close together with 4 individuals on
the road for such a long time? Lots of pillow fights?
“Honestly, you get into a routine with that much touring. Van, soundcheck, dinner,
set, load-out, hotel. By the time we load out of the venue every night, sometimes at
3 am, knowing we have to get up early and get back in the van and do it all again and again, all of us pretty much skip the party and crash hard these days.
You really have to take care of your body with this schedule; if you get sick, or if I lose
my voice, or if someone gets injured, it means everyone involved – promoters, drivers, agents, fans – is affected.
I have had to get an MRI in France, gone to emergency clinics in Spain, we have a huge bag of weird medicines we have picked up at pharmacies everywhere over time that we can’t even recognize – staying healthy is a real thing. And since there is virtually no privacy ever, we have to give each other a lot of space, physically and emotionally, whenever we can.
I go for a lot of solo walks in strange cities in the mornings before the van leaves, we all find little niches where we can talk privately with our loved ones each day on the phone, and I absolutely detest any kind of drama so I try to steer clear of any of that and stay focused. The only fight I have with my pillow is that I don’t get to see it often enough.
What can we expect from THE DARTS in 2025?New music? More concerts?
“All of the above. Of course. Alternative Tentacles will release a 7-inch split of our
new song “Get Spooky” (also the name of our new tour!) with our labelmates Tsunami Bomb. We are also talking about possibly an all-Darts 7-inch European release with two
new songs. I doubt Jello wants to release another new album so soon again, so I’m
holding back on a new full-length release in 2025, but I am sure we will be back in
the studio recording one at least.
The tour schedule this year will feature a lot more USA dates – long overdue! –
including tours with SERVICE (Russell Simmins’ amazing band) and my garage rock hero Dion Lunadon, in addition to Darts-only dates. There will be plenty of really cool European festivals and club shows around those appearances. With this kind of pace, you’ll see Darts lineup changes again, as always, but I promise you the show will always, always be one-hundred-percent Darts. It will be a really incredible year, I can already see it.”
Despite the immensely, busy schedule, you found the time for your excellent debut solo EP under the moniker of BLACK VIIOLET. A totally other musical affair than the band’s garage punk ‘n ’roll. What and/or inspired you for this project?
“I used to dabble in jazz, playing piano in a trio a million years ago. In my downtime at home, I listen to jazz and triphop and downtempo stuff a lot more than anyone would
ever suspect.
This project started as just me, alone in my room during the pandemic, writing songs inspired by such varied influences as spy movies, Shirley Bassey with Propellerheads,
Jessica Rabbit, Nouvelle Vague, Forniquette, Sneaker Pimps, Nina Simone, Portishead and
even Digable Planets… sounds like a weird playlist but, believe me, it works.
I had this idea to write vintage-sounding torch songs and then put trip-hop beats underneath them. Stuff I myself might turn on in the evenings at home. The songs
just flowed out of me, nonstop. I wrote eighteen songs over the year and have about eighteen more ready to go.
Who’s your utterly sensual alter ego BLACK VIIOLET?
“It’s all me. Just completely me. I have a lot of sides and facets. I’m not a cube but some kind of irregular 3-D octagon. I think, in the slow songs I’ve written for The Darts and The Love Me Nots, you can hear some of these quiet lounge stylings peek out.
But Black Viiolet actually throws off the gogo boots altogether and puts on a velvet-lined feather boa. It has been an absolute joy to perform these songs live, with different musicians in different parts of the world, letting the sultry stuff in my brain run free.”
The EP is titled KILL ME NOW. Could be the theme music for
a classic film noir movie. Sounds a bit scary, Nicole. Right?
“It is a little bit tongue in cheek of course, “kill me now” is an expression we use often in English when we are really annoyed or frustrated (“my last date turned out to be a hoarder, kill me now”) – but also it is a funny allusion to spy movie plots, from which the chords and lines definitely sprung.
But the lyrics take it even to a third place, the idea of a big passionate love that you know will be the death of you when it ends, so… you might as well just kill me now and get it over with.
So the song says a lot of things at once. I’m so proud of it. We played it live in Urbana, Illinois, recently, and Cincinnati sax player Kaleb Swedlund snuck in the James Bond
theme under the second verse; it was perfect.
. Will you do solo gigs next year, Nicole?
“A few people have asked me that recently. To be honest, I have a real imposter
syndrome about my piano playing. Even though I studied and competed in classical
music and performed and recorded with combo organs and keyboards constantly (thank you, Korg, for the sponsorship on two continents this year!), I am hugely shy about playing piano alone for anyone.
So you probably won’t see me without at least a bassist anytime soon. But maybe someday. I have this recurring dream of being an old woman, playing on an old
piano in a little bar by the sea in Europe. It could happen maybe.”
What do you wish for yourself and the band in 2025?
“I just want all of us, including me, to be as content and peaceful as possible
while the world crashes around us. I wish everyone a year without drama and
trauma.
I hope everyone falls in love with someone and sees interesting places and
feels a little bit enriched playing these silly songs I’m always trying to write
and prioritizes creativity in their lives.
I hope the musicians who play alongside me know that I respect their
musicianship so very deeply. And I can’t wait to get back in the van.”
Thank you very much, Nicole, for taking time, despite your 24/7 schedule,
for this informative and highly entertaining chat. May the road rise with
you, your family, The Darts and Black Viiolet in 2025
Brand-new cut from her upcoming solo debut
album ‘Nobody Loves You More‘ out November 22.
Crystal Breath is quite special and pretty different from anything Deal has been done before. EBM bass dynamics, trip-hop quivering
and a spiky guitar riff.
“‘Body Bag’ is a peak behind the curtain at the reality of modern romance and feeling young and old at the same time. I think sonically the song has so many ups and downs, and that’s exactly how this stage of my life has felt. It’s running barefoot on the concrete, chasing something you can’t quite put your finger on, but running towards it nonetheless. That’s
how I would best describe ‘Body Bag.’”
TUTV: This is an astounding piece of multi-layered music. An effervescent mix of pop,
rock and EBM going everywhere fast and Romano‘s sensual voice adds an arousing dynamic. A stream of adrenalin rushes through your body, all the way.
It will be on their debut EP Disco To Disco, out on September 13.
The song is about rediscovering old lovers after a night out from disco(theque) to disco(theque), with references to The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan and his excessive drinking, and a legendary Belgian crooner. Bringing these two completely different iconic figures together makes you wonder if they don’t have more in common than you might think.
TUTV: Full steam ahead from the get-go. All engines on. Decibels up, amps up.
The breakneck speed and the relentless synth/percussion riff make your head
spin 360°. I dare you to catch up with this steamroller.
If you don’t know they’re from Belgium you would think they are one of those
post-Brexshit-punk misfits such as Deathletter, Ditz, shame, English Teacher, and
more of those exciting indie wolves. Cool, right? You betcha.
One of the two new shared pieces from their upcoming 3rd LP, named Catouts, out October 14. It’s a hypnotizing Krautrock-like jam rushing through your bloodstream.
Great saxophones too.
The Smile: Instagram
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Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz
Band: A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS Who: The rapid-fire Brooklyn turbine,
led by Oliver Ackermann, pump up the
decibels since 2003.
Track: YOU GOT ME
A foretaste of their upcoming LP,
titled ‘Synthesizer‘, out on October 4.
TUTV: Expect a spine-chilling guitar/bass riff rocket with Ackermann‘s
vocals echoing all over it. Another hellraiser for your graveyard parties.
“It’s a shout out to all the unusual characters that you may find in any High Street who, for whatever reason, are considered outsiders. They need championing as they are just like everyone else and want the best for themselves, but have been dealt a difficult hand.”
TUTV: The Veras storm out of the gates with tons of high-voltage force, powered by
an army of ablaze guitars and mighty drum/bass beats. The spanking chorus fueled by peppy vocals completes this rattling burst. Now go out in the streets and start a riot.
Band: THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA Who: London-based DIY duo – Daphne Ang (Singapore) and Andrea Papi (Italy)
that fills a gap in music by bringing literature, art, and history together into a
space where rock and metal meet electronica.
TUTV: This surprising, blistering collaboration sees TCOMAS exploring another
musical place where they’ve never been before. Teaming up with sharp-cutting
Italian rapper Mr Meuri and make it work, combined with their by-now trademark
metallic wall of sound and monstrous growls is flabbergasting.
Band: LONELY LITTLE KITSCH Who: Two-piece alt-rock band from Niagara, Canada featuring
vocalist Kristen Goetz and drummer Nolan Jodes. What started as
a way to pass the time during the pandemic, soon became a more
serious project as fully formed songs took shape.
TUTV: A grungy headbanger propelled by hammering vigorousness, some
edged Grohl riffs and exploding when the crashing chorus crushes in. Right
in the middle of the song and the video, vocalist Kristen Goetz, draws your
attention with her Shirley Manson-like vocal tone and her subtle moves.
Band: THE MERINGUES Who: A Kingston, Ontario-based
post-punk powerhouse.
Track: ROYALTY
This track is a cut from their 2nd album, Pavlova’s Dog,
which will be available on September 16th.
“It’s that feeling of having idealized someone, only to discover they didn’t deserve it.
Or when you thought you knew someone, but they revealed a different side. This song
explores the disorienting feeling of realizing you were wrong about someone or something.”
TUTV: This punk ‘n’ roar torpedo guarantees you a vitalizing kick. Royalty explodes
from the get-go. The smashing chorus, with its screamy duet vocals, causes ecstatic
elation.
Band: RAZORLIGHT Who:British power guitar-pop indies RAZORLIGHT (2002–2014, 2017–present),
led by guitarist/singer Johnny Borrell, who have their first LP in 16 years finished.
They baptized it Planet Nowhere.
It’ll land on October 24.
It’s the first taster off of the forthcoming full-length. A simple, but oh so
effective tune. Jaunty and terrifically infectious. Welcome back to the party,
guys.
Band: STRAWBERRY SLEEPOVER Who: A psych, garage rock act from Baltimore, MD which makes waves in
the local music scene with their unique sound and captivating performance.
Track: FILTH
From their upcoming new
album, out September 6.
TUTV: If you’re depressed because summer is almost over, comfort yourself with this bonkers cowboy-punk jackhammer. Big, really big fun. ‘Filth‘ gets filthier and filthier along
its rowdy course. Think Dropkick Murphys riding wild horses while consuming a stream
of cold beers. Get the picture? As I said, big fun.
TUTV: A moony daydream floating smoothly around and in your ears and
has an on-repeat effect. It’ll appear on their 4th LP, baptized ‘Viva Hinds‘
and lands on September 6.
Martel: “After surviving elementary and high school, working in customer service and an office job, going to college and university I realized I still have not overcome social anxiety. I wrote this song about it so I could finally try to stop caring so much.”
TUTV: Martel strikes again with unbridled punch on this invigorating pop pearl juiced with jumpy bass lines, a vigorous drum beat, an edgy guitar solo and a chirpy chorus. Vocally Martel could be family of Alanis Morissette‘ voice. That same stirring timbre and expressive tone.
TUTV: City Lights is an ardent upper for the midnight hours when you hit town. Coxon lets his greedy guitar and his sultry saxophone have some funky fun, the
relentless bass/drums tandem take care of the groove’s banging beat. Uplifting
duet vocals and a chipper chorus complete the sonic picture.
“This is very different to anything we have released before it’s
very pop and a song of unrequited love and idolising others.”
TUTV: The Trusted deliver again. Miracle Face is a bittersweet power-pop symphony. Vehement orchestrations, layers of guitars, drum/bass puissance, and perfervid vocals combine for an affecting anthem. Think of New York City‘s heroes The Strokes’ mellower moments.
Band: MERCURY REV Who Day-and-night dreamers with key members Jonathan
Donahue and Sean “Grasshopper” Mackowiak
Track: A BIRD OF NO ADDRESS
From their 10th LP, their first in 9 years, named Born Horses, and out on September 6.
TUTV: A Bird Of No Address is a starry-eyed musing, a magnific symphony
with classical piano play, sensitive orchestrations and Donahue‘s romantic
vocals.
Bewitching, just bewitching.
Instagram – Tour
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Artist: BLACK VIIOLET Who: The moniker of the new solo project of Nicole Laurenne, the
flamboyant daredevil/voice/face of American garage rockers The Darts.
Track: KILL ME NOW
The title song of Laurenne‘s debut EP. A totally different
affair from what she has done for a long time with The Darts.
TUTV: Music for jazzy, smoky nightclubs where crooners play love songs,
happy and sad ones on piano, backed by a smooth little orchestra.
Viiolet‘s sexy, near-whispering voice and her sensual
film noir appearance fit the mood just perfectly well.
“I was playing around with this song and the chorus came to me almost immediately. It reminded me of something from Joni Mitchell’s Clouds album and the line “Some things hurt a little more, this one’s you” had such a resigned sentiment the rest of the song was easy to write. It’s a love song, but from an older point of view. Less drama and more realisation that another one had slipped away. The loneliness of an empty house and the need to escape the quiet.”
TUTV: Singer-songwriter splendour. A dynamic reverie, driven by titillating acoustic
six-strings, playful piano fragments, and a heartwarming voice. I’m pretty sure that Jamie Sutherland is a fervent Nick Drake and Tim Buckley fan.
Artist: BLACK VIIOLET Who: The moniker of the new solo project of Nicole Laurenne, the
flamboyant daredevil/voice of American garage rockers The Darts.
Press info: “Nicole‘s love for torch songs, which she weaves over triphop beats,
slinky upright bass lines, rhodes piano riffs, and a full horn section. The project is
off to a surprisingly strong start. She wrote, arranged, and produced every note.
Gigs in France in September
TUTV: Do you know the classic 1942 movie Casablancafeaturing legendary
star actors Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, where ladykiller Bogart is
the owner of a fancy nightclub and meets his drop-dead gorgeous ex-lover
(Bergman) again.
If so, imagine that sort of old time nightclub, with its jazzy, glamorous and smoky atmosphere and with its crooners playing love songs on piano, backed by a smooth
little orchestra. Well, that’s what came to my mind when I listen to Black Viiolet‘s EP
with its four sultry, seducing candlelight melodies. Her sexy, near whispering voice
and her sensual film noir appearance fit the mood just perfectly well.
Laurenne wouldn’t be out of place in David Lynch‘s
dark movie Blue Velvet or on a Sade record.
Dim the light, sit down, relax
and let your fantasy do its thing.
