RICHARD ASHCROFT and THE VERVE (1990–1995, 1997–1999, 2007–2009)
scored their biggest triumph, commercially and critically, in 1997 with their
3rd LP Urban
Hymns that topped the UK Charts. So did its timeless single Bittersweet Symphony (more than 1,2 billion streams on Spotify).
The band split twice, came back and, finally, called it a day in 2009.
Between and after, Ashcroft delivered great solo work. Today, his
6th solo longplayer, titled LOVIN’ YOU landed.
It follows his performances as support act for Oasis on their reunion shows
in the UK this summer. I was at one of them, on August 3rd in Wembley Stadion
in London. 70,000 singing his greatest hits set along, word by word, caused
goosebumps
Wembley Stadium, August 3rd – photo by Turn Up The Volume.
Louder Than War says: “What’s most striking is how cohesive the album feels despite its stylistic range. Whether he’s leaning into stripped-back balladry or experimenting with soulful grooves, the songs are united by a warmth and clarity that speak to both craft and conviction. It’s the sound of an artist who no longer needs to prove anything — he’s simply doing what he does best.
Lovin’ You may not rewrite Ashcroft’s legacy, but it reinforces it beautifully. It’s a record of reflection and renewal, full of light and grace, and a reminder that — decades on — few songwriters can translate vulnerability into strength quite like him.”
TUTV: As an ardent Richard Ashcroft/The Verve fan a new RA full-length feels
like a conveted present a 10-year-old was waiting for. But (there’s always
a but) this one leaves me with mixed emotions.
Mind you, 5 tracks (Lover / Heavy News / I’m A Rebel / Crimson Fire ) out of the 10
are arresting tunes, but the other 5 miss the needed divertissement to make it a full commandable record. Lovin You‘ misses Ashcroft‘s epic touch and magical resonance.
No classics such as The Drugs Don’t Work, This Is How It Feels, Sonnet, Lucky Man or (of course) Bittersweet Symphony here.
Considering his illustrious work from the past, it’s hard to come up with first-class
material time and time again that achieves a similar heart-and-soul stirring glamourness. On the other hand, many singer-songwriters would have Lovin’ You on their résumé. And that says a lot about Ashcroft‘s unmistakable strength as a singer-songwriter.
Who: The former charismatic frontman of The Verve (1990–1995, 1997–1999,
2007–2009) who had their biggest triumph, commercially and critically, with their
3rd album Urban Hymns, which topped the UK Charts. So did its timeless single Bittersweet Symphony (more than 1,2 billion streams on Spotify).
Ashcroft, who is one of the support acts for his buddies Oasis on their reunion tour,
recently announced details of his upcoming 7th solo full-length. It’s titled Lovin’ You
and gets its premiere on October 3. More info here.
With the news came the first single LOVER.
An uplifting earworm for all romantic souls.
Below, you can enjoy a riveting live version,
performed for BBC Radio 2. Ashcroft still is
a lucky man.
Single from the upcoming album, baptized Talkin’ To The Trees. It comes our way on
June 12th.
TUTV: No pension whatsoever for the incomparable rocker in the free world.
Middle-finger straight up, in the face of the ‘Me, myself and I‘ POTUS and his
arse-licking billionaire monkeys.
The lead single from their upcoming album #10,
named Antidepressants. It’ll arrive on Sept 5th.
New album artwork
TUTV: Disintegrate is a badass barnstormer revved up by radioactive guitar riffs,
a colossal drum beat, and, of course, Anderson‘s feverish vocals. Suede sound like
young dogmanstars once again. Take notes, all you ambitious rock snotnoses out
there.
2nd shared single from their forthcoming self-titled debut LP, out on July 18th.
TUTV: Party! Party! Party! These Welsh punkettes drive you bonkers with this
bass-insane punk ‘n’ roll uppercut. Kick-ass band, kick-ass attitude, kick-ass blast.
A cover of Mickey Lee Lane‘s 1965 firecracker, which, along with a remix of their 2022
song Jamie C’mon went digital last weekend and will be out on 7″ vinyl this summer.
TUTV: This is the kind of instant-affecting tunes that get all of your lazy limbs excited.
165 swirling seconds of punchy punk ‘n’ roll. An irresistibly uplifting upper. Bass and drum produce a battering beat, guitar riffs fly around and Linda Pardee‘s vivid vocals trigger you to get up, stand up and scream your lungs out when the ridiculously catchy chorus pops up.
Artist:JEHNNY BETH, Who:France-born, former frontwoman of female post-punk band Savages (2011-2017), who released her solo debut LP Love Is To Live
back in 2020.
Second shared piece from their upcoming debut LP ‘A Mass In The Water, which lands on 14 November.
Single artwork by Maxime Rouquart
TUTV: This new slam dunk’s ominous mid-tempo dynamics, distorted vocals,
and riff-roasting razzmatazz resonate like if you are listening to the goosebumps
theme song of a horror movie.
Creepy tension in the air, melodrama about to happen. Yes, at the 2.30 minute
mark all hell breaks loose. Decibels up, amps up, temperature up. From a whisper
to a scream. From planet Earth to Dante‘s inferno. Helter skelter.
TUTV: Lover is a vintage big Ashcroft tune. Sirenic
power pop, with Ashcroft repeating the track’s title
non-stop.
The song samples English singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading’s
1976 hit Love And Affection. When RA let Armatrading hear ‘Lover‘
she gave her blessing to release it.
Artist:MARK STEWART (Bristol, UK) Who: One of the most adventurous/inventive/original post-punk & dub artists/performers
ever, who passed away, unfortunately, 2 years ago, aged 62. He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group The Pop Group
2nd shared piece from the upcoming album The Fateful Symmetry,
which Stewart completed in early 2023. It’ll arrive on 11th July.
. Mute Records
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– 11 –
Act: DICE MACHINE Who: Tandem Michael Daks & Drew Five. Their music is shaped by a wide range of
influences, from punk to electronic, making them sound both familiar & refreshingly unpredictable. Combining Daks‘ narrative artistry with electro-pop act Feral Five‘s Drew’s innovative production, they craft songs that resonate on multiple levels.”
TUTV: DM take you on an adrenalized punk ‘n’ roll ride from the kick-off.
No brakes, no breaks. Full steam ahead, pushed by a rip-roaring salvo of
guitar riffs and infused with intoxicating vocals. High-voltage magnetism
all the way through. Second single, second bullseye!
Band: MODEL/ACTRIZ Who: Electro act from Brooklyn.
Track: VERSPERS
Opener from their brand-new
2nd album, named Pirouette.
TUTV: A hyperkinetic electro/guitar-riff beat ticks on your head non-stop. It drives you crazy, and pushes your poor mind into a chilling daze. Sounds challenging, right? You bet.
Single from his brand-new 8th
solo longplayer Strawberries.
TUTV: Forster‘s motto is keep it simple, shake and swing your hips to the swirling rhythm, ignore the outside world, love your loved ones, and have fun, it always helps you to get you through the day.
TUTV: Lots of dance-fueled tunes this month. Even daydreamers Elbow have one to jump and down to in your bedroom/bathroom/kitchen/wherever, while you stay sober.
Lyrically, Donatella delves into her past to help vanquish demons that circle from previous trauma of manipulation and abuse. Through this primal scream of emotion, she is able to find liberation and rebirth.
TUTV: Spellbinding, riveting and fetching. This melodramatic discharge holds
your aural attention all the way. Moon‘s engrossing vocality works like a magnet.
Very promosing stuff.
A collaboration with Spanish
EBM producer Nightcrawler.
A track that exposes the puppeteering forces behind the system and
the disappearance of authenticity in a world shaped by fabricated
idols. It’s both a protest and a purge.
TUTV: Think techno experts The Chemicals Brothers with eerie vocals by a demon.
A maddening 90s master blaster for 24-hour parties where stroboscopes spin you
into a trance. To hell with all authoritarian politicians and meaningless celebs. Living
our lives the tolerant way we want is what we all should do, while going mental to bombastic beats and blustery bangs. It’s hammertime, folks.
The lyrics paint a picture blending imagery of horror and cannibalism. The song
portrays a character adrift in a world without moral boundaries, a being driven by
thirst and pleasure. The themes explore unrestrained hedonism, the loss of control,
and the banality of evil.
TUTV: Be ready for a sonic Stephen King -esque nightmare. Diabolic, bone-chilling and bloodcurdling. Perfect to play to your zombie friends. Play this tormenting serpent of
a track loud, and scare your neighbours.
Artist: TROUSER DRESS Who: East Yorkshire’s Carden Mucklin. A young genderqueer writing songs about random thoughts and feelings, pouring their lived experiences of being queer & trans, as well as their journey through the mental health jungle, into songwriting and photography.
“This was my first time creating a track that I didn’t have a plan for, or a set sound in my head. I wrote the four lines & guitar part but then shelved the song as everything I added didn’t feel right. When I brought it to producer Adam, we decided to keep the lyrics simple and to build it up with other sounds and layers. I wanted the song to feel almost like ruminations that spiral around but start from just a few sentences. I think we created the perfect sound!”
TUTV: Old Soul is an intriguing, trancey, and multi-instrumental chant.
Think folktronica siblings CocoRosie. Wayward and fascinating. Top piece.
Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine
24 May 2025
RICHARD ASHCROFT and The Verve (1990–1995, 1997–1999, 2007–2009) scored
their biggest triumph, commercially and critically, in 1997 with their 3rd LP Urban Hymns that topped the UK Charts. So did its timeless single Bittersweet Symphony (more than 1,2 billion streams on Spotify).
The band split twice, came back and, finally, called it a day in 2009. In between and afterward Ashcroft recorded solo. So far he has released 5 albums, with Natural Rebel, which came out in 2018, as his most recent one (if you don’t count Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1 from 2021, featuring reworked versions of some of his best known songs).
The former madman, who kept on performing live now and then, is now
finally back with a new single LOVER is an instantly infectious piece. Sirenic
power pop, with Ashcroft repeating the track’s title non-stop.
The song samples English singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading’s
1976 hit Love And Affection. When RA let Armatrading hear ‘Lover‘
she gave her blessing to release it.
WATCH
STREAM
Lokerse Festival, Belgium – 5 August 2024 – photo by Turn Up The Volume
A stream of rattling rippers, jagged jams, and magnific musings
All 20 on Spotify
. Track by Track
Stoogefather IGGY POP still wants to be your dog.
Next January he launches a new album, named Every Loser.
First lead single FRENZY is a motherfucker of a punk bomb
featuring an all-star band including Watt, Guns N’ Roses‘ Duff
McKagan and Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith.
I’m in a frenzy
Fucking prick
I’m in a frenzy
Goddamn dick
But they’re not done yet this year. They teamed up with Laurie Vincent
of London‘s punk duo Slaves for a brand new hammer blow called THE DELICATE NATURE
It goes like this…
BOB VYLAN: Facebook – Instagram
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Both a gloomy and foot-tapping drum/bass are the backbone of this ominous post-punk stroke. Haunting guitar layers inject this jaw-dropper with edgy electricity, grim vocals add a kind of dark tension, while the sickly catchy groove rattles on and on, before a surprising finish with a weeping violin.
The video features the English comedian Sean Walsh in a much darker tone than his usual TV appearances, as he is seen battling his inner demons through the bottom of a whisky bottle.
DEAD PATRONS: Facebook
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Band: ULTRA SUNN Who: Cold/darkwave duo – Sam Huge
and Gaelle Souflet – from Brussels
Turn Up The Volume: Can you believe this? Even before the music comes
on I’m already moving furniture to make room, because with ULTRA SUNN
it’s always shake your booty time.
The tantalizing combination of boosting beats, shadowplay sound textures,
reverberant vocals, and a pumping chorus at work here, attract you to act the
whole way through. Just irresistible. With ambitious artists like ULTRA SUNN
darkwave music will never age.
First taster LIFE IS AN EXPERIMENT (Cloud Climber Version) is vintage dub electronica honoring Lee “Scratch” Pery wonderfully. The Jamaican dub music pioneer who gave reggae another vibe with his revolutionary studio wizardry and visionary production technics. He passed away last year, aged 85. R.I.P.
Hear the ghost of Perry at work…
NEW AGE DOOM: Website
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(Keira-Anee Photography)
Band: BUGEYE Who: Female pop quartet from London blending cherry-liqueur lyrics,
bubblegum-kneecap bass electrics, goth-heavy drum compactions and
hi-rise guitar sculptures.
Swedish electro-pop artist FEVER RAY (born Karin Elisabeth Dreijer, 47 years ago)
canned her 3rd album and named it RADICAL ROMANTICS. It comes out on 10 March 2023. More info here.
Spicy taster CARBON DIOXIDE is an edgy
Björk-esque disco-pop stomper. Bingo!
Band:MEMES Who: A noisy Glasgow duo (cousins) called John and Paul – not that John and Paul, obviously. And as band name John Paul II would be ridiculous, they called themselves Memes, and hit the scene in 2019, and have been twisting heads ever since
After their eponymous bonkers debut EP (2020) followed by some staggering singles,
the high-decibels tandem nail it with another sucker punch. Leader is a funk-punk riff ripsnorter that kicks forth and back before a freakish guitar outbreak slashes and
trashes its way to the end.
Watch out for the pigman,
he looks like a meme in disguise…
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS, the garage rock fury from Los Angeles, led by vocalist/guitarist/organist and charismatic voodoo doll Bonnie Bloomgarden,
who love to doom boogie while glowing in the dark, have their new – 5th – album,
baptized ISLANDS IN THE SKY out on 24 February 2023. Pre-order info here.
Along with the great news, DVG spoil our ears with the first single WHAT ARE THE ODDS.
It’s a ridiculously sticky juiced-up power-pop chant triggering your limbs to get up and move. And when the under the spell of joy choir joins Bonnie Bloomgarden on the elated chorus you just feel that the odds are huge for the simulated Californian girls having another top album are huge. Fact!
We are living in a simulated world
And we are simulated girls!
Band: CROSS WIRES Who: fervid post-punk 4-piece
from Romford, UK.
Single: MOURNING
The first piece of the band’s
upcoming second longplayer.
TUTV: Great news for all Cross Wires fans, including myself, out there.
Their 2nd album is finished/recorded and ready to leave its vault early
next year through Culture Wars Records. It follows the band’s album A Life Extinct. One of the most poignant debut records of 2019.
Lead single. Mourning is not a happy story. It’s a post-break-up cry out,
a cathartic shout out. Sixties psychedelic-sounding wah-wah guitar fuzz,
alternated with cutting six-string fervor stoke up the energy of this crackerjack
all the way, along with a steadfast drum/bass tandem, and back up frontman Jonathan Chapman‘s harrowing confession of lovesickness.
Band: JUSTINE PAYNE & CO. Who: Musician, composer and performer, describing himself
as a “natural born underdog.” With over 15 years of experience
in the industry
Payne describes how his life is changing throughout the song, but no amount
of fame or distraction could deviate him from the one he loves. The tender lyrics
contrast in the baddest way possible with Justine‘s gritty delivery.
TUTV: Expect a slow-burning slacker cracker with poignant Dinosaur Jr echoes and
garage rock reverberation stoked up by cranked-up guitars. As the song progresses Payne spellbinding voice takes over. Breathtaking.
A speedy psych roller featuring guitar lines from Johnny Marr.
The song is the first piece The Chief shared from a new album
coming next year. Details follow later.
Gallagher:“For this new record it was the first thing I wrote, the first thing I demoed and the first thing I finished, so it’s only right that it’s the first thing people get to hear. Massive shout out to my mainest man Johnny Marr for taking it somewhere special. Oh… and watch out for a cameo from me in the video… first one to spot me wins a bag of Flamin’ Hot Wotsits Giants!!”
Music, maestro, please…
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS: Facebook – Instagram
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Who: Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm. The project started in 2017.
They describe their sound as deathgaze, combining the raw energy
of deathrock with the depth of shoegaze. So far the duo released
four albums and a handful of singles and EPs.
TUTV: Vazum ventilate their anger versus the money-greedy corporate music industry
with this brutal straightforward shocker generating a wall-of-fuck-the-elite-labels sound that bulldozes its way on repeat with schizo guitars, a non-stop spiteful rant and Emily Sturm‘s freakish backing vocals. Bang-on!
Lyrically and sonically it follows Lin Manuel closely. Lyrical guitar play
stars along Chavez‘s fervid soul/blues voice. She still has hope for the
future. No, it’s not over yet.
Artists: FERAL FIVE Who: Electro-punk dance music duo – Kat and Drew Five – from London
with bite, fusing snarling guitars, sparkling synths, and ferocious beats.
Single: GOLDEN RULE
Fresh piece from their long-awaited debut album, named The New Truth Is Gold out on 10 February 2023 through Reckless Yes.
FF: “‘The golden rule is people come together. This is a shimmering
anthem of renewal, and a clarion call for people to come together.”
TUTV: Golden Rule is a desirous pick-me-up pop tune. Airy, breezy, instantly catching and an invitation to get together in these troublous times. Kat Five‘s vocals float all over this romantic reflection and glossy synths sparkle throughout. The most notable component, to my ears, of this new piece, is the distinctive Cure-like guitar sonority. Feverish, shadowy and arresting. Pretty cool. Bring on the album FF.
Band: VOGUE VILLAINS Who: A hard-rocking alternative band from Vancouver Island, Canada with a musical foundation planted firmly in catchy melodies and multipart harmonies. Set on making music that feels unique, yet unafraid to wear the boys many influences on their sleeves, this powerhouse of a band has created a sound that is undeniably and unmistakably VV.
TUTV: Hells bells! This nasty motherrocker of a hammer blow speeds up your adrenalin machine from the kick-off. VV mix blues rock, classic rock and hard rock seamlessly into a red-hot-blooded wall-of-riff-sick sound. A boiling mishmash of intimidating guitars, a powerhouse rhythm section, a Herculean chorus, boogie-woogie flashes and vociferous vocals is what your stereo speakers will spit out. Just what you need to bang your head against a wall. Hells bell, indeed.
Band: TAPE TRASH Who: This new duo project draw inspiration from the music they listened to when
they first picked up their instruments as enthusiastic teenagers: Indie rock induced with infectious choruses, catchy guitar riffs, and huge drums. After an involuntary break due to the corona epidemic, they have spent the past year working on their debut album.
Single: OLD HIGHS
2nd piece, following lead-single Not Going Home,
from their upcoming debut longplayer
TUTV: Expect a multi-layered, towering and schizophrenic wall-of-guitar-electricity propelled by a pushing rhythm section. When they take the decibels a bit down it’s
only a foreplay moment for a stormy finale. Breathtaking stroke!
Band: SUEP Who: A stubbornly high-spirited combo creating oddball music with
a touch of theatrical storytelling. Fronted by Georgie Stott (Porridge Radio,
Garden Centre, The GN Band) and Brain Wastefield. SUEP is born out of a
near-decade of wearing silly clothes and deconstructing pop together.
TUTV: I love the vivid vibe here. In Good Health resonates like a comforting chant with friends, hand in hand, taking care of each other. It’s a frisky tune that plays instantly on your inner stereo in your head. It’s an all-together ditty that puts a big smile on your face.
More of that is expected when SUEP release their debut album, namedShop,
It lands on 27th January 2023 via Memorials Of Distinction.
The Short Causeway are a notable 2022 example. They zig-zag their way through
this debut single with capricious tempo changes, with glimmering guitar sparks,
breezy melodiousness, and moony vocals. Welcome!
Tune in.
. THE SHORT CAUSEWAY: Facebook – Twitter
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PISTOL brings together all of the elements that have made CAS such a celebrated band, while also introducing a subtle yet impactful increase in tempo. Equal parts transportive and romantic, the song’s driving rhythm meets a stark, minimalistic atmosphere that is given dimension by dreamy, washed-out guitars, swelling synths, and intimate, yearning vocals from Greg Gonzalez.
The late great JEFF BUCKLEY released GRACE his debut album, actually his only proper studio LP, 25 years ago today, on 23 Augustus 1994. A heavily emotional album with Buckley’s characteristic touching vox as one of the main instruments for his introspective and intimate inner journeys. Compelling, captivating and passionate from start to finish. Initially, the LP was largely ignored and peaked at number #149 in the U.S. but slowly but surely critical acclaim build up. Eventually Grace had sold over 2 million copies worldwide.
ALL MUSIC wrote: “Jeff Buckley was many things, but humble wasn’t one of them. Grace is an audacious debut album, filled with sweeping choruses, bombastic arrangements, searching lyrics, and above all, the richly textured voice of Buckley himself, which resembled a cross between Robert Plant, Van Morrison, and his father Tim. Grace sounds like a Led Zeppelin album written by an ambitious folkie with a fondness for lounge jazz.” Score: 5/5
