New Albums 2024

JOHN GRANT – The Boy From Michigan Releases His 7th Album This June – Hear All 3 Splendid Shared Tracks (So Far) Here

Posted on by JL

22 May 2024


Press

Michigan‘s songsmith JOHN GRANT was quite active after the release of his 2021
solo LP Boy From Michigan. Last year he recorded an album with his band Creep
Show, an EP with Midlake, and did a Nick Drake cover for a tribute album.

Now he returns on his own, again. His 7th album,
titled THE ART OF THE LIE, will show up on June 14.

Album trailer

Press-info: “The Art Of The Lie is Grant’s most opulent, cinematic, luxurious album
yet and confirms Grant’s status as a modern electronic auteur. Grant likens the musical flavours of The Art of the Lie to the sumptuous Vangelis soundtrack for Bladerunner or
the Carpenters if John Carpenter were also a member.

While undeniably a John Grant record, nestling humour into tragedy, bleeding anger into compassion, there is a musical ambition and nerve to ‘The Art of the Lie’ which offsets its most political and personal moments.”

Grant already gave us ears sonic pleasure with these three tracks.
One mind-fucker (The Child Catcher) and two funky master blasters.

– ALL THAT SCHOOL FOR NOTHING –

– IT’S A BITCH –

– THE CHILD CATCHER –

All 3 together


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JG: Instagram

GRAMPFATHER – New York Indies Have Their New Guitar-Layered Album ‘LAUGH LINES’ Out

Posted on by JL

20 May 2024

Band: GRAMPFATHER
Who: Indie 4-piece from Kingston, NY

New album: LAUGH LINES

James Kwapisz (guitar and vocals): “We jumped around a bunch genre-wise
in our previous albums, but this project is more of a focused indie-rock record.
It’s been brewing and marinating for a while and we’re real proud of it.”

TUTV: Laugh Lines‘s songs move and groove in different sonic directions
at different paces. Pop, rock, garage, post-punk, even prog-rock moments
(like the instrumental Whalesong), make it a versatile record with effervescent
guitars and singer Kwapisz’s storytelling vocality prominently present.

Most of the 11 tracks have a capricious structure, going left/right, forth and back,
yet somehow they’re all family. No songs about the birds and bees for Grampfather,
it’s all about social observations/thoughts with a philosophical approach (check all
lyrics on Bandcamp).

Solid songwriting, layered and electrifying arrangements and
surprising sonic mood swings make Laugh Lines a discovery album.

Single/video: Dredging

STREAM ALBUM

BUY ALBUM


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Grampfather: Linktree

BETH GIBBONS Processes Her Pains Of Loss On Ghostly Solo Debut Album ‘LIVES OUTGROWN

Posted on by JL

New longplayers

19 May 2024

BETH GIBBONS was the voice/face of renowned British outfit
Portishead who released (only) 3 LPs between 1994
and 2008.

In recent years she collaborated with several other artists and
here she’s now with her solo debut LP named LIVES OUTGROWN .

The longplayer was recorded over the last decade and includes with production
by Gibbons, James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode), and Lee Harris (Talk Talk).
It takes inspiration from a time of deep reflection, change, and, “lots of goodbyes.”

Gibbons about the album: “I realised what life was like with no hope. And that was
a sadness I’d never felt. Before, I had the ability to change my future, but when you’re up against your body, you can’t make it do something it doesn’t want to do. People started
dying.

When you’re young, you never know the endings, you don’t know how it’s going to pan out.
You think: we’re going to get beyond this. It’s going to get better. Some endings are hard to digest.”

Pitchfork says: “The Portishead singer reintroduces herself with her debut solo album.
History weighs heavy on her songs, but she takes pains to avoid her musical past. Leftfield choices underscore the courageous and subtly unusual nature of Gibbons’ album, which
hides its eccentricity behind her deathless voice and sympathetic lyrical insight.” 8/10

TUTV: It’s already 30 years since British trip-hop-pop collective Portishead made
impressive sonic waves with their unearthly debut album Dummy where layered
synth-pop textures, trip-hop rhythms and Gibbons‘ introvertive vocals created
a singular re-echoing sound.

Gibbons still has that ghostly vocal timbre, as if she wanders and sings, in slow-mo,
in a thick fog far away from the real world and her pains of loss. Musically, the tone
is both delicate and tender, mysterious and introspective, with an overall sense of disturbing catharsis, accompanied by mourning strings, big drums and subtle, acoustic guitars. You need several spins to connect with Gibbons‘ enigmatic world.

Standout single

ALBUM


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Europe/UK Tour

Instagram

Coming Up – 12th LP By Californian Rock Legends LITTLE FEAT

Posted on by JL

10 May 2024

Californian L.A. based rockers LITTLE FEAT had their first run from 1969 to 1979.
The band was founded by their late singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Lowell
George who passed away in 1979 following a heart attack, aged only 34, drummer
Richard Hatward keyboardist Bill Payne who’s still in the band and bassist Roy Estrada
who only stayed for their first 2 LPs.

Following George‘s death Little Feat took an 8-year
hiatus and restarted in 1987 with a different line-up.

They never looked back and are about to release their
12th LP, called SAM’S PLACE on May 17. Order info here.

Enjoy the first two singles. ROCK AND ROLL DOCTOR and CAN’T BE SATISFIED.

LF: Website

New EELS Album Titled ‘EELS TIME!’ Out In June – Hear The Three Shared Singles (So Far) Here

Posted on by JL

Coming Up

8 May 2024

Fab weirdo Mark Oliver Everett and EELS drop
their 15th LP, named EELS TIME! on June 7.

Pre-order info here.

The release of this album follows a busy 2023 for the Los Angeles band, where they
finally hit the road for their long-awaited Lockdown Hurricane tour of Europe and North America and brought the year to a close by marking over three decades of the group
with the release of their second compilation album Eels So Good: Essential Eels, Vol.2.

Singles/clips: Time / If I’m Gonna Go Anywhere / Goldy

– GOLDY –

– IF I’M GONNA GO ANYWHERE –

– TIME –

All 3 on Spotify


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EELS: Linktree

PET SHOP BOYS – Synth Pop Experts Have Their 15th LP ‘NONETHELESS’ Out

Posted on by JL

28 April 2024


Album artwork

After 4 decades, British synth-pop experts THE PET SHOP BOYS,
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe still transfer their fans to a Utopian
place where you can dance and dream carelessly.

Their 15th LP, titled NONETHELESS is out now.

Clash Magazine (London): “Taken as a whole, this is an utterly brilliant,
dependably polished listen, and one that is unquestionably up there with
the best moments in this duo’s storied career.” Full review here: here.

TUTV: I’m not as enthusiastic as most of the critics are on this one. Yes, PSB
still are starry-eyed synth-pop experts and know all it takes to write titillating
tunes, upbeat as well as downbeat.

But after more than 40 years and 15 LPs, you can’t surprise anymore like you
used to do when you operate in this musical genre. Mind you they still shine
brightly but the déja vu and déjà entendu feel is unavoidable.

Then again, Tennant‘s stories are always compelling and drawn from life experiences as well as from daydreaming. Songs about Oscar Wilde, homophobic thugs, useless tyrants, fighting loneliness and isolation by dancing on and on aren’t your average pop content. And Tennant silky voice still is an important key to the duo’s satiny sound. PSB fans are aurally pleased once again, no doubt about that. Key tracks: Nonetheless, Why Am I Dancing?, New London Boy, and The Schlager Hit Parade.

Singles/clips: Nonetheless / Dancing Star

– NONETHELESS –

– DANCING STAR –

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ALBUM


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PSB: Instagram – Facebook

New DAVID GILMOUR Album ‘LUCKY AND STRANGE’ Out In September – Hear First Taster ‘THE PIPER’S CALL’

Posted on by JL

25 April 2024


Artwork and photography by legend Anton Corbijn.

Former Pink Floyd guitar hero DAVID GILMOUR (aged 78 now) has finished
the recordings of his 5th solo LP. It’s titled LUCKY AND STRANGE and will
land on September 6 via Sony Music.

The 8-track album is Gilmour’s first album of new
material in nine years since Rattle That Lock.

David Gilmour about producer Charlie Andrew: (alt-J, Marika Hackman). “We invited Charlie to the house, so he came and listened to some demos, and said things like, “Well, why does there have to be a guitar solo there?” and “Do they all fade out? Can’t some of them just end?”. He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine. He’s very direct and not in any way overawed, and I love that. That is just so good for me because the last thing you want is people just deferring to you.”

The majority of the album’s lyrics have been composed by Polly Samson,
Gilmour’s co-writer and collaborator for the past thirty years.

“It’s written from the point of view of being older; mortality is the constant.”

First taster is THE PIPER’S CALL. A both gentle and electrifying musing that
brings that iconic band, named Pink Floyd, in the late 70s era, to mind.


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TRACKLIST

1. Black Cat
2. Luck and Strange
3. The Piper’s Call
4. A Single Spark
5. Vita Brevis
6. Between Two Points (with Romany Gilmour)
7. Dark and Velvet Nights
8. Sings
9. Scattered

For the occasion British music monthly UNCUT spoke to
Gilmour about his upcoming LP, for their brand-new issue.

You can purchase a copy of the mag and let it sent to your home address. Info here.

GUIDED BY VOICES – New Album (Their 40th One), First Single And US Tour

Posted on by JL

24 April 2024


New album artwork

GUIDED BY VOICES (Dayton, Ohio) are probably
the most productive band ever in rock history with
40 albums in 41 years! Hello?!

The 40th one is titled Strut Of Kings and slated for release on June 28.
Here’s the lead single SERENE KING. Indie GBV rock as we know it.

STREAM


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BUY


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US TOUR

Instagram

CAN – Another Live Album From The Legendary German Sound Explorers Lands Next Month

Posted on by JL

Upcoming longplayers

18 April 2024

CAN LIVE IN ASTON 1977 is the latest in an ongoing series of album releases
focusing on the band’s live performances, is set for release on vinyl, CD and
digitally on 31 May 2024 via Mute and Future Days.

Pre-order info here.

Live in Aston 1977 is a whole new lens through which we can view a unique band
with seemingly inexhaustible energy for live performance. It came at a difficult period
for the German band. Their eighth studio album, Saw Delight, had been badly received
and although posterity has been kinder, the reviews on release were savage.

It might be expected that the live performances from this time would reflect some of the criticisms of the album, that they were slowing down, perhaps even feeling a little jaded, but it cements the notion that Can live, at any period, was mercurial.

Within the Can Live series, this is the first to feature bassist Rosko Gee (Traffic) who
had joined Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, and Holger Czukay (who, relieved
of bass duties is credited with “waveform radio and spec. sounds” on the album), and
would perform with them until the band’s split in 1979.

You can already enjoy the closing track VIER below.

CAN: Story – Albums

The Late Great Country Star GLEN CAMPBELL And BRIAN WILSON Duet On Melancholic Beauty ‘STRONG’

Posted on by JL

New striking strokes

15 April 2024

Campbell had a long history with Beach Boys musical genius Brian Wilson.
He played as session-musician on a ton of BB records, including their classic
Pet Sounds. When Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown and stopped touring
with his band, Campbell replaced him.

A new version of a song that Campbell wrote and recorded late
in life, titled STRONG with co-vocals by Wilson is online now.

The song is about Campbell‘s struggle with Alzheimer and the fight to be
there for his family as good as possible. He lost his battle in 2017, aged 81.

I’ll be on an upcoming album, titled DUETS: GHOST CANVAS SESSIONS
featuring remixed versions, with some notable guests such as Carole King,
Dolly Parton, Elton John, and Dave Stewart, of his final 2011 LP Ghost On The
Canvas. It’s out, next Friday, on April 19.

Hear the wonderful, symphonic Campbell-Wilson duet STRONG here.

Glen Campbell: Bio – Discography