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.
Unquestionable standout from the Irish indie
stars’ much applauded 4th LP Romance.
TUTV: Intense jam, rollin’ on with a bone-chilling flow and
frontman Grian Chatten raps all over it with his characteristic
uptight parlando and grasping for his breath every time the
refrain comes on.
Part of their upcoming 5-track EP
that’ll land early next year.
“Progress is a song about changing places, people and times.”
TUTV: Epic. Grandiose. Staggering. Amplified guitar-pop at its mind-blowing best.
One of those not-everyday puissant killer tracks overwhelms your emotions
from the first spin.
Piece from their forthcoming second longplayer, baptized Never Exhale. It’ll hit the streets on 25 January 2025.
TUTV: Taximan does your head in the way we, brainbangers, like it.
Bam Bang Boom. No mercy for the wicked. Manic mayhem as usual.
You’d better check out if Robert ‘Travis’ De Niro is behind the wheel
before taking a cab.
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.
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 missile all the way.
Band: LAMBRINI GIRLS Who: A two-motor punk bulldozer from Brighton, UK who have built
a notorious reputation over the past 2 years, on record and on stage.
Cut from the duo’s upcoming debut LP Who Let The Dogs Out. Out next year, on
January 10.
TUTV: Without a shadow of a loud doubt, one of the grrrlz’s best stormers so far.
An amazeballs wall-of-nasty-guitar/bass hullabaloo, a ruthless octopus drummer
and Phoebe‘s best vocals. Hell-tastic.
‘True love is nothing more than the wrong hill to die on”.
TUTV: The jaw-dropping vitality these volcanic Irish beatniks develop here is off the charts. They build a near-unbearable tension and explode insanely, time after time, along the rough ride. Vocalist/songwriter Karla Chubb knows terrifically well how to double your adrenalin production.
TUTV: Dog Dribble operates somewhere between Yard Act and Sleaford Mods.
Its limbs-activating groove is simply irresistible. Get up, stand up, and fight
for your right to bounce up and down like mad.
Band: FAT DOG Who:South London-based gang that made thousands
and ‘true love is nothing more than the wrong hill to die on”.
thousands of ears go bonkers with their first-rate debut
longplayer Woof.
TUTV: A ballistic disco-punk whopper to end and start all (il)legal
raves with. When the huge orchestral injections blast out of your
vibrating speakers you know that these misfits are your new
favorite dogs. Hallelujah!
One of the stellar singles from their
new, third, album Insight.
TUTV: Drums and bass team up for an incessantly beat that carries
this instantaneously infectiuos trip, along with a magnetizing Cure-esque guitar riff that gets you in a trance.
Truly hypnotizing from start to finish with velvety vocals
and darkwavish synths in the back adding a twilight tone.
TUTV: No, this is not a New Order song but it could easily be one, actually a stellar one. Summer Breeze sparkles from the very start to finish with scintillating guitar riffs, zealous percussion, shiny synths and Gibbard‘s eager vocals. It’s a pure pop pearl for all seasons.
Artists: ARROWS OF ATHENA (Boston, MA) Who: A pandemic project that found its two main players – multi-instrumentalist and producer Scott Lerner and vocalist and lyricist Jac-Lyn Gibson – reuniting after the latter spent some time away from music, Arrows of Athena are crafting a distinct sound on
their own terms, bridging usually disparate ends of the pop and rock spectrum for an illuminated sound of big dance beats, heavy riffs, and melodic intensity.
On this song the duo explores the mental and emotional work required
for a successful marriage, and how we’re often careless with love.
TUTV: I’m quite sure that Arrows Of Athena are huge fans of former Swedish glam and glitter pop duo Roxette. The bliss and blitz at play on Reckless Heart is sonically similar. Sizzling guitars, battering drums/bass grooves, sensuous vocals and a peppy chorus combine here for a power pop pearl that flames lustrously. Orchestral melodiousness, fiery 90s spirit, and musical. An invigorating joyride.
TUTV: This is a psychedelic shoegaze stunner, a multi-layered symphony
propelled by about a thousand guitars, a mindboggling bass riff, and combative
drums, while Rebecca Dow‘s ghostly vocals come from another galaxy.
TUTV: What’s in store for humankind. Nuclear war or peace and free love?
Or will we be just another brick in the wall? Whatever happens, never stop
pirouetting yourself dizzy to Leg Puppy.
We don’t need your education
We don’t need no your thought control
TUTV: The most energetic, exciting, pizzazy band around. Cooking on record and on stage. Sultry garage rock for party animals. This is my absolute favorite of this years Boomerang LP. Chipper tune.
TUTV: Think Cypress Hill fronted by Zack de la Rocha, rattling like
a rapid-fire riot-gun. An avid anthem that celebrates freedom and
invites you to shout along while pumping your fists in the air.
TUTV:Hallelujah rages against the anti-LGBTQ
haters with knives between their teeth and an
unstoppable drive.
“To express oneself, now expressly forbidden/ That’s a spiritual hell, that’s
a new prohibition/ And they’ll boil you down to reproductive function/ When
they see you as a vessel and not as a person!”
Track: Anna Save A Life
. TUTV: A manic motherrocker from a duo who sound as a 4-motor hit-and-run team. Riff-o-rama all the way while bashing drums do your head in. Garage punk ‘n’ roll at its filthy best. Call your own Anna and challenge the anti-decibels police.
TUTV: Wham bloody wham bam. Expect a sharp-splitting punk rock juggernaut. Amps up and full steam ahead. No rest for the wicked with this razor-blade cutting, head over heels bombshell spiced with sneering vocals. Wham bloody wah-wah guitars bam. Scrunched Up Fist hits your face really hard. Hurry-scurry stroke.
Band: SOFT SKIES INC Who: Philadelphia-based identical-twin duo and longtime musical confidants Ryan and Martin Rex, their shared sonic compass draws a straight line from the
classic alternative of their youth to the modern alternative and dream-pop of
today.
A song of hope, riding those tender waves of nostalgia, understanding that a loss of innocence comes with age but that we emerge from the other side with newfound perspective and awareness.
Melodic guitar pop at its Sebadoh best. Uptempo shoe-slacker-gaze
spiced with scintalling synths and ethereal vocals. Start dreaming in
overdrive.
TUTV: Just Like Everybody Else is a glorious, full-orchestrated pop gem, that transfers you in an eye/ear blink to a sonic dreamland with its affecting melodiousness, riveting chorus and warm-hearted vocals. Three highly-entertaining minutes and twenty seconds with Spielmann
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
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.
Band: THE DARTS Who: All female garage rock hit team from the US of A, making lots of noizz since 2016.
They released their brand-new, hot-boiling album Boomerang last April (stream/buy below). Without a shadow of a doubt their most explosive.
The live track TUTV picked is one of their 2023 album (yep, 2 LPs in a year) named Snake Oil. The utterly charismatic daredevils performed the title track in the studio
of renowned KEXP Radio – Seattle.
STREAM/BUY ‘BOOMERANG’
. TOUR 2024
Must be the longest tour poster I’ve seen all year. Actually as long as their 2023 tour. Hardest working band in the world right now. Don’t miss them when they play your
town.
The steamy garage ladies of Phoenix gang THE DARTS
released their 4th LP, titled SNAKE OIL last March.
You can buy it below via Bandcamp.
TUTV named it one of the 5 best albums of March 2023 and wrote:
“Holy smoke! The Darts roll faster and harder than a steamroller on full speed. Snake Oil is without a shadow of a doubt their best longplayer so far. It feels like the record is infused with all their lockdown frustration. Tons of relentless energy, a non-stop appetite for a garage rock tsunami and the decibels turned up. Centre-stage Nicole Laurenne sings her heart out as never before while her 60s-sounding organ spices things up all the way. Now and then the Phoenix turbo slow down and give us a chance to fill our oxyen tank. The Darts are unquestionably at the top of their blistering game.”
Meanwhile, the black-dressed sexy Amazons are storming through Europe (these
days setting Spain on fire) to put a spell on all rock fans with good taste over there
with the new longplayer.
And they still found the time to shoot a video clip for one of the album’s highlights,
the closing trackBRING IT BACK. A slow-mo post-breakup jam moving like a snake
looking for prey.
“Bring it back
you took my earth and sky
my sun and moon
when you left
everything good in my
life left too”
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Brussels – 20 Feb 2023)
TUTV: Islands In The Sky feels like the perfect follow-up to Under The Spell Of Joy (2020), sonically as well as lyrically. On the latter Bonnie Bloomgarden wanted to experience the potential and possibility of joy. On the new LP, she’s still under the spell of looking and finding joy but also and most of all spiritual freedom as only then nothing can happen anymore to her as she reveals on the standout track When I’m Free.
Musically it’s simply their best achievement (so far) because of the coherent first-rate songwriting quality, the richly layered orchestrations, Bloomgarden‘s full-hearted vocal
dynamism and the top production. Not one dull moment with Death Valley Girls.
Jason Williamson: “Maybe we are proud of the country. Maybe we are proud to be English. Maybe I’m proud of the horrible grey streets and the shit weather and the stupid fashions I find myself investing in. It’s just that the English we’re proud of being is absolutely nothing like the English the authorities want to try and promote.”
TUTV: It’s Sleaford Mods by very good numbers. A familiar sounding record with its
sharp-teethed grim-UK rants (Brexit didn’t benefit the country in many ways and the ongoing right-wing Tories‘ incompetence isn’t a blessing either, never was) and, sonically, with its catchy and irresistible simplicity that still activates your limbs without asking.
Holy smoke! The Darts roll faster and harder than a steamroller on full speed. Snake Oil is without a shadow of a doubt their best longplayer so far. It feels like the record is infused with all their lockdown frustration. Tons of relentless energy, a non-stop appetite for a garage rock tsunami and the decibels turned up.
Centre-stage Nicole Laurenne sings her heart out as never before while her 60s-sounding organ spices things up all the way. Now and then the Phoenix turbo slow down and give us a chance to fill our oxyen tank. The Darts are unquestionably at the top of their blistering game. Hell-bloody-hell-yeah!
BUY/STREAM
. THE DARTS: Facebook – Instagram
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WHO: This musical project started in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2014 and presents a soundscape based on electronic backgrounds and a more classic rock instrumentation blended with mellotrons, vibraphone, santur, harmonium and other alluring sounding instruments. In short, atmospheric psychedelic darkness with occult undertones.
TUTV:Eyemouth is not a band, it’s a sort of spiritual experience, floating from the past
to the present with an eye on the future. This new sonically versatile opus is another explorative voyage into their mythical world. Expect atmospheric synth-scapes for soundtracks of sci-fi movies, mellow Pink Floyd echoes,,dark-electro-wave surrealism
and an overall symphonic sonority.
All greatly orchestrated with both classical and futuristic-sounding structures. At times composer Marcus Lilja‘s ghostly voice comes on, but for the greatest part, this record bathes in instrumental grandeur embracing the power of nature.
WHO: American experimental band, formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart
in San Jose, California who worked with artists such as. Mitski, Sharon Van Etten, Deerhoof, Chelsea Wolfe, Twin Shadow as well as with avant-garde composers like Charlemagne Palestine.
TUTV: This is not happy music, this is grim reality music, this is truly fascinating
music. Cinematic electronics, orchestral maneuvers in the dark. Experimental and
sonic David Lynch exploration. Give it a couple of spins and you’ll find out that Xiu Xiu‘s bone-chilling world is more accessible than you thought at first. Their orchestral maneuvers in the dark are fascinating. Grand accomplishment
They rock, they roll, they have swagger, they have looks, they are for real, they
are THE DARTS. After being locked up for about two years, like all of us, the female,
4-cylinder powerhouse from Phoenix came back with tons of energy and an appetite
for a love tsunami these past 12 months. They dropped a new 3-avid-tracks EP last April and kept on touring in the free world for months.
And the future looks even busier. Not only one but two longplayers are waiting to
be unleashed in 2023 followed by gigging as much as they can. Thanks to upfront
dart Nicole Laurenne we get more details about this and next year.
But before starting the chat, Turn Up The Volume, as usual, starts an interview with
a slice of music. Open up your ears and your eyes for The Darts‘ brand-new super-duper single SNAKE OIL, the smashing title track of the upcoming LP.
What’s the story behind the band’s name, Nicole?
“A lot of people – well, people without boobs anyway – don’t realize it, but shirts made for people with boobs have to have seams sewn on the sides of the chest area to allow extra room. In English those seams are called “darts”.
I wanted a name that was unique to people who identify as female without being too obvious, and for some reason an image of a 1940s bullet bra came to mind, with its extreme darts! The bullet bra was one of our first logos, designed by artist Justin Barker.
I love that most guys don’t even know there is an alternate meaning of the word “dart”.
Which of your songs would you pick to introduce
THE DARTS to people who never heard of you?
“Probably “My Heart Is A Graveyard” and “Love U 2 Death,” because they both have that vibe of being dark but not too serious. That’s a big part of The Darts thing, lyrically, musically, even visually. We might smile a lot, but there’s always a little blood on the teeth.”
You played a live session for renowned radio station KEPX in Seattle this year.
But, as you told me before, Covid-19 almost blew the planned performance.
What exactly happened?
“We worked really hard for a long time with DJ Brian Foss to finally get that coveted slot on KEXP sessions. They gave us a date in July 2022. The pandemic was finally lifting a little and the station said if anyone tested positive for covid the day of the session, they would have to cancel us. We weren’t worried. We had a new EP out and we were finally back to touring after two years of lockdown, and we were totally ready.
We headed out around the USA for the first two legs of the tour… and them Christina
and I came home with covid. Like really nasty, can’t-move-for-a-week, no-food, no-music covid. This was three weeks before the KEXP appearance. We tested every day, sometimes multiple times a day, praying to the gods of rock that we would test negative in time for the session. Literally two days before we left for Seattle, exhausted and desperate, I finally tested negative.
We arrived in Seattle at KEXP and they rigorously tested everyone – the band, the DJs, photographers, studio people, everyone – before anyone could even go into the building. We all tested negative. And the session was one of the most amazing things we have ever done to date. It was a covid miracle.”
Full KEXP show
Last April the band released a 3-track EP, titled ‘LOVE TSUNAMI’.
Is it the harbinger for a new album in 2023?
‘It is definitely a taste of things to come, but Love Tsunami was actually recorded before the pandemic, by a new producer for the band, Gerald Schöenherr. Our friend Etti Bowen sat in on drums for the recording. With everything locked down right after that, we had to wait forever to get it out there.
Our European labels Adrenalin Fix Music, Dirty Water Records, Beluga Records, and Ghost Highway Recordings got together and put it out on vinyl and the 7” vinyls arrived literally on the last day of our European tour. Yeah, we’re good at timing apparently. But we love this little 7”, the songs are so much fun to play live.”
.
“There’s a big tempo-change in the middle of the track “Underground” that was a new writing challenge I gave myself, and that has turned out to be one of my favorite parts
of the live set now. The lyrics to “Shit Show” are cathartic every night after all these years
of, well, shit, and “Love Tsunami” is just a surf-y, girl-group party song.
Our next album, “Snake Oil,” was recorded in April 2022 by our long-time producer Bob Hoag, with new drummer Mary Rose Gonzales on drums, and with Jello Biafra very involved in the sound and production. So the new record will definitely have a different feel than the EP; definitely a little darker at times, and with some pretty epic ballads that we are super proud of.”
You were all fired up when I saw you playing in Antwerp (Belgium) last October, like young Amazons happy to get on stage again after the awful lockdown period. Why is playing live such a booster for all of you?
“Playing live has always been the life-blood of this band. There is no better rush than playing a song you’ve written and rehearsed in an empty room, and then finally hearing
it explode on stage and watching the audience explode right along with us. And after a couple years of not having that feeling, we were all hungry for it. It’s hard to make music
in a vacuum without that energy and feedback from an audience.
Seeing everyone again, especially so many old friends in Europe, was absolutely
the best reward for getting through the pandemic, and we didn’t take it for granted
for one minute.”
Darting in Antwerp – 2 October 2022 (photo by Turn Up the Volume)
Which big-name artist(s)/band(s) would you love to tour with and why?
“I’m pretty sure everyone in this band would give you a different answer to this question. We’ve toured with The Damned, played with The Ventures and Joan Jett and Jello and L7 and Devo and so many incredible legends. But our current bucket list would have to include Amyl and the Sniffers, Nick Cave, Ty Segall, Jack White, and Billy Childish.
But there are also acts like Deap Vally, The Coathangers, LA Witch, Plague Vendor, Night Beats, Wet Leg and Smalltown Tigers that would make awesome tourmates for us, if you ask me. Our influences come from a lot of different places, old and new, and all of these artists inspire us a lot.”
What movie would you pick to soundtrack THE DARTS’ music, Nicole?
“Anything directed by Quentin Tarantino, obviously. But I recently
binge-watched the series “Killing Eve” and thought over and over that
our music would have fit perfectly with its black-hearted humor
and look.”
The best track and album you heard this year?
“We’ve all been digging “Chaise Lounge” by Wet Leg, like most of the world. But on a personal level, I’ve been getting oddly attached to Dry Cleaning’s new album “Stumpwork.” Maybe all that blaisé, detached vocal stuff is a nice change of pace for me after screaming into a microphone or something.”
THE event – good and bad – of 2022?
“Playing on KEXP was the highlight, but a couple of the Europe tour shows
were also unforgettable. Making two new records and having to wait endlessly
for vinyl manufacturing is definitely the lowlight of the year. I’m not good at waiting.”
Your fav Xmas carol, Nicole?
“Santa Baby,” but only when sung by Eartha Kitt of course.
Ok, it’s not really a carol but it should be.”
“Which song would you pick to play on New Year’s Eve and why?
Our entire new album “Snake Oil,” on repeat. Because 2023
is going to be its year and I can’t wait!!”
Name three things you really want to happen in 2023?
“I want to release not one, but two new full-length albums, spend most of our time touring internationally, and write and record a third album before the year is out. This is all going to happen, I am visualizing it.”
Thank you very much for this chat, Nicole.
May the road rise with The Darts in 2023.
Christina and Nicole – Darts sisters in garage rock crime (Photo by Turn Up The Volume)
While waiting for the new LP you can stream/buy
the latest one I LIKE YOU BUT NOT LIKE THAT here…
Nicole Laurenne (front dart): “Snake Oil” is a reference to the fake news, nasty products,
lies, exaggerations, online dating photos, false friends, undecipherable fine print, and general consumerism insanity that has infected the way we all perceive our entire reality. We are tired of being fed a constant diet of bullshit. Like, really tired of it.”
TUTV: The Darts were on a roll this year with their Love Tsunami EP and lots of touring (more about it in the upcoming interview with Turn Up The Volume). My ears were already looking out for their new upcoming – 4th – album next year. And just like that its first single dropped in my inbox in these final days of 2022.
Snake Oil is a classic Darts sucker punch that storms and steams from the get-go, energized by a red-hot bass riff, strapping drum hits, feverish psych-o-billy guitar reverberation, the indispensable organ flashes and Nicole Laurenne uptight vocals.
As I said a classic Darts sucker punch. Garage rock dynamite at its frenzy best. Bingo.
Bring on the album, ladies.
I’m gonna try not to be too euphoric here. Because every time I listen toTHE DARTS,
every time I see videos/pics of THE DARTS, and the two times (so far) I saw THE DARTS
live I’m lost/losing a bit of control of myself. A bit goofy for an adult, right? Anyway, it will be fab to see the black-hot-blooded US Amazons back again in Belgium for 2 gigs (2 & 6 October). If you never heard of these drop-dead gorgeous ladies, I’ll tell you why you should discover them. NOW.
They ROCK
They ROLL
They PUNK
They CRAMP(S)
They STEAM
They SWING
They SHAKE
They SWAY
They RULE
And they’re a pure drop-dead gorgeous band.
Was I too euphoric again? Whatever.
