1. ‘FRONZOLI’ by PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS (Perth, Australia)

The psych rock gunslingers from down under launced their 6th album, titled
Fronzoli (meaning, ‘something unnecessary added as decoration’) on November 10.

Press photo

Jack McEwan (songwriter/frontman): “This record is my favourite creation
to date. Every nuance has been discussed, slandered and carefully contorted into place,
it sporadically colours outside the lines, so you’re left with these extraverted squiggles.”

TUTV: Uppercut after uppercut, corker after corker, jackhammer after jackhammer
(you get two breathers with amplified ballad Cpt. Gravity Mouse Welcome and the short acoustic beauty ‘Illusions of Grandeur’). Your ears need to be in great shape to absorb
this whirlwind record.

If PPC were animals they would be hungry wolves wandering in the deserts of Australia looking for prey. Their melting pot of glam metal, pithy punk, high-voltage pop and other noisy shout-outs results in an ecstatic body of infectious. Btw, am I the only one who thinks McEwan‘s voice resembles Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner one (now and then) and vice versa, of course. Top-tier opus.

ALBUM

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2. ‘SONGS OF SILENCE’ by VINCE CLARKE (UK)

The synth-pop musician/songwriter who started his career with Depeche Mode,
who he left after their 1981 debut album to form Yazoo (1981–1983, 2008-2011)
with grand voice Alison Moyet and later on he started Erasure with singer/songwriter
Andy Bell.

Now he has released his solo debut with Songs Of Silence.

TUTV: If you don’t pay attention to the author of this record when you’re listening
to it, there’s a great chance that you think that it’s another ambient Brian Eno album.

The relaxing ambient atmospheres Clarke creates (Cathedral / Passage / Imminent / Last Transmission) are similar to the ones Eno composes/composed (29 solo LPs, so far).

Clarke paints synth-scapes with an overall symphonic sonority, with both classical
(like the weeping violin play on The Lamentations Of Jeremiah) and futuristic-sounding structures (White Rabbit / Scarper). This is the sort of cosmic music that calms me down after a busy day. Its relaxing effect soothes my buzzing mind. Tranquillizing, instrumental (except for Blackleg which is infused with eerie chants) uncomplicatedness for dark winter nights.

Wonderful work.
Silent majesty.
Chill-out vibes.
Sonic ear-massage.

ALBUM

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3. ‘LOS ANGELES’ by LOL TOLHURST x BUDGIE x JACKNIFE LEE (L.A.)

Former The Cure drummer Lol Tolhorst (64), Budgie (65), former Siouxsie
and the Banshees drummer and Siouxsie‘s husband, and Irish music producer
Jacknife Lee all live in Los Angeles and as music junkies, they found each other
in the City of Angels and decided to give it a go together and fabricated
a rad longplayer.

TUTV: The trio invited big-name vocalists such as Bobby Gillespie and James Murphy
(LCD Soundsystem) and other stars such as The Edge (U2) and Mark Bowen (Idles) for
their first body of work. 13 tracks, 54 minutes.

If there was a jungle in Los Angeles this would be its soundtrack. Lots of primitive
Budgie percussion (remember his album ‘A Bestiary Of with his then-wife Siouxsie Sioux, operating as The Creatures?) embedded in synth orchestrations creating dance-infused collages. Paranoid psychedelia for big cities. The flow of the tracklist isn’t as accurate as it could have been, but first impression after a couple of spins is one of let’s hit the drums
once again.

ALBUM

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3. ‘WHAT A RACKET!’ by JOE JACKSON (UK)

Supreme songsmith Joe Jackson released his 21st studio album a week ago.
A surprising one as the record celebrates Music Hall legend Max Champion
who is credited for writing all the songs.

Music Hall is a musical genre that started in the pubs and streets of London
in the mid-19th century and grew into the first form of mass entertainment to
be created by the working classes. By 1900 it regularly drew huge audiences from
across the whole spectrum of society, from prostitutes to princes, all singing along
with superstar performers in gorgeous theatres (some of which still survive). Like
its American cousin Vaudeville, Music Hall featured magicians, acrobats, and
ventriloquists – elements that we still see today in musical theatre and cabaret
shows.

One of the most fascinating of the Music Hall performers was Max Champion.
Little is known about him, except that he was born in London in 1882. He was
almost completely forgotten until the sheet music of his songs was found in
Valletta, Malta, in 2014.

What A Racket! presents eleven of Max Champion’s songs for the first time
in more than a century with Jackson directing a 12-piece orchestra and singing
like a genuine Music Hall artist.

Title track with a great old footage video

Joe Jackson:: ‘These were wonderful songs in their time, but they’re
surprisingly modern, too. Sometimes it’s almost as if Max is speaking,
from his London of the early 20th century, directly to us in the early 21st’.

It’s showtime, folks.
Enjoy this glorious sonic spectacle.

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5.’ROCKSTAR’ by DOLLY PARTON (US)

At the age of 77, fabulous country queen Dolly Parton
is still working longer than from 9 to 5 per day.

In a recent interview, she said:“I would never retire. I’ll just hopefully drop
dead in the middle of a song on stage someday, hopefully one I’ve written.”

Her never-ending creativity and productivity is astonishing.
The living legend just launched her 49th (!) LP. Her first rock album.

Parton about the album: “I’m so excited to finally present my first Rock and Roll album.
I am very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers
and musicians of all time and to be able to sing all the iconic songs throughout the album
was a joy beyond measure. I hope everybody enjoys the album as much as I’ve enjoyed
putting it together!”

The longplayer contains no less than 30 songs and 20 covers, including collabs
with big names such as Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting,
Chris Stapleton, Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty, and many more.

I don’t own a Dolly album, I didn’t follow her career but as so many million people
I know her hits, and I do love her formidable voice – the heroine again on this record –
and her charismatic I do what I want attitude.

ALBUM

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