Life on the road isn’t all glamour and rock’n’roll excess and MOTÖRHEAD’s punishing tour schedule in 1981 took them all over the globe as they rode high on the success of Ace Of Spades. One integral part of the daily grind on the road is the sound check, although very little of it is ever seen or documented in the public domain. Fortunately during the Short Sharp Pain In The Neck tour of March 1981,
MOTÖRHEAD had a mobile recording studio in tow as they recorded their thunderous, number 1 live album, No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith now celebrating its 40th year. This rare recording of them performing “Stay Clean” as they warmed up for the night at Newcastle on March 30 is accompanied by a video containing behind the scenes montages of the backbone of the MOTÖRHEAD live show; the legendary road crew!
A Place To Bury Strangers share new single/video “I Might Have” from their forthcoming Hologram EP out July 16th onfounding memberOliver Ackermann’s label Dedstrange. Following lead single “End Of The Night,” “I Might Have” is a fuzz-soaked sonic disaster in the best possible way. Past reflections collide with the brutality of a disintegrating world, stories of personal trauma, acceptance, and human failings emerge from the rubble of noise and destitute motorik rhythms. This is A Place To Bury Strangers at its most honest and unfiltered. Hologram serves as an abstract mirror to the moment we live in and “I Might Have” smashes that mirror into a thousand pieces.
“‘I Might Have’ is about the insecurities of life and growing up and when you just have to turn around and say ‘F*ck it,’” says Ackermann. “Life sucks so we may as well have a good time.” The accompanying video visualizes this mentality as it shows the band raucously hanging out together in New York City. Watch “I Might Have” Video
In 2003, A Place To Bury Strangers emerged on the scene out of Ackermann’s psychotropic vision. The band is known for their vicious live performances overloaded with all-consuming visuals, experimental sonic warfare, and treacherous stage antics. 2021 welcomes a lineup change; Ackermann is joined by new members John Fedowitz (bass) and Sandra Fedowitz (drums) of Ceremony East Coast, cementing the most sensational version of the band to date. John and Oliver were childhood friends who had played in the legendary underground shoegaze band Skywave, crafting futuristic punk music together. This next phase is a sonic return to the band’s most raw and unhinged endeavors, pushed even further into a new chaotically apocalyptic incarnation.
A Place To Bury Strangers 2022 Tour Dates: Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang Thu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5 Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ MochvaraFri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ BackstageThu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du Memoir Fri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La Trabendo Sat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kavka Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22 Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7 Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44 Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC
Keep your mind open.
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Anika – the project of Berlin-based musician Annika Henderson who is also a founding member of Exploded View – announces Change, her first new album in over a decade, out July 23rd on Sacred Bones & Invada, and shares the “Change” video directed by Sven Gutjahr who also directed the video for recent single “Finger Pies.” The follow-up to cult favorite Anika (2010), Change is beautifully fraught. The intimacy of its creation and a palpable sense of global anxiety are seemingly baked into the album’s DNA. Spread across nine tracks, the central feeling of the record is one of heightened frustration buoyed by guarded optimism. The songs offer skittering, austere electronic backdrops reminiscent of classic Broadcast records or Hi Scores-era Boards of Canada, playing them against Anika’s remarkable voice—Nico-esque, beautifully plaintive, and—in regards to the record’s subject matter—totally resolute.
Having worked collaboratively in the past with the likes of BEAK> and Exploded View, Change was ultimately the product of necessity. After recording the initial ideas by herself at Berlin’s Klangbild Studios, Anika was joined by Exploded View’s Martin Thulin, who co-produced the album and played some live drums and bass. “This album had been planned for a little while and the circumstances of its inception were quite different to what had been expected,” says Anika. “This colored the album quite significantly. The lyrics were all written there on the spot. It’s a vomit of emotions, anxieties, empowerment, and of thoughts like—How can this go on? How can we go on?”
Recorded at a time when literally everyone in the world was being forced to take stock, rethink, and reimagine their own place in the cosmos of things, Anika provides the wizened perspective of an outsider. It’s a perspective that is not lost on the British ex-pat and former political journalist, and despite the subject matter and the circumstances around its creation, Change itself is ultimately a treatise on optimism. The title track presents the album’s message writ large: “I think we can change, we all have things to learn, about ourselves and about each other.” To end the record on such a sanguine note might be one of Change’s most revolutionary gestures.
“There’s a lot of stuff I want to change,” says Anika. “Some things I sat down and decided last year, I had to change about myself and my life. Sometimes it feels helpless because the things we want to change are so huge and out of our control. Starting with yourself is always a good place. I think we can change.” Watch “Change” Video
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard announce that their North American tour is now rescheduled for Fall 2022. In October 2022, the band will play shows across the country, including marathon sets at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre and two performances at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, during which the band will play material from their vast discography across three hours. The tour will follow the release of their new album, Butterfly 3000, out now via the band’s own label KGLW.
Butterfly 3000 is King Gizzard’s 18th studio album. The band decided to play this one close to the vest, and refrained from sharing any advance singles, or the album artwork, which will be a cross-eyed autostereogram created by long-time collaborator Jason Galea. Butterfly 3000 might be their most fearless leap into the unknown yet; a suite of ten songs that all began life as arpeggiated loops composed on modular synthesisers, before being fashioned into addictive, optimistic and utterly seductive dream-pop by the six-piece. The album sounds simultaneously like nothing they’ve ever done before, and thoroughly, unmistakeably Gizz, down to its climactic neon psych-a-tronic flourish. This is undoubtedly the most accessible and jubilant album of their career.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Tour Dates Sun. Oct. 2 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre Tue. Oct. 4 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater Wed. Oct. 5 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum Thu. Oct. 6 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre Mon. Oct. 10 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre Tue. Oct. 11 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre Fri. Oct. 14 – St Paul, MN @ The Palace Theatre Sat. Oct. 15 – Chicago, IL @ RADIUS Sun. Oct. 16 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Tue. Oct. 18 – Toronto, ON @ TBA Wed. Oct. 19 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia Sat. Oct. 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall Sun. Oct. 23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem at The Wharf Mon. Oct. 24 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit Wed. Oct. 26 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern Mon. Oct 31 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion
Recorded in an attic in a house where an exorcism took place and inspired by science fiction and mind expansion via psychedelic drug trip, Evolfo‘s Site Out of Mind is a pretty groovy record. I mean, how could it not be with an origin story like that?
Opening with Cure-like guitar chords that mix with thick electro-bass and reverbed vocals on “Give Me Time,” the album instantly feels far more expansive than an attic. The crunchy guitars and humming of the first single, “Strange Lights,” will make you stomp the pedal to the metal. Evolfo goes from Temples influences to Osees within two songs, which is nothing but cool to me. The warped, wobbly beats of “Zuma Loop” are disorienting at first and then hypnotic.
“Towers rise, towers fall,” they sing on “Blossom in Void” – a song that seems to be about staying present in order to emerge from sorrow and end up in a place of joy. Jangly acoustic guitars and vintage psych-synths start the funky “Drying Out Your Eyes” – a top-notch groovy cut. “In Time” parts 1 and 2 are a nice psychedelic combo – like pretzels and curry. “Let Go” is a dreamy float down a hazy river.
“Broken Hills” has this neat, weird beat that I love, and the change to a trippy Yes-like sound for the end (complete with string section) is gorgeous. “Orion’s Belt” is appropriately spacey, with guitars sounding like buzzing UFOs. The closer, “White Foam,” reminds me of Psychedelic Furs by the end if the Furs were even more psychedelic.
It’s a nice record, and I’m curious to see and hear where these chaps go next.
London & Manchester-based duo Oh Baby are set to release their new album ‘Hey Genius‘ on July 23rd via Burning Witches Records The pair, made up of distant cousins Rick Hornby & Jen Devereux met via a chance meeting at distant relatives funeral. Today they’re sharing their new single “I Need Somebody To Love Tonight“.
Speaking about the track, the band said “I Need Somebody To Love Tonight is a cover of an obscure track by Patrick Cowley who was a composer and electronic musician/producer in 70’s San Francisco and who’s music formed part of the New York underground post-disco scene of the early 80’s. When we discovered his early instrumentals and demos had been re-released we devoured all that homemade analog charm. Finding out that the original track was part of music commissioned for gay porn films gave the sound even more beautiful late-night sleaze.”
Last month, London-based band Dry Cleaning released New Long Leg, their 4AD debut and one of 2021’s most praised albums thus far. The album was immediately met with much fanfare and glowing reviews from Pitchfork(Best New Music), The New York Times, NPR Music, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Bandcamp, and more. Today, they announce a fall tour in support of New Long Leg. Dry Cleaning will play select shows across the states, performing for the first time ever in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Chicago, plus return appearances in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Following in early 2022, the band will tour Europe and the UK. Their live energy was previewed during their television debut on Later…with Jools Holland earlier this year, plus their 2021 KEXP session.
Dry Cleaning is Nick Buxton (drums), Tom Dowse (guitar), Lewis Maynard(bass) and Florence Shaw (vocals). Buoyed by the universal acclaim they received for 2019 EPs “Boundary Road SnacksandDrinks” and “Sweet Princess,” New Long Leg “arrives fully formed, ready to evacuate the contents of your brain and replace them with the odd images, bizarre obsessions, vivid sense memories, and banal judgements that live rent-free in the mind of another” (Pitchfork).
oday, Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen unveil a true knockout of a song, “Like I Used To,” with a gorgeous accompanying video. The track opens less with a chord than with a crash, an announcement to stop what you’re doing and stand at attention: Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen are singing together. “Like I Used To” takes its place among the great anthems: a powerful and joyful ode to reclaiming one’s own space. Sharon’s troubadour swagger is sure-footed and stadium-sized. Angel’s inquisition is piercing, evocative, impossible to dodge. The combination of their voices is so beautiful and electric, it’s almost destabilizing, and it’s only furthered by John Congleton’s production, who has worked closely with both in the past: Sharon on her most recent album, Remind Me Tomorrow, and Angel throughout her career on Burn Your Fire for No Witness and All Mirrors.
The song’s stunning accompanying video, directed by Kimberly Stuckwisch and shot in Los Angeles and Joshua Tree at various locations, elevates the overall vibe and free spirit of “Like I Used To.” It is a visual representation that truly celebrates the collaborative nature of these two special songwriters and performers. Watch Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen’s Video for “Like I Used To” Both Sharon and Angel have long-admired one another from the close-but-far distance of life on tour, a life that unifies them even as they’ve spent years criss-crossing each other from miles, countries, continents apart. Ask them each about the song’s origin story and they inadvertently stitch a mirror together, a story of mutual admiration and, lucky for us, eventual collaboration. “Even though we weren’t super close, I always felt supported by Angel and considered her a peer in this weird world of touring. We highway high-fived many times along the way…I finally got the courage in June of 2020 to reach out to see if she would want to sing together. I got greedy and quickly sent her a track I had been working on,” says Sharon.
“I’ve met with Sharon here and there throughout the years and have always felt too shy to ask her what she’s been up to or working on,” says Angel. “The song reminded me immediately of getting back to where I started, before music was expected of me, or much was expected of me, a time that remains pure and real in my heart.” To call it magic is to cheapen the connection between these two masters, but when you listen it’s hard to call it anything else.
Las Vegas, Nevada’s Psycho music festival has revealed its updated lineup for 2021, and it still includes plenty of heavy-hitters in the metal world, psychedelic bands, shoegaze groups, and even bossa nova musicians.
Danzig, Emperor, and Down are the main headliners, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied if you want to avoid the headliners’ crowds. The Flaming Lips never disappoint live, and Thievery Corporation will be a delightful show of trip hop and makeout music. Ty Segall and Freedom Band will probably be a raucous set, and there’s no doubt that Osees will have a lot of pent-up energy to unleash after a year of not touring.
The Sword are a nice addition to the revised lineup, Health is powerful live, as is Zola Jesus‘ voice in any venue. TSOL will bring classic punk to the festival, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears will bring funk, Dengue Fever will bring Southeast Asian psych-disco grooves, Frankie and the Witch Fingers will supply psychedelic jams, Guantanmo Baywatch will serve up surf, and Claude Fontaine will sing bossa nova and dub tracks to make you melt.
There’s plenty of metal, to be sure. Warish will flatten any venue in which they play. High on Fire will shred everything, and Cannibal Corpse will burn whatever’s left to ashes. Flavor Crystals and Highlandswill add shoegaze to the mix, and there’s even a Queen cover band – Mother Mercury – to boot.
The “Psycho Swim” pre-party will also be worth your time. Death Valley Girlsare ruling right now, Blackwater Holylightare also equally creepy and enchanting, and Here Lies Manwill have everyone jamming in the pool.
Tickets are rapidly selling, so don’t wait to get some.
Durand Jones & The Indications announce their new album, Private Space, out July 30th on Dead Oceans in association with Colemine Records, and a fall North American tour. Following the “immaculate and eternal soul” (The Guardian) of The Indications’ 2019 album, American Love Call, Private Space unlocks the door to a wider range of sounds, boldly launching the band into a world of synthy modern soul and disco beats dotted with strings. Anchored by the high-low harmonies of AaronFrazer (drums/vocals) and DurandJones (vocals), and rounded out by BlakeRhein (guitar), SteveOkonski (keys), and MikeMontgomery (bass), The Indications are true masters at melding revival sounds with a modern attitude. The ten tracks across Private Space provide for both an escapist fantasy and a much-needed recentering after a tumultuous 2020.
In conjunction with today’s announcement, they share Private Space’s lead single/video “Witchoo.” Reflective of the track’s vibrant, playful energy, the Weird Life-directed video features the five band members and close friends, transitioning from a live performance to an electric backstage soirée.
“At the end of the day, I just want people to close their eyes and forget where they are. Just the way a Stevie Wonder album does for me,” says Jones. Developed after being apart for much of the year, Private Space is creatively explosive and delights in upending expectations. Throughout, The Indications highlight a collective resiliency – as well as the power of a good song to be a light in the darkness. From an Indiana basement (where the band recorded their 2016 self-titled debut LP as college students), The Indications have catapulted into the soul limelight and an international stage. Following their sophomore album American Love Call — a dreamy but pensive record of big string arrangements and sweet soul stylings — The Indications became revered by vintage music fans, the lowrider community and late-night television.
Between production work, solo efforts and major sold-out shows, Durand Jones & The Indications continue on an unstoppable upswing. With live music temporarily out of the equation, The Indications were able to dive deep into recording their third LP. Uptempo tracks like “Witchoo,”“The Way That I Do” and “Sea of Love” practically manifest the flicker of a disco ball, their pop-funk grooves recalling IdrisMuhammad and RaphaelSaadiq as well as PeteRock and DJPremier. You’ll slow it down as the group evokes the likes of TeddyPendergrass, the IsleyBrothers and Sylvia on “Ride or Die” or “More Than Ever” (“I’ve never felt so sexy as when I was singing that track,” says Jones).
While Private Space is an intentional departure from The Indications’ roots in ‘60s funk and soul, its exploratory vibe is true to their origins and evolving tastes. “There’s a lot of the band’s original DNA, but it’s not a time capsule,” says Rhein. The sound of Private Space isn’t a stretch, Frazer adds. “We’re actually revealing more of ourselves, a deeper and broader look into who we are as musicians and fans.”
Settled in a cabin in upstate New York, the five-piece spent significantly more time experimenting with sound than previous releases. “It was like this buildup of all the ideas, the love, and the need to make music with these guys again,” Jones says. They leaned into songwriting and brought in vibraphonist JoelRoss (BlueNote), an eight-piece string section and friends from the group 79.5 to sing backups. From ideation to the final album cut, Private Space is a meditation on what gets us through isolation and loss: community, love and friendship.
Each Indications album opens with a statement of political consciousness; a musical State of the Union that sets a tone. As Nina Simone once declared, “I choose to reflect the times and situations in which I find myself. That to me is my duty.” Private Space leans into hope, coalescing around the idea that joy can set us free. “I want listeners to know that through really rough times something beautiful can be birthed,” says Jones, who proclaims on “Love Will Work It Out” that “All the people lost made me fall right onto my knees/all I could do was cry and shout/I knew I had to trust the faith that love would work it out.”
As the world slowly resets from the chaos of the past year, Private Space is arriving at just the right time. “I feel we’ll be arriving into people’s lives as they’re exiting a really tough period,” Frazer theorizes. “We’re not out of the woods, but hopefully this allows people to get together again, to share and experience catharsis.”
Private Space Tracklist 01. Love Will Work It Out 02. Witchoo 03. Private Space 04. More Than Ever 05. Ride or Die 06. The Way That I Do 07. Reach Out 08. Sexy Thang 09. Sea of Love 10. I Can See
Durand Jones & The Indications Tour Dates (on sale this Friday at 10am local time) Tue. Sept. 7 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club Wed. Sep. 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer Fri. Sept. 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel Sat. Sept. 11 – Washington DC @ 9:30 Club Mon. Sept. 13 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre Tue. Sept. 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Thu. Sept. 16 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater Fri. Sept. 17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Commonwealth Room Mon. Sept. 20 – San Diego, CA @ Soma Wed. Sept. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium Fri. Sept. 24 – Dana Point, CA @ Ohana Fest
