Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1174
July 7, 2020
Mirah shares Half Waif cover of "Murphy Bed" from 'You Think It's Like This...' reissue and tribute
MIRAH
SHARES HALF WAIF'S "MURPHY BED" COVER
YOU THINK IT'S LIKE THIS BUT REALLY IT'S LIKE THIS REISSUE AND TRIBUTE LP OUT 7/31 VIA DOUBLE DOUBLE WHAMMY
Mirah by Meghan Marin Mirah has shared a remastered version and Half Waif cover of "Murphy Bed," the latest from her recently announced 20th anniversary reissue of You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This . The double LP reissue, available for pre-order now and due July 31st via Double Double Whammy, includes a remastered version of the record as well as a tribute to the album that features covers by Mount Eerie, Half Waif, Hand Habits, Palehound, Shamir, Sad13, Allison Crutchfield and more.
Of the cover, Half Waif's Nandi Rose said: "It was a huge honor to record a cover for the legendary Mirah in celebration of this 20th anniversary reissue. I chose 'Murphy Bed' because I could immediately hear the chorus being reimagined as a more choral-focused arrangement. There's also something obviously sensual about this song lyrically, so I wanted to play that up with the slow backbeat and just have some fun with it. I'm really grateful to Mirah for her fearless songwriting, and I loved getting to interpret that with my own arrangement."
LISTEN TO HALF WAIF'S "MURPHY BED" COVERLISTEN TO THE REMASTERED "MURPHY BED"
Half Waif by Tonje Thilesen
In the last months of the 1990s, in the years after she graduated from Evergreen, Mirah would regularly walk from her apartment on 4th avenue in downtown Olympia five minutes up the block to her friends' place, the Track House. On one such occasion, she holed up in their garage all night long with her four-track cassette recorder and their broken, out-of-tune piano. "It's a small town," she sang, over crackly, creeping keys. "I'll see you around...I wish you'd move."
It's sweet but sharp, like much of her expansive, decades-long catalog of beaming pop songs. And it's apt intro to the songs she was writing around that time, all laced with snapshots from small-town Oly: the railroad tracks that run through town, transient friends who'd come and go on tour, the feeling of being a million miles from the city.
"I didn't know I was making a record," recalls the singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer, twenty years later, on the brink of the reissue of her now classic debut full-length, You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This, released in 2000 by K Records. It was just that freedom, following her first couple of EPs and tours, that made the record gleam with possibility: the excitement of beginnings, of unfiltered long-distance longings, the miniature everyday epiphanies of becoming yourself.
When it was written, Mirah was in her early 20s, immersed in a life of cheap rent, constant art-making, "distracting [herself] with the guitar and microphones" (as she sings on the album) and helping to run DIY cafes like the Secret Cafe at the Track House and the Red Horse Cafe out of her own apartment. Some days, she'd be at home experimenting with four-track home-recording. Other days, she'd be over at Dub Narcotic's giant warehouse space, in its wide open second floor studio, the Big Room, meeting up with friends like Phil Elverum (who she had collaborated with in The Microphones, and who co-produced the record), Khaela Maricich (of the Blow, who sings on some of the songs), and really, whichever cast of friends were around and wanted to play music.
LISTEN TO THE PREVIOUSLY RELEASED REMASTERED "OF PRESSURE" + MOUNT EERIE COVER
"Calvin had incredible equipment and was so generous and trusting," Mirah reflects, mentioning vintage gear like an old Hammond B3 organ with a Leslie speaker used on "Of Pressure". "He gave us all keys. Sometimes we'd go in there to record and Arrington [de Dionyso] would be asleep on a mattress on the floor because he had been recording all night. We didn't even have a schedule. We were all involved with each other's projects. If I needed a choir, we'd just call everybody up and they'd walk over. And a couple minutes later, 10 friends would be there."
That's exactly what happened for "Person Person," a collective love letter to someone traveling far away, where Mirah sings over a dreamy guitar, before her whole friend group turns up for the perfectly messy chorus. It's a bit of an ode to chosen family, much like "La Familia," where interlocking vocal melodies stretch over sparks of subtle guitar noise.
Elsewhere, there's also one of indie pop's most sweeping and visceral crush songs, "Sweepstakes Prize," a perfect encapsulation of Mirah and Elverum's collaborative ability to build sparse minimalism into clattering noise, to make the tension of the lyrics utterly inescapable. For its hooky drumbeats, Elverum set up two kits on opposite ends of the room. "We both played drums at the same time," Mirah remembers. "And had them mic-ed so that it gave a natural room delay. We just had a lot of fun." (It was written about the same person as "Small Town," she recounts, laughing, a testament to the album's rollercoaster of emotions.)
Two decades later, You Think It's Like This... brims with timelessly necessary feelings: of dreaming in the moment, of not having expectations, making art because it's fun, unsupressable exuberance even when the songs are not joyful. "I just hope people can get there again," Mirah says. "My biggest hope with making music is that the music I make can do for other people what all the music I've listened to in my life has done for me. It helps me be alive. It helps me be a person. It helps me feel things. It helps me connect to myself and to other people."
MIRAH YOU THINK IT'S LIKE THIS BUT REALLY IT'S LIKE THIS DOUBLE DOUBLE WHAMMYJULY 31, 2020 PRE-ORDER
1. Million Miles 2. Sweepstakes Prize3. Of Pressure4. This Dance5. La Familia6. Gone Sugaring7. Person Person8. Engine Heart9. Archipelago10. 100 Knives11. Murphy Bed12. Pollen13. Small Town14. Water and Sleep15. Telephone Wires16. Words Cannot Describe17. Words Cannot Describe (2020 Version)
TRIBUTE LP
1. WHY? (Feat. Gabby's World) - Million Miles2. Y La Bamba - Sweepstakes Prize3. Mount Eerie - Of Pressure4. Sad13 & Mal Blum - This Dance5. Allison Crutchfield - La Familia6. Madeline Kenney - Gone Sugaring7. Maia Macdonald - Person Person8. Lauren Ruth Ward - Engine Heart9. Hand Habits - Archipelago10. Flock of Dimes - 100 Knives11. Half Waif - Murphy Bed12. Shamir - Pollen13. Palehound - Small Town14. Arthur Moon (Feat. Aviva Jaye) - Water and Sleep15. Night Shop & La Louma - Telephone Wires16. The Blow - Words Cannot Describe
mirahmusic.com | facebook.com/mirahmusicTwitter @mirahmusic | Instagram @mirahmusic
SHARES HALF WAIF'S "MURPHY BED" COVER
YOU THINK IT'S LIKE THIS BUT REALLY IT'S LIKE THIS REISSUE AND TRIBUTE LP OUT 7/31 VIA DOUBLE DOUBLE WHAMMY
Mirah by Meghan Marin Mirah has shared a remastered version and Half Waif cover of "Murphy Bed," the latest from her recently announced 20th anniversary reissue of You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This . The double LP reissue, available for pre-order now and due July 31st via Double Double Whammy, includes a remastered version of the record as well as a tribute to the album that features covers by Mount Eerie, Half Waif, Hand Habits, Palehound, Shamir, Sad13, Allison Crutchfield and more.
Of the cover, Half Waif's Nandi Rose said: "It was a huge honor to record a cover for the legendary Mirah in celebration of this 20th anniversary reissue. I chose 'Murphy Bed' because I could immediately hear the chorus being reimagined as a more choral-focused arrangement. There's also something obviously sensual about this song lyrically, so I wanted to play that up with the slow backbeat and just have some fun with it. I'm really grateful to Mirah for her fearless songwriting, and I loved getting to interpret that with my own arrangement."
LISTEN TO HALF WAIF'S "MURPHY BED" COVERLISTEN TO THE REMASTERED "MURPHY BED"
Half Waif by Tonje Thilesen
In the last months of the 1990s, in the years after she graduated from Evergreen, Mirah would regularly walk from her apartment on 4th avenue in downtown Olympia five minutes up the block to her friends' place, the Track House. On one such occasion, she holed up in their garage all night long with her four-track cassette recorder and their broken, out-of-tune piano. "It's a small town," she sang, over crackly, creeping keys. "I'll see you around...I wish you'd move."
It's sweet but sharp, like much of her expansive, decades-long catalog of beaming pop songs. And it's apt intro to the songs she was writing around that time, all laced with snapshots from small-town Oly: the railroad tracks that run through town, transient friends who'd come and go on tour, the feeling of being a million miles from the city.
"I didn't know I was making a record," recalls the singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer, twenty years later, on the brink of the reissue of her now classic debut full-length, You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This, released in 2000 by K Records. It was just that freedom, following her first couple of EPs and tours, that made the record gleam with possibility: the excitement of beginnings, of unfiltered long-distance longings, the miniature everyday epiphanies of becoming yourself.
When it was written, Mirah was in her early 20s, immersed in a life of cheap rent, constant art-making, "distracting [herself] with the guitar and microphones" (as she sings on the album) and helping to run DIY cafes like the Secret Cafe at the Track House and the Red Horse Cafe out of her own apartment. Some days, she'd be at home experimenting with four-track home-recording. Other days, she'd be over at Dub Narcotic's giant warehouse space, in its wide open second floor studio, the Big Room, meeting up with friends like Phil Elverum (who she had collaborated with in The Microphones, and who co-produced the record), Khaela Maricich (of the Blow, who sings on some of the songs), and really, whichever cast of friends were around and wanted to play music.
LISTEN TO THE PREVIOUSLY RELEASED REMASTERED "OF PRESSURE" + MOUNT EERIE COVER
"Calvin had incredible equipment and was so generous and trusting," Mirah reflects, mentioning vintage gear like an old Hammond B3 organ with a Leslie speaker used on "Of Pressure". "He gave us all keys. Sometimes we'd go in there to record and Arrington [de Dionyso] would be asleep on a mattress on the floor because he had been recording all night. We didn't even have a schedule. We were all involved with each other's projects. If I needed a choir, we'd just call everybody up and they'd walk over. And a couple minutes later, 10 friends would be there."
That's exactly what happened for "Person Person," a collective love letter to someone traveling far away, where Mirah sings over a dreamy guitar, before her whole friend group turns up for the perfectly messy chorus. It's a bit of an ode to chosen family, much like "La Familia," where interlocking vocal melodies stretch over sparks of subtle guitar noise.
Elsewhere, there's also one of indie pop's most sweeping and visceral crush songs, "Sweepstakes Prize," a perfect encapsulation of Mirah and Elverum's collaborative ability to build sparse minimalism into clattering noise, to make the tension of the lyrics utterly inescapable. For its hooky drumbeats, Elverum set up two kits on opposite ends of the room. "We both played drums at the same time," Mirah remembers. "And had them mic-ed so that it gave a natural room delay. We just had a lot of fun." (It was written about the same person as "Small Town," she recounts, laughing, a testament to the album's rollercoaster of emotions.)
Two decades later, You Think It's Like This... brims with timelessly necessary feelings: of dreaming in the moment, of not having expectations, making art because it's fun, unsupressable exuberance even when the songs are not joyful. "I just hope people can get there again," Mirah says. "My biggest hope with making music is that the music I make can do for other people what all the music I've listened to in my life has done for me. It helps me be alive. It helps me be a person. It helps me feel things. It helps me connect to myself and to other people."
MIRAH YOU THINK IT'S LIKE THIS BUT REALLY IT'S LIKE THIS DOUBLE DOUBLE WHAMMYJULY 31, 2020 PRE-ORDER
1. Million Miles 2. Sweepstakes Prize3. Of Pressure4. This Dance5. La Familia6. Gone Sugaring7. Person Person8. Engine Heart9. Archipelago10. 100 Knives11. Murphy Bed12. Pollen13. Small Town14. Water and Sleep15. Telephone Wires16. Words Cannot Describe17. Words Cannot Describe (2020 Version)
TRIBUTE LP
1. WHY? (Feat. Gabby's World) - Million Miles2. Y La Bamba - Sweepstakes Prize3. Mount Eerie - Of Pressure4. Sad13 & Mal Blum - This Dance5. Allison Crutchfield - La Familia6. Madeline Kenney - Gone Sugaring7. Maia Macdonald - Person Person8. Lauren Ruth Ward - Engine Heart9. Hand Habits - Archipelago10. Flock of Dimes - 100 Knives11. Half Waif - Murphy Bed12. Shamir - Pollen13. Palehound - Small Town14. Arthur Moon (Feat. Aviva Jaye) - Water and Sleep15. Night Shop & La Louma - Telephone Wires16. The Blow - Words Cannot Describe
mirahmusic.com | facebook.com/mirahmusicTwitter @mirahmusic | Instagram @mirahmusic
MADEON Releases "No Fear No More" Remix w/ EARTHGANG
MADEON FEATURING EARTHGANG“No Fear No More (Remix)”
French songwriter and producer Madeon has collaborated with Grammy-nominated hip hop duo EARTHGANG on a remix of his Good Faith album track “No Fear No More.” The LA-based musician’s signature blend of pop and dance music joins the boundary-smashing style of Atlanta’s Olu (aka Johnny Venus) and WowGr8 (aka Doctur Dot), one of the most buzzed about acts of 2020. Listen to the remix HERE.
Speaking about the collaboration, Madeon said, “EARTHGANG have been doing amazing things for a while now, they’re one of the most creative acts around. I’m so excited they joined me on ‘No Fear No More, their contribution is more than I could have imagined, and has brought an entirely new dimension to the song.”
The duo behind EARTHGANG added,“We want to give people the strength to believe in theirselves and their dreams no matter what.”
Madeon began the Good Faith Era a year ago May with an effort to show fans and the world a body of work that showcased his artistic progression with an album that was written, produced, mixed and mastered, by Madeon himself. After listening to EARTHGANG for the first time, Madeon knew their sound and style was perfect to lead a new phase for Good Faith, with their contribution to “No Fear No More (Remix)” showcasing the way in which the critically acclaimed songs can be recontextualized by collaborating artists and features.
(Photo credit: Jordan Munns) 
(Photo Credit: Grizz) The 10-track LP Good Faith includes singles “Be Fine,” praised for its “big, sweeping melodies” by Billboard, “Dream Dream Dream,” which was named as “Best New Music This Week” by Complex and “All My Friends,” which reached No. 1 at Dance Radio. It follows his debut album Adventure and his massive collaborative project with Porter Robinson, “Shelter.” Adventure was released in 2015 to critical praise from press including Pitchfork, who noted that “on the path to what feels like something huge, Madeon’s journey is just beginning” and The Fader, who described it as “expansive, impossibly beautiful...one of the most radiant pop albums in recent memory.” Adventure was also featured on various “Best of 2015” lists including Complex, who pronounced it “an audio journey that can best be described as rapturous.”
About EARTHGANGHailing from Atlanta, GA, EARTHGANG’s Olu and WowGr8 are the Grammy Award nominated, Platinum selling pair who embody the best of the new generation in music and plenty of critics and fans alike have taken note. Marrying lean, sharp eyed lyricism with Southern fried soul, every song arrives fully formed, hitting hard and landing jokes while also delving deep into political issues. Signed to J. Cole’s Intercope imprint, Dreamville, EARTHGANG first hit a stride with 3 EP project inspired by “The Wiz;” Rags (Scarecrow), Robots (Tinman) and Royalty (the lion). The music saw the duo tour the globe relentlessly supporting J. Cole, Young Thug, Billie Eillish, Mac Miller, Jaden Smith and more.
In 2019, EARTHGANG continued their dominance by contributing to the year’s best hip hop compilation in Revenge of The Dreamers III which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 charts is RIAA Platinum certified. It shined a spotlight on the pair as they went into the release of their debut major label album, Mirrorland. The fourteen track album debuted in the Top 40s of the Billboard 200 charts and #20 in the Rap Albums charts. Featuring special guests Young Thug, T-Pain, Kehlani, Arin Ray and more. Mirrorland has cemented EARTHGANG as one of music’s most dynamic forces. Bursting with energy and having garnered a cult like live following, the ATLiens have been critically praised by the likes of Pitchfork, Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, Hot New Hip Hop, Consequence of Sound. Uproxx, Pigeons & Planes and more. Stretching beyond the “indie hip hop” label they’ve been brandished with, EARTHGANG are ready to reach a wider audience with slick sharp lyrics that cut through the hazy blur of ratchet rap and an avid interest in never settling, or resting on their laurels.
Follow Madeon: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
French songwriter and producer Madeon has collaborated with Grammy-nominated hip hop duo EARTHGANG on a remix of his Good Faith album track “No Fear No More.” The LA-based musician’s signature blend of pop and dance music joins the boundary-smashing style of Atlanta’s Olu (aka Johnny Venus) and WowGr8 (aka Doctur Dot), one of the most buzzed about acts of 2020. Listen to the remix HERE.
Speaking about the collaboration, Madeon said, “EARTHGANG have been doing amazing things for a while now, they’re one of the most creative acts around. I’m so excited they joined me on ‘No Fear No More, their contribution is more than I could have imagined, and has brought an entirely new dimension to the song.”
The duo behind EARTHGANG added,“We want to give people the strength to believe in theirselves and their dreams no matter what.”
Madeon began the Good Faith Era a year ago May with an effort to show fans and the world a body of work that showcased his artistic progression with an album that was written, produced, mixed and mastered, by Madeon himself. After listening to EARTHGANG for the first time, Madeon knew their sound and style was perfect to lead a new phase for Good Faith, with their contribution to “No Fear No More (Remix)” showcasing the way in which the critically acclaimed songs can be recontextualized by collaborating artists and features.
(Photo credit: Jordan Munns) (Photo Credit: Grizz) The 10-track LP Good Faith includes singles “Be Fine,” praised for its “big, sweeping melodies” by Billboard, “Dream Dream Dream,” which was named as “Best New Music This Week” by Complex and “All My Friends,” which reached No. 1 at Dance Radio. It follows his debut album Adventure and his massive collaborative project with Porter Robinson, “Shelter.” Adventure was released in 2015 to critical praise from press including Pitchfork, who noted that “on the path to what feels like something huge, Madeon’s journey is just beginning” and The Fader, who described it as “expansive, impossibly beautiful...one of the most radiant pop albums in recent memory.” Adventure was also featured on various “Best of 2015” lists including Complex, who pronounced it “an audio journey that can best be described as rapturous.”About EARTHGANGHailing from Atlanta, GA, EARTHGANG’s Olu and WowGr8 are the Grammy Award nominated, Platinum selling pair who embody the best of the new generation in music and plenty of critics and fans alike have taken note. Marrying lean, sharp eyed lyricism with Southern fried soul, every song arrives fully formed, hitting hard and landing jokes while also delving deep into political issues. Signed to J. Cole’s Intercope imprint, Dreamville, EARTHGANG first hit a stride with 3 EP project inspired by “The Wiz;” Rags (Scarecrow), Robots (Tinman) and Royalty (the lion). The music saw the duo tour the globe relentlessly supporting J. Cole, Young Thug, Billie Eillish, Mac Miller, Jaden Smith and more.
In 2019, EARTHGANG continued their dominance by contributing to the year’s best hip hop compilation in Revenge of The Dreamers III which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 charts is RIAA Platinum certified. It shined a spotlight on the pair as they went into the release of their debut major label album, Mirrorland. The fourteen track album debuted in the Top 40s of the Billboard 200 charts and #20 in the Rap Albums charts. Featuring special guests Young Thug, T-Pain, Kehlani, Arin Ray and more. Mirrorland has cemented EARTHGANG as one of music’s most dynamic forces. Bursting with energy and having garnered a cult like live following, the ATLiens have been critically praised by the likes of Pitchfork, Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, Hot New Hip Hop, Consequence of Sound. Uproxx, Pigeons & Planes and more. Stretching beyond the “indie hip hop” label they’ve been brandished with, EARTHGANG are ready to reach a wider audience with slick sharp lyrics that cut through the hazy blur of ratchet rap and an avid interest in never settling, or resting on their laurels.
Follow Madeon: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
July 6, 2020
Sparks team up with iconic animator, Cyriak, for new video
SPARKS TEAM UP WITH CYRIAK FOR "EXISTENTIAL THREAT" VIDEO
Sparks are excited to share the new video for the song "The Existential Threat," from their new album A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip, which was released on CD, vinyl and cassette this past Friday, July 3. The video was created by the iconic animator Cyriak, known for his subversive and surreal work.
"The incredibly manic and overwhelming nature of the existential threats that are facing all of us nowadays and our reaction to those threats, expressed musically and lyrically in our song ‘The Existential Threat’, are brilliantly demonstrated in the frightening and beautiful video for the song by Cyriak." -- Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks
WATCH "THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT"
Speaking about the process Cyriak said: “When I was asked to make a music video for Sparks, I could hardly believe it. They sent me the whole of their new album to choose from, and there was this one song that immediately stood out – ‘The Existential Threat’. Not only did the music fit perfectly with my animation style, the subject of existential dread is something I have been fascinated by for as long as I can remember. It was like I could see the whole video inside my head as I listened to the song.
“The brief was totally open, but I felt this track deserved more than just some crazy visuals. It has a psychology driving it, and a feeling that hangs over us all, especially in these modern times of information overload. Are these threats real, or imaginary? Are they just a paranoid delusion, or do we ignore them at our peril? It was great fun making this video, and I hope it makes people think about their inevitable impending death in a more light-hearted way.”
The extraordinary A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip was released digitally on May 15 to universal acclaim.
“With A STEADY DRIP, DRIP, DRIP, Sparks have drawn on the many styles and many great moments in a multi-faceted career that began in their native Los Angeles in 1967, while retaining the unique identity. Whatever style they embrace, and they have embraced most – pop, rock, New Wave, synth-pop, disco, dance, electro, orchestral, opera – they always remain ineffably, irrefutably, inescapably, undeniably Sparks.”- LouderThanWar
“No band should by rights sound as sharp, melodic and funny more than 50 years into their career. But Sparks are no ordinary band.”– Q
“Sparks remain deftly untouchable” 9/10- LineofBestFit
"The Picassos of art rock."- Associated Press
“a work of genius”- 9/10 Clash
“A masterclass”- Northern Transmissions
“They’ve done it again”- ***** Record Collector
“Sparks. Only Sparks.”- **** FT
Uncut 9/10 Mojo **** Q **** The Times **** Independent **** Daily Mirror **** Daily Telegraph ****
This next year should also see the eagerly awaited premiere of the musical Annette, the first English-language film from groundbreaking French director Leos Carax (Holy Motors, Pola X), written by Ron and Russell Mael and starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. In addition, director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver) is putting the finishing touches to his as-yet-untitled Sparks documentary, a long-in-the-making feature-length film celebrating this singular band.CONNECT WITH SPARKS:ALLSPARKS.COMTWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBE
Sparks are excited to share the new video for the song "The Existential Threat," from their new album A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip, which was released on CD, vinyl and cassette this past Friday, July 3. The video was created by the iconic animator Cyriak, known for his subversive and surreal work."The incredibly manic and overwhelming nature of the existential threats that are facing all of us nowadays and our reaction to those threats, expressed musically and lyrically in our song ‘The Existential Threat’, are brilliantly demonstrated in the frightening and beautiful video for the song by Cyriak." -- Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks
WATCH "THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT"
Speaking about the process Cyriak said: “When I was asked to make a music video for Sparks, I could hardly believe it. They sent me the whole of their new album to choose from, and there was this one song that immediately stood out – ‘The Existential Threat’. Not only did the music fit perfectly with my animation style, the subject of existential dread is something I have been fascinated by for as long as I can remember. It was like I could see the whole video inside my head as I listened to the song.“The brief was totally open, but I felt this track deserved more than just some crazy visuals. It has a psychology driving it, and a feeling that hangs over us all, especially in these modern times of information overload. Are these threats real, or imaginary? Are they just a paranoid delusion, or do we ignore them at our peril? It was great fun making this video, and I hope it makes people think about their inevitable impending death in a more light-hearted way.”
The extraordinary A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip was released digitally on May 15 to universal acclaim.“With A STEADY DRIP, DRIP, DRIP, Sparks have drawn on the many styles and many great moments in a multi-faceted career that began in their native Los Angeles in 1967, while retaining the unique identity. Whatever style they embrace, and they have embraced most – pop, rock, New Wave, synth-pop, disco, dance, electro, orchestral, opera – they always remain ineffably, irrefutably, inescapably, undeniably Sparks.”- LouderThanWar
“No band should by rights sound as sharp, melodic and funny more than 50 years into their career. But Sparks are no ordinary band.”– Q
“Sparks remain deftly untouchable” 9/10- LineofBestFit
"The Picassos of art rock."- Associated Press
“a work of genius”- 9/10 Clash
“A masterclass”- Northern Transmissions
“They’ve done it again”- ***** Record Collector
“Sparks. Only Sparks.”- **** FT
Uncut 9/10 Mojo **** Q **** The Times **** Independent **** Daily Mirror **** Daily Telegraph ****
This next year should also see the eagerly awaited premiere of the musical Annette, the first English-language film from groundbreaking French director Leos Carax (Holy Motors, Pola X), written by Ron and Russell Mael and starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. In addition, director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver) is putting the finishing touches to his as-yet-untitled Sparks documentary, a long-in-the-making feature-length film celebrating this singular band.CONNECT WITH SPARKS:ALLSPARKS.COMTWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBE
Charlotte OC Releases Amazon Original Cover of Portishead’s "Glory Box"
Charlotte OC Releases Amazon Original Cover of Portishead’s "Glory Box" 
July 6, 2020 - UK pop star Charlotte OC has released an Amazon Original cover of Portishead’s “Glory Box,” which is available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.Listen to Charlotte OC’s “Glory Box” only on Amazon Music:https://amzn.to/2NXFFdY Last month, Charlotte OC, “amongst today’s most evocative singers” as Atwood Magazine describes, released a new EP Oh The Agony, Oh The Ecstasy. V Magazine said, “With melodies rooted in her emotive authenticity, ... Charlotte OC sings directly from the heart, and her latest drop is certainly no exception,” while Billboard praised the single “Freedom” for its “churning synths, drums and howling production.” The EP follows her successful debut full length record, 2017’s Careless People, which won fans over at Interview Magazine, ELLE, All Music, and NPR Music who said, “Charlotte O'Connor has been one of those ‘names to watch’ — an artist who seems on the brink of a major breakthrough... she's fully in command of a moodily intoxicating sound that casts her as an electro-pop balladeer of the highest order.” Amazon Music listeners can find Charlotte OC’s “Glory Box” on the Acoustic Chill playlist. Customers can simply ask, "Alexa play the Amazon Original by Charlotte OC" in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to the new track, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.
July 6, 2020 - UK pop star Charlotte OC has released an Amazon Original cover of Portishead’s “Glory Box,” which is available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.Listen to Charlotte OC’s “Glory Box” only on Amazon Music:https://amzn.to/2NXFFdY Last month, Charlotte OC, “amongst today’s most evocative singers” as Atwood Magazine describes, released a new EP Oh The Agony, Oh The Ecstasy. V Magazine said, “With melodies rooted in her emotive authenticity, ... Charlotte OC sings directly from the heart, and her latest drop is certainly no exception,” while Billboard praised the single “Freedom” for its “churning synths, drums and howling production.” The EP follows her successful debut full length record, 2017’s Careless People, which won fans over at Interview Magazine, ELLE, All Music, and NPR Music who said, “Charlotte O'Connor has been one of those ‘names to watch’ — an artist who seems on the brink of a major breakthrough... she's fully in command of a moodily intoxicating sound that casts her as an electro-pop balladeer of the highest order.” Amazon Music listeners can find Charlotte OC’s “Glory Box” on the Acoustic Chill playlist. Customers can simply ask, "Alexa play the Amazon Original by Charlotte OC" in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to the new track, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.
DREAM WIFE Release New LP, 'So When You Gonna...' Named Rough Trade's Album of the Month
DREAM WIFESOPHOMORE ALBUM SO WHEN YOU GONNA… OUT NOW
All net proceeds from digital orders via Bandcamp donated toBlack Minds Matter + Gendered Intelligence
(Photo credit: Sarah Piantadosi)
“New wave structure meets punk blatancy and 21st-century gender fluency” - New York Times
"[Dream Wife] combine sticky pop flourishes and bruising sounds with brazen self-assurance....extending the continuum of uncompromising feminist musical statements with refreshing directness.” - NPR Music
"one of London's most exciting live acts, combining a punk snarl with brazen classic rock aesthetics...poppier than anything the band have tried before, nodding to Blondie and returning to the girlband melodies of the mid-'90s." - The FADER on “Hasta La Vista”
“...raucous pop-rock with a new wave edge, and proudly in the tradition of riot grrrl, putting politics front and center with an eye toward radical feminism that moves female and nonbinary identities to the front of the stage.” - AV Club
"The art-school project that’s evolved into one of indie-rock’s most politically dynamic emerging acts" - Entertainment Weekly
"Dream Wife just want to dismantle the patriarchy. The U.K. art punks make music that’s roiling with feminist rage and Spice Girls attitude" – Rolling Stone
"The girl gang proving there’s force in femininity. Dream Wife create pop anthems for the Instagram generation" – Dazed
"Part It’s Blitz!-era Yeah Yeah Yeahs, part long-lost Cardigans B-side, their second track of the year is a strawberry-sweet, hazy ode to times gone by” - The Guardian on “Hasta La Vista”
“Their community-focused, sparkly political approach is reflected not just in their second album’s most emotive moments, but is baked right into the DNA of this addictive LP” – Q Magazine 4/5
“Crispy, punky and relevant. They take a driver seat in the ride to gender equality, joyful body awareness and a love-mess." – Dork Magazine 5/5
“So When You Gonna…is Dream Wife truly making the most of their innermost feelings, and expressing that outwards with a rawness like never before.” – Upset Magazine 4/5
“So When You Gonna… is as topical and as empowering as the band have ever been.” – The Line of Best Fit 8.5/10
"Full of prodigious riffs, intoxicating vocals and a narrative you just can't ignore, So When You Gonna… exemplifies just what happens when talent meets passion. If this album is any indication of what's to come from this trio, Dream Wife just might take over the world.” - Exclaim! 9/10
"Dream Wife have always toed the line between pop and punk, but this taste of forthcoming sophomore So When You Gonna… unquestionably leans on the poppier side of proceedings - and that’s a very good thing indeed.” - Guitar World
"So When You Gonna… seems to fit the moment like a perfect soundtrack. It’s energy and angry, it has contemplation and political thought, it’s fun and cathartic — it feels made for the moment." - American Songwriter
"Dream Wife are just as good at reflection as they are at raising hell. There's a newfound tenderness to their music as they find the strength to make a fresh start" - All Music, 4/5
London-based punk trio Dream Wife – Rakel Mjöll, Bella Podpadec and Alice Go – released their explosive sophomore album So When You Gonna… last week via Lucky Number, earning Rough Trade’s coveted title of Album of the Month. So When You Gonna… was produced and mixed by Bjork-producer Marta Salogni, deals with topics such as miscarriage and gender equality, was made entirely by a non-male engineering team, and follows the band’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut from 2018. The record is currently charting in the UK at #8, and is on track for a strong chart debut. Purchase the album now HERE.
Dream Wife are donating all proceeds from digital Bandcamp orders of So When You Gonna… to Black Minds Matter and Gendered Intelligence. Black Minds Matter connects Black individuals and families with professional and mental health services across the U.K., and Gendered Intelligence aims to increase understandings of gender diversity, working with the trans community and those who impact on trans lives, with a focus on supporting young trans people aged 8-25.
Additionally, Dream Wife will embark on a virtual instore album tour of the UK’s finest independent record shops this week. Yesterday they visited Rough Trade, who named So When You Gonna… Album of the Month, and will visit Resident (July 6), Banquet (July 7), Piccadilly (July 8) and Drift Records (July 9) at 7pm UK each day.
Since the band's debut, Dream Wife have played support slots with the likes of Garbage, Sleigh Bells and The Kills, sold-out international headline shows, secured syncs in shows like Orange is The New Black, all the while using their platform to lift up other womxn and non-binary creatives with empowering messages and their “girls to the front” ethos. In addition to the new record, Dream Wife also have a new podcast series, entitled So When You Gonna…where each episode is a one-on-one interview with a different industry professional about how exactly they managed to hone their craft. With a gender divide in music production currently estimated at around ninety-five percent male to five percent female, the podcast is part of the band's continued effort to support womxn and non-binary creatives. Listen to the podcast series HERE.
Track-list:Sports!Hasta La VistaHomesickValidationTemporaryU Do URH RNOld FlameSo When You Gonna…Hold On MeAfter The Rain
Tour dates:4/14/21 - Oxford, UK @ The Bullingdon4/15/21 - Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute 24/16/21 - Leeds, UK @ The Wardrobe4/17/21 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy 24/18/21 - Glasgow, UK @ St Luke's4/20/21 - Norwich, UK @ Waterfront4/21/21 - Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms4/22/21 - Cambridge, UK @ The Portland Arms4/24/21 - Brighton, UK @ Chalk4/25/21 - Portsmouth, UK @ The Wedgewood Rooms4/27/21 - Bristol, UK @ SWX4/28/21 - London, UK @ Electric Ballroom4/30/21 - Paris, France @ La Boule Noire5/1/21 - Brussels, Belgium @ AB Club5/3/21 - Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow5/5/21 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Loppen5/6/21 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Nalen Klubb5/7/21 - Oslo, Norway @ Krosset5/8/21 - Malmo, Sweden @ Plan B5/10/21 - Berlin, Germany @ Frannz Club5/11/21 - Munich, Germany @ Ampere5/12/21 - Nuremberg, Germany @ Club Stereo
WebsiteFacebookInstagramTwitterSpotify
All net proceeds from digital orders via Bandcamp donated toBlack Minds Matter + Gendered Intelligence
(Photo credit: Sarah Piantadosi)“New wave structure meets punk blatancy and 21st-century gender fluency” - New York Times
"[Dream Wife] combine sticky pop flourishes and bruising sounds with brazen self-assurance....extending the continuum of uncompromising feminist musical statements with refreshing directness.” - NPR Music
"one of London's most exciting live acts, combining a punk snarl with brazen classic rock aesthetics...poppier than anything the band have tried before, nodding to Blondie and returning to the girlband melodies of the mid-'90s." - The FADER on “Hasta La Vista”
“...raucous pop-rock with a new wave edge, and proudly in the tradition of riot grrrl, putting politics front and center with an eye toward radical feminism that moves female and nonbinary identities to the front of the stage.” - AV Club
"The art-school project that’s evolved into one of indie-rock’s most politically dynamic emerging acts" - Entertainment Weekly
"Dream Wife just want to dismantle the patriarchy. The U.K. art punks make music that’s roiling with feminist rage and Spice Girls attitude" – Rolling Stone
"The girl gang proving there’s force in femininity. Dream Wife create pop anthems for the Instagram generation" – Dazed
"Part It’s Blitz!-era Yeah Yeah Yeahs, part long-lost Cardigans B-side, their second track of the year is a strawberry-sweet, hazy ode to times gone by” - The Guardian on “Hasta La Vista”
“Their community-focused, sparkly political approach is reflected not just in their second album’s most emotive moments, but is baked right into the DNA of this addictive LP” – Q Magazine 4/5
“Crispy, punky and relevant. They take a driver seat in the ride to gender equality, joyful body awareness and a love-mess." – Dork Magazine 5/5
“So When You Gonna…is Dream Wife truly making the most of their innermost feelings, and expressing that outwards with a rawness like never before.” – Upset Magazine 4/5
“So When You Gonna… is as topical and as empowering as the band have ever been.” – The Line of Best Fit 8.5/10
"Full of prodigious riffs, intoxicating vocals and a narrative you just can't ignore, So When You Gonna… exemplifies just what happens when talent meets passion. If this album is any indication of what's to come from this trio, Dream Wife just might take over the world.” - Exclaim! 9/10
"Dream Wife have always toed the line between pop and punk, but this taste of forthcoming sophomore So When You Gonna… unquestionably leans on the poppier side of proceedings - and that’s a very good thing indeed.” - Guitar World
"So When You Gonna… seems to fit the moment like a perfect soundtrack. It’s energy and angry, it has contemplation and political thought, it’s fun and cathartic — it feels made for the moment." - American Songwriter
"Dream Wife are just as good at reflection as they are at raising hell. There's a newfound tenderness to their music as they find the strength to make a fresh start" - All Music, 4/5
London-based punk trio Dream Wife – Rakel Mjöll, Bella Podpadec and Alice Go – released their explosive sophomore album So When You Gonna… last week via Lucky Number, earning Rough Trade’s coveted title of Album of the Month. So When You Gonna… was produced and mixed by Bjork-producer Marta Salogni, deals with topics such as miscarriage and gender equality, was made entirely by a non-male engineering team, and follows the band’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut from 2018. The record is currently charting in the UK at #8, and is on track for a strong chart debut. Purchase the album now HERE.
Dream Wife are donating all proceeds from digital Bandcamp orders of So When You Gonna… to Black Minds Matter and Gendered Intelligence. Black Minds Matter connects Black individuals and families with professional and mental health services across the U.K., and Gendered Intelligence aims to increase understandings of gender diversity, working with the trans community and those who impact on trans lives, with a focus on supporting young trans people aged 8-25.
Additionally, Dream Wife will embark on a virtual instore album tour of the UK’s finest independent record shops this week. Yesterday they visited Rough Trade, who named So When You Gonna… Album of the Month, and will visit Resident (July 6), Banquet (July 7), Piccadilly (July 8) and Drift Records (July 9) at 7pm UK each day.
Since the band's debut, Dream Wife have played support slots with the likes of Garbage, Sleigh Bells and The Kills, sold-out international headline shows, secured syncs in shows like Orange is The New Black, all the while using their platform to lift up other womxn and non-binary creatives with empowering messages and their “girls to the front” ethos. In addition to the new record, Dream Wife also have a new podcast series, entitled So When You Gonna…where each episode is a one-on-one interview with a different industry professional about how exactly they managed to hone their craft. With a gender divide in music production currently estimated at around ninety-five percent male to five percent female, the podcast is part of the band's continued effort to support womxn and non-binary creatives. Listen to the podcast series HERE.
Track-list:Sports!Hasta La VistaHomesickValidationTemporaryU Do URH RNOld FlameSo When You Gonna…Hold On MeAfter The Rain
Tour dates:4/14/21 - Oxford, UK @ The Bullingdon4/15/21 - Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute 24/16/21 - Leeds, UK @ The Wardrobe4/17/21 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy 24/18/21 - Glasgow, UK @ St Luke's4/20/21 - Norwich, UK @ Waterfront4/21/21 - Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms4/22/21 - Cambridge, UK @ The Portland Arms4/24/21 - Brighton, UK @ Chalk4/25/21 - Portsmouth, UK @ The Wedgewood Rooms4/27/21 - Bristol, UK @ SWX4/28/21 - London, UK @ Electric Ballroom4/30/21 - Paris, France @ La Boule Noire5/1/21 - Brussels, Belgium @ AB Club5/3/21 - Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow5/5/21 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Loppen5/6/21 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Nalen Klubb5/7/21 - Oslo, Norway @ Krosset5/8/21 - Malmo, Sweden @ Plan B5/10/21 - Berlin, Germany @ Frannz Club5/11/21 - Munich, Germany @ Ampere5/12/21 - Nuremberg, Germany @ Club Stereo
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The OBGMs Release "Not Again" Single/Video via Black Box; Canadian Punk Trio Hint at 2020 Album
THE OBGMS RELEASE “NOT AGAIN” SINGLE & VIDEO VIA BLACK BOX MUSIC
TORONTO TRIO, KNOWN FOR THEIR INCENDIARY LIVE SHOWS,
HINT AT 2020 ALBUM
To view the video for “Not Again” click the image above or follow this link: https://youtu.be/o8J4ZkVt6Yc
July 6, 2020, TORONTO -- The OBGMs, the Toronto based band who “crank out boisterous dance-punk-meets-garage… rock” (Now Toronto), release “Not Again” (https://youtu.be/o8J4ZkVt6Yc), a new single with an accompanying video, out now via Black Box Music.
Vocalist and guitarist Densil McFarlane says, when musing on the track: “Bad advice, wrong choice, fake lovers and friends. 'Not Again' is about the lies I tell myself when I look in the mirror. The second single released this summer continues the exploration of internal struggles and self- destruction.”
“Not Again” was produced and mixed by the GRAMMY Award winning Dave Schiffman (The Bronx, Pup, Rage Against The Machine), who also produced the recently-released, and equally rowdy, cut “Cash” (http://smarturl.it/obgmscash).
The OBGMs are a Black-fronted punk rock band who demand your attention. From their genre-fusing music, to their lyrical creativity, the band's sound brings a spicy raucousness to the palette of your eardrums. Delicious. On-stage, they control the crowd like the preacher controls the congregation. The sermon’s message is: they are here.
The trio have played lauded festivals worldwide including Afropunk and Riot Fest, piquing interest from bands like Green Day, who recently included the band in their Black Lives Matter playlist, and fellow Canadian outfit Pup while sharing stages with notable artists such as Bad Brains, Pusha T, Anti-Flag, Glassjaw, Thee Oh Sees, and Saul Williams.
Stay tuned for more music from The OBGMs in 2020.
Photo Credit: @savebeee
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The Dalai Lama: "Inner World" Album Out Today, Birthday Celebration Livestream Honoring His Holiness’ 85th Birthday
The Dalai Lama: “Inner World”
A sacred offering of mantras & teachings set to music out today
Album & Accompanying Booklet to Released Today, and Birthday Celebration Livestream Honoring His Holiness’ 85th Birthday
"Music has the potential to reach many more people with the message that the real source of happiness is warm-heartedness and a concern for others” - The Dalai Lama
July 6th, 2020 – Today, Hitco Entertainment and Khandro Music released a unique album of mantras and teachings by The Dalai Lama set to music, entitled Inner World. Released to honor his 85th birthday celebrations on July 6th, 2020, the album is be a great dedication to the decades of his vision and work for world peace and educating the heart.
When asked why he accepted the request to make the album, he answered, “The very purpose of my life is to serve as much as I can.” He also added, “Music can help people in a way that I can’t.”
Listen to “Inner World” HERE
Inner World is an offering of the Dalai Lama reciting mantras and giving short teachings all woven to a bed of music. The album has been released in conjunction with an Inner World companion booklet, revealing the benefits of the mantras written by Venerable Robina Courtin, and exclusive, stunning artwork; a collaboration between the acclaimed New Zealand duo of Ella Brewer (classically trained Thanka Painter) and Tiffany Singh (an award-winning visual artist). This particular work of theirs is a combination of traditional Tibetan and contemporary art.
In addition to the album’s release today, Inner World will be sharing an 85th Birthday Celebration for The Dalai Lama. This dedication will be live-streamed twice, at 9am IST (Delhi) and 1pm EDT (New York), and will be streamed on both the Inner World YouTube channel and Facebook page. The program will include longtime student and friend of The Dalai Lama, Richard Gere as well as other special guests, birthday messages, and musical performances, including one by Anoushka Shankar, who will debut a performance of Ama La, the track from the album that she features on.
About Inner WorldThe origins of Inner World began in 2015, when one of the project’s co-executive producers and a longtime student of The Dalai Lama, Junelle Kunin, wrote to him requesting his participation, by fervently explaining her feelings that an album by such a compassionate and wise being would help people particularly who struggle with emotional stress. After reading her letter, his response was enthusiastic, saying, “This will benefit many people!”. She and her husband Abraham Kunin, both from New Zealand, spent the next five years working with a small team to bring the project to life. The Dalai Lama’s recordings have been thread through music produced by Abraham and performed on thirty-plus instruments by himself and a cast of collaborators from around the world, including a special guest performance from Anoushka Shankar on “Ama La.” The composer integrated the live performances with artful programming and production, building a peaceful bedrock for these sacred offerings.
Net proceeds from the sales of Inner World will go to The Gaden Phodrang Foundation of the Dalai Lama (Switzerland) chosen program: Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning), an international K-12 education program and part of an academic collaboration between Emory University and His Holiness; and Mind and Life Institute, which brings science & contemplative wisdom together to better understand the mind & create positive change in the world.
###
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube / Soundcloud
A sacred offering of mantras & teachings set to music out today
Album & Accompanying Booklet to Released Today, and Birthday Celebration Livestream Honoring His Holiness’ 85th Birthday
"Music has the potential to reach many more people with the message that the real source of happiness is warm-heartedness and a concern for others” - The Dalai Lama
July 6th, 2020 – Today, Hitco Entertainment and Khandro Music released a unique album of mantras and teachings by The Dalai Lama set to music, entitled Inner World. Released to honor his 85th birthday celebrations on July 6th, 2020, the album is be a great dedication to the decades of his vision and work for world peace and educating the heart. When asked why he accepted the request to make the album, he answered, “The very purpose of my life is to serve as much as I can.” He also added, “Music can help people in a way that I can’t.”
Listen to “Inner World” HERE
Inner World is an offering of the Dalai Lama reciting mantras and giving short teachings all woven to a bed of music. The album has been released in conjunction with an Inner World companion booklet, revealing the benefits of the mantras written by Venerable Robina Courtin, and exclusive, stunning artwork; a collaboration between the acclaimed New Zealand duo of Ella Brewer (classically trained Thanka Painter) and Tiffany Singh (an award-winning visual artist). This particular work of theirs is a combination of traditional Tibetan and contemporary art.
In addition to the album’s release today, Inner World will be sharing an 85th Birthday Celebration for The Dalai Lama. This dedication will be live-streamed twice, at 9am IST (Delhi) and 1pm EDT (New York), and will be streamed on both the Inner World YouTube channel and Facebook page. The program will include longtime student and friend of The Dalai Lama, Richard Gere as well as other special guests, birthday messages, and musical performances, including one by Anoushka Shankar, who will debut a performance of Ama La, the track from the album that she features on.
About Inner WorldThe origins of Inner World began in 2015, when one of the project’s co-executive producers and a longtime student of The Dalai Lama, Junelle Kunin, wrote to him requesting his participation, by fervently explaining her feelings that an album by such a compassionate and wise being would help people particularly who struggle with emotional stress. After reading her letter, his response was enthusiastic, saying, “This will benefit many people!”. She and her husband Abraham Kunin, both from New Zealand, spent the next five years working with a small team to bring the project to life. The Dalai Lama’s recordings have been thread through music produced by Abraham and performed on thirty-plus instruments by himself and a cast of collaborators from around the world, including a special guest performance from Anoushka Shankar on “Ama La.” The composer integrated the live performances with artful programming and production, building a peaceful bedrock for these sacred offerings.
Net proceeds from the sales of Inner World will go to The Gaden Phodrang Foundation of the Dalai Lama (Switzerland) chosen program: Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning), an international K-12 education program and part of an academic collaboration between Emory University and His Holiness; and Mind and Life Institute, which brings science & contemplative wisdom together to better understand the mind & create positive change in the world.
###
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July 3, 2020
Paul Weller shares forthcoming album, 'On Sunset' today via Polydor Records
FORTHCOMING ALBUM ON SUNSET OUT TODAY ON POLYDOR RECORDSINCLUDES NEW SINGLES “VILLAGE,” “EARTH BEAT,” AND “MORE”
PHYSICAL COPIES AVAILABLE JULY 31
“A wide-ranging melange of electronic, soul, pop, and orchestral music that highlights Weller’s hunger for new sounds.”Rolling Stone"There's a lot going on, but the way it is all held in balance is magnificent."UNCUT 8/10"A creature of ever-changing moods - variously reflective, joyous, hymnal, funny, political, contented.”Mojo****“A prolific, world class songwriter and expert arranger.”American Songwriter“Impressive.”The Guardian****LISTEN TO ON SUNSET HERE: https://PaulWeller.lnk.to/OnSunsetPRWATCH ON SUNSET VIDEO SHOT IN LA PRE-LOCKDOWN BY DIRECTOR MARTIN KOVALENKO HERE: https://PaulWeller.lnk.to/OnSunsetPR
With a creative peak that continues to shoot skyward, On Sunset features ten classic yet modern Paul Weller songs. On Sunset is a soul album. At the same time, it’s also an electronic album, an orchestral album, an album packed with masterly pop songs and heart-tugging ballads, and an album filled with touches of experimentalism. It’s also an album that sees Weller taking a rare glance into the rear-view mirror as he speeds into the 2020s. As ever, Weller retains a rigorous forward-looking focus when it comes to seeking out the best contemporary sounds and music, but lyrically, Weller – back on his old home, Polydor Records for the first time since the Style Council days – is also starting to look back on the past with the insight of age and experience.
Opening track “Mirror Ball” was from the TM sessions and originally slated as a B-side. Thankfully it was rescued for On Sunset as it’s shimmering opener. As ever, Weller retains a rigorous forward-looking focus when it comes to seeking out the best contemporary sounds and music. But lyrically, Weller is also starting to look back on the past with the insight of age especially on songs like “Old Father Thyme”.
Most of the album sees Weller multi-tasking on various instruments with accompaniment from his regular band - Ben Gordelier appears on all tracks and Andy Crofts on most whilst Steve Cradock pops up with his guitar on 4 songs. An eclectic and sometimes surprising gathering of guests appear on On Sunset including Slade’s Jim Lea contributing violin to the Bonzos-esque “Equanimity”, Col3trane on “Earth Beat,” and Paul’s old Style Council chum Mick Talbot adds his signature Hammond Organ sound to 3 tracks. The beautifully lush “More” features a verse sung by French singer Julie Gros, from the band Le Superhomard (whose album Meadow Lane Park was one of Weller’s favorites of 2019) as well as the return of The Strype’s guitarist Josh McClorey. English folk trio The Staves contribute backing vocals for 3 tracks. Once again Hannah Peel sprinkles her magic over the album with string arrangements and The Paraorchestra were invited to add their expertise to 4 tracks.
The 10 tracks on the album are:MIRROR BALL / BAPTISTE / OLD FATHER THYME / VILLAGE / MORE / ON SUNSET / EQUANIMITY / WALKIN’ / EARTH BEAT / ROCKETS.
Written and recorded at Black Barn Studios in Surrey, On Sunset was produced by Jan “Stan” Kybert and Paul himself with help from Charles Rees. String arrangements by Hannah Peel.
As well as digitally, the album is released on CD, Deluxe CD (includes extra tracks), double gatefold vinyl, colored vinyl and good old-school cassette.
For more news and rescheduled tour dates go to: www.paulweller.com
Paul WellerVerve ForecastOn SunsetJuly 3, 2020 Standard Track listing:1. Mirror Ball2. Baptiste3. Old Father Tyme4. Village5. More6. On Sunset7. Equanimity8. Walkin’9. Earth Beat10. RocketsDeluxe Bonus Tracks: 11. 4th Dimension12. Ploughman13. I’ll think of Something14. On Sunset (Orchestral mix)15. Baptiste (instrumental version)
# # #CONNECT WITH PAUL WELLER:OFFICIALFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMTWITTERYOUTUBE
Sufjan Stevens debuts "America," new album The Ascension out September 25
SUFJAN STEVENS SETS NEW ALBUM
THE ASCENSION FOR SEPTEMBER 25“AMERICA” OUT TODAY
July 3, 2020—
The Ascension
, the eighth solo studio album from singer, songwriter and composer Sufjan Stevens—and the long awaited follow-up to Carrie & Lowell—is set for release September 25 on Asthmatic Kitty Records. “America,” the album’s debut single, is out now alongside a video filmed by Sufjan—stream “America” and pre-order the album here, and watch the video here.“America,” and in turn The Ascension, is an indictment of a world crumbling around us—and a roadmap out of here.Sufjan says the foundations of the album are “a call for personal transformation and a refusal to play along with the systems around us.” And its first single stands as “a protest song against the sickness of American culture in particular.”“Don’t do to me what you did to America,” Sufjan sings. “Don’t do to me what you do to yourself.”“America” may feel apt for the times, but it was written six years ago—originally worked on during the making of Carrie & Lowell (its forthcoming B-side, non-album track “My Rajneesh,” was culled from these sessions as well).“I was dumbfounded by the song when I first wrote it,” Sufjan says. “Because it felt vaguely mean-spirited and miles away from everything else on Carrie & Lowell. So I shelved it.“But when I dug up the demo a few years later I was shocked by its prescience. I could no longer dismiss it as angry and glib. The song was clearly articulating something prophetic and true, even if I hadn’t been able to identify it at the time. That’s when I saw a clear path toward what I had to do next.”Sufjan then re-recorded the song and spent the next two years writing and recording the rest of the material on The Ascension almost entirely by himself on his computer—working mostly with a drum machine and handful of synthesizers—using “America” as its thematic template.Sufjan says: “My objective for this album was simple: Interrogate the world around you. Question anything that doesn’t hold water. Exterminate all bullshit. Be part of the solution or get out of the way. Keep it real. Keep it true. Keep it simple. Keep it moving.”The result is a “lush, editorial pop album”—as Sufjan describes it—that finds us all at a “terrifying crossroad.”“America” and “My Rajneesh” are out as a double-sided 12-inch single July 31, with “My Rajneesh” to be released digitally July 10. Preorder the 12-inch here.SUFJAN STEVENS—
THE ASCENSION
1. Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse (5:19)2. Run Away With Me (4:07)3. Video Game (4:16)4. Lamentations (3:42)5. Tell Me You Love Me (4:22)6. Die Happy (5:47)7. Ativan (6:32)8. Ursa Major (3:43)9. Landslide (5:04)10. Gilgamesh (3:50)11. Death Star (4:04)12. Goodbye To All That (3:48)13. Sugar (7:37)14. The Ascension (5:56)15. America (12:30)
THE ASCENSION FOR SEPTEMBER 25“AMERICA” OUT TODAY
July 3, 2020—
The Ascension
, the eighth solo studio album from singer, songwriter and composer Sufjan Stevens—and the long awaited follow-up to Carrie & Lowell—is set for release September 25 on Asthmatic Kitty Records. “America,” the album’s debut single, is out now alongside a video filmed by Sufjan—stream “America” and pre-order the album here, and watch the video here.“America,” and in turn The Ascension, is an indictment of a world crumbling around us—and a roadmap out of here.Sufjan says the foundations of the album are “a call for personal transformation and a refusal to play along with the systems around us.” And its first single stands as “a protest song against the sickness of American culture in particular.”“Don’t do to me what you did to America,” Sufjan sings. “Don’t do to me what you do to yourself.”“America” may feel apt for the times, but it was written six years ago—originally worked on during the making of Carrie & Lowell (its forthcoming B-side, non-album track “My Rajneesh,” was culled from these sessions as well).“I was dumbfounded by the song when I first wrote it,” Sufjan says. “Because it felt vaguely mean-spirited and miles away from everything else on Carrie & Lowell. So I shelved it.“But when I dug up the demo a few years later I was shocked by its prescience. I could no longer dismiss it as angry and glib. The song was clearly articulating something prophetic and true, even if I hadn’t been able to identify it at the time. That’s when I saw a clear path toward what I had to do next.”Sufjan then re-recorded the song and spent the next two years writing and recording the rest of the material on The Ascension almost entirely by himself on his computer—working mostly with a drum machine and handful of synthesizers—using “America” as its thematic template.Sufjan says: “My objective for this album was simple: Interrogate the world around you. Question anything that doesn’t hold water. Exterminate all bullshit. Be part of the solution or get out of the way. Keep it real. Keep it true. Keep it simple. Keep it moving.”The result is a “lush, editorial pop album”—as Sufjan describes it—that finds us all at a “terrifying crossroad.”“America” and “My Rajneesh” are out as a double-sided 12-inch single July 31, with “My Rajneesh” to be released digitally July 10. Preorder the 12-inch here.SUFJAN STEVENS—
THE ASCENSION
1. Make Me An Offer I Cannot Refuse (5:19)2. Run Away With Me (4:07)3. Video Game (4:16)4. Lamentations (3:42)5. Tell Me You Love Me (4:22)6. Die Happy (5:47)7. Ativan (6:32)8. Ursa Major (3:43)9. Landslide (5:04)10. Gilgamesh (3:50)11. Death Star (4:04)12. Goodbye To All That (3:48)13. Sugar (7:37)14. The Ascension (5:56)15. America (12:30)CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS CREATES NEW SONG “EYES OF A CHILD” FOR TV SERIES HANNA
CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS CREATES NEW SONG
“EYES OF A CHILD” FOR TV SERIES HANNA HERE
“LA VITA NUOVA” (GLOBAL CITIZEN) HERE
“I DISAPPEAR IN YOUR ARMS” (TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON) HERE
“PEOPLE, I’VE BEEN SAD” (LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT) HERE
LA VITA NUOVA EP AND SHORT FILM OUT NOW HERE
Photo credit: Camille Vivier, hi-res photos, La vita nuova EP art, lyrics HERE
Today, the French artist Christine and the Queens shares a brand new song “Eyes of a child” HERE, penned for HANNA’s 2nd season of the Amazon original TV series and is available on all digital platforms.
This comes after her La vita nuova EP and short film release in February, which drew strength from extreme vulnerability and features “People, I’ve been sad”, which has since been featured as one of the year’s (so far) best songs by Time Magazine, NPR, Billboard (+ video of the year), Consequence of Sound, The Ringer and i-D for instance. Chris’ continuously increasing visibility comes in the form of PAPER magazine’s cover story “Christine and the Queens was born to rule” and the fascinating read of Chris’ Interview Magazine feature with Troye Sivan.
Christine took over Le Grand Palais, another Parisian landmark, performing "La vita nuova” for Global Citizen’s "Global Goal: Unite for Our Future" last week HERE. In April she was invited to Global Citizen’s “One World: Together at Home” where she performed “People, I’ve been sad” from her bedroom HERE to celebrate and support healthcare workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other unique performances of her EP’s tracks are “I disappear in your arms” for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon HERE, directed by her frequent collaborator Colin Solal Cardo at Paris’ La Cigale. Earlier, she performed “People, I’ve been sad” live from her window in Paris for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert HERE and her uniquely self-produced cover versions of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” HERE, Travis Scott’s “Highest In The Room” HERE and Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” HERE.
La vita nuova arrived with an accompanying short film of the same name, imagined by Christine and featuring the EP’s five new songs in as many sequences. The 14 minute film is an inward journey that sees the artist invest Opéra Garnier, the world famous Paris opera house, filling it with stories of ghosts and mythical creatures. Through the lens of long-time collaborator Colin Solal Cardo (Robyn, Charli XCX) and with choreography by Ryan Heffington (Sia “Chandelier” VMA Award 2014, Grammy nominated), Christine and her dancers appear in succession on the Opéra rooftop, its grand stage and most secret recesses, culminating into a feverish moment with Caroline Polachek, a collaborator on the EP’s title track.
La vita nuova follows 18 months of live shows, collaborations and international distinctions, around the release of Christine and the Queens’ breathtaking second album Chris. Most recently, Christine and the Queens collaborated with Charli XCX on the acclaimed single “Gone,” released last autumn and a mainstay of 2019’s end of year lists.
Chris was written, arranged, produced and performed by Christine and the Queens, and charted at #3 in the official UK album chart; it has been certified silver in the UK. Chris is the follow up to her already-iconic debut record Chaleur Humaine, released to near-universal acclaim in France in 2014, the USA as self-titled Christine and the Queens, selling more than 1.4 million copies worldwide to date.
Christine and the Queens received a GLAAD Media Awards nomination, her second nomination for International Female Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards 2019, was named Q Icon at the Q Awards 2019 and won the Artist Award at the Attitude Awards 2019. She starred in numerous artist, album and song of the decade lists.
Listen / buy La vita nuova
Watch La vita nuova
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