Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 16
September 12, 2025
Swell Maps 'The John Peel Sessions' Is Out Today On Mute
SWELL MAPS
THE JOHN PEEL SESSIONS
REMASTERED AND AVAILABLE OFFICIALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS
OUT TODAY ON MUTE
LISTEN TO “READ ABOUT SEYMOUR”
Swell Maps’ The John Peel Sessions, is out now on CD via Mute Bank and Bandcamp and digitally, the first official release of the album in 40 years, via Mute.
Listen to the 1977 single “Read About Seymour,” live from Maida Vale HERE, voted one of 25 punk classics in The Guardian.
Noisy, chaotic, and defiantly experimental, Swell Maps may not have found commercial success in their time, but their impact on music is undeniable, they went on to be an inspiration to bands such as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Pavement, The Pastels, Stereolab, and Nirvana (Kurt Cobain was often seen sporting a Swell Maps t-shirt).
A democracy within the confines of punk’s “anything is possible” maxim, members Biggles Books, Jowe Head and brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks, helped shape the landscape of post-punk and DIY music.
Formed in the early ’70s and fully realized by 1976, Swell Maps embodied the DIY ethos, launching their own label and self-releasing the jagged, frenetic debut single “Read About Seymour” in 1978. Peel was an early supporter, playing their record as soon as it landed on his desk, a moment the band described as one of disbelief and elation. His regular airplay of their music helped solidify their cult status and these sessions capture the raw energy, off-kilter melodies, and boundary-pushing creativity that defined them.
The John Peel Sessions brings together all three of their recordings for John Peel’s sessions – from October ’78, May ’79, and March ’80 – that were originally broadcast on his show on BBC Radio 1, a vital document of Swell Maps at their most unfiltered - three sessions of unpredictable, exhilarating noise.
Swell Maps’ The John Peel Sessions is out now on CD via Mute Bank and Bandcamp and digitally on Mute. The CD will be available in retail shops in US & CA on September 19, 2025. Purchase or stream it HERE.
Track listing
1. International Rescue - 16/10/78
2. Harmony in Your Bathroom - 16/10/78
3. Read About Seymour - 16/10/78
4. Another Song - 16/10/78
5. Full Moon / Blam!! / Full Moon (Reprise) - 16/10/78
6. Armadillo - 15/5/79
7. Vertical Slum / Forest Fire - 15/5/79
8. Midget Submarines - 15/5/79
9. Bandits One Five - 15/5/79
10. Big Empty Field - 18/3/80
11. Bleep And Booster Come Round For Tea / Secret Island - 18/3/80
12. Let's Buy a Bridge - 18/3/80
13. Helicopter Spies / A Raincoat's Room - 18/3/80
CONNECT WITH MUTE:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BLUESKY | INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | WEB
Alt-rock band The Barons announce debut record & share lively track "Way Out" out now
ALT-ROCK BAND
THE BARONS
ANNOUNCE RAW & REFINED DEBUT ALBUM
LE CHÂTEAU
DUE OUT NOVEMBER 7
& LOOK FOR "WAY OUT"
OUT NOW–LISTEN
SINGLE RELEASE SHOW TONIGHT AT THE JEFFERSON THEATER
IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
+ ADDITIONAL LIVE DATES ACROSS VIRGINIA, RALEIGH, NC & SC
Photo credit: Kellan DeGarmo
Today, Richmond, VA alt-rock band The Barons announce their explosive debut album Le Château due out November 7. Alongside the new music, the band shares optimistic tune "Way Out" out now. The forthcoming guitar-driven project, one that is both raw and refined, proudly introduces the five-piece band as they teeter out on the edge of something greater–pulsing with urgency and restless ambition. The group will hit the road this fall across North Carolina and Virginia, including a single release show tonight at The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville–see a full list of dates below.
With Le Château, a humorous nod to the band's broken high school French, the group playfully and gracefully processes the difficulties of human connection in an increasingly digital world, the inevitability of aging and makes peace with change. Over ten tight tracks, the group harnesses their chaos into meaningful messages that strike a balance between light-hearted and serious tonesas they effortlessly find their own groove. Produced by Jacob Sommerio (English Oak Recording) over a few weeks in Richmond, Virginia, the group captured the band's raucous live energy through analog recording.
"Way Out," out today, opens as a bubbly, melodic tune that glistens with streaks of optimism and sticky guitar riffs. The track, which runs over 5 minutes, finds a darker groove over half way in with a roaring guitar solo. Through analog guitar modulations and a creative driving rhythm, ‘Way Out’ is a primitive pop journey that stares at the dying breed of empathy in the age of intelligence. As Robert Frost once said, “The best way out is always through.” Describing the track, Peyton Alley (The Barons frontman/writer) says:
"I began writing Way Out on my acoustic overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains on my fiancé’s apartment porch in Charlottesville last spring. I had just seen a friend post some videos from The Sphere in Las Vegas and thought about how impressive that build was. Though the all-sensory innovation was exciting to see, I looked up at the sky and thought about our sphere (the Earth). Everything that all living things need to survive is provided here, yet it’s never been enough to satisfy our senses as a species. Now more than ever, instead of seeking nature and one another with our deep questions, we now seek them from a simulation we justify because we have ‘created’ it. This hyper-efficient cat is out of the bag; there is no turning back. I believe human relationships and virtues are now on the fringe of extinction, and I think that’s what ultimately inspired Way Out. We’re in a new era that is supposed to be the new normal. I think the real way out is embracing our physical relationships authentically and loving each other every chance we have in a world that's become more difficult to do so."
The Barons is Peyton Alley (vocals, guitar, keys), Josiah Ragland (lead guitar), Kirtland Gray (bass guitar, backing vocals), Mathes Glymph (drums, backing vocals), and Jack Peacock (saxophone, keys). Formed in 2016, the band has shared many singles, most recently, "Bouquet" as well as two EPs, including 2023's rock! or go to the association., and a live EP last year, The Bakery. They've brought their electrifying live show to stages across the East Coast and colleges and shared bills with leading alt acts like Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Aces, Barns Courtney, Flipturn, and Judah & The Lion. Now, in 2025, the band is gearing up to firmly plant themselves in the budding indie alt-rock space with a sound and energy that is wholly their own.
The unapologetic debut album by The Barons, Le Château, arrives November 7. The latest offering from the project, "Way Out" is out now. Catch the band in North Carolina and Virginia this fall and connect with the band via Instagram, YouTube and Facebook for more.
THE BARONS LIVE
FALL 2025
Aug 29 - Allegiant Stadium - Winston-Salem, NC
Aug 30 - Center Club - Blacksburg, VA
Sep 1 - Washington and Lee - Lexington, VA
Sep 12 - Jefferson Theater - Charlottesville, VA
Sep 20 - The Broadberry - Richmond, VA
Sep 26 - Richmond International Film Festival - Richmond, VA
Sep 27 - Elon University - Elon, NC
Oct 1 - The Pour House Music Hall - Raleigh, NC
Oct 3 - University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA
Oct 23 - Tiger Town - Clemson, SC
Oct 24 - Clemson University - Clemson, SC
Oct 25 - Hampden Sydney College - Farmville, VA
Nov 1- Wake Forest University - Winston-Salem, NC
Tyler, The Creator announces Latin American tour dates
TYLER, THE CREATOR ANNOUNCES LATIN AMERICAN TOUR DATES
NEWLY ANNOUNCED 2026 DATES IN SUPPORT OF CHROMAKOPIA AND DON'T TAP THE GLASS
DON’T TAP THE GLASS album artwork
DON’T TAP THE GLASS
https://tylerthecreator.lnk.to/DontTapTheGlass
CHROMAKOPIA
https://tylerthecreator.lnk.to/chromakopia
TICKETS: HTTP://CHROMAKOPIA.COM
(September 12, 2025) - In the midst of the Asian leg of his CHROMAKOPIA: THE WORLD TOUR, Tyler, The Creator announces new live dates in Latin America, launching in March of 2026. Starting March 13th, he’ll take his critically acclaimed live performance to Mexico City, San José, Guadalajara, and San Juan, as well as to Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá and Lollapalooza festivals in Buenos Aires, Santiago, and São Paulo.
CHROMAKOPIA: THE WORLD TOUR is in support of Tyler's critically acclaimed and Billboard chart-topping album CHROMAKOPIA, which sat atop the Billboard 200 chart for 3 weeks upon its release in late 2024 and set the record for the biggest streaming debut for a rap album on Spotify ever at the time of its release. Tyler was named "one of the most exciting live performers of this era" by the Los Angeles Times and "one of the best performers in rap" by Complex following the first of his six nights performing at Crypto.com Arena in his hometown of Los Angeles near the start of this year’s tour. This summer, after 4 sold-out nights in New York City – 2 at Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Garden and 2 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Tyler released his surprise album, DON’T TAP THE GLASS, which quickly became his fourth consecutive number one album on the Billboard 200.
Tickets for Guadalajara and San Juan dates will be available for purchase on September 19th at 10 am local time, while tickets for Mexico City will go on sale September 19th at 11 am local time. Tickets for San José will be available for purchase on September 23rd at 10 am local time.
Official tour poster
Latin American 2026 Dates
* = Festival Date
3/13/26–3/15/26 - Buenos Aires, AR @ Lollapalooza Argentina *
3/13/26–3/15/26 - Santiago, CL @ Lollapalooza Chile *
3/18/26 - San José, CR @ Parque Viva
3/20/26–3/22/26 - Bogotá, CO @ Estéreo Picnic *
3/20/26–3/22/26 - São Paulo, BR @ Lollapalooza Brasil *
3/24/26 - Mexico City, MX @ Palacio de los Deportes
3/29/26 - Guadalajara, MX @ Arena Guadalajara
3/31/26 - San Juan, PR @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico
Connect with Tyler, The Creator
Emma Swift Releases Debut Album Today
EMMA SWIFT PRESENTS THE RESURRECTION GAME
EXQUISITELY MELANCHOLIC DEBUT ALBUM OUT TODAY –
TOURING WITH ROBYN HITCHCOCK IN THE FALL
Credit: Laura Partain
"A lush affair lying on a king-sized bed of strings."
- The Guardian
"A sweeping, dramatic pop-rock soundscape."
- Nashville Scene
"Lovely melodies and intense emotions..."
- UNCUT Magazine (8/10)
"As an album, The Resurrection Game proves richly honest and timeless, drawing heavily on long-standing musical traditions, reaffirming that Swift is not only a talented lyricist and songwriter but a stunning singer who appears to form a deep,
honest emotional bond through every track."
- God Is In The TV
"An opulent, lush orchestral debut of original songs, Emma Swift’s The Resurrection Game makes the most deep-seated creativity sound accessible."
- Glide
"A spectacular accomplishment of impeccable song crafting with tailor-made arrangements."
- Lonesome Highways
"The lyrics feel deeply personal and are delivered
through Swift’s melancholic, high-toned voice."
- Riff
“Resurrection Game is an extremely impressive debut. Swift is an amazing writer..Some artists wait until they are well established before laying their soul on the line, but here she leads off with it, a very brave and bold statement.”
- Spill
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Emma Swift has released her debut album, The Resurrection Game. Shifting gracefully between intimate confession, philosophical musing, and elegiac storytelling, The Resurrection Game sees Emma Swift fusing timeless singer-songwriter touchstones to her own extraordinary experiences with an exquisitely melancholic song cycle born of a personal crisis that left her shattered and forced to pick up the pieces of her inner life. Strewn with keenly incisive wit and heartbreaking accuracy, songs like “How To Be Small” bridge the gap between traditional folk songcraft and self-revelatory confessional poetry, the exactitude of her devastatingly candid admissions lifted aloft by the subtle strength of her deep-blue vocals and an evocative breadth of gorgeously baroque musical flourishes.
“I am a big believer in the redemptive power of art,” Emma Swift says. “Though many of these songs come from a an immensely difficult time in my life, what I’m trying to do here is to alchemize the experience. To make the brutal become beautiful.”
Swift’s first full-length collection of all original material and eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s Blonde On The Tracks – which earned worldwide praise for the Sydney, Australia-born, Nashville-based artist’s inspired reimagining of eight classic Bob Dylan songs through her own unique musical perspective – The Resurrection Game arrives today via her own Tiny Ghost Records. A wide variety of formats are available, including digital, CD, premium D2 black vinyl, cassette, limited-edition lavender vinyl, and limited-edition blue swirl vinyl. All vinyl editions were pressed at Denver, CO’s Paramount Pressing and feature deluxe packaging with a gatefold sleeve and rice paper inner bag.
PURCHASE/STREAM THE RESURRECTION GAME
The Resurrection Game was heralded by a variety of deeply personal singles, including the title track, the poignant “Beautiful Ruins,” the rhapsodic “No Happy Endings” and the languorously romantic opening track, “Nothing and Forever."
WATCH “THE RESURRECTION GAME” LYRIC VIDEO
WATCH “BEAUTIFUL RUINS” OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO
WATCH “NO HAPPY ENDINGS” OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO
WATCH "NOTHING AND FOREVER" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
The seeds of The Resurrection Game were sown on the heels of a seven-week “nervous breakdown” that saw Swift sectioned in her native Australia. Over a year of recovery followed, a “very fragile” period in which she grappled with what had happened through therapy, medication, and eventually, her art. Working with producer Jordan Lehning (Kacey Musgraves, Rodney Crowell, Caitlin Rose) at Chale Abbey, a residential studio built within a stone barn dating back to the 16th century located on the downs at the southern tip of England’s Isle of Wight, as well as Lehning’s The Duck in East Nashville, Swift assembled a cadre of Nashville’s finest, most in-demand players, including pedal steel master Spencer Cullum (Steelism, Miranda Lambert, Angel Olsen), guitarist Juan Solorzano (Devon Gilfillian, Sheryl Crow), bassist Eli Beaird (Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson, James Bay, Luke Bryan), and drummer Dom Billet (Yola, Phosphorescent), with Lehning handling keyboards and other instruments.
Together Swift and her collaborators conjured an unabashedly melodramatic, “deliberately lush” musical milieu brimming with imagination and communal energy, Lehning’s ornate arrangements creating an atmosphere so intense and cinematic that Swift’s tragic tales of catastrophic psychological collapse ultimately prove buoyant and exhilarating. Despite the myriad unpleasantness of her experience, Swift tells her story with raw clarity and the power of contemplative hindsight, her remarkably self-assured vocals capturing her undeniable anguish but also, within such songs as “No Happy Endings” and “Going Where The Lonely Go,” romantic joy thanks to the understanding and sustenance provided by her husband, legendary British singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock.
Grounded firmly in enduring musical traditions yet utterly contemporary in viewpoint and execution, The Resurrection Game immediately confirms Emma Swift as a singularly gifted singer and songwriter of immense skill and spirit. Swift trusts to her core that the act of creating something so passionately personal, of giving in completely to her life-altering heartache and despair, is the truest path towards greater connection with her art and the world outside.
“I believe that there is a space for songs about real pain,” Swift says. “In this moment in time, we live in a world where we’re encouraged to anesthetize what ails us by any means possible. But this record is more about spending time with your sadness, of leaning into that sorrow and facing it head on.
“Hard times are a part of the seasons of any person’s life. You don’t have to have an acute mental health crisis to understand this. Everyone experiences grief, pain, tremendous suffering, at one time or another. I wouldn’t want to live through that particular season again, but I feel duty-bound to honor it. And so I have.”
Swift spent the summer on a very special Undertow tour, a series of major market club dates and intimate fan-hosted events. This week, she performed at a WMOT showcase at the AmericanaFest in her adopted home of Nashville, TN. She'll be touring with Robyn Hitchcock in the fall. For complete details, please visit www.emmaswift.com/shows.
September 25 - Chickie Wah Wah, New Orleans, LA (supporting Robyn Hitchcock)
October 20 - The Troubadour, London, UK
November 20 - The Atlantis, Washington D.C. (supporting Robyn Hitchcock)
November 22 - The Bowery Ballroom, New York (supporting Robyn Hitchcock)
December 27 - Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, NY (supporting Robyn Hitchcock)
Alice Phoebe Lou examines love's illusions on new single "Darling"
ALICE PHOEBE LOU EXAMINES LOVE’S ILLUSIONS
ON NEW SINGLE “DARLING” — STREAM
OBLIVION, A NEW ALBUM OF STRIPPED-BACK
ARCHIVAL SONGWRITING, OUT OCTOBER 24
VIA NETTWERK MUSIC GROUP — PRE-SAVE
ANNOUNCES NEW YORK SHOW AT BOWERY BALLROOM
ON OCTOBER 19 — TICKETS ON SALE SOON
“Soft, sweet, and wistful…As dreamy as it sounds, Lou also imbues the songs with a warning to snap us back to reality.”
“Between sweet folk and indie pop that is both angry and delicate, Alice Phoebe Lou's compositions evoke radiant lives and dull lives, the beginnings and ends of the most beautiful love stories.”
“Indie darling Alice Phoebe Lou continues to bare her soul and most intimate stories…a testament to her ability to connect with her audience through her deeply personal journey of revisiting unreleased songs from the past decade.”
The voice of pen-to-paper genuineness, and an indie darling in her own right, Alice Phoebe Lou, today releases her new single “Darling.” Ahead of her sixth album, Oblivion, out October 24 via Nettwerk Music Group, today’s offering seeps in like morning rays of sunshine through the curtains. The song has an undeniable warmth and a raw sincerity that permeates every woodgrain of her acoustic guitar — Stream.
Lou shared that, “‘Darling’ is the most typical love song you’ll find on the album, written with hearts in my eyes, full of optimism about life and the future. It’s a somewhat delusional place that we can be in for a moment, where we think that everything will just work out and love will prevail. It’s like floating between two storms, momentarily forgetting all the hardships and difficulties and just focusing on how sweet and warm it can feel to be in love.”
Oblivion, a personal library of previously unheard music, is a stripped-back look into Lou’s exploration both globally and internally. It is her first album since 2023’s Shelter — Pre-save.
“Instead of overthinking the outcome and the judgment, these songs are just creating for myself, a coming home,” she says of Oblivion. “Tapping into this unawareness of unconsciousness sounds like bliss. Oblivion is a place where you can forget what others see in you and find your true essence.”
Press photo by Caroline Bertolini
Oblivion features previous singles “You and I,” “The Surface,” “Old Shadows,” and “Pretender.” These are her first-ever self-produced releases, ushering in an era hallmarked by stripped-back instrumentation that allows her storytelling to take the forefront.
Ahead of the album release, Lou today announces a special New York show at Bowery Ballroom on October 19. Tickets will go on sale soon.
In the Spring, Lou also played 3 sold-out nights at The Lodge Room in Los Angeles before joining Remi Wolf at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. She is currently out on tour with her other musical endeavor strongboi, in support of Men I Trust. In 2024, Lou toured alongside Clairo on the strikingly intimate Charm Tour with headline shows of her own mixed in. See all upcoming dates here.
ABOUT ALICE PHOEBE LOU:
As the eyes open and the world first blinks to life, there it is: oblivion. Rather than destruction or collapse, Alice Phoebe Lou’s oblivion is a deep, inky place where motes of softly burning potential gently drift into life. The South African-born, Europe-based singer-songwriter reached past the torrential noise of modern life and into another space to pull out luminous melodies and intimate lyrics, turning them into playful, profound songs that honor the sublime simplicity of her busking years. “Instead of overthinking the outcome and the judgment, these songs are just creating for myself, a coming home,” she says of Oblivion (due October 24 via Nettwerk Music Group). “Tapping into this unawareness of unconsciousness sounds like bliss. Oblivion is a place where you can forget what others see in you and find your true essence.”
Over the course of five impeccable LPs, Alice Phoebe Lou established herself as a musical force, continuing to unveil new facets to her expressive vocals and beguiling songwriting. While that evolution drew rave reviews from critics and her growing fanbase (now totaling more than 2.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify), the singer-songwriter was starting to feel the pressure of needing to constantly build the next stage.
While previous albums may have reveled in immaculately layered production, here Phoebe Lou flutters over a simple acoustic strum—the listener placed in the room, in the moment with the lyrical self-appraisal. The songs of Oblivion flow in an almost dreamlike state, melodies looping like concentric circles and wordless harmonies floating through the mix—likely the result of a dedicated stream of consciousness songwriting process. Recorded in Berlin's La Pot Studio and co-produced by longtime collaborators and friends Ziv Yamin and Dekel Adin, Oblivion is a masterclass in push-and-pull subtlety; Alice Phoebe Lou’s voice feels lit by a spotlight and placed on a pedestal even as the songs live in quiet, confident moments.
Throughout its ethereal trek, Oblivion drinks in the unknown and holds your hand as you wade into that mysterious depth. Across its stripped-back arrangements, Alice Phoebe Lou turns vulnerability into a mythic strength, contorting uncertainty and conflicted emotions into intimate friends. “These songs are coming from the darker places in yourself, that place of holding something inside and then letting it go, even if it’s embarrassing or vulnerable,” she says. “Oblivion leans into the idea of allowing yourself to let things overflow in order to feel them, work through them, and come out on the other side.” Alice Phoebe Lou invites listeners to explore both her oblivion and their own as well, illuminating a long, iridescent path of the soul and coming out stronger on the other side.
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For more information on Alice Phoebe Lou, please visit:
Website | Instagram | YouTube |Spotify | Apple Music
September 11, 2025
Morrison Hotel Gallery's new exhibit: PUNK by BOB GRUEN, legendary rock photographer/Bi-Coastal: NYC (9/12) LA (9/26)
Morrison Hotel Gallery and CBGB Festival Present:
PUNK by Bob Gruen
Bi-Coastal Bob Gruen Exhibition Honors the Icons and Venues That
Defined Punk Rock
On view in New York 9/12-10/12
On view in Los Angeles 9/26-10/12
New York, NY – September 12, 2025 – Morrison Hotel Gallery and CBGB Festival is proud to present PUNK, a career-defining exhibition of work by legendary photographer Bob Gruen. Opening bi-coastally this September, PUNK brings to life the grit and attitude of the movement that redefined music and culture, offering fans rare access to the images that helped shape punk’s legacy. The exhibition will open with an invite only reception in New York on September 18th. In Los Angeles, the opening will be open to the public on Thursday, September 25th from 7–9pm at Morrison Hotel Gallery at the Sunset Marquis Hotel, located at 1200 Alta Loma Rd. Bob Gruen will be in attendance for both opening events. The show will then be on view to the public from September 19th through October 12th in New York and from September 26th through October 12th in Los Angeles.
Through Gruen’s lens, PUNK chronicles the uncompromising energy of the scene’s most enduring figures, featuring powerful photographs of The Clash, Dead Boys, The Cramps, Iggy Pop, The Heartbreakers, The Runaways, Joe Strummer, Patti Smith, and Debbie Harry. Beyond the artists, the exhibition also pays homage to the iconic venues that served as punk’s breeding grounds, including Max’s Kansas City and CBGB’s, preserving a world that was as fleeting as it was influential.
Gruen’s photography captures not only the chaos of the stage but also the rare, candid moments off of it. His work embodies the rawness, rebellion, and cultural impact of punk, offering an intimate glimpse into a movement that was unfiltered, unapologetic, and unforgettable.
One of the most respected photographers in rock and roll, Bob Gruen has been documenting music’s most iconic figures for over five decades. While widely celebrated for his intimate work with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Gruen’s punk photographs remain some of the most vital artifacts of a movement that transformed music and culture forever.
About Morrison Hotel® Gallery
At Morrison Hotel Gallery, our mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of the photographer, those rare visionaries who have captured the spirit of generations through the lens. We are dedicated to curating and showcasing the finest photographic works spanning the worlds of music, film, and fashion, presenting each image as a timeless piece of cultural history. With a commitment to authenticity, excellence, and storytelling, we honor the photographers behind the camera while connecting collectors, fans, and creators with the iconic and the undiscovered. Through every exhibition and print, we bring to life the moments that define our collective imagination. www.morrisonhotelgallery.com
Morrison Hotel Gallery
116 Prince Street || New York, NY 10012
212.941.8770
Morrison Hotel Gallery
Sunset Marquis
1200 Alta Loma Road || West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.881.6025
Shimmy-Disc Announces Gregory Corso (ft. Marianne Faithfull + Allen Ginsberg) LP Re-Release, Shares "For Homer" Single + Video | 'DIE ON ME' Out 11/7
(ft. Marianne Faithfull + Allen Ginsberg) LP Re-Release,
Shares "For Homer" Single + Video
Read Stereo Embers, Psychedelic Baby and V13 Features
DIE ON ME Out November 7th via Shimmy-Disc
PRE-SAVE: Gregory Corso - DIE ON MEPre-Save
LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Gregory Corso - "For Homer"
Stream | Watch PRAISE FOR SHIMMY-DISC & DIE ON ME
"Gently enhanced by original producer Hal Wilner’s score, the poem unspools with a touching – and frankly, unmatched – candor that almost feels foreign when heard inside our current world’s daily, decidedly unpoetic, noise, and as such presents like a balm spoken by a mere immortal come to visit us and ground us once again in the messy purity of human existence."
-Stereo Embers Magazine
"DIE ON ME offers a rare and luminous insight into the mind of a poet facing the end."
-V13
Gregory Corso—both the youngest and one of the most influential members of the Beat Generation—stood alongside literary icons like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg as a defining voice in American poetry. Now, DIE ON ME, the rare and intimate collection of his final spoken word recordings, is being re-introduced to the world by Shimmy-Disc, the cult-favorite label founded by legendary producer, multi-instrumentalist, and archival visionary Kramer.
Originally released on CD in 2002, DIE ON ME is now available for the first time ever on vinyl. Newly remastered and edited by Kramer, the collection spans archival recordings from 1959 and culminates in Corso’s final sessions, recorded by the late Hal Willner between January 7–10, 2001— just days before Corso’s death.
Within this deeply personal and revealing document are the last known voice recordings of Corso. Conversational, reflective, and raw, DIE ON ME captures Corso in dialogue with close friends and fellow legends—including Allen Ginsberg, Marianne Faithfull, and Chicago writer Studs Terkel—as he recounts stories, revisits formative memories, and reads aloud some of his most beloved poems. The result is an unfiltered self-portrait of an undersung literary giant.
Marianne Faithfull, in one of the album’s most striking moments, urges Corso to share stories—and, at his request, recites several of his own poems. The sessions showcase not only Corso’s voice and verse but his thoughts on mortality, love, and the poetic form itself. Produced by Hal Willner and lovingly reassembled by Kramer, DIE ON ME offers a rare and luminous insight into the mind of a poet facing the end.
Corso passed away on January 17, 2001, at the age of 70—just days after completing many of the recordings featured on DIE ON ME. On May 5, 2001, his ashes were laid to rest in Rome at the Cimitero Acattolico, at the foot of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s grave. John Keats lies nearby.
Today, Shimmy-Disc shares “For Homer,” a raw and haunting recording of Corso reading his poem of the same name, captured on January 5, 2001. Framed by ethereal strings and shimmering textures—hallmarks of Kramer’s signature ambient cinema creations—the track is accompanied by a black-and-white photo slideshow chronicling Corso’s life, lending visual context to a voice that remains powerfully alive.
As Allen Ginsberg once said of his closest friend: “People say that I’m the greatest American poet of the 20th Century. I tell them they’re wrong. GREGORY CORSO is a far greater poet.”
"For Homer" is out September 11th via Shimmy-Disc.
GREGORY CORSO - "FOR HOMER" (Official Shimmy-Disc Video)
DIE ON ME TRACK LISTING:
Side A
1. For Homer (recorded January 5, 2001)
2. Ode to Coit Tower (recorded February 7, 1959)
3. Inner Outer Rhyme (recorded January 5, 2001)
4. Ode to The West Wind (recorded June 13, 1975)
5. A Bed’s Lament (recorded January 5, 2001)
6. Hair (recorded January 29, 1959) w/ Studs Terkel, Allen Ginsberg & Peter Orlovsky
7. Mythology (recorded January 5, 2001) w/ Marianne Faithfull
Side B
1. Bomb (recorded February 7, 1959)
2. The Truth (recorded September 13, 1994) w/ Allen Ginsberg
3. Don’t Shoot the Warthog (recorded January 6, 2001)
4. Prophecy (recorded January 7, 2001)
5. No Arrangement Was Made (recorded January 5, 2001) reading by Marianne Faithfull
6. As Rome Burned (recorded January 6, 2001) w/ Marianne Faithfull
7. Last Night I Drove a Car (recorded January 6, 2001)
8. Getting To The Poem (recorded January 6, 2001) reading by Marianne Faithfull
Gregory Corso was both the youngest and one of the most prominent members of the Beat generation, alongside notable figures like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. Born in 1930 in Greenwich VIllage, Corso survived a traumatic childhood which included orphanages, foster homes, reform school, prison and mental hospital experiences. It was during his prison term he was able to self-educate and develop a unique poetic style that combined classical language alongside the newer lexicons of modern verse.
He became involved with the Beat literary scene, meeting influential writers and traveling with them extensively. His first book of poetry, ‘The Vestal Lady on Brattle’ was published in 1955. His subsequent published output was sparse, as he would labour for years over a handful of poems.
His closest friend Allen Ginsberg said, “People say that I’m the greatest American poet of the 20th Century. I tell them they’re wrong. GREGORY CORSO is a far greater poet.”
Naima Bock Announces Live In Toulon EP Available Worldwide On All Streaming Services Friday, October 3rd, 2025
Available today, you can listen to an intimate live version of her song, “Takes One (LIVE).” Bock shares: “I played this show in Toulon, France, last year on a very hot day. It was the first time I had to play a whole hour-long set alone. I remember being extremely nervous and feeling a little lonely, too. I had bought myself a blue jacket with deep pockets and spent hours in the church and on stage before playing. By the time I listened back to these recordings, I had lost some belief in myself, for various different reasons; these recordings helped me to feel proud of myself again. They felt good, and I rarely have that with my own recorded songs. I thought they deserved to be released, and et tout le monde connaît la suite! I hope you enjoy them too.”
Following summer performances at UK Festivals like Deer Shed and Green Man, and opening for legends like Dinosaur Jr., and Neil Young and Chrome Hearts at Hyde Park, Naima will headline a nine-date UK run this October and January. The tour begins on October 16th in London, with additional dates in Bristol, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Margate, Southampton, Brighton and Liverpool. See below for a full run of shows.
Thu. Oct. 16 - London, UK - St Matthias Church
Sun. Oct. 19 - Bristol, UK - The Folk House
Wed. Jan 21 - York, UK - The Crescent
Thu. Jan 22 - Edinburgh, UK - Voodoo Rooms Speakeasy
Fri. Jan 23 - Glasgow, UK - The Hug & Pint
Sat. Jan 24 - Manchester, UK - Halle St Michael’s
Sun. Jan 25 - Liverpool, UK - Leaf on Bold St
Tue. Jan 27 - Sheffield, UK - Sidney & Matilda
Wed. Jan 28 - Margate, UK - Curve Coffee
Thu. Jan 29 - Southampton, UK - Papillon
Sat. Jan 31 - Brighton, UK - West Hill Hall
“Takes One (LIVE)” follows the release of her standalone single, “Rolling,” and 2024 record, Below a Massive Dark Land, which Uncut gave an 8/10, citing, “what is abundantly clear is that Bock’s creative star is very much with her.”
What People Are Saying About Naima Bock Below a Massive Dark Land:
“Amid a flurry of excellent new tracks ahead of Naima Bock’s second album, the romantic, timeless sweep of ‘Kaley’ is the pick of the bunch, that rich and resonant vocal playing magically off a melodic, punchy line of saxophone.”
‘Best of the Month’ - The Quietus
★★★★ MOJO
“A folky hymn to regret with a lovely, loping pace and sweetly lazy horn refrain” [“Feed My Release”] The Guardian
“…Features the kind of compelling vocal performance and lush, classy pop-rock orchestration we’ve come to expect from the British-Brazilian singer-songwriter.” [“Feed My Release”] STEREOGUM
“Marked by inner strength, the pervasive musicality of Naima’s work reaching fresh heights” [“Gentle”] CLASH
“Bock’s somnambulant vocals here bounding over a jubilant burst of fuzzy guitar and saxophone. It’s ace.” [“Kaley”] The New Cue
“Fans of Naima’s earlier work, and frankly that should be all of you, will be delighted with the familiar playful instrumentation, and swaying majesty of the choruses, while those looking for something new will be delighted by the subtle choppiness of the rhythms” [“Kaley”] For The Rabbits
“Horns blaze away, powering a glorious melody allowing Naima Bock the freedom to show off the potency of her vocal range. Make no mistake, it’s a cracker.” [Kaley] “Tracks of the Week” God Is In The TV
KESHA + ORVILLE PECK with HUDSON MOHAWKE, TAYLA PARX RELEASE “TENNESSEE” FOR ALL THINGS GO: 10 YEARS OUT ON 11.7
KESHA AND ORVILLE PECK TEAM UP FOR ALL THINGS GO’S CHARITY COMPILATION BENEFITTING THE ALLY COALITION:
KESHA + ORVILLE PECK with HUDSON MOHAWKE,
TAYLA PARX “TENNESSEE” HERE
ALL THINGS GO: 10 YEARS OUT ON 11.7
TRACKLIST ANNOUNCED + PRESAVE / PREORDER HERE
Photo Credit: Aidan Klimenko
EARLIER RELEASES OFF THE COMPILATION INCLUDE:
MAREN MORRIS’ “WELCOME TO THE END” (PROD. JACK ANTONOFF)
+ GOOGLY EYES, JOY OLADOKUN + ALLISON PONTHIER’S “JESUS AND JOHN WAYNE” OUT NOW
Today, All Things Go proudly announces the third track off its forthcoming charity compilation All Things Go: 10 Years, with all proceeds benefitting The Ally Coalition. “Tennessee” comes to us from pop icon Kesha, who teams up with LGBTQ+ country trailblazer Orville Peck, with help from Hudson Mohawke and Tayla Parx. The song made its debut in the award-winning short film Stud Country.
Kesha says: “Making this song with Orville, Tayla and Hudson was so much fun. I felt safe to explore my southern roots and excited entering a room with these artists I’ve looked up to for years and making music that felt real and honest. They're all inspiring creatives who just want to make great music. Knowing it’s helping The Ally Coalition makes it even more special, I’m so proud to finally let the world hear what Orville and I have cooked up. Enjoy!”
The full compilation will be released November 7th and includes ATG artists past + present including: Kesha, Maren Morris, Rachel Chinouriri, Medium Build, Bartees Strange, Maude Latour, Joy Oladokun, EMEI, jasmin.4.t and more. Celebrating over 10 years of All Things Go, it will be available digitally and on limited edition vinyl + CD with full tracklist and preorder information revealed today HERE.
All Things Go: 10 Years
1. Welcome To The End – Maren Morris
2. Jesus And John Wayne – googly eyes, Joy Oladokun + Allison Ponthier
3. Talk Talk Talk – Emei
4. Tennessee – Kesha + Orville Peck with Hudson Mohawke + Tayla Parx
5. Green Tea (Demo) – Maude Latour
6. Home – Rachel Chinouriri + Boyish
7. Sympathy Is A Knife – Medium Build + Sydney Rose
8. Find Ur Ppl – jasmine.4.t + Jacob Alon
9. Funeral – Susannah Joffe + Baby Nova
10. DCWDTTY – Bartees Strange
11. Sky King – Juliana Madrid + ella jane
Earlier, the GRAMMY® Award-winning singer and songwriter Maren Morris teamed up with longtime collaborator (and Ally Coalition co-founder) Jack Antonoff on “Welcome To The End“. About the song, Morris shares: “Welcome to The End” is a song about the mental sacrifices you’ll make to achieve your dream. It’s not a straight or pretty path to get there, but your own resilience can surprise you. I’m so happy we can devote its release and message to The Ally Coalition as well as my friend and collaborator, Jack Antonoff’s studio initiative to help integrate recording studios into LGBTQ+ youth shelters.”
It’s the latest stunning track – following googly Eyes, Joy Oladokun + Allison Ponthier’s poignant “Jesus and John Wayne” is a bold, soul-searching anthem about reclaiming faith from the grip of politics and exclusion, inspired by the NYT Bestselling novel by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Written by googly eyes joined by Joy Oladokun and Allison Ponthier, it reimagines spirituality as a source of healing, belonging, and radical love, especially for those the church has pushed aside. The song has clearly struck a chord with listeners already, finding consistent virality on socials ahead.
Founded in 2013 by Jack Antonoff and fashion designer Rachel Antonoff, The Ally Coalition is a nonprofit committed to bettering the lives of LGBTQ+ youth across the country. By working with artists on tours, campaigns, and events, TAC provides support for non-profit organizations around the world.
All Things Go is celebrating over a decade of festivals, originating in the Washington, D.C. area before expanding to New York in 2024, and will host its inaugural Toronto 2025 edition this October. Known for its intentional focus on female and non-binary-led lineups, the festival reflects All Things Go’s ongoing commitment to cultivating diverse, inclusive spaces within the music community. This year’s ATG Festival editions at Columbia, MD’s Merriweather Post Pavilion and New York’s Forest Hills Stadium see female and LGBTQ+ artists at the forefront and headlining again, with Doechii, Lucy Dacus, Clairo, Kesha, MARINA, The Mariás, Lola Young, etc performing on September 26, 27, and 28. The week after, Reneé Rapp, Kacey Musgraves, Remi Wolf, and Role Model will headline Toronto 2025 on October 4 and 5th.
In 2023, All Things Go launched a partnership with The Ally Coalition (TAC) to further support LGBTQ+ youth through on-site programming and artist-driven engagement across its festival platforms.CHET FAKER Returns with New Single "Inefficient Love" via BMG
CHET FAKER
RETURNS WITH “INEFFICIENT LOVE”
NEW SINGLE OUT NOW ON BMG
Chet Faker returns today with “Inefficient Love,” an emotionally introspective track that sees his walls down, displaying his talent in its rawest form. The song is a beautifully intimate declaration of his desire for unconditional love, draping vulnerable lyricism over a somber guitar strum. “Inefficient Love” follows this summer’s release of “Far Side of the Moon.”
Listen to “Inefficient Love” here: https://chetfaker.lnk.to/InefficientLove.
With gorgeously subtle vocal layering that creates a hauntingly beautiful sound, Nick Murphy - the billion+ streaming songwriter, musician, and producer behind Chet Faker - sings of the tension between the love he receives and the love he is longing for. “‘Inefficient Love’ was one of those songs that beamed in from somewhere,” notes Murphy. “I was sitting on my couch at home watching a show and start playing the guitar and just played the whole song in about 5 minutes. It feels old and I love it.”
Chet Faker is an artist of considerable range and is a career defined by his restless creativity. Since a viral moment sparked a rise to fame in 2011, he has carved out his own extraordinary path to success. Thinking in Textures, his award-winning debut EP, was followed by his meteoric 2014 debut LP Built on Glass. The album spawned the hits “Gold” and “Talk Is Cheap” and saw performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, among others. He has accumulated over a billion streams, collaborated with artists like Flume and Marcus Marr, and released several acclaimed projects under his given name. In 2021, he came full circle with the Chet Faker album Hotel Surrender, which reached the Top 20 of Australia’s ARIA albums chart.
Press photo by @CaptureCharles
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Spotify * Apple Music * SoundCloud
