Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1747
November 9, 2017
UK Rock Band Skinny Lister Release New Holiday Song, "Christmas Calls"
UK ROCK BAND SKINNY LISTER RELEASE "CHRISTMAS CALLS," A NEW HOLIDAY SONG FEATURED ON THE DEVIL, THE HEART & THE FIGHT DELUXE EDITION2018 U.S. HEADLINE TOUR, WITH SUPPORT FROM LABELMATE WILL VARLEY,
ALONG WITH APPEARANCE AT SXSW ANNOUNCED
THE DEVIL, THE HEART & THE FIGHT DOUBLE-ALBUM DELUXE VERSION FEATURING EXTRA TRACKS AND NEW SONGS OUT NOW VIA XTRA MILE RECORDINGS
“Skinny Lister knows how to have a good time. Throughout their performances, there are various Celtic references, acoustic instrumentation and a ton of fun. It’s a kind of show where you need to hold onto your bootstraps.” – Noisey
“…a visceral and deafening experience.” – The Independent (5-out-of-5)
“…considerably upped their game.” – Q Magazine (5-out-of-5)
WATCH: “CHRISTMAS CALLS” (ON YOUTUBE) London-based folk-punk heroes Skinny Lister have wrapped up an extra special present for their fans and listeners everywhere this year in the form of “Christmas Calls,” an epic new holiday anthem which harks back to The Pogues‘ all-time classic “Fairy Tale of New York” while retaining an authentic Skinny Lister vibe. While on tour with Dropkick Murphys earlier in 2017, the band shot and self-directed the accompanying video to “Christmas Calls” which sees them trek across the scenic snow-dusted hills of Austria and Germany. Shot on 1970s Super 8 film and featuring behind-the-scenes tour action, the video is a Christmas postcard in itself. Check it out HERE .Speaking about the track, frontman Daniel Heptinstall said:
“I wrote this song in the lead up to last Christmas so I was in full festive spirit! I didn't actually make a conscious decision to write a Christmas song, it wasn't contrived in any way, it just arrived when I picked up the guitar one day. I am a big fan of a good Christmas track and that warm nostalgic feeling they can evoke. I’ve always had a soft spot for a bit of Chris Rea when driving up North to see the family for Christmas, or the festive rush of nostalgia I get from those opening bars of The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York'. I'm more-than-happy to throw a
Skinny Lister one into the mix.”
Photo: Connor MacRae
MADONNA'S NEW MDNA SKIN VIDEO
MADONNA'S NEW MDNA SKIN VIDEO
FEATURING RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE STAR MILK PREMIERES ON HUFFPOST QUEER VOICES
Madonna's MDNA SKIN, created in partnership with the innovative Japanese beauty brand MTG, partnered with Milk from Season 6 of Rupaul's Drag Race for an inspirational and artfully produced video campaign. The video, which premiered this morning on HuffPost Queer Voices, is available HERE. The video showcases a behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot, featuring Milk wearing three different iconic Madonna looks. The looks featured include the "Hung Up" music video, the "Living for Love" music video, and the Cone Bra from the Blonde Ambition Tour. Madonna can be heard throughout in voiceover, speaking about expressing yourself, loving yourself, and loving your skin. "From having my makeup done by Aaron, to my hair, to secretly getting to try on the original Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra, shooting the MDNA SKIN campaign video was surreal! To be a part of this, for someone who has always epitomized the ideals of being different and unique, was a dream come true."- Milk
https://www.mdnaskin.us/
http://www.madonna.com/
Madonna's MDNA SKIN, created in partnership with the innovative Japanese beauty brand MTG, partnered with Milk from Season 6 of Rupaul's Drag Race for an inspirational and artfully produced video campaign. The video, which premiered this morning on HuffPost Queer Voices, is available HERE. The video showcases a behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot, featuring Milk wearing three different iconic Madonna looks. The looks featured include the "Hung Up" music video, the "Living for Love" music video, and the Cone Bra from the Blonde Ambition Tour. Madonna can be heard throughout in voiceover, speaking about expressing yourself, loving yourself, and loving your skin. "From having my makeup done by Aaron, to my hair, to secretly getting to try on the original Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra, shooting the MDNA SKIN campaign video was surreal! To be a part of this, for someone who has always epitomized the ideals of being different and unique, was a dream come true."- Milk
https://www.mdnaskin.us/
http://www.madonna.com/
November 8, 2017
Members of Blondie, MC5, Replacements, and The Heartbreakers perform L.A.M.F.
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers' classic 1977 "L.A.M.F." album performed by members of Blondie, MC5, Replacements & HeartbreakersComing to DVD and CD on December 8th"Arguably the best album to come out of the original wave of punk rock" - Joe Whyte, Louder Than War
Sole surviving Heartbreaker Walter Lure was joined by Blondie's Clem Burke, The Replacements' Tommy Stinson and MC5's Wayne Kramer over two nights at New York City's 'Bowery Electric' club in November 2016, and the event captured for posterity. Also joining them on stage were guests including Jesse Malin of D-Generate, Liza Colby, and the Dead Boys' Cheetah Chrome. The DVD features bonus material of interviews with all four band-members along with Jesse Malin.
L.A.M.F. is the album recorded by Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers in punk-era London, after they accompanied the Sex Pistols, Damned & Clash on the aborted 'Anarchy Tour'. Being ex-members of the New York Dolls they were lauded by the young punks, and went on to record the high-octane rock'n'roll album, in retrospect labelled as a classic:
This live DVD, colored vinyl LP and CD follows on from the remastered 40th anniversary edition of L.A.M.F. and the reissue of an extended Definitive Edition 4CD box set (and triple-vinyl) of the albums many mixes and demos. See recent feature in MOJO.The release coincides with Walter Lure taking his L.A.M.F. show on out the road again - this time with the Sex Pistols' Glen Matlock on bass, Social Distortion's Mike Ness on guitar & vocals, and again Blondie's Clem Burke on drums. They play six dates starting at the end of November 2017 covering US east and west coasts, with gigs in Los Angeles, San Diego, Brooklyn and New York.For complete info, images, etc on all formats, click HERE
All versions of L.A.M.F. are available at MVDshop.com # # #
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Shop
Sole surviving Heartbreaker Walter Lure was joined by Blondie's Clem Burke, The Replacements' Tommy Stinson and MC5's Wayne Kramer over two nights at New York City's 'Bowery Electric' club in November 2016, and the event captured for posterity. Also joining them on stage were guests including Jesse Malin of D-Generate, Liza Colby, and the Dead Boys' Cheetah Chrome. The DVD features bonus material of interviews with all four band-members along with Jesse Malin.
L.A.M.F. is the album recorded by Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers in punk-era London, after they accompanied the Sex Pistols, Damned & Clash on the aborted 'Anarchy Tour'. Being ex-members of the New York Dolls they were lauded by the young punks, and went on to record the high-octane rock'n'roll album, in retrospect labelled as a classic:
This live DVD, colored vinyl LP and CD follows on from the remastered 40th anniversary edition of L.A.M.F. and the reissue of an extended Definitive Edition 4CD box set (and triple-vinyl) of the albums many mixes and demos. See recent feature in MOJO.The release coincides with Walter Lure taking his L.A.M.F. show on out the road again - this time with the Sex Pistols' Glen Matlock on bass, Social Distortion's Mike Ness on guitar & vocals, and again Blondie's Clem Burke on drums. They play six dates starting at the end of November 2017 covering US east and west coasts, with gigs in Los Angeles, San Diego, Brooklyn and New York.For complete info, images, etc on all formats, click HERE
All versions of L.A.M.F. are available at MVDshop.com # # #
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Shop
Sylvan Esso Announces Spring 2018 Tour, Watch “Die Young” from the Band’s Own Shakori Hills Festival This Fall
SYLVAN ESSO ANNOUNCES SPRING 2018 TOURWatch “Die Young” from the Band’s Own Shakori HillsFestival This Fall
Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
Today, Sylvan Esso are thrilled to announce their next run of U.S. dates, happening in March 2018. Starting March 17th in Atlanta Georgia, these dates see the acclaimed duo taking their electric live show to cities across the country, playing venues that keep getting bigger on every single run. The full listing of dates is below.
The band is also premiering a brilliant live video for their single “Die Young,” from their much-loved sophomore album, What Now, one of the most critically-celebrated albums of 2017. Shot this past fall at the band’s inaugural festival, Shakori Hills Festival, the performance is exemplary showcase for all the things Sylvan Esso fans love about them.
Sylvan Esso’s sophomore album, What Now, is the sound of a band truly fulfilling the potential and promise of their debut. Everything on the album evolved - the production is bolder, the vocals are more intense, the melodies are more irresistible, and the songs shine that much brighter. It’s an album that is both political and personal, and blurs the line between the two; What Now describes the inevitable low that comes after every high, fulfillment tempered by the knowledge that there is no clearly defined conclusion. At its core, What Now is an album of the finest songs this band has ever written- produced masterfully, sang fearlessly- to articulate our collective undercurrents of anxiety and joy.
Praise for What Now:"Hearing a new song from Sylvan Esso always makes for a better day." - NPR
"Meath and Sanborn have brought every bit of that growth to ‘What Now,’ a sophomore effort that sees them progressing as far in one album as most groups do in two or three. The hooks are bigger and more refined; the sound is direct and powerful enough to communicate from both festival stages and small computer speakers; the stylistic variety ranges from dance-pop to an almost acoustic lilt to a nearly acapella song. Sanborn’s musical training is evident not so much in virtuosity as the layered and tastefully restrained arrangements, which advance and recede deftly; the sound isn’t sparse but nothing’s there that doesn’t need to be, which leaves plenty of room for the hooks to sink in."- Variety
"Thank God for Sylvan Esso." - Observer
"The sophomore album from the electronic pop duo offers a biting, withering take on pop music, full of crisp humor while still finding real moments of tenderness." - Pitchfork
"What Now exudes more confidence and sonic color: Meath....now implements a more dynamic attack with some cabaret twang here, some R&B roar there. And Sanborn's production had billowed into 3-D, weaving synthetic tones with organic flourishes" - Relix
"Their sophomore album continues the band's journey into gorgeously layered noise, as evidenced on their latest single, "Die Young," which lets Meath's voice shine through brightly textured synths." - Elle Magazine
"...their sound is distinctive and largely theirs alone: It is Sanborn’s electronic beats and burbles that manage to never feel cluttered or heavy, coupled with Meath’s lyrics, dripping with urgency and delivered in her flawless croon." - Consequence of Sound
"Lead by the powerhouse voice of Amelia Meath (formerly of Mountain Man), the band's particular sound—all looped vocals, tongue-twisting lyrics, and bass-heavy synth beats—is the kind that sounds even better live than it does on your Apple earphones (if that's possible)." - Paper Magazine
"It reminds me of the post-IDM “laptop pop” of the late ’90s and early aughts, and it sounds tremendous this morning." - Stereogum (‘Kick Jump Twist’)
"...What Now, a record so good it answers its own title question and makes you eager to ask it again." - AV Club
"...there was a probing poetry to the songs, real artistry and depth inside the shabby geniality, which also marked the 2014 debut album, Sylvan Esso. What Now, the second album, builds on that with some added sophistication..." - KPCC
"Sylvan Esso answer What Now with bigger and better songs than their debut." -Earbuddy
"Sylvan Esso’s glittering, sharp brand of synth-pop is a thing of beauty. Today they’ve shared a brand new song called ‘Die Young’ that will wipe Kesha’s song of the same now right out of your brain and replace it with the same endorphin-spiked pop goodness. It makes me want to live forever, another big pop reference that they easily outshine." -Uproxx
"This is the follow-up to their pretty great self-titled 2014 debut, an electropop-folk fusion that boasts tight vocals, fluttering melodies and sleek production, and judging by the first three singles from What Now, it’s only going to get better." - Paste Magazine
The tour dates are (new dates in BOLD):11/08/17 London, UK - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire11/10/17 Liverpool, UK - Arts Club11/12/17 Glasgow, UK - SWG3 TV Studio11/13/17 Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club11/14/17 Dublin, IE - Tivoli Theater12/02/17 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom01/29/18 Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival01/31/18 Melbourne, AU - Corner Hotel02/02/18 Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival02/03/18 Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival02/04/18 Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival02/08/18 Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory02/10/18 Brisbane, AU - Laneway Festival02/11/18 Fremantle, AU - Laneway Festival02/13/18 Honolulu, HI – The Republik03/2-6/18 Punta Cana, DR - One Big Holiday03/9-10/18 New Orleans, LA – Buku Music & Arts Project03/17/18 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle03/19/18 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall03/20/18 Dallas, TX – Bomb Factory03/22/18 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater03/23-25/18 Tempe, AZ - Innings Festival03/26/18 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom03/27/18 Des Moines, IA - Hoyt Sherman03/29/18 Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe03/30/18 Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom03/31/18 North Adams, MA - MASS MoCA04/02/18 Portland, ME - State Theatre04/03/18 Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre04/04/18 Providence, RI – The Strand04/06/18 Richmond, VA - The National04/07/18 Knoxville, TN - Mill + Mine05/27/18 London, UK - All Points East Festival
Photo Credit: Shervin LainezToday, Sylvan Esso are thrilled to announce their next run of U.S. dates, happening in March 2018. Starting March 17th in Atlanta Georgia, these dates see the acclaimed duo taking their electric live show to cities across the country, playing venues that keep getting bigger on every single run. The full listing of dates is below.
The band is also premiering a brilliant live video for their single “Die Young,” from their much-loved sophomore album, What Now, one of the most critically-celebrated albums of 2017. Shot this past fall at the band’s inaugural festival, Shakori Hills Festival, the performance is exemplary showcase for all the things Sylvan Esso fans love about them.
Sylvan Esso’s sophomore album, What Now, is the sound of a band truly fulfilling the potential and promise of their debut. Everything on the album evolved - the production is bolder, the vocals are more intense, the melodies are more irresistible, and the songs shine that much brighter. It’s an album that is both political and personal, and blurs the line between the two; What Now describes the inevitable low that comes after every high, fulfillment tempered by the knowledge that there is no clearly defined conclusion. At its core, What Now is an album of the finest songs this band has ever written- produced masterfully, sang fearlessly- to articulate our collective undercurrents of anxiety and joy.
Praise for What Now:"Hearing a new song from Sylvan Esso always makes for a better day." - NPR
"Meath and Sanborn have brought every bit of that growth to ‘What Now,’ a sophomore effort that sees them progressing as far in one album as most groups do in two or three. The hooks are bigger and more refined; the sound is direct and powerful enough to communicate from both festival stages and small computer speakers; the stylistic variety ranges from dance-pop to an almost acoustic lilt to a nearly acapella song. Sanborn’s musical training is evident not so much in virtuosity as the layered and tastefully restrained arrangements, which advance and recede deftly; the sound isn’t sparse but nothing’s there that doesn’t need to be, which leaves plenty of room for the hooks to sink in."- Variety
"Thank God for Sylvan Esso." - Observer
"The sophomore album from the electronic pop duo offers a biting, withering take on pop music, full of crisp humor while still finding real moments of tenderness." - Pitchfork
"What Now exudes more confidence and sonic color: Meath....now implements a more dynamic attack with some cabaret twang here, some R&B roar there. And Sanborn's production had billowed into 3-D, weaving synthetic tones with organic flourishes" - Relix
"Their sophomore album continues the band's journey into gorgeously layered noise, as evidenced on their latest single, "Die Young," which lets Meath's voice shine through brightly textured synths." - Elle Magazine
"...their sound is distinctive and largely theirs alone: It is Sanborn’s electronic beats and burbles that manage to never feel cluttered or heavy, coupled with Meath’s lyrics, dripping with urgency and delivered in her flawless croon." - Consequence of Sound
"Lead by the powerhouse voice of Amelia Meath (formerly of Mountain Man), the band's particular sound—all looped vocals, tongue-twisting lyrics, and bass-heavy synth beats—is the kind that sounds even better live than it does on your Apple earphones (if that's possible)." - Paper Magazine
"It reminds me of the post-IDM “laptop pop” of the late ’90s and early aughts, and it sounds tremendous this morning." - Stereogum (‘Kick Jump Twist’)
"...What Now, a record so good it answers its own title question and makes you eager to ask it again." - AV Club
"...there was a probing poetry to the songs, real artistry and depth inside the shabby geniality, which also marked the 2014 debut album, Sylvan Esso. What Now, the second album, builds on that with some added sophistication..." - KPCC
"Sylvan Esso answer What Now with bigger and better songs than their debut." -Earbuddy
"Sylvan Esso’s glittering, sharp brand of synth-pop is a thing of beauty. Today they’ve shared a brand new song called ‘Die Young’ that will wipe Kesha’s song of the same now right out of your brain and replace it with the same endorphin-spiked pop goodness. It makes me want to live forever, another big pop reference that they easily outshine." -Uproxx
"This is the follow-up to their pretty great self-titled 2014 debut, an electropop-folk fusion that boasts tight vocals, fluttering melodies and sleek production, and judging by the first three singles from What Now, it’s only going to get better." - Paste Magazine
The tour dates are (new dates in BOLD):11/08/17 London, UK - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire11/10/17 Liverpool, UK - Arts Club11/12/17 Glasgow, UK - SWG3 TV Studio11/13/17 Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club11/14/17 Dublin, IE - Tivoli Theater12/02/17 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom01/29/18 Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival01/31/18 Melbourne, AU - Corner Hotel02/02/18 Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival02/03/18 Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival02/04/18 Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival02/08/18 Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory02/10/18 Brisbane, AU - Laneway Festival02/11/18 Fremantle, AU - Laneway Festival02/13/18 Honolulu, HI – The Republik03/2-6/18 Punta Cana, DR - One Big Holiday03/9-10/18 New Orleans, LA – Buku Music & Arts Project03/17/18 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle03/19/18 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall03/20/18 Dallas, TX – Bomb Factory03/22/18 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater03/23-25/18 Tempe, AZ - Innings Festival03/26/18 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom03/27/18 Des Moines, IA - Hoyt Sherman03/29/18 Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe03/30/18 Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom03/31/18 North Adams, MA - MASS MoCA04/02/18 Portland, ME - State Theatre04/03/18 Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre04/04/18 Providence, RI – The Strand04/06/18 Richmond, VA - The National04/07/18 Knoxville, TN - Mill + Mine05/27/18 London, UK - All Points East Festival
Watch Jesca Hoop’s charming new animated video for “Pegasi” + EU tour begins Nov. 10th
Love is written in the stars and sky in Jesca Hoop’s charming new animatedvideo for “Pegasi”
https://youtu.be/c3GelY-QrAA
(Link cleared to post)
click image to play.European tour begins this
Friday, November 10th
Memories Are Now is available
worldwide from Sub Pop2017 was an incredible year for Jesca Hoop. She released the stunning Memories Are Now, her Sub Pop debut and best reviewed album to date.Hoop released videos for the beautifully stark “The Lost Sky” and the album’s ebullient title track. She’s embarked on wildly successful US and European tours, and appeared on the Prairie Home Companion and Charlie Rose.
To close out the year, Jesca has shared her new video for “Pegasi” which was directed by Rachel Blumberg. Love is written in the stars and sky, in this delicately crafted multi-plane video which is comprised of cut paper and illustrated stop motion footage [watch here].
Jesca Hoop and bandmates’ European tour begins Friday, November 10th in Groningen, NL at Lutherse Kerk and currently ends December 9th in Leeds, UK at Brudenell Social Club. The European tour will include stops in Germany, Belgium, Norway, Ireland, and multiple cities throughout the Netherlands, Sweden, France and U.K. (including London’s Union Chapel on December 1st).
Nov. 10 - Groningen, NL - Lutherse Kerk
Nov. 11 - Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival (Theater Kikker)
Nov. 12 - Ghent, BE - Minard
Nov. 13 - Haldern, DE - Haldern Pop Bar
Nov. 15 - Lund, SE - Mejeriet
Nov. 16 - Oslo, NO - John Dee
Nov. 18 - Gothenburg, SE - Pustervik
Nov. 21 - Angers, FR - Joker's Pub
Nov. 22 - Pau, FR - La Ferronnerie
Nov. 23 - Paris, FR - Chorus Festival
Nov. 26 - Guildford, UK - Boileroom
Nov. 27 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds
Nov. 28 - Manchester, UK - The Stoller Hall
Nov. 30 - Bristol, UK - Thekla
Dec. 01 - London, UK - Union Chapel
Dec. 02 - Brighton, UK - The Haunt
Dec. 03 - Milton Keynes, UK - The Stables
Dec. 06 - Dublin, IE - The Workmans Club
Dec. 07 - Belfast, UK - The Strand Arts Centre
Dec. 08 - Glasgow, UK - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
Dec. 09 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
Please visit www.jescahoop.com/tour for updates.
https://youtu.be/c3GelY-QrAA
(Link cleared to post)
click image to play.European tour begins this Friday, November 10th
Memories Are Now is available
worldwide from Sub Pop2017 was an incredible year for Jesca Hoop. She released the stunning Memories Are Now, her Sub Pop debut and best reviewed album to date.Hoop released videos for the beautifully stark “The Lost Sky” and the album’s ebullient title track. She’s embarked on wildly successful US and European tours, and appeared on the Prairie Home Companion and Charlie Rose.
To close out the year, Jesca has shared her new video for “Pegasi” which was directed by Rachel Blumberg. Love is written in the stars and sky, in this delicately crafted multi-plane video which is comprised of cut paper and illustrated stop motion footage [watch here].
Jesca Hoop and bandmates’ European tour begins Friday, November 10th in Groningen, NL at Lutherse Kerk and currently ends December 9th in Leeds, UK at Brudenell Social Club. The European tour will include stops in Germany, Belgium, Norway, Ireland, and multiple cities throughout the Netherlands, Sweden, France and U.K. (including London’s Union Chapel on December 1st).Nov. 10 - Groningen, NL - Lutherse Kerk
Nov. 11 - Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival (Theater Kikker)
Nov. 12 - Ghent, BE - Minard
Nov. 13 - Haldern, DE - Haldern Pop Bar
Nov. 15 - Lund, SE - Mejeriet
Nov. 16 - Oslo, NO - John Dee
Nov. 18 - Gothenburg, SE - Pustervik
Nov. 21 - Angers, FR - Joker's Pub
Nov. 22 - Pau, FR - La Ferronnerie
Nov. 23 - Paris, FR - Chorus Festival
Nov. 26 - Guildford, UK - Boileroom
Nov. 27 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds
Nov. 28 - Manchester, UK - The Stoller Hall
Nov. 30 - Bristol, UK - Thekla
Dec. 01 - London, UK - Union Chapel
Dec. 02 - Brighton, UK - The Haunt
Dec. 03 - Milton Keynes, UK - The Stables
Dec. 06 - Dublin, IE - The Workmans Club
Dec. 07 - Belfast, UK - The Strand Arts Centre
Dec. 08 - Glasgow, UK - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
Dec. 09 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
Please visit www.jescahoop.com/tour for updates.
Johanna Warren Announces New Album "Gemini II"; Premieres New Single on NPR
JOHANNA WARREN ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM GEMINI II
OUT FEBRUARY 16 ON SPIRIT HOUSE RECORDS
LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE "HERE TO TELL" ON NPR
Photo credit: Marlee Meghan Banta
LISTEN / SHARE: "HERE TO TELL"
Portland folk singer-songwriter Johanna Warren announced her new album Gemini II today -- the record will be out February 16 on Warren's own Spirit House Records. Warren premiered Gemini II's first single "Here To Tell," a song she describes as "the story of an interdimensional being who visits a young man in his sleep and takes him on a journey through the history of life on Earth, bestowing him with wisdom to help save humanity."
NPR's Songs We Love premiered "Here To Tell," saying the song "captures the spirit that animates much of Warren's music and philosophy - an enduring belief that we can be better, despite the hurt and despair we put each other and ourselves through."
Each song on Gemini II is a "twin" (linked conceptually and/or musically) to a track on Warren's previous release, 2016's Gemini I. Gemini II will be released on vinyl as a double LP with Gemini I. The LP is available for pre-order here.
Johanna Warren - Gemini IISpirit House - February 161. Hopelessness Has Done Nothing For Me2. Say You Do3. Here To Tell4. Cause Or Effect5. inreverse6. Boundaries7. Cleansed By Fire8. Mine To Take9. Was It Heaven
Although Portland's Johanna Warren has lent her dynamic voice to acts like Iron & Wine and Natalie Merchant, she is first and foremost a songwriter of the highest order. Utilizing non-traditional open tunings reminiscent of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, and an impressive sense of rhythmic adventure, Warren constructs complex, gossamer folk compositions that draw from the richness of the human experience and her own unique flavor of mysticism. When asked her what motivates her to make music in the first place, she responds immediately: "Music is controlled vibration; it's a direct way to affect matter. A song is a way to journey into places of discord and then resolve back into harmony." In 2016, she founded Spirit House Records, a radically artist-friendly label for witches, healers and free spirits.
Last year, Warren also released Gemini I , the first of a pair of conceptually connected albums written and recorded in the throes of a rocky romantic relationship with another artist. "All the songs on both records are about a complicated three-year relationship with a Gemini man," she says. "It was very much a 'twin flame' situation. We were working with bright light and intense shadow." As a way to process this chaotic chapter of her life, Warren began to write in earnest as a form of self-therapy. Eschewing the more abstract lyricism of her earlier work, she began to create a suite of confessional songs about love and pain.
The albums that resulted, Gemini I and Gemini II , are moody, bewitching records packed with layers of occult symbolism and personal mythology. Every song on Gemini I has a corresponding "twin" on II, linked by melodic motifs, lyrical content or production choices. Rather than the DIY recording setups that Warren and engineer/producer Bella Blasko had used previously, the Geminis were tracked at Dreamland Studios in upstate New York. There, equipped with a sudden wealth of instruments and more sophisticated technology, Warren who arranges and play nearly everything on her records, felt free to explore. This spirit of experimentation is evident on the records. The songs retain the hushed warmth of previous releases Fates and numun, while expanding Warren's sonic landscape in all directions.
johannawarren.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
OUT FEBRUARY 16 ON SPIRIT HOUSE RECORDS
LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE "HERE TO TELL" ON NPR
Photo credit: Marlee Meghan Banta
LISTEN / SHARE: "HERE TO TELL"
Portland folk singer-songwriter Johanna Warren announced her new album Gemini II today -- the record will be out February 16 on Warren's own Spirit House Records. Warren premiered Gemini II's first single "Here To Tell," a song she describes as "the story of an interdimensional being who visits a young man in his sleep and takes him on a journey through the history of life on Earth, bestowing him with wisdom to help save humanity."
NPR's Songs We Love premiered "Here To Tell," saying the song "captures the spirit that animates much of Warren's music and philosophy - an enduring belief that we can be better, despite the hurt and despair we put each other and ourselves through."
Each song on Gemini II is a "twin" (linked conceptually and/or musically) to a track on Warren's previous release, 2016's Gemini I. Gemini II will be released on vinyl as a double LP with Gemini I. The LP is available for pre-order here.
Johanna Warren - Gemini IISpirit House - February 161. Hopelessness Has Done Nothing For Me2. Say You Do3. Here To Tell4. Cause Or Effect5. inreverse6. Boundaries7. Cleansed By Fire8. Mine To Take9. Was It HeavenAlthough Portland's Johanna Warren has lent her dynamic voice to acts like Iron & Wine and Natalie Merchant, she is first and foremost a songwriter of the highest order. Utilizing non-traditional open tunings reminiscent of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, and an impressive sense of rhythmic adventure, Warren constructs complex, gossamer folk compositions that draw from the richness of the human experience and her own unique flavor of mysticism. When asked her what motivates her to make music in the first place, she responds immediately: "Music is controlled vibration; it's a direct way to affect matter. A song is a way to journey into places of discord and then resolve back into harmony." In 2016, she founded Spirit House Records, a radically artist-friendly label for witches, healers and free spirits.
Last year, Warren also released Gemini I , the first of a pair of conceptually connected albums written and recorded in the throes of a rocky romantic relationship with another artist. "All the songs on both records are about a complicated three-year relationship with a Gemini man," she says. "It was very much a 'twin flame' situation. We were working with bright light and intense shadow." As a way to process this chaotic chapter of her life, Warren began to write in earnest as a form of self-therapy. Eschewing the more abstract lyricism of her earlier work, she began to create a suite of confessional songs about love and pain.
The albums that resulted, Gemini I and Gemini II , are moody, bewitching records packed with layers of occult symbolism and personal mythology. Every song on Gemini I has a corresponding "twin" on II, linked by melodic motifs, lyrical content or production choices. Rather than the DIY recording setups that Warren and engineer/producer Bella Blasko had used previously, the Geminis were tracked at Dreamland Studios in upstate New York. There, equipped with a sudden wealth of instruments and more sophisticated technology, Warren who arranges and play nearly everything on her records, felt free to explore. This spirit of experimentation is evident on the records. The songs retain the hushed warmth of previous releases Fates and numun, while expanding Warren's sonic landscape in all directions.
johannawarren.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Lauren Ruth Ward West Coast Tour w/ Nicole Atkins + Announces Debut LP 'Well Hell' Out Feb 9 on Weekday Records
Lauren Ruth Ward
Announces Debut Album Well Hell,
Coming February 9, 2018 on Weekday Records
West Coast Tour With Nicole Atkins Kicks Off December 5
LISTEN: “ Did I Offend You? ” Out Now
Photo Credit: Damian Borja
“A sound that marries the swagger of ‘70s rock with the sensitivity of modern folk.”
– Consequence of Sound
“Lauren Ruth Ward Is a '70s-Channeling Mix of Janis Joplin and Courtney Barnett”
– LA Weekly
“Lauren Ruth Ward just oozes talent. There’s no denying it.”
– Wonderland
Hailing from Baltimore, Lauren Ruth Ward migrated her 70s psych-blues swagger to her new home of Los Angeles in 2015. A prolific artist in every medium she touches, Lauren has been a hairstylist for 9 years, while at the same time shifting her creative focus to her music in partnership with her co-writer and guitarist Eduardo Rivera.
On the new album, Well Hell, due out February 9 on Weekday Records, Lauren’s arresting voice slices through the classic rock instrumentation delivered through the perfect modern filter by her band. “ Did I Offend You? ” one of the many standout tracks on the album, showcases the duo’s intricate yet playful songwriting and lyrical wit.
With each song’s release and live performance, Lauren’s trajectory steadily ascends. She has received accolades from Consequence of Sound, Indie Shuffle and Wonderland as well as an in-depth feature with LA Weekly. Lauren Ruth Ward will kick off a west coast tour with Nicole Atkins this Fall. Stay tuned for more opportunities to experience her effervescent brand of modern psych-pop in a city near you!
National Tour Dates
* = w/ Nicole Atkins
12/5: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
12/7: Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg *
12/8: San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord *
10/10: Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
12/12: Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern *
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube
Announces Debut Album Well Hell,
Coming February 9, 2018 on Weekday Records
West Coast Tour With Nicole Atkins Kicks Off December 5
LISTEN: “ Did I Offend You? ” Out Now
Photo Credit: Damian Borja
“A sound that marries the swagger of ‘70s rock with the sensitivity of modern folk.”
– Consequence of Sound
“Lauren Ruth Ward Is a '70s-Channeling Mix of Janis Joplin and Courtney Barnett”
– LA Weekly
“Lauren Ruth Ward just oozes talent. There’s no denying it.”
– Wonderland
Hailing from Baltimore, Lauren Ruth Ward migrated her 70s psych-blues swagger to her new home of Los Angeles in 2015. A prolific artist in every medium she touches, Lauren has been a hairstylist for 9 years, while at the same time shifting her creative focus to her music in partnership with her co-writer and guitarist Eduardo Rivera.
On the new album, Well Hell, due out February 9 on Weekday Records, Lauren’s arresting voice slices through the classic rock instrumentation delivered through the perfect modern filter by her band. “ Did I Offend You? ” one of the many standout tracks on the album, showcases the duo’s intricate yet playful songwriting and lyrical wit.
With each song’s release and live performance, Lauren’s trajectory steadily ascends. She has received accolades from Consequence of Sound, Indie Shuffle and Wonderland as well as an in-depth feature with LA Weekly. Lauren Ruth Ward will kick off a west coast tour with Nicole Atkins this Fall. Stay tuned for more opportunities to experience her effervescent brand of modern psych-pop in a city near you!
National Tour Dates
* = w/ Nicole Atkins
12/5: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
12/7: Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg *
12/8: San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord *
10/10: Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
12/12: Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern *
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube
flashback to teenage debauchery & romance in Kedr Livanskiy's new video. 'Ariadna' on 2MR out now.
KEDR LIVANSKIY
UNVEILS NEW VIDEO "YOUR NAME"
(the Russian version of Dazed and Confused)
Flashback to teenage summers in "Your Name" - a coming of age story that follows two best friends in rural Russia caught up in romance, debauchery and scandal.
DEBUT FULL LENGTH ARIADNA OUT NOW ON 2MRLISTEN:SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | ITUNES
WATCH + SHARE "YOUR NAME" VIA YOUTUBE HERE
Kedr Livanskiy creates a classic teen drama and captures the mood of being young in her new video "Your Name". Kedr notes "the autobiographical video journeys back to 2003-2005 when your parents would send you outside of the city to your dacha for the summer. At that age, everyone's concern was only how to get wasted and hook up with a girl or guy without your parents finding out."
Filmed just outside of Moscow at Kedr's dacha, she collaborates with a cast of friends and filmmaker Konstatin Bushmanov. "Kostya and I went to film school together and I think since that time, all my ideas for scenarios and scripts have always revolved around what it's like to be a teenager. I left film school before I got to complete her graduate film so this is a recapitulation in many ways."
Photo By Masha Demianova
Moscow's Kedr Livanskiy (real name Yana Kedrina) confesses "Synthesizers help me maximally feel the present moment." Livanskiy was born into a shifting and critical time for Russia. The Soviet Union had exhausted and old values were anathematized because of reconstruction. A sense of displacement drove Kedr to find herself.
She's escaped reality repeatedly in her explorations into the imagery and ideas of romanticism, mythical and fairytale themes which visibly bleed throughout her work and especially on her debut full-length 'Ariadna'.
Albums and artists she is inspired by in general: Cluster & EnoBiosphere - ShenzhouChris WatsonSome albums by Coil NEU, Kraftwerk, Huerco S.Muslimgauze, Psychic TV, D.Å.R.F.D.H.S.Mono Junk - GloomAnthony Rother,Robert TurmanBoards of Canada and Aphex Twin are of course eternal companions and an endless source of inspiration.
Flashback to teenage summers in "Your Name" - a coming of age story that follows two best friends in rural Russia caught up in romance, debauchery and scandal.
DEBUT FULL LENGTH ARIADNA OUT NOW ON 2MRLISTEN:SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | ITUNES
WATCH + SHARE "YOUR NAME" VIA YOUTUBE HERE
Kedr Livanskiy creates a classic teen drama and captures the mood of being young in her new video "Your Name". Kedr notes "the autobiographical video journeys back to 2003-2005 when your parents would send you outside of the city to your dacha for the summer. At that age, everyone's concern was only how to get wasted and hook up with a girl or guy without your parents finding out."
Filmed just outside of Moscow at Kedr's dacha, she collaborates with a cast of friends and filmmaker Konstatin Bushmanov. "Kostya and I went to film school together and I think since that time, all my ideas for scenarios and scripts have always revolved around what it's like to be a teenager. I left film school before I got to complete her graduate film so this is a recapitulation in many ways."
Photo By Masha Demianova
Moscow's Kedr Livanskiy (real name Yana Kedrina) confesses "Synthesizers help me maximally feel the present moment." Livanskiy was born into a shifting and critical time for Russia. The Soviet Union had exhausted and old values were anathematized because of reconstruction. A sense of displacement drove Kedr to find herself.
She's escaped reality repeatedly in her explorations into the imagery and ideas of romanticism, mythical and fairytale themes which visibly bleed throughout her work and especially on her debut full-length 'Ariadna'.
Albums and artists she is inspired by in general: Cluster & EnoBiosphere - ShenzhouChris WatsonSome albums by Coil NEU, Kraftwerk, Huerco S.Muslimgauze, Psychic TV, D.Å.R.F.D.H.S.Mono Junk - GloomAnthony Rother,Robert TurmanBoards of Canada and Aphex Twin are of course eternal companions and an endless source of inspiration.
'L7: Pretend We’re Dead' Film Is Out Now, New Single Out 12/15 via Don Giovanni Records
L7: Pretend We’re Dead
Documentary Film Is Out Now Worldwide on Blu-ray/VOD
New Single Due Out December 15 via Don Giovanni Records
“Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago”: Spotify | Apple Music
L7: Pretend We’re Dead : Purchase Link | Official Trailer
"Titled “Dispatch From Mar-a-Lago,” the track is a three-minute burst of black comedy and crunchy guitars that finds the L.A. proto-grunge pioneers sounding every bit as loud, hard, and fearless as they did in their early-’90s prime."
– Pitchfork
"The silly, biting “Dispatch From Mar-A-Lago” is the perfect piece of Trump-era resistance art that doesn’t feel too heavy-handed. It’s rock! Let’s stomp around!"
– Fast Company
“Songs like Wargasm, Diet Pill and Shitlist fulfill the ancient prophecy of a time when gurls would reinvent punk out of sheer delight in their own power”
– Robert Christgau
On the heels of a massively successful US theatrical run, L7’s highly anticipated documentary film L7: Pretend We’re Dead has been released worldwide on Blu-ray/VOD, including Amazon, Google Play, iTunes & Xbox. Other channels to be announced soon. The film assembles a powerful combination of never-before-seen home video footage, raucous performances, relevant interviews and total badass-ery. It's a real time journey witnessing the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of the fierce feminist pioneers of American grunge punk, L7.
Earlier this Fall, L7 released “ Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago ” via Don Giovanni Records, the result of Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner’s first writing collaboration in 18 years. Launched alongside an exclusive interview with Pitchfork , the track has been so well received it has quickly become a fist in the air anthem to close their shows!
The band has had additional new features with i-D “7 reasons why L7 rule”,Billboard and Ghettoblaster. Stay tuned for L7’s second new single set for release on December 15 via Don Giovanni Records.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Documentary Film Is Out Now Worldwide on Blu-ray/VOD
New Single Due Out December 15 via Don Giovanni Records
“Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago”: Spotify | Apple Music
L7: Pretend We’re Dead : Purchase Link | Official Trailer
"Titled “Dispatch From Mar-a-Lago,” the track is a three-minute burst of black comedy and crunchy guitars that finds the L.A. proto-grunge pioneers sounding every bit as loud, hard, and fearless as they did in their early-’90s prime."
– Pitchfork
"The silly, biting “Dispatch From Mar-A-Lago” is the perfect piece of Trump-era resistance art that doesn’t feel too heavy-handed. It’s rock! Let’s stomp around!"
– Fast Company
“Songs like Wargasm, Diet Pill and Shitlist fulfill the ancient prophecy of a time when gurls would reinvent punk out of sheer delight in their own power”
– Robert Christgau
On the heels of a massively successful US theatrical run, L7’s highly anticipated documentary film L7: Pretend We’re Dead has been released worldwide on Blu-ray/VOD, including Amazon, Google Play, iTunes & Xbox. Other channels to be announced soon. The film assembles a powerful combination of never-before-seen home video footage, raucous performances, relevant interviews and total badass-ery. It's a real time journey witnessing the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of the fierce feminist pioneers of American grunge punk, L7.
Earlier this Fall, L7 released “ Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago ” via Don Giovanni Records, the result of Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner’s first writing collaboration in 18 years. Launched alongside an exclusive interview with Pitchfork , the track has been so well received it has quickly become a fist in the air anthem to close their shows!
The band has had additional new features with i-D “7 reasons why L7 rule”,Billboard and Ghettoblaster. Stay tuned for L7’s second new single set for release on December 15 via Don Giovanni Records.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
