Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1976

onDeadWaves Reveal Yaz Cover - Dusk Sessions #2 Out Tomorrow

LISTEN TO THEIR VERSION OF 
YAZ’S “ONLY YOU”

DUSK SESSIONS #2  OUT DEC 2

DEBUT ALBUM OUT NOWFollowing the Spring 2016 release of onDeadWaves’ debut album on Mute, Polly Scattergood and James Chapman (Maps) have unveiled their version of Yaz’s "Only You." Listen  HERE .

The track, recorded by Yaz and originally released on Mute in 1982, became a Christmas UK Number 1 the following year, thanks to a version recorded by The Flying Pickets. onDeadWaves’ reinterpretation will be released on Dusk Sessions #2, alongside a brand new recording of the band’s own “Winter’s Child,” out on December 2.

Praise for onDeadWaves’ debut album
“succinct, head-rush potent pop that fits right at home with whatever summer playlist you’re in the middle of crafting”
- KEXP

“Cinematic, lush and dark” – Lenny

“a mesmerizing mid-point of blues, indie and electronica” - Surviving the Golden Age

“A smoldering blend of Edgar Allen Poe imagery, David Lynch and Chris Isaak’s guitar twang.” - Q

 “Theirs is a misty, spectral sort of guitar ambience, a whispered, wistful duet from Chapman and Scattergood positing them as a new take on the Nancy & Lee – or Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – paradigm." - The Guardian

Dusk Sessions #1  is available  HERE , including a cover of “Comfortably Numb”. Listen to it on Spotify  HERE .

The seeds of James Chapman and Polly Scattergood’s creative partnership were sown in 2011, at Mute’s legendary Short Circuit festival at London's Roundhouse. The night saw different collaborations with Mute artists and Polly and James paired up to perform each other’s songs. Though each had primarily worked alone before, there was something natural about the chemistry between them. "The gig was one of the most enjoyable I've done " says Polly. "And as soon as we finished, we said it'd be cool to do something else." Watch the video for the album version of “California” here.

Listen to “Blue Inside” here.

Listen to “Dead Balloons,” which premiered at Lenny Letter here.

Listen to “Blackbird” here.
 onDeadWaves is out on CD, digital and as a limited edition vinyl which comes with a signed art print.

onDeadWaves have been sharing mixes of tracks, charting a few of their favorite things right now. Follow their mixtapes  HERE .
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Photo Credit: Cat Mook ON DEAD WAVES:  INSTAGRAM  |  WEBSITE  | FACEBOOK |  TWITTER

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Maria Taylor Premieres Full Stream Of "In The Next Life" With NPR Music's First Listen

Maria TaylorPremieres Full Stream Of In The Next LifeWith NPR Music's First Listen, Here: https://goo.gl/LdPAv1 Upcoming Album In The Next Life Set To Release On December 9th Watch "If Only" via Billboard, here: https://goo.gl/LdwQg9 Listen to "If Only" via Stereogum, here: https://goo.gl/tOvm5A Featured on SPIN, here: https://goo.gl/L5jN1I Listen to "Free Song" via Clash Magazine, here: https://goo.gl/WAOnif "Her songs are craftily constructed, with lyrics equally committed to clarity and poetry...She knows what she's doing..."- A.V. Club "Organic Southern-flavored folk pop."- Pitchfork Birmingham, AL - December 1, 2016 - Singer-songwriter Maria Taylor has teamed up with NPR Music's First Listen to exclusively premiere a full stream of her new album In The Next Life. Set to release on December 9th, In The Next Life is Maria's sixth solo effort and first release on her own label, Flower Moon Records. Listen to In The Next Life on NPR Music's First Listen, here: https://goo.gl/LdPAv1 . This week, Maria's single "If Only" was featured in the final scene of NBC's This Is Us (Episode 9)! Check out the episode here: https://goo.gl/CKLPnU. Maria co-produced In The Next Life alongside Nik Freitas (Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band), which features guest vocals from Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Joshua Radin, Macey Taylor (Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Jenny Lewis, AA Bondy), Jake Bellows (Neva Dinova), Louis Schefano (Remy Zero, Suspicious Light), Morgan Nagler (Whispertown), and Tiffany Osborn. Andy LeMasterand Mike Bloom lent their creative chops as well, mixing several tracks on the album. After putting out four full-length albums and two EPs as one half of Azure Ray (with co-vocalist Orenda Fink) and lending her voice, piano and drumming skills on numerous Bright Eyes records, Maria announced her solo career in 2005 - a change that would pave the way for five critically acclaimed albums and collaborations with renowned artists such as Jim Eno (Spoon), Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Moby, Doug Easley(Cat Power, Pavement), David Barbe (Sugar, Drive-By Truckers, Son Volt) and Crooked Fingers. As a performer, Maria has shared the stage with Ben Lee, Josh Rouse, Joshua Radin, Jason Isbell, Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and more. Over the years, fans have heard her music on TV shows such as Unforgettable, Suburgatory, Private Practice, Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Greek and One Tree Hill. In The Next Life is set to release on December 9, 2016 via Flower Moon Records. For more information, please visit: mariataylormusic.com ### Follow Maria Taylor:Website: mariataylormusic.comFacebook: facebook.com/mariataylorTwitter: @maria_taylorInstagram: @mariataylor1111 Follow Flower Moon Records:Website: flowermoonrecords.comFacebook: facebook.com/flowermoonrecordsInstagram: @flowermoonrecords Upcoming ShowsDec 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour (Album Release Show)

RUN THE JEWELS ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM RTJ3

RUN THE JEWELS RELEASE  RTJ3 ALBUM ART + TRACK LIST, DEBUT NEW SINGLE "LEGEND HAS IT" FEVERISHLY AWAITED FULL LENGTH DROPPING JANUARY 13 IN NORTH AMERICA & JANUARY 20 INTERNATIONALLY HEAR NEW ALBUM SONG "LEGEND HAS IT" HERE:http://rtj3.io/LegendHasItPR




Run The Jewels, the firebrand rap duo of El-P and Killer Mike, have announced their hugely anticipated third album  RTJ3  will have a worldwide digital release date of January 13 with physical editions available on that date in North America and onJanuary 20 internationally. The new full length will be self-released in partnership with RED Distribution. The album will be available in several formats, including free download (as always), CD, LP, and digital and is available for preorder now viawww.runthejewels.com. The announcement arrives on the heels of the recently released new songs "2100 (ft. BOOTS)" and "Talk To Me". The album features a cadre of talented guest performers, including Danny Brown, Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Trina, saxophonist Kamasi Washington and more, but the new album is first and foremost about the explosion of creativity born from the unique collaboration between Mike and El, a partnership-turned-friendship that has pushed both rappers to new heights in their storied careers. Full tracklist below. On their 3rd offering, Run The Jewels have turned their iconic "pistol & fist" imagery (conceived by El-P & drawn by Nick Gazin) 3D, rendering the original album cover concept as a sculpture of the hands cast in metal, chromed, and gold-plated. The resulting statues were beautifully photographed & brought to life by frequent collaborator Tim Saccenti, and grace the new album cover. RTJ has this to say about the artwork: "For us, the RTJ1 hands were about 'taking what's yours' - your world, your life, your attitude. The RTJ2 hands were wrapped in bandages, signifying injury and healing, which for us represented the growth in ideas and tone of that album. For RTJ3 the bandages are off, the chain is gone and the hands have been transformed into gold. For us this represents the idea that there is nothing to take that exists outside of yourself. You are the jewel." In the two year span between albums, Run The Jewels have transformed from underground stalwarts to a global rap juggernaut, spawning an international art movement (Tag The Jewels), a radio show (WRTJ on Beats1), several Marvel comic cover variants (including issues of Deadpool and Luke Cage among others), characters in a video game (Gears of War 4), their own Virtual Reality initiative (VRTJ), multiple awards & accolades (including Pitchfork's 2014 album of the year, NME's "Best Festival Band" & "Best International Band", four A2IM Libera Awards, two UK Music Video Awards, and more), multiple television appearances (including a hilarious Halloween-themed sketch with Stephen Colbert this October), plus a slate of sold out shows and high profile festival appearances.Their  Run the World  tour sets off on January 11th with a massive North American campaign, and worldwide dates to follow shortly after.   Last but not least, in celebration of the album announcement, the duo have dropped "Legend Has It", the 3rd new song from RTJ3 . The track showcases the relentless back & forth lyricism, indelible chemistry, humor & bombast that Killer Mike & El-P are known & loved for. The song, and the entire album, was produced by El-P, and co-produced by Little Shalimar & Wilder Zoby. Run the Jewels will be also be performing at tonight's Video Game Awards in Los Angeles, which you can live-stream herehttp://thegameawards.com/watch/  RTJ3 TRACK LIST 1. Down (feat. Joi Gilliam)2. Talk To Me3. Legend Has It4. Call Ticketron5. Hey Kids (Bumaye) (feat. Danny Brown)6. Stay Gold7. Don't Get Captured8. Thieves! (Screamed the Ghost) (feat. Tunde Adebimpe)9. 2100 (feat. BOOTS)10. Panther Like a Panther (Miracle Mix) (feat. Trina)11. Everybody Stay Calm12. Oh Mama13. Thursday in the Danger Room (feat. Kamasi Washington)14. Report to the Shareholders/Kill Your Masters





LISTEN TO "LEGEND HAS IT" HERE:http://rtj3.io/LegendHasItPR LISTEN TO "2100 (ft. BOOTS)" HERE:https://soundcloud.com/runthejewels/2100-feat-boots LISTEN TO "TALK TO ME" HERE:https://soundcloud.com/adultswimsingles/rtj


photo by Timothy Saccenti  RUN THE JEWELS TOUR DATES* with special guests The Gaslamp Killer, Spark Master Tape, & Cuz 12.17.16 Houston, TX @ Day For Night Festival1.11.17 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory *1.12.17 Washington, DC @ Echostage *1.13.17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE * 1.14.17 Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues *1.16.17 Columbus, OH @ Express Live! *1.17.17 Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works *1.18.17 Norfolk, VA @ The NorVA *1.20.17 Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz * (SOLD OUT)1.21.17 Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle *1.23.17 Orlando, FL @ The Beacham Theatre *1.24.17 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live *1.25.17 Miami, FL @ The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason *1.29.17 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre *1.30.17 San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park * (SOLD OUT)2.1.17 Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Expo Hall *2.2.17 San Jose, CA @ City National Civic * 2.3.17 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater * (SOLD OUT)2.5.17 Arcata, CA @ Van Duzer Theatre at Humboldt State University *2.6.17 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom * (SOLD OUT)2.7.17 Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo * (SOLD OUT)2.8.17 Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre * (SOLD OUT)2.10.17 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex *2.11.17 Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium *2.13.17 Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland *2.14.17 St. Paul, MN @ Myth *2.15.17 Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theater *2.17.17 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom *2.18.17 Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre *2.19.17 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall * (SOLD OUT)2.21.17 Montreal, QC @ Metropolis *2.22.17 Portland, ME @ State Theatre *2.24.17 Boston, MA @ House Of Blues * (SOLD OUT)2.25.17 New York, NY @ Terminal 5 * (SOLD OUT)2.26.17 New York, NY @ Terminal 5 *4.3.17-4.8.17 Mayrhofen, Austria @ Snowbombing 5.31.17-6.4.17 Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound6.9.17 Aarhus, Denmark @ Northside Festival 

Preoccupations Release "Memory" Short Film

PREOCCUPATIONS RELEASE VISUAL ACCOMPANIMENT TO 11 MINUTE "MEMORY"Photo Credit: Alessio BoniPreoccupations are closing out 2016 with a video of epic proportions, unleashing the visual accompaniment for "Memory." The song, which features Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade, is the cornerstone track from their recently released critically acclaimed self-titled album. "Memory" is over 11 minutes of sonic excellence, a track which the New York Times wrote is "...a suitelike excursion through bewilderment, disillusion, alienation and entropy" while Consequence of Sound described it as "a swirling mass of moving parts" split "equally between mechanical clanging and buzzing, fuzzed out guitar work and soaring heart-on-sleeve indie piano runs." Stereogum simply say, "Memory" is "an 11-minute gracefully unspooling meditation."
Watch "Memory"
NPR have premiered what they describe as a short film writing the band's own story could almost be portrayed here "It's about watching a loved one lose their mental grip... but will strike a chord with anyone who has felt themselves slipping off the path or been suspicious about whether they can trust their own mind. The first half is romantic and structured, swelling into a climax of drums and guitar. Then the tension evaporates, leaving us with six beautiful minutes of peaceful synths and echoes."
Directed by award winning director Kevan Funk who tells NPR the story was loosely based off the story of Mohammed Bouazizi, the Tunisian street vendor who, after years of harassment by police, lit himself on fire in December 2010, in the middle of traffic. It was an act of protest that some say triggered the Arab Spring.
Funk explains "I don't mean to sound dark, but there's something poetic about a fire burning inside someone so intensely that one day, it actually physically manifested," Funk goes further saying "You ask yourself, how much pain can we take? How much control do we have?"
Funk collaborated with the band's Michael Wallace who stars in the video With the song being about the loss of mind, the short takes us on a journey as we watch someone get lost inside his own head and gradually lose the ability to define what's real from what has been constructed. Matt Flegel from Preoccupations told NPR it took them two years to finish "Memory" as the song and the band endured several iterations. The final version feels appropriately epic. "It's an even keel followed by mania and depression," he says, characterizing mania as dancing rhythms and depression as drone effects. Dancing, droning. Dancing, droning".
Preoccupations received high praise from critics here in North American and around the world with many marveling at the band's ability to blend synths and samplers with post punk guitars, creating a musical world which is dark and moody and yet beautiful all in one moment. Pitchfork sums up the album most succinctly writing "the power of Preoccupations lies not in some victory but in the battle."
The band are finishing up an extensive world tour but are already looking to more live dates in 2017, including Primavera Sound Festival which was announced yesterday.  The live show adds another dimension to the songs and has to be experienced. The Guardian in a recent live review wrote "It's a blisteringly intense form of release." More North American dates will be announced in the new year.Kevan Funk is an award winning filmmaker, who's work has screened and won awards at various prestigious festivals around the world. His debut feature, Hello Destroyer, premiered at this year's Toronto International Film Festival to acclaimed reviews. His debut short, A Fine Young Man, premiered at TIFF and won the Grand Jury Prix at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Kevan's short films Yellowhead and Bison both premiered at TIFF, the former being awarded a Special Jury Prize, and both were named to Canada's Top Ten in their respective years. Kevan's short Destroyer, created through the TIFF Talent Lab, was runner-up for the RBC Emerging Filmmaker Award. 
Acclaim for Preoccupations:
"While far from a feel-good summer jam, "Anxiety" is a little closer to the hazy, lo-fi meditations of 2010's Public Strain than the creeping nausea of 2015's Viet Cong.... "Anxiety" is surprisingly relaxed and well-adjusted. "I'm not here purely for the sake of breathing," he vows, "I am wide awake." And just like that, Preoccupations have written their own mantra." Pitchfork, Best New Track
"Unlike its predecessor, Preoccupations was crafted with less pressure and more time. While there's still plenty of motorik drive, there are more synth-y flavors, such as the record's magnum opus, the three-movement suite "Memory," which includes a soaring guest appearance from Dan Boeckner...a shimmering, New Order-esque midsection and a hypnotic, ambient coda."  Billboard

"They've created a startling document of anxiety and mental exhaustion. It's beautiful art, and hopefully it's a next step toward the peace so sought after throughout the record."  Consequence of Sound

"There is a stout cohesiveness that gives Preoccupations a feeling of completion and resolute artistic confidence and its reverberations mount with close and repeated listens."  Under the Radar
"Preoccupations kicks off the record with an ominous surge in "Anxiety," setting a tone that builds and never lets up for the span of this exhilarating album. The things that first drew me to Viet Cong's self-titled 2015 debut are still here, but this album shows vast growth and advancement from there, especially lyrically." Patterson Hood of Drive By Truckers for The Talkhouse

"Preoccupations makes strides to shore up Preoccupations' identity without losing the crucial spontaneity of their debut."  Pop Matters
"Preoccupations put out one of the best albums of last year under the name Viet Cong, and sadly, sometimes it felt like the controversy around their band name was talked about more than the music itself. Now they're back with their first album since ditching the Viet Cong moniker, and it's clear from the music itself that this band still deserves to be heard."  Brooklyn Vegan

"The new album continues along the same path as Viet Cong, juxtaposing pop hooks with eerie, gothic accents and a distorted yet danceable aesthetic. It's a heavy album made accessible through many moments of melodic levity. Maintaining that progress from their previous album and being able to build upon something they had already created only made their pivot toward a new identity all the more delicate."  FLOOD Magazine

"The darkness is all very real, ladies and gentlemen; anxiety approaches and monotony kills. But with rhythms this punishing and hooks that slowly reveal themselves like the ones here, maybe the darkness isn't all bad.."  Pretty Much Amazing

"With Preoccupations putting their past name of Viet Cong behind them while holding onto their wicked sound, "Degraded" is a foreboding track spliced together with hissing synth and dark guitars."  Paste Magazine

"With their controversial original band name behind them, Preoccupations (formerly Viet Cong) are endeavoring to move forward with new music. Their latest is "Degraded," a super-dark slice of post-punk animated by wheezing synthesizers and tightly wound guitar riffs."  SPIN

"Viet Cong are proving a name change doesn't change a good sound. The post-punk quartet are rallying behind their sophomore self-titled album with their new moniker, Preoccupations, speaking for itself. On "Degraded," they dive into the vintage post-punk sound, striking similarities to Joy Division and other icons. It's the perfect song to help you get through the week."  Nerdist



World Tour Dates12.1.16 - MusicBox - Lisbon, Portugal5.31 - 6.4.17 - Primavera Sound - Barcelona, Spain

Silver Apples premiere video from 'experimental instruments' comp also featuring Dan Deacon, David Grubbs, Oval, Jad Fair

Silver Apples premiere video for first track from forthcoming 'experimental instruments' compilation 
I Said No Doctors! 2xLP features Dan Deacon, David Grubbs (Gastr del Sol, Bastro), Oval, Jad Fair, String Noise, et al. 
  Watch & share "The Mist" (YouTube) (Tiny Mix Tapes)
"At two LPs deep, it is a highly stacked tour of musicians discovering all sorts of ways to contribute to (or rip up) the legacy of instrumentation." -- Tiny Mix Tapes

NYC label Dymaxion Groove proudly announces the forthcoming double-LP compilation of artists working with experimental instrumentation to create new and unique sounds. I Said No Doctors!features such legends as Silver Apples, David Grubbs, Oval, Dan Deacon, Jad Fair and more.Silver Apples premiere a video for the first track today via Tiny Mix Tapes. The video for "The Mist" (along with an insightful interview) is available to watch and share HERE. (Direct YouTube.)
I Said No Doctors! double-LP is a compilation of the most groundbreaking artists of current and past decades who have redefined sound by creating and destroying musical instruments to fit a specific sonic character and method of music-making. 
During this audio journey we hear Silver Apples' Simeon Coxe combining bench oscillators, sound filters, telegraph keys and radio parts into one of the first electronic instruments. David Grubbs(Gastr del Sol, Bastro, Squirrel Bait, The Red Crayola) plays an alligator-clip prepared guitar. Markus Popp's composition features his Oval Process software. Indonesian noise band Senyawa plays a modified Javanese farm plough. Dan Deacon generates an atonal barrage of MIDI-triggered pin-point notes from an acoustic grand piano. Jad Fair's custom guitar, in which the neck attaches to the body using a system of rubber bands, allows dramatic bends. Bismuth, featuring Yuri Landman (who has built guitars for Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth) performs on prepared guitars and other instruments created by his Hypercustom Guitars. Ciat Lonbarde's Peter B plays the Deerhorn synthesizer.
The compilation is curated by Dymaxion Groove founder Tom Tolleson, who plays a modified Fender Jazzmaster with a ¾ ratio of separate playable strings over two pickups on the album as well.
I Said No Doctors! is a celebration of sound and artistry beyond the range provided by standard musical instruments.This double-LP is available in two variants, colored and black vinyl,
both 180-gram, each with a digital download card.
I Said No Doctors! will be available on 2xLP and download on January 18th, 2017. Pre-orders (with immediate download of the Silver Apples track) are available HERE. 

 Artist: Various ArtistsAlbum:  I Said No Doctors!  Record Label: Dymaxion GrooveRelease Date: January 18th, 2017
01. Silver Apples "The Mist"02. Dan Deacon "Opal Toad Segment"03. Tom Tolleson "Kosciuszko"04. Jason Willett "And I Mean It"05. Bismuth "Cola Kid"06. Senyawa "Anak Kijang"07. David Grubbs "Awkward Silences I Have Known"08. GOTHgsb "The Interconvertible Three"09. String Noise "Parallel Noise Construction"10. Jad Fair "Big Boots"11. Oval "ISND"12. Neil Feather "Ride of the Popcorn Valkyries"13. Slumberland "Hunting Hunting"14. Peter B "Deer Biphenyl"

KAYTRANADA shares Shomi Patwary-directed video + on tour now

KAYTRANADA SHARES NEW VIDEO FOR "YOU'RE THE ONE"
WINS 2016 POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE
ON TOUR NOW KAYTRANADA in "You're The One"WATCH: "YOU'RE THE ONE" - https://youtu.be/rKlA5tRu6f0
STREAM: 0.001% ??? - https://soundcloud.com/kaytranada/0001a
After being awarded the 2016 Polaris Music Prize and releasing his anticipated new mixtape0.001% ??? (which includes previously unreleased material from Joey Bada$$, Anderson .Paak and Nick Murphy) last week, KAYTRANADA is back today to share the video for "YOU'RE THE ONE," the Syd-featuring highlight from his critically acclaimed debut album 99.9%. Produced with the financial assistance of MuchFACT, a division of Bell Media Inc, the Shomi Patwary-directed clip is inspired by KAYTRANADA's favorite childhood programming. 
Speaking to the video's creative origins, Patwary shares, "Stylistically it was influenced by the look of black sitcoms from the early 90s -- from Martin to Living Single and UPN sitcoms. The African prince idea derived from the plot of Coming To America."
The video is vastly different from Patwary's visuals for Beyoncé or A$AP Rocky, the result is something both immediately familiar but entirely new. Watch the video for "YOU'RE THE ONE" above now and see below for all of KAYTRANADA's upcoming tour dates.
What The Press Is Saying About 99.9%:
"An outstanding premiere" - Boston Globe
"A massive achievement" - Consequence of Sound
 "One of the most well-edited, coherent debuts to emerge in recent memory" - Pitchfork
"As a calling card, it's as close to perfection as its title suggests" - Q Magazine
"One of the year's most infectious beats" - SPIN
"Fully formed and confident, the clear product of a single person's vision and taste" - The Verge
"99.9% is a brilliant, well-realized combination of styles" - XLR8R
 "99.9% is a flat-out musical album, one that bursts with melodic and rhythmic ideas" - Stereogum

PURCHASE:  99.9% - http://x-l.co/999now   

  KAYTRANADA 99.9% (XL Recordings)May 6th, 2016
1. TRACK UNO2. BUS RIDE (feat. Karriem Riggins & River Tiber)3. GOT IT GOOD (feat. Craig David)4. TOGETHER (feat. AlunaGeorge & GoldLink)5. DRIVE ME CRAZY (feat. Vic Mensa)6. WEIGHT OFF (feat. BADBADNOTGOOD)7. ONE TOO MANY (feat. Phonte)8. DESPITE THE WEATHER9. GLOWED UP (feat. Anderson .Paak)10. BREAKDANCE LESSON N.1.11. YOU'RE THE ONE (feat. Syd)12. VIVID DREAMS (feat. River Tiber)13. LITE SPOTS14. LEAVE ME ALONE (feat. Shay Lia)15. BULLETS (feat. Little Dragon)

KATHRYN WILLIAMS TEAMS UP WITH NOVELIST LAURA BARNETT ON BRAND NEW ALBUM

KATHRYN WILLIAMS TEAMS UP WITH NOVELIST LAURA BARNETT ON BRAND NEW ALBUMKathryn Williams - 'Songs From The Novel Greatest Hits'
Out June 2017
Via One Little Indian


Mercury-nominated singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams has announced that she will release a ‘soundtrack album’ to a brand new novel by author Laura Barnett, that follows the life of a fictional singer. Greatest Hits, the hotly-anticipated follow-up to Barnett’s novel The Versions of Us, will be published on 15th June 2017 alongside the brand new album by Kathryn Williams – Songs from the Novel Greatest Hits. The original songs are written by Kathryn Williams, with lyrics by Laura Barnett and Kathryn Williams, and will be released as an album named Songs From The Novel Greatest Hits through One Little Indian, in June 2017. Laura Barnett’s acclaimed debut novel The Versions of Us was a Number One Bestseller and has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK alone, while Kathryn Williams enjoyed huge success with her Sylvia Plath tribute album Hypoxia and her most recent collaborative album with jazz musician Anthony Kerr – Resonator. Greatest Hits tells the story of Cass Williams, a fictional musical artist who enjoyed huge success from the early '70s, only to retire mysteriously at the height of her fame. Two decades later, she is spending a single day in her recording studio, picking out tracks for a very personal Greatest Hits album. Each chapter of Greatest Hits opens with one of these songs and takes the reader back through Cass’s life, from her childhood, through her earliest days as a singer, to the terrible crisis that caused her to flee her own life. Kathryn Williams says: “After making my album Hypoxia inspired by The Bell Jar (which was born out of a commission to celebrate Sylvia Plath) I didn’t think that I would be collaborating with another author so soon – and a living one to boot!  "I got a call from Laura after she had heard me on Cerys Matthews’ BBC6Music show talking about Hypoxia. She asked me if I was up for working on a parallel project to bring her fictional songwriter’s songs to life.  Since then, we have co-written a group of 16 songs, cried, laughed and become close friends. It has been a joyous project of immersing ourselves into the character, the ups and downs of her career and her personal life.” Laura Barnett says: "From the very earliest moment of coming up with the idea forGreatest Hits, it was clear to me  that I wanted my character's musical output to have a life beyond the page. I've been a fan of Kathryn's music for years, and am so thrilled to be working with her - she's an absolute magician, and I'm so excited about the creative possibilities posed by drawing literature and music together in this way. I'm also so grateful to all the booksellers - Waterstones, WH Smith, and all the amazing independents - who've been so supportive of The Versions of Us. I can't wait to introduce my new novel to them, to readers, and to listeners!"  

Iris Gold announces ‘The Marsha Hunt Mixtape’

Iris GoldAnnounces ‘The Marsha Hunt Mixtape’ out 2nd Decemberhttps://soundcloud.com/irisgoldmusic/marsha-hunt-mixtape"A melting pot of alt-pop, elastic funk and freakadelic sounds" - The Beat Magazine"A force to be reckoned" - Afropunk"Listen to the addictive new single below, and get prepared to take on the world!" - RWD Mag"Funky force of nature" - MonkeyboxingTracklist: 1. Revolution Riders 2. Goodvibes 3. Lil’ Suzie 4. People Up On It 5. Good man (Poetry For Dinner Interlude) 6. Mind Juice 7. Ten 8. Harlem (feat. Ali Tennant) 9. Human HeatwaveRising alternative pop star, Iris Gold, returns with a stunning 70’s homage mixtape ‘The Marsha Hunt Mixtape’ featuring nine original songs designed to bring storytelling and fun back into music. Inspired by the life and imagery of American actress Marsha Hunt, it is her voice and spirit that permeates the mix.Borrowing influences from early blues, Howlin’ Wolf to Blaxploitation movies, Outkast’s cult 2006 musical film ‘Idlewild’, J Dilla and Dolly Parton; Iris Gold taps into a mythical fantasy world – “I imagined I was in a movie based in 70s Harlem during the hot summer chillin’ with with Lalo Schifrin,” she says.She goes on to add: “When I started writing I wanted to write pop songs over loops and break beats, so the songs for the mixtape were mainly written in my friend’s Tomasso’s room in Hackney Wick in this way”Iris roped in a few producer friends like The Confect (Nick Brewer, Tiggs Da Author), Dimitri Tikovoi (Placebo, Charlie XCX) and Ben Joice (Jorja Smith) to add the finishing touches to the end product.The first track ‘Revolution Riders’ will be included in a brand new 4 track EP to be released in Jan 2017. Iris Gold’s previous releases ‘Freakaholic (produced by MNEK)’, ‘Steve McQueen’, ‘Colour Trip’ and ‘Goldmine’ garnered the singer critical acclaim and endorsements by leading tastemakers including Zane Lowe on Beats1, Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1 and 1xtra’s Mistajam.She will also appear on Russ Chimes new single ‘Drift’ out this November.Editor’s notes: Born in the UK, Iris was whisked across the North Sea and grew up living a nomadic existence in Copenhagen, squatting for intervals above the Folkteatret (‘People’s theatre’) and the autonomous fristaden (‘free town’) commune of Christiania. Often the only child at gatherings of space cadets, nudists and freethinkers, she developed the charisma and storytelling prowess necessary to command attention. Musically she was surrounded by the hallmarks of 60’s and 70’s psych and hippy counter-culture: Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Mommas and the Poppas and The Grateful Dead, instilling her with an ingrained love of West Coast melody. After being given some records by her Mum’s friends in her late teens, she discovered hip-hop, dosing up on Pete Rock, Beastie Boys and De La Soul, becoming enamoured with what to her was an entirely new musical dictionary. Moving from Copenhagen to London, she started writing songs in which she fused the minimal, generative quality of instrumental loops with her background in poetry and storytelling and those glistening California influences. With an unconventional back-story and a killer arsenal of tunes, this wide afro’d wordsmith is on to something special.https://www.facebook.com/irisgoldmusichttps://soundcloud.com/irisgoldmusichttp://www.instagram.com/irisgoldmusichttp://www.twitter.com/irisgoldmusic 

Best Books of 2016

BEST books 2016
1. JERUSALEM by Alan Moore
2. Small Town Talk: Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Friends in the Wild Years of Woodstock by Barney Hoskyns
3. Louise Nevelson: Light and Shadow by Laurie Wilson
4. 1971 - Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year by David Hepworth
5. Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk by John Doe
6. Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys by Lol Tolhurst
7. I Hate The Internet by Jarett Kobek
8. Rosset: My Life in Publishing and How I Fought Censorship by Barney Rosset
9. I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir by Brian Wilson
10. The Fugitivesby Christopher Sorrentino
11. Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk (20th Anniversary Edition) by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain
12. Petty: The Biography by Warren Zanes
13. Michael Bloomfield: The Rise and Fall of an American Guitar Hero by Ed Ward
14. My Damage: The Story of a Punk Rock Survivor by Keith Morris
15. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach
16. Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon by Peter Ames Carlin
17. New York Rock: From the Rise of The Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB by Steven Blush
18. Going Underground: American Punk 1979-1992 by George Hurchalla
19. The Theatre of Apparitions by Roger Ballen
20. The Girls by Emma Cline

Lilys Announce New Shows Early 2017, Playing With Dead Heavens | 'In Presence Of Nothing' Being Re-Issued

LILYS ANNOUNCE NEW SHOWS VIA BROOKLYN VEGAN

PLAYING WITH DEAD HEAVENS

'IN THE PRESENCE OF NOTHING' BEING RE-ISSUED

Today Brooklyn Vegan announced Lilys "Corruption Wrecked My Life" N.Y.C. and California shows. On the tour the band focuses on material from their 1990-1995 era. Last year the band did a run of similar shows all of which sold out. They'll be touring with Dead Heavens and you can get tickets for the Bowery Ballroom show on Friday here. Also the band will be re-issuing a limited number of their 1992 album 'In  The Presence Of Nothing'. Pre-orders for that are available here.


In addition to front-man Kurt Heasley The band's current line-up is:
Don Devore (Collapsing Scenery, Icarus Line, Sick Feeling)James Richardson (MGMT)Travis Rosenberg (Tanlines)Simon O’Connor (Kuroma, Amazing Baby)Chris Colley (Collapsing Scenery, School Of Seven Bells)Alex Craig (Big Troubles, Limited)Lilys – 2017 Tour Dates
January 29th – Bowery Ballroom, NYC, NY*
February 2nd – The Chapel, San Francisco, CA*
February 3rd – TBA, Sacramento, CA
February 4th – The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA*
February 5th – Part Time Punks at The Echo, Los Angeles, CA*
February 6th – Soda Bar, San Diego, CA** = with Dead HeavensIn The Presence Of Nothing - TRACKLISTING
01. There's No Such Thing As Black Orchids
02. Elizabeth Colour Wheel
03. Collider
04. Tone Bender
05. Periscope
06. It Does Nothing For Me
07. Snowblinder
08. The Way Snowflakes Fall
09. Threw A Day
10. Claire Hates Me