Features

There comes a moment during the trailer for Spike Jonze’s new film, Her, where Joaquin Phoenix turns to the object of his affections and says, “I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”

In this week’s archive feature, from our August 2012 issue (Take 183), Uncut is granted a rare audience with the remarkable Young, busier than ever. To be discussed: the return of Crazy Horse, Americana and what would become Psychedelic Pill; his autobiography; his new movie; Archives; his family. What motivates an inexhaustible genius? “I spend money as soon as I get it…” Story: Jaan Uhelszki

No sooner has one Mark Kozelek album turned up than, ridiculously, another one is announced. www.caldoverderecords.com claims another Sun Kil Moon album is due January 14 next year, also featuring Steve Shelley, Jen Wood, Will Oldham and Owen Ashworth. In even less a shock, it promises that Kozelek “sings about his childhood years and his life today.”

First of all this week, let me quickly plug our most recent Ultimate Music Guide, which is dedicated to Depeche Mode. As with previous specials in the Ultimate Music Guide series on David Bowie, the Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul Weller, The Clash, Nick Cave, The Kinks, U2, REM and The Smiths – all of which you can order online at www.uncut.co.uk/store or order digitally at www.uncut.co.uk/download – Depeche Mode – The Ultimate Music Guide features brand new reviews of all Depeche’s albums, written by a stellar team of Uncut scribes, plus a ton of vintage interviews from the archives of Melody Maker and NME, reprinted for the first time in years and covering the whole of the band’s career from their first stirrings in deepest Basildon in the early 80s. Depeche Mode – The Ultimate Music Guide is on sale now.

For all his flailing locks and dazed expression, Ty Segall does not make a particularly convincing slacker. In a short promotional clip for his new album, released on Youtube back in May, he pretends to be asleep in bed, on his couch, in a garden and then, preposterously, up a tree and at the wheel of a moving van.

Reading a magazine this morning, I noticed that there are a bunch of tribute shows to Elliott Smith coming up; ostensibly I guess to commemorate the fact that, horrifyingly, the tenth anniversary of his death is coming up in a couple of months.

As the Manics gear up to release their latest album – the predominantly acoustic, pastoral and Motown-tinged Rewind The Film – it seems a good time to revisit the Manics bassist and lyricist’s October 2006 (Take 113) grilling from fans and famous names. Topics include Cuba post-Castro, Live8, aircraft leg-room and winning Wimbledon… Interview: Stephen Trousse

Nuts week. A lot to recommend and check out here, including plenty of Youtube and Soundcloud links. Among the auspicious comebacks, one that’s slightly obscured is Cavern Of Anti-Matter, who feature Tim Gane and his old bandmate from the first Stereolab lineup, Joe Dilworth.

I was reading this interesting Wilco piece a few days ago, which talks about how Jeff Tweedy has parlayed cult success into what appears to be a viable business model. It made me think of the strategies used by Mark Kozelek these past few years: how he keeps a steady stream of music, predominantly live albums, coming through his Caldo Verde label to satisfy his obsessive fans (and I suspect Kozelek fans tend to be by nature obsessive; I know I am).

You find us at that time in the month when things start getting more than a wee bit hectic, deadlines fast approaching as we head into the final week or so of work on the new issue, for which I am reviewing Roy Harper’s Man & Myth, his first album of new material since The Green Man, 13 years ago. There’s also the small matter of next month’s cover story, which I’m also writing, which means it’s all go at the moment.