Sufjan Stevens, The Shins and Iron & Wine all feature on Rosie Thomas’ new cover of Björk’s "All Is Full Of Love" – scroll down the page to listen to it now.
ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension
The...
Sufjan Stevens, The Shins and Iron & Wine all feature on Rosie Thomas’ new cover of Björk’s “All Is Full Of Love” – scroll down the page to listen to it now.
The track is part of Thomas’ Lullabies For Parents series, which collates multimedia including music, podcasts, videos, essays and more in “an attempt to reach out to parents and help them self-soothe”.
The indie all-stars recruited by the Nashville-based musician provide backing vocals on the new version of Björk’s 1997 track. The original was first released on the Icelandic star’s third album Homogenic before being released as a single in 1999.
Thomas’ version strips back the original song’s beats and harp ripples in favour of layering vocals and piano to create something tranquil and reassuring. Listen to it below now.
As well as Stevens, The Shins and Iron & Wine, the new take on “All Is Full Of Love” also features vocals from Alexi Murdoch, The Head And The Heart’s Charity Theilen, The Lone Bellow’s Kanene Pipkin, William Fitzsimmons, Dawn Landes, Audrey Assad, Leigh Nash, Denison Witmer, Josh Ottum, Beau Jennings, Kyshona Armstrong, Kevin Brace, Buster Shoop, Alvie Shoop and Jeff Shoop.
Aldous Harding has announced details of her new album Warm Chris - you can listen to her new single "Lawn" below.
ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
The New Zealand musician will release the follow-up to her April 2019 record Designer'on March 25 via 4AD.
...
Aldous Harding has announced details of her new album Warm Chris – you can listen to her new single “Lawn” below.
The New Zealand musician will release the follow-up to her April 2019 record Designer‘on March 25 via 4AD.
Warm Chris was produced by John Parish (who also produced Designer and Harding‘s 2017 LP Party), with all 10 tracks being recorded at Rockfield Studios. Harding‘s 2021 single “Old Peel” does not make the final cut, however.
The album includes contributions from Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson as well as H. Hawkline, Seb Rochford, Gavin Fitzjohn and John and Hopey Parish.
Warm Chris has been previewed with the single “Lawn”. The video for the track, directed by Harding and Martin Sagadin, can be seen above.
You can see the tracklist for Aldous Harding‘s Warm Chris below.
1. “Ennui” 2. “Tick Tock” 3. “Fever” 4. “Warm Chris” 5. “Lawn” 6. “Passion Babe” 7. “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain” 8. “Staring At The Henry Moore” 9. “Bubbles” 10. “Leathery Whip”
Harding will tour in the UK, Ireland and across Europe from March to April – you can see details of her UK and Ireland tour dates below, and find tickets here.
MARCH 2022 30 – Barbican, London 31 – Barbican, London
APRIL 2022 1 – The Waterfront, Norwich 3 – City Halls, Glasgow 5 – National Concert Hall, Dublin 7 – Albert Hall, Manchester 8 – The Dome, Brighton 10 – The Tramshed, Cardiff 11 – Trinity, Bristol 12 – Trinity, Bristol
Ronnie Spector, the leader of The Ronettes, has died at the age of 78, her family has confirmed in a statement.
She died on January 12 “after a brief battle with cancer”, the statement – which was posted to her official website – read.
“She was with family and in the arms of her husb...
Ronnie Spector, the leader of The Ronettes, has died at the age of 78, her family has confirmed in a statement.
She died on January 12 “after a brief battle with cancer”, the statement – which was posted to her official website – read.
“She was with family and in the arms of her husband, Jonathan,” Spector’s family wrote. “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humour and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude. Her joyful sound, playful nature and magical presence will live on in all who knew, heard or saw her.
“In lieu of flowers, Ronnie requested that donations be made to your local women’s shelter or to the American Indian College Fund. A celebration of Ronnie’s life and music will be announced in the future. The family respectfully asks for privacy at this time.”
Ronnie Spector. Credit: Getty Images
Spector formed a group, originally known as The Darling Sisters, alongside her sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley in New York in 1957. They released a handful of singles with Colpix under the moniker Ronnie And The Relatives from 1961 and later changed their name to The Ronettes after signing with Phil Spector’s Philles Records in 1963.
Their first release on Philles Records was the iconic track “Be My Baby”, which scored them their first Top 10 single on the Billboard Top 100 in 1963, peaking at Number Two. They followed it up with “Baby, I Love You”, while they also appeared on the label’s compilation album “A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector”.
The group only released one studio album in their career – 1964’s Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica. They continued to release singles sporadically until they broke up in 1967, following a tour supporting The Beatles.
Spector decided to reform the group in 1974 after divorcing her husband, replacing Bennett and Talley with Chip Fields and Denise Edwards. They released one single – 1974’s “I Wish I Never Saw The Sun Shine” – before the outfit folded once again.
The singer went on to launch her own solo career, releasing four solo albums between 1980 and 2016, plus three EPs. Prior to making full-length records, she also put out seven singles, including 1964’s So Young and 1976’s Paradise. On her 2006 solo record Last Of The Rock Stars she collaborated with the likes of Patti Smith, The Raconteurs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner and more, while in 2017, she shared a new track called “Love Power” under the name Ronnie Spector And The Ronettes.
With The Ronettes, Spector has been inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1999 for “Be My Baby”, the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 2004 and the People’s Hall Of Rock And Roll Legends in 2010.
Ronnie Spector (centre) with The Ronettes in 1964. Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In 2007, they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards. At the event, Spector and Talley performed “Baby, I Love You”, “Walking In The Rain” and “Be My Baby”.
Spector documented her life in the 1990 memoir Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts And Madness, Or, My Life As A Fabulous Ronette. The book is set to be adapted into a film, with Zendaya confirmed to play Spector.
Tributes have begun to pour in since news broke of Spector’s death. The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson wrote: “I just heard the news about Ronnie Spector and I don’t know what to say. I loved her voice so much and she was a very special person and a dear friend. This just breaks my heart. Ronnie’s music and spirit will live forever. Love & Mercy, Brian.”
I just heard the news about Ronnie Spector and I don’t know what to say. I loved her voice so much and she was a very special person and a dear friend. This just breaks my heart. Ronnie’s music and spirit will live forever. Love & Mercy, Brianhttps://t.co/dXZKTMWv8a
“Absolutely gutted to hear this news,” Garbage’s Shirley Manson tweeted. “Dear beautiful, talented , fierce Ronnie. I will love you eternally. But then again you knew that.”
Absolutely gutted to hear this news. Dear beautiful, talented , fierce Ronnie. I will love you eternally. But then again you knew that. Love Love Love from your girl, Sx pic.twitter.com/h5mI4mPWCr
Stevie Van Zandt added: “RIP Ronnie Spector. It was an honor to Produce her and encourage her to get back on stage where she remained for the next 45 years. Her record with the E Street Band helped sustain us at a very precarious time (thanks to Steve Popovich). Condolences to her husband and family.”
RIP Ronnie Spector. It was an honor to Produce her and encourage her to get back on stage where she remained for the next 45 years. Her record with the E Street Band helped sustain us at a very precarious time (thanks to Steve Popovich). Condolences to her husband and family.
The powerful opening credits of Martin Scorsese's 'Mean Streets' with the inimitable voice of the great Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes singing “Be my Baby”. Rest In Peace ?⚡️ pic.twitter.com/EaGdboTi0j
Rest In Peace Ronnie Spector such a special time in music. What a beautiful song ??? ???????? – ?? ?? ???? – l??? | [?????] https://t.co/762G9yoQ8b via @YouTube
Absolutely devastated to hear about the loss of Ronnie Spector. Her personal journey and her music have had a great impact on me as a female and as a songwriter. Here is one of my favourite songs of hers. https://t.co/bNy7bNsN2d
Johnny Marr has compiled a free, 12-track CD that is only available with the new issue of Uncut – which is on sale January 13 and also available to buy online.
Marr has always been an avid music fan and this 12-track selection titled Fever Dreaming underscores his continuing passion and commitm...
Johnny Marr has compiled a free, 12-track CD that is only available with the new issue of Uncut – which is on sale January 13 and also available to buy online.
Marr has always been an avid music fan and this 12-track selection titled Fever Dreaming underscores his continuing passion and commitment. There are some old favourites here – as well as a trove of discoveries, including tracks from Broken Social Scene, Sparks, Khruangbin and more.
“I wanted to give people a taste of what I have been listening to over the last few years, whether I’m driving, setting up in the studio or at home,” Marr says. “I’m often asked whether I think guitar bands are a thing of the past – and this selection is one of the reasons I can give why the answer is no!”
The new Uncut also features an exclusive interview with The Smiths guitarist to discuss his most ambitious album to date: his upcoming solo full-length release, Fever Dreams Pts. 1-4.
Cate Le Bon has shared the final preview of her new album Pompeii – watch the video for "Remembering Me" below.
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: Cate Le Bon: “I hate everything I do right after I’ve done it!”
The Welsh musician/produc...
Cate Le Bon has shared the final preview of her new album Pompeii– watch the video for “Remembering Me” below.
The Welsh musician/producer will release the follow-up to 2019’s Reward on February 4, 2022 via Mexican Summer, which you can pre-order here.
“Remembering Me” follows the singles “Running Away”and “Moderation”.
Le Bon said of the song: ““Remembering Me” is a neurotic diary entry that questions notions of legacy and warped sentimentalism in the desperate need to self-mythologise.”
Its accompanying, sparse music video is directed by Juliana Giraffe and Nicola Giraffe of Giraffe Studios and features costumes by Monica Adriana Rowlands.
Of her sixth album, Le Bon said: “Pompeiiwas written and recorded in a quagmire of unease. Solo. In a time warp. In a house I had a life in 15 years ago. I grappled with existence, resignation and faith. I felt culpable for the mess but it smacked hard of the collective guilt imposed by religion and original sin.
“The subtitle is: You will be forever connected to everything. Which, depending on the time of day, is as comforting as it is terrifying. The sense of finality has always been here. It seems strangely hopeful. Someone is playing with the focus lens.”
She continued: “The world is on fire but the bins must go out on a Tuesday night. Political dissonance meets beauty regimes. I put a groove behind it for something to hold on to. The grief is in the saxophones.”
Cate Le Bon also heads out on a UK and European tour later this year – see dates below.
MARCH
15 – London, UK @ Hackney Empire
16 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
17 – Glasgow, UK @ Queen Margaret Union
18 – Belfast, IE @ Empire Music Hall
19 – Dublin, IE @ The National Concert Hall
21 – Liverpool, UK @ Arts Club
22 – Leeds, UK @ Irish Centre
23 – Birmingham, UK @ The Mill
28 – Lille, FR @ L’Aeronef
29 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
31 – Lyon, FR @ Epicerie Moderne
APRIL
01 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
02 – Schorndorf, DE @ Manufaktur
03 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
05 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
06 – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
07 – Hus 7 / Slaktkyrkan @ Stockholm, SE
08 – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatre
09 – Copenhagen, DK @ Small Vega
11 – Brussels, BE @ AB Box
12 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
James Mtume, the influential jazz and funk musician who founded the band Mtume and worked with a host of music legends, has died at the age of 76.
Mtume's family confirmed that he died on Sunday (January 9), with his granddaughter Yamani writing on Instagram: "Thank you for all your kind words. T...
James Mtume, the influential jazz and funk musician who founded the band Mtume and worked with a host of music legends, has died at the age of 76.
Mtume’s family confirmed that he died on Sunday (January 9), with his granddaughter Yamani writing on Instagram: “Thank you for all your kind words. The entire Mtume family is absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
“We are so grateful to have shared him with you.”
Mtume was the biological son of jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath, and changed his name to Mtume (which is Swahili for “messenger”) during his time with the Cultural Nationalist Organization US in the late 1960s.
In the early 1970s he switched his focus to music, touring and recording as a percussionist with jazz legend Miles Davis, as well as the likes of Duke Ellington, McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard and Sonny Rollins.
In 1978 he released Kiss This World Goodbye, the debut album by his Mtume group. The band’s other records included 1983’s Juicy Fruit, with the title track becoming one of the band’s biggest hits (and was later sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. for his 1994 song “Juicy”).
Mtume also worked as a songwriter and producer, forming a productive partnership with Reggie Lucas which included Roberta Flackand Donny Hathaway’s“The Closer I Get To You”, Phyllis Hyman’s “You Know How To Love Me” and Stephanie Mills’ “Never Knew Love Like This Before”. The duo’s sound was described by Mtume as “sophistifunk”.
The late musician was also known for his score to the 1986 film Native Son, and later became a radio personality on New York City’s KISS 98.7 FM.
Tributes for Mtume have been shared on social media – you can see a selection of those below.
I am saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend and producer #JamesMtume. He was so brilliant and an amazing music mind. The work chemistry we had was second to none. I will continue to lift you up through our music. ?????? https://t.co/4b0b7VgZV6
I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my true friend and brother, James Mtume. A talented and gifted artist, activist, and thinker. I was so blessed to have him in my journey, the world is a better place because of Mtume. May he Rest In Peace and Power. I miss you already pic.twitter.com/wJsNkNC3VL
Fontaines D.C. have shared details of their third album Skinty Fia, alongside the release of its first single "Jackie Down The Line" and an upcoming tour schedule.
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: Fontaines DC: “The most normal things become a...
Fontaines D.C.have shared details of their third album Skinty Fia, alongside the release of its first single “Jackie Down The Line” and an upcoming tour schedule.
The Irish band last week teased that new music was coming yesterday (January 11) at 6pm with a link to a video displaying an image emblazoned with the album’s title. SkintyFia has now been confirmed for release on April 22.
First single “Jackie Down The Line” comes with a video directed by Hugh Mulhern that stars multidisciplinary artist, MC, dancer and choreographer Blackhaine. Watch below.
The group will also give the single its live debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon today (January 12).
It follows the band performing new song “I Love You” during their headline show at London’s Alexandra Palace in October.
Skinty Fia is Fontaines D.C.’s first album since 2020’s A Hero’s Death, which followed their 2019 debut Dogrel. You can pre-order/pre-save the record here.
Skinty Fia tracklist:
01. “In ár gCroíthe go deo”
02. “Big Shot”
03. “How Cold Love Is”
04. “Jackie Down The Line”
05. “Bloomsday”
06. “Roman Holiday”
07. “The Couple Across The Way”
08. “Skinty Fia”
09. “I Love You”
10. “Nabokov”
‘Skinty Fia’ album artwork. CREDIT: Press
The news also comes with details of a spring/summer Fontaines D.C. tour in support of their new album.
APRIL
01 – Oslo, Norway @ Vulkan Arena
02 – Denmark, Copenhagen @ VEGA
04 – Wiesbaden, Germany @ Schlachthof
05 – Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall
06 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ Tivoli Vredenburg
08 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix
09 – Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Den Atelier
10 – Lille, France @ L’Aéronef
11 – Paris, France @ Olympia
21 – Washington D.C. @ 9:30 Club #
22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts #
23 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Wonder Bar #
25 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club #
26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel #
29 – Columbus, OH @ The A&R Music Bar #
30 – Cleveland, OH @ The Beachland Ballroom #
MAY
02 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre #
03 – Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix #
05 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall #
06 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre #
07 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue #
09 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater #
10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell #
12 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall#
13 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre #
14 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo #
16 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom #
18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater #
JUNE
03 – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound
10 – Neuchâtel, Switzerland @ Festi’neuch
11 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival
12 – Berlin, Germany @ Tempelhof Feld
15 – Athens, Greece @ Release Athens Festival
17 – Scheessel, Germany @ Hurricane Festival
18 – Neuhausen Ob Eck, Germany @ Southside Festival
20 – Zagreb, Croatia @ InMusic Festival
29 – Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival
JULY 2022
02 – Dublin, Ireland @ Iveagh Gardens
03 – Dublin, Ireland @ Iveagh Gardens
06 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Nos Alive Festival
08 – Lytham St Annes, UK @ Lytham Festival (w/ The Strokes)
09 – Glasgow, UK @ TRNSMT Festival
14-17 – Carhaix, France @ Vieilles Charrues
15 – London, UK @ Finsbury Park (w/ Sam Fender)
AUGUST
12-14 – Helsinki, Finland @ Flow Festival
15 – Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget Festival
19-20 – Aérodrome Guéret Saint-Laurent, France @ Check In Party
20 – Charleville Mezieres, France @ Cabaret Vert
25 – Paris, France @ Rock en Seine
27 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
28 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
Andy Bell has announced details of his new solo album Flicker – you can hear his latest single "Something Like Love" below.
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
The Ride guitarist, songwriter and former Oasis member will follow up his 2020 solo debut The Vie...
Andy Bell has announced details of his new solo album Flicker – you can hear his latest single “Something Like Love” below.
The Rideguitarist, songwriter and former Oasis member will follow up his 2020 solo debut The View From Halfway Down with the new record, which will be released on February 11 via Sonic Cathedral.
Speaking about Flicker, Bell explained in a statement: “When I think about Flicker, I see it as closure. Most literally, on a half-finished project from over six years ago, but also on a much bigger timescale.
“Some of these songs date back to the ’90s and the cognitive dissonance of writing brand new lyrics over songs that are 20-plus years old makes it feel like it is, almost literally, me exchanging ideas with my younger self.”
Bell has previewed Flicker with the track “Something Like Love”, which you can hear below.
“The ‘flicker’ I’m talking about in the lyrics of ‘Something Like Love’ is that flame that makes a person who they are,” Bell said of the track. “I wanted to find that in myself, so I went back to the teenage me – a technique I learned in therapy and have been doing ever since – and got some advice on how to live and be happy in the 2020s.
“The View From Halfway Down was about turning 50 during a time of introspection; Flicker is about gathering the tools to equip myself mentally for life in 2022 and beyond – post-pandemic, post-Brexit, post-truth.”
Bell will tour as part of his ‘Andy Bell Space Station’ series, which include in-store shows and Independent Venue Week gigs, at the end of this month and into February – you can see his upcoming tour dates below, and find tickets here.
January
31 – Three Wise Monkeys, Colchester
February
1 – Hot Box Live, Chelmsford
2 – The Black Prince, Northampton
3 – The Smokehouse, Ipswich
4 – The Jericho Tavern, Oxford
6 – The Town Hall, Trowbridge
12 – Rough Trade East, London
13 – Rough Trade, Bristol
14 – The Portland Arms, Cambridge
15 – Rough Trade, Nottingham
16 – Resident Music, Brighton
18 – Elsewhere, Margate
The long-awaited deluxe edition of Pavement's final album will be released by Matador on April 8.
Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal expands the remastered original album with B-sides, home demos, rehearsal tapes, live recordings and the rough tracks from Pavement’s scrapped session at Sonic ...
The long-awaited deluxe edition of Pavement’s final album will be released by Matador on April 8.
Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal expands the remastered original album with B-sides, home demos, rehearsal tapes, live recordings and the rough tracks from Pavement’s scrapped session at Sonic Youth’s Echo Canyon studio.
It features 45 tracks in total across 4xLPs or 2xCDs, 28 of them previously unreleased. Hear one of those unheard tracks, “Be The Hook”, below:
Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal includes a book with never-before-seen photos and commentary from band members Mark Ibold, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Spiral Stairs and Steve West, as well as producer Nigel Godrich. The LP version restores Godrich’s suggested sequence for the album; peruse the full tracklisting below and pre-order here.
LP1 – Side A
1) Platform Blues
2) The Hexx
3) You Are a Light
4) Cream of Gold
5) Ann Don’t Cry
LP1 – Side B
1) Billie
2) Folk Jam
3) Major Leagues
4) Carrot Rope
5) Shagbag #
6) Speak, See, Remember
7) Spit On a Stranger
LP2 – Side C
1) The Porpoise and the Hand Grenade
2) Rooftop Gambler
3) Your Time to Change
4) Stub Your Toe
5) Major Leagues (Demo Version)
6) Decouvert de Soleil
LP2 – Side D
1) Carrot Rope (SM Demo) #
2) Folk Jam Moog (SM Demo) #
3) Billy (SM Demo) #
4) Terror Twilight [Speak, See, Remember] (SM Demo) #
5) You Are a Light (SM Demo) #
6) Cream of Gold Intro (Jessamine) # 7) Cream of Gold (SM Demo) #
LP3 – Side E
1) Spit On a Stranger (SM Demo) #
2) Folk Jam Guitar (SM Demo) #
3) You Are a Light (Echo Canyon) #
4) Ground Beefheart [Platform Blues] (Echo Canyon) #
5) Folk Jam (Echo Canyon) #
LP3 – Side F
1) Ann Don’t Cry (Echo Canyon) #
2) Jesus in Harlem [Cream of Gold] (Echo Canyon) #
3) The Porpoise and the Hand Grenade (Echo Canyon) #
4) Spit On a Stranger (Echo Canyon) #
5) Be the Hook #
LP4 – Side G
1) You Are a Light (Jackpot!) #
2) Terror Twilight [Speak, See, Remember] (RPM) #
3) Rooftop Gambler (Jessamine) #
4) For Sale! The Preston School of Industry (Jessamine) #
5) Frontwards (Live) #
LP4 – Side H
1) Platform Blues (Live) #
2) The Hexx (Live) #
3) You Are a Light (Live) #
4) Folk Jam (Live) #
5) Sinister Purpose (Live) #
# previously unreleased
Pavement will reform to tour the US and Europe later this year. Check out the full list of dates below:
2.6.22 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
10.6.22 – Porto, Portugal @ NOS Primavera Sound
7.9.22 – San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre SOLD OUT
8.9.22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre SOLD OUT
9.9.22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre SOLD OUT
10.9.22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre SOLD OUT
12.9.22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
13.9.22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
14.9.22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
16.9.22 – Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Amphitheatre
17.9.22 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount Theatre SOLD OUT
19.9.22 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre SOLD OUT
20.9.22 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
21.9.22 – St. Paul, MN @ The Palace Theatre
22.9.22 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre SOLD OUT
23.9.22 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
24.9.22 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre SOLD OUT
26.9.22 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall SOLD OUT
27.9.22 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
28.9.22 – Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre SOLD OUT
30.9.22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre SOLD OUT
1.10.22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre SOLD OUT
2.10.22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre SOLD OUT
3.10.22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
5.10.22 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met SOLD OUT
6.10.22 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre SOLD OUT
8.10.22 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern SOLD OUT
9.10.22 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern SOLD OUT
11.10.22 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at Moody Theater SOLD OUT 17.10.22 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy Leeds
18.10.22 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom SOLD OUT
19.10.22 – Edinburgh, UK @ Usher Hall
20.10.22 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
22.10.22 – London, UK @ Roundhouse SOLD OUT
23.10.22 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
24.10.22 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
25.10.22 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
27.10.22 – Paris, FR @ Le Grand Rex
29.10.22 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
30.10.22 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
31.10.22 – Stockholm, SE @ Cirkus
2.11.22 – Aarhus, DK @ VoxHall
4.11.22 – Bremen, DE @ Pier 2
5.11.22 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom
7.11.22 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal
8.11.22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Royal Carré Theater
10.11.22 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street SOLD OUT
11.11.22 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street SOLD OUT
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Johnny Marr, Carole King, Lou Reed, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Cate Le Bon, Michael Hurley, Black Country, New Road, The Damned, Sun O))), and Blossom Toes all feature in the new Uncut, dated March 2022 and in UK shops from January 13 or available to buy onli...
Johnny Marr, Carole King, Lou Reed, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Cate Le Bon, Michael Hurley, Black Country, New Road, The Damned, Sun O))), and Blossom Toes all feature in the new Uncut, dated March 2022 and in UK shops from January 13 or available to buy online now. This issue comes with an exclusive free CD, comprising 12 tracks compiled by this month’s cover star Johnny Marr.
JOHNNY MARR: Nearly four decades on from The Smiths’ debut single, Johnny Marr has made the most ambitious album of his career. After the seismic events of recent times, Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 mines qualities of optimism, empathy and collectiveness. But what do Syd Barrett, Sylvia Plath and Marr’s 11-year-old self have to do with it? Michael Bonner heads to Marr’s HQ outside Manchester to discover: “It’s all a work in progress. Everything is connected.”
This issue of Uncut is available to buy by clicking here – with FREE delivery to the UK and reduced delivery charges for the rest of the world.
Inside the issue, you’ll find:
CAROLE KING:Tapestry made Carole King a global superstar and broke records around the world – but how do you top an album that defined a generation? Graeme Thomson charts King’s path through the rest of her creatively fecund ’70s, with help from her most trusted lieutenants. “Carole broke several glass ceilings with Tapestry – but she just kept going.”
LOU REED: In March, a new exhibition opens to mark Lou Reed’s 80th birthday. But what can we expect from a man who rarely wanted to discuss his past? Nick Hasted digs through the boxes of bar tabs, bootleg albums and… swords! And what does this trove tell us about future plans for unreleased music? “There are many plans to continue putting out Lou’s work,” reveals Laurie Anderson.
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF: Locked down in New Orleans during the pandemic, Hurray For The Riff Raff’s restless creative spirit Alynda Segarra sought solace in the natural world. But while sampling plants, a Singing Tree and psychedelic exploration have helped her make sense of her own experiences, she believes her greatest adventures are yet to come. “I’m like the Fool in the tarot card deck, going out on my journey with my bindlestiff,” she tells Jaan Uhelszki.
CATE LE BON: Cate Le Bon has been busy chasing inspiration across continents – from a house owned byGruff Rhys in Cardiff to Neil Young’s former retreat in Topanga Canyon. Her quest has led – metaphorically at least – to ancient Rome for her ambitious new album, Pompeii. But has the enigmatic art-rock outsider finally learned to be herself? “I’ve always flown totally under the radar,” she tells Tom Pinnock.
MICHAEL HURLEY: Join us at the blackberry bushes, where Michael Hurley can be found cutting back the foliage deep in the Oregon wilderness. As the veteran folk singer prepares to release a new album, The Time Of The Foxgloves, he leads Stephen Deusner through his wild and idiosyncratic career – from Greenwich Village in the ’60s onwards. Stand by for many marvellous digressions, sundry gardening tips and a glimpse into “Snocko Time”. Oh, and Bob Dylan? “That’s a bad question.”
THE DAMNED: The making of “Neat Neat Neat”.
SUNN O))): Album by album with the Seattle-based experimental metal band.
BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD: Post-rock chamber ensemble roar right back with emotionally maximalist opus.
In our expansive reviews section, we take a look at new records fromSpiritualized, Anaïs Mitchell, Erin Rae, Modern Studies, Beach House, The Delines, Jeff Parker, and more, and archival releases from Blossom Toes, Broadcast, Big Mama Thornton, Thomas Leer & Robert Rental, Waylon Jennings and others. We catch Dave Gahan & Soulsavers and Jane Weaver live; among the films, DVDs and TV programmes reviewed are Licorice Pizza, The Souvenir Part II, Amulet and Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road; while in books there’s Simple Minds and Raving Upon Thames.
Our front section, meanwhile, featuresAnimal Collective, Sharon Robinson, Lucinda Williams, Swell Maps and Caroline, while, at the end of the magazine, Curt Smith reveals the records that have soundtracked his life.
You can pick up a copy of Uncutin the usual places, where open. But otherwise, readers all over the world can order a copy from here.
Elvis Costello has called on radio stations to stop playing his controversial 1979 single "Oliver's Army".
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: Elvis Costello: “My conscience is clear!”
The track, which is taken from his third studio album Ar...
Elvis Costello has called on radio stations to stop playing his controversial 1979 single “Oliver’s Army”.
The track, which is taken from his third studio album Armed Forces, has attracted criticism over the years for using the N-word in the lyrics.
Now, he has insisted he doesn’t want radio stations to play the track at all.
“On the last tour, I wrote a new verse about censorship, but what’s the point of that? So I’ve decided I’m not going to play it. [Bleeping the word out] is a mistake. They’re making it worse by bleeping it for sure. Because they’re highlighting it then. Just don’t play the record!” he told The Telegraph.
Elvis Costello. CREDIT: Press
He added: “You know what. It [not playing it] would do me a favour. Because when I fall under a bus, they’ll play ‘She’, ‘Good Year For The Roses’ and ‘Oliver’s Army’.”
“She” was originally written and performed by Charles Aznavour while “Good Year For The Roses” was penned by Jerry Chesnut and performed George Jones. Costello joked that he will only be “celebrated” for writing songs he did not compose, as opposed to his self-penned hit “Oliver’s Army”.
He added: “I’ll die, and they will celebrate my death with two songs I didn’t write. What does that tell you?”
Costello also went on to explain why he was in attendance at the Royal Variety Show last month, despite insisting he is not “a royalist.”
He said: “I was there to honour my dad. It’s no secret that I don’t have strong royalist feelings, despite accepting a gong [Costello was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to music], which, as I said at the time, just shows they don’t read my lyrics. My dad sang ‘If I Had A Hammer’ about the dignity of labour, because he was a working man his whole life.”
Last week, Costello And The Imposters shared brand new track “Farewell, OK”, taken from his upcoming album The Boy Named If, which is set to arrive next Friday (January 14). It follows the tracks “Magnificent Hurt”and “Paint The Red Rose Blue”.
Costello and his band also recently announced that they’ll be heading out on a UK tour in support of the new album. The Boy Named If tour kicks off at the Brighton Dome on June 5, 2022, before wrapping up at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo on June 23.
Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten and Julien Baker have announced a joint US tour.
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READ MORE: Angel Olsen: “I wanted to come out of the gates swinging”
The trio will hit the road for their Wild Hearts jaunt in Virginia ...
The trio will hit the road for their Wild Hearts jaunt in Virginia in July before wrapping in New York in August. The shows will see all three artists perform on the night.
Spencer will be supporting on all the dates, all of which you can view below.
Announcing the tour, Olsen wrote on Twitter: “Announcing the Wild Hearts Tour! I am heading out on tour this summer with @sharonvanetten & @julienrbaker – 3 sets with our respective bands, with @spencerperiod supporting. Pre-sale starts tomorrow at 10am local.”
She added: “I am so thrilled to be traveling and playing music this summer, sharing the stage with these incredible people as our return to touring. It’s truly a dream, something to hold and to share collaboratively. Hope to see you there!”
“Even though we weren’t super close, I always felt supported by Angel and considered her a peer in this weird world of touring,” Van Etten said at the time of “Like I Used To”’s release in May. “We highway high-fived many times along the way…”
Olsen added: “I’ve met with Sharon here and there throughout the years and have always felt too shy to ask her what she’s been up to or working on. The song reminded me immediately of getting back to where I started, before music was expected of me, or much was expected of me, a time that remains pure and real in my heart.”
Meanwhile, Baker’s boygenius played their first show together in three years for a charity event in San Francisco last November.
The indie-rock supergroup took part in the one-off benefit gig at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, with all proceeds from the event going to the Bay Area nonprofit Bread & Roses.
PJ Harvey has shared a demo version of her 2011 track "The Words That Maketh Murder" – check it out below.
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READ MORE: PJ Harvey – Deluxe Ultimate Music Guide
The track appears on the singer-songwriter's forthcoming v...
PJ Harvey has shared a demo version of her 2011 track “The Words That Maketh Murder” – check it out below.
The record, which was originally released in 2011, will be reissued alongside a separate collection of unreleased demos which will be available on CD, vinyl and digital via UMC/Island on January 28.
Check out the newly unearthed demo version of “The Words That Maketh Murder” and see the full tracklist for the Let England Shake reissue below.
Side 1 “Let England Shake” “The Last Living Rose” “The Glorious Land” “The Words That Maketh Murder” “All And Everyone” “On Battleship Hill”
Side 2 “England” “In The Dark Places” “Bitter Branches” “Hanging In The Wire” “Written On The Forehead” “The Colour Of The Earth”
Let England Shake demos tracklist:
Side 1 “Let England Shake” – Demo “The Last Living Rose” – Demo “The Glorious Land” – Demo “The Words That Maketh Murder” – Demo “All And Everyone” – Demo “On Battleship Hill” – Demo
Side 2: “England” – Demo “In The Dark Places” – Demo “Bitter Branches” – Demo “Hanging In The Wire” – Demo “Written On The Forehead” – Demo “The Colour Of The Earth” – Demo
The new reissue comes as the latest instalment of Harvey’s ongoing vinyl reissue campaign. The celebrated artist’s discography is the subject of a comprehensive reissue campaign by UMC/Island and Beggars, who are aiming to “celebrate every aspect of Harvey’s recording career and afford a comprehensive and exciting look at the evolution of one of the most singular and extraordinary artists of modern times”.
Marking the band's 60th anniversary, The Rolling Stones will be honoured in a set of 12 special stamps, the Royal Mail has revealed.
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: The Rolling Stones – The Ultimate Music Guide
The series' main set of eigh...
Marking the band’s 60th anniversary, The Rolling Stones will be honoured in a set of 12 special stamps, the Royal Mail has revealed.
The series’ main set of eight stamps feature the rock icons performing at various global venues throughout their illustrious career, such as London’s Hyde Park in July 1969, Düsseldorf, Germany, in October 2017, and Tokyo, Japan, in March 1995.
Stamp 5 featuring Mick Jagger and Keith Richards performing in Tokyo in 1995. Image: Royal Mail
Notably, one of the eight stamps also features the band’s late drummer, Charlie Watts (who died in August 2021, aged 80), performing on stage in Düsseldorf, Germany, in October 2017.
Late drummer Charlie Watts features on Stamp 8, performing in Düsseldorf, Germany, in October 2017
An additional four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, feature two shots of the band and two promotional posters used on worldwide tours over the years.
The Rolling Stones Miniature Sheet Pack. Image: Royal Mail
In a press statement, Royal Mail Director of Public Affairs & Policy David Gold said: “Few bands in the history of rock have managed to carve out a career as rich and expansive as that of The Rolling Stones.
“They have created some of modern music’s most iconic and inspirational albums, with ground-breaking live performances to match.”
The Rolling Stones is the fourth group to be honoured by Royal Mail with a dedicated stamp issue – the first three being The Beatles in 2007, Pink Floyd in 2016 and Queen in 2020. David Bowie also received a set of stamps in 2017.
The stamps, as well as a wide range of collectors’ items featuring the special images, are available to pre-order from today (January 11) and will go on general sale on January 20 via Royal Mail.
Following a show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on October 17, 2021, the band shared an image of a special plectrum which featured an image of Jagger and Richards along with the words “17 October 1961-2021 – 60 years on the same train”, marking the first time the pair engaged in conversation on a platform two of Dartford train station on October 17, 1961. They formed the Stones the following year.
Welcome to the first Uncut of 2022. For anyone keeping track of these things, this is an auspicious year for us: our 300th issue is around the corner, then a few months later we reach our 25th anniversary. As you can imagine, these milestones mean we have a few surprises in store for you over the co...
Welcome to the first Uncut of 2022. For anyone keeping track of these things, this is an auspicious year for us: our 300th issue is around the corner, then a few months later we reach our 25th anniversary. As you can imagine, these milestones mean we have a few surprises in store for you over the coming months – no spoilers, of course – and we’d be honoured if you’d join us.
A little nearer to home, this month sees the return of Johnny Marr – on our cover for the first time since David Cavanagh’s incisive 2018 portrait. Over almost 40 years, since The Smiths’ debut single in May 1983, Marr’s music has become a cornerstone of the British canon: idiosyncratic, potent and inclusive right from the start. What’s so fascinating in our interview is that Marr has such a strong handle on his past – “Everything is connected,” he tells me at one point during our interview, drawing through lines from his formative experiences as an 11-year-old listening to music for the first time on his parents’ record player to his ongoing endeavours as a solo artist. Johnny has also curated this month’s free CD – 12 brilliant tracks drawn from his current playlists. It goes without saying, there’s some great music here.
Talking of CDs, print subscribers should receive a second CD with this issue. It’s an exclusive five-track Hurray For The Riff Raff CD, bringing together some tracks from Alynda Segarra’s singular career so far, along with two songs from the band’s upcoming album, Life On Earth. You can read more about Alynda and her remarkable band in Jaan Uhelszki’s profile on page 50.
There’s plenty more in the issue, of course. Graeme Thomson’s excellent survey of Carole King’s post-Tapestry recordings, a glimpse into Lou Reed’s archive, the return of Cate Le Bon, the horticulturalism of Michael Hurley and more. There’s further new interviews with Animal Collective, The Damned, Tears For Fears and Sunn O))). Not sure where else you’re likely to find such a wide and eclectic lineup, but we sincerely hope you enjoy the issue.
As ever, let us know what you think – letters@www.uncut.co.uk. Take care.
Carole King's landmark 1973 concert in New York's Central Park is being released by Jack White's Third Man Records.
The previously unreleased show was recorded in front of an audience of 100,000 people at Central Park's Great Lawn on May 26, 1973. It caught King at the peak of her powers, just ah...
Carole King‘s landmark 1973 concert in New York’s Central Park is being released by Jack White’s Third Man Records.
The previously unreleased show was recorded in front of an audience of 100,000 people at Central Park’s Great Lawn on May 26, 1973. It caught King at the peak of her powers, just ahead of the release of her Fantasy album.
The concert is released by Third Man as part of their subscription-only Vault series.
Produced by Lou Adler and released in conjunction with Ode Records and Sony Music, the package for Carole King Home Again includes two LPs on brick-coloured vinyl, with one side dedicated to a graphic etching of the Fantasy tour logo. The gatefold jacket and printed inner sleeves feature photos from the concertrt, while the professionally-filmed performance is presented here in its entirety on DVD. Exclusive to this set is a 7-inch single containing Lucy Dacus‘ covers of “Home Again” and “It’s Too Late”, both of which were specifically recorded for this package.
Wilco were inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame last October, and PBS have now aired the honours ceremony.
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: Jeff Tweedy – Love Is The King review
The alt-rockers, who were honoured alongside Luci...
Wilco were inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame last October, and PBS have now aired the honours ceremony.
The alt-rockers, who were honoured alongside Lucinda Williams and Texas singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, capped off their induction with a huge all-star performance of “California Stars” – a highlight of their 1998 album Mermaid Avenue which was created alongside Billy Bragg.
The guest-heavy performance saw Jeff Tweedy and co. joined by Japanese Breakfast, Sheila E., Rosanne Cash,Margo Price,Lenny Kaye, Bill Callahan, Terry Allen and Alex Ruiz. Nels Cline, Jason Isbell, legendary pedal steel guitarist Lloyd Maines and fellow inductee Escovedo also took to the stage.
Isbell, who previously joined Wilco for a performance of “California Stars” in 2016, did the honours of inducting Williams into the ACL Hall of Fame, while Price joined her for a searing take on “Changed The Locks”.
Long-running public television institution ACL established its Hall of Fame in 2014 to honour artists who’ve had a significant impact on its 47-year history, such as Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, and Bonnie Raitt.
The 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honours aired Saturday night (January 8) on PBS. You can watch it in full here, and you can see Wilco’s mega performance of “California Stars” below.
Frontman Tweedy, meanwhile, shared a new project entitled Love Is The King in December, which included a cover of Neil Young’s “The Old Country Waltz”.
The band covered “Dig A Pony” from the record and Don’t Let Me Downwhich featured as a B-side to the “Get Back” single, for Amazon Music’s [RE]DISCOVER campaign, which for the month of October was focusing on The Beatles’ final era.
Previously unreleased footage from the infamous Altamont Speedway Free Festival in 1969 has been released by the Library of Congress.
ORDER NOW: Paul Weller is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut
READ MORE: The Rolling Stones’ producer Chris Kimsey on Charlie Watts: “It’s all in ...
Previously unreleased footage from the infamous Altamont Speedway Free Festival in 1969 has been released by the Library of Congress.
The event was attended by approximately 300,000 people. Infamously, it was the site of severe violence, including the stabbing of 18-year-old Meredith Hunter by Hells Angels, who were serving as security at the festival.
While footage from the day has previously been shown in the Maysles Brothers’ documentary Gimme Shelter, the Library of Congress has now shared a home movie that has never been seen before. The video, which comes without audio, shows Rolling Stones, Gram Parsons, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and more performing and hanging out in the crowd. Watch it below now.
The footage was acquired by archivist Rick Prelinger in 1996, whose 200,000-reel collection was given to the Library in 2022. The Library’s head of the Moving Image Section, Mike Mashon, wrote in a blog that a technician had recently come across “two reels of silent 8mm reversal positive – a common home movie format” which was accompanied by a handwritten note that read “Stones in the Park”.
“When I saw that, I immediately thought that it could be a home movie of the July 5, 1969, Rolling Stones Hyde Park concert held in London a couple of days after the death of guitarist Brian Jones,” Mashon wrote. “But it could also be a copy of a documentary of the same name, which would make the discovery considerably less interesting.
“Regardless, I sent the reels up for 2K digitization by our film preservation laboratory. A couple of days later, I heard from some very excited colleagues that the scan wasn’t the Hyde Park show. It was from the Altamont Speedway concert in California and it definitely wasn’t footage from the 1970 documentary. Many people know the Gimme Shelter documentary pretty well, but there’s a lot more in this home movie.”
Michael Lang, the organiser behind the Woodstock Festival, has died aged 77.
According to family spokesperson Michael Pagnotta, Lang passed away following complications from a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
"We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family fr...
Michael Lang, the organiser behind the Woodstock Festival, has died aged 77.
According to family spokesperson Michael Pagnotta, Lang passed away following complications from a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace,” Pagnotta shared in a statement on Twitter.
We are very sad to hear that legendary Woodstock icon and long time family friend Michael Lang has passed at 77 after a brief illness. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/wTVNoZ353r
After dropping out of University, Lang, a Brooklyn native, moved to Miami to put on events, including 1968’s Miami Pop Festival which hosted Jimi Hendrix.
Famously billed as “Three Days Of Peace And Music,” the New York festival drew up to 400,000 people.
“Woodstock offered an environment for people to express their better selves, if you will,” Lang told Pollstar in 2019. “It was probably the most peaceful event of its kind in history. That was because of expectations and what people wanted to create there.”
Lang featured extensively in Woodstock, the 1970 documentary about the festival and went on to produce subsequent events Woodstock ‘94 (featuring the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Woodstock ‘99, which hosted sets from the likes of Limp Bizkit, Metallica and Rage Against The Machine.
Lang was also involved in the planning of Woodstock 50, which was set to take place in August 2019 and feature performances from the likes of JAY-Z, Miley Cyrus, The Killers and Halsey.
After their financial backers pulled out, Lang released a statement that said: “Woodstock belongs to the people and it always will. We don’t give up and Woodstock 50 will take place and will be a blast!” However, the festival was cancelled in July 2019 with Lang encouraging “artists and agents, who all have been fully paid, to donate 10% of their fees to HeadCount or causes of their choice in the spirit of peace.”
See tributes to Michael Lang below:
Rest In Peace, Michael Lang, visionary behind the Woodstock Festival. This impromptu pic was taken in front of Bread Alone on Tinker Street in the town of Woodstock just as Michael’s plans for Woodstock 50 were falling apart. I like to think we lifted his spirits a bit that day. pic.twitter.com/1Az3aMe2XP
R.I.P to Michael Lang, one of the Fab Four who helped get Woodstock off the ground in 1969. Here's one his last appearances talking about the festival.https://t.co/IY6M2lbKRu
JUST IN: #Woodstock organizer @HippyMike1969 MICHAEL LANG passed .RIP man! I was a baby when #Woodstock happened but lived near the site; remember growing up the stories from those who went LANG helped pull off one of the most impossible and immortalized music events in history! pic.twitter.com/UHRP6Bib87
The man behind the greatest concert ever. RIP Michael Lang. Thank you for turning me onto Sly & The Family Stone, when I saw the doc, as a kid. I can't even put into words how much seeing Woodstock for the first time meant to me. It was a life changer. https://t.co/FA5WIWAuXt
Perhaps it’s only now, with the passing of founder Paddy Moloney, that we can appreciate the enormity of The Chieftains’ achievement. Their longevity and profuse output (44 albums) are cause for celebration, but their real legacy is the transformation of Irish music from a backwater interest to ...
Perhaps it’s only now, with the passing of founder Paddy Moloney, that we can appreciate the enormity of The Chieftains’ achievement. Their longevity and profuse output (44 albums) are cause for celebration, but their real legacy is the transformation of Irish music from a backwater interest to a world-conquering force. It’s hard to understand, in an age when all things “Celtic” are a powerful strand in popular music, but when the Chieftains formed in 1962 – a collection of enthusiastic part-timers – Irish folk had little respect even at home. Inspired by the short-lived composer Sean O’Riada, who aspired to ally the beauty and mystery of folk with classical tradition, and with whom Moloney started his career, The Chieftains re-purposed their native tradition for modern times, becoming hugely influential on a new generation of musicians – Horslips, Planxty, the Bothy Band – and ultimately on their nation’s idea of itself.
Chronicles provides an admirable résumé of the band’s career, mixing tracks from all eras with live performances and collaborations with guest singers – songs always took second place to the purity of instrumentation and the grail of Irish classicism. In performance, they could sound more like an orchestra than a six-piece, and when the bodhran started to thump and twirl, and the pipes and whistles to wail, they rocked; try “Boil The Breakfast Early” from 1981’s Cambridge Folk Festival.
Alongside the jigs and reels, often taken at a manic pace, came the lyrical airs, highlighting the intricate, haunting Uillean pipes of Moloney. The addition of Derek Bell’s harp for 1973’s Chieftains 4 proved pivotal, supplying a gentle counterpoint to the shrill whistles and pipes. The otherworldly “The Women of Ireland (Mna Na hEireann)” on Chieftains 4 remains a defining moment. Written by O’ Riada, its presence on Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon helped awaken North America’s Irish diaspora, formerly fed on the shamrockery of the Clancy Brothers, to the real deal.
A steady stream of albums and success beyond the folk faithful didn’t bring much innovation, though 1983’s visit to China saw them dabble with fusion. Meanwhile, the mainstream was heading for peak Celtic – Clannad,The Pogues and eventually Enya, The Corrs and the dreaded Riverdance. 1988’s meeting with Van Morrison on Irish Heartbeat was a glorious alliance of talents, though it’s unrepresented here aside from a 1999 live version of “Star Of The County Down”. After that the collaborations proliferated; expeditions to Galicia and Nashville, Sinéad O’Connor as Edwardian waif on “The Foggy Dew”, Bon Iver’s spectral “Down In The Willow Garden”, Mick Jagger’s preposterous Deep South drawl on “The Long Black Veil”, Alison Krauss desolate on “Molly Bán (Bawn)” are among the highlights here. A trove of Celtic treasure.
