Robert "3D" Del Naja of Massive Attack has co-produced longtime collaborator Martina Topley-Bird's new EP Pure Heart, which is out now.
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Del Naja and Topley-Bird have worked together previously, with the latter singing on Massive Attack's 2010 album He...
Robert “3D” Del Naja of Massive Attack has co-produced longtime collaborator Martina Topley-Bird‘s new EP Pure Heart, which is out now.
Del Naja and Topley-Bird have worked together previously, with the latter singing on Massive Attack‘s 2010 album Heligoland. Elsewhere, the pair are linked through Bristol’s music scene with Topley-Bird appearing on fellow trip hop pioneer Tricky‘s early albums Maxinquaye (1995), Pre-Millennium Tension (1996) and Angels With Dirty Faces (1998).
The three-track Pure Heart EP precedes Topley-Bird‘s fourth album, Forever I Wait, which will be released on September 10. The EP tracks “Pure Heart“, “Hunt” and “Rain” all appear on the album’s tracklist.
Topley-Bird said the record is “a trip through my psyche, switching through different states and frequencies of emotions and reflections”.
“‘Pure Heart‘, with its echoes of The Cure, is the ode to my young teens, the time when I first really got into music in a devotional and tribal sense. It speaks of fears and desires, represents all new beginnings and states the quiet determination to follow the muse where it will lead. ‘Hunt‘ is the reckoning that must take place after the journey has begun, a commentary on power and the powerful, earning the peaceful resolution that comes with ‘Rain‘.
“This EP is a complete journey, a preview of sort, of the complete album with ‘Pure Heart‘ and ‘Rain‘ framing the beginning and the end.”
Forever I Wait is the singer-songwriter’s first album since 2010’s Some Place Simple and is her first self-produced and curated piece of work to date.
O’Connor wrote on the social media platform: “This is to announce my retirement from touring and from working in the record business. I’ve gotten older and I’m tired.â€
The musician went on to say that her upcoming album, No Veteran Dies Alone, will be her last album release: “NVDA in 2022 will be my last release. And there’ll be no more touring or promo.â€
She added: “This is not sad news. It’s staggeringly beautiful news. A warrior knows when he or she should retreat. It’s been a 40-year journey. Time to put the feet up and make other dreams come true.â€
On Saturday morning (June 5), O’Connor added: “Apologies if any upset caused to booking agents or promoters or managers due to my tweeting about my retirement.
“I guess the book made me realise I’m my own boss. I didn’t wanna wait for permission from the men, as to when I could announce it.â€
Earlier last week (June 3), O’Connor shared more details of her forthcoming 11th album, confirming the title, No Veteran Dies Alone. It will be released in January 2022.
O’Connor told Steve Wright on BBC Radio 2 last week (June 2) that the album will be released next year. She also told The New York Times in a recent interview that it will comprise seven songs.
St. Vincent has launched a new, 70s-themed retro radio station on Apple Music.
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READ MORE: Review: St. Vincent – Daddy's Home
WSTV Radio will see St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, take on the persona of a New York City radio DJ in the 70s.
Each epi...
St. Vincent has launched a new, 70s-themed retro radio station on Apple Music.
WSTV Radio will see St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, take on the persona of a New York City radio DJ in the 70s.
Each episode will take follow a “day in the life†theme as she plays hits from the ’70s plus special “premieres” of “new” songs from future music legends, according to Rolling Stone.
Speaking about the show, St. Vincent said: “On WSTV Radio, I take a little acid-trip back in time with a smooth voice and all the coolest new (old) tunes. It is a lot of fun (for me, at least.) Enjoy!!â€
St. Vincent. Credit: Zackery Michael
The official description of the show reads: “On WSTV Radio, the innovative art-rocker introduces her latest persona as she throws it back to the ’70s – tapping into the decade’s news, traffic, weather, and biggest hits by playing an NYC radio DJ.
“Clark takes a ‘day in the life’ approach on each episode, staying true to the day’s events as pulled from news archives. She’ll transport you back in time by playing the top three charting songs and new song ‘premieres’ from up-and-coming artists (who ended up making it big, of course) she took inspiration from while making her latest album Daddy’s Home.”
Episode one aired on Friday (June 4) and was set on August 15, 1972. St. Vincent re-visited Long Island’s Festival of Hope, which featured artists including Jefferson Airplane, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, James Brown and more.
Vincent also played music by Gilbert O’Sullivan, the Isley Brothers and David Bowie on the episode.
Courtney Love has launched her new covers series, Bruises For Roses, with a rendition of Billy Bragg and Wilco's "California Stars".
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BUY NOW: Wilcovered vinyl – 17 Wilco songs covered by the band's friends, including Low and Sharon Van Etten
The ...
Courtney Love has launched her new covers series, Bruises For Roses, with a rendition of Billy Braggand Wilco‘s “California Stars“.
The former Hole frontwoman has enlisted The Big Moon‘s Juliette Jackson for the video series after teasing in March that something was in the works. The project began as a way to aid her recovery from severe anaemia.
Watch the video for Love’s cover of “California Stars” here:
“California Stars“, featuring lyrics by the late Woody Guthrie, is taken from Bragg and Wilco‘s joint 1998 album Mermaid Avenue.
Simon & Garfunkel and Elliott Smith covers are also promised in the Bruises Of Roses video series, which is named after Love‘s collaboration with the fragrance company Edge Beauty and her upbringing in Portland, dubbed the City Of Roses.
Modest Mouse have shared a video for recent single "We Are Between" – you can watch it below.
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Directed by Kyle Thrash, the video features lead singer Isaac Brock stranded among a field of cars, with various characters – some real and some not – ...
Modest Mouse have shared a video for recent single “We Are Between” – you can watch it below.
Directed by Kyle Thrash, the video features lead singer Isaac Brock stranded among a field of cars, with various characters – some real and some not – flashing in and out of view.
“We Are Between” is taken from Modest Mouse‘s upcoming seventh album, The Golden Casket, their first new album in six years. It arrives on June 25.
Produced with Dave Sardy and Jacknife Lee in Los Angeles and Modest Mouse’s Portland studio, the record is said to reflect “the liminal space between raw punk power and experimental studio scienceâ€, according to an official release.
The release adds: “The 12 tracks behave like amorphous organisms, undergoing dramatic mutations and mood swings that speak to the chronic tug-of-war between hope and despair that plays out in frontman [Isaac] Brock’s head.â€
You can watch the video for “We Are Between” below:
Check the tracklist for The Golden Casket in full below:
01. ‘Fuck Your Acid Trip’
02. ‘We Are Between’
03. ‘We’re Lucky’
04. ‘Walking and Running’
05. ‘Wooden Soldiers’
06. ‘Transmitting Receiving’
07. ‘The Sun Hasn’t Left’
08. ‘Lace Your Shoes’
09. ‘Never Fuck A Spider On The Fly’
10. ‘Leave A Light On’
11. ‘Japanese Trees’
12. ‘Back To The Middle’
Prince's estate has released the second single from his upcoming posthumous ‘lost’ album Welcome 2 America, “Born 2 Dieâ€. You can hear it below.
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READ MORE: Inside the vault: Prince’s legendary lost albums
...
Prince‘s estate has released the second single from his upcoming posthumous ‘lost’ album Welcome 2 America, “Born 2 Dieâ€. You can hear it below.
The late musician’s estate has partnered Sony label Legacy Recordings to release the album on 30 July 2021. Welcome 2 America was recorded in 2010 and had been due to be released the following year. Prince had even embarked on a supporting tour, but the record was never released.
At the time, Prince described how the record discusses race relations, political division and social justice. As quoted in a press statement, he had said: “The world is fraught with misin4mation. George Orwell’s vision of the future is here. We need 2 remain steadfast in faith in the trying times ahead.â€
In addition to the digital release, a deluxe boxset version of the album will feature the regular 12-track album on vinyl and CD, alongside a previously unreleased full-length concert film from Prince’s show at The Forum in Inglewood, California on 28 April 2011.
See the tracklist for the full deluxe version below. You can preorder the album digitally and physically here.
LP1 – Welcome 2 America
1. Welcome 2 America
2. Running Game (Son of a Slave Master)
3. Born 2 Die
4. 1000 Light Years From Here
5. Hot Summer
6. Stand Up and B Strong (Soul Asylum cover)
7. Check The Record
8. Same Page, Different Book
9. When She Comes
10. 1010 (Rin Tin Tin)
11. Yes
12. One Day We Will All B Free
LP2 – Welcome 2 America (Live at The Forum, April 28, 2011)
1. Joy In Repetition
2. Brown Skin (India.Arie cover)
3. 17 Days
4. Shhh
5. Controversy
6. Theme From “Which Way Is Up†(Stargard cover)
7. What Have You Done For Me Lately (Janet Jackson cover)
8. Partyman
9. Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover)
10. Misty Blue (Eddy Arnold cover)
11. Let’s Go Crazy
12. Delirious
13. 1999
14. Little Red Corvette
15. Purple Rain
16. The Bird (The Time cover – Prince composition)
17. Jungle Love (The Time cover – Prince composition)
18. A Love Bizarre (Sheila E. cover – Prince composition)
19. Kiss
20. Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
21. Inglewood Swinging (cover of Kool & the Gang’s “Hollywood Swingingâ€)
22. Fantastic Voyage (Lakeside cover)
23. More Than This (Roxy Music cover)
Bubba Jone is a strange swamp-rock saga about a man just trying to catch a fish. As story-songs go, there’s not very much to it, but Tony Joe White manages to invest it with some humour and some gravity. Over a bluesy guitar lick and a humid groove, he savours the back-country details, even telli...
Bubba Jone is a strange swamp-rock saga about a man just trying to catch a fish. As story-songs go, there’s not very much to it, but Tony Joe White manages to invest it with some humour and some gravity. Over a bluesy guitar lick and a humid groove, he savours the back-country details, even telling you the brand of reel and the size of the boat, and he makes a meal – an entire feast, actually – out of the burbling syllables “bubbabubbabubbabubbaâ€. What might sound like a low-stakes character sketch instead becomes a study in disappointment and resilience, with White playing an Ahab of the bayou. Even without the sneaking suspicion that the fisherman might be kin to the characters in White’s oft-covered classic Willie And Laura Mae Jones, Bubba Jones is a worthy addition to this singer-songwriter’s idiosyncratic catalogue, no matter that he never released it during his lifetime.
It’s tempting to read something metaphorical into that fisherman’s struggle, as though that large-mouth bass might actually symbolise a hit song or some professional accolade. After all, White’s most notable songs were bigger hits for other artists than they ever were for him: Dusty Springfield recorded Willie And Laura Mae Jones in 1969, Brook Benton nearly took Rainy Night In Georgia to the top of the pop charts in 1970, and Elvis Presley made Polk Salad Annie into a live staple during his final tours. Despite his instantly recognisable voice and his facility with details of Southern life, White never enjoyed commercial success commensurate with his talent and eccentricities, but he kept recording and writing and touring until his death in 2018. Today he’s too big to be a cult artist, but not quite mainstream either.
Bubba Jones was one of countless unreleased songs he left behind, most of them recorded on reel-to-reel with just his voice and acoustic guitar. His son Jody White discovered and digitised them, eventually handing several over to The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach to flesh out into fully realised tracks. Nine of them have been collected on Smoke From The Chimney, White’s first posthumous release and a stirring portrait of a singular artist. In fact, Jody White had been trying to persuade his father to record with Auerbach for a decade, but Tony Joe was particular about his songs and preferred laying them down at his home studio outside Nashville.
The son’s instincts were sharp, as these two artists sound uniquely suited to each other. Both draw from blues and early rock influences, and both emphasise rhythm and propulsion in their songs. Auerbach dreamed up his fantasy session, using a small group of Nashville veterans and virtuosos that included drummer Gene Chrisman (who’s played withJerry Lee Lewis, among others), keyboardist Bobby Wood (Bobby Womack), and steel guitar player Paul Franklin (George Jones). Jody even hung old photos of his father around the studio – there in spirit if not in body.
This makeshift band soundtrack these songs carefully, whether White’s singing about financial struggle on Boot Money or asking for a little empathy on Someone Is Crying. Del Rio You’re Making Me Cry plays like a short film, with Billy Sanford’s graceful gut-string guitar solo evoking the West Texas landscape. Closer Billy matches a sobbing pedal steel to a barrelhouse piano, churning up a little sympathy for its beleaguered title character. The players manoeuvre adeptly around White’s deep voice, which can get so low that it barely registers on tape, and they emphasise his emotional range. His physical range is limited, of course, although few singers settle into their limitations as productively. But there’s something wistful and gentle in his delivery on the title track, and the players, especially the duo Flor De Toloache providing backing vocals, work to bolster that sense of nostalgia.
There’s not a moment on this album when the session players intrude on the song or on White’s vocal. There’s not a moment when they break the spell or remind you that this is not actually a collaborative record. In other words, it makes you forget, if only for a few minutes, that he wasn’t actually in the studio with them. Instead, they simply let him tell his stories. He even lays out his philosophy of life and music on the standout, Listen To Your Song. Over a blazing guitar lick and a swampy backbeat, he ponders the comfort to be found in a favourite tune: “When it seems like you’ll never find your way back home, listen to your songâ€.
The American art of Sacred Harp singing has spread far and wide since its inception in New England two centuries ago. And as societies continue to sprout across Canada, Australia, mainland Europe and the UK, the tradition has been vigorously upheld in the north-east of England by Cath & Phil Tyl...
The American art of Sacred Harp singing has spread far and wide since its inception in New England two centuries ago. And as societies continue to sprout across Canada, Australia, mainland Europe and the UK, the tradition has been vigorously upheld in the north-east of England by Cath & Phil Tyler. Prior to lockdown, the couple hosted a popular weekly night in Newcastle, while Cath is a Sacred Harp teacher of some repute.
In simplistic terms, Sacred Harp singing is designed as a social experience rather than for an audience, using shape notes for ease of learning and rooted in four-part harmony hymns. There’s often something thrillingly elemental in its discharge, as befits the naked origins of the term itself (sacred harp refers to the human voice).
This is just one facet of the Tylers’ music. Their interpretations of traditional song – drawn from both the US and Britain, often inviting a confluence of both – strip the source material to its core components, usually just voice and either banjo, acoustic guitar or fiddle. It’s an approach that’s sustained them for over 15 years now, in the form of live performances, collaborations and bare-bones studio albums. Prior to them tying the knot in 2003, Cath was once a member of shape-singing quartet Northampton Harmony in her native US, plus folk-punk outfit Cordelia’s Dad, who listed Steve Albini among their producers. Multi-instrumentalist Phil, meanwhile, has long been a mainstay of the Tyneside scene in bands like Spraydog and, most recently, slowcore trio Bad Amputee.
Some Heavy Hand is a riveting set that spans Cath & Phil Tyler’s career thus far, a refuge for waifs and strays that either didn’t make it onto their official albums or were cut for little-heard compilations. Palms Of Victory and Amazing Grace both date from their first ever recording session, at Brancepeth Castle in County Durham, in 2005. The former, a Methodist hymn once covered by The Carter Family, Bob Dylan and others, is a rousing plea for deliverance; the latter forgoes its customary feelgood zip for something altogether more sombre and considered.
Originally done for Oak Ash Thorn, 2011’s Peter Bellamy tribute, Our Fathers Of Old is a stirring a cappella take on the Rudyard Kipling poem that skewers arrogant folly through the ages, each generation seemingly consigned to repeating the same mistakes. Life is rarely less than an endurance trial in these songs, be it the narrator of Warfare (gleaned from EC Ball’s version, here served by Cath’s pure, strident tones over stroked banjo) or the weary protagonist of The Water Is Wide, broken by love’s false promise.
As stark as it is beautiful, Some Heavy Hand is a fine entry point for those yet to discover this beguiling duo.
Wolf Alice have shared a new single called “How Can I Make It OK?†– you can listen to it below.
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The enchanting track is the fourth taste of the London band’s forthcoming third album Blue Weekend, following on from “No Hard Feelingsâ€, “Th...
Wolf Alice have shared a new single called “How Can I Make It OK?†– you can listen to it below.
The enchanting track is the fourth taste of the London band’s forthcoming third album Blue Weekend, following on from “No Hard Feelingsâ€, “The Last Man On Earth†and “Smileâ€. The album arrives today (June 4) via Dirty Hit.
Listen to “How Can I Make It OK?” and watch its music video, directed by Jordan Hemingway, below:
Wolf Alice’s Blue Weekend was initially expected to arrive on June 11 but was brought forward by one week.
The group will take the record out on the road next January, when they’ll perform in Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, London and other cities over the course of the month. You can purchase tickets here.
The Beach Boys have announced details of a new box set, covering the highly influential 1969 - 1971 period of the band’s career.
Feel Flows – The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971 will be available from July 30 as a 5CD and digital box set.
The collection features newly remaster...
The Beach Boys have announced details of a new box set, covering the highly influential 1969 – 1971 period of the band’s career.
Feel Flows – The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971 will be available from July 30 as a 5CD and digital box set.
The collection features newly remastered versions of Sunflower and Surf’s Up and boasts 135 tracks, including 108 previously unreleased tracks, live recordings, radio promos, alternate versions, alternate mixes, isolated backing tracks and a cappella versions, culled from the album sessions.
You can hear the unreleased track “Big Sur” below.
The box also comes with a 48-page book featuring unseen and rare photos, lyric sheets, tape box images, recording artifacts, new liner notes and new and archival interviews from Al Jardine, Brian Wilson, Bruce Johnston, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love. Feel Flows will also be released in abbreviated versions including 4LP on both black vinyl and limited edition Translucent Blue and Translucent Gold color vinyl, 2LP black vinyl and 2CD editions.
Here’s a video of the unboxing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8g4xNNs7wE
Tracklisting for Feel Flows – The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971 is:
DISC 1 SUNFLOWER – ORIGINAL ALBUM
1. Slip On Through (2019 master) (2:19)
2. This Whole World (2019 master) (1:58)
3. Add Some Music To Your Day (2019 master) (3:36)
4. Got To Know The Woman (2019 master) (2:43)
5. Deirdre (2019 master) (3:30)
6. It’s About Time (2019 master) (2:57)
7. Tears In The Morning (2019 master) (4:07)
8. All I Wanna Do (2019 master) (2:36)
9. Forever (2019 master) (2:42)
10. Our Sweet Love (2019 master) (2:41)
11. At My Window (2019 master) (2:32)
12. Cool, Cool Water (2019 master) (5:03)
13. Sunflower Promo 1 (previously unreleased) (0:59)
SUNFLOWER – LIVE
Previously Unreleased – Produced by The Beach Boys
14. This Whole World (Live 1988) (2:10)
15. Add Some Music To Your Day (Live 1993) (3:23)
16. Susie Cincinnati (Live 1976) (2:46)
17. Back Home (Live 1976) (3:15)
18. It’s About Time (Live 1971) (3:45)
19. Riot In Cell Block 9 (Live 1970) (3:34)
SUNFLOWER – BONUS TRACKS
20. Break Away (original 1969 single mix) (2:55)
21. Celebrate The News (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (2:37)
22. Loop De Loop (previously unreleased 1969 mix) (2:59)
23. San Miguel (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (2:33)
24. Susie Cincinnati (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (3:02)
25. Good Time (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:56)
26. Two Can Play (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:06)
27. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (2021 stereo mix – previously unreleased) (3:21)
DISC TWO SURF’S UP – ORIGINAL ALBUM
1. Don’t Go Near The Water (2019 master) (2:41)
2. Long Promised Road (2019 master) (3:32)
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet (2019 master) (2:32)
4. Disney Girls (1957) (2019 master) (4:08)
5. Student Demonstration Time (2019 master) (3:59)
6. Feel Flows (2019 master) (4:44)
7. Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (2019 master) (1:57)
8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (2019 master) (3:09)
9. Til I Die (2019 master) (2:32)
10. Surf’s Up (2019 master) (4:14)
11. Surf’s Up Promo (previously unreleased) (1:02)
SURF’S UP – LIVE
Previously Unreleased
12. Take A Load Off Your Feet (Live 1993) (2:35)
13. Long Promised Road (Live 1972) (4:14)
14. Disney Girls (Live 1982) (4:23)
15. Surf’s Up (Live 1973) (4:58)
16. Student Demonstration Time (Live 1971) (4:42)
SURF’S UP – BONUS TRACKS
Previously unreleased (unless otherwise noted)
17. Big Sur (previously unreleased) (2:35)
18. H.E.L.P. Is On The Way (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:31)
19. Sweet And Bitter (previously unreleased) (2:33)
20. My Solution (previously unreleased) (3:44)
21. 4th of July (2019 mix – previously unreleased) (3:11)
22. Sound of Free (1970 single mix, 2019 master) (2:22)
23. Lady (Fallin’ In Love) (1970 stereo mix – previously unreleased) (2:21)
24. Seasons In The Sun (previously unreleased) (3:27)
DISC THREE SUNFLOWER SESSIONS
Previously unreleased
1. Sunflower Promo 2 (previously unreleased) (0:59)
2. Slip On Through (track and backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:47)
3. This Whole World (long version track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:10)
4. Add Some Music To Your Day (track and backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:35)
5. Deirdre (track – previously unreleased) (3:34)
6. It’s About Time (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:53)
7. Tears In The Morning (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:08)
8. All I Wanna Do (session intro, track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:46)
9. Forever (session highlights – previously unreleased) (3:36)
10. Forever (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:01)
11. Our Sweet Love (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:39)
12. At My Window (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:50)
13. Cool Cool Water (alternate 2019 mix – previously unreleased) (6:24)
14. San Miguel (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:57)
15. Loop De Loop (track – previously unreleased) (2:49)
16. Good Time (session intro, track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:27)
17. When Girls Get Together (track – previously unreleased) (1:47)
18. Slip On Through (alternate 1969 mix with session intro – previously unreleased) (3:25)
19. Our Sweet Love (string section – previously unreleased) (1:00)
1969-1970 A CAPPELLA
Previously unreleased
20. San Miguel (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (1:00)
21. Break Away (Tag) (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:18)
22. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:44)
23. Good Time (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:19)
24. This Whole World (backing vocals section – previously unreleased) (1:05)
25. Add Some Music To Your Day (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (3:30)
26. Got To Know The Woman (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:52)
27. It’s About Time (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:50)
28. All I Wanna Do (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:58)
29. Forever (previously unreleased 2019 a Cappella mix) (2:52)
DISC FOUR SURF’S UP SESSIONS
Previously unreleased
1. Don’t Go Near The Water (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:45)
2. Long Promised Road (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:38)
3. Take A Load Off Your Feet (alternate vocal – previously unreleased) (2:28)
4. Disney Girls (1957) (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (4:17)
5. Student Demonstration Time (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:46)
6. Feel Flows (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (5:02)
7. Lookin’ At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) (session intro and alternate mix – previously unreleased) (2:43)
8. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (2:55)
9. Til I Die (long version with alternate lyrics – previously unreleased) (4:47)
(Brian Wilson)
10. Surf’s Up (2019 mix – previously unreleased) (4:08)
(Brian Wilson-Van Dyke Parks)
11. (Wouldn’t It Be Nice To) Live Again (extended 2019 – previously unreleased) (6:50)
(Dennis Wilson-Stanley Shapiro)
SURF’S UP – A CAPPELLA
Previously unreleased
12. Don’t Go Near The Water (previously unreleased 2020 a Cappella mix) (2:36)
(Alan Jardine-Mike Love)
13. Long Promised Road (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (4:00)
14. Feel Flows (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:33)
15. Disney Girls (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:36)
16. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (backing vocals excerpt – previously unreleased) (0:32)
17. Til I Die (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (2:36)
18. Surf’s Up (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (4:04)
Bonus Tracks
Previously unreleased
19. I Just Got My Pay (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:43)
20. Walkin’ (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:44)
21. When Girls Get Together (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (3:45)
22. Baby Baby (previously unreleased) (3:13)
23. Awake (previously unreleased) (3:44)
24. It’s A New Day (previously unreleased) (2:20)
DISC FIVE Bonus Disc
Previously unreleased
1. This Whole World (alternate ending – previously unreleased) (1:41)
2. Add Some Music To Your Day (previously unreleased alternate version) (3:27)
3. Don’t Go Near The Water (alternate version – previously unreleased) (2:42)
4. Surf’s Up Part 1 (1971 remake track with 1966 Brian vocal – previously unreleased) (1:41)
5. Soulful Old Man Sunshine (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (3:14)
(Brian Wilson-Rick Henn-Don Ralke)
6. I’m Goin’ Your Way (previously unreleased alternate mix) (2:24)
(Dennis Wilson)
7. Where Is She (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:22)
(Brian Wilson)
8. Carnival (Over The Waves/Sobra Las Olas) (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (1:34)
9. It’s Natural (previously unreleased) (2:35)
10. Medley: All Of My Love / Ecology (previously unreleased) (5:05)
11. Before (previously unreleased) (2:25)
12. Behold The Night (previously unreleased) (2:26)
13. Old Movie (Cuddle Up) (previously unreleased) (3:37)
14. Hawaiian Dream (previously unreleased) (4:33)
15. Settle Down / Sound Of Free (basic session outtake – previously unreleased) (2:17)
16. I’ve Got A Friend (previously unreleased) (2:26)
17. Til I Die (piano demo – previously unreleased) (1:55)
18. Back Home (previously unreleased demo) (2:20)
19. Back Home (alternate version – previously unreleased) (2:34)
20. Won’t You Tell Me (demo – previously unreleased) (2:01)
21. Won’t You Tell Me (previously unreleased 2019 mix) (2:54)
22. Barbara (previously unreleased 2020 mix) (2:59)
23. Slip On Through (early version track) (2:48)
24. Susie Cincinnati (basic session highlights – previously unreleased) (3:05)
25. My Solution (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:04)
26. You Never Give Me Your Money (previously unreleased) (0:40)
27. Medley: Happy Birthday, Brian / God Only Knows (previously unreleased) (2:47)
28. You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone (track & backing vocals – previously unreleased) (3:32)
29. Marcella (a Cappella – previously unreleased) (3:27)
Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil is set to host six specialist shows on BBC Radio Scotland, starting this month.
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The Simon Neil Experience will hear Neil "explore his love of music and share tracks from artists that have inspired him as a musician and ...
Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil is set to host six specialist shows on BBC Radio Scotland, starting this month.
The Simon Neil Experience will hear Neil “explore his love of music and share tracks from artists that have inspired him as a musician and music fan”. Each show will focus on a particular genre including rock, pop, experimental, heartbreak, soundtracks, and metal.
The new six-part radio series, which will have special guests, kicks off next Wednesday (June 9) at 10pm BST and will broadcast at the same time weekly. Listeners will also be available to stream/download the show on BBC Sounds.
Neil said in a statement: “It’s a pleasure to be doing The Simon Neil Experience with BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds and I’m proud to present six shows that each explore a different style of music that I love. Radio has been a big part of my life as a musician and music fan, and whilst we were not able to travel and share our music with the world, I wanted to share the songs, and artists, that have helped me through the last year, and more, alongside some very special guests that I am incredibly excited about.â€
Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro performs live on stage during a one-off Q Awards show at The Roundhouse on October 15, 2019 in London, England. CREDIT: Jim Dyson/Getty Images
Gareth Hydes, who commissioned the series, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Simon to Radio Scotland’s presenter stable with this new series. We are excited to be working with him and looking forward to hearing the music that has inspired him through the decades and the stories behind them. It promises to be a must-listen for all Biffy Clyro fans but also for anyone interested in getting more insight in to what influences the front man of one of Scotland’s most successful musical exports.â€
IDLES are set to release their documentary, Don’t Go Gentle, in cinemas next month.
READ MORE: Listen to IDLES cover Gang of Four’s “Damaged Goodsâ€
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The documentary film, directed by Mark Archer, will be available to view in cinemas from Jul...
IDLES are set to release their documentary, Don’t Go Gentle, in cinemas next month.
The documentary film, directed by Mark Archer, will be available to view in cinemas from July 2 with fans able to buy tickets for the screenings here. The film will also have a few previews and Q&A sessions with filmmakers in selected cinemas from June 23-30.
The documentary will be available to stream via VOD from August 6 and can be pre-ordered here.
You can see the film’s trailer and preview dates below:
Initial Previews and Q&As
June 2021
23 – Watershed, Bristol 24 – Rio Cinema, London 24 – Abbeydale Cinema, Sheffield 25 – Duke of York, Brighton 26 – Picturehouse Arts, Cambridge 27 – Moth Club, London 27 – Curzon Soho, London 30 – Clapham Grand, London 30 – Showcase Cabot Circus, Bristol
July 2021
1 – Ritzy, London 1 – Phoenix, Exeter
A synopsis of the film reads: “Don’t Go Gentle captures the 10-year journey of IDLES’ struggle, grief and moving determination. Exploring their vulnerabilities through their experience, lyrics and sound, we learn the reasons why these five individuals have connected with legions of people across the world. We see just how that relationship unfolds in the most courageous and positive of human ways.
“In a time when the ground is shifting beneath our feet, where open communication and truthful reflection are more vital than ever, we journey with lead singer Joe Talbot and the band as they tear across stages, knocking down stereotypes, empowering fans to talk about mental health and the realities we may not feel comfortable to speak about.â€
New Order and Pet Shop Boys have rescheduled their joint North American tour for the third time due to the coronavirus pandemic – this time with dates set for autumn 2022.
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The revised tour dates now include guest DJ Paul Oakenfold and take in an add...
New Order and Pet Shop Boys have rescheduled their joint North American tour for the third time due to the coronavirus pandemic – this time with dates set for autumn 2022.
The revised tour dates now include guest DJ Paul Oakenfold and take in an additional date at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in New York. Head here for tickets.
New Order announced the change on Twitter: “Due to continuing uncertainty caused by the Covid pandemic, [Pet Shop Boys] and New Order unfortunately have to announce that their much-anticipated Unity Tour of North America will be moving to next year.”
See the rescheduled 2022 Unity Tour tour dates below:
September 2022
Saturday 17 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
Monday 19 — Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
Wednesday 21 — Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
Friday 23 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
Sunday 25 — Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at the Mann
Wednesday 28 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Friday 30 — Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
October 2022
Sunday 2 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory
Friday 7 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Saturday 8 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Wednesday 12 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
Friday 14 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
Sunday 16 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
London’s De Underground record store has received a blue heritage plaque for its contributions to several underground music scenes in the ’90s.
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Owned by Mike De Underground, Cool Hand Flex, Uncle 22 and DJ Randall, the hugely influential store only...
London’s De Underground record store has received a blue heritage plaque for its contributions to several underground music scenes in the ’90s.
Owned by Mike De Underground, Cool Hand Flex, Uncle 22 and DJ Randall, the hugely influential store only ran for five years between 1991 and 1996, but has now been officially recognised by the London Borough of Newham Heritage Project as “instrumental in the development of UK hardcore, jungle and drum & bass musicâ€.
As well as being a well-respected record store, De Underground also operated as a recording studio, responsible for a number of seminal releases including De Underground Crew’s “Melody Madness†and the heavily sampled “Six Million Ways To Dieâ€.
Posting on Instagram alongside a picture of the plaque being presented, Rendezvous Records wrote: “Massive respect and thanks to all involved with De Underground, it’s been a privilege and delighted to see @newhamlondon and @newhamheritagemonth recognising your contribution to British culture, our lives are richer for it.â€
Audio clips have also been installed around Sebert Road in London, playable via QR codes on placards attached to streetlights, with the intention of recognising and celebrating Black innovators in UK dance music history and culture.
A new hour-long podcast, titled Crate Digging: The Influence of De Underground Records, has also been produced by Rendezvous Records to celebrate Newham Heritage Month. The podcast features interviews with various key figures from the scene at the time – listen below.
Meanwhile, Record Store Day will have events taking place in both June and July in 2021.
It comes after the 2020 version of the annual celebration ended up being split across three events in August, September and October.
After announcing their initial date of June 12 for 2021’s RSD at the end of last year, an additional date of July 17 has since been added.
Liz Phair has spent the pandemic at her home in Manhattan Beach – an upmarket seaside community in Southern California. “I don’t think I have self-care,†Phair reflects on this protracted period of isolation. “I have determination and grit!â€
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Liz Phair has spent the pandemic at her home in Manhattan Beach – an upmarket seaside community in Southern California. “I don’t think I have self-care,†Phair reflects on this protracted period of isolation. “I have determination and grit!â€
Speaking to Uncut for our July 2021 issue, from a lime-green room adorned with hot-pink curtains, pink artwork and pink balloons, Phair explains that she has spent lockdown in the company of her adult son, Nick – who has reactive airway disease – which means she has remained on a “very protective spectrum†compared with many people she knows.
“My friends have been gallivanting everywhere,†she explains with evident frustration. “I can’t even talk about it.†Most days, she explains, she and Nick have disinfected their groceries and refused to permit guests inside the house. “More than anything I have a sense of being really lucky to be able to stay home,†she says. “Self-care is like, ‘Wow, I can look out my window at the ocean.’ That makes me enormously more fortunate than a lot of people.â€
Another unavoidable consequence of the pandemic is a delay in the release of Soberish – her seventh studio album and first since 2010. A typically candid collection of songs, the album continues the kinetic and playful ruminations on love, relationships, sex and womanhood Phair has been exploring since the start of her career. As a taster, in February she released Hey Lou – an imaginary dinner table conversation betweenLou Reed and Laurie Anderson that brought into focus her gifts for wry, observational lyrics and hook-laden choruses. Soberish also reunites Phair with Brad Wood – the producer and engineer who helped transform Phair’s bedroom recordings into her 1993 debut Exile In Guyville.
“I came in with a mandate,†Phair explains. “I want to do something that’s evocative of our past, that uses some of the same sounds, but in an entirely new way.†It made sense, Phair continues, to return her roots with Wood – and not just for comfort’s sake. “I also wanted to reclaim our position as pioneers,†she says. “So I challenged us to make music that people might take a minute to adjust to.â€
After …Guyville marked Phair as a feminist trailblazer – whose candid, profanity-strewn anthems helped normalise female sexuality, anger and longing in mainstream channels – she navigated the alt.rock explosion to become one of its most unique and potent voices. Yet, following a number of unexpected career twists in the years since, Phair paused her music career. She focused on life as a single mother and pivoted to sound design for television – work, she acknowledges, that helped inform the alternately intricate and airy quality of Soberish. “I knew after my television composition work that I was more interested in complexity, but I also wanted it to be evocative of Guyville, to have the air and spaces somehow,†she says.
In some respects, it seems natural that Phair should continue to refer to her debut album, nearly 30 years since its release. Guyville is a useful barometer against which Phair can continue to judge not just the continuing relevance of its torch-bearing provocations, but also how much she has developed as an artist. Soberish, for instance, features a song called Bad Kitty, which traces a complete circle from Guyville to the present day.
“I don’t live in a world that appreciates meâ€, she sings. “You could say that I’m ahead of my timeâ€. “I’m grappling with being one of the fallen bodies on the road to progress,†Phair explains. “How many times I’ve had to pick myself up from being dead, like getting knocked down and then getting back up.â€
Roger Taylor has shared details of a UK tour this autumn – see dates below.
ORDER NOW:Â The July 2021 issue of Uncut
The Queen drummer is set to release his sixth solo album Outsider on October 1 and will play cuts from the new record alongside Queen classics on a 14-date tour.
The tour...
Roger Taylor has shared details of a UK tour this autumn – see dates below.
The Queen drummer is set to release his sixth solo album Outsider on October 1 and will play cuts from the new record alongside Queen classics on a 14-date tour.
The tour kicks off on October 2 at Newcastle’s O2 Academy before wrapping up at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on October 22.
Ticket pre-sale starts at 10am next Tuesday (June 8) – find out more here. Fans who pre-order the album via Taylor‘s official site before 4pm BST on Monday (June 7) will get advanced and early access to pre-sale tickets.
See the full tour dates here:
October 2021
Saturday 2 – NEWCASTLE, O2 Academy
Sunday 3 – MANCHESTER, Academy
Tuesday 5 – YORK, Barbican
Wednesday 6 – CARDIFF, St. David’s Hall
Friday 8 – LIVERPOOL, O2 Academy
Saturday 9 – NORWICH, University East Anglia (UEA)
Monday 11 – BATH, Forum
Tuesday 12 – BOURNEMOUTH, O2 Academy
Thursday 14 – PLYMOUTH, Pavilions
Friday 15 – NOTTINGHAM, Rock City
Sunday 17 – BEXHILL, De La Warr Pavilion
Tuesday 19 – GUILFORD, G Live
Wednesday 20 – COVENTRY, HMV Empire
Friday 22 – LONDON, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Taylor‘s intimate upcoming tour marks his first live performances outside Queen in more than two decades.
The songwriter, who wrote many of Queen‘s hits including “A Kind of Magic” and “Radio Ga Ga“, said in a statement: “For some time now, we’ve all just been trying to get by. Now, it’s back to the basics, myself and some great musical pals getting back out there to play some rock. Obviously we’ll include some of the Queen classic catalogue, and some of my earlier solo work, but we’ll also be introducing them to some of the new stuff. So we hope folks are going to come on down.â€
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 13: Roger Taylor of Queen performs at Suncorp Stadium on February 13, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Marc Grimwade/WireImage)
The rocker will perform with a specially assembled band for the tour made up of Queen + Adam Lambert’s keyboardist Spike Edney and supporting drummer Tyler Warren, plus guitarist Jason Falloon and Goldfrapp live players keyboardist Angie Pollock and bassist Charlie Jones.
Outsider is Taylor’s first album of new material since 2013’s Fun On Earth. Much of it was recorded during lockdown and, as per press material, finds the multi-instrumentalist in a “reflective” mood. He dedicated it “to all the outsiders, those who feel left on the sidelines”.
Taylor added: “I’ve had a bit of a creative spurt and suddenly found myself with an album, which was lovely. It was a surprise! I just found myself in the studio and they came out one after the other. It was a pleasure really.â€
Pete Doherty has announced an intimate headline show to take place in Camden, London next month.
ORDER NOW:Â The July 2021 issue of Uncut
The Libertines frontman will return to his old stomping ground for a show at Powerhaus, formerly Dingwalls, on July 3.
Tickets for the intimate, 500-ca...
Pete Doherty has announced an intimate headline show to take place in Camden, London next month.
The Libertines frontman will return to his old stomping ground for a show at Powerhaus, formerly Dingwalls, on July 3.
Tickets for the intimate, 500-capacity show go on sale today (June 2) at 10am. You can find them here.
It won’t be Doherty’s only intimate London performance of the year, with The Libertines set to perform four shows at Kentish Town’s O2 Forum, this December as part of their Winter Giddy Up A Ding-Dong tour.
A statement about these “up close and personal†shows, which were teased by the band earlier last week, added: “The Libertines are pleased as punch to announce a 15-date Christmas jaunt across the UK in November and December, including two shows at London’s O2 Forum, the scene of the bands legendary shows in December 2003.â€
The Cure have released their acclaimed CURÆTION-25 performance at London's Meltdown Festival in 2018 on streaming services for the first time.
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Previously released as a DVD, the ambitious performance saw The Cure playing songs from each of the bandâ€...
The Cure have released their acclaimed CURÆTION-25 performance at London’s Meltdown Festival in 2018 on streaming services for the first time.
Previously released as a DVD, the ambitious performance saw The Cure playing songs from each of the band’s 13 studio albums in chronological order, spanning their catalogue from 1979 to 2018, and then in reverse order from 2018 to 1979, as part of two symmetrical sets.
The first set was called From There To Here and saw them play one song from each of their 13 studio albums in chronological order, before ending with the recent unreleased song “It Can Never Be the Same”.
They then returned to open with “Step Into the Light” before then playing a track from each album once more, but this time in reverse chronology and ending on “Boys Don’t Cry“.
Now, it’s been confirmed that the show will stream in the US on The Coda Collection, a subscription streaming offering featuring an exclusive, curated selection of iconic music documentaries, concert films, and episodic series via Amazon Prime Video Channels.
“This Meltdown performance is memorable for many reasons,†said The Cure’s Robert Smith.
“The format we chose gave the band a unique opportunity to illuminate and celebrate the kaleidoscopic musical trip we are all on, in a very special venue in a very special year.”
Patrick Sky, known for being a pioneering member of the Greenwich Village folk scene in the '60s, has died aged 80.
The singer-songwriter passed away on May 27 in a hospice in Asheville, North Carolina. As Rolling Stone reports, his wife – fellow musician and novelist Cathy Larson Sky – confi...
Patrick Sky, known for being a pioneering member of the Greenwich Village folk scene in the ’60s, has died aged 80.
The singer-songwriter passed away on May 27 in a hospice in Asheville, North Carolina. As Rolling Stonereports, his wife – fellow musician and novelist Cathy Larson Sky – confirmed Sky had succumbed to prostate and bone cancer. He had previously been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017.
Patrick Sky was best known for his highly provocative satirical record “Songs That Made America Famous“, which was recorded in 1971 but wasn’t released until some years later, following difficulties trying to get a record label to sign off on the profanities.
Fellow musician and friend, Eric Andersen, paid tribute to Sky on Thursday (May 27) in a post praising his “brilliant mind and insightful soul”.
“Well, today’s a big, big sad day for me personally and for all of us songwriter music lovers. The dark? Well, he finally got there…” he wrote in a statement onFacebook.
“Patrick Sky the songwriter, singer, and Irish Uilleann bagpipe luthier has left this world into the light from a hospice in Ashville, North Carolina, but didn’t leave us for good. Songs are spirits and always remain behind.”
Andersen went on to acknowledge Sky‘s friendship with Buffy St. Marie and Peter LaFarge, founded on their shared experiences as Indigenous Native Americans, and confirming a long-held rumour: “Heard the rumor just confirmed by your son Liam. Joni Mitchell’s song “Last Time I Saw Richard” on her album Blue was of course about you.”
Born in Georgia, Sky grew up in Louisiana and served in the US military before becoming part of Florida’s burgeoning folk scene. It was there he met St. Marie and proceeded to move to New York, where he recorded her debut album.
Later in his career, Sky turned more towards traditional folk music, reflective of his Irish roots. In the ’70s, the part Creek Indian, part Irish singer-songwriter visited Ireland and set out to learn – and build – the Uilleann pipes. Sky went on to start the Celtic folk label Green Linnet, and serve as a Rhode Island state planner on Native American affairs.
Patrick Sky is survived by his wife Cathy Larson Sky and son Liam Sky.
Portishead are one of a number of artists who are being commemorated in a new music project which celebrates Bath and Bristol.
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The history of both Bath and Bristol's music scene is being highlighted via the Everything is Music website, which went live...
Portishead are one of a number of artists who are being commemorated in a new music project which celebrates Bath and Bristol.
The history of both Bath and Bristol’s music scene is being highlighted via the Everything is Music website, which went live last week (May 28).
The website features historical information on over 250 venues in the regions, alongside interviews with artists and producers. Users will also be able to access the information from a phone app in what developers are deeming “a location-based digital museum project taking you on a musical journey through Bristol and Bath”.
A description on the site’s Instagram page added: “From 28 May, discover personal stories and archive material from the people and places who form the musical fabric of these cities.”
Portishead feature in the app and can be heard sharing their memories of recording their first album Dummy in Bristol. Other artists who feature in the project include IDLES and Tears For Fears.
As reported on the BBC, the website has been created by Landmrk who have worked on the project with Crack magazine.
Ben Price told the BBC: “So many people have done amazing research into Bristol’s musical history but it is always something temporary in a museum or an exhibition, we wanted to make something more permanent.
“People can walk around the cities and unlock amazing stories, it takes the idea of a museum out of four walls.
“I’m most proud of the way we have democratised the technology, making it really useable and friendly.”
A post on Crack added that the interactive map on the site also features “an immersive audio walking tour from DJ Pinch guiding users through key points in the story of dubstep”.
It also includes: “A celebration of the women who have reshaped and defined the electronic music landscape of Bristol, a walkthrough the various iconic soundsystems of St. Pauls Carnival and a spoken word performance from Solomon O.B. who last year performed at the historic toppling of the Colston statue.”