Prince & 3rd Eye Girl - Pretzelbodylogic

Ida Nielsen: “The way it all started [in December 2012], we didn’t know we were going to be a band; we didn’t even have a name. We just went to Paisley Park and were jamming with Prince and he was teaching us all these new songs. And then all of a sudden we’re doing the Jimmy Fallon show and he’s introducing us as 3rdEyeGirl. And we’re like: ‘Oh, OK, that’s our name, then.’”

Hannah Ford Welton: “Every day is spontaneous like that for us – we all had to get used to it. But it’s especially hard to live in the moment today – everything is planned and scheduled, so when you step out of that and you create your own space where everything is up in the air, it keeps things fresh and interesting. Tomorrow we could be on the other side of the world.”

Donna Grantis: “Prince has an unbelievable work ethic that rubs off on all of us, but time exists in a different way at Paisley Park. Every day there are things to accomplish but it’s not related to the hour. It’s just: before the next resting period, we need to get this done. On one song, Another Love, there’s a giant guitar solo at the end, which we were rehearsing at four in the morning. Prince asked when I’d like to record it and I said: ‘You know what, I’ll do it tomorrow morning. I’ll think about it, work out some concepts …’ And he replied: ‘Let’s record it now.’ I had to go for it. It turned out to be a part where he and I are soloing and playing off each other and it’s really special.”

Nielsen: “We did this album old school, live, all in the same room, so if someone made a mistake everything had to be redone. That’s how it used to be in the old days: one, two, three, go! Play good! We thought we were learning new material to play live. But all of a sudden, he said: ‘Let’s make a sequence.’”

Grantis: “I was totally shocked. This was one take, play it perfectly all the way through, figure out the sounds on the spot. We had to play our parts so quickly that our musical instinct took over – the first sound or feel we thought might fit is what you’ll hear on the record. With the song Wow, we didn’t even play it all the way through before we recorded it.”

Welton: “Prince has really encouraged us to take the reins and be courageous with our playing. It’s OK to make mistakes as long as you’re trying for something, know how to recover and keep going. Either it can be fixed or it can’t and we have to redo it, but it’s OK to take chances. What’s cool is that Prince teaches us the grooves but he’s very much open to our interpretation of the parts, as long as we stay true to the feel. He’s not a stickler, like: ‘This is what I gave you, this is what you play.’ He’s really laid back – at least, he is with us. That’s what makes our sound and shows so special because you hear all of our different personalities shine through the music.”

Welton: “We all take this very seriously, so we’re all constantly challenging each other and keeping each other accountable. And sometimes that calls for what Prince says is ‘policing each other’ in rehearsals and finding weak spots in the song and drilling them. We all have to go in together and rub all the kinks out of the music so that when you come to a show it comes off flawless.”

Welton: “One thing Prince has said a few times is that with every performance, go in with the mindset that it’s being recorded, as much as we encourage people to put their phones away and bootlegging is highly discouraged – he calls bootlegs “unfinished recordings” because the sound quality is not nearly the same. He says to dress like you’re being videotaped, perform as if you’re in the studio, and nail it. Because at some point someone will be recording and they’ll probably put it online and you have to look at and hear yourself and you want to be proud of it.”

Welton: “I’ve never been in a band up until this point where I’ve seen thousands of people lining up outside a venue and down the street for a mile – and I can’t think of an artist out right now, other than us, that I would do that for. The genuine love and loyalty from the fans was really eye-opening, that they are willing to train it for hours to stand outside for hours before even getting in. People don’t do that any more. Some people got frustrated about the process of the Hit and Run tour in that tickets weren’t for presale but at the same time, we did that for the fans – we wanted them to be able to pay £10 rather than £900.”

From: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/25/3rdeyegirl-on-prince-ping-pong-and-women-in-music-who-treat-their-bodies-like-meat

Susanna Hoffs - Beekeeper's Blues

Like Paul McCartney, she was the cute one, the half-pint, "front woman" for the quartet, The Bangles. Perhaps it was this uneven attention quotient that forced the members to dissolve the group. Who knows? But they were one heck of a great band. Like all great bands you'd expect the parts which are no longer the sum to shine or attempt to shine on their own. And so it was with Susanna Hoffs, the most recognizable name from the group. 
Miss Hoffs's first solo attempt When You're A Boy can be written off as the banal fluff that it was. After that flop, the pen was poised to write off Hoffs, herself. But then came the Tuesday Night Music Club to the rescue. You may remember these guys, Kevin Gilbert, David Baerwald and Brian Macleod. They sprinkled their talents throughout Sheryl Crow's smash debut. Now these musicians would have been more than enough to create incredible sounds -- but wait there's more… Matthew Sweet and Jason Falkner (Jellyfish), Jon Brion (man with the Midas Touch - Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Macy Gray, The Mommyheads and on and on….), Mick Fleetwood. There is so much talent; so many musicians on this album you'd figure the Too Many Cooks in The Kitchen Rule would apply. Not even! Everyone comports themselves with restraint. This result is a pleasantly consistent and solid album. 
A dusty, jangly guitar pervades the atmosphere of Susanna Hoffs. Hoffs's voice falls through the chords like pearl drops with an edge of fine grain sandpaper. The writing in strong, eloquent and personal. Many of these songs are about relationships laced with dysfunction. The first song, "Beekeeper's Blues," paves the way, the opening lines being "You only call when you want money / And when I need you you're not there."
An exception, "Eyes Of My Baby," is a moving song about a single woman meeting the man of her life. A topic that could have easily tipped the scale towards mawkishness is, instead, delivered with frankness, conveying the anxiety and bliss that accompanies such a transition in life.
"Weak With Love," a song about two people's response to the shooting death of John Lennon, is stark and poignant. It drives the loss home better than any other song I've heard on the tragedy. You will immediately relate and recall the moment you heard the distressing news. There's also an interesting cover of the Lightning Seeds' "All I Want" in which the lyrics have been altered. If you are familiar with the original you may find this a little unsettling but that's made up by Hoffs's superb vocals and the dash of rockabilly added to the arrangement.
I can't recall right now which reviewer on this panel has an allergic reaction to those secret tracks tacked on to the end of a disc. [Editor's note: Nice way not to piss off the boss, Alicia.] Usually, they are dross, not worthy of studio time. But let me tell you, the two surprise tracks at the end of Susanna Hoffs are pure gems! The first, a gorgeous cover of "To Sir With Love" rivals Lulu's version. The second, "Stuck In The Middle With You" completely out does the Steeler's Wheel original. It is downright funky! This is by far Hoffs's most mature effort. And I mean with or without the Bangles. It's a crime that this album hasn't garnered the attention it deserves.  From: http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=1402

Liquid Pennies - Echolalia

You gotta love a band that describe themselves as “psychedelic explorers;” that’s exactly how St. Petersburg-based act Liquid Pennies introduce themselves… And honestly, it’s a pretty apt description. The power trio specializes in a hard-to-describe sound, combining elements of prog, psych rock, and indie with a little bit of je ne sais quoi powder sprinkled overtop. They’re proud to announce their latest offering, Fore, which explores all of the aforementioned elements in a tight-but-expansive collection of eight intriguing songs. With a laundry list of wild influences – think The Mars Volta, TV on the Radio, The Smile, and King Crimson (and anything and everything in between), it’s not hard to imagine that Liquid Pennies are here to push a few boundaries. Luckily for us listeners, they do it in an exquisitely listenable way, a challenge for some prog-ish acts, but not this talented trio.
Not for the faint of heart, “Echolalia” is an 11-minute jam that finds itself ruminating on a deep groove, rooted heavily by a droning vibe, in-the-pocket bassline, bongo slaps, and Yorke-esque falsetto. As you’ll find, it evolves/devolves into a wild, face-melting jam. Time signatures go out the window. Rhythm and melody stab together in jaunty and angular hits. And it’s all soaked by an octave-heavy distortion that sounds like grinding machinery. They even find a way to slap a phaser on the drums… While they’re certainly capable of pulling off more pop-centric songwriting, if anything, this is Liquid Pennies encapsulated – the trio operating at maximum efficiency and musicianship, jamming in pure harmony with one another.  From: https://buffablog.com/liquid-pennies-fore/ 

Suden Aika - Raudan Sinty

Suden Aika means "time of the wolves," with the wolf representing freedom, truth, and the wild for the four Finnish musicians. "We want our souls to resonate together. When you sing together and look into each other's eyes, you can experience the moment when you are in harmony with one another and when time stands still," say Suden Aika, thus describing the effect their music, deeply rooted in Finnish and Nordic tradition, has on their listeners. For Suden Aika, time truly stands still when the women's quartet celebrates its songs. The women sing a cappella or accompanied by Nordic folk instruments, such as the zither-like kantele or the key-shaped mora harp, but also by percussion and flutes. Yet they aren't a quartet in the traditional sense: "We don't have the classic division of two sopranos and two altos. We all sing both the very high and low notes, and our pieces often oscillate between quiet and explosive passages." This often results in exciting, unusual soundscapes. The ensemble has been on the road since 2003 and has gained a loyal fan base in Germany, at least since its performance at the Rudolstadt Dance & Folk Festival in 2006. "Sisaret" (Sisters) is the title of their latest studio album. In their recordings, the quartet draws on legends and poems dating back up to 1,000 years, which they have re-set to music in the tradition of runic chants and interpreted with their own musical approach. "Even if the listeners don't understand the sung texts, they quickly sense what they're about. Because ultimately, it's the music that tells the stories."  Translated from: https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/das-quartett-suden-aika-folkige-frauenpower-aus-finnland-100.html 

Journey - Opened The Door

If you can forget that this is the transition album that led the band down the road to Anway You Want It and Open Arms, what you have is a progressive leaning band at their peak, playing hook-filled, masterfully crafted songs, and recorded by a master producer who uses just about every 70's production trick in the book to sweeten the album. Sure, the songs are shorter, and the band doesn't stretch out like they did on previous albums, but if you think about it, transition albums are often the most enjoyable albums of a band's career (if not best). I love this album, and paired with Dream After Dream, it satisfies my desire to hear a world class vocalist like Steve Perry singing progressive leaning rock.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/album-reviews.asp?id=19610 

Lore - Woven

For those that like to keep up with the doings of guitar player Laur “Little Joe” Joamets—the Estonian ax slinger who set houses on fire behind Sturgill Simpson from 2015 to 2017—he’s formed a new project with Nashville-based and noted blues singer Laura Reed called “Lore.” Forged earlier this year and playing their first few shows right before the pandemic hit, the duo has just released a new song called “Surrender” that Laura Reed co-wrote with Shannon Sanders. This is the first taste of a new album coming from the duo produced by a power duo of Dave Schools and Vance Powell. 
The band formed when Laur recorded an instrumental album in 2019, and brought it to Vance Powell for mastering. Believing Joamets could benefit with working with a vocalist, Laur ended up pairing with Laura Reed off of a Facebook post, and the duo immediately hit it off as a vocal/guitar power duo.  Laura Reed was born in South Africa, but was raised in the United States where she started performing and collaborating early, including with George Clinton and PFunk. Reed has toured extensively as a vocalist with a wide array of artists from places like New Orleans and Asheville while also putting together a solo career. 
Laur Joamets came to the United States after he was introduced to Sturgill Simpson by producer Dave Cobb, who knew of Joamets through Rival Sons drummer Michael Miley, who is married to a woman from Estonia. Laur played some of Sturgill’s most memorable performances, including on Saturday Night Live, and on the Grammy Awards before leaving the band in 2017. Most Recently Joamets has been playing guitar for long-time roots rock band Drivin’ & Cryin’.  From: https://savingcountrymusic.com/laur-joamets-joins-laura-reed-in-new-project-lore/ 

Cró! - Buah

The Catalonian online record label Bestiar was set up to promote local artists who would otherwise get overlooked, and although the fledgling label initially focused on acts from the Barcelona area it has gradually started to introduce bands from other Spanish regions. One such band is Cró!, a young outfit from Vigo in the north-western region of Galicia. To be specific about the musical style of Cró! is difficult but the band's 2009 self-titled debut album immediately set out a prog manifesto of psychedelic post-rock nuanced with jazz and alt-rock. Worth pointing out is the important role that visuals play in the group's live performances; video designer Borja Bernardez is accorded equal status to the other band members and he is always credited on their albums. 
Musical and visual improvisation go hand in hand during their concerts, and their interest in free variation was manifested in the sophomore release 'Dime Que Quedó Grabado!' which comprised a collection of improvisatory live and studio recordings from the years 2007-2011. The guitar-play of Rubén Abad on the latest album 'Onkalo' (2012) propels their sound ever closer towards a lightweight King Crimson but the band's principal means of expression continues to be their fusion of musical improvisation, technology and video art.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=8136 

 

Eurythmics - It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)

The 1980s were an incredibly productive decade for Eurythmics. After bursting on to the pop scene with the krautrock textures of 1981’s In The Garden, there was an album a year almost without fail all the way through to 1989’s We Too Are One and their first extended hiatus. Coming slap bang in the middle of everything is their fourth/fifth album Be Yourself Tonight, released on Monday 29 April 1985. Just five months earlier the duo had released what was intended as a soundtrack album (not without controversy), 1984 (For The Love Of Big Brother), for the film of the George Orwell novel and were riding a huge critical wave.
Largely recorded in the outer suburbs of Paris with additional tracking in Detroit and Los Angeles, Be Yourself Tonight continued Eurythmics’ high profile progression, but saw Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart cast off their digital iciness. According to Annie, the duo wanted to make “commercial but also very individual” music that was a concerted, commercial shift away from their trademark experimental synthetic pop to adopt a more traditional band-based rock and R&B sound.
Having said that, thanks to Lennox’s leanings, there was often a vein of ’60s rhythm and blues running underneath even the most synthesized of Eurythmics songs. Stereogum were pretty on the ball when they offered the observation that with a sweet Wrecking Crew arrangement, Here Comes The Rain Again could have been a hit for Diana Ross and the Supremes, one of Annie’s favourite groups growing up in the austere granite grey of Aberdeen.
The release of Be Yourself Tonight also coincided with a new look for the singer, who ditched the carrot-topped child of Ziggy Stardust androgyny of the previous albums and became, in biographer Lucy O’Brien’s words, “a bleach-blonde rock ‘n’ roller.”
While it does contain some genuinely exceptional songs, the record as a whole comes off a little overrated in retrospect. Be Yourself Tonight is essentially a deep soul album in white-English-geek drag. As far as exploring new song structures and broadening the sonic palette then Be Yourself is atypically conventional and perhaps unadventurous, though in terms of songwriting it’s an extremely solid piece of work.
Would I Lie To You? is a brash, uncompromising album opener and lead single, giving listeners a first hint that they’re in for a raucous ride. Everything in this deliciously defiant two-finger salute clicks: the almost disco bassline, the metallic – but nowhere near generic metallic – guitar riffs, the funky gasping-for-air brass section, and the fiery emotionalism of Annie’s soaring vocals (caterwauling, one less kind review opined at the time), all combine to make the song one of the finest examples of Eighties white rhythm and blues. Now you know how it goes: if you ain’t got a great set of lungs, you ain’t truly fit for R&B, and if you ain’t got enough vocal hook lines to back it up, your R&B is gonna stink like a skunk down a drainpipe.
Neither is a problem on Be Yourself Tonight. Annie’s singing only gets better with time, so much, in fact, that she goes toe-to-toe (and holding her own) with Aretha Franklin’s powerhouse pipes and manages to match the Queen of Soul (no mean feat, obviously) seamlessly on Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves, the bombastic gospel-inflected duet that has since become a feminist anthem, and also serves as the centrepiece and defines the album. 
Sticking with the singles, I’ve often felt It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) was one of the more under-appreciated Eurythmics 45s from their first flush, but aside from the bass-heavy electronic pulses and the yearning fluttering warmth of Lennox’s vocals, the song was notable for marking the first time a Eurythmics album boasted four bona fide hits. Moreover, the duo did go on to receive an Ivor Novello Award in 1986 for the track, recognising the composition’s musical and lyrical importance.  From: https://www.stevepafford.com/beyourself/

Boogarins - Sombra Ou Dúvida

Formed by friends Fernando Almeida and Benke Ferraz when they were still in high school, tropical psychedelic rock band Boogarins filters the sunny weirdness of '60s Tropicalia pop through more modernized D.I.Y. punk and indie-psych approaches. The band started out as two friends recording songs on borrowed gear and glitchy computers in their parents' basements, but the duo grew more ambitious and refined as the project expanded into a full live band on humid, frenetic affairs like 2017 album La Vem a Morte or the stardusted jams of 2019's Sombrou D ú vida. 
Boogarins were formed in the Brazilian city of Goiania in the early 2010s. They began as an untitled, recording-only entity, and before ever playing a single show, filling out the band to include a rhythm section, or even choosing a name, Ferraz and Almeida had recorded an album's worth of material. These recordings caught the ears of music hounds and tastemakers the world over, eventually landing in the hands of Other Music Recording Co., the label offshoot of long-standing New York record shop and cultural institution Other Music. Once signed, the duo had to make haste in becoming a "real band" and quickly named themselves Boogarins after a type of jasmine flower. They titled their debut album As Plantas Que Curam, the English translation of which is "Plants That Heal." The band expanded to include drummer Hans Castro and bassist Raphael Vaz and played their first shows in April of 2013. Their album saw release in September of the same year and the group toured internationally in support.  From: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/boogarins-mn0003145352#biography

Elephant Stone - Live in Montreal 2021

 Elephant Stone - Live in Montreal 2021 - Part 1

 

 Elephant Stone - Live in Montreal 2021 - Part 2

 

Elephant Stone front man Rishi Dhir understands the importance of a live show and the emotions that are provoked with it, as he comments: “I’ve always approached recording in the studio and performing live as different mediums…performing live is pretty much flying by the seat of your pants and not knowing what’s going to happen next. And I think ES really stands out in a live environment. There’s a lot of dynamics happening on stage.”
Due to high demand from fans and the growing popularity of their latest album Ship Of Fools released via Californian-based record label Burger Records in the UK late last year, Elephant Stone have extended their UK tour to now include dates across Europe throughout May and June 2017.

Have you made any changes to the lineup since you started or is this the original lineup?

Yes. I think I’ve been through about 15 members since I started the band in 2009. However, it’s been Miles, Gab, and me since 2012. We’re pretty tight.

What do you consider to be your first real exposure to music?

Saturday Bollywood movie marathons with my parents when I was little.

When and how did you all originally meet?

The Montreal music scene is pretty incestuous… everyone knows everyone.

When did you decide that you want to start writing and performing your own music?

I was in a band, The High Dials, for about 10 years. I was the bassist / sideman / booker / manager etc… After years of touring, I was just left with an empty feeling. I did not feel as though I was giving any thing of value or meaning to the world. I was just a vehicle for the songwriter. So, in 2006, I decided to leave the band and try my hand at creating my own world… and here we are.
 
What does the name “Elephant Stone” mean or refer to in the context of the band name? Who came up with and how did you go about choosing it?

On my honeymoon to Indonesia in 2006, I picked up a sandstone statue of Ganesha—the hindu “Elephant” god of new beginnings and prosperity. So, when come up with the name, I say that as a good sign and I like the Stone Roses.

What’s the songwriting process with Elephant Stone like?

I have my morning coffee, which then sets my brain into action. From there I demo the song and work on it with Miles and Gab.

You already released four albums and we’re all excited to hear the upcoming live EP Live At The Verge. Can you share some details about Live At The Verge?

During our last Canada tour, we did live session for SiriusXM 173 The Verge. It was a pretty exhausting session as we played the night before and had a show the same night. Since the release of Ship of Fools we have toured a lot and the songs have begun to take did forms live. So, we were presenting the songs in a different setting. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from the session… we’ve done these types of things in the past. However, when I got the first mixes, I was blown away. Yes, the performances are not perfect… but it pretty closely translates what we’re trying to accomplish on stage. So, with this upcoming tour (and not really having any new material to put out) we decided put out our first live release.

How do you usually start working on the new material?

I develop the songs at my home studio. Usually starts on acoustic with a guide vox. From there, I add a drum machine, synths, lyrics…

You’re also starting with the European tour.

Yes! Can’t wait!

Do you spend a lot of time out on the road?

I think it averages to about 12 weeks a year… nothing that crazy.

Who are some of your personal favourite bands that you’ve had a chance to play with over the past few years?

Wow. So many great bands… BJM, Black Angels, Teenage Fanclub, Soundtrack of Our Lives… the list goes on and my memory is awful.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

I just started digging into the new Slowdive.

From: https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2017/05/elephant-stone-interview.html

 

XTC - Love On A Farmboy's Wages

Andy: “Well, I'd wigged out by now and was more than sick of touring, mentally and physically. So, using some money I'd saved from bits and pieces of performing rights society money (PRS), I got a mortgage on a house in the old town of Swindon. XTC never saw a penny from any of our thousands of live shows, but that's another tale I can't tell you because I've had a gagging order slapped on me by our first manager.
“Feeling confused about my future, I'd sit in the back garden, now I had one, and just write and write. One of the last acts this manager did for us was to buy Colin and myself a Portastudio each (for which we were duly recharged). But at last, we had a four track recording facility to capture our ideas on. This was one of the first things I recorded on it. We'd never really made demo recordings much before now, only if we'd been in a studio whilst making an album or unless someone had set up a makeshift facility, eg: Swindon Town Hall. But now we had a way of demonstrating how a song might sound with more than one instrument. Better than saying in noisy rehearsals ‘gather round, I've got a new one, just give me room to stamp and strum’.
“Terry claimed that this song is the one that convinced him to leave the band, we were actually working it up when he told us he was quitting. The songs were too weird, he said, he didn't like the poofy drumming.”  From: http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/s_LoveOnAFarmboysWages.html

Supreme Beings of Leisure - Never the Same

Geri Soriano-Lightwood says the weirdest thing about one minute into the interview. She says that she grew up in Chicago but is wasn't until she moved to Los Angeles that she felt she could breathe. In 26 years of such natters it's the first time anybody has said something vaguely complimentary about the City of Angels. Mostly, you are there because you have to be there - unless you're an urban cowboy who only sniffs the raw scent of life when you're living on the edge. Like Andy Prieboy. But that's another story. What LA offers the singer/lyricist of the marvellous Supreme Beings Of Leisure - arguably the best electronic band to emerge from the US in the past five years, and easily the most worldly and eclectic - is peace of mind.
"The racial climate was just amazing out here compared to where I was from," she says. "Chicago is pretty segregated. I left 10 years ago and I was in the alternative scene out there. I wasn't in the 'house' scene where you see a woman of colour. It confused a lot of people. They didn't really know what to do with me. It was kind of like this weird black chick singing like a white girl. Once I got to LA it wasn't an issue."
Geri's pedigree bears repeating. Heavily involved in that Chicago scene she played with some extraordinary talent including a spell as an early member of the excellent low-fi outfit, The Aluminium Group [their guests on this year's moody, atmospheric, Pedals include Jim O'Rourke, Sean O'Hagan, Doug McCombs, Edith Frost], and used to "hang out' with Billy Corgan before he became famous.
But the real pay off was to come when she made it to LA where she eventually met Rick Torres, Kiran Shahani and Ramin Sakurai. When they came to record a rap demo fate or gut instinct took a heavy hand. Ramin had the chance to submit a song for a James Bond film so he said 'maybe we can some of these tracks have Geri sing over them and see what happens'. The first song they wrote together was Nothing Like Tomorrow (a spooky post-Portishead chillout with distinct James Barry undertones) in 1995 with the Bond movie in mind (they didn't get the nod). That was the piece that created the SBOL sound. The chemistry was obvious. The trio's smart programming and seductive grooves beautifully showcased Geri's distinctive voice and her astonishing lyrics - searching tales of longing and disillusionment. That sound - which can be heard so perfectly cut into the grooves of their self-titled debut - was almost at once: sexy, seductive, glamorous, whimsical, soulful and haunting - a global sound with an American perspective. What else could they be but the Supreme Beings Of Leisure.
That sound also mirrored their collective identity. The bloodlines running through the group stretch from India to the Dominican Republic, Iran to Japan, Puerto Rico to Ireland. The guys all grew up in LA having immigrated to the US with their families at early ages, so it's all filtered through a distinctly western view of the world. "Our sound has a lot to do with who we are and where we come from," Geri says. "We were all raised 'white, upper-middle class,' but we weren't white. We didn't fit into our respective situations and that's what has become the bond between us. We were raised with a broader cultural mindset. We come from other cultures. That mindset is what created the sponge that is the Supreme Beings Of Leisure."
That sponge has dripped perhaps the most un-American record made by an American band. Geri laughs, says that they get many similar comments. In otherwords, SBOL are confusing the hell of out of things. Excellent. It's time geography, race colour and creed stopped influencing what kind of music people listen to.  From: http://mikesori.brinkster.net/hofsori/gsori.htm 

Uni and The Urchins - DNA

A cyborg recording of analog tape, industrial drum machines and bass keytar exploring postmodern themes on genetic mutation and futurism through a goth lens. Crispr, gene drive, cosmetic surgery, eugenics, life extension, uploading consciousness to the cloud, bifurcation of those that can afford it and those that cannot...we are entering a post-flesh world. DNA is about our severance with all that makes us human and entering the next phase of evolution, molding ourselves into digital Demi Gods with perfect silicone bodies. Would you make this Faustian deal with technology, or retreat to the forest...?  From: https://unitheband.bandcamp.com/track/dna 

iNFiNiEN - Beyond the Veil

Having been on the scene since at least 2009, the Philadelphia based iNFiNiEN has taken its sweet time in crafting its musical amalgamations that create the playground for progressive rock, jazz, soul, various styles of ethnic folk music as well as classical into an eclectic conglomeration all their own. This band has remained the constant quartet of Chrissie Loftus (vocals, piano & keyboards), Matt Hollenberg (guitars, saz, oud, electric sitar), Jordan Berger (electric & upright basses, sitar) and Tom Cullen (drums & percussion) and has only released three albums, the latest titled Beyond The Veil.
With a challenging angular time signature prowess oft reserved for the world of avant-prog, iNFiNiEN prove to be masters of blending challenging prog complexities with the sensual warmth of vocal jazz and Middle Eastern scales and rhythms fronted by the divine feminine charm of Chrissie Loftus whose vocal style delivers a softening effect to an otherwise complex wealth of prog influences battling it out behind the scenes. Beyond The Veil also features three guest musicians contributing violins, cello and flute. The album with eight tracks at just under 54 minutes provides an outstanding example of how to be original in the modern crowded world of progressive rock / jazz-fusion.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=76434

 

Blind Melon - No Rain

"No Rain" is a song by American rock band Blind Melon. It was released in 1993 as the second single from the band's debut album Blind Melon. The song is well known for its accompanying music video, which features the "Bee Girl" character. The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer, received heavy airplay on MTV at the time of its release.
Although the song is credited to the whole band, bassist Brad Smith wrote most of "No Rain". He said: "The song is about not being able to get out of bed and find excuses to face the day when you have really, in a way, nothing." At the time, Smith had been dating a depressed woman who slept through sunny days and complained when it did not rain. For a while, he told himself that he was writing the song from her perspective, and later realized that he was also writing it about himself.
The music video, directed by Samuel Bayer, stars Heather DeLoach as the "Bee Girl", a young tap dancer wearing a homemade bee costume and large glasses, modeled after the Blind Melon album cover: a family picture of Georgia Graham, younger sister of drummer Glen Graham. The Bee Girl's story is intercut with footage of Blind Melon performing in a field against a clear blue sky. 
It opens on the girl's tap routine; the audience responds with mocking laughter, and the girl runs off-stage in tears. As the song plays, she wanders through Los Angeles, stopping to perform her dance for whoever will watch, but she still feels alone. Ultimately, at the point in the song where the word "escape" is repeated, she peeks through a gate, which elicits a look of astonishment on her face, then runs through it to join a group of "bee people" just like her, dancing joyfully in a green field. As a result of the video, DeLoach appeared on the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards doing her "Bee Girl" dance to close the show, and also appeared as the "Bee Girl" in the video for "Weird Al" Yankovic's song "Bedrock Anthem”. From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Rain

 

Kabbalah - Ceibas

If you’ve been keyed in to the doom-stoner scene in Spain, Kabbalah needs no introduction.   I suspect, however, there are many for which this is a new name.   The Pamplona threesome is the brainchild of Carmen (drums) and Marga (bass), formerly of local rock 'n’ rollers Las Culebras.   As fun as that collaboration was, the pair hungered to delve into darker realms of witchcraft and the forbidden arts.   Inspired by retro heavy psych, they released their eponymous debut in 2013.   Two years later, Alba joined the team, adding a new dimension of bad-ass with those wicked guitar licks.   Clearly, Kabbalah was evolving into something very special, already evident by their subsequent record, 'Primitive Stone’ (2015). 
But nothing could have prepared us for the punctuated equilibrium of a leap forward that led to 'Revelations’ (2016).   With a clever blend of seventies stoner rock, catchy sixties-inspired choruses, a dark, Sabbathian undertone, and hints of the traditional music of the region, Kabbalah etched out a distinctive sound that made me an immediate fan (the closest point of comparison I could think of was West Virginia’s Brimstone Coven, with notable differences).  From: https://doomedandstoned.com/post/159303473023/kabbalah

Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor - She Makes a Great Parade / It's Good to be Alive

Since forming in 2005, the artists formerly known as SikSik Nation have built a homegrown following based on the strength of their trippy live shows. Now the band returns with a new LP of psychedelically seductive rock 'n' roll, complete with a gender-bending name change to go along with it. Rechristened Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor, the new name (which perhaps fairly invokes fellow stoner rockers Queens of the Stone Age) coincides with their self-titled re-debut, recorded and mixed in the band's new home studio in Ypsilanti. Although it's garnished with plenty of studio effects and guitar noodling, the songs never abandon their organic quality; in other words, unlike most every other heavy-hitter in this genre, the material doesn't slip into some kind of super-spacey cosmic jamming. 
The band also never ceases to sound like a trio. Although they sound huge on songs like the opener "Lord Is My Gun," with its monster organ-riff and creepy background tremolo vocals, there remains a stripped-down quality to all these songs, led by frontman Sean Morrow's ragged, almost bluesy vocals. And while everything on the record shares the same dark, psychedelic elements, there's is dynamism: "Spaceman Blues" creeps up on the listener, building its sparse beginnings into a full-on freak-out, while "Victims of Momentum" immediately hits full force with a dancey bassline and hi-hat added to the mix. As a listening experience, Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor should connect with the seemingly disparate crowds of both garage and the more technically inclined Guitar Center lurkers.  From: https://www.metrotimes.com/music/sisters-of-your-sunshine-vapor-2288334

 

Goat – Fill My Mouth

A reputation for fashioning heady, world music influenced rhythms and an innate effusion of fuzz-tinged riffs, making for practical infestations of earworms, has always prevailed – and in fact grown ever more feverish – with the mere whisper of psych deities Goat. However, their latest outdoes even that majestic reputation.
Taken from their upcoming career-wide compilation, taking in their obscurities and beloved standalone singles, Fill My Mouth is the second of two brand new Goat concoctions (after the excoriating psych-splendour of Queen of the Underground) on the album. Both tracks were recorded in 2020 – audial proof, if it were needed, that the band’s blazing creative onslaught continues to spread across the global musical sphere. Fill My Mouth buoys incredible folk, flute infusions with their immediately recognisable scuzzy, psych instrumentation.  From: https://www.backseatmafia.com/track-goat-follow-up-grand-return-with-fill-my-mouth-their-sleaziest-recording-yet/

Dr. John - Live Ultrasonic Recording Studios, Hampstead, NY 1973

01 Loop Garoo
02 Walk On Gilded Splinters
03 Danse Kalinda da Boom
04 Stag-O-Lee
05 Travelin' Mood
06 Junco Partner
07 Life
08 Put a Little Love in Your Heart
09 Tipitina
10 Mess Around
11 I've Been Hoodooed
12 Such a Night
13 Right Place, Wrong Time
14 Let the Good Times Roll
15 Wang Dang Doodle
16 Mama Roux
17 Qualified
18 Little Liza Jane
19 Mama Don't Allow No Dr John in Here

The discovery of a long-lost FM radio broadcast of the Doc and The Rampart Sympathy Orchestra caught in full effect by WLIR at an intimate venue in Hempstead, NY (Long Island) would be cause for celebration in those quarters where Mac Rebennack’s name is revered, but the quality of the performance and the breadth of material on offer make it doubly delightful.
Starting with night-tripping versions of Loop Garoo and I Walk On Gilded Splinters, Mac and a cast including John Boudreaux, future Crusader Robert Popplewell, Sugar Bear Welch and the horn tag-team of Darrell Leonard and Jerry Jummonville are perfectly equipped to branch into the contemporary pieces he was creating with Allen Toussaint. Life, Such A Night and the funked-up Right Place Wrong Time sound as crisp as they should – newly minted masterpieces. The return journey via Mama Roux and Qualified are pure groove from the depths of the Garden District. It’s all highlights, but the priceless moments include Rebennack strapping-up his guitar for Wang Dang Doodle and laying down a definitive (Come On) Let The Good Times Roll. This’ll make your black candles flicker.  From: https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/at-the-ultrasonic-studios-the-lost-broadcast-new-york-1973 

Melody's Echo Chamber - I Follow You

Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics etc play?

I guess I usually feel the rush to create when there is an emotional overflow. For me, mostly, the tension of disenchantment triggers the mechanic as I try to re-enchant my own world. I feel like stimulating creativity gets the psyche flowing. It's like a breather in your brain. I love to use music to create unknown landscapes, other worlds I can go to wander. Like everyone else gently mad, I have millions of ideas flying by. And then only a couple get materialized, thank god!

For you to get started, do there need to be concrete ideas – or what some have called a 'visualisation' of the finished work? 

I think it's all imprinted and dancing in your cells; the landscapes, the emotions, the poetry you've fed your mind and body with through the years. I feel like they naturally shape what you create. For Emotional Eternal, the process started in a cathartic momentum, a kind of spiritual experience. From there, I think, I did envision the clear idea of a simple and essential turn in the elaboration of this album. It was probably a counter-reaction to the previous album's delirium. I do have sonic visions for sure and then sometimes it happens or it doesn't Sometimes reality transcends the imaginary, like the strings on Alma - the Voyage for example, When Josephin Runsteen recorded the strings guided by Fredrik Swanh and Reine Fiske without me, it just surpassed my expectations, resembling something like felicity. 

What does the balance between planning and chance look like for you?

I can say for sure that I always want to create space for chance to happen. But this time, only into very structured frames of time. It actually worked out being as inspiring if not more for us to have a sort of time guardrail. But we still worked madly to make it sound as natural as though it had come about by chance. We found an equilibrium on Emotional Eternal. 

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise or reading poetry play?

Yes of course, I have been obsessing about my vocal sound settings from the debut album onward. I actually had to record all my vocals into the mac microphone to use that effect on my computer instead of using Swahn's great mics. He wasn't that happy about it but we always adapt to each other's oddities. In the studio it was coffee and a lot of smoking for me. Swahn makes his studio very cozy with all his Swedish tricks. Reine has his favorite music baths to get in the right moods. 

When do the lyrics enter the picture? Where do they come from? Do lyrics need to grow together with the music or can they emerge from a place of their own? 

I think for me it mostly comes from the rhythm and flow of the song. When it's a lot of words, syncopated, lyrics come easier from the French source. When it's a floaty melody, in English. But I love the mystery with languages. I think each language has its poetry and it's so strange that you still feel the emotion even if you don't get the lyrics. I get that feeling with Özdemir Erdoğan's songs in Turkish. I later read the translation and realized why they were resonating with me so much. 

From: https://15questions.net/interview/melodys-echo-chamber-shares-her-creative-process/page-1/