R.E.M. - Begin The Begin / Superman / Swan Swan H

Though it wasn’t a major commercial hit, R.E.M.’s third album, Fables Of The Reconstruction, ensured that the upwards trajectory the band had been on since their landmark debut, Murmur, continued apace. The band toured Fables… relentlessly in Europe and North America across the latter half of 1985, and, by the dawn of 1986, were on the cusp of breaking through to the mainstream. The songs the Athens, Georgia, quartet had been working up for their eventual follow-up, Lifes Rich Pageant, were significantly more upbeat and less gnomic than the Southern gothic-flavored tracks on Fables…, and the band seemed poised to connect with a much larger audience.
R.E.M. had crossed the Atlantic to work with former Nick Drake and Fairport Convention producer Joe Boyd during the Fables… sessions, but for their fourth album, they opted to stay in the US and enlist the services of Don Gehman, known primarily for his work with John Cougar Mellencamp.
Gehman was renowned for his crisp, efficient production techniques, and he first hooked up with the band for an extensive demo session at John Keane’s Studio in Athens, during March 1986. Later collected as the Athens Demos as part of Lifes Rich Pageant’s 25th-anniversary release in 2011, this session found the band working up early versions of most of the tracks that would appear on the album proper, in addition to future B-sides such as “Rotary Ten” (or “Jazz (Rotary Ten)” as it was known at this stage) and the inaugural version of their 2003 hit “Bad Day.”
R.E.M. decamped to Indiana for the album sessions proper, where they reunited with Gehman at Mellencamp’s studio – Belmont Mall in Bloomington – and completed the new record’s 12 songs across April and May 1986. Gehman encouraged Michael Stipe’s vocal prowess during the sessions and, accordingly, Lifes Rich Pageant is rightly viewed as a watershed for R.E.M.: the record where Stipe significantly gained in confidence as a frontman and began to clearly enunciate his lyrics.
As a lyricist, it was patently obvious that Stipe had also grown immensely, with a number of Lifes Rich Pageant’s key tracks reflecting his burgeoning interest in contemporary politics and ecological issues. Though the apocryphal tale of Galileo Galilei dropping feathers and lead weights off the Leaning Tower Of Pisa, to test the laws of gravity, partly inspired his eventual lyric, the glorious, yearning “Fall On Me” also commented on environmental issues, most specifically acid rain. The brooding “Cuyahoga,” meanwhile, referred to the heavily polluted Cuyahoga River that flows into Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio. The lyric “We burned the river down” reputedly referred to several occasions (most specifically in 1969) when the river actually caught fire in the locale.
Stipe, however, wasn’t the only band member to benefit from Gehman’s disciplined approach to recording. The entire line-up was on point throughout the sessions, and from the purposeful opener, “Begin The Begin,” to the joyous closing cover of The Clique’s “Superman,” Lifes Rich Pageant was suffused with a swaggering élan that was almost entirely absent on Fables Of The Reconstruction.
Filler was never an issue with Lifes Rich Pageant, and the record has remained a panacea for the ears to this day. Surging, idealistic anthems such as “I Believe” and “These Days” (“We are concern/We are hope despite the times”) have retained both energy and urgency, while the homespun folk of “Swan Swan H”and the curious, rhumba-like “Underneath The Bunker” – with its distorted vocals and nuclear war-related lyric – remind us that, even at their most direct and accessible, R.E.M. always exuded a tantalizing air of mystique.  From: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/behind-the-albums/r-e-m-lifes-rich-pageant/

Mission Jupiter - Bittersweet (Love Song)

Who is in Mission Jupiter, how did you meet, and what do you play?
 
Eugene: Mission Jupiter is a three-piece project at the moment, plus our sax player. The main line-up is: Kate Varsak – vocals, Eugene Zuyeu – drums, Vlad Shvakel – guitars. Dmitri Soldatenko (sax), participates in the studio and will perform with us during some of our live shows. We are also planning to work with a bassist and synth player.
Mission Jupiter was formed in 2015, but Kate joined as our new singer in 2022 and is phenomenal as well as providing fresh energy. We are an alternative rock/metal band now with some epic songs that have a dark and gloomy atmosphere! There is quite an obvious reason for writing gloomy songs, bearing in mind where we live and what has happened to the world generally in recent years.
 
What is your earliest musical memory?
 
Vlad: Well, it’s a good question! I guess we all remember how our mothers sang us lullabies! That’s always sweet
 
When did you begin songwriting?
 
Kate: I am relatively new in the band, but Vlad is the main songwriter in MJ. We spent a great time working on arrangements, etc for our new album, ‘Aftermath’. But, the core of each song is by Vlad.
 
Vlad: Yeah, I mean, I started to write songs in 2013-2014. I remember sitting on the sofa at the university campus playing some chords (no lyrics back at that time), and suddenly I realised that it would probably be a good song, so I was like, ‘let’s write some lyrics’! More than a decade has passed, and I am still not satisfied with most of my lyrics. But a couple of new songs from ‘Aftermath’ will hopefully make you cry! Lol, we hope so.
 
Your new single ‘Self Destruction’ is out now. What was the inspiration/story behind the track?
 
Eugene: I remember Vlad came to my apartment and was like: ‘man, let’s make some heavy stuff!?’
I immediately answered: ‘finally, no melancholic ballads anymore, (laughing)’! We started to experiment with lower guitar tunings, then some punchy drums, then Vlad came up with the idea of the song lyrically. It’s about the consequences of being in a mental trap. I guess a lot of people are in this dark place nowadays

Kate: Definitely not a good place to be in. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album, plus it has some sort of headbanging vibe, and it’s perfect for live gigs. Can’t wait to start playing it live.

Vlad: Damn, I need to buy more guitars for live gigs. This song demands looooow guitar tuning.
 
Where did you record the new single, and who produced it?
 
Vlad: Eugene is our drummer and producer. I would say, producer goes first!
We spent several days in a professional studio working on it and are really happy with the vibe this song has. A badass rock banger!!!
 
Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?
 
Kate: I mean, I mean, come onnn! I am new to the band, and this is my first experience working with these perfectionists. – “Kate, please sing like this, now please five takes of a whisper, then some harsh vocals on top of this”. And this is for one line (laughing)! That wasn’t easy at all, but the result is super cool, and I am happy we managed to do that.
 
Eugene: Typical Mission Jupiter recording process:)
 
Vlad: I don’t remember anything super memorable in the studio, but I do remember we were crazy about reproducing the atmosphere of drafting vocals recorded at home. Some of those vocals were so cool and emotional, so it took nerves and time to reproduce them in the studio.
 
Do you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?
 
Eugene: We have a home studio, definitely a couple of synths, guitars, plugins, mics! But final touches need to be done in a professional studio ️ I wouldn’t say we used any particular instruments, etc., the most important thing is how you feel the music and how you blend sounds.
 
The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?
 
Vlad: You’re right! We wanted to create a live video with real musicians (us), and make it look modern and ‘tasty’. This is sort of Mission Jupiter’s presentation, you know.
 
Eugene: We have been working with the director, Alex Zhigalkovic, since 2019 when we shot our very first video with him for the song ‘The Sea Of Hopes’! He is a cute and pleasant guy, and he definitely knows how to present our band in the best possible way:)
 
Do you have any future music releases planned for 2025?
 
Eugene: Our new album, Aftermath, is out soon! This is a complete and fundamental record and we are now working on our live sound to be ready for playing live. We won’t have any other releases in 2025.
 
What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
 
Vlad: Good question, but I guess we should enter the stage first:) (laughing)! We have some cool songs and an interesting sound, but Mission Jupiter is now focusing on breaking through. Nowadays, it’s brutally hard to survive for a rock band plus there are a lot of overhyped bands in the world who are covering 75 percent of the rock music market. So I think we already achieved a lot as musicians: we created great music, the next step is to deliver it to the right people:)
 
Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
 
Kate: Our hometown is Minsk city, Belarus. I would describe it this way:
1. Cozy
2. Comfortable
3. Heartful
4. Dark (sometimes)
5. Creative
 
How do you look after your voices?
 
Vlad: Since I am mostly a backing vocalist, I don’t look after my voice too much. Just trying to breathe properly while singing
 
Kate: Silence, silence, and more silence (when it’s needed)! Also, it’s great to drink water while singing and, of course, the right singing technique matters.
 
You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
 
Eugene: We would probably try to write something really dark for ‘Crime and Punishment’ by F. Dostoevsky.
 
Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?
 
Vlad: Definitely! I do love HIM, The Gathering, early 30 Seconds to Mars, Marilyn Manson songs and his recent comeback, ‘One Assassination Under God’. Btw, Mechanical Animals is my all-time favorite record!
 
Eugene: When I was a teenager, I was actively listening to Lamb of God, Slayer, Slipknot, etc. Then I was into some Radiohead and Massive Attack stuff and when you listen to Mission Jupiter, you can certainly hear their influence

Kate: I am a huge fan of Halestorm and Guano Apes. I love their energy and stage presence! Btw, recent Spiritbox songs are cool too! As you can see, we all have quite different music tastes (laughing).
 
What makes Mission Jupiter happy and what makes you unhappy?
 
Kate: We would be happy to finally get the attention we deserve! In this crazy world it’s super hard for bands to break through even if you have amazing songs, etc. Resources for promotion are super important: you need to invest a lot of time, money and so on. We are getting bigger step by step, but this long and exhausting ‘road to success’ makes us feel frustrated and unhappy, at times. But we have a feeling that we are creating something special and fascinating, so one day all our efforts will pay off:)
 
Vlad: Completely agree with Kate. One thing we can be sure about: we write and deliver great music that we are proud of. At some point, this is the most important thing for any musician in this subjective world (smiling).

From: https://justlistentothis.co.uk/interviews/mission-jupiter-talk-new-music-their-hometown-and-more/

Moby Grape - I Am Not Willing

On the shortlist of Prettiest Songs Ever Recorded, Cosmic Psychedelic Country Division, “I Am Not Willing” isn’t just the highlight of Moby Grape’s third album, 1969’s Moby Grape ’69, but the greatest song they ever wrote, sporting a melody that is both as old and as deep as the mountains, while remaining fresh today as it was 50 years ago.
I mean, after all, I bought the the two-CD Moby Grape Vintage compilation back in 1993 because I wanted to have their classic debut on CD — and they knew it, as the first disc is all Moby Grape plus outtakes and live versions, leaving their other three records to share the second disc — so when “I Am Not Willing” showed up near the end of the second disc, I was completely gobsmacked. How wasn’t I prepared for this?
Musically, “I Am Not Willing” is incredibly simple: anchored by a slow, sad piano riff / drumbeat that is so rhythmic and repetitive that it could be a sample — and it should be, because I would love the fuck out of any song that sampled it — Peter Lewis sweetly sings about how utterly happy he is that the woman who left him wants to get back together.
By the time they get to the first chorus, a guitar has snuck into the song, in tears the whole time, and there’s a high harmony on the second repetition of the chorus. All of which are belying the optimism and hope of the lyrics. Until it gets blown to hell.
During all of this, Peter Lewis hasn’t changed his tone one little bit, even the guitar solo he tosses in after each chorus is as short as it is sad as it is lovely, but it’s a tiny bit longer as it takes us into the fade after that second chorus, which let us know, as per the title of the song, things have indeed changed.
Like “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and “Train From Kansas City,” I think that “I Am Not Willing” is one of those songs that is impossible to ruin with a cover version, and while the covers didn’t really start until after the release of Vintage — noone noticed this song back in 1969 — there have been a few, from artists as diverse as Wilco, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Lloyd Cole. But while they are all worthwhile, none of them completely capture the calm despair that Peter Lewis infuses the original.  From: https://medialoper.com/certain-songs-1183-moby-grape-i-am-not-willing/

Dikanda - Lazito

Dikanda is a music band of international renown, playing "world music". They come from Szczecin, Poland. In their artistic work Dikanda promotes the authenticity of style – searching for new trends therefore most of their works are original compositions. They draw their musical inspiration from traditional folk sounds of the broadly defined Orient – from the Balkans, through Israel, Kurdistan, Belarus to India. Their works are dominated by the Balkan and Gypsy influences. The band has been playing since 1997 and has recorded 7 albums so far, including a Live DVD recorded in the Witkacy Theatre in Zakopane. Dikanda's concerts are extremely emotional journeys through ethnic sounds, zestful meetings full of charisma, energy and true feelings. What sets Dikanda apart is creating new words in their lyrics, thus forming their genuine language - "dikandish". The most important element of their artistic work is the message – a special relation between the musicians and the audience.  From: https://www.womex.com/virtual/kaprol_music/dikanda 

Fools Face - What You Hide

In the late 1970’s, a band called Fools Face emerged from Springfield, Missouri, and began to build a following across the Midwest. By the early 1980’s, Fools Face was the dominant band on the Mid-western rock music circuit, packing clubs from Minnesota to Texas, from Kansas to Illinois.
Fools Face’s music has been called “high-voltage melodic rock” (Trouser Press), “a revitalization of 60’s high-energy stuff” (Jimmy Frink, in TP article), and “a hybrid of pop, punk and new wave” (the Kansas City Star). Four lead singers and four songwriters made possible the constant changes in vocal and musical textures that kept the band’s live performances fresh and energized.
In its original skinny-tie incarnation, this raucous fivesome from Springfield, Missouri combined the rough-and-tumble appeal of an ace bar band with diverse pop songwriting talent. Everyone except drummer Tommy Dwyer wrote and sang, displaying the diverse influence of the Stones, Beatles, soft pop, Little Richard, Led Zeppelin and Bowie.  From: https://www.last.fm/music/Fools+Face/+wiki

 

22 Brides - Purified / Something That Breaks / Stone

At home, checking out 22 Brides‘ self-titled CD on Zero Hour: Am I high? I can’t read these lyrics. Either a bigger typeface or stronger glasses are required. Sad part is, I think the words probably say something. I read on as best I can. Carrie and Libby Johnson. Hmm, a band fronted by singing sisters. How marketable.
I give it a listen. There are some nice harmonies, but their voices are way too sweet for me. I want to make them drink whiskey while I roll Drums for them to smoke. Strictly speaking, though, they sing fine. Really well, in fact. (Will they sound this good live? We’ll see.)
Hours later I’ve returned from their show with some illegible notes. Yes, they can sing like that live. Better, even. If I had heard on their CD some hint of the edge that this band has on stage, I would have liked the disc better. There was an energy in the performance that wasn’t adequately captured in the studio. I was told by singer/pianist/bass player Libby Johnson that the release was actually recorded a couple of years before that with a different set of musicians. Joining the Johnson sisters on tour, and for an upcoming recording project scheduled to begin this month, are drummer Ned Stroh and guitarist/bass player John Skehan.
This line-up works well for 22 Brides. It sounds more like a band, more like musicians and instruments happening together, and the music loses that girl-pop sound that I heard on the CD. I think they’re meaner than their recording. Their live show rocked except for the unavoidable problems that arose from using a house soundman.
I couldn’t help but grin when I heard that “King for the Day” was about a serial killer in Carrie and Libby’s own Hell’s Kitchen. How was I to know? I couldn’t read the fucking liner notes.
Fine print aside, I’d recommend catching 22 Brides next time they’re around and waiting for the next recording, tentatively titled Surge, which Libby says is getting underway in Philadelphia at Studio Red later this month under the direction of producer Adam Lasus. It’s scheduled for release on Zero Hour in August of this year.  From: https://lollipopmagazine.com/1995/03/22-brides-at-t-t-the-bears-review/

Goodbye June - Angel

A hard rock band who blend a rootsy sound with big guitars and plenty of strutting style, Goodbye June are a hard-hitting power trio whose sound is rooted in the classic rock of the 1970s, complete with the requisite blues influences, delivered with an energy and intensity that are thoroughly up to date. Landon Milbourn's lead vocals are the definition of gritty, roaring swagger, and the guitars generate enough full-bodied riffage to fill any arena they choose. Goodbye June's major-label debut, 2017's Magic Valley, was an explosive blend of past and present, and after exploring a more diverse and eclectic attack on 2019's Community Inn, 2022's See Where the Night Goes and 2024's Deep in the Trouble took them back to a more elemental, straightforward approach.
Goodbye June was formed by lead guitarist Tyler Baker, lead vocalist and guitarist Landon Milbourn, and drummer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist Brandon Qualkenbush in 2005. All three are first cousins, with Milbourn hailing from West Tennessee, while Baker and Qualkenbush were raised in Indiana. Baker, Milbourn, and Qualkenbush first started making music together in church (Landon's dad led the choir at his church, and Brandon's father was the preacher at a Pentecostal church), but they hadn't cohered into a band until Baker's brother, while on leave from the military, died in an auto accident in June 2005. As Baker struggled to deal with his grief, he bonded with Milbourn and Qualkenbush, and as they mourned they started writing songs. Calling their trio Goodbye June, the three moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2009 in search of their big break.
 The group's fiery live shows earned them a reputation in Music City, and in 2012 they released their debut album, Nor the Wild Music Flow, which was released on the independent Cotton Valley Records. After extensive regional touring in the United States, Goodbye June took their act abroad for the first time in the fall of 2013, playing shows in Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Sweden, Holland, and Finland. 2014 saw the band taking home first prize in the Unsigned Music Competition, where a jury of musicians and journalists awarded them $10,000 in cash, as well as equipment and mentoring from music business executives. Goodbye June's growing buzz led to the band signing a deal with Interscope Records.  From: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/goodbye-june-mn0003263207#biography

Crawlers - Meaningless Sex

Amongst the noise of the alternative rock scene, Crawlers have consistently found a way to slice through. The Merseyside quartet was formed in 2018 and has only been on an upward trajectory since, becoming a common festival highlight and supporting the larger-than-life My Chemical Romance. Their widely celebrated EPs and a rampant Glastonbury set earned them a record deal with Polydor, and after six years of their conception comes their debut album, presenting a concise and unapologetic voice across its entire runtime.
Singer Holly Minto stated the album, “comes from us honing our craft, being vulnerable with each other, finding our sound and saying exactly what we wanted to.” It’s from searching to find this level of vulnerability that Cralwers create something so intimate and expansive; exploring the small details of relationships that give them a sense of meaning (or alternatively, lack of). Opener ‘Meaningless Sex’ is an excellent tone setter, with echoes of fuzz guitar buzzing in the background, constantly building to a climax that is well worth the wait. Minto shines here — as they tend to do — often resembling shades of Hayley Williams throughout the twelve songs Crawlers have hand-crafted.
Despite the tracks present having an undeniable intimate level to their lyrics, the sleek production and impressive instrumentation means the songs present on Crawlers’ debut feel fit for any stage in the world. ‘Kiss Me’ and ‘Hit It Again’ stick out as prime examples of the band’s ability to weave their way around a melody while maintaining the gritty grooves they initially became known for. Meanwhile, ‘Golden Bridge’ slices out the noise of the record to create a true moment of tender songwriting. The track strays from being the cliched piano ballad that’s been heard a thousand times before thanks to its incredible instrumental and performance; it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Minto writing the lyrics in the darkest corner of their bedroom, not shying away from its fragility but instead using it as a strength. “It hurts to look back”, triumphantly sings Minto, empowering their emotions on a chorus that hits like a knockout blow.  From: https://medium.com/@therockrevival/crawlers-the-mess-we-seem-to-make-cb8af9b2f592

Cordelia's Dad - George Collins

Although Cordelia's Dad started as a standard punk-influenced guitar-bass-drums rock band, their repertoire from the beginning has consisted entirely of traditional American folk tunes. Although the electric instrumentation became less pronounced in their music after their first few albums, Cordelia's Dad have remained known for both their intensity and playfulness. This element is particularly evident on-stage, where lead singer Tim Eriksen will spin humorous stream-of-consciousness stories between and sometimes during songs and the band will occasionally close sets with versions of songs like the Ramones' "Commando" or Cheap Trick's "Surrender."
Those songs are actually perfectly in character for the trio, because Eriksen and percussionist/singer Peter Irvine's roots are in the western Massachusetts hardcore scene of the '80s. Both grew up in Northampton, MA, and gravitated toward punk music in high school and college. The pair teamed up in a succession of local bands, but as the decade progressed, Eriksen's family interest in traditional folk music began to reassert itself. Although Cordelia's Dad formed in 1988 as a standard punk thrash band, the group quickly turned to a brainstorm of Eriksen's: setting traditional American folk tunes like the ones found in the Anne and Frank Warner collection in a punky electric context. Fairport Convention and other British folk-rock bands had been doing the same with British folk music for decades, but the idea had never particularly caught on in America despite the clear line of history that can be traced from rock back through country and blues to the very songs Cordelia's Dad were resurrecting.
Most importantly, the trio -- although conscientious about crediting their sources and scholarly in their explanations of the roots of the songs -- did not approach the music with a purist desire for "authenticity." Like all good musicologists, they realized that the fascination of folk music lies in the variants and oddities, and besides often using the most inexplicable or obscure version they could find of any given song, the trio had no compunction against setting the words of one song to the tune of another, or even writing new lyrics or melodies for songs when necessary. Their first self-titled album was released in 1990 and documented the exploratory stages of this new direction. Although occasionally awkward and much more noisy than their later work, Cordelia's Dad is clearly an exciting and important album.
 1992's How Can I Sleep?, produced by Dave Schramm (the Schramms, Yo La Tengo), is an enormous improvement over the debut and possibly the finest folk-rock album of the '90s. The folk tunes and rock arrangements are much better integrated and Eriksen's powerful voice is given more room to shine. One track, "Narragansett Bay," sounds like it could have been a hit single. The trio followed up that triumph with the Four Songs EP, their first all-acoustic record. Though played on much more traditional instruments, the songs still have the passion and immediacy of their electric work.  From: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cordelias-dad-mn0000097953#biography

Animated Music Videos

 

 Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Mr. Prism

 

 Richard Thompson - I Feel So Good

 

 Sparks - The Existential Threat

 

 The Dead Pirates - Wood

 

 The Future Sound Of London - We Have Explosive

 

 Vampillia - Lilac

 

 Wolf Parade - Julia Take Your Man Home

 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Pin

 

 Yellow Majesty - Honey Sweet

 

 Zywiołak - Bóstwa

 

Following the release of “Mr. Prism” earlier this month, their first single of 2020, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have now shared an adventure-filled clay animation video for the song. Created by Oliver Jones, who the band have collaborated with previously on their similarly kaleidoscopic videos, the video for ‘Mr. Prism’ takes us on a colourful journey through ‘sweetsville’, with some surprisingly dark encounters along the way. On the creation of the video, McEwan says: “A prismatic man needs a colourful adventure, so when we were throwing ideas back & forth with Oliver it was hard to pass on an edible Claymation. All of us were in awe when he sent us through the final animation – proper cherry-on-top work!”  From: https://thefirenote.com/videos/psychedelic-porn-crumpets-mr-prism-video/

The critical consensus is that Rumour and Sigh is your most accessible record to date. Do you agree?

I’m always making a conscious effort to be viable and accessible. Obviously, I’m not very good at it or I would have sold billions of records by now. [laughs] With a major label release, I certainly want to give them something they can work with if possible, without compromising my artistic integrity man. [said tongue-in-cheek] I do like to please myself on records though. I don’t like making records for other people. It’s a very forced job. So, I try and self-criticize and rely on quality as the yardstick.

What overt influence did the label have on the record?

They changed a song title. One was called "The Lost Sheep Returns to the Fold." [original title of "I Feel So Good"] They didn’t think it was snappy enough. They’re probably right, but I like those Gilbert & Sullivan titles. It’s not really interference though, because in a sense, I don’t know anything about record companies or how they work as far as marketing. I don’t really care what they do in terms of what they put on the radio or how they package something. If they think they know how to do it, I’m willing to see what they come up with.

Speaking of marketing, Capitol is financing an elaborate animated video for "I Feel So Good."

Yes, as we speak, thousands of Koreans are slaving over it. It’s being done by the same people who do The Simpsons. It doesn’t look like The Simpsons, but it’s very, very interesting. It’s quite an original piece. It’s my first promo video since 1983. Since then, they’ve been using bits of a long form concert video called Across a Crowded Room they shot in Ottawa, Canada at a club called Barrymore’s.

From: https://www.innerviews.org/inner/thompson-1

UK director/animator Cyriak brings all his mastery of subversive weirdness to this music video for “The Existential Threat”, a track off the newest album from venerable American pop innovators Sparks. Cyriak: “When I was asked to make a music video for Sparks I could hardly believe it. They sent me the whole of their new album to choose from, and there was this one song that immediately stood out ‘The Existential Threat’. Not only did the music fit perfectly with my animation style, but the subject of existential dread is also something I have been fascinated by for as long as I can remember. It was like I could see the whole video inside my head as I listened to the song. The brief was totally open, but I felt this track deserved more than just some crazy visuals. It has a psychology driving it, and a feeling that hangs over us all, especially in these modern times of information overload. Are these threats real, or imaginary? Are they just a paranoid delusion, or do we ignore them at our peril? It was great fun making this video, and I hope it makes people think about their inevitable impending death in a more light-hearted way.”  From: https://www.stashmedia.tv/sparks-existential-threat/

Dead Pirates roared into existence in 2009 as the “band” behind “Wood (Dirty Melody),” an infectious slice of garage punk that soundtracked an animated music video by the French illustrator Matthieu Bessudo—better known as Mcbess. At the time, the “band” was just Mcbess himself, a chance for him to stretch his creative muscles beyond the Max Fleischer-inspired artwork and videos for which he’s become known. Mcbess created the video for “Wood” during his day job at Oscar-winning VFX studio The Mill. “What I wanted to do was make music,” he says. “It didn’t really matter if I became famous or anything like that. It just started to get bigger and bigger.”  From: https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/dead-pirates-interview

We Have Explosive is an electrifying animation by Run Wrake. Wrake directed it as a music video for Future Sound of London's 1996 single "We Have Explosive" and it features snippets from the 1994 short "Jukebox." I love the collaged look of the trippy world in this video. Wrake was an incredible animation director and graphic designer who lived from 1963 to 2012.  From: https://boingboing.net/2022/07/06/we-have-explosive-is-an-electrifying-animation-by-run-wrake.html

Check out the music video for Lilac from the ten piece “brutal orchestra” known as Vampillia. The track features vocals from the iconic Jun Togawa, frontwoman for such influential bands as Yapoos and Geurnica. The grotesque music video was put together by “Toolate” and Tomomi Komazaki for the album “The Divine Move”. The visuals, that feel reminiscent of the work of standout mangakas’ like Nishioka Kyoudai, Hideshi Hino or Shintaro Kago, offers a disturbing backdrop too the otherwise serene track. Additionally, Togawa’s vocals elicit a strong emotional response, sung with the bravado that made her an icon and innovator of the rock and pop genre.  From: https://asianmoviepulse.com/2020/10/music-video-lilac-by-vampillia-feat-jun-togawa/

Wolf Parade have shared the official music video for their Thin Mind track "Julia Take Your Man Home." For the psychedelic visuals, the band enlisted fellow Canadian indie rocker, skilled animator and Sub Pop labelmate Chad VanGaalen. Released as a single earlier this month, "Julia Take Your Man Home" follows previous tracks "Against the Day" and "Forest Green," and hears Spencer Krug on lead vocals, exploring male stupidity. The release of the video comes on the tails of a North American tour announcement, which includes a handful of Canadian dates.  From: https://exclaim.ca/music/article/wolf_parade_share_chad_vangaalen-directed_music_video_for_julia_take_your_man_home

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Pin: With a very cartoonish stop-motion animation, the production fits well with the song's lyrics and shows a doll (probably Karen O) being chased and tormented by a contraption that sticks pins into her. The animation is quite peculiar and even features a romance with a cockroach. The plot focuses on those insects that are pinned and framed for collection.  Translated from: https://musicainstantanea.com.br/videografia-yeah-yeah-yeahs/

‘Honey Sweet’ is 3.27 min long and it takes you on one of the most intense, surreal, colorful, funny, provoking, entertaining, cute, crazy, and uniquely weird journeys. Its grotesque, appealing, and raw imagery is presented in a fresh, stylish, and modern format, making it such a unique video and song worth remembering. On top of that, there is a character in the video resembling the world wide known wrestler The Undertaker, doing what he does best, putting the evil into the grave.
His karmic role in the video goes well with the story of the song, emphasizing human behaviour when it is as its most sinful stage, doing all the things that one wants to do in the name of sex, glutony, greed, wrath, hypocrisy, addiction, and more. The video is thus a direct projection of showing the double standards of human nature, manifested through a very entertaining, different, and thought provoking way, offering the viewer many different layers of interpretation and at the same time providing a high sense of ridicule and irony in the message: life is honey sweet!
The video was animated by the artist Inari Sirola, and this is what she had to say about the collaboration with Amir, the man behind Yellow Majesty: The track’s melodic rhythm evoked my creativity. Coming into this project I really wanted to give this beat a visual representation. Amir approached me, knowing my style and being familiar with my previous work. This allowed me to tap into the weird and comedic corners of my dark imagination. The brief I received had wonderful ideas and after an in-depth conversation with Amir we established what he wanted for the music video and what I could offer to the project.
The juxtaposition of grotesque imagery and the naivety of the world building is something I will always treasure. Although I knew the music video wouldn’t have a traditional A to B narrative I really enjoyed having some of these elements within the into. One of my favorite things in my work is writing dialogue, within the shortest interactions it allows you to establish characters as well as set the tone.  From: https://staticdive.com/2021/03/05/yellow-majesty-honey-sweet/

The song Bóstwa (Deities), included on 2017 album Pieśni pół/nocy (Midnight Songs), mirrors Żywiołak’s place as an ambassador between Slavic folk tradition and modern, Western rock through its depiction of Kupala, a pagan holiday celebrated on the longest day of the year. Originally practiced as fertility rites and an homage to the Sun, Kupala became Ivan Kupala, and fused with the Christian John the Baptist in a process known as syncretism.  From: https://popkult.org/zywiolak/ 

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

 

 Richard Thompson

 

 Sparks

 

 The Dead Pirates

 

 The Future Sound Of London

 

 Vampillia

 

Wolf Parade

 

 Yeah Yeah Yeahs

 

 Yellow Majesty

 

 Zywiołak

Avatarium - Rockpalast 2015

 Avatarium - Rockpalast 2015 - Part 1

 

 Avatarium - Rockpalast 2015 - Part 2

 

Darker, heavier, and more emotionally charged than recent efforts, Avatarium’s upcoming album “Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead” showcases a refined blend of soul-stirring lyricism, colossal riffs, and atmospheric depth. Led by the dynamic partnership of Jennie-Ann Smith and Marcus Jidell, the band has carved a sound that is uniquely their own, creating a rare space where both the artists and listeners alike can forge a shared journey through the universal questions of life and death. We had an opportunity to sit down with vocalist and lyricist Jennie-Ann Smith, reflecting on the band’s journey, and the diverse inspirations and influences that resonate throughout the album.

How are you feeling now that you’re close to the release date?

“It’s odd. It’s always fun because this album was finished in early summer last year, so we’ve worked very hard to get everything finished. It’s new again, and that gives you perspective, but we’ve done a lot of promotion. Besides listening to it over and over again, we also got feedback. And so far, it’s been overwhelmingly good.” 

How did you and Marcus decide to incorporate different musical styles on the album?

“It happens quite automatically. We feel it when we are writing towards the right direction. We care about our heritage and where we come from, but we aim to be as creative and free as we possibly can. And this time, I brought my old piano, it traveled from the west coast of Sweden to Stockholm. It sounds great. We wrote a lot of the material on that piano and translated that to guitar riffs. I think that broadens the possibilities… the range of what the guitar actually does. On this album, we’re going back to the roots. I’ve been very focused on melodies. And, as you know, we’ve done this for over 10 years, and I know what I like to sing live, what kind of melodies are intriguing and interesting. So back to the roots, but it’s also influenced by piano, and we listen to a lot of classical music.”

How do you feel your vocal style, which has clear jazz/blues influences, fits within heavier doom influences?

“It was a lucky accident that me, Leif Edling (Candlemass) and Marcus found each other and had the courage to try out this music together. Immediately we heard that this is something special and unique. I think that the unique thing is that we come from different musical backgrounds. I’m not the average metal singer. I come from a quite jazzy background and the way I perceive music, and my timing, is quite jazz oriented. In music history, things get interesting when you have these contrasts.

Do you have any jazz or blues artists that have influenced your vocal style and your evolution as a musician?

“As a teenager, I was introduced to jazz music, artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Nina Simone. These types of singers made such a huge impact on me. I do not come from a musical family. I was influenced by my parents because they like to listen to music, but none of them was a musician. Then I went to music school, and I was introduced to these wonderful Canadian heroes that I treasure, like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Listening to Joni Mitchell‘s “Blue” (1971) was life changing for me. I cannot describe how much it meant to me in every way.”

I understand that you’re a psychotherapist, and you mentioned that you encounter patients that deal with death anxiety. How do your professional experiences influence your music?

“I have thought a lot about that, and I think that sometimes your consciousness directly pulls you in a certain direction. I think it’s definitely been that way for me. It’s not morbid for me. I’ve been interested in these existential questions my whole life, I was quite a philosophical child. I remember writing this essay about death and the dying process in the region where I grew up, and the traditions around that. It’s interesting because as a person, I’m not particularly depressive or depressed, I have a quite light personality. I’m fortunate to have music to channel these questions, because these topics create new questions. I get to deal with that through music, which is a huge privilege. If you listen to the lyrics and the music, you can probably hear that.”

You have described Leif Edling as a mentor to both yourself and Marcus. How has working with him shaped your approach to the way you think about the music?

“Leif is a master of his craft. Working alongside him, I’ve learned a lot about songwriting, not because he explicitly told me “this is how you do it”, but by listening and interpreting and working with the arrangements of his songs. What has also been really important is learning from his musical integrity. He is such a free spirit, he allows himself to just go about music as he sees fit, which I think is so amazing. He’s free, and he does what he wants, follows his intuition.”

I have been collecting data on the diversity of bands signed to major labels or who have performed at major heavy music festivals. Very few had any gender and cultural diversity at all.

“And then, if you were to analyze that further, how many of those females have written the material they performed, or have chosen how to interpret the material, what to wear, and so on? It demands integrity and also certain conditions to be able to do it. I think in my case, my husband, who is also the guitarist of Avatarium, is enabling me. He provides a certain security for me. To do this, I’d have to say that he believes in me, he protects me, and I can be as free as I want and that’s great. The music business is competitive, and as anyone else, every man and woman in music, you have to earn your place and work hard.”

Is there a specific song on the album that stands out the most to you?

“I think there are several songs that I really like on this album. If I were to mention a song, I do like “Being With The Dead” a lot. That one has a quirky, odd riff. It’s sort of resisting, and then it opens up in a major chord on the chorus, and I really like that.”

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

“The music speaks for itself. It’s powerful, but wherever a classical sound is, you can immediately hear that. So that means it’s very dynamic. We moved from being very, very fragile to bombastic and super powerful. Since your webzine is focused on females working in this genre, I hope this will inspire more women to take active part in creating music.”

From: https://www.femalefrontedpower.com/interviews/avatarium-interview/ 

 

Animal Collective - Oddsac - Visual Album

 Animal Collective - Oddsac - Part 1

 

 Animal Collective - Oddsac - Part 2

 

Oddsac is a visual album by Animal Collective, featuring psychedelic visuals directed and edited by Danny Perez. First announced in August 2006, the film took over four years to complete. The band members and director Danny Perez dubbed the 53 minute combination of Perez's film and Animal Collective's music a "visual album" or "visual record" in which the visual "scenarios" were created to reflect the music and the music was created to reflect the imagery. The band members make appearances as major characters in the film. According to the band, the film's name is both a pleasant combination of letters and the name for a bag of gummy candies. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2010, It was officially released on DVD on August 10, 2010.
The project was first conceived when Plexifilm approached the band regarding the creation of a documentary or concert film. The band decided to approach Perez about making a film which resulted in Perez going on tour with the band in order to create some concert footage for the upcoming project. This film was never used as the band decided to make a film that was more to 'their taste'. While Perez was on tour with Animal Collective concepts for many of the scenes for the film that would become Oddsac were discussed and the shooting of the film began shortly thereafter. Many of these concepts were based on ideas that the band had been discussing for several years. During the production of the film the musicians and director collaborated, and thus neither the music nor the film was created independent of the other aspect of the work. This had been the concept of the film since its inception. Josh Dibb explains:
That was the goal of what we were setting out to do. We didn't want to have him make a video and have us score to it and we didn't want to make a piece of music and have him just cut a video to it. So we did a lot of back and forth and ... both things informed each other. And that was what we wanted to make.
Many of the sounds created by the band were inspired directly by the images created by Perez and Perez's images were changed often in response to new music and sounds from the band. The film was shot outdoors in what was intended to be an "alien landscape". The sound from the film footage was not used because of its poor quality and the noise of the generator used on the outdoor set.
The band members and Perez have indicated that Oddsac would only be released in theatres and in DVD form. According to Portner (AKA Avey Tare) the band will not release a separate sound-track since the video and audio are intended to be seen and heard in tandem. However, he also stated that fans will inevitably rip the music and listen to the sound track separately. The DVD package includes a 40-page hardcover book containing imagery from the film.
    
1 "Mr. Fingers" – 7:01
2 "Kindle Song" – 2:53
3 "Satin Orb Wash" – 2:53
4 "Green Beans" – 2:22
5 "Screens" – 3:39
6 "Urban Creme" – 6:36
7 "Working" – 2:45
8 "Tantrum Barb" – 3:42
9 "Lady on the Lake" – 3:52
10 "Fried Camp" – 5:12
11 "Fried Vamp" – 3:46
12 "Mess Hour House" – 3:10
13 "What Happened?" – 4:40

Whorses - Have You Seen Bob

Straight from the prairies of Kortrijk, Whorses have buckled themselves firmly in the saddle of the Belgian rock scene since they struck their first note of noise, somewhere back in 2017. These four cowboys found each other in a mutual quest for something new, different, crooked or quirky in music — rough, hard and uncompromising, but without knowing what exactly it was they craved for at the time.
It didn’t take Harry, Baptiste, Timotheus and Tijl long to stumble upon a sound quite their own: already with debut single ‘Rocky’, they frankly showed how to blend clenched and bone hard noise tunes with more sensitive and softer parts. That fresh, cutting edge sound was praised by press and public right away: Whorses quickly played Sonic City, Ancienne Belgique, Trix, Vooruit and Volta amongst others, got featured by Humo and Red Bull Music and were invited as support act for Belgian cult bands like Stake, Brutus and Raketkanon.
Not long after that intensity became their trademark, a fair amount of other influences started to drip in. Winter times, a rehearsal space in renovation and lockdown periods made the band reach for acoustic set-ups, resulting in more melody-based and kinder compositions — although in any case, artists like Pavement, The Beatles or Eliot Smith were already undisputable influences from the start. But don’t expect their country-infused songs to sound like your average singer-songwriter: Whorses wouldn’t be Whorses without a little edgy, weird or uncommonly intriguing angle on literally anything they create.
In fact, Whorses deliberately explores all which can exist in their own universe, and is not afraid to experiment with whatever comes out. Similar to a band like Ween, there are no limitations or fixed expectations in music for them, but only endless amounts of possibilities. Add to that a good portion of humour and subtle self-irony and you’ll quickly understand how the band’s self-titled debut came to be a double album, not limited in style or genre but filled with almost everything the four-piece worked on over the years.  From: https://toutpartout.be/artist/whorses/

Pizzicato Five - It's a Beautiful Day

“Imagine every great record you’ve ever heard stuck in a blender overlaid with the most experimental heavy metal guitar you’ve never heard combined with the most outstanding montage of video clips you can’t imagine plus super-adorable camp fashions, all synthesized through a demented Japanese consumerist impression of America. Then try to imagine something better than that...”
These are some of the words I wrote nearly 20 years ago about Pizzicato Five’s San Francisco stop on the Tokyo-based group’s first US/European tour. Even looking back today, I still think about my initial 1995 encounter with P5 as one of the most startling, fully realized concerts I’ve ever experienced, and their records remain among my most beloved.
Pizzicato Five were many things, but never ordinary. They’d started in the mid-’80s as an easy listening quintet, switched vocalists to favor smooth plastic soul, discovered samplers around the time their third (and defining) singer Maki Nomiya arrived in 1990, then morphed into a dance/pop-art/retro-futurist act that pulled from just about every musical genre and aesthetic movement since the mid-20th century. By the time leading American indie rock label Matador Records introduced them internationally with the 1994 samplers Five by Five and Made in USA, P5 was only two, the absurdly productive songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Yasuharu Konishi the sole original member. When the act called it quits in 2001, Pizzicato Five had released 14 studio albums, at least that number of compilations, about as many EPs, and every kind of single conceivable.
When popular music was at its bleakest and most monochromatic, Pizzicato Five were neon-hued and eclectic. Their international arrival occurred between the sudden deaths of Kurt Cobain and Tupac Shakur, figureheads of the grunge and gangsta rap that defined American music in the ’90s. Even house music – severed by this point from its gay and black roots – was straighter, whiter, less melodic, and more formulaic. The resulting electronica was hailed as “the new rock” while Britpop reintroduced previously retired orthodoxies. Although the ’90s featured more successful women rockers than any other decade, the era’s sensibility remained traditionally male – loud, brash, barbaric. Even the guitars were often downtuned to sound more ominous and growling. Juxtaposed against the furious flannel-clad sasquatches of the Pacific Northwest, P5’s worldly, feminine lightheartedness was even more refreshing than it would be today.
“I don’t like dark, brooding music – I don’t understand the purpose of it,” Konishi mused during a 1996 interview I conducted with the pair that went unpublished until now. Intrigued by my concert review, the band merely wanted to meet the American critic who they felt understood them. “I don’t think music should reflect reality. I think music should be more of a magical entity, something that lets you escape from reality.”
P5 found inspiration in both the sunniest and most radical qualities of the ’60s. “I have three superstars: Godard, Warhol, and Maki,” Konishi told Puncture. As P5’s vocalist, Maki was unrelentingly cheery and extraordinarily composed, as if she were biologically incapable of striking an unflattering pose or emitting a wayward note. A professional model before, during, and after her P5 reign, Nomiya was rail-thin like the face of ’60s Swinging London, Twiggy: Pizzicato Five’s most internationally popular song, “Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs. James Bond” was a souped up 1991 remake of a track on her 1981 solo album that streamlined and simplified its source material with a caffeinated, sample-invigorated arrangement that would serve as the prototype for most P5 to come.  From: https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/11/pizzicato-five-feature

Pink Floyd - The Gnome

Song History
"The Gnome" is a track from Pink Floyd's debut album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn," released in 1967.

Composition
The song was composed by the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band, Syd Barrett.

Song Theme
The song tells the story of a gnome named Grimble Gromble who lives a carefree life in the forest. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the countercultural “back to nature” ethos of the late 1960s.

Musical Style
Set in a whimsical, fairy-tale like narrative, "The Gnome" is a good example of the band's experimental and psychedelic sound in their early years.

Psychedelic Influence
The song is one of the prime examples of the band's psychedelic rock phase under the influence of Syd Barrett before they transitioned into progressive rock.

Unique Song Interpretation
Unlike most of Pink Floyd's later work, "The Gnome" is an acoustic folk-style song and is more playful and less serious.

Song Length
"The Gnome" is one of the shortest songs on the album, with a duration of only 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

Album Concept
The title of the album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is a reference to the title of a chapter in Kenneth Grahame's book "The Wind in the Willows" which inspired several of the songs in the album, including "The Gnome."

Lyrical Imagery
The lyrics of the song create vivid and fairy-tale like imagery, which was often typical in Syd Barrett's writing style.

Syd Barrett's departure
Unfortunately, Syd Barrett, the faltering genius who wrote "The Gnome", was forced to leave the band soon after the album due to his deteriorating mental health.

Limited Live Performances
"The Gnome" was very rarely performed live by the band, mainly owing to the departure of Syd Barrett, the song's main creative force.

Current Reception
Today, "The Gnome" along with other Syd Barrett compositions, serve as cult classics among Pink Floyd fans who admire the band's early psychedelic era.

From: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/24429406/Pink+Floyd/The+Gnome

Mary's Danish - Foxey Lady

Mary's Danish, which came together in Los Angeles in the late '80s, was itself a diverse lot — in personality and background — that served up funk, pop, punk and country. The blending of the last two genres clearly betrays the influence of X, from whom lead singers Gretchen Seager and Julie Ritter also inherited intricately woven harmony vocals. They were joined in Mary's Danish by bassist Chris "Wag" Wagner, drummer James Bradley Jr., guitarist David A. King and second guitarist Louis Gutierrez, who had played in the Three O'Clock. All were accomplished musicians with an uncanny pliability, but their secret weapon was frequent sax sideman Michael Barbera, who added jazz and R&B flavor to the mix. Mary's Danish were as varied thematically as they were sonically, with religion, domestic violence, social criticism and biting self-analysis all receiving narrative attention.
The newly cemented group signed with Chameleon Records in 1989 and released their debut album 'There Goes the Wondertruck'. It featured the single "Don't Crash the Car Tonight" which gained the band an initial following. The band had some early success, and was chosen by Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times as one of 1989's brightest newcomers. That same year they were listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of their "Top Five New Faces." Hollywood Reporter referred to the band in a review as having "spirited anarchy and rock solid musicianship."
A live album was released later in the year titled Experience (Live + Foxy Lady). Five of the six live tracks on Experience are more fully realized versions of songs from 'There Goes the Wondertruck', particularly a frenzied, beefier "Blue Stockings" and the high lonesome croon of "It'll Probably Make Me Cry." The disc's studio track, a riotous take on Hendrix's "Foxey Lady," slyly recasts the classic rock staple with a letter-perfect Led Zeppelin quote inserted into the bridge.  From: https://rockonvinyl.blogspot.com/2016/11/marys-danish-experience-live-foxey-lady.html 

The Lancashire Hustlers - Some One

The Lancashire Hustlers are a musical duo made up of Brent Thorley (vocals, guitars, keyboards) and Ian Pakes (drums, vocals, other instruments), originally from Southport but now based in London. Musical magpies, they borrow from a variety of genres including soul, pop, folk, jazz, old musicals, psychedelia, bossa nova, film soundtracks and blues. Their critically acclaimed Sing Walter de la Mare (2013) sets to music four poems by Walter de la Mare: ‘Autumn’, ‘Comfort’, ‘John Mouldy’, and ‘Some One’.  From: https://readingwalterdelamare.wordpress.com/music/ 

Frequency Drift - Run

Formed in 2007 by composer, keyboard player and multi-instrumentalist Andreas Hack, Frequency Drift are a unit that have crafted their art, producing more and more assured albums with each outing. This, their fifth studio recording, finds them throwing the net out further and the list of instruments used and the calibre of musicianship is impressive. I’ve often seen the title “cinematic prog” attached to this band and although not one for simple tags it does, in many respects, capture the band’s persona. So mention here of Andreas Hack’s careful choice of keyboard sounds, atmospheric approach and the ethereal treatment of the more percussive sounds. Along with the cinematic notion we might also add ‘music theatre’ to this album, as, on occasions, it can be detected within the arrangements.
At seventy five minutes plus, Over is a lot to digest in one sitting, however their rather unique way of combining traditional, acoustic and folk-like instruments amongst layers of keyboards and more strident guitar passages maintains a balance and flow. To complement this music Frequency Drift have once again found a vocalist of quality in Isa Fallenbacher, who to the best of my knowledge makes her debut with the band here. Her voice is crystalline and befits the music. The only comparator I might offer at this point is that of Claudia Uhle, however suffice to say that Isa’s performances on Over should firmly place her within the current crop of progressive rock female singers.
At this point it would be customary to offer an analysis of the music but there’s so much on offer it is difficult to know where to start. So I’ll backtrack slightly and say that Over comes across as a bringing together of all of Frequency Drift’s previous works – a consolidation if you like. Those familiar with the band will therefore have little to worry about.
Frequency Drift have always approached their music from a concept base however this latest album seems to be the exception. The cover pictures for Over by Alina Rudya form the basis – perhaps best expanded on by the following:
“The work of the Ukrainian shows the photographer’s hometown of Pripyat that has been abandoned since the Chernobyl disaster and where nature continues to make its way – despite all existence-threatening conditions. Corresponding to those aesthetics Frequency Drift, through their soundscapes, create a surreal atmosphere of loss, decay, abandonment but also liberation. The fact that the generous use of effects often leads to space-ish sounds only adds further to that impression.”
For those less familiar with the work of Frequency Drift I’ve elected to look at just a few of the tracks from Over which will hopefully illustrate what you might find.
We open with an engaging string arrangement (the real thing) before the band move in, initially a fairly simple mix of keys, bass, drums and a few more exotic inclusions. The delightful Isa Fallenbacher enters early in the piece and it doesn’t take long to realise what fine voice she has. Delicate at first, but more than capable of delivering the power needed for the beefier chorus. As the track moves forward we drift into a delightful keyboard, woodwind and piano movement before metallic riffing guitars and a driving rhythm are employed to bolster the music once more. This in turn takes us into a floating atmospheric section before the vocal chorus reappears.
As Run closes out with the chorus, we drift into the bluesier opening of Once. The stately pace, along with an ebb and flow arrangement, creates the setting for Isa Fallenbacher to give another impressive vocal performance. The following track, Adrift is one of the more theatrical songs and here Agathe Labus steps up to the microphone delivering a strong performance with images of Clive Nolan’s recent Alchemy project coming to mind. And across the album there are some impressive vocal sections, notably in Them where Fallenbacher and Labus work together.
Musically Over came across as well constructed with the arrangements placing their allegiances to the whole rather than the individual. So there were no elongated, solo instrumental sections, although there were sections when the band did cut loose – Sagittarius A* being one such example. The middle instrumental displaying some fine flute work and a nifty guitar solo.
Another track that captures the essence of Frequency Drift was the brief but enjoyable Wave. A powerful ballad with yet another superbly delivered vocal melody, nicely underpinned by instrumentation that is rich in texture, and it is the sounds used throughout Over that capture the imagination and adding that extra sparkle. I didn’t have a breakdown of who plays what, where and when, but Wave is full of great performances and sounds – whether it be well the chosen synth sounds or the cello or the electric harp – all can heard in this short song.
Memory, the longest track on the album, was always the most likely candidate to encompass the best of Frequency Drift and it pretty much has all those ingredients previously mentioned. What extra it has is, a great Tullian flute break (circa Roots To Branches) – a Tony Banks flavoured keyboard solo – along with oodles of rich textures and another fine guitar break. If all this wasn’t enough Isa Fallenbacher saves her best performance for the album closer Disappeared.  From: https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2014/01/27/frequency-drift-over/

The Factory - Try A Little Sunshine

Whilst The Factory's debut single, the "Nuggets II" compiled "Path Through The Forest" (actually written by Clifford T Ward under a pseudonym, fact fans) is entirely the work of the band in question, that's certainly not the case in this instance. Southend-based songwriter John Pantry initially provided them with the track here in the full expectation that they would handle all duties themselves, reckoning without the lead vocalist Jack Brand's ability to hold the tune together. It would seem that the frontman's efforts were deemed to be unsatisfactory, and in the end, Pantry stepped up to the plate himself to deliver the final take.
None of the above really subtracts anything from the worth of the single, which is actually yet another full-throttle piece of slightly kaleidoscopic mod pop which is marginally indebted to The Who. There was so much material like this being peddled around at the time that one has to wonder why The Who were the only band of that ilk making it into the charts - presumably the others simply couldn't get the necessary airplay to build a fanbase upon. "Try A Little Sunshine" rolls, judders, shakes and smashes along with frustrated intent, seemingly at odds with its simplistic hippy lyrical message. Whilst "Path Through The Forest" sounded eerily prescient of the work of Joy Division, this is a soundsplash of buzzes, thrashed guitars, and oddly angelic vocal stylings - very much of its time rather than ahead of its time, but no less thrilling for that.  From: https://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.com/2010/05/factory-try-little-sunshine.html

Flykkiller - Little Death

Chances are you haven't heard of FlyKKiller yet, but if the press-monkeys are doing their jobs correctly then it's only a matter of time. They're the latest underground hype-sensation to emerge from the annals of London (via Poland) but surprisingly they're no newcomers to the scene, not by a long shot in fact. Producer Stephen Hilton is in fact the musical partner of none other than David Holmes (who pops up here for a rather tasty remix) in the Free Association, so having cut his teeth on Hollywood film soundtracks here we find him teaming up with Polish chanteuse Pati Yang. With this self titled debut record the two manage to lay down their manifesto - tight electronically produced beats, smoky, sultry vocals and influences from hip hop to music hall and it is a resounding success. Comparisons will no doubt be made to the unsurpassed Various Production but to me the tracks sound like they could have slipped from any one of Leila Arab's wonderfully eclectic albums, albeit with a more hip hop slant. With a pop leaning which should secure plenty of radio play this is the kind of British music the world needs more of; dangerous and defiantly experimental while retaining a listenable quality it's impossible to fake. Finishing on a killer rework of the title track from David Holmes this should rouse the flagging interests of music fans everywhere.  From: https://boomkat.com/products/experiments-in-violent-light