Another Neighbor Disappeared is an American four-piece instrumental alternative/experimental band hailing from Portland, Oregon.
Known for their dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Their distinctive sound draws from post-rock, math-rock, and other heavier influences.
When performing live, Another Neighbor Disappeared is noted for their ability to replicate and even expand upon their recorded material. This is achieved through the use of sampling, an extensive array of effect pedals, and loop pedals to build layers of sound. Their live shows are atmospheric, highlighting their entirely instrumental style.
The band’s sound has evolved towards a more indie/experimental direction, with increased use of effects and cleaner guitars. While they are often compared to bands like Russian Circles and God Is an Astronaut, they cite heavier acts such as, And So I Watch You from Afar, Body Hound, and Pelican as recent influences. Although they employ the standard soft/loud dynamic common to most post-rock bands, Another Neighbor Disappeared prefers tightly structured songs and melodies over the genre’s typical expansive compositions.
In 2023, the band underwent a lineup change, welcoming back their original drummer and subsequently releasing their third album. This new offering showcases a more robust and driven sound compared to their previous releases.
With the introduction of samples and keys, their songs now have a much larger and more dynamic sound.
Their new single ‘Molar’ is taken from the forthcoming new album, ‘How To Stay Conscious While Drowning’ the band delve deep into murky, ominous and hypnotic realms of creativity with one purpose – to transport the listener to higher planes.
Speaking of the new single, the bands says; “The track ‘Molar’ was inspired by an overwhelming sense of anxiety, specifically associated with the growing void in todays society. The flourishing intensity of the track reflects the increasing stress that society puts on people, driving them to a breaking point or sorts”.
Discography: Another Neighbor Disappeared EP (2015) Another Neighbor Disappeared (2019) How to Stay Conscious While Drowning (2024)
Another Neighbor Disappeared are: Darryl O’Beirne – Guitar Peter Schauer – Bass Mark Willey – Drums Julian Smith – Guitar
‘Rip My Hair’ by 2 Forks is the Cleveland, Ohio band’s campy new music video: a lovingly humorous tribute to 1980s schlock-horror B-movie cult classics like Evil Dead II and Return of the Living Dead.
2Forks is the dark-electro / industrial-rock project led by ‘Danny 2 Forks’ alias Daniel C (longtime drummer with US gothic rock icons The Wake); while ‘Rip My Hair’ is the fourth video-single lifted from the debut 2 Forks album, ‘Quanticode’. Premiering the video on Rue-Morgue.com on Monday (17 June), Danny explained:
“I always wanted to do a video inspired by Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, mixed with ‘Evil Dead II’, sprinkled with ‘Return of the Living Dead’. Real campy, like over the top campy, but earnest, so you are just not sure. A gorgeous gore throwback to the glory days of horror. At least my glory days. Several takes I had to re-do, because I was smiling too much in the shot. I mean zombies and aliens together? This video was a tremendous amount of fun to make and embodies my love for the horror genre and the DIY attitude.”
‘Quanticode’ (October 2023) is a concept album, whose fictional narrative follows the hunt for a serial killer: each track comprising a different chapter in the larger story. The album’s four videos to date have been released in line with the chronological storyline of ‘Quanticode’, and in a sequence that alternates visually between black and white, and colour: the debut single ‘Take It’ (black and white), followed by ‘I Feel Lost’ (colour), and ‘Bad Fukker Un Sub’ (black and white), and now returning to full-colour for ‘Rip My Hair’. This visual oscillation represents the fluctuating mental state of the album’s central figure, “where the killer goes from elation to breakdown”, Danny explains.
“The return to full-colour represents the return to the serial killer’s mental breakdown. When in this agitated state, colours are vibrant and brilliant.”
A similar pattern can be heard musically in the four singles, which have vacillated back and forth between hard-hitting industrial rock, and more synth-driven dark electro. ‘Rip My Hair’ is the penultimate promotional single from October 2023’s ‘Quanticode’ album, before 2 Forks moves on to new material.
‘Rip My Hair’ is directed by Daniel C and Cleveland filmmaker Adam Kurtz of AK Media, with a returning cast and crew from earlier 2 Forks videos on set. Danny adds:
“I was so lucky to work with experienced, talented artists and actors, some of whom I worked with on other 2 Forks videos. It made the process more comfortable and productive.”
Intercut with the zombie-alien crew on set, ‘Rip My Hair’ also showcases Danny 2 Forks in a live setting for the first time, with onstage footage from the debut 2 Forks live show at Cleveland’s Foundry Music Club in 2023. For those eager to see more of the project live, 2 Forks are currently booking US tourdates for later in 2024, together with Chicago bands Plasmata and [melter].
In the studio, Danny’s principal collaborator in 2 Forks is Gil Singer: a producer and beatmaker for local Cleveland bands at Compound Studio, including his own studio project Scrapdata. The duo is augmented by guitarist Mark Gamiere, a former live member of The Wake (1996-2000), whose later credits also include Urban Needle and ( SIC ).Friends since high school during the early 1980s, the members have collaborated in several projects over many years.
‘Quanticode’ by 2 Forks is available now on CD or for download from Bandcamp, and is streaming from all major digital music outlets.
WolfWolf, the dynamic Swiss duo renowned for their unbridled energy and unique blend of garage punk and blues trash, has just released their highly anticipated fourth album, Totentanz (Dance of Death), showcasing their evolution as musicians and storytellers.
For over a decade, WolfWolf has captivated the underground music scene with their abstract narratives and distinctive sound.
Comprising Mr. Wolf and Mr. Wolf, the duo’s latest offering delves deep into themes of mortality, weaving tales of life and death with their signature comic flair.
“We’ve always seen WolfWolf as more than just a band; it’s a universe of freaks and dark creatures that we’ve created over the years with our songs,” remarks Mr. Wolf & Mr. Wolf.
Totentanz takes listeners on a journey through the lives of characters often overlooked in everyday existence.
From the melancholic to the macabre, each track on the album offers a glimpse into the vibrant yet eerie world of WolfWolf.
Recorded at Food Corner Studio in Rorbas by long-time collaborator Lukas Speissegger, the album features a fusion of new wave drum sounds, industrial elements, and the haunting melodies of the Mellotron, adding depth and complexity to the duo’s unmistakable style.
Mixing duties were handled by Harry Darling at Lux Noise Studios Basel, with mastering by Robin Schmidt at 24-96 Mastering, Karlsruhe.
Totentanz is a tapestry of sonic storytelling, with each track offering a unique glimpse into the duo’s twisted universe.
“Black Hole” serves as a hypnotic ode to the gravitational pull of despair, immersing listeners in a sonic abyss of darkness and emptiness. Meanwhile, “Ghost Of Bran” channels spectral energies into a haunting narrative of vengeance and eternal longing, underscored by WolfWolf’s trademark blend of raw energy and melodic sensibility. “Heavy Sick” delves deep beneath the surface of urban nightlife, exploring themes of danger, desire, and disorientation amidst a backdrop of pulsating rhythms and gritty guitars. With “Heidi Is Alive,” WolfWolf spins a tale of unintended consequences and existential dread, set against a backdrop of frenetic instrumentation and evocative lyrics. “Holy Water” delves into the unsettling juxtaposition of faith and fanaticism, blending dark humor with sinister undertones in a sonic exploration of religious obsession. “It’s Hot In Hell” fills out the album with a sense of foreboding and existential resignation, combining atmospheric textures with introspective lyrics, inviting listeners to confront the inevitability of their own mortality. Each track on Totentanz contributes to the album’s immersive narrative, inviting listeners to explore the depths of WolfWolf’s twisted universe while embracing the inherent beauty of life’s transience.
In keeping with their commitment to visual storytelling, WolfWolf enlisted the talents of artist duo Barbara and Heini Gut for the album’s cover artwork. Barbara Gut’s captivating sculptures bring the Dance of Death to life, while Heini Gut’s enigmatic lettering completes the atmospheric design.
Basel photographer Daniel Infanger beautifully captured the essence of the sculpture in the album’s artwork.
Totentanz is released in collaboration with Ghost Highway Recordings, Lux Noise, and Off Label Records and is also available on all major streaming platforms and digital stores.
With four studio albums to their name, WolfWolf continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences with their captivating storytelling and distinctive sound.
Manchester’s THE SPEED OF SOUND channels The B-52s on new single ‘Mind Palace’, a lighthearted look at identity loss Epic ‘Cornucopia’ 3-album set and lead-off ‘Minerva’ album mark 35 years for the band
Throughout their history, The Speed Of Sound have continuously produced music laced with optimism and lyrical bite, tapping the DIY ethos of punk and the restless lust for experimentation of psychedelia. Formed in 1989 with a pre-history dating back to the day AndyWarholdied in 1987, their music has always been idiosyncratic, counter-intuitive and perpetually looking for something new. Today The Speed of Sound is made up of father and son John Armstrong (guitars and vocals) and Henry Armstrong (keyboards), Ann-Marie Crowley (vocals and guitar), Kevin Roache (bass guitar) and John Broadhurst (drums).
Full of ambition, energy, and eccentric melodic brilliance, these future-retro-modernist garage-psych stalwarts have released this new three-album collection on vinyl and CD under the umbrella title ‘A Cornucopia’. In essence, ‘Minerva’ is being released as a deluxe edition that includes two full-length bonus albums – ‘Victory’ and ‘Bounty’. Earlier, they shared the hauntingly spacious‘Trickledown’, the stratospherically vast ‘The Great Acceleration’ and ‘West Wind’, where a recklessly fast Bo Diddley rhythm merges with a Wagnerian horn section.
On ‘Mind Palace’, brisk pure pop power and harmony propel this homage to individual identity, memory and self-awareness – not the dull re-run memory of nostalgia, but the interactive memory that makes up a person’s essence. Sparked by a visit to Sintra Palace in Portugal and recalling a Sherlock Holmes memory-file technique, ‘Mind Palace’ ponders the loss of self with fading memory as the 12-string chimes and canters.
Frontman John Armstrong explains, “The possibility of loss of individuality – loss of self – whether that be via dementia or an absorption into prevailing tastes is at the core of ‘Mind Palace’, its rapid onrush of pace reflects the spiral of water draining away. It celebrates the power of independence, not mere Deliberate Contrarianism but of self, and not deriving self worth from a relationship with mainstream culture.”
With ‘A Cornucopia: Minerva’ marking the band’s 35th anniversary, The Speed Of Sound returns triumphant, defiant and redemptive, following their 2021 critically acclaimed album ‘Museum Of Tomorrow’. Named for the goddess associated with wisdom, the arts and strategic warfare, this album explores themes of resistance to mainstream cultural dominance, championing individual identity and artistic creativity whilst being a vigorous musical celebration of subcultural existence in the face of predominantly bland pop culture.
Each of the album’s 14 kaleidoscopic tracks burst of radio-friendly technicolor, from the stripped back mediaeval folk-tinged starkness of ‘The Harvest’ to the acoustic guitar-driven groove of ‘SS-100-X’, from the spacious iridescence of ‘Eight Fourteen Monday’ to the lively ascendence of ‘The Party Sniper’ and the glowing radioactivity metaphor of ‘Half Life’. While the bouncing vibe of ‘Bodysnatchers’ reminds us to stay awake and not slip into the drabness of normalcy, the crunching melodic punch of ‘Clickbait’ zings into the typewriter introduction of ‘Yet Another Tuesday’. Then there is the punkifed rhythm and blues of ‘So Faux’ and the closing acoustic riot of ‘Question Time’.
With their inbuilt eclectic and genre-defying style, The Speed Of Sound expand from their base-camp foundation of 1960s, punk and new wave influences, encompassing wide dynamic and stylistic variation, crossing borders and pushing boundaries at every opportunity while retaining continuity. Their music bursts with experimentation whilst retaining hooks and melodic sensibility, plus sharp barbed wit, lyrical depth and all-pervading sense of joy.
Irrespressible and uplifting, The Speed Of Sound have continuously produced music laced with optimism and lyrical bite, tapping the DIY ethos of punk and the restless lust for experimentation of psychedelia. Formed in 1989 with a pre-history dating back to the day Andy Warhol died in 1987, their music has always been idiosyncratic, counter-intuitive and perpetually looking for something new.
The ‘Minerva’ album is out now, available everywhere digitally, includingApple Music, Spotifyand Bandcamp, and also on CD and vinyl. The ‘Bounty’ and ‘Victory’ albums will see digital editions over the next year,
TRACK LIST 01. West Wind (2:39) 02. SS-100-X (3:13) 03. Eight Fourteen Monday (2:59) 04. The Party Sniper (People Down There) (3:09) 05. Half Life (2:47) 06. Mind Palace (3:09) 07. The Great Acceleration (4:26) 08. The Harvest (2:28) 09. Bodysnatchers (2:20) 10. Trickledown (3:23) 11. Clickbait (2:39) 12. Yet Another Tuesday (2:54) 13. So Faux (2:59) 14. Question Time (2:53)
Chelsea Wolfe released She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She earlier this year on Loma Vista, “[stretching] gothic sounds and themes beyond the boundaries of the genre” (The New Yorker).
Today, Wolfe presents the album’s first remix, “House of Self-Undoing (Boy Harsher Remix).”
Known for their signature take on darkwave, Boy Harsher injects their gothy synth-pop sound into this album standout which takes the “trip-hop rollercoaster of Lovecraftian frights” (Paste) to a new, club-ready dimension.
“I love how Boy Harsher totally transformed this song into something new,” says Wolfe. “It’s really fun to hear my voice in this context — I so appreciate Jae and Gus bringing their energy to the House of Self-Undoing.”
“I love remixes because they have a mind of their own,” adds Augustus Muller of Boy Harsher. “I typically remove everything and follow the vocals. Chelsea’s voice is so beautiful and vulnerable on this track and I was just trying to make room for it. I was getting a bit of a R&B vibe and tried to lean into that.”
Chelsea Wolfe will return to the UK and Ireland for headline tour dates in October and November this year following up from a sold-out headline appearance at London’s Heaven in April 2024, and atop a swell of praise for the new album. Tickets are on sale now. Full dates below.
Chelsea Wolfe tour dates 2024
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Friday, 25 October 2024, IRE, Dublin, Button Factory – SOLD OUT
Saturday, 26 October 2024, N-IRE, Belfast, Limelight 2
Sunday, 27 October 2024, UK, Glasgow, Saint Luke’s – SOLD OUT
Monday, 28 October 2024, UK, Manchester, Academy2
Tuesday, 29 October 2024, UK, London, KOKO
Thursday, 31 October 2024, UK, Leeds, Irish Centre
Friday, 1 November 2024, UK, Brighton, Chalk
Saturday, 2 November 2024, UK, Bristol, Marble Factory
Autumn’s first new release in six years, ‘Catacombs’, is produced and directed by longtime collaborator, William Faith. The new single and video comes ahead of the band’s next appearance at Dark Ceremony Festival in Houston, Texas, on 15 June 2024, alongside Clan of Xymox, Chameleons, Twin Tribes, and many more.
With its wintery video created by US goth legend William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse, et al), ‘Catacombs’ is the lush, shimmering new single from Minneapolis trio, Autumn: an enduring flagship of North American ethereal darkwave since 1992. The first new single and video to be revealed from Autumn’s forthcoming new album, Songs About Dying, ‘Catacombs’ explores the spaces between this world and the next, both visually and lyrically, as vocalist Julie Plante explains:
“This song really hits on many of the big themes still circulating in our lives right now, but it really came together during the COVID lockdown time. I knew my dad was nearing the end of his life, and I was finding myself really trying to make my peace with this fragile world and my own limited time in it. I was also really dealing with solitude in a way I hadn’t ever before: recognizing that we are each born alone and will ultimately die alone, and yet we are never alone… Much of the video footage was shot up north in the woods in the coldest part of winter, and that too felt right to me. The starkness of a northern winter landscape has always spoken volumes to me of the thin line between life and death.”
Plante also expands on the song’s title and its connection to these themes:
“Because when I first saw the catacombs under Paris, I was blown away by the simple truths revealed in the walls of bones reaching up like great scaffolding: the miles I walk have been walked by many others who came before, and will be walked by just as many after I am gone. It represents a truth that I find comforting. I don’t personally need for there to be some greater explanation of a “hereafter”, and I don’t need a heaven. My peace comes from accepting that I am part of the natural world.”
Autumn began as a collaborative effort between bassist Jeff Leyda and guitarist Neil McKay in the summer of 1992; consolidated by the addition of vocalist Julie Plante in February 1994. With soaring vocals against a lush landscape of intricate guitar sounds and propulsive bass and rhythms, they have cultivated a loyal following over 30 years. Following some early cassette releases, in 1995 Autumn signed to Tess Records, and embarked on what would become a long working relationship with William Faith, who co-produced the debut album The Hating Tree (Tess Records, 1997). Holding stages with the likes of Clan of Xymox, Faith and the Muse, Switchblade Symphony, Lycia, The Wake, and Sunshine Blind, Autumn followed up with the sophomore album, Return to the Breath (Tess Records, 2000).
While members intermittently made space for family and career aspirations, Autumn returned with renewed energy for the release of their third album, Chandelier (Sett Records, 2018), produced again by William Faith. The band has since embarked on several mini-tours of the US supporting Clan of Xymox and The Bellwether Syndicate, and in 2019 were invited to play the prestigious Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, Germany. More recently, Autumn have once again been working with Faith to produce their upcoming fourth album, Songs About Dying, featuring the newest single, ‘Catacombs’.
Arising from Tallahassee, Florida, , Mira formed in 1996 with vocalist Regina Sosinski, guitarist Tom Parker, bassist Max Fresen and drummer Alan Donaldson, along with second guitarist Mark Davidson and cellist Molly Cornell. They released this debut on Projekt Records April 4, 2000.
As part of the 2nd wave of shoegaze artists, Mira picked up the torch with a wall of delicate yet intense guitars swirling behind Regina’s blissed-out vocals expressing loss and longing, uncontainable feelings held in a fragile balance by her soaring voice.
With shoegaze in the midst of a revival thanks to social network attention bringing together fifty-something rockers, TikToking teens, and new young bands finding solace in a lush sound, Mira’s debut has an enduring relevance with its passionate sound just as powerful today as when released 24 years ago.
An interview with Tom and Regina from back in the day:
Julie: How did you grow into your style with this CD?
Tom: Well, this CD represents three years of songwriting and refining. This record features many musicians that have come and gone and the influences that they left with us. From our beginnings as a droney ethereal shoegaze group, to a Cure-meets-the-Sundays pop band to something a bit harder. It hard for me to say that we have a certain style now.
Regina: Our musical style has been changing over the past three years, due to the changing members and simply our own growth. I’m really not sure where our style is leading…. definitely a little louder and harder at times, but still with that soft edge always surrounding us…. at least me.
Julie: Who do you consider your most valuable influence and how have you taken the ideas from the influence into the context of your music?
Tom: Well, for me, the guitar work in Slowdive‘s Just for a Day has always stuck in my mind as being lush, beautiful and different. Many early bands on the 4AD label were also very much influential. What is influencing my songwriting these days, are indie rock / math rock / emo / whatever bands with simple but intricate song arrangements / time signature changes / harmonies.
Regina: It’s hard to say who the “most” valuable influence was…. The Cocteau Twins were a favorite of mine simply for the delicate, extremely beautiful songs they created …. and that words cannot always express the emotions you feel — sometimes it can only be captured in sounds. When writing a new song, words are always second to me, whereas the melody comes first.
Liverpool duo King Hannah (Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle) released their new album Big Swimmer, on 31st May.
The record was produced by Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding, Perfume Genius) and finds wide-screen inspiration from the band’s time on the road over the past few years across the US, with stints supporting Kurt Vile and Thurston Moore.
Today’s announcement is accompanied by the stunning album opener and title-track, featuring guest vocals from Sharon Van Etten, who the band connected with when Van Etten posted about their debut single ‘Crème Brûlée’. The track opens with a starkly vulnerable vocal, Van Etten and Merrick’s voices effortlessly intertwined, gently unravelling the song’s gut-punching message – life is really what you make of it. The second part of the song warms to a rich, rolling ‘70’s American folk rock influenced gem, marrying darkness with light and carrying home the final message of ‘Big Swimmer’ – never stop swimming.
Vocalist Hannah Merrick has to say on the song – “I remember sitting at my desk and the song just came pouring out and the big swimmer metaphor instantly felt right; to never give up on whatever it is you’re swimming hard towards. But I like that it questions the listener too, that whenever you’re faced with something challenging, do you carry on swimming or do you jump out and grab our towel? There’s no right answer, but it feels empowering and necessary for the record.”
Filmed in a local sports hall, the accompanying visual features Hannah walking around an empty space in a red flamenco dress against ocean blue walls. By the time the second half of the song hits she has arrived to her band, waiting for her at the other end of the hall and consisting of two small children on guitars and Craig playing a tiny drum kit. Looking like it was shot on 16mm, the video takes inspiration from the look and feel of Craig’s favourite films from the American new wave of the late 60s and 70s.
About Big Swimmer –
On their first tour of the United States, King Hannah could hardly believe where their debut record had taken them. The Liverpool indie rock duo, composed of Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle, were in the middle of the southwestern deserts of New Mexico, among other places they’d only seen portrayed in films and television. Their stubborn determination and sheer guts to swim hard towards their carefully planned vision, positively unquestionably, had landed them head-first in a scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Badlands or one of the several true crime documentaries they’d enjoy when off the road. Being in a new place opened their eyes to common occurrences that they may have ignored had they happened in Liverpool, with a new perspective. Much of the band’s second record, Big Swimmer, reflects on stories from their travels, as the duo shared the stage with Kurt Vile, Thurston Moore, and festivals throughout Europe and North America. Particularly in America, Merrick and Whittle found themselves looking through their tour van window as a sort of screen, allowing for inspiration for their storytelling to come pouring in.
“Because if you’re visiting a different country, it’s more like you’re witnessing someone’s life,” Merrick comments on the band’s experiences on the road in the States. Therein a balance of lightness and darkness melded together, as the band witnessed everyday delights, horrors and mundanities – this all against the backdrop of their dreams of performing their songs around the world coming true. That balance is essential to Hannah and Craig, especially as they approach each release as an individual project, writing songs together from scratch. This can be heard in equal parts on their first EP, Tell Me Your Mind And I’ll Tell You Mine, and debut album I’m Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me, out in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
Coincidentally, the title track and album opener, “Big Swimmer,” was the final song written before heading from the road into the studio to record their follow up, standing as a physical testament to the album’s ultimate metaphor like a punch to the gut; that you don’t achieve anything by throwing the towel in. “Big Swimmer” is one of two tracks on the album to feature vocals from indie stalwart Sharon Van Etten. Having a cherished hero offer her endorsement and co-sign to this rising band’s music truly moved the duo, especially to be featured on the album title track that embodies the balance struck when chasing creative visions.
Wanting to capture the energy from the live shows of their debut tours, Merrick and Whittle went to producer and engineer Ali Chant (Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey, Perfume Genius). The producer’s one-room studio, guitar amps stacked even in the bathroom, felt like home. Tracking the songs live at once was essential. Whittle dotes on the microphone bleed, saying the goal was to create that feeling of everyone playing in a room together. In this space, they blended the richness and heart of the 70’s with the simmering noise of the 90’s.
Big Swimmer finds King Hannah on the other side of their first act with a newfound understanding of their sound, their strengths, their gratitude, and their vision for the future of the band’s music. This understanding has no doubt ushered the profound confidence heard in their new songs – Merrick’s voice soaring, Whittle’s guitar blazing – and the balance they have found while traversing the waters of the Atlantic, or the rock venues on either side of it anyhow. The album leaves your hairs standing on the back of your neck, between the at times prickly, and often heartening imagery of its storytelling. It’s very likely that when listening, you’ll find yourself daydreaming of a lake in summer and wanting to jump on in.
Track-listing
1. Big Swimmer (ft. Sharon Van Etten)
2. New York, Let’s Do Nothing
3. The Mattress
4. Milk Boy (I Love You)
5. Suddenly, Your Hand
6. Somewhere Near El Paso
7. Lily Pad
8. Davey Says
9. Scully
10. This Wasn’t Intentional (ft. Sharon Van Etten)
Big Stir Records presents a special new single spanning the full career of rock legend Graham Parker: the studio recording “Last Stretch Of The Road” from his acclaimed 2023 album Last Chance To Learn the Twist, backed with a brand new live version of “Back To Schooldays” from his 1976 debut album Howlin’ Wind. Both tracks find the singer-songwriter backed by his current ace backing band The Goldtops, and they’re out on all digital platforms June 7 and up for pre-save/preorder now.
“Last Stretch Of The Road” is a marvel of song, and the near-title-track of Last Chance to learn the Twist(out now on Vinyl, CD and Streaming from Big Stir Records): the bittersweet title phrase appears at the end of the second verse, rhymed with a bit of Cockney slang in a move that’s pure Parker. The whole tune drips with GP’s trademark wicked wit despite its dark subject matter of mortality and regret. The song echoes both early and late-period Dylan in its easygoing folk-inflected groove, but it’s Parker’s inimitable lyric bite that’s made it a fan-favorite staple of his live sets, solo and with The Goldtops, since before the 2023 release of Last Chance. It’s been singled out as a highlight in many of the rapturous reviews of the record for the way it crystalizes the fresh approach taken by the veteran songwriter: short, sharp songs that hit as hard as anything in his considerable catalog.
The song had become iconic enough to serve as the opening number whenParker hit the road last Autumn in his native England backed by The Goldtops in exactly the same lineup from the record: Martin Belmont (guitar), Jim Russell (drums), Geraint Watkins (keys) and Simon Edwards (bass). Also on board, as on the LP, were backing vocal duo The Lady Bugs (Paige Stubley with Martha Evans covering Marietta Smith‘s parts) as the group performed most of the album along with a selection of Parker’s classic catalog of tunes, going all the way back to the beginning as heard on the previously unreleased version of the classic and often-covered “Back To Schooldays” captured on tape and served up here as the B-side. It’s a throwback to the start of the road for Parker, and it’s a thrill to hear the same seasoned and utterly empathetic musicians heard on his latest album dig into a still-vital tune from his first.
Fans will have already noted that this isn’t the first single from Last Chance to learn the Twist to feature live tracks from the UK tour: the standalone release of the album’s “Sun Valley” featured a roaring rip through the album’s “Since You Left Me Baby” and a cover of Sinatra’s “That’s Life”. And they might well be wondering, based on the quality of the performances and recordings alike, if there’s more – perhaps even a full set or an album’s worth of highlights — yet to see the light of day.
With his songwriting and vocal prowess stronger than ever, there’s plenty of road ahead for Graham Parker, and his record label will be delighted to share the next stretch of it with you… stand by for news later this year.
Legendary shoegaze outfit THE VELDT shares ‘In A Quiet Room (Live at KEXP)’ as they launch Japan headliner tour
American shoegaze legends The Veldtpresent ‘In A Quiet Room’, an immersive audio-visual experience that takes the listener to the studio of Seattle’s KEXP Radio, where they recently recorded a full live session.
At the same time, hot on the trail of a series of US east coast tour dates with Ringo Deathstarr, The Veldt will now be heading across the Pacific Ocean for a 3-week Japan tour in support of their ‘Illuminated 1989’ album, out now via Portland’s Little Cloud Recordsand North Carolina’s 5BC Records.
Formed in North Carolina in the 1980s, The Veldt’s heady and sensual blend of shoegaze and progressive soul, dreamy soundscapes and infectious grooves makes them stand out among the world’s most notable first-wave shoegaze bands. The band’s core is Daniel Chavis (vocals, guitar), Danny Chavis (guitar) and Hayato Nakao (bass, programming).
‘Illuminated 1989’ is the original full-length record produced by Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie (who also recently remastered it for vinyl). Intended as their first album, Capitol Records shelved the recording and sent them back into the studio with producer Lincoln Fong (Moose, Piroshka), to work on their official debut release – the ‘Marigolds’ album.
Pitchfork included The Veldt’s album‘Afrodisiac’, produced by the legendary Ray Shulman (The Sundays, Bjork, The Sugarcubes) in the top 50 shoegaze albums ever released, while Stereogum included ‘Until You’re Forever’ in the top 31 shoegaze tracks. Their sound also inspired future generations of alternative artists, including TV On the Radio.
The Veldt’s journey is fascinating. Performing since they were children, the Chavis brothers’ musical roots lead back to the church and southern juke-joints, and listening to music that included gospel, Motown and Pink Floyd. The Veldt formed in the late 80’s in Raleigh amongst the legendary North Carolina music scene of the time, initially signing with Mammoth Records – leading to a chain of major-label relationships that took the group across Europe and the U.S. playing shows with the likes of Throwing Muses, Pixies, Cocteau Twins and Jesus & Mary Chain.
Over the years, The Veldt has collaborated with TV On The Radio, Mos Def, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite), A.R.Kane and toured or played with Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, Echo & The Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, Manic Street Preachers, Phantogram, Modern English, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis, Chuck D, Living Colour and Schooly D.
The ‘Illuminated 1989’ album is out now on limited edition translucent pink or clear vinyl with a gatefold sleeve. It is also available from fine digital platforms, including Apple Music, SpotifyandBandcamp.
‘ILLUMINATED 1989’ ALBUM CREDITS ‘Illuminated 1989’ released via Little Cloud Records and 5BC Records Danny Chavis – guitar Daniel Chavis – vocals, guitar, lyrics Marvin Levi – drums Joseph Hue Boyle – bass Elizabeth Fraser – additional vocals Robin Guthrie – programming, additional guitars Lincoln Fong – programming Written by Danny and Daniel Chavis Recorded and produced at September Sound by Robin Guthrie Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR Artist photos by Brady Harvey / KEXP
JAPAN TOUR DATES MAY 31 Imari – Cafe Museum (1F Nishiki Building, 560-2 Shintencho) JUNE 3 Fukuoka – Utero (2F 6-34-2 Kiyokawa, Chuo-ku) JUNE 7 Kumamoto World Beer Terminal KAEN (1F Ginza Place, 1-10-3 Shimodori, Chuo-ku) JUNE 8 Imari – Amusement Hall Rainbow (2F Pine Port Building, 3430-13 Tachibana-cho) JUNE 10 Kobe – Alchemy Kobe (3-5-5 Kitanagasatsudouri, Chuo-ku) JUNE 12 Shimokitazawa – Breath (2-14-7 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Shimokitazawa Central Building, 3rd floor) JUNE 13 Kunitachi – Chikyuya (1-16-13 Higashi, Kunitachi-shi, Morohashi Building B1) JUNE 15 Koenji – Green Apple (4-9-6 Koenji Minami, Suginami-ku, Daisan Yajima Building, 2nd floor) JUNE 17 Nagoya – KD Japan – Vacant lot (5-12-7 Chiyoda, Naka-ku)
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