TRACK: Tree Trunks – ‘Reaction’: elegant synthpop for a lovers’ summer
LONDON outfit Tree Trunks have been around for a little while now, nibbling at pristine pop, picking up airplay, seducing the ears. There’s been four singles in the past couple of years proffering a line in intelligent, pristine synthpop, taking on influences such as the Yellow Magic Orchestra, Talking Heads and Frank Ocean to bring …
NEWS: Screamadelica star Denise Johnson has died
MORE sad news from the world of music: it has been reported that Mancunian soul voice extraordinaire Denise Johnson has died unexpectedly at the age of 56. She began her singing career in a gospel setting, with that effortless, soaring voice, and moved through a stint with Maze to become one of the defining voices …
TRACK: A quintet from Bill Callahan with ‘The Mackenzies’: not a dry eye in the house
IT’S become a lovely little start-of-the-week tradition through the dead centre of this mournful summer: the Monday teasing of another new Bill Callahan track ahead of September’s Gold Record. And today he brings a tale of “The Mackenzies”: the sweetness of the chance encounter with a neighbour never met after his car gives up the …
ALBUM REVIEW: Ian Skelly – ‘Drifter’s Skyline’: Coral man takes a country-psych sabbatical
THEY came rushing off the Wirral back in 2002 – was it really that long ago now? – with the woozy and seductive psych shanties of “Dreaming Of You” and “Spanish Main”, brimming with swagger and confidence like a young Stone Roses. They knew they were good. Since then The Coral, its side projects and …
ALBUM REVIEW: Dmitry Evgrafov – ‘Surrender’: fashioning post-classical into new shapes
FATCAT’S boutique 130701 imprint is neck and neck with Erased Tapes as the stable of the sometimes rarified, always immensely listenable world of modern- and post-classical; especially the piano-based end of the colour wheel, the arena from which Dmitry Evfragov springs, and at which imprint he releases among the esteemed company of Max Richter, Johann …
NEWS: Doves announce UK dates for 2021, reveal Comet is Coming remix
MUCH-loved Mancunian trio Doves have announced a UK tour for 2021. Jimi and the boys will include a homecoming at Manchester’s O2 Apollo, Brixton Academy and Glasgow Barrowlands visits among the 13 dates, set for next March and April. Tickets will go on sale at 10am this Friday, July 31st. . The band has also unveiled …
SEE: Matmos’s ‘No Concept’: boundary-pushing collagists return
THEY’VE been quietly toying with our minds for many years now, Matmos: like the doll at the back of the wardrobe which, blessed with life, just twitches and stirs enough at 3am once in a while to introduce doubt into our brains. Exhibit one, m’lud: A Chance To Cut Is A Chance To Cure, their …
TRACK: The Still Brothers – ‘The Deep’: uplifting jazz breaks for yo feet and yo soul
HOXTON’S Lewis Recordings know a little about a mighty fine groove when they hear one. And the home of artists such as DJ Yoda and Edan has been out there crate-digging again to bring us what promises to be an excellence new venture for your dance muscles and the brain in the shape of The …
ALBUM REVIEW: William Tyler – ‘Music From First Cow’: chiming soundtrackery from Tennessee gent
IT SHOULDN’T really come as a surprise to anyone who has followed William Tyler’s solo career, or heard him give the background to any of his seductive, chiming guitar odysseys, that the day would come when he moved into soundtrackery – and perhaps particularly, the soundtracks for a well-made film about the old Americas. He has …
TRACK: Milky Wimpshake’s tweepunk starburst ‘You Make A Nice Piece Of Art’ leads for October LP
IF YOU like your indiepop punky and proud, erudite and bearing a manifesto – yeah, like it used to – then Newcastle’s Milky Wimpshake should so be on your shopping list. The thrashy twee punk project of Pete Dale that has been releasing lofi sherbet grenades of purest bouncealong thrashpop for a quarter-century now – …