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Let the music do the talking, never mind the editorial bit at the top. Another five slices of music thing again and again and however you slice it and of course it was sushi and here comes the introduction that heralds the latest Five Music Things thing and whatever the hell the five music thing is actually all about. Five? There’s something rather compelling about five. Cross-pollination? Five more? Do we need to do the editorial bit again? Is there another way? A better way? A cure for pulling green rats out of blue hats? Is there a rhyme? Is there a reason? Was there ever a reason? What do reasons make? Five more, everything must go and same as last time (and the time before that) five, and no, we never do and the proof of the pudding is in that proof reading. When we started this thing, oh never mind, it doesn’t matter why we started this thing and like we asked last time, does anyone bother reading the editorial? Does anyone ever actually look down the rabbit hole or is it all just method acting? We do really try to listen to everything that comes in, we do it so you don’t have to, we are very (very) very very picky about what we actually post on these fractured pages or about what gets played on the radio or indeed what we hang in a gallery. Cut to the chase, never mind the editorial, there’s loads of music further down the page, well five or so pieces of music that have come our way in the last few days and cut cut slash and cut it, who needs an editorial or words or worms in general? Just facts and links then. Here you go, play the music, grab your five, eat your greens, go eat some art, go eat some dirt and don’t forget whatever it was we said you shouldn’t forget
Here we go, five (or so) more musical things in no particular order and for no particular reason other than to let that music d othe talking
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1: Hack Poet’s Guild – Taken from new album ‘Blackletter Garland’ out 10th March (and a fine video made by Marry Waterson). Hack Poet’s Guild are Marry Waterson, Lisa Knapp and Nathaniel Mann. More on this next year I expect (if we make it that farm nver can take these things for granted)
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“On March 10th One Little Independent are proud to release the high-concept debut album from the brand-new collaboration between three of UK folk’s most unique and prestigious voices; Marry Waterson, Lisa Knapp and Nathaniel Mann. ‘Blackletter Garland’ by Hack-Poets Guild boasts twelve fascinating interpretations and original compositions that tell intricate tales of birth, love, conflict and death, with all the imagination of the folklore from which they’re based.
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and BBC Folk Award Winner Lisa Knapp brings her renowned expressive originality to the first single release off the album, ‘Daring Highwayman’, eschewing any allusions to grandeur Lisa delivers a disarming, brazen almost-spoken vocal to animate this pervasive story. “The idea of the highwayman as a sort of Robin Hood character has persisted for centuries, pushing itself out of ballad sheets and right into popular culture which is really intriguing. I thought it would be an interesting place to start and I think the narrative sits perfectly with the audacious glam-rock treatment here incited by producer Gerry and drummer Laurence Hunt.”
Inspired by historic broadside ballads, the trio rejuvenate and reinvent these stories, bringing them vividly to life for a new generation. Following an invite to the Bodleian Library by Sound UK Arts, the disposable song sheets (that would’ve once sold for pence, and were the forerunners of modern news media) gave a rare insight into the past whilst striking a chord with themes still relevant today. Celebrated film composer and multi-instrumentalist Gerry Diver helped in their exploration as a producer, and in adding fresh ideas to these past texts.
Across the LP anecdotal, descriptive yarns are spun to a backdrop of atmospheric strings, rustic instrumentation and elegant vocal harmonies used precisely to communicate the victims as easily as they do the villains. The result is a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable balance between the traditional and contemporary.
On ‘Blackletter Garland’ the acclaimed trio combine a wealth of knowledge and history, on an album that deeply conveys the passion, research, and authenticity that the writers, poets and their stories deserve”. The Bandcamp thing
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1: Brian Eno – We’ll throw this one in here, it probably doesm’t need to be thrown in here, he’s not that obscure in he? or is he? I still think of Brian Eno as some kind of major rock star – “Garden of Stars” by Brian Eno – voices: Brian Eno and Cecily Eno, guitar: Leo Abrahams, accordion: Roger Eno, keyboards: Peter Chilvers. “Garden of Stars” written by Brian Eno. This is another track from Eno’s new album Foreve andevermore
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2: Fine Lame – a proper number two, Brian doesn’t need to be on this page, Fine Lame probably do, they’re from Montreuil, France, they deal in “Brutalité des compositions et poésie imprécatoire.” and yes, they do sound like they’re all about the brutality of the compositions and and that imprecatory poetry, they do sound deliciously French and it does feel like most of the really challenging music is coming from France at the moment. Here’s the Bandcamp thing
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Their latest release features five tracks that are at the “confluence between French rock with literary appetence and Anglo-Saxon poetic rock” (three tracks in French and two in English that may recall Nick Cave or Gallon Drunk). The double single (in French) “Nous tournons en rond dans la nuit et nous sommes dévorés par le feu” is out (“We are going around in circles in the night and we are being eaten by fire”)
And yes, whe nthey do sing in English, whe nthey sing of spiders and their complaints, they do have a bit of a Cick Cave or yes Gallon Drunk thing going down, tubling in the dry sea wind and yes, this will more than do, spiders talking about jungles or jumbles, talking to me, talking to me.
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3: Lugosi – This is Lugosi, they’ve just started working with Pogo Records, a label out of Belgium. Lugosi are from, well really the could be from anywhere, it is that universal hardcore punk / post-punk sound, that blistering sound that a million bands have made, “pour fans de REfused, Botch, Melvins, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan et pas que……” say the label, the band are actually from Paris, they make a blistering noise, they touch on an undercurrent of Math Rock, not too much, nothing too comlicated, it is as much about the attitude, that united Hardcore Punk thing, Lugosi don’t do it any better or any worse than a thousand others but that’s the thing, there’s always a need for another band like this tearing up the DIY punk scene, a need for another band like this coming to your town and ripping your local venue part in the middle of bill with three or four like-minded bands. This kind of thing has gone on for years now and long may it continue to do so. Here’s the Bandcamp, and do go explore Pogo Records, they’ve got bagloads of this kind of stuff. This release is available on vinyl or as a pay whatever you want download, that’s the way to do it, don’t be a cheapskate and download it for free now, support the label and theband…
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4: Gunslingers – a track from an album originally recorded back in 2012 and avaiable (again? Has this been released before or is this a long lost piece of whatever it is, information is vague and you’re probably going to tell me we reviewed it ten years ago) now as a freshly released thing on Opaque Dynamo / Cardinal Fuzz / Feeding Tube Records. Vinyl LP / Limited Edition, recorded in 2012, mixed & mastered from tape, 2022. Don’t ask me, it landed in the inbox yesterday, we liked what we heard, we’ve shared a couple of slices here, what more do you want from us?
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“Brothers & Sisters, the new Gunslingers’ album has finally landed in its sweet vinyl LP version. Have no fear, you amphetamine lovers, speed freaks and sonic maniacs, have no fear not to find among these seven uncompromising tunes the illuminated fever of what constitutes the band’s DNA in its wildest incarnation, the alchemy of a unique style beyond the genres, the irreverent dreams calcined by a sound blowtorch, by the electro shocks overheated in the traumatized adrenalin ; have no fear, you counter-cultural worshippers and hygiene opponents, you zealots of the subtle oversaturation, of the plastic from beyond the grave monstrously remodeled in deformed oddness… Have no fear, you proto-punks, Gunslingers knows no homeland, Gunslingers is everywhere for no one and nowhere for everyone”. Opaque Dynamo
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Hang on, this rocks…
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5: James And The Cold Gun – Because sometimes just rocking out is more than enough eve nif you did build your house on a bed of sand. Not really the last of the five, no need to feel sick and tired here, this is alive, They;re from Cardfiff as well, they got a Bandcamp, they got a lot going for them, well worth their fifteen minutes and maybe a little bit more? They rock, that’s good, more please! They released a fine mini album earlier this year, did we cover it, I can’t remember? Here’s their latest release, just out,
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“Dubbed “South Wales’ loudest group”, Cardiff’s James and the Cold Gun have returned with a propulsive new track, “Chewing Glass,” a slice of raw, insistent garage-rock and their first new music since their debut EP, False Start, came out earlier this year. The track is out today via Seattle-based label Loosegroove Records, owned by Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) & Regan Hagar (Malfunkshun, Brad, Satchel).
“What a relief…hard rock with a shot of pure adrenaline” says Stone Gossard, “”Chewing Glass” reminds me of The Damned meets The Dead Boys. Simple and fricken slamming. Thanks again KEXP Seattle for turning us onto James and Cold Gun.”
Frontman James Joseph had the following to say about the themes behind their new single: “Chewing Glass” was written during a time where I felt like I couldn’t catch a break. The verses are a conversation with myself in the mirror at a low point where I’m re-evaluating all of my decisions – in essence, it’s a song about being down on your luck but persisting anyway. It’s our first self-produced song, which in itself was an act of persistence, but we’re super happy with the result.”
Early releases from the band have been rapidly building support from some of rock’s most respected tastemakers including Kerrang!, Rock Sound, Radio 1 and more.
Recent touring included the band at 2000 Trees Festival as well as joining Pearl Jam’s BST Hyde Park alongside Pearl Jam, Johnny Marr, Temples, Tigercub and more.
The band are currently working on their new full length album set to be released in 2023 and will be making their American touring debut at next year’s 2023 SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX.”
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And while we’re here, some more Bob and we carry on celebrating that beautiful blue plaque.
And, have some classic live Hawkwind, this was a good one, no Bob with this one, there was a great homemade cider stall that helped it all flow rather well. Was that the last truly great Reading Festival?
THE ORGAN 