Where were we? Doesn’t matter, we’re back now and on with the music and what we said last time or last week or last year, you’ve read all this already, never mind the damn editorial, never mind the biscuits or the dogfish, just jump down past this bit, who needs an editorial? Jump past and let the actual music do the actual walking and the actual talking. Exact same thing again, another five (or so) slices of musical things that have passed our way recently and however you like to slice it and of course it was the price of apples and here comes the intro, Don’t be flippant she said, how could it ever be flippant?

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 flying rabbits out of the clouds? Is there a rhyme? Is there a reason? Was there ever a reason? What do reasons make? Five more? Snake oil? 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 damn 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? What’s Wordsworth? Just facts and links and sounds then. Here you go, play the music, grab your five, eat your greens, go eat some art, go eat some fresh music and don’t forget whatever it was we said last time…

Here we go again, same as last time, in no particular order, starting somewhere out there in Brooklyn this time

1: Julie Christmas – well the couple of tastes of the new album we’ve had so far sound more than good, find them both on her Bandcamp. Julie Christmas has announced details of her long-awaited second solo album, ‘Ridiculous and Full of Blood’, set for release on June 14th via Cult of Luna’s Red Crk label. Along with the announcement, she has shared a first single and video, entitled “Supernatural” and has announced European live dates including headline shows in London and Leeds as well as festival appearences at Arctangent, Roskilde, Hellfest and more

“By the time Julie Christmas released her debut solo album ‘The Bad Wife’ in 2010, the Brooklyn visionary was already one of the most lauded voices in alternative music. Her piercing pipes, as previously heard in noise rockers Made Out of Babies and post-metal supergroup Battle of Mice, earned critical acclaim. Then, that goodwill was consolidated by her first standalone statement and now she returns with album two.
 
‘Ridiculous and Full of Blood’, a heart-on-sleeve chapter-by-chapter storybook of the conflicting elements of her own character, is the most comprehensive declaration of this musician’s talents yet, spanning from alt-pop to post-metal with a staggering array of talent onboard. Guitarist/ vocalist Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna), drummer Chris Enriquez (Spotlights), bassist/ producer Andrew Schneider (Kenmode/Unsane), guitarist John LaMacchia (Candiria) and keyboardist extraordinaire Tom Tierney were all paramount in bringing these new, genre-smashing tunes to life”.

Bandcamp is where you find more and hear a little more…

2: Ani DiFranco – You Forgot to Speak, a new piece from Ani DiFranco just came out (on Righteous Babe Records). The single is from the forthcoming album Unprecedented Sh!t, out May 17th on the same label.

“Today, singer/songwriter/feminist/author Ani DiFranco releases You Forgot to Speak from her 23rd album, Unprecedented Sh!t, out July 12th on DiFranco’s label Righteous Babe Records. You Forgot to Speak delves into the complexities of gender dynamics and the internalised oppression that can manifest in women within patriarchal societies.

Produced by BJ Burton (Bon Iver), Unprecedented Sh!t pushes boundaries both musically and thematically. The songs touch on a range of topics, from global crises to personal struggles, with a critical eye toward the current state of affairs. Sonically, DiFranco and Burton explored new textures and possibilities, resulting in a sound that is both raw and refined, intimate yet expansive.

DiFranco is currently starring as ‘Persephone’ in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical, Hadestown. DiFranco’s history with Hadestown began in 2010 when she invited Anais Mitchell to release the original studio album of Hadestown on Righteous Babe Records. DiFranco originated the role of ‘Persephone’ on the album, leaving an enduring impression on the character as the show evolved over the course of several years.

 A new documentary on DiFranco’s rise entitled 1-800-ON-HER-OWN will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. The film is a vulnerable look at her life today, as she struggles to balance artistry with the demands of family.

DiFranco is also a published author. Her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream was a New York Times Top 10 best seller in 2019, and her debut children’s book The Knowing is out now. Her next children’s book Show Up and Vote is due in August of 2024.

Widely considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner Ani DiFranco is the mother of the DIY movement, being one of the first artists to create her own record label, Righteous Babe Records, in 1990. She has released 22 albums, traversing folk, punk, hip-hop, soul and electronic genres and addressing a range of autobiographical, political and social issues. Her most recent album is the June 2023 25th Anniversary Edition reissue of her seminal effort Little Plastic Castle”.

Hear more and find out more via Bandcamp

3: Less-O is from Nantes, France, he has a four track EP called Cri du C​œ​urout now due out in June rather than the previously announced May 4th, there’s a couple of tracks up on his Bandcamp already, both of them heading in slighty different rewarding directions

“Youngblood Maxime Aussel aka Less-O is back on TemeT with his first mini album, ‘Cri du Cœur’.

Conceived in France in the picturesque locales of Fayet and Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains, and further refined during a residency at Nantes’ techno hub Macadam, ‘Cri du Coeur’ is a voyage into Less-O’s soul, reflecting two years of profound experiences and emotions.

The mini album pays tribute to Less-O’s multifaceted inspirations, from his South American heritage to his background as a drummer.

The album pays tribute to Less-O’s multifaceted inspirations, from his South American heritage to his background as a drummer. The titular track, ‘Cri du Coeur’ (literally meaning ‘cry of the heart’ in French), is an intense, heartfelt outcry, marking his most rapid and spontaneous composition to date. In a bold musical exploration, ‘Last Mic Jack’ revisits the amen break from a fresh perspective, infusing a torrent of kick and sub, seamlessly transitioning from the conventional 4/4 structure, to intricate 3/4 patterns.

‘Petrichor’ takes inspiration from South African Amapiano, highlighting Less-O’s knack for rhythmic innovation and eight notes repetition. ‘Ghost’ embraces the energetic essence of trap, while ‘2 Third’ is a collaboration with Nantes-based producer Dites Safran (known for releases on Toma Kami’s Man Band label), celebrating Less-O’s ties to the Nantes scene.

Both ‘Last Mic Jack’ and ‘Cri du Coeur’ have proven their mettle as club anthems. Rigorously tested and endorsed by Simo Cell in most of his DJ sets last year, these tracks have earned the seal of approval from ravers worldwide.

With ‘Cri du Coeur’ Less-O invites listeners into a world of heart-stirring rhythms and innovative electronic fusion, confirming his status as one to watch.

4: Wild Yaks – All that glitters ain’t gold or something like that, don’t be saying shit one two three four, this is good, good is good, let the music do the talking, go ask the moon, take a second look like a book or a crook. Wild Yaks sound like a band to really care about, kind of word of mouth band that people are going to take the time to tell other people about on the strength of our first taste here. They’re from Brooklyn, New York, never heard of them until about five minutes ago, all that glitters indeed!

The whole album, well the details if it are on Bandcamp, only the one track can be heard right now but hey, fine fine track, they have us interested in more anyway….

Looks like they’ve been around for years; “Rockaway Beach’s very own Wild Yaks are back, marking their triumphant return with Monumental Deeds, the band’s sixth album (depending on who’s counting) in a nearly two-decade-long career. Set to be released on June 21, 2024, via Ernest Jenning Recording Co., the album encapsulates the essence of Wild Yaks – a raw, unhinged energy coupled with intricate songwriting that oscillates between triumphant anthems and poignant reflections on love lost. The album can be pre-ordered now at Bandcamp” 

Here’s a live album while we wait for the midsummer release of the new one, looks like we have some catching up to do. Hey! Even we can’t be everywhere…

“Reflecting on their journey, frontman Rob Bryn shares, “The outstanding feature of Wild Yaks now is longevity. Almost 20 years ago, I started writing songs as a way to navigate the complexities of life and love. From the streets of Rockaway Beach to the heart of New York City, our music has been shaped by our experiences and the people we’ve met along the way.”

Rob Bryn on the band’s members and history:

How many men did I reform and make into wild yaks? How many hearts have I broken kicking them out?”

The band’s early songs were all about my ex-girlfriend. She is Tomahawk that was a nickname I had for her. River May Come is about the fatalistic inevitability of our separation. The textile factory was being turned into art studios. A guy named Josh Sitron built a recording studio. He heard me singing my songs in the hallway and invited me into his world. He recorded my first demo. My brother moved in. He played bass with and sometimes floor tom. The summer he started construction on Roberta’s Pizza I went to house sit and garden sit in the Hollywood Hills. I got booked a show and decided to put a band together. Jeremy Konner who would go on to co-create Drunk History played the bowed saw like Appalachia like ghosts singing. Jason Ritter, John Ritter’s son played the bass or the trombone or the drums I forget? Louie played the drums? Mark Schoenecker played the recorder. Jeremy was Jack Black’s assistant. Jack Black was off making a movie that was never finished because a Wilson brother tried to kill himself. We rehearsed in jack black’s movie theater in his Beverly Hills mansion. After we played we’d get stoned and watch BBC Planet Earth. We had a show booked and no name. Sir David Attenborough said something about “Wild Yaks” and that was it. We played two shows. The second one was packed. Casting agents gave me their business cards. My friends couldn’t believe I wasn’t staying in LA. I wasn’t seduced for a second. I knew I was going back to New York

I met Martin while working at Shoe Market in Williamsburg. It was a high time to be alive and selling women’s shoes to all the hipster girls. Martin heard the demo and wanted to play. He threatened to come to practice for like six months before he finally showed up. At first, he was just gonna play the snare, my brother played the floor tom and a cymbal, Brandon Hoy played the bass, and Zack Davis played lead guitar, and sometimes Will Bates on sax. Over a couple of jams Martin eventually assembled all the pieces of the drum kit and started playing it and we were all blown away. He was and is incredible. He’s been the drummer ever since. Almost 20 years

My brother moved to bass and eventually, I kicked him out because Roberta’s was picking up steam and also because he was always fighting me on what I wanted to do. We started surreptitiously practicing in the basement of Shoe Market surrounded by towers of boxes of women’s shoes. Dan Scinta became the bass player. We still had Wailing Zack Davis on guitar in his pleated khaki pants. We hated his style. People would tell me they loved it because it added to the strangeness. We played hundreds of shows. A couple of years went by. The offers never stopped coming. We played every DIY joint and bar and small club that had rock shows in Williamsburg and Bushwick and Lower Manhattan, twice. I calculated one year we played at least twice a week every week without leaving the city. Most of those places don’t even exist anymore. A list of their names would be like a list of legends 

Jose Aybar has been playing bass as a Wild Yak for 13 years. He’s incredible both on and off the court he’s our defacto manager. He’s part of an incredible multi-national scene/community of Latin rocker brothers who know each other from the Dominican Republic and Miami and Bushwick. As soon as he joined the band we started recording Million Years in his basement on Myrtle. Those songs are about Christine Huang and Crystal Benezra and Amelia Davis. Eddie Queso produced it. Jose knew him from Miami.

Eddie and Gio grew up together playing music. We’ve been friends with Gio forever but he’s been in the band about five years. It’s snuck up on me. He played percussion on Great Admirer. I don’t remember how or when or why he became the keyboard player. I love his playing. He’s all over the new record. His beautiful hooks elevate the agonized miasma from which the songs sprang. 

These songs. Our new record. Our last chance. 20 years in. I often feel like I’ve wasted these men’s lives. Like they’re so talented and I’m so useless they could have been more successful and happier had they never met me! 

And now we’ve ensnared Jairo our new lead guitar player, our newest youngest member. He just moved to NYC from Colorado. About a year now. Jose met him when he was on tour with Las Rosas. They played a show together in Denver. Jose made a note of him and filed him away in his database Rolodex. Jairo moved here a year ago for a girl. It didn’t work out with her. He didn’t know many other people in town. Then he became a wild yak. Now he has lots of friends. He stepped in shit 

These songs! Most of them were written during COVID when I figured I might die alone without ever finding love and beautiful partnership and affection again. It’s our best record yet. Our second purest since the beginning. I still want to see the world. I hope for world peace and that these songs find a home in the hearts of 200-300 people in every city in the world and we can make just enough money playing in every city to keep going. I am resigned to my fate and happy and humble to be my stupid self! Long live life long live love and brotherhood and humanity and dancing!“

5: Kee Avil – The excellent new album is out on May 3rd, we have already reviewed it – ORGAN ALBUMS: A first taste of the experimental art rock flavoured (rather excellent) new Kee Avil album – there’s a new video

and here’s some more…

And while we’re here, we can never have too much Van Der Graaf….