FEATURE:
One for the Record Collection!
IN THIS PHOTO: Fontaines D.C.
Essential July Releases
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THINGS could change…
IN THIS PHOTO: Paul Weller
between now and July, but there are some fantastic releases due then – artists are still pushing back releases due to the COVID-19 situation. At the moment, the albums below have been announced for July, and there are some real gems in the list! Out on 3rd July is Paul Weller’s excellent new album, On Sunset. You can pre-order it here, and The Guardian have already reviewed it. In their review, they made some interesting observations:
“Another curveball comes with Equanimity, which features Jim Lea of Slade on violin and sounds like David Bowie, an artist Weller paid open homage to on True Meanings: not, it’s worth noting, the Bowie of Ziggy Stardust or Low, but the Bowie found on his eponymous 1967 debut, in thrall to music hall and Anthony Newley’s brand of musical theatre. At the other extreme, meanwhile, there’s Baptiste and On Sunset, offering warm, soul-infused rock that could have been released in 1969 and 1972 respectively.
The rest lurks somewhere in between, offering gentle disruptions of the familiar. More offers the kind of relaxed bucolic sound found on 1993’s Wild Wood, but underpinned by a taut, metronomic bass line that leans towards krautrock. Old Father Tyme has a naggingly familiar guitar riff weaving through satisfyingly off-beam production – a drum machine fades in and out of the mix, Weller’s vocal comes decorated with little bursts of dubby echo – and one of a number of lyrics on which Weller, who spent his early years as a songwriter obsessed with his own youth, addresses ageing with surprising equanimity. There’s a lot of stuff here about contentment and growing into yourself: “Not a thing I’d change if I could, I’m happy here in my neighbourhood,” he sings in Village”.
There are a few decent albums out on 10th July that you need to invest some money in. One of those albums comes from Margo Price in the form of That's How Rumors Get Started is available to pre-order here, and it is her third album. The highly-acclaimed All American Made was released in 2017, and it is shaping up to be another tremendous release from the U.S. Country/Americana artist! Even if you are not a fan of the genres, the songs are so accessible and will appeal to all listeners. I am excited by NZCA Lines’ Pure Luxury album. The title track has been doing the rounds; NZCA Lines are a British Synthpop band founded by Michael Lovett. Previous members of the band include Charlotte Hatherley and Sarah Jones. Go and ensure you pre-order your copy of Pure Luxury. Lovett recently spoke with Under the Radar about his lockdown experiences, and whether it has been a creative time for him:
“Have you been doing any live-streamed concerts during COVID-19 or do you plan to? A lot of artists have been doing them, do you think it’s a challenge to make them original and interesting?
Yes, I started out doing stripped back performances of songs from my two albums, NZCA/LINES and Infinite Summer, throughout March and April on Instagram Live, and have been adding in covers—figuring out what live-streaming is for me, really! I do think the challenge is bringing something original to it. Personally, without the prospect of playing live in the near future, I’m trying to bring in some kind of production value, so it can introduce people to the world of my music a little more. I’m very keen on aesthetics, and whilst the intimacy of live-streams is quite special, the lo-fi aspect can get a bit limiting.
Has the quarantine been a fertile creative time (are you writing or recording new music, for example) or have you found it hard to focus on creative endeavors?
I entered into this quarantine period with a big to-do list surrounding plans I’d already made for releasing my recent single, “Pure Luxury,” and its accompanying video, which I directed with Alina Rancier. This helped me stay busy, which in turn definitely gave me purpose over the past weeks. Now that both are released, I’m starting to focus on making new music, and making visuals for the next releases I have planned. I’m not going to lie, it’s a little tough to get started sometimes, but creating your own structure is really important. I’m definitely having to radically rethink my plans, as it’s impossible to shoot videos like I was planning to for these new releases, but I’m trying to view these limitations as a creative challenge”.
Rufus Wainwright’s Unfollow the Rules was one of those albums that was due for an earlier release, so that might have changed again by the time this feature is published. It is slated for a 10th July release, and you can pre-order a copy now. From interviews I have been hearing, it seems lockdown suits Wainwright, and he has been able to get quite a bit done! The Beths’ Jump Rope Gazers is an album you’ll want to order, as the New Zealand band’s second album – after Future Me Hates Me of 2018 – is going to be one of the biggest of the summer.
In this NME feature, we learn more about the album:
“In a statement, frontperson Liz Stokes said the writing on the album was influenced by the band’s hectic overseas touring schedule in 2019, resulting in them being thousands of miles away from their friends and family.
“It was a rough year in general, and I found myself saying the words, ‘wish you were here, wish I was there,’ over and over again,” she said.
“When you’re home, you miss everybody, and when you’re away, you miss everybody. We were just missing people all the time”.
Nobody needs me to tell them how great The Streets (Mike Skinner) is, and the new album, None of Us Are Getting Out of This Life Alive, is looking pretty awesome! It is available from 10th July, but you can pre-order a copy now. Whilst Skinner’s music and lyrics has changed since his debut, Original Pirate Material, of 2002, he remains one of the most relevant and sharp artists in music. Here are some more details regarding the album:
“The return of Mike Skinner. The 12-track mixtape marks The Streets’ first album in nearly a decade and features collaborations with the likes of Tame Impala, IDLES, Hak Baker, Ms Banks, Donae’O, Kasien, Dapz on the Map. and many more.
Tonga, the balloon filled rap, grime and dubstep party by Mike Skinner and Murkage Dave, had been a series of shoobs to remember. Copenhagen to Manchester to Berlin. Brum to Brixton. Usually arriving with a coterie of legendary UK figureheads and gobby upcomers in tow, like Kano, Giggs, Jammer or Jaykae, the pulsating essence of the nights needed to be immortalised.
IN THIS PHOTO: Mike Skinner (The Streets)/PHOTO CREDIT: Jenn Five for DIY
The original plan had been to release a Tongs album. But as night moved to day, and day moved along to night, it… just didn’t happen. Instead, a new mixtape titled None Of Us Are Getting Out Of This Life Alive steps up to take its place. Recorded between work on his film and accompanying solo The Streets album, it is the unpredictable sonic continuation of those parties.
Taking in UK Funky and twilight zone UK rap, and with guest spots ranging from Grammy nominated psychedelia sovereign Tame Impala to cult south London rapper Jesse James, as well as 2019’s key-fiend-friendly drum’n’bass collab with Chris Lorenzo, None Of Us Are Getting Out Of This Life Alive is the most eclectic and highly collaborative collection of songs from The Streets yet. Or as Mike puts it with characteristic distinction: “it’s really just a rap duets album”.
There are a few awesome albums that are coming along on 24th July. The Chicks’ Gaslighter is one I would recommend. The legendary Country group recently changed their name (from The Dixie Chicks), release their eighth album very soon, and I would urge people to listen to it if you are not familiar with them – they consist Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire. You can pre-order the album, and this was another one that was delayed for various reasons. I am looking forward to the album, as the title track is already out, and it is one of the best songs from the group.
This is what Pitchfork wrote when they reviewed the Gaslighter single earlier this year:
“With its buoyant rhythm and singalong chorus, “Gaslighter” merges the open-road optimism of their early records with the sharper power-pop of Taking the Long Way. Other than their vocal harmonies—still radiant and seamless, like different strings on the same instrument—banjo player Emily Strayer and fiddle player Martie Maguire accompany Maines in subtle ways, weaving the confrontational verses into the rallying cry of a chorus. The songcraft is so compact, and their trademark sound so welcome and familiar, that its message of empowerment comes across equally jubilant and defiant. And while it may soften the heavier implications of the title, their breezy mix of emotions makes its own statement. The Dixie Chicks know that history has been good to the battles they’ve fought. So now they’re working on their own time, answering to no one”.
Although I have not listened to all of her albums, Ellie Goulding’s Brightest Blue is one I am interested in. You can pre-order the album, and I think Goulding is one of the more underrated Pop artists on the scene. Brightest Blue is Goulding’s fourth album since her 2010 debut, Lights. I think she has changed and matured a lot since then, and it will be interesting to see how critics respond to Brightest Blue. Goulding recently spoke with Vanity Fair about her experiences in lockdown and how that has affected her work:
“The pace is not what Goulding had planned for 2020. The last 10 years saw the singer hit the top of the charts with singles “Love Me Like You Do” and “On My Mind,” nab a few Grammy and Brit Award nominations, make a name as a climate change advocate, and attend a few royal weddings. After a punishing two years spent touring behind her acclaimed 2015 album Delirium, she took some time off to regroup. “Somebody said the other day, ‘Oh, you must be having a nice break.’ But I kind of had a break before the lockdown. I was just doing my own thing. Now I have all this energy and nowhere to direct it,” she said. “I’ve been so excited and so ready to get back out on the road and travel again, and now I’ve definitely got the itch to do it again.”
Despite the disruptions, Goulding said she appreciates how our new normal has changed her thinking about the songs she’s been working on for years. “I’m really feeling for people who are naturally extroverted but are spending these times by themselves. I’m really feeling for people who are still out there working, like health workers,” she said. “I’m just going to release this new music and if people out there happen to be fans, they’ve got a new album to listen to. I’ve stopped being preoccupied with it.”
By herself, she’s been thinking more about some of the elements she might have left to others. “I think you can get quite complacent as a pop singer, because you get given so much on a plate. You’re given a band, you’re given a musical director, you’ve got everyone around you doing stuff for you—which is great because it makes your life easier,” she said. “I’ve definitely played guitar more in the last two weeks than I have in years”.
One of the most-anticipated albums of 2020 is the upcoming JARV IS... album, Beyond the Pale. Fronted by Jarvis Cocker, it is an album you are going to want to buy. Singles such as Save the Whales and Must I Evolve? are like nothing out there, and nearly everything Jarvis Cocker turns his hand to turn to gold! JARV IS… are a band featuring Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar, percussion), Serafina Steer (harp, keyboards, vocals), Emma Smith (violin, guitar vocals), Andrew McKinney (bass, vocals), Jason Buckle (synthesiser & electronic treatments) and Adam Betts (drums, percussion, vocals), and I cannot wait until their album is out on 17th July.
Another album that is out on 17th July is The Pretenders’ Hate for Sale. Led by Chrissy Hynde, Hate for Sale is a phenomenal album you will want to pre-order. This is from the Rough Trade website:
“Hate For Sale, produced by the revered Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur), is the latest studio album by The Pretenders via BMG. The album features 10 new songs written collaboratively by Chrissie Hynde and the electrifyingly dynamic guitarist James Walbourne, in what is the first Hynde/Walbourne song writing collaboration to date”.
Jumping to 31st July, and the final album that I suggest people investigate is Fontaines D.C.’s A Hero's Death. It can be pre-ordered here, and it comes barely a year after their Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Dogrel. Capitalising on the wave of affection and acclaim they received, A Hero’s Death looks set to scoop the same sort of passion and acclaim Dogrel did! Frontman Grian Chatten spoke with NME recently, and he discussed the early stages of A Hero’s Death, and what influenced the new album:
“An initial version of the album was recorded in Los Angeles but scrapped and re-recorded with ‘Dogrel’ producer Dan Carey in Streatham at the start of 2020. Now just a ghost memory of the place remains on the record; it’s there in lines such as “You shoulda heard ’em in the Bowery” (from the churning, early R.E.M.-like opener ‘I Don’t Belong’) and the track ‘Living In America’, which sounds like The National’s ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ – if it were trapped, Pulp Fiction-style, in a basement in Buttfuck, USA. That song makes their stateside experience sound like a hellish prowl through a world of spray tans and “snowman coal”. Was it all cocaine and superficiality out there?
“There was an awful lot of that, yeah,” Grian nods. “A few of us were fairly heavy on the gargle, on the booze for a while. We drank almost exclusively whiskey for the whole tour. A pint or so of it before each gig, just to see you through and a bit more then after to help you sleep in the van. We weren’t really eating and we were burning the candle at both ends. It became a bit surreal as towns melted into each other and faces started to look a bit strange. It was a surreal environment we created for ourselves.”
Fontaines D.C. are a band born beneath bootheels – ‘Dogrel’ brimmed with disgust at the gentrification of Dublin and simmered with the knowledge that greed and capitalism are the real virus. Yet ‘A Hero’s Death’ surges with pride, self-belief, a rebellious defiance and – dare we say it in such troubled times – optimism.
It’s there in the title track, written as an open letter from an estranged father to their child, imparting advice such as “Don’t get stuck in the past… Bring your own two cents, don’t borrow them from someone else”. It concludes: “Life ain’t always empty… If you give ourselves to every breath then we’re all in the running for a hero’s death”. And it’s there when Fontaines cast their minds forwards to the post-corona world”.
There are some great albums due next month and, if you cannot afford to buy the albums I have recommended, they will be available to stream on the day of release. It is going to be an exciting month, and I think we will see one or two year-defining albums released. It has been a busy and fantastic year so far and, with a crop of fantastic albums coming out way in July, I reckon the momentum of 2020…
IN THIS PHOTO: Rufus Wainwright/PHOTO CREDIT: Suki Dhanda/The Observer
WILL continue unabated.