#international anthem recording co

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premierowa emisja 13 listopada 2024 – 18:00 Graliśmy: Kurt Elling with Sullivan Fortner ft. Cecile Mclorin Salvant “A Wish (Valentine)”  z albumu “Wildflowers Vol. 1” – Edition Records    Kurt Elling with Joey Calderazzo  “It’s Only a Paper Moon” z albumu “Wildflowers Vol. 2” – Edition Records    Avishai Cohen “The Seventh” z albumu “Ashes to Gold” – ECM Records Ivo Neame “The Rise of the…

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Thandi Ntuli interview in the International Anthem Recording co. zine.

[ostensiblynone]

Oasis ‘Wonderwall’

Published November 2012

By Richard Buskin

For many, (What's The Story) Morning Glory? is Oasis's masterpiece. Producer and engineer Owen Morris tells us the story of its creation.

SOS Sound On Sound: Oasis ‘Wonderwall’ Production

Following 1994's impressive debut, Definitely Maybe, Oasis quickly hit their stride and reached their peak with their 1995 sophomore effort, (What's The Story) Morning Glory? Co‑produced by songwriter and lead guitarist Noel Gallagher and Owen Morris (who also engineered), this record signalled Gallagher's shift from power-rock towards more melodic, anthemic, mid-tempo numbers and ballads whose sophisticated instrumentation and synth-string arrangements helped make the album a Britpop landmark.

Following its October 1995 release, the album topped the UK chart for 10 weeks, climbed to number four in the US and spawned hit singles in the form of UK number ones 'Some Might Say' and 'Don't Look Back In Anger', as well as UK number twos 'Roll With It' and 'Wonderwall', the last of which climbed to number eight in America, where 'Champagne Supernova' — featuring lead guitar by Paul Weller — also made the Top 20. Amid a tabloid-fuelled 'Battle of Britpop' with London rivals Blur, the Mancunian quintet of Gallagher, his brother Liam (lead vocals), Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs (rhythm guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass) and Alan White (drums) became international superstars.

Still, the charges of plagiarism that had been levelled at Noel for some of the material on Definitely Maybe returned when (What's The Story) Morning Glory? hit the shops, with him being accused of ripping off anyone from REM to the Beatles. And then there were the stories of how the recording sessions at Rockfield Studios near Monmouth in Wales were disrupted by a physical fight between the Gallaghers — hardly surprising, given their long tradition of violent bust-ups, although the reason for this particular altercation was not, according to Owen Morris, due to who should sing the track 'Don't Look Back In Anger', as has been widely reported.

"There's been a lot of fanciful journalism,” says the producer-engineer who, on the album's cover, can be seen carrying the master tapes to the Reckless Records shop on Berwick Street in London's Soho. "And Noel makes up his own history, as well.”

A native of Port Talbot in South Wales, Morris started his engineering career as a 16-year-old assistant at Spaceward Studio in Cambridge where, during the mid-'80s, he worked on projects by the Stranglers and the duo of Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin. Towards the end of the decade, Morris then relocated to Manchester and commenced a stint with ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, recording the self-titled 1991 debut album by Electronic — Marr's collaboration with New Order frontman Bernard Sumner — as well as New Order's own Republic (1993). Subsequently, Marr's manager Marcus Russell, who also managed Morris for a while, was responsible for hooking up the engineer with Oasis.Photo: Photoshot/Paul Slattery

"I got myself a different manager just before Marcus began managing Oasis,” explains Morris who, at that time, was looking to become a fully fledged producer. "Had I stayed with Marcus, I may well have been involved with Oasis right from the start.”

Definitely Maybe

Instead, in January 1994, Oasis began sessions for Definitely Maybe with Dave Batchelor as their producer. Dissatisfied with the lacklustre results, they next hired Mark Coyle — Noel Gallagher's best friend and the band's live engineer — to co-produce with Gallagher and try to reproduce their concert sound. This they attempted by recording together in the studio without any screens between their instruments, before Gallagher overdubbed more guitars. When this approach still didn't achieve the desired results, and without any more funds from their label Creation Records, to start over yet again, Marcus Russell turned to Owen Morris.

"The backing tracks had been well recorded and everything on there sounded pretty good,” Morris says. "Initially, I was just brought in to redo the vocals and remix the album. However, to free up enough tracks to record Liam singing and then compile what he did, I had to strip away some of Noel's less necessary guitar parts. All of the best ones, I kept.”

Noel Gallagher actually dipped into his publishing advance to pay for the studio time and Owen Morris's work, but once the album was released it didn't take long for him to recoup the money. In the meantime, Morris recorded Oasis' Christmas '94 single 'Whatever' (which, after Neil Innes sued Gallagher for lifting part of the melody from his song 'How Sweet To Be An Idiot', resulted in Innes getting a co-writing credit) as well as tracks such as 'Listen Up' and 'Fade Away' that were included on the Japanese 'Whatever' EP. This five-day session led to Owen Morris engineering and co‑producing (What's The Story) Morning Glory?

"Noel really had it sussed in terms of the song choices and arrangements, but he wasn't experienced in the studio, so I kind of filled in the gaps as far as the basic production methods, putting takes together and getting the vocals done,” Morris explains. "That was important, because once Noel had shown Liam a song, he'd just bugger off and let Liam sing. That was a cool way of doing things, and so it fell to me to produce and compile the vocals.”

Rockfield

1995 was a busy year for Oasis, with the band taking time out from recording to play Glastonbury.

'Some Might Say', the first song recorded for (What's The Story) Morning Glory? was also the last to feature Alan White's predecessor on drums, Tony McCarroll. This was tracked in March 1995 at Loco Studios in South Wales, where Owen Morris had recently been co-producing the Verve's second album, A Northern Soul. However, the locale switched to Rockfield once the sessions with White got under way at the start of May.

"Rockfield was a better studio, with bigger recording areas and better accommodation,” says Morris. "Coming from Wales and having seen its name on plenty of records, it was a place where I'd always wanted to work. So, being that Marcus put together the budget for us to go in there for six weeks, that's what we did.”

Rockfield has two studios: the Quadrangle and the smaller Coach House. When Oasis recorded there, the Coach House had a Neve VR console with flying faders, two Studer A820 multitrack machines, JBL monitors and a standard selection of outboard gear. A live room was situated to the left of the control room, directly in front of the control room was a drum area, and on the other side of the drum area was the main studio, with a couple of booths at the far end: a vocal booth on the right and a guitar booth on the left.

"Alan was on a riser in the drum room and playing a very basic little Gretsch kit that I wasn't very fond of but which he loved,” Morris says. "The mic setup would have been very straightforward: an [Electro-Voice] RE20 on the bass drum, probably a couple of [Shure] SM57s on the snare, probably two [Neumann] U47s for the rack and floor toms, [AKG] C12s overhead — I don't think I even miked the hi-hat — and then a couple of ambient mics.

"Although we had two A820s, my mindset was still 24-track — as I'd recorded that way for Definitely Maybe and the Verve album — and I was therefore keeping things simple: eight tracks of drums; an RE20 on the bass amp plus a DI; an SM57 and a [Neumann] U87 on the Marshall amp that Bonehead used with his Epiphone Casino; the same on Noel's Vox AC30, Marshall combos, WEM combo and Orange amp for his Epiphone Casinos and [Gibson] Les Pauls; and a FET 47 for the lead vocals.”

During the 'Some Might Say' tracking sessions at Loco, Owen Morris had been aware of Noel Gallagher already having other songs for the new album. These included early compositions such as 'Hello' (with the "it's good to be back” refrain lifted from Gary Glitter's 'Hello, Hello, I'm Back Again' that would result in another lawsuit and unplanned songwriter co-credit) and 'She's Electric', with its chorus that utilises part of the melody to the Beatles' 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', as well as the "lots and lots for us to see” refrain referencing the theme song to the BBC TV children's show You & Me.

"Noel was a cheeky writer, no doubt about it,” says Owen Morris. "But all of those little bits he stole were from his childhood, and quite precious to him, really. I always remember him saying that he was astonished he was never sued for ripping off the 'Get It On' guitar riff by T-Rex/Marc Bolan that he used as the basis for his song 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' [on Definitely Maybe].”

Among the more recent numbers that Morris learned about at Loco were 'Roll With It' and 'Champagne Supernova', while 'Don't Look Back In Anger' had been added to the list by the time Morris and the band reconvened at Rockfield.

Routine Operation

"We had a week of routining before the actual sessions began, and I think they only rehearsed 'Roll With It' and 'Hello,” Morris recalls. "That was basically the band wanting to spend some time with Alan White, who had just joined. We didn't hear 'Morning Glory' or 'Wonderwall' until the week of the session. Noel played 'Wonderwall' to me on the first day, a Monday, checking which arrangement to use: the one that we settled on or a more complex one that had a slightly different way of getting to the bridge and an instrumental part after the first chorus. It sounded unnecessary and over-complicated to me, so it didn't take long for us to say, 'Let's not bother with that.'

"That day, we actually recorded 'Roll With It'. The guys played live together, we did about a half dozen takes, and the first take was the backing track we kept. Apart from a few little overdubs on the guitar solo that Noel would do later, it was pretty much complete, and that's because they were already familiar with the song. However, with the tracks they didn't really know, we could be arsing around for a long time if they had to learn them everyday and then do multiple takes that I'd have to edit together. So, having read an article about how Marc Bolan and T-Rex used to record, I told Noel we should take his approach for the other songs — doing a vocal and acoustic guitar guide to a click before the rest of the band overdubbed their individual parts.

"Noel agreed, and so after that, each morning, Noel and I would find the right tempo for whichever song we were going to do, and then he'd do an acoustic guitar take, followed by a guide vocal take along to the click. Next, after listening to the arrangement and maybe having a couple of play-throughs, Alan would overdub the drums to that while Noel sat in the same drum room wearing headphones, directing him as to where the fills were coming up. That meant there was very little rehearsal, we'd just go in and record. And if Noel didn't like the sound of what was happening, we'd just stop, rewind and drop in. That way, we'd have the drum track within maybe half an hour of Alan starting.

"Noel would usually put the bass down. I think Guigs [Paul McGuigan] played bass on a few tracks, but God bless him, he wasn't the greatest musician in the world. So, although he was really good live, it was just quicker for Noel to do one or two takes on the bass, with drop-ins here and there relating to the timing. By midday, we'd have the drums and bass down. Then, if Bonehead was playing electric guitar, he'd get his takes down very quickly — I'd normally get about two tracks of him. So that would be another half hour to an hour maximum, after which Noel would overdub maybe three, four, five electric guitar parts.

"This is how we worked on the Tuesday when we recorded 'Hello'. On the third day, Noel asked Liam, 'Which one do you want to sing: 'Wonderwall' or 'Don't Look Back In Anger'? Liam said he'd sing 'Wonderwall', and so that same day we recorded and pretty much finished it, apart from one little piano overdub at the end.”

While the 'Wonderwall' title was taken from the 1968 film of the same name for which George Harrison had provided the soundtrack music, the song itself was written about Noel's then-girlfriend Meg Matthews. At least, that's what he told the NME in 1996. Five years later, after he and Matthews had divorced, he asserted it was "about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself.” Regardless, none of this affected the May '95 recording session.

"First we got the drums and bass down by about midday or one o'clock,” Owen Morris recalls. "Then Noel overdubbed three acoustic guitar parts, after which Liam quickly did four takes of the lead vocal for me to compile. I used the Eventide DSP4000 pitch quantiser on his voice. If he was out on any lines, I'd just pull him in slightly, and everyone seemed happy with that. Having used it on Definitely Maybe, I used it on Morning Glory as well. Liam sang really well whenever I recorded him and his voice was very open. So he was doing takes very confidently and very quickly. He was so easy to record and Noel absolutely loved his performance on 'Wonderwall'.

"In the meantime, given all of the computer-based work that I had done with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, I always had Cubase running, and on Morning Glory we also got an old Mellotron in. Bonehead wasn't going to play his usual strum-along bar chords on 'Wonderwall'. So I went and picked out the root notes, showed him where they were, and then got him to play those with the Mellotron's cello sound, which we all liked. After picking out a harmony for the bridge and chorus to build it, we were basically finished by dinner time. The only things that weren't on there were the little piano line that comes in at the end — we knew the track needed something there to keep it going, and Noel would provide it a few weeks later — and the Kurzweil strings that I'd add during the mix.”

'Don't Look Back In Anger'

In the meantime, on the Thursday, 'Don't Look Back In Anger' largely duplicated the work methods employed on 'Wonderwall', although the greater number of guitar and string parts ensured the session lasted longer into the night. The song's intro, extremely similar to that of John Lennon's 'Imagine', was, according to Owen Morris, very much a tongue-in-cheek embellishment.

"When Noel got Bonehead to play it like 'Imagine', it made us all laugh,” he says. "No one really cared. It was just funny. And as for the whole thing about his work being derivative of the Beatles, Noel was quite happy to be compared to the Beatles.”

He was also perfectly happy to perform the 'Don't Look Back In Anger' lead vocal, even if it meant him doing a couple more takes than Liam would have required to provide Morris with what he wanted.

"I was never that convinced Noel should be singing it,” Morris admits. "I didn't think he sounded as good as Liam. Certainly not back then. Liam was such a great singer. However, Noel sang that song, I comped it, and I also tuned it to ensure we had the vocal you hear on the record. Certainly, it worked, and people seemed to like it, but I've still always thought that Liam should have sung it.”

Contrary to the version of events that has been doing the rounds for years, Morris asserts that the younger Gallagher raised no objection whatsoever to his older brother handling the vocal chores.

"Having sang three lead vocals in three days, he was quite happy to have the day off,” says the producer-engineer, thus discrediting the notion that a disagreement over who should sing 'Don't Look Back In Anger' led to fisticuffs during the session when Noel was fulfilling that role.

"Oasis used to work Monday to Friday, and then everyone would bugger off down the pub on a Friday night,” Morris continues. "Well, on that particular Friday we started the backing track to 'Champagne Supernova', recording the guide vocal, acoustic guitar, drums, bass and Bonehead's electric guitars. Then, at around nine in the evening, while Noel and I were taking care of a couple of his guitar overdubs, Liam went down the pub. We continued to work, and after we'd finished, Noel and I enjoyed a few drinks in the studio with the band's art director, Brian Cannon, while putting our feet up and listening back to everything we'd done that week.

"Later on, Liam returned to Rockfield's accommodation facility — a seven-bedroom property that's roughly 500 yards from the Coach house — with about 20 people that he'd just met in the pub. Back in the studio, Noel, Brian and I knocked things on the head at around one in the morning, locked up and returned to the house. Totally exhausted from the week's work, I went straight to bed, but apparently when Noel saw all of these people having a party in his accommodation, he upset Liam by telling him to get them out of there.

"Although reports of what happened next vary, I don't think Liam trashed any of Noel's equipment. He couldn't get into the studio to do anything like that. However, angry about being told off in front of his 'new friends' by his older brother and embarrassed by how he'd ordered them to leave, Liam battered down Noel's door as soon as he, too, went to bed. Noel's response was to grab a cricket bat and hit Liam with it, and when I ran into Liam the next day he looked very sheepish, having broken his foot while kicking in Noel's door. By then, Noel and the rest of the band had all buggered off... but we'd done a good week's work!

"Given that Oasis didn't work on weekends, everyone reconvened at the studio about 10 days later, Liam and Noel hugged each other and we carried on with the work. By then, after all, they'd been breaking up regularly, so to them it was just another argument. There was no way they weren't going to come back and finish the record.”

'Champagne Supernova'

Later that week, after working on some other songs, Noel returned to his 'Champagne Supernova' guitar overdubs.

"There are two e-bows that run throughout the song, giving it a sort of violin effect, and he did all of those parts pretty quick,” says Morris. "Then he also did all of his picking parts pretty quick. This went on for about two hours. Noel would just sit in the studio next to his amps and play. He wouldn't come into the control room to listen to what he'd done until everything was finished. So his guitar overdubs were all done fairly quickly.

"After that, there was a session when Liam felt inspired to do all of the Beatle-y 'aaahs' that would go over the guitar solo, to which I also added some Beatle-y Mellotron parts. Then, during another session, he had a go at singing 'Champagne Supernova'. We did half a dozen takes, but what happened was that the high note of the song — at the end of the line 'The world's still spinning around, we don't know why' — was kind of burning his voice out. So he was getting croakier on each take, and by the time he got to the end he was sounding very Rod Stewart-y.

"I did a comp of the vocal and, bizarrely enough, Noel and Liam both liked it. But I didn't. So at the very end of the six-week session at Rockfield, when just Liam and I were in the studio, I got him to re-sing it and we did it piece by piece. We did the first verse half a dozen times and we did the ending half a dozen times. Then, once he'd completed all of the soft bits, Liam did the first chorus half a dozen times, followed by the same number of takes for the second verse and the other choruses, until he tackled the high part last.”

The only major element still missing from 'Champagne Supernova' was the lead guitar that Noel Gallagher wanted his mate Paul Weller to play. Accordingly, after Oasis appeared at the Glastonbury Festival in late-June and the mix of (What's The Story) Morning Glory? commenced on a Neve console in the mix room at South London's Orinoco Studios, Weller showed up one day with his roadie, a white Gibson SG and an old Vox AC30 amplifier.

"He didn't have any pedals with him,” Morris recalled. "He had the volume on '3'. It was a really nice Vox and a really nice SG, and so I just put a 57 on it and recorded it as was. Paul probably did four solos, and then he and Noel let me pick what I wanted. He also contributed a little whistle to 'Champagne Supernova' — a few bars after the big guitar solo finishes — and 'Ooh' backing vocals at the end, as well as some harmonica and guitar to 'The Swamp Song'. All in all, it was another very quick session. He and Noel probably turned up at three in the afternoon and left at seven that evening.”

All Your Dreams Are Made

Since shifting a record-breaking 347,000 copies during its first week of release, (What's The Story) Morning Glory has sold about 22 million copies worldwide. In 1995, Noel Gallagher told Rolling Stone that while Definitely Maybe "is about dreaming of being a pop star in a band, What's The Story is about actually being a pop star in a band.” That was certainly true. Oasis were living the dream — and, occasionally, the nightmare.

"During that period I had a lot of fun with Oasis,” says Owen Morris, who has also recently been enjoying himself producing what he predicts will be all-new hit material for Madness. "They were very positive to be around. It was a lovely time and, for all its imperfections, the music was really, really good.”  

Loudness Wars

At the same time as Oasis were supposedly engaged in the 'Battle of Britpop' with Blur, they were also, courtesy of Owen Morris, waging the so-called 'loudness war' as a result of the compression-heavy brickwall mastering technique that he had already employed on Definitely Maybe.

"When Electronic's first album was mastered, it sounded bloody awful, so I thought I'd have a go at it myself,” he explains. "Johnny Marr let me do this at his studio, and for that I hired a set of Apogee A-D converters which had a 'soft limit' function that enabled me to crank up the volume without distortion. Well, I mastered Definitely Maybe in the same way, so it was all volume — all quantity rather than quality. I wasn't technically that adept, but the theory was loud and proud, and I did a similar thing on Morning Glory. Then, after that, I thought I'd better stop. There's only so loud you can go!”

Published November 2012

[dead-as-i-tread]

27 club part 2 ☆

Gary Thaine 1948-1975 (Uriah Heep)

he became a member of the band "The Secrets", which eventually dissolved in 1966. Later, Thain was part of the rock trio The New Nadir, and with the drummer Peter Dawkins, he traveled from New Zealand to London, and once jammed with Jimi Hendrix before the trio split in 1969. Thain joined the Keef Hartley Band, performing at Woodstock in 1969 and, in 1971, they toured with Uriah Heep.

Alan Wilson (Blind Owl) 1943-1970

The "rural hippie anthem" became the unofficial theme song for the Woodstock Festival where Canned Heat performed at sunset on August 16, 1969. Although Canned Heat's live performance was cut from the original theatrical release of the Woodstock film, they were featured in the 25th anniversary "Director's Cut."

Leslie Harvey 1944-1972 (Stone the Crows)

In 1969, Harvey joined Scottish band Cartoone to record some tracks for their second album. He also accompanied Cartoone on their live tour of the United States supporting Led Zeppelin. Harvey was a co-founder of Stone the Crows in late 1969. While on stage with Stone the Crows at Swansea Top Rank in 1972, he was electrocuted when he touched a microphone that was not earthed while the fingers of his other hand were holding the strings of his guitar.

Ron “Pigpen” McKernan 1945-1973 (Grateful Dead)

He founded the Grateful Dead band, who he played for between 1965 and 1972. McKernan was close friends with American singer-songwriter Janis Joplin due to common musical influences and lifestyles, particularly a shared love of alcohol over other drugs. While his bandmates and friends were using cannabis, LSD, and other hallucinogenic drugs, McKernan preferred alcoholic beverages. friends and band biographers have described McKernan as a quiet, kind, and introspective person. Hart later said "Pigpen was the musician in the Grateful Dead." Kreutzmann said McKernan was "the sweetest guy anybody had ever met."

Dave Alexander 1947-1975 (The Stooges)

The Stooges’ founding bassist Dave “Zander” Alexander had the reputation of being a loose cannon before the group even came together: He dropped out of high school 45 minutes into his senior year to win a bet, and he and Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton once traveled to England with hopes of running into the Beatles. Alexander was fired from the band in August 1970 after showing up at the Goose Lake International Music Festival too drunk to play.

[nonesuchrecords]

Here's Bolivian-born singer and multimedia performer Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Chicago expat jazz drummer Frank Rosaly's "DESTEJER," from MESTIZX, their debut full-length album as co-composers, arrangers, and musicians, due May 3 on International Anthem / Nonesuch Records. The video was filmed near Ferragutti’s hometown in Cochabamba, Bolivia, by director Espectador Domesticado.

[dustedmagazine]

Horse Jumper of Love — Heartbreak Rules (Run for Cover)

Heartbreak Rules by Horse Jumper of Love

For three consecutive albums over the last seven years, the Boston slowcore band Horse Jumper of Love has operated as a trio, singer and songwriter Dimitri Giannopoulos sharing sonic space with childhood friend and drummer Jamie Vadala-Doran and bass player John Margaris. This 11-song mini-album, coming a year after the last record, strips that measured but hard-hitting aesthetic to a plaintive murmur. Giannopoulos recorded the whole thing in five days, working with co-producer Bradford Krieger primarily and inviting Margaris in solely to play piano on “Chariots” one of two songs re-imagined since Natural Part.

The opening track is called “Tune Drifts Out the Window,” and that title captures this album’s introspective mood. The tune is shaped from overlapping, overdubbed vocals, a slow-moving slash of kit drums and a disconsolate rain of guitar strums. It moves with a slouching, shrugging grace, finding serenity in stasis, opening hatch-holes toward revelation in dusky, ill-lighted spaces. You feel, here and elsewhere, that Giannopoulos is making these songs for himself. You hear them by accident, drifting out of his morose ruminations. And yet there’s an airy shimmer to these songs, the strumming, the singing glitters as it catches the light.

I found myself thinking, a lot, of Jeremy Enigk’s solo work while I was listening to Heartbreak Rules, especially the great Return of the Frog Queen, which made ringing anthems out of similarly limited materials. “Queenie’s Necklace,” especially, anchored as it is by the simplest, repetitive chords, soars improbably on a keening melody. It feels like a rainy afternoon, slow and listless, and yet it gathers itself in a chorus of blurry sweetness, a mist shot through with rays of sun.

The last three songs revisit earlier material. “Sugar in Your Shoes” is a strummy, mournful take that brings out the song’s essential melancholy. The song considers the limited power of love to lift us out of a slump. Where before, on Natural Part, the muted clangor of indie rock instruments suggested catharsis, now the song feels wholly moored in internal reflection. Nothing will happen. Nothing will be resolved. This is a wallow, but a lovely, affecting one. Similarly, “Chariots” comes tamped down considerably from its earlier iteration. It sounds, more than anything, as if Giannopoulos is singing it to himself, trying to remember exactly how it goes. And finally, “Luna,” the Smashing Pumpkins cover, is abstracted to ghostly paleness, the guitar-forward rally in the original heard very faintly, through a scrim of static, if at all.  

We’ve all spent a lot of time alone in the last few years, and this album, recorded during the lockdown, reflects that uncertain, unreal time. It’s not so much that Giannopoulos wasn’t recording for an audience, but more than he’d forgotten that we all existed. This is lovely, a glimpse inside someone else’s dream space, made for the artist’s own reasons but well worth sharing.

Jennifer Kelly

[burlveneer-music]

Flock II - Bex Burch & co., out today from Strut Records; serendipitously similar in approach and aesthetic to the previous new release I posted (Yaryu)

UK supergroup Flock return with their anticipated sophomore album ‘Flock II’. Comprising an exceptional line-up featuring Bex Burch (fresh from her debut solo album on International Anthem), Sarathy Korwar, Tamar Osborn (Collocutor, Dele Sosimi, Unknown To Known), Danalogue (The Comet Is Coming / Soccer96) and Al MacSween (Kefaya), the new recordings showcase Flock’s ability to push the boundaries of the composition process and craft unique tracks based on their collective spirit. Recorded amidst the serene landscapes of the Welsh countryside during 2022, 'Flock II' emerges as a compelling departure from their debut album, which was captured in a single day at London's Fish Factory. Nestled within the enchanting environs of the Druidstone, a mystical coastal retreat in West Wales, the group embarked on an immersive week-long recording session. Here, they crafted unique "jump-off" devices for each musical piece, drawing inspiration from unconventional structures and atmospheres. From diagrams utilising shapes and repeated patterns to a revolving lamp throwing out dappled light and a mobile app creating intense strobe effects in front of each musician, each device set a state of mind and a unique approach to their compositions. Studio Owz, housed in a converted country church, provided an ideal setting for their creative exploration. The resulting compositions, ranging from intense to hypnotic, invite listeners to embark on a deeply personal voyage, weaving their own narratives amidst the ethereal soundscape. The fruits of a strong and joyful bond between five of the UK’s finest musicians, ‘Flock II’ stands as another essential recording without genre or category. Cover artwork illustration is courtesy of the brilliant Muhammad “Rofi” Fatchurofi, providing the ideal nebulous artistic foil to Flock’s creation. 

[tinygmusic]

NIKI RELEASES NEW ALBUM 'BUZZ' & SHARES TITLE TRACK MV

Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | 9th August 2024

Jakarta-born, LA-based singer-songwriter and producer NIKI firmly plants herself as one of the most dynamic artists of today with the release of her new album Buzz via 88rising, out now. Accompanying the release is the music video for title track “Buzz,” directed by Isaac Ravishankara. The video, a cheeky line-by-line depiction of the lyrics, encapsulates the rush of raw emotion and bittersweet nerves of a budding romance – glimpses of buzzing bees, a crackling guitar amp, and longing looks between two people, all signaling towards the start of something new. NIKI was initially inspired to name the record after the budding growth she observed in her garden every spring. Across thirteen tracks on the album, the singer encapsulates the feeling of being on the precipice of something undiscovered.

The album’s release joins previous singles; the love struck summer track, “Tsunami,” astrologically-inspired song “Blue Moon,” and flirty lead single “Too Much of a Good Thing.” NIKI plans to celebrate Buzz with a comprehensive world tour, produced by Live Nation, kicking off this fall. Tickets are available now HERE. See below for full routing.

 

NORTH AMERICA

Sep 5, 2024 - Toronto ON - Budweiser Stage

Sep 7, 2024 - Boston MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Sep 8, 2024 - Washington DC - The Anthem

Sep 12, 2024 - Philadelphia PA - The Met

Sep 13, 2024 - New York City NY - SummerStage in Central Park

Sep 16, 2024 - Charlotte NC - Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sep 17, 2024 - Atlanta GA - Coca-Cola Roxy

Sep 19, 2024 - Houston TX - 713 Music Hall

Sep 20, 2024 - Austin TX - Moody Amphitheater

Sep 21, 2024 - Dallas TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

Sep 25, 2024 - Chicago IL - Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom

Sep 27, 2024 - Minneapolis MN - The Armory

Sep 29, 2024 - Denver CO - Fillmore Auditorium

Oct 1, 2024 - Salt Lake City UT - The Union Event Center

Oct 3, 2024 - Berkeley CA - The Greek Theatre *

Oct 8, 2024 - Phoenix AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre

Oct 10, 2024 - Las Vegas NV - The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan

Oct 11, 2024 - Los Angeles CA - The Greek Theatre

Oct 12, 2024 - Los Angeles CA - The Greek Theatre

Oct 14, 2024 - San Diego CA - Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

Oct 17, 2024 - Portland OR - Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds

Oct 18, 2024 - Seattle WA - WAMU Theater at Lumen Field

Oct 19, 2024 - Vancouver BC - Rogers Arena

 

* Non-Live Nation Date

 

EUROPE

Oct 27, 2024 - Brussels BE - La Madeleine

Oct 29, 2024 - Cologne DE - Palladium

Nov 1, 2024 - Paris FR - L’Olympia

Nov 2, 2024 - Tilburg NL - Poppodium 013

Nov 6, 2024 - Manchester UK - O2 Apollo Manchester

Nov 7, 2024 - London UK - OVO Arena, Wembley

Nov 10, 2024 - Dublin IE - 3Olympia Theatre

 

ASIA

Feb 9, 2025 - Hong Kong

Feb 11, 2025 - Manila

Feb 12, 2025 - Manila

Feb 14, 2025 - Jakarta

Feb 15, 2025 - Jakarta

Feb 18, 2025 - Singapore

Feb 20, 2025 - Taipei

Feb 22, 2025 - Bangkok

Feb 25, 2025 - Kuala Lumpur

Feb 26, 2025 - Kuala Lumpur

 

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

Mar 5, 2025 - Perth AU

Mar 7, 2025 - Brisbane AU

Mar 9, 2025 - Sydney AU

Mar 13, 2025 - Melbourne AU

Mar 15, 2025 - Auckland NZ

 

What eventually became Buzz, the third studio album by singer-songwriter and globally-renowned star NIKI, started with an urgent quake from the innermost core of her being. What surfaced in its wake was a collection of warm, stirring folk-rock songs, which crackle and flare like a bonfire between close confidantes. “I went through an identity crisis,” says the 25-year-old of Buzz. “It took a lot of trial and error, and I just stumbled upon pieces of myself along the way. I named it Buzz because it feels like I'm on the precipice of something about to happen.”

 

For NIKI, things have been happening progressively since she was a high schooler in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a student at an international academy, she cut her teeth scribbling lovesick poems in English class and performed acoustic guitar covers of American pop songs on YouTube. With a six-string in hand, and her family and classmates cheering her on from the audience, Nicole Zefanya then staked her claim to global stardom as NIKI.

 

And claim it she has - with over three billion streams worldwide, sold out shows on multiple continents, massive sets at festivals across the globe, front row seats at Paris Fashion Week, four songs on a Marvel film’s soundtrack, and some of the most phenomenal, confessional songs being released in 2024, NIKI has already established a veteran’s resume before the age of 25.

NIKI - Photo Credit: Annie Lai

On Buzz, her songwriting remains as intimate as ever. In her initial sketches of songs for Buzz, NIKI took cues from other lane-paving women with confessional, honest lyricism soundtracked by guitars.  “Joni Mitchell is my songwriting north star,” she says — and uncompromising feminist luminaries like Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon and Liz Phair. To match the wandering spirit of Buzz, NIKI cultivated her own elastic approach to guitar.

 

To further harness this creative and personal sea change, NIKI began enlisting producers who had worked with her favourite contemporary singer-songwriters. She tapped Tyler Chester, who’d captured tracks with Madison Cunningham and Sara Bareilles; she also recruited Ethan Gruska, who counts Fiona Apple and Phoebe Bridgers as collaborators.

Buzz reverberates with the hard-earned wisdom of a young woman who charges dauntlessly towards her dreams — but can still spare a laugh if she stumbles.

About NIKI

NIKI born Nicole Zefanya on January 24 1999, is an Indonesian singer-songwriter. She is currently based in the United States and signed with the record label 88rising. She released her first full-length studio album, Moonchild, in 2020. It was followed by Nicole (2022) and recently Buzz (2024). Her debut headlining concert tour, Nicole World Tour (2022–2023), visited over 40 cities across North America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

NIKI has garnered global recognition for her songwriting and musicianship and is among the most popular female artists from Indonesia. In 2020, NIKI was listed among Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.

About 88rising

88rising, stylised as 88⬆, is an American record label established in 2015, known as a multifaceted entity combining management, record label functions, video production, and marketing.

The label has risen to prominence as a music platform and record label, especially for Asian American artists, and has been dubbed "The Disney of Asian hip-hop." In 2019, 88rising earned the title of Label of the Year from Netease, a major music streaming service in China.

In 2018, 88rising launched its inaugural Head in the Clouds Festival in Los Angeles, which Billboard promptly recognized as "the Asian Festival You Need To Know."

Keep up with NIKI

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Facebook

TikTok

YouTube

Website

Spotify

Apple Music

Amazon Music

DEEZER

TIDAL

genie

Melon

SOUNDCLOUD

iTunes Store

YouTube Music

[parkerbombshell]

Addictions and Other Vices 931 – Colour Me Friday

Addictions and Other Vices Fridays 3pm-6pm EST Repeats Saturday 3pm EST and Sunday 8am EST  bombshellradio.com #NowPlaying #indie #rock #alternative #Synthpop #indierock #community #radio #BombshellRadio #DJ #AddictionsPodcast #NewMusic #ColourMeFriday #Radio247 New Indie finds, previews of Just Another Menace Sunday artists coming up this weekend into next week ala Dennis The Menace, and Alex Green of Stereo Embers The Podcast and Sandy Kaye of A Breath of Fresh Air. Discoveries from our social media followers and a few more surprises. Thanks to all the artists, labels and PR companies that submitted tracks this week. Fix Mix 931 #IndieRock #DreamPop #Britpop #AlternativeRock #Shoegaze **Addictions 946** 1. **Fontaines D.C. - Favourite** 2. **Wilco - Annihilation** 3. **Bloc Party - Flirting Again** 4. **Kasabian - Darkest Lullaby** 5. **Gomez - Whippin' Piccadilly (Remastered)** 6. **The Delays - Long Time Coming** 7. **Burning Sa - Weapons of my Hometown** 8. **Slade - Mama Weer All Crazee Now** 9. **Slade - Run Runaway** 10. **Nada Surf - New Propeller** 11. **Suki Waterhouse - Supersad** 12. **David O'leary - Wish I Could Go Back** 13. **Jordana - We Get By** 14. **Youth Reserve - Girls** 15. **Pixey - Bring Back The Beat** 16. **Echobelly - Insomniac** 17. **KEELEY - Inga Hauser** 18. **Capital Cities - New Town Crier** 19. **Washed Out - Wait on You** 20. **Foster The People - Take Me Back** 21. **The Knocks, Dolores Forever - LOVER** 22. **GAYLE - internet baby** 23. **Saint Clare - Half Bad** 24. **Ian Sweet & Porridge Radio - Everyone's A Superstar** 25. **The Mysterines - The Last Dance** 26. **SinSonic - Blood Sex and Wine** 27. **Billy Idol - Can't Break Me Down** 28. **The Cult - Revolution** 29. **ROLE MODEL - Look At That Woman** 30. **JJ Wilde - Takes Me Back** 31. **Posh - Stoned** 32. **Pony - Freezer** 33. **Cat Burns - met someone** 34. **Winnetka Bowling League - This Is Life** 35. **Mothica - Toxins** 36. **The Autumns - The Garden Ends** 37. **Dutch Criminal Record - Baby Blue** 38. **London Grammar - Into Gold** 39. **Chromatics - Lady** 40. **A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Crushin'** 41. **E James Smith - Afterlife Without You** 42. **Bright Eyes - Bells and Whistles** 43. **Pia Fraus - Birds Still Swing** 44. **Madness - I'd Do Anything (If I Could)** ---   INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK Friday July 12 Rainbow Country ON EPISODE 413: HR 1 #TheMattachineFamily A new #queer DRAMEDY that tells the story of #gay couple Thomas & Oscar as they find out they have different ideas about what it means to make a family. Director #AndyVallentine & co star #JuanPabloDiPace are my guests.#GayTalkRadio +HR 2 #Music Just Another Menace Sunday w/ This Week: Two Conversations and Musical Sandwiches from August 8th & 16th, 2004 (the KUSF > San Francisco years!) Hour 1: Delays Hour 2: Gomez A Breath of Fresh Air  w / Noddy Holder, the legendary frontman of the British rock band Slade, is celebrated for his distinctive voice and exuberant stage presence. Born in Walsall, West Midlands, Holder co-founded Slade in the late 1960s with guitarist Dave Hill, bassist Jim Lea, and drummer Don Powell. The band quickly rose to fame in the 1970s, becoming a defining force in the glam rock movement. Holder’s powerful vocals and charismatic persona propelled Slade to international stardom with hits like “Cum On Feel the Noize,” “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” and the timeless Christmas anthem “Merry Xmas Everybody. Sunday July 14 Stereo Embers The Podcast: Billy Morrison (Billy Idol, The Cult) Just Another Menace Sunday w/ TBA Tuesday  July 16 A Breath of Fresh Air  w / TBA Wednesday July 17 Just Another Menace Sunday w/  TBA Thursday July 18 Stereo Embers The Podcast w /  TBA Read the full article

[sonmelier]

1. Jaimie Branch | Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War))

🇺🇸 Etats-Unis | International Anthem Recording Co. | 47 minutes | 9 morceaux

Le décès de Jaimie Branch en août 2022 avait suscité beaucoup d’émotion, non seulement pour le jeune âge de la trompettiste américaine (39 ans) à la personnalité généreuse et engagée mais aussi pour la perte artistique incommensurable qu’il signifiait. La publication posthume du troisième volet de sa série Fly or Die, plus éblouissant encore que les œuvres précédentes, accroit l’intensité des regrets éprouvés. L’artiste y apparaît en effet au sommet de son art, embrassant un spectre sonore plus large que jamais (free-jazz, hip-hop, blues, punk, musiques caribéennes …) et ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives créatives. A lui seul, ((World War)) regroupe trois des morceaux les plus inoubliables de l’année 2023 : la belle énergie cosmique et enivrante de Borealis Dancing, la décharge de joie pure qui traverse Baba Louie, et la combativité électrisante, pleine d'espoir, de Burning Grey. Trois joyaux qui hissent jusqu’aux plus hauts sommets un album puissant, vibrant, émouvant. Et plein de vie.

[newmusicradionetwork]

“Glitter Gold,” A Musical Mirror Reflecting Universal Journeys

Rising country music artist Kathleen Fee releases her new single, “Glitter Gold,” a compelling anthem that encapsulates the resilience and determination embedded in the human spirit. The song paints a vivid picture of the struggles and triumphs encountered on the journey to success. Kathleen showcases her storytelling by bringing to life a narrative that resonates with believers and big-hearted dreamers alike. “Glitter Gold” is more than just a song for the singer; it’s a personal exploration of the internal struggles individuals face while navigating the expectations imposed by society.   Widely recognized as the dynamic frontwoman of the acclaimed New York City Irish band Celtic Cross, Kathleen has now embraced a solo venture as she spent the past year crafting her highly anticipated solo EP, Glitter Gold, slated for release in 2024. Sharing her thoughts on this venture, she expressed, “Stepping out on my own to record and write alongside Nashville’s best has been both challenging and immensely fulfilling. I’m thrilled to unveil my new music.” Kathleen wrote “Glitter Gold” with talented recording and touring musician Josh Matheny, who has played with Brothers Osborne, Vince Gill, Kacey Musgraves, Ricky Skaggs, and more; Elisha Hoffman, founding member of The Loving Mary Band, Steven Tyler’s country band, as well as co-founder of Pumphouse Records, launched with Lee Brice and songwriter Rob Hatch; and two-time Grammy winner, singer-songwriter Rebecca Lynn Howard, who has written songs for Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood and has recorded with Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and more. Kathleen says, “Glitter Gold’ is a deeply personal song about the journey of facing inner battles and living up to societal expectations. This song captures the longing to stand on the side of the road where the rain is made of ‘Glitter Gold,’ symbolizing the pursuit of joy and fulfillment. I think so many of us can really relate to the message in the song.” The metaphorical imagery of standing on the side of the road where the rain is made of “Glitter Gold” serves as a powerful symbol within the song. The picturesque representation conveys the longing for a life filled with meaning, encapsulating the universal desire for a sense of purpose and happiness. Highlighting the singer’s soulful voice, Kathleen’s song resonates with a broad audience, as many individuals grapple with their own aspirations, challenges, and the societal pressures that come with them. Kathleen Fee’s “Glitter Gold” not only highlights her versatility as an artist but also marks a significant milestone in her flourishing career. The single, positioned to secure its place as a staple in the country music scene, will be complemented by the release of a highly anticipated music video scheduled to debut on March 1. Influenced by renowned artists such as Kim Richey, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathleen Fee brings a unique blend of storytelling and musicality to the forefront, solidifying her place in the country music landscape.   For more information and to connect with Kathleen Fee, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, and TikTok. To schedule an interview or for more information, contact Dead Horse Branding at the following:  Danielle Reiss Dead Horse Branding publicity@deadhb.com Phone: (949) 421-9787 Read the full article

[donospl]

Co w jazzie piszczy [sezon 2 odcinek 34]

premierowa emisja 25 września 2024 – 18:00 Graliśmy: Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas. Misha Mullov-Abbado „Nani Nani” z albumu „Za górami” – ECM Recrods Kiko Dinucci & Luise Volkmann „Exname [Radio Edit]” z albumu „Exname” Nora Benamara „Amnesia” z albumu “Amnesia.  Jazz Thing Next Generation Vol. 104” – Double Moon Records Blaly “Nystalgi” _ z albumu “Nystalgi” – April Records Anders Malta…

[newmusicweekly]

Ships Have Sailed Team Up with Abby Posner for Rock Anthem ‘Get Loud’

Los Angeles based alt-rock band, Ships Have Sailed teamed up with indie-folk artist, Abby Posner and released their foot-stomping single, ‘Get Loud’ this past fall. Ships Have Sailed is the brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Will Carpenter, generally configured as a duo with drummer, Art Andranikyan. The music they create together is uplifting and buoyant. The lyrics reveal a thoughtful and conscientious perspective. And over the years the sound has evolved into sincere indie rock with an unabashed pop structure. Carpenter describes the band’s moniker not as a pessimistic reference to the renowned idiom “that ship has sailed,” but instead a fresh, positive perspective on the unexpected outcomes of unforeseen circumstances. They’ve recorded and released a diverse collection of albums, EPs, and singles that consistently evoke an unrestrained cathartic desire to be heard and enjoyed. Either through crescendoing ballads or indie rock alacrity, their music always captures a uniform sense of sanguine sensibility. By combining an ardent work ethic with an impressive range, the band has maintained a well-earned buzz that has led to international tours, impressive industry showcases, and awards honoring their independence. During the height of the global pandemic, the band released their album ‘Ages’, most of which was co-produced by Dan Sadin (M, Joy Oladokun). It was a testament to the band’s progressive journey. Read the full article

[crushingdeath]

RUTH GOLLER'S SKYLLA

Sat 4th May @ NCI Sports & Social Club Doors 8pm, £13 adv from here

RUTH GOLLER

Ruth Goller is a bassist, vocalist, composer, environmentalist, and solo artist who is all over a whole bunch of fantastic musical projects. Originally from northern Italy, she came to prominence getting heavily involved in London's hyper-fertile jazz scene, joining Acoustic Ladyland and then the genre-dismantlers Melt Yourself Down. As a collaborator she's worked with a ton of folks including Sons Of Kemet, Marc Ribot, Alabaster DePlume, Shabaka Hutchings, Sam Amidon, Rokia Traoré, and Bojan Z. Oh, and Paul McCartney.

Following an amazing solo debut record, SKYLLA, in 2021, this year sees Goller make her debut for International Anthem (a label that doesn't seem to be able to put a foot wrong), SKYLLUMINA. Backed by a serious crew of percussionists - including Bex Burch, Seb Rochford, and Tom Skinner - Goller conjures up astounding sonic possibilities with layers of gliding spectral vocals and echoing, clanging bass guitar. Augmented by her co-conspirators unorthdoxies, the end result is a deeply intimate record that beams light into the darkest corners of other worlds.

The SKYLLA group comes together to bring these sounds into the corporeal realm, with Goller joined by Lauren Kinsella (Snowpoet), Alice Grant (Fulbourn Teversham), and Will Glaser (Snack Family).

https://www.ruthgoller.com/

[spinstrackingsystem]

Ships Have Sailed Team Up with Abby Posner for Rock Anthem ‘Get Loud’

Los Angeles based alt-rock band, Ships Have Sailed teamed up with indie-folk artist, Abby Posner and released their foot-stomping single, ‘Get Loud’ this past fall. Ships Have Sailed is the brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Will Carpenter, generally configured as a duo with drummer, Art Andranikyan. The music they create together is uplifting and buoyant. The lyrics reveal a thoughtful and conscientious perspective. And over the years the sound has evolved into sincere indie rock with an unabashed pop structure. Carpenter describes the band’s moniker not as a pessimistic reference to the renowned idiom “that ship has sailed,” but instead a fresh, positive perspective on the unexpected outcomes of unforeseen circumstances. They’ve recorded and released a diverse collection of albums, EPs, and singles that consistently evoke an unrestrained cathartic desire to be heard and enjoyed. Either through crescendoing ballads or indie rock alacrity, their music always captures a uniform sense of sanguine sensibility. By combining an ardent work ethic with an impressive range, the band has maintained a well-earned buzz that has led to international tours, impressive industry showcases, and awards honoring their independence. During the height of the global pandemic, the band released their album ‘Ages’, most of which was co-produced by Dan Sadin (M, Joy Oladokun). It was a testament to the band’s progressive journey. Read the full article

[nonesuchrecords]

MESTIZX, Bolivian-born singer and multimedia performer Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti and Chicago expat jazz drummer Frank Rosaly's debut full-length album as co-composers, arrangers, and musicians, is out now on International Anthem / Nonesuch Records. You can get it here.

Partners in both marriage and art, the Amsterdam-based duo dove deep into the sounds of their respective ancestral roots in Bolivia, Brazil, and Puerto Rico to create this deeply personal meditation on decolonization and the defiant power of ritual and protest.