Everything Is Recorded, Noah Cyrus & Bill Callahan - "Porcupine Tattoo" (3:31)
Everything Is Recorded - "Norm" (feat Bill Callahan) (3:04)
Review: XL boss Richard Russell's Everything Is Recorded returns with 'Porcupine Tattoo', an unexpected yet compelling collaboration with Bill Callahan and Noah Cyrus. The track, released via XL Recordings, came about during sessions at LA's infamous Chateau Marmont hotel, when Russell asked Callahan who he'd most like to write a song for. Callahan's surprising answer: Noah Cyrus. The result is a stripped-down folk tune with subtle gospel undertones, featuring Callahan's deep, pitched-down vocal layered alongside Cyrus' delicate voice. Russell's production, iminimal yet atmospheric, ihighlights the contrast between Callahan's gravelly tone and Cyrus' ethereal presence. Recorded during a rain-soaked week, the track evokes a sense of melancholy and intimacy. On Side-2 'Norm', is a tribute to comedian Norm Macdonald, featuring only Callahan. This release continues Russell's tradition of creating genre-blurring, evocative collaborations.
Review: You might think that you could cop a copy of New Order's seminal hit 'Blue Monday' fairly easily and cheaply given its ubiquity over the years. But no, copies in good condition still fetch around 50 quid, so this remastered reissue is well worth a cop. The single's iconic bassline and twitchy synth modulations very much soundtrack a generation, if not an entire youth revolution, but still enliven any dance floor many years later. What's more, the de-humanised vocals will always provide real singalong joy. On the flip is a 'The Beach', which is drenched in echo and reverb and general sonic filth.
Review: The remastered reissues of New Order classics continues with this 1984 gem 'Thieves Like Us' (the title is taken from the Robert Altman movie). It originally landed, of course, on Factory and like all that label's releases, comes with a Peter Saville designed cover, based on a painting by Giorgio de Chirico. It's the band's seventh single and the remastering job has been done from the original master tapes at Abbey Road Studios. The title track is a typically forlorn affair to start, but it erupts into a more joyous and life-affirming sing along. 'Lonesome Tonight' is as low key and wallowsome as the name suggests.
Review: As part of the Low-Life 'Definitive Edition' release campaign, New Order reissue the 12" singles from the album, first released in May 1985 at the height of their controversial exploitation by Factory Records. 'Sub-Culture' is one of its lead singles: originally released on white label (infamously, graphic designer Peter Saville allegedly deemed the song unworthy of his talents), this functional synthpop banger reeks with and oozes of FM-farty glitz, and lyrically concerns a nocturnal protagonist, disaffected with the modern, measured day-night cycle. The B 'Dub-vulture' pulls a similar instrumental trick with a varied melody.
Review: New Order's 'Touched By The Hand Of God', originally released in 1987, returns as a remastered 12" single, retaining its original tracklisting. The main version embodies the quintessential New Order sound of that era, featuring a powerful and uplifting chorus that sticks in your mind. The infectious rhythm and expertly crafted drum programming create a danceable beat that showcases the band's signature blend of post-punk and electronic elements. The track is equally know on the dancefloor as it is for the iconic music video, which humorously depicts the band performing in heavy metal attire, exemplifying their characteristic tongue-in-cheek style. On Side-2 features a dub version that extends the instrumental sections while preserving the vital chorus, maintaining the track's strength and appeal. A reminder of New Order's ability to craft memorable, infectious dance tracks.
Review: Alongside the reissue of their eternally adored Substance 1987 compilation, New Order are bringing back this 12" edition of their equally seminal 'True Faith'. It's one of the tracks the group are most readily associated with, capturing the essence of the band around bombastic pop hooks, the spikiness of new wave and Bernard Sumner's sharp distillation of the prevailing British mood. It's a golden slice of pop history which sounds better than ever thanks to a new remaster, and the same goes for the excellent B side '1963'.
Review: When New Order released 'True Faith' in 1987, they broke the mould as the first band to present multiple different editions of their single right at the point of arrival. As well as the widely adored original version of the track, there was a club-ready version mixed by the mighty Shep Pettibone, a true king of New York's scene who knew exactly how to get the best out of the track for the dancefloor. As singles compilation Substance 1987 gets a high-end reissue, so too does this late 80s club monster sounding brighter and bolder than ever thanks to a tidy remaster treatment, with the 'True Dub' version on the B side for those who really want to lock in.
Review: If you had an asset as potent and praised as 'Blue Monday', you'd want to see where else you could take it, wouldn't you? After New Order released their singles collection Substance 1987, they served up 'Blue Monday 88' with some subtle refinements overseen by none other than Quincy Jones. It's just the right approach, adding some spice to the rhythm section but keeping the brilliance of the song intact. Meanwhile 'Beach Buggy' on the flip sees Michael Johnson going in on the instrumental flip side version for those who need maximum club reaction. Both tracks absolutely shine thanks to a tidy remastering treatment, so if you don't already own it, now's the chance to put that right.
Review: New Order's 'Bizarre Love Triangle' stands as a hallmark of synth-pop, encapsulating the band's innovative spirit and leaving an indelible mark on their legacy. Featured on their fourth album, Brotherhood, this track, released in November 1986, is often celebrated by fans despite its initial lukewarm reception on the charts, leaving even the band members puzzled about its initial performance. The creation of 'Bizarre Love Triangle' began when New Order borrowed a Fairlight synthesiser, leading to a distinctive rhythmic bass line crafted by frontman Bernard Sumner. The song evolved into a high-energy electro-pop anthem, with an iconic chorus that captures listeners from the get-go. Despite its modest chart success compared to other hits like 'Blue Monday', the track played a crucial role in establishing the band's international appeal, especially in the American market. It quickly became a live favourite and a staple in New Order's performances, showcasing their knack for reinventing their classics. With remastered and reissued vinyl now available, 'Bizarre Love Triangle' continues to make new fans along the way while holding a special place in the hearts of 80s music lovers still. Its enduring charm is a testament to its brilliance as a pop masterpiece, inviting diverse interpretations and connections.
Review: New Order's 'State of the Nation' returns as a remastered reissue of the original 12" single, originally released in 1986. During this period, the band's confidence was soaring, and this track exemplifies their knack for crafting catchy dance music that resonated with audiences. The remastered version maintains the original tracklisting, including the second side 'Shame of the Nation', which serves as a dub rendition of the title track. This version extends the rhythmic elements, offering a fresh perspective on the song while preserving its infectious energy. State of the Nation not only secured its place as a Top 40 hit in the UK but also featured on the iconic compilation Substance, released the following year. New Order's enduring legacy and ability to blend catchy melodies with danceable beats is captured perfectly with these recent 12" single reissues.
Review: NewDad continue to offer the kind of jangly, low-slung, affected alternative rock & roll people don't seem to make (and we don't seem to hear) enough of anymore. At once laidback, raw, melancholic but euphoric, wry and yet heartfelt, on Waves the Irish West Coasters seem to invoke the gusty breeze of their homeland, powerful energy of a basement gig, and the reflective, expansive reality of the wilds.
Already having made friends in the right places, it seems unthinkable that the Galway hopefuls will not continue their ascension through the ranks of what might be coined nu-shoegaze with this. Even if we want to cut our fingers off for even considering using that term. Regardless, it's reverb soaked, highly emotive and achingly cool stuff that is bound to hit home.
Review: If you're never been to Galway, Ireland, we implore you to head for Skyscanner airport immediately after ordering this latest EP from one of the city's most promising new(ish) outfits. Once you arrive it will quickly become apparent that, in so far as guitars go, the place is brimming with great artists and outfits, not to mention incredible ideas, with an abundance of incredible places to see those creatives at their best.
Suffice to say, labelling NewDad among the finest in G-Town, to use the colloquial, could never be a spurious statement given their peers. Combining, at various points, elements of Goat Girl, The Cure, and Slowdive, while comparing easily to none of the above, they paint vivid pieces with gradually emerging powerhouse tracks disguised as intimate meditations on highly emotional formative experiences.
Review: With just their third single, Exposed to Some Light, Nightbus continues to showcase their moody and atmospheric sound, drawing comparisons to many well regarded bands. The track unfolds like a captivating narrative, drenched in nostalgia yet tinged with a sense of dread. Originally born from a poem written during a cold January weekend, the song explores the idea of bringing something to the forefront of one's mind and current headspace. Through their minimal yet evocative video, Nightbus invites listeners to delve into their introspective world.
Review: Reissued to mark 50 years of Bomp! Records, this 7” revives two sweetmeats from Nikki And The Corvettes, all teased hair, leather jackets and bratty charm. ‘Honey Bop!’ leads with snotty vocals and handclap hooks, wired on girl-group gloss and Ramones-tight riffs. On the flip, ‘Shake It Up’ elevens up the fuzz and attitude, nodding to 60s garage and jukebox sleaze. Originally released by Bomp! - the label who helped connect power pop, punk and psych weirdness under one roof - this single rattles with the same no-rules spirit that defined the imprint’s heyday. The Corvettes never hung about long, but their bubblegum snarl still cuts sharp.
Review: This is a 7" gem that comes on random coloured vinyl and is a great new chance to own a classic bit of reggae form the 90s. The legendary four tacker was first dropped back in '94 by this cult German Ska band and it has plenty of attitude that encourages you to stay rude yourself. 'Stay Rude - Stay Rebel' kicks off with big horns and uptempo drums, 'Tour De France' keeps the pressure on and 'Love Song' strips things back a little more with a more laid-back and swaggering sound. 'Girl (Tango)' has a more playful and funky edge with some sumptuous sax leads.
Review: Baltimore's gothic synthpop golden child Nourished By Time (Marcus Brown) has made a wonderful name for himself so far, flaunting a blithe, nigh ghostly vocal talent, usually paired with a lo-fi alt-pop aesthetic. The 'Catching Chickens' EP, his debut record for XL Recordings, continues this trend with a brand new five-track EP, following up 2023's equally great LP Erotic Probiotic 2. Written between 2022 - 2023 in his home studio in Baltimore and along his world travels this past year, Catching Chickens is derived from the film Rocky, and the iconic scene in which Rocky's trainer makes him chase and catch a flock of chickens as a test of agility. Channelling Brown's per usual contemplation of late stage capitalism and post-pandemic loneliness, every song here is indicative of a well-earned artistic progression.
Review: Cardiff-based troubadour Ali Lacey, AKA Novo Amor, began this musical project in the wake of a breakup, but things quickly became about much more than redemption and recovery. Not completely dissimilar in style to one of indie-folk's most famous heartbroken men, Bon Iver, both chaps share a penchant for falsetto vocal delivery, gentile but complex acoustic guitars, and rural America, with Lacey having spent a summer in upstate New York, memories of which were directly translated into his debut LP, Birthplace.
Four years on and he's still clearly finding inspiration in both the subtle beauty and tragedy of existence, offering four tracks here best - perhaps only - described as quietly powerful. From delicate emotions worthy of Sufjan Stevens running through 'Weather', to the gradually building, stop-you-dead 'From Gold', this is a name you won't forget after the first encounter.
Review: If any album comes close to the beauty of Crosby, Stills & Nash in 2025 it's this. It's difficult to imagine anyone else nailing melodic, acoustic guitar-oriented music that treads in gospel, blues and pastoral psychedelia better than this supergroup. Could Bernard Butler be on his way to another Mercury Prize nomination with this? They've got a strong case for it. The band itself is something a little different and formed by popular demand. Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) Bernard Butler (Suede) and James Grant (Love and Money) originally got together for one occasion, at Saint Luke's in Glasgow in 2022 for Celtic Connections, but the power of them together was so great they've been talked into putting an album out. They've gone about it in quite a pragmatic way, with each member labelling which songs theirs, as opposed to all trying to write the same song at the same time. Makes sense really.
Review: Back in 2011, Nicolas Jaar joined forces with fellow Clown & Sunset contributor Dave Harrington for the Darkside EP, an impressive trio of untitled tracks that pitted the formers scratchy, near-paranoid production style against the latter's penchant for lo-fi indie-rock inspired fuzziness. Here, the duo dusts down the Darkside alias once more for a first collaborative album. Predictably, it's an impressive set, offering a collection of downtempo tracks that shuffle between crackly, out-there atmospherics ("Sitra", reminiscent of much of Jaar's Space is Only Noise album), echo-laden alt-rock experimentalism ("Heart") and heart-aching fragility (the James Blake-ish "Greek Light").
Review: German post-punks Die Haut collaborated with Nick Cave when he was towards the end of his time in the Birthday Party. Together they made a vastly stylish album of darkly atmospheric music that you can dance to and it's now being reissued, which will hopefully bring about renewed appreciation because it's up there with the very best alternative records. Everyone has Unknown Pleasures, but why don't they have this? It's absolute fire. 'Stow-A-Way' sounds like a band having the time of their life in the most reckless way possible, which will ultimately encourage more people to pick up a guitar. Meanwhile, 'The Victory' is like a cooler version of Talking Heads and ought to have you digging out a sleeveless denim jacket in no time.
Review: Germany's Die Haut are like the forefathers of a sound that's now sometimes referred to as Crank Wave - this rough n' ready rehearsal room, or dimly-lit basement sound with noisy guitars and goth singing. What's clear, though, despite more than 40 having passed by since this was first released (1983), few capture that murky, jagged aesthetic better than Die Haut. And if you were to have someone mumble-sing over your noise then who better than Nick Cave? Nick Cave was at the end of his time in Birthday Party at this time he briefly joined them, so, as a young man, his pipes are relatively higher than the bellowing baritone we know him to be today. In terms of kindred spirits, you can imagine Lias Saoudi of Fat White Family being firmly into this. This is a top-tier reissue.
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