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Barrie Lindsay is a soft spoken, obsessive producer and songwriter who grew up tinkering with instruments in Ipswich, Massachusetts. After graduating from Wesleyan in 2012 with a degree in music, Lindsay formed her first band with her brother, a 5-piece group called Grammar. She spent her 20's quietly making music in Boston and working at a sculpture studio until she was discovered on Soundcloud by a manager who encouraged her to move to Brooklyn and pursue a career in music by forming a band. Lindsay obliged and soon Barrie, the 5-piece band, was born. After a number of successful singles, Barrie released their debut in 2019, Happy To Be Here, earning buzzy press, TV syncs, and new fans around the globe. A month after Happy To Be Here came out, the band parted ways and Lindsay reintroduced Barrie as a solo project. In the two years since then, the 32-year old suffered the loss of a parent, and married her wife, Gabby. While Lindsay has maintained a separation between her personal feelings and lyricism inprevious works, she allowed herself to find catharsis in songamidst the intense love and grief she was experiencing. One night during a moment of grief, Lindsay couldn't bring herself to set up the mic properly in her studio. Instead, she opted to shout across the room in a true "fuck-it" moment. Liking the effect this produced, she decided to stick with it, yielding "Dig," a self-produced single featuring an impressionistic slew of slide guitar, dulcimer, and mandolin. You can hear her newfound sense of boldness, as she wails the song's central refrain, giving herself over to emotion: "I can't get enough of you / Where did you come from?" Whereas "Dig" floats in a seeming free-time, Barrie's second single, "Frankie," is locked into a driving, propulsive rhythm. Its bass synth, which remains constant throughout, is meditative and hypnotic. Among skittering arpeggios and melodic hooks, the song's message asks listeners to consider capitalism. Political pop can be awkward, but Lindsay's is subtle and poignan...

Experimental And Improvisational Psychedelic Rock, For Fans Of White Heaven, Les Rallizes Denudes, Headroom, Düngen, Heron Oblivion, Comets On Fire, The Renderers, Bardo Pond. Mountain Movers Arguably Are The Perfect Band For All The True "Heads" Out There. The New Haven Quartet Have Been At It For 15 Years, And The "Newest" Lineup (Now At It For Well Over A Decade; Vocalist/Guitarist Dan Greene, Bassist Rick Omonte, Guitarist Kryssi Battalene And Drummer Ross Menze) Have Firmlygrasped What It Takes To Fry Brains; Achingly Beautiful Melodies Buoyed By A Life Raft Of White-Hot Guitar Scree And Mind-Melting Feedback. "World What World" Is The Band's Eighth Album And Third For Trouble In Mind Records. "World What World" Is The Newest Chapter Of The Group's Continued Explorationsand Efforts To Refine Their Sound. The Lyrics Of "World What World"S Songs All Imply A Protagonist On A Quest; The Title Itself Is An Implied Query With No Question Mark; Is It A Question, Or A Statement?. The One-Two Punch Of Opener "I Wanna See The Sun" And "Final Sunset" Lay Out What's In Store; Crazy Horse-Inspired Sandpaper Melodies Sit Comfortably Next To Improvised, Psf-Influenced Six-String Ragers. The Group Performs Together Effortlessly And Telepathically, Subverting The Loud/Quiet/Loud Dynamic That Has Saturated Independent Music Since The Late-Eighties. The Loud Parts And Quiet Parts Are Like Waves; Indistinguishable From Each Other, Creating A Fluid Dynamism And Intensity That Swallows The Listener Up Inits Current, Sweeping It Toward Oblivion. Hyperbole, You Say? Watch Out For Midway Through "Then The Moon" When The Tune's Lilting Waltz Pivots Into A Casually Blistering Solo By Battalene Before Fading Into The Melancholic "Haunted Eyes" -Beckoning You With A Mournful Sidelong Glance. Side Two Opens With "Staggering With A Lantern", An Elegant, Lumbering Instrumental Improvisation Again Showcasing The Synergistic Shredding Of The Group's Guitarists. The Sticky Lyrical Hooks And Sideways Jangle Of "Way Back To The World...

From California rising indie music scene, Semi Trucks are the latest gem to brandish this blend of lo-fi bedroom pop that feels like the waves rolling ashore on a windless day.Semi Trucks, created, fronted, and curated by California bred Brendan Sepe, are a "magic school bus"-esque escapade on track to bring art pop to the top of the charts. The duality of Sepe's teenage-esque, yet cosmopolitan song writing charms to the point of blushing all listeners-with me being no exception. You may know Sepe from hisprior engagement to the band the Pesos. This led him to get his foot in the door in the dank, dark music scene of Los Angeles. LA, where dreams are chewed up and spit out. Fortunately, Sepe has no dreams. He tells me all he truly wants is to be heard by kids twenty years from now in hopes to inspire them. He's a man of the future.Laying tile by day, and laying tile by the next morning, Sepe aches to create and has done so immensely with his debut "vs California". The Semi Trucks are like eating your favorite American meal laced with sincerity, struggles, love, freedom and euphoria. Semi Trucks, in the words of Brendan Sepe to you, "thank you, for being there."

Konstantin Schimanowskis debut E.P. Vague Pure Affection is a love letter to an island in the deep north of Europe. The little Shetland island of Vaila. It is a sprawling collection of lush and airy songs, showcasing the artist talent in both songwriting and production. The music seems to drift high above the ground and Schimanowski’s voice breaks out of every pattern introduced - liberating itself the most in the E.P’s forth track „Crossing the Bridge“, where it leaps with bold passion into another space. The artwork is created by renowned danish-ukranian artist Sergei Sviatchenko. Riyl: Burial, Dean Blunt, Sebastien Tellier, Serge Gainsbourg, John Maus, Conan Mockasin

We may be cursed to be in the midst a global pandemic, buffeted by all of its stresses and pain. But everyone knows that art provides succour, that music is the most reliable balm. And for many there is further significant comfort to be drawn from the knowledge that Paul Weller is in the midst of an unbelievably prolific purple patch. Paul Weller will not let us down when we need him most.

On May 14th, Paul Weller releases his 16th solo album since his self-titled debut in 1992, his fourth in as many years and his second in just under twelve months following June 2020’s magnificent, chart-topping On Sunset. It’s not hyperbole to state that this new album, titled Fat Pop (Volume 1), is among his most compelling collections, bar none, including all of his era-defining work in the 1970s and ‘80s with The Jam and The Style Council. It’s an absolute scorcher.

When lockdown was declared in March 2020, Paul Weller decided immediately that he wanted something to focus on, since it seemed unlikely he’d be able to tour On Sunset as planned that summer.

“I had lots of ideas stored up on my phone,” he explains down that same handset, speaking from outside his London home, “and at least this gave me an opportunity to develop them.” So he started to record songs on his own, doing just vocals, piano and guitar, then sending those sound files to his core band members such as drummer Ben Gordelier, Steve Cradock on guitar and various other instruments, and bassist Andy Crofts for them to add their parts. “It was a bit weird not being together, but at least it kept the wheels rolling. I’d have gone potty otherwise.”

The band reconvened at Weller’s Black Barn studio in Surrey during the summer when restrictions were lifted to finish the work, with several of the songs being cut live. By this stage, the shape of the album was clear to all. Weller wanted to deliver an album of singles, twelve short, distinct blasts, each strong enough that they could stand alone if so desired.

“That was a conscious decision,” he confirms. “I even thought about putting every song out as a single first then gathering them all on an album, but that wasn’t practical at the moment. They all have that strength and immediacy, I think, and they’re all short, three minutes or so maximum.”

Producer Jan ‘Stan’ Kybert was so taken with the concept that he half-jokingly suggested that the album be called Greatest Hits. “I quite liked the idea and every song does stand up as a single, I think,” chuckles Weller, “but no, we couldn’t do that really.”

Instead, he plumped for Fat Pop (Volume 1). “I thought we’d add Volume 1 to it just to keep my options open in the future for a second volume!” The title track, a tight, heavy blast of ultra-modern funk, is itself the conceptual key to the whole album. “It’s a celebration of music and what it’s given us all. No matter what situation you are in, and we’re in one now, music doesn’t let you down, does it?”

As ever, Weller’s sonic masterplan was to avoid whatever had recently preceded it. “After [2018’s] True Meanings I thought I wouldn’t have any acoustic guitars for a little while, so I’ve largely avoided those with On Sunset and with Fat Pop,” he says. “But more than anything I wanted something vibey, something we could play live.” He laughs ruefully at the irony of that. “God knows when that will be, bearing in mind where we are with the virus. But in the imaginary gig in my mind I can see us playing all of the songs on Fat Pop live, along with the songs from On Sunset, blending them with some of the old favourites too. What a great set that would be.”

Live is where he imagines On Sunset and Fat Pop (Volume 1) working in tandem, because they don’t act as companion piece albums otherwise. “On Sunset was quite lavish in places, whereas with this one I wanted to limit it in some ways, make the production less expansive.”

Beyond that desire to keep it frill-free and tight, sonically Fat Pop (Volume 1) is a diverse selection of sounds. No one style dominates. There’s the synth-heavy, future-wave strut of Cosmic Fringes, the stately balladeering of Still Glides The Stream, Testify’s moving-on-up soul, and the kind of dramatic three minute pop symphonies on Failed, True and Shades of Blue with which Paul Weller has hooked in generation after generation of devotee.

More than sonic plans, though, Weller set himself the same task as he does before any recording. “Whenever I make an album I’m always just trying to at least match what’s gone before because each time I think the bar’s been raised. If all goes to plan, sometimes I manage to go over that bar too.”

Sometimes he does, sometimes he really does.

Fat Pop (Volume 1), the story behind each song:

Cosmic Fringes

A dramatic entrance to Fat Pop (Volume 1). Cosmic Fringes pairs a minimal, pumping electro swing with a deadpan vocal that detonates an unspecified poseur and blowhard. “I’m a sleeping giant, waiting to awake/I stumble to the fridge/then back to bed”.

“It’s not about anyone in particular,” suggests Weller, “but I suppose it could be about a keyboard warrior, someone who is constantly brainstorming ideas but never gets around to doing them. Someone talking the talk, but never doing anything.”

“When I first did the demo it was quite punky, a bit like The Stooges. It doesn’t sound anything like that now because then I had the idea of stripping it all back to just the drums and bass, putting those synths on it. It’s got a bit of motoric feel to it and a little bit glam rock too, I think.”

True

A song with all the attributes of the greatest Paul Weller numbers: fire in its belly, questing lyrics, boss horns, flashes of guitar fury and a yearning melody you awake humming daily. It’s also a tremendous vocal, shared between Paul and Lia Metcalfe, the young Liverpudlian singer with The Mysterines.

“I really like her band and I really like her singing,” he says. “It makes a massive difference that we sang it live, in the same room. She’s got a really powerful voice and I wanted to write something for us to sing together, so I did. Then I just sent the phone demo to Lia and two weeks later we cut it. That was one of the last things we did for the album, in around September”.

Fat Pop

That brilliant, heavy bassline? “I did that. When we recorded it I was actually thinking about Cypress Hill, doing something that sounds like a DJ Muggs production. It’s got a bit of that. It’s my favourite song on the album, I think, about all the times music’s been there for me.”

Shades of Blue

A classic three-minute English pop kitchen sink drama, written by Paul Weller and his daughter Leah, who joins him on vocals. “Leah wrote the chorus for it and helped me finish it up. I wrote the verses. Reminds me of a suburban drama, a play.”

Glad Times

Sweeping, wistful, sparkling in shades of blue, Glad Times’ winning melancholia has been in the back of Weller’s mind for a while. “I wrote this with Tom (Doyle) and Ant (Brown). They usually send me a backing track and we work on it from there. It’s been around for a while, nearly made it onto On Sunset but didn’t quite fit. I really liked it, though, so I’m really glad it made it on to this album instead.”

Cobweb / Connections

Pastoral introspections, featuring a lovely acoustic solo by PW and a string score by Hannah Peel. “I think the song is saying that the more you can be yourself and be happy with yourself, the more you change into something better. It’s not just good for you, it’s good for everyone else as well. ‘Save yourself and save everyone around you too.’ It’s from observation but I suppose it’s about me too.”

Testify

Superfly strutting, cut live in the studio with Andy Fairweather Low adding distinctive vocals and Jacko Peake on fine flute and saxophone. When allowed out of the house, it’ll be a future live favourite.

“We had actually done it live two or three years ago,” says Weller, “but while I loved the groove I never really got a grip on the song. Then I did this charity gig in Guildford, one of the last things I’ve done probably, some Stax songs with Andy Fairweather Low. Our voices sound so good together and he’s such a lovely fellow, so I sent him the backing track. As soon as lockdown was lifted he came down to the studio for the afternoon. We cut it live and that was it.”

That Pleasure

In amongst those soulful strings there is some barely contained rage in Weller’s voice as he sings ‘Lose your hypocrisy.’ “I suppose it’s my reaction to the whole Black Lives Matter movement,” he explains. “You’re always on tender ground writing about that, but, regardless of my colour, any human being should be disturbed. You should be appalled and disgusted and shocked by those images of George Floyd being killed in the street. It has to stop. It’s a question for everyone.”

Failed

‘All the things I never get/and all the things I never meant/and all the things that make no fucking sense…I’ve failed.’

“Yes, I’m asking myself the question,” admits Weller, a man who has never been afraid of self-reflection in his songwriting. “It’s an angry song because I wrote it right after a massive row with my wife. But I like it. It’s honest. It’s not how I feel all the time, but it is how I feel some of the time. I’m just talking about me as a man. We all measure success in different ways.”

It’s also one of his favourite songs on the album, a stand-out.

Moving Canvas

A chunky, percussive groove, with the feel of Traffic but updated for the here-and-now.

“It’s going to be great live that one. I wrote it about Iggy Pop. I hope he likes it if he ever gets to hear it. It’s my tribute to him, even though it doesn’t sound anything like him. Aside from all the great records he’s made, as a performer he’s high art. It’s all about the Igster.”

In Better Times

A plaintive plea with some beautiful sax and guitar breaks. “Cold in your eyes, don’t you know you break my heart in two”.

“It’s me talking to a young person who is going through something, addiction or mental health pressure, or whatever, and just saying it’ll be alright. Just get through this bit and there’ll be better times to come, you’ll look back and you’ll see it differently.”

Still Glides The Stream

A stately collaboration between Weller and long-time guitar foil Steve Cradock.

“I had the chords and possibly the melody, which I sent to Cradock. And he sent me back a poem and I edited that, then we sent it back and forth by phone. Lockdown songwriting. I just liked the poem. In my mind, I was thinking about our road sweeper who’s a lovely fellow. I started thinking that there’s so many people in this country who form the infrastructure of it and without whom we’d be fucked. But they’re looked down upon, not really noticed. So I was imagining their story. I did find out that there’s a book of the same name (by Flora Thompson) and Cradock said he had seen it in a shop, so that’s where the title comes from. I just liked the poetry of it. Steve’s a very soulful fella.”

Remastered and released for the very first time! Blue & Transparent Tan vinyl - limited to 1000 copies Riyl: Kids In The Hall, Devo, Butthole Surfers, Ween, John Waters, Yoko Ono Mouth Congress - friends Paul Bellini and Scott Thompson of Kids In The Hall fame - wrote and recorded hundreds of songs in the 0s without ever putting out a proper release. Alongside various cohorts and conspirators, the band drew on their experiences as gay men to craft hilariously crude punk songs that run the gamut of strange characters and taboo subject matter. Their rag tag approach to songwriting blended various styles from noisy punk to lo-fi new wave and DIY disco, all with a very gay bent. Without trying, they were surprisingly cutting edge. Mouth Congress did dozens of live shows through the mid-80s that gained a reputation for being theatrical, combining props, sets, multiple costume changes, unusual song choices, guest stars, and Scott's stand-up comedy. In 1988, they recorded a 7-song demo tape. The tracks were recorded quickly, as the Kids in the Hall were about to go to New York City to develop their material. Then, caught up in the excitement of the Kids in the Hall being signed to television, Mouth Congress activities slowed to a crawl. In 2011, Paul dug out an old VHS tape of one of the live shows. The sight of one of the Kids in the Hall covered in sweat, writhing on stage like Iggy Pop, was something he felt comedy fans might enjoy seeing. Naturally, Scott agreed and they uploaded everything - over 600 recordings - onto Bandcamp. One day in 2019, Mike Sniper of Captured Tracks stumbled upon the Bandcamp page, got in touch, and suggested assembling a compilation of the best recordings to be officially released for the very first time. Waiting for Henry is a collection of 29 tracks over 2 LPs with a booklet of interviews and ephemera from one of the 0s last queercore bands.Who is Henry? We don't really know, but we certainly hope he shows up soon.