New Music: Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell, Alan Jackson, Amy Winehouse, 'Winston-Salem Sound'

Four must-hear titles are featured in my column this week.

Artist: Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell

Title: Burn (Atlantic Curve)

You might like if you enjoy: Dead Can Dance, Sigur Rós, Howard Shore's "Lord of the Rings" soundtracks, Moby

Tell me more: The new full-length collaboration from Dead Can Dance's Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell titled Burn is a beautiful listen, seamlessly blending sounds spanning the globe and time itself. Gerrard – one of the world's great singers – has joined forces with Maxwell and English producer James Chapman (also known by his moniker "Maps") to craft seven intoxicating compositions that truly immerse the listener. Choral, symphonic and electronica soundscapes converge on the marvelous opener "Heleali (The Sea Will Rise)," with several layers of Gerrard's vocals layered around her primary vocal track. The driving "Aldavyeem (A Time To Dance)" recalls the art rock of Radiohead, while the soaring "Orion (The Weary Huntsman)" somehow spans opera and Neo-classical on its magnificent trajectory. On the title track Gerrard and Maxwell both sing, their triumphant tandem voices artfully dueling with another line sung by Gerrard alone. This is a opulent and sumptuous listening experience from start to finish. Information: https://orcd.co/lisajulesburn.

Artist: Alan Jackson

Title: Where Have You Gone? (UMG Nashville)

You might like if you enjoy: Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard, George Jones

Tell me more: Armed with one of country music's best voices, Alan Jackson brings his signature vocals to the expansive 21-track collection Where Have You Gone? – an album collectively celebrating authentic country music with a master's touch. Indeed, on the opening cut "Where Have You Gone," Jackson sings: "Sweet country music, where have you gone? / Sweet country music, please come back home" with emotional authenticity and a timely aim. Elsewhere his rich baritone mines love (the tender "I Can Be That Something," joyful fiddle- and piano-adorned "Where the Cottonwood Grows," the rowdy "Livin' On Empty"), drinking ("Wishful Drinkin'," "Beer:10") and a fusion of those matters (the lovely "Way Down In My Whiskey," literate "The Boot," touching "So Late So Soon" and "I Was Tequila"). On "Things On Matter," he addresses the fragility of life with a particularly affecting touch, while a father's love is expressed on the beautiful "You'll Always Be My Baby." Other great tracks on the collection include the rip-roaring "Back," bonus track "That's The Way Love Goes (A Tribute to Merle Haggard)" and confessional "The Older I Get." Information: AlanJackson.com.

Artist: Amy Winehouse

Title: At The BBC (Island/UMe)

You might like if you enjoy: Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Tell me more: Featuring the late British singer Amy Winehouse at the height of her vocal powers, the three-disc At The BBC (available on audio CD and vinyl) features more than three dozen tracks recorded between 2003 and 2007. The soulful "Stronger Than Me" (captured on a Jools Holland TV appearance in 2003) kicks off the far-flung set. That powerhouse performance proves to be the first of many with Winehouse's signature contralto impressing on each track of the collection. The dynamic "Take The Box" (from 2004's Mercury Prize Awards) with her vocals spanning from the lower to higher reaches of her vocal register, jazzy "Teach Me Tonight" (from a 2004 appearance on Jools Holland) and blues-styled "Rehab" (from a 2006 performance) are early high marks. The magic displayed on the essential collection continues courtesy on the buoyant jazz offering "Tears Dry On Their Own," a bewitching cover of the '60s Motown standard "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Don't Go To Strangers" (a duet with Paul Weller), the rhythm and blues foray "October Song," reggae-tinged "Just Friends" and lavish "Love Is a Losing Hand" and "I Should Care." Sadly, Winehouse joined the so-called "27 Club" with her death of alcohol poisoning on July 23, 2011. "At The BBC" is an amazing salute to her remarkable talent. Information: AmyWinehouse.com.

Artists: Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter, Don Dixon, Peter Holsapple, more

Title: Yesterday's Tomorrow: Celebrating the Winston-Salem Sound (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Let's Active, early R.E.M., dB's

Tell me more: It's great when an album immediately reminds you how much fun rock and roll can be. A new titled Yesterday's Tomorrow: Celebrating the Winston-Salem Sound does just that. The album was recorded live at the Ramkat on May 12, 2018 and documents a one-time celebration of a relatively small city in North Carolina and its tremendous impact on indie rock. To be sure the performances by indie heroes Chris Stamey (the dB's), Mitch Easter (Let's Active), Don Dixon, Peter Holsapple (the dB's), Will Rigby (the dB's), Lynn Blakey and many others on the disc are inspired and will lead listeners to pursue more exploration of under-the-radar acts such as Sacred Irony, Rittenhouse Square, Little Diesel and Sneakers. But this album is no mere stepping stone; it bristles and shines with nearly two dozen stellar performances. The propulsive rocker "Hot Smoke & Sassafras" dazzles with its garage rock attack and Baroque instrumental guitar break; "Reptilian Disaster" is just as powerful with Easter unleashing a creative flurry of lead guitar work. Just listen to the fiery "Yesterday's Tomorrow" (amazing with its mix of incredible lead guitar, strong lead vocals from Doug Davis and rollicking attack from the rhythm section). Various styles are highlighted on the disc, albeit with a decidedly indie approach; hard rock ("Black Death"), jangly power pop ("S'il Vous Plait," "Condition Red," "Ruby"), indie alt-rock ("Every Word Means No," "Kissy Boys"), blues ("Think") and classic rock (takes on the Beatles' "Got to Get You Into My Life" and Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed," both featuring Dixon) are all magnificent. The package contains detailed liner notes by Stamey and a 24-page color history booklet with rare photos and details about the 2018 event and artists celebrated on the wonderful title. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com. 

Robert Kinsler

Chrissie Hynde to release Dylan covers album May 21, 2021

This promises to be one of the most exciting cover albums of 2021! Robert Kinsler

CHRISSIE HYNDE UNVEILS NEW COLLECTION OF BOB DYLAN SONGS   NINE DYLAN INTERPRETATIONS RECORDED REMOTELY DURING LOCKDOWN WITH THE PRETENDERS’ JAMES WALBOURNE   STANDING IN THE DOORWAY: CHRISSIE HYNDE SINGS BOB DYLAN ARRIVES VIA BMG AT ALL DSPS AND STREAMING SERVICES ON FRIDAY, MAY 21

DOWNLOAD Hi-Res Image Chrissie Hynde has announced a brand new album of original Bob Dylan covers. Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan arrives via BMG at all DSPs and streaming services on Friday, May 21. A CD and vinyl LP release will follow on Friday, August 20.   PRE-ORDER STANDING IN THE DOORWAY: CHRISSIE HYNDE SINGS BOB DYLAN   Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan includes stunning new interpretations of such Dylan songs as “You’re a Big Girl Now,” “Love Minus Zero / No Limit,” “Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight,” and “Every Grain of Sand,” recorded last year during lockdown by Hynde and her Pretenders bandmate, James Walbourne. The nine-track collection was made almost exclusively via text message, with Walbourne recording an initial musical idea on his phone and then sending it off to Hynde to add her vocal. The new versions were then mixed by multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning producer/engineer/mixer Tchad Blake (The Black Keys, Fiona Apple) before originally premiering via The Pretenders’ official YouTube channel.   “A few weeks into lockdown last year, James sent me the new Dylan track, ‘Murder Most Foul.’” Hynde says. “Listening to that song completely changed everything for me. I was lifted out of this morose mood that I’d been in. I remember where I was sitting the day that Kennedy was shot - every reference in the song. Whatever Bob does, he still manages somewhere in there to make you laugh because as much as anything, he’s a comedian. He’s always funny and always has something to say. I called James and said, ‘Let’s do some Dylan covers,’ and that’s what started this whole thing.”   The intimate process behind Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan will be featured in Tomorrow Is A Long Time, a new documentary by International Emmy® Award-winning filmmakers Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt (Romeo & Juliet: Beyond Words, BalletBoyz) premiering exclusively via the UK’s Sky Arts channel on Monday, May 24 in celebration of Dylan’s 80th birthday; a U.S. broadcast premiere will be announced soon. CHRISSIE HYNDE STANDING IN THE DOORWAY: CHRISSIE HYNDE SINGS BOB DYLAN (BMG) Release Date: Friday, May 21 Tracklist: In The Summertime You're a Big Girl Now Standing In The Doorway Sweetheart Like You Blind Willie McTell Love Minus Zero / No Limit Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight Tomorrow Is a Long Time Every Grain of Sand # # # CONNECT WITH CHRISSIE HYNDE: CHRISSIEHYNDE.COM TWITTER FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE

Joel Hodgson, creator of "Mystery Science Theater 3000," successfully funds Kickstarter Campaign to #MakeMoreMST3K and #BuildTheGizmoplex

Wonderful news that new episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will be arriving soon...Robert Kinsler

Joel Hodgson, Creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Successfully Funds Kickstarter Campaign To #MakeMoreMST3K and #BuildTheGizmoplex    Campaign Raises Over $6.5 Million in 30 Days to Produce New Season & Launch Virtual Theater for Live Community Events

The Peabody Award™-winning comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000, one of the most beloved TV shows of all time, will be returning for 13th season thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign helmed by series creator and former host Joel Hodgson, and supported by legions of devoted fans. The campaign, which concluded at 8 pm PT on Friday, May 7, raised over $6.5 million in 30 days. This will allow Hodgson to produce 13 episodes of the show, including the series’ first 3-D episode, 12 new short film riffs, and build “the Gizmoplex,” a new virtual theater and online community hub that will be the exclusive home of the next season for its initial run. Embracing a direct-to-fan distribution model allows Hodgson to honor one of the most common requests he hears from fans: releasing each new episode one at a time as they are ready for release, rather than holding them until the entire season is complete. Once it has been launched, Hodgson and his team plan to use the Gizmoplex to host live episode premieres, real-time watch parties and special live events year-round. Fans who were unable to participate in the Kickstarter will still have a chance to get involved with MST3K’s next season, starting with a “late pledge” period that will allow them to pledge for campaign-exclusive rewards and experiences.  In fact, in an echo of the 2015 Kickstarter campaign, fan demand for more MST3K exceeded even Hodgson’s estimation. The campaign’s original goal was to raise $5.5 million, the number needed to cover campaign expenses, launch the Gizmoplex, and produce a full season of 12 brand-new, feature-length episodes and 12 new short film riffs. But in the campaign’s final 12 hours, as fans raced past the original target, Hodgson announced two “stretch goals,” and fans responded, passing the final goal of $6,364,230 million (the total raised during the record-breaking 2015 Kickstarter campaign) during the final hour of the campaign, and raising a grand total of $6,519,019. The additional funds will allow Hodgson to add a 13th episode, a holiday special that will feature Hodgson, Jonah Ray and Emily Marsh as co-hosts.  "When we decided that Kickstarter was our best chance at making more MST3K without a network, we hoped that some of our backers would join up again... but we never dreamed that the response would be even bigger the second time around. We're so humbled and grateful and deliriously happy to be making more MST3K for the people who love it most, and can't wait to get started on 'lucky' Season 13," Hodgson said, adding, "Now we just have to make sure The Mads come through on building the Gizmoplex. I guess we'll wire all the funds to them this afternoon and hope for the best?" “It’s all coming together as planned. Once again, we’ve played the MST3K fanbase like a violin,” said Kinga Forrester, heir to the Forrester Family media empire, from her executive suite in her climate controlled bunker on Moon 13. Her Vice President of distribution, TV’s Son of TV’s Frank, added, “You said it, boss. Now to invest it all in Dogecoin so we can double our money by summer!” “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Joel and Alternaversal on a new season of MST3K and the Gizmoplex,” said Bob Emmer and Garson Foos, co-CEOs of Shout! Factory. “Like Joel, we believe in the enduring appeal of the show, and we’re so grateful to the fans for their support.”  With a fresh batch of cheesy movies to riff, Hodgson will be involved in all facets of production of the new episodes. While MST3K’s next season will feature the return of Felicia Day as Mad “Kinga Forrester” and Patton Oswalt as the evil henchman “Max” a.k.a “TV’s Son of TV’s Frank,” The Mads will have even bigger plans for global domination, and they involve forcing multiple test subjects to riff movies, each from a different location! Jonah Ray will return as host “Jonah Heston” alongside Baron Vaughn as “Tom Servo,” Hampton Yount as “Crow T. Robot” and Rebecca Hanson as “GPC 1” aboard The Satellite of Love. MST3K LIVE’s Emily Marsh joins the series’ cast as host “Emily Connor” alongside MST3K LIVE’s Conor McGiffin as “Tom Servo,” Nate Begle as “Crow T. Robot,” and Yvonne Freese as “GPC 2” and “Mega Synthia.” Original series cast members Mary Jo Pehl and J. Elvis Weinstein will be appearing in the new season, and Hodgson is also confirmed to host two episodes next season, reprising his original role as test subject “Joel Robinson,” the character he played in the first five seasons of the series, during its run on Comedy Central.  Throughout the production process, Hodgson and team will keep MST3K’s backers informed and involved with regular updates on Kickstarter and MakeMoreMST3K.com. For additional info visit MST3K.org, or follow MST3K on Facebook (facebook.com/MST3K), Twitter (@MST3K) and Instagram (@MST3K).

Florence + The Machine set to perform new original song “Call Me Cruella" in Disney's 'Cruella'

Media Release: May 10, 2021

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE SET TO PERFORM NEW ORIGINAL SONG “CALL ME CRUELLA” AS FEATURED IN DISNEY’S ALL-NEW LIVE ACTION FILM “CRUELLA”

 CRUELLA ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK WITH SONGS FEATURED IN THE FILM PLUS CRUELLA ORIGINAL SCORE ALBUM BY OSCAR® NOMINATED COMPOSER NICHOLAS BRITELL SET FOR RELEASE MAY 21

 

 

Watch a brand new sneak peek of Disney’s “Cruella” featuring “Call me Cruella” performed by Florence + The Machine: here. 

Listen to the Official Cruella Playlist, with signature hits featured in the film here.

BURBANK, CA— (May 10, 2021)—Multi-platinum and global award-winning artist Florence + The Machine, is set to perform a new original song, “Call me Cruella,” in Disney’s all-new live action film “Cruella.”  “Call me Cruella” will be featured in the film and on the original motion picture soundtrack and the original score album. Both albums, from Walt Disney Records, will be available on May 21. Experience the film in theaters or order it on Disney+ with Premier Access for a one-time additional fee on May 28.

On the “Call me Cruella” collaboration, Florence said, “Some of the first songs I ever learned how to sing were Disney songs. And the villains often got the best numbers. So to help create and perform a song for ‘Cruella’ is the fulfillment of a long held childhood dream. I’m so grateful to Nicholas Britell and Disney for allowing me so much creative freedom, and for trusting me with Cruella’s beautiful madness.”

Welch is the Grammy nominated songwriter and bandleader of Florence + The Machine. Her four critically acclaimed studio albums have sold millions of copies worldwide, with 3 top 10 albums in the US.  In addition to the Brit Album of Year Award for her 2009 debut Lungs, 2015's How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, topped the charts in the UK and US.   Florence went on to win the Ivor Novello International Achievement Award for songwriting.  Most recently, Florence made her acting debut in a live TV theatrical broadcast for the HBO and Sky Atlantic series "The Third Day."

Commenting on the song and score, Britell said, "I am a massive fan of Florence’s, so it was a true joy to collaborate with her on Call me Cruella. With both this song and the Cruella score itself, the goal was to really embrace the raw rock aesthetic of 60’s and 70’s London. We recorded everything using all vintage gear and analog tape at Abbey Road and AIR Studios in London, melding orchestral elements with electric guitars and basses, organs, keyboards, and drums."

Twice Academy Award®-nominated and EMMY winning composer and pianist Nicholas Britell scores feature in some of the most acclaimed film projects in recent history, including “If Beale Street Could Talk” “Vice,” “Moonlight,” “The Big Short” and most recently “The King.”  For television, Britell has written the score for Jenkins’ “The Underground Railroad” and also scores the HBO series “Succession,” winning an Emmy® for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme. He is currently scoring the third season of “Succession” and Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up.”

Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (“La La Land”) stars in Disney’s “Cruella,” an all-new live action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. “Cruella,” which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute, played by two-time Oscar® winner Emma Thompson (“Howards End,” “Sense and Sensibility”). But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.

"Cruella" stars Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Mark Strong. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie, with screenplay by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara, story by Aline Brosh McKenna and Kelly Marcel & Steve Zissis, based upon the novel “The One Hundred and One Dalmatians” by Dodie Smith. “Cruella” is produced by Andrew Gunn, Marc Platt and Kristin Burr, p.g.a., with Emma Stone, Michelle Wright, Jared LeBoff and Glenn Close serving as executive producers.

 

The Rolling Stones' "A Bigger Bang" set for release on July 9!

Bring this Rolling Stones live release on! Can't wait for this to be available...Robert Kinsler

THE ROLLING STONES A BIGGER BANG LIVE ON COPACABANA BEACH  REMIXED, RE-EDITED, REMASTERED SHOW AVAILABLE IN FULL FOR THE FIRST TIME ~GLOBAL RELEASE DATE: JULY 9, 2021~ ~Record Store Day Drops 10” Picture Disc Release Date: June 12, 2021~ WATCH THE TRAILER HERE  PRE-ORDER HERE

NEW YORK, NY (May 7, 2021)--One of the biggest free concerts in history, The Rolling Stones’ legendary performance at the famed Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on February 8, 2006 was a historic event… a critical moment in Rock ‘n’ Roll history. Now, The Rolling Stones and Mercury Studios will proudly release for the first time this complete concert film remixed, re-edited, and remastered. The Rolling Stones -- A Bigger Bang: Live On Copacabana Beach will be available on July 9, 2021 on multiple formats, including DVD+2CD, SD BD+2CD, 2DVD+2CD Deluxe, 3LP (pressed on blue, yellow, and green vinyl), 3LP pressed on clear vinyl (exclusive to Sound Of Vinyl) & digital. Additionally, Mercury Studios will release an early taste of this set with a 5-song digital EP - out May 28. This will include “Sympathy For The Devil”, “Wild Horses”, “You Got Me Rocking”, “Happy”, and “Rough Justice”. All the songs are from the Copacabana Beach show, with the exception of “Rough Justice”, which is from the 2005 Salt Lake City concert video available in the Deluxe Edition. Finally, Mercury Studios will present The Rolling Stones: Rain Fall Down (Live on Copacabana Beach) / Rough Justice (Live In Salt Lake City) -- a limited edition 10” picture disc to be released as part of the first Record Store Day Drops on June 12. For a list of participating stores, visit https://recordstoreday.com/Stores. Right from the film’s opening moments, when The Rolling Stones emerge on their own purpose built bridge leading from the Copacabana Palace Hotel, there’s an electric energy that courses through the air, ricocheting between the band and the 1.5 million people in attendance. Aerial shots convey the sprawling enormity of the crowd, watching not only from the beach, but from boats moored at the water’s edge. As Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts fire on all pistons from one track to the next, the crowd continues to meet their energy in furious fervor, waving Brazilian and British flags while rocking out in the tropical evening sunset. It was truly a highlight of this tour, which supported the band’s 2005 album Bigger Bang. Four songs that were not in the original 2007 DVD release The Biggest Bang are featured for the first time on A Bigger Bang: “Tumbling Dice”, “Oh No, Not You Again”, “This Place Is Empty”, and “Sympathy For The Devil”. This concert brilliantly showcases this impactful two-hour set, which runs the gamut of The Rolling Stones’ career: “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)”, “Brown Sugar”, “Start Me Up”, and “Satisfaction” and “Wild Horses” swerve between then-new tracks “Rain Fall Down”, “This Place Is Empty”, and “Rough Justice” from Bigger Bang. The setlist also boasts a cover of Ray Charles’ “Night Time Is The Right Time”. “Not that we're unused to playing some of the biggest shows in the world, but I must say Rio did take the cake,” said Keith Richards. “‘It was amazing,” states Mick Jagger. “It was a really good audience. They know how to enjoy themselves on those occasions.” The Deluxe 2DVD+2CD edition is packaged in a 12 X 12 40-page book, with the Copacabana concert on DVD and 2CD, along with an exclusive bonus DVD including a November 2005 concert in Salt Lake City, UT, also from the Bigger Bangtour. If you’re going to do it, do it up big, and no one does it bigger and better than The Stones!

Tracklisting RIO  1. Jumpin’ Jack Flash  2. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)  3. You Got Me Rocking  4. Tumbling Dice  5. Oh No, Not You Again  6. Wild Horses  7. Rain Fall Down  8. Midnight Rambler  9. Night Time Is the Right Time  10. This Place Is Empty  11. Happy  12. Miss You  13. Rough Justice  14. Get Off My Cloud  15. Honky Tonk Women  16. Sympathy For The Devil  17. Start Me Up  18. Brown Sugar  19. You Can't Always Get What You Want  20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction SALT LAKE CITY (Bonus show – deluxe versions only)  1. Start Me Up  2. You Got Me Rocking  3. She's So Cold  4. Tumbling Dice  5. Rain Fall Down  6. It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (but I Like It)  7. Wild Horses  8. All Down the Line  9. Night Time Is the Right Time  10. Slipping Away  11. Infamy  12. Miss You  13. Rough Justice  14. Get Off of My Cloud  15. Honky Tonk Women  16. Sympathy for the Devil  17. Brown Sugar  18. Jumpin’ Jack Flash  19. You Can't Always Get What You Want  20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction About Mercury Studios: Mercury Studios is a multi-faceted music content studio, established to develop, produce, globally distribute and invest in innovative, music-rooted storytelling across a range of media including film, television, podcasting, publishing and live-streamed performance. Mercury Studios creates an open space for experimentation to unleash and amplify both emerging and established artists. Led by CEO Alice Webb and with offices in London and Los Angeles, Mercury Studios harnesses its established relationships with best-in-class talent from music and film, seamlessly bridging the two worlds to create a completely distinctive community of trailblazers driven by original IP, innovation and collaboration. Taking its name from the iconic Mercury Records label, Mercury Studios is built on the foundations of world-leading producer and distributor Eagle Rock Entertainment and powered by Universal Music Group.

 

‘Asleep In The Back’ Collection From elbow Premieres May 7 on Digital Services For 20th Anniversary

Anytime I can share news (and music!) from the epic elbow, I am in! I will be featuring a review of this collection in my next album review column next week. Robert Kinsler

‘Asleep In The Back’ Collection From elbow 

Premieres May 7 on Digital Services For 20^th Anniversary

 

Entire Catalog Includes Early EPs, Radio Sessions And Live Recordings Streaming For The First Time

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 2001 debut album, Asleep In The Back, elbow have announced the release to streaming services of a collection of rare tracks, available HERE.

Alongside the original studio album and a number of B-sides, the collection includes tracks taken from their debut Noisebox EP, featuring the original recording of “Powder Blue,” and their two releases for Manchester independent Uglyman Records, the NewbornEP and the Any Day Now EP. Fans will also be able to hear six tracks from the band’s headline show at London Astoria on October 24, during the album tour; three tracks recorded for Steve Lamacq’s Evening Session on Radio One, transmitted in April 2001;and remixes of album tracks, including fellow Mancunian Andy Votel’s take on “Powder Blue.”

Upon its initial release, Asleep In The Back announced elbow as one of the brightest hopes for UK music as shown by their nomination in the 2001 BRIT Awards for Best New British Band. The album was nominated for the 2001 Mercury Prize, narrowly missing out to PJ Harvey, and secured the first of the band’s 9/10 album reviews from NME, which said of it: “Radiohead finally have a competitor worthy of healthy comparison.” The same title would describe lead track, “Newborn,” as “A single of such magnificent flight and depth it darkens the skies above most other British guitar groups.”  

elbow would go on to make history as the only UK group to ever secure four consecutive 9/10 album reviews from the magazine.

Asleep In The Back won fans across the board, with The Guardian praising singer Guy Garvey as “a master of the arresting image,” in the first of many tributes to his lyrical prowess, and The Daily Telegraph heralding “a wondrous and ambitious album.” Following its release, elbow would go on to become a constant presence in the UK album charts, a mainstay “must watch” at UK festivals and, ultimately, achieve multi-platinum status, UK Number One albums, BRIT Awards, Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello wins and universal acclaim. 

Twenty years later, Asleep In The Back, and the recordings made around its release, re-emphasize that bond at the core of the group and serve as reminders of the beginnings of an incredible journey. Now available on digital streaming services is an audio guide to the starting point of one of the most unique and compelling stories in modern British music history. 

elbow are currently in the studio working on tracks for their ninth studio album. 

The full tracklisting for the 20th anniversary edition of Asleep In The Back on streaming services:

Asleep In The Back

 

1. Any Day Now

2. Red

3. Little Beast

4. Powder Blue

5. Bitten By The Tailfly

6. Asleep In The Back

7. Newborn

8. Don’t Mix Your Drinks

9. Presuming Ed (Rest Easy)

10. Coming Second

11. Can’t Stop

12. Scattered Black And Whites

 

Asleep In The Back EPs and B Sides

 

1. Powder Blue (The Noisebox EP Version)

2. Red (The Noisebox EP Version)

3. Theme From Munroe Kelly (The Noisebox EP Version)

4. Can’t Stop (The Noisebox EP Version)

5. Kisses (The Newborn EP Version)

6. none one (The Newborn EP Version)

7. Wurzel (The Any Day Now EP Version)

8. George Lassoes The Moon (The Any Day Now EP Version)

9. Vum Garda

10. About Time

11. Suffer

12. Lucky With Disease

13. One Thing That Was Bothering Me

14. Stumble

15. Puckfair

 

Asleep In The Back Sessions, Remixes and Acoustic Tracks

 

1. Newborn – BBC Radio 1 Lamacq Session

2. Don’t Mix Your Drinks - BBC Radio 1 Lamacq Session

3. Red - BBC Radio 1 Lamacq Session

4. Powder Blue (Andy Votel Mix)

5. Press Your Lips (Newborn) (El Presidente Remix)

6. Coming Second (Fink Remix)

7. Coming Second (Misery:Lab Remix)

8. Newborn Bitten By The Black Dog

9. About Time (Acoustic Version)

10. The Crow (Acoustic Version)

11. Newborn (Acoustic Version)

 

Asleep In The Back Live At The Astoria 24^th October 2001

 

1. Bitten By The Tailfly – Live At The Astoria

2. Coming Second – Live At The Astoria

3. Don’t Mix Your Drinks – Live At The Astoria

4. Can’t Stop – Live At The Astoria

5. Scattered Black And Whites – Live At The Astoria

6. George Lassoes The Moon – Live At The Astoria

Believe it or not: a concert review! Donavon Frankenreiter, Matt Costa, and Iris and The Shade at The Coach House

Donavon Frankenreiter and his terrific band at
The Coach House on Thursday, May 6, 2021.

Before arriving at The Coach House last night, Thursday, May 6, 2021, it had been 420 days since I was last at the concert venue - or any concert house for that matter! Way back on March 12, 2020, I caught legendary bluesman Buddy Guy at the San Juan Capistrano, CA venue (you can read a review of that concert event HERE). That was my last taste of live music before the coronavirus pandemic put the brakes on live entertainment and just about everything else for more than a year in Southern California.

When ace photographer-good friend Bob Steshetz alerted me that we were good to go to cover the first night of singer-songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter's four-night highly-anticipated run at The Coach House, needless to say he didn't have to ask me twice. While the Coach House has to currently limit the capacity to approximately 250 concertgoers a night, it was wonderful to say "Hi" to owner Gary Folgner (who has owned and operated the venue since its opening back in 1980) and many of long-time employees who work there. Dating back to its first decade of operation, I have witnessed some of the best concerts of my life at The Coach House. Performances featuring guitar hero Alvin Lee (of Ten Years After fame), The Smithereens, The Call, Fountains of Wayne, Peter Frampton, Americana great Michael Ubaldini, singer-songwriter-guitarist Walter Trout, Rosanne Cash, dada, Aimee Mann, Bruce Cockburn, The Grays, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Zombies and Leon Russell, and aforementioned Buddy Guy immediately come to mind. 

Donavon Frankenreiter at The Coach House.

Just getting to catch an actual concert after 14 months was exciting enough, but the fact that the music making was so strong made the night all the more special. Having been raised in Mission Viejo, surfer-turned singer-songwriter Frankenreiter knew he had the hometown crowd behind him when he took the stage with his two-man band (bassist-harmonica master Matt Gundy and drummer Jara Harris). Blending rock, pop, blues, folk, jam rock and even jazz, Frankenreiter and company's sonic approach soared throughout a 90-minute set.

From left, Donavon Frankenreiter, Matt Gundy and
Jara Harris at The Coach House on May 6, 2021.

Many of Frankenreiter's most beloved originals filled the set; early highlights included the lovely jazz sortie "On My Mind," the jazz-rock-funk fusion "Move By Yourself" (featuring Frankenreiter delivering up an extended guitar solo), the affecting folk rock cut "It Don't Matter To Me" (bolstered by Frankenreiter's guitar lines artfully mirroring his vocal melody and sweet blues harmonica play from Gundy) and the infectious rocker "You're High."

The momentum of the set continued to pick up speed, with the in-tune audience cheering on the trio. The playful "Big Wave," Southern rock-mining "Could Be One Of Those Days," surf rock jam "Heading Home" and funk-blues gem "That's Too Bad" were late-set standouts.

His energetic set ended with him inviting both of the night's opening acts on stage to join in for a spirited cover of The Band's 1968 classic "The Weight."

Iris and The Shade performing at The Coach House.

Orange County duo Iris and The Shade features, from left,
Alexandra Davis and Chase Perkowski.

Concertgoers attending the event were treated to not one, but two compelling openers. Kicking off the night was the rising young duo from Dana Point, CA, Iris and The Shade. The lead singer Alexandra Davis has a soprano that conjures up the mystery and reflective grace of Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval while the twosome's sound blends Laurel Canyon folk, surf music and dream pop. Among the memorable songs that served as my introduction to the duo (Davis and singer-guitarist Chase Perkowski) was the evocative opener "Carry Me Home" and lovely duet "Moonlight."

Matt Costa performing at The Coach House on May 6, 2021.

Celebrated singer-songwriter Matt Costa — who I criminally hadn't reviewed since 2007 (read my review of that concert HERE) — performed a solo performance showcasing his marvelous songcraft and absorbing performance style. Opening with the soulful "Call My Name," his acoustic guitar and poignant vocals came in the service of the song's refrain. 

Matt Costa impressed throughout a
45-minute set at The Coach House.

The Huntington Beach native's probing songs continued to play out wonderfully, as evidenced by the crowd's strong reaction. The hopeful "Make That Change" with its timely message to "You gotta make that change / To see a brighter day soon" seemed magically aimed at overcoming an extended period of lockdowns, masks and restrictions.

Matt Costa at The Coach House.

Iris and The Shade (left) joining Matt Costa during his
set at The Coach House on Thursday, May 6, 2021.

He brought up Iris and The Shade to add emotional heft to a short medley featuring old and new material before going it alone again for the soaring genres-blending "Slow," breezy folk track "Pacific Grove," eloquent "Savannah" and several other great originals. He ended his set with "The Road," a song that speaks to the freedom of wanting to leave home and experience the adventure of discovery.

That song likely summed up a special night with the audience tapping into Costa's lyrics, that read in part: "The road is calling, so I've got to go."

The night ended with, from left, Donavon Frankenreiter, Chase Perkowski, Alexandra
Davis, Matt Costa, Matt Gundy and Jara Harris joining forces for a version of 
The Band classic "The Weight."

Donavon Frankenreiter, Matt Costa and Iris and The Shade perform at The Coach House May 7, May 8 and May 9. Call 949-496-8930 or visit the venue's official website HERE for more details.

A super special thank you to Bob Steshetz for his wonderful photographs taken at the concert! Great to see that the "Adventures of Bob and Robert" picked up right where they left off in early 2020!

Review by Robert Kinsler