The return of the Outsideleft Week in Music preamble. The reason is because. Marion Raw has released her debut LP, Ghost In The Machine.
SINGLES
ALTER BRIDGE - Pawns & Kings (The Orchard) ZERO s
by Tim London
The reason why the planet is doomed is because of lycra, professional barbecue grills, Dacia Dusters and music like this, which has already notched up by enough views to create an army that could defeat any bunch of desperate Northern Soul fans. The sound of the Tuscaloosa Gun & Knife Show attendees having a wank in the portaloos. (July 30th/31st, if you’re in the area).
LOU REED - Heroin - May 1965 Demo (Light In The Attic)
by Tim London
Where did all that amazing revolutionary noise come from? Here’s a clue: Bob Dylan, Howlin Wolf (and other blues singers unafraid to tackle subjects otherwise too indelicate for the Neil Sedaka generation), speakers with holes, America’s endless supply of speed, crappy guitars, laziness, Fluxus, hipsterism and luck (some of it bad). You can hear the folky bit right here on this otherwise pointless rendition Lou made in order to prove copyright.
SLIPKNOT - The Dying Song (Time To Sing) (Own) ZERO s
by Tim London
Hahahahahahahahaha! From the lyrics: ‘The middle of a nuclear winter is a modern Achievement of the retro apocalyptic horde’ Fucking right! That retro apocalyptic horde trying to their best to get the world nuked with their 80s fashions. Soooo retro. (The video credits are epic - something like 40 people to film a bunch of blokes old enough to know better miming pop music with silly masks on in a disco. My fave is ‘hyphenate driver’ - good-job!) Hahahahaha!
LAURA JEAN - Teenager Again (Chapter Music)
by Tim London
Over some slack early 70s singer songwriter strummy acoustic rock Laura tells us, amongst other things, that she was taught reiki. That’s nice. But the video is a genuinely interesting slice of just pre-mobile school/teenage footage from America or Canada (Australia, you berk!) so it was worth it, even for that alone.
SATIN JACKETS - Different Directions (Eskimo Records)
by Toon Traveller
Love the skipping along the path intro, the slightly underplayed vocals and the whole swirling milieu of the song, the horn weaving in and out, echo's from across the street, around the corner, one block up. Normally a programmed drum sound is a no for me but it's the walking bass, and the slightly 80'a synth sound that does it, the phased in and out sax, memories of late 90s, early 2000's UK pop, and there's nothing wrong with that. Reminiscent of Sophie Ellis Baxter, and that slightly dispassionate, slightly external observer of events, like seeing scenes out of the corner of your eye, looking in furtive glances, this is a delight, a great crafted slice of '20s pop, served up cool and delicious the perfect sound in this searing heat.
ARP - New Pleasure (Mexican Summer)
by Toon Traveller
ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES - Love Letter From A Red Roof Inn (Soundcloud)
by Toon Traveller
Love Letter From A Red Roof Inn is from the new LP, The Alien Coast. A real mix up of styles... You've got shimmering slow rock, and a real 70's romantic soulful voice, Wah-Wah's all over the place everywhere, hints of post Stax groove. A slow start precedes an Al Green falsetto, pain-drenched, angst riven, with menace, and tenderness. Here is something more than 70s soul rehashed. Love Letter From A Red Roof Inn has a great introspectiveness and a gorgeous sense on building on the psychedelic funk from the past. Building more. If there were records of the week anymore here, this would be a contender. If they got a stylist, this would be a real contender.
HORACE ANDY - Feverish (On-U Sound )
by Toon Traveller
It's been a long, long, too long time, since I heard Horace Andy. When I lived in London, 25 years ago, Horace was regular playlist partner. Reggae kingpin on Radio London. Feverish is a great slab of post 70s classic dub, and Andy's voice soaring almost falsetto above the beat, groove and reverb, this is what reggae was about in my distance. Although there's some modern stuff going on here too. It's just magical to hear trombone driven moving and grooving dance music. From the dub version of the Midnight Rocker LP, helmed by Adrian Sherwood. There ain't enough reggae, inside, outside, upside, downside left, right, or anywhere, these days. Horace is back.
CASISDEAD - Traction Control (dead-corp.org)
by Tim London
Over the kind of incidental music to be found in an Eddie Murphy movie from 1985, our Cas tells us he wishes he could decompose and otherwise sadly indulges himself in a nostalgic trip down Tottenham way. Modern pop music is waaaay more weird than anything we could have imagined back when Eddie still had his sparkle. 'Decompose'...
SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA AND CONNIE CONSTANCE - Heaven takes You Home (UMG)
by Tim London
This track exists at the nexus of advertising and multi-million dollar music biz, about on the same level as the great reveal on one of those garden make-over telly shows. Connie sounds like she can hardly be assed to move her lips and the producers have left the studio to count their share profits, leaving the apprentice in charge. Nevertheless, it will notch up millions of listens and make them another couple of hundred quid.
LPs
TY SEGALL - Hello, Hi (Drag City)
by Spanish Pantalones
I’ve heard to a lot of boring, derivative music this week, so Ty Segall’s fourteenth LP was a welcome treat to listen to. Segall wrote this album on an acoustic guitar during the peak of the pandemic so there’s lots of introspection and thoughtfulness in “Hello, Hi”. (The title is a reference to the fact that no one was saying those words to anyone’s face for nearly two years.) But that’s not to say this recording is soft; “Hello, Hi” is as big and loud as Segall’s biggest and loudest when it needs to be. Most likely the best new music you'll hear this week, especially the title track.
SHE & HIM - Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson (Fantasy Records) ZERO s
by Spanish Pantalones
I’m not sure what I despise more; Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward massacring compositions written by one of America’s greatest songwriters, or the milquetoast people who enjoy trite shit like this. Yes, this is a lazy effort, but what astonishes me is that they were able to cajole an obviously confused Brian Wilson to guest on one of the songs (“Do It Again”) for credibility. He must be back on LSD.
JACK WHITE - Entering Heaven Alive (Third Man Records)
by Spanish Pantalones
Jack White is another one of those Type-A overachievers who was actually productive during the quarantine. We’re only in July and Entering Heaven Alive marks his second full-length release of the year. White released Fear of the Dawn four months ago, and it’s just a far more interesting and experimental collection of songs than Entering Heaven Alive which sounds like Neil Young-lite except he swapped out the harmonica for lots of slow, laborious cello. The lyrics read like excerpts from his therapy sessions. Don’t waste your time with this one, stick to Fear of Dawn.
VARIOUS - Music From Saharan WhatsApp (Sahel Sounds)
by Tim London
Tim London's listening to the some of the sounds of Saharan Africa and suggests you should too. Read what Tim has to say right here.
MARION RAW - Ghost In The Machine (Devil In The Woods)
by Ancient Champion
Five hearts for Marion Raw. For being Marion Raw. And then I put the record on and and wonder why Marion Raw can't have six hearts, or even more... And realize I need to do something about that. Authentically grungy rocknroll with great hair and great guitars, which is half of what it is all about, and the antecedents... Ancient Tav Falco, Ancient Cramps, Ancient Deadbolt, Ancient Champions all. The LP opens with histrionically great Unfuckable (reviewed here). And it never stops. I want to be her Colonel Tom! I want to see her on the Walzing car to the stars! From the sounds of Ghost In The Machine, Marion Raw is already far, far, far along the road of greatness. Here is the primitive past of RocknRoll that your parents don't want you to know about. See our Outsideleft Interview here... Marion Raw is a threat.
INTERPOL - The Other Side of Make-Believe (Matador)
by Spanish Pantalones
Interpol will always reside in the shadow of their first few albums – the ones that their original bassist, Carlos D. played on. These LPs were dark, sparse, and filled with atmospheric moodiness. (Their debut, Turn on the Bright Lights sounded new and old at the same time.) Then Carlos D. left due to reportedly becoming bored with the bass guitar and the road, and the band’s sound changed drastically. But as the years go by, a band matures as does their sound, and The Other Side of Make-Believe is proof of that. As a debut album, it probably wouldn’t make much of a splash as it’s way too subdued, but as their seventh album in 20 years, The Other Side of Make-Believe makes sense. That said, I didn’t love this one at first; there are no thumpers – nothing that might force me to embarrass myself on a dance floor, but after several listens throughout the last few days, the songs began to fall in place for me. This one’s a grower – give it a more than one play this weekend, preferably at night.
Other Materials
NICO - I'll Keep It With Mind (Polydor)
by Ancient Champion
1967. From the Chelsea Girl, LP. Superior.
Essential Info
Main Image: Marion Raw, new LP Ghost In The Machine
