This week is so busy! Tegan and Sara have released an album consisting of songs they wrote in high school and recently recorded, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have offered up a new EP and The Beatles are celebrating the 50th anniversary of ‘Abbey Road’ with an impressive reissue.
If none of that floats your boat, head below for the rest of this week’s new releases.
Automatic – ‘Signal’ (Stones Throw)
The Beatles – ‘Abbey Road (50th Anniversary)’ (Calderstone Productions Ltd/Apple Corps Ltd)
David Hasselhoff – ‘Open Your Eyes’ (Cleopatra Records)
DaBaby – ‘KIRK’ (South Coast Music Group/Interscope Records)
Dragonforce – ‘Extreme Power Metal’ (EarMusic via Absolute)
Girl Band – ‘The Talkies’ (Rough Trade)
Grateful Dead – ‘Saint of Circumstance: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 6/17/91’ (Rhino)
HELLYEAH – ‘Welcome Home’ (Eleven Seven Music)
John Coltrane – ‘Blue World’ (Impulse! Records/Universal)
Oh, hi there. On this week’s edition of Thing We Love This Week, we’re giving it a twist. Get your eyes and ears ready for a bumper edition of your favourite blog celebrating women in all their amazing, musical forms. And it’s not just about what’s happened this week, for a change either, oh no. These are Women We Love This Year (And All The Time).
Little Simz
If you haven’t listened to ‘Grey Area’ yet, you need to. Right away. Little Simz is a name on everyone’s lips, and her excellent third record concerns that grey area of your mid-20s, trying to find your place in the world. But when you’re Little Simz, your world consists of a friend getting murdered, the monotony of touring and even working with Michael Kiwanuka. It’s emotional, cutting and heartfelt. It slays.
She’s just announced some new tour dates this week. Check ’em out here.
Queen Zee
Queen Zee are kiiiilllliiiing iiiiiit at the moment. They released their debut self-titled album last month, which saw an accompanying *almost* sold out headline tour of the UK. With frequent mentioning in 2018 end of year lists and some serious attention from BBC Radio 6 Music, RTE2, Amazing Radio and even BBC Radio 1, they’ve got a hell of a summer lined up: slots at BBC 6 Music Festival, French Escapade, and even Download. Woaah.
Judging by the abundance of joy and pure energy on their super fun punk-come-rock tracks, their live sets will be something special to behold.
Sharon Van Etten
The ever-prolific musician, singer and songwriter Sharon Van Etten seems like the busiest woman on the planet. While recording her latest album, ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’, she became a mother, appeared in the Netflix series the OA, earned a psychology qualification at college, and wrote an entire film score for Katherine Dieckmann’s Strange Weather. With all that going on she still managed to craft an album about pursuing your passions, that is a brilliant piece of rich, intelligent, thought-provoking pop.
Van Etten’s UK tour kicks off next week, and heads around Europe too. You should head to a show. Check out our review of the album here before you go.
The Beths
WE LOVE THIS BAND. Ever since the release of their debut full length ‘Future Me Hates Me’ last year, we can’t stop listening to their impressive, punk-inflected guitar and harmony-laden pop tracks.
They too, tour the UK in May, and we will definitely be in attendance. (Although, disappointingly, none of the members are named Beth. Wouldn’t it be great if they were all named Beth? Alas.)
Em from Nervus/Milk Teeth
As well as their own band Nervus, Em Foster is now a fully fledged member of the punk band Milk Teeth too. What a busy time. Come the summer, they are going to be just the second trans woman EVER to play on the main stage at Reading and Leeds, following Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace in 2015. The world needs to catch up.
Catch Milk Teeth support PUP on their upcoming UK and European tour or at a shedload of festivals this summer.
Billie Eilish
The biggest (and let’s face it, most interesting) name in mainstream pop at the moment, Eilish is the American-Irish pop star you need to know about. If you like creepy, dark lyrics and catchy pop songs, this is the woman for you. Oh, and did I mention she’s only 17? By 20 she’ll have taken over the entire world. Eilish for President!
If you’re a regular reader of Things We Love This Week, you’ll already know why Lizzo. Is. The. Best. She needs no more words. Watch any interview with her and you will see why her bubbly personality is one of the best in the business. Oh, and her voice is INCREDIBLE.
Lizzo is set to release her new album ‘Cuz I Love You’ on April 19 and will follow it up with a North American tour this spring and two UK dates in May — Manchester’s O2 Ritz and the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London.
So happy International Women’s one and all, regardless of where you stand on the ever-irrelevant spectrum. Peace and love.
Following the fun of our Work Day Out on Sunday, it’s been a fairly quiet week here at Stereoboard…we have listened to a lot of things and have eaten a lot of cake. Head below to check out a few cool things that arrived in our inbox this week. Or don’t. It’s up to you.
Big Scary Monsters Pop-Up Event
Laura, Huw and I headed down to Cardiff’s Duke Street Arcade on Sunday to catch a pop-up event run by the indie-punk label Big Scary Monsters. It was awesome.
We caught Lauren playing Worriers songs first, before they hot-footed it off to Bristol to support Tigers Jaw on their UK tour. Then, on came Em from Nervus, who filled the room with renditions of our favourite pop-punk songs from their latest album. Despite the nerves of playing in such an intimate fashion to a crowd of perhaps 20, both musicians built up nicely for Slaughter Beach, Dog (ex-Modern Baseball co-frontman Jake Ewald), whose quiet, heartfelt performance of narrative lyrics and finger-picked guitar we watched sat cross-legged on the wooden floor. Magical.
Nervus – Fall Apart
To continue in a similar vein, Nervus have also shared a new video. Fresh off last month’s bleakly-titled sophomore album ‘Everything Dies’, the video for Fall Apart dropped on Wednesday, created by the film company Theatre on Wax.
The video narrates the Flight Of Icarus tale in stop-motion light-box form. The DIY style gives it a humble and endearing quality as we follow the little cut-out fellow on his endeavours. The director of the company, Mark Crane, said of Theatre on Wax’s work: ”Desire, dereliction and a sense of just being outside, on the fringe of something beautiful or dark that echoes in our lives… Sometimes we peek through the crack, and sometimes we dive in”
There’s something alluring about this sentiment that really strikes a chord within the video.
Father John Misty’s Self-Deprecating Meme
First of all, a disclaimer: I don’t think I could ever enjoy the music of a man who describes his genre as a “post-modern self-reflexive semi-ironic renunciation of originality”. Father John Misty announced a new album, ‘God’s Favorite Customer’ on Wednesday morning, which was previewed by two brand new tracks and an accidental album leak by Apple Music. The whole record was briefly available to stream by fans until being removed by the proper authorities. The sardonic singer-songwriter responded by changing his Facebook profile picture to a meme. Lol.
‘God’s Favorite Customer’ is actually due for release on June 1 through Sub Pop/Bella Union.
Morrissey’s Cat
I could flesh this out with some context about the controversial Morrissey interview that exploded onto our interweb earlier this week, but I won’t bore you with him. Instead, here’s a lovely image of his cat. What a cutie.
As always, thanks for the attention of your eyes and ears. See ya next week.
After the success of their previous event in London last year, Big Scary Monsters are bringing their pop up to Cardiff for the first time. From April 11-16, residents of the Welsh capital can expect to see Duke Street Arcade filled with merch, beer, and lots of music. There will be an array of performances across the five day event, seeing the likes of Jamie Lenman and Sorority Noise’s Cameron Boucher take to the stage for exclusive acoustic sets.
Founded almost 20 years ago in Oxford by Kevin Douch, BSM has become one of the most important players in UK alternative music. Whether they’re championing the weird world of math rock or bringing the brightest lights of US emo over for a bit of a look around, they’ve helped to shape the scene that they operate in.
Their pop up will celebrate some of the names currently on the roster – from both sides of the Atlantic – while there will also be rare records, signed stuff, test pressings and even some free shit and giveaways to get your hands on. But get down quick – they’re not likely to stick around for long.
Orchards – April 12 @ 6pm
Describing themselves as a ‘glitter gateway drug’, alt-pop quartet Orchards are a breath of fresh air. The Brighton-based band have recently signed to BSM and will be playing at the likes of ArcTanGent, Truck and the Great Escape festivals thus summer. Their upbeat sound will bring a refreshing twist as they support Tiny Moving Parts on tour this April.
Jamie Lenman – April 14 @ 5pm
After taking a break following the split of his influential rock band Reuben and pursuing a thrash metal/folk direction, Jamie Lenman has stepped back into the post-hardcore scene. He recently reached the top of the iTunes Rock charts with single Mississippi and has since released a new album, ‘Devolver’. He will be playing an acoustic set at the pop up and signing records.
Nervus – April 15 @ 2pm
Nervus’s new album ‘Everything Dies’ details Em Foster’s struggle with the issues of non-acceptance in society by discussing gender dysphoria and addiction. The band give a voice to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community who has ever faced prejudice and their catchy songs make them sound good doing it, too. Recording every instrument (minus drums) in the comfort of Em’s bedroom, the four-piece have produced a great album with an even greater message. They will be performing before Slaughter Beach, Dog at the event.
Slaughter Beach, Dog – April 15 @ 3pm
Slaughter Beach, Dog began as a product of Modern Baseball singer Jake Ewald’s writer’s block. The solo project documented the tales of fictional characters from a fictional town, titled, you guessed it, Slaughter Beach. But now he is taking the reins again. His recent album ‘Birdie’ takes inspiration from John K. Samson, creating a folkier acoustic sound which details Ewald’s progression as an artist. He will be bringing the sound to Wales for the first time at the BSM pop up.
Cameron Boucher – April 16 @ 5pm
Member of Sorority Noise and Old Gray, Cameron Boucher is supporting the Wonder Years on Sorority Noise’s last tour before their hiatus. He will be taking a brief break to perform an acoustic set at the pop up on its closing day.
Big Scary Monsters’ pop up event will run from April 11-16. For more information head to http://www.bsmrocks.com/popup.
This week is another busy one! Editors have finally followed up 2015’s ‘In Dream’, British metal legends Judas Priest have released their 18th studio album and Nervus have put out their sophomore LP.
Not enough for ya? There’s loads more for your listening pleasure below.
Albert Hammond Jr. – ‘Francis Trouble’ (Red Bull Records)
August Greene – ‘August Greene’ (August Greene)
Between the Buried and Me – ‘Automata I’ (Sumerian Records)
David Byrne – ‘American Utopia’ (Todo Mundo/Nonesuch)
Calum Scott – ‘Only Human’ (Capitol/Virgin EMI)
Editors – ‘Violence’ (Play It Again Sam)
Erasure – ‘World Beyond’ (Mute)
Gengahr – ‘Where Wildness Grows'(Transgressive)
Jonny Greenwood – ‘You Were Never Really Here’ (OST)(Invada Records/Lakeshore Records)
Judas Priest – ‘Firepower’ (Columbia)
Lil Yachty – ‘Lil Boat 2′(Quality Control Music)
Ministry – ‘AmeriKKKant’ (Nuclear Blast)
Myles Kennedy – ‘Year Of The Tiger’ (Napalm)
The Naked and Famous – ‘A Still Heart’ (Somewhat Damaged Limited)
Nap Eyes – ‘I’m Bad Now’ (Jagjaguwar)
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats – ‘Tearing At The Seams’ (Concord/Caroline)
Nervus – ‘Everything Dies’ (Big Scary Monsters)
Of Montreal – ‘White Is Relic/Irrealis Mood’ (Polyvinyl)
Tax The Heat – ‘Change Your Position’ (Nuclear Blast)
