Blur is back, apparently — ICYMI there are stories out today (on Rolling Stone, Northern Transmissions, Stereogum, etc.) announcing a tour, a video for a song called "The Narcissist," and a new album, The Ballad of Darren. I don't know who Darren is, and in fact I've never met anyone named "Darren" (though I was pretty good friends with a guy named "Darien" in high school, so that's probably close enough), but whoever he is, he probably won't get any royalties. The album is scheduled for July 21, and while one track isn't enough to determine how good the whole thing is, the track is at least okay — though that's really the problem with narcissists, you can't tell them that anything they do is "just okay" or isn't super-great/wonderful, because if you do they'll lose their shit and hold a grudge against you for life. Anyway, the Dave Rowntree solo album from earlier this year was pretty good, so if they can at least match that quality-wise, they should be fine.
Meanwhile, the latest female-fronted dreamy-shoegazey new-band debut I'm grooving on at the moment is Wave States by a group called The Shallows, who might have been named after an I Like Trains album, but most likely that's just a coincidence.
Radiohead's Phil Selway recently filled in as the drummer for Tyneside's Lanterns On The Lake, on their new album Versions Of Us which comes out on June 2. The two tracks you can already hear on Bandcamp sound very nice. I'm not really a fan of this band, but since it's Radiohead-related I figured BEA members would want to have plenty of advance notice.
If you liked Veruca Salt back in the 90's, one of their two front-persons, Louise Post, is releasing a new album called Sleepwalker, also on June 2. Only one track, "Guilty," is out now — not on Bandcamp, but it should be on all the big subscription streaming services, such as Apple Music for example. Based on that, and some demos that areon Bandcamp, I'd say Veruca Salt fans needn't worry that Ms. Post has lost much of her edge.
Meanwhile, the other Veruca Salt co-front-person, Nina Gordon (no relation to Kim Gordon) has made two solo albums — but neither of them is listed here on BEA. (I myself had no idea they existed until just now.) Both Gordon and Post appeared on a recent Skating Polly EP, so they don't seem too averse to working together, but either way it looks like they'll have to bring in at least one or two Radiohead guys for their next solo LPs if they're hoping to get any significant traction around here. (Skating Polly's new album Chaos County Line comes out on June 23.)
I'd put on a Veruca Salt album right now, except that when you're in the over-50 set you have to worry about too much salt giving you high blood pressure and increasing your risk of a stroke.
Blur is back, apparently — ICYMI there are stories out today (on Rolling Stone, Northern Transmissions, Stereogum, etc.) announcing a tour, a video for a song called "The Narcissist," and a new album, The Ballad of Darren. I don't know who Darren is, and in fact I've never met anyone named "Darren" (though I was pretty good friends with a guy named "Darien" in high school, so that's probably close enough), but whoever he is, he probably won't get any royalties. The album is scheduled for July 21, and while one track isn't enough to determine how good the whole thing is, the track is at least okay — though that's really the problem with narcissists, you can't tell them that anything they do is "just okay" or isn't super-great/wonderful, because if you do they'll lose their shit and hold a grudge against you for life.
Yep, a new Blur album is good news for super fans. I also checked out the new single and I'd also go with Okay as my response. Sounded quite a bit like Grandaddy circa The Software Slump. Not a terrible thing but not super exciting either. I'll certainly check out the album when it comes along though.
what the hell? sufjan stevens wrote a ballet? for dueling pianos? top tier sufjan for me.
Yeah this is awesome. Maybe it's because I've been playing too much Zelda, but right now I'm really digging this type of modern classical somewhat-atonal unaccompanied piano music _________________ 51 Washington, D.C. albums!
Wish You Were Here by Zimmerman
Zimmerman is the moniker of the bass player, Simon Casier, of Balthazar, a Belgian band I must admit don't particularly like. His brother Wannes died in 2018 at the age of 34 and this album is kind of an elegy to his brother.
The special thing about this album: it is one 46 minutes long track with a fairly simple but always evolving theme.
The first part is dominated by the steel drum but after that switches to many instruments like piano, violin, all kinds of horns, synthesizers (somethings droning) aso and near the end it becomes very symphonic. The name of the album is clear but it also refers to the fact that Wannes was a lover of Pink Floyd and taught his brother how to appreciate music.
The references that come to mind are of course Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield (because of the many instruments like on Tubular Bells), Gavin Bryars (Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet) and the many other artists who have made of deceased family member (Nick Cave) or were on the brink of dying themselves (David Bowie).
The album sounds very DIY and epic at the same time but is so incredibly moving that it can easily bring you to tears. And notwithstanding its length and the ever returning theme this isn't a boring album at all but you'll have to take the time to absorb.
In Belgium it's on Apple Music but you can also find it on Youtube.
ayy ty Hayden. That B. Cool-Aid album's been on my radar for awhile so I'll probably move that up the listening queue first, and the others have completely passed me by so am excited to hear those as well 😄 _________________ A Variety of Artists
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