The Outsideleft Week in Music. It comes around so fast. There's so much music all the time. Thanks to all of the contributors this week for keeping this party going. That's all I've got.
TIMBER TIMBRE - Ask The Community (Hot Dreams)
by Ancient Champion
C'mon. "Do you want to see a dead body? Ask the community." If like me you've been waiting around for a while, a long while for something new from Timber Timbre, I wouldn't say Ask The Community disappoints. Suitably creepy video too. You know I cut my hair like Taylor Kirk in the lockdown. As a portent for their forthcoming Lovage LP this is a beautiful and exquisite cabin bag. You don't get the LP til the Fall. Nothing is ever worth the wait. Is it? Don't disappoint me, I am all in for instant gratification. This record is surprising upbeat and full up.
LOVE GHOST X SKOLD - Payback (Metropolis)
by Alan Rider
LA four piece, Love Ghost team up here with Swedish musician and producer Tim Skold, who has previously worked with Shotgun Messiah, KMFDM, and Marilyn Manson. And doesn't it show. Aside from the vocals, this could be any old Marilyn Manson track, or that of any of gazillions of copyists out there. Pretty unremarkable really.
MADMADMAD - Totes Amazeballs (Bad Vibrations)
by Alan Rider
The album this is from, 'Behavioural Sink Delirium', takes its name and inspiration from the creepy 1968 experiment looking at the behavioural sink effects of population growth in a ‘rodent utopia’. During the studies, a perfect space was built for a colony of 3,000 mice to thrive in, with constant food and water supplies, cosy apartments and no outside threats or predators. Starting with 4 females and 4 males, the population grew rapidly before capping at a number of 2,200. At this point, a living nightmare ensued, filled with antisocial and violent mice as the utopian conditions began to collapse. So what does that prove? That all societies inevitably end in violent chaos and disorder? Now tell me something I don't know. 'Tots Amazeballs' is endearingly and undeniably bonkers, like everything the accurately named MadMadMad do. Its brilliantly off the wall, and despite not being their best track, comes with a great puppet driven video. If society is truly on the verge of collapse, I could think of a lot worse ways of preparing for the apocalypse than this.
ASH WALKER & EBI SODA - Babylonian Triangle of Captivity (Night Time Stories)
by Ancient Champion
Immersive Dubby Meditative Trumpety Syrupy Loveliness. Could probably bathe in it. Superb.
SANITY - Late Night ft. Blue Lab Beats & MELONYX (Youtube)
by Ancient Champion
Sanity, does have a very very thick degree of thickness going on here. One of Britain's world class rappers alongside Simz, of course. This is a lovely soulful mished-mashed piece that makes even an old dude want to mess around late at night like I used to once I hear her vibes. They're on here. The vibraphone. The jazzines. The doleful humour. Brilliant.
PEACEFUL FACES - Signature Blues (Independent )
by Tim Sparks
THE SEXTONES - Beck & Call (Record Kicks)
by Ancient Champion
In collaboration with Colemine Records, Record Kicks unleashes “Beck & Call”,a new extract from The Sextones upcoming new album “Love Can’t Be Borrowed”, produced by Kelly Finnigan. The Sextones' vision, reanimating soul archetypes for our entertainment is of course a hauntological thrill. Oh man, they do it so well you'll think you can feel the Blue Magic in the air and Ted Mills is standing right there.
DOMINIQUE FILS AIME - My Mind At Ease (Ensoul)
by Lee Paul
I like this woman, she is doing something great. My Mind At Ease is a soulful story about breaking the taboos surrounding mental health. More people should consider that I think. It's a pretty good thing to sound cheery about.
ERIC LINDLEY - Promise (Soundcloud)
by Toon Traveller
THE LAST DINNER PARTY - Sinner (Universal Music)
by Katherine Pargeter
Where are we now with The Last Dinner Party? I think we may be at the backlash to the backlash to the original backlash...it's more confusing than that Christopher Nolan film about dreams within dreams within dreams. But, wherever we may be in the drama 'Sinner' is as lyrically lusty as 'Nothing Matters', shameless and infectious pop with such glammy guitars. Probably less wild about the Moulin Rouge/Benny Hill Show fancy dress gimmick but other than that, it's all rather irresistible.
SOFT RIOT - A Spade is Played Again (Possession/Wave Tension)
by Alan Rider
You will often find me lamenting the current state of music and pleading for originality and creativity over formula and predictability. Fortunately for me (and you), acts like Soft Riot exist. Soft Riot is a solo affair, driven by Canadian-British Jack Duckworth, who aside from an impressive work ethic (this single is taken from Soft Riot's upcoming tenth album), performs solo on stage, wrangling an array of synths like a human octopus, and is a talented designer and video maker, producing all the stunning artwork and videos for his releases as well as running his own record label. Rumour has it he needs no sleep. This 'breakdown version' of 'A Spade Is Played Again' has the instantly recognisable Soft Riot sound (tightly wound marching rhythms allied to aloof vocals and slices of synth so sharp you could cut yourself, with nods to Section 25, Thomas Dolby, Skinny Puppy, Chrome, Cabaret Voltaire, Fad Gadget, Japan and Bill Nelson), yet shows a clear progression from 2019's 'Push Comes To Shove' album. The spade in question is of course, not a gardening implement, and refers to the 'cold game' of rebuilding your life after a breakdown by "throwing your cards in the air in a rush of sound and you don’t care where they fall". In this case, we have been dealt a perfect hand with Soft Riot. There is an album due in August (the obliquely entitled 'No') which we will definitely be exploring further.
Buy a 'A Spade is Played Again', all versions, plus a non album track from Bandcamp
M (ROBIN SCOTT) - Break The Silence (BMG)
ZERO s
by Alan Rider
We all remember M's ' Pop Muzick' track from the 80s, either from the time or from the endless 'best of' compilations, heritage radio, and dreadful wedding discos. Yes, it was an annoying ear worm that I really wish I could now forget but I can't. The bad news is Robin Scott (M) is back for another crack at the pop game. The good news is fortunately this won't be as big a hit/a hit at all, as its as cheesy as they come and not one of those nice cheeses either, but a real stinker.
LITTLE SIMZ - Gorilla (Forever Living)
by Ancient Champion
At the very least, Gorilla is a fabgreat contemporary pop record taken from Simz' current LP No Thank You. Saying a lot of things, with humour! Saw her epic and emotional set at Love Supreme and maybe it was just one of the greatest things I have seen. In a while and my memory is bad. At the top of her game but throughout the suggestion is that the peak will be far loftier yet. Lots of women in the crowd too, as opposed to the usual mix of men and aging men, which suggests that some kids at least recognise authenticity. She's just a kid from North London after all. After I guess, Simz must have soaked up lots of the Love Supreme budget for her mainly one woman show, I wandered over to Celeb Net Worth... I guess that will be an underestimate now BMW and Microsods AI are in on the act. I am not sure what this link does, try it https://gorilla.littlesimz.com/.
EPs
SEERR - Arcadian Ecology (Bandcamp)
by Jay Lewis
Birmingham-based Seerr has been teasing us with tracks from his debut EP this year, and now that it’s arrived, it’s every bit as intriguingly eclectic as we could have hoped for.
Seerr claims to draw inspiration from ‘…counterculture, subversion, mysticism, and the natural world. With nods toward rock, math, prog and electronica’ and, whatever that may mean, it has resulted in one of the most exciting new records of the year.
'Arcadian Ecology' opens with the now familiar ‘Sic Ego.’ Anxious pounding drums and the grungiest of guitars, then the fabulous swirl of ‘Solastalgia’ takes us to ‘Isn’t Anything’ era My Bloody Valentine - style brooding. ‘Infinite Corridor’ is dark dance music with a dose of social commentary (‘These Westminster vampires they suck us dry, suck us dry /Our refuge is the night sky, psilocybin and getting high’).
Former single ‘Blue Eyes’ is delightfully jangly in that C-86 kind of way. I'll assume that with lines like "I can't conceive how scary this world is now that we have you to protect", that this is a song about the fears (and also the many life-changing joys), of new parenthood. And there really is something genuinely sweet in that sincerity. Finally, ‘Rising Wolf’ is spoken word strangeness over swashing guitars…and horses. It’s a mesmerising climax to one of the most exciting introductions of the year.
'Arcadian Ecology' is available now on Bandcamp. Follow the link here
LPs
KLARA LEWIS AND NIK COLK VOID - Full On (Alter)
by Alan Rider
Lewis and Void are superstars in the small world of extreme, abstract electronic music, both having carved out individual reputations for their solo work (with Void even having joined up with ex Throbbing Gristle's Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni as Carter Tutti Void in 2012 for the Transverse album) before performing a string of improvised live shows together for Café OTO, BBC Radio 3 Late Junction and the Liverpool Philharmonic, and recording this, their debut album Full-On. They describe it as"17 intense miniatures revelling in the process of unadulterated experimentation, not just between the humans, but the machines themselves. United in an endless series of sonic U-turns, they intertwine pop and noise whilst also bringing together visions of tender techno and ambient." Pardon? Put another way, its a hard album to get into. There are some moments, like the loop driven Junk Funk , or Work It Out's industrial grind, but the majority of the tracks on here leave me cold. Years ago I may have liked this more, but now it just sounds disjointed and a bit irritating to me.
SUEDE - Suede 30 (BMG)
by Jay Lewis
It's now thirty years since Suede were heralded as the new saviours of British music. Their glorious mix of Bernard Butler's chugging, sleazy guitars, and Brett Anderson's yowling vocals and tales of glorious tatty outsiderdom was the ideal antidote, not to grunge (as that diabolical 'Select' cover claimed), but to the lurid colours of the indie dance wave that preceded it. This was darker, seedier and so much more real. Suede's debut album captured much of their soaring live repertoire, and although it doesn't flow as perfectly as one may have hoped (singer/lyricist Brett Anderson has since admitted that some of the lesser album tracks could have been replaced by better B-sides from the period), it's still an exceptional introduction to a still fascinating band.
GOAT - Gallows Pole Soundtrack (Rocket Recordings)
by DJ Fuzzyfelt
Three old tracks,five new instrumental tracks recorded specially for Shane Meadows excellent TV adaptation of the book by Benjamin Myers. The book and series are both worthy of your attention as is this album. Once famously described as 'kicking up and almighty racket' Goats three drummer and percussionists plus raga like guitar attack are a perfect accompaniment to the visuals but the album also stands up in its own right. It's perfect for those of us who will happily sit in a darkened room listening to 9.30 instrumentals at ear splitting volume. Go read the book,and everything else Myers has written,watch the TV series and everything else involving Shane Meadows,and finally go and listen to everything you can find by Goat.
PIGEON WIGS - Rock By Numbers (CLWB Music)
by Alan Rider
When is an EP an LP? Its a moot point, but despite being described as an EP (or mini LP even) this has 11 tracks on it, which makes it an LP in my book, so an LP it shall be. Pigeon Wigs (great name!) describe themselves as 'Retro Revisionists'. They are from Cardiff too, but I won't hold that against them. Their music certainly has a very familiar rock sound, rooted in the 70s, or maybe even a bit further back, and they knowingly call their album 'Rock By Numbers' to short circuit any copyist accusations. Its a smart move as it meant I just listened to it for what it was. It may not be highly original, but it has to be said, this is very enjoyable and very good. I found myself saying to myself "isn't that the riff to..." and " that line sounds a bit like.." all the way through, but not in a negative way. In fact it was more in admiration that they had crafted their 'retro revisionist' sound so perfectly, but without it sounding remotely like a tribute band. Clever stuff and flawlessly executed.
PJ HARVEY - I Inside the Old Year Dying (Partisan Records)
by Tim London
Tim London listened to this one for you. Over here⇒.
STINKING LIZAVETA - Anthems and Phantoms, (Translation Loss)
by Alan Rider
Stinking Lizaveta. What a terrible name for a band! The literary minded amongst you may know that it is taken from a character in Dostoevsky novel The Brothers Karamazov, but still! This is Doomjazz apparently. The ever expanding sub divisions and combinations of genres never ceases to amaze me. Doomjazz. Blimey! A three piece power rock act from Philadelphia, this is Stinking Lizaveta's ninth album to date. So, Power Rock, Doomjazz, whatever, all you need to know is that this is instrumental prog/heavy rock. In that they have something in common with UK's The Fierce and The Dead, but are simply not as good. I am actually thankful that there are no vocals, as they would be bound to be Ian Gillan style squawking and I don't think any of us could bear that. What you are left with is a lot of super dull muso show off, endlessly masturbatory guitar twiddling, with fussy flailing drum rolls splattered all over it. The result sounds at least 40 years out of date and makes me mildly depressed if anything by its sheer pointlessness. Dig out that L7 video from last week's 'Week In Music' to remind you of how this sort of thing should be done.
Other Materials
EL MICHELS AFFAIR AND BLACK THOUGHT - Ice Panther Head Crewneck (Big Crown Records)
by Alan Rider
Ever since we reviewed a band sweatshirt in OL a month or so ago, and a pair of Crass socks a few weeks after that, merchandise manufacturers have been begging us to do more. Finally we relented just to shut them up and agreed to let one through. Snag is, unlike a music release or a book, a download just isn't possible so all I have to go on is a boring picture of a boring sweatshirt that I don't even know will fit or look any good on me. They always make me too hot in any case (that's why they are called sweatshirts I guess), make anyone look fatter, and usually end up smelling like a wet dog after a night out. This one looks like it would be good for cleaning the car with though.
Essential Info
main image creepy dude from the Timber Timbre animated video
