Mountain Goats Reveal "Rain in Soho"

Just recently, the Mountain Goats shared “Rain in Soho” from their hotly anticipated new album Goths, which will be out on May 19.  NPR Music included the track in their All Songs Considered podcast and Lars Gotrich played a clip of a longer interview with John Darnielle about the song.

Listen to All Songs Considered and read the full transcript of the interview now at NPR Music.

The lyrics of “Rain in Soho” constitute a jeremiad of vanished things: friends, places, safe harbors. At the head of the procession of the lost stands London’s Batcave, the club that birthed the genre called “goth,” usually over and above the protests of its practitioners; riding atop Dan Perry’s ethereal vocal arrangement—voiced by members of the Nashville Symphony Chorus—and a driving piano, a turbulent lament gathers force:

No morning colder than the first frost
No friends closer than the ones we’ve lost
…though you repent, and don sackcloth, and try to make nice
You can’t cross the same river
twice

https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/2LOWTScVheSB9L9Qe3Zrnm

Frantz Arrives on DVD/BD on June 13

At once a mysterious, romantic period piece and a somber, soul-searching melodrama, FRANTZ presents a tale of love and reflection as it unfurls in a small German town in the days following World War I through the memories and relationships of loved ones left behind. It is the latest acclaimed film from the prolific French writer/director François Ozon, whose previous critical and commercial successes in the U.S. include Swimming Pool ($10 million domestic box office), 8 Women ($3 million) and Potiche ($1.6 million).

Set in Germany and France in the aftermath of the First World War, FRANTZ recalls the mourning period that follows great national tragedies as seen through the eyes of the war’s “lost generation.” They are Anna (21 year-old Paula Beer in a breakthrough performance), a bereft young German woman whose fiancé, Frantz, was killed during trench warfare, and Adrien (Pierre Niney, Yves Saint Laurent), a French war veteran who shows up mysteriously in Anna’s town, placing flowers on Frantz’s grave. Adrien's presence is met with resistance by the small community still reeling from Germany’s defeat, yet Anna gradually gets closer to the handsome and melancholy young man, as she learns of his deep friendship with Frantz. What follows is an exploration of how Anna and Adrien wrestle with their conflicting feelings - survivor’s guilt, anger at one’s losses, the overriding desire for renewed happiness, and the longing for sexual, romantic and familial attachments.

 Ozon drew his inspiration from a post-WWI play by Maurice Rostand that inspired the 1932 film adaption by Ernst Lubitsch under the title Broken Lullaby. Not surprisingly, Ozon was initially leery about the prospect of “remaking” a film by the late, great filmmaker.

Timothy B Schmit's new "Pearl on the String" from Leap of Faith Album

After his sold-out winter trek, TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT geared up for his spring tour that launched recently). As TIMOTHY’s new single “Pearl On The String”–off his critically acclaimed new solo album LEAP OF FAITH–heads to radio, listen to it today , below.
Sunday, April 16 in Chicago, IL (see dates below).  But before heading out on the road, TIMOTHY joined NPR’s “HERE & NOW” with host Robin Young for an in-depth interview spanning his music history; listen (here).

Rolling Stone hailed LEAP OF FAITH—out now via Benowen Records—“a soundtrack for that sort of pitch-perfect American landscape, mixing bluegrass, Cajun, rock, Seventies soul and California country…” (9/23/16).  Elsewhere, Bass Player added “…veteran Eagles bassist/vocalist Timothy B. Schmit spins some memorable yarns on his sixth solo outing–all delivered within his folk-rock, country-rock, yacht-rock, and rock & roll wheelhouse. The reggae-tinged ‘Slow Down’ and ‘All Those Faces’ establish Schmit’s overall preference for rich, minor-chord colors. Downstairs, his bass leads the backbeat pulse of ‘What Should I Do,’ while ‘You’re So Wild’ starts with a country two feel before Schmit’s upper-register riffing provides the subhook in the edgy chorus. Closing matters is the horn and accordion-infused ballad gem, ‘This Waltz'” (December 2016). LEAP OF FAITH is available now via Benowen Records as a 180 gram 2-LP vinyl set and CD .

Loretta Lynn's "Wouldn't It Be Great" Album Out in August

Legacy Recordings (a Sony Music Entertainment division ) will release Wouldn't It Be Great, the new studio album from American music icon Loretta Lynn, on Friday, August 18.
One of the most deeply personal albums of her career, Wouldn't It Be Great is comprised entirely of songs written (or co-written) by Loretta, premiering new compositions nestled alongside select soulful reinterpretations of enduring classics from her catalog.

Like its predecessor, the critically-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated Full Circle (released March 2016), Wouldn't It Be Great was mainly recorded at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with producers Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash.

Long Strange Trip Soundtrack out May 26

Long Strange Trip, Amir Bar-Lev's critically acclaimed documentary about the Grateful Dead, will be released theatrically on May 26 in New York and Los Angeles. Rhino will celebrate the premiere by releasing the soundtrack to the documentary, a career-spanning collection of studio and live recordings that includes several unreleased performances.

Two versions of the LONG STRANGE TRIP MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK will be released on CD on May 26. The first is a 2-CD set for $19.98.

Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux and director Bar-Lev co-produced the soundtrack.

Fleetwood Mac's LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM/CHRISTINE McVIE Announce Duo Album

Longtime members of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie have joined together and recorded their first-ever album as a duo. The album is simply titled LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM/CHRISTINE McVIE, and the 10-song set will be released by Atlantic Records this summer, followed by a run of special U.S. concerts. The first single is “In My World” and was made available on Friday, April 14.

The album will be available June 9 on CD, LP, and all digital and streaming services. Their U.S. tour kicks off on June 21.

The collaboration began three years ago, when McVie rejoined Fleetwood Mac for the group’s “On With The Show” tour. The pair went in to record new material prior to rehearsals for the tour and their natural creative chemistry was reignited. According to Buckingham, “We were exploring a creative process, and the identity of the project took on a life organically. The body of work felt like it was meant to be a duet album. We acknowledged that to each other on many occasions, and said to ourselves, ‘what took us so long?!!’”

Jethro Tull:The String Quartets Album Hits # 1

This week Ian Anderson reached the number one position again in the Billboard Classical Album charts with his new collaboration with the Carducci String Quartet, JETHRO TULL: THE STRING QUARTETS. Previously, his album DIVINITIES topped the Billboard Classical charts in 1995. In 1973 A Passion Play and, before that, 1972’s THICK AS A BRICK both hit number one in the Billboard Album charts. Those are number one hits every 22 years.

In addition to classical charts, JETHRO TULL: THE STRING QUARTETS debuted at #16 on the Independent charts, and #80 on Billboard’s album chart.

In the UK, JETHRO TULL: THE STRING QUARTETS entered at #2 on Classical, #56 on Album, and #6 for Independent.

THE STRING QUARTETS (track listing below) features 12 re-imagined Tull classics, allowing Tull fans and classical music connoisseurs to enjoy the band's vast catalog in a new way. 

Rock Doc, We Are X Arrives on DVD/BD

On Tuesday, April 25, WE ARE X, the transcendent and captivating rock ‘n’ roll documentary about one of the most successful bands in history, X JAPAN, arrives on Blu-Ray and DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Label. From director and acclaimed documentarian Stephen Kijak (Stones in Exile, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man), and produced by the Oscar-winning production team  behind  Searching for Sugar Man, WE ARE X profiles the blockbuster Japanese rock band X JAPAN and its enigmatic frontman YOSHIKI–composer, classically trained pianist, drummer and the creative force behind the band’s wild success.

 

Featuring interviews with Gene Simmons, Marilyn Manson, Stan Lee and more, WE ARE X dives into YOSHIKI’s life and X JAPAN‘s attempt to break into the American music industry. Supported by concert footage, band interviews and fan photos, the compelling film takes a look at X JAPAN‘s hardships and conflicts including suicide and cultism. Also spotlighting the band’s triumphs, WE ARE X explores the group’s phenomenal success, boasting more than 30 million albums and singles sold, countless sold-out concerts around the world, and fans in North America, Europe, Latin America and South East Asia.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW Seasons 1,2&3 Coming to DVD

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing “THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW” on DVD.  “SEASON 1” “SEASON 2” and “SEASON 3” will all be available via B&T. Renowned British bakers Mary Berry, the U.K.’s “doyenne of baking” and a leading cookbook author, and Paul Hollywood, one of the country’s top artisan bakers, serve as the series’ judges. Together with hosts and comic foils Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, Berry and Hollywood search for the country’s best amateur bakers by testing competitors’ skills on cakes, breads, pastries and desserts of all kinds, ultimately crowning a winner after 10 weeks of competition. The series is produced by the award-winning, U.K. - based Love Productions. The U.K. series became the highest-rated food show ever made in Britain.

“THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW SEASONS 1, 2 AND 3” will be available on DVD April 11, 2017. Each season has a run time of approximately 600 min on 3 discs, and has a DVD SRP of $19.99. All three seasons are also available for digital download.

The program follows the trials and tribulations of 12 passionate amateurs whose goal is to be named the U.K.’s best. Each week, the bakers from diverse backgrounds tackle a different skill, the difficulty of which increases as the competition unfolds. In each episode, the challenges come in three categories: a Signature Bake that tests the bakers’ personality, creative flair and baking ability; a Technical Bake, in which all bakers are given the same basic recipe, with ingredients and minimal instructions; and the Showstopper Bake, in which the competitors must display refined depths of skill and talent. PBS will present BBC’s fourth season of the series, which received both critical and audience acclaim in the U.K. for its quick pace, lively comedic tone and competitor diversity.  

The series was created by Anna Beattie and Richard McKerrow. Executive producer is Anna Beattie.

Paul Weller Announces "A Kind Revolution" in May

Paul Weller has announced details on his upcoming new album. A Kind Revolution via Warner.  His 13th solo set streets on May 12. Listen to  “Nova” and “Long Long Road” below.   “Work began on the new record immediately after wrapping up  2015’s Saturns Pattern and once again features the full spectrum of Weller’s influences, from rock to R&B, soul to jazz, and funk to folk,” his official press release states. Weller long-standing touring band of Andy Crofts, Ben Gordelier, Steve Cradock and Steve Pilgrim are joined by a variety of guests.

Soul legend PP Arnold, who sang with the Small Faces and others, joins the cast along with Madeleine Bell, who has backed up the Rolling Stones and Elton John. And, Robert Wyatt contributes vocals and a trumpet solo to the track “She Moves With the Fayre.” The former Soft Machine member has worked with Weller in the past, but announced his retirement a few years back.

Strypes guitarist Josh McClorey also lends a hand, but a big surprise here is Boy George, who duets with Weller on the song “One Tear.” “It’s quite housey,” Weller recently told Uncut magazine. “George sings the first verse and then he comes in on the chorus. Our voices sound really good together.”

Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit To Release “The Nashville Sound” On June 16

Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist Jason Isbell and his mighty band, the 400 Unit, have announced the June 16th release of the highly anticipated new album, The Nashville Sound (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers). The Nashville Sound is the follow up to 2015’s critically acclaimed Something More Than Free, which won two Grammy Awards (Best Americana Album & Best American Roots Song, “24 Frames”) and two Americana Music Association Awards (Album of the Year & Song of The Year, “24 Frames”).

Without exaggeration, Jason Isbell has become one the most respected and celebrated songwriters of his generation. He possesses an incredible penchant for identifying and articulating some of the deepest, yet simplest, human emotions, and turning them into beautiful poetry through song. “There’s no better songwriter on the planet at this moment, no one operating with the same depth, eloquence or feeling,” says American Songwriter Magazine. Isbell sings of the every day human condition with thoughtful, heartfelt, and sometimes brutal honesty, and the new album is no exception.
The Nashville Sound features 10 new songs that address a range of real life subject matters that include politics and cultural privilege (“White Man’s World”), longing nostalgia (“The Last Of My Kind”), love and mortality (“If We Were Vampires”), the toxic effect of today’s pressures (“Anxiety”), the remnants of a break up (“Chaos and Clothes”) and finding hope (“Something To Love”). Songs such as “Cumberland Gap” and “Hope The Highroad” find Isbell and his bandmates going back to their rock roots full force.