2017 Blog
Latest Releases Manufactured by Key Production Group_June Round-up
Johnny Marr Call The Comet black, silver and violet coloured vinyl, [WMG]
Recorded with his band in Manchester at Marr’s Crazy Face studios, Call The Comet is the third solo record from the Smiths guitarist and follows 2013’s critically acclaimed The Messenger and 2014’s Playland; both of which made the UK top 10. “Call The Comet is set in the not-too-distant future” says Marr, “and is mostly concerned with the idea of an alternative society. It’s my own magic realism.” Songs include Actor Attractor, Walk Into The Sea, Bug, and recent live favourite Spiral Cities. “The characters in the songs are searching for a new idealism, although there are some personal songs in there too. It’s something that people like me can relate to.” Says Marr.
The Kinks Arthur Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire black 12", [BMG]
'Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)' is the seventh studio album by The Kinks, released in October 1969. Kinks frontman Ray Davies constructed the concept album as the soundtrack to a Granada Television play and developed the storyline with novelist Julian Mitchell; however, the television programme was cancelled and never produced. The rough plot revolved around Arthur Morgan, a carpet-layer, who was based on Ray Davies' brother-in-law Arthur Anning.
Loose Tooth Keep Up yellow coloured vinyl, [Milk Records]
Melbourne three-piece Loose Tooth announce their debut album Keep Up to be released on August 3rd via Milk! Records. With Keep Up, Loose Tooth have inked their impeccable ear for a hook on a fresh sonic palate; the howling guitars of their first EP Saturn Returns peeled back to foreground the striking to and fro of the band's distinctive vocalists.
Gundelach Baltus pink coloured vinyl, [U OK?]
Baltus is an album of contrasts (dark themes against dreamy music, restrained moments against hands-in-the-air euphoria) but more than anything it’s a record to turn to in difficult times, to get lost in and to celebrate with.
The Charlatans Totally Eclipsing green coloured vinyl, [BMG]
The Charlatans release a new EP, titled Totally Eclipsing. The title track was produced and mixed by David Wrench, who has worked with The xx and Frank Ocean. Standing Alone, Indefinitely In Your Debt and Hopelessly Hoping were recorded by The Charlatans and Jim Spencer at Big Mushroom in Cheshire and mixed by Oliver Wright (Hot Chip, Dream Wife) in London.
Propellerheads Decksandrumsandrockandroll standard vinyl LP and CD, [PIAS/Wall Of Sound]
Let's Eat Grandma I'm all ears yellow coloured vinyl, [Transgressive Records/PIAS]
Let's Eat Grandma release their second and stunning album, I’m All Ears, via Transgressive Records. I’m All Ears is an even greater revelation than Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth’s globally acclaimed debut, I, Gemini. The second act from the British teenage vocalists, multi-instrumentalists and songwriters, is the most startling, infectious, innovative and thrilling record you’ll hear this year.
Soul Wax Essential vinyl LP and CD, [PIAS]
When we were approached to make an Essential Mix for the BBC in May 2017, we chose to do what every sane human being would do, we decided to lock ourselves into our studio for two weeks and make an hour of new music based around the word 'Essential', instead of preparing a mix of already existing music. The product of this otherwise unwise decision is something we ended up being very proud of and is now being released on the piece of plastic you’re currently holding in your hands."
Jowee Omicil Love Matters vinyl LP and CD, [PIAS]
C.Sen Vertiges vinyl LP and CD, [PIAS]
New album of C.SEN, the ambitious feat of French rap C.Sen writes the beautiful and draws the true. Throughout the album "Vertiges", the 5 senses are awake because the unexpected duet C.Sen / Keno offers us hypnotic soundtracks and definitive punchlines. These serve both the ambition of the verb and the precision of flow, definitely imposing C.Sen as a voice to follow and a pen to listen. With the features of JP Manova, Georgio, Dar.C, Grems
Father John Misty God's Favorite Customer vinyl LP, CD and Cassette, [Bella Union]
Jonny Greenwood You were never really here orange coloured Vinyl and CD, [Lakeshore Records]
Greenwood weaves his talents on synthesizers, drum machines, recorders and guitars alongside the London Contemporary Orchestra and experimental string player Ollie Coates (Under the Skin) to create a compelling backdrop to the intense and harrowing thriller. Based on a book by Jonathan Ames, Ramsay’s fourth film stars Phoenix as Joe--a traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, who tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe's nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
Natalie Prass The Future and The Past bronze and red coloured Vinyl and CD, [ATO Records]
“The record was ready to go, and then the election happened,” explains Prass. “I was devastated. It made me question what it means to be a woman in America, whether any of the things I thought were getting better were actually improving, who I am and what I believe in. I knew I would be so upset with myself if I didn’t take the opportunity to say some of the things that meant so much to me, so I decided to rewrite the record. I needed to make an album that was going to get me out of my funk, one that would hopefully lift other people out of theirs, too, because that’s what music is all about.”
The Drowning Craze Singles 81 – ’82 white 12" and CD, [Bella Union]
The Drowning Craze are typical of those bands. Their legacy is three singles and a John Peel session, a glimmer of possibility and a hint of something quite wonderful, and then gone. Fortunately for them their constituent members re-emerged years later in other projects leaving them flagged up on the history train with the band’s bassist Simon Raymonde going on to play in the Cocteau Twins before setting up his own label, Bella Union, and original vocalist, Angela Jaeger, joining Pigbag whilst their next singer, Frankie ‘Fun’ Nardiello, joined the esoteric Chicago industrial disco band Thrill Kill Kult. These recordings have now been gathered together as “Singles 81 – ’82”.
Boy Azooga 1, 2, Kung Fu! pink coloured vinyl and CD, [Heavenly Recordings]
Boy Azooga’s debut album, 1, 2 Kung Fu, is piloted by Davey Newington, a young man with much musical heritage. One of his granddads was a jazzer who played the drums for the Royal Marines. Davey’s dad (violin) and his mum (clarinet) both played, and met, in the BBC National Orchestra Of Wales. Davey himself also enjoyed orchestral engagement, playing in various Welsh Orchestra’s and Jazz bands as a teenager. “The album is not all one thing for sure,” says Davey. “The whole point of Boy Azooga is to be a celebration of loads of different types of music. I wanted the album to be more like a mixtape or something. We wanted to include loads of contrasting styles.”
Frank Sinatra Time after Time CD, [Le Chant du Monde]
Frank Sinatra Everybody Loves Somebody CD, [Le Chant du Monde]
Rebecca Promitzer The Loveliness CD, [Rebecca Promitzer]
Alain Chamfort Le Désordre des Choses vinyl LP and CD, [PIAS]
Alain Chamfort is celebrating his 50th anniversary this year with his fifteenth studio album, "Le désordre des choses". Having long since achieved the status of icon, the godfather of the French pop demonstrates once again his mastery of the art of melody, associated on this project to Pierre-Dominique Burgaud writing with whom he had already worked in 2010 for the soundtrack of "Une vie Saint-Laurent". From the piano-voice on "Les microsillons" to the resolutely modern production of "En attendant", this album is a hymn to pop by one of its best ambassadors.
The record was recorded in Nashville and London and produced by Nashville based Californian musician/producer Alex Wong.