Norwegian 8-piece, Fieh return with their new track, ‘Samurai / When The Summer Is Through’, which is an ode inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill that doubles as that perfect accompaniment to the end of the warmer sun this year.
These are artists that seem to have nothing to do with each other and nothing to do with Berman, yet they’ve come out of the woodwork to pay tribute to the man. First Aid Kit’s contributions include a cover of American Water’s “Random Rules,” perhaps the best-loved Silver Jews song, as well as a new original song called “Strange Beauty” that the band wrote while processing Berman’s death. Stereogum
Having played in several bands and touring throughout the US since, skipping college in the process, Cincinnati-based artist Curt Kiser has been meticulously crafting his proper debut as a songwriter in step with his own personal development. Adopting the moniker Carriers back in 2014, Kiser has worked with a collective of friends, including Bryan Devendorf (The National) and John Curley (The Afghan Whigs), to bring his sweeping rock visions to life.
Carriers’ debut LP, Now Is The Time For Loving Me, Yourself & Everyone Else, is a testament to the power of self-reflection and is carefully layered, leaning on strong core songwriting, hypnotic synths and lush guitar tones from Kiser, mesmerizing percussion delivered by Devendorf, and nuanced, dynamic bass lines from Curley. The 9-track album evokes the same guitar-led grandeur of The War on Drugs as Kiser takes stock of life, death, relationships and gratitude for another day.
Jacob Faurholt is one of Denmark’s most prolific songwriters. He has released more than 10 albums, both solo and under the moniker Crystal Shipsss - his more experimental project. The nine songs on Shake Off The Fear cover well-known themes from Faurholt’s own musical output. He writes about life, love and the anxieties that come with them. Always in an immediate and personal way, with nods to heroes like Daniel Johnston, Conor Oberst, and Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous. The opening track, Stargazing, combines images from a vacation in Spain with the fear of flying and losing your mind and your loved ones. Another song, The Burning Ship, touches on the loss of a childhood friend in the Scandinavian Star ferry disaster in 1990. It’s a song that cherishes life while recognizing its frailty.
“An intoxicating electropop track that celebrates those moments where life seems like it couldn't get any better” - Pop Matters
Speaking about the track, Leech says: “We played at Primavera in Barcelona last year. After our show we caught the end of Peggy Gou’s set on a small stage down near the beach, just as the sun was going down. It was probably a mixture of my post-show adrenaline comedown and Peggy’s class tunes but I found myself having a moment of ‘oh fuck, life is great’ - when I got home I decided to write a tune with a vibe that would remind me of that night.”
In the summer of 2012, Leonard Cohen, then 77 years old, set off on the road in support of his newest album Old Ideas. The tour would last for more than a year and take him around Europe and North America (then Europe and North America again) before finally wrapping up in Australia and New Zealand.
The tour, much like most things the Montreal bard touches, became legendary, with the shows noted for their 3-plus hour running times, multiple encores and his intimate, heartfelt and humorous stage banter.
If you missed him on that tour, consider this a second chance. Can’t Forget: a Souvenir of the Grand Tour.
Tracklist
01. Field Commander Cohen (Live At Denver Soundcheck, 2012)
02. I Can’t Forget (Live At Copenhagen Show, 2012)
03. Light As The Breeze (Live At Dublin Show, 2012)
04. La Manic (Live At Québec City Show, 2012)
05. Night Comes On (Live At Mönchengladbach Show, 2012)
06. Never Gave Nobody Trouble (Live At Odense Soundcheck, 2013)
07. Joan Of Arc (Live At Québec City Soundcheck, 2012)
08. Got A Little Secret (Live At Auckland Soundcheck, 2013)
09. Choices (Live At Christchurch Soundcheck, 2013)
10. Stages (Live At Sydney Show And Hamburg Soundcheck, 2013)
Brandon Flowers just released “I Can Change,” the fourth single from his upcoming record, The Desired Effect, and it’s just as synth pop-fueled as other recent offerings like “Lonely Town.”
This track, however, is decidedly more Killers-esque in terms of both tone and structure than the other, more cheerful, singles. Beginning as a piano ballad that transitions into a dark, driving synth beat, the song never loses an element of drama. With help from producer Ariel Rechtshaid, Flowers utilizes his powerful voice and solid composition to deliver a unique pop hit. The track sounds like it could have been written for Sam’s Town, The Killers’ sophomore album, had the band been replaced with a synthesizer.
