One of our most prolific and seemingly tireless songwriters, Ty Segall has never shied away from trying something new. On his latest album Three Bells, the Laguna Beach, California musician draws on some of his favourite, lasting influences — psych rock, folk, heavy metal — and twists them to produce one of his most conceptual and narratively clarified records.
Finally — King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have made an album about lizards and wizards. With a title impossibly more tongue-twisting than the band’s name, and one which seems to beg for a sepia-toned fantasy map in the vinyl gatefold to fully understand its lore, PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation finds King Gizzard opening the medieval spellbook on their most blackened, ominous album to date.
Following their latest foray into thrash metal with 2019’s Infest the Rats’ Nest, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard returned with a promise of more “heavy as fuck” tunes coming our way with the lengthily titled PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation, due June 16 via their own KGLW.
“Instead of trying to fit within genre conventions, the Murlocs piece together what they’ve explored in the past and let their country undertones rise through the cracks on Calm Ya Farm. At their most collaborative, they’ve created their most cohesive yet multi-faceted album to date. Surprisingly upbeat closer “Aletophyte” ends it all on the question of how to move forward when life leaves us feeling like sun-bleached shrubs between cracks of concrete. If we all fall off the edges of our minds in some way or another, maybe it’s best not to worry too much — just keep trying, because we’re all doing the best we can. This may be their first rodeo, but the Murlocs know damn well what they’re doing”
“Judging by Mac DeMarco‘s thrift store fashion sense and his reputation as a goofy prankster, it might be fair to assume that he approaches recording with the same sense of irreverence. Spend a few minutes speaking with the man, however, and it quickly becomes clear that he’s an expert studio craftsman who takes his trade seriously”
Comically prolific Australian psych reptiles King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard had promised that three new albums would arrive in October. Having previously obscured the titles and artwork of the LPs, they have now shared the full details of the albums.
‘Earlier this year, we deemed King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s album Butterfly 3000 “the least King Gizzard-sounding record of theirs yet,” and the prolific outfit will further their experimentation with a star-studded crew of collaborators on a new remix collection.’
‘King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard will release new album ‘Butterfly 3000′ on June 11th. It’s the band’s second LP of the year so far, and it actually their 18th to date – a colossal discography by any standards.’
Chrystia Cabral has shared details of a new album as SPELLLING. The Bay Area-based artist will release The Turning Wheel on June 25 through Sacred Bones Records.
The 12-song The Turning Wheel follows SPELLLING’s acclaimed 2019 LP Mazy Fly, which Exclaim! gave a 9/10 score.
“After sharing “If Not Now, Then When?,” “O.N.E.” and “Pleura” in recent months, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have now released their third album in the band’s series of “explorations into microtonal tunings,” L.W., the follow-up to 2020’s K.G.”
“Late last year, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard shared plans to release their 17th studio album L.W., the direct follow-up to K.G. and third album in the band’s series of “explorations into microtonal tunings.” The record is out on February 26, and today, they’ve shared a new cut of the album, “Pleura.””
“King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s 2020 has so far included a lineup change, the release of five live albums, three singles, a demos collection and concert film — and the prolific Australian outfit aren’t done there. Today, the band have announced sixteenth studio album K.G. and new live collection Live In S.F. ’16 will both arrive November 20, independently and through ATO Records, respectively.”
“III is an anthemic exclamation of self-assuredness. Each song tackles sovereignty from a different angle, amplifying the message with searing guitar solos and Segall’s incendiary drumming.”
Ezra Furman in Toronto @ Lee’s Place, Mon September 9, 2019
A year and a half removed from releasing his Transangelic Exodus album, Ezra Furman has shared the details behind a follow-up effort.
Titled Twelve Nudes, Furman’s latest arrives August 30 through Bella Union. Eleven tracks in length, Twelve Nudes was mixed by John Congleton and is referred to by Furman as “our punk record.”
“We made it in Oakland, quickly. We drank and smoked. Then we made the loud parts louder. I hurt my voice screaming,” Furman recalled. “This was back in 2018, when things were bad in the world. The songs are naked with nothing to hide.”
Just shy of four years removed from releasing his MCIII album, Mikal Cronin has returned with a new solo track.
Titled “Undertow,” the song comes from a forthcoming 7-inch that also features a second new song titled “Breathe.”
Iconic riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill disbanded back in 1997, but the group are reuniting for a series of concerts later this year.
“DeMarco has a different style this time around, but what isn’t different is the classic, laid-back feel that fans have come to love.”
“…yet amid the partying, the lewd behaviour, the wonky and sometimes raunchy sense of humour, Mac DeMarco’s image has kind of gotten away from him.”
“How do they do it?”
That had to be the question on the mind of each and every person with their eyes on the Velvet Underground stage last night.
Ty Segall spent the last several months slapping on a creepy baby mask and promoting his Emotional Mugger solo album, but the Cali rocker is about to get back into band mode. The debut full-length from his GØGGS project arrives in the summer.
Mac DeMarco recently unearthed deep cut “Rollin Like a Dummy” for fans, and now he’s offering up another non-album track in the form of a cover.
Few people can hypnotize a crowd quite like Ty Segall. Since the release of his self-titled debut back in 2008, Segall has developed a reputation for being a garage-rock whiz kid, his playful live shows and critically acclaimed albums chock-full of theatrical antics and rollicking riffs.
Call 1-800-281-2968, and you’ll be subjected to an off-putting message from Ty Segall, grody sound effects and all (“I am itching to hear how I can fill the holes in your ego…do you need a daddy?”).
“Less than a month removed from the releases of FUZZ’s sophomore album, II, ever-prolific Cali garage pop guy Ty Segall has announced yet another project. This one is an album called Emotional Mugger, and to play it, you’ll apparently need to hook up your old VHS player…”
“The trio’s sophomore record has been given the especially fitting title of II, and it lands October 23 via In the Red…”
Canadian jangle-pop oddball Mac DeMarco is set to serve up a mini-LP titled Another One next month, but before the eight-song set officially arrives, he’ll be serving up hotdogs and previewing the forthcoming release at a barbecue this afternoon.
San Francisco’s Tim Presley and Welsh-born Cate Le Bon both have fruitful careers in their own right; the former has released a string of albums as White Fence, and the latter is a respected solo songwriter. Now, they’ve teamed up for a collaborative project called Drinks, with an album coming out this summer.
Mikal Cronin will release his third album, MCIII, on Merge Records. As previously noted, MCIII‘s second side comprises a conceptual, six-song mini-album that represents Cronin’s “coming-of-age story,” and in an interview with Exclaim!, the California songwriter and bandleader shed more light on the troubled time in his life that inspired the ambitious new full-length.
