Category: Editorial

Remembering Phil Lesh
A Box of Rain (Remastered)
Founding Grateful Dead member Philip Lesh (1940-2024) passed away on October 25. He was the Dead’s bassist, and one of their main vocalist. Along with Jerry Garcia, he wrote or contirbuted to many iconic songs. The Grarteful Dead have gained an international following over the years, spanning three or four generations. During the acid days of San Francisco, At the heart of the Flower Power era, along with the Jefferson Airplane and their charismatic singer Grace Slick, Phil Lesh helped create the soundtrack of those transformative days. See also here for an appraisal of Phil Lesh’ entire career in The New York Times. (SGS)
Warner Records

The Cure
It Can Never Be The Same [Ver2]
After an extended break, The Cure are back in full force with a new album, Songs of A Lost World, to be released on November 1st.Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band’s formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith has remained the only constant member. In September 2022 the band reunited for rehearsals. In 2024 Smith turned his mind to finishing one of the albums he recorded in 2019.
Fiction Records

Lil Uzi Vert 
EA2 (The Beginning of the Era)
While waiting for more tracks to be  reeased, the promotional and the track EA2 provide examples of Uzi’s creative genius and amazing graphics. Symere Bysil Woods (born 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia/PA, he started rapping in 2010 and gained wider recognition by 2016. Lil Uzi Vert sees himself as gender-nonconfirming. He was nominated for many awards over the years but only rewarded once, by MTV, for “XO Tour Llif3” as “Song of the Summer.”
Generation Now/Atlantic

St. Vincent
Pulga, from the album All Born Screaming
All Born Screaming is the seventh studio album by American rock musician St. Vincent. A Spanish re-recording of the album, titled Todos Nacen Gritando, was announced to be released on November 15, 2024. Born Anne Erin Clark (September 28, 1982), St. Vincent is an American musician and singer. Her guitar playing has been praised for its melodic style and use of distortion, and she has been listed among the best guitarists of the 21st century by multiple publications. St. Vincent began her music career playing choral rock and later collaborated with Sujan Stevens before embarking upon her own career. She rocked Basel in October.
Total Pleasure

Dean & Britta with Sonic Boom
 “Snow is falling in Manhattan” by Purple Mountain
Purple Mountain was made up of musician and poet David Berman who tragically died in 2019.This mellow song is bound to storm the charts when Christmas comes. Dean & Britta are an American musical duo consisting of Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, both members of Luna. Wareham had formed Luna in 1991 after leaving his first band, Galaxie 500. Phillips joined Luna in 2000, replacing bassist Justin Harwood. After Luna broke up in 2005, Dean & Britta spent the next year working on film scores; in 2008, they covered The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love”.
Carpark Records

In honour of
Toumani Diabaté
Jarabi (with Sidiki Djabaté)
Toumani Diabaté, descendent of a family of griots, passed away on 19 July, but his music will live on in by his son Sidiki, who inherited his father’s talent. As a master kora player, Toumani Diabaté was known well beyond his native Mali. He promoted traditional African music as well as engaging in a series of cross-cultural collaborations in the fields of jazz, blues, rock, and flamenco, among others. Born in Bamako in 1924, he recorded his first album in 1970. His partnerships with Damon Albarn and Bjork introduced him to a large audience, resulting in invitations to many concerts and festivals all over the world.
Noise Chamber

Alex Izenberg & The Exiles
Drinking the Dusk Away
Angeleno Alex Izenberg’s music and band mates have a laid-back feeling to them. Definitely psychedelic country-rock but different from before. Eccentric folk pop?. “At the heart of his songs are bold ideas that take inspiration from the heady musings of philosopher Alan Watts, the multi-layered storytelling of King Crimson, and the imagistic vistas of Fleet Foxes.” (Domino) More about Alex.
Weird World

Chappell Roan
Tiny Desk Concert
The American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan hails from Missouri and carries a Swiss birth name. She is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz (born February 19, 1998) who uplaoded her first song at age 17 and was signed to Atlantic Records soon thereafter. Her Label dropped five years later, when she began to come into her own. She often enhances her songs with theatrical performances. By now, she’s welcome to the largest stages. She’s funny and doesn’t mince words in her. Meantime Chappell Roan had built a solid fanbase in glitter and pink reminiscent of another superstar.
NPR

Karen O & Danger Mouse
Lux Prima
Karen Lee Orzlolek, a Korean-born American singer (born 22 November 1978) specializes in “Indie Rock lullabys.” “At times, the results are sublime. ‘Lux Prima’, the opening track, arrives on a swell of drums and synth harmonies then glides out on a wash of beatific chord changes. ‘Redeemer’ carries the theatrical tang of spaghetti Westerns, and ‘Nox Lumina’ closes the album in the fug of soured summer of love vibes. The album’s sound is sparse, allowing the listener to savor the interaction between elements. It helps that Karen O is in immaculate voice throughout.” (Pitchfork)
Cult Records

Wet Leg
Chaise Longue
White. Founded by 2019 by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. They debuted with the single “Chaise Longue” in 2021. Punky, irrevent, high energy and highly entertaining, they were honoured by two Grammy Awards, handed them for the Best Alternative Music Performance for their track “Chaise Longue” and for Best Alternative Music Album, for their self-titled 2022 debut. Rhian and Hester met at the Isle Of Wight College and became fast friends.
Domino Records