 Lydia Lunch is a name that should be familiar to anyone who grew up in the 70s and 80s punk scene. She's been involved with several 'well known' (at least, in the aformentioned punk rock circles) artists and acts, but at the same time, her music refuses to be pigeonholed. She's done punk, rap(ish), techno, avante-garde, rock, spoken word; the list goes on. She's never let anyone define her or hold her back, forging ahead with what interests here, not what is commericially viable.
Covers of other songs are part and parcel of virtually every band that has "made it big" and Lydia is no different. What we have here is a collection of tunes that interest her, done her way, which in my opinion is the only way to make a cover. Take a song and make it your own, add great big fuzzy guitars, take a balad make it a speedster, go slow and oozy with a rocker, do anything you want with it but make it memorable. Eleven tracks made her own way, with her own ideas. Whisky soaked voice purring or growling as need be, over each carefully picked song. Or picked randomly with a dart and a copy of Billboard Top 100. With Lydia one never knows. Regardless of how they were chosen, they are firmly stamped with her brand of style and aplomb and when it all comes crashing to the end, you'd be hard pressed to remember these songs weren't hers to begin with. Some of the tracks, "Breakdown" and "Low" in particular are infused with such dirty guitars, blown waaaaay past 11 on the fuzz-o-meter, that I swear they came straight from Motorhead themselves; but I'd be wrong of course, they are the result of a guitarist named Cypress Grove. His ability to take the instrument side of covers and completely make them his home is nothing short of amazing. He can turn the songs on their ear, distort and twist, then spin round to clean again in the blink of an eye. How this guy isn't a national sensation proves only how difficult it is to make it big in the world of rock. I know for Lydia, 40 plus years of going her own way, shows she's moved well beyond the need for fortune or fame, and I suspect Cypress is gone the same way by working with her; they have become the ultimate expression of music, true musicians making music for the sheer love of the art and for no other reason. Under the Covers may be eleven tracks of music, but it is so much more than that, it is pure unadulterated Art. - Erik Svensson
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 “Acetone are into it for what they get out of it. Their music reflects who they are, and that's so rare in music today. It's a soul music thing.” - Jason Pierce (Spiritualized)
"Acetone are one of my all time favorite bands. Their music is still as electrifying and beautiful now as it was back then.” - Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) This fall, the independent literary press All Night Menu will publish Sam Sweet’s Hadley, Lee, Lightcap, a nonfiction novel that traces the backstories of the three members in Acetone, a band that played in Los Angeles for nine years. Though few heard them, their recordings are time capsules of who they were, how they lived, and where they came from. Light In the Attic has partnered with All Night Menu to present Acetone 1992-2001, the first anthology of the trio’s music. The book and the album will be released concurrently on September 22. Counting their early years in the scuzz-rock band Spinout, whose sole self-titled release came out in 1991 on Delicious Vinyl, guitarist Mark Lightcap, bassist Richie Lee, and drummer Steve Hadley played together for a total of 15 years. They disbanded in July 2001, when Lee committed suicide in the garage next to the house where the trio practiced. Afterwards, Rolling Stone ran a short obituary saying Acetone’s albums were “well received” but “failed to make any waves.” It was the first and only time they were featured in the national music press. Between 1993 and 2001 the trio released two LPs and an EP on Vernon Yard—a Virgin subsidiary—and two LPs on Vapor, the L.A.-based label founded by Neil Young and manager Elliott Roberts. In that span, they were selected to tour with Oasis, Mazzy Star, The Verve, and Spiritualized. Against a rising tide of post-Nirvana grunge and slipshod indie rock, Acetone tapped into a timeless Southern California groove by fusing elements of psychedelia, surf, and country. They rehearsed endlessly in an empty bedroom in northeast Los Angeles, recording hours of music onto cassettes that were subsequently stuffed into shoeboxes and left in a shed behind the drummer’s house. Those tapes are being released for the first time in this anthology, which also includes highlights from Acetone’s official releases. Taken together, the songs form a companion soundtrack to Sam Sweet’s book, which maps the character of Los Angeles as a place through the lens of these three unique characters bonded by music. Featuring: * PRE-ORDER EDITION: “Acetone Clear” wax. Edition of 300. Limit two per customer. * First time band anthology * Includes 9 unreleased tracks * Audio restored and remastered from original tapes * Double LP housed in a deluxe gatefold Stoughton tip-on jacket * Liner notes by Sam Sweet Preorder now on deluxe "Acetone Clear" vinyl, black vinyl, CD, and MP3, or as a bundle with the book! Release Date: 9.22.17
Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk spans over 30 years of the California Bay Area’s punk music history with a central focus on the emergence of Berkeley's inspiring 924 Gilman Street music collective. Narrated by Iggy Pop and executive produced by Green Day, Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk is the definitive telling of this vibrant story, drawing from a wide variety of voices and viewpoints and featuring the music of many of the most famous and infamous punk bands ever.
The feature documentary had its world premiere as the opening night film of the 16th SF Docfest on May 31 (sold out) followed by an initial one week theatrical run at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in San Francisco starting June 2. The hometown opening will be followed by screenings in cities across the USA in tandem with Green Day’s Revolution Radio World Tour, with the theatrical campaign launching in New York City in late July and culminating in Los Angeles in mid-September. In a unique release strategy, Turn it Around: The Story of East Bay Punk will “tour with the band” enabling theaters to be marketing partners with Green Day in promoting the film’s theatrical release and the band’s nationwide tour. Abramorama is handling theatrical distribution. Performing last night at the Sydney Opera House in their homeland of Australia, The Preatures revealed to a sold out crowd that they will be releasing their forthcoming album titled GIRLHOOD on Friday August 11th. Available to pre-order now,
To celebrate the announcement The Preatures shared their brand new official video for title track and current single ‘Girlhood." Watch here. The dynamic video is directed by duo Joy Collective who through the band’s performance have created a magnetic film clip which compliments Girlhood’s pace and attitude while exploring the element of innocence and adolescence. The Preatures forthcoming album GIRLHOOD explores the contradictions of being a modern woman. The follow-up to 2014 hit album BLUE PLANET EYES sees singer Izzi put herself front and centre, turning different stages of her life into 11 soul-searching sonic gems. Five years ago, the band moved into a dingy rehearsal space in Sydney’s Surry Hills and set about transforming it into a recording studio they named Doldrums. It was here where they developed their sound, recorded 2013’s IS THIS HOW YOU FEEL? EP, and for the past 18 months, recorded and produced the GIRLHOOD LP. Their initial plan to carry the momentum from the success of BLUE PLANET EYES into a month-long burst of recording turned into a year and a half of creativity and refinement. Led by guitarist and producer Jack Moffitt and driven by rhythm section of Thomas Champion on bass and drummer Luke Davison, the band surrendered to the longer process. Jack recorded and produced the sessions, getting some initial help from Burke Reid (Courtney Barnett, Olympia, DMA’s) and ARIA Award-winning engineer Eric J. Dubowsky (Flume, Nick Murphy). GIRLHOOD was given a final polish in Los Angeles by mixing engineer Bob Clearmountain, an industry legend for his work with David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen as well as Aussie icons INXS, Divinyls and the Church. Their debut album BLUE PLANET EYES received critical acclaim across the globe and debuted #4 on the ARIA Album Chart. The band were nominated for 3 ARIA Awards in 2015 for Best Live Act, Best Group and Best Rock Album and won GQ’s Band of The Year Award. "Girlhood" is available to pre-order from today and the single of the same title is available worldwide now. |