If you enjoyed her run of three recent singles ("Fantasise With Me", "Sound of the Wolf" and "Society Anxiety") as much as I did, then you'll be chuffed to explore her new album ‘Wanderer's Lust' which not only contains this trio but eight more tracks in the shape of: "Basic Respect", "Fly and Float", "Allenby", "Come Back", "Wanderer's Lust", "Dignity, Integrity and Everything Inside Of Me", "Breadcrumbs" and "Don't Forget About Me". You've probably enjoyed her live performances of many of them given her many concerts: she is clearly a must for promoters & other artists.

Many too would point to the impact she has had on our local scene in the short time she's been part of it: not least in putting on classy gigs of her own devising. I totally agree with that but would suggest  that the relationship may be a little symbiotic given a sense of her surprise that she's made an album at all (not her original plan) and I suspect the warmth of her greeting by the local scene may have played a part. If so, she has certainly repaid that several times over.

Before diving into the songs, I'd like to test your patience with something I raise (too) often. Essentially I feel that the preference for single & EP releases over the traditional album format has been positive (I understand the financial drivers too!): each track gets much more attention, nothing gets lost in broader contexts & the phenomenon of the "filler" track has taken a welcome hit.

On the other hand, as I say from time to time, I speculate how albums of songs from artists used to devising the impact of singles might be for us to process? I sometimes fear emotional overload though I accept that taking a breather is much easier now than when vinyl LPs were the only option.

Cat, as previous reviews stated, is nothing if not an emotionally intense artist. Once again, our moral guardians have slapped the old "explicit" label on the opening track "Basic Respect" and presumably by extension, the album itself. Since I made the point already this week (in my review of the new YNES single) that being explicit is surely a virtue and that they actually mean "rude words" (by someone's definition), I'll not repeat that at length.

But this is strong, uncompromising material: not because there is a little swearing going down, but due to the depths of the human condition to which Cat escorts us. She doesn't mess around with putting her nor our sensitivities in cotton wool nor patronise us by holding back. You can have a look for platitudes but I defy you to succeed.

I'll come clean here: since the process of reviewing involves listening track by track: I've not yet played ‘Wanderer's Lust' through in one continuous listening session. I'm still not sure if I have the emotional resources so perhaps I may never do this. I don't worry about that.  If you can process all the songs one after another then I salute you. I can only imagine what Cat feels like after delivering a full set live.  of this sort of stuff.

The key to how this came together for Cat is possibly through instinct: letting her heart lead her. Consequently, the album not only wasn't planned in some calculated fashion, but has ended up including material she already had & songs she's written lately. I think what she has done is to use her taste & discretion to look through her body of work and to put together a collection which visits a range of emotional locations: which makes for an excellent structure. What I'm certain it isn't is some sort of constructed concept which while probably arriving at a similar destination, would be far less satisfying. No: each song on its own merits rings true & if there is variety, then it's not just because Cat has experienced varying emotions (most of us can claim that), it's because she is equally adept at capturing them and consequently over a period of time has written about the all.

And what a range. Many singer-songwriters seem comfortable sharing the introspective sides of their nature, but lust? No that doesn't crop up too often. Perhaps that just a bit too private for them: but not Cat. And that's fresh.

There is so much to unpack here that I'd better rein myself in a little before I end up writing one of my notoriously difficult to digest epics. So a few key points. Firstly, however dynamically she comes across on stage, she is very open about fundamental insecurities which many others might understandably keep to themselves. For example, you may remember that my first review of her was when she supported Ellie Gowers in December. At the time, I took her at face value for the talent she clearly was: what I didn't realise was that one reason I'd not encountered her before that night was that I was witnessing a key moment in her development of her self belief: in her own words "that gig was the absolute fuel to the fire for me. It felt like it was where I was meant to be". And the next thing you know she's been playing and creating prolifically. Obviously I'm pretty chuffed to have (accidentally) witnessed such a key moment but it brings into sharp perspective the frankly incredible fact that the Cat Mead we know and love has substantially been forged in an intense six month period.

I'm not sure that dynamic by itself accounts for the quality of the songs: she clearly had plenty of them before her epiphany & she obviously is a person of great reflective power in addition to her musical gifts. However can you imagine any of the releases, the singles or this album occurring without it? I frankly doubt if the urge to write so much since would have come either.

Whereas the likes of "Breadcrumbs" might well come from a perspective on the problems of low esteem, the presence of songs which not only embrace lust but anger & sorrow keep ‘Wanderer's Lust' from the pitfall of the introspective type artist which can all to easily topple into the pit of "please pity me because I feel sorrow for myself". And believe me listening to that sort of album let alone reviewing one can be pretty soul destroying.

I'd much rather listen to an artist exploring themselves than one who feels they are the complete edition. It helps that while Cat keeps it simple & real with her arrangements, with the help of producer Dan Barrie (who recorded it in Kenilworth: a someone born & bred there I'm pleased to finally write that down as I can't think I've used the town's name in many previous reviews) and neat subtle touches like her penchant for different tunings, the whole set doesn't all sound similar.

Anyone who can write a song called "Dignity, Integrity and Everything Inside Of Me" merits our respect: to me, while the three singles tend to demonstrate why Cat chose them for that format, this sort of thing is a quintessential album track: less of the immediate hooks, so it grows on you with greater stealth, nevertheless its message is complementary to the more assertive sounding songs and may, in its quieter resolve, overtake them in your mind in time.

This sense of dignified articulation is in fact another characteristic which emerges when playing through the songs. Cat maintains the higher ground in all situations by not losing her composure: her "angry" songs are surgically applied to problems & forensically taken down. Even the title track is sung this way. I can think of plenty of songs about lust (I bet you can too) but in hindsight, many of them seem to take the route of heavy breathing which can become a trifle cliched.

I think this approach is much more suited to a long term career too: Cat doesn't sound detached (far from it) but she does radiate control of her feelings & what she is conveying.

These are exciting times for her with all this progress in so short a time and in turn for us being on the receiving end of her creativity. Cat took the plunge into an extravagant journey and already has wrought change upon the world: she has been catalysed by new environments & new people and in turn sparked changes which would not otherwise have taken place. I doubt if she knows where she's going next but that's all part of true creativity & I am sure she has to go places artistically & physically that neither she nor I can imagine right now.

It's official: Massasauga's new EP is going to be called ‘This Savage World' and the lead single, "These Ghosts of Mine" comes out on 5^th June.

This also gives me the opportunity to congratulate Conrad & Adam on winning their semi-final to appear at the Coventry edition of Metal 2 The Masses.

 The song itself (and maybe the whole EP?) marks a new chapter in the story of the band. Whereas the music so far, which certainly caught & held my attention, might fairly be categorised as "cinematic" in overall style, often relating to specific movies and tending to invoke visuals: not always wholly of the hyper-realistic variety. It was an effective approach, but like all such strategies, if over-extended it could dilute the efficacy of what they've done & dull down into repetition.

Thus "These Ghosts of Mine" (and at this point I would point out that Massasauga remain a band who paint visuals in their lyrics rather than adhering to the prosaic so the words aren't necessarily clear on the matter: as they acknowledge themselves) is about the search for success in music, the associated pressures on artists and the potential meaning of "success" in their context.

If the shift in message might make all you Massasauga fans uneasy: I can reassure you that you're not getting an existential acoustic ballad here: the delivery systems are still set to "full on". However I do detect a slight evolution in the production: hitherto their trademark sound has involved compressing vocals, fuzz-guitar & drums into one primordial compound which as you'll know, was pretty overwhelming: in a good sense. This time, separation is more in evidence so each element is more discernible.

Again: I think it's a good call: the continuing total commitment to the performances means that there is no feeling of compromise and as I just suggested, without development of what they do, the law of diminishing returns is likely to kick in in they simply apply the same formula each time out.

 And this really sounds fresh. Since the band are ‘Killer Riffs R Us', "These Ghosts of Mine" is based around another one they've dreamed up, this time the song seems not to have the usual metal sent-from-Hades tone but something  related more to other parts of the Great Beyond: the guitars having been treated so that in the opening section particularly it sounds like Tony Iommi experimenting with replicating his parts on a synth: and it works. It's always a good idea to grab the listener's attention in the first few bars. It might also I suppose be a bit satirical but then reading too much into tracks is a bit of a problem with me.

And again: please don't fret: the effects are soon switched back off (they even return covered in fuzz later on). But if in the meantime, they've unsettled anyone: so much the better I say.

"These Ghosts of Mine" could & should make people sit up & listen, whether they've heard Massasauga previously or not.

You'll like this: YNES is back today with new music in the shape of her single "What Was It All For???".

Since moving to the west coast of Canada three years back, she has faced a variety of challenges & battled a variety of demons: hence we've not heard too much from her apart from a live album of her ‘Born Loser' songs and a brace of Christmas tracks

However now she's roaring back on multiple battle fronts (see below for another and they are in fact inseparable) and even if you'd never heard her full on assault on whatever the target of a particular song might be (and she doesn't spare herself in this respect) in any of her previous work, when you come to check out  "What Was It All For???" online, you'll probably spot that nervous appendage that timid platforms stick onto the more powerful songs: yes, they want you to know that it's "explicit" in case that's a turn off rather than all the more reason to play it.

Of course all they mean is that there may be expletives deployed or adult themes explored. Being explicit is hardly a fault in art is it? And YNES is always at pains (particularly here) to ensure that you understand what she wants you to & you never get meaning distorted through any sort of filter in her songs. If you're shocked by what you hear, maybe that's not her fault at all but an indication that you have some thinking still to do.

Anyway, "What Was It All For???" is prime YNES: unflinching and intense. A relentless crunchy backing grinds throughout the track, wearing down that sort of emotional resistance I just alluded to & over this YNES unloads a lot of harsh truths she has gained from her battles. I defy anyone to be unmoved by this & surely that's the point of any art? You can't ignore it: it must push at least one emotional button.

At this point, please bear with me on a slight digression which applies more obliquely to this single but which I think reinforces what I just said. The context is a wholly unsolicited bit of online abuse from a transphobic bigot aimed at our next ‘Hot Music Live Presents' fundraiser for The Tin. What he thought he was achieving is beyond me but firstly, while I was corresponding with YNES, she had independently branded the same gig as "sick" which accolade obviously far outweighs the ignorance. Thank you YNES. The second is that however much we appreciate the support & shared values of whatever cultural & ideological community we build around ourselves, there are a lot of nasty attitudes out there whether we engage with them or not & sooner or later we end up in contact with them. YNES has never been afraid to acknowledge their existence nor sweep them under a carpet & consistently has opted to wear her heart on her sleeves and to take them on. That's a major part of her creative DNA.

The subject matters are more of the internal & existential here and seem to relate to her victory over alcohol: there is an outpouring of detail and while the removal of toxicity is less of a primal scream therapy than a matter of fact delivery therapy, this doesn't lessen the strength: the rationality and control impress greatly. Even the impact of what she's been going through on her music career is touched upon. Despite not sounding very much like John Lennon's ‘Plastic Ono Band' album, it has the same cathartic nature & maybe I won't be the only one to point this out.

Even more good news: YNES will be over in the UK next month & has a launch event for Issue #1 of her new "Fair Play!" magazine which seeks to address the fact that only 8% of those working in creative industries come from working class backgrounds.  It's at The Tin on June 12^th. Expect a star studded lineup & proceeds from the PWYC entrance will be split between:

Positive Youth Foundation: Supporting young people - particularly those underrepresented or with lived experience of injustice - to use arts and creativity to influence change in their lives.

Arts Uplift: Transforming the lives of vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged adults, using the power of creative arts, connection and self-expression.

Women for Refugee Women: Supporting a network of over 760 refugee and asylum-seeking women to develop their confidence and skills, through creative and educational activities.

You can get your ticket via this link:

https://events.humanitix.com/fair-play-issue-1-launch-party

The overall message one might take away from these two linked enterprises is YNES' defiant sense of autonomous agency both in herself & promoting it for others.

"It's D.I.Y Ennit"

While it's always a huge pleasure listening to TwoManTing, I'd also say that it can be an education too as I end up scuttling off to check out music I'd not heard of before when they introduce it to me.

Years ago, apart from the NME & John Peel (and naturally my peer group), one area of musical education was the tapes certain artists played before their sets: they had a similar effect. Two of the best in this regard were Elvis Costello and The Clash which is a neat way of starting my review of the new TwoManTing album ‘The Lightning Feather' since they are continuing their characteristic of featuring Clash related covers: in this case Danny Ray's "Revolution Rock" which is on ‘London Calling' (you can hear their versions of "Guns of Brixton" and "Armagideon Time" on ‘Say What?' and ‘Legacy' respectively).

And the righteous thirst for justice & global equality cannot be underestimated in this duo: don't be completely beguiled by the seductive rhythms and scintillating guitar runs: Jah-Man and Jon care deeply and this is the core of their appeal. This is not an agreeable combo for the corner of your local wine bar to provide a sound track to a hipster's night out: this is for real. No wonder they get invited to all the best festivals (in fact you can catch them at this year's Leamington Peace Festival: what a great fit).

I'm afraid, despite all the various labels that online platforms attach to them, I can't improve on "World" since they roam unfettered across it. Of course there is African music on here & naturally Caribbean but I've literally never come across any of those very many World Music compilations which includes a Welsh themed track ("Tan Y Bwlch") alongside more exotic sources. There is also the delightful  "Tinap Gidigbh" (which after some research I'm tentatively identifying as Yoruba in its roots) and that's simply the start of a circumnavigation. ‘We are all one world" they are saying, with breathtaking diversity within this, but which does not at all mean there is not, and should not be, parity & equality of mutual esteem.

They play these songs with love as well as dedication to cultural fidelity and the concept of love keeps on surfacing in the words: I guess one might write a book about cultural appropriation (and of course plenty have) and it must be a tightrope for sensitive artists to walk. Insensitive artists just rip the cultures off & profit. However they do tend to write songs using stolen music which appeal to Western commercial instincts. TwoManTing's songs instead celebrate the cultures in question: quite explicitly in fact as the words as well as the sounds reference.

Actually, you may have heard two of them before as "Gbangbaode" and a cover of Peter Tosh's "Can't Blame the Youth" were released as a single back in 2020: but that was in the middle of lockdown so you can be forgiven if you were a bit distracted at the time. We did review it of course.

Apart from the two covers mentioned above, there is a third, "Cost of Living", originally by Ebenezer Calender and His Maringer Band (West African calypso!) which again had me taking an agreeable wander online. Thank you.

Otherwise the other eight songs are originals, including an instrumental, "Tune for Kev"  which is an exquisite solo piece which sits astride classical & jazz & I'd guess is a tribute to a specific person…a most moving one.

Played through, the songs segue seamlessly into one another (nice sequencing work) and could I suppose be taken as one whole piece made up of varying movements. Personally I enjoyed each one & I have no desire nor capacity to pick "favourites". However my main concern is people will take the embracing & soulful sound at surface value (yes, that has been the fate of far too much "World Music") and not take onboard what TwoManTing mean, intend and are saying. To the shallow listener, I'll therefore like to draw attention to the album's title: an object of softness containing something of great potency and vitality.

Lachlan Bryan returns to London with his longtime band The Wildes for a night of unforgettable songs, sharp storytelling, and the kind of live performance that turns first-time listeners into lifelong fans. Over years of touring together in various incarnations, Lachlan & The Wildes have built a reputation as one of Australia's most compelling live acts — equally capable of breaking your heart or making you laugh in the space of a single verse.

Lachlan truly thrives as a live act.  He and The Wildes have built a devoted audience at home in Australia and also in Europe with their captivating performances - which have drawn comparisons to artists as disparate as The Bad Seeds and Wilco. As a solo act Lachlan slips effortlessly into troubadour mode, reminiscent of the Texas singer-songwriters who first inspired him. 

If you haven't caught Lachlan on his own or with the band, you may have seen him on the road as piano-player and co-conspirator with his friend Henry Wagons - the two have most recently been supporting Canadians The Dead South in theatres and arenas across the USA, Canada, the USA and Europe. Failing that, you may have heard the multi-award-winning Dream of America album which he co-wrote and produced for Muscle Shoals Southern Gothic Queen Hannah Aldridge. In any of his guises, Lachlan Bryan brings a warmth and wisdom to the stage and studio that wins over fans for life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_qrU07g63w&list=RDW_qrU07g63w&start_radio=1

Before telling you something in order to whet your appetite for the new Robert James Grey single "Fire Doesn't Care" which is out tomorrow, I'd better first let you know something about his four previous singles ("This Town", "All Through Space", "Paradise is Burning" and "Past Lives") which I omitted from my reviews of all of them: in my defence because he's only just revealed it to me.

While not quite constituting a conceptual quartet, he considers that they "live in the same universe" and that there is "a thematic and sonic journey happening between" them: from loss to spiritual rebirth across the series of songs. Clearly passing this revelation onto you is important in order to increase your understanding of what he was doing with them, but also because he is emphatic that the new song is not an addition to the sequence but stands on its own both philosophically and in its musical style.

I'm sure part of leaving the reveal until now was useful so that both I and you could absorb each of the excellent songs entirely on its own merits and to be honest his more allusive & poetic lyrical approach means that divining the meanings of each was hard enough without considering linkages.

And so it is with "Fire Doesn't Care"…. you can certainly enjoy and appreciate this one, relishing the intensity of the thoughts it stirs up, without recourse to where it might sit within Robert's body of work, though fans will definitely appreciate the nod towards an earlier triumph in his own brief note upon it: "what happens when a hot headed narcissist and a fire starting avoidant meet? Chaos!"

Robert sings so confidentially & with such obvious honesty that there always seems deep autobiographical roots in all his songs: you are clearly peeking into his life & psyche without his needing to provide precise details: in that way he not only shows sensitivity & discretion but allows the listener to be able to relate his songs to their own circumstances. I am willing to bet that one of the protagonists is the writer himself though.

He just gets better & better at this sort of thing though: this one smoulders strongly due to the combination of adroit composition, intimate singing & his usual great taste in keeping the accompaniment simple & stark. He's one of those artists whose individual songs leave one sufficiently emotionally drained that one wonders what an album might sound like: you do rather need a breather after his tracks to take it in & recover.

In terms of the sound, the progression he cited actually increases the instrumentation a little beyond his trademark haunting piano: but certainly not to over doing it. There are emphatic touches of percussion & sweeps of strings to deepen the story in places.

Where I really lift my hat though is in the climax: there isn't one. A lesser artist would have built "Fire Doesn't Care" up to some cliched theatrical peak with a few operatic stylings, but Robert hasn't written a formulaic power ballad here: it's a steady remorseless burner as the narrator is engulfed by a force beyond his power to resist.

Once again, a ‘Hot Music Live Presents' fundraiser for The Tin managed to break some newer ground last evening when Nuke The Whales, Louis Scheuer and The Big Strong Boys, Taylor-Louise & Blue Strawberries all gave of their time & talent.

This was another occasion on which few if any of those there had experienced the full range of the music on show for a variety of reasons.

Blue Strawberries are one more of the beautifully nurtured & mentored bands to emerge from the ‘Live On Stage' project organised by the team at The Tin and Coventry Music: utterly confident & comfortable at playing precisely what they want to play (which is a charming dream pop type of material) and although aged between 12 & 16, unfazed by playing alongside & in front of adults. Joined for a couple of numbers by project mentor Mason Le Long, they wove harmonies & instrumental parts together into original songs which they tell me that they will soon start recording so you can enjoy them too.

If Blue Strawberries were less familiar to people there due to their early career stage, Taylor-Louise was something of a revelation to them as she's been busy doing other things for the last few years & not played as much as she once did. Considering that the two other bands hail from, like her, the Leamington scene, it was quite fascinating to find out that she was known to them more by reputation  than experience: just goes to show how in the healthiest of scenes, things can move so very swiftly.

In a powerful & hard hitting set, she proceeded to show the audience what we've all been missing: straight back into playing, arguably more potent than ever. Another strong marker of intent was her complete focus on new material: no looking back, just with her eye on where she's at & aiming towards. I'm sure you'll be seeing & hearing much more from her in coming months & knowing her single mindedness & tenacity, she'll be giving it her all, utilising all the energy which has gone into equally rewarding areas of her life in her quieter musical phase.

I've tried to feature Louis Scheuer on one of these events for some time. His busy schedule has shaped how long it's taken & it's funny how many of his bands have been on my list only to break up before we nailed things down. This latest one (the one we caught) is a bit of a local supergroup as Morton Ballard (catch him on July 3^rd with las vedas) and Paulina Kalwarska (of Jackdaw with Crowbar etc) were the other members. (I'm reining myself in a lot at this point as if I went into detail of which bands these had played in & with whom, a complicated diagram would be necessary).

That's the simple bit. In terms of set structure, he started solo in acoustic guitar/harmonica/foot percussion mode and the others joined him on electric guitar & drums as things hotted up. what was played? Well now we're starting to stretch my vocabulary.. In the lead up to the event, Louis kindly offered me "psych/country but a bit more raucous and punkified" as a potential style guide for promo & that certainly gives me and you something to grip onto.

However there was a very strong blues element: most notably in his first bit and I'm glad to say was steeped in true blues themes unlike much of the mass produced stuff so prevalent these days. He called it "depressing" but that's what the blues are genuinely about. After that it just shot off into all sorts of weird & wonderful places where simple words aren't adequate. Please do catch this lineup & make of it as you will: you'll definitely be moved by them.

Headliners Nuke The Whales had not in fact headlined previously, so that was their precedent setting moment. They certainly fitted the role effectively: following their act must take some doing. I'll try & explain why but doing much more than scratching the surface may be tricky.

First of all, it was pretty multi-media: a lot of thought & effort had gone into visuals, including stage wear, effects, samples etc. The mood promoted was good humoured but since many of the songs also dealt with serious subjects, there was depth to be explored. The energy levels were high throughout which always makes for a great climax to any gig & many of the audience were inspired into slam dancing.

The band in fact played pretty much their entire repertoire to the point of bringing one number out of retirement: so when the power of demand overwhelms the supply, you know how well you're going down. I can't doubt that more headline opportunities will come their way.

Big credit to Joseph Sullivan for curating the sound too: yet again the range of styles  & volumes across the evening was significant yet each was served by having what they intended transmitted faithfully to those listening.

The events in this series (touch wood) meet the aim of helping sustain this vital venue which seeks, through charitable status to "advance education in music and arts for the public benefit by the provision of an arts facility, to  promote health by the provision of tuition in music and arts and to promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society". Those goals alone justify our support, quite apart from the specifics of the nights & artists each of us has enjoyed and knowing of particular programmes like ‘Live On Stage' which lie behind both the strategy & the pleasure.

However The Tin tends to promote an underlying environment which manifests itself on nights like HMLP events: where the audiences revel in finding new artists to enjoy, where people cast off the shackles of genre and where you ca turn around & witness people congratulating each other & forming new connections. There was plenty of that last night & just goes to show not only the current depth of original talent around in Coventry & Warwickshire (I had no idea this series of gigs would extend this far when we started) but the collaborative community which is prevailing over the cliques which too often characterise local music scenes.

Our next fundraiser for The Tin is on June 5^th and features the unprecedented & probably not to be repeated lineup of Deathsex Bloodbath, Batsch, Little Girl Screaming and Stegosaurus Sex Party. Tickets will be £8 on the door but you can ensure you have yours for this unique event & save money via this advance ticket link:

https://events.humanitix.com/hot-music-live-deathsex-bloodbath-batsch-little-girl-screaming-stegosaurus-sex-party

See you there.

As I do so like reporting on highly original artists whose work continues to surprise me, it's ironic when my own writing becomes repetitive but in my defence that's partly to the fact that I see patterns in the creativity of my subjects & it would be dishonest not to comment on them.

With Hannah Woof, whose latest "Kiss Me" is out on May 13^th, I keep coming back to how her quality control is set to maximum by releasing only when composition & production are perfected and how the impact on me (and everyone else) is amplified by both having to wait & by the sense of surprise when announcements spring out of the blue.

And yes, I'll be alluding to her wit because It is a truth universally acknowledged that this is the core of her songwriting DNA.

If one day she starts dropping mundane, regular singles with more platitudes than acuities then I'll write different reviews. But that's not going to happen is it?

I might suggest that given the customary intensity of Hannah's writing & delivery, a period to process any of her songs is probably desirable and her general preference for letting tracks out one by one (the ‘Sleepless Nights' (2017) and ‘Heartbreak Hotel' (2023) EPs are her only instances to date of multi-song collections) is probably wise as well as effective. These songs are always strong & heady.

That's because Hannah only writes from the sincerest of places: if she's not felt it, you're not going to hear a song about it. This stretches from the agonies of insomnia through the joys of reconnection with a friend to a number of songs regarding people whose behaviour has pissed her off. This one is called "Kiss Me" so the source of the passion involved isn't concealed.

I only tell you of music in which I detect some truth. Ultimately that means the artist has generously let you into some private place: their thoughts, their beliefs, their experiences. However Hannah admits you to some interior spaces few others do: it's often unsettling and potentially embarrassing sometimes to be privy to what she has been up to do & even more so, her deepest thoughts on the matter. These however make for emotionally powerful songs & I don't think unsettling the listener is necessarily anything bad. We should all be shaken out of complacency at some stage.

As far as I am aware, Hannah's family are highly supportive & proud of her but I do wonder at private conversations there may have been over the years at the candour of some revelations?

With "Kiss Me", Hannah places you in the position in the corner of her bedroom: quite a privilege I'm sure but who likes to be seen as a voyeur? I do hope she gets the satisfaction she deserves from challenging you so much.

If you delve into her catalogue online, the Tipper Gore mob have labelled various tracks as being "explicit", by which I think they mean "includes rude words" but really her entire body of work is emotionally explicit. She is nothing if not frank.

For my final round of "I've already said this in past articles but here we go again", I would like to return to how tasteful Hannah & her trusted team ("Kiss Me" was again produced & mixed by Jordan Round and mastered by Riley Knapp) make sure it's her voice & her words which are foregrounded. They are adept at classy arrangements but not only are these elements the ones to feature most prominently, but when you experience Hannah playing her songs live, you're probably going to see her with only her acoustic guitar (it's been a while since I've seen her even switching to solo piano). Therefore putting an orchestra on the release isn't going to reflect the live experience.  It's about the song & only the song. Just as a good photo or painting looks a bit better with an appropriate frame round it, we're talking a subsidiary feature & so with "Kiss Me": a cracking song set in a neat musical frame.

As part of Music Beyond Mainstream's 25th anniversary touring programme for 2026, musician/ multi-disciplinary artist/ music label founder Max Cooper visits Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 15 May 2026.

Coinciding with the release of his new album, Feeling Is Structure, his 3D/AV Tour - which came out of a commission for London's Royal Albert Hall - sees Max continue to expand his unique immersive approach to live appearances, merging the boundaries between concert experience and installation art.

In between engagements, Max spoke to HotMusicLive ...

Feeling Is Structure 'explores the relationship between physical form and human emotion' - what has been some of the personal prompts/ inspirations for you? 

I spend most of my life in an abstract place connecting musical patterns to my states of mind, and after spending time in the Royal Albert Hall thinking about how to connect the architecture with structures of light I got thinking about our capacity to imbue external form with meaning, and the same process happening inwardly, with the biological structures that map to our states of mind as well. Each chapter and piece of music became a sub-story amongst this idea. Like Chrysalis, which was a light scaffolding inside the space, with us the audience inside this developing structure.

Where did that idea develop from?

It came naturally from the request to build a show for the space, along with my lifelong obsession with the question of what we are. I've tackled it from several different perspectives. For example with Unspoken Words - what we can express that we can't put into words ( unspokenwords.net) , which flowed into On Being, a public database of what is really important to us which we can't express in everyday life ( onbeing.maxcooper.net ), and now, Feeling is Structure which looks at our capacity to create meaning as a central aspect of what makes us.

No two venues are the same, and your 3D/AV dates aim to utilise the spaces, visually and aurally. There's a lot of tech' naturally involved in that. What have been some of the challenges you've faced in staging this project live?

Signal transmission has probably been the most frequent challenge. I have a lot of different projectors to make the visual wrap the audience and interact with the architecture of each space, and patching and formats in video can be time consuming and unpredictable, so I've resorted to bringing all my own cables wherever possible. More specifically to Feeling is Structure, I've been playing with 3D projections into haze, and 360 audience format as well, which has introduced several new challenges.

You also run the MESH label - any forthcoming releases you can tell us about?

There's so many amazing artists working with at Mesh at the moment it's exciting times. Rob Clouth is a Madrid based creative giant building custom software tools and techniques and music like no one else in the world, Odalie from Lyon brings her beautiful acoustic world into electronics, Pleizel and Non Square are Istanbul based bringing a very particular electronic vibe of their own, Throwing Snow is already a UK electronic legend who has recently signed with us with super strong EPs, Jake Oleson is an NYC based film making and composer who is making mind blowing stereoscopic films and music, Drum and Lace from London is a composer and live electronics artist who has recently signed with us, Reid Willis from New Orleans has a magical electronic cinematic touch entirely of his own, Llyr is Berlin based bringing that flavour along with detailed conceptual projects, Jinje is killing it with Berghain and Panorama shows and live percussive electronic AV fusions, Alex Banks is a sound design don and cornerstone of the label with his huge club oriented sound and one of the latest signings Aleph, from Vermont in the States has blessed us with some of the tightest bass fine art.

And how's the year ahead looking for yourself? Any releases or projects you can discuss that you're excited about? Any remixes for other acts lined-up?

I've got some arts projects and installations to work on, but also some club focused projects as well - there's so much I love about both sides. Remix wise I just finished one for Grandbrothers which I'm excited about. 

• Max Cooper 3D/AV Live: Feeling Is Structure visits Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, on Friday 15 May 2026. For tickets see: warwickartscentre.co.uk

• Max Cooper is presented in conjunction with DeliaPhonic, who will take over Warwick Arts Centre's gallery foyer from 7pm with DJ sets and interactive sound experiments from School of Noise.

tenebrous LIAR

ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES IN SUPPORT OF NEW ALBUM ‘VIVA'
STREAM / BUY HERE

tenebrous LIAR, the project of Steve Gullick, are back with a new album ‘VIVA'. 

Released in the Spring of 2026, Gullick (vox, guitar, harmonica) and an entourage including Brendan Casey (bass), Tom Glendining (drums), and Aimee Lovric (guitar), will be taking it out on the road this June.

Beginning with a hometown show at the LTB Showrooms in Coventry, consequent dates will see the band perform in Nottingham, London, and Norwich across the month. Support will come from DRIFT. & Richard Warren at all dates, plus Compliance Unit (Coventry only) and The Breeding (Norwich only). The full list of dates are below.

Since their conception in 2005, tenebrous LIAR has grown from ambitious side-project to fully fledged four-part group. With an ever changing line up, notable past members have included the likes of Duke Garwood, Ed Harcourt, Tom and Dan Glendining, and more with Gullick remaining their core creative constant.

Influenced by the gnarled, amorphous explorations of maverick acts like Neil Young to Nirvana, The Stooges to The Velvet Underground, the band have released ten studio albums in their two-decade existence; many of which in recent times have been self-released on Gulick's own TV Records label, and produced by labelmate Richard Warren.

tenebrous LIAR's most recent work, ‘VIVA', finds the band in formidable form. Released on the Deathto label in April, from the loose wanderings of "Julio", to the propulsive drive of "Juggernaut" and the dissonant sprawl of the 11-minute closer "Tema de Julio", the band deliver a tangled, complex masterclass of sonic textures.

Recorded to tape in Cambridgeshire in Winter 25/26, ‘VIVA' is available now on CD, Limited edition hand stamped CD, and digitally. There is also a limited edition of 30 lathe cut 12" black vinyl copies - each copy is numbered, hand stamped & ships with an insert & 12" X 10" original Steve Gullick signed darkroom photographic print.

Over the years, tenebrous Liar have perfected their live show alongside major artists including Foo Fighters, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Soulsavers, and Blood Red Shoes. Catch the band out on the road this Summer at these dates as follows:

LIVE DATES

• June 19 - LTB Showrooms - Coventry * - https://wegottickets.com/f/18518/
• June 20 - By Our Hands We Make Our Way - Nottingham - https://wegottickets.com/f/18770
• June 26 - The Waiting Room - London - https://wegottickets.com/f/18533
• June 27 - The Holloway - Norwich ** - https://dice.fm/event/yobekx-teneborus-liar-drift-richard-warren-more-27th-jun-the-holloway-norwich-tickets

All shows w/ support from DRIFT. & Richard Warren.
*w/ Compliance Unit
**w/ The Breedling

tenebrous LIAR - NEW ALBUM: ‘VIVA'  - OUT NOW
STREAM / BUY HERE

FOR MORE INFORMATION
w/ https://tenebrousliar.bandcamp.com/

***
PRAISE FOR tenebrous LIAR

"Ballsy and brooding, primordial industrial rhythms and swelling psychedelic feedback" - NME

"Shellac, Liars and Nirvana at their most bloody-minded and musical" - The Quietus

"Builds adroitly from Birthday Party blues into a thing of thunderous ferocity" - Uncut

Ahead of their new album, 'Sad Moon, Sleepy Heads',  Ieere have managed to sneak in another taster single, in this case "Privileged Animals" which is out today.

As with all the material on the album, the starting point here is the work of Goethe: in this case it's inspired by his short poem with this title written in February 1815.

A contrast with the last single "The Earth Spirit", being less rowdy & naturally earthy, the broad theme is still spiritual in nature though exploring rather different aspects. If they most recently looked at the more pagan aspects, this time the touchstones are closer to more formal religious traditions, melding elements from orient & occident: not least Buddhist beliefs in hierarchies of reincarnation (though you can also take away a commitment to animal welfare).

The sound has shifted too in order to reflect this: raunchy crunching guitars giving way to a clipped/pulsing groove redolent of 1980s indie pop (think of the likes of "Take the Skinheads Bowling") , the lightness of touch perhaps pointing to the transcendent aspects of the words. The latter are delivered via shifting vocal patterns with the main (male) narrative being joined & occasionally entwined by a female one like lianas in some paradise.

As with the other songs shared so far, this serves admirably to emphasise that the philosophy of Goethe is not rooted in the nineteenth or any other century: the sentiments remain but the setting can vary with the currents of culture.

So far so good. However when you play the song, I defy you not to zoom in on the handclaps which provide more than just mid song punctuation: they almost constitute a solo in their own right so prominently are they mixed. Now the humble handclap helps drive all sorts of high energy pop tunes from "I Want To Hold Your Hand" to "Teenage Kicks" and a million more besides: yet are rarely if ever mentioned by anyone describing the songs in question. Perhaps Ieere are trying to emancipate this downtrodden aspect of musical arrangements? That said, I'm not even sure here whether these are human ones or artificially generated ones: if the former then I congratulate the band on the regularity of timing & volume.

You never get a dull song from this band nor one which doesn't prompt odd thoughts which otherwise probably wouldn't occur to one.

I'm the first to emphasise how much I'd like all the artists whom I write about to be able to become successful professionals.

That said, I acknowledge that the pressure to respond to perceived demographics & to produce new music regularly must impact on the creative process (it may stimulate it positively in some respects of course) and hence bands like The Session whose new single "The Fortress of Solitude" is out on  May 2^nd are able to let the songs come, work on them until perfection is achieved and maintain high quality control.

I'm pretty sure (to quote another local band) that they are in it "for the love not the money" and the outcome seems to be a succession of top notch songs which I understand why people might say surpass each other every time.

I'd certainly expect something great from them but the precise nature & character of "The Fortress of Solitude"? Could I have predicted that? No way.

The band always sound Big due to the nature of the performances of the individuals: it's their nature. Many songs sound "epic" irrespective of actual duration. However this time round, they've definitely pushed the boat out as the song is both long (six and a half minutes) and Dean informs me that there are fifteen distinct instruments involved before you even consider the vocals. No wonder he told me that  "we threw the kitchen sink at it".  

There are of course bands who'd do that sort of thing as a matter of course and deservedly get labelled as "bloated" but quite apart from their skill in only releasing music they're totally happy with, The Session always keep the "taste" button depressed & if there is something on a track it's because it needs it.

It's probably going to be called their "best ever" and though they have plenty of others which I am attached to, who am I to argue about this one getting the accolade.

There are two very obvious potential problems with a song which this much going on & both impact on others. Firstly someone has to sing over the top of it all and someone else has to sort out all the sounds so the concoction is neither a mess nor that any instruments are so buried that including them was wasted.

Well the first one is sorted because they have Sheryl to sing & you should all by now know the glories of her voice. It's a most impressive phenomenon and given that one of the last times I saw her, she sang as well as ever but afterwards her speaking voice (which appears to have a separate existence) was giving her trouble, so there is a delicacy there which moments like that makes one more appreciative of.

In fact Dean advises that some of what the casual listener may assume to be synth parts are again her voice: hitting high harmonies.

In terms of the other set of challenges, the song is produced by longer term collaborator Matt Waddell of 14 Records: a most experienced master of the helpful overdub & perhaps even more importantly, one who knows the band and their music so well and can intuit not just what their song needs but what the band are thinking.

I've said it before, but I have no option but to repeat myself here, that The Session tend to only come up with songs on big subjects: not for them the petty or insubstantial. Therefore it's not that surprising how the music grows to encompass the lyrics and "The Fortress of Solitude" certainly grows. It takes the opportunities inherent in its length to build inexorably. If I say that it gets a bit operatic then I hope they don't mind: I certainly don't want to suggest any pretension on their part. Equally, the term "diva" has shifted from an accolade to put down over the years, but if anyone locally is fitted to the term in its original sense, then it's Sheryl. It's not just about size & range of voice but also about presence & size of heart.

And the song is really a "heart" song, as psychological as it is philosophical. If they've been building towards creating it, then I'd venture also to suggest that a band earlier in their career could not have come up with "The Fortress of Solitude": it's a song of experience & reflection.

"The Fortress of Solitude" will be launched on May 2^nd at a special screening of its video on the big screen at the LTB Showrooms at the Priory Visitor Centre in Coventry from 1600 with donations of £3 (to fund the charity who run the venue) requested.