Such is the dynamism of Ellie Gowers & her zest for sharing new music with you  that despite the popular & critical success of her last single "Love in a Park (on a Sunday Afternoon)" that there has been no laurel resting activity as "I Can be Right for You" comes out today: the latest instalment of her forthcoming EP, 'You, the Passenger', which itself is due on 9^th November.

While calling it "a bit of a sad one", she also seems relieved of an emotional burden by releasing it: let's face it, one word which must crop up often in reviews of this artist is "intense" and being the sole bearer of many of her highly emotional songs must be quite exhausting at times:  much better for us to help her with the load.

Mind you, the quantity & quality of her live work recently must also make her yearn for the tranquillity of the wild country she appreciates so much. She's touring nationally herself, just been supporting Gemma Hayes on tour (including at the iconic Union Chapel) and beginning a tour as a member of The Magpies. And of course she's been playing as a member of Filkin's Ensemble too.

Another aspect of the high octane fuel on which her artistry runs (though she is not a fossil fuel fan I imagine) is how exquisitely Ellie can pirouette emotionally: that  "Love in a Park (on a Sunday Afternoon)", easily the song where she abandons herself to unrestrained joy the most thrillingly, should be followed by one which is much cooler in temperature demonstrates not merely her range but the frisson of her live gigs where she takes you on an emotional journey of her own, rather than your itinerary. That's why her star rises so high: you may feel elated, drained or bits of both after seeing her play, but you are never left in a  bland middle ground.

Picking up familiar Ellie motifs like birds on the wing, the sound is pretty unique: a sort of hybrid with nods to her earlier folk work but much lusher in the arrangement. She has evolved beyond the strict confines of genre while retaining the affection & admiration of her original audience (and it's worth observing perhaps that she still engages with the roots community via her ensemble activities).

The other big evolution is that after a career singing of others, whether humanity in general or the most specific nineteenth century individuals, in her current work, Ellie is finally exploring herself.

Whether "I Can be Right for You" serves as a direct narrative prequel to "Love in a Park (on a Sunday Afternoon)" (though it seems to work in that fashion) or not, the songs so far released from 'You, the Passenger', though not all introspective in nature (which she does very well mind you), certainly turn the spotlight upon the first person. Whether this was a reticence on her part earlier in her career or altruism, I cannot say (as I don't know), but it's good to see her deploying the compassion she has showed others upon herself.

This is Ellie Gowers though remember & while plenty of commercial wannabes would recycle the tropes on a song like this, she lays herself emotionally bare & while the arrangement may distract from the acerbity of the ideas for a while, it won't for long.

The track is so obviously aimed at one unspecified individual but its title serves as a payoff line for a reviewer: please feel free to apply it to yourselves in relation to this unique artist.

You can catch Ellie's Coventry date on her tour at The Tin on 9th November: tickets via this link

https://thetinmusicandarts.org.uk/events/ellie-gowers/

Amber Liadan may be hard to categorise but is wonderfully easy to listen to.

Now based in Warwickshire and making an impact on the Midlands music scene, she's been described as a New-Indie Pop-Folk Irish-South African artist', indicating her appeal to a wide range of musical tastes. She has also been called a lyrical genius and all-powerful vocalist transfixing the hearts of her fans and followers.

You can see for yourself when she brings her band to headline CVFolk's ‘Second Sunday' concert in the Studio of the Albany Theatre, Coventry on Sunday, October 13^th.

Born into a musical family in Ireland, Amber has lived in South Africa, studied in Indonesia, recorded in London, and busked in The People's Park in Dublin while holding down a residency in nearby Dun Laoghaire.

Since moving to our neck of the woods, she's stormed several Midlands venues and captured hearts at last year's Shipston Proms as winner of their ‘Introducing Competition' before opening the main stage for the final evening of the festival.

Following the release of her acclaimed album Warrior, her 2023 single, In Your Arms was showcased on BBC Introducing. Her latest single, Saturday night, merges alternative rock with upbeat pop elements, producing a sound that's both thought-provoking and danceable. 

2024 is proving a landmark year. It started with a bang when Amber made her debut Sofar Sounds performances at the x+why Foundry, in Birmingham. And last month saw her back in South Africa, getting married to her lead guitarist Phil Moffett!

Amber's band also features ace musicians, Dave Male on drums and Carol Whitworth providing bass and harmonies.  Carol has worked with world music band Jabba Cartel and is a member of annA rydeR's new trio Elks Jumping High. She previously appeared for CVFolk with Andrew Sharpe and Wes Finch in their line-up The Cellar Tapes.

The Albany Theatre concert starts 7.30pm and also features performances by two popular home-grown acts. Alys Rain is a musical project by Coventry-based Izzy Hadlum who appears with Louis Scheuer to explore elements of dark folk through expert and intricate guitarwork, ethereal vocals and hypnotic rhythms.

And still fresh from their hit run of the Warwick Folk Festival Fringe, acoustic and harmony duo Nowhere Club features Adam Yarnall and Lewis Holmes treating the audience to their set of original and unusual songs.

Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30 start and £11 tickets are available from the Box Office, 02476 998964 or on arrival at the venue.

In my preview of the tenth birthday celebrations for FarGo Village not only did I unfortunately reduce it to a two day affair, but in so doing didn't mention the Friday night's Drft RAVE dance event. Sorry.

Sadly the full enticing programme couldn't take place as both Ben & Nina of Clemency (one of the bands I most wanted to see) fell victim to the continued baleful effects of COVID19. Hopefully they'll recover quickly & we'll get to see them play live again soon.

As you will know, Saturday's headliners were The Primitives, playing a Coventry gig for the first time in ages & Sunday's new local favourites the Dirt Road Band (who also took part in a Q & A beforehand). While on both days entrance was free in the afternoon, these two evening performances cost as little as £3 and that went to Coventry & Warwickshire MIND: what great value.

Even without the joys of Clemency, I was spoiled by one of those powerhouse combinations when Batsch were followed onstage in The Box by Project Overload & then the Duck Thieves. Potent combinations like this are sometimes tricky to process as top class performances succeed each other so quickly.

Batsch, in my opinion, play too infrequently & I'd happily contribute to a campaign to persuade them to do otherwise.

As I said in my review of their new single "Golden Summer" only the other day, I find it hard to see how they can reproduce their complex songs live, especially as they are now "just" a duo of Mason Le Long & Matt Rheeston. I honestly thought that the single was too difficult. Of course I  was wrong.

One aspect of their solution is technical expertise: they were on first so their complex kit could be set up. Another part is flexibility: both sang, Mason used (as a primary instrument) at different times guitar, bass or keyboards & while Matt played his drum kit all set, both were busy with additional items throughout: various boxes & pads etc which all added their parts. Given the complexity too of the drum parts, the overall effect was of songs played by many more people. Taking into account my enjoyment of the original four piece (which was considerable), I honestly cannot see that they needed the now departed colleagues. The sound is in no way diminished.

I've seen Project Overload four times in six months now & while hooked from when I heard their album before seeing them live, like so many others this summer, I'm now so deeply impaled on their qualities that I cannot possibly escape. Excellent to start with, this band never seem to stop. The confidence seems to increase with each outing & so does the set. Rapidly outgrowing their ‘New Beginnings' debut album set (and they tell me that their second is taking shape nicely), they are constantly replacing "old" songs live. (It must be remembered that neither Emily nor Lucas were in the band for the first few recordings of the album so it's utterly understandable that the numbers in question have less relevance for this now "classic" lineup of the band).

What did catch me unawares (thank you Project Overload: that's another reason I like you so much) was that one of them was an instrumental: didn't see that one coming….and that is pretty helpful in reminding us though one of their key assets is a vocalist with a charismatic visual stage presence (and in fact got them a slot on July's Love + Madness female orientated event at the Empire despite having an 80% male lineup), the instrumentalists are equally responsible for their reputation: their tightness as a unit is exemplary.

In contrast, Duck Thieves can totally mislead you on that score: their proficiency being almost deliberately masked by the air of near anarchy but sits thrillingly on the edge of live risk taking… as members embark on what looks like reckless on  (and off) stage adventures, one always wonders if they'll get back in place in time. Which they do. Not only do they not even all  start onstage (Michelle & Diana enter through the audience in full costume) but any opportunity to jump back off (Justin too) is taken, swirl their capes or barn dance with audience members is seized & where less possible, engagement carried on by throwing things like viruses or eyeballs. You have to be on your toes at a Duck Thieves gig. This time there was even a giant duck inflatable (with added shades) which was variously sat on, bounced on, chucked around & (by Callum of Project Overload) brandished overhead.

The audience in the Box at FarGo were, I'm delighted to say, as enthused by these local original bands as I was.

Like last week's COVtember audience, there were a lot of other musicians present in support, but quite unlike that event, there were also many people who were at FarGo for the many other non-musical attractions & whom were thus introduced to some great new artists. The number of children too was significant (after a most unfortunate very near miss at Art in the Park I was very careful where I was stepping while taking photos in relation to the high speed excited toddlers) in terms of long term audience building.

As noted before, FarGo is really impressively building its music profile and not only putting on more & more, but deliberately fostering diversity and bringing in interesting musicians from a widening range of often not-very-mainstream styles. And as what I said just now evidences, they are not only playing to the already converted and cognoscenti but attracting new fans: which can only be great for the  wider scene.

As also mentioned last time, Holly Hewitt, Joe Colombi, their own teams & the individual business owners may be working very hard to work these wonders, but they do so against a background of awareness of the location, parking and profile: they deserve their acclaim for reaching ten years, but sustaining FarGo needs consistent support for these events all year round. I was persuading someone I knew to come along this weekend & she said "sorry I can't: I'm working. Is this on all the time?". Well I explained that the weekend's events were exceptional, but that the businesses were there all the time & other music happened there regularly: FarGo is not just there for High Days but needs footfall day in, day out. That's a useful message to share to anyone you know who you feel might appreciate what's going on up there: unfortunately people need telling as it's not a place many will find in passing.

Out today is John Connearn's new EP ‘One Track Mind' which is made up of the songs "Brighter", "Somewhere New", "Simpler Times", "Hold On To It", "A Way Home" and "Bye For Now": the first two of which we've previously featured as single releases.

As with them, these are acoustic instrumental tracks but although I started my consideration of the stylistic period he entered this year with linking "Brighter" to the seasonal mood, I think I'd better start by stressing that the EP is dedicated to the memory of his Mum on her birthday: he says that she knew the pieces and loved them so I can imagine that they have evolved their meaning for him since first composition.

Given the circumstances, it's difficult to dive into any great analysis of the songs on a technical level (and I've never been able to do that with John's releases anyway) but salute this labour of love & the person who inspired the songs' ultimate release.

It's also impossible to listen to them without that dedication in mind & that seems fine to me: good music should be about genuine emotions and lord knows those are what you get. If the beauty is bitter-sweet then so be it. That's John's truth here and no doubt it will resonate with those who can identify with it.

Luckily in offering such a tribute up he has the writing ability to dream these up & the ability to play with sensitivity and appropriate grace: aided, in his own words by "lots of verb and delay": which tend to emphasise the sort of emotions appropriate to the circumstances.

I guess everyone deserves a tribute which is fitting: few would get one of this quality.

On October 25^th, Duke Keats' latest EP, ‘Bornstar' is completed with the addition of the final, title track (joining previous singles "Android", "Data Machinery" and "Heavy Heartbreak") and graciously he's let "Hot Music Live" have a preview.

It's been a busy & righteous month for him, including performing his own material plus a solo version of "The Ballad of John & Yoko" (originally a number one hit for The Beatles in the unlikely event that you don't recognise the title) at the "Acorns for Peace" walk in collaboration with Coventry Food Union & London's Goldsmith's College to mark fifty years since John & Yoko planted acorns at Coventry Cathedral.

So I'll get the obvious comment out of the way first (and I've already rehearsed it in previous articles): isn't the title apt?

Crafted again with collaborator Mason Le Long (who's already appeared in one review in the magazine this week with Batsch and will be again tomorrow) at Subwuf Studio, "Bornstar" is arguably the most clear evidence of their shared musicality: at least as far as the music goes as Duke prefers his vocals lifted higher in the mix than Batsch tend to favour.

Skittering about playfully, the underpinning track neatly bins any attempt to pin a sense of genre down (if any reviewer should be so incautious after so many of his songs): if the opening bars suggest that "he's going a bit Joy Division on this one" then he swerves off into a completely different arc a bit KLF for example. It's hard to think of anyone who performs so  many unexpected manoeuvres so consistently yet pulls them off which such aplomb as to make them sound completely natural.  Bowie perhaps?

Lyrically, we're given something much less obviously linked to the title as "Android" was: again, a bit like the Thin White Duke, our Duke likes the elliptical & oblique as much as the direct. You do need to process all this artist's tracks to get out of them even a fraction of the detail he crafts into them (and it's so much more rewarding when you do). Personally I think I can detect within this one various musings on his life within the musical world: the struggles, the interactions with others of various degrees of helpfulness, etc. Quite at what level of modesty/confidence/irony/self-awareness we can take the assertion that "I'm a Bornstar" is impossible to guess. Knowing Duke, probably elements of all these. The level of reflection and pondering is high: as with many of his songs (and not least with the objective detachment in their vocals), he does seem to  know & understand more about things than the rest of us. Which is another part of the attraction of his talent.

I'm sure many Dukefans (and probably the artist himself) won't be happy with my tendency to over-intellectualise my response to his songs at the expense as other perspectives, but to me, the fact that his music is so layered that it has and intellectual attraction as well as an emotional one helps explain the accolades.

And this is just the tip of a Ducal iceberg: so prolific is this artist that he has not one but two more entire EPs ready to go (plus the most exciting potential collaboration with another musician whom I mention whenever I get the opportunity): so much so that I advise you to look out for unexpected appearances since he told me: "..the industry model of releasing singles each month is too slow for me.." To be honest, the thought of Duke Keats working to anybody's model other than his own, let alone the stultifying commercial one, had not crossed my mind.

So keep on watching this space for your Duke Keats updates.

One of my strategies in writing reviews is to limit the subjects to those which arouse genuine enthusiasm in me so I can pass that onto you in good faith and recommend whatever I'm writing about. Hopefully, that also makes for pieces which ring true.

This is necessarily subjective & I almost certainly rave about songs & artists that not everyone reading can follow me to with as much abandon & equally there are undeniably popular ones whom I pass on because they ring no bells for me.

From time to time though we may approach consensus and that's when things really excite me as I feel groundswells of increasing recognition for artists I admire & the feeling that I have called things right. Thankfully there have been a few such of late.

One of my habits at gigs is to occasionally turn round from looking at the stage & check out the audience. Occasionally this is a bad idea as I get frustrated (OK, angry) when I see people talking, texting, turning their back, going to the bar etc during sets they should be giving their full attention. However when I see 100% rapt attention then that's a very good feeling. From time to time I like to think that I see the odd jaw drop.

This was the case with the HEK set at COVtember on Saturday & it was most gratifying (I've written so many fulsome reviews on this band).

I mentioned in my article on COVtember what a high percentage of the audience were other musicians (so they know what's the real deal) and after the HEK set, I conducted a little straw poll & asked some what they thought. Most had not seen the band before (which increased the effect upon them) and the consensus I mentioned above was not merely that they enjoyed it but were highly impressed with what they'd experienced.

I think (and so do many others) that HEK possess all the attributes necessary to kick onto the next level of their career. If there is anyone better nationally at this type of music then I'm not aware of who that might be.

All of which is a big build up to their latest single, "Where You Gone" which is available from 5^th October.

Their run of songs from their debut "Couche Moi C'est La Vie" has been flawless: one important factor in building this sort of reputation must be keeping quality control at its highest level.

Nevertheless, this one demonstrates not just such standards but positive development. Whereas the writing has been superb & the skills & taste of the band ideal to convey it, I get the sense that HEK are constantly exploring their own potential: not just as individual musicians (that's beyond any sort of dispute) but as a collective entity pooling their talents & creating something more than a sum of the parts.

One word I didn't ever think of using about the HEK songs was "catchy": which frankly   is an omission. Possibly I tend to think that reviews should use more elevated vocabulary (others might say "pompous" I suppose) but I stand corrected after one of the band used it to me. They are beautifully crafted examples of timeless writing which means their power will persist when more ephemeral fads have faded away. She also told me how cross-generational their appeal was which again makes for a broad & deep audience (and explains some of the reactions on Saturday).

I think that the band are freshly minted in terms of what music is in 2024, but that is in no way incompatible with having an understanding of & love for what has gone before: it's a rich recipe for a subtly blended dish.

By no conceivable measure is this a retro band in terms of slavish adherence to templates which have been & gone (and in the meantime worn right through by pure "tribute" bands). This is right on the money but from a band whose guitarist made his own (more tasteful) tribute to a really famous one by quoting a solo at the Empire gig I attended, it's not surprising how little touches of licks & riffs make the song require repeated plays nor how other more fundamental elements such as making prominent use of Lucy's keyboard & of vocal harmonies show HEK honing their trademark sound.

The five instruments & two vocals blend together into one organic whole yet the production is so good that each possesses clarity within it (and on another aside, I know of one highly respected local producer who thinks so highly of them that he canvassed their availability) though I also appreciated the considerable number of drop outs which gave members little showcase moments.

Yes, it's catchy: it lopes along with that elegant motion you'll find in Iggy Pop's "The Passenger": sounds simple but it's not really. Is it their most commercial yet? Well the competition is stiff but you'll not hear me arguing with you. It's compelling & radio friendly & great live (they played it on Saturday so I know) so like the band possesses all the right ingredients: probably just needs that lucky break but if people reading this stream it, acquire it, share it etc, those help.  What it certainly is not is that sort of cynical approach to the justifiable quest for commercial success: there is no aping of other acts nor working to any formula associated with mainstream music. The passion of the delivery is one of their most commendable attributes & if they get the career they deserve, it won't be via artistic compromise.

Accordingly, the lyrics are Reiss' usual sophisticated ones: allusive and instinctive rather than mundanely predictable & banal (he's certainly no devotee of the "how now brown cow" school) and although his intensity (another of their live characteristics) is palpable, you need to dive into his words & run them round your mind before you can decide what they mean to you, let alone him.

This could be The One. In a just world, it should be.

And so we come to what might be the third in a trilogy of singles released so late in the summer of 2024 that we might wonder if the timing is an attempted conjuration on the part of each artist to prolong the sunny season. We have had "Love in a Park (on a Sunday Afternoon)" from Ellie Gowers, "Rock Girl Summer" from Abz Winter & now "Golden Summer" from Batsch: their follow up to June's "Knew No Different".

However this is Batsch we are talking about & while the first two songs mentioned above bubble with unmediated optimism & surrender to the (sunny) moment, Mason (Le Long) & Matt (Rheeston) offer their own truths: which are as skewed from the orthodox perspective as their previous work would suggest.

Honesty is the bedrock of all I seek in an artist: pretty much all else in terms of quality flows from this starting point. This is their viewpoint & we must accept & respect it. It's variation from the mainstream "norm" can only be seen as a plus factor: I really have heard all the summertime cliches and tropes in songs that I want to hear thank you & unless the track reflects personal experiences & feelings like Ellie & Abz's do, then it risks saying nothing new.

Batsch are above all risk takers: not perhaps in the sense of seeking to provoke or outrage, but rather in saying what's on their mind and not having any interest in conforming for the sake of trying to please a broad audience.

That said, they promote themselves as making music for "….fans of Fourtet, Little Dragon, Solange". Rather closer to home, one might add Bar Pandora, Alys Rain, Lucifer Sky, Duke Keats, Shanghai Hostage or Duck Thieves and many others, all of whom share, in one format or another, that lack of fear in establishing (through experimentation when necessary) whatever music best articulates what they hear in their heads regardless of mainstream nostrums & their constraints. Yet all these artists do possess significant fanbases of the open minded and all are popular live: it can be done if you discard any fear. And since Batsch were operating before any of the above, one could speculate on their role in preparing the necessary environment. Their own influence also extends to side projects such as Matt's Riizbo, their enigmatic !nvisible Hand and again one could conjecture how much this liberating philosophy empowers the young bands such as Project Overload or Loophole whom Mason mentors & produces.

"Golden Summer" has its tongue in its cheek regarding its name, but is one of their charming, melodic & playful songs with a valid message. The seasonal changes can be traumatic to those who are sensitive to change (and factor in climate anxieties for deepening this) and we end up with the psychologically interesting notion of someone whose only "enjoyment" of summer can be vicariously through that of those around him.

Popular music has occasionally dabbled in exploring the "dark" side of summer ("Cruel Summer" by Bananarama or "The Other Side of Summer" by Elvis Costello: the latter of which was exploring the ecological issues even in 1991) but for the most part, these look at phenomena within summer: "Golden Summer" goes further into an unusual seasonal affective disorder.

Not of course that the musical backdrop for all this angst gives much away about the lyrical content. Juxtaposing the moods of words & sounds is one of the first elements in the Batsch manual. Other ones much reflect a very low boredom threshold in terms of reproducing what's gone before and "how much can we get away with & still keep it melodic?".

Well they've spent a career jabbing away at that last envelope, expanding it but never bursting it. Deconstructing the elements is beyond me & why should  I try? It's the whole they want us to hear, not the sum of their parts. Some of these do seem to have originated on conventional instruments: others presumably were generated or found. The combination clearly took a lot of imagination & effort and is worth it: it keeps you on your toes and if one moment you feel like dancing (someone else has dubbed them ‘dark disco') then they never let you settle into a state of complacency and constantly seek to unsettle you.

Otherwise, they seem to have had as much fun behind the desk as in front of it. Sounds & performances put in appearances but through various processes so that they play a variety of roles in the song. Other elements suddenly pop in, vanish & may or may not recur. It's possible some do but treated differently so I didn't spot what had happened. I have to confess that I initially assumed (never a good idea with this band) that Mason sang "Knew No Different" but I was wrong. It's hard to tell with processed vocals though. He sings this one he tells me.

It all comes across as impossible to recreate live, but I bet they will. Which leads me neatly on to the final paragraph.

As a bonus, you can also experience an event which is rarer than it ought to be & that's a Batsch live performance: it'll be at the FarGo 10^th Birthday celebration on Saturday 28^th September at 1430: after which you can see Project Overload, Duck Thieves, Special Brew, The Bellows, Bobbie Dazzle & The Primitives. It's free to see Batsch & the three succeeding artists. The last three require a ticket but it's a mere £3 with all proceeds going to Coventry & Warwickshire MIND (here is the link:

https://www.fargovillage.co.uk/product/the-big-birthday-saturday-music)

I suppose that if you are a smart & witty artist in the mould of Euan Blackman, and you have recorded a song called "Sneak Attack", then it's rather a clever idea to release it with minimal warning. It's out today on Ripe Records.

The final single before his third EP ‘Thunderstorms' drops, he describes it as  "…a bit of an 80s pop slay banger.." which he and his band have been enjoying playing live.

Well he's certainly not seeking to deceive us: he's absorbed several sound features which were pretty prevalent during that decade: I've not heard drums like that in a long while.

I suppose that I can imagine the likes of Go West having come up with something like this (since they are apparently still around, maybe they'd like to cover "Sneak Attack"?) though it's not precisely an exercise in retro-styling: the progress of the intervening four decades has ensured that Euan is singing of today, even with some of the clothes of yesteryear on the song.

Most obviously, back in those days, pop songs not only had a tendency to veer towards the aspirational and the materialistic but also to be brightly optimistic.

The current generation has evolved many more traits of self-reflection and empathy with awareness of what uncontrolled materialism can do so this song is much less self-absorbed that would have been the case in 1984. Allied to Euan's continuing trademark processed vocals (I think he has a setting marked "wistful" on his desk), it celebrates the 80's sound while subverting its more deplorable values.

Beyond that, it's another of his newly minted move into more upbeat songs & will fit nicely with the other ‘Thunderstorms' tracks we've heard so far: "NOTHING2U", "Butterfly" and "I Don't Think About It (Too Much)" while complementing them rather than being cut from identical cloth: while the Smashing Pumpkins comparison was apt for "NOTHING2U", it most certainly isn't with this one!

EMILY BARKER 

ANNOUNCES EXTENSIVE UK TOUR DATES

PLUS, SHARES NEW SINGLE:
"TONIGHT, TONIGHT"
(SMASHING PUMPKINS COVER)
STREAM HERE || WATCH HERE

NEW ALBUM ‘FRAGILE AS HUMANS' - OUT NOW


"Barker's writing has never been so pin sharp" - MOJO ★★★★
"tender and deep" - Ann Powers (NPR)
"truly exquisite" - Full Pelt Music  ★★★★
"an overflow of talent" - The Arts Desk

Following the release of new album ‘Fragile As Humans', EMILY BARKER has announced a slew of UK Dates.

The dates are preceded by a new cover version of the Smashing Pumpkins classic "Tonight, Tonight" listen to it now.

STREAM HERE || WATCH HERE

The Smashing Pumpkins were a radio staple when Barker was a teenager in Western Australia.

"...they occupied a lot of my listening time just after I'd finished school, got my driver's licence and bought a bright yellow VW Beetle that I refurbished with my dad. The car was bought for only A$250 but I saved up to fit it with a $1k stereo so I could blast out albums like 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness'."

Some years later she had a vivid dream about stepping up onto stage to play drums for The Smashing Pumpkins and wrote a poem about it.

#drummerdream
In a city of metal, glitter & stretched skin
behind a leathered band & thick black curtains
my heart beats double kick because
I'm the drummer of The Smashing Pumpkins
and we're seconds away from walloping
into a sold-out stadium set.
The crowd are amped, keen to be teens again:
Tonight, Tonight smells of unrequited crushes,
Lynx Africa & the burn of firsts remembered.
Every song cradles place, past, peers, DNA.
Curtains rise & the roar is biblical. Billy turns
to me through the smoke, his scream starts the roll
of the Cherub Rock intro on snare. I raise sticks
above my head, count ONE! TWO! THR –

When she was recording her latest album "Fragile as Humans" at The Wool Hall, producer Luke Potashnick suggested they do a couple of covers - 'Tonight, Tonight' felt like an obvious choice for Barker and the band set about creating a version that took the song in a rolling, acoustic Beck "Sea Change"-esque direction.

Emily Barker is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Western Australia. Her song "Nostalgia" was the theme for the acclaimed BBC crime drama "Wallander" starring Kenneth Branagh. Her songwriting has been acclaimed by The Guardian ("Emily Barker has a gift for great melodies"), NPR ("one the most literate and probing folk albums of the year") and The Australian ("irresistibly catchy"). She has toured extensively, including with Frank Turner and Mary Chapin Carpenter, and was the 2018 UK Americana Artist of the Year. Barker's first collection of poetry "Where The Black Swans Swim" was published this year through UK publisher Broken Sleep Books.

Barker is on tour in the UK, first in November supporting King Creosote, and then again in 2025 for some headline dates with her full band.

EMILY BARKER - UK DATES

Supporting King Creosote:

• 15 Nov 2024 - STIRLING Tolbooth
• 16 Nov 2024 - EDINBURGH Usher Hall
• 18 Nov 2024 - SUNDERLAND Fire Station
• 19 Nov 2024 - WARWICK Warwick Arts Centre
• 20 Nov 2024 - LEICESTER International Arts Centre
• 22 Nov 2024 - NOTTINGHAM Metronome
• 23 Nov 2024 - MANCHESTER RNCM
• 24 Nov 2024 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
• 26 Nov 2024 - BRIGHTON Komedia
• 27 Nov 2024 - EXETER Phoenix
• 28 Nov 2024 - LONDON Union Chapel
• 29 Nov 2024 - LONDON Union Chapel

Headline UK Dates with full band:

• 23 Jan 2025 - BELFAST The Deer's Head (Out to Lunch Festival)
• 25 Jan 2025 - BRISTOL The Lantern
• 26 Jan 2025 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
• 28 Jan 2025 - NEWCASTLE Cluny 2
• 30 Jan 2025 - LIVERPOOL St Michael-in-the-Hamlet
• 31 Jan 2025 - MANCHESTER Deaf Institute
• 01 Feb 2025 - LONDON Omeara
• 02 Feb 2025 - STROUD Sub Rooms
• 04 Feb 2025 - CAMBRIDGE Portland Arms
• 05 Feb 2025 - BRIGHTON The Prince Albert
• 06 Feb 2025 - TWYFORD St Marys Church

Tickets HERE

EMILY BARKER - NEW ALBUM:
‘FRAGILE AS HUMANS' - OUT NOW

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w/ https://www.emilybarker.com/

Such is the modesty of  Louis B Scheuer that although I chatted with him at COVtember over the weekend, he never mentioned that he had a new release out: namely 'Treasure Island'.

However modesty might only be part of the picture as a degree of enigma is in there too.

'Treasure Island' started as a four track EP apparently & was "whittled down" to a pair of songs now released as a double A-side… except that while artists give EPs titles in addition to those of the songs, I've not heard of that applying to a single before. And there is another aspect of mystery you'll need to unwrap yourselves by going to his Bandcamp site. Since the songs are "pay as you see fit/can afford", you have no reason not to download the EP/single really.

However for the purposes of this review, pending your own explorations, I'll focus on "Liz Don't Leave" and "Paulina (A Soft Farewell)", both written on a boat and featuring Ben Jennings on lead guitar and backing vocals.

The mood is certainly consistent with some sort of relaxation aboard & a long way from either his punk work with Hedcheese or the authentic bluegrass of the Mudlands String Band. This is an artist with multiple stylistic instincts & stories to tell in each.

Both are obviously songs of parting (which I assume played a part in the process mentioned above. However there could be senses of subversion embedded within. The very jaunty (think 1960s movie soundtrack bossa nova style) song to Liz seems to be an unsuccessful plea to her not to take her own life.

Paulina gets a similarly jaunty one but this time in Country & Western format and though less obviously as dark as the preceding track, seems to deal with regret & apology for hurts inflicted and leaves the narrator adrift on the boat on which it was written.

Both songs will insinuate themselves instantly into your head but once you start concentrating on the words, you'll respond to the subtlety & seditious nuances with something of the emotional start which valuable music ought to provoke.

I'd also like to draw your attention to the latest Louis-organised "No Peace" event at The Fusilier in Leamington on 9^th November (starting at 1800) featuring Stegosaurus Sex Party, Black Tape, The Boss Knots, Luxury Nan Smell, Ms Carol DJ & Disco Lou.

As with last year's event, COVtember 2024 must rate as a roaring (in every sense) success.

Conceived initially by Paul Quinn as an annual charitable fundraiser (with the beneficiaries changing each year), that of course must be seen as the chief value of all the efforts.

Yet as a slightly subsidiary outcome, the three day festival at The Tin has evolved into a very significant cultural event: arguably the most intense showcase of wholly local artists (the Godiva Festival will always draw more people in a vastly bigger environment but nearly all their headline acts are non-local).

Whether or not 2024 can be said as being "better" than last year's is moot: comparisons can be misleading & odious, but there is no doubt that COVtember as evolved into a very powerful expression of the local musical zeitgeist & long may it remain so.

The lineup Paul put together with Joe Colombi of Sink or Swim Promotions was spectacular again. I feel very validated in the high degree of cross-over with the artists whom we have championed at "Hot Music Live": the sense of shared values is palpable.

In 2024 this meant slots for artists including HEK, Bar Pandora, Man Made Moon, The Rollocks, The Muthas, Stegosaurus Sex Party, The Loaded, Brass Hip Flask and Vertigo Flowers who have already appeared on "Hot Music Live Presents" volumes.

However (hopefully like HMLP), COVtember has its eye on the future and occasionally the honoured past and so there were also appearances for the likes of  Concrete Fun House or Creaking Twitch whom we'd love to feature similarly, recently recommended ones like Otto and the Dark who again now appear on our list but also ones like Celestial who'd not managed to convene for four years or so & were effectively playing as a special reunion.

But that's merely the beginning of the aspects worth telling you about. It's easy to list performers, less so to convey the atmosphere. It was convivial but also communal. There were so many other musicians in the audience (and it's one of those events where bands stay to watch others play) and a genuine sense of being delighted in the performances of others. No wonder that rubbed off on those on stage: everyone really seemed to be having a ball.

The logistics also need a mention before we go any further. The pace of changes was challenging yet the set times I witnessed were hit: despite the complexity of the technical setups of many artists (and despite the temptation to slim down in this respect, I didn't see anyone compromise on kit: they all wanted to display their best), the sound was superb throughout: hats off to the crew and also those staffing the bar etc. It really was a communal effort.

Given that degree of enthusiasm filtered through excellent sound, it's hardly surprising that the standard of what I heard was vey high: I enjoyed what I heard irrespective of the wider implications.

I wouldn't want to underplay the latter though: this sort of event, designed in this way & lovingly curated by Paul & Joe is an ideal ground for developing local music: the ideas of cliques &  competition are not in the picture. The people involved care for others.

Some of these artists I'd like to hope are developing to the point where they will experience significant career breakthroughs in 2025: we may be seeing less of them locally, so I'm glad we saw them this weekend. Others may remain stalwarts of the  Coventry & Warwickshire scene & yet others may just get together when & if circumstances allow for the joy of playing together again. In any event it's all very encouraging as well as enjoyable. Roll on next year's event.

The release of "Lucky Luke" by Lemon Boy marks a moment when after my mentioning so many times that the artist behind the name is called Luke Bates, he actually references his given appellation in a song title.

As noted when I last reported on his work ("She Makes Me Want To Stay" & "My Darling" last December), he had moved his signature sound onwards from wistful mood pieces into what he described as "happier sounding" ones.

"Lucky Luke" certainly sounds like he's continuing to head in that particular direction (possibly on horseback) but in so many ways this is unlike anything he's put out before.

The humour stands out from the very beginning: for all his many other gifts of nuance, touch & taste, this quality hasn't ever been one that I'd picked out before.

Nor have I had the chance to draw any samples to your attention as I do now or to describe his playing as anything belonging in the territory of rockabilly.

While the title is almost certainly a nod to his own name (and hopefully his current state of self-esteem), at the surface level, driven by that introductory sample, the song's protagonist is a cowboy. Yes, a cowboy is the hero of a Lemon Boy track. Never thought I'd be writing that down. Based on a 1992  TV series which derives from a 1991 film  based on a 1980's animated TV show which in turn derives from a 1940s Belgian comic strip (quite a history), both Roger Miller & Arlo Guthrie have been involved in music relating to the franchise.

Luke's song is absolutely delightful. He really just takes the name & the western setting & doesn't seek to tie a narrative to what I've just outlined, nor does he take those previous musical contributions as any sort of template for his own song.

He describes it as "simpler" than his earlier work and given the delicate complexity of the arrangements & subtle playing on those, he's accurate, though it's great to hear the exuberance & authenticity of his Western guitar work here. To a player of his talents, it may have been a simpler exercise for him, but the depth of integrity is just as profound.

Long term Lemon Boy followers may be shaken by this latest turn of events (it really could be a completely different artist) but frankly complacency is nothing to be commended in a creative individual & I've always found the thrill of being surprised by someone to be part of my enjoyment of checking out new music: whether by someone whose work I'd never previously encountered or by one whom I'd fallen into the error of thinking I knew all about.

And I do love "Lucky Luke". It grabbed me instantly & won't let go. I'm very partial to this sort of thing anyway but if I'm being honest, it is more accessible to a broader audience than his previous work & ought therefore build up his fanbase. If you get the chance, please give it a spin (I've added it to the current "Hot Music Live Presents" Spotify playlist). However deeply you've been into Lemon Boy & his music before, I think that you'll enjoy "Lucky Luke" purely on its own merits & beyond that you get the privilege of witnessing an artist confounding expectations. Which is exciting.