Diamonds, Gavins Dancing, plus Jello finally debuting in a video - news roundup for 2nd March 2022
Diamonds, Gavins Dancing, plus Jello finally debuting in a video - news roundup for 2nd March 2022
As we reach the mid-point and the start of March here’s the latest music news!
We begin with music catalogue news as Neil Diamond announced on March 1st that he has given all rights to his recordings - including 110 unreleased ones to Universal Music Group.
Under the new agreement, which includes previously unreleased tracks, UMG will also record and release Diamond’s future music, should he decide to return to the studio.
In making the announcement, Neil Diamond said: “After nearly a decade in business with UMG, I am thankful for the trust and respect that we have built together and I feel confident in the knowledge that Lucian, Jody, Bruce, Michelle and the global team at UMG, will continue to represent my catalogue, and future releases with the same passion and integrity that have always fueled my career.”
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group said: “Neil Diamond is by definition, a truly universal songwriter. His immense songbook and recordings encompass some of the most cherished and enduring songs in music history. Through our existing partnership, we are honored to have earned his trust to become the permanent custodians of his monumental musical legacy.”
[Photo credit - Eric Molyneaux]
The Seafloor Cinema recently bought out their new album In Cinemascope with Stereophonic Sound via Pure Noise Records and today bring out the video inspired by the Wild West for ‘Crash Nebula… On Ice!’
Speaking on their latest single, vocalist/bassist Justin Murry comments: Instrumentally, 'Crash Nebula' is what we thought karate would sound like if it was a song. However, the lyrics can be taken in many ways. To some, the song may be about being disillusioned with the fact that they might be the reason why everything around them, that was once beautiful, has been drained to maintain an increased dependency on the idea of social status and self-indulgences. For others, the song might reflect that moving forward hurts, especially when it’s one step at a time, on a road made of roses.
Commenting on the video, Justin adds: “Making music videos has always been a good sense of expression and humour. We try not to take ourselves too seriously and we want to make a fun listening and watching experience for the viewer (and it’s also fun for us to test how much stupid stuff our video guy will actually let us get away with). The idea for the video came about when a friend and mentor of the band, Salvador Fernandez, said ‘country music is just farm emo.’ With that idea planted in our head, we knew we had to make a “farm emo” music video and the rest is history!”
Dance Gavin Dance have announced UK/EU dates for September 2022 - check them out here:
Great news from Jo Quail as she has signed to By Norse and will be releasing on May 6th her latest album - The Cartographer following her performance at the excellent Roadburn Festival of the commissioned work of the same name in April.
“The Cartographer” is a piece composed of prose of five phrases, each phrase containing an intention for the different movements. Each of these musical phrases is pared through the artist’s pitch system and created the musical motif on which the whole work is based. This motif is presented in full in the first solo violin entry.
Jo Quail comments: “The music I write tends to evolve even after I’ve recorded and released it and having, unexpectedly, had the extra time to spend with The Cartographer has allowed me to deepen my connection to it. It has grown in a way that means whilst the dots on the page remain unchanged, it’s somehow not quite the same piece I would have presented in 2020 but it tells the same story – I hope, better!
“I tend to have a very particular structure in mind when I begin writing, and this was especially true for “The Cartographer” – I can then work more intuitively to paint the narrative within that framework. There is always a narrative or story that I’m telling, and those listening will create their own story from what they hear – I love that.”
Ezra Collective bring the space funk with their new single ‘May The Funk Be With You’. "One of the blessings in the storm of lockdown was the opportunity to have jam sessions in the studio”, reflects bandleader, Femi Koleoso. “No theme, no preparation, no plan - just let the funk happen organically. The magic of improvisation and spontaneity will always be part of Ezra Collective and "May The Funk Be With You," perfectly encapsulates that.”
Ministry and Jello Biafra follow up their many collaborations such as Lard and Rio Grande Blood’s ‘Ass Clown’ with a video for the track ‘Sabotage Is Sex’ taken from Ministry’s latest record Moral Hygiene. The BIG news is this actually contains Jello’s VIDEO DEBUT.
“My compliments to the chef!! Not like any other MINISTRY video either. It’s amazing what can be done dirt cheap in your bedroom, with some kool found footage and a few clever ideas. Two phones, two takes and my work is done. Fun! I knew there’d finally come a day where I could bust out those Fez hats kids stole from their parents, and threw at DEAD KENNEDYS on our ‘85 FrankenChrist tour.”
Cardiff alternative rock duo James and the Cold Gun are pleased to announce the details of their debut EP False Start, set for release on April 29th 2022 through Gallows' label Venn Records and Seattle-based label Loosegroove Records, owned by Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) & Regan Hagar (Malfunkshun, Brad, Satchel).