Swerving Into The Setting Sun

Everyone is probably writing about this, so why shouldn't we? Especially seeing as one of the best sets of the 2009 My Bloody Valentine-curated ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival where Sonic Masala was conceived was by Swervedriver (it must be said though that it had been a loooooong weekend, and I found both Bob Mould and Yo La Tengo to be incredibly boring that weekend - so take that as it lies...) Mezcal Head has been a standout record of mine for years and years now (even moreso than Raise). Now, in 2015, the Oxford giants are releasing a new LP! The first official single off I Wasn't Born To Lose You is the languid 'Setting Sun' ('Deep Wound', the first new song that the band had released in 16 years that was put out on legendary Brisbane label Tym Records last year, also makes the album cut). What with this, Adam Franklin's incumbent solo record as Bolts of Melody, Rise's ultra successful reformation shows, the resurgence of walls of sonorous noise worldwide (including on this very label with the continuing love for Roku Music), it is a very exciting time to be a shoegaze enthusiast, that's for sure.

Take Iowa With Complete Control

Melbourne's Iowa have another tune for us, and this time around it doesn't reference SY or Dinosaur Jr insomuch as it resembles the shoegazers of early 90s England - think Adam Franklin covering Souvlaki. Its another ace tune, but it begs the question - with so many influences flying, how will Iowa piece it all into a coherent whole when it comes to a longplayer? Well, hopefully we will find out soon. Until then though, hand over the controls to these guys and enjoy...

Iowa - Complete Control

Hope This Friday Cover Up Finds You Well...

(Photo by Ryan Muir)

I'm posting this track without due conversation with Paul, so you may get two cover versions for the price of one today - if so, lucky you!

Regardless of this possible breakdown in communication, I wanted to post about Hopewell anyway. The New York band have just released a live album, recorded at this year's Truck Festival as well as ATP New York (having been handpicked by The Flaming Lips). It showcases their penchant for spaced psychedelia, a mainstay of the band since founder Jason Russo toured as a part of Mercury Rev when only 19. They have released a number of albums, the last being Good Good Desperation last year, and have had a steady rise in following since supporting the likes of psych pop slackers The Brian Jonestown Massacre, kings of shoegaze My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin. They are about to embark on a Stateside tour with The Dandy Warhols, who may not be at the top of their game but at one stage had the pysch pop slacker corner pretty much covered. This live album (titled, funnily enough, Hopewell Live) is a well realised affair, so much so that some of the tracks are studio quality. It came out on Tuesday via South Cherry Entropy, but is digital only at the moment though - check it out on their Bandcamp site here.

But why a Friday Cover Up? Because they close off proceedings with a pitch perfect rendition of Jane's Addiction's 'Of Course'. And if Perry Farrell had a bit more down home nostalgia to his freaked out wigouts, Hopewell might have been his starring vehicle. Enjoy Sonic Masala-ers - see you on the other side.

Hopewell - Of Course (live - Jane's Addiction cover)
Hopewell - Trumpet For A Lung (live)

The Sun Sets…to bring on a (much belated) Magnetic Morning

One of the surprise delights of the music calendar for 2009 was seeing underrated 90s indie shoegaze gods Swervedriver lose none of their power as they blew away all comers at ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas.

One of my all time favourite festival gigs was in 2005. Splendour in the Grass, Australia’s premier multi-day outdoors festival, always has a stellar line-up. And amongst the awesomeness of that year, the clear standout was NYC’s new upstarts, Interpol.

With Interpol quietly lurking in the shadows as their new LP looms to launch, and Swervedriver strengthening their fan base with many big line shows since reforming in 2008, I thought that now was a good time to harken back a year or two to look at a collaborative effort that has been morbidly maligned, and sadly overlooked, in equal measures.

Back in 2006 these two forces combined – well, of sorts. Interpol skinsman Sam Fogarino and Swervedriver’s voice Adam Franklin, linked by a mutual friend, formed the Setting Suns, later changing their creative collective’s name to Magnetic Morning soon after. They released a self titled EP in 2007, followed by their only album A.M. late in 2008. The music has divided - never moreso than in the two heavyweights of internet music, Pitchfork and Drowned in Sound, which raped and raved respectively. Anyway, make up your own mind. It may not eclipse anything the two members' day jobs have put out, but it is worthy of airplay in its own right. It drones along, but with a weightlessness that positively shimmers, with the occasional guttural squall to quell that Swervedriver thirst... Im a bit of a fan, anyways.

Oh, and futher Swervedriver news - Adam Franklin continues to pump out the solo stuff. I Could Sleep For A Thousand Years comes out later this year through Second Motion.

Magnetic Morning - Motorway

Magnetic Morning - Indian Summer