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Life Elsewhere

Life Elsewhere

By Norman B

About Art, Culture, and Media hosted by Norman B
www.lifeelsewhere.co
info@lifeelsewhere.co
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Life Elsewhere Music Vol 320

Life Elsewhere Apr 22, 2023

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Life Elsewhere Music Vol 334

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 334

This volume was not intended to be a non-stop mix, even though a series of misadventures and unfortunate events dictated there wouldn’t be enough time to record a full commentary. Then, as we put the playlist together it became obvious that the music we had selected worked so well segueing from one cut to another. In fact, it was almost as if the music we curated would only work as a nonstop, continuous mix. Listen, and follow along with details here.

⁠Toby - Aint It (ft. Chelsea Warner)

We begin with a delightful (familiar?) sounding uplifting electro-house cut from Toby Nolan from Australia’s Gold Coast, featuring superb vocals from Sydney singer/songwriter Chelsea Warner“I initially started writing this song in mid-2020 during the height of the Covid lockdown. A few months later I decided to share it with Chelsea to see if she’d be interested in doing some vocals for it. I’ve always thought she had an incredible voice and I thought she would be the perfect fit,” says, Toby.  We agree and top marks for those busy bees at Mammal Sounds for sharing Ain’t It with us.

Faunix - 2Soleils

Mr Ashtree and Phoenix de Pandore are Faunix out of France who enjoy delving into ​​a hybrid crossover of styles. Clarinets, piano, strings, basses, drums, polyphonic voices are all included on their self-titled album. On 2Soleils they conjure up a tasty dub, they describe as “Sun, energy, vibrations, between shadow and light”. Make sure you check out all the cuts.

⁠Vudufa - Lo Que Soño El Margay

Staying in France we head to Radio Chigurio Records out of Paris to hear from Francisco de Los Heros who explores his Afro-Peruvian musical heritage by fusing it with ambient, hip-hop and electronic music. Vudufa creates a magical collision between machines and Peruvian folklore, also paying homage to the Amerindian tribes of Amazonia, mystical ceremonies and subgenres of Afro-Peruvian music such as marinera, festejo, landó, tondero, zamacueca or toromata. Vudufa is inspired by the rhythms inherited from the Peruvian natives and the African slaves of the colonial era. Essential listening.

⁠Perpetual Void - Tree House

The vocals are in there somewhere, “Go to a place. Where no one can hear me scream. They can't see me cry. In my hiding tree” This Glasgow outfit describe their sound as an ambient band creating ethereal, emotive soundscapes. No reason to argue with that, but I do wish that the afore mentioned vocals were w wee bit more pronounced.

⁠Voice Actor - SLUSH 77

This one is on the intriguing Stroom label out of Belgium, who have the byline, “The Girl That Won't Return Your Love But Is Totally Worth It” Here we have music by Noa Kurzweil  (Supertalented) & Levi Lanser (Ludittes) presenting as Voice Actor. The album Fake Sleep is certainly worth your time investigating. There is a lot going with each track, SLUSH 77 being a fine example. Once upon a time this may have been classified as weirdly odd - and that’s a good thing. Interesting sleeve artwork by Luca van Grinsven. Yes, Fake Sleep has been on repeat play at Life Elsewhere Tower once the power came back on.

⁠Exit Rituals - A Fluid Portrait 

Written by Alan Myson & Anneka Warburton Blinding Void is the first EP by Exit Rituals; a new collaborative project from producer and composer Ital Tek and vocalist/songwriter Anneka. This six track EP is a first glimpse into the married pair's ongoing musical experiments, drawing from a much larger body of material as they work towards their debut album. The question is she actually singing “Pink fat, meat bone”? No matter, I like what this Brighton-based couple are doing. Cool sleeve artwork by Anneka

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Aug 21, 202358:60
Coffeeland. Restoring Eden.

Coffeeland. Restoring Eden.

Augustine Sedgewick - Coffeeland: One Man’s Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug

What do you know about coffee? A wonderful new book will change how you look at - or taste coffee again. Augustine Sedgewick takes us on an extraordinary adventure of discovery, revealing details and history, even the most ardent coffee lover will be surprised by. In Coffeeland - One Man’s Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug the learned Augustine Sedgewick has brilliantly chronicled the most consequential revolution by telling the global history of one family. His book is both innovative and factual as he effortlessly untangles the routes that carried coffee from the slopes of El Salvador to the shelves of US supermarkets. Augustine exposes a realm of ruthless entrepreneurs, hardworking laborers, laboratory chemists, and guerrilla fighters. Plus, he is a wonderful and enthusiastic guest. 

All spring, Dr. Elizabeth Hilborn watched as her family fruit farm of many years became increasingly diminished, suffering from a lack of bees. The plentiful wildlife, so abundant just weeks before, was gone. Everything was still, silent. As an environmental scientist trained to investigate disease outbreaks, she rose to the challenge. Step by step, day by day, despite facing headwinds from skeptical neighbors, environmental experts, and agricultural consultants, she’d assembled information. Her observations provided a framework, a timeline to explain the evidence she’d collected.The chemicals found in her water samples showed beyond any doubt that not only her farm, but her greater farming community, was at risk from toxic chemicals that travelled with rain water over the land, into water, and deep within the soil. Hilborn was given a front row seat to the insect apocalypse. Even as a scientist, she’d been unaware of the risks to life from some common agricultural chemicals. Her goal was to protect her farm and the animals who lived there. But first she had to convince her rural neighbors of the risk to their way of life, too. Elizabeth Hiborn is a delightful and informative guest, we’re sure like us, you will be moved by her story.

Elizabeth Hilborn - Restoring Eden: Unearthing the Agribusiness Secret That Poisoned My Farming Community

Aug 21, 202359:23
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 333

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 333

Carnations - I Die

I like everything about this cut from Sydney band, CarnationsI Die is from their debut self-titled five-track cassette on the Urge imprint. Everything works here, the relentless bouncy beat, along with the gloomy title repeated over and over. Not an easy task to accomplish, yet this bunch of talented folk deliver with an almost naive charm. Make sure you check out all the cuts. Nice quirky video, too.

⁠Bedchamber - Patterns

As this one begins, I’m prompted to blurt out, “I know this!” Then the vocals kick in and I realize I almost spoke too soon. Yes, there is that little hook that does sound familiar, but this four-piece from Jakarta, Indonesia are clearly doing their own thing. Patterns comes from Bedchamber’s LP, Capa City, with nine cool tracks to investigate.

⁠Joyful Forfeit - Please Don’t Change

Here is a challenge, listen to Please Don’t Change right up until the bridge before the vocals come in. See if you can describe how you think the vocals will sound. Joyful Forfeit surprised me. This cut is so well accomplished as is the album, Everything Came To Light. Hailing from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Kody Stieve presents as Joyful Forfeit who says “Over the past several years he has developed migraines, where I have difficulty with my field of vision, thought processing, and overall discomfort for periods of time.  Much of that discomfort is in my eyes, where they feel extremely heavy, or painful and that they’ll just fall out of my face”. This goes a long way to explain the emotional and autobiographical mood of Kody’s work. Excellent.

⁠Lemonade Baby - Tints (ft. Kevin Collett)

At this point we are we are satisfyingly familiar with the releases from Australian producer, Lemonade Baby. So, it will come as no surprise we give a big thumbs up to this collaboration with fellow Brisbane based artist Kevin Collett. About the single TintsLB says, “I actually had the vibe and lyrics but just needed a title for the song. I met up with Kevin in the studio and showed him the idea and then laid down a verse in 3 takes. The title Tints sorta works, you can’t see people’s eyes thru tinted glasses, or there is even saying, rose-tinted-glasses which is in theme with the concept.” We don’t recommend dancing while you drive, but you will want to wriggle your bum around to this one.

⁠Varsity - Head In The Clouds

Stephanie SmithDylan WeschlerPatrick StantonJake Stolz and Paul Stolz are Varsity, they are out of Chicago and they make splendid music. I listened to Head In The Clouds a number of times on headphones to make sure I was correct in noting how good the production is. Not complicated or tricky, simply well executed. Interesting artwork for their series of sleeves, too.

⁠Holly Powers - Make Me Feel Light

Aww, Make Me Feel Light captured me immediately. Holly Powers confidently uses delicate vocals and harmonies alongside her accessible yet intriguing melodies. This Edinburgh-based songwriter clearly has a lot of talent. I want to hear more from Holly, much more.

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Aug 07, 202358:60
Rebooting American Health Care. Unprecedented Behavior. Captivating Music.

Rebooting American Health Care. Unprecedented Behavior. Captivating Music.

Liran Einav & Amy Finkelstein - We’ve Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care

Few of us need convincing that the American health insurance system needs reform. But many of the existing proposals focus on expanding one relatively successful piece of the system or building in piecemeal additions. These proposals miss the point. As the Stanford health economist Liran Einav and the MIT economist and MacArthur Genius Amy Finkelstein argue, our health care system was never deliberately designed, but rather pieced together to deal with issues as they became politically relevant. The result is a sprawling yet arbitrary and inadequate mess. It has left 30 million Americans without formal insurance. Many of the rest live in constant danger of losing their coverage if they lose their job, give birth, get older, get healthier, get richer, or move. Einav and Finkelstein suggest it's time to tear it all down and rebuild, sensibly and deliberately. Marshaling original research, striking insights from American history, and comparative analysis of what works and what doesn’t from systems around the world, The authors argue for automatic, basic, and free universal coverage for everyone, along with the option to buy additional, supplemental coverage. Their wholly original argument and comprehensive blueprint for an American universal health insurance system will surprise and provoke. Amy Finkelstein is an engaging guest who manages to explain not only complex but often daunting facts with an effortless charm and grace.

Maureen Callahan - American Predator

Most people have never heard of Israel Keyes, one of the most ambitious and terrifying serial killers in modern history. The FBI considered his behavior unprecedented. Described by a prosecutor as “a force of pure evil,” Keyes was a predator who struck all over the United States. He buried “kill kits”–cash, weapons, and body-disposal tools–in remote locations across the country. Over the course of fourteen years, Keyes would fly to a city, rent a car, and drive thousands of miles in order to use his kits. He would break into a stranger’s house, abduct his victims in broad daylight, and kill and dispose of them in mere hours. And then he would return home to Alaska, resuming life as a quiet, reliable construction worker devoted to his only daughter. When journalist Maureen Callahanfirst heard about Israel Keyes in 2012, she was captivated by how a killer of this magnitude could go undetected by law enforcement for over a decade. And so began a project that consumed her for the next several years–uncovering the true story behind how the FBI ultimately caught Israel Keyes and trying to understand what it means for a killer like Keyes to exist. A killer who left a path of monstrous randomly committed crimes in his wake–many of which remain unsolved to this day. Norman B talks with Maureen about American Predator - The Hunt For The Most Meticulous Serial Killer Of The 21st Century“The most horrific book I have ever read!” He tells Ms. Callahan, adding, “But, I loved every page!”

⁠Andrew Bird - Epilogue

“Most of these were made without any intention of making an album, just improvisations on simple themes. I mostly write lyrics with a guitar in my hand on the couch late at night but to find the real musical language of an album, I go outside with my amp and looping pedal and spin out hours and hours of improvisation”. Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, whistler and songwriter, Andrew Bird talking about his latest album, Outside Problems. The Chicago- based artist picked up his first violin at the age of four and spent his formative years soaking up classical repertoire completely by ear. As a teen Bird became interested in a variety of styles including early jazz, country blues and folk music, synthesizing them into his unique brand of pop. Outside Problems shows that  the subtle economy of Bird’s compositions are captivating.

Aug 07, 202358:60
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 332

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 332

Blue Honey - Sick & Tired

We begin with Sick & Tired a cut from a well-crafted album by Perth-based, Blue Honey. Five members here if you don’t count the two teddy bears I spied in their PR photo. Sick & Tired is an LP I certainly recommend, plus top marks for the impressive drumming.

⁠Mary Jane Dunphe - Stage Of Love

Stage Of Love is from the album of the same name by poet, songwriter, vocalist, performer and video artist, Mary Jane Dunphe. Based in New York, Mary Jane has collaborated in diverse projects and says her work is an idiosyncratic assemblage of crooning and danceable avant-pop songs, full of longing, a love letter to no one in particular. I just discovered Mary Jane's video for Stage Of Love, oh my, please don't break the spell.

⁠Marumaru - Phantom Falling

Avery Hutley presents as Marumaru with Phantom Falling from a double-sided single. Originally from Sydney, Averyis now living in Tokyo, translating manga and recording music at home. Phantom Falling is deceptively alluring, it sounds familiar yet completely new. This is hardly surprising as Marumaru says, “My music is for those ghostly moments when reality falls so far short of fiction, full to bursting with the fear that you feel nothing at all”. Excellent artwork by Emily Husmann.

⁠R. Missing - My Time As A Ghostly Someone Else

New York based vocalist Sharon Shy, who along with musician Toppy present as R. Missing. As you listen to Sharon Shy’s almost deadpan vocals you’ll know there is a story going here with My Time As A Ghostly Someone Else. The smart electro music-bed carries the song along perfectly. For some reason, the song and production conjurs up a futuristic-city vista for me. What do you see?

Current Affairs - No Fuss

OK, I’ll be clear about this one - it’s fantastic! Joan SweeneyAndrew MilkGemma Fleet and Sebastian Ymai, queer activists involved with visual art, festivals, club nights and live art have created an exceptional album with Off The Tongue. These lovely folks out of Glasgow have an energy, a vibrancy I’m always on the look-out for. It was difficult to select just one cut to play, even though No Fuss is truly amazing. Now here is a band I would love to see live and had a sneak peek in the studio when this record was being made. Top marks and Current Affairs are on the brilliant Tough Love imprint, so there.

⁠Tetra Hydro K - Alone Inside (part 1)

Now here is a cut you can dance your socks off to. Tasty production from a French duo who shared this info, Tetra Hydro K is the name of a laboratory based in a secret location, run by Doctors Kanay and Krilong. Their research concentrates on experimenting with organic elements (live musical instruments) in a computer-generated environment. When testing these musical concoctions, specialists have been left scratching their heads with unanswered questions: Is it electronic? Acoustic? Dub? Dubstep? Drum and Bass? Why can’t I stop dancing?” Now, if you believe any of that, I have a bridge to sell you, although, some of that does sound sort of reasonable. Love it!

Witch Prophet - I’m Scared 

Ah, knock me down with a feather. This is so good. I’m Scared is a beautiful song from an exceptional album. Ayo Leilani is Witch Prophet, a Toronto based, singer-songwriter who uses a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz and soul-inspired beats produced by her wife and business partner, Sun SunGateway Experience is a stunning album, focused on the connection with the human brain, dreams, seizures, god and otherworldly abilities. The title of the album is an ode to the released CIA report where they studied the use of sound tapes to manipulate brainwaves with a goal of creating altered states. Examples include out of body experiences, remote viewing, psychic abilities and the ability to heal ones body. Plus, you must take note of the fabulous videos and photography. 

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Jul 31, 202358:59
A Surprising Debut Novel. The Way Of Birds. Etherial Music

A Surprising Debut Novel. The Way Of Birds. Etherial Music

Chuck Collins - Alter To An Erupting Sun

Altar to an Erupting Sun is a near-future story of one community facing climate disruption in the critical decade ahead. Rae Kelliher is a veteran environmental activist and pioneer in the death-with-dignity movement. Facing a diagnosis of terminal illness, she engages in a shocking suicide murder, taking the life of an oil company CEO for his role in delaying responses to climate disruption. Seven years later, Rae’s friends and family gather at her Vermont farm community to try to understand her violent exit and the rapid social transformations around them. Altar to an Erupting Sun focuses attention on the decades-long culpability of the fossil fuel industry in funding denial movements, blocking change. and locking us on course to an uninhabitable earth. Altar lifts up the history of several important movements over the last forty years including the grassroots anti-nuclear power, Central America solidarity, and effort to shut down the School of Americas.  Rae Kelliher, the lead character in the story, is also part of anti-eviction movements in Boston and efforts to stop construction of a fracked gas pipeline. Collins also depicts real time tactical debates among climate change activists about direct action, destruction of property, and how to focus attention on the leaders of the fossil fuel industry.

Jennifer Ackerman -⁠ The Bird Way: A New Look At How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent and Think

“There is the mammal way and there is the bird way.” But the bird way is much more than a unique pattern of brain wiring, and lately, scientists have taken a new look at bird behaviors they have, for years, dismissed as anomalies or mysteries –– What they are finding is upending the traditional view of how birds conduct their lives, how they communicate, forage, court, breed, survive. They are also revealing the remarkable intelligence underlying these activities, abilities we once considered uniquely our own: deception, manipulation, cheating, kidnapping, infanticide, but also ingenious communication between species, cooperation, collaboration, altruism, culture, and play. Drawing on personal observations, the latest science, and her bird-related travel around the world, from the tropical rainforests of eastern Australia and the remote woodlands of northern Japan to the rolling hills of Lower Austria and the islands of Alaska’s Kachemak Bay, Jennifer Ackerman shows there is clearly no single bird way of being. In every respect, in plumage, form, song, flight, lifestyle, niche, and behavior, birds vary.

TLK - A Signal To The Living

Bristol-based producer and vocalist TLK’s says her Primed For Loss EP explores the nuance of maternal loss in early childhood. Her music stretches the thin fabric of selfhood, leaning deeply into the ethereal realm. Fluid in genre and form, and emphasising improvisation as a core tenet for psychological processing, the enchanting sound of TLK is permeating the Bristol scene.  

Jul 31, 202358:60
A Conversation With The 3 Clubmen

A Conversation With The 3 Clubmen

Setting up a Zoom conversation with three people you have not met before could be really daunting. Do they all have sound and lighting that works properly?  Will we have to spend ages in edit sweetening the audio? What happens if they talk over each other? We shouldn’t have worried. There was singer, guitarist Jen White in Las Vegas, lounging comfortably in a cozy corner of a sofa, ensconced with with plaid blankets, wearing a rakish cap and beaming smile - while over at his studio in Swindon, Wiltshire, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Stu Rowe sat calmly - and XTC co-founder, Andy Partridge grinned as he leaned over the back of a chair surrounded by walls of books in an undisclosed, secret location. The sound and the visuals were perfect for a conversation with The 3 Clubmen

The release of the trio’s debut 4-track The 3 Clubmen EP prompted this get-together. Playing the music and waxing lyrical about how their EP doesn’t tidily slot into any genre is important, but we wanted to know more. How did this project come together? What’s the process for writing songs from different locations? And, the name, there has to be a story behind that? (Little did we expect a Roaring Donkey would be involved). Big thanks to AndyJen and Stu for a conversation with The 3 Clubmen.

Jul 23, 202301:05:46
Talk Show Reel

Talk Show Reel

Norman B.

Talk Show Reel

Jul 19, 202309:24
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 331

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 331

Kris Berle & Skydrips - Keep An Eye On You

Skydrips a live DJ act from Berlin, Germany teams up with artist and musician, Kris Berle for a nice gentle hip-swayer, Keep An Eye On You. They say, the song is a dialogue between the Moon and The Earth as a way to find a deeper meaning in life. Sounds fair enough. The other side is equally as good. 

⁠Hyroglifics - Hotwire (ft. Liza Jane)

Staying in a subdued rhythmic mode we head on over to the English west country city of Bristol where it does seem that a massive amount of cool releases emanate…Matt Harris aka Hyroglifics know for his drum ’n’ bass outings gives us a selection of grime, hip hop, techno and ambient with debut album, I’ll Wait, I Guess. About the theme of his LP, Mattsays, “I believe that good things happen with time, however, I also wanted this album to depict the realities of waiting for something and how seemingly hopeless it may seem at times”. And, we are advised that the album download includes mobile phone wallpapers. Nice.

Lwendo - Season And Love

Out of South Africa comes multifaceted artist, Lwendo with his self-titled album. With Season And LoveLwendomakes it clear he isn’t mimicking anyone, instead setting his own unique style. Tasteful, competent work going on here.

⁠Mike Gale - Summer Be Gone

As this one was playing I had to reread the accompanying promo notes a couple of times, ‘cause I thought, perhaps I was listening to the wrong cut. The Southampton-based artist says this about Summer Be Gone, “It’s loosely based around my dislike of the hot summer months and how I prefer being cocooned inside while it's dark and cold outside. I'm not really a fan of crowds, so I appreciate winter and the way there seems to be more space between folks in that season”. Now that sounds at odds to me as this lilting song unfolds. But then, Mike Gale adds, "I'm naturally introverted and have never enjoyed being onstage in front of people, so performing live was always my least favourite part of making music. Now I'm solo I feel no pressure to perform live at all, maybe one day but for now I'm happy.” So, it’s not all doom and gloom with Mike, although I suspect giving him a kind smile on a hot sunny day may brighten his mood, a little.

⁠Fred Abong - Father

The name Fred Abong has popped up so many times over the years while listening to alternative and indie music. Fredbegan his musical career in the 1980’s on Rhode Island as a drummer, bassist and guitarist in various hardcore punk bands. Then he spent the early 1990s playing bass for Throwing Muses and then Belly. Later he put music as a profession on hold for academic pursuits, earning a PhD in Humanities and serving as a professor at various universities for eight years before returning to music. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Fred Abong is also currently bassist in the Kristin Hersh Electric Trio. Now Fred has a new solo album, Fear Pageant on Seattle’s Disc Drive label. We selected, Father for this volume, it’s a reflective song in keeping with the theme of this LP. Don’t overlook this one.

⁠Wreckless Eric - The Old Versailles 

I’m so pleased to have spent many hours in the company of Eric Goulden, better know as Wreckless Eric, in part because he is a very funny man, full of dry British sarcasm, but Eric is also a brilliant observer and commentator on our topsy-turvy world. His latest album, Leisureland is Eric at his Wreckless best, that is to say, this is a serious rock ’n’ roll record, his heritage, his passion, his love of a pounding good riff are all here. Turn The Old Versailles up way loud and then pop on over here listen to our recent conversation. An honest work by a lovely geezer.

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Jul 17, 202359:44
The Wobblies. Red Cinema.

The Wobblies. Red Cinema.

Ahmed White: Under the Iron Heel: The Wobblies and the Capitalist War on Radical Workers

In 1917, the Industrial Workers of the World was rapidly gaining strength and members. Within a decade, this radical union was effectively destroyed, the victim of the most remarkable campaign of legal repression and vigilantism in American history. Under the Iron Heel is the first comprehensive account of this campaign.

Founded in 1905, the IWW offered to the millions of workers aggrieved by industrial capitalism the promise of a better world. But its growth, coinciding with World War I and the Russian Revolution and driven by uncompromising militancy, was seen by powerful capitalists and government officials as an existential threat that had to be eliminated. In Under the Iron HeelAhmed White documents the torrent of legal persecution and extralegal, sometimes lethal violence that shattered the IWW. In so doing, he reveals the remarkable courage of those who faced this campaign, lays bare the origins of the profoundly unequal and conflicted nation we know today, and uncovers disturbing truths about the law, political repression, and the limits of free speech and association in class society.

Ahmed White’s dramatic, deeply researched account of how legal repression and vigilantism brought down the Wobblies—and how the destruction of their union haunts us to this day is an important book. Ahmed is a terrific, informative and considerate guest. He is the Nicholas Rosenbaum Professor of Law at the University of Colorado in Boulder. 


⁠Erich Schwartzel:⁠ Red Carpet - Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy

Erich Schwartzel has written a fascinating book, Red Carpet - Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy. His story-telling reads like the screenplay for a Netflix documentary, designed to binge-watch. If there were such a category, then Schwartzel’s book would come under the heading binge-read. He takes the reader back in time to early Hollywood while filling in the gaps in the movie industry in China. There are generous amounts of anecdotes and tantalizing details all perfectly placed to make Red Carpet a page-turner. Erich’s depiction of dubious characters, American and Chinese who validated a curious relationship between Hollywood and China suggests the narrative is not only about the movie business but the state of our world. Erich Schwartzel is an engaging conversationalist, you won’t want to miss.

Jul 17, 202359:00
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 330

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 330

Golden Vessel & Filous - Great Big Warm House

We begin by heading down to beautiful Bondi Beach where the dedicated crew at Mammal Sounds work 24/7 to release exceptional work, here we have top-rated Australian artist Golden Vessel who has teamed up with Austrian artist Filousfor their new single Great Big Warm House, the first cut from their collaborative EP scheduled for release in August.This one delivers a little twist toward the end. Most enjoyable.

Maria Uzor - Ventolin

Apologies to Ms. Uzor if I completely messed up the pronunciation of her name. It would seem that after all these years of living in the USofA I manage to scramble my Englishness into American speak, which results in a hybrid that’s almost a language of its own. Norwich-based Maria Uzor says this about Ventolin"This was actually the first song I wrote for the album back in November 2022, it came together really quickly, like 10 minutes or something, and the final version isn’t much different from the demo, just with added guitars. It’s a playful tongue-in-cheek nod to my fellow asthmatics."Fair enough. Maria’s debut album, Soft Cuts should be investigated. 

⁠Pittsburgh Slim and The Bawl Slant - Lonely Boy Sunday

Down on England’s Southern Coast, Brighton to be exact, there you could bump into Nico, the energetic chap behind Shoredive Records. His latest venture is the intriguing collaboration between Pittsburgh Slim a rapper from NYC, formerly signed to Jay-Z's Def Jam recordings and self-proclaimed Swedish Grunge band, The Bawl Slant. The result is a healthy take on some recognizable riffs completing the much-too-be admired, Lonely Boy Sunday, from the lad’s Falling album. Smartly conceived.

Soft Punch - Here / Now

This is the work of Rye Thomas out of Washington DC, working under the very apt moniker of, Soft PunchRye knows his way around at producing carefully crafted music. There’s a lot going on here on Here / Now, not least of all Rye’sintelligent overdubbing his voice to full effect. Recommended.

⁠Vhinz - Le Passage (ft. Margot Ferro) 

Ever since Serge Gainsborough and Jane Birkin pretended to copulate in front of a microphone for Je T'aime,...Moi Non Plus, whispering in French over a rhythm track has definitely been a way to capture my attention. Here, producer Vhinz and Margot Ferro on vocals go further, after all the lyrics on Le Passage are more interesting. Vhinz shows off his production skills with some quirky electronics on the LP, Belvedere, where you’ll find additional vocalists. This one is available on Citizen Records by way of Dijon, France. Spicy!

⁠Nevaris - Disruption

Occasionally I discover an instrumental that fits into the mix, here is Nevaris, a percussionist, keyboardist, vocalist, composer and visual artist  who teamed up with legendary bassist-producer Bill Laswell for the album, Reverberation. Combining dub, funk, Afro-Latin rhythms, turntablism and extended improvisation, Nevaris and Laswell have created an album that would work well in any manner of situations. Surprise your dinner guests with this one. Disruption is an excellent place to start.

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Jul 10, 202359:01
A Conversation With Steve Turner

A Conversation With Steve Turner

Before I pressed record, I shared this true story with Steve Turner. Bruce and John of SubPop came to me and said, “You know John Peel, right? Could you send him some of our records?” I did know Peel and I did send him a package of early SubPop releases - Green River, Tad, Nirvana etc. Peel played this new music on his legendary and highly influential show, not just once, but night after night. Now you need to understand, this was way before the days of instant communication, the internet and email were far in the future. Some weeks went by, then, one day, John Peel calls me, “Norman, what’s all this amazing music from Seattle all about, tell me more, send me more!” Meanwhile the UK music press had taken note of Peel’s enthusiasm for this new music out of the Pacific Northwest. Articles were written and eventually a journalist was dispatched to the Emerald City. The rest is, as they say, is history. By the way, SubPop never did reimburse me for the postage.

Mud Ride - A Messy Trip Through The Grunge Explosion by Steve Turner and Adam Tepedelen is a down-and-dirty chronicle of the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene—from amateur skate parks and underground hardcore clubs to worldwide phenomenon. In the late 80s and early 90s, Steve Turner and his friends—Seattle skate punks, hardcore kids, and assorted misfits—started forming bands in each other’s basements and accidentally created a unique sound that spread far beyond their once-sleepy city. Mud Ride offers an inside look at the tight-knit grunge scene, the musical influences and experiments that shaped the grunge sound, and the story of Turner's bands, Green River and Mudhoney, which went from underground flophouse shows to selling out stadiums with Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Including stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge's beginnings to its come-down from the highs of global success and stardom, this is the first account of the musical phenomenon that took over the world from someone who was there for it all. 

In our conversation, Steve and I recall people, places and venues all so important to his story, and yes we do go off on tangents sometimes. Turner is an engaging guest, his slight self-effacing demeanor underplays his importance as a guitarist. Aficionados of Grunge will delight in his storytelling and so will everyone intrigued by rock ’n’ roll.

Jul 10, 202359:00
Wreckless Eric Is Wreckless Eric, Again

Wreckless Eric Is Wreckless Eric, Again

As Wreckless Eric he needs little introduction — he wrote and recorded the classic Whole Wide World and had a hit with it back in 1977. Since then it's been a hit for countless other artists including The Monkees, Cage The Elephant and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. Eric’s version featured in the 2022 Expedia / Superbowl / Ewan MacGregor travel ad, and the Cage The Elephant version is the new theme tune for the podcast Smartless. As Eric Goulden it's a little more complicated - a musician, artist, writer, recording engineer and producer, he didn’t like either the music business, the mechanics of fame, or the name he’d been given to hide behind, so he crawled out of the spotlight and disappeared into the underground. He went on to release twenty something albums in forty something years under various names - The Len Bright Combo, Le Beat Group Electrique, The Donovan Of Trash, The Hitsville House Band, and with his wife as one half of Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby, finally realising he was stuck with the name Wreckless Eric.

This new album, Leisureland, marks a return to his more ramshackle world of recording -  guitars and temperamentally unpredictable analogue keyboards, beatboxes and loops in conjunction with a real drummer, Sam Shepherd, who he met in a local coffee shop in Catskill, New York. He was delighted to find that Sam lived around the corner and could easily drop by to put drums on newly recorded tracks. The recording methodology may have been Contemporary American but the subject matter is almost entirely British. It also contains more instrumentals than any of his previous albums. 

In our conversation, Eric talks about the process of making Leisureland, which came about during the Covid lockdown and his near death experience. In his dead-pan, yet jocular way, Eric recounts how he wasn’t aware of his critical state, laying in a hospital bed while everyone around him thought he was about to die. When asked how he is doing, Eric’sretort is, “It’s great to be alive!” You can hear his verve, his reflection on still being here in Leisureland. This is Wreckless Eric recognizing who he is, sharing a lifetime of ideas and observations. Wreckless Eric Is Wreckless Eric, Again. 

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Jul 03, 202301:02:46
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 327

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 327

Coral Grief - Wow Signal

“Rich guitars, glowing synths, driving bass, and ethereal vocals swirl around skeletal drum beats to create a textured, intricate sound that is experimental, playful, and catchy”, the self-description from Coral Grief. Although, I probably wouldn’t have come up anything better. Lena Farr-MorrisseySam Fason and Cam Hancock know what they are doing - and they do it well. On their LP, Daydrops the Seattle-based trio display wisely-crafted songwriting with smart, but not too affected instrumentation. Listen carefully to Wow Signal, from the soft unassuming opening to Lena’s distant cries at around 3.44, this is a superb production. Top marks for the accompanying video, too.

⁠Judith Parts - Meadowsweet

She is a composer, music producer, sound designer, violin player and a singer, from Estonia, currently based in Copenhagen. Growing up in Estonia Judith was exposed to a lot of wild nature. She has a particular interest in the connection, and dissonance, we humans have with nature and a lot of her work is inspired by that relationship. With Meadowsweet from the album of the same name, Judith Parts has created a haunting, somewhat eerie song with file manipulation, computer chicanery and found sounds(?). Engaging and interesting sleeve artwork.

⁠Maija Sofia - Four Winters

“I gave him four winters, the man is gone, but he took something of me with him”. sings Maija Sofia, then, a few lines later she says, “I’m going out tonight, I’ll wear the dress that I was raped in”. Later in the song, she tells us, “I’m not scared of anything”. The words to Four Winters are challenging, yet Maija’s striking voice, while both plaintive and determined, urges you to listen even more closely.That’s not surprising as the Galway singer-songwriter says her True Love LP, “Is about enchantment, exorcisms, bewilderment and loving wildly". This is a first-class album with anaccompanying  evocative video for Four Winters.

⁠Nameless Ghost - Slow Down

Now here’s a cut from the album, Under The Surface that I’ve just got around to including in a LEM volume. No excuses, it’s simply that sometimes I need the right moment to slot in a song so tender and moving as Slow DownDave Colman out of Toronto performs and produces under the moniker of Nameless Ghost. He says his songs are about loss, grief, and mental illness. Do take the time to explore all of Dave’s songs here - so good. And a big thumbs up for the sleeve artwork by Steve Coleman (brother?). 

⁠Novelty Island - Turn To Me

It says here, “Novelty Island is the surreal-pop project of Liverpool-based songwriter/producer, Tom McConnell. What it doesn’t say of course, is every music-writer and his brother will make references to Wings era McCartney, a slight nod to Ray Davies and a dash of Sid Barrett. But push all the Trainspotting to one-side and you’ve got a jolly well conceived LP with, Wallsend Weekend Television and a decidedly catchy pop song in, Turn To Me, complete with a Liverpudlian nasal twang. 

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Jun 26, 202359:00
The Long-Building War On Democracy

The Long-Building War On Democracy

David Neiwert The Age of Insurrection: The Radical Right's Assault On American Democracy

From a smattering of ominous right-wing compounds in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s, to the shocking January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, America has seen the culmination of a long-building war on democracy being waged by a fundamentally violent and antidemocratic far-right movement that unironically calls itself the “Patriot” movement. 
So how did we get here? Award-winning journalist David Neiwert — who been following the rise of these extremist groups since the late 1970s, when he was a young reporter in Idaho — explores how the movement was built over decades, how it was set aflame by Donald Trump and his cohorts, and how it will continue to attack American democracy for the foreseeable future. Neiwert especially studies how the Pacific Northwest has long been a breeding ground of extremist violence, from the time when neo-nazis migrated to the area from southern California in the 1970s, through the great battles in Portland and Seattle and neighboring towns over the last decade. 
Laying out how these groups organize their terroristic violence and attacks on democratic institutions at every level—including local, state, and federal targets—Neiwert details what their strategies and plans look like for the foreseeable future.

David Neiwert is an award-winning investigative journalist and the author of several books, including Red Pill, Blue Pill: How to Counteract the Conspiracy Theories that are Killing Us (Prometheus 2020), Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of TrumpDavid also writes about and publishes photos of Orca whales, his book, Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us is an essential read.


Jori Lewis - Slaves for Peanuts: A Story of Conquest, Liberation, and a Crop That Changed History

Who knew the humble peanut could provide a fascinating backdrop for an expedition into history, geography, culture, economics, and West Africa. Award-winning independent writer, Jori Lewisweaves a complex story in Slaves For Peanuts with a deft hand at including the tiniest of details without ever boring her reader. Few of us know the peanut’s tumultuous history or its intimate connection to slavery and freedom. Jori Lewisexplains the natural and human history of a crop that transformed the lives of millions. She reveals how demand for peanut oil in Europe ensured that slavery in Africa would persist well into the twentieth century, long after the European powers had officially banned it in the territories they controlled. Delving deep into West African and European archives, Lewis recreates a world on the coast of Africa that is breathtakingly real and unlike anything modern readers have experienced. Slaves For Peanuts is told through the eyes of a set of richly detailed characters—from an African-born French missionary harboring runaway slaves, to the leader of a Wolof state navigating the politics of French imperialism—who challenge our most basic assumptions of the motives and people who supported human bondage. At a time when Americans are grappling with the enduring consequences of slavery, here is a new and revealing chapter in its global history.

Jun 26, 202301:00:56
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 326

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 326

For those of you taking notes you’ll know in the last volume 325, the whole show was dedicated to various genres of electronic music, and there are so many. In this volume we are going to focus in on another genre that gets broken up into numerous sub-genres, singer-songwriter, acoustic, indie-folk, pop-folk, alt-folk, yes, I could go on - yet there is another sub-genre that consistently gets included that list, this is what at one time we used to call the blues, now we have labels such as sad, emotive, melancholy, heartbreak, emo, I even saw miserable attributed to a collection of songs recently. OK, not exactly uplifting, yet there is an unusual wealth of impressive songs in these sub-genres - so for the next 60 minutes have a box of tissues ready as we explore music to cry along to.

⁠Computerwife - Lexapro

Born and raised in Atlanta, now based in New York, Adeline Warncke started Computerwife at 18-years-old as a Soundcloud experiment. From her self-titled LP, Lexapro qualifies as maudlin not least of all because of her contorted vocals that sound as if they were recorded in another room down the hall. Do use this cut as an intro to delve into her other songs. The sleeve art is bit scary, too.

⁠Flowerguts - Para

“I wrote this album during the biggest transitional period of my life” says Tomcat of Flowerguts, adding, “I make music sometimes!Halcyon is an album about growing up”. Based in Portland, Oregon they have a surprisingly large back catalogue, almost every track includes that DIY signature hum of lo-fi equipment.  

⁠Winten - Anything You Like

Written over a two year period in the confines of Winten’s bedroom, the album,Waving To My Girl offers a tender and triumphant collection of songs that reflect on romantic and familial heartbreak, growing pains, insecurity and acceptance, all the while acknowledging and loving an ever-present inner child. Sparkling, guitar-led opener Anything You Likecontemplates the difficulty of saying goodbye to a love that cannot survive despite the intimacy that engulfs it. Bridgette Winten is an accomplished singer-songwriter from Melbourne, I’m so pleased to include in this show. I do love how so many Australian artists pay respects to the original owners of the land they live, for examplem Bridgette writes, “All songs, written, performed and recorded on land that is rightfully owned by the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land”.

⁠Sulka - Weekend

This Glasgow band is fronted by singer-songwriter-guitarist Lukas Clasen who looks like a much more handsome Tom Cruise says my producer, who reckons she is connoisseur on these matters. Lukas is accompanied by Fionn CrossanJimi Maffei, and Niamh Baker with additional backing vocals from Kim Grant and Chris McCrory and a fine effort they have all made on the LP, Distractions.

⁠Babe Martin - Knocked For Six BHX

Babe Martin is the musical project of singer-songwriter Zoë Larsen Cumming from Auckland, New Zealand. Knocked For Six BHX is about the emotional upheaval involved in visiting family in another country. “At its core it’s about living apart from people that you love and the inevitable goodbye after a catch up,” she explains. “It’s about family, airports, and old feelings you’ve not felt in a while sneaking up on you when you least expect".   Knocked For Six BHX is on Babe Martin’s excellent The Versoix EP. In case you were wondering, BHX is Birmingham airport, UK.

⁠Niika - Sever Ties

Nika Nemirovsky originally from Uzbekistan now resides in Chicago and uses Niika as her stage name. Her captivating EP, Still A Soft One venture into a jazzy vein which works so well with her warm, slightly delicate voice. She’s not whispering, but Niika does sound as if she is in nibbling distance of your ear. Alluring is a description that captures some of the essence of Sever Ties, yet you know the title tells another story.

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Jun 13, 202359:01
A Unique History Of The West. A Love Letter To A Transgender Child.

A Unique History Of The West. A Love Letter To A Transgender Child.

Naoise Mac Sweeney -  The West: A New History In Fourteen Lives

Prize-winning historian Naoíse Mac Sweeney delivers a captivating exploration of how Western Civilization the concept of a single cultural inheritance extending from ancient Greece to modern times - is a powerful figment of our collective imagination. An urgently needed emergent voice in big history, she offers a bold new account of Western history, real and imagined, through the lives of fourteen remarkable individuals. From Herodotus, a mixed-race migrant, to Phylis Wheatley, an enslaved African American who became a literary sensation; and from Gladstone, with a private passion for epic poetry, to the medieval Arab scholar Al-Kindi - the subjects are a mind-expanding blend of unsung heroes and familiar faces viewed afresh. Naoíse Mac Sweeney’s enthusiasm for history is refreshingly engaging and a delight to listen to.

⁠Carolyn Hays - A Girlhood: Letter To My Transgender Daughter

One ordinary day, a caseworker from the Department of Children and Families knocked on the Hays family's door to investigate an anonymous complaint about the upbringing of their transgender child. It was this knock, this threat, that began the family's journey out of the Bible Belt but never far from the hate and fear resting at the nation's core. Self-aware and intimate, A Girlhood asks us all to love better, not just for the sake of Hays' child but for children everywhere enduring injustice and prejudice just as they begin to understand themselves. A Girlhood is a call to action, an ode to the community, a plea for empathy, and hope for a better future. A Girlhood is a love letter to a child who has always known exactly who she is--and who is waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. Carolyn Hays is an award-winning, critically acclaimed, bestselling author, who has chosen to publish to A Girlhood: Letter to My Transgender Daughter under a pen name to protect the privacy of her family.

The incidental music in this edition is Hecate from the LP, Månens Hav by Swedish artist, Sofia Nystrand who uses the moniker Vargkvint. Growing up in the Swedish archipelago of Roslagen, she lived close by the harbour where ferries arrive from Finland, and her bedroom window offered a clear view out over the ocean. ‘Hav’ took its name from the Swedish for ‘the sea’, and though she lives in Stockholm now, its power and mythology remain a constant companion. “When I’m not close,” she confesses, “I feel a bit disoriented.” Månens Hav, you see, means ‘Oceans of the Moon’

Jun 13, 202359:01
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 325

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 325

Something a little different for this volume…electronica, electro, trip-hop, chill out, downtempo, techno, garage, dub, drum & bass, dubstep, grime…I could go on…all these genres seem to overlap and in turn cause confusion, so for Vol 325 we disregard the genres and sub-genres for a nonstop mix of music that is often overlooked by Indie and Alternative programmers. 

⁠Qeight - Losing You Again

From Cosmicleaf Records out of Greece a new chillout single by Qeight. The inspiration came from the following thoughts: "In the eerie stillness of the moment, as life slips away, all that is left is a single glance, a solitary breath. It is then, and only then, that one gazes upon the sum of their existence. It feels as though the soul is imprisoned in a frigid dungeon, awaiting an unknown voice to proclaim, ‘Release him from his bonds, for I shall take him with me’.” Well, that’s all a lot heavier than I expected from this very cool cut.

⁠Mystic State - The Last Lotus

Courtesy of the Deep Dark & Dangerous imprint out of New Zealand. This duo from Bristol in the UK prove their worth with exemplary studio skills. Found sounds, samples and digital effects used to full effect. Gorgeous.

⁠Kaya Project - Breathe Again

Compilations are always worthwhile investigating, here mixmaster and producer, Seb Taylor curated an essential collection with Breathe Again from Kaya Project being a standout cut. All the right elements are here for an infectious journey graced with those sensual violins. A persuasive foot-tapper you’ll want to hear again, and again…

⁠Barry Can’t Swim - Woman 

Oh, what a gem this is. Harking back to classic disco and then messing with your reference point. Like an evening on mushrooms in just under four minutes. Big thumbs up for the emphatic vocal from Låpsley“You only get to make your debut album once,” points out Barry“So I want to showcase all the elements of the things I enjoy and love in music up to this point.” The multi-faceted Scottish artist releases his debut album When Will We Land? on Ninja Tune, out October 20th.

⁠Gum.MP3 - Love You Better (Ft. Netanya)

Just when you think it’s time to step outside for breath of fresh air, Love You Better has you back in the throng of sweating, almost naked bodies grinding away to a 2-Step-Garage-Drum & Bass workout with vocalist, Netanya tempting you to let go - just one more time. Make sure you grab copy of the Riddim Seeker EP from Gum.MP3.

QuiQui - Labyrinth Of Paradoxes

Then, a voice whispers in your ear and you are off on another discovery. Jeroen Wiggers AKA QuiQui is intent on hypnotizing you with Labyrinth Of Paradoxes from the EP of the same name on Manual Music out of Rotterdam. At this point you have abandoned checking off the genre box.

⁠Tubby Isiah - Conscious Calling

With all the requirements for serious kush rhapsodizing, Moonshine Records out of Poland offer up, Dub Meets Techno complete with notable cuts including Conscious Calling from Tubby Isiah. Here the genres deliberately collide to full effect.

⁠Eric Hilton - Farewell To Midnight

Hilton of Thievery Corporation fame with Puma Ptah on vocals continues the joyous trip-hop, a genre he helped birth as a co-founder of the legendary downtempo electronic music act. Eric’s new album, Lost Dialect is a must-have.

Temple Step & Zen Tempest - Tribal Swagger

Based in Melbourne, Temple Step Producer, Dj, Sound Healer and all round Sound Alchemist collaborates with musicians, ceremonialists, neo-shamans and sound healers around the globe. He weaves dance and world music in a unique and original way. Vocalist Zen Tempest delivers a message of hope, a future. Cool sleeve artwork.

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Jun 05, 202359:01
The Opinions Of Dr. Kampmark

The Opinions Of Dr. Kampmark

Media Responsibility.

Can the outrage over CNN’s “Town Hall” with Trump be a case of the pot calling the kettle black? After all Trump was good for ratings as the head of CBS said before Trump became President. And over on Morning Joe on MSNBC they had qualms about having Trump call in regularly before he became President. To cover Trump and the unprecedented nonsense he spews, is that the Media’s responsibility?

Debt Ceiling Debacle.

Is this a non-story? From both sides of the aisle, the collective summation is we can solve this without earth-shattering crisis? So why the antics. Political posturing at the expense of the general public?

GOP Presidential Candidate Race.

Trump is in the lead by a long margin as more candidates enter the race. Is this a fool-hardy exercise? Can anyone stand up to Trump and do a better job of being completely absurd while maintaining such a large lead?

Trump And The Justice System.

As the cases rack up and evidence becomes more likely Trump will face serious indictment(s), his base continues to gladly cough -up their hard-earned money.  Along with the junk merchandise and blatant grifting why are Trump’s supporters are even more determined to prove their love by gobbling up the trashy merch and pledging financial support?

Is The UK Beyond Repair.

Rishi Sunak is the latest Prime Minister of a recent merry-go-round of applicants. The Conservative Party just suffered a severe battering in local elections and the government seems fragile at best. With inflation proving the UK’s long-running “Us and Them” structure to be dangerously outdated. Meanwhile and certainly relevant, the Charles 111 Show gave Brits the opportunity to take a day off work and celebrate or seethe with anger at the brazen inequities in modern Britain.

Will Putin Run Out Of Soldiers.

How long can the Russian invasion of Ukraine last? What is Putin’s long-term plan? What is the benefit in continuing the escalting bombardments? And, is the rest of the world looking away all too frequently?

Julian Assange Update.

Dr. Kampmark has close insights on the plight of the Wikileaks founder, His knowledge of Assange and his current situation is unparraleled. 

Dr Binoy Kampmark is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, teaching within the Bachelor of Social Science (Legal and Dispute Studies) program at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Read Binoy's essay at CounterPunch

⁠New Music From Issei Herr⁠

Distant Intervals is full-length debut from Brooklyn cellist and composer Issei Herr“This is an exploration of memory, dreams, and the infinite possibilities within imagined worlds”. Says Issei“Centered around themes of becoming and transformation, the music encompasses the liminal spaces between our past, present, and future selves - our ever-changing relation to personal memories, the ideals and dreams we have for our futures, and the distance and idealism of these infinite versions of self”. Classically trained as a cellist at Juilliard, Isseicomposed the album during a period of musical and personal transformation - as she moved away from a traditional classical performance path and notated music, while also beginning a long-awaited process of gender transition. 

Show 507

Jun 05, 202359:24
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 324

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 324

Glazyhaze - A Glimpse Of Light

Glazyhaze formed in northern Italy in 2021 by Irene Moretuzzo and Lorenzo Dall’ArmellinaA Glimpse Of Light is from their Just Fade Away LP, they say there are dream pop/shoegaze band based in Venice. Competent work here and terrific sleeve artwork, too. 

Para Lia - Sunchild

Para Lia is René Methner (all instruments and vocals) and Cindy Methner (backing vocals), who were raised in the eastern part of a divided Germany. Their band name was born of their love for Greece, with para lia (παραλία) meaning “coast” or “beach" in Greek - a name full of mystery but optimism, which both has history and evokes a balance of the masculine and feminine. Now they are based in Cottbus (near Berlin) with the band expanding from two members to six with an eye towards upcoming live performances. Sunchild is from their third album, In Clash With The Zeitgeist.

⁠Loraine James - 2003

Ms. James caught our attention a couple of years back with her first release. Since then we have eagerly enjoyed each subsequent release. Gentle Confrontation is Loraine's third album for Hyperdub, the artist says, “This is the record a teenage Loraine would like to have made, with musical tendencies that reflect that time, too”. As you listen to 2003 you know Loraine reached deep inside to share her emotions. Exceptional.

Surya - Come Alive

We get get lots of unsolicited sound files in our inbox and as I have mentioned many times before, I listen to everything that comes in, it may take a little while to review your material but I can assure you I do listen. Here is one that came with this message, “My name is Surya, I’m an Alternative Hip-Hop artist from London. Come Alive explores the importance of taking control of the present.” I would appreciate your feedback on this one. Should we have included Surya in this volume?

Madmadam - Love Whore

She is an artist, musician, author, and singer, hailing from Italy and Poland, she lived in several countries before choosing to settle in Paris, France. She began her career as a classical musician, then moved into jazz, pop, rock and finally electronic music. She is Natalia Giro AKA Madmadam. Her LP is Fenice which means Phoenix in English. You can hear that classically trained voice throughout this album. 

⁠Ясный-Svetly - Talk

Yasny-Svetly, a duo from Moscow have a number of previous albums, Project 0 is their latest. This excellent cut came via Meticulous Midgets a brilliant magazine with a CD supplement created by Nata Boundariver since 2020. This is a creative enterprise of incredible ideas, to better understand what Meticulous Midgets is all about go this link. You are in for big bundle of surprises. The paper version of Meticulous Midgets is is published in Russian and English annually. There is so much to indulge in her, exquisite music selections and so much more. Nata is an also an artist, you must spend time at her site, it’s so worthwhile. I love compilations, but Meticulous Midgets is so much more. A wonderful treat for lovers of unique and different music, plus a gorgeous magazine too. 

Buffalo Daughter - Robot Sings (As If He Were Frank Sinatra With A Half-boiled Egg And The Salt Shaker On A Breakfast Table)

Yes, I admit, I would include this cut for the title alone, but as it happens, this is also a fine piece of music. Out of Tokyo, Buffalo Daughter formed in 1993, suGar Yoshinaga is on guitar, Yumiko Ohno takes care of the bass and vintage Mini Moog, and moOog Yamamoto is on the wheels of steel. Brilliantly peculiar and tremendously fascinating listening.

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May 29, 202301:01:59
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 323 The Birthday Special

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 323 The Birthday Special

Another year, another birthday. Norman B looks back at the music that changed his life. He tells of buying his first album at Woolworths, not knowing anything about the music. He was captivated by the brooding Greek-god like visage on the cover. It was the Memphis FlashElvis PresleyFrom there Norman discovered the Blues and  Elmore James which led to the new R & B sounds coming out of the USA, including early Tamla Motown and  Marvin Gaye. It was no coincidence that fledgling London bands were also being inspired by the same music. The Rolling Stones being no exception, fronted at that time by Blues aficionado and masterful musician, Brian JonesVan Morrison with his R & B and Irish Show-band roots were all but absent when he released his landmark album, Astral Weeks, a momentous life-changing release, says Norman B. Reggae has been another important part of Mr. B's life and he cites  Cornell Campbell and Gregory Isaacs as fine examples. The consistently adventurous music of David Bowie is included in the story as are the The SmithsThe Only Ones are acknowledged for their timeless ode to addiction and  Killing Joke with their formidable melding of rock, dub and even metal in their debut release. A.R. Kane, remain still relatively unknown but their music caused Norman B to reevaluate his thinking in some areas. Finally, Canadian musician and poet Barzin is singled out because his beguiling lyrics and enchanting arrangements signify another change in life and a new way forward.

The second half of The Birthday Special is a non-stop mix of mostly recent music that has been on repeat play at Life Elsewhere Tower. These are cuts with a distinctive poignant tone, probably because birthday's have become a time for reflection. And, as the old adage goes, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to". We begin with the alluring and intriguing music of Samanathe nomadic duo Rebecca and Frankie came to our attention a few years back. Their album, Requiemis certainly worth searching out, for this mix we have selected a bonus cut, The Black ForestSorcha Richardson'ssublime Petrol Station recorded a few years back when she was living in Brooklyn, most recently she has moved back home to Dublin and released a superb album, Smiling Like An Idiot with the single Shark Eyes proving why Sorcha's talent should not be overlooked. From Missoula, Montana, Noelle Huser fronts Bluest with her haunting, plaintive voice, on Talk Soon, she shares engaging lines like, “Remember when you tripped me, it was an accident my tooth bite through my cheek, and now I have scar, it’s the favorite part of my smile” There is a lot going on here on the Bluest album, Cold Sweat, available from the very fine Anything Bagel label. Ollie Cook hails from Wolverhampton, a place widely known for its soccer team, Wolverhampton Wanderers. (great name). But we urge you to check out Ollie’s long-player, The Boy With Pearls For Eyes to help put Wolverhampton on the musical map. Listen to Bell Tower Blues and let me have your feedback, I think this is quality work. Ollie Cook says, “This is my second full-length project. My most honest to date. My most cared for.” I love the double-tracking on his voice, the organ, the over-dubbed guitars - the whole production. On the first listen to the album, Problems Of Other Minds by Elizabeth Crompton I knew I had come across a remarkable collection of songs. Each cut here is beautifully realized, the poignant heart-wrenching lyrics take me to places I know only too well. As with every desperate love song I have treasured throughout the years, Elizabeth seared straight into my emotions.

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May 22, 202359:58
Sex Is Confusing

Sex Is Confusing

“It’s incredible the amount of hate I have received from people who haven’t even read my piece” Agustin Fuentes on the extraordinary response to his recent essay for Scientific American titled, “Here’s Why Human Sex Is Not Binary”. The esteemed anthropologist is keen to point out that although his headline might sound provocative to naysayers, if they only took the short amount of time it takes to read his essay they would quickly discover he is articulating reasonable and valid opinions. “Let me be clear,” he writes, “I am not arguing that differences in sex biology do not matter. They do.” Agustinconsiders the outrage over his words are the result of ignorance. Willful ignorance. We live in world now where not just lies make headlines but deliberate misinformation is accepted as truth. Questions about sexuality have always been easy targets for the self-appointed morality police to shake their fists at. In the last few years, their fervent rage has managed to bundle the restrictions on women’s bodily autonomy, and target transgender, transsexuality, drag shows, and queerness into one big splodgie goo of disgust. “Sex is confusing” says Agustin Fuentes who discusses his essay in the first half of the show.

Remember the jubilant celebrations when the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples in the United States, have the same legal right to marry as different-sex couples. That was in 2015. Here we are in 2023 and the indignation over same-sex marriage has been overshadowed by transphobia causing hysteria about gender identity and sexuality. In the second half of the show a conversation recorded just after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling with associate professor of Ancient Roman History, Julie Langford.

Show 506

Illustration: Gender sexuality sex symbols - AnonMoos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

May 22, 202301:02:34
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 322

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 322

44 Ardent - Hold The World In Your Hands

The creative energy that emanates from Mammal Sounds located at  Bondi Beach, just outside of Sydney, Australia is truly astounding. Jez and his crew must work 24/7 in order to  be involved with so many cool releases. To prove that point, 44 Ardent is back with a new single, Hold The World In Your Hands, the Brisbane-based producer never fails to deliver work that is seemingly simple, yet carefully arranged, recorded and in turn satisfying electro-pop.

Yolo Manolo - Duvet Track

Duvet Track is from a double-sided limited edition 7” from Yolo Manolo out of Glasgow. A restrained beginning underplays the depth of this song and the smart instrumentation. About their music, Yolo Manolo say they are “Odd noise collectors observing all things lo-fi to mix their favorite elements of dream-pop and slacker-rock”. Curiously they feature the silhouette of an American football helmet on their cover artwork and on their FB page they say they are, “Lazy sophomore jive/chimp rock slackers, rarely seen in the wild”. Yolo Manolo partly namecheck the maker of the finest pair of shoes I’ve ever owned, but that is just coincidental, I do like what these people from Scotland are doing.

Whitelands - Setting Sun (A.R. Kane Initiation Dub)

Within moments of listening to this version of Setting Sun from Whitelands, you should be able to recognize the deft hand at the production desk of one Rudy Tambala, he of course of A. R. Kane fame. Londoners, ÉtienneJagunVanessa and Micheal say they were thrilled to have Mr. Tambala offer his mixing abilities to their music. Whitelands’Remixes EP is available on 10” orange vinyl and a digital edition.

Phoebe Coco - Earth Dream

It’s always good to hear a new releases from Phoebe CocoEarth Dream is from her forthcoming EP and Phoebe says this one is about her concern for how we are mistreating our planet. As with all of Phoebe Coco’s work, here we have a sparkling production, showcasing her strong songwriting abilities. 

Munan - Taxi Driver

South Korean-Australian artist, Munan says he “stayed out way too late, oh look it’s already 9am, morning coffee brewing, Sunday mass, God damn"…obviously it was quite a Saturday night for Mr. Munan. Anyone who has stayed out way to late and managed to stumble into a taxi as the sun rises will identify with Munan’s song. Yet another glorious releases via Mammal Sounds.

Drinking Boys And Girls Choir - Listen To Me

From Daegu, South Korea, DBAGC have a lot to say and you could spend ages at their site discovering their output and videos. I love what these people are doing, not least of all because of their unbridled enthusiasm. Listen To Me is from their EP Hey, Listen To Me…wonderful!

Defset - Chish And Fips

Found sounds, samples, mixing board trickery are all used to full effect on Chish And Fips. ( A delightful classic English play on words). The London-based producer says, “My studio backs on to where my mum lived the last year of her life. I used to hear her talking to friends on the phone while I was working in there. I found it difficult to go in to the studio for many months after she died, so didn’t have access to all my modular gear. The majority of this EP has therefore been written on my laptop, which has given it a different feel to my other more glitchy, analogue stuff”. And to make sure we don’t overlook Defset’s sardonic humor he writes on his Twitter page, “I’m a producer of fine, organic, gluten free, vegan, artisanal electronic music. Created with fair trade waveforms using ethical supply chains”

Halogenix - Lost Friends

Here is a dazzling Dubstep workout from Halogenix’s Lost Friends EP. Categorizing Drum & Bass, Dubstep, and Grime can be perplexing, but when you have a superior set like this, the end result overrides the genres. London producer, Halogenix is on top form with this EP.

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May 15, 202359:02
Keeley Moss On Floating Above Everything Else

Keeley Moss On Floating Above Everything Else

Keeley, fronted by singer, guitarist, songwriter and enigmatic Dubliner Keeley Moss, took time out from a hectic schedule to chat their debut album Floating Above Everything Else. The album showcases the breadth of Keeley’ssongwriting, bristling with lush harmonies, muscular beats and inventive atmospherics, weaving gleefully between indie-rock sub-genres. As with all her songs, this set highlights Keeley's ongoing fascination with the murder and short life of teenage German backpacker Inga Maria Hauser, who was brutally murdered in Northern Ireland in 1988 and whose case remains unsolved despite many promising leads pointing to the culprits. Keeley recently appeared in Murder In The Badlands, a moving BBC documentary that further explores Inga Maria’s tragic demise, and a brand new film centered around Keeley's involvement with the case is in development. Norman B’s conversation with Keeley reaches into unexpected areas where you will learn why seven-year-old Keeley Moss asked, "Can I bring my Walkman?” And, how the iconic cassette machine became Keeley’s doorway into another world. You’ll hear moving, reminiscences from one of Ireland's most creative and visionary songwriters, plus four cuts from, Floating Above Everything Else. 

May 15, 202359:02
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 321

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 321

Fräulein - Pet

This Northern Irish/Dutch duo have created a deliciously rambunctious EP with Pedestal. As you listen to Pet I’m sure you will find yourself asking who comes to mind with that “Heyyyy!” Yet, Fräulein have their distinctive own sound. This one is available courtesy of Submarine Cat Records.

A.S.O. - Rain Down

Singer-songwriter Alia Seror-O'Neill, and producer Lewie Day use the moniker A.S.O for their debut self-titled album. On Rain Down they invoke an exotica lilt, which works, without sounding excessive. Fun fact, Ms. Seror-O'Neill is also an actor, check out her IMDB page.

Angel Magic - Generational Color

Now here is a cut I could write a long rave review on, instead for guidance you should know I have had the Generational Color on repeat play at Life Elsewhere Tower for the last few days. In spite of the almost wonky beginning to Generational Color this one settles into full effect as Lauren Smith weaves her magic with smart lyrics and Andrew Aguilera twiddles the knobs at the production consul. Interesting music here, difficult to select just one cut. A tip of the hat to Korey Martin with the lovely artwork.

Maya Ongaku - Nuska

From a small island located 50 km southwest of Tokyo a ragtag collective of local musicians present as Maya Ongaku. Their album, Approach To Anima is a delightful collection of songs as illustrated by NuskaMaya Ongaku say their brand of earthy psychedelia transcends widely beyond the roots of their inner souls, and I have no reason to dispute that. 

Kitty Fitz - I Want Your Love (Oh My God)

Oh, yes, this is so good. Ms. Fitz is also the bassist for Prima Queen and here on her All My Own Stunts EP, the London-based artists says she “Produces super sad bops in her room at 4am”. And, what an excellent job she does as you’ll hear with I Want Your Love (Oh My God). This is one of those songs where you know the chorus is coming up and you can’t wait to sing along…Oh, my god!

Backlash - Loosen Up

Now here are lads from Italy who cite a wide range of influences: Stone Roses, Charlatans, Oasis, The Verve, Arctic Monkeys, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to name just a few. Yet, if I had to pick a reference, it would be The Beatles psychedelic period. The band was formed in 2011 in Milan by Francesco Lucà and Luca Mangano, later they added the voice of Alessio Gatto and together they have produced the LP, RiseLoosen Up, the single from Backlash’s new album sounds as if this was an almost live recording with little studio trickery. Full marks to Shoredive Records for another terrific release.

Macie June - Fragile Lover

Stemming from her classical background, Macie June says her melodic style reflects her love of alternative/indie pop and instrumental piano. Macie’s Cerulean album showcases the Denver-based artist distinctive style in all of her relatively short songs. Writing and production credits go to Macie June.

Bluest - Talk Soon

From Missoula, Montana, Noelle Huser fronts Bluest with her haunting, plaintive voice, on Talk Soon, she shares engaging lines like, “Remember when you tripped me, it was an accident my tooth bite through my cheek, and now I have scar, it’s the favorite part of my smile” There is a lot going on here on the Bluest album, Cold Sweat, available from the very fine Anything Bagel label.

Lexie Carroll - Growing Pains

OK, I will admit, I’m fascinated by Lexie Carroll, not least of all she is a very talented songwriter, and it takes considerable skill to sing in almost a whisper and make it sound convincing. Lexie, an 18-year-old talent from London appears almost brutally honest with her It’s Difficult To Talk album. Brutal may not be quite the right word for a singer-songwriter who displays the awkward shyness exhibited on her Tik Tok page. I’m impressed with Lexie Carroll, there is a vast audience out there who will relate to Growing Pains

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May 01, 202358:60
Feminist Patriots Or Patriotic Feminists?

Feminist Patriots Or Patriotic Feminists?

When America became a nation, a woman had no legal existence beyond her husband. If he abused her, she couldn’t leave without abandoning her children. Abigail Adams tried to change this, reminding her husband John to “remember the ladies” when he wrote the Constitution. He simply laughed―and women have been fighting for their rights ever since. Fearless Women tells the story of women who dared to take destiny into their own hands. They were feminists and antifeminists, activists and homemakers, victims of abuse and pathbreaking professionals. Inspired by the nation’s ideals and fueled by an unshakeable sense of right and wrong, they wouldn’t take no for an answer. In time, they carried the country with them. The first right they won was the right to learn. Later, impassioned teachers like Angelina Grimké and Susan B. Anthony campaigned for the right to speak in public, lobby the government, and own property. Some were passionate abolitionists. Others fought just to protect their own children. Many of these women devoted their lives to the cause―some are famous―but most pressed their demands far from the spotlight, insisting on their right to vote, sit on a jury, control the timing of their pregnancies, enjoy equal partnerships, or earn a living. At every step, they faced fierce opposition. Elizabeth Cobbs gives voice to fearless women on both sides of the aisle, most of whom considered themselves patriots. Rich and poor, from all backgrounds and regions, they show that the women’s movement has never been an exclusive club.

Award-winning historian Elizabeth Cobbs brings fresh, unexpected perspectives to our understanding of the past and present. Building upon worldwide archival research and her own extraordinary life experiences, Elizabeth writes best selling  fiction and non-fiction that is both scholarly and witty. Her path-breaking books, articles, and documentary films reveal a world that is as intriguing and surprising as it is real.Elizabeth earned her Ph.D. in American history at Stanford University. She now holds the Melbern Glasscock Chair at Texas A&M University. Her books have won four literary prizes, two for American history and two for fiction, and she has won four prizes for documentary filmmaking. Elizabeth has been a Fulbright scholar in Ireland and a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. She has served on the Historical Advisory Committee of the U.S. State Department and on the jury for the Pulitzer Prize in History.

Apr 22, 202359:06
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 320

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 320

King Isis - I’m Fine, Thx 4 Asking

This sixty minutes of carefully curated new music begins with King Isis from Oakland, California who says they are, “The queer, Black genre-bending afrofuture.” I’m Fine, Thx 4 Asking from the album, Scales should prompt you to want to hear more. Plus, King Isis explains, “Scales is the beginning of an eternal journey of introspection. It’s an attempt at beginning to peel back the layers to start the journey of becoming whole through duality. Scales for balance, scales for practice, scales for beginning. Scales for the serpent, the shadow selves, for embracing the unknown”. This is hardly an unassuming body of work, yet there is a class and style here that should be not be overlooked. Excellent!

⁠Laura Wolf - Calligraphy and Calculations

Cellist, singer, and producer Laura Wolf says this about her second LP, Shelf Life is about life after trauma and what we do with the decay we’re dealt”, the Brooklyn-based artist also curiously states, “I'm the moth in your sweater”. Clearly, Laura has a delightful sense of humor coupled with a keen ability for creating intriguing new music. Shelf Lifeis on Whatever's Clever Records.

⁠Withered Hand - Crippled Love

Originally from London, now based in Edinburgh, singer-songwriter Dan Willson presents as Withered HandCrippled Love a cut from his album, How To Love is Dan’s first new music in nine years. Already into his thirties, following the birth of his son and the death of a close friend, Wilson says he started singing and writing songs, which could explain the obvious maturity of his music.

⁠This Is The Kit - Inside Outside

Here is an artist we have featured on the show before, not least of all because the distinctive style of Kate Stables who performs under the moniker of This Is The Kit makes unique music. And, not unexpected, Kate offers her commentary on her LP, Careful Of Your Keepers“The album chronicles a world of mistakes and mishaps, cruel circumstances, and universe-driven surprises. It's a record that embraces the concept of outrospection – the idea that you get to know oneself by developing relationships and empathic thinking with others.” Do not miss out on This Is The Kit, available on Rough Trade. 

Fatima Al Qadiri - Fidetik (I Lay Down My Life)

Kuwaiti musician Fatima Al Qadiri with fellow fellow Kuwaiti vocalist Gumar give us, Fidetik (I Lay Down My Life)from a four track EP, also titled Gumar which is Arabic for moon. This EP is delicious listening, ruminating on the subject of unrequited love, arguably the most common theme in Arabic music past and present. Oh, and a tip of the hat for the sleeve artwork, quite splendid. And, make sure you check out Fatima’s website.

Out of Madrid, Spain, producer, multi-instrument player, and DJ, Latrama who is also known for his collective Chandra Sound System as one of the key global mixers of traditional world music sounds with electronic breaks. With Knot To KnotLatrama skillfully performs magic to full effect with samples. Slightly retro in the ambience, yet one of those cuts you’ll want to hear again, and again. Nice.

Latrama - Knot To Knot

Samples are to the fore in Mounika’s work, and how splendidly she uses them on her LP, Don’t Look At Me. To get a an audio-visual take on her work, pop on over to Mounika’s site and check out the videos. It’s like pages of ID magazine’s street reportage coupled with overtly sexual tableaus. As Mounika is based out of Poitiers, France, I hope you’ll understand when I mention her work is decidedly, well, French. And, that’s a good thing.

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Apr 22, 202301:00:00
Two Minutes That Changed History

Two Minutes That Changed History

A bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army exploded at 2:54 a.m. on October 12, 1984. It was the last day of the Conservative Party Conference at the Grand Hotel in the coastal town of Brighton, England. Rooms were obliterated, dozens of people wounded, five killed. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was in her suite when the explosion occurred; had she been just a few feet in another direction, flying tiles and masonry would have sliced her to ribbons. As it was, she survived—and history changed.  There Will Be Fire is the gripping story of how the IRA came astonishingly close to killing Thatcher, in the most spectacular attack ever linked to the Northern Ireland Troubles. Journalist Rory Carroll reveals the long road to Brighton, the hide-and-seek between the IRA and British security services, the planting of the bomb itself, and the painstaking search for clues and suspects afterward. In There Will Be Fire, Carroll draws on his own interviews and original reporting, reveals new information, and weaves together previously unconnected threads. There Will Be Fire is journalistic nonfiction that reads like a thriller, propelled by a countdown to detonation. Rory Carroll is a veteran journalist who started his career in Northern Ireland. As a foreign correspondent for the Guardian, he reported from the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, Latin American, and the United States. His first book, Comandante: Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela, was named an Economist Book of the Year and BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. He is now based in his native Dublin as the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent. Extraordinary music has been created in response to what became known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland. We have selected two favorites that stand out for their commentaries for the time Rory Carroll explains in graphic detail in There Will Be Fire. First, The Cranberries with a sublime acoustic version of Zombie, the original release was the lead single from their second studio album, No Need To Argue in 1994. The late Dolores O'Riordan said this about the song, “There were a lot of bombs going off in London and I remember this one time a child was killed when a bomb was put in a rubbish bin – that's why there's that line in the song, 'A child is slowly taken'. We were on a tour bus and I was near the location where it happened, so it really struck me hard – I was quite young, but I remember being devastated about the innocent children being pulled into that kind of thing. So I suppose that's why I was saying, 'It's not me' – that even though I'm Irish it wasn't me, I didn't do it. Because being Irish, it was quite hard, especially in the UK when there was so much tension”. The second song is by Scottish band, Simple Minds with the poignant, Belfast Child…set to the melody of the traditional Irish folk song She Moved Through the Fair. However, its lyrics are about the Remembrance Day Enniskillen bombing by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1987, which killed 11 people and injured more than 60.

Apr 09, 202301:00:03
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 319

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 319

We begin with a cut from a very fine compilation of electronic dub from Cosmic Sands Records based in Lyon, France, Cortex Of Light who tell us about Future Curvature. The album is titled, Pro Unlimited, definitely worth searching for. 

From Marseille, in the south of France, Michèle des Belladonna performs as Miss Bella. Featuring Miss Bella on accordion, the quirky retro-sounding LP, Eternel Retour (Eternal Return) is a tribute to women of the South, to freedom, to the Mediterranean says, Miss Bella. Not so sure that comes across on En Prison Dans Ma Tête (In Jail In My Head), no matter, this is an enjoyable spirited collection of songs.

Every so often I rummage around in my archives and come across a release I think you may have missed. Michael Barker is out of Sydney and goes by the moniker, Dying Adolescence (which I think is a noteworthy name). Michael has put out a number of releases, his 2017 Lonely EP on Z Tapes is a fine representation of his abilities. With the title cut, Lonely, Michael Barker pushes the emotional envelope to full effect - I love it!

This is the solo project of 24-year-old artist, writer, and producer Ash Johnston based in London. Born in Hong Kong to a Chinese-British mother and American father, Ash says they have called upon the range of influences that have inspired them throughout their life to produce their diverse, memorable, and heartfelt musical repertoire. Well done, Ash.

Now here is one I had to make sure I was listening to the correct track, after all, it said, Death Hags! I know I shouldn’t be surprised by the monikers some artists choose to use, but honestly, I was expecting something quite a lot different from Death Hags. As it happens, I’m far from disappointed, this is exceptional work from musician, songwriter, and producer Lola G, originally from LA, currently living in the woods near New York City, (I will admit that does make me ponder, which woods?). Topologie Spectrale (Deep Drift) is from the Death Hags LP, Lost In The Triangle d’Or (Extended Version), and you’re advised to show some love for Lola G’s enterprising work.

Now we arrive at an album that may not be taken so seriously by some people, but I want to assure you that whoever is behind Spiritual Conspiracy sincerely understands good music and has the gumption to mess around and manipulate to extraordinary results with the album, Warped Standards.  The iconic dance floor hit Tainted Love is familiar to everyone, except Spiritual Conspiracy have (I believe) passed on Soft Cell and taken the original version by Gloria Jones and pitched it down, plus adding a whole slew of smart samples. Another example of brilliance at work here is taking an early Elvis track from 1956, Anyway You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be) layering a quasi-disco beat, pop synths, and even a harp sample. Nutty and fabulous. The album is on the New York-based, Stargazing At Blank Stars label. 

Staying in NYC, Matthew McIntosh and Beth Narducci got together in 2018 to form, A Cloud Of Ravens. I’m sure they won’t mind me mentioning that this couple has the Goth look and sound down, perfectly. A number of bands head in the Goth direction but unfortunately end up sounding like parodies. Matthew and Beth do show their influences, yet they managed to carve out a sound that is completely their own as you will hear in Parable. The album is, Lost Hymns, and the production is stellar.

Now for two in a row because I like what Personnel is doing and so should you. From the very opening of Leave Me Behind you know you are in for a treat. Robbie Defacto’s synth work and effects bank along with Trixy Skulz alluring vocals result in a somewhat familiar coda yet at the same time completely brand new. The second cut, Thin Lines shows that Robbie knows his way around a mixing consul. While Trixy Skulz recites a list of familiar phrases and references not heard so perfectly delivered since the late and oh, so great Ian Dury.

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Apr 01, 202301:00:13
Belief & Climate Change

Belief & Climate Change

Why are so many humans religious? Why do we daydream, imagine, and hope? Philosophers, theologians, social scientists, and historians have offered explanations for centuries, but their accounts often ignore or even avoid human evolution. Evolutionary scientists answer with proposals for why ritual, religion, and faith make sense as adaptations to past challenges or as by-products of our hyper-complex cognitive capacities. But what if the focus on religion is too narrow? Renowned anthropologist, Agustín Fuentes argues that the capacity to be religious is actually a small part of a larger and deeper human capacity to believe. Why believe in religion, economies, and love? In his new book, Why We Believe - Evolution and the Human Way of Being, Agustín presents a fascinating observation on the most common misconceptions about human nature, his book employs evolutionary, neurobiological, and anthropological evidence to argue that belief—the ability to commit passionately and wholeheartedly to an idea—is central to the human way of being in the world. Robert Hunziker, a regular contributor to Life Elsewhere, writes about climate change, headlines from his articles of the past year suggest he is a forecaster of doom - Permafrost Hits a Grim Threshold; Climate Confusion, Angst, and Sleeplessness; Extinction Rebellion Sweeps the World; Earth 4C Hotter; The Coldest Spot on Earth Melting. Hunziker shrugs off the daunting moniker, ready to launch into a passionate monologue full of facts and alarming details. So, we asked Robert to give an overview of the crucial points on climate change during the past 12 months.


Mar 27, 202359:00
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 317

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 317

What a lot of wonderful releases I have for you in LEM Vol 317, and as usual we continue to defy genres as you’ll hear.  Fazerdaze - Flood Into To begin a new release from Amelia Murray otherwise known as Fazerdaze with Flood Into. I’ve been assured that Christchurch, New Zealand is a marvelous place, as this is the home of Fazerdaze I’m thinking I need to visit there, sooner than later. Amelia wrote and produced Flood Into, Kat Tomacruz is on cello, and Andrea Holmes plays drums. Top marks! Jaus - Fields Next a new Shoegaze band out of Mexico City, Jaus. Fields is the single with Emilio (Guitar/ Voice), Rodrigo (Bass and arrangements), Ulises (Lead Guitar), Carlos (drums), and Giovani (synths), plus these talented lads are on the always enterprising Shoredive imprint. Turn the volume up for this one to capture the very smart production. The Subtheory - Cut To Black The Subtheory gives us Cut To Black, a song that surprised me with the first play. For some unexplainable reason, I expected Cut To Black to unfold differently. But, as it happens I’m so pleased The Subtheory went in the direction they did. It works, very well. Certainly melancholic, yet spirited.   Deary - Fairground (Saint Etienne Meets Augustin Bousfield At The Top Of Town Mix) Back in LEM Vol 315 I raved about Deary, a duo from London. Dottie is the singer and guitarist with instrumentalist, Ben. I recommended you keep an ear on Deary, well it would appear others have taken notice too. Their new Fairground EP features the original single along with three remixes, including Saint Etienne Meets Augustin Bousfield At The Top Of Town Mix, which is glorious. In love remixes and Deary’s EP is a gem. Joshua Idehen - Best Kind Of Lost Some artists’ releases come with a certificate of amazing quality. Our dear friend, Josh Idehen, quite possibly the hardest working fella in the music biz sent us his latest release, Best Kind Of Lost. With the sound file came a note which reads, “I made this track about a great day I had with my partner and I thought I'd share it with you”. The thing is, Josh is such a sincere human being, he writes words from his heart, from his life experiences, and he writes with passion. We are honored to be able to share his music and words with you. Smoke M2D6 - William Shatner The Northwest Hip Hop Beat Maker, producer, and, rapper takes inspiration from William Shatner himself. The 90-year-old Star Trek actor became the oldest person on earth to travel into space. On his return to this planet, Shatner is reported to have said a number of things that Smoke M2D6 says after extensive research he uncovered what the aging actor actually said. Now, if you believe any of that, I have a space rocket to sell you. The single is on K Records so you know it has to be good. Treepeople - No Doubt Here is a cut from an important band from the Pacific Northwest as the 80s crossed into the 90s who were a major influence on acts like Sleater-Kinney, Death Cab For Cutie, Built To Spill, and more. The remastered version of their classic album, Guilt, Regret, and Embarrassment is available now on K Records. And, I think you’ll agree, this one stands up to the test of time. Calvin Johnson - Sugar On Sunday There is so much to tell you about Calvin, a good place to start is the conversation I had with the boss of K Records. Here is Calvin Johnson in fine form with Sugar On Sunday from his upcoming LP, Gallows Wine. I know you’ll have questions about this song, you are advised to download the Podcast and listen again, and again.  Fhae - Love You This one caught my attention immediately, the album, Sombre Thorax has been on repeat play at LE Tower for a week or so. This is the work of Ellana Ramsey, a 20-year-old out of Brisbane, who says Sombre Thorax is about a turbulent pilgrimage through their adolescence. I love what Fhae is doing. Fhae is on the very fine 4000 Records, a label you need to investigate.  Marlody - These Doubts Hailing from Ashford in Kent, UK, Marlody is an artist I have already given a big thumbs up to. Her debut LP, I’m Not Sure At All is on Skep Wax and as you will hear from These Doubts, Marlody deserves your careful attention. Beautifully arranged and performed.  1tbsp - Four Tet Is My Grandmother When a sound file arrives courtesy of those good folks down under at Mammal Sounds I will admit to always rolling up the carpet and get ready for a bout of spasmodic gesticulating (dancing) all over the place. From their It’s Very Loud EP, 1tbsp brings us Four Tet Is My Grandmother. Truly magnificent. The reference to Four Tet is a nice way of saying the history of electronica should never be undervalued. Oh, this is so good. Being old enough to have visited Paradise Garage on many sweat-drenched nights I can report 1tbsp’s It’s Very Loud EP would have fitted in so well.  SND & RTN (ft. Tenor Youthman) - Whitney Houston + Version From my days as a club DJ, I soon learned you could take the crowd higher and higher, but you had to be super careful in how you slowed things down. Whitney Houston from SND & RTN (ft. Tenor Youthman) is a fabulous way to segue into a more chill session. As this masterful work has an exquisite Version, you could make the intimate dance last until the grooving bodies meld into each other.


Mar 20, 202359:00
A Conversation With Jason Yamas

A Conversation With Jason Yamas

After Jason’s world falls apart in LA, he moves to Berkeley for a fresh start with his kid brother. Just one problem: his long-closeted Adderall addiction has exploded into an out-of-control crystal meth binge. Within weeks, Jason plunges into the sprawling ParTy n’ ’Play (PnP) subculture of the Bay Area’s gay community. It is a wildly decadent scene of drugs, group sex, and criminals, and yet it is also filled with surprising characters, people who are continually subverting Jason’s own presumptions of the stereotypical tweaker.

Soon Jason becomes a dealer on the pretense of researching this tweaker world for a project that will carry him, like a life raft, back to the shores of a normal life. But his friendly entrepreneurial spirit and trusting disposition disarm clients and rival dealers alike. The money begins to roll in as demand increases to frightening levels. Suddenly, Jason is in control of the entire crystal meth market for San Francisco’s gay community, even as he finds himself nodding off behind the wheel of his car, or walking down the sidewalk. As friends and family work frantically to steer him towards recovery, Jason resists, chasing something else: a sleepless nirvana fueled by sex, drugs, and the Tweakerworld.

With painful honesty, Jason Yamas has crafted a landmark narrative that is not just a personal account of addiction, but a portrait of a vulnerable, largely undocumented community of people who, for many reasons, have been marginalized to the point of invisibility.

We take a diversion from our usual format by not introducing another guest or topic in this edition. To aid you in digesting the intense, important conversation with Jason Yamas we've included a selection of "different" music.

The Playlist

  1. Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres - Understanding Now
  2. Yaz Lancaster - Y (feat. Dorothy Carlos, Connie Li)
  3. Miss Grit - Follow The Cyborg
  4. Crackboy - Off Track
  5. Rockers Hi Fi - Disco To Disco (Rockers Remix)
Mar 09, 202358:60
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 316 - La Femmes De Reggae Special

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 316 - La Femmes De Reggae Special

For this volume, we take a slight diversion from brand-new releases to celebrate the wonderful women of Reggae. Cover versions have always played an important part in the output from the Reggae hubs of Jamaica and London. Often a Reggae cover version is equal to if not considerably better than the original. There are far too many examples to illustrate that notion, but you are advised to check out a Reggae cover anytime you come across one. We begin with what could arguably be classified as a superior cover of Anita Ward’s 1979 hit, Ring My Bell. Almost immediately after its release, Anita’s record became an instant hit. If you were in New York at the time, (I was) you’d hear Ring My Bell everywhere - on the radio, in the clubs, in bars, in taxis, everywhere. The song is noted for its innovative use of the Synare electronic drum, playing a decaying high-pitched tom tone on the first beat of every bar. It also uses chimes. It was these electronic embellishments that made the song so captivating and perhaps even better to sing along to as Anita urges, You can ring my bell(Ding, dong, ding, ah-ah, ring it), You can ring my bell, anytime, anywhere, (Ring it, ring it, ring it, ring it, ow)”. Written by Frederick Knight, the song was originally intended for then-eleven-year-old Stacy Lattisaw. Contractual obligations prevented the young singer from recording the song, although it’s quite possible that someone noted that the title was a reference to pleasuring a woman with oral sex. Anita Ward was asked to sing it instead, and it became her only major hit. It reached number one on the Billboard 100 chart and also reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. By chance a few weeks after the single came out and riding high in the charts and booming from ghetto-blasters non-stop everywhere I went in NYC, I happened to pop on over to Kingston, Jamaica. Ring My Bell was dominating the radio waves and dancehalls there too. Then I discovered there was another version just as popular as the original, this version was by Blood Sisters, complete with a substantial dub on the 12” mix. In true Jamaican form, getting details on (The) Blood Sisters and their version of Ring My Bell proved nigh on impossible - and remains the same today. It’s a well-observed fact, details on Jamaican releases are often shrouded in mystery, non-de-plumes, and sometimes blatant misinformation. | Dawn Pickering recorded under the name, Dawn Penn released You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) in 1967 on Coxone Dodd’s Studio One label. Despite her initial success, Penn decided to take a break from singing, which lasted 17 years, In the late 1980s, she returned to Jamaica in the hopes of reviving her career. In the early 1990s, she re-recorded a version of You Don't Love Me with the noted Jamaican production team, Steely & Clevie. Throughout the years the song came to be known as No, No, No and ranked not only high in many charts, the song also achieved widespread critical acclaim. | Written almost 40 years ago by Sister Audrey, English Girl was one of the first songs recorded at the then “new Ariwa Studios” owned and operated by Neil Fraser AKA Mad Professor and was released on Jah Shaka’s label after the overwhelming response at dances. This was one of several Shaka / Ariwa partnerships from the ’80s. Sister Audrey a.k.a. Audrey Litchmore was born and raised in South East London, her musical journey was rooted in h

Mar 08, 202359:00
A Conversation With Penelope Trappes

A Conversation With Penelope Trappes

“How would you describe myself,” Penelope Trappes says with a hint of irony as we begin a lengthy conversation. That modicum of irony is ever-present in Trappes work, from the visual imagery to the soundscapes she creates, consistently selecting a serious noir color palette. Yet, Penelope refuses to stay hidden behind a gloom and doom visage, often allowing herself to chuckle or make an irreverent quip or two. During our conversation, Ms. Trappes gracefully maneuvers from expounding on women in the creative world to describing the quirkiness of South England’s famed seafront town, Brighton. Just as easily, she dons a fan-girl persona when talking about encountering the aura of her idol, Björk.

Penelope Trappes was born and raised in Australia and now resides in Brighton, she prefers to call her music, ethereal soundscapes, she is also a filmmaker and photographer, and involved in other areas of creative expression. Her trio of albums, Penelope One, Penelope Two, and Penelope Three are essential for your collection as is her forthcoming release, Heavenly Spheres. This is the result of experimenting with only her voice and an upright piano, plus an old German reel-to-reel tape machine. Do listen carefully to our conversation and Penelope’s music. Your feedback is always welcome.

Feb 20, 202359:01
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 315

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 315

Here we go, another 60 minutes of new releases for your listening pleasure. While the headline news insists our loathsome enemy, China is filling the skies with ginormous spy balloons, over in the capital city of Beijing, there is a vibrant new music scene. 

Mimik Banka - The People, The People, And The Dogs

With The People, The People, And The Dogs, Mimik Banka takes us on a musical journey that weaves in and out of genres. Beautifully executed with tropical percussion, curious synth signatures, and spoken words that include something about “showing your bottom”. The album, Dog Days is certainly worth exploring and should prompt you to search out more new music from China. 

Ishmael Ensemble & Rider Shafique - Reasons

Over in the always creative hub of Bristol in the west of England, we find the terrific music collective, Ishmael Ensemble led by saxophonist & producer Pete Cunningham. For this outing, poet, MC, and lyricist Rider Shafique joins in to give us, Reasons from the mesmerizing New Era album. 

Crooks & Nannies - No Fun

Damn! I love this one. Out of Philadelphia, Sam Huntington, and Max Rafter present as, Crooks & Nannies. No Fun is from their masterful LP of the same name. In their promo material, they say Sam and Max make rock ’n’ roll - which is a splendid thing. They also say, they write, produce, and perform the songs and give a name check for additional help from Mark Watter, Heather Jones, and Jacob Blizard. I’m very impressed with Crooks & Nannies.

Leaving Lost - In The Other Room/Under The Stars And Sky

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Feb 16, 202359:59
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 314

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 314

Television - Marquee Moon

The announcement of his passing on January 28th at age 73 sent shivers through me and thousands of others who had grown up with the belief that Tom Verlaine was the ultimate proof of how rock music could be. As the tributes flooded social media, the images of Verlaine remained as if frozen in time. His skinny frame and sardonic stare into the camera, the awkward haircut, and seemingly fragile wrists, dwarfed by his Fender guitar. Once again, the death of an icon meant thoughtful, if not sad reflections on Verlaine’s unique and haunting guitar-playing, accompanied by a voice so frail yet full of snarling angst.  A voice Lou Reed must have wished he had, a voice emulated by Tom’s one-time girlfriend, Patti Smith. He was born Thomas Miller in 1949 in New Jersey, he took his last name after the French symbolist poet, Paul Verlaine. With college pal and future punk icon, Richard Hell, Verlaine formed, The Neon Boys, then later reformed as Television. Their groundbreaking debut album, Marquee Moon has been played by me probably thousands of times. I would sit on the floor listening, intently…on each listen trying to decipher the words, attempting to make sense of the story Tom was telling.  While studiously exploring the how's and why’s of the musicianship…the interplay between Verlaine and Richard Lloyd’s guitars, Billy Ficca’s impeccable drums, and Fred Smith’s ominous bass. Music like no other then or since. Rest In Peace, Mr. Verlaine.

Karamelien - Wait For Me

It was just a few days before the passing of Verlaine, on January 23rd another important guitarist died. Anthony Topham AKA Top Topham was the original lead guitarist for The Yardbirds. His story is indicative of post-war England where your parents could have a major say in your career path. Topham was at art school when he formed The Yardbirds, they attracted the attention of club owner, and fledgling impresario, Giorgio Gomelsky who became their manager. Encouraged by Gomelsky (who also blagged a six-piece R&B band called The Rolling Stones, until a certain Mr. Oldham stepped in) the other members of The Yardbirds wanted to turn professional. Mr. and Mrs. Topham insisted their son further his education, as they

Feb 06, 202359:16
The Fabulous, Fearless, And Infamous Abortionist. 2023 Oscar Nominations Assessed. 

The Fabulous, Fearless, And Infamous Abortionist. 2023 Oscar Nominations Assessed. 

In her epilogue to Madame Restell, author Jennifer Wright says, “Around the world, women are gaining greater control over their bodies. Though not in America. So, tell the next generation that there was a time when we owned our bodies. Tell them they still deserve to, and that, whatever the age, it is not the state’s right to tell anyone otherwise. Tell them the history of people like Madame Restell, the history of her patients, and how common abortion has always been. But more than that, tell them the history you lived. Let them know where we came from. And perhaps, in time, they’ll fight their way back there.”

An industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, Madame Restell was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York, and her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to thousands of women—rich and poor alike. As her practice expanded, her notoriety swelled, and Restell established herself as a prime target for tabloids, threats, and lawsuits galore. But far from fading into the background, she defiantly flaunted her wealth, parading across the city in designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and bejeweled carriages, rubbing her success in the faces of the many politicians, publishers, fellow physicians, and religious figures determined to bring her down. Unfortunately for Madame Restell, her rise to the top of her field coincided with “the greatest scam you’ve never heard about”—the campaign to curtail women’s power by restricting their access to both healthcare and careers of their own. Powerful, secular men—threatened by women’s burgeoning independence—were eager to declare abortion sinful, a position endorsed by newly-minted male MDs who longed to edge out their feminine competition and turn medicine into a standardized, male-only practice. By unraveling the misogynistic and misleading lies that put women’s lives in jeopardy, Wright simultaneously restores Restell to her rightful place in history and obliterates the faulty reasoning underlying the very foundation of what has since been dubbed the “pro-life” movement.

Film and media critic, Bob Ross a longtime contributor to Life Elsewhere assesses the 2023 Oscar nominations with his customary drollness. Having seen more movies over the years than most people have had hot dinners, Ross is prone to emitting an exasperated sigh on occasion. Although he is never scathing, Bob Ross doesn’t hesitate to share his opinions.  And, when warranted Bob will wax lyrical accompanied by an impish chuckle. On a serious note, Ross unfurls his disdain for the grandiose charade of the awards ceremony. No matter if you have or have not seen all the movies nominated, it’s always entertaining to hear if you agree with Bob Ross.

Jan 30, 202301:00:28
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 313

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 313

For this volume we veer off into a more rockist direction, no substantive reason, it just happened that for the most part, the music files we received rang the “alternative rock” bell. And, that’s not a bad thing. 

Eternal Dust - Candy

We begin this volume with an album I highly recommend, Spiritual Healers, Defence Lawyers by Eternal Dust. I admit to knowing absolutely nothing about this band from Sydney before I listened to one cut. Ebonny Munro, Oscar Sulich, and Finn Parker caught my attention straight away. There is a distinctive spirit of urgent rock here, check those hollers on Candy.  An unrelenting wall of noise with what, dueling guitars? Do I hear the rhythm take over from the lead, then switch back again? No matter, Eternal Dust makes music I approve of.

Eel Men - Archetype

Then, we come to four lads from London who obviously understand that many have tried, but few have succeeded in capturing the raw, gritty essence of rock. No pretensions here from Eel Men, they give us a straightforward delivery of energy that harks back to the golden age of rock. I could, but it really would be a disservice to name-check the records Eel Men have listened to. With Archetype, they have forged their own identity. I’m positive, here we have a must-see-live-band.

Groçer - Downtown Side

A longtime friend of mine who is a native of Philadelphia reckons that Groçer are big faves locally, and incredible live. Excellent praise indeed from a writer who knows his way around an important rock show, or three. On Downtown Slide drummer (and vocalist), Cody Nelson is obviously having a lot of fun as he and the rest of the band almost slip into a funk thang. Big props to Danielle Lovier on bass/vocals and Nicholas Rahn on guitar/vocals. Scatter Plot, Groçer's new EP will not disappoint.

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Burning Building 

Originally from South Africa, Lucy Kruger is now based in Berlin making smartly produced music. Burning Building is from the forthcoming Heaving album. Listen beyond the obvious pop overtones and you’ll find interesting lyrics. Competent work happening here.

Pynch - 2009
Jan 22, 202358:60
The Optimism Of Jared Yates Sexton. UFOs Or UAPs? New Music To Indulge In

The Optimism Of Jared Yates Sexton. UFOs Or UAPs? New Music To Indulge In

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Jared Yates Sexton - The Midnight Kingdom - A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis

“I realize people think of me as a doom-sayer” announces Jared Yates Sexton at the beginning of our conversation, Then, he admits, “After writing this book, I’m optimistic!” That’s quite a statement from a writer who is known for unsettling commentaries. The title of his latest book, The Midnight Kingdom - A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis may suggest the takeaway will be of grave despondency. Instead, it’s a bracing read as the author takes a critical look at the forces that have shaped human civilization for centuries and invites us to seek a radically different future. To fully comprehend these strange and dangerous times, Jared Yates Sexton takes a hard look at America’s history: namely, the abuses committed by those in power and the comforting stories that shaped the way the West has viewed itself up to the present. As reactionaries and authoritarians cling to myths about “Western civilization,” The Midnight Kingdom exposes how political power, religious indoctrination, and economic dominance have been repeatedly weaponized to oppress and exploit, sounding an alarm for what lies ahead as the current order frays. Beginning with the Roman Empire and racing through centuries of colonization, war, genocide, and the recurring clashes of progress and regression, Sexton finds our modern world at a crossroads. In an echo of past crises, we have arrived at a time of historic inequality and fading trust in our institutions. Meanwhile, authoritarianism is gaining momentum and the progress of the twentieth century is being rolled back at dizzying speed. This catastrophic moment holds terrible potential for a return to a totalitarian past or, potentially, a better, more real, more human future. The difference depends on a true reckoning with our history and the larger forces at play or hiding behind this disastrous fantasy of Western superiority.

Continue reading here

Jan 22, 202358:60
Life Elsewhere Music Vol 312

Life Elsewhere Music Vol 312

First up, a couple of very big names in this volume. We usually stay away from the more obvious names but there are always exceptions. Tracy Thorn and Ben Watt also known together as Everything But the Girl are back with their first recording in 24 years. And, a gentleman who never fails to add a little more debate about his intentions has a new single, yes, it's Mr. John Lydon in his guise as Public Image Limited with a Love Song!

Nightrax - Trace

This is the project of UK-based musician and artist Domonic Deane, guest vocals on Trace are by Jana Sotzko. Competent work here, I like all the cuts. There is a cool video for the lead track, Touch The Void. The Nightrax EP is courtesy of Black Arrow Communications. Do not overlook!

Nicolini - Sopratutto

Nic Mauskovic wrote, performed & recorded all the music. The producer, multi-instrumentalist, and seasoned drummer can also be found as Nicola and Mauskovic Dance Band. This cut features Madba (on vocals?) with words c/o Fizzy Veins, apparently. My Italian friend, Gianni says Sopratutto translates to “Above all”. Although he didn’t seem very certain about that. The Sopratutto EP comes via South of North label out of Amsterdam. (Apologies for making a dog’s dinner out of my pronunciation).

Big Joanie - Sainted

Over the past couple of years, I’ve mentioned you should keep a watchful eye on Big Joanie. Three talented, vibrant musicians from London, guitarist Stephanie Phillips, bassist Estella Adeyeri, and drummer Chardine Taylor-Stone. They proudly call themselves a Black feminist punk band, their new album is titled Back Home, references a search for a place to call home, whether real or metaphysical. “We were really ruminating on the idea of a home and what it means,” explains Stephanie. “It’s about the different ideas of home, whether that’s here in the UK, back in Africa or the Caribbean, or a place that doesn’t really exist; it’s neither here nor

Jan 15, 202301:00:39
Bradley Onishi, A Convincing Writer With A Warning. An Early Conversation With Arlo Parks. 

Bradley Onishi, A Convincing Writer With A Warning. An Early Conversation With Arlo Parks. 

Stop by Bradley Onishi’s website and you’ll notice he’s not shy about proclaiming his abilities, “Scholar, Speaker, Thought Leader” shouts the headline. Then, in the first sentence of the first paragraph, Bradley adds he is "a social commentator, scholar, writer, teacher, coach, and podcast co-host". All perfectly valid descriptors, of course, yet he doesn’t get across how perfectly charming and articulate he is. In this age of Sell! Sell! Sell! One could take Onishi’s use of self-appraisal as more of a sales pitch than a substantive parade of abilities. In his new book, Preparing For War, Bradley Onishi delves into his past and reveals he was from his early teens a devout evangelical until seriously questioning Christianity and possibly all religions. It’s that over-the-top immersion into a belief - then absolute disbelief that prompted the question, “Should we be skeptical of your radical change of mind on Christianity, especially the White Christian Nationalist kind?” As you’ll hear in our conversation, Bradley has a well-considered answer. This is why listening to Bradley Onishi you quickly come to the conclusion, here is an honest man who clearly wants to share his experience and be forthright with his warning - what comes next with White Christian Nationalism? 

In the second half of the show, we go back in time to hear a conversation with a then-up-and-coming talent who had at that time not even stepped on stage in front of an audience. Today, Arlo Parks is an international star with major ventures underway for 2023. Listen carefully to the then 18-year-old schoolgirl talk about her music, her hopes, and her dreams. 

Jan 15, 202301:15:02
The 2022 Fading Memory Edition - LEM Vol 311

The 2022 Fading Memory Edition - LEM Vol 311

Hello there, welcome to LEM Vol 311. 2022 has been a difficult year for many of us. Far too many of our loved ones, friends, and figures of inspiration have passed on. Certainly, for me, the past twelve months have been clouded with far too many moments of anguish. For this final show of 2022, I have tried to evoke my overall mood as 2022 fades into a distant memory and the new year arrives and hopefully, I’ll summon enough positive, optimistic energy to face 2023. The majority of the cuts selected are new and have not aired before on LEM. Here then is LEM Vol 311- The 2022 Fading Memory Edition. 

Ruby Hickman - I Hate You

Never say, “I hate you!” I told my son when he was a rattled child. It’s far too harsh I tried to explain. It’s too definitive I wanted to say. “Hate is an ugly word” I believe I settled on. And, yes it is. Yet, Ruby Hickman reminds us that in a moment of passion, a harsh, ugly word feels so perfect, so necessary. Ruby’s publicity blurb proclaimed, “I’m a 15-year-old singer-songwriter from Leigh on Sea in Essex, I’ve have been writing music for a couple of years now. Suddenly here I am with my first EP! I started solely on piano, but have really enjoyed pushing my guitar and vocals too. I'm writing all the time and currently have another 5 songs almost ready to release”. Ruby Hickman caught us by surprise. She is definitely talented and she certainly knows how to put a song together. I Hate You is from her EP, The Fake You.

Darling - Isolating

Darling hail from Australia, and makes excellent music, their double-sided single Illusions/Isolating shows Caitlin Finn & Joel Glazebrook in fine form. Isolating they say explores a decaying relationship caused by a disintegrating individual who isolates themself from reality and the people who love them. Darling is on 4000 Records an independent artist-led record label with a strong focus on collaborating with Brisbane creatives. We like that. 

Fine - Eventually, Everyone Will Leave

Alice Kat and Liam James Marsh impressed us so much we invited them onto the show for a chat. About their latest LP, Love, Death, Dreams, And The Sleep Between, Subjangle, their label says, “With an emotionality that c

Jan 02, 202359:00
The Best Of The Best You May Have Missed 2022

The Best Of The Best You May Have Missed 2022

Here at LEM, we are consistently reminded by critics, music aficionados, PR people, and indie record labels that LEM is the very best resource for new music, we have already given you The Best Of The Best 2022, so now we present The Best Of The Best You May Have Missed 2022. In 60 minutes we present the more obscure cuts we have curated during the past year, music you may have overlooked, music certainly worthwhile hearing again, and music you may not hear anywhere else. Our original commentaries for each cut selected are below. Very big thanks for listening and supporting LEM. We look forward to bringing you another year of the very best in new music. Here then is The Best Of The Best You May Have Missed 2022.

Rachael Dadd - Arrows (Elsa Hewitt Remix)

We’ve played This Is The Kit on LEM a few times, so I took notice when TITK front person, Kate Stables says, Rachael Dadd is one of the most talented wise prolific, and important women of our times”. Rachael’s LP Flux came out in 2019, and now she has two remix albums, Part 1 and Part 2. The Elsa Hewitt Remix of Arrows is haunting and I would expect a prompt for you to discover more of Rachael’s work. Excellent, top marks! 

The Garbage & The Flowers - Eye Know Who You Are

 The Garbage & The Flowers are from Ipswich, Australia, according to various sources. Then, I read a piece about Robert Forster that mentioned The Garbage & The Flowers which had the mysterious band hailing from New Zealand. The fact is, no matter where they are from, this is a band you need to know about. Yes, you’ll be tempted to dwell on influences, but your time will be better spent lapping up what they have to offer on their Cinnamon Sea EP, especially, Eye Know Who You Are. Simple, minimalist perhaps, yet there is something eerily retro while being so now. There is a nonchalant mood while (I think) carefully calculated. Listen carefully.

Julia-Sophia - Not Beautiful

Julia-Sophia is based in Oxford, UK and she says Not Beautiful from her EP, Feels Like Thunder. Julia-Sophia says, “I felt like I was pigeonholed to be this rock chick, and I didn’t really know how to do music, so I went along with it.” I’m glad sh

Dec 26, 202258:59
The Best Of The Best 2022
Dec 18, 202259:00
A Conversation With Robert Forster - LEM Vol 306

A Conversation With Robert Forster - LEM Vol 306

In December of 1977, Robert Forster co-founded The Go-Betweens, with fellow musician Grant McLennan in Brisbane, Australia. Since then until today, Robert has been actively involved in the business of performing and releasing records, either as a member of The Go-Betweens or with his illustrious solo career. Along the way Forster has accumulated worldwide acclaim, his songwriting often cited as being exemplary, especially among music critics. Robert Forster has now taken a different path creating his latest album, The Candle And The Flame. It reveals only part of what became a journey of creating music with family and friends, with a need to find joy and solace in the face of adversity. In early July, Karin Bäumler, Robert’s wife and musical companion for thirty-two years was diagnosed with cancer. Explaining his new album Robert says, “She’s A Fighter is the last song I wrote for The Candle And The Flame album. I wrote the music for it in June 2021. I liked the tune and the quick energy of the song, but I didn't know yet what it was going to be about. Karen began a series of chemotherapy sessions in late July, she spoke of fighting for her health and a path through chemotherapy to recovery. The phrase, ‘She’s A Fighter’ came to me. I liked it and I knew immediately that it would work with the melody I had written earlier. I needed just one other line for the lyrics. ‘Fighting for good.’ The song was finished. I had written my first two-line song. I had just out-Ramoned the Ramones! Because the song has so much meaning to us, we decided to record it as a family. The only time this happens on the album. Karin sings and plays xylophone. Our daughter Loretta plays electric guitar. Our son Louis plays guitar, bass, and percussion. And I strum an acoustic guitar fiercely and sing. And that’s ‘She’s a Fighter.” The Candle And The Flame consists of 9 songs written by Robert. Produced by Robert, Karin Bäumler, and Louis Forster. Robert explains, “The recording sessions for the album were done sporadically over six months. Sometimes just one or two days a month. As that was all Karin’s strength and condition allowed her to do. So we had to record ‘live’, catching magical moments and going for ‘feel'. And that became the sound of the album.”

She’s A Fighter is available now as the first single from The Candle And The Flame. The full album will be released on February 3 of 2023. After receiving an advance copy of the new LP and playing it non-stop for many days, it was agreed, we had to arrange a conversation with Robert Forster. But, we received word that Robert was not keen on doing interviews about the new album as he felt it was too personal, he didn’t want to appear to benefit from his wife’s illness. His PR man, familiar with Norman B’s reputation for intimate and sensitive interviews, encouraged Robert to chat with the LEM host via Zoom. Robert was so pleased with the conversation, a follow-up session is being scheduled. Please listen carefully to what Robert has to say, this is a moving, heartfelt conversation.
Nov 15, 202259:02
Education & Religion With Phil Allen Jr. Backyard Birding With Joan E. Strassmann

Education & Religion With Phil Allen Jr. Backyard Birding With Joan E. Strassmann

We invited Phil Allen Jr. onto the show to talk about his new book, The Prophetic Lens - The Camera And Black Moral Agency From MLK To Darnella Frazier. Very quickly it was clear we were running out of time, yet there was much more to discuss with Phil. A second Zoom conversation was scheduled to delve into two issues he is passionate about, Education and Religion. Phil Allen Jr. explains how and why his life changed when he realized he had had a spiritual awakening. Being cognizant of the world around him, Phil doesn’t preach about his faith, instead, he has chosen to explain and educate. His observations and viewpoint are critical to how he conducts his everyday life, including taking time for a daily run with a playlist of spiritual, soul, and  R & B music. Our conversation touches on today’s politics, especially the case of Hershel Walker and how his run for office is so distressing. Listen carefully to what Phil Allen Jr. has to say, he is a terrific communicator.

“It has taken me 30 years to write this book.” Announced Joan E. Strassmann when asked about her process of writing, Slow Birding - The Art And Science Of Enjoying Birds In Your Own Backyard. Ms. Strassmann explains it has been a labor of love, yet there is so much more to learn and share. Slow Birding is a charming and fascinating read, packed full of details and advice on birding in your own backyard. Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States -  birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. For example, northern cardinals thrive in the city, where they are free from predators. White brows on a male white-throated sparrow indicate that he is likely to be a philanderer. In fact, the sometimes complicated sex lives of birds are an essential part of Slow Birding. For evolutionary biologist, Joan E. Strassmann understanding the intimate escapades of backyard birds is crucial, as is nature’s seemingly cruel lead on predatory behavior. She emphasizes this with a sharp rebuke of feeding feral cats, “Even if you don’t see them in action, I can assure you, cats will attack and eat the birds in your backyard!

Nov 14, 202259:59
Conspiracy. Robert Forster. RIP Jerry Lee

Conspiracy. Robert Forster. RIP Jerry Lee

Michael Shermer - Conspiracy: Why the Rational  Believe the Irrational

Nothing happens by accident, everything is connected, and there are no coincidences: that is the essence of conspiratorial thinking. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream: 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false-flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories―who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status―and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial: elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play: anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. This engaging book will be an important read for anyone concerned about the future direction of American politics, as well as anyone who's watched friends or family fall into patterns of conspiratorial thinking. 

Continue reading https://wp.me/p38QA8-3ET

Nov 07, 202258:60
Chris Connelly On His Eulogy To Nico

Chris Connelly On His Eulogy To Nico

It's a very special occasion when I have the opportunity to spend time in conversation with Chris Connelly. With every new project, he eagerly shares his passion and inspiration for his exceptional music. He was just fifteen when saw her perform live in Edinburgh, he connived his way backstage to say hello and unbelievably, the goddess reached out and touched his face. From that wondrous moment, Chris Connelly has been a devoted fan of Nico. It was after a suggestion by his friend Cosey Fanni Tutti that Chris listen to Nico’s later work, Janitor Of Lunacy that he began to conceive of paying tribute to his idol. He originally planned a 10-song tribute featuring Chris’s versions of Nico songs, at the end of the recording, Connelly decided to write a parallel album of his own compositions spanning the life of one of the most unique, tragic, and misunderstood female artists in the history of music. The result is the 24-track Eulogy To Christa: A Tribute To The Music & Mystique Of Nico. The double album sees Chris purposefully adopting the personas of Nico, Lou Reed, and John Cale – even Andy Warhol makes a cameo! Chris Connelly was also inspired by the brilliant book, You Are Beautiful And You Are Alone by author Jennifer Otter Bickerdicke, who contributed to the liner notes for the album. She writes, “This is a record to be played at full blast, all the way through, as a commemoration not just to Nico the person, the musician, but to art for art’s sake, for making something because it is important and needs to be done – an idea that is as rare and precious as Nico herself.” Make sure you pay careful attention to Chris’s details about the song and making the album - and enjoy the music. Thank you, Chris, for a beautiful conversation.

Oct 16, 202258:60
The Prophetic Lens With Phil Allen Jr. Idiosyncratic Opinions With Dr. Binoy Kampmark

The Prophetic Lens With Phil Allen Jr. Idiosyncratic Opinions With Dr. Binoy Kampmark

In the introduction to his new book, The Prophetic Lens, Phil Allen Jr. quotes a performer who has had his share of notoriety in front of the camera, not least of all his extraordinary behavior live on TV at the Oscars, that performer is, of course, Will Smith, who when asked on a late-night talk show if racism is getting worse, Smith responds astutely with, “Racism is not getting worse, it's getting filmed.” Allen takes us on a critical journey, recounting how he watched the trial of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis, Minnesota, police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd on May 25, 2020, “I realized how indispensable the footage on the camera phone recorded by Darnella Frazier had become - the camera is not just technology that is indispensable for documentation; it is a prophetic tool for Black moral agency. The images captured by the camera have shed light on the violence endured by African Americans as well as pictures that depict blatant and subtle images of what white supremacy may look like. The pictures of Emmett Till catalyzed the Civil Rights Movement. The images of Bloody Sunday and other events captured the creative tension of the movement.” Allen chronicles the use of the camera from J.D. Griffiths’ Birth Of A Nation to how the prophetic scene of the killing of Radio Raheem in Spike Lee’s classic film Do the Right Thing was a precursor to Eric Garner and George Floyd. In our conversation, Phil Allen Jr. ponders on what would have been the outcome if smartphones or CCTV cameras had been present at the killing of Travon Martin, and the untimely death of his grandfather in 1953.

Phil Allen Jr. is a pastor, poet, storyteller, filmmaker, and justice advocate. A former All-American NCAA athlete, Phil's call to ministry led him to California, where he is a full-time pastor and a Ph.D. candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Also in the show, regular contributor, Dr. Binoy Kampmark offers his often idiosyncratic opinions on the following questions:

1. Could these be the beginning of the last days for Putin? How much trouble is he in behind the vast cloak of secrecy that is the Kremlin?

2. Could there be a more painful start for the Conservative leadership in Britain as Prime Ministers Truss plunges the UK economy into a never-seen-before turmoil?

3. Is the West looking the other way while rumors of upheaval behind the scenes in China could affect the Communist empire’s global footprint?

4. Does Italy now have a perfect Fascist leader who happens to be a woman?

5. New York Times reporter, Maggie Haberman unveils, Confidence Man, a disturbing reckoning of the 45th president, yet she doesn’t explain why she along with so many reporters failed to report what they now say they knew at the beginning?

Dr Binoy Kampmark is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Global, Urban, and Social Studies, at RMIT University, Melbourne


Oct 16, 202259:00
The Biggest Ideas In The Universe. Elton John @ 75.

The Biggest Ideas In The Universe. Elton John @ 75.

Sean Carroll - The Biggest Ideas in the Universe

The most trusted explainer of the most mind-boggling concepts pulls back the veil of mystery that has too long cloaked the most valuable building blocks of modern science. Sean Carroll, with his genius for making complex notions entertaining, presents in his uniquely lucid voice the fundamental ideas informing the modern physics of reality. Physics offers deep insights into the workings of the universe but those insights come in the form of equations that often look like gobbledygook. Sean Carroll shows that they are really like meaningful poems that can help us fly over sierras to discover a miraculous multidimensional landscape alive with radiant giants, warped space-time, and bewilderingly powerful forces. High school calculus is itself a centuries-old marvel as worthy of our gaze as the Mona Lisa. And it may come as a surprise the extent to which all our most cutting-edge ideas about black holes are built on the math calculus enables. Sean Carroll guides readers toward grasping the very equation Einstein used to describe his theory of general relativity. In the tradition of the legendary Richard Feynman lectures presented sixty years ago, this book is an inspiring, dazzling introduction to a way of seeing that will resonate across cultural and generational boundaries for many years to come.

Gillian Gaar - Elton John @ 75

Few rock artists continue to gather more and more adulation with age. Sir Elton Hercules John is an exception who proves the rule. In Elton John @ 75, veteran rock journalist Gillian Gaar presents a unique and beautifully produced celebration of the iconic and beloved rock star, examining Sir Elton through the lens of 75 career accomplishments and life events. Key studio albums are featured, of course, as are a curated selection of his earworm singles. But Gaar delves deeper to reveal the events that helped chart the course of Elton’s career: Beginning with his 1969 debut LP, Elton John is regarded as one of the most influential musicians and performers of the previous five decades. In examining 75 touchstones, Gaar provides a unique presentation of Elton’s career arc, from his first steps as a solo artist to the breakthrough album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road to his flamboyant stage presence, and beyond. Every page is illustrated with stunning concert and candid offstage photography, including gig posters, 7-inch picture sleeves, and more. This incredible package also includes a gatefold Elton John timeline, a previously unpublished gatefold artwork, an 8×10-inch glossy print, and a pullout poster.

Sep 25, 202258:56