Just Released - 2013 [Ep.19]

 “Put a candle in the window, but I feel I’ve got to move, 

  Though I’m going, going, I’ll be coming home soon,

  Long as I can see the light…”

                        “Long As I Can See The Light” – Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970)

John Fogerty has finally come in from the cold.

Long-running legal issues that once plagued his career and robbed his legacy are now resolved and Americana’s unheralded Godfather has revisited some of his most enduring compositions (and a couple of new ones). With such an impressive array of special guests, ‘Wrote A Song For Everyone’ can seem more an event than an album. For the most part it works, but the singular rasp of Fogerty’s vocals, the bite still evident in his guitar and the purity of those compositions, render some of the guest contributions surplus to requirement. Welcome back, John.

Jazz/Pop chanteuse, Caro Emerald also features in this edition, with her second album, ‘The Shocking Miss Emerald’. As follow-ups go, this was a daunting one. Her 2010 debut, ‘Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor’ had spent most of that year at the top of the Dutch chart. Amsterdam’s favourite daughter must have drawn considerable relief then, when her new album hit the top, not just in her homeland but in England as well. This time, Caro visits the sound of vintage Jazz whilst bringing to it, a cheeky, contemporary twist.

Also raising dust on the Comeback Trail in this edition is Todd Rundgren. Last seen touring here in February as part of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band, Todd is set to return next month, presenting his own music. Since remixing Aussie band, Tame Impala’s song “Elephant” last year, Todd has been working on his latest psychedelic opus with the album, ‘State’ and with song titles like “Angry Birds”, “Ping Me” and “Serious”, Todd’s creative flair and sense of humour remain firmly intact.

One of Australia’s most respected Indigenous singer/songwriters, Archie Roach sees the timely release of a song he composed 20 years ago, “The Colour Of Your Jumper”, to coincide with National Reconciliation Week (27^th May-3^rd June).

Also in this edition, we hear from former Alexisonfire frontman, Dallas Green, recording under the name ‘City & Colour’ along with a preview of the forthcoming album from Melbourne singer/songwriter, Lawrence Greenwood, known as Whitley. He’ll be releasing his new album in early July before embarking on a tour of eastern states capitals and appearances later that month at the 13^th annual ‘Splendour In The Grass’ music festival.

Meanwhile, just starting out as a recording artist is Cook Islands teenager, Jaik Berg.

Last year, a song that came to him in his sleep became the winner of Radio Australia’s annual ‘Pacific Break Competition’ beating out entries from Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and other Pacific nations. A compilation of the best entries in last year’s competition is now released and in this edition, we share the newly-recorded version of Jaik’s winning song.      

  

  

John Fogerty: “Mystic Highway” (from the album ‘Wrote A Song For Everyone’)

Archie Roach: “The Colour Of Your Jumper” (digital single)

Whitley: “My Heart Is Not A Machine" (preview from the album, ‘Even The Stars Are A Mess’)

City & Colour: “The Hurry And The Harm” (from the album, ‘The Hurry And The Harm’)

Caro Emerald: “Pack Up The Louie”/”Liquid Lunch” (from the album, ‘The Shocking Miss Emerald’)

Todd Rundgren: “Serious” (from the album, ‘State’)

Jaik Berg: “My Oh My” (from the album, ‘The Best of Pacific Break 2012’)

John Fogerty: “Bad Moon Rising (with Zac Brown Band)”/”Who’ll Stop The Rain (with Bob Seger)” (from the album ‘Wrote A Song For Everyone’)

  

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  

You can also listen to JR during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, simply connect to our web pages via the hot links above. …(or even the shiny beast below): 

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Just Released - 2013 [Ep.18]

This week on Just Released with Bill Riner & Brandon Stewart:

Saturday 25^th & Sunday 26^th May 2013

“One more time,

  One more time,

  One more time,

  One more time,…”,

                        “One More Time” – Daft Punk (2000)

True, Daft Punk aren’t known for their lyrics. But that doesn’t mean the robots aren’t winning. And it won’t stop their just released album, ‘Random Access Memories’ from making its debut at (or very close to) #1. The Progressive House duo has been celebrating dancefloor culture since the late ‘90s but this time, the synths and sequencers have mostly been left at home. In their place are real musicians, lots of them. At times, it seems like Daft Punk are guests on their own album with the lion’s share of its sound shaped by others. Master of ceremonies here is Nile Rodgers whose unimpeachably funky guitar grooves are all over the place. Elsewhere, is Giorgio Moroder, one of the architects of Disco. This is Daft Punk bringing it all back home and saying, Respec’ to the music that inspired them. As a footnote, Australian Pop icons, Sherbet will also be sharing in the royalties: Daryl Braithwaite, Tony Mitchell and Garth Porter are co-credited on one track for a “sample” from their 1981 song, “We Ride Tonight” used in the album’s final song. (Yay, “Local” angle.) 

There’s always a little dust on the Comeback Trail but there was a little extra this week with the return of Baby Animals. Suze DeMarchi and her band have overcome a great deal of misfortune during their career but remind us they are not ready to throw in the towel. The title of their new album makes their intentions clear: ‘This Is Not The End’. Sharing that sentiment is Australian singer/songwriter, Wes Carr. Once referred to as the “former Australian Idol winner”, he may now be known as the former Wes Carr. Believing his own name to have been “tainted” by the corporate stank of his brush with Idol, TAFKAWC is now known by the newly adopted moniker of Buffalo Tales.

It may be around 8 years since their last album but we’re still not calling the latest from Scottish band, Texas a comeback. Whilst many UK bands from the 80s are now reforming, Texas never really went away. Along with Sharleen Spiteri and her band, other talented women with new music in this edition are England’s, Laura Marling (‘I Was An Eagle’) and America’s Patty Griffin, who takes time out from singing with Robert Plant’s band to make her 7^th album (‘American Kid’) in memory of her late father.

Texas: “The Conversation” (from the album ‘The Conversation’)

Patty Griffin: “Go Wherever You Wanna Go”/”Ohio” (from the album, ‘American Kid’)

Baby Animals: “Email" (from the album, ‘This Is Not The End’)

Daft Punk: “Give Life Back To Music”/”Lose Yourself To Dance” (from the album, ‘Random Access Memories’)

Buffalo Tales: “Amsterdam” (from the album, ‘Road Trip Confessions’)

Laura Marling: ”I Was An Eagle” (from the album, ‘I Was An Eagle’)

Daft Punk: “Giorgio By Moroder” (from the album, ‘Random Access Memories’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle,Hobart and Darwin.  

You can also listen to JR during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, simply connect to our web pages via the hot links above. …(or even the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

              ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.17]

“Add us to equations but they’ll never make us equal,

  She who writes the movie, owns the script and the sequel,,

  So, why ain’t the stealing of my rights made illegal?…”

                                                   “Q.U.E.E.N.” – Janelle Monáe (2013)

  

The JR Radar was buzzing with new alerts this week and one that caught our attention was a preview from the 2^nd album by Janelle Monáe. With “Tightrope” (from her album, ‘The ArchAndroid’) she had one of the most memorable Dance songs of 2010. A couple of Sydney Opera House performances last May for the 2012 Vivid Festival brought Janelle’s psychedelic Soul to Australian audiences for the first time. On this edition’s preview from Ms. Monáe’s forthcoming album, ‘The Electric Lady’ Janelle duets with Erykah Badu. (Sharper tools in the shed will catch the nod to Jimi Hendrix in the album title).

 

Also returning with a 2^nd album is Hugh Laurie whose post-House future seems more aligned with his passion for classic piano Blues. And speaking of Blues, it must be at least a couple of weeks now since we heard something new from Joe Bonamassa. This time, Joe returns for his 2^nd album with Torch Blues singer, Beth Hart. Wondering why they’d risk a stab at such an iconic song as “Nutbush City Limits” was obvious, once we’d heard it. Beth’s voice can scorch hot enough to do Tina proud, or simmer, as she does interpreting the songs of Etta James (“A Sunday Kind Of Love”, or Billie Holiday (“Strange Fruit”). 

 

In this edition of JR, we welcome the American Electro-Pop duo, MS MR and English Electro-Pop trio, London Grammar. The former, is making their major label album debut. The latter, independently releasing their debut EP. Meanwhile, from his home near Byron Bay and doing it all by himself is, Connor B. Fitz. His album, ‘Stay Awake’ is due out early next month, shortly before he heads off to Europe.

 

Also making their debut this week are The Dunwells. Their album, out last year in America, now sees its Australian release - and if you can imagine Mumford & Sons featuring sitar and backwards guitar solos, well, you’re getting warmer.

  

And after last year’s international embracing of Gotye, the Aussie singer’s ‘other’ best-known song, “Hearts A Mess” appears a smart choice for the soundtrack of Baz Luhrman’s latest cinematic reinvention of ‘The Great Gatsby’.

 

The Dunwells: “Follow The Road” (from the album ‘Blind Sighted Faith’)

Connor B. Fitz: “Seventh Sense” (preview from the album, ‘Stay Awake’)

MS MR: “Head Is Not My Home" (from the album, ‘Secondhand Rapture’)

London Grammar: “Hey Now” (from the EP, ‘Metal & Dust’)

Hugh Laurie: “The St. Louis Blues”/”Vicksburg Blues” (from the album, ‘Didn’t It Rain’)

Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa: “Nutbush City Limits”/”A Sunday Kind Of Love” (from the album, ‘See Saw’)

Janelle Monáe featuring Erykah Badu: “Q.U.E.E.N." (preview from the album, ‘The Electric Lady’)

Gotye: “Hearts A Mess" (from the album, 'Music from Baz Luhrman's film, 'The Great Gatsby')

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  

You can also listen to JR during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, simply connect to our web pages via the hot links above. …(or even the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

              ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.16]

“ég flýt um í neðarsjávar hýði,

  á hóteli,

  beintengdur við rafmagnstöfluna…”

                         “Svefn-g-englar” – Sigur Ros (1999)

Nope, me neither.

But I do know that those lyrics are in a song from the 2nd Sigur Ros album, which stands among the Icelandic band’s greatest achievements. Yet unless you speak the language, how can you be sure if those lyrics are Icelandic or in that made-up language of lead singer, Jonsi known as, ‘Hopelandic’. A new song, “Isjaki” from their soon to be released album, ‘Kveiker’ and previewed in this edition of JR, shows the band reaching back to the majesty of those earlier songs.

The JR Radar picked up on the Great Gatsby soundtrack this week featuring an Adele-worthy performance by Aussie vocalist, Sia, apparently now rethinking her plans for an early retirement from music. Also causing some static was the English Punk troubadour, Frank Turner (think Billy Bragg on steroids), whose 5th album, 'Tape Deck Heart' looks like being his strongest so far.

Spotted on the Comeback Trail in time for this edition was Florida's gritty R&B band, JJ Grey & MOFRO, Michael Franti & Spearhead and Sydney's Josh Pyke.

In the world of Pop music we strike a happy medium between the cutting edge new style of Vampire Weekend with their album 'Modern Vampires Of The City' and the unassuming retro approach of She & Him, who's 4th album, 'Volume 3' throws us back to that period of cultural twilight between Elvis joining the US Army and trying to find Liverpool on the map. 

Michael Franti and Spearhead: “I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like)” (preview from the album, ‘All People’)

Josh Pyke: “Leeward Side” (preview from the album, ‘The Beginning And The End Of Everything’)

J.J. Grey & Mofro: “99 Shades Of Crazy" (from the album, ‘This River’)

Vampire Weekend: “Unbelievers”/”Step”  (from the album, ‘Modern Vampires Of The City’)

She & Him: “I Could Have Been Your Girl”/”Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” (from the album, ‘Volume 3’)

Frank Turner: “Recovery” (from the album, ‘Tape Deck Heart’)

Sigur Ros: “Isjaki" (preview from the album, ‘Kveiker’)

Sia: “Kill And Run" (from the album, ‘Music from Baz Luhrman's film, The Great Gatsby’)

Vampire Weekend: “Ya Hey” (from the album, ‘Modern Vampires Of The City’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  

You can also listen to JR during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, simply connect to our web pages via the hot links above. …(or even the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

               ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.15]

“Thanks for solving Friday’s crossword,

  Who knew ‘Ivan’ was a Czar?…”,

                        “Best Love” – Steve Martin (2011)

I’m told there are people who don’t like banjo music. I don’t actually know any of them but it stands to reason, I guess. Among the humble instrument’s staunchest supporters are Billy Connolly, Kermit The Frog and Michael Price. (Okay, so that last one is a personal friend). But what about all those Progressive Bluegrass bands like Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers, Punch Brothers and Crooked Still? Or the new breed of String bands like The Infamous Stringdusters or Carolina Chocolate Drops? And where would Marcus Mumford be today if he’d hired a jug blower instead of Winston Marshall and his banjo? He’d be playing Scout Halls in the Outer Hebrides.

Another great picker of the 5-string is Steve Martin, who’s just released his 3^rd album of banjo driven songs. His collaboration with Edie Brickell has produced an album rich in stories, a couple which you’ll hear in this edition, including one about a baby in a suitcase, thrown from a moving train. (Relax. Nobody dies.)   

With Bill away again this week, the JR Radar was working overtime and pulling in stuff from all around the planet. As a result, we have the new album from Sweden’s Junip (featuring guitarist, Jose Gonzalez), the stylish exuberance of Venezuela’s masters of Gozadera (good-time music), Los Amigos Invisibles, a song from an emerging young New Zealand talent named Lorde and the icy Electro-Pop of American singer/songwriter John Grant, from his newly-adopted hometown of Reykjavik, Iceland.   

Returning closer to home (Melbourne, to be more precise), there’s a song from the now imminent new album, ‘Steal The Light’ from The Cat Empire, along with the latest single from Mia Dyson’s current disc, ‘The Moment’.

Thanks to the newly remastered edition of Albert King’s classic Blues album, ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ we get a fresh reminder in this edition of just how closely Eric Clapton was paying attention back in 1967, when he was still a member of Cream. And, thanks to the recent 6^th anniversary of Record Store Day, a previously unreleased recording by Bob Dylan, from the 1970 sessions for his (oft-maligned) ‘Self Portrait’ album. Despite being vetted in the final track selection for that record, “Thirsty Boots” has more passion than some of the songs that did make it.

Another volume in Bob’s ever-expanding ‘Bootleg Series’ is surely, not far away. (The JR Radar says so.)

  

John Grant: “Pale Green Ghosts” (from the album ‘Pale Green Ghosts’)

Lorde: “Royals” (from the EP, ‘The Love Club’)

Junip: “Head First" (from the album, ‘Junip’)

Steve Martin & Edie Brickell: “Get Along Stray Dog”/”Sarah Jane And The Iron Mountain Baby” (from the album, ‘Love Has Come For You’)

Los Amigos Invisibles: “La Que Me Gusta” (from the album, ‘Repeat After Me’)

Cat Empire: “Wild Animals” (preview from the album, ‘Steal The Light’)

Bob Dylan: “Thirsty Boots" (vinyl ‘Record Store Day’ single)

Mia Dyson: “Fill Yourself" (new single)

Albert King: “Oh Pretty Woman" (from the album, ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’)

Junip: “Line Of Fire" (from the album, ‘Junip’)

Just Released is heard Saturdays at 12pm and Sundays at 4pm (AEDT or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and via the streams of our metropolitan stations on the Gold Coast, in Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin.  

You can also listen to JR during the week on ABC Dig Music Mondays @ 2pm, Wednesdays @ 8pm & Thursdays @ 11am (AEDT or AEST) and on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.

To stream Just Released on demand, simply connect to our web pages via the hot links above. …(or even the shiny beast below): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

              ♫

    ♫   {](-_-)[}   ♫         Thanks for listening.