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.

Just Released - 2013 [Ep.14]

“Will you recognise me,

  Call my name, or walk on by,

  Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling,

  Down, down, down…”,

                “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” – Simple Minds (1985)

Admit it. Some of you did forget. …Didn’t you?

Then, it may come as a surprise to learn that not only are Simple Minds back, they never actually went away. They’ve just released a double album (or triple, for the committed fans) of their greatest hits. There’s also a couple of new songs included, one of which is featured in this edition of JR. 

As for the real action on the Comeback Trail, we were quick to spot the arrival of previews from French masters of Electro-House music, Daft Punk and Australian Rock singer, Bernard Fanning. Daft Punk have been pretty much M.I.A. since 2005 (if you discount a Live album and a movie soundtrack) and have a new album arriving next month. The catchy first single “Get Lucky” sees them reaching back to ‘70s Disco, enlisting the trademark sound of Chic guitarist, Nile Rodgers along with N.E.R.D. frontman, Pharrell Williams for the vocal. Bernard Fanning, on the other hand appears to have sidestepped the acoustic flavour of his multi-award winning solo debut for something harder.. The first song from his forthcoming album, ‘Departures’ leans more in the direction of his former band, Powderfinger.

Americana Troubadour, actor and novelist Steve Earle has a new album of story songs called, ‘The Low Highway’ which we dip into for this edition along with the latest Live release by Blues/Rock guitar master, Joe Bonamassa. Joe gets to show off his skills this time with his acoustic guitar and in a venue as prestigious as the Vienna Opera House, he thoughtfully recorded the occasion for the rest of us.

The trusty JR Radar picked up on a couple of great new versions of iconic songs for this edition. One is by Gotye joining actor & singer Eddie Perfect and comedic group, Tripod. The other, is by the American vocalist Kristina Train. Both do justice to the originals. Also attracting attention on the Radar this week was the debut album by Ballarat band, Gold Fields (‘Black Sun’). The group is about to return to Australia in June for a national tour, as soon as they wind up their current tour of North America. Another name seemingly poised for bigger things in the future is Irish band, Kodaline. Their debut album (‘In A Perfect World’) won’t be out until early June but we do have a hint of what’s on it in this edition.

Bernard Fanning: “Battleships” (preview from the album ‘Departures’)

Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers: “Get Lucky” (preview from the album, ‘Random Access Memories’)

Simple Minds: “Broken Glass Park" (from the album, ‘Celebrate: The Greatest Hits +’)

Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses): “21^st Century Blues”/”Pocket Full Of Rain” (from the album, ‘The Low Highway’)

Kodaline: “All I Want” (preview from the album, ‘In A Perfect World’)

Gold Fields: “Treehouse” (from the album, ‘Black Sun’)

Gotye & Perfect Tripod: “Quasimodo’s Dream" (digital single)

Kristina Train: “Who Knows Where The Time Goes" (digital single)

Joe Bonamassa: “Jelly Roll”/”Woke Up Dreaming" (from the album, ‘An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House’)

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.13]

“Catch a ride to the end of the highway,

  And we’ll meet by the big red tree,

  There’s a place up ahead and I’m goin’,

  Come along, come along with me…”,

                “Up Around The Bend” – John Fogerty (1970)

You never have to look too hard for the highway in John Fogerty’s music. They’re everywhere, always leading to someplace better than where you are now. Before his band, Creedence Clearwater Revival dissolved in bitter acrimony, John Fogerty was a formidable force in music. It’s well documented but worth noting, that while his manager took the goldmine, Fogerty got the shaft. Good news is that all those troubles are behind John Fogerty and now, he’s released the album, ‘Wrote A Song For Everyone’ on which he (legally) revisits some of his old songs with the help of a small galaxy of special guests. The album also features a couple of new songs, including the minor epic, “Mystic Highway”, which we feature in this edition of JR.

Vying for position with Fogerty on the Comeback Trail this week are Alison Moyet with her first album since 2007 and Empire Of The Sun, the Australian band which so comprehensively dominated the 2009 ARIA Awards before taking a self-imposed sabbatical.

American R&B singer, Robin Thicke is back with a preview of his forthcoming album. Featuring Rappers, T.I. and Pharrell Williams (of N.E.R.D.) Robin Thicke opts to channel his inner Marvin Gaye, evoking the classic Dance anthem, “Got To Give It Up”. (Okay, so we’re invoking our ‘Guilty Pleasure’ license. So what?)

Also previewed in this edition are new albums from English contemporary Folk stylist, Laura Marling (‘One I Was An Eagle’) and Australian experimental surrealists, Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy (‘You Are Everything’). Both albums are due next month.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, the indefatigable, Willie Nelson celebrates his 80^th birthday this month with a new album of old standards on which he shows off his guitar playing skills and shares (some of) the limelight with his piano-playing sister, Bobbie. As well, we revisit the just released Iron & Wine album, ‘Ghost On Ghost’.

As light from a distant star, some things take an inordinate time to reach us. Such was the case with the music of Maggie and Tyler Heath, an American Indie duo known as, The Oh Hellos. Their self-titled and independently released digital EP was actually released a while back but in case you missed it (just as we had), we thought we’d share it in this edition. 

Robin Thicke featuring T.I. + Pharrell: “Blurred Lines” (new single)

Iron & Wine: “The Desert Babbler” (from the album, ‘Ghost On Ghost’)

Empire Of The Sun: “Alive" (preview from the album, ‘Ice On The Dune’)

Laura Marling: “Where Can I Go” (preview from the album, ‘Once I Was An Eagle’)

The Oh Hello’s: “Hello, My Old Heart” (from the digital EP, ‘The Oh Hello’s’)

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy: “I Find” (preview from the album, ‘You Are Everything’)

Alison Moyet: “Horizon Flame" (preview from the album, ‘The Minutes’)

Willie Nelson And Family: “Matchbox”/”Nuages" (from the album, ‘Let’s Face The Music And Dance’)

John Fogerty: “Mystic Highway" (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): 

                                      Find 'Just Released' here.

               ♫

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