I made an executive decision today, I know, right, next thing you know I’ll be suited and booted, giving it management speak like “moving forward,” and “blue sky thinking.”
And just like government, I’m blaming Covid. During lockdown we broke our borders, and through scrambling for content we reviewed music internationally. Yet I’m keen to return Devizine to its original ethos of being a Wiltshire based entertainment news website, as this is what people seem to want from it.
That said I’m still plagued by PR out of our controlled zone, so much so I simply don’t have the time to cover it all, neither do I believe it should be the focus of our content. But I’d like to, which leaves me between rock and a hard place, opening all manner of pondering what the actual meaning behind Devizine is.
In general, it’s what I and my other writers wish it to be, flexibility is the beauty of a blog rather than a magazine. But I’m always interested to hear feedback on what our readers want, because currently we’re a hybrid between local news and international music publication.
To appease those who feel this is a local website, for local people and there’s nothing for jamming my newsfeed with random music scoops here, I thought I’d wrap up the more universal music news into one weekly bite; hence the Devizine Music Club.
Bands and musicians within our green and pleasant boundaries, or just teetering over them, can still expect an individual article focussing on their wares, have no fear there. The club exists to highlight other releases and general music and will operate worldwide, and deliver it in one weekly batch to prevent some complaining this is not local news.
There, sound fair? I’ll endeavour to bring you this feature weekly, on a Thursday or Friday, but I make no promises, cos that’s the way I roll mo-fo!
Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show in Cirencester 22nd March
Here’s a good example, a tad out of our jurisdiction, but worth mentioning for our funk soul brothers and sisters, that inimitable Red Dwarf DJ Craig Charles will be heading to Cirencester for a set of his finest funk ‘n’ soul tunes this Spring.
An iconic actor, host, broadcaster, and now one most beloved DJ’s in the country, Craig’s ‘Funk & Soul Club Night’ will see him bring his infamous “trunk of funk” to Cirencester’s Bingham Hall on Friday 22 March 2022. Tickets Here.
Unbelievable; EMF are Back!
Gloucestershire’s answer to the nineties Madchester scene, EMF are regrouping. The band responsible for the chart-topping smash hit Unbelievable, are back with a brand new single and video called Sister Sandinista. The song is a “nod to all the women out there who are fighting for what they believe in, sometimes against overwhelming odds, and making the world a better place,” and is taken from their first album since 1995, Go-Go Sapiens, which is due for release on April 1st. You are still unbelievable, guys! Order the single or album here.
MYD Releases Video for Latest Single, The Sun
Lille-born French guitarist, DJ, producer, songwriter and singer, MYD reveals the music video for his sizzling new single ‘The Sun’ feat. Jawny’, directed by Tamaya Sapey-Triomphe. A perfect pairing of hazy indie vibes, ‘The Sun’ feat. Jawny opens with Myd’s recognisably wonky indie guitar lick, before the beat enters and JAWNY’s vocals begin.
Taken from their new album “Born a Loser,” which is out now. The Sun is a depiction of the artists’ nine-to-five, the bright aesthetics and array of pops, puppets and people featured in the video matches the fuzzy guitar static and smooth synth layering that complete the tracks dream-like energy, providing the perfect visuals for this breakout song of the year. ‘The Sun’ feat. JAWNY is out now via Ed Banger/Because Music. More info.
Bandcamp Joins Epic Games
The music platform to love, Bandcamp, is joining Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite and Unreal Engine, which champions for a fair and open Internet.
Bandcamp will keep operating as a standalone marketplace and music community, promising to build around their artists-first revenue model, continue Bandcamp Fridays, and the Daily will keep highlighting the diverse, amazing music on the site.
However, together they’ll be working to expand internationally and push development forward across Bandcamp, from basics like album pages, mobile apps, merch tools, payment system, and search and discovery features, to newer initiatives like vinyl pressing and live streaming services.
The Weather Station Release New Album
One year ago, The Weather Station released Ignorance, one of 2021’s most praised and far-reaching albums. And now, in 2022 Tamara Lindeman is pleased to reveal the swift arrival of its follow-up, How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars, which will be available on CD, vinyl and digitally on 11th March via Fat Possum, with a UK tour also this month.
The new album is intended to be heard as a companion piece to Ignorance. These are songs written at the same time that connect emotionally and deal with many of the same themes: disconnection and conflict, love, birds, and climate feelings. Recorded live in just three days, How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars is achingly intimate; full of breath, silence, and detail.
Lindeman explains, “When I wrote Ignorance, it was a time of intense creativity, and I wrote more songs than I ever had in my life. The songs destined to be on the album were clear from the beginning, but as I continued down my writing path, songs kept appearing that had no place on the album I envisioned. Songs that were simple, pure; almost naive. Songs that spoke to many of the same questions and realities as Ignorance, but in a more internal, thoughtful way.” Lindeman elaborates, “So I began to envision How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars, a quiet, strange album of ballads. I imagined it not as a follow-up to Ignorance, but rather as a companion piece; the moon to its sun.”
Not long after completing Ignorance, Lindeman decided to make this album on her own terms, fronting the money herself and not notifying the labels. She assembled a new band, and communicated a new ethos; the music should feel ungrounded, with space, silence, and sensitivity above all else. On this record, there are no drums, no percussion; in the absence of rhythm, time stretches and becomes elastic. With Christine Bougie on guitar and lap steel, Karen Ng on saxophone and clarinet, Ben Whiteley on upright bass, Ryan Driver on piano, flute, and vocals, and Tania Gill on wurlitzer, rhodes, and pianet, the band comprised some of the best players in the Toronto jazz and improvisation scene. Link Tree to pre-order album
Ezra Collective Release New Space-Funk Jam, “May The Funk Be With You.”
With Herbie Hancock vibes I’m loving this slice of free-flowing jazz, which follows Ezra Collective’s grime infused single, More Than A Hustler; a collaboration with Novelist, released in December 2021 and the band’s first new music in over a year.
“One of the blessings in the storm of lockdown was the opportunity to have jam sessions in the studio,” reflects bandleader, Femi Koleoso. “No theme, no preparation, no plan – just let the funk happen organically. The magic of improvisation and spontaneity will always be part of Ezra Collective and “May The Funk Be With You,” perfectly encapsulates that.”
Ezra Collective also announced two small, warm up shows in Paris and London next month, in addition to their performance at the BBC 6 Music festival, which sold out in just 48 hours.
Jody & The Jerms’ Second Album Out Today
Oxfordshire electrifying power-pop Jody & The Jerms released their second album Flicker, today, March 4th. Released via their own JATJ records imprint, Flicker arrives less than 18 months after the surprise hit of their 2020 debut Deeper.
Like resurfacing a lost reel of Super-8 from days long forgotten, ‘Flicker’ is as warmly nostalgic as it is endearingly pure. Nestling neatly somewhere between the pristine catalogues of Blondie, The Bangles and The Darling Buds, the Jerms deliver 13 fuzz-driven, love-lorn jangle-pop gems of the most classic kind.
In support of the release, Jody & The Jerms will also be heading-out on a tour of the UK and Spain in the Spring and Summer of 2022. More info.
Well, that’s your starter for ten, more to follow in what I hope to be a valid new musical chunks feature; do let me know if you absolutely love, or hate the idea!
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“When BBC 6Music asked me to do a radio show I only had one condition,” Craig explained, “it has to be a funk and soul show, otherwise I wasn’t interested.” Live every Saturday night with an assortment of classic gems and emerging artists, Craig has garnered global support as one of the UK’s foremost Funk and Soul commentators, DJ’s and promoters of new music. The only quality soul classics he hasn’t played yet, are by Rastabilly Skank!
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