STACK #199 May 2021

REVIEWS MUSIC

Iron & Wine Tallahassee: Archive Series Volume Number 5 Before the first album released by Iron &Wine, The Creek Drank The Cradle , Sam Beam had been making recordings with his then roommate EJ Holowicki while attending University in Florida. Recorded over a two year period (1998-99), these one-take live pieces are stripped-back, easy listening country folk with sparse instrumental arrangements, that serve as the blueprint for the sound of Iron &Wine that we grew to know and love. An 11-song collection that was culled from a number of recordings that were pretty much forgotten is now out in the world, thanks to Holowicki, who preserved the originals and then produced these tracks for official release. (Sub Pop) Denise Hylands

Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham The Song Club Felicity Urquhart, much-loved and awarded Australian country artist, and Josh Cunningham, founding member of renown folk rock outfit The Waifs: this is already sounding good. These two exceptional singer- songwriter-musicians were invited to join Song Club, a creative collective that tasked members with writing a song a week – a challenge the two took on and have taken one step further to release as their debut album. Written, performed, recorded and produced by Felicity and Josh, this is a heartfelt collection of uplifting and hope-driven songs about new beginnings and new journeys. (ABC) Denise Hylands

New Order Education Entertainment Recreation Given the last year, it’s vexatious more artists weren’t pumping out live albums. Can’t sit yourself in a stadium? Take one home with you. Let that be a lesson to artists: always have some recordings in the chamber so next pandemic, you can shove them in the nearest mixing desk, crank the

Sounds Goodifier knob all the way up, and capitalise. Not that the knob needed much turning here, with over two hours of timeless hits, new jams, and favoured covers in delicious sequence. But it’s not just about the compilation; it’s about the roar of the crowd, the feeling of being surrounded by thousands of other fans. This delivers, cranking the audience volume between songs way up in the mix as if you’re right in the thick of the crowd. Accompanying a live film, if you’re aching to get back into the stadium now, this is almost as good as the real thing. (Warner) Jake Cleland

Gerry Beckley Keeping the Light On (The Best Of Gerry Beckley) On this judiciously curated collection, co-founder of beloved acoustic-folk outfit America, Gerry Beckley, has assembled 20 golden nuggets from across his eight- LP strong solo output – which began with 1995's Van Go Gan and continues right up to 2019's acclaimed Five Mile Road – as well as five previously unreleased tracks. In that latter camp is (I'm Your) Heart Slave , a windswept love letter full of timpani-flushed romance which proves Beckley's celebrated songwriting gift has only grown richer with time. The tracks have been selected to spotlight the iconic musician's collaborations with Robert Lamm (Chicago), Hank Linderman, Jeff Larson, Bill Mumy, and the late Carl Wilson (Beach Boys). (Tasman Records/MGM) Adam Colby

St. Vincent Daddy's Home

black midi Cavalcade

Iceage Seek Shelter

Rock ‘n’ roll provocateur St. Vincent, AKA Annie Clark,

After their critically acclaimed 2019 debut, London’s black midi flip everything on its head with the highly conceptual Cavalcade . Embodying a different character with each song sees the band go from the frenetic opener John L to the elegant Marlene Dietrich , singer Geordie Greep’s deadpan replaced by a croon. The band’s dexterous math-rock is a star attraction, with the expansive Diamond Stuff unfolding over six glorious minutes, while forays into jazz-influenced territory come in the form of an accompanying saxophone which brings an exciting dynamic to the band’s sound. Impossible to pin down, black midi are an unstoppable band destined for legacy. (RoughTrade/Remote Control) Holly Pereira

For the first time in their decade- long career, Danish punk rockers Iceage sound calm. Rest assured the fire they’re renowned for is still present on their fifth record – only now they’ve channelled their rage into grander, less ragged soundscapes. There’s still room for reverb though, with the initially delicate Love Kills Slowly unveiling not only fuzz but sweeping strings and a choir of singers. The band even go down an acid-house route on Vendetta , lead singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s vocal proving it can pair with just about any instrumental backing and still sound compelling. The result is Iceage sounding more focused than ever before, clearly revitalised by the

re-emerges with her sixth solo record, audaciously titled Daddy’s Home . Clark depicts her life on the streets of NewYork – but rather than documenting nights out, she sings of the mornings after, the reminiscences of hedonistic evenings meeting the cold light of day. Compared to her bombastic previous offerings, Clark leans more into her tender side whilst revealing a slow-romp lounge persona stylised to look like someone out of Andy Warhol’s Factory scene. Reinvention is key to St. Vincent, an artist who’s never guilty of producing the same record twice, but rather subverting conventions for a sound that is both singular and daring. (LomaVista) Holly Pereira

sonic leap forward. (Mexican Summer) Holly Pereira

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