While the band would change members throughout the late eighties and early nineties, the original core lineup of vocalist Robbie Grey, bassist Mick Conway, guitarist Gary McDowell, and keyboardist Stephen Walker have been recording and releasing a string of incredible records in the modern era, with their latest, this year’s fantastic 1, 2, 3, 4 earning massive accolades across the board. The band are about to head out on an expansive tour that takes them across the world, joining both The Buzzcocks and Thomas Dolby at various points.

We had a chance to talk to Modern English vocalist Robbie Grey about the band’s history, the new record’s political leanings, and the secret to keeping a band together over the years:

Your latest record, 1,2,3,4 has the same vitality as any of your work – it truly sounds like Modern English in the best way possible. How did the record come together?

Well, what you’re getting there is the live feel of the record. The first thing we thought about when recording this album was to consciously get away from that homogenized radio sound where everyone’s using Pro Tools and splicing things together. We wanted to make a live recording as much as we could, so you could feel the movement from  the verse to the chorus. When we first started writing the record, it would have been right around when the pandemic hit in 2020. In England, we were only allowed to go outside for a couple of hours a day, unless you were going to a workplace, which you could go to three days a week. So, we would go over to Mick’s studio, which was nearby in Suffolk. We all gathered there to write the record, but we always knew that we wanted to keep it raw. We had done that for a while and we wanted to get a producer who would allow for that. So, Mario (J. McNulty) came along and we talked about sticking to that live feeling. We then went to a great studio in upstate New York in Rhinebeck and it all just came together really well. It doesn’t always work out like that. It’s like a painting, I suppose. You can either do a really bad one or a really good one, and all the pieces just really fit together for this album…

That’s cool you were in Rhinebeck. I actually grew up in Goshen, which is only an hour or so away from there. It’s such a beautiful area.

Well, Mick lives in Hudson now, I believe. He’s been living in that area for quite some time.

So were any of the songs written before you entered the studio, or were they all written there? 

No, no, we never really come in with a full record ready to go. Actually, for the first time probably ever I wrote a full song for the record in advance, and that was “Long In the Tooth.” When I wrote that song back in my little studio room to when it was recorded and released it’s not changed at all really. Normally though, we start things off with just pieces of music that we develop. We don’t really have complete songs generally. “Not Fake” was another song that was already kind of written, and Mick’s song “Not My Leader” didn’t really change all that much either from the beginning. So, I suppose there are a couple of songs on there that were written from the start, but generally we kind of fiddle around quite a lot as we go.

The lyrics seem quite political – can you tell us a bit about them?

Yeah, I mean, I’m just pissed off with everything, you know? It’s just crazy that people in power just don’t give a shit about anybody else and that’s so frustrating after all this time that the decent side of humanity never seems to get very far but the corrupt people and those who generally crave power seem to be much nastier. It seems to me that if you want to stay in power, you have to be that way, and decent people on the street are just sort of fed up with it. I am at least, anyway. When we first started and came to your country, we had Margaret Thatcher and you had Ronald Reagan. Fast forward from the late 70s and early 80s and it hasn’t changed all that much. In fact, you’ve got a clown like Donald Trump who is very likely going to be your president again, from the looks of it…

Ugh, no one learned anything. It’s kind of maddening.

It’s not even funny, is it? It’s just crazy.

The only way I can survive is to laugh, sometimes. I just can’t believe how surreal it all is most of the time. 

Right! So, a lot of the lyrics on the album, like “Not My Leader” are all about that. “Not Fake” is about things becoming less and less rooted in true humanity really, you know people wanting to have different faces, different bodies, and different brains. Everyone wants to be something else all the time, it’s about that deconstructed sense of nature. I spend a lot of time in Southeast Asia and I live in the countryside in England. Both are near the beach, and seeing the amount of garbage in the ocean inspired another song on the album called “Plastic.” It’s maddening – they clean the beaches daily but they’re filled with trash again in the blink of an eye.

In “Voices” – it’s interesting that you namecheck Billie Holiday and Karen Carpenter – two of the saddest and most tragic figures in pop music. It makes me wonder, what’s that song about in the context of the political machine and how do those lovely singers factor into the story?

Well, I just know that they’re too the best voices I’ve ever heard of my life. That song to me is about gun culture and how young people are brainwashed into believing that the only way out is to go out and blow people up. The song is about someone sitting in their bedroom with a gun in their hands and the internet in front of them, and being disturbed enough to actually go out and hurt someone. Perhaps if they heard a voice like Karen or Billie’s it would help them and they could find some solace in the music. Maybe if they listened to these voices they could hear the beauty and loss they sing about and it could soothe their soul…

That’s really beautiful, and that track is such a standout.

Thank you, thank you.

I love how active Modern English has been over the years, I’ve seen the band several times and you’ve always been one of my favorite live acts. Your energy on stage is unmatched, and you always have so much passion, no matter if you’re playing new music, deep cuts, or the hits. I’d love to know what the secret is to keeping a band together in harmony after all this time.

Well, as you get older, you do tend to let people get away with a lot more than you would have when you were younger! You don’t end up fighting with each other so much. Really, we’ve known each other since we were teenagers, we came from the same town and lived in London for over 30 years. We went through so much together in the eighties and nineties that at this point, we can just sort of take the piss out of each other and people won’t get offended, which is a good thing. Otherwise, the energy level on stage is just how it’s always been. I guess I don’t know what else to do apart from what we do. I feel that energy and react as I always have.

I’d love to hear more about the formation of the band – what brought you all together in 1979? 

Well, that’s brilliant you should ask that because you know, we’re not jaded yet! The creative process is the most important thing about music. The rest of it, once it leaves your hands, is business, really. That part overshadows the creative process a lot, but as long as you can keep writing songs and keep that creative energy flowing, you’re doing all right.

As for  the start of things, it was just an amazing time to be in the UK. Punk happened, and you had people like The Clash and the Sex Pistols on TV which was all very new and very exciting. Before that, we’d listen to Bowie and Roxy Music, things like that, but we never dreamt that we could play music. We thought it was something that other people, these immense talents and virtuosos, could do and that we never could. So when this punk thing happened, we felt empowered, we became part of that whole thing. It just swept over the nation and changed the whole landscape of music almost overnight. After a bit, it got a bit boring, playing just this fast and furious music all the time, so everyone started experimenting in that framework, forming what everyone now calls the post-punk thing. This is where bands started going off on their own and exploring their own ideas, carving out more soundscapes and doing what they wanted with that punk energy. It was such a brilliant time around 1978-79 with all the bands that came out around us. Joy Division, The Cure, Wire, Gang of Four, and so on. This all shaped so much of England’s musical culture, so we were able to put our band together to do something similar.

It’s kind of amazing to think about all the bands that formed and quickly embraced this sound more or less independently from each other, yet still there was this unified movement of sorts…  

Well, John Peel had a lot to do with that. He championed a lot of the bands around that time would play play bands on the BBC that nobody else would go near, at all this kind of crazy wild music by bands who never would write a love song or make music that was like everything else on the radio. He had a lot to do with that unification, but also in general, the whole country was on fire and we were all reacting to that. It was brilliant. There was no money around, the UK was a very poor country outside of those who were in power and who were already rich. Most didn’t have anything at all. We used to steal microphones from concerts, and Gary’s first guitar was worth only $30 or so. Most of these bands, including us, really started from the ground up, and it was all very exciting. That energy was present from the start, you know?

Yeah, and with that in mind, Gary got such a unique sound out of that guitar. To me, those early Modern English guitar textures are otherworldly – so atmospheric and intense. 

Yeah, you know, stick it through a chorus and a flanger and it sounds brilliant!

Can you share any stories about your time on 4AD?

Well, it was if you remember Vaughan Oliver died, you know, I think five years ago now… I think his first artwork was the “Gathering Dust” single in 1980.

Right – with the shadow figures sitting next to the television set! 

Yeah! So that was the first artwork he ever did for the label… His last ever work was the re-imagining of Mesh & Lace and After the Snow, which came out just a few years ago. So it’s a real sense of synergy with 4AD there.

Otherwise, Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent were the guys that signed us. We sent them a demo, and you know, it was just a wild demo we made of our earliest tracks, and they liked it and picked up on us. We were one of the first bands who signed with the label, along with Bauhaus, and then of course it all built up from there with Cocteau Twins, The Birthday Party, Dead Can Dance, and so on…

So we were kind of in at the beginning, at a time when Factory was also operating in the north with all those bands – Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, Crispy Ambulance, and of course Mute Records were doing their thing with Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, and Daniel Miller. It was such an exciting time… All of us used to play with each other quite a lot – we did some gigs with The Birthday Party and so on. It was a wildly creative period, that 79-81 era…

I really liked that first 7” you recorded – the “Drowning Man” single. but the band really took it so much further out once you locked in with 4AD. Was that where you were heading naturally, or did 4AD’s early lineup and mission statement influence your sound? 

Well, the simple answer to that is we just became better musicians rather quickly. When we recorded “Drowning Man,” we couldn’t even really tune our guitars. We didn’t know how to do that. If you listen to that single, you might notice that we’re out of tune completely! That said, it’s got a certain quality to it that works. Mesh & Lace however, we went in the shooter. We did that record live as well, actually. A lot of that’s live. It’s a very experimental record. Ken Thomas who worked with Throbbing Gristle, engineered it and Ivo was in the studio with us as well. We were in the studio for only two weeks. It all very quick, you know, there was no back and forth, no debating about what was right and what wasn’t. We just went for it without too many overdubs, and it gives it that kind of quality. Everything’s a bit wild. We always enjoy using atmosphere more than musical playing, if you know what I mean… We’d rather explore the texture or do something more abstract than worry about a guitar solo or a beautiful musical passage or anything like that, really.

I think even your more pop-oriented works have that sense of experimentation and abstraction. Even “I Melt With You” or “Chapter 12” have some really interesting counter melodies and production techniques that elevate those tracks. That’s something I’ve always loved about your body of work – that you’ve never lost sight of that knack for experimentation, even on Soundtrack and Take Me to the Trees, and of course, the latest record. 

Yeah, that’s just how we operate overall, you know?

So, I still think it’s kind of wild that one of 4AD’s most beloved projects was birthed from covering two of your tracks – the live medley of “16 Days” and “Gathering Dust.” I love that you were all involved with This Mortal Coil in one form or another. Can you tell us more about your experience with that project? 

Well, really Ivo just felt that those two songs were such classic tracks and he wanted to re-record them the way we were playing them live. It was around that time that more electronic drum kits and samplers were being utilized a bit more. Ivo asked Mick and Gary to play on the This Mortal Coil version. They agreed and then Robin from Cocteau Twins and Martyn from Colourbox played on it. Liz came and did the vocals with Cindy, and the rest was history. I did that Colin Newman song “Not Me” on the first album, It’ll End In Tears. It was just Ivo’s hand’s-on project where he wanted to really celebrate everyone’s music and have his own project. He would get anyone he fancied to come in and play, whether it be us or Cindytalk, or Simon Raymonde, really, whoever was around at the time…

After the Snow really felt like more of a romantic record, though you still retained some that core energy in songs like “Life in the Gladhouse.” I’d love to hear more about that record. Was it a conscious decision to explore a more lush sound, or did that come naturally as well? 

Well, I mean, we’ve never been the sort of band that do the same exact thing twice. That’s been a bit of our downfall in some ways because we’ve confused a lot of people that way. A lot of other acts are happy to do the same thing, but we’ve never really been like that.

With After the Snow – a lot of that sound you mention is due to our producer, Hugh Jones, who encouraged us to focus more on our songwriting. We didn’t even know what that meant at that point, you know? He showed us how to string together a verse and a chorus and then a verse and a chorus and then a middle eight, and those things. His influence was massive! We were all interested in bringing in different instruments to change things – acoustic guitars, violins, and so on. We also tried different things. For instance, “I Melt With You” is probably the first song I never shouted on. I was so used to shouting into the microphone before that…

Did you approach that song from that perspective at first? Did you shout on earlier incarnations of the track? 

No! This, this is a good story actually. I was told to go up to the microphone and just speak into it…and I was like, “what? What the fuck are you talking about? You want me to go up to the microphone and just SPEAK into it?” But that really helped the song, it helped change it up to give it that sort of spoken word sort of feel in the verses, and that makes the chorus work so well.

…and then somehow between trying to softly speak the verses and then adding this lush, soaring chorus, you created one of the most beautiful, perfect pop songs ever recorded. Does it ever shock you how much that song has meant to people over the years? I mean, it’s truly timeless in that way. I almost hate to admit it, but in a previous life, that song was my wedding song, and it’s always funny, since the lyrics are both romantic but also about nuclear fallout and war, and a similar sense of dread that has always been present in your work. 

You know, you’d be amazed at how many times I’ve been told that! There’s definitely that idea of a couple you know, during the Cold War era. When I wrote it, I was staying in a cheap housing complex in London, freezing my arse off, stoned and scribbling down lyrics on a piece of paper, and within ten minutes, the lyrics were finished. It was like poetry really, I used stanzas, and of course, it’s basically about love. I was writing about the bomb dropping while this couple were making love, melting together… I’ve always said that it was a dark love song.

Otherwise, in some ways, it’s just another song for us on the album, you know? At one point we were wondering if we even liked it, or if it was a bit too commercial sounding compared to our other work.

I wondered if you struggled with that in the moment, especially when comparing it to songs like “Swans on Glass” or “Move In Light” which were written not long before that by comparison, you know?

Yeah, we did for about ten minutes, but Hugh was like “don’t be ridiculous – this a good song” you know, blah blah blah. In fact, going full circle, “I Know Your Soul” on the new album is a bit like that. We weren’t sure whether we’re going to put that song on the album, you know, because it’s the most crafted really of all the songs on the out on 1, 2, 3, 4, but Steve Walker, the keyboard player, was a big champion for that for that song. Mick, Gary, and I weren’t too sure about it, but we put it on there…

Did you leave anything on the cutting room floor? Are there any leftover tracks from the latest sessions?

No, no, pretty much everything’s on there!

So, one thing I’ve always admired about Modern English these days is that you always seem to have your finger on the pulse and have taken a lot of newer, underground bands on tour with you, bands like Entertainment or Bootblacks. A lot of older bands don’t seem to be as in tune with what’s going on in modern music and I was wondering what informed that. 

Well, I think we just, that’s just how we are. We’re no different when we started as people, making the kind of music that we want to and seeking out bands that are similar. It’s no different for us now than it was in 1979, except that we were lucky enough that “I Melt With You” gave us the security to carry on however we want to. Mick and Steve are more in tune with music than I am even, and they find that same energy in these bands that we feel we have.

As for me, I’d say I listen to more English music than anything these days, whether it be Fontaines D.C. or Idles. However, Mick would find these new, still obscure bands from Brooklyn and Steve would find some from Poland. We’re always looking for bands that are younger to come on the road with us mostly because we’d have wanted the same thing when we were younger, you know?

That’s great that you do that – I’ve heard so many conflicting stories over the years, some bands have shared stories of scene camaraderie, but others have told me that it was actually more competitive and cutthroat, not as romantic as all that. It’s interesting to hear your perspective on that and to see you lifting up other bands these days. 

It’s really true, though. People in America romanticize about this scene with all these bands hanging out in the pub, but it wasn’t really like that. Everyone was just doing their own thing. You might bump into somebody in the studio somewhere and have a moment with them, but you’re too busy doing your own thing to hang out really. That said, we did tour with Cocteau Twins and Bauhaus, and support Matt Johnson of The The when he started out – 4AD felt more like a family-oriented thing. Outside of that, it was often about getting a drink at the bar, you know?

What are your touring plans for 1, 2, 3, 4? What do you have planned for the year?

Oh my god, we’re not stopping this year! I mean, once I leave Thailand, I’m flying to Mexico City for rehearsals and a show. We’re playing with The Buzzcocks there. After that, we’re going back to America to play in Tucson and LA, two sold out shows with The Buzzcocks again. We’re going to go to Disneyland as well, but then we fly back to England. We’re doing a radio show for the BBC before linking back up with The Buzzcocks again for a few dates in Europe, plus a few on our own.

After all that, we’re going back to America as part of the Totally Tubular festival with Thomas Dolby, The Romantics, and other bands like that. We’re doing a six week run as part of that tour.

I’ve always enjoyed those tours, it seems like they aim to recapture a certain era, but for me, being too young to have seen many of these artists in the eighties, I always have a great time basking in that energy. It’s always great to see your band, whether it be a full headlining set or part of these tours. How long will the set be in the States? 

It’ll be about 25-30 min.

So you really have to carefully pick and choose, then! I imagine you’ll have to balance the new material, some early deep cuts, but I’m sure you have to play the hits, right? 

Well, you know, if we didn’t, we’d probably be hung! You know, it’ll be “I Melt With You” plus five or so other tracks.

I was sad to miss the After the Snow tour. Do you think you’d come back around to the States for a full tour for the new record? It’s always great hearing a full set, being able to enjoy the range and intensity of your material…

Oh yeah, whenever we get the chance, we’ll be playing. For some of these shows, we’re planning on playing three or four tracks from the album. I imagine even on this tour in the States we’ll throw one or two of them in.

Well, I’m a fan of the whole catalogue and anything you play at this point would go over well in my book. Have you found that other fans have been embracing the new material in the same way? 

Yeah, absolutely. It’s been incredible! I get stuff sent to me, you know – press clippings and reviews. It’s been brilliant, the response has been absolutely amazing. It might be the best critical response we’ve ever had if I’m being honest! §

1, 2,3, 4 is out now via InKind Music and available via the band’s Bandcamp page, as well as other outlets. For a full list of tour dates, visit the band’s website here.

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Header photo by Sheva Kafai.

The post Move In Light | An Interview With Robbie Grey of Modern English appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Robin Guthrie, the band’s guitarist, has breathed new life into these classics by revisiting the original studio mixes and crafting brand-new 24-bit masters. This reissue marks a significant first: it’s the debut vinyl release of these albums in the US and the first time 4AD has taken charge of their distribution stateside. Previously, these beloved albums were released through Capitol Records.

The albums are available on black vinyl and CD and are available to order here.

See below for the tracklisting and additional details about the records.

“Four-Calendar Café,” which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, is the first of the two albums that were released via Capitol Records in the US, and it was crafted in the band’s own September Sound studio in West London. This album is a beautiful blend of emotion and artistic expression, with notable tracks such as “Bluebeard,” “Evangeline,” and “Summerhead.” Featuring Liz Fraser’s enigmatic vocals, the album is a testimony to the band’s evolving maturity and artistry, complete with a cover designed by Walter Wick, known for his work on the “I Spy” children’s books.

“Four-Calendar Café”

A1/1 Know Who You Are At Every Age
A2/2 Evangeline
A3/3 Bluebeard
A4/4 Theft, And Wandering Around Lost
A5/5 Oil Of Angels

B1/6 Squeeze-Wax
B2/7 My Truth
B3/8 Essence
B4/9 Summerhead
B5/10 Pur

The eighth and final album from Cocteau Twins, “Milk & Kisses,” is a testament to their creative peak, standing as a crowning achievement in the band’s 14-year history of musical brilliance.. Recorded between their London studio and Pors Poulhan in Brittany, France, this album proved to be their last. It features singles like “Tishbite” and “Violaine,” and fan favorites such as “Serpentskirt” and “Treasure Hiding.” The album is a sonic journey of healing and tranquility, leaving a lasting legacy and continuing to enchant new listeners.

“Milk & Kisses“

A1/1 Violaine
A2/2 Serpentskirt
A3/3 Tishbite
A4/4 Half-Gifts
A5/5 Calfskin Smack

B1/6 Rilkean Heart
B2/7 Ups
B3/8 Eperdu
B4/9 Treasure Hiding
B5/10 Seekers Who Are Lovers

The “Four-Calendar Café” and “Milk & Kisses” reissues are now available.

Order Here

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The post 4AD Reissues Cocteau Twins’ Final Two Albums, “Four-Calendar Café” and “Milk & Kisses,” on Vinyl appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Furthermore, this is the first time the albums are to be released by 4AD, given that both were previously unveiled to American audiences through Capitol Records.

These reissues will be available on black vinyl and CD from January 12th, 2024, and are available for pre-order here.

See Tracklistings and release descriptions below:

“Four-Calendar Café, now celebrating its thirtieth year, was the first of two Cocteau Twins albums previously released via Capitol Records in the US.

Like most Cocteau Twins works before it, Four-Calendar Café was recorded and produced by the band, this time at their September Sound studio on the banks of the Thames in West London. A beautiful yet bittersweet record featuring the singles “Bluebeard,” “Evangeline,” and “Summerhead,” the band manifests maturity and fragility in equal measure, and while Liz’s lyrics remain cryptic, they’re more intelligible here. Complete with a memorable design of inanimate objects by the I Spy children’s book creator Walter Wick, Four-Calendar Café still stands tall going into its fourth decade.”

Tracklisting for Vinyl and CD:

A1/1 Know Who You Are At Every Age
A2/2 Evangeline
A3/3 Bluebeard
A4/4 Theft, And Wandering Around Lost
A5/5 Oil Of Angels

B1/6 Squeeze-Wax
B2/7 My Truth
B3/8 Essence
B4/9 Summerhead
B5/10 Pur

“Milk & Kisses is the band’s eighth and final studio album, the second of two Cocteau Twins albums previously released via Capitol Records in the US.

A period of high creativity for the band, they recorded and produced Milk & Kisses between their September Sound studio in London and the coastal town of Pors Poulhan in Brittany, France.  Featuring the singles Tishbite and Violaine and fan favorites such as Serpentskirt and Treasure Hiding, the album is a cathartic, healing listen, too. Ultimately, Milk & Kisses proved their swan song, bringing the curtain down on 14 years of wonder to leave an incredible legacy that new generations continue to discover to this day.”

Tracklisting for Vinyl and CD:

A1/1 Violaine
A2/2 Serpentskirt
A3/3 Tishbite
A4/4 Half-Gifts
A5/5 Calfskin Smack

B1/6 Rilkean Heart
B2/7 Ups
B3/8 Eperdu
B4/9 Treasure Hiding
B5/10 Seekers Who Are Lovers

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The post Cocteau Twins to Reissue Final Two Albums “Four-Calendar Café” and “Milk & Kisses” on Vinyl appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Half awake, half asleep, halfway somewhere else

I know I should be sleeping but how can I close my eyes

When you know I understand you’re a man and you’ve got to have your kinky love

Icons of the early ’90s, the ever-evocative 4AD shoegaze outfit Pale Saints, are gearing up to drop a revamped edition of their 1992 gem, In Ribbons. The hands of time, COVID, and production snafus saw fit to delay their proper 30th-anniversary celebration of the album. But patience is, after all, a virtue, and a double LP/CD expanded edition of the album will soon be available.

Pale Saints’ 1990 début, The Comforts of Madness, was an opulent affair, tinged with post-punk drama and a touch of L.A.’s Paisley Underground flair. A truly unexpected indie gift: melodies that walked the tightrope between wild rebellion and poignant beauty. Shortly upon its debut, Lush’s original vocalist Meriel Barham swept into the Leeds ensemble of Ian Masters, Graeme Naysmith, and Chris Cooper, adding a new dynamic to the band.

The producer Hugh Jones, who had previously worked with Pale Saints on their 1991 Flesh Balloon EP, once again captured the essence of their sound in their 1992 album In Ribbons.

In Ribbons is a mesmerizing blend of shoegaze, dream pop, and neo-psychedelia that is a testament to the band’s innovative spirit. The album, often described as a journey through dreamy landscapes, showcases a harmonious fusion of jangle-pop, noise pop, and haunting melodies, with tracks like “Shell” and “Hunted” captivating listeners with their delicate yet evocative hooks. In following their full-length debut, The Comforts Of Madness, Pale Saints took a more introspective turn with this second LP, introducing contemplative pop melodies while maintaining their signature atmospheric sound. Beyond its sonic allure, the album’s cryptic lyrics and introspective songwriting make it a unique, almost private journey, positioning it as a hidden gem in the music world, best suited for those who revel in abstract contemplation and immersive musical experiences.

A year after Pale Saints released In Ribbons, Ian left the band, quipping that the reason was that his “arms had become too long.” Former Heart Throbs bassist Colleen Browne, was ushered into the fold. Together, they penned another album for 4AD (Slow Buildings, 1994) before taking their final bow. In an adjacent spotlight, Ian paired up with A.C. Temple’s Chris Trout, forming the duo, Spoonfed Hybrid. Their 1993 pièce de résistance, gracing 4AD’s ephemeral side stage, Guernica, is murmured to be making an encore appearance soon.

The first disc of the re-release of In Ribbons features the UK version of the album, with the second featuring a bonus disc of previously-unheard demos that includes their first attempt at Slapp Happy’s Blue Flower, and a rare 4-track recording of their beloved Nancy Sinatra cover Kinky Love, which features Ian Masters on vocals instead of Meriel Barham.

In a filmic jaunt conceived and spliced by Tiff Pritchett, one finds oneself in a woozy, phantasmagorical parade of halfway-there images… an innocent cherub, twirling lovers, blooms of fancy, a meandering millipede, a rat indulging its palate, ants feasting upon a discarded apple core, billows in the sky, and a black feline…with an eye perhaps on a ratty hors d’oeuvre.

Watch below:

Additionally, the bonus disc of the reissue of In Ribbons features two brass band versions by The Tintwistle Band (previously only heard on a limited, bonus 7” with the initial UK LP pressing).

Coming in a beautiful gatefold sleeve, the limited double LP edition is being pressed on unpigmented vinyl by The Vinyl Factory in West London. A single disc, black vinyl version is also being released, as well as a double CD edition.

The In Ribbons Expanded 30th Anniversary edition is out via 4AD on October 6, 2023.

You can preorder it here.

Here is the complete tracklisting:

Disc One:

1. Throwing Back The Apple
2. Ordeal
3. Thread of Light
4. Shell
5. There Is No Day
6. Hunted
7. Hair Shoes
8. Babymaker
9. Liquid
10. Neverending Night
11. Featherframe
12. A Thousand Stars Burst Open

1. Babymaker (Demo)
2. Kinky Love (Demo)
3. Hair Shoes (Demo)
4. Shell (Demo)
5. Hunted (Demo)
6. Featherframe (Demo)
7. Blue Flower (Demo)
8. Throwing Back The Apple (Demo)
9. Ordeal (Demo)
10. Untitled Instrumental (Demo)
11. A Thousand Stars Burst Open (Tintwistle Brass Band Version)
12. A Revelation (Tintwistle Brass Band Version)

The post 4AD Shoegaze Outfit Pale Saints to Release Expanded 30th Anniversary Edition of “In Ribbons” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

If this is endurance then it might be just as sweet as the reward

Like serpents seductively working their way through the underbelly of the Big Apple, where artistic brilliance is as ubiquitous as the city’s iconic skyline, CG8 has risen. They bring with them the unapologetic spirit of vintage post-punk, echoing a time when music was as gritty as Alphabet City. This powerhouse femme foursome hasn’t merely graced the music world — they’ve shattered expectations, creating ripples in a sometimes stagnant pond. With a sound that pulsates with an unbridled urge to challenge the status quo, CG8 is a breath of fresh, rebellious air in a scene that can often be resistant to evolution. Compromise isn’t in their vocabulary; they’re here to revolutionize.

The track intriguingly diverges from CG8’s usual choral narratives. It teases with the harmonious whispers reminiscent of a 60s girl group before diving into chaos, resonating in spectral reverberations. The song distinctly embodies the eerie feeling of mental confinement experienced in an altered mental state, successfully encapsulating and portraying this disquieting sensation.

“It’s about feeling like you’re slipping out of reality; it’s uncontrollable and sometimes you can’t contain it,” says the band. “If you don’t fight it, the outcome can be positive.“

Their latest offering to the gods of rock ‘n’ roll, a video for “cursed angel,” delves even deeper, invoking a frenetic frolic on the edges of madness. Lida Fox, Veronika Vilim, Chase Lombardo, and Avishag Rodrigues do not disappoint in their discordant dance with derangement. In fact, they’ve taken this danse macabre straight to the mountains in the fascinating new video directed by Peter Kaaden.

In a provocative blend of reverence and rebellion, the video kicks off with the quartet clad in pristine Catholic school uniforms, poised in a chapel’s solemn embrace. But as the reel unfolds, the sanctity of the scene gives way to a raw, primal transformation. Venturing deep into the mystical mountain’s embrace, the tableau shifts from piety to paganism, as the girls engage in a mud dance that feels like an ancient rite reawakened.

This descent into untamed spiritualism is juxtaposed with surreal, trippy animations – lambs, often symbolizing innocence, and alter ego avatars, suggesting deeper, perhaps darker, layers of self. The visual odyssey is a wild ride, daring its viewers to journey between two worlds, from structured religion to uninhibited nature, challenging our perceptions of conformity and wild abandon.

Watch the video for “Cursed Angel” below:

The origins of phantasea pharm was born out of an obsession with Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of “Old McDonald” ahead of a show in Charlottesville, Virginia. The band decided to pay homage with their own absurdist spin. Vilim dressed up in a cow leotard with pig accessories, Lombardo in a g-string and apron that read “The Grillfather,” Rodrigues became a lawn mower, and Fox took on the role of a sexy rooster. “We went on stage that night and told everyone we were a ‘Fantasy Farm.’” They knew then that would become the basis of their new EP.

The myriad influences coloring their musical palette are as diverse as their sound, with a blend of Peaches, the ethereal Cocteau Twins, grunge-pop pioneers Garbage, Suicide, the B-52s, and Madonna.

phantasea pharm follows last year’s standalone single “dumb *****” and the EP’s cumgirl8 (2020) and RIPcumgirl8 (2021) and arrives in the midst of their headlining EU/UK tour and festival run that has seen them play Primavera, The Great Escape, London Calling, and more.

The album is out on the 18th of August via 4AD.

Pre-Order Here

Tour Dates:

• 8/18 – Wales, UK @ Greenman Festival
• 8/19 – Glasgow, SC @ Core Festival
• 8/21 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East (signing + performance)
• 8/26 – Utrecht, NL @ Loose Ends Festival
• 8/30 – Berlin, DE @ Popkultur Festival
• 8/31 – Berlin, DE @ Sameheads (DJ set)
• 11/10 – 11/11 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Paris

Follow cumgirl8:

• Website
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

The post From Piety to Paganism — NYC Post-Punk Foursome CG8 Fall from Grace in their Video for “Cursed Angel” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Born from the fertile creative womb of New York City, CG8 emerged, flaunting an unfiltered, audacious style that harks back to the raw tenacity of old-school post-punk. This indomitable quartet of women have been methodically etching fissures into the imposing edifice of the music scene since their inception. Their music is a blazing beacon in the realm of alternative rock, shrouded in an intriguing mystery, potent enough to captivate an audience and transform any gathering into a roaring conflagration. Their sound vibrates with a fervent will to defy the commonplace, fearlessly broadcasting their dissent. Despite operating in an industry often known for its resistance to change, their determination to effect a transformation remains unyielding.

The dynamic quartet composed of Lida Fox, Veronika Vilim, Chase Lombardo, and Avishag Rodrigues, has freshly released a new single, “cursed angel,” – a track that signifies the third single release from their forthcoming EP, phantasea pharm. This song captures the group’s unique style and takes it a step further, initiating a discordant dance with derangement.

The track intriguingly diverges from CG8’s usual choral narratives. It teases with the harmonious whispers reminiscent of a 60s girl group before diving into chaos, resonating in spectral reverberations. The song distinctly embodies the eerie feeling of mental confinement experienced in an altered mental state, successfully encapsulating and portraying this disquieting sensation.

“It’s about feeling like you’re slipping out of reality; it’s uncontrollable and sometimes you can’t contain it,” says the band. “If you don’t fight it, the outcome can be positive.“

Listen below:

cursed angel follows the hypnotic and erotic “gothgirl1,” co-written with Nick Launay (Kate Bush, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Slits), and the energetic “cicciolina,” a tribute to the Hungarian-Italian pornstar turned politician of the same name.

The origins of phantasea pharm was born out of an obsession with Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of “Old McDonald” ahead of a show in Charlottesville, Virginia. The band decided to pay homage with their own absurdist spin. Vilim dressed up in a cow leotard with pig accessories, Lombardo in a g-string and apron that read “The Grillfather,” Rodrigues became a lawn mower, and Fox took on the role of a sexy rooster. “We went on stage that night and told everyone we were a ‘Fantasy Farm.’” They knew then that would become the basis of their new EP.

The myriad influences coloring their musical palette are as diverse as their sound, with a blend of Peaches, the ethereal Cocteau Twins, grunge-pop pioneers Garbage, Suicide, the B-52s, and Madonna.

phantasea pharm follows last year’s standalone single “dumb bitch” and the EP’s cumgirl8 (2020) and RIPcumgirl8 (2021), and arrives in the midst of their headlining EU/UK tour and festival run that has seen them play Primavera, The Great Escape, London Calling, and more. cumgirl8 will then make their return stateside later this Summer, opening for Le Tigre in Toronto, Montreal, and Boston in July.

The new single “cursed angel” lands on the cusp of their headline act in New York City tomorrow, where they’ll be casting their sonic spells on the inaugural celebration of Baker Falls (previously known as The Pyramid Club). The performance flags their triumphant headlining return to the American soil, after their recent stint with Le Tigre earlier this week. Following this, their musical odyssey will unfurl its sails overseas next month, with scheduled sojourns at the Greenman Festival, Pitchfork Paris, and a host of other international musical rendezvous.

Grab tickets here.

phantasea pharm is out on August 18th.

Pre-Order Here

• 7/28 – New York City, NY @ Baker Falls
• 8/16 – Norwich, UK @ Norwich Arts Center
• 8/18 – Wales, UK @ Greenman Festival
• 8/19 – Glasgow, SC @ Core Festival
• 8/21 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East (signing + performance)
• 8/26 – Utrecht, NL @ Loose Ends Festival
• 8/30 – Berlin, DE @ Popkultur Festival
• 8/31 – Berlin, DE @ Sameheads (DJ set)
• 11/10 – 11/11 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Paris

Follow cumgirl8:

• Website
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

The post NYC Femme Post-Punk Foursome CG8 Dance with Derangement in Their New Single “cursed angel” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

I want my brain to be ripped

Straight out of the heart of New York City, CG8, an audacious all-female foursome, has been causing ripples in the fabric of the musical establishment since their inception. Their band moniker, undoubtedly provocative, even risqué, is so boundary-pushing that we can’t expand it to its complete form here. Such a daring choice indeed sparked censorship and resulted in ostracization from the prestigious corridors of esteemed music journals. Armed with a fiery brand of music that belongs firmly within the boundaries of alternative rock’s darker side, they have the capability to enthrall and set ablaze any crowd. Theirs is a tale of defiance, music that reverberates with fervour, and an unyielding determination to make waves in an industry often resistant to change.

Lida Fox, Veronika Vilim, Chase Lombardo, and Avishag Rodrigues – a formidable foursome forging a path through the electroclash universe, paint a canvas of vibrant chaos. The myriad influences coloring their musical palette are as diverse as their sound, with a blend of the provocative Peaches, the ethereal Cocteau Twins, grunge-pop pioneers Garbage, the relentless Suicide, the bonkers B-52s, and the queen of pop, Madonna.

Gallivant about in your most gossamer goth threads and prepare for a spellbinding journey as this idiosyncratic ensemble reveals “gothgirl1“, a fresh track from their debut EP “phantasea pharm” under the prestigious 4AD label, slated for release on August 18th. What surfaces is a four-minute expedition into a captivating allure, masterfully enclosing the cryptic essence shrouded in its origins. Echoes, tills, incantations, infectious refrains – this tune is predestined for the pinnacle of dance floor decadence.

Birthed in collaboration with the accomplished Nick Launay, who boasts a distinguished resume with names like Kate Bush, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Slits, the creative process took place in the idyllic French commune of Barbizon, a mythical artist’s sanctuary tucked on the fringe of a fantastical fungus forest.

The origins of phantasea pharm was born out of an obsession with Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of “Old McDonald” ahead of a show in Charlottesville, Virginia. The band decided to pay homage with their own absurdist spin. Vilim dressed up in a cow leotard with pig accessories, Lombardo in a g-string and apron that read “The Grillfather,” Rodrigues became a lawn mower, and Fox took on the role of a sexy rooster. “We went on stage that night and told everyone we were a ‘Fantasy Farm.’” They knew then that would become the basis of their new EP.

phantasea pharm follows last year’s standalone single “dumb bitch” and the EP’s cumgirl8 (2020) and RIPcumgirl8 (2021), and arrives in the midst of their headlining EU/UK tour and festival run that has seen them play Primavera, The Great Escape, London Calling, and more. cumgirl8 will then make their return stateside later this Summer opening for Le Tigre in Toronto, Montreal, and Boston in July.

Tickets to all of their shows are on sale now via the band’s website.

phantasea pharm is out August 18th.

Pre-Order Here

TOUR DATES:

• 6/9 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret
• 6/17 – Kriens, CH @ B-Sides Festival
• 6/18 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby
• 7/1 – Oakland, CA @ Mosswood Meltdown Festival
• 7/7 – Trenčín, Slovakia @ Pohoda Festival
• 7/21 – Toronto, ON @ History*
• 7/22 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia*
• 7/24 – Boston, MA @ Royale*
• 8/18 – Wales, UK @ Greenman Festival
• 8/19 – Glasgow, SC @ Core Festival
• 8/30 – Berlin, DE @ Popkultur Festival
• 11/10 – 11/11 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Festival

* = w/ Le Tigre

Follow cumgirl8:

• Website
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

The post Femme Post-Punk Foursome CG8 Debut New Single “gothgirl1” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

A special capsule collection is now available to celebrate the album’s enduring appeal and dynamic artwork and album design. Heaven collaborated with Cocteau Twins, 4AD, and graphic designer Paul West to create a limited range – the first of its kind with this band.

The exhibit features never-before-seen original art and memorabilia, open at the Heaven Fairfax LA store through 12 December 2022. Included is the original artwork designed by Paul West. The capsule will consist of a baby tee, a mesh skirt, a slit top, an album logo hairpin, and an album logo ring.

Items are available at the Marc Jacobs site here, Heaven Fairfax, and Dover Street Market in NYC, LA, and London.

Prices range between $35 – $145 USD.

The post Cocteau Twins Collaborate with Marc Jacobs on Heaven or Las Vegas Inspired Collection appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

‘Rema’ is a meta-analytical approach to studying rare events and sparse data. It is unknown whether 4AD post-punk legends Rema-Rema, who were one of the earliest releases on the famous label with their sole EP, based their name on the scientific term, an acronym for “rare event meta-analysis” – but if not, the synchronicity is certainly appropriate for their history: no footage exists of the band live, and only a handful of photos survive.

Documentary director Marco Porsia has taken the helm of the Rema-Rema analysis: he masterminded the highly-acclaimed documentary Swans – Where Does A Body End?. Now, he sets his sights on a new project: an intimate documentary portrait: What You Could Not Visualise.

Rema-Rema rode the first wave of post-punk between 1978-1980. The band’s innovative and unique sound, shrouded in mystery, are comparable to Joy Division, The Fall, Wire, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Cabaret Voltaire, Fad Gadget, and Throbbing Gristle. Members Mark Cox, Mick Allen, Gary Asquith, Marco Pirroni, and Dorothy ‘Max’ Prior played only 11 gigs around London in 1979, and split up before the release of their one and only record.

After his departure from punk band The Models, Allen asked former schoolmate Asquith to join in a new project, called Rema-Rema. Marco Pirroni, an original member of Siouxsie and the Banshees, was also on board. However, the band dissolved when fellow Marco Pirroni joined Adam and the Ants. Asquith, Allen, and Cox went on to form Mass, which then split up to form Renegade Soundwave (Asquith) and The Wolfgang Press (Allen and Cox). Max later joined Psychic TV.

Their sole four-track EP, 1980’s Wheel In The Roses, featured one side of studio recordings and another of live material. Their songs “Fond Affections” and “Rema-Rema” were later covered by This Mortal Coil and Big Black, respectively.

After more than 40 years, however, Rema-Rema has been resurrected via the release of  the album that they never had the chance to make, thanks to the discovery of old rehearsal tapes and live recordings.

In What You Could Not Visualise, Porsia goes on an archeological exploration to resurrect the band’s unique history to find the driving forces behind their groundbreaking sound. It includes exclusive interviews from 4AD founder Ivo, Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltaire), Steve Albini (Big Black), John Robb (The Membranes), Bruce Pavitt (SubPop), Jim Thirlwell (Foetus), Gudrun Gut, and Bettina Köster (Malaria!), and Rema-Rema themselves.

This film puts Rema-Rema back in their rightful place in the history of post-punk music.

Watch the trailer below:

There is an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the documentary here.

In addition to supporting the doc, go listen to Rema-Rema’s EP Wheel In The Roses, and check out their album that never was, Fond Reflections, here.

The post Documentary on 4AD Post-Punk Legends Rema Rema to be Released appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Initially, the tour was scheduled for 2020, but instead of hitting the road throughout the US and Canada, the band recorded a lockdown version of the album’s hit single “I Melt With You”.

Like most international touring bands, 2021 was too much of a risk to undertake, resulting in a second cancellation of dates, but now the band are finally ready to embark on their tour come in several legs throughout next year, beginning in March.

Modern English’s first live date across the Atlantic in 2022 is set to begin on March 5th in Port Canaveral, FL for the ’80s Cruise, with The Human League, Berlin, ABC, Belinda Carlisle, Morris Day & the Times, A Flock of Seagulls, and more.

The After the Snow tour’s first leg runs through Florida, and the southwest throughout March, with a pause until June.

The second leg begins in Portland on June 8th, running through cities on the west coast, with a stop at The Echo in Los Angeles on June 19th, before heading to Colorado, and circle back through the Midwest.

East Coast dates being in September, including stops at Asbury Park’s Asbury Lanes on September 8th NYC’s Sony Hall on the 13th, and three nights in West Springfield, MA at The Big E on the 16th.

See the full itinerary below, and find ticket and tour information here.

Modern English – 2022 After The Snow Tour Dates

March
05-11 – Port Canaveral, FL – The 80’s Cruise
12 – West Palm Beach, FL – Respectable St.
13 – Orlando, FL – The Social
16 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
19 – Houston, TX – Numbers
20 – Austin, TX – 3Ten Live
22 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey
23 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard
26 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress Plaza
27 – Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge

June
08 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
09 – Seattle, WA – Triple Door
10 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw
11 – The Dalles, OR – Granada Theater
14 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
17 – Riverside, CA – The Concert Lounge
18 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
19 – Los Angeles, CA – Part-time Punks @ Echo
22 – Denver, CO – Soiled Dove
24 – Kansas City – Record Bar
26 – Crystal Lake, IL – Raue Center
28 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Café
30 – Three Oaks, MI – The Acorn

July
01 – Milwaukee, WI – TBA
02 – Evanston, IL – Space

September
07 – Philadelphia, PA – Ardmore
08 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
09 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
10 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House
13 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
14 – Alexandria, VA – Birchmere
16 – W. Springfield, MA – The Big E
17 – W. Springfield, MA – The Big E
18 – W. Springfield, MA – The Big E
20 – Pittsburgh – Crafthouse
22 – Detroit, MI – Magic Bag
24 – Buffalo, NY – Spirit of the 80’s

The post Modern English Announce “After the Snow” 40th Anniversary North American Tour Dates for 2022 appeared first on Post-Punk.com.