Orbital, Shonen Knife, & Letters To Cleo
The week in new music & Dig Me Out podcast
1 Minute Reviews
New Releases
Orbital - Optical Delusion
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify |
Electronic music duo Orbital has released their tenth album, Optical Delusion. This is their first new album since 2018's Monsters Exist and follows their thirtieth-anniversary album 30 Something released earlier this year. The album features brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll who are known for their use of live instrumentation and sampling techniques. Orbital has a history that spans over three decades and has produced notable releases such as "In Sides" and "Snivilisation".
Shonen Knife - Our Best Place
🎧 Apple Music • Spotify
Shonen Knife, Japan's world-famous all-girl alternative pop trio, has released their 20th album. "Our Best Place" is the band's first new release in nearly three years and features members Naoko Yamano on guitar and vocals, Atsuko Yamano on bass and vocals, and Risa Kawano on drums. Known for their catchy melodies, fun lyrics, and upbeat energy, Shonen Knife has built a loyal following since their formation in 1981. Previous notable releases from the band include "Let's Knife" and "Pop Tune".
Ron Sexsmith - The Vivian Line
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Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith has released his latest album, "The Vivian Line". This is Sexsmith's sixteenth album and his first new release since 2017's "The Last Rider". Known for his honest and introspective style, Sexsmith has built a loyal following since his debut album, "Grand Opera Lane", in 1991. Over the years, he has released several critically acclaimed albums, including "Other Songs" and "Exit Strategy of the Soul", and has collaborated with renowned artists such as Elvis Costello and Feist.
dEUS - How to Replace It
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify
dEUS is a Belgian rock band formed in 1991. After more than a decade since their last release, the band has returned with "How to Replace It". The band is known for their unique blend of rock, indie, and experimental music. Previous notable releases from the band include "Worst Case Scenario" and "The Ideal Crash".
Cheater Slicks - Ill-Fated Cusses
📦 Vinyl & CD | 🎧 Apple Music • Spotify
Cheater Slicks, the Columbus, Ohio garage rock band formed in Boston in 1987, has released their first new record since 2012, "Ill-Fated Cusses" Cheater Slicks has been a mainstay of the garage rock scene for over three decades, known for their raw energy and dynamic live shows. The band has released several notable albums, including "Our Food Is Chaos" and "Refried Dreams," and has been championed by notable fans such as Mudhoney and Sonic Youth. In addition to their music, Cheater Slicks is also known for their DIY approach to recording and touring, which has helped them build a dedicated fan base around the world.
New 90s Podcast
Letters To Cleo - Wholesale Meats and Fish
After scoring a top 10 single on their debut album, Letters To Cleo followed it up with more power pop rock that deserved a bigger audience
Coming off the hit "Here and Now" from their debut Aurora Gory Alice, Letters To Cleo followed up with the equally catchy Wholesale Meats and Fish. The lead single "Awake," with its handclaps and catchy hook by lead singer Kay Hanley, is just one of many power-pop adjacent tunes that lean more towards the noisy side of the genre inhabited by The Posies and Matthew Sweet. But to pin down LTC would be a mistake, as the opening ripper "Demon Rock" demonstrates or the sixties-infused "Little Rosa" demonstrate. The band packs a nice sonic punch, even when diverging from comfortable sounds for quieter moments that are hit-and-miss.
Coming Soon
February Album Review Tournament- Group 3 of 3
It’s the last round of suggestions for the month. Which album should we feature in a future episode of Dig Me Out? Here's how it works. We’ve posted groups of nine suggested albums from the hopper weekly. The DMO Union on Patreon cast their votes to decide the albums to move forward. The top two winners from each group face off in a final poll at the end of the month.
Filter - Title Of Record
Richard Waterman
The Real People - The Real People
Adam Smith
Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
Willie Dillon
The Killjoys - Starry
Kyle Bittner
Jesus Jones - Doubt
Darren Leach
Straightjacket Fits - Melt
Vadim Taver
Not From There - Sand on Seven
Thaddeus
Mike Johnson - Year of Mondays
Jordan Neville
Mega City 4 - Sebastopol Rd
Aydogan Mehmet
Worthy Reading
From the 642 episode archive
Made possible by the DMO Union at Patreon.
Lilith Fair in the 90s
We have gathered performers Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo and Jill Cunniff of Luscious Jackson, and Tracy Bonham for a roundtable. Together, they will help us revisit the festival and its significance. to discuss the musical and cultural impact of Lilith Fair. Lilith Fair was a touring festival in the 90s that focused on female artists.
dEUS - The Ideal Crash
By the end of the 90s, a number of bands had penetrated the mainstream with ambitious, layered albums. Like with OK Computer, The Soft Bulletin, Deserter's Songs and Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, dEUS took a turn on their third album, 1999's The Ideal Crash. Dialing down the Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart influences and incorporating contemporary sounds from trip-hop, electronica, and alternative rock slot The Ideal Crash nicely alongside the aforementioned, even managing to find spots for banjos and theremins.
Naoko Yamano Interview
Naoko Yamano of the legendary Japanese punk rock band Shonen Knife joins us. Naoko talks about her thirty-plus years fronting Shonen Knife. We talk about how the band started in Osaka in 1981 and discuss the music scene of Osaka vs. Toyko. We dig into songwriting, guitars, touring, and much more!
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