TRACK TALK 001
Alicia Raye, Becky McNeice, YinYang, YARD, The Darkness & QOTSA.
FAUCET – Alicia Raye & Becky McNeice
In the new single from the collaborative duo, Alicia is using visceral language and provocative imagery, a trademark style of hers that becomes apparent when listening to some of her older releases. During her more introspective verses, Becky emerges stylistically as the yin to Alicia’s yang. Also check out the duo’s previous release: Far Away – ‘cant get enough’ levels of catchy.
INTEGRATED TECH SOLUTIONS (Album) – Aesop Rock
One of my favourite lyricists in hip hop released a new album. The overarching (but not overbearing) ‘ITS’ theme is really fresh, and contains some hot takes on current issues delivered in Aesop Rock’s classic, consonant heavy style. For an example of the creativity on display then look no further than his ode to pigeons (and the study thereof). FFO verbiose rappers. Favourite tracks here are Pigeonometry, 100 Foot Tall & Aggressive Steven
PERMISSION TO LAND (Album) – The Darkness
Permission to land is 20 years old, and the associated re-release had me revisiting my favourite tracks – I Believe In A Thing Called Love and Love Is Only A Feeling are the obvious hits here, but for the uninformed we recommend Growing On Me, Get Your Hands Off My Woman, & Givin’ Up, if you’re in the mood for a deep dive. Check in with this modern classic like you’d check In with an old friend or estranged family member – this is what the festive season is all about.
ECDYSIS – Yard ft. YinYang
Yinyang just released a new track, Kill Jester, this week – but before we review that, lets not move on too quick from her last release – a collaborative with Dublin electro-noise band YARD – is one of my favourite tracks of the year from Ireland. An Infectious beat and filthy bass line combine with whisper-tracks and lead vocal that bounces between frenzied and anhedonic. This is a banger.
Album: QUEENS OF THE STONEAGE – Queens Of The Stoneage (1998)
QOTSA’s self titled album is 25 years old today, according to stoner music magazine/news source ‘Weedian’ – however the official Spotify listing of QOTSA’s debut album suggests it came out 22nd September 1998. Either way, its easy to feel nostalgic when listening again to these now iconic tracks – but its worth noting that the desert rock pioneers’ debut album has aged like a fine wine, or maybe ‘like a fine strain of bud’ would be more appropriate (if weed got stronger with age, which it doesn’t.) Forget I made this analogy – I already have.
After splitting with Kyuss, Josh Homme went on to form one of the most important bands in music history – a band very close to the hearts of myself and to our own humble history as a record label / artist collective. Fans of Zool’s first act Mosmo Strange will know very well that QOTSA have had a monumental impact and influence on our songwriting and sonic identity. Heavy, groove-laden Tracks like Mexico, You Can’t Quit Me Baby and Give The Mule What He Wants have long been staples in our playlists at shows and have even made an appearance in our setlist in the form of earnestly attempted cover versions. Upon deeper reflection these tracks only scratch the surface of what makes this album so special – I’ve grown to love the opening tracks Regular John, Avon and If Only for their simple compositions (at least in comparison to some of Queens’ later works) and straight-forward, rocking energy that helps a listener draw an evolutionary line from the sound of Kyuss to the more refined, melodically unique ‘Homme’ sound made famous in the decades that followed.
Whats your favourite song from ‘Queens Of The Stoneage’ (by Queens of the Stoneage)?
One track that flew under my own radar until this year is ‘Walkin on the Sidewalks’ – proving that there’s always something good to be discovered on a Queens Of The Stoneage album. Never stop listening and re-listening – what have you got to lose but time?
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