Ender Bender

Charlie Nieland’s musical backstory is extensive, having written and produced material with such notable artists as Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Dead Leaf Echo, Blondie and Scissor Sisters. He scored the feature film ‘The Safety of Objects’ (starring Glenn Close), the pilot episode of ‘The L Word’ on Showtime and the VH-1documentary’ NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell’. Charlie was awarded a Gold record (UK) for his production work on Blondie’s ‘Greatest Hits Sight & Sound’ and achieved a Top 10 Billboard Dance Chart Position with Debbie Harry’s single ‘Two Times Blue’, which he co-wrote and produced.

Nieland also played power dream pop with the band Her Vanished Grace for over 20 years before establishing himself as a solo artist with a mix of nuanced songwriting and sonic exploration. He is currently half of the literature-inspired songwriting and performing duo Lusterlit with Susan Hwang.

Wow, Charlie has been a busy man, hasn’t he?

I’ll give a Charlie, Charlie to that.

Can Charlie tell us more about this album?

Charlie, Charlie, yes, yes he can.

“As the pandemic took hold, so did my plan to produce ‘Divisions’, and I began a listening expedition through my inspirations, from The Beatles to Yes, Cocteau Twins to Interpol, Peter Gabriel to Blur, U2 and The Flaming Lips. I wanted these tracks to be mini-epics, where you hear something new every time you listen. I started recording in my apartment this summer and reached out to drummer Brian Geltner and cellist Patricia Santos, who recorded their parts at home and shared them with me,” explains Charlie Nieland.

“As restrictions lifted, I started a marathon tracking process at my studio that included violinist Heather Cole, both Susan Hwang from my band Lusterlit and Billy Loose from Her Vanished Grace on drums and Susan on backup vocals. I called into service all my instruments, from lap steel to 6 and 12 string electric and acoustic guitars; fretless, fretted, and eight-string basses; analog synths, virtual mellotrons, TR-808s and more. This whirlwind journey is heard here in the obsessive and passionate, surreal and visceral, dream-like progressive rock and the dream pop of Divisions”.

Thanks that tells me a lot about both Charlie Nieland and his album Divisions. But did you like it?

Charlie, Charlie.

I most certainly did like it.

Is this album excellent to listen to while puttering about the house or working on a project?

It most certainly is. I listened to it repeatedly while writing this project.

How about whilst working on a hobby? Building diorama’s for example?

Divisions is perfect for that. The dream-pop floats out and envelopes the listener while doing almost any activity. I maybe wouldn’t recommend it for some tasks such as flying aeroplanes or driving a race car. However, for everyday activities, I can’t recommend this album enough.

Where can I find more information?

Keep up with Charlie Nieland

Bandcamp https://charlienieland.bandcamp.com/album/divisions

‘The Land of Accidents’ https://youtu.be/Ydo_QHH5GSU

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/4fFYtbeKovv5lvseKETU5v

Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-land-of-accidents-single/1552866398

‘Tightrope’ https://youtu.be/jRx4Zf2M3UA

‘Divisions’ single https://youtu.be/5ppmzFqLyJM

‘Another Night on Earth’ https://youtu.be/tV97FMQFtE0

‘Pawns’ https://youtu.be/28zWyWOgB9s

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p.s. Charlie-Charlie is a fancy substitution for a standard affirmative and accepted non-standard words roger and wilco.

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell Deshta (Forever)

Posted on May 3, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell, best known for their work as part of the legendary band Dead Can Dance, present ‘Deshta (Forever)’, the second single from their forthcoming studio album ‘Burn’. The accompanying video is directed by cinematographer Michal Sosna.
Produced by James Chapman (MAPS), the long-play will be released on May 7 via Atlantic Curve, a London-based label that is part of the Schubert Music Europe.

“Deshta recalls a dream of eternity, spinning fearlessly into the perpetual Light,” says Lisa Gerrard.

Jules Maxwell adds: “Deshta has a dark brooding quality. James Chapman’s production has helped draw out a raw earthiness to the piece and Michal Sosna’s accompanying video is brilliantly disquieting and human at the same time.”

The record began its journey more than seven years ago, when Lisa met Irish theatre composer Jules Maxwell before working together for the first time. Things really took root when Gerrard and Maxwell began writing songs for their earlier collaboration ‘The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices (Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares)’. They were later introduced to Chapman and asked him to produce this album, which represents a stunning departure for all three of them.

With Chapman joining the duo as producer, ideas generated freely and over time, a distinct sound for their work began to emerge. Their focus was to create something that was both euphoric and compelling; more inventive than what they had worked on separately in the past. From gentle beginnings, each track builds and intensifies, creating a hypnotic experience to listen to from start to finish. With Lisa remaining in Australia, Jules adding his keys and percussion from France, and James bringing new light to the sound from England, the three were literally worlds apart, but those worlds fused in this music.

“With ‘Deshta (Forever) the aim was to create a huge, expansive and spacious sound. It is a dark, uplifting and mysterious journey. The call and response sections in the vocals are especially haunting. It is a very immersive track, and it was a joy to work on,” says James Chapman.

Sosna’s video is among seven specially commissioned films to accompany the release of the album. The first of these, created by Polish director Jacob Chelkowski’s video for the title track ‘Noyalain (Burn)’, proves more than a little provocative in these days of Covid, as it portrays the simple, traumatic act of touching.

In early March, Jules Maxwell also released his sophomore solo album ‘Nocturnes’ – the debut release for the newly-formed Archangelo Recordings. This beautifully melancholic collection of instrumental pieces was written and recorded over the past four years, much of it in collaboration with the acclaimed UK-based Vincent Dance Theatre.

‘Deshta (Forever)’ and ‘Noyalain (Burn)’ are both available digitally across online platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify. The full ‘Burn’ album, set for release on May 7, can be pre-ordered on vinyl, CD and digitally at https://orcd.co/lisajulesburn

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Song of Co-Aklan

Posted on May 3, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

It would be absurd of me to try and describe Song of Co-Aklan, the just-released album by Cathal Coughlan. But I will let a bit of my sanity slip further away from me and put some words together that will hopefully elucidate the hoi-polloi and entertain those who read it through.

Falling Out North Street, the second from the last song on the album, is an excellent place to start. This standout song comes with the bonus of a short film directed by acclaimed Yorkshire-based musician and artist Marry Waterson. In the absence of live events due to the pandemic, short films and music videos have taken on a new life of their own. They don’t stream on MTV like the music videos of 1981. In 2021 we have fantastic short films such as Falling Out North Street and slick music videos, many of them streaming on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLeGoL-w7F8

Falling Out North Street in the words of Cathal Coughlan. “The song tries to describe the absurdity of trying to keep hold of sanity, dignity or confidence in the face of the remorseless advance of time. From the start of the song, a circular pattern from the bass guitar and a plucked cello advances implacably, as the vocal and some transient instrumental elements try to pick a way through the debris of lives and communities. A broad chorus breaks the deadlock every so often, where exhortations are attempted by a wall of voices. Eventually, the singer has to suggest that he and the person he’s addressing might have been better off and happier all along had they been pavement purveyors of shouted gibberish and box-room detritus. And so the song ends,” says Cathal Coughlan.

Listening to this album, Song of Co-Aklan, was a challenge for me. On the first go-round, the music struck me first. Cathal Coughlan has surrounded himself with talent, and they are a cracker band. On the second spin around the album, I listened to the vocals. I have no idea what Cathal Coughlan is trying to say through many of the songs, but he is a fine storyteller in the tradition of Leonard Cohen or towards the lyrics of Frank Zappa.

For example, in the opening track, Song of Co-Aklan, we have this bit, ‘Raise your hands if you don’t know what this means.’ I have my hands up. I don’t know what this means. Several names dropped, such as Bob Nairac, but I have my hands up. I do not know what his character brings to the song as a whole.

My Child Is Alive is a good bit of writing. Here is a sample;

‘He never knew the mother, they just fell together once

Did what he could to dodge her until after nine full months

The baby didn’t make it, quite a scandal in the town

Daddy joined the civil clergy, gained salvation profound

Now the police for the cover they need

make his lovers believe my child’s alive!’

I will continue listening and unravelling this album bit by bit. I am sure it will grow into something even more beautiful with time and effort. In the meantime, I would encourage you, the reader, to check out the links below. This album can be listened to in many ways and means. Happy listening and play safe.

The ‘Song of Co-Aklan’ LP is now available across online platforms, such as Apple Music and Spotify, as well as physically. It can be ordered at https://ffm.to/songofcoaklanalbum.

Falling Out North Street’ https://youtu.be/JLeGoL-w7F8
‘The Knockout Artist’ https://youtu.be/lPr9f0l96pA
‘Song Of Co-Aklan’ https://youtu.be/e6YL06Za4rc
‘Owl In The Parlour’ https://youtu.be/7KKri0pTmkI
Cathal introduces his album https://youtu.be/f3MsD3NR-6M Bandcamp https://cathalc.bandcamp.com
Spotify https://spoti.fi/3fcB7iY
Digital Order https://orcd.co/songofcoaklan
CD / Vinyl order (USA/Canada) https://ffm.to/soca_us
CD / Vinyl order (UK/Ireland) https://ffm.to/songofcoaklanalbum

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‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’ by The Casual Sexists

Posted on May 2, 2021 by normanweatheredmusic

On March 7 of 2021, I did a favourable review of the song ‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’ by The Casual Sexists. I commented that I was hooked by the lyrics:

“My heartbeat keeps me awake

Repeating information that I already know.”

Putting our brains on an endless loop as we fight to get some sleep.”

Yeah, I’ve been there and done that—more than once.

“I dance, although I feel like I could die.”

The music lifts my spirits when my brain wants to curl up in a corner and make the world go away. The music compelled me to get up and dance, and those moments, those three-minute songs, keep me going. They give me life instead of dying. And “I dance although I feel like I could die.”

I call the lyrics on ‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’ anthems to the aging. Aging is a constant reality from the moment we are born till the day we die. It is happening to every one of us, every minute. And The Casual Sexists have fun with it.

I give them a hearty thumbs up for the single ‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’.

Fast forward to Thursday, April 29, 2021, and I am listening to the debut album from The Casual Sexists, Your Prescription Is Ready. If you thought ‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’ was good, get ready to have your mind blown. Londoner Ed Zed and New Yorker Varrick have crafted a worldwide favourite with their new full-length album.

Your Prescription Is Ready keeps me awake, never mind the heartbeats that do the same. As an aging rock and roller, Your Prescription Is Ready struck a chord with me. I hear ‘Your Prescription Is Ready, from the pharmacist far more times than I did when I was a young whippersnapper. However, when it comes to the album, Your Prescription Is Ready, I haven’t reached the point of hearing it far more times than I can deal with. I need to start counting how many times I listen to an album before I post it. For this timeless piece of music, I will take a shot at it being around 20 listens.

I say timeless because I can hear influences, zephyr-like at times but none the less significant enough to trigger my reminiscence bump. The one that immediately jumped out at me was The B-52’s, a band that played some very sophisticated music and had fun doing it. Other tips of the hat go to Gary Numan and The Friends of Mr Cairo by Jon and Vangelis.

Enough of the flashback’s, The Casual Sexists have crafted an excellent bit of music. It that will undoubtedly generate new reminiscence bumps for those who take the time to put this album on at the roller rink and seer it into fresh brain matter. Seriously, you don’t have to be at a roller rink to enjoy this album. You can listen on the commute through your earbuds. You can listen at home dancing while you do cleaning, it makes the dreary fun. You can listen anywhere it strikes your fancy, the joy of living in the digital age. It doesn’t matter where you listen; just listen. The Casual Sexists, Your Prescription Is Ready is an excellent bit of music and deserves repeated hits of the repeat button. The album will follow dancehall the singles ‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’, ‘Fresh Legs’ and The Casual Sexists glitch-pop rendition of ‘Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’’.

Your Prescription Is Ready will be out on May 7 2021, via It’s Hurting My

Feelings. I would be amiss to not mention the album artwork. I love it.

www.thecasualsexists.com

https://www.instagram.com/thecasualsexists/

https://twitter.com/casualsexists

https://www.facebook.com/TheCasualSexists

For all press enquiries, please contact megan@mysticsons.com

Weathered Music

The musical explorations of Norman and Joel Weatherly.

Monthly Archives: May 2021

Ender Bender

Charlie, Charlie

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell Deshta (Forever)

Song of Co-Aklan

‘My Heartbeat Keeps Me Awake’ by The Casual Sexists