The renaissance of Divine Horsemen—which began in 2021 with In The Red’s release of Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix, the legendary Los Angeles punk band’s first release in 33 years—continues with a thrilling and unexpected new album, Bitter End Of A Sweet Night. The new sixteen-track collection again features the band’s cofounding members, singers-songwriters Chris Desjardins (better known as Chris D.) and Julie Christensen, and the core members of the ferocious Hot Rise band—guitarist / co-writer Peter Andrus (a member of the group’s late ’80s lineup), bassist Bobby Permanent and X’s nonpareil drummer DJ Bonebrake. The sound is filled out by Green On Red and Dream Syndicate keyboardist Chris Cacavas (who appeared on the 1984 Chris D. / Divine Horsemen album Time Stands Still) and classically trained violinist Elizabeth Wilson. Desjardins produced the album. Divine Horsemen’s dramatic In The Red bow and a 2020 archival set of club performances from 1985 and 1987, issued by Feeding Tube Records, reacquainted listeners with their stormy power and eclectic roots-punk musicianship, which diversified the searing approach taken by Desjardins’ previous band, foundational L.A. punk unit the Flesh Eaters. (Christiansen had previously regrouped with her former husband and musical partner Desjardins on I Used to Be Pretty, the 2018 album that reunited the 1980 “all-star” Flesh Eaters lineup.) Reaction to the group’s rebirth was rapturous. Jaime Pina of Punk Globe called Hot Rise Of An Ice Cream Phoenix “brilliant,” adding, “The music is lush with both acoustic and electric guitars and the songs pull influences from all over, including country, rock, traditional ethnic folk music and blues.” Michael Toland wrote in The Big Takeover, “Reclaiming its classic sound of sweat- and grime-stained Americana, Divine Horsemen is reborn like the mythical creature in the title.” John Apice of Americana Highways raved, “Like the Rolling Stones, [Divine Horsemen] continue to thrill. They have grit, muscle and potency….Divine indeed.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Memory Fails
2. Talking In Your Sleep Again
3. You Knew No Other Way
4. Vanina Vanini
5. Bitter End
6. No Mercy
7. The Next Man That I See
8. Dirty Like An Angel
9. On The Wane
10. Murder Of Courage
11. These Evils
12. Coffee Shop Blues
13. Notorious
14. Garden Of Night
15. Footprints On The Moon
16. It's Still Nowhere

The latest by Arizona desert brotherhood Alex and Andrew Jarson aka Body Of Light further hones their smoldering strain of tempestuous synth-pop into a transformative suite of anthems, reveries, and reckonings: Bitter Reflection. Written in the wake of 2019’s neo-EBM classic, Time To Kill, they sifted inspiration from hidden moments within their own arcana – childhood tapes, home movies, abandoned demos – asking themselves the question: “How can we make this grow?” Sampled snippets of voice, noise, synth, and field recordings flicker in the periphery of these 11 tracks, murmuring like nostalgias half-forgotten, or displaced memories. It’s music pulled between twin flames of truth and desire, romanticization and reality, catharsis and control, born of a bond sealed by years, dreams, and blood.

Working with Telefon Tel Aviv co-founder Josh Eustis in Los Angeles, the brothers incorporated an expanded array of live instrumentation – piano, bass, saxophone, acoustic guitar – in addition to vintage Akai samplers, Moogs, and archaic hardware, giving the album an eclectic, unpredictable palette. Opener “Get It Right” showcases their impressive refinement: sleekly cold drum machinery builds to a swooning chorus of synths and piano, then suddenly slips into a dream sequence bridge of strummed guitar and echo-shrouded vocals, before surging back to the main melody. Throughout, the songs shift gears and moods in evocative ways, as if bending to fleeting thoughts or lengthening shadows. Simmering synth lament “Strike The Match” captures the Jarsons’ unique technique of co-crafted lyrics, accruing meaning as the world turns; though written long before, the track ended up being recorded the day Russia invaded Ukraine (“I fall asleep to the candlelight / things will be different but not tonight / it wouldn’t be like you to strike the match / over and over, I can’t understand”).

A trio of intriguing instrumentals deepen the album’s scope, echoing the duo’s early experimental era as part of the influential Ascetic House collective. “Fortia,” “Hyena,” and “Deepcolorlights” drift in a prismatic gauze of whispered synths and oblique minutia, in the spirit of Boards of Canada at their most hushed and haunted. Elsewhere the record spins through a gallery of the band’s ongoing fascinations: Depeche Modeesque declarations of dread and excess (“This Conversation”), brooding dance floor epiphanies (“Out Of Season”), smooth Thomas Dolby city skyline melancholias (“Never Ever”), lovesick looking glass ballads laced with Art Of Noise orchestral stabs (“On This Day”). A new age demands new waves, and Body Of Light belongs at the forefront of a resurgent generation fusing modern methods with the sounds of futures past. Singer Alex Jarson sees their muse clearly, at the axis of anguished transition, temporal collapse, and, just possibly, the brink of hope: “Time is dysphoric. The dream breaks down. Everyone’s beginning to panic, but in the end something will come from it.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Get It Right
2. Strike The Match
3. This Conversation
4. Fortia
5. Bitter Reflection
7. Out Of Season
8. Never Ever
9. On This Day
10. Hyena
11. Last Repose
12. Deepcolorlights

Dennis Brown's roots classic "Milk and Honey" freshly remastered, complete with Clive Hunt's original "Bitter Sweet" dub (under his Azul moniker) on the A Side On the B side, Jay Glass Dubs unfolds a skewed and deconstructed contemporary dub. Strictly limited- edition white label vinyl. Once it's gone its gone.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: More fat modern dubs for your subs! An all star cast graces this one on Wise, and the hype is high!

TRACK LISTING

1. Dennis Brown - Milk And Honey
2. Azul - Bitter Sweet
3. Jay Glass Dubs - Milk And Honey Dub

“Yours Until the Bitter End ” is The Bloody Hollies follow up to the highly praised “Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love” which was released in 2007 on Alive Naturalsound. Many who are familiar with the band’s sound know them by their trademark murder-themed blues/rock anthems that remind listeners of the 60’s and 70’s golden age of rock & roll. The new album still embraces the dark side of raw garage punk, but comes armed with a more eclectic array of songwriting and musicianship. But don’t let the touches of organ, violin, and xylophone fool you, the band’s hybrid of blues and rock & roll continue to shine more impressively than ever.

The Bloody Hollies recorded in San Diego, but enlisted the expertise of Jim Diamond in Detroit, a familiar friend of the band’s that helped bring the sound of this record to its full potential. “Yours Until the Bitter End” is a work that reflects a lengthy career that fully embraces The Bloody Hollies’ vast influences while at the same time maintaining the band’s unique sound of explosive, over-driven mayhem balanced with intelligently thought-out songwriting. What is most impressive about The Bloody Hollies, however, is the diversity of their strengths, ranging from 70’s classic rock, Americana blues, to an even power-pop songwriting style. Wesley Doyle’s voice is stronger than ever and continues to shine, complimenting Joseph Horgen’s unique slide blues guitar style. The rhythm section of Matthew Bennett (drums) and Erik Noorgard (bass guitar) are as solid as ever and work together perfectly on this record which will go down as The Bloody Hollies’ most impressive to date.

TRACK LISTING

1. So Grey, So Green
2. Dead Letter
3. Dirty Sex
4. Good Night, Sleep Tight
5. I Dream Of Bees
6. Dress To Kill
7. Leave That Woman Alone
8. Sticks And Stones
9. You're So Cold
10. John Wayne Brown

Bitter:Sweet are the intriguing musical partnership of Kiran Shahani and Shana Halligan. Shahani and Halligan's partnership thrives on "Drama" and captures their unique ability to simultaneously conjure vintage and futuristic sounds. "Drink You Sober" is filled with jazzy, dark intonations, while the throwback swing of "Sugar Mama" respectfully nods at Koop's recent work in electro-jazz. And the dream-like voyage of "A Moment" - with Halligan's playfully seductive whispers of 'Don't let go, I am only here for a moment' - is a movie in itself. Yet Bitter:Sweet can heat things up at will. The hard stabs of "Get What I Want" and the intense, luscious hook of "Waking Up" make heads and hearts bang alike. Credit Halligan's dexterous and impassioned vocal capabilities as much as Shahani's keen ear for cadence and production. The marriage is truly a splendid one, as is their ability to choose excellent studio and live musicians to complete their ever-evolving format.

New single from the Manchester based rockers Nine Black Alps. Taken from their forthcoming album "Love Hate"; "Bitter End" is a powerful yet melodic three-minute pop song drawing influences from the likes of The Lemonheads, Nirvana and Blind Melon.

Hot on the heels of "That Sentimental Slush" the sixth critically acclaimed album in a row from Hampton's finest sons The Bitter Springs comes this brand new four track EP of "Firm Family Favourites".