‘Bad Wiring’ by Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage, originally released in 2019 and long ago sold out, is re-released in UK/Europe on Blang Records. Recorded in Nashville by Roger Moutenot (Lou Reed, Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinny) the album blends raw lo-fi garage-punk with acoustic interludes. His trademark literate lyrics, moving between the poignant and the hilarious, shift from personal anxieties to existential dread (often in the same song eg, ‘My Girlfriend Doesn't Worry'), record stores ('LPs') and under-appreciated artists ('Exactly What Nobody Wanted'). The album was greeted with widespread acclaim in 2019 with many reviewers declaring it his best yet.

TRACK LISTING

1. Exactly What Nobody Wanted
2. Except For The Fact That It Isn't
3. My Girlfriend Doesn't Worry
4. Depression! Despair!
5. Till Question Marks Are Told
6. LPs
7. Knucklehead/Happy Rain
8. Take It For Granted
9. In Certain Orders
10. Where Is The Machine
11. Dogs Of My Neighborhood
12. Not Supposed To Be Wise

The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane (VV001LP) : The fragile poetry and lo-fi warmth of JL’s home-recorded debut paint vivid scenes of downtown Manhattan life with cracked sincerity, comic book absurdity and charm. This groundbreaking album continues to charm listeners but has completely run out of stock. Press Quotes:

“Jeffrey Lewis: ‘The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane’ – Best Indie Album of 2002; like his drawings, his music is witty, animated and true.” – New York Daily News

“Bizarre but brilliant… slugging it out to be New Rock capital of the universe, Jeffrey Lewis could well be [New York’s] ace in the hole.”- Uncut

“Modestly brilliant.” [Critic’s Choice]- The Village Voice

“He claws through the bullshit and pretence ingrained in society. [Jeffrey Lewis’ work] …should be cherished.”- TimeOut London

“Jeffrey Lewis isn’t simply a singer, but a creative comic mastermind… brilliant… a staggering work of… genius.” – (9 stars of 10) Addicted to Sound

Blang Records and Jeffrey Lewis have history: before Blang was a label, it started life as a live night at the 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street, hosting many a set of the NY Antifolk artists over on UK shores, including Jeffrey Lewis. Now 20+ years since Jeffrey first played Blang. Native New Yorker Jeffrey Lewis is a comic book writer/artist and a musician. A cult hero birthed from the now infamous antifolk movement that sprung up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 90s, Jeffrey has released dozens of albums showcasing his unique blend of bleakly witty observations, scratchy, lo-fi punk and croaky folk/anti-folk, all firmly rooted in a strong DIY sensibility. Jeffrey and his band have toured the world multiple times over, released albums on Rough Trade, Moshi Moshi and Don GIovanni Records, and have been featured by NPR, The History Channel, The NY Times and more.

TRACK LISTING

1. The East River
2. Another Girl
3. Seattle
4. The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song
5. Amanda Is A Scalape
6. Heavy Heart
7. The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane
8. The Man With The Golden Arm
9. Springtime
10. Life

Inclusive outsider pop mavericks and Antifolk legends The Awkward Silences return with their eponymous 4th album and their first release in 5 years. Off-kilter Daniel Johnston-esque pop songs inspired by Ian Dury and Iggy Pop. Produced by Jon Clayton (The Monochrome Set, Subway Sect), The Awkward Silences is their catchiest, most unusual and most personal work to date. Led by songwriter, author and disability campaigner Paul Hawkins, The Awkward Silences combine cleverly off-kilter Daniel Johnston-esque pop songs with energetic and inspired live performances pitched somewhere between Ian Dury, Iggy Pop and the Flaming Lips. Having cut their teeth at the infamous Blang nights at the 12 Bar Club back in the late 00’s, The Awkward Silences built up a dedicated following amongst the UK Antifolk Scene before taking on the mainstream with regular BBC Radio1 & 6Music airplay, festival slots up and down the country, and a celebrity following including the likes of Mark Radcliffe, Huw Stephens and Graham Coxon*. Owing to a combination of mental health issues, bereavements, disability activism and other real life complications, the band retreated from the public eye following the release of 2015’s Outsider Pop.

2018 saw the bands first foray back into the spotlight with a triumphant set at Kendal Calling, spurring them back into the studio to record the new album. The Awkward Silences will also feature on ‘Scratchcard’, Blang Records forthcoming 15 year anniversary compilation (due October 2020). More recently, Hawkins has been in the music press for his work with disability charity Attitude Is Everything and their new initiative Beyond The Music, aimed at improving employment opportunities for disabled people in the music industry. As a disabled musician himself, Hawkins is passionate about improving access for deaf and disabled performers, gig-goers and professionals. All Awkward Silences self-promoted gigs have captioned lyrics for anyone who can't hear them. Paul is very happy to hear from disabled musicians who'd like some advice or a chat. * Graham Coxon was once mistaken for Chris from the band, and ended up getting punched as a result. We think he is a fan. Quotes - ‘Laden with pure charisma’ NME // ‘An ace antifolk superstar’ Time Out // ‘I haven’t been able to get Paul Hawkins out of my head for the last 4 days’ Huw Stephens 

TRACK LISTING

1 Quantum Physics
2 Getting Ready For My Life To Begin
3 There’s Nothing More Obnoxious Than A Self-Made Man
4 Everybody Loves Organised Fun
5 Other People Die
6 Count Each Mistake
7 The Medical Model
8 Everything Will Probably Be Fine
9 Pretending To Be Fine
10 The New World

Brix & The Extricated release their highly anticipated debut album Part 2 on 22nd September following on from the early summer release of debut single Damned For Eternity. "Part 2 is a terrific debut album! While having elements of vintage Fall, Brix & The Extricated also bring the raw power of the Stooges, the pop sensibility of prime Blondie, walls of big glam rock guitars and dollops of psychedelia." Dave Simpson (Guardian). Formed by the visionary Brix Smith Start (vocals / guitar) and legendary bass player Stephen Hanley, Brix & The Extricated also features Paul Hanley on drums, which reignites the Hanley Brother powerhouse rhythm section. The addition of Steve Trafford on guitar has brought together these influential, former members of The Fall. Completing the line-up is hugely talented Irish guitarist Jason Brown. Increasing pressure from old and new fans alike to record fresh material spurred Brix & The Extricated to head into the studio, where they laid down 10 tracks. As anyone who has read Brix’s book ‘The Rise, The Fall & The Rise’ will know, Brix is a warrior woman one moment, and the next she’s stripping off her armour and laying bare her open wounds for all to see – and this is precisely what she’s done on the resulting album. Brix vehemently spits out her lyrics over savage sliding power chords over the distinctive Hanley brothers rhythm section. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Channelling the delicate / loud balance of US grunge, with the perfect songwriting craft of a bloody great rock song, Brix & co. manage to take you on a thrilling but nuanced trip through these established sounds, and a whole lot more. Great stuff.

Hot on the heels of their Dec 2008 top 10 indie chart hit ("God With An Ipod") comes the long anticipated debut album from Milk Kan, an earthy fusion of bluegrass, old-skool hip-hop and late 70s punk with respectful nods to the Ramones, Beastie Boys and Woody Guthrie storytelling. Milk Kan began as a two piece back at the end of 2003; as Scrappy Hood and Jimmy Blade picked up their mothers' guitars and busked to the capital's trains, tubes, and very-late night buses. Following the release of their bedroom-recorded debut in 2004 they swapped public transport busking for the Lower East Side of Manhattan; gigging at local open mike haunts before returning to London and signing a single deal with PIAS Records. Late 2007 saw MK's signing to emerging East London independent Blang – with their long-awaited debut album finally recorded in 2008 after two hard years on the road.

Milk Kan's latest release "I'm a Nobody" is an uplifting cheer for the ordinary and a shout of encouragement for the unknowns. This energetic old-skool punk-guitar anthem to forget the 'wannabees' and champion the 'neverbees' comes hot on the heels of their Dec 2008 top 10 Indie Chart hit ("God With An Ipod") and second release from their debut self titled album (out 9th March).