A walk across the salt flats. A pixelated moon on a touchscreen. A song set on the final day on earth. A song you can’t send to someone, because they’re no longer there. True, the debut album from Tenderness — the solo project of Katy Beth Young (Peggy Sue, Deep Throat Choir) — leads you by the hand through scenes like these, on deceptively simple, country-adjacent songs that shimmer with electric guitars and drones and licks of pedal steel. Songs that look sideways at romance and grief and technology. Songs that break hearts with their precise and thoughtful beauty as well as their sadness. Songs that are, by turns, tender like a touch, tender like a bruise.

'True' is a solo album in name, but a communal one in spirit, made alongside producer Euan Hinshelwood (Younghusband, Cate Le Bon), who contributes bass as well as layers of electric guitars, synths and drones. Longtime collaborators appear throughout: Peggy Sue’s Clay Slade and Olly Joyce, La Luz’s Marian Li-Pino, and members of Deep Throat Choir. Pedal steel comes from Harry Bohay (Aldous Harding, Sylvie). Backing vocals come from Berlin musicians Martha Rose, Dandy Deniz and Benjamin Gregory. The album's finishing touches - strings and synths -- were added by producer Chloe Kraemer.

The result is an album that feels both deeply personal and quietly expansive - a collection of songs born from solitude but shaped by community, rooted in heartache yet reaching toward something hopeful. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Saturday Morning
2. The Salt Flats
3. True
4. Touchscreen
5. We'll Always Have Paris 1919
6. Peacetime
7. Database Blues
8. Day Of Atonement
9. Heat Wave Love Song
10. Playing 'Country Roads'

Digisleeve repress of the 2010 remaster of the classic fifth studio album, originally released in 1988.

‘Tender Prey’ is the fifth studio album from Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and was released on 19th September 1988. The album was produced by Flood and recorded during several sessions over the course of four months in West Berlin - where the band were based at the time - and London.

The album opens with ‘The Mercy Seat’, which has been subsequently played at almost all of the band’s live performances since 1988 and was later covered by one of Cave’s biggest influences, Johnny Cash. ‘The Mercy Seat’ was released as a single in May 1988 as a precursor to the album and ‘Deanna’ was released shortly after the album hit the streets.

Cave later admitted that the album “was made at a difficult time in my life when things were spiralling out of control in a lot of areas.”

TRACK LISTING

1. The Mercy Seat 
2. Up Jumped The Devil 
3. Deanna
4. Watching Alice 
5. Mercy 
6. City Of Refuge 
7. Slowly Goes The Night 
8. Sunday’s Slave
9. Sugar Sugar Sugar 
10. New Morning 

Cindy Lee is the diva alter-ego of singer / guitarist Patrick Flegel, the one-time captain of heralded Canadian experimental guitar pop act, Women. In Flegel’s working on / as Cindy Lee exclusively over recent years, their songwriting makes a move toward high atmospherics, often achieving a mysterious sweetness rooted equally in beauty and ache.

As Cindy Lee’s third long-form statement, 'Act Of Tenderness' makes use of antipodal themes to create a living sound: static with grace, distortion and sugar, all masterfully arranged with crooked nods toward pop classicism. The layered vocal on 'Power And Possession' creates a palpable haunt, bringing historical girl-group lament to choir-esque heights. The feedback shriek and industrial grind of 'Bonsai Garden' provides near-operatic damage, yet never stumbles into the irrevocably grave. These snowy pieces give the album a decidedly cinematic feel, albeit one bent more towards Eraserhead. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Act Of Tenderness
2. Power And Possession
3. What I Need
4. New Romance
5. The Last Train's Come And Gone
6. Operation
7. Quit Doing Me Wrong
8. Fallen Angel
9. Bonsai Garden
10. Miracle Of The Rose
11. Wandering And Solitude
12. A New Love Is Believing

After their latest album "Cosmica italiana" released on 22a, Lorenzo Morresi & Tenderlonious are finally back together with two new tracks on Terrasolare! A blend of jazz-funk and Italian cinematic sounds.

Comes in a premium brown paper sleeve with pantone label, mastered and manufactured by Timmion Cutting!

TRACK LISTING

1. Scoglio Rosso
2. Chiaia Di Luna

Tender / Wading finds Matthew Sage, aka M. Sage, in the foothills and pastures of Colorado, writing, recording, and returning to a patch of his homeland and identity, one act of sympathetic care informing the next. Constructed primarily on piano and clarinet, and then embellished with guitar, modular synthesizer, percussion, and field recordings captured around the perimeter of his home, the album is a sweeping, serene vision of vitality, radical softness, and the reassuring sense of coming home, even if home has changed. Since the early 2010s, Sage has assembled an idiosyncratic catalog of music that sprawls in various sound directions, manifesting with releases on Geographic North, Orange Milk, and Moon Glyph, and garnering both critical attention and a loyal listenership present for each new turn. In 2023, Sage debuted on RVNG Intl. with Paradise Crick, which coincided with his ongoing output within the improvisatory ambient jazz quartet, Fuubutsushi, and he now delivers his next solo endeavor and direction. Tender / Wading follows Sage’s return to Colorado after nearly a decade in Chicago, now nurturing a couple acres of neglected space with his young family thirty miles outside his hometown. In a holistic contrast to Crick’s synthetic sound-world, Sage renders art from the act of stewarding new growth, questioning constructs of domestic life, and understanding the footsteps of his former self through the dirt-smeared, sweat-fogged lens of the present. The yield is his most autobiographical material to date, marked by time and changes in perception and meaningful details from Sage’s psychic search.

Sage likens the sensation of seeing different versions of yourself to the famous rabbit-duck theory from philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. “It’s the same drawing, but depending on who you are, where you are, and when you are, some people see a rabbit and some people see a duck, or both,” Sage explains. Here is the subject and viewer, back in familiar landscapes, a partner and parent, cutting back brush, humbled by invasives, infestations, and compacted clay soil, his priorities vastly changed. And still, that other self is there too; a wily academic who often thinks in memes and feels the tug of a cell phone in his pocket. “This album is about feeling out those perception changes, giving them room to do both: to hop and quack.” It is an inner child that leads Sage’s intermedia practice in his studio, a pole barn converted during home-wide DIY renovations after the big move in 2022. Inside, poems become drawings become backyard sculptures and beyond, and silly excursions into birdsong or enjoying the challenge of learning the clarinet give way to serious music. “I think what I’ve discovered is that there are these lines that tie it all together,” he says. “And for this album, there’s a lot of stubborn optimism and hope in it, but also being present with this late-stage moment that we’re in and trying to deal with the rhetoric of it.”

For Tender / Wading, Sage deploys a distinct sound: a pastoral kind of folk Kosmiche, contemplative electro-acoustic barn jazz for the Front Range, brimming with pale puddle blues and rusted oil drum reds. Most songs began on a 1910 Hamilton upright piano, curiously built in Chicago, left behind by the previous owners and inhabited by mice. The chance encounter with the instrument felt cosmic, not just for its link to the Windy City, but also given Sage’s evolving approach to songwriting after Fuubutsushi. He’s become more comfortable behind the keys and getting back behind the drum kit (his teenage love), and within a fittingly woodwind space, embracing the elemental and intentional, giving the music more structural heft and warmth from the onset. Tender’s M. Sage synthesizes the studio experimentation and improvisation of his past with a sharpened ear for melodic phrasings and chord changes, culling his usual bounty of demos down to a tight final nine. His world-building signatures remain, from woodhouse toads swimming in static to rustling grass and rain piddling in the gutters to waltzing constellations under the moonlight. Where Crick’s universe was born from magical realism and digital fantasy, Tender / Wading cuts from the human experience more directly. He’s quick to push back on notions of it being a highly conceptual record; “I’m just making the music that I would want to be playing in my headphones while weeding or whatever.” It could be both, as the rabbit and duck would assert, deeply personal and abstract, a fascinating and natural turn from a twenty-first-century experimental artist whose legacy continues to shape and grow in real-time

TRACK LISTING

A1. The Garden Spot
A2. Witch Grass
A3. Chinook
A4. Wading The Plain
A5. Open Space Properties
B1. Telegraph Weed Waltz
B2. Fracking Starlite
B3. Field House Deer (Mice)
B4. Tender Of Land

Electronic were Bernard Sumner (New Order) and Johnny Marr (The Smiths), who together produced critically-acclaimed alternative dance, and gave both Bernard and Johnny the creative freedom to fully express themselves.

'Twisted Tenderness' has never been released on vinyl and will also be released on 2LP.

The album was recorded alongside bassist Jimi Goodwin from Doves, and drummer Ged Lynch of Black Grape.

TRACK LISTING

1. Make It Happen
2. Haze
3. Vivid
4. Breakdown
5. Can't Find My Way Home
6. Twisted Tenderness
7. Like No Other
8. Late At Night
9. Prodigal Son
10. When She's Gone
11. Flicker

Sourcing rare records to reissue can involve meticulous research and years of digging, but then occasionally, Lady Luck smiles upon you

We probably would have never heard of the Medium Wave Band if Gary from Mr Bongo hadn't known Wolverhampton-based record dealer, Steve Ward. Whilst offering Gary some records for sale, he remembered he had a spare copy of an old 7" single that he thought Gary might like. Steve didn't know much about the release, and it had never sold on Discogs. Looking at the record itself, it was minimalist in appearance and information, there wasn't much to go on other than that it was from the Birmingham area. The mystery drew us in...

The A-side, 'So Tender', is a late-night, jazzy slow-jam, with beautifully sultry, soulful female vocals which sounded vaguely familiar. On listening to the B side, 'Games (Instrumental)', you are rewarded with a superb example of Britfunk / independent UK jazz- funk . The pulsating, bass- led dancefloor groove and sensibility is a sound reminiscent of productions usually found on labels such as Elite, but the 7" was not released on a label, it was a private press by the band themselves. So who are the enigmatic The Medium Wave Band?

After some fruitful internet digging and correspondence, we got the answers. The band lineup featured Elliot Browne on guitar (lead & rhythm), Ron Lyseight on guitar (rhythm), Andrew Proverbs on keyboards, Tony Peart on drums, Paul Snook on bass, Linton Levy on saxophone, and surprisingly, the beautiful vocals we had been enjoying were those of Jackie Graham, aka the hugely successful UK vocalist, Jaki Graham . Maybe best known for her pop hit with David Grant, 'Could It Be I'm Falling In Love', but also featuring on the cult classic track 'Fire In My Heart' by Escape From New York.

Influenced by artists and bands including George Benson , Ronnie Laws , Weather Report, George Duke, Azimuth and Chick Corea to name a few, the guys booked into a studio near the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham and recorded the two tracks that make up this 7". Only 200 copies of the original 7" were ever pressed and were sold mostly in Birmingham at Summit Records by the band's friend DJ Frenchi, as well as at live shows. Despite its limited distribution channels, the record received solid support from fans and those in the music industry, including Morgan Khan of the influential record label, Street Sounds. DJ and journalist, Lindsay Wesker, reviewed the release and this led to the band travelling to London for several radio interviews. They played live shows across the country, including at the prestigious Ronnie Scott's in London, and supported both Shakatak and Weapon of Peace in Birmingham.

Thanks to all those involved bringing this release into fruition and for solving the mystery behind a wonderful Britfunk and UK soul record that could have otherwise been lost in the mists of time.

TRACK LISTING

So Tender
Games (Instrumental)

With the inspiration of the healing power of water at its core, the album has been personally curated by Lisa and features ten of her most exceptional works newly mastered alongside a brand-new song 'Whispers'. The hand-picked playlist forms a cohesive album showcasing each track in a new light alongside striking artwork by Nigel Grierson.

In keeping with her collaborative nature, the album includes iconic pieces Lisa has created over the years with Daniel Johns, Astrid Williamson and Patrick Cassidy. At the forefront of every track is Lisa's ethereal and iconic vocals which, combined with her expressive and profound compositions, come together to form a truly emotional listening experience.

With a vision and vocal style that is as unique as it is precise and all-embracing, Lisa Gerrard has established herself as one of the world's most highly acclaimed flm composers and vocalists, including winning a Golden Globe for her work on the score for 'Gladiator' with Hans Zimmer. Her musical journey began in the early 1980s when she and fellow Australian Brendan Perry formed duo Dead Can Dance. With nine albums released between 1984 and 1995.

Lisa's vocal performances continue to be heard across the world. She performed as part of 'Gladiator Live' at The Royal Albert Hall in London in 2018 and as part of 'The World of Hans Zimmer - A Symphonic Celebration' tour. In 2021 and 2024 she was a featured Vocalist on the score for 'Dune' and 'Dune: Part Two', directed by Denis Villeneuve.

TRACK LISTING

1. Come Tenderness
2. Estelita
3. In Exile
4. The Sea Whisperer
5. Become
6. Seven Seas
7. Abwoon
8. Serenity
9. Wandering Star
10. Whispers
11. Of Love Undone

In April 2019, 22a boss and multi-instrumentalist, Tenderlonious embarked on a trip to Pakistan to work with Lahore based instrumental quartet, Jaubi. Following on from the success of the three-track limited edition 10” vinyl release of ‘Tender in Lahore’ earlier this year, 22a presents the full LP-length suite of improvised Ragas from a one day recording session in Lahore, featuring four previously unreleased tracks.

Opening track ‘Shalah Bagh’ is inspired by the Mughal gardens in Lahore they visited. It is a fully improvised track guided by Kashif Ali Dhani on table and vocals, with Tenderlonious on soprano saxophone. Raga Chandrakauns acts as the basic framework, evolving into a free conversation between tabla and saxophone.

‘Azadi’ is the Urdu word for freedom and is a pure raga composed in the beautiful and devotional pentatonic Raga Bairagi, also based in the 12-beat rhythmic cycle (Ektaal). Like everything during these sessions, this raga was shown to Tender moments before the one take recording and what ensued was an improvised conversation between the musicians. Featuring Jaubi members Zohaib Hassan Khan on sarangi - Zohaib is a 7th generation sarangi maestro and one of only 5 professional sarangi players left in Pakistan practicing this ancient art form. Plus Jaubi guitarist and band leader Ali Riaz Baqar, providing the guitar accompaniment.

Other tracks include ‘Kirwani Part II’ is an alternate take of the original, this time featuring Tenderlonious on soprano saxophone in conversation with Kashif Ali Dhani on tabla. Marek Marek Pedziwiatr, from EABS & Astigmatic Records, provides the synth drone back drop on all tracks

TRACK LISTING

Shahla Bagh
Azadi
Kirwani
Azeem
Kirwani Part II
Impressions

Having released several solo projects, numerous collaborations and a series of LP's, EP's and singles with his band Ruby Rushton that centred on original compositions, he wanted to take a moment to focus his energy on exploring the classic jazz material that has inspired him over the years.

Players like Jackie McLean, Duke Pearson, Clifford Jordan and Wayne Shorter have all played significant roles in Tenderlonious' life and provide a constant source of inspiration for his development as a musician and composer. 'You Know I Care' is a tribute to those musicians and for this reason a landmark album - his first recording that purely delves into the American jazz songbook. Plus it's a way of encouraging a new generation of jazz listeners to explore some of the most significant contributors, and in some cases unsung heroes, to this ever evolving genre.

This long player clearly follows in the footsteps of Tenderlonious' spiritual jazz hero's, paying particular attention to the original performers of these six masterpieces - Jackie McClean, Clifford Jordan, Wayne Shorter and Duke Pearson. This is also the first time that Tenderlonious has recorded on alto saxophone, a more recent love affair for this talented multi-instrumentalist, and hopefully the first of many.

There is something for everyone on this album, from brooding ballads to full steam ahead modal delights - and an opportunity to enjoy a fresh take on these timeless compositions.

Tenderlonious: alto saxophone, futes
Hamish Balfour: piano
Pete Martin: bass
Tim Carnegie: drums

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: While Tenderlonious' records come in all shades of jazz, 'You Know I Care' for Ed Cawthorne's 22a imprint sees him honour the roots of spiritual jazz in fine fashion, rendering the originals is his own inimitable style and resulting in a beautiful and refreshingly inventive end product. A nicely conceived and perfectly executed tribute.

TRACK LISTING

1. On The Nile
2. Maimoun
3. Infant Eyes
4. Poor Eric
5. John Coltrane
6. You Know I Care

In the late 1960s and early 1970s Italian soundtrack and library music went through its most experimental, prolific and dazzling period having a strong radio presence in both Europe and the US. Musicians and composers such as Piero Umiliani, Amleto Armando Roelens and even Ennio Morricone were regularly experimenting with idiosyncratic combinations of jazz, electronic, progressive, disco, funk and psych genres.

It was their mutual love of these 60s and 70s soundtracks that brought Lorenzo Morresi and Tenderlonious together. After performing alongside each other at a festival in Italy back in 2017 the idea was quickly conceived to put together a fresh take starting with that early 1970s Italian style, using contemporary analogue inspired arrangements combined with experimental and joyful 'tongue in cheek' sounds that could work on the dance floor as well as at home.

Tracks like "Nuda Sorgente", "Doppio Sogno" and "Estate" are club oriented with a musical crossover from old- to- new. 'Estate' is a cover from the classic jazz standard by Italian singer Bruno Martino. Tender and Morresi worked tirelessly between Italy and London for approximately 2 years carefully shaping their album 'Cosmica Italiana': "With this project we've done our best to deliver our own interpretation of this wonderful era of Italian music and rediscover a beautiful genre, whilst maintaining a strong respect and admiration for the sounds that those original Italian masters created. Their records impressed and inspired us and we hope it will be the same for our listeners today."

TRACK LISTING

1. Cosmica Italiana
2. Bazar Milano
3. Nuda Sorgente
4. Tema Cinque
5. Doppio Sogno
6. Interludio
7. Estate
8. 5:00 AM
9. Movimento Astratto
10. Classico
11. Acqua

Whether it be jazz fusion with his band Ruby Rushton, Hindustani classical with Pakistani quartet Jaubi or deep house, electro funk and ambient electronica in his solo studio productions, Tenderlonious has accumulated a back catalogue of releases and collaborations that unveil a musician who is continuously striving to evolve and push the boundaries of sound.

'Still Flute' continues with that notion, combining his signature live flute and synth work over Detroit house, p-funk, spiritual ragas and ambient sound designs. There are four deep house jams, including 'Song For My Mother' and title track 'Still Flute', all embellished with energetic flute solos. 'Isaac's Theme' and 'Neptune's Mood' add the downbeat p-funk mood, while 'Seti Khola' is a deeply spiritual Hindustani raga. 'Journey to Thra' and 'End Transmission' add the ambient palette to another phenomenal record from Tenderlonious and the 22a camp.

'Still Flute' is the long awaited follow up to Tenderlonious's highly acclaimed 2016 mini-album 'On Flute'.

For fans of Larry Heard, Moodymann, Dam-Funk & Yussef Kamaal...

TRACK LISTING

CD Tracks:
Song For My Mother
Isaac's Theme
Hold Tight
Journey To Thra 
Seti Khola (Bonus Track)
Still Flute
Neptune's Mood
Blue Tender 
One For The Rhodes
End Transmission (Bonus Track)

LP Tracks:
Song For My Mother
Isaac's Theme
Hold Tight
Journey To Thra
Still Flute 
Neptune's Mood
Blue Tender
One For The Rhodes

*Please Note CD & Digital Versions Include 2 Bonus Tracks Not On The LP.

FFO: Chicano Batman, Brainstory, Drugdealer, Sugar Candy Mountain.

Conceived in the 1980s in Mexico and brought to California through the border inside of his 6-month-pregnant mother, Rudy de Anda's debut solo record is a love letter to the long historical lineage of rock 'n roll music as interpreted through his multicultural lens. "I write my own story, I don't want to be defined by any scene" de Anda proclaims of his personal journey, and his ability to adapt and flit between cities and cultures is part of why L.A. Record has called his sound "deliberately difficult to classify, familiar but novel at the same time." Since 2005, De Anda has played thousands of shows in various musical projects, but with 'Tender Epoch', tellingly the first recorded under his own name, he has clearly found his own voice with a wealth of stories to spotlight. It's exquisitely crafted pop, with universal messages of heartbreak and loss that still feel appropriate played speeding windows-down on the highway in the coastal sunshine.

Above all, De Anda likes to keep people guessing: from the album artwork to the multi-faceted textures of sound, 'Tender Epoch' feels ambiguous to any era, a perfect collusion of old and new that showcases a music historian's knowledge of both past greats and influential peers. Sculpting his own path through a wild ride that feels unlikely to let up, De Anda refuses to settle down or get comfortable, instead carving out a classic record that is sure to set a standard for songwriting to come. The whole Colemine and Karma Chief family is proud to welcome Rudy De Anda and to present Tender Epoch.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Mirror
2. Los Canarios
3. Me Revulco En Tus Arenas
4. Tender Epoch
5. Espume
6. Cariño
7. It Didn’t Have To Happen
8. Helado
9. Tres Boletos
10. No Me Cruces
11. Cavallet Del Mar
12. I’m Still At The Bar
13. Abrasive

Lockdown allowed Tender to escape from his busy lifestyle and touring schedule, finally giving him the time to properly explore and experiment with the vast collection of synths, drum machines and instruments he's built up over the past twenty years. Armed with an arsenal of hardware and inspired by sci-fi & fantasy movies, he has delivered an expansive opus of varying tempos that glide across imaginative synth sculptures and meditative soundscapes. The soundtrack to his quarantine - 'Quarantena.'

The album begins with '1984 (Chapter One)', a tribute to the novel by George Orwell that depicts a dystopian society, captured perfectly by this moody intro. 'Rococo's Raga' is a nod to Tender's recent project, 'Tender in Lahore.' Based around the harmonic minor scale this raga is a conversation between the flute and marimba backed by an infectious swing groove. The title track 'Quarantena' has an epic soundtrack feel with luscious pads, soaring strings and orchestral horn lines, backed by solos from Tender on flute and also featuring Nick Walters on trumpet.

The flip side includes 'Total Recall', another tribute to one of Tender's favourite films from childhood. Made purely from the sounds of the Yamaha SY85, the ghostly choir transports listeners to an eerie space, reminiscent of scenes from the film. 'Birds of Paradise' is another stand out, which would make a fitting accompaniment to any modern film soundtrack. Sounds of the jungle sweep in and out, whilst Tender adds flute and synth flurries alongside a sparse, head nodding groove - downtempo at its finest. 'Quarantena' is Tenderlonious' most confident, slick and accomplished studio work yet.

TRACK LISTING

1984 (chapter One)
Rocco's Raga
Quarantena
Falkor Flight
Lockdown Boogie
Covid Blues
Total Recall
Moment’s Notice
Birds Of Paradise
MaskUp/GloveUp
Utopia
Forty Nights

A chance sequence of events lead to Tenderlonious, getting his hands on Tubby Hayes' Piccolo, resulting in this outstanding re-interpretation of four classic Tubby Hayes tracks. Featuring some of London's finest jazz musicians, with the hope to introduce a whole new generation of jazz fans to a true great of British jazz.

Personnel: Ed 'Tenderlonious' Cawthorne (piccolo, flute, soprano saxophone), Nick Walters (trumpet), Hamish Balfour (piano, vibes, Fender Rhodes), Pete Martin (bass guitar), Aidan Shepherd (accordion), Tim Carnegie (drums)

TRACK LISTING

1. Down In The Village
2. Trenton Place
3. Raga
4. In The Night

’Hard Rain’ follows hot-on-the-heels from the acclaimed Ruby Rushton album ‘Ironside’, but whereas contemporary urban jazz was the focus there, Tender’s solo record marks a return to another of the multifaceted artist’s skills: dope house and beat music that oozes futuristic funk.

This sparse but perfectly-populated masterpiece takes inspiration from J Dilla and echoes elements of vintage Blaze, Larry Heard and Carl Craig. Warm and soulful, but also spacious and clean, Tender extracts maximum flavour out of just a few ingredients.

“Casey Jr.” kicks proceedings off with a neck-snapping bass heavy p-funk
monster, like Slum Village or Platinum Pied Pipers by way of Surrey and
onwards to south London. Real electro laced cosmic jazz funk keys and techno hi hats coalesce exquisitely on “Buffalo Gurl”, whilst the breathtakingly deep. ‘Hard Rain’ sounds both current and classic. “Low Tide” is an ambient jazz interlude that clears the palate, before “Another State Of Consciousness” trips the light on a kaleidoscopic discoball of pure synth ecstasy. Bumpy and blunted, the break-fuelled flute ride of “Aesop Thought” and LA style abstractscience of “Workin’ Me Out” shine a new light on trip hop, before the album closes with the smouldering, emotive brooder “Almost Time”.

After a long studio hiatus, this is a sign of good things to come from Tenderlonious and the 22a camp!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Peckham rises once again as the 22a firm display some more sonic wares from their locale. Tenderlonious at the controls for a mellow, smoked-out modern jazz / electronics composition.

TRACK LISTING

1. Casey Jnr
2. Buffalo Gals
3. Hard Rain
4. GU22
5. Low Tide
6. Another State Of Concsiousness
7. Aesop Thought
8. Love You
9. Workin Me Out
10. Almost Time

Emmy award-winning composer Michael Price releases Tender Symmetry, his second album with Erased Tapes. The ambitious musical project takes in a series of iconic National Trust locations across England as its inspiration, turning them into unlikely recording spaces. Michael and a host of musicians and collaborators — including soprano Grace Davidson (featured on Max Richter’s Sleep) and Shards (the choir on Nils Frahm’s All Melody) — travelled across the country in pursuit of places far removed from the traditional recording studio to create seven unique and moving pieces, straddling the past and the future.

The diversity of Michael Price’s choices ranges from the ruins of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire to the Fan Bay WWII shelter, cut deep into the chalk cliffs of Dover. All owned by the National Trust save one, each venue became both the inspiration and the recording studio for Michael Price and his accompaniment of renowned musical ensembles, choirs and soloists.

"For Tender Symmetry, I stopped admiring and started participating in these buildings. This began as an exploration of writing and recording out in the world beyond the studio. I am interested in where we build our homes in an increasingly virtual world and the spirit of place we feel as we walk our local streets, our schools, temples and public spaces. Taking inspiration from a place, and the stories it told, then going back to that place to record, sometimes in less than ideal conditions, made the two-year adventure much more like shooting a film than making a record.” — Michael Price

Acoustics varied wildly as the artists moved from places designed with sound in mind to locations which demanded the use of miners’ helmets for light and battery-powered sound gear. The final recordings carry the genuinely unique sonic blueprints and spirit of each place – from the birdsong in the courtyard at Speke Hall to the steam-driven cotton mill accompaniment at Quarry Bank. “When we recorded the piece at Fan Bay in the World War II shelter deep inside the chalk cliffs of Dover, Peter Gregson’s cello wasn’t at all happy with the clammy, dank conditions; but to be in the tunnels where young soldiers spent months on end, constantly on alert for incoming bombers, gave the recording an extraordinarily intimate, moving quality. At each site, the human mixed with the historical, and the natural environment of each space comes through with each piece. I tried to leave an imprint of each location on the record.”

While each piece of music is named after the location in which it was created, William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience courses through them as well. Soprano Grace Davidson sings Blake’s poignant words about nature, religion and the industrial revolution on several of the pieces including the astoundingly beautiful album closer Shade Of Dreams, written after the birth of Michael’s daughter. “The final piece, Shade of Dreams, is part of a group of pieces I wrote for the birth of our daughter, Emilie. It, like all the works on the album, takes its text from William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, in this case, A Cradle Song. As much as Tender Symmetry is about the past, it is firmly about the future, and all our of shared futures.”

Grace Davies, National Trust contemporary arts programme manager said:
“We were delighted when Michael approached us with this project as it directly draws on the extraordinary stories and history of these special places. The sheer variety of sites that Michael has chosen has resulted in a collection of new music that is sometimes surprising, sometimes poignant, and – above all – inspirational. I am sure that audiences will be enchanted both by Michael’s music and our places that have inspired him.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Holding all the beauty of his inspirations' natural environments and brittle balance of ecological equilibrium within his pieces, Price fills the sonic room with delicate but grand strings, crystalline vocals and a breathtaking sense of organic space. Majestic and breathtaking, but imbued with a nerve-racking transience and innate delicacy.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sandham
2. Speke
3. Willow Road
4. Quarry Bank
5. Fan Bay
6. Fountains
7. Shade Of Dreams

‘The Shakedown’ is Ed ‘Tenderlonious’ Cawthorne’s debut LP and features a dream team of top talent he named the 22archestra, who he leads seamlessly throughout. Listeners are exposed to the full breadth of Cawthorne’s technical and compositional skills, ranging from subtly meandering jazz, to hip hop, Afrobeat, Latin and exhilarating free form jazz.

The groups includes former Yussef Kamaal member Yussef Dayes on drums, Ruby Rushton bassist Fergus Ireland and producers Reginald Omas Mamode IV and Jeen Bassa on percussion.

The tracks include “SV Disco”, a nod to the mighty Slum Village, is a chunk of sensually-contorted disco vibes that brings on full party mode instantaneously, with the slinky bass licks and pitch-bent synthesiser recalling Roy Ayres’s blissed-out funk.

”Maria” showcases Ed’s roots as sample-based producer, pulling influence from around the globe to create an undulating piece of flute-led Brazilian fusion that fans of Ruby Rushton will find familiar. The eastern-inspired embellishments raise the temperature further, whilst former Yussef Kamaal member Yussef Dayes’ sizzling cymbals and shuffling snare work propel the track forwards, locking down a signature 22a groove.

”Yussef’s Groove” kicks off with driving drums, and each of the 22archestra enter steadily, fully utilising their virtuosic power, switching between low-slung bass, chic open piano solos and hazy electric piano. The 22archestra was conceived after Tenderlonious was invited to record at Abbey Road Studios. The whole crew was rounded-up and the album was recorded during a single 8 hour session - a testament to their musicianship and ability to nail a take.

Personnel: Ed ‘Tenderlonious’ Cawthorne (flute & synth), Hamish Balfour (keys), Fergus Ireland (bass), Yussef Dayes (drums), Reginald Omas Mamode IV, Jeen Bassa, Konrad (percussion)

STAFF COMMENTS

Millie says: Jazz with an innovative twist filled inspired by many people and places over the world, and this definitely shows in the style and production. The collaboration is overflowing with talented people who are absorbed in the world of everything jazz.

TRACK LISTING

Expansions
Yussef’s Groove
Togo 
SV Interlude
The Shakedown
Maria
You Decide
SV Disco
Red Sky At Night

Vinyl re-press of the third album by Broadcast, originally released in 2005.

Blending their trademark influences of 60s pop, film soundtracks and psychedelia and avant noises, "Tender Buttons" stands out from their previous work in terms of its stripped back simplicity and emotional boldness.

TRACK LISTING

A1 I Found The F
A2 Black Cat
A3 Tender Buttons
A4 America's Boy
A5 Tears In The Typing Pool
A6 Bit 35
A7 Subject To The Ladder
B1 Corporeal
B2 Arc Of A Journey
B3 Michael A Grammar
B4 Minus 3
B5 Goodbye Girls
B6 You And Me In Time
B7 I Found The End

‘Tender Prey’ is the fifth studio album from Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and was released on 19th September 1988. The album was produced by Flood and recorded during several sessions over the course of four months in West Berlin - where the band were based at the time - and London.

The album opens with ‘The Mercy Seat’, which has been subsequently played at almost all of the band’s live performances since 1988 and was later covered by one of Cave’s biggest influences, Johnny Cash. ‘The Mercy Seat’ was released as a single in May 1988 as a precursor to the album and ‘Deanna’ was released shortly after the album hit the streets.

Cave later admitted that the album “was made at a difficult time in my life when things were spiralling out of control in a lot of areas.”

TRACK LISTING

The Mercy Seat
Up Jumped The Devil
Deanna
Watching Alice
Mercy
City Of Refuge
Slowly Goes The Night
Sunday’s Slave
Sugar Sugar Sugar
New Morning

There is protectiveness in the fist that holds a bag of wolf teeth. These incisors are each of the songs held inside Tender Forever’s fourth EP. To spend time with this magic while the first of the fall leaves suicide bomb your bare feet, and the cicadas are strangely silent, is like feeling the phantom sting of your own baby wolf fangs where they once bit into your most vulnerable parts.

The songs on Where Are We From [KLP237] are wise messages like barbwire around every bend of every word, intentional and concise. The intensity behind But you seem to love it all. You don’t struggle though you fall. Falling is not giving up, for you it’s just how we’ve met. in “The Road Was Unkind” shows beautiful belief in the tenacity of all of us. It compels us to be brave and braver still to find the light of community even if our days look dark.

There is no mistaking that this new EP is about strength and the grit that carries us and others over monoliths and into our life journey. There is such sweetness in the heightened vocal pitch of ”You Have The Woods”: We got safety. We got knives. We got the world that’s what we got. We get buried in the ground whenever people think it’s time. We got rationality. We got boredom and that’s free. You got the woods, you don’t have to choose. Pay heed to her timbre listener, Tender Forever has got your back.

While the underside of Tender Forever’s heart is still in full view for anyone to rest under and breathe raggedly until the hard stuff slides out of focus, there is something more steely wrapped around her ribs as each of these songs clinks against them. The raw and syrupy swell of the vocal talents poured over the near wildness of the percussion holds fast to the balled up fists and clenched jaw of the lyrics. It is a truly unique and perfect union.

Tender Forever’s new album takes lost souls by the hand to create a chain of blinding light that leads to freedom and togetherness. I know you know what love is like, I held you near, I held you tight and I don’t understand it and I don’t want it in “Runaway” illuminates her usual heart out approach to lyrics, but also shows us her battle scars and flexes her survivor muscles. Each song is impeccably different from the last and yet together, the collection is undeniably holistic and tightly interlaced.

This is what you listen to on a road trip to your new self, louder than everything as the interstate ahead of you ribbons into dust and the blur of life is a distraction of sparkly lights. This is what makes your hands beat into your steering wheel and your head throw backwards to a sing along. This is what you listen to when you need to shrug off an old armor in order to be reborn and washed clean while a steady hand gently pushes you in the direction of growth. Where Are We From is your new path, should you be brave enough to walk it.

TRACK LISTING

1. Where Are We From
2. The Road Was Unkind
3. Blue
4. Wrestle
5. You Get Into My Face
6. Runaway
7. You Have The Woods

Tender Trap are now a proper girl-group! In contrast with earlier Tender Trap, which had a more electronic bent, the newly revitalized 'Trap has stronger links to the pop lineage of its founder members; Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey were in influential indiepop originals and John Peel favourites Talulah Gosh and Heavenly, who released records on such indiepop labels as Sarah Records, K and Stephen Pastel’s 53rd and 3rd. Neither Talulah Gosh nor Heavenly (Amelia's previous bands) had this much vocal harmony going on. With two extra girl voices (from new guitarist Elizabeth Morris of Allo Darlin' and new drummer Katrina Dixon) the band now combines the harmonies, oohs, ahs and sha-la-las of classic girl-pop with the stripped down beats and dirty guitars of the Shop Assistants and The Vaselines.

Following their albums "Film Molecules" and "6 Billion People", Fortuna Pop! bring us "Dansette Dansette", the band's excellent third album. Bristling with crunchy guitars and effortlessly catchy tunes, "Dansette Dansette" is ample proof of why Amelia and Rob's bands have been such a huge influence on today's generation of pop bands. Revered by today's revitalized indie-pop scene, their records are floor-fillers at indie dance clubs and their influence can be heard in bands such as Los Campesinos! (who namecheck Fletcher in their song "International Tweexcore Underground"), The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Dum Dum Girls (who asked Tender Trap to support them at a recent London gig). Even US rockers The Hold Steady reference Heavenly in the title track of their new album Heaven is Whenever.

"Dansette Dansette" kicks of the record in fine fashion, morse feedback bleeps leading into a melodic ode to the bedroom record player. Being the first single from the album, "Do You Want A Boyfriend?" is a perfect chunk of pop, but it's not as innocent as it seems - it celebrates the girl-pop phenomenon, but deconstructs it too. "Girls With Guns" and "2 To The N" are more punk-inspired, hearkening back to Amelia's Talulah Gosh roots. Slower tunes like "Suddenly" and "Counting The Hours" give plenty of room for Amelia's vocal interplay with Elizabeth and Katrina, and "Capital L" wraps up the album in epic fashion, a tambourine-driven slow-dance which builds to a glorious crescendo.

TRACK LISTING

1. Dansette Dansette
2. Fireworks
3. Do You Want A Boyfriend?
4. Suddenly
5. Girls With Guns
6. Danger Overboard 
7. To The N
8. Counting The Hours
9. Grand National
10. Capital L

"No Snare" is less a rejection of things that have been, as it a reconfiguration. Take away the snare and there isn't loss, just a new song. As we pass through the flood of moments that is our lives we make a constant stream of decisions as to what to hold on to and what to let go of. But – even as it changes radically – it is always our life. It will be said that this new collection of songs from Tender Forever is a departure, a turn away from an older sound. To say that wouldn't do justice to the subtle transition of this album. Here we see a songwriter at that most delicate moment of transformation. Holding on to some things, letting go of others; always building a new world, looking forward, looking back, always singing: 'I gave it all I got/Held onto everything tight/I know I'm not coming back/I'm not erasing this track'.

Melanie Valera's third full length album moves away from some of the more exuberant dance oriented songs of past years into a darker and more melancholy direction. Maybe it's her current residence in the damp and dirty Pacific Northwest, maybe its a little adulthood. Whatever it is, we get a deeper, denser sound. These songs push through the forest as the evening comes, dripping wet, the lights of a little house up ahead. What "No Snare" retains is Valera's emotional clarity and eloquence. We are always invited to her world, feeling what she feels without exception. Valera keeps her lyrics light on their feet, moving with ease around the complexities of her compositions, her vocals rolling hard with the strength of conviction.

Throughout Tender Forever’s work there is a commitment to understanding feelings and desires and seeing them through to completion. "No Snare" pushes through the wake and lays the turmoil to rest. What comes next is still unknown. In this darkness of loss and change there is a beat, a drive. Feel the shake from those little computer speakers, hear it grow and pulse through the woods. Watch as the evening comes and look toward the morning.

'Tender Forever causes you to feel heartbroken and awesome all at once ... (Melanie Velera) is sweet like Cat Power with lyrics that'll make you feel like one tough bitch. Somewhere between the piano, guitar, keyboards and saucepan, her quiet yet intimidating powerful voice will grab you and send your finger to the repeat button over and over'. - Playgirl Magazine.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: I love the stripped back simplicity of this album. The stark melancholy is lifted by simple warm electronic pulses. Lovely stuff.

TRACK LISTING

1. Got To Let Go
2. Like The Snare That’s Gone
3. Only The Sounds You Made
4. Nothing At All
5. Day Number
6. But The Shape Is Wide
7. Nowhere Good Enough
8. Unfortunate Friends
9. When I’m In The Dark And You Take Away The Dark