Extra #124 is for the listening party of my friend Rafael Toral new album. Spectral Evolution is put Friday 23rd on Moikai via Drag City.
There are two listening parties for the Spectral Evolution tomorrow, Wednesday 21st. 10am (gmt/London time) and 7pm (gmt/London time). The conversation will e guided by Rafael Toral in Portugal, Jim O’Rouke in Japan and Fred Somsen in London. https://rafaeltoral.bandcamp.com/album/spectral-evolution – Link for listening party.
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words: Paulo Carmona (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Paulo Carmona
Many went to Mouco to New Castle band Lanterns On The Lake first concert in Porto.
The band started with The Likes Of Us, Real Life and Every Atom. Right there it shows the band is instrumentaly very competent. Be it 9n the rhythm or the melodic section. The harmonic sequences are irreproachable.
Hazel Wilde’s lead vocals are impregnated with loud, vibrating sounds that perfectly dress the songs, fully tailored for her vocal range. As it is said, it fit like a glove. Indie rock set Mouco’s the room on fire with Blue Screen Beams, When It All Comes True and Rich Girls. Paul Gregory’s guitar is so intense that it is impossible for bodies not to vibrate with its riffs.
Before the encore, Hazel jokes a little with the cliché saying they will no behind that door and be right back with a few more song, which generates laughter. After the show, I wandered around and was left with the impression of a friend’s gathering in which between people who did not knew each other well. Music does such things.
words: Marcos Leal (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Marcos Leal
Jozef van Wissem presented The Night Dwells In The Day, his latest album, last Sunday at Salão Novo Ático-Coliseu, Porto.
Silently, the audience listened in an introspective mood induced by melancholic baroque lute melodies. In a flashlight leave, Josef returns for an encore. Two more songs in his deeply cavernous voice were sung wrapping those attending in a melodically deeper, obscure ambient.
50 minutes flu by leaving the feeling it wasn’t enough.
words: Paulo Carmona (edited and freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: João Castro & Marcos Leal
Nothing more, nothingless than a colloquial conversation with music. . I’ve seen concerts with audience participation, but I have never witnessed to such close and afable dialogues between musicians and audience. It was really cute to watch.
From the start Marty didn’t stop telling jokes, stories, situations and events, and interjecting, in perfect symbiosis with the tone of one song after the other. Irish pub talk. Paraphrasing Marty: “The first song is called blah, blah, blah, is from blah, blah, blah album and was recorded at blah, blah, blah. Verbatim what I write you dear readers. Of course laughing and laughter echoed in unison through the room.
The duo presented itself with electro-acoustic folk guitar, violins, all its musical talent that was enough to the great celebration of their songs Tristesse, She’ll Come Back and Feed Your Mind in growing succession. Helpless You, I Don’t Think So, Almost With You where also sung, always growing to Into My Hands, You Whisper, Water Milkyway and Hopes and Fears.
The Celtic tone impregnated by the violin on the songs is contagious and Marty’s firgerstyle that goes along with is intense, memorable and extremely well performed. The songs breath among silence, rhythm and rather balanced vocals, between close or further from the microphone, depending of the flow and intensity. Brilliant in all its spendour.
Of note, the classical component brought by Olivia’s violin to the cheerful duo’s Celt folk inspired songs. There wasn’t an encore per se. Among clapping and request for more songs they didn’t left the stage. They prompty accept a presented with Melody of the Rain, Grind and Spark.Hard Rock Cafe room was already lively and kept being. Everyone was entitled to selfies, conversation and hugs with Marty and Olivia.
It is always good to feel such warmness from artists that know how to be upon a stage and set all star ways aside. The evening was cold and wet contrasting with what happened at the heart of the city. Pump pump heart.
words: Raquel Pinheiro ; photos André Delhaye
American composer Charlemagne Palestine’s performarnce, , as part of Across Ø Around: Mika Vainio A Tribute was a mesmerizing experience of about 50 minutes.
Imersive is a beaten, too worn word, yet, here, for someone like me, who kept closed eyes, pretty much all the time, it is fitting. And quite descriptive.
Palestine start playing before the audience took its place in the pews. At first, a low, tremble leaning continuous hum. Given Igreja de Cedofeita seating seating, most people had their back turned to the pipe organ balcony, facing the empty altar. Having entering the empty room a little earlier, on the side pew, by the altar, that allows to turn and face the pipe organ and player, I had a prime location for allowing the sound, the music to lead and do its magic.
And its magic was a wonder world of tonal variations complementing, overlapping, at times almost making disappear, at others leaving it fully raw, a continuous hum. A hum, in itself, the same and diverse. The inflections, the detours, the shades, the sounds, the whispers, the tumoultous, all had its place in a linear-nonlinearsublime performance that included words of prayer in a language only known to Charlemagne Palestine’s and a short percutive moment with a couple of filled whisky glasses clacking against it other. A night to remember.
As it tends to happen our Records the Year list is published around the arrival of Spring. This year there are 19, as usual in alphabetical order.
Bernard Butler – People Move On – 2021 vocals (Demon Music)
Black Toska – Dandelions (self-release)
Garry Gray & Ed Clayton-Jones – We Mainline Dreamers (Spooky Records)
Jeremy Rose & Earshift Orchestra – Disruption! The Voice of Drums (Earshift Music)
José Tornada – Love, Hope, Desire and Fear (self-release)
Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler – For All The Days That Tear The Heart (EMI)
João Diogo Zagalo – The Lone Ranger (self-release)
Nadine Khouri – Another Life (Talitres)
Manuel Linhares – Suspenso (Porta-Jazz)
Miguel Feraso Cabral – Indo Por Ali Longe (Rudimentol Records)
Spiritualized – Everything Was Beautiful (Fat Possum Records)
Steve Gunn – Nakama (Matador Records)
The Bobby Lees – Bellevue (Ipecac)
The Orchids – Dreaming Kind (Skep Wax)
The Senior Service feat. Rachel Lowrie – A Little More Time With (Damage Goods)
The Monochrome Set – Allhallowtide (Tapete Records)
Various – Loiusville (Grémio/Tradisom)
Víctor Herrero – Pajarito Negro (Trás-Os-Montes Records)
Weezer – SZNZ Winter (Crush Music)
It took a while, but here is the records of the year list. I wanted to carefully listen to several records that were released late last years, several of which only reach me this year. There are 30 records in the list, ordered alphabetically.
Bill Rivers – my autumn is on its way (Self Release)
Bill Rivers – Sings the Words of Simon Hayward (Self Release)
Bill Stone – Stone (Drag City)
Bobby Gillespie & Jehnny Beth – Utopian Ashes (Third Man Records)
Castle Theater – Characters (Self Release)
Dean Wareham I Have Nothing To Say to The Mayor of L.A. (Double Feature Records)
Ed Clayton-Jones – Jackdaw (Self-Release)
Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds – Swing From The Sean DeLear (In The Red Records)
J.P. Shilo – Jubjoté (Heavy Machinery Records)
James Johnston | Steve Gullick – We Travel Time (God Unknown Records)
Johanna Samuels – Excelsior! (Mama Bird Recording)
José Valente e Orquestra Filarmónica Gafanhense – Trégua (9 MUSAS)
Jonathan Richman – Want To Visit My Inner House? ((Reprise)
Marco Franco – Arcos (Revolve)
Marianne Faithfull w/ Warren Ellis – She Walks in Beauty (BMG)
Nick Walters & The Paradox Ensemble – Implicate Order (D.O.T. Records)
Old Jerusalem – Certain Rivers (Self Release/Sony)
New Bums – Last Time I Saw Grace (Drag City)
Raoul Vignal – Years in Marble (Talitres)
Robert Levon Been – The Card Counter OST (BMG)
Rui Gaio – 365 everydays (X.P.)
Sam Anning – Oaatchapai (Earshift Music)
Simon Linsteadt – Gualala (Stormy Deep Records)
Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade (Merge/PeMa)
Thalia Zedek Band – Perfect Vision (Thrill Jockey)
The Natvral – Tethers (Kanine Records)
Terry Gross – Soft Opening (Thrill Jockey)
Tomahawk – Tonic Immobility (Ipecac)
Ty Segall – Harmonizer (Drag City)
Various – Sabor Surf (El Palmas Music)
29/01: Salgado turned nine
text: Neno Costa (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Telma Mota
After a fasting tour of the sun, Salgado’s party returned for its 9th edition at Maus Hábitos. As usual in previous editions the line-up presented an appealing variety of musical proposals, making for choices between the concerts that took place on the three stages of a sold out venue. As usual, the people turned out in droves, filling the night with a friendly atmosphere, tinged with reunions and …beer. The highlight goes to 10000 Russos, a band from Porto that opened the evening, with themes from their latest album Superiertia (2021) in a renewed psychedelic incursion, dense and rich in sound textures and healthy evocations. On the Stockahusen stage, the most breathable, the Gãrgoola were a good surprise, in a shamanic performance that left a taste for more. Salgado Stage crowded, suffocating. In the background, Samuel Úria (Um Gajo Com Pés De Roque Enrole) emerged from the human barrier that prevented progression, and the chords of a well-behaved punk set the audience on fire. Stage change. Inescapable for lovers of full-bodied rock with contagious psychedelia, Gator The Alligator electrified the Super Rock Stage before another good surprise, the creative and irreverent performance of Unsafe Space Garden. Return to Stockhausen stage for O Manipulador, where Manuel Molarinho orchestrated the pedal mattress that unfold and transfigured, with creative singularity, a well-manipulated bass guitar. With Salgado Stage overflowing with Pluto (Manuel Cruz and Peixe), Super Bock stage was an alternative for a dip in emotions unconfined by the punk energy of Galician Kings Of The Beach, closing the set of performances which program had to undergo some readjustments due to circumstances. A note of recognition is required for Maus Hábitos’ workers, for their professionalism and friendliness, on a laborious and particularly demanding night. Happy birthday to Salgado.
29/01: O Salgado fez nove anos
texto: Neno Costa; fotos: Neno Costa & Telma Mota
Depois de uma volta ao sol de jejum, a festa do Salgado regressou para a sua 9.ª edição nos Maus Hábitos. O programa, como tem sido usual nas edições anteriores, apresentou uma variedade apelativa de propostas musicais, obrigando a escolhas entre os concertos que se desenrolaram nos três palcos de uma casa esgotada dias atrás. Como tem sido hábito, o público acorreu em peso, tingindo a noite com um ambiente simpático, tingido de reencontros e…cerveja. Destaque para os portuenses 10000 russos com temas do seu último álbum, Superiertia (2021), numa incursão psicadélica renovada, densa e rica de texturas sonoras e saudáveis evocações a abrir a noite. No palco Stockahusen, o mais respirável, os Gãrgoola constituíram uma boa surpresa, numa performance xamânica que soube a pouco. O Palco Salgado apinhado, sufocante. Ao fundo, Samuel Úria (Um Gajo Com Pés De Roque Enrole) emergiu da barreira humana que impedia a progressão e os acordes de um punk bem comportando incendiou o público. Mudança de palco. Incontornáveis para os apreciadores de um rock encorpado de psicadelismo contagiante, os Gator The Alligator eletrificaram o Palco Super Rock antes de mais outra boa surpresa, com a atuação criativa e irreverente dos Unsafe Space Garden. Retornou-se ao palco Stockhausen para O Manipulador, onde Manuel Molarinho orquestrou o tapete de pedais que desmultiplicaram e transfiguraram, com singularidade criativa, um baixo bem manipulado. Com o Palco Salgado a transbordar com Pluto (Manuel Cruz e Peixe), o palco Super Bock foi alternativa para um mergulho nas emoções desconfinadas pela energia punk dos galegos Kings Of The Beach, fechando o périplo de atuações cujo programa teve que sofrer alguns reajustes por força das circunstâncias. Impõe-se uma nota de reconhecimento para os trabalhadores dos Maus Hábitos, pelo profissionalismo e simpatia, numa noite laboriosa e particularmente exigente. Parabéns ao Salgado.
Raquel Pinheiro’s 25 Albums of the Year in alphabetical order:
Alasdair Roberts – The Fiery Margin (Drag City Records)
Bill Pritchard – Midland Lullabies (Tapete Records)
Bobkat 65 – Back Off Me (Get Hip Recordings)
Calexico and Iron & Wine – Years To Burn (Sub Pop Records)
Damien Jurado – In The Shape of A Storm (Mama Bird Recording/Loose)
Edwin Collins – Badbea (Self-release)
Graham Day and The Forefathers – Good Things (Damaged Good Records)
Guitar Wolf – Love & Jett (Third Man Records)
Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch – An Attempt To Draw Aside The Veil (Sacred Bones Records)
Lightning Bolt – Sonic Citadel (Thrill Jockey Records)
Little Friend – A Substitute For Sadness (Planalto Records)
METZ – Automat (Sub Pop)
Neutrals – Kebab Disco (Emotional Response)
O Bom, O Mau E O Azevedo – O Bom, O Mau e O Azevedo (O Bom, O Mau e O Azevedo & Louie Louie-Loja de Discos)
Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains (Drag City Records)
Royal Trux – White Stuff (Fat Possum Records)
Sereias – País a Arder (Lovers & Lollypops)
Solar Corona – Lightning One (Lovers & Lollypops)
Steve Gunn – The Unseen In Between (Matador Records)
Swans – Leaving Meaning (Young God Records/Mute)
The Monochrome Set – Fabula Mendax (Tapete Records)
Townes Van Zandt – Sky Blue (Fat Possum Records)
Vetiver – Up On High (Mama Bird Recording/Loose)
Wilco – Ode To Joy (dBpm Records)
Wives – So Removed (City Slang)
It was long due, an albums of the year list. Here it is alphabetical order:
Alasdair Roberts, Amble Skuse, David McGuinness – What’s New (Drag City Records)
Cavalheiro – Falsa Fé (Leitura Tropical)
Corte – Trinta e Nove (EXPLX)
Damien Jurado – The Horizon Just Laughed (Secretly Canadian)
Dead Combo – Odeon Hotel (Sony Music Entertainment)
Father John Misty – God’s Favourite Costumer (Sub Pop Records)
Filho da Mãe – Água-Má (Lovers & Lollypops)
Francisco Oliveira – On The Art Of Reminding (Edições Fauve)
Grant-Lee Phillips – Widdershins (Yep Roc Records)
Iron & Wine – Weed Garden (Sub Pop Records)
J Mascis – Elastic Days (Sub Pop Records)
Jeff Tweedy – Warm (dBpm Records)
John Coltrane – Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album (Impulse! Records)
Liz Hogg – Liz Hogg (Mouca)
Marisa Anderson – Cloud Corner (Thrill Jockey Records)
Minami Deutsch – With Dim Light (Guruguru Brain)
Old Jerusalem – Chapels (Self-Release)
Palm Unit – Hommage à Jef Gilson (Super-Sonic Jazz Records)
Snakes – No More Songs About Wild Flowers (Grimoire Records)
Space Quartet (Rafael Toral, Hugo Antunes, João Pais Filipe, Ricardo Webbens) – Space Quartet (Clean Feed)
Tasos Stamou – Musique con Créte (Discrepant)
Thalia Zedek Band – Fighting Season (Thrill Jockey Records)
The Necks – Body (Northern Spy)
The Sea & Cake – Any Day (Thrill Jockey Records)
Wooden Shjips – V (Thrill Jockey Records)
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 