- Music
- 30 Sep 16
There's also quality fare from White Lies, New Valley Wolves & Auxiliary Phoenix.
Having had the temerity to go on holiday again – our fortnight in Sicily was great, thanks for asking – a bronzed, Adonis-like Free Music Friday is back with a bumper crop of downloads, streams, vids and trailers. Hell, it’s like we’ve never been away!
Pixies – there is no “the”! – are streaming their Head Carrier album, which drops today. It’s very much business as usual with big fuzzed to infinity riffs and killer pop hooks. What has changed is Black Francis’ voice, which is less guttural growl and more seasoned bluesman these days. A notable exception is ‘Baal’s Back’ on which he sounds like he’s fronting AC/DC. Now, there’s an idea… Cop an earful now before the stream disappears!
Completing this week’s NPR First Listen line-up are deliciously scuzzy American husband and wife duo Shovels & Rope; Conor Oberst who’s in acoustic troubadour mode; country hotshot Brent Cobb, and the successors to the Grateful Dead’s cult throne, Phish.
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Generous boys and girls that they are, NPR also treat us to Tiny Desk Concerts from the Blue Man Group, Corinne Bailey Rae and King of the Neo Soulsters, Saul Williams.
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The planet has woken up to another new tune from the Kings Of Leon’s much-anticipated WALLS album, which drops on October 14. ‘Around The World’ is a classic slice of Kings southern boogie with a hook that will be filling many an indie rock dancefloor over the coming months. We’ll have more – lots more! – on the quartet in a forthcoming issue of Hot Press.