The first of this week’s soaraway six is Lives Outgrown, the debut solo album from Portishead frontwoman Beth Gibbons, which features 10 beautiful new songs recorded over a period of 10 years. The album was produced by James Ford and Beth Gibbons with additional production by Lee Harris (Talk Talk). Lives Outgrown is, by some measure, Beth’s most personal work to date, the result of a period of sustained reflection and change – ‘lots of goodbyes’, in Beth’s words. Farewells to family, to friends, even to her former self. These are songs from the mid-course of life, when looking ahead no longer yields what it used to, and looking back has a sudden, sharper focus.
In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary music, few artists possess the enduring influence and innovative spirit of Paul Weller. A recording career that began in 1977 now reaches the release of his 17th solo album, his 28th in total. Weller has always demonstrated an unwavering commitment to pushing artistic boundaries while staying true to his roots. 66 promises to be no exception, offering a captivating journey through his continuing musical evolution. This is quite a reflective and inward-thinking album that pulls back the camera lens and shines a light on the way Weller’s creativity interacts with his wider world. Continually finding new ways to alchemise the miracle of living and the meaning of it all, he draws on.
To All Trains is Shellac’s sixth studio album – their first in ten years – and is released just after the untimely death of leader Steve Albini. Recording and mixing took place at Electrical Audio in Chicago over a bunch of long weekends in November 2017, October 2019, September 2021 and March 2022. The record was mastered by Albini with Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. The LPs are being manufactured by Green Vinyl Records using 100% recyclable PET and is environmentally friendly, containing no PVC or phthalates. The process also uses 79% less CO2 than conventional hydraulic PVC vinyl presses.
The Lovely Eggs return after a four-year break since I Am Moron with a new album, Eggsistentialism. During that time they have made their own TV show, Eggs TV (featuring Ian McKaye, Stewart Lee, Katie Puckrik, Maxine Peake, David Shrigley and more), duetted with Iggy Pop, played a load of sold-out gigs and festivals and fought a campaign to save Lancaster Music Co-op (a community rehearsal rooms and recording studio where they live). The album was recorded at home in Lancaster, with production advice from Dave Fridmann, and mixed at Tarbox Road Studios, New York, by Dave Fridmann and the band. As the title suggests, Eggsistentialism explores a far more personal, introspective and reflective side to the world of The Lovely Eggs and sees the Eggs explore new sounds and experiment in unventured musical territories.
In 2023, Death Cult returned and reunited for a handful of performances. In 2024, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Cult, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy have curated the previously released collection Ghost Dance and recompiled the tracks for a new release titled Paradise Now. Southern Death Cult formed in 1981, releasing their sole, self-titled album posthumously in 1983. That same year, Death Cult formed, with Astbury joining forces with Duffy for a musical partnership that has endured for 40 years and counting.
Our release of the week comes from Michael Head, ‘our greatest living songwriter’, who vividly recalls 62 years of music, loves, losses, long summer days and longer, darker nights as he and The Red Elastic Band play out flickering scenes from his life on new album, Loophole. Twelve evocative and autobiographical songs will be accompanied by the written word as Michael Head prepares his memoirs for release.
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