VIA PRESS RELEASE | On March 11, a full-length documentary film directed by Amy Scott, entitled Sheryl about the singer-songwriter’s life and career, premiered at SXSW, ahead of the May 6 premiere on Showtime. An intimate story of song and sacrifice, Sheryl navigates an iconic yet arduous musical career while the artist battles sexism, ageism, depression, cancer, and the price of fame, before harnessing the power of her gift.

In conjunction, UMe/Big Machine Records will release a new album called Sheryl: Music From The Feature Documentary digitally and on 2CD on May 6. The release features Sheryl Crow’s biggest hits, including “If It Makes You Happy,” “Soak Up The Sun, “All I Wanna Do, “My Favorite Mistake, “Redemption Day,” and many more, as well as deep tracks and three newly recorded songs. To preorder Sheryl: Music From The Feature Documentary, click here.

“I am excited for the premiere of my documentary,” said Crow. “I hope people will find strength and courage through my story. It was a journey through years and years of incredible memories, and I am proud of the beautiful documentary that Amy Scott made about my life.”

Sheryl Crow is a nine-time Grammy Award recipient and an American music icon. Her first nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide; seven charted in the Top 10, and five were certified for Multi-Platinum sales. Crow has been feted by a new generation of singer-songwriters who have covered her songs and talked about her influence, including Phoebe Bridgers, H.E.R, Haim, Maren Morris, Lorde, Sasami, Best Coast, and Brandi Carlile.

John Fred and His Playboy Band are secure in pop history for one song, namely “Judy in Disguise (With Glasses),” which climbed all the way to #1 in 1968. Now, some deride the tune as a brazen rip-off of a certain Beatles ditty, while others persist in enjoying its upbeat and faux-psych bubblegum vibes. Those in the latter category who’d like to add that track (plus 11 more) to their shelf are in luck if they act fast, as Liberation Hall has reissued Fred and Co.’s 1968 LP Judy in Disguise With Glasses for Record Store Day 2022 on “psychedelic purple vinyl” in an edition of 1,000 copies.

Some call the Louisiana-based John Fred a one hit wonder, but that’s arguable. He did place two other songs on the Billboard chart, but neither broke into the Top 40; the first was “Shirley” way back in 1958 (issued by John Fred and the Playboys), released by the Montel label with help from the band of Fats Domino (this song, as covered by Shakin’ Stevens, became a #2 hit in the UK in 1982).

“Shirley” is an okay slice of horn-laden ’50s NOLA pop-R&B action landing in the tight crevice betwixt bathtub-era Bobby Darin and Frankie “Sea Cruise” Ford, but it’s not included on Liberation Hall’s reissue so we will devote no more space to it here. “Hey, Hey Bunny,” a rock & soul revue-styled number complete with horns and strings that stands as Fred and the Playboy Band’s second biggest hit (#54, 1967) is featured on the album; it brings to mind Mitch Ryder with a touch of Mark Lindsay and some Rascals-y organ, but it’s frankly not as cool as that description (might) insinuate.

Better is “Agnes English,” which dials up the similarities to Lindsay (without going overboard) alongside pop-psych elements (crashing echo at the start, fuzz guitar) that intersect with utterly mainstream strings and horns, plus some mildly oddball gal backing vocals. It’s a fun stew (shoulda charted higher than its reported #125), but I much prefer the straight soul-isms of “Out of Left Field” (with a bit of that strange backing singing retained), a song first recorded by Percy Sledge (and written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham).

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Utopia has announced that tickets are on sale for the May 31st one-night-only special theatrical event release of Freakscene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr., the feature documentary that charts the legacy of Dinosaur Jr. Theater locations and tickets can be found at freakscenemovie.com.

Freakscene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr. celebrates one of the most influential acts in alternative rock, from their formation in the mid-1980s to their reunion concert celebrating their 30th anniversary, and introduces viewers to the introverted power trio behind Dinosaur Jr.—Lou Barlow, J Mascis, and Murph—who quietly opened the door for the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, The Cure, and Soundgarden.

Ahead of the May 31st theatrical release, Utopia will host a special New York Premiere in partnership with Murmrr at The Opera House in Brooklyn, New York on May 28th, followed by a special Q&A and solo performance from J Mascis. Tickets are available now. The film will be available on digital platforms on June 3rd.

Directed by Philipp Reichenheim, German filmmaker and J Mascis’ brother-in-law, the documentary features exclusive interviews with the trio and some of their musical contemporaries, including members of Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and The Pixies, painting a portrait of a groundbreaking period in American music as well as a poignant rumination on friendship and personal growth.

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One thing the recently delayed and altered Grammy Awards made clear is that rock music is no longer on the radar of today’s pop music tastemakers and many music fans. Other than a few token nods to the genre, the awards show and today’s music charts reveal an almost total absence of what was once the ruling musical sound in popular music.

Thankfully, another genre that also was in its heyday during the ‘60s and ‘70s does seem to be going through a revival. That genre is R&B and its cousin soul music. Silk Sonic and H.E.R., while also mixing other styles with R&B and soul, were prominent at the Grammys. Groups like The Black Keys and The Roots have been exploring related retro genres with much success, and Alabama Shakes and Brittany Howard have also been scoring with their roots stew. Gary Clark Jr. has also brought a guitar blues approach to the party.

These groups and artists are just some of the more popular and well-known, and all mix different styles to create their own contemporary sound. The Black Pumas have quickly joined the elite of this revival, and Michael Kiwanuka has slowly achieved a key place in this scene. Others that have been making soul waves include Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Leon Bridges, and Yola. One more name to add to this welcome revival is Curtis Harding.

Harding released his third album and second for Anti late last year and could easily eclipse everyone mentioned here. Like Leon Bridges, he prefers a more chill vibe, and like Michael Kiwanuka, he puts out recordings that are immaculately and imaginatively produced. Unlike most mentioned here, he draws from many other strands of music, including both cool and more experimental jazz. On this latest release, there are times he seems to be tapping into What’s Going On-era Marvin Gaye and the experimental, but groove-conscious side of ‘50s and ‘60s Ornette Coleman.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Originally released in 1971, during the dark days of the military dictatorship in Uruguay, Musicasión made a strong and lasting impression on Juana Molina when she was a child. The forthcoming new 50th anniversary reissue, out June 3 on Sonamos (Juana’s recently-formed label), is a patient labor of love conducted by Juana and her associate producer Mario Agustin Gonzalez. This beautifully-crafted reissue of a lost masterpiece is available on limited-edition 2LP and CD. The release includes 16 unreleased tracks plus an informative album booklet.

Musicasión was a series of collective shows by a group of artists, mixing theatrical elements, poetry, improvised stage effects and music with a very special blend of rock (then called Cbeat, in a dual reference to British pop bands of the sixties and to Beat Generation poetry), candombe (the percussion-driven style created in Uruguay among the descendants of liberated African slaves) tango, jazz, and bossa nova. A combination which bears more than a passing resemblance with Brazilian Tropicália, which originated around the same time.

The masterminds behind the concept was the great singer, songwriter and composer Eduardo Mateo and his friend Horacio Buscaglia, a poet, actor and theatre director. Four different Musicasión productions were staged in 1969 (for a total of 14 performances), featuring musicians from Mateo’s band El Kinto and a host of other artists. The original album was put together in 1971, using recordings made before and during these performances.

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After the Fall is the fourth album from Videodrones, the Danish duo of Jakob Skøtt and Kristoffer Ovesen, and the first to feature the live drumming of Skøtt; he’s noted for handling the sticks in Causa Sui, the flagship band on El Paraiso Records, which releases Videodrones’ latest on LP (limited to 500 on black vinyl with an obi strip) and digital April 29. Live drums and guitars in tandem with the ever-present analogue synths helmed by Ovesen do facilitate a shift in the duo’s sound, but the new record registers as a satisfying progression rather than a disruptive break with the past.

It should be mentioned straightaway that rhythms of the programmed (or at least synthetic) variety are a component in Videodrones’ pre-After the Fall discography, though they aren’t the main focus. And the presence of rhythms is worth mentioning, the better to stress that the duo’s work wasn’t an ambient undertaking, but instead was initially focused upon cinematic atmospheres, and as the title of their 2016 debut Mondo Ferox emphasizes, sounds extending from the realms of Euro-exploitation.

Said approach continued in second album Nattens Hævn (2017) and Atavistic Future (’19), but was smartly tempered a bit, and then diversified with stylistic elements ranging from the electronic wing of the mid-20th century avant-garde to early electronic pop to even flashes of ambient. This is especially true of Atavistic Future, with the breadth highlighting Videodrones’ consistent forward development.

After the Fall manages to extend this trajectory even as expanding the instrumentation risks backsliding into relative normalcy. Right away in opener “Void Facer,” a prog undertone is established but with an equal emphasis on melody as the album’s selections generally favor brevity. As one of the longer cuts on the record (breaking six minutes), the second track “Scorpio” is structurally multifaceted as kosmische elements get integrated into the scheme.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Craft Recordings proudly announces an audiophile-quality 180-gram vinyl reissue of Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vol. 1, the first installment of the seminal 1966 blues trilogy.

Featuring recordings by some of the era’s most exciting artists—including Junior Wells, J. B. Hutto, and Otis Spann, this disc (and the following two volumes) would have a far-reaching influence on modern music. Set for release on June 17 and available for pre-order today, this special reissue leaves no detail untouched. Pressed at France’s MPO, the LP features all-analog mastering from the original stereo tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is presented in a tip-on jacket, showcasing the album’s iconic, original artwork. An exclusive Mid-Century Olive color pressing is also available via CraftRecordings.com (limited to 300 worldwide), alongside official Vanguard Records merchandise.

This breakout pressing follows Craft’s 2021 Record Store Day-exclusive box set release of the complete trilogy, which debuted the freshly remastered audio and was described by Classic Rock magazine as an “exquisite vinyl upgrade for a crucial collection.” Meanwhile, Part-Time Audiophile proclaimed, “A day spent enjoying Chicago/The Blues/Today! will re-alter your DNA, recharge your heart and soul, keep your butt dancing and your senses filled, swinging to its electric, bluesy brew.” And The Vinyl District noted “…this set exemplifies the sound of the Chicago blues in the 1960s. It still delivers an astonishing kick.”

While the style of Chicago blues—distinguished by the use of electrified guitars, amplified harmonicas, a high-energy rhythm section, and the occasional dose of distortion—emerged in the years following WWII, its origins began decades earlier, when Delta blues musicians left the segregated South for cities across the Midwest. In Chicago’s South Side, legendary bluesmen like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Big Bill Broonzy, and Willie Dixon pioneered the thrilling new sound. By the early ’60s, a new generation of artists, including Junior Wells, Otis Rush, and Buddy Guy, were at the forefront of its evolution.

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On April 29 the Beijing-based duo Naja Naja release their debut, a self-titled 6-song EP, on vinyl and digital through Wharf Cat Records and Beijing’s bié Records. It’s the handiwork of bassist Gou Gou and guitarist Yuhao, the twosome splitting vocal duties as they hone a decidedly Euro-centric early 1980s sound complete with programmed drums and electronics. Launching from a post-punk foundation, the moodiness of darkwave figures prominently, as do a futuristic aura, rhythmic bedrock, and often disaffected voices that reveal a Germanic influence, specifically Motorik and the Neue Deutsche Welle. Altogether, it’s a cut above the norm for contemporary acts operating within this stylistic spectrum.

Gou Gou and Yuhao of Naja Naja have made it plain that their forthright intention in collaborating musically was to “have fun.” As these half-dozen tunes unwind, it’s unmistakably clear they’ve succeeded, even as the record’s general thrust is somewhat removed from boisterous grooving. However, for the black turtleneck sweater and battered Burroughs paperback crowd, if such an amalgamation still exists (and one can only hope), Naja Naja’s debut essentially qualifies as a party record.

Opener “New Toy” is even aptly described as danceable, though Gou Gou’s speak-singing, halfway between alienation (template: Fad Gadget) and breathily seductive (template: post-punkers going pop), provides appropriate counterpoint, calming any urgencies over getting too exuberant, at least until the guitar bursts forth in the track’s back end and the rhythm kicks into high gear.

It’s Yuhao who sings in “Dong Dong,” sounding a bit like a young Moe Tucker transplanted to late ’70s Manchester or Berlin. This is a unmitigated positive. And the potential to gyrate is not lost here; indeed, Yuhao gets a little breathy herself as she repeatedly intones the phrase “dance with the drag queen” (talk about having fun) but the song’s motions are slow and robotic, with the electronic elements and the nicely gnawing guitar progressions deftly interwoven.

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