The Bride, The Queens, Summer and Crossroads
Bat for Lashes – ‘The Bride’
Out July 1 on CD/DD/2LP
Bat For Lashes – aka multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Natasha Khan releases her latest album. THE BRIDE follows the story of a woman whose fiancé has been killed in a crash on the way to the church for their wedding. The Bride flees the scene to take the honeymoon trip alone, resulting in a dark meditation on love, loss, grief, and celebration. Written as the soundtrack for a feature length film in mind, THE BRIDE is Khan’s most ambitious work to date, sonically and visually incorporating an entire world inhabited by The Bride, along with the characters and places she encounters on the way. THE BRIDE was conceived of and produced by Natasha Khan alongside a host of long-time collaborators and friends including Simone Felice, Dan Carey, Head and Ben Christophers.
Christine and The Queens – ‘Christine And The Queens’
Out July 1 on CD/DD
Pushing boundaries in both genre and gender, Héloïse Letissier aka Christine and the Queens pairs flamboyant pop with powerful minimalism. Recently named “Female Artist of the Year” at the French GRAMMY-equivalent Victoires de la Musique ceremony, Christine is already a household name in her native country. The record is highlighted by international crossover track ‘Tilted’ – which VICE’s Noisey described as “lithe, perfectly parsed pop”. The track has proven a massive worldwide hit and has drawn nearly 17 million views and counting. Beyond her incredible success in her native France, she has champions in fellow artists such as Lorde, Madonna and Mark Ronson.
Metronomy – ‘Summer 08’
Out July 1 on LP/DD
Entirely written, played and produced by sonic auteur Joe Mount, SUMMER 08
finds the multi-instrumentalist reflecting on his experiences around the time
that Metronomy first landed a major breakthrough with the NIGHTS OUT
album. Recorded in Black Box Studios in France, Mount’s aim for SUMMER 08
was to make a mature, eclectic pop record in the vein of classic works by
OutKast, David Bowie and Daft Punk. ‘Night Owl’ is as immediate as its discogroove
– at once laidback, then nervously on edge – captures the ambience
of a downbeat soul lost in the nocturnal summer swelter of the capital. It’s the
album’s duet with Swedish superstar Robyn, ‘Hang Me Out To Dry’, mixed by
Erol Alkan, that’s the songwriter’s favourite though.
Eric Clapton and Guests – ‘Crossroads Revisited’
Out July 1 on 3CD/DD
Founded in 2004 by legendary guitarist Eric Clapton, the Crossroads Guitar Festival has given fans an opportunity to witness truly historic performances by some of the world’s greatest guitarists. The 3-CD set, CROSSROADS REVISITED: SELECTIONS FROM THE CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVALS, boasts 41 live tracks, and includes a selection of landmark performances from all four Crossroads Guitar Festivals, which were held in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013. A veritable “Who’s Who” of guitar music can be heard on this set, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., Robert Cray, Billy F Gibbons, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, John Mayer, Carlos Santana, Joe Walsh, Ronnie Wood, and Jimmie Vaughn, just to name a few.
