The Loud And Quiet Podcast

3 more talking-point albums from the last month discussed and reviewed by Sam, Gemma and Stu: 300skullsandcounting & Jenny Sparks, for a trip back to the days of homemade MySpace genre clashes, Beck’s 15th and Mykki Blanco’s most varied and non-rap record yet.And once all that is swept aside, is the new Bloc Party album really that bad?Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Further reading/viewingStu meets BeckPosh in the boothAlbums awarded Mercury Rising:Confirmation! by Logic1000Hotel Usona by Protomartyr (interview here)The Gem by Julia Jacklin (review here)Radical Frame by ActressHalf Told Tales by Arab Straps This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Under the microscope of this month’s Roundtable are big summer albums from The Strokes, Phoebe Bridgers and Charli XCX.And then: the best joke of the year, a whip through the Mercury Prize shortlist and who we think will it, and some good guesses at what each of our previous Prime Ministers’ drugs of choice are. How else will we work out if Andy Burnham is cool or not?Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Further reading/viewingStu’s Honky Tonk outing in Austin, TexasAndy Burnham PLAYING A GUITAR!!! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Recorded the day after the GREATEST MOMENT IN BRITISH HISTORY, this month’s fuzzy Roundtable features discussion around the 11-minute art-noise album by New York band YHWH Nailgun, maximum lushness from Kelsey Lu 7 years after her debut, and Madonna’s hilarious club sequel.Stu also reports back from Taylor Swift’s wedding and learns about how World Cup ‘goal songs’ work (and that they exist). All 3 of our intrepid reviewers share their favourite albums of the year so far.Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Support the podcast by signing up to our newsletter hereFurther reading/viewingMadonna Graham Norton specialRole Model Hermit by Mary in the JunkyardHurts Like Hell by Charlotte CornfieldPlay Me by Kim GordonLoud Bloom by Olof DreijerWendy Eisenberg by Wendy Eisenberg This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

21 years ago Simon Taffe mapped out an idea for a new type of independent festival. Less than 12 months later he put on the first ever End of the Road at a cost of £450k. The capacity was 5,000; he sold 1,300 tickets and gave away another 7,000 to competition winners. Crucially, it didn’t rain and, against the odds, he made it work.End of the Road has since become one of the UK’s most beloved festivals, still independently owned when a vast majority have been bought out by the Live Nations of the world. Previous headliners have included dream bookings Sufjan Stevens, Joanna Newsom, Patti Smith and an endless parade of great and good artists in not only folk, indie and art-rock but, increasingly, electronica, ambient and experimental too.This year’s festival has Pulp, CMAT, Mac Demarco and the recently revealed secret headliner, Geese.On this episode of the podcast, I ask Simon about the challenges he’s faced over the last 20 years, who there is left to book, was he insane to give this thing a go in the first place, the favourite sets from festivals past, EOTR as a place for fine dining, and if it would be possible to start a festival like this from scratch today.Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Support this podcast and read our writing at loudandquiet.stubstack.comFurther reading/viewingEnd of the Road websiteThe story of EOTR on the Music Made Me Do It Podcast This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Under the microscopes of our 3 intrepid reviewers this month are new albums by Danish punks Iceage, Pittsburgh noise pop trio Feeble Little Horse and the buzziest rapper in the world right now, Fakemink. Plus, has Drake beaten his career-ending beef simply by flooding the zone with algorithm chum? Who would be on your version of Charli XCX’s new album cover? And how will Sam defend the new Belle & Sebastian World Cup song?Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Support Loud And Quiet hereFurther reading/viewingBoards of Canada, Inferno reviewAldous Harding, Train on The Island reviewYHWH Nailgun album review in our Album Stock Market featureAnton Corbijn on the podcastFast Show’s Indie ClubHow Drake Lost the Plot, from The New YorkerBelle & Sebastian ‘It Only Takes One Lion’ video This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Joe Newman – frontman, guitarist and chief songwriter in art rock band alt-J – estimates he’s recognised no more than twice a year; the dream/improbable scenario for a musician operating at his impressive level of success.Following four alt-J albums, Newman is about to release his excellent debut solo record under the name JJerome87. It’s call The Canyon (coming 27 June) and has a distinctly Californian sound. A big sound, I tell him in this week’s podcast, as abstract as that sounds. What I meant was that it sounds like a million people are playing on it, while Newman’s gift for strange lyrics that mean the world remains. “Baby come away with me / Let’s get lazy eye surgery.”Join us for a discussion around success, Los Angeles, how to tell you band you’re making a record without them, and a slow motion Hobbit orgy.Support this podcast and L&Q at loudandquiet.substack.comListen above or wherever you get your podcastsFurther reading/viewingjjerome87.comTicket’s for Joe’s album launch show at Bush Hall, London‘Track and Field’ video This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Not only do we discuss our customary new albums this month (from Canadian microtonal space aliens Angine de Poitrine, NY electro punk band Lip Critic and new art rock greats Modern Woman) but also the Geese viral mirage, a very horrible football song and what exactly is the Met Gala? Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts. Further reading/viewingAngine de Poitrine KEXP sessionWired’s Geese marketing exposéNorth London ForeverModern Woman BandcampLip Critic BandcampAngine de Poitrine Bandcamp This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Support this podcast by subscribing to Loud And Quiet for just £3 per monthConsidering the city of Sheffield’s music heritage – from the future pop of The Human League to stadium rock giants Def Leppard, industrial pioneers Cabaret Voltaire, legendary electronic label Warp, Pulp, ABC, Arctic Monkeys, Self Esteem, hundreds more – it’s borderline impressive that it’s never been chronicled in one book. Other music cities (Manchester, Liverpool, New York) have been 100 times over, but the people of the Steel City are a modest bunch.Writer Daniel Dylan Wray has now written that book, spanning from 1960 to the early 2020s. It’s called Groovy, Laidback & Nasty, and is publish this week, on 7 May. I spoke with Dan about his first book, from Peter Stringfellow’s forgotten life promoting Jimi Hendrix to the 150+ artists he spoke with to help tell this story. There’s also some good advice for fellow writers, and some hard truths about how writing a book actually works.Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Further readingOrder a copy of Groovy, Laidback & NastyTickets to Dan’s book launches in Sheffield, London and BrightonDan’s first article on Sheffield, about historic night club NicheJive Turkey for The GuardianDavid Lynch interview for Loud And QuietJust What is an Industry Plant Anyway? for Loud And QuietDavid Byrne interview for Loud And Quiet This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

When WU LYF were the band that every label wanted to sign in 2010 they rejected all offers, recorded their debut in a church with the help of their fans, and split up.15 years later they’ve unexpectedly returned with a second album. Less surprising is how they’ve released A Wave That Will Never Break, sticking to their original ethos of building a community of their own. This time around, what they’re rejecting most of all is streaming platforms, instead building their own via their website WORLDUNITE.ORG, which is the only way to hear the new record, other than buying a copy in a store. The site also features an Instagram-like journal, tickets, a fan chat and merch, all for fans who become members.Ellery and Tom from the band joined me to discuss why they felt they had no option but to do things this way, and what it was like to be the hottest band in the UK in 2010.Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.Support Loud And Quiet and this podcast by subscribing to our SubstackFurther reading/viewingWU LYF on the Culture ShowIs WU LYF’s return the most perfectly timed in indie history?WORLDUNITE.ORG This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe

Once a month 3 members of the Loud And Quiet team (Sam Walton, Gemma Samways and Stuart Stubbs) meet up to review 3 albums released over the last 30 days – usually records that had everyone talking. This month, it’s the turn of Harry Styles’ pivot to electro pop, James Blake’s first independent release, and the debut from NYC duo Fcukers.Revisited is the debut phenomenon from Arctic Monkeys, with the help of a quiz that is FUN. Remember that! It’s a fun thing to listen to and play along with.This episode is not sponsored by Gary Barlow’s wine company. Sadly.Further reading/viewingThe New Yorker article on album launches not hanging aroundJames Blake’s plate-spinning album coverSupport this podcast and all things Loud And Quiet via our substack newsletter This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loudandquiet.substack.com/subscribe