New Music Recommendations

by Philip Moss and Phil Scarisbrick

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Middle America

With rumours of a Pavement reunion possibly scheduled for 2019, fans will be hoping this Jicks comeback doesn’t get in the way for Stephen Malkmus.

Middle America, his first single in four years, was dropped by Domino Records on Wednesday, but – as of yet – there is no word in terms of an album release. US tour dates, however, are scheduled for June/July, but no UK dates have been announced.

PJ Harvey – An Acre of Land

PJ Harvey’s contribution to the upcoming Dark River soundtrack has been being teased for over a month, but today the full six minute track was finally revealed.

An Acre of Land – the perfect companion piece to her Mercury Prize winning 2011 record, Let England Shake – is a beautiful rendition of an English folk standard, and has seen Polly collaborate with UK based composer, Harry Escott.

Thurston Moore – MX Liberty

As part of Blank Editions new 7″ solo series, Thurston Moore this week released MX Liberty– “a punk rock broadside to the current man-boys of the USA government in response to their mockery of democracy.”

With his London based band featuring ex-members of My Bloody Valentine and Nøught, this raging five minute slab of punk rock from the ex-Sonic Youth man is the perfect antidote to Trump’s vision of America.

The limited 7” is available through the Blank Editions website, with a hand assembled sleeve, lyric insert, pin badge and download code.

Goat Girl – The Man

South London group Goat Girl release their eponymous debut album on 6thApril through Rough Trade Records. Signing their deal the day after the EU referendum, the highly-politicised four-piece met in and around Brixton, emerging around the same time as fellow Windmill regulars Shame.

This week they released new single The Man complete with an A Hard Day’s Night-referencing, gender-flipped video. They head out on a headline UK tour in March and April, as well as appearing at SXSW and Green Man Festivals later this year.

Haley Heynderickx –  Worth It

After being announced in the first wave of acts for this summer’s Green Man Festival, Filipino/American singer-songwriter, Haley Heynderickx, shared her new single, Worth It.

Speaking of the song Heynderickx stated how she was ‘living in a house with six women at the time and attempting to pursue music as more than a bedroom act. In this, I was struggling to find confidence and purpose in it. Writing Worth it was a cathartic release at the time, just allowing myself to take up space and make as much noise as I could in our basement without driving my roommates too crazy. After several weeks, this song got carved out. It has been through a lot and it means something new to me each time I hear it.’

Her debut album, I Need to Start a Garden, is due out on 30th March through Mamma Bird Recording Co.