Brightening a dull Friday, a new video from Spill Tab, filmed in Sydney by Dan Lesser. “Suckerrr is about being completely crazy about someone who seems not to care (</3) but knows you’re obsessed and loves playing that game… And for some reason, you keep going back to it… :////”

Credit: Kodai Kobayashi

The ethereally-talented Ichiko Aoba has reissued her seventh studio album, Windswept Aden, on hermine. Conceived as the soundtrack to an imaginary film, Windswept Adan follows a young girl exiled from her homeland to the mythic island of Adan – a lush, otherworldly place filled with strange creatures, abundant flora and fauna, and no spoken language. Its orchestral textures and vivid sound design create an immersive, cinematic world.

The highly sought after album is now available to order on deluxe gatefold double eco-vinyl LP and includes a lyric sheet insert and printed inside pockets. There is also a bundle that includes Dreams & Visions, the 88-page companion book that tells the complete story of Windswept Adan, accompanied by sketches, handwritten notes, photographs, and mood-board imagery used during the album’s creation, offering a unique insight into the world that inspired the music.

ORDER WINDSWEPT ADAN HERE

Ichiko Aoba’s Royal Albert Hallshow takes place a year on from her exclusive, sold-out headline London date at The Barbican, and will once again see Ichiko perform alongside producer and co-writer Taro Umebayashi and the London based 12 Ensemble.

You can read KV’s review of the Bristol stop on the Windswept Adan tour here

Image credit: Ben Stas

Longtime KV favourite Tanya Donelly (fun fact -KV’s partial origins lie in a Tanya Donelly fansite hosted on Angelfire in the 90s) has teamed up with Chris Brokaw (Come, Codeine) to release a four-track EP of modern interpretations of medieval music, The Undone is Done Again, out on Fire Records on April 17th. Lead track ‘Novus Annus Adiit’ was released yesterday – listen here.

Pollard and Forsyth describe their films as portraits, and the film is best described as a hybrid or a kind of docudrama, made in close collaboration with its subject. The film’s whimsical conceit feels a little jarring for such a fierce, sweary and funny musician, songwriter and actor, who when recalling a story about Andrew Loog Oldham, quips “I’ll show you, you c***t”. She did show him, and then some. 

The intro is a fairly standard bio, with newsreel footage showing the young Marianne Faithfull. Then we take a handbrake turn into the dark-walled labs of The Ministry of Not Forgetting where its manager, a clipped and sharply-suited Tilda Swinton, introduces an investigation into Marianne Faithful.

With its midcentury furnishings and analog equipment – the fictional institution seems to exist in a liminal space between past and present, and perhaps that’s exactly the point. Marianne Faithfull herself appears relaxed, despite her health issues (she used an oxygen tank due to emphysema and covid)  while a keen researcher (played by George McKay) asks her questions about her life and work.

The candid moments where Faithfull is talking about herself are when the film works best. Actors playing researchers explaining the misogyny and artistic snobbery she endured feels unnecessary.  No one says it better than Faithfull herself as she’s guided through news clippings, performances, and old records over the decades.

After watching footage of a string of sexist, mostly male presenters and journalists fixating on her past relationships  and addictions, she says “Despite all these stupid people and their stupid questions, I’ve actually had rather a lovely life, so fuck ’em.”

Faithfull takes it all in, including regret about what addiction cost her.  But also pride in knowing just how good she was, despite a hostile and sexist press determined to let early career tabloid fodder follow her around. The film’s title, named after her 1979 comeback record, is the perfect title for her resilience and ability to keep creating.

Musical performances are woven throughout, including a fragile and intimate rendition of As Tears Go By by Beth Orton. There is also a beautiful reunion with former collaborators Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Sadly, Faithful died before the completion of the film. But it does feature her last ever performance, giving her the last word and rightly so.

A film about the life of Pauline Black seems long overdue. The spotlight of the 2-Tone scene is often pointed at her male contemporaries like The Specials or The Beat, so now it’s time for Black to tell the story in her own words. Part biography, and part road documentary of her musical second act, Pauline Black: A 2-Tone Story is a study in duality. 

From her early childhood adopted into a white family in Essex to joining The Selecter in Coventry,  through to returning to powerhouse performances again in her early 70s – Black has consistently found identity and expression through music and community. “I think you grow your identity over time…when I look back over my life, it’s full of scenes and stories all knit together.” she reflects

As music docs go, it’s a decent enough, but unremarkable film about a remarkable performer. Director Jane Mingay has a background in photography, and close ups on Pauline Black shot in black and white break help home in on her storytelling. But there are far too many talking heads. Do we really need male music journos explaining stuff best told by the archive or Pauline Black herself? Or random asides from famous fans like Jools Holland? Pauline Black is a magnetic presence, with impeccable style who tells her story with brutal honesty and at times, blunt wit – particularly about the racism and neglect she faced at home and the sexism of life on the road with The Selecter.

Aside from Black’s narration of her story, and the archive of The Selecter performances, it’s her enduring friendship with Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson that gives the film real warmth. There is genuine love and affection between the old friends. Gaps seemed to look out for Pauline,  others around in the band were jealous and even violent. Hendrickson died in June 2024 and the film is dedicated to him. At 71, Pauline Black has navigated the highs and lows of working as a musician and actor. Watching her give energetic performances  at this point in her life is pretty damn inspirational, long may it continue.

In typically acerbic form, Stephen Malkmus said: “Has there ever been a good movie made about a rock band?” – that question pops up early in Alex Ross Perry’s latest film Pavements. As a film, it’s harder to pin down than the most obscure of Pavement ‘B’ sides. On paper, everything about it shouldn’t work. First of all, it’s a film about a band who didn’t really want to be the subject of a film. It’s also an incredibly meta mash up of spoof rock biopic,  indie-musical Slanted! Enchanted!, rock doc and even an exhibition.  

But, happily, not only does it work, it’s incredibly entertaining, heartfelt and funny. All the disparate parts in Pavements are woven together like a perfect mix tape. The infamous Lollapalooza mud incident revisited by intercutting archive footage with the fake biopic fallout is a particular highlight. Actors Joe Keery and Natt Wolff are a delight in their “making of” appearances as Stephen Malkmus and Spiral Stairs(Scott Kannberg). And that quote Malkmus quote from the start of this review? All part of the act too, just like Range Life: A Pavement Story (and the ‘making of’ said film).

The film’s straightest rock-doc elements don’t shy away from the band’s difficult moments, such as interpersonal relationships breaking down, and Stephen Malkmus’ famously tricky relationship with journalists. What makes it work is that it’s clearly made with a deep, geeky love for Pavement – but isn’t pure navel-gazing or hagiography either. Alex Ross Perry gently makes fun of earnest music film tropes  like band vs music management showdowns. “The band that ruined Lollapalooza… Is that what you want your legacy to be!?” – a garishly-shirted, brilliant Jason Schwartzman yells as Matador Records head honcho Chris Lombardi in a scene from faux-biopic Range Life: A Pavement Story. #

The acerbic humour is also balanced by joyful moments from the band’s more recent 2022 reunion tours. And it’s interesting to see them being interviewed as slightly more mellow, middle aged men of indie rock, vs the snarky slackers of the 90s. Perhaps that’s helped by the presence of former Wild Flag keyboardist Rebecca Cole, who joined Pavement during 2022-2023.

As a Xennial indie-kid who came of age in the 90s, heavily soundtracked by Pavement,  I  feel very seen as the target audience for this film. It’s definitely one for the heads’, although as seen with the recent Slowdive reunion, it isn’t all plaid shirts and trucker caps anymore (thankfully)   – the band have younger fans hungry for those Goldsoundz these days too.

Yes, Stephen Malkmus, there have been many great films made about rock bands, including yours now. This is a film best watched with other fans, and (of course) a Pavement soundtrack on the stereee-oh-oh for a listening party after.

The title is taken from a quote from a fan in the early days “If the stars had a sound, they would sound like this” – a lovely description for Mogwai’s distortion-heavy, quiet-loud dynamic. It captures the heart of the film, which is the band’s connection to their fans and community. The film opens with a suitably moody drive on a snowy road, as guitarist/songwriter/singer Stuart Braithwaite recalls the late John Peel saying he didn’t think people would “get Mogwai” apart from a couple of weirdos. He didn’t either, apparently.

Divided into chapters that spans their 25+ career starting with their first full length record, Young Team interspersed with short interviews with Stuart Braithwaite (the rest of the band are largely seen in studio or archive footage), and long-time collaborators like legendary music producer Dave Fridmann, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos and author Ian Rankin and Covid lockdown-era footage of studio recording, masked and distanced recording with some fan footage and band archive in the mix too.

In general, it’s pretty standard music-doc fare. Unlike tunes that make Mogwai such a thrilling live band, like Christmas Steps or Mogwai Fear Satan there aren’t any huge hooks or highs and lows. A kind of lo-fi, self deprecating mood is woven throughout, there are no big tales of rock excess or showy scenes featuring band infighting. That’s not really what Mogwai or their fans are about. Although the live footage does capture how Mogwai’s sound was always exciting, whether in tiny Glasgow venues like the 13th notes or the large concert halls and festivals they now play. In fact those moments were so large and loud, I had to keep adjusting the volume on my TV at home!

The film is often less interesting than the music it features. If you’re new to Mogwai, you might not get much from it, but it’s clear from the heartfelt fan footage and youth community football team – this is one for the heads. Half of the film is about what makes Mogwai special to the people whose lives have been touched by their music through friendships, divorce, grief and growing up in small Scottish towns and Glasgow suburbs.

It’s also a love letter to independent labels (Mogwai have released all their records since 2010 on their own Rock Action label), and retaining ownership over creativity. It also captures the excitement of a much-loved underground band finally getting their commercial dues after 25 years. Documented through social media posts and long-term champion BBC 6 Music’s Mary Ann-Hobbs’ on air hyping of the new music as the race for the UK No. 1 album spot gathers momentum – a gentle buzz builds as they finally take the top spot. They saw off albums by The Foo Fighters and UK rapper Ghetts, who drove a tank around London in a bid to shift more records. Mogwai got a gentle, but vocal wave of support from their fans, no gimmicks, no big budgets, just a massive sound. And that’s something worth celebrating.

Taking to the road on a 30th anniversary tour of early 90s classic It’s A Shame About Ray, The Lemonheads bring the nostalgia roadshow to a packed Academy where the audience are united in affection for this music. The entrance song is a recording of Cole Porter‘s Miss Otis Regrets, a song covered by Evan Dando as a B-side to the 1993 single ‘Into Your Arms‘, after which Dando treats the crowd to a singalong solo acoustic set, featuring audience favourites The Outdoor Type, Divan, Being Around and Into Your Arms, as well as Lovey-era track Ride With Me., Hard Drive from Dando’s solo album Baby I’m Bored, and Misfits cover Skulls.

Joined by a band, the main event is a blast through It’s A Shame About Ray (minus of course later addition to the album Mrs Robinson, never Dando’s favourite). For a teenage fan of the album it is great to hear it played in full and to be so lost in nostalgia. For the brief thirty-odd minutes it takes to play through the album, I could be 13 again, headphones on playing the album on the backseat of my parents’ car. It’s great to be reminded just how good this album is.

The album is followed by a full band set drawing on some more classics – Down About It, Hospital, Stove(!), and If I Could Talk I’d Tell You are there, along with John Prine‘s Speed of the Sound of Loneliness, from 2019 covers album Varshons 2.

With their last original music having come out in 2007 (album The Lemonheads) followed by two covers albums each a decade apart, The Lemonheads have become something of a nostalgia project in recent years. It’s a guise Dando wears well though, and he is very much beloved by the Bristol audience tonight.

Immediately after their set at the Green Man Festival two days previously, singer Róisín Nic Ghearailt was approached by an audience member, who told her she is precisely the role model she would want for her daughter. It’s a wonderful compliment, but it also highlights the atmosphere of care that the band create in their live shows. Some of the subject matter of the songs, perhaps especially Asking for It (which the band no longer play at festivals or in support slots where audience members might not know what they’re getting into) will be challenging listening for too many, but this is acknowledged and they are introduced with an understanding that exploring these topics in song comes with some responsibility.

The band seem to be still buzzing from their Green Man set (at least, Róisín seems keen to talk about it), which saw them dressed in bloody gowns as in (one of two bassists) Zoë Greenway’s video for No One Ever Talks To Us. Fair enough as it was an excellent show. They are happy to be on home turf tonight though – their first Bristol show since November 2021 – and seem relaxed to be among friends. The set highlights their versatility – the short sweet (maybe not that sweet if I knew the words?) shoutiness of Kinder Bueno, the atmospheric folky arrangement of Oró, Sé Do Bheatha Bhaile, the performance poetry about bisexual anxiety. A M(h)aol show is always a delight.