I Saw First Light - Anna McClellan

 

Third album from Omaha singer/songwriter via Father/Daughter Records

This new album by the Midwesterner was recorded over two weeks with a multitude of local cohorts in her hometown of Omaha; it is a love letter to collaboration and how you become a sponge through engaging with influences.

Original in its context, unique in its execution this is an album full of perception and piano driven indie pop songs which has led to people compare McClellan to one Fiona Apple.

McClellan reminded this listener of another Anna, that being Anna Burch, another solo star who engages us with tales of relationships and social issues but with a strong individualistic slant to her songwriting.

The rollicking 'Feel You' is a call to arms of wanting someone to hold but remaining a personal identity; these go hand in hand with the ruminations found on tracks ranging from 'Raisin' and 'To Prove'.

These little sub-three minute nuggets also recall a band she toured with in 2016/17, one Frankie Cosmos, not to mention the work of Tony Molina a similar artist who did not waste time with song construction eager to share playful bitesize portions of energy .

There is a real tenderness as well to the album harking back to a bygone era somewhat with stalwarts of country music being channelled such as Lynn and Wynette seeping into this Nebraskan's work such as the beautiful violins on 'Gone'.

This album is about connecting with the outside world; her wistful vocal delivery coupled with the lush instrumentation of the compositions marks McClellan as one to watch.

While this may be her third album you to get the feeling this is merely the tip of the iceberg and there is so much more in terms of potential and ability at her disposal.

I Saw First Light is out from Father/Daughter Records on 20th November.

You can follow Anna McClellan on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp.

Green Bay Packers v Indianapolis Colts Wk11 Preview

The Week 11 match-up features a fascinating contest between two probable Hall of Fame candidates as Aaron Rodgers travels to Lucas Oil Stadium to face Philip Rivers and the Colts.

The reason this is a fascinating match-up not only due to Rodgers and his elite wide receiver Davante Adams hoping to maintain the lead in the NFC North ahead of the resurgent Minnesota Vikings; but they have to face the quietly good defence of the Colts - coordinated by Matt Eberflus a team that did well to quieten the Tennessee Titans offense including stifling Derrick Henry.

The Packers have suffered two losses against two very good defences in Tampa Bay and Minnesota Vikings; admittedly they did not have Aaron Jones for either game but he is back now yet the defeats to well schemed defences and those who can stop the run and then force you to throw deep on third and long means this will be a familiar test for the Packers to overcome, remember they struggled to put away the lame Jaguars last week at home a big heave to Valdes-Scantling with a huge YAC proving to be the difference.

The Colts should be feared or at least offered more respect; the hope of winning this game coupled with the Titans facing the Ravens means the option to open a lead in the division and the possibility of a homefield divisional game. Under Eberflus, the Colts incorporate a Tampa-2 4-3 front, four man pressure allowing his defence to play; this leads to the Colts pressuring on 24% of QB dropbacks (12th in the NFL), yet only blitzing 19.9% of the time (fourth lowest in the league).

The addition of DeForest Buckner has been paramount to this uptick in defence quality - Buckner has 16 quarterback hits already this season (behind only Aaron Donald and Chris Jones in the league for interior linemen). The Colts last year were 15th against the run, this year they are 7th best and 6th best when teams run up the middle to face the immovable object that is Buckner.

They had the Ravens on the run until the fumble by Jonathan Taylor resulting in the limp attempt by Rivers to stop the return touchdown; the momentum swung to Baltimore ultimately. However, the performance versus the Titans on a short week on the road showed a great deal of character amongst a still young group of players with Rivers admiral of proceedings. They allowed a total 294 total yards off of 60 plays. They average a 4.83 yards allowed a play, still a yard behind what their offense is allowing in 5.70yds.

Expect the Colts run defence to force Green Bay into third and long situations frequently helping their Cover-2 show up on those throws to Adams, MVS and the returning Alan Lazard.  This proficiency up front of the run defence allows the back 7 to make plays - they have defended or intercepted 21% of thrown passes (60-286), the highest coverage play rate in the NFL.

A fascinating intra-conference contest that will tell us a lot about both franchises with playoff aspirations.

Beware The LA Rams

BEWARE THE RAMS

After a thrilling Week 10 of NFL action where a lot of divisional and intra-conference action (teams facing each other for the first time in four years) it was the match-up at the tremendous new stadium in Inglewood, home to both Los Angeles teams that turned heads.

The Los Angeles Rams hosted the once rampant Seattle Seahawks - whose wings have now definitely been clipped following a 5-0 start to the season and an MVP calibre start by Russell Wilson - have now lost 3 out of the last 4 to land on a 6-3 record following the Rams 23-16 victory yesterday.

The scoreline marks it out as a tight affair but the Rams forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble on the QB), they had 33 minutes of the clock due to their three headed monster at running back (Darrell Henderson, Malcolm Brown, Cam Akers) to hog the ball, yet it is the wealth of receiving talent at Jared Goff's disposal that jumps out - three receivers with over 50 yards (Josh Reynolds - 94, Tyler Higbee - 60 and Cooper Kupp - 50) as well as six receptions for Robert Woods - helped them amass 302 air yards to marry that 106 rushing yards off of 29 rushing attempts.

Yet it is the defence that again is resolute, while playing the Seahawks the numbers will inflate due to the structure of the game changing with Russell forcing plays they were restrained to 248 passing yards, top receiver Tyler Lockett had only 66 yards off of 5 grabs. 

The Rams allow on average 199.7ypg in passing and 96.8ypg on the ground; these are stellar numbers in the scheme of a season that is altering as a more pass happy league and a season where many teams are having success on the ground as the season draws on - think of DeAndre Swift and Antonio Gibson.

They have the best defender in the league in Aaron Donald who heaps pressure on the QB but he was overshadowed by his teammates - Leonard Floyd (3), Terrell Lewis (2) and Michael Brockers (1) - who combined for six sacks on Wilson yesterday.

This defence will be tested over the last seven games on the season no doubt. They travel to Tampa Bay for Monday Night football next week where the Bucs seemed to find the balance on offense following the egg laid against New Orleans with Roland Jones having a 98 yard touchdown amongst a huge day for himself.

There follows  back-to-back division tussles at San Francsico and on the road at Arizona; injuries have scupped the Niners attempt to defend their conference title while the darling Cardinals with Kyler Murray are atop the NFC West standings on a 2-0 division record; the two games between the Rams and Cardinals will most likely dictate who gets the home field divisional round playoff game and maybe even the overall #1 seed if the Saints cannot maintain fluidity if Drew Brees misses time with his rib injury.

After the first of the Arizona contests is an AFC East hosting of the Patriots and the sorry Jets before ending with a holiday double-bill of Seattle on the road and Arizona at home in the new year perhaps for the division title.

It promises to be an interesting end for the most competitive division in the NFL - the balance of the Rams is what stands out (passing offense, ground attack, stellar defence) against the Cardinals who are creative and riding a sea of consistency currently due to the air attack of Murray to his illustrious receivers. 

However, do not discount the Seahawks who are dearly missing the running back tandem of Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde who are both injured at least to take the onus off of Wilson to make magic happen always - if they get the ground force back the schedule is not awful. After this Thursday where they meet the Cardinals again they have a four game stretch of at Philadelphia, v Giants, v Jets and then in the nations capital to face the franchise before ending with Rams and at 49ers. On the face of it that is five winnable games on paper if they get healthy and still have Russell Wilson under centre.

Fascinating to see if two or even three teams from the NFC West make the now seven team playoff structure.

Staunch Honey - David Nance

 

New album from Nebraskan rocker David Nance from Trouble In Mind Records

David Nance turned many heads in 2019 with his last album, Peace and Slightly Pulverized, which was highly acclaimed with his fuzzy and bristling guitar rock.

Nance returns with his fifth studio album Staunch Honey, which he recorded the majority of at his Omaha home with assistance from longtime bandmates Jim Schroeder (guitar) and Kevin Donohue (drums), making this a recorded at home master due to the Covid-19 crisis.

A culmination of two years hard work, Nance recorded and reworked the album three times over, Nance has weaved a manic and sonic clash of mood and emotion from raging guitars to squealing feedback which was so prevlant on 'Pulverized..' to a more mellower form of songwriting fitting for a late night drive or hang at home.

This is never more apparent than on track 2, 'The Dark, My Love and I' a rocker of supreme intensity but goes hand in hand with the gentler 'Save Me Some Tears' and 'Gentle Traitor'.

Fans of Neil Young will love this album full of earthiness, there is a real connection to the land and how important music is to Nance comes through the speakers in all its feedback glory.

Nance continues to impress with his intelligent and provoking guitar rock, a few years back there was a renaissance of guitar led music with Nance and his group leading the charge along with contemporaries such as Rayland Baxter. Some groups still exist such as recent release by The Big Easy can attest to but in this year of isolation and introspection it is good and pleasing to see an artist willing to just let his hair down.

Staunch Honey is out on Friday 13th November from Trouble In Mind Records

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project is out on all digital platforms from 6th November 2020

This documentary by Matt Wolf examines the life of Marion Stokes, a woman who recorded television 24 hours a day everyday from 1975 until her death in 2012.

While this starts as a document about a life unknown outside of the Philadelphia region, Stokes is a trailblazer, a follower of a trend. The film slowly morphs into a document about how America has become desensitised in it's viewing habits with cable news becoming the mouthpiece for a nation.

From the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980 with the prisoners released on the day of Reagan's inauguration to 9/11 and the response time of networks to a tragedy that would hit them all.

The first half takes it upon itself to explain Marion Stokes' background, her flirtation with the Communist party and the possibility of a move to Cuba which was then jettisoned when common sense took over. Marion would appear on regional television in think piece shows where people of intellect would discuss topics at great length from racism, socialism, voter rights and so on. It was on this show that she met her future husband, John Stokes, a man who would give her a bigger world view, travelling to Europe - a place she only ever dreamed of in books.

Marion was forthright, stubborn, belligerent and this had an effect on the relationship she had with her son, a man who grew up to not obtain as great an intellect as hers, which she freely admitted.  Yet Marion would read voraciously, books, a dozen newspapers everyday and started recording her news in 1975 but it really came to ahead in 1979 when the American hostage crisis in Iran took place, she started watching and was struck by how the narrative altered from the outset and throughout the long process.  She noticed the point that the narrative would alter from day to day, like a long-running television drama series, combustible storylines, complex characters and altering narrative.  Marion and the news networks realised they had a hit on their hands, by making news the star of daily night-time schedules the networks could create the narrative and status quo - the art of fearmongering came front and centre. 

The hostage crisis took place in 1979 and into 1980 followed by the Soviet-Afghanistan conflict which prompted the USA boycotting the Moscow Summer Olympics.  It also coincided with the birth of CNN in 1980 and the birth of 24/7 news coverage for the beginning of a new decade and new Presidency, under Ronald Reagan.  An administration who knew how the media was as important as the bills passed to meld the public into their wishes of unknowing subordinates.

Marion was also a visionary, someone who was aware of trends in technology and media, able to see what companies were going places prompting her to urge her husband's board to invest in the early infancy of Apple and Steve Jobs at just $7 a share to begin with. This foresight led to great riches for the rest of her life.

Soon though, the recording prompted a reclusive nature to come to the fore, Marion becoming an obsessive and a collector, the film makes it clear that she is not a hoarder, despite having nine flats to keep hold of all the VHS tapes she and her husband had.

The second half of the film follows this tale of isolation, the watching of news and how Marion in effect become the first couch potato of the late 20th century, digesting daily news and noting how the big stories of the day and relevant time would be crafted by news agencies - the most important facet was that of racism in news media; black crime but most importantly, crime upon black people by authority figures especially police such as the Rodney King assault and the following riots across Los Angeles.

Director, Matt Wolf

Marion's husband passed away in the latter half of the first decade of the 21st century and this took a toll on her as she had lost her soul-mate, yet the recording did not stop by Marion nor her devoted staff.  The only problem posed as years went by was how technologies changed with the advent of digital media in more households it became harder and harder to source VHS tapes themselves in the greater Philadelphia area.

Following her death, the videos stopped recording and her son, struggled with how best to carry on her legacy and after 18 months of worrying, the Digital Institute in San Francisco took the bold step of buying all the VHS tapes, all 30,000 tapes in their entirety shipping them off to the West Coast, the intention to digitise all of them and then archive them into a digital storage available online.

The idea being that many local stations - those that Marion recorded - did themselves not have their own archive owing to costs and storage logistics, but Marion had the first 32 years of CNN at her disposal and all of closed captioning, an invaluable tool and resource for those who want it.  America loves television, and this is evidence again - for social anthropologists, historians and media scholars, the digital library Marion's tapes provide will be an unbelievable look into the history of America through a lense.

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project is released by Violet Pictures in 6th November 2020.

The Law of Innocence - Michael Connelly

THE NEW LINCOLN LAWYER NOVEL OUT 10TH NOVEMBER

Highly enjoyable entry into the Mickey Haller universe with guest appearances by half-brother, Harry Bosch.

Ordinarily with Haller stories, he is facing down the law on the side of the victim, chasing for clues and crooked cops as he seeks justice for the person he is defending and sometimes those he defend are not all they seem.

In this new story from the prolific Connelly, Mickey - the famous Lincoln Lawyer so well adapted in the 2011 thriller directed by Brad Furman and written for the screen by John Romano, and famously portrayed by the smooth-talking Matthew McConnaughey - is himself charged with murder after a routine traffic stop finds a body in his trunk, one that Mickey cannot explain but as the victim is a former client of his who owed him money it gets all a bit convoluted. 

The book descends into more a courtroom tussle, and puts Mickey in a difficult situation. He has to prove that he is not innocent just not guilty which is the law within the courtroom, he is worried that his professional career will suffer if he is not properly acquited and wishes an apology from the court and District Attorney if possible. Constantly the law of innocence is asked as Mickey staves off the first degree murder charges against him.

                                  

The swiftness of plot and effortless character arc and narrative is second to none; the inclusion of Bosch is deliberate but not overbearing, as a secondary character from his own universe may overtake proceedings but Bosch serves as an important part of Mickey's defence team to seek the truth.

I spent the whole time with the voices of Matthew McConnaughey and Titus Weliver in my head; this would be a tale ripe for adaptation - and Connelly makes it very much of the here and now with the tale taking place over November 2019 to March 2020 with the threat and worry over a possible pandemic incoming to the populus of Los Angeles, with little touches such as people wearing masks and general unknowingness of an impending doom.

As a fan of Connelly's work and the Amazon Prime original series Bosch this is thoroughly enjoyable fare of the highest order from a writer working at full speed and the top of his game.

The Law of Innocence is published on November 10th from Orion Books

Robbie & Mona - Wallpaper

FOLLOWING the announcement of another lockdown, the dreampop duo Robbie and Mona are happy to announce the delayed release of their debut album, EW, out on January 23rd via Spinny Nights. And they’re teasing for it today with the video for the single drop, “Wallpaper”.

The partnership of William Carkeet and Eleanor Gray, Robbie & Mona have found a vessel for their eclectic and atmospheric pop, combining hazy shimmering synths matched with Mona’s understated vocals.

The project began when William offered to produce Eleanor’s second album; that collaboration quickly transcended into the genesis of what is now Robbie & Mona. The majority of EW was recorded in the cellar of Bristol’s legendary The Louisiana, with additional bedroom recordings.

Influence by film soundtracks, “Wallpaper” would not be out of place in a David Lynch movie: that mix of tenderness and climactic synths, with guitars used sparingly around programmed drums.

Yet there was a far odder inspiration for this track, as Mona explains: “It’s about feeling quite passive and ghost-like, like you’re in the wrong realm, just an observer. The intro vocals were delivered without any thought in a bit of a daze.

“I think the tightness of the music was weirdly inspired by Napoleon Dynamite. We were watching it and really enjoyed how all the songs towards the end were just so deadpan.”

As members of that Bristolian collective Pet Shimmers, there is a fearlessness of combining sonic textures with familiar song structures, yet the songs carry that vibe of lo-fi indie. The album explores emotional complication and the feeling of alienation – it rewards multiple listens.

This minimalist approach to composition helps create an atmospheric aura of work for this duo who embrace harmony and theatricality to wonderful effect.

Follow Robbie and Mona on Facebook and Instagram.

The album is out on January 23rd from Spinny Nights