The Bonus Track: Art of Noise, Daniel Romano, Anna Calvi and David Byrne, Jack White
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Pop protracted
We tend to remember the 1980s as a decade of excess, and nowhere more so than in the music industry – suddenly no song was complete without an “extended” version. It did not always suit the raw material (did Siouxsie and the Banshees “Spellbound”, say, really need the “12-inch” treatment?) but it worked wonders on Frankie’s “Relax” and many others which have now been collected on a three-CD set called, appropriately enough, Extended 80s (out now). One of the collection’s successes is the Art of Noise’s (above) “Close to the Edit”, which mostly irritated at the time but now sounds like a masterclass in early sampling techniques
What Romano did for us
Fans of “both kinds of music” (ie country and western) rejoice, the incredible Daniel Romano is heading to the UK. So if the idea of a modern-day George Jones has got you scrabbling to Spotify or YouTube and liking what you’re hearing, best get your tickets now as Romano is playing tiny venues and those in the know, well they know. Watch Romano do his stuff on “Two Pillow Sleeper”
Home on the strange
What happens when three unique musical talents come together? The answer is “Strange Weather”, a great song in its original form by Keren Ann, now made better by having been recorded as a duet by Anna Calvi and David Byrne for Calvi’s five-track covers EP (out 14 July). Watch the video for “Strange Weather”
Next week’s biggie
Kevin Harley’s reviews Jack White’s Lazaretto. Listen to the title track
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments