Tag Archives: 2021

Wilco: Cruel Country

On May 27, 2022, “dBpm Records” label released “Cruel Country”, the twelfth Wilco studio album. It was recorded 2021 – 2022, at “The Loft” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Tom Schick, Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgansen, Nels Cline and Pat Sansone.

Personnel:

  • Jeff Tweedy – vocals, guitar, design
  • Pat Sansone – guitar, arrangements
  • Nels Cline – guitar
  • Mikael Jorgensen – keyboards
  • John Stirratt – bass
  • Glenn Kotche – drums
  • Jennifer Kummer – French horn
  • Tom Schick – engineer, mixing
  • Teddy Morgan – engineer
  • Mark Greenberg – engineer assistant, design
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Lawrence Azerrad – design
  • Crystal Myers – design

Track listing:

All tracks are written by Jeff Tweedy.

  1. I Am My Mother
  2. Cruel Country
  3. Hints
  4. Ambulance
  5. The Empty Condor
  6. Tonight’s the Night
  7. All Across the World
  8. Darkness Is Cheap
  9. Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull
  10. Tired of Taking It Out on You
  11. The Universe
  12. Many Worlds
  13. Hearts Hard to Find
  14. Falling Apart (Right Now)
  15. Please Be Wrong
  16. Story to Tell
  17. A Lifetime to Find
  18. Country Song Upside – Down
  19. Mystery Binds
  20. Sad Kind of Way
  21. The Plains
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Def Leppard: Diamond Star Halos

On May 27, 2022, “Bludgeon Riffola” and “Mercury” labels released “Diamond Star Halos” the twelfth Def Leppard studio album. It was recorded 2021 – 2022, and was produced by Ronan McHugh, Joe Elliot, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Vivian Campbell and Rick Allen.

Personnel:

  • Joe Elliott – lead vocals, guitar, additional engineering
  • Phil Collen – guitar, backing vocals, additional engineering
  • Vivian Campbell – guitar, backing vocals, additional engineering
  • Rick Savage – bass guitar, guitar, backing vocals, additional engineering
  • Rick Allen – drums
  • Alison Krauss – lead vocals
  • Mike Garson – piano
  • Debbi Blackwell-Cook – backing vocals
  • Dave Bassett – backing vocals
  • Eric Gorfain – string arrangements
  • Ross Hogarth – recording engineer
  • Ronan McHugh – drum programmer, editor, engineer, mixing
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Phil Collen, except where noted.

  1. Take What You Want – Joe Elliott, Rick Savage
  2. Kick – Dave Bassett, Phil Collen
  3. Fire It Up – Phil Collen, Sam Hollander
  4. This Guitar – C.J. Vanston, Phil Collen
  5. SOS Emergency – Joe Elliott, Phil Collen
  6. Liquid Dust
  7. U Rok Mi
  8. Goodbye for Good This Time – Joe Elliott
  9. All We Need – Joe Elliott, Phil Collen
  10. Open Your Eyes – Joe Elliott, Phil Collen
  11. Gimme a Kiss – Joe Elliott, Phil Collen
  12. Angels (Can’t Help You Now) – Joe Elliott
  13. Lifeless – Joe Elliott, Phil Collen
  14. Unbreakable – Joe Elliott
  15. From Here to Eternity – Rick Savage

Tina Turner

On May 24, 2023, Anna Mae Bullock aka Tina Turner died aged 83. She was singer, author, dancer and actress, referred to as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, began her career with Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm in 1957. In 1958, under the name Little Ann, she released her first record, “Boxtop”. In 1960, she debuted as Tina Turner with the duet single “A Fool in Love”. The duo Ike & Tina Turner became “one of the most formidable live acts in history”. In the 1980s, Turner made a great comeback, and in the decades that followed she sold over 100 million records worldwide, and became one of  the best-selling recording artists of all time. She won twelve “Grammy Awards”, three “Grammy Hall of Fame” awards and a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked her among the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” and the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”. She was twice inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. In 2005, she was recipient of the “Kennedy Center Honors” and “Women of the Year” award. As leader Tina Turner released nine albums.

Gary Numan: Intruder

On May 21, 2021, “BMG” and “The End” labels released “Intruder”, the nineteenth Gary Numan studio album. It was recorded 2020 – 2021, and was produced by Ade Fenton.

Personnel:

  • Gary Numan – vocals, keyboards
  • Steve Harris – guitars
  • Ade Fenton – keyboards, programming, mixing
  • Tim Slade – bass
  • Gorkem Sen – strings
  • Gazelle Twin – backing vocals
  • Persia Numan – backing vocals
  • Raven Numan – backing vocals
  • Nathan Boddy – mixing
  • Matt Colton – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Gary Numan, except where noted.

  1. Betrayed
  2. The Gift
  3. I Am Screaming
  4. Intruder
  5. Is This World Not Enough
  6. A Black Sun – Gary Numan, Persia Numan
  7. The Chosen
  8. And It Breaks Me Again
  9. Saints and Liars
  10. Now and Forever
  11. The End of Dragons

Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime

On May 21, 2021, “Matador” label released “Afrique Victime”, the fifth Mdou Moctar studio album. It was recorded 2020 – 2021, and was produced by Michael Coltun.

Personnel:

  • Mdou Moctar (Mahamadou Souleymane) – vocals, lead guitar
  • Ahmoudou Madassane – rhythm guitar, backing vocals  
  • Michael Coltun – bass guitar, drum machine, backing vocals, recording
  • Souleymane Ibrahim – drums, percussion, backing vocals  
  • Cem Misirlioglu – additional percussion
  • Kahlil Smylie, Kasper Frenkel, Matt Schuessler, Rob Schnapf – recording 
  •  Seth Manchester – mixing
  • Heba Kadry – mastering
  • Robert Beatty – artwork
  • Cem Misirlioglu – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Mdou Moctar.

  1. Chismiten
  2. Taliat
  3. Ya Habibti
  4. Tala Tannam
  5. Untitled
  6. Asdikte Akal
  7. Layla
  8. Afrique Victime
  9. Bismilahi Atagah

Everything Everything: Raw Data Feel

On May 20, 2022, “Infinity Industries” label released “Raw Data Feel”, the sixth Everything Everything album. It was recorded in 2021, at “Eve Studios” in Bredbury, England, and was produced by Kanies & Tom A. D.

Personnel:

  • Jonathan Higgs – lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar
  • Alex Robertshaw – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals 
  • Jeremy Pritchard – bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Michael Spearman – drums, backing vocals 
  • Kanies & Tom A. D. – engineer
  • Henry Broadhead – engineer assistant
  • Martin King – engineer assistant
  • Cenzo Townshend – mixing
  • Camden Clarke – mixing assistant
  • Jan Ashwell – mixing assistant
  • Frank Arkwright – mastering
  • Charlotte Audrey – design
  • Jonny Costello – design

Track listing:

  1. Teletype
  2. I Want a Love Like This
  3. Bad Friday
  4. Pizza Boy
  5. Jennifer
  6. Metroland is Burning
  7. Leviathan
  8. Shark Week
  9. Cut Up!
  10. HEX
  11. My Computer
  12. Kevin’s Car
  13. Born Under a Meteor
  14. Software Greatman

Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few: Cosmic Transitions

On May 12, 2021, “Division” label released “Cosmic Transitions”, the second Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few studio album. It was recorded in September 2020, at “Van Gelder Studio” in New Jersey, and was produced by

Personnel:

  • Isaiah Collier – saxophone
  • Mike King – piano
  • Jeremiah Hunt – bass
  • Michael Shekwoaga Ode – drums

Track listing:

  1. Invocation
  2. I. Forgiveness
  3. Part II. Humility
  4. Part III. Understanding
  5. Part IV. Truth and Guidance
  6. Part V. Mercury’s Retrograde

Van Morrison: Latest Record Project, Volume 1

On May 7, 2021, “Exile Production” and “BMG” labels released “Latest Record Project, Volume 1”, the 42nd Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded, in 2020, and was produced by Van Morrison.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, harmonica, alto saxophone
  • Dave Keary – acoustic, electric and classical guitar, mandolin, banjo, backing vocals
  • Jim Mullen – electric guitar
  • Stuart McIlroy – piano
  • Paul Moran – piano, Hammond organ
  • Richard Dunn – piano, Hammond organ, clavinet
  • Pete Hurley – bass guitar
  • Paul Moore – bass guitar
  • Gavin Scott – bass guitar
  • Mez Clough – drums, backing vocals
  • Colin Griffin – drums, percussion
  • Jeff Lardner – drums
  • Teena Lyle – percussion, vibraphone, backing vocals
  • Ben McAuley – percussion
  • Chris J White – tenor saxophone
  • Alistair White – trombone
  • P.J. Proby – vocals
  • Chris Farlowe – vocals
  • Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, Kelly Smiley – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison.

  1. Latest Record Project
  2. Where Have All the Rebels Gone?
  3. Psychoanalysts Ball
  4. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
  5. Tried to Do the Right Thing
  6. The Long Con
  7. Thank God for the Blues
  8. Big Lie
  9. A Few Bars Early
  10. It Hurts Me Too
  11. Only a Song
  12. Diabolic Pressure
  13. Deadbeat Saturday Night
  14. Blue Funk
  15. Double Agent
  16. Double Bind
  17. Love Should Come with a Warning
  18. Breaking the Spell
  19. Up County Down
  20. Duper’s Delight
  21. My Tune After a While
  22. He’s Not the Kingpin
  23. Mistaken Identity
  24. Stop Bitching, Do Something
  25. Western Man
  26. They Own the Media
  27. Why Are You on Facebook
  28. Jealousy

Sharon Van Etten: We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong

On May 6, 2022, “Jagjaguwar” label released “We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong”, the sixth Sharon Van Etten studio album. It was recorded in 2021, and was produced by Daniel Knowles and Sharon Van Etten.

Personnel:

  • Sharon Van Etten – vocals, keyboards, guitar, tambourine, piano, organ, synthesizer, drums, recording
  • Devin Hoff – guitar
  • Benji Lysaght – guitar
  • Zachary Dawes – guitar
  • Dave Palmer – piano
  • Charley Damski – synthesizer, guitar, glockenspiel
  • Daniel Knowles – bass, percussion
  • Jorge Balbi – drums, percussion
  • Jay Bellerose – drums
  • Owen Pallett – strings
  • Jorge Balbi – programming 
  • Daniel Knowles – programming, recording
  • Mike Piersante – recording
  • Beatriz Artola – mixing
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Sharon Van Etten.

  1. Darkness Fades
  2. Home to Me
  3. I’ll Try
  4. Anything
  5. Born
  6. Headspace
  7. Come Back
  8. Darkish
  9. Mistakes
  10. Far Away

Arcade Fire: We

On May 6, 2022, “Columbia” label released “WE”, the sixth Arcade Fire studio album. It was recorded 2020 – 2021, at “RAK Studios”, “Wack Formula” and “The Crow’s Nest Studios” in London, “Boombox Studios” and “Marigny Recording Studio” in New Orleans, “Dockside Studio” in Los Angeles, “Sonic Ranch Studios” in Tornilo, Texas, and was produced by Nigel Godrich, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. 

Personnel:

  • Régine Chassagne – lead and backing vocals, keyboards, piano, accordion, orchestral arrangements
  • Win Butler – lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, piano, percussion
  • Richard Reed Parry – electric guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Tim Kingsbury – acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Will Butler – keyboards, bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Jeremy Gara – drums, percussion
  • Peter Gabriel – additional vocal
  • Andre Michot – accordion
  • Geoff Barrow – granular synthesis, additional production
  • Orlando Primo – congas, djembe 
  • Willonson Duprate – congas
  • Louis Michot – fiddle
  • Charlie Gabriel – saxophone 
  • Mark Braud – trumpet
  • Wendell Brunious – trumpet
  • Liza Rey – harp 
  • Paul Beaubrun – sound effects
  • Owen Pallett – orchestral arrangements, strings
  • Sally Herbert – conductor, additional arrangements
  • Helen Gillet – strings
  • Harry Hardin – strings
  • Matt Rhody – strings
  • Sarah Neufeld – strings
  • Edwin Farnham Butler IV – whispers
  • Josh Tillman – stomps and breaths, additional production
  • Romeo Bougere – agogô bell
  • Michael Brun – additional synthesis
  • Emily Eck – recording
  • Eric Heigle – recording, co-producer 
  • Mikko Gordon – recording, mixing assistant, additional production
  • Suvi-Eeva Äikäs – additional recording 
  • Julia Simpson – additional recording 
  • Owen Pallett – additional recording 
  • James Seymour – additional recording 
  • Mark Lawson – additional recording 
  • Jerry Ordonez – recording assistant
  • Marco Ramirez – recording assistant
  • Justin Tocket – recording assistant
  • Matt Aguiluz – recording assistant
  • Nathanael Graham – recording assistant
  • Francesca Edwards – recording assistant
  • Joy Stacey – recording assistant
  • Pablo Godin – recording assistant
  • Felipe Gutierrez – recording assistant
  • Craig Silvey – mixing
  • Nigel Godrich – mixing
  • Dani Bennett Spragg – mixing assistant
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Steve Fallone – mastering
  • Ryan Smith – vinyl mastering
  • Steve Mackey – pre-production
  • JR – cover image, WE poster image, additional eye photography
  • Terry Pastor – airbrush color tinting
  • Ping Pong Ping – album graphic design
  • Julia Simpson – album creative production
  • Alison Green – center image, Polaroids
  • IV – “I Guy” Character, handwriting
  • Camille Pajot – studio art director
  • Rick Rose – digitech
  • Fabien Barrau – cover image photo post-production
  • Chroma Center – photo printing, post-production
  • EHT Collaboration – “Black Hole” image
  • Danny Clinch – David Bowie photograph
  • Pneuhaus – “Giant Eye”
  • Maria Jose Govea – additional photography
  • JF Lalonde – additional photography
  • Wes Winship – “Acropolis Is Burning” poster
  • Don Hertzfeldt – still from World of Tomorrow: Episode 2
  • Gift Horst Tintypes – WE poster photo development

Track listing:

All tracks by Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, except where noted.

  1. Age of Anxiety I
  2. Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)
  3. Prelude
  4. End of the Empire I-III
  5. End of Empire IV (Sagittarius A)
  6. The Lightning I
  7. The Lightning II
  8. Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)
  9. Unconditional II (Race and Religion) – additional writing by Will Butler
  10. We