Thursday, April 13, 2023

Mike Viola - Paul McCarthy

Mike Viola is a singer-songwriter, producer, musician - and in my humble opinion THE unsung artist of our time

With his newest album "Paul McCarthy" he again proves his craft for writing exceptionally good songs and melodies. 

 

He recently worked with Panic! at the Disco, also with Andrew Bird, Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis and Mandy Moore.

With his former band Candy Butchers and as a solo artists he released a tremendous number of records - within almost 30 years!

His music has been featured on soundtracks for movies such as That Thing You Do!, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Get Him to the Greek.

Paul McCarthy was recorded over the summer of 2022 on 1/2” tape at Viola’s "Barebones" studio in Los Angeles. Joined by his friends Brendon Urie (aka Panic! At The Disco) on drums, Jake Sinclair (Weezer & Fall Out Boy producer) on bass and Rachel White (L.A. Exes, Panic! At The Disco). 

Mike says, “I set out to make a sonic monster using the legs of James Gang Rides Again, the heart of Black Sabbath Paranoid, with my kid brain inside my greying middle aged head on top. I’ve hit a point in my life where instinct has taken the reins fully, logic now waits in the wings to sweep up the stage and pay the taxi fare home. This album is the result of committing to this path fully and laughing all the way.

 “I started so young. By 13 I was playing sold out shows in Boston and it was drilled into me that I would be a star. That never happened but the 1980s version of what it was to be a rock star kind of never left my psyche. I used to be ashamed of it, like… let it go man! But, at some point i found a way to draw from it, like a well, there was more there than a sense of failure or success, there was the simple fact that it was me down there, I’m the same person now as I was then.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Phoenix - Alpha Zulu

I've always had a sweet pot for Phoenix since the Lost in Translation soundtrack. Their songs are so compelling.

With the newest record - Alpha Zulu - they put out a tight and powerful piece of art.

Winter Solstice is one of their all-time best songs:

Mike Viola - I Think I Thought Forever Proof

The third song from the new record of Mike Viola (called "Paul McCarthy", out, April 14, 2023) is here: I Think I Thought Forever Proof.

This will EASILY become my record of the year!

 

 

Preorder the record here:

USA: Grandphony

UK / Europe: Lojinx

Ben Folds - What Matters Most

Ben Folds is back! Finally!
The new album will be called "What Matters Most" - it will be out June 2, 2023.
Listen to the first song ("Winslow Gardens") here:

The record will be out digital, on CD, on Deluxe CD (with 3 additional songs), on blue vinyl (signed) at New West Records - there's also a signed golden vinyl including a flexidisc at amazon.co.uk (sadly it's sold out).

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Mike Viola + Brendon Urie + Rachel White + Jake Sinclair - King Kong Hand (Live @ Freundlich+Kompetent, Hamburg 2023)

In February 2023 Mike Viola played with Brendon Urie, Rachel White and Jake Sinclair live at Freundlich+Kompetent in Hamburg.

Here are some of the songs:











Saturday, February 11, 2023

The Beths - "Expert In A Dying Field"

The Beths are a Indie Rock band from New Zealand. And this song struck me hard (listen to the full album!):

Monday, December 26, 2022

Mike Viola - European Tour 2023

Mike Viola will be in Europe with the Panic at the Disco tour in February 2023.

He will also do a set of solo concerts:


 

22/02/2023: Hamburg (Freundlich + Kompetent)

https://fb.me/e/2f2K0fNNx

Friday, November 11, 2022

Ivy - The Best Of (Adam Schlesinger, Dominique Durand, Andy Chase) on vinyl

Ivy (Adam Schlesinger, Dominique Durand, Andy Chase) have  just released an exclusive Best Of on opaque turquoise vinyl via VinylMePlease. It's limited to 1000 vinyls.

Buy it here:

https://www.vinylmeplease.com/products/ivy-ive-got-a-feeling-the-best-of-ivy


Dominique and Andy had an interview with VMP:

https://www.vinylmeplease.com/blogs/magazine/ivy-best-of-compilation-interview

Saturday, October 15, 2022

New Music +++ October 2022 +++ (Queen, Ron Sexsmith, Aqualung, CATT, Dodie, Del Amitri, Phoenix, Panic At The Disco!, Bird Streets)

CATT - Wild Heart

Aqualung - Champion Of The World

Album: Dwad Letters (release: October 2022)

Bird Streets - Machine

Album: Lagoon (release: November 2022)


Del Amitri - Lips Of London 

Album: Fatal Mistakes - Outtakes And B-Sides (out now)



Dodie - Lonely Bones 

Album: Hot Mess EP (out now)


Panic At The Disco! - Sad Clown 

Album: Viva Las Vengeance (out now)


Phoenix - Tonight 

 The new album "Alpha Zulu" will be out November 2022.


Queen - Face It Alone 

The unreleased song is part of the "The Miracle" Box Set, out October 2022.


Ron Sexsmith - What I Had In Mind 

New album "The Vivian Line" will be out February 2023.

Eric Barao - From My Planet To Your Star EP

Eric Barao is back with his new EP "From My Planet To Your Star" (release date: October 18, 2022).


The album was recorded during the pandemic in Eric's home studio with additional tracking in  Austria. It's entirely self produced, mixed and mastered.

 Listen to the wonderful first track "Whoever You Are" here:

Mike Viola - Paul McCarthy ( & new album) - also: the attempt to create a "The Best Of Mike Viola"

Mike Viola is back!


His brand new song "Paul McCarthy" is out on digital platforms NOW!
If you look closer to the cover, you will recognize Brendon Urie (Panic at the Disco!) and Jake Sinclair (producer of Weezer, Fallout Boy and Panic at the Disco!) in the background...
 

Also: The new album will follow in January 2023!

 

Mike Viola - The Best Of

I made the (almost impossible) attempt to create a The Best Of Mike Viola collection of all the official records, songs that didn't make it on an album - and even not official released stuff. When I collected all my favourites, the result was six (!) overfull records! 

So I tried to cut it down to a double album. Sadly almost half of the songs are not avaliable on streaming platforms. But still ... *drumroll* here is the result:

 

Here is the full list (including songs, that are not available on streaming platforms):

Mike Viola - The Best Of

Disc 1

01 Maybe Maybe Not (from "Lurch")

02 The Strawberry Blonde (from "Lurch")

03 Falling Into Place (from "Falling Into Place")

04 It Does A Number On My Brain (from "Bitten and Cursed EP")

05 That Thing You Do! - The Wonders (from "That Thing You Do soundtrack")

06 Hair Of The Dog (from "Just Before Dark")

07 Get You Back (from "Electro de Perfecto")

08 So Much Better (from "Lurch")

09 The Wind (from "Songs for Sandy Hook")

10 Rock N' Roll Denny's (from "Ghoul")

11 El Mundo De Perfecto (from "Electro de Perfecto")

12 You Belong To Me Now (from "Play With Your Head")

13 She Thinks She's In Love (from "Ghoul")

14 Paul McCarthy (from new album - out 2023)

15 Moving Forward (from "Ghoul")

16 Time For Everything To Change (from "Ghoul")

17 Hang On Mike (from "Hang On Mike")

18 King Kong Hand (from "American Egypt")

19 Unexpected Traffic (from "Hang On Mike")

20 Motel Mood (from "Lurch" - B-Side)

21 Start Of Something (unreleased)

22 Good Ideas Grow On Trees (from "Lurch")

23 Oh! Darling (Live) (unreleased)

24 Number Crunch (from "Just Before Dark")

25 Hunker Down (from "Hang On Mike")

26 Just Before Dark (from "Just Before Dark")

 

Disc 2

01 USA Up All Night (from "Godmuffin")

02 Soundtrack Of My Summer (from "Electro de Perfecto")

03 Cupid Complained to Venus (from "Candy Butchers")

04 Clusterfuck (from "Just Before Dark")

05 Sparkle! (from "Hang On Mike")

06 I Let Her Get Away (from "Play with your Head")

07 Be My Baby (from "Ghoul")

09 Superkid (from "Hang On Mike")

10 Something Electric (from "Lurch" - B-Side)

11 Break Your Heart (from "Falling Into Place")

12 Loving Is Enough (from "Ghoul")

13 Mutant Ninja Turtle (from "American Egypt")

14 Don't Want To Die In LA (from "Introducing Mike Viola - Japan Best Of")

15 Falling Into Place (Unplugged) (unreleased)

16 Can't We Do Anything Right (from "Falling Into Place")

17 Virginia (The Nines Cover) (unreleased)

18 Killing Floor (from "Falling Into Place")

19 California Girl (from "Live at La Bonboniere")

20 Sandi Bright (from "Just Before Dark")

21 Life Magazine (from "Candy Butchers")

22 Fall Back Down (Unplugged) (unreleased)

22 Secret Radio (from "Acousto de Perfecto")

23 Hair Of The Dog (Acousto) (from "Acousto de Perfecto")