The RGM Inbox: March 2021
The RGM Inbox returns with another selection of new music for those of you looking to expand your musical horizons. As usual, we’ll be mixing up our genres with ambient classical guitar rubbing shoulders with alternative rock, electronica and a little something for those of a more pop persuasion.
First up we’ve alternative rock duo BirdPen who release their sixth album ‘All Function One’ today (March 5th, 2021). To mark the occasion they’ve also released a new single/video ‘Modern Junk’ an ultra-catchy electronic alt-disco stomper with a message. The band have been compared to Wire/Radiohead/Steven Wilson and Archive (a band with whom they share members) and you can get to know BirdPen a little better via our recent chat here. In the meantime check out ‘Modern Junk’ you’ll be glad you did.
Photo Credit: Aristotle Galanopoulosis
PWNT (an acronym for Play What's Not There, the Miles Davis quote) is the LA-based dream-pop project of Kosta Galanopoulos and ‘Shortcuts’ is his latest single. A short but sweet mix of woozy vocals, funky guitar licks and bubbling bass, topped off by pulsing synths and an uber-cool horn arrangement, ‘Shortcuts’ has a vibe that brings to mind Gregg Alexander, which is no bad thing.
Photo by Sevgi Yuksel
As we tend to do in the RGM Inbox it’s time for a left turn into something a little different. Turkish composer Deniz Cuylan is probably best known as a composer for film and TV (Rise Of Empires: Ottoman, El Chapo as well as ad campaigns for Nike and Lancome). The composer is also a guitarist and the purchase of a Santos model classical guitar built by Pasadena-born, Paris-dwelling luthier Thomas Norwood at Guitar Salon International in Santa Monica (Unfortunately Norwood passed away earlier this year) proved inspirational as he worked to master the instrument. The result is ‘No Such Thing As Free Will’ set for release by Hush Hush Records on March 19th, 2021. A deeply immersive, surprisingly organic, experience that is sure to appeal to fans of classical guitar, film scores and ambient sounds generally. Check out the recent single ‘Object Of Desire’ as a taster of what to expect:
Last, but by no means least, we’ve got ‘Amundsen’ the first single from ‘Surrounded’ the highly anticipated new solo album by New Model Army founder Justin Sullivan set for release May 28th, 2021 via earMUSIC. ‘Amundsen’ highlights Sullivan’s storytelling skills with a dark, broodingly atmospheric take on the famed explorer which bodes well for an album that will arrive some eighteen years after his debut solo release.
The release of Surrounded will also see the re-release of Sullivan’s only previous solo album from 2003, Navigating by the Stars, released on CD but unavailable for many years. Described by The Independent as having “the warm organic quality of Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks”, the audio of this new version has not been altered but carries two additional tracks. These are ‘Sooner or Later’, which first appeared on a B-side in 2003, and ‘The Wreck of The Essex’, a song written and recorded later that same year that has laid dormant ever since but for a few live performances.
Navigating by the Stars will become available digitally and for the first time ever on vinyl. In addition, Justin Sullivan’s stunning debut album comes in a CD Digisleeve Edition with an expanded booklet as part of a Ltd. CD Box-Set Edition of Surrounded, followed by a standalone release later this year.
An eclectic collection I’m sure you’ll agree. Quality music is being released in all genres and Red Guitar Music will continue to dig out those sonic gems you might have missed.
When it comes to LP Box Sets there can’t be too many acts more suited to the format than Pentangle. The Folk supergroup released six albums in a mere four-year period from 1968-1972 and these are now collected, with a host of bonus material, on a very smart-looking 14 LP deluxe box set via Svart Records on 16th April 2025. A breakdown of the release including a full tracklisting follows: