Proxy Music is a tribute to British singer/songwriter Linda Thompson with her songs performed by family members and friends.
Here's the scoop...
Linda Thompson's self-styled tribute album "Proxy Music" – which comes in a brilliant sleeve inspired by Roxy Music's classic 1972 debut with Linda remade/remodelled to look like Karl Stoecker's famous shot of Kari-Ann Moller – will be released on June 21st via New York's StorySound Records.
The album, co-produced by Linda's son Teddy Thompson, boasts 11 new songs written by Linda featuring guest vocals by Teddy & Kami Thompson, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, The Proclaimers, John Grant (who sings "John Grant"!), Dori Freeman, The Unthanks, Ren Havieu, The Rails and Eliza Carthy with various family members (yes, including Richard Thompson) providing musical support. You can pre-save the album right here: https://ffm.to/proxymusic
Listen to "Solitary Traveller" sung by Linda's daughter Kami Thompson following the track listing below.
Proxy Music
1. The Solitary Traveller feat. Kami Thompson
2. Or Nothing at All feat. Martha Wainwright
3. Bonnie Lass feat. The Proclaimers
4. Darling This Will Never Do feat. Rufus Wainwright
5. I Used To Be So Pretty feat. Ren Harvieu
6. John Grant feat. John Grant
7. Mudlark feat. The Rails
8. Shores of America feat. Dori Freeman
9. That’s the Way the Polka Goes feat. Eliza Carthy
10. Three Shaky Ships feat. The Unthanks
11. Those Damn Roches feat. Teddy Thompson
Check out The Guardian's surprising 'Film & Music' feature on Linda Thompson right here.
Kronos Quartet & Ghost Train Orchestra's tribute album Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog is out now.
Here's the scoop...
On "Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog," Ghost Train Orchestra teams up with the trailblazing Kronos Quartet to celebrate and reimagine the music of Louis Hardin, aka Moondog, the ground-breaking composer and poet who lived on the streets of New York City in the 50s and 60s, and influenced the minimalists Philip Glass, Steve Reich and Terry Riley. A blind composer who moved from Kansas to New York City and built his own instruments and mythology, Moondog's story and music continue to be an inspiration to many.
Along with guests Sam Amidon, Jarvis Cocker, Petra Haden, Karen Mantler, Marissa Nadler, Aoife O'Donovan, Rufus Wainwright and Joan Wasser, the two groups explore Moondog's sense of whimsy, wonder and adventure through a cross-section of songs and instrumentals for large ensemble, string ensemble, percussion and voice.
The vinyl and CD packages include an essay by biographer Robert Scotto, Moondog's song lyrics, extensive in-studio photographs by Dan Efram, and an interview with Kronos Quartet founder David Harrington and Ghost Train Orchestra founder Brian Carpenter, mediated by music historian Irwin Chusid.
Get a copy right here. Check the clip for "High On A Rocky Ledge" feat. Marissa Nadler following a short documentary about the tribute project below.
Here's a live clip of Martha Wainwright's version of her brother's "Dinner at Eight" off Love Will Be Reborn (Deluxe) album.
Here's the scoop...
(Toronto, ON) - Last month, singer/songwriter Martha Wainwright released her highly anticipated memoir Stories I Might Regret Telling You and within a week of release, it was included on The National Best Sellers list. To accompany the release of her memoir, Martha released the digital deluxe edition of her latest album Love Will be Reborn earlier this month. A companion to the memoir, the five new tracks are talked about in the memoir, including 4 covers of her family’s songs and a reimagined version of the title track.
The deluxe edition includes moving renditions of “Thanksgiving” originally by Loudon Wainwright III, Martha’s father, “Dinner at Eight” (watch the performance video below) by her brother Rufus Wainwright, “Go Leave” by her mother Kate McGarrigle and more. Diving into recording these tracks Martha explains:
“Recorded at URSA in front of a small audience of friends these are songs that I talk about in my memoir Stories I Might Regret Telling You. They relate to family and its complexity, as well as pain, feelings of loss, and ultimately forgiveness and acceptance. I have heard them my whole life and now I have the chance to sing them. Recorded in a live setting and in a very striped down and exposed way, with my good friend and wonderful piano player Edwin de Goeij, we had only just learned to sing and play them and are exploring with the listener in the moment. A sometimes bumpy and emotional ride, these recordings are about the words and the meaning. The songs speak for themselves and they are songs of our time about modern family and some of the trials of life.”
Born into music royalty, Martha is the daughter of folk legends Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and sister to the acclaimed singer Rufus Wainwright. This powerful and beautiful memoir is brutally honest, raw and brave. Martha does not hold back, openly sharing her personal struggles. It’s deeply moving, personal and revealing.
You can order a copy of Martha's memoir Stories I Might Regret Telling You and/or Love Will Be Reborn (Deluxe) right here.
Martha has several special book events upcoming alongside several upcoming tour dates. See below after Martha's recent performance of "Dinner at Eight" followed by a 2021 version by her brother Rufus.
BOOK EVENTS
05.05 - Montréal, QC - Atwater Public Library Lunch series
05.13 - Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Writers Festival
05.15 - Hamilton, ON - Virtual luncheon event with Na’amat Hamilton
05.29 - Hudson, QC - StoryFest
08.19 & 20 - Woody Point, NL - Woody Point Writers Festival
