Watching Allen Toussaint late in his career, after his post-Katrina collaboration with Elvis Costello, The River In Reverse, finally legitimised him as a solo performer, he cut a warm-hearted, gentlemanly figure. Lacking a star’s ego or showmanship, he amply compensated with impish charm and eccentric wit. His mild, modest voice barely brushed his songs, and he amiably acknowledged his own albums’ negligible appeal next to the hits he wrote, produced and arranged for fellow New Orleanians Ernie K-Doe (“Here Come The Girls”), Irma Thomas (“Ruler Of My Heart”), The Meters (“Look-ka Py Py”) and Dr. John (“Right Place, Wrong...
The new October 2025 issue of Uncut comes with a free CD – Volume 7 of our much-loved Sounds Of The New West series. The compilation includes 15 of our favourite new tracks from the world of Americana, country, folk and roots rock, with an emphasis this time on the stranger, eerier side of the continent. Advertisement There’s ragged, stumbling rock from the likes of Friendship, Case Oats, Wednesday and Florry, experimental Appalachian folk from Sally Anne Morgan and Joseph Decosimo, dour balladry from Jeffrey Martin and Eve Adams, and even ambient Americana from Shrunken Elvis. See below for...
“The place went nuts!” On a chilly Thursday night in February, Michael Stipe took the stage at the 40 Watt in Athens, Georgia. Peter Buck was already there playing guitar and Stipe just wanted to sing backup on “Pretty Persuasion” with arguably the best tribute band in the world right now, featuring such R.E.M. superfans as Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon, veteran indie guitarist Jason Narducy and members of The Mountain Goats, Wilco and Poi Dog Pondering. “I’m no dipshit,” says Shannon. “I know people would rather watch Michael Stipe than me, so I gave him the floor. He didn’t...
“Light Me Up” pushes Tyra into a more vibrant and energetic space, leaving behind some of the shadows that defined her debut, “Thank You For Leaving.” The Swiss dark pop artist delivers a faster, brighter track that still carries the emotional weight fans expect. This single expands her sound while deepening the honesty and intensity at the heart of her music. The song opens with a kind of haunted nostalgia, reflecting on innocence lost and dreams washed away. The verses build patiently, with her voice fragile but unwavering. Then the chorus bursts open, catching fire with the kind of...
David Bowie in the new Uncut David Bowie is on the cover of the October 2025 issue of Uncut. The issue comes wrapped with a giant Map Of Bowie’s America and a stunning Collectors’ Cover. For the cover story, meanwhile, Bowie’s long-serving producer Tony Visconti reveals all about the making of Heathen – Bowie’s first album of the 21st century and one critical in establishing working practices that continued for the rest of his career. Advertisement Among the many stories and insights, Visconti reveals that Prince was approached to play on Heathen. Here’s what happened… “There was talk of...
Back in June of this year, US president Donald Trump ordered a parade in Washington DC in honour of the 250th birthday of the US Army – and, it was strongly suspected in certain quarters, of the 79th birthday of himself. At one point during what turned out to be a somewhat sullen and half-arsed trudge-past, the speakers blared the unmistakable descending riff of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son”. This was either splendid mischief or atrocious ignorance on someone’s part. “Fortunate Son”, which first appeared on 1969’s Willy & The Poor Boys, was a none-too-subtle protest song decrying the...
Radiohead have announced a new live album, Hail To The Thief Live Recordings 2003-2009, available digitally now. The album compiles live versions of 12 of the songs from the 2003 record – “Backdrifts” and “A Punchup At A Wedding” are not present – taken from performances in London, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires and Dublin. Advertisement The group have also released a live video of one of the performances, “There There”, from Buenos Aires. Watch it here. Seemingly an attempt to reimagine the record with more energy, this new version was inspired by Thom Yorke‘s work on the recent Hamlet/Hail To...
I guess there are probably worse jobs to return to after a fortnight’s holiday. I arrived back at my desk a few days ago to be greeted by a swathe of upcoming releases, which I’m still working through. Among the highlights have been new albums by Joan Shelley and Wednesday – you can read Ana Gavrilovska’s interview with Joan in this issue while you’ll find Wednesday on the latest volume in our beloved Sounds Of The New West compilation CDs which comes free with this issue of Uncut. As this seventh instalment amply proves, it’s a scene which continues...
EVERY PRINT EDITION OF THIS ISSUE OF UNCUT COMES WITH A FREE 15-TRACK CD, SOUNDS OF THE NEW WEST VOL. 7, FEATURING WEDNESDAY, CASE OATS, EVE ADAMS, SLOW MOTION COWBOYS, FRIENDSHIP, SOULED AMERICAN AND MORE! PRINT COPIES ALSO COME WITH A FREE DAVID BOWIE POSTERZINE – DAVID IN AMERICA, MAPPING 50 KEY SITES IN BOWIE’S LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE USA Advertisement DAVID BOWIE: A new Bowie for a new millennium. Reuniting with producer Tony Visconti, Bowie ushered in the 21st century with Heathen – the album that laid the groundwork for the rest of his career. Here Visconti...
