Stereo Embers: The Podcast

"Lift Me Up"
Over the course of a series of critically-acclaimed and best-selling albums like I Bificus, Superbeautifulmonster and 2024's Champion, Bif Naked has established herself as one of the most dynamic and arresting artists you're likely to run into. The Canadian singer/songwriter's refusal to be categorized has been the secret to her being able to move through genres like EDM and Pop-Punk and with artistic ease. Her I Bifficus memoir is an essential read and it details a life that found her moving from New Delhi to Kentucky to Manitoba. Bif Naked has played with everyone from Green Day to Sarah McLachlan to The Cult, she's released a spoken word record, voiced video games, appeared in videos by Moist and A Simple Plan, and acted in everything from Buffy The Vampire Slayer to The L Word. To get an idea of how fearless, bold and groundbreaking she is, the documentary One Of A Kind will give you a generous glimpse of the power and grace of Bif Naked. The pleading ache of her new single "Lift Me Up" finds Bif Naked sounding better than ever. Yes, she's busy, but we fit in a little chat.

"Pathways"

Filled with glimmering synths, jangling acoustic guitars and swirling psychedelia, Meltt's new album Pathways is one of the year's great pleasures. The Vancouver outfit's fourth effort is a sonorous and ethereal blend of catchy hooks, dreamy melodies and percussive invention. Comprised of childhood chums singer/guitarist Chris Smith, drummer Jamie Turner, guitarist James Porter and bassist Ian Winkler, Meltt's sound brings to mind everyone from The Stone Roses to the Crystal Fighters. The band is on the road as we speak and that's where I caught them. So let's meet Meltt.

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Stereo Embers:

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Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Welcome Back Love"

The San Francisco-born Martin Luther McCoy is a straight up quadruple threat. An actor, guitarist, singer/songwriter, and producer, McCoy is one of those guys who does a lot of things really well. He's released a handful of brilliant solo albums like The Calling, Rebel Soul Music and his brand new one, Welcome Back Love, which we'll get to in a minute, he's collaborated with the Roots, the SF Jazz Collective and Lady Bug Mecca from Diggable Planets, appeared in films like Julie Taymor's Across The Universe, appeared in Yale Repertory Theater's Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts, 1, 2 & 3) and played live with everyone from Jill Scott to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. A smoldering platter of Neo soul, funk, pop, Afrobeat, gospel, hip-hop and R&B, Welcome Back Love is one of the most transformative musical experiences of the year. From "Reimagine The World" to "Warmth Of Other Suns," Welcome Back Love is deeply satisfying and soulfully precise. And Martin is not only a gifted artist, he's a really cool guy.

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Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Automated Paradise"

The Bristol-born Jon Klein got his start with the late-seventies post-punk outfit Europeans. After their break-up he formed the porto-goth band Specimen, who put out a handful of winning singles, but splintered before an album could be released. In 1987 Klein joined Siouxsie and the Banshees and went on to record three records with them: Peepshow, Superstition and The Rapture. Although Klein left the band in 1994, from there he moved from strength to strength, playing and recording with Shriekbak, Thomas Dolby, Talvin Singh and Space Tribe. He toured with Sinead O'Connor as her lead guitarist in 1995 and he played everywhere from Pinkpop to Glastonbury to Lollapalooza. Klein is one of those guys who has always stayed busy: he played in the band SNAIL, toured Southeast Asia as the musical director for Dr. Penguin's Magic Circus, went to art school and knocked out a degree in Fine Art and Critical Theory, has his own production company called Ground Control, co- produced an album for Fangoria, which hit Number One in Spain, composed soundtracks for film and theatre companies and played in the supergroup, Spammed with Horace Panter, Rat Scabies and Terry Edwards. He's also a filmmaker, an international fine artist and he is a member of the Tuned In Community Music Project with Jah Wobble. Klein and Jah Wobble have put out several fabulous albums, including A Brief History of Now and their latest effort, Automated Paradise. A jittery blast of searing post-punk and cultural dread, Automated Paradise finds Klein in fine form, slashing brilliantly away through each composition with fiery resolve.

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Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"All The Beauty"

With close to 15 albums under his musical belt, the New Jersey-born Pete Yorn is one of the most arresting and compelling singer/songwriters on the planet. Ever since his auspicious Gold-selling 2001 debut musicforthemorningafter, Yorn has moved from strength to strength, with albums like Day I Forgot, Nightcrawler, Hawaii and his marvelous new one, All The Beauty. More on that last one in a second. Over the course of his career, Yorn has amassed quite a highlight reel--here's a partial list. He's collaborated with everyone from Guided By Voices to Matthew Good, shared bills with R.E.M., Crowded House and Weezer, played Carnegie Hall, given the commencement address at his alma mater, Syracuse University, composed the score for Me, Myself and Irene, appeared in Killers Of The Flower Moon, put out a handful of excellent live albums and teamed up with Scarlet Johansson for The Break-Up album and the Apart EP. Let's get back to All The Beauty. From introspective numbers like Never Said No and Out Of My Head to the jangling beauty of Estate to the crushing closer "Everything," All The Beauty is a riveting and spellbinding listen. As for Mr. Yorn, he couldn't be a nicer guy and this was a really cool chat.

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Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

"Boxing The Compass"

Haircut 100 have always been one of my all-time favorite bands. The only tricky thing with having them as a favorite for all these years is there's only one album, 1982's Pelican West, which is a flawless platter of beachside new wave that effortlessly veers into pop, jazz, and funk. There is a second album Paint by Paint and there's nothing wrong with what's on it, the problem with that album is what's not on it. And that's Nick Heyward. Heyward left the band after the debut and embarked on a rather brilliant solo career, releasing classic albums like North Of A Miracle, Postcards From Home, and From Monday To Sunday. Getting back to the platinum selling Pelican West, for a debut album it was a scorcher. It anded three songs in the top ten on the UK singles chart and both the single Love Plus One and the album itself went top 40 here in the states. "Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet," Rousseau once quipped, and one listen to Haircut 100's new album Boxing The Compass proves him very correct, indeed. Filled with harmonic smarts, endless hooks, slinky sax grooves, jazzy lines and pure percussive wonder, Boxing The Compass is the ultimate pop rush of the year. Haircut 100 sound rejuvenated, revived and undeniably battle-ready. This is a shimmering platter of melodic majesty that's timeless and essential.

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editor@steroembersmagazine.com
IG + THREADS+ BLUESKY: @emberspodcast