Tag Archives: Courtney Barnett

Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 16th February 2026

Cat Clyde – Man’s World

I have featured Cat Clyde in Fresh Juice in previous years but some artists are worth returning to again and again. It was the ‘Down Rounder’ record from 2023 and a blistering set at the End Of The Road festival that originally caught my ear, although that was actually her third long playing release having put a well received debut out in 2017. Over the years many have praised her ability to put a fresh spin on an old sound but I do not see things through such a retro lens. For me, the rocking country music that Cat delivers is raw and alive, very much a legitimate part of the 2026 landscape and I am excited to hear more of her vintage modernistic flavours when the new ‘Mud Blood Bone’ album is released on 13th March; you can pre-order that right away here: https://i.concordrecords.com/catclyde

GENA – Lead It Up

This is the latest single from the duo of Liv.e and Karriem Riggins who are about to release, on 27th February via Lex Records, a new album called ‘The Pleasure Is Yours.’ It is one of the most hotly anticipated records scheduled for the opening weeks of 2026 and this promo film tells you exactly why. These are subtle soulful sounds with a jazz flare and a cutting edge that could leave you bloodied and bruised. Just listen to those savage waves of distortion that tear it up as the song enters its finale. This is only one side of the sound GENA produce, flip things over and there are strong R&B and hip-hop elements as part of the cocktail too. This video film was directed by Cam Hicks and stars Liv.e, Karriem, Errol Chatman and Aijani Payne. Get your hands on this by visiting https://lexrecords.com/

Spencer Cullum – Rowan Tree

There are many acts around today who pull inspiration from the warm analogue sounds produced by British folk bands during the late sixties and early seventies. Sprinkled with a little acid guitar magic, buzzing with the throb of electricity against a deep traditional song structure and propelled by an organic rhythm section, it remains a sound that, the more it is repurposed for the present moment, moves way beyond the evocation of an era into an increasing timeless realm. Spencer and his various collaborators across different projects has proved himself to be one of the best, so it is fantastic to welcome ‘Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 3,’ the concluding album of the ‘Coin Collection’ trilogy out on 27th March via Full Time Hobby. You can pre-order and reserve your copy via this link: https://spencercullum.ffm.to/cc3

Courtney Barnett ft. Waxahatchee – Site Unseen

This is a pairing that makes perfect sense on paper and is proving to be extremely fruitful in practice too. Courtney has been keeping that slacker, grunge energy, shot through with a little Lou Reed streetwise cool and wit, alive for more than ten years now whilst Waxahatchee has been responsible for some of the truly essential modern country sounds to come out of the US in the 21st century. She (real name Katie Crutchfield) appears with Courtney singing a high harmony part on this, a taster single from Barnett’s forthcoming ‘Creature Of Habit’ album which is due for release on 27th March. Get yourself a pre-order of the vinyl by following the link: https://cbmusic.lnk.to/CreatureOfHabit

John Andrews & The Yawns – Something To Be Said

Time for a bit of chilled reflection with this suitably laid back number, it comes from a modestly titled album arriving on 3rd April called ‘Streetsweeper.’ Like our previous artist, John Andrews has been on the scene for a good ten years or more now and, through his various connections in the indie rock world, has a growing reputation as a fine purveyor of vintage sounds and a classicists hand at song composition. The Yawns were initially an imaginary band as John played most of the instruments on his recordings himself but, gradually, he has evolved to the point we find him at today, capturing the authentic live sound of musicians cooking together in a room (albeit in a very relaxed manner). You can pre-order the album today via the link: https://earthlibraries.com/

The Claypool Lennon Delirium – WAP (What A Predicament)

I am sure they will not thank me for saying it but there is some real Beatle Juice bleeding into the kaleidoscopic audio of this new track. Of all the Beatles next generation, it is frequently Sean Ono Lennon that seems to be the most plugged in creatively and who so often delivers the goods. This is the band he formed with the Primus bassist and vocalist Les Claypool who have more recently expanded to include Joao Nogueria on keyboards and Paulo Baldi on drums. Once more for this weeks Fresh Juice, they are an act that have been around for about ten years and continue to evolve and stay relevant, this new music refining the ‘progadelic’ notion coined by Lennon in an effort to describe the bands music. Keep up with their new recordings and live dates here: https://theclaypoollennondelirium.com

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Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice 27th October 2025

Bernardo – Go Blue

The newly released debut album from this London based British / Portuguese singer songwriter is called ‘Secrets Of Six Figure Women’. Her full name is Sonia Bernardo and the record shows an independent free spirit whose music is floating somewhere around indie music and soulful electronica without truly belonging to either. With ‘Go Blue’ there is a lot going on underneath a framework that is deceptively simple. Piano droplets usher the track in, which settles for a moment in acoustic introspection before sonic references to trip-hop coalesce a sublime chorus part into play. There is something quite divine in the way the centre point of the track glides through some beautiful chord changes then, without warning, the whole thing is over. It really does leave the listener hungry for more, so further Bernardo investigating will certainly be around the corner.

Courtney Barnett – Stay In Your Lane

This is a very welcome return to the momentum and grunge attack heard on the first Courtney Barnett releases over ten years ago. Released on Fiction Records in the UK, it sees Courtney deliver her first new vocal performance in four years, her previous album being the 2023 ‘End Of The Day’ which was an instrumental score for the documentary ‘Anonymous Club’. This one includes a video that has a concept straight out of the Hammer Horror playbook, set in a blood stained hospital ward, it was directed by Alex Ross Perry who has previous with the V/H/S horror series. There is no word of a new album yet but if this is a hint of what we are in for when one does appear, then it could feel like a glorious comeback for this much loved artist.

The Cords – Fabulist

A purists throwback to the kind of DIY indie energy that fuelled the C86 movement in the eighties. ‘Fabulist’ is a fast peddling, jingle-jangling, melody grabbing, knee-bending and heel clicking ride through a bullseye hitting assault on liars and people who make their money from dishonest endeavours. The Cords have arrived with this stunning presentation of proper pop music from Scotland, they are a duo comprising sisters Eva and Grace Tedeschi. Their self-titled debut album is newly released on Skep Wax and Slumberland and it too is overloaded with energy, attitude, zip, zap and hooks. Among the acts they have played with Camera Obscura and Belle & Sebastian stand out, for it is their brand of intellectually stimulating and musically satisfying Scottish pop that The Cords lean closest to. The comparison is legitimate, these are a band to keep an eye and an ear out for going forward.

Sarah Kate Morgan & Leo Shannon – Featherbed Medley

This is a live session rendition that has a rough, rural hue ahead of a rousing change in the second half that marks this duo out as performers with a wonderful touch. This is the title track of a new release whose seven tracks fall somewhere between an EP and an LP. It is the work of a Kentucky duo one of whom, Leo, is a multi-instrumentalist whilst the other, Sarah Kate, is a mountain dulcimerist. Theirs is a sound in which the influences of Irish music, Americana and traditional fiddle tunes all add vital elements to the sonic potion and yes, it is a little old-timey in its sensibilities but that notion is becoming increasingly irrelevant in 2025. Good music just exists sitting side by side with many different styles old and new, just as bad music exists in precisely the same way. That is the key difference ultimately, why listen to something bad when the good stuff is so readily available now. And Morgan & Shannon are indisputably delivering the good jelly aplenty, in all its down home, unplugged, warm, grainy and authentic glory.

Griff Lynch – Fe Lyncodd

A Welsh language record can feel a little out of reach to a non-Welsh speaking man like myself, but when the music and production are as deep and inviting as this it actually matters little. This is a beautiful tune whatever it should happen to be about, it is written with a craftsman’s ear for melodic progression and the sound has some heady textures and sparks flying in the background that serve to lock the listener in tight. Taken from his brand new album ‘Blas Melysa’r Mis’ released on Lwcus T, a record which also features James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers, Griff has translated the title of this song as meaning “he swallowed”. He continues, “this one is about greed and being careful what you wish for”. The thing is, now I know that, it kind of makes the music even more marvellous. For me, it is a sound that illustrates that exact type of reverie, it has a dreaminess but one that is anchored by reality. Superb stuff.

The Ocelots – The Good Of A Bad Year

My first encounter with this track was viewing the video online and I will admit, I was troubled by the piano and harmonica playing initially. I mean, he is not even close to hitting the right notes on that keyboard and the miming on the mouth organ has got to be amongst the worst ever seen on film, especially when you consider it is probably quite an easy instrument to mime to, you’ve only got to stick it in your mouth! But I completely parked those actually quite irrelevant thoughts as the music unfolded because the realisation dawned that this is actually a rather sublime and very well written song. What begins as a straight ahead piano ballad pulls away and blossoms into an elegantly swooning, gently pouring jar full of audio honey. The band are made up of twin brothers Ashley and Brandon Watson and this tune is taken from the album, released earlier this year, called ‘Everything, When Said Slowly’. They originated from Wexford in Ireland but are now based in Germany, however it is that easy Irish charm that permeates their winning brand of folk-rock and cinematic pop, so do not ignore the Ocelots.

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