Life Elsewhere

“How would you describe myself,” Penelope Trappes says with a hint of irony as we begin a lengthy conversation. That modicum of irony is ever-present in Trappes work, from the visual imagery to the soundscapes she creates, consistently selecting a serious noir color palette. Yet, Penelope refuses to stay hidden behind a gloom and doom visage, often allowing herself to chuckle or make an irreverent quip or two. During our conversation, Ms. Trappes gracefully maneuvers from expounding on women in the creative world to describing the quirkiness of South England’s famed seafront town, Brighton. Just as easily, she dons a fan-girl persona when talking about encountering the aura of her idol, Björk.

Penelope Trappes was born and raised in Australia and now resides in Brighton, she prefers to call her music, ethereal soundscapes, she is also a filmmaker and photographer, and involved in other areas of creative expression. Her trio of albums, Penelope One, Penelope Two, and Penelope Three are essential for your collection as is her forthcoming release, Heavenly Spheres. This is the result of experimenting with only her voice and an upright piano, plus an old German reel-to-reel tape machine. Do listen carefully to our conversation and Penelope’s music. Your feedback is always welcome.

Here we go, another 60 minutes of new releases for your listening pleasure. While the headline news insists our loathsome enemy, China is filling the skies with ginormous spy balloons, over in the capital city of Beijing, there is a vibrant new music scene. 

With The People, The People, And The Dogs, Mimik Banka takes us on a musical journey that weaves in and out of genres. Beautifully executed with tropical percussion, curious synth signatures, and spoken words that include something about “showing your bottom”. The album, Dog Days is certainly worth exploring and should prompt you to search out more new music from China. 

Over in the always creative hub of Bristol in the west of England, we find the terrific music collective, Ishmael Ensemble led by saxophonist & producer Pete Cunningham. For this outing, poet, MC, and lyricist Rider Shafique joins in to give us, Reasons from the mesmerizing New Era album. 

Damn! I love this one. Out of Philadelphia, Sam Huntington, and Max Rafter present as, Crooks & Nannies. No Fun is from their masterful LP of the same name. In their promo material, they say Sam and Max make rock ’n’ roll - which is a splendid thing. They also say, they write, produce, and perform the songs and give a name check for additional help from Mark Watter, Heather Jones, and Jacob Blizard. I’m very impressed with Crooks & Nannies.

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The announcement of his passing on January 28th at age 73 sent shivers through me and thousands of others who had grown up with the belief that Tom Verlaine was the ultimate proof of how rock music could be. As the tributes flooded social media, the images of Verlaine remained as if frozen in time. His skinny frame and sardonic stare into the camera, the awkward haircut, and seemingly fragile wrists, dwarfed by his Fender guitar. Once again, the death of an icon meant thoughtful, if not sad reflections on Verlaine’s unique and haunting guitar-playing, accompanied by a voice so frail yet full of snarling angst.  A voice Lou Reed must have wished he had, a voice emulated by Tom’s one-time girlfriend, Patti Smith. He was born Thomas Miller in 1949 in New Jersey, he took his last name after the French symbolist poet, Paul Verlaine. With college pal and future punk icon, Richard Hell, Verlaine formed, The Neon Boys, then later reformed as Television. Their groundbreaking debut album, Marquee Moon has been played by me probably thousands of times. I would sit on the floor listening, intently…on each listen trying to decipher the words, attempting to make sense of the story Tom was telling.  While studiously exploring the how's and why’s of the musicianship…the interplay between Verlaine and Richard Lloyd’s guitars, Billy Ficca’s impeccable drums, and Fred Smith’s ominous bass. Music like no other then or since. Rest In Peace, Mr. Verlaine.

It was just a few days before the passing of Verlaine, on January 23rd another important guitarist died. Anthony Topham AKA Top Topham was the original lead guitarist for The Yardbirds. His story is indicative of post-war England where your parents could have a major say in your career path. Topham was at art school when he formed The Yardbirds, they attracted the attention of club owner, and fledgling impresario, Giorgio Gomelsky who became their manager. Encouraged by Gomelsky (who also blagged a six-piece R&B band called The Rolling Stones, until a certain Mr. Oldham stepped in) the other members of The Yardbirds wanted to turn professional. Mr. and Mrs. Topham insisted their son further his education, as they

In her epilogue to Madame Restell, author Jennifer Wright says, “Around the world, women are gaining greater control over their bodies. Though not in America. So, tell the next generation that there was a time when we owned our bodies. Tell them they still deserve to, and that, whatever the age, it is not the state’s right to tell anyone otherwise. Tell them the history of people like Madame Restell, the history of her patients, and how common abortion has always been. But more than that, tell them the history you lived. Let them know where we came from. And perhaps, in time, they’ll fight their way back there.”

An industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, Madame Restell was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York, and her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to thousands of women—rich and poor alike. As her practice expanded, her notoriety swelled, and Restell established herself as a prime target for tabloids, threats, and lawsuits galore. But far from fading into the background, she defiantly flaunted her wealth, parading across the city in designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and bejeweled carriages, rubbing her success in the faces of the many politicians, publishers, fellow physicians, and religious figures determined to bring her down. Unfortunately for Madame Restell, her rise to the top of her field coincided with “the greatest scam you’ve never heard about”—the campaign to curtail women’s power by restricting their access to both healthcare and careers of their own. Powerful, secular men—threatened by women’s burgeoning independence—were eager to declare abortion sinful, a position endorsed by newly-minted male MDs who longed to edge out their feminine competition and turn medicine into a standardized, male-only practice. By unraveling the misogynistic and misleading lies that put women’s lives in jeopardy, Wright simultaneously restores Restell to her rightful place in history and obliterates the faulty reasoning underlying the very foundation of what has since been dubbed the “pro-life” movement.

Film and media critic, Bob Ross a longtime contributor to Life Elsewhere assesses the 2023 Oscar nominations with his customary drollness. Having seen more movies over the years than most people have had hot dinners, Ross is prone to emitting an exasperated sigh on occasion. Although he is never scathing, Bob Ross doesn’t hesitate to share his opinions.  And, when warranted Bob will wax lyrical accompanied by an impish chuckle. On a serious note, Ross unfurls his disdain for the grandiose charade of the awards ceremony. No matter if you have or have not seen all the movies nominated, it’s always entertaining to hear if you agree with Bob Ross.

For this volume we veer off into a more rockist direction, no substantive reason, it just happened that for the most part, the music files we received rang the “alternative rock” bell. And, that’s not a bad thing. 

We begin this volume with an album I highly recommend, Spiritual Healers, Defence Lawyers by Eternal Dust. I admit to knowing absolutely nothing about this band from Sydney before I listened to one cut. Ebonny Munro, Oscar Sulich, and Finn Parker caught my attention straight away. There is a distinctive spirit of urgent rock here, check those hollers on Candy.  An unrelenting wall of noise with what, dueling guitars? Do I hear the rhythm take over from the lead, then switch back again? No matter, Eternal Dust makes music I approve of.

Then, we come to four lads from London who obviously understand that many have tried, but few have succeeded in capturing the raw, gritty essence of rock. No pretensions here from Eel Men, they give us a straightforward delivery of energy that harks back to the golden age of rock. I could, but it really would be a disservice to name-check the records Eel Men have listened to. With Archetype, they have forged their own identity. I’m positive, here we have a must-see-live-band.

A longtime friend of mine who is a native of Philadelphia reckons that Groçer are big faves locally, and incredible live. Excellent praise indeed from a writer who knows his way around an important rock show, or three. On Downtown Slide drummer (and vocalist), Cody Nelson is obviously having a lot of fun as he and the rest of the band almost slip into a funk thang. Big props to Danielle Lovier on bass/vocals and Nicholas Rahn on guitar/vocals. Scatter Plot, Groçer's new EP will not disappoint.

Originally from South Africa, Lucy Kruger is now based in Berlin making smartly produced music. Burning Building is from the forthcoming Heaving album. Listen beyond the obvious pop overtones and you’ll find interesting lyrics. Competent work happening here.

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“I realize people think of me as a doom-sayer” announces Jared Yates Sexton at the beginning of our conversation, Then, he admits, “After writing this book, I’m optimistic!” That’s quite a statement from a writer who is known for unsettling commentaries. The title of his latest book, The Midnight Kingdom - A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis may suggest the takeaway will be of grave despondency. Instead, it’s a bracing read as the author takes a critical look at the forces that have shaped human civilization for centuries and invites us to seek a radically different future. To fully comprehend these strange and dangerous times, Jared Yates Sexton takes a hard look at America’s history: namely, the abuses committed by those in power and the comforting stories that shaped the way the West has viewed itself up to the present. As reactionaries and authoritarians cling to myths about “Western civilization,” The Midnight Kingdom exposes how political power, religious indoctrination, and economic dominance have been repeatedly weaponized to oppress and exploit, sounding an alarm for what lies ahead as the current order frays. Beginning with the Roman Empire and racing through centuries of colonization, war, genocide, and the recurring clashes of progress and regression, Sexton finds our modern world at a crossroads. In an echo of past crises, we have arrived at a time of historic inequality and fading trust in our institutions. Meanwhile, authoritarianism is gaining momentum and the progress of the twentieth century is being rolled back at dizzying speed. This catastrophic moment holds terrible potential for a return to a totalitarian past or, potentially, a better, more real, more human future. The difference depends on a true reckoning with our history and the larger forces at play or hiding behind this disastrous fantasy of Western superiority.

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First up, a couple of very big names in this volume. We usually stay away from the more obvious names but there are always exceptions. Tracy Thorn and Ben Watt also known together as Everything But the Girl are back with their first recording in 24 years. And, a gentleman who never fails to add a little more debate about his intentions has a new single, yes, it's Mr. John Lydon in his guise as Public Image Limited with a Love Song!

This is the project of UK-based musician and artist Domonic Deane, guest vocals on Trace are by Jana Sotzko. Competent work here, I like all the cuts. There is a cool video for the lead track, Touch The Void. The Nightrax EP is courtesy of Black Arrow Communications. Do not overlook!

Nic Mauskovic wrote, performed & recorded all the music. The producer, multi-instrumentalist, and seasoned drummer can also be found as Nicola and Mauskovic Dance Band. This cut features Madba (on vocals?) with words c/o Fizzy Veins, apparently. My Italian friend, Gianni says Sopratutto translates to “Above all”. Although he didn’t seem very certain about that. The Sopratutto EP comes via South of North label out of Amsterdam. (Apologies for making a dog’s dinner out of my pronunciation).

Over the past couple of years, I’ve mentioned you should keep a watchful eye on Big Joanie. Three talented, vibrant musicians from London, guitarist Stephanie Phillips, bassist Estella Adeyeri, and drummer Chardine Taylor-Stone. They proudly call themselves a Black feminist punk band, their new album is titled Back Home, references a search for a place to call home, whether real or metaphysical. “We were really ruminating on the idea of a home and what it means,” explains Stephanie. “It’s about the different ideas of home, whether that’s here in the UK, back in Africa or the Caribbean, or a place that doesn’t really exist; it’s neither here nor

Stop by Bradley Onishi’s website and you’ll notice he’s not shy about proclaiming his abilities, “Scholar, Speaker, Thought Leader” shouts the headline. Then, in the first sentence of the first paragraph, Bradley adds he is "a social commentator, scholar, writer, teacher, coach, and podcast co-host". All perfectly valid descriptors, of course, yet he doesn’t get across how perfectly charming and articulate he is. In this age of Sell! Sell! Sell! One could take Onishi’s use of self-appraisal as more of a sales pitch than a substantive parade of abilities. In his new book, Preparing For War, Bradley Onishi delves into his past and reveals he was from his early teens a devout evangelical until seriously questioning Christianity and possibly all religions. It’s that over-the-top immersion into a belief - then absolute disbelief that prompted the question, “Should we be skeptical of your radical change of mind on Christianity, especially the White Christian Nationalist kind?” As you’ll hear in our conversation, Bradley has a well-considered answer. This is why listening to Bradley Onishi you quickly come to the conclusion, here is an honest man who clearly wants to share his experience and be forthright with his warning - what comes next with White Christian Nationalism? 

In the second half of the show, we go back in time to hear a conversation with a then-up-and-coming talent who had at that time not even stepped on stage in front of an audience. Today, Arlo Parks is an international star with major ventures underway for 2023. Listen carefully to the then 18-year-old schoolgirl talk about her music, her hopes, and her dreams. 

Hello there, welcome to LEM Vol 311. 2022 has been a difficult year for many of us. Far too many of our loved ones, friends, and figures of inspiration have passed on. Certainly, for me, the past twelve months have been clouded with far too many moments of anguish. For this final show of 2022, I have tried to evoke my overall mood as 2022 fades into a distant memory and the new year arrives and hopefully, I’ll summon enough positive, optimistic energy to face 2023. The majority of the cuts selected are new and have not aired before on LEM. Here then is LEM Vol 311- The 2022 Fading Memory Edition. 

Never say, “I hate you!” I told my son when he was a rattled child. It’s far too harsh I tried to explain. It’s too definitive I wanted to say. “Hate is an ugly word” I believe I settled on. And, yes it is. Yet, Ruby Hickman reminds us that in a moment of passion, a harsh, ugly word feels so perfect, so necessary. Ruby’s publicity blurb proclaimed, “I’m a 15-year-old singer-songwriter from Leigh on Sea in Essex, I’ve have been writing music for a couple of years now. Suddenly here I am with my first EP! I started solely on piano, but have really enjoyed pushing my guitar and vocals too. I'm writing all the time and currently have another 5 songs almost ready to release”. Ruby Hickman caught us by surprise. She is definitely talented and she certainly knows how to put a song together. I Hate You is from her EP, The Fake You.

Darling hail from Australia, and makes excellent music, their double-sided single Illusions/Isolating shows Caitlin Finn & Joel Glazebrook in fine form. Isolating they say explores a decaying relationship caused by a disintegrating individual who isolates themself from reality and the people who love them. Darling is on 4000 Records an independent artist-led record label with a strong focus on collaborating with Brisbane creatives. We like that. 

Alice Kat and Liam James Marsh impressed us so much we invited them onto the show for a chat. About their latest LP, Love, Death, Dreams, And The Sleep Between, Subjangle, their label says, “With an emotionality that c

Here at LEM, we are consistently reminded by critics, music aficionados, PR people, and indie record labels that LEM is the very best resource for new music, we have already given you The Best Of The Best 2022, so now we present The Best Of The Best You May Have Missed 2022. In 60 minutes we present the more obscure cuts we have curated during the past year, music you may have overlooked, music certainly worthwhile hearing again, and music you may not hear anywhere else. Our original commentaries for each cut selected are below. Very big thanks for listening and supporting LEM. We look forward to bringing you another year of the very best in new music. Here then is The Best Of The Best You May Have Missed 2022.

We’ve played This Is The Kit on LEM a few times, so I took notice when TITK front person, Kate Stables says, “Rachael Dadd is one of the most talented wise prolific, and important women of our times”. Rachael’s LP Flux came out in 2019, and now she has two remix albums, Part 1 and Part 2. The Elsa Hewitt Remix of Arrows is haunting and I would expect a prompt for you to discover more of Rachael’s work. Excellent, top marks! 

 The Garbage & The Flowers are from Ipswich, Australia, according to various sources. Then, I read a piece about Robert Forster that mentioned The Garbage & The Flowers which had the mysterious band hailing from New Zealand. The fact is, no matter where they are from, this is a band you need to know about. Yes, you’ll be tempted to dwell on influences, but your time will be better spent lapping up what they have to offer on their Cinnamon Sea EP, especially, Eye Know Who You Are. Simple, minimalist perhaps, yet there is something eerily retro while being so now. There is a nonchalant mood while (I think) carefully calculated. Listen carefully.

Julia-Sophia is based in Oxford, UK and she says Not Beautiful from her EP, Feels Like Thunder. Julia-Sophia says, “I felt like I was pigeonholed to be this rock chick, and I didn’t really know how to do music, so I went along with it.” I’m glad sh