Uncut Magazine 298 (March 2022) Carole King

Uncut Magazine 298 (March 2022) Carole King

Johnny Marr, Carole King, Lou Reed, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Cate Le Bon, Michael Hurley, Black Country, New Road, The Damned, Sun O))), and Blossom Toes all feature in the new Uncut, dated March 2022 and in UK shops from January 13 or available to buy online now. This issue comes with an exclusive free CD, comprising 12 tracks compiled by Johnny Marr.

CAROLE KING: Tapestry made Carole King a global superstar and broke records around the world – but how do you top an album that defined a generation? Graeme Thomson charts King’s path through the rest of her creatively fecund ’70s, with help from her most trusted lieutenants. “Carole broke several glass ceilings with Tapestry – but she just kept going.”

OUR FREE CD! FEVER DREAMING: 12 tracks curated by Johnny Marr, including songs by Broken Social Scene, Sparks, Khruangbin and more.

Inside the issue, you’ll find:

JOHNNY MARR: Nearly four decades on from The Smiths’ debut single, Johnny Marr has made the most ambitious album of his career. After the seismic events of recent times, Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 mines qualities of optimism, empathy and collectiveness. But what do Syd Barrett, Sylvia Plath and Marr’s 11-year-old self have to do with it? Michael Bonner heads to Marr’s HQ outside Manchester to discover: “It’s all a work in progress. Everything is connected.”

LOU REED: In March, a new exhibition opens to mark Lou Reed’s 80th birthday. But what can we expect from a man who rarely wanted to discuss his past? Nick Hasted digs through the boxes of bar tabs, bootleg albums and… swords! And what does this trove tell us about future plans for unreleased music? “There are many plans to continue putting out Lou’s work,” reveals Laurie Anderson.

HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF: Locked down in New Orleans during the pandemic, Hurray For The Riff Raff’s restless creative spirit Alynda Segarra sought solace in the natural world. But while sampling plants, a Singing Tree and psychedelic exploration have helped her make sense of her own experiences, she believes her greatest adventures are yet to come. “I’m like the Fool in the tarot card deck, going out on my journey with my bindlestiff,” she tells Jaan Uhelszki.

CATE LE BON: Cate Le Bon has been busy chasing inspiration across continents – from a house owned by Gruff Rhys in Cardiff to Neil Young’s former retreat in Topanga Canyon. Her quest has led – metaphorically at least – to ancient Rome for her ambitious new album, Pompeii. But has the enigmatic art-rock outsider finally learned to be herself? “I’ve always flown totally under the radar,” she tells Tom Pinnock.

MICHAEL HURLEY: Join us at the blackberry bushes, where Michael Hurley can be found cutting back the foliage deep in the Oregon wilderness. As the veteran folk singer prepares to release a new album, The Time Of The Foxgloves, he leads Stephen Deusner through his wild and idiosyncratic career – from Greenwich Village in the ’60s onwards. Stand by for many marvellous digressions, sundry gardening tips and a glimpse into “Snocko Time”. Oh, and Bob Dylan? “That’s a bad question.”

THE DAMNED: The making of “Neat Neat Neat”.

SUNN O))): Album by album with the Seattle-based experimental metal band.

BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD: Post-rock chamber ensemble roar right back with emotionally maximalist opus.

In our expansive reviews section, we take a look at new records from Spiritualized, Anaïs Mitchell, Erin Rae, Modern Studies, Beach House, The Delines, Jeff Parker, and more, and archival releases from Blossom Toes, Broadcast, Big Mama Thornton, Thomas Leer & Robert Rental, Waylon Jennings and others. We catch Dave Gahan & Soulsavers and Jane Weaver live; among the films, DVDs and TV programmes reviewed are Licorice Pizza, The Souvenir Part II, Amulet and Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road; while in books there’s Simple Minds and Raving Upon Thames.

Our front section, meanwhile, features Animal Collective, Sharon Robinson, Lucinda Williams, Swell Maps and Caroline, while, at the end of the magazine, Curt Smith reveals the records that have soundtracked his life.