Simple and packing a real punch, Canadian all female indie rock trio Magneta Lane are back with a new album, Gambling With Gold. The trio began their musical odyssey back in 2003 and the following year released an EP The Constant Lover. This is their second full length and follows the breakthrough debut, Dancing With Daggers in 2006. 'Broken Plates', a track off that record came in at No. 29 on the Indie30 Top 100 of that year (video below) and the first single off Gambling With Gold, 'Lady Bones' follows in a similar catchy vein. Download at the link below and enjoy. The new album was released on Last Gang Records in Canada on September 15 and saw the light of day in the US yesterday.
Lady Bones
Magneta Lane (CAN)
From the album 'Gambling With Gold', Last Gang Records.
From the album 'Dancing With Daggers', Paper Bag Records.
JENIFEREVER ON MARATHON TOUR THROUGH EUROPE
Swedish post rock sensations, Jeniferever have recently launched into an exhaustive tour of Europe that will take in twelve countries and last until early December. Readers may remember we featured their brilliant album Spring Tides back in June and the single 'Green Meadow Island' featured heavily in the Indie30 chart, peaking at Number 4. The band have already played shows in The Netherlands, Scotland and England with a few in the latter to follow. They will then hit the continent again during October. Check out the tour dates below and get tickets here
Jeniferever European Tour Dates
30 Sep - The Cavern, Exeter, England 1 Oct - Bardens Boudoir, London, England 2 Oct - The Freebutt, Brighton, England 5 Oct - Joiners, Southampton, England 10 Oct - Post Festival, Frontline, Ghent, Belgium 11 Oct – DB’s, Utrecht, Netherlands 13 Oct – Eureka, Zwolle Netherlands 14 Oct - Bygningen , Vejle, Denmark 15 Oct – Lades, Copenhagen, Denmark 16 Oct – Studenterhus , Aarhus, Denmark 27 Oct – Ucho , Gdynia, Poland 28 Oct - Yakiza, Bydgoszcz, Poland 29 Oct – Jadlodajnia Filozoficzna , Warszawa, Poland 30 Oct – MDK Batory, Chorzow, Poland 31 Oct – TBA, Wroclaw, Poland 10 Nov - Satchmo , Maribor Slovenia 11 Nov – Mo?vara , Zagreb, Croatia 13 Nov – Orlando , Dubrovnik, Croatia 15 Nov – Klub Grad , Belgrade, Serbia 18 Nov – An Club, Athens, Greece 25 Nov – Cave du Blue , Lausanne, Switzerland 26 Nov – Gare de Lion, Wil, Switzerland 27 Nov - Grabenhalle , St. Gallen, Switzerland 28 Nov - Kulturpalast , Wiesbaden, Germany 29 Nov – Waldmeister , Solingen, Germany 1 Dec – MTC , Cologne, Germany 2 Dec – Haus 73, Hamburg, Germany 3 Dec – Groovestation , Dresden, Germany 4 Dec – Dot Club , Berlin, Germany 5 Dec – Ilses Erika, Leipzig, Germany 8 Dec – Mejeriet , Lund, Sweden
To remind you how good Spring Tides is, check out this track;
In case you've been under a rock recently and haven't noticed, The Drums, made up of ex Florida, now Brooklyn duo Jonathan Pierce, Jacob Graham and company recently put out their debut EP 'Summertime'. The single, 'Let's Go Surfing', while a simplistic one trick pony musically, actually works a treat and is one of those tracks you feel guilty about getting sucked into. No need though, The Drums' style reminds us all that music can just be about pure indulgence. Just go with it kids! Download the track below and watch the video.
FEATURE ALBUM: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ON LE LOUP
Le Loup (USA) Family Hardly Art (2009)
The one aspect that stands out above all others on Washington D.C. based collective Le Loup's second album, Family is its overwhelming timelessness. To try to situate it in any place past, present or future is perplexing to the point where the head's almost spinning. It's almost as if you are listening to music that belongs to some distant era way off in the future but your feet are firmly on the ground (well your arse is anyway) as you sit squarely round a medieval campfire speculating superstitiously about the relationship between man and nature in between spontaneous shouts and sing-a-longs. Such is the conflicting nature of Family, an otherworldly yet homely set of tracks that will confound and excite and reassure and comfort all at the same time. Combining ann organic blend of country elements with groovy pastoral folk and psychedelia through a mixture of acoustic and electric guitar and banjo, these traditional genres and their instrumentation rest on a bed of tweaking effects, loops and layers used to great effect. These elements are overlayed prominently by a mixture of modern and primitive percussion that heavily features bongos and a big bass drum with flourishing brushwork, bells, tambourines, shakers and addictive handclaps. To top that all off, dissonant vocals and chants abound uplifting the listener to a place at once celestial but earthy. The short but grand 'Golden Bell' is the perfect example of this.
The standout track and current Indie30 number one 'Beach Town' is the perfect encapsulation of the blend of old with new and beyond, beginning with the sounds of an apocalyptic seaside before launching off into rhythmic off beats that get stronger and stronger. The strong echoes of Sam Simkoff's pastoral vocals combined with lush electronics, grooving bass and majestic and sweeping guitar are rounded off with soaring choral harmonies that makes this one of the songs of year thus far. Its reprise for what is the penultimate track 'Neahkhanie' and its vocal rhythms being used on the powerful closer, 'A Celebration' indicate its lasting reach.
Other stand out tracks include the sixties inspired 'Grow' and the shuffling banjo of the comfortable 'Morning Song' as well as the the title track with its loops and effects at the beginning that develop mid way into a strong vocal homage to the base unit of human society. 'Forgive Me' is probably the most raucous of Family's 11 tracks and the addictive sing-a-long number 'Sherpa' with its shuffling beginning and chaotic yet measured ending is an intensely fulfilling listen.
Le Loup have greatly widened their musical palate, dispersed the songwriting contributions and expanded the band itself and for the better too. Make no mistake, Family is a concept album that shares throughout recurring lyrical themes and rhythmic structures. The fact such reoccurence strengthens the listen rather than weakens it while at the same time taking the listener on a musical journey that traverses the ages, is a marked achievement for a band that has come of age.
1. Beach Town - LE LOUP 2. We Are Water - HEALTH 3. The Numbers Song - ACID GIRLS 4. Molalatladi - BLK JKS 5. Bay Of Pigs - DESTROYER* 6. Burst Its Banks - KILL IT KID 7. Funeral Singers - CALIFONE 8. Warm In The Shadows - MUSIC GO MUSIC 9. Teknique - BURNS 10. The Great Escape - THE RIFLES 11. Dark Rift - PICTUREPLANE 12. In These Arms - THE SWELL SEASON 13. Red River - SONYA COTTON 14. So Slowly - EARLY DAY MINERS 15. The Night The Night - CHET 16. Don't Give Up - LAKE 17. Changes Is - WHEAT 18. In The Dreamlife You Need A Rubber Soul -THE CLEAN 19. Stuck In Lalaland (feat Morpheus) - THE PENELOPE(S)* 20. Rats - THE BLACK HEART PROCESSION 21. Convict Escapes - PALE AIR SINGERS 22. Good Friends, Bad Habits - OWEN (NEW) 23. May You Never - LAND OF TALK 24. Puzzles - THE MARY ONETTES 25. If Pain Persists - THE GOOD CHINA 26. Wholehearted Mess - BEAR IN HEAVEN 27. Twelve Fingers - SALEM 28. Look Out - LOVE OF DIAGRAMS 29. Little Pieces - THE PARLOUR STEPS (NEW) 30. Higher Than The Stars - THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART (NEW)
*Denotes stream available only. All other tracks have links to free downloads in the Latest Top 30 section here.
Tracks exiting this week Links to download these tracks now available in the archive section
Love Test (Only) - PHASEONE You Were Young - YES GIANTESS I Say Fever - RAMONA FALLS
Saturday, September 26, 2009
SISSY WISH TO TOUR JAPAN, CHINA AND THE US: RELEASES BEAUTIES NEVER DIE IN THE LATTER
Norweigan indie popster Sissy Wish has just released her third album, Beauties Never Die in the US. The album received 8.0 from Pitchfork a few months back and to give it a further lift, Sissy Wish launches into a tour beginning tonight that will take in Japan and the US while dropping in on the Modern Sky Festival in China in between. Download the track 'Dwts' and check out the video for 'Float' below. You'll also find those tour dates.
September 26 - Fever, Tokyo September 27 - Fever, Tokyo September 29 - Dragon Club, Yokohama October 1, Whoppies, Kyoto October 4 - Modern Sky Festival, Beijing October 5 - Modern Sky Festival, Beijing October 12 - Silver Lake Lounge, Los Angeles October 14 - Knitting Factory, Los Angeles October 15 - Plush, Tuscon October 16 - Burt's Tiki Lounge - Albuquerque October 17 - Hi Dive, Denver October 19, Record Bar, Kansas City October 20 - Cicero's, St Louis October 21 - Daytrotters Session, Moline October 23 - CMJ - Spike Hill, Brooklyn October 24 - CMJ - TBA October 25 - M Room, Philadelphia October 26 - Galaxy Hut, Arlington October 27 - Cedar's Lounge, Youngstown October 28 - Darkroom, Chicago October 29 - University of Wisconsin Stout, St. Paul October 30 - Turf Club, St. Paul
Thursday, September 24, 2009
A WATERSHED WEEK OF ALBUM RELEASES
When we look back on September 22 as a date in the annals of 2009 album releases, we might not find an album that made the Top 5 of the year or even the Top 10 but in terms of quality and consistency, it will be a date that stands out as a watershed. This week sees the release of the following long players (and short) and their US release dates;
Volcano Choir (USA) - Unmap (Jagjaguwar)* Le Loup (USA) - Family (Hardly Art)* Music Go Music (USA) - Expressions (Secretly Canadian)* The Twilight Sad (SCO) - Forget The Night Ahead (Fat Cat) Hallelujah The Hills (USA) - Colonial Drones (Absolutely Kosher)* Castanets (USA) - Texas Rose, The Thaw And The Beasts (Asthmatic Kitty) Early Day Miners (USA) - The Treatment (Secretly Canadian)* J. Tillman (USA) - Year In The Kingdom (Western Vinyl) Basement Jaxx (ENG) - Scars (Ultra Records) Sissy Wish (NOR) - Beauties Never Die (Afternoon Records) - 2008 release in Norway Islands (CAN) - Vapours (Anti-)* Monsters Of Folk (USA) - Monsters Of Folk (Shangri-La Records) Richard Hawley (ENG) - Truelove's Gutter (Mute) A Sunny Day In Glasgow (USA) - Ashes Grammar (Mis Ojos) Why (USA) - Eskimo Snow (Anticon)* Rain Machine (USA) - Rain Machine (Anti-) The Big Pink (ENG) - A Brief History Of Love (4AD) Owen (USA) - New Leaves (Polyvinyl) Rose Mellberg (USA) - Homemade Ship (K Records)
and
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (USA) - Higher Than The Stars EP (Slumberland)
*Denotes mp3 available previously on Indie30. Find using the search function above by typing in the band name.
Here's a selection of mp3s from these albums freely available for download at the links below.
NEW EP FOR NEW YORK QUARTET
New York's The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have released a quick follow up EP Higher Than The Stars hot on the heels of their self titled debut and Indie30 feature album earlier this year. The title track is a sugary dose of pop with a heavier emphasis on keyboard and melody in the guitar than found on the debut.
Chicago indie singer-songwriter Mike Kinsella, otherwise known as Owen released his fifth album this week New Leaves as he grapples with life as a new father. This track is laden with swirling synthesisers and haunting yet cautious guitars as Kinsella, the over protective father questions the behaviour of his long term friends around his newborn and his assessment of such. An interminable quandry indeed if you're that way inclined.
M. Ward, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) coalesced earlier this year into recording an album under the supergroup moniker, The Monsters Of Folk (what else). The idea to record their self titled debut came about after the formation of a mutual admiration society five years ago while the four were on tour together. The album was recorded in three parts, the first and third at Mogis's studio in Omaha and the second at Shangri-La's in Malibu. This track has been doing the blogs for a while and features James and Oberst at the mic!
FINLAND'S RUBIK RELEASE SECOND ALBUM IN NORTH AMERICA
Helsinki electro pop/rock outfit Rubik have just released their album Dada Bandits in North America on Paper Tiger Records and are about to embark on a Canadian and east coast of the US tour. The track 'Wasteland', positively soars as the most straight ahead pop song on an album that ranges from the infinitely accessible to the downright experimental combining as it does elements of guitar, synth, piano and latin brass in a strong and diverse set. Download the track below and check out the tour dates on their myspace here.
Wasteland
Rubik (FIN)
From the album 'Dada Bandits', Fullsteam Records/Paper Tiger
SEVEN NEW ENTRIES! NEW CHART JUST ADDED - CLICK HERE
Chart Number Thirty Two, September 20, 2009
1. The Numbers Song - ACID GIRLS 2. Beach Town - LE LOUP 3. We Are Water - HEALTH (NEW) 4. Bay Of Pigs - DESTROYER* 5. Molalatladi - BLK JKS 6. Warm In The Shadows - MUSIC GO MUSIC 7. Teknique - BURNS 8. Dark Rift - PICTUREPLANE 9. Red River - SONYA COTTON 10. In These Arms - THE SWELL SEASON 11. Burst Its Banks - KILL IT KID 12. Funeral Singers - CALIFONE 13. Changes Is - WHEAT 14. So Slowly - EARLY DAY MINERS 15. Stuck In Lalaland (feat Morpheus) - THE PENELOPE(S)* 16. The Night The Night - CHET (NEW) 17. The Great Escape - THE RIFLES (NEW) 18. If Pain Persists - THE GOOD CHINA 19. Don't Give Up - LAKE (NEW) 20. Puzzles - THE MARY ONETTES 21. In The Dreamlife You Need A Rubber Soul -THE CLEAN 22. Love Test (Only) - PHASEONE 23. Twelve Fingers - SALEM 24. Convict Escapes - PALE AIR SINGERS (NEW) 25. Look Out - LOVE OF DIAGRAMS 26. May You Never - LAND OF TALK (NEW) 27. Wholehearted Mess - BEAR IN HEAVEN 28. Rats - THE BLACK HEART PROCESSION (NEW) 29. You Were Young - YES GIANTESS 30. I Say Fever - RAMONA FALLS
*Denotes stream available only. All other tracks have links to free downloads in the Latest Top 30 section here.
Tracks exiting this week Links to download these tracks now available in the archive section
Love Comes Close - COLD CAVE Surprise Hotel - FOOLS GOLD My Broken Heart - NOAH AND THE WHALE Watch The Waves - TAKEN BY TREES Soft Summer Girls - BARZIN We Still Got The Taste Dancing On Our Tongues - WILD BEASTS Traps/Offerings - MONOGOLD
FEATURE ALBUM: THE APOCALYPTIC MELODIES OF HEALTH
Health (USA) Get Color Lovepump United (2009)
The second album from Los Angeles noise rock quartet Health is quite simply, a triumph. While sporting a somewhat streamlined sound compared to the chaos of their self titled debut, Get Color is every bit as powerful an any element that album had to offer. It is the epitomy of a band that has pinpointed exactly where they want to be at this stage in their musical journey. What appears to be, on the surface, an album that is effacing, abrasive and cold, interestingly reveals itself to be one full of intense warmth and emotion. Make no mistake, the duality here where passionate melodic passages are welded together with mayhemic destruction and brute industrial force, render Get Color one the most interesting and exciting releases of the year thus far.
Such duality hits the listener instantly with the short and intense opener 'In Heat' as it pulsates and shimmers away as Jake Duzsiks indecipherable vocals fade in and out and the drums hammer away relentlessly. In fact, B.J. Miller's percussion and drum work are a driving force on the album throughout, except for the closer. 'Nice Girls' rests on an ethereal chord progression interspersed with a mixture of the modern and the traditional, the clang of industrial sounding guitar and tribal drumming. 'Death' mesmerises with its semi constant rhythm that is achieved in a multitude of ways, cleverly placed off beats, repetitive drone and throbbing high pitched delay.
'Before Tigers', despite its prehistoric title sounds like the day of reckoning has arrived as humans work feverishly in an industrial plant welding together whatever contraptions they mistakenly think is going to save them from impending doom. Sonic guitar and soft vocal tones abound on 'Severin' before the abrasive and confronting 'Eat Flesh' is launched replete with buzzsaw guitar and hammer drill percussion. It ain't for the faint hearted. The penultimate track 'We Are Water'* seems hellbent at all costs on stripping humanity back to its most basic of constituent parts as circular guitar swirls and icy, otherwordly vocals engulf and consume the seemingly superfluous. Get Color is completed with the contemplative and even beautiful 'In Violet', a track that perfectly characterises the band's creativity and diversity.
This is a truly potent release for a vital band clearly on a upward trajectory, one which not only puts Health firmly at the forefront of the noise-rock genre but establishes them as the band to take that genre to places its never gone before, and that is what vital bands do. Outstanding.
*We Are Water debuts at No 3. in this weeks Top 30. Click here to access chart.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
SONGS IN THE KEY OF BLOG - MIDDLE SEPTEMBER
Yes, its that random time of the month again where Indie30, after scouring the blogs has put together a collection of 11 tracks for you to download at the links below. The section kicks off with two Seattle indie pop/rock bands, The Yes Pleases and Black Whales before traversing across the country to Bloomington, Indiana and encountering the experimental pyschedelic pop of DM Stith. Pinback and Three Mile Pilot founding member has put together Systems Officer and we have the link to download the track Shape Shifter from their forthcoming album 'Underslept. Los Angeles trio Princeton are releasing their second EP based on the Bloomsbury collective, an intellectual collective based in London in the early 20C and have offered the track 'Calypso Gold' as a download. The collection rounds off with former Violent Femme Gordon Gano and his band The Ryans, Florida based duo cum foursome The Drums, German singer-songwriter Susanne Stanglow, otherwise known as Haruko, Brooklyn based art-pop quartet Bear In Heaven and indie op duo The Inner Banks and England's latest indie flavour of the month Scotland Yard Gospel Choir. Enjoy.
From Whence It Came
The Yes Pleases (USA)
From the album 'From Whence It Came', Elitist Low Brow Records.
Montreal three piece Land Of Talk are set to release their second EP hot on the heels of last year's breakthrough debut album Some Are Lakes. Those of you that have been through the Indie30 Top 100 from 2008 might of noticed that we liked the title track of that album so much we made it number 67. If you haven't check it out here. The EP is titled Fun And Laughter, contains four new tracks and features new bassist Joe Yarmush who replaced Chris McCarron, now of The Dears, One of the four tracks, 'May You Never' has been offered as a free download which you can access at the link below. Its a nice piece of dreamy pop/rock that ends with one hell of a rollicking crescendo. Land Of Talk will be touring the west coast of North America in a mini tour with the east coast to follow soon thereafter. Check the dates below as well as a video of a alternate version of a track from Some Are Lakes, 'The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Version)', which can also be found on the EP.
Tracklisting
1. Sixteen Asterisk 2. May You Never (1996) 3. As Me 4. A Series Of Small Flames 5. The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Shuffle) - Video 6. Troubled - Video 7. Some Are Lakes - Video
Land Of Talk North American (west coast) Tour Dates
October 27 - San Diego, CA, Casbah October 29 - Los Angeles, CA, Spaceland October 30 - Visalia , CA, Cellar Door Novermber 2 - San Francisco, CA, Cafe DuNord Novermber 4 - Portland, OR, Doug Fir Novermber 5 - Seattle, WA, High Dive Novermber 6 - Bellingham, WA, The Nightlight Novermber 7- Vancouver, BC, Biltmore Cabaret
May You Never
Land Of Talk (CAN)
From the forthcoming EP 'Fun And Laughter', Saddle Creek. Out on Oct 20.
The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Version) - Bonus Video
Land Of Talk (CAN)
From the forthcoming EP 'Fun And Laughter', Saddle Creek. Out on Oct 20.
FROG EYES GUITARIST WITH FIRST WIDELY RELEASED ALBUM AS CHET
Frog Eyes guitarist Ryan Beattie, who also releases music under the moniker of The Himalayan Bear has just released in the US through Absolutely Kosher the first widely available full length album by his other band, Chet. Chelsea Silver, Please Come Home is actually Chet's fourth release, it's just that the first three have only seen the light of day in western Canada. This track 'The Night, The Night', the album opener, is a beautiful, tender and delicate beast replete with falsetto vocals, intricate guitar and keyboard arrangements and two step percussion. Other standouts on the album include the sublime 'Cautious Melody' and the raucous 'An Abiding Love Despite Adversarial Vice'. Chelsea Silver, Please Come Home has been characterised as an album in which songs are about loving someone in spite of their flaws. That's exactly how we feel about the album. Recommended.
Tracklisting
1. The Night The Night 2. Cautious Melody 3. Saint Jerome, My Baby Tames Lions 4. The Clement 5. An Abiding Love Despite Adversarial Vice 6. Every Night A Supper Wine 7. Allerseelen
ThE Night, The Night
Chet (CAN)
From the album 'Chelsea Silver, Please Come Home', Absolutely Kosher.
Vancouver power popsters The Parlour Steps are set to release their new album Hidden Names on October 13 through Nine Mile Records. From the sounds of the track they've advanced as an mp3 'Little Pieces, its sure to be a more than pleasurable listen. The band pride themselves on writing thought provoking lyrics but have scaled back the calculated musical approach of their last release Ambiguoso, to write more simpler pop music this time around. The album also features for the first time the keyboard skills of Alison Maira.'For the greater good of the song' is the bands mantra and from the sounds of this track it's a mantra they have applied in spades.
Little Pieces
The Parlour Steps (CAN)
From the forthcoming album 'Hidden Names, Nine Mile Records. Out on Oct 13.
PREPARE TO BE INTRIGUED WITH LE LOUP'S NEW ALBUM - FAMILY
One of more intrepid and intriguing upcoming releases in a strong September thus far has to be Le Loup's second album Family. With the first single 'Beach Town' sitting pretty in the Indie30 Top Ten this week, attention and expectation turns to the release of the long player next week. To give you a further taste, in addition to downloading 'Beach Town' if you haven't already done so and reading a Reel To Reel review of the album here, you can stream three more tracks at the Hype Machine links below. All in all, we reckon the expectation is well worth it as an eclectically diverse, atmospherically spacious and rhythmically exhilirating trip awaits for those willing to take the plunge. Truly an original and joyous listen. Family is out through Hardly Art on September 22 and the band is on tour throughout North America in October and early November.
October 8 - Princeton, NJ - Terrace Club October 9 - Baltimore, MD - The Ottobar October 10 - Philadelphia, PA - Kungfu Necktie October 11 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge October 13 - Cambridge, MA - TT the Bear's October 14 - Montreal, QC - Il Motore October 15 - Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel October 16 - Chicago, IL - Schubas October 17 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry October 18 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown Jr. October 19 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive October 20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court October 22 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore Cabaret October 23 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey October 25 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge October 27 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill October 28 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo October 29 - Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar October 30 - San Diego, CA - Casbah October 31 - Tucson, AZ - Plush November 2 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk November 3 - Dallas, TX - Cavern Ale House November 5 - Atlanta, GA - Lenny's Bar November 6 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 November 7- Washington, DC - Black Cat
Forgive Me
Le Loup (USA)
From the forthcoming album 'Family', Hardly Art Records.
Boston indie rock veterans The Beatings released their sixth full length album Late Season Kids this week and from the sounds of the advance mp3 'Bury You' its a return to their pop-oriented sound from their earlier albums. While their last record Holding On To Hand Grenades was a far more noise laden post punk affair, Late Season Kids is a more refined and stripped back where the energy comes from the space the writing creates rather than the ramping up of the amps. The album was recorded by Ray Jeffrey at his Liberty And Union Recording Studios while the album was mixed by Eric Baird. Its out in the US now through Midriff Records.
Bury You
The Beatings (USA)
From the album 'Late Season Kids', Midriff Records.
AIR FRANCE IN LOVE LETTER TO THEIR FINE CITY OF GOTHENBURG
The page after the entry point into the website for the latest musical and visual treat from Balearic pop electronica outfit Air France states that 'a city is not just a home, it's a lifelong companion'. This sentiment may never occur to, or equally, be easily forgotten among a certain class set in the modern, consumer driven Western world who may just not realise how good they've got it as they inevitably want to be where they are not and pine for what they don't have. Certainly these Swedes appreciate in a real down to earth way their home city of Gothenburg and they have released a three part tribute to tell all and sundry just that. It come in the form of 'A Love Letter In Three Parts' which includes a letter from the band extolling the Swedish capital's virtues along with a number of little written ditties about various individual secrets the city has to offer, a beautiful sugary dose of tropical electro pop in the form of the track 'Gothenburg Belongs To Me' and a quick yet beautifully shot tourist style video that links the band with the city. Check the link to all three below.
Gothenburg Belongs To Me
Air France (SWE)
From the online mini trilogy 'A Love Letter In Three Parts'.
1. The Numbers Song - ACID GIRLS 2. Dark Rift - PICTUREPLANE 3. Bay Of Pigs - DESTROYER* 4. Red River - SONYA COTTON 5. Warm In The Shadows - MUSIC GO MUSIC 6. Beach Town - LE LOUP 7. Teknique - BURNS 8. Molalatladi - BLK JKS (NEW) 9. Changes Is - WHEAT 10. Stuck In Lalaland (feat Morpheus) - THE PENELOPE(S)* 11. In These Arms - THE SWELL SEASON 12. So Slowly - EARLY DAY MINERS 13. If Pain Persists - THE GOOD CHINA 14. Love Test (Only) - PHASEONE 15. Puzzles - THE MARY ONETTES 16. Look Out - LOVE OF DIAGRAMS 17. Twelve Fingers - SALEM 18. Burst Its Banks - KILL IT KID 19. I Say Fever - RAMONA FALLS 20. Funeral Singers - CALIFONE 21. Traps/Offerings - MONOGOLD 22. We Still Got The Taste Dancing On Our Tongues - WILD BEASTS 23. Soft Summer Girls - BARZIN 24. In The Dreamlife You Need A Rubber Soul -THE CLEAN (NEW) 25. Watch The Waves - TAKEN BY TREES 26. My Broken Heart - NOAH AND THE WHALE 27. Surprise Hotel - FOOLS GOLD 28. You Were Young - YES GIANTESS (NEW) 29. Wholehearted Mess - BEAR IN HEAVEN (NEW) 30. Love Comes Close - COLD CAVE
*Denotes stream available only. All other tracks have links to free downloads in the Latest Top 30 section here.
Tracks exiting this week Links to download these tracks now available in the archive section
Tonight's Today - JACK PENATE An Anniversary Away - REVERIE SOUND REVUE Love In July - SALLY SHAPIRO Beat The Twilight - DECODER RING
FEATURE ALBUM: THE RAW YET REFINED POWER OF BLK JKS
Johannesburg quartet BLK JKS' (said Black Jacks) debut record, After Robots, has sparked and induced a comparision with a certain American band thanks largely to their American foot-in-the-door man Diplo, a band that this review will deliberately not mention. If you haven't heard about the comparison just read one of the reviews of the album doing the net. Such a comparison are sure only to raise the hype but sadly they are extremely misleading and in reality downright inaccurate. Lindani Buthelezi, Mpumi Mcata, Molefe Makananise and Tshepang Ramoba come to you on very much their own terms and possess their own distinct musical trajectory and vision. Containing elements of prog-rock, reggae, dub and ska as well as homegrown Kwaito and township jazz and blues, After Robots is a collection of nine quality tracks that will intrigue from beginning to end.
It opens with a burst of energy through the blistering reggae sound of 'Molalatladi' (debuting at No. 8 on the Indie30 chart this week), a track that is completed with a series of mesmerising ramped up guitar solos This is followed by the prog-laden 'Banna Ba Modimo' which contains a heavy dose of cascading and intricate guitars and an infectious and racing brass dominated chorus. Just as the record's opening one-two punch threatens to overwhelm, BLK JKS strip it back, albeit only rhythmically, for the next two tracks, the lush 'Standby' and the sprawling lament of 'Lakeside' both allowing time to catch breath and space to develop. 'Taxidermy' works on a combination of psychedelic licks and pounding percussion and takes a myriad of unexpected directions. The atmospheric eight minute centrepiece, 'Kwa Nqingetje' begins languidly and eventually heads into epic territory while the musically bipolar 'Skeleton' begins in dub territory before developing into a straight ahead rocker. 'Cursor' contains heartfelt vocals amid delicate arrangements of guitar and percussion, all the while as a slow funky bass line envelops the track. The last track contains strained, yet honest vocals sung entirely in Zulu which are underpinned by a starry melody that leads one to embark on a few minutes of introspection and reflection.
After Robots is a dense listen, often threatening to descend into difficult territory. But the beauty is that it never does and constantly stays on the good side of technical proficiency. Indeed, such technicality is never done for its own sake and those listeners who stick with the album will be rewarded with a challenging yet accessible journey into musical bliss, a journey undertaken for all the right reasons. As Mcata himself has said, 'I just hope we'll be remembered by our fans as a band that plays music to play music...' Taken in context with After Robots, there's never been a more meaningful statement.
Friday, September 11, 2009
WILD BEASTS DELIVER SECOND VIDEO OFF TWO DANCERS
Last week saw the release of the video for the forthcoming second single 'All The King's Men' from the brilliant new album from England's Wild Beasts, Two Dancers. This week saw the album released in the US The clip is a medieval affair with three alluring girls engaging in pagan activities. It is beautifully shot and directed by Ross Cooper and Bugsy Steel from oneinthree, who were responsible for the video for 'Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants' off their first album Limbo, Panto. Check it out below.
All The Kings Men
Wild Beasts (ENG)
From the album 'Two Dancers', Domino.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
FOUR DECADES ON THE CLEAN RELEASE NEW ALBUM
Legends in the underground punk/new wave pop scene for over four decades, Dunedin's The Clean have made a comeback worth talking about. This week saw the release of their fourth album proper Mister Pop (they've released a plethora of EP's, singles and compiations), some seven years after their 2001 release Getaway. Hamish and David Kilgour, along with Robert Scott, who has been busy with his latest The Bats release, have been prolific contributors to a number of other outfits, namely Mad Scene, The Heavy Eights and The Magick Heads respectively. The album contains doses of the what influenced Yo La Tengo, namely the track 'Tensile', which you can download in the last Songs In The Key Of Blog section below as well as the jangly pop of 'In The Dreamlife You Need A Rubber Soul', which you can also download at the link below. The album has been receiving some positive reviews around the traps so do a google search and check them out.
Tracklisting
1. Loog 2. Are You Really On Drugs? 3. In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul 4. Asleep In the Tunnel 5. Back In the Day 6. Moonjumper 7. Factory Man 8. Simple Fix 9. Tensile 10. All Those Notes
Below is a collection of some new videos doing the rounds in indie circles over the past week. The first is Cass McCombs second clip 'The Executioners Song' off his fourth album Catacombs released back in June/July while the following clip 'Swimmers' is from Gothenburg electro-pop outfit Little Dragon and was made by the father of Japanese born vocalist Yukumi Nagano. Staying in Scandanavia, the long anticipated new album from Norway's Annie sees an advance unreleased video version from her recent photoshoot to accompany the new single 'Songs Remind Me Of You'. The album is out in October. Los Angeles electro-noise folk Health have finally released a video (self-directed) for 'Die Slow' to coincide with the release of their new album this week 'Get Color' and Portland's Panther get rafty with the Kari Coleman directed clip for 'Birds That Move'.
The Executioners Song
Cass McCombs (USA)
From the album 'Catacombs', Domino
Swimmers
Little Dragon (SWE)
From the album 'Machine Dreams, Peacefrog (EUR) Out in US Oct 20 on Caroline/EMI.
Songs Remind Me Of You
Annie (NOR)
From the forthcoming album 'Don't Stop', Smalltown Supersound. Out in Nor/UK/Eur Oct 19, US Nov 21.
Unofficial Video
Die Slow
Health (USA)
From the album 'Get Color', Lovepump United.
Birds That Move
Panther (USA)
From the forthcoming album 'Entropy', Kill Rock Stars. Limited Edition - 500 only
Monday, September 7, 2009
FEATURE ALBUM: REINVENTION AND RENEWAL - EARLY DAY MINERS
The first thing that strikes you upon listening to The Treatment, the sixth full length from Indiana's Early Day Miners is its painstaking attention to structure and detail. That's not to say it is bogged down by any overblown or slavish adherence to either as it, at the same time, possesses a certain space and freedom that is evident through the swirling and winding passages of guitar melodies, reverb, loops and blips that sit pretty over a tight rhythm section. A departure from their previous effort, 2006's Offshore, The Treatment, a long time in coming, is almost a reinvention for the band as founding member Dan Burton (guitar, vocals) and Johnny Richardson (bass) have parted company with a number of former members including co-founder Joseph Bromley and opted for a more stripped back line up, having been joined by John Dawson (guitar) and Martin Sprowles (drums). In fact, a listen to the lyrics reveals renewal as a central factor at work throughout the album's eight tracks.
The first, 'In The Fire' begins with a pounding beat and clean bass and stays steady when joined by short sharp guitar chord before exploding with a cascading riff full of wistful introspection. 'So Slowly', the advance track, is a dose of delayed and layered guitar delivered over an infectious bass groove as Burton sings almost meditatively about past love and loss. Arguably the stand out track on The Treatment is 'The Surface Of Things' where Burton and guest vocalist Daun Fields share a vocal interplay that sits alongside some gorgeous melody and a rhythm characterised by repetitive rimshots in a 6/8 structure. Indeed, Fields plays an extremely important role on the album and her vocals do more than just complement the music, rather, at times she completes it. A pulsating bass line greets the next track 'Spaces', before the track becomes a shuffling 4/4 beat punctured by a classic pop hook and beautiful vocal melody. 'How To Fall' borrows the riff from The Rolling Stones 'Sympathy For The Devil' and takes it in a direction that is both interesting and uplifting as it is unexpected, breathing life and atmosphere into an otherwise tired refrain. 'The Zip' slows things down somewhat with the repetition of a deep but simple foundation overlayed with a metronomic digital hi hat that keeps ticking at pace giving the song a dual tempo. 'Becloud' is hypnotic in its structure as the bass and rhythm guitar power away joined by constant synth and a guitar loop that repeats throughout the song deviating slightly to great effect. Fields haunting chant 'Be Aloud' tops the track off beautifully and she takes centre stage in the excellent closer, the driving 'Silver Oath' where her casual and cool tones round off The Treatment in unexpected style. On occasions in music as with other pursuits reinvention and renewal can be quite forced and uncomfortable, but in the case of Burton and co. this seems to be a change that seems natural and sits more than comfortably in the bands impressive canon.
1. Dark Rift - PICTUREPLANE 2. Red River - SONYA COTTON 3. Bay Of Pigs - DESTROYER* 4. Warm In The Shadows - MUSIC GO MUSIC 5. Teknique - BURNS 6. The Numbers Song - ACID GIRLS 7. Changes Is - WHEAT 8. Beach Town - LE LOUP 9. Stuck In Lalaland (feat Morpheus) - THE PENELOPE(S) 10. Love Test (Only) - PHASEONE 11. Twelve Fingers - SALEM 12. So Slowly - EARLY DAY MINERS 13. We Still Got The Taste Dancing On Our Tongues - WILD BEASTS 14. I Say Fever - RAMONA FALLS 15. Soft Summer Girls - BARZIN 16. In These Arms - THE SWELL SEASON 17. Look Out - LOVE OF DIAGRAMS 18. If Pain Persists - THE GOOD CHINA 19. Puzzles - THE MARY ONETTES (NEW) 20. Surprise Hotel - FOOLS GOLD 21. Traps/Offerings - MONOGOLD (NEW) 22. My Broken Heart - NOAH AND THE WHALE 23. Burst Its Banks - KILL IT KID (NEW) 24. Watch The Waves - TAKEN BY TREES 25. Funeral Singers - CALIFONE (NEW) 26. Tonight's Today - JACK PENATE 27. Love Comes Close - COLD CAVE 28. Love In July - SALLY SHAPIRO 29. Beat The Twilight - DECODER RING 30. An Anniversary Away - REVERIE SOUND REVUE
*Denotes stream available only. All other tracks have links to free downloads in the Latest Top 30 section here.
Tracks exiting this week Links to download these tracks now available in the archive section
What Have I Done - ANNA TERNHEIM Useful Chamber - DIRTY PROJECTORS I Am Leaving - BLUE ROSES Spanish Fly - BLONDES
September 4, 2009
SONGS IN THE KEY OF BLOG: LATE AUGUST/EARLY SEPTEMBER
The turn of the month has seen another set of very strong new mp3s being offered through the blogging world. We've put together our usual round of best of selections for you to enjoy at the links below. Tracks include the 80's synth driven electro pop of Boston's Yes Giantess, the icy psychedelic pop of Brooklyn's Bear In Heaven, the eclectic rock of Copenhagen's Slaraffenland and the new track from experimentalist Dan Riposa aka Castanets. In addition to these come tracks from two English outfits, the island melodies of trio Thee Fair Ohs and the group that is probably doing the most interesting and original take on the Americana blues/rock sound at the moment, Kill It Kid. Also included is the new track from the folksy rock of Mark Reideger aka Vandaveer and the Portland lo-fi of the curiously named Alan Singley and The Pants Machine. Rounding off the selection are the Californian quartet Shayna And The Bulldog and the pop/rock veterans now into their fourth decade from New Zealand, The Clean. Enjoy!
Chicago multi-instrumentalists Califone are set to return with the long awaited follow up to the brilliant 2006 album Roots And Crowns. The album, entitled All My Friends Are Funeral Singers contains 15 tracks, one of which 'Funeral Singers' you can download from the link below. Produced by Brian Deck and including the use of a myriad of musical contraptions in addition to the traditional, an optigan, stylophone, baritone ukulele, mbira and a thumb piano (whatever that is), one things for sure it will be a collection of songs that will be curious and interesting to say the least. To increase that level of curiosity, the release of the album on October 6 will be accompanied by a feature film of the same name written by frontman Tim Rutili and the band intend on screening it at selected cities on their upcoming tour. Check out the trailer for it below with the tracklisting and tour dates.
Funeral Singers
Califone (USA)
From the forthcoming album 'All My Friends Are Funeral Singers', Dead Oceans. Out on Oct 6.
1. Giving Away the Bride 2. Polish Girls 3. 1928 4. Funeral Singers 5. SNAKE'S TOOTH = PROTECTION AGAINST FEVER AND LUCK IN GAMBLING 6. Buñuel 7. Ape-like 8. A WISH MADE WHILE BURNING ONIONS WILL COME TRUE 9. Evidence 10. Alice Marble Gray 11. Salt 12. Krill 13. SEVEN, FOURTEEN, OR TWENTY-ONE KNOTS 14. Better Angels 15. Lunar H.
North American Tour Dates
Oct 10 Chicago, IL - Museum of Contemporary Art w/ Film performance Oct 11 Chicago, IL - Museum of Contemporary Art w/ Film performance Oct 13 Pittsburgh, PA - Andy Warhol Museum w/ Film performance Oct 14 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom w/ Film Performance Oct 15 Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place OCT 16 Ithaca, NY - Cornell Cinema w/ Film performance Oct 17 Montreal, Quebec - Ukrainian Federation w/ Film performance OCT 18 Winooski, VT - The Monkey House w/ Paper Castles, Sian Alice Group OCT 20 Northhampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall w/ Film performance Oct 21 Portland, ME - Space w/ Film performance Oct 22 Cambridge, MA - Brattle Theater w/ Film Performance Oct 23 New York, NY - 92Y Tribeca w/ Film Performance Oct 24 Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live Oct 25 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel Oct 26 Charlottesville, VA - The Southern w/ Film Performance Oct 27 Atlanta, GA - The Earl Oct 28 Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theatre w/ Film Performance Oct 29 Nashville, TN - The Basement Oct 30 Bloomington, IN - Bear's Place w/ Film Performance
DIRTY PROJECTORS ON LETTERMAN
It took three or so months but the band that hold released one of one of the best albums of the year thus far Dirty Projectors, finally brought their eclectic style to Letterman on Monday night. Playing the technical first track off the record 'Cannibal Surprise', the outing finds Lonstreth and co. in fine form. Check it out below.
Cannibal Surprise
Dirty Projectors (USA)
From the album 'Bitte Orca', Domino.
Live On Letterman
September 1, 2009
MASSIVE ATTACK SET TO SPLIT SOME ATOMS IN OCTOBER
It has been a long three years but fans of Massive Attack can rest assured knowing that the British trip hoppers are releasing a four track EP in early October, entitled ‘Splitting the Atom’. Guest vocals include TV On the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe on ‘Pray For Rain’ and Massive Attack favourite Horace Andy who appears on the title track. The final two offerings on the EP are remixes of new tracks which will appear on a long play release scheduled for February 2010. Martina Topley Bird, who appeared on Tricky’s first album Maxinquaye, features on the remix ‘Psyche’ with Elbow’s Guy Garvey on the remix ‘Bulletproof Love’. Damon Albarn is set to appear again with the Bristol collective on the LP. Look out for the creepy cover art by original and long time member 3D. One to look forward to for sure.
Pray For Rain
Massive Attack (ENG)
From the forthcoming EP 'Splitting The Atom', Virgin. Out on Oct 6.
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