Christa Vi - Small Way Through

Single review by KevW

It was just a couple of weeks back that we featured the last single from London-based half German, half Australian (blimey, she gets about a bit) singer Christa Vi, but she must be in a good mood because she's treating us to a bank holiday treat by way of new single 'Small Way Through' which is available as a free download from today and comes backed with a Cosmonaut Grechko remix. This different take ups the dubby, spaced-out feel considerably. It's another example of remixers realising that taking a sample from a song and incorporating it into one of your own compositions just won't cut the mustard any more. It's a great version and brings with it a laid-back, summery vibe, genuinely adding a different atmosphere to the song while incorporating Christa's own version in almost it's entirety. So a tip of the cap to Cosmonaut Grechko for that one.

The original is as sweet as a honey-coated marshmallow. Although Christa dabbles with electronic sounds on occasion, 'Small Way Through' is essentially an acoustic track, given an extra flurry of life thanks to a ticking and shuffling beat. It's just enough to prevent her getting lost in the swamp of female singer-songwriters doing the rounds. Despite its genteel construction it has enough about it to take a step beyond your average acoustic guitar botherers. Lyrically it tackles familiar subjects (which you could interpret several different ways) but thanks to some neatly plucked guitar and production that doesn't swamp the song - something that ruins so many tracks of this variety - and Christa's knack with a melody, not to mention her voice, it's impossible to hate, we'll happily take this freebie, thanks very much!





Christa Vi's website





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Barbara Morgenstern - Sweet Silence

Single review by KevW

Berlin's Barbara Morgenstern has been continuing the mighty work done by German electronic pioneers for the course of seven albums now. The latest of these being this summer's 'Sweet Silence'. New single (and the album's title track) is being released with an accompanying video ahead of a remix album 'Silence Sweater' at the start of October. While it'll be great to see what other interpretations of her work will sound like, it's worth concentrating on the originals for now, because despite being an innovator and a pioneer, Morgenstern is hardly a household name in the UK. This is somewhat unfortunate and quite baffling as she manoeuvres her experimental works around similar fields to those ploughed by more acclaimed artists such as The Knife and Bjork, and with a little extra coverage or a breakthrough song she could become as revered and well known as that pair.

It's improbable that 'Sweet Silence' will be that track as it's unlikely to become a staple on Radio 1 or MTV (who don't even bother showing any music nowadays anyway). These off-kilter beats and spooky, bubbling synths come at you like a less commercial Goldfrapp, but where Morgenstern differs is when it comes to the big radio-friendly chorus. Rather than bolting on a memorable hook she, wisely, chooses to stick to what she does best. And that's eclectic and inventive electronic pop music with depth and that doesn't compromise its integrity. The cloppy beats and synth bursts aren't likely to set the clubs alight either, but with credibility and vision, she manages to make unique sounds all of her own without considering selling out. You just know she could write a pop banger if she wanted, but that doesn't seem to be in her nature. Maybe in years to come Morgenstern's name will be mentioned in the same breath as these revered pioneers of 70s Berlin.



Barbara Morgenstern's website

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NO - What's Your Name/Eleven Eleven

Single review by KevW

Just a few weeks back when reviewing the last release from Los Angeles alt-rock gang NO, I was given a stern ticking off on Twitter (hi Chris!) for comparing them to The National. Now this is understandable as bands and their fans are rarely keen on being compared to other groups, particularly contemporary ones. The only snag is, NO most definitely do have a hint of The National about their grand-scale US indie sound, plus they're likely to appeal to a similar demographic. Well, for Chris and other haters of The National, you'll be pleased to note that this double A-side single on the heroically consistent White Iris label sounds less like that bunch of New York-based Ohioans. But only a bit. This pair of songs could be their strongest yet and are almost certainly their most accessible - although that's not to say commercial - here the hooks are a bit more catchy and the tunes that bit more melodic.

The immediately likeable 'What's Your Name' is a pop song dressed up in a post-punk uniform and it's brilliantly anthemic. Not in a lighters aloft way, more in a press-repeat-lots-of-times way. This could, and should, be their best shot a breaking through the almost impenetrable forcefield between indie curiosity and revered alt-rock titans. We should at least be hoping for a few cracks to appear as some more adventurous radio stations pick up on it. 'Eleven Eleven' works similar magic, again catchy and big and self-assured, but never arrogant. On this single NO have proved once and for all that they deserve a seat at the top table of America's alternative rock scene. Still, you can't really listen to these songs without being reminded of Arcade Fire, The Gaslight Anthem, Interpol and The National though. Come on Twitter, do your worst.





NO's website

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Chris Warner - Alright!

Single review by KevW

Charity records are rubbish aren't they? Worthy cause and all that, but I'd rather pay double the price of the single NOT to hear the latest piss-weak cover churned out by some X Factor contestant for Children In Need. Last year, Leicester songwriter Chris Warner released an album called 'Devon Lanes & Longboards' which, thanks to the South-West's surfing community, raised a few thousand pounds for cancer research. Great work, and at least they're not all listening to Rootjoose still. 'Temporary Fix' will be Warner's second EP of 2012 and 'Alright!' is the lead single. Rather than bearing any relation to other 'surf' music (the early 60s twangy garage, The Beach Boys summer pop or Jack Fucking Johnson's inhumanely awful gap-year drivel) it's a little ripper of a song.

He's not shy of fuzz, the intro is as buzzing as Bez at a drugs convention. It's both grungy and garagey with distortion applied like pebble-dash on a 70s housing estate. Scrape all this away and there's an cracking, upbeat guitar-pop song buried beneath. It's the type of thing mid-period Supergrass would be proud to knock out and the only thing stopping it having an epic, singalong chorus are the effects, but it's best left that way as a fizzing song deserves an effervescent, discordant production style. Ultimately this riff-fuelled, frayed-around-the-edges punky piece of powerpop is a whole heap of guitar-based fun. Buy this and then go and tell Newton Faulkner to piss off.


Chris Warner's website

Buy the single or pre-order the EP





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The Jim Jones Revue - It's Gotta Be About Me

Single review by KevW

When the 60s beat groups who'd grown up listening to imported vinyl from the great bluesmen took their sound further, it created a very exciting and innovative scene for a while. Unfortunately it got picked up by a nation full of boring pub bands, each of whom had a guitarist who was "incredible, maaan!". Very soon blues became the dullest genre known to man, and despite faithful practitioners existing all along, it wasn't until the year zero inspired by the stripped-back approach of The White Stripes that you could actually feel the power of the genre again without some very careful hunting. The Jim Jones Revue are one of a handful of groups making modern blues exciting, doing so using brute force, raw power, and with a little help from some Little Richard and punk records. Their third album 'The Savage Heart' is scheduled to be giving us a slap round the face on October 15th.

The first track lifted from it is single 'It's Gotta Be About Me' which is so dirty that if the Salvation Army clapped eyes on it they'd probably take it into a refuge for a good wash and a change of clothes. By the time he reaches the age of the 60s blues-rock pioneers, Jim Jones will be lucky to still have any throat remaining with the way these songs are ferociously belted out. You'd expect their rider to consist of as many packets of Strepsils as it does bottles of bourbon. So they haven't mellowed their sound then, and the new album promises more of their high-powered wildman onslaught and will the perfect remedy to sooth the ears should they be subjected to any new compilations of Rod Stewart or Eric Clapton tackling original blues classics in their distinctive sanitised manner. This is how the blues should've turned out.



The Jim Jones Revue's website

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Landlady - Above My Ground

Single review by KevW

Photo © Sasha Arutyunova 2012

One of my favourite album title puns was Kirsty MacColl's Jimi Hendrix turnaround 'Electric Landlady'. It's unlikely to have any relevance to the naming of Adam Schatz's Landlady project, but worth mentioning nonetheless. Schatz is well known on Brooklyn's all encompassing music scene, having contributed instrumentation to records by Hospitality, Sleigh Bells, Those Darlins, Will Sheff, Twin Shadow, Little Joy, Adam Green and Freelance Whales. Quite a CV then. He has several other musical irons in the fire but is currently focusing Landlady, with whom he released an album in December last year, accompanied on various instruments by a cast of five other musicians. With such a notable calibre of alternative stars in his address book you'd imagine it's not difficult to rope in the odd bit off assistance.

The album, entitled 'Keeping To Yourself' was at heart a boundary-pushing psychedelic pop record and this is a style he continues to follow on new single 'Above My Ground'. It's the epitome of a slow build-up. Beginning with little more than a basic beat, gradually adding vocals, bass and keys and upping the volume steadily as it progresses. By the halfway mark it's transformed from being a reasonably average alt-pop track to something of real promise. The vocals pause for some subtle organ which adds a little suspense and when the voice returns once again it continues to grow, feeling more and more urgent until it reaches the end of its tether and fades away. It deserves kudos for avoiding traditional song structures but does have the slight air of a work in progress about it. But as it's an unmastered version we'll forgive him and instead shake his hand for trying something that breaks with convention.


Landlady's website

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Band To Check Out: The Shamefaced Sparrows

Article by KevW

Do you remember when we were a radio show and we used to have a feature called 'Stupid Band Name Of The Week'? Happy days. Anyway, as descriptions go "our mother was a Ye-Ye girl, our father was Link Wray" is just the sort of self-labelling that makes our ears prick up with excitement. So when London duo The Shamefaced Sparrows got in touch about a few demos they'd posted online and we read those words we were quick to get on the case. There are four freely available tracks on their SoundCloud page which vary in sound quality - something certain to be addressed once they take the plunge into recording a debut release. But this quartet of songs gives a great account of where they're coming from and where they want their sound to go. Their own personal description works, but there are a few other notable past heroes you could also throw into the mix.

In terms of recording quality, the highlight is the surfy psychobilly of 'Ride That Seastorm!', where the aforementioned Link Wray teams up with The Cramps and The Raveonettes for some nocturnal and spooky twanging guitars and distorted vocals that are sung through what sounds like a Fisher-Price microphone, the crackling feels like flimsy equipment being stretched to its limits, which, of course, sounds great. 'Apple Tragedy' (how the hell do you come up with a title like that?) is more discordant, this time they've got full quality instrumental gear but are testing it out through their Fisher-Price PA system. 'Murder In The Dollhouse' is as sinister as the name suggests but they'll need a rerecording to take the sharp, reverberating guitar chimes to the level they need to reach. Finally 'The Madison' channels upbeat early 60s garage. They've got a faultless set of influences and decent tunes, now they just need to tidy up the rough edges. But not too much, these songs deserve some ragged beauty left intact.





The Shamefaced Sparrows' website





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Feldspar - The Flat & Paper Sky Vol. 1

EP review by KevW

Is the recent influx of bands turning to more organic and acoustic based sounds such as folk and country for inspiration a direct reaction against the processed and autotuned music currently being digested by the public? Is there some form of Jamie Oliver style campaign to feed our nation more wholesome, natural, unrefined and additive-free bands instead? And is this kind of thing really healthier than the genetically modified, battery-farmed, artificial sounds that our youth ingest on a daily basis? Probably not, the most likely expectation is that the breakthrough success of Laura Marling, Mumford & Songs, Noah & The Whale and so on has opened the collective consciousness of the country to the goodness than can be found in the once sneered upon genre of folk by carefully mixing in more contemporary indie and rock touches to sweeten the taste slightly. Those are gateway bands, leading ears towards less chart-friendly corners of the musical world. The tide will turn eventually, leaving other genres to fight it out with the pop brigade, but before it does we have bands like Londoners Feldspar to enjoy.

There's nothing in their brand of alt-folk that will astonish and little in the way of innovation, the reason this first half of a two EP set is worth a few moments of your time is in its arrangements and conventional yet accomplished songwriting. They stir up a tumultuous mood on 'Cressida' with military drums and rousing orchestration, then on 'Lady Danger' they head for an indie-rock influenced sound which may be their best shot at grabbing some radio play. It's traditional but memorable thanks to the zeal with which they attack it, even adding a fiery guitar solo. It's more than enough to prove they're not just cashing in on a current fad. The closest they come to trad-folk is 'Let The Time Run' which again is lifted by its delivery. If you suffer from a short attention span then 'The Rest' may be one to skip, but if you don't then you'll find a moment of tender beauty, while 'Shadow' is an understated finale which features Nick Drake guitar and brings the EP to a gentle but elegant close. If you're already beginning to tire of the endless stream of nu-folk bands, before you leave them behind for good, it's worth taking a chance on 'The Flat And Paper Sky' because you might just find something worthwhile lurking here.







Feldspar's website

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Five For Free #109

Matthew Dear - Her Fantasy

Musical jack-of-all-trades Matthew Dear puts out his sixth solo album this week. It's called 'Beams' and is the follow-up to 2010's 'Black City'. Not only does he mix writing, DJing, producing, singing and playing several instruments, his approach to genres is similarly eclectic and 'Her Fantasy' is a dark mix of house, big-beat, electro-rock and pop. It's also very good.



Download 'Her Fantasy' for free by heading here

Matthew Dear's website

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The Orwells - In My Bed

We're generally pretty on the ball when it comes to finding new garage rock talent and Illinois youngsters The Orwells are one of the best we've heard for a while. They definitely take a throat shredding vocal cue from The Sonics but also throw in a bit of the raw energy of the late 70s punk bands. Download the primal 'In My Bed' and see for yourself.



The Orwell's website

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Earth First - To The Night 

We generally know that whenever Cloudberry Records announce a new release it's going to be of the highermost indiepop quality and that certainly goes for their latest 7" single by Earth First. 'To The Night' is such a subtle and fragile track that it feels more like the ghost of a song rather than the song itself. A trick which I'm sure you'll agree makes it wondrously dreamy.


Earth First's website

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Of Monsters And Men - Six weeks

This pretty little ditty is from the new album by Icelandic collective Of Monsters And Men. Their album 'My Head Is An Animal' was released this week and 'Six Weeks' is definitely a highlight. Full of melody, hope and angelic singing, not to mention a lovely indiepop tune to carry the whole thing along on. In it's own little way this track is quite statuesque.



Free download: 'Six Weeks'

Of Monsters And Men's website

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TEEN - Electric

It might be slightly ironic if this lot carry on as long as The Rolling Stones or Status Quo, but for the time being TEEN suits them just fine. Their album 'In Limbo' is out this week to rapturous applause from the music press and you can see if you agree with them by downloading the throbbing indie/rock/pop of 'Electric'. You'll be pleased to note it's better than anything The Quo have released for about 40 years.
 
TEEN's website

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Kodaline - The Kodaline EP

EP review by KevW

Much is made about the inauthenticity of "manufactured" bands. It's as though people expect them to form in the womb and be born into the world as a single entity. All bands are manufactured, as is all music, but Dublin quartet Kodaline must rank highly in the credibility stakes. For those who consider this type of thing important, these guys have been friends since childhood and grew up together in the city. In that respect they're as real as real can be. However, the measure of a band should be in the music they make. If it's a load of old tosh it doesn't matter whether they met in a sandpit aged four or were shoved together by Simon Fuller. Since we posted free download 'Pray' a few weeks back we've been delving a little deeper into Kodaline's world, and now as proud owners of their EP we can say with no small amount of conviction that this music is entirely tosh-free.

'Pray' still sounds like a rousing piece of alt-rock that Radiohead may have made back when they used to bother with proper songs, but it's surpassed by the other trio of songs on this debut. The EP's opener 'All I Want' impresses too, swelling from a gentle and conventional opening to become a soft, harmony-soaked mini-epic, climbing higher once the full band kick in with some rousing backing vocals and an electric finale. 'Perfect World' is a more routine indie-rock shuffle but some neat harmonies give it that element of grace. It's the stunning 'Lose Your Mind' that impresses most though. The intro actually sounds like a song preparing for lift-off, and sure enough it's a blissfully soaring piece of psychedelic space rock. Banish any doubts, these guys know what they're up to and this is a debut of some stature.





Download 'Pray' for free by heading here

Kodaline's website

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The Loom - Teeth

Album review by KevW

You there in America may already be well versed in the chamber-folk/indie hybrid concocted by New York quartet (although it sounds like there are about a dozen of them) The Loom, but us here in The Rest Of The World have had to wait an extra year for their album 'Teeth' to hit our stores, although I'm sure there will be many a fan with their ear to the ground who has already discovered their rustic delights by way of import or download. A name like The Loom summons up visions of the past; it feels old fashioned, and sure enough these songs are crafted from guitars, ukuleles, trumpets, French horns pianos and more. I think Skrillex can go to bed tonight knowing that his fanbase won't be deserting him for this gang of traditionalists. Traditional shouldn't, and doesn't, mean boring, and although 'Teeth' takes a few spins to digest it's ultimately worth it.

At first it feels quite one paced and one dimensional even though the songs are clearly well crafted. They may have had Queen's 'Who Wants To Live Forever' in the back of their mind when dreaming up the horn line to 'With Legs', but style-wise it's a different kettle of fish, bursting into a pastoral stomp halfway through. The choice of instruments and the choice to limit them instead of heading for Arcade Fire orchestral majesty works in their favour. The horns and the rumbling percussion of 'The Middle Distance' generate the perfect mood just as they are. The folk they explore on 'Helen' and 'The First Freeze' is reassuringly faithful to the genre's roots. The influx of more modern bands (Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes, Mumford & Sons, Shearwater) embracing these sounds also has an influence on songs such as the proud and swelling 'For All My Friends In Spring, For All My Friends In Fall'.

'Teeth' is a wintry album, possibly due to the fact that their love of handed down rural folk traditions were originally a way to liven up those dark winter evenings. If you're reading this and already deciding these kind of sounds might not be up your street, then just stop for a minute and listen to tracks like 'In Your Doldrums' which steadily builds into a quite stately piece, or 'The Curtain Calls' which dabbles with similar alt-rock trickery that's made stars out of The National and their ilk (with added brass climax, naturally). If there is to be such a thing as alternative-psychedelic-chamber-folk-prog-rock then it should take 'For The Hooves That Gallop, And The Heels That March' as its genesis. The Loom have made a compelling album, one with majesty and grace but also the restraint to work within its limitations rather than add unnecessary augmentation, but it's not an instantly lovable piece. Give it time though, and you'll find plenty to get your teeth in to.







The Loom's website

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Band To Check Out: Lazyeyes

Article by KevW

As we get sick of mentioning, there are few places with a more vibrant alternative music scene than Brooklyn. If you were a fan of up and coming band The Twees (a slightly misleading name given their more indie-rock sound) then it's bad news. They are no more. It seems difficult to keep a Brooklyn musician down though, and former member Jason Abrishami plunged himself head first into a brand new project called Lazyeyes. They're currently so new (which must make us really cool, right?) that there are only two demo tracks currently online and a facebook page that was set up in May, so exactly what the finished article will sound like might be difficult to predict. So like completely untrained musical sniffer dogs on a quest of discovery we've dived in to see what clues we can pick up from the brace of existing demos.

Well, both 'Weight' and 'Nostalgia' display a fuzzier sound and inhabit that mysterious twilight zone between reality and the dream world. The production is warm and hazy like the accompanying photo, whether this is down to using basic recording equipment or by design we'll find out when they release a single, but whichever, it works. It would be premature to predict the future of the band on these two tunes, but the words dreampop and shoegaze spring readily to mind. Echo and reverb are applied like lipstick on a hooker, almost obscuring the songs behind the sheet of effects. What we can hear from these songs is promising. At this point a little work is needed to avoid them being lumped in with the already saturated lo-fi scene but past endeavours and the tender age of the band suggest this will be part of the plan. Woozy is definitely the word for these demos and they sound great, but a touch of refinement would be a good idea, but just a touch though, they're already pretty charming as they are.



Lazyeye's website





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The Hundredth Anniversary - Pressure Sphere/Slip

Single review by KevW

Gateshead's Tiny Lights Recordings has been, fittingly, a little beacon of light amongst the continually predicted disintegration Britain's alternative music scene. With shops, labels and venues calling it a day on a regular basis, this small indie has uncovered a rich and productive scene in the North East with some stellar releases. And bearing in mind that they're barely over a year old, it goes to show just what passion, determination and a good set of ears can achieve. Now it seems they're spreading their catchment net a little further and releasing this new single by Brighton band The Hundredth Anniversary. Even younger than the label, the band formed in January this year over a shared love of alternative heroes such as The Velvet Underground, Orange Juice and Explosions In The Sky.

If you're a fan of the instant pop of certain Velvet Underground or Orange Juice tracks you might be out of luck here. These two songs explore moodier dimensions, more akin to Explosions In The Sky and other post-rock groups. Minus the endless songs that is. These guys conjure up their atmospheric sound in more 7" friendly times, and as can be the case with ambience and tone over beats and melodies, it takes a few listens for this pair of tunes to unveil their true colours. 'Pressure Sphere' has a haunted feel thanks to the distant and almost emotionless vocals, but like the best post-rock it erupts into a skirmish of sturdy of beats and guitars in the time someone like Godspeed You! Black Emperor would spend on the opening bar. More accessible is 'Slip', a song which also relies on atmosphere to capture your attention and may be a better introduction to the band. It also employs brooding beats and guitars to either snare you or scare you. Given time both tracks become another great addition to the roster, and those Tiny Lights are getting brighter by the day.



The Hundredth Anniversary's website

The single will be available on October 1st from Tiny Lights or iTunes.





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The Hermit Crabs - Time Relentless EP

EP review by KevW

With possibly the only use of the word "hermit" in a band name since 'Herman's Hermits', and maybe the only use of the word "crab", this Scottish clan sound exactly like any Glaswegian band signed to indiepop label Matinee Recordings should sound. Much like the creature from which they take their name, The Hermit Crabs are their own being, yet they borrow other bands' musical shells to inhabit; something they don't shy away from, with a list of influences including Camera Obscura, Simon & Garfunkel, Belle & Sebastian etc. Of course, crabs, particularly this variety, aren't known for their speed, and releases by this quartet are few and far between, the 'Time Relentless' EP being the first new material since 2009. Most would go for quality over quantity any time, and fear not, The Hermit Crabs have come up with the goods here.

The breezy and soft intro to 'On The Spectrum' will instantly put a smile on your face and we're sure they won't mind us saying that the melody would sit happily on any of Tracyanne Campbell's compositions. It's not so much returning with a bang, more a gentle caress, and that's just fine. Hal Blaine's famous drum intro to 'Be My Baby' is borrowed for the reflective, steady jangle of the title-track which uses lyrics from a poem by Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree. Rather than backing it with full wall of sound sonics, the orchestration is lighter in nature, therefore not overpowering the song. By now the colours of the EP are on full display as they easily stride through the melancholic indiepop of 'Stop This Now', a tale of love falling apart made even more moving thanks to the sweetness of Mel's vocals, while the piano-led 'So Blue' feels like a lost B&S track. Hermit's they may be, but they choose their habitations wisely and keep them in just as perfect a condition as the owners themselves would.



The Hermit Crabs' website

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Out This Week - 27th August 2012

As Elephants Are - War Cry

If you avoid the boring lad-rock and folk infested guitar-pop, much British indie music has developed a fairly distinctive style in the last few years. Buckinghamshire quartet As Elephants Are sum this sound up perfectly. You can pick bands to compare them to (The Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club) but there's no denying that new single 'War Cry' is a worthy continuation of the current trend.



As Elephants Are's website

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Kitten - Cut It Out

Los Angeles band Kitten have the balls to proclaim themselves "your new favourite band". Going on the strength of new single 'Cut It Out' that might not be too much of a stretch of the imagination. Led by teenage singer Chloe Chaidez they could have a bright future ahead. This track is expertly executed alt-pop with a chorus to die for and it blows much of the competition out of the water.



Kitten's website

Buy the EP





Wild Nothing - This Chain Won't Break

Jack Tatum's Wild Nothing went from solo project to full band in a fairly short space of time following those initial releases and resulted in acclaimed debut album 'Gemini'. With Tatum still taking care of most of the recording himself, second effort 'Nocturne' feels like a natural continuation for the Virginian dreampop band, and 'This Chain Won't Break' with capture the hearts of many a retro indie fan.



Wild Nothing's website

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Dan Deacon - Lots

Fuzzily-bearded Baltimore producer Dan Deacon has crammed an awful lot of records into is decade-long career, the latest being new album 'America' which is out this week. Like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey to temp it forward, Deacon is giving us a free sample in the form of the hectic, thundering 'Lots' which feels a bit like being buried by an avalanche. In a good way of course.



Dan Deacon's website

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OBLIGATORY RECORD OF THE WEEK

Angelica's Elegy - When You're Asleep

Norwegian label Riot Factory are on a roll at the moment. Not only did they provide us with last week's OROTW from Highasakite, but this week they put out this stunning piece of dreamy, fantasy-world indiepop from Angelica's Elegy which sounds a bit like Phil Spector producing Beach House and then being given subtle remix treatment to add some big beats and cinematic swooshes. It's a heavenly sound and anyone who disagrees probably hasn't worked out how to use their ears properly. 'When You're Asleep' is taken from the 'Cognitive Dissonance EP'.



Angelica's Elegy's website

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Bailter Space - Strobosphere

Album review by KevW

In the late 80s and early 90s, New Zealand's Flying Nun records were the Kiwi equivalent to UK labels such as Postcard, Creation and Sarah records, with a roster that focused on the emergent indie scene and contained bands such as The Chills and The Clean. Bailter Space (or Bailterspace if you prefer, they accept either) weren't label misfits (in fact they included a member of The Clean amongst their ranks) but their sound was a more robust form of space rock, taking in elements of shoegaze and heavy drones. They were hit and miss. For every great single (see 'Retro') there was an average one (see 'Shine'). So emerging after more than a decade since their last album (barring compilations) has time given them the chance to weed out the average leaving more of the sublime?

In short: sadly not. 'Strobosphere' is not so much a bad album as a staggeringly average one. The good news is that age hasn't mellowed them. They guitars are loud, the songs aim for the dissonant space rock we're hoping for, but the end product is nearer to a sludgy dirge than anything astronomical. This isn't the hit and miss Bailter Space of old, this is a band pushing all the right buttons but lacking that vital ingredient: tunes. 'Strobosphere' doesn't have highlights, or particularly low ones. It's all just OK, and OK isn't quite good enough. 'No Sense' and 'Blue Star' are monotone drones in search of a melody. The closest we come to anything you could refer to as single material is the reasonably memorable grunge of 'Live By The Ocean' or the basic riffing of the title-track.

As a fan of Baiter Space this all feels like a let down, an anticlimax. Maybe given time the forgettable layers of murky guitar with peel away to uncover some shining nuggets of gold hidden amongst the directionless thrashing. But if a dozen or so listens have so far revealed little of interest, is it worth panning further in the hope that something will glint and catch your eye? It's good to have Bailer Space back, particularly as they didn't achieve the success they maybe deserved the first time around. Yet whoever sent out the memo forgot to include the part about bringing some songs with them. If you're new to the band, ignore 'Strobosphere' and check out a best of. Sadly there's little here to capture the imagination.





To download 'Blue Star' for free head here

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Kjartan Bue - Man Riding Backwards

Single review by KevW

When stripped down to their core components, different forms of music take on different characteristics. Minimalist electronica, for example, can be superb. Strip country music down to its core components and, ignoring the pioneers of the early days, you're left with a formulaic pile of steaming turd. Ever tried listening to a country radio station? You'll find plenty streaming online. Go on, I dare you, see how long you can put up with it for. Yes, despite its important place in musical history (not least leading to the development of rock 'n' roll) the trad. country churned out nowadays is, on the whole, utter unlistenable tripe. Yet its influence can be heard in some of the best bands of the past few decades, from the Laurel Canyon scene to psychobilly to psychedelia to Americana and alt-country and more. Its ripples stretch far and wide and contribute a sizeable portion of what many of us listen to.

Although describing himself as "folk", Kjartan Bue plays a fairly stripped down version of alt-country. He's not some Stetson wearing boy from the Bible-belt, he's half Norwegian, half Danish. Some distance from endless dusty roads and ranches, and maybe it's this that makes his take on acoustic songcraft so unique, interesting and not a steaming pile of anything. There's harmonica, plucked guitar, a hint of slide and lyrics about horses and talking to the water at the water hole, but despite all that 'Man Riding Backwards' still seems cliché free. The stomping second half about sandy deserts dabbles successfully in psychedelia and is a real pleasure. His album of the same name is out in November, and it seems that the distance from the roots of his music have given this cowboy a whole new perspective on how to tackle the genre. Kjartan Bue is definitely one to look out for.



To download 'Man Riding Backwards' for free head here

Kjartan Bue's website





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#Tags - Budget Cuts EP

EP review by KevW

That's got to be one of the most interesting covers we've had for a while. Especially as #Tags (pronounced "Hashtags") seem to be suggesting that once you've forked out your hard earned cash for a copy of their CD, you then proceed to destroy it with a pair of scissors. A cunning ploy to make you buy two copies maybe? After all in this era of austerity and, as they've so topically pointed out, budget cuts, a band has to make money any way they can. What the cover really says though, barring any excessive sense of irony, is that 'Budget Cuts' isn't going to be one to file alongside 'Kid A' or 'Metal Machine Music'. Yes #Tags look zany alright, which either means annoyingly 'wacky' tunes for fans of Black Lace, or giddy and fun pop music for having a bloody good time to and forgetting anything about double dips and chemical weapons in Syria.

It's the second option they're aiming for, but they're taking it as close to the line as they can (you can buy a special edition with party poppers, chocolate, a bottle opener, a keyring and some stickers) but for the most part, if you ignore the gimmicks 'Budget Cuts' is decent enough indie/pop. The clappy 'Sick Of Heels' bounces along without a care in the world, as does the organ-led 'My Father's House' which is all spiky guitars and snappy vocals. 'Some Place New' has the potential to be a reasonable pop song if they just toned down the comic tendencies. 'I Wanna See You' and the Prince-like 'Kinda Inappropriate' overstep the mark though and it descends into novelty territory. But you suspect #Tags know that and it's part of their plan. They can write songs, what they do with them is questionable, and whether or not you're likely to find any enjoyment here will really depend on your frame of mind.



#Tags' website

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2:54 - Sugar

Single review by KevW

The music world has been steadily working itself up into a frenzy about the prospect of a new album from The xx which is now only days away, and as more and more tracks have been unveiled at live shows and online the buzz has reached fever pitch. The release of Coexist will, naturally be accompanied by a large tour of the UK, Europe and the US. It shouldn't (and almost certainly won't) go unnoticed that on some of these dates another band who've received their fair share of critical exposure will be opening for them. Driven by the creative talents of the Thurlow sisters, 2:54's eponymous debut has raked in as much hype as just about any first offering this year, and it won't be out of the question for them to find themselves following in The xx's footsteps and grabbing a spot on the Mercury Music Prize shortlist.

So as their exposure is destined increase even more with these high profile dates, what better way to kick up a little extra interest than with the release of a new single. 'Sugar' is taken from their debut album and it's one of the record's darker and more ominous cuts, it's the sound of black clouds rolling into the sky and forbidding cracks of thunder about to erupt. It all feels rather gothic and best enjoyed at night (or at least with the curtains drawn and probably some shades on too) yet at the same time it's strangely danceable. Have 2:54 invented disco-goth? It's got the funk and it's got the brooding mood, plus it's got a video set in some kind of intense and menacing club with not even a sniff of sunlight. The album may have been out a few months now but 2:54's name will only continue to grow.



2:54's website

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Five For Free #108

Merchandise - In Nightmare Room

A quite formidable hunk of smouldering new-wave/goth/post-punk to get things going today. Taken from their album 'Children Of Desire', 'In Nightmare Room' is (like all their singles) a free download from Florida band Merchandise. We're yet to hear the whole record but they deserve some respect for coming up with a lo-fi, clanging treat as good as this.



Free download: 'In Nightmare Room'

Merchandise's website

Download the album for free





Prints - Wish

Remember the debut single by White Blush that we reviewed recently? If not, check it out because it's ace. Anyway, one half of that duo, vocalist Carol Rhyu has recently been working on another project called Prints who have posted two free tracks on their SoundCloud page. Our favourite is the awesome, ticking, electronic dreampop of 'Wish', which could happily have been called 'Whoosh'.



Prints' website





The Men - Candy

In terms of critical acclaim, few alternative bands this year have come close to the plaudits received by Brooklyn band The Men's third album 'Open Your Heart'. They're already planning a follow-up for next year, but before then there's the small matter of a huge autumn tour of the US and Europe. So to whet our appetites they're offering the semi-acoustic, punky 'Candy' for free.



Download 'Candy' for free by heading here

The Men's website

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Mighty Challenger - Take It

Tom Gluibizzi will be known to US indie fans as a member of the bands Psychic Ills and Hidden Fees, but he's added another string to his bow (he'll have enough for a bass soon) with new project Mighty Challenger who are offering the track 'Take It' as a freebie. It's an ace, skippy, experimental piece of psychedelia, and if you like this then dig further. This is just a B-side.



Mighty Challenger's website

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Elen Never Sleeps - White Surrender

Wrapping things up is this EP on Gay Vegan Vinyl Cassette records (yes really) which is split between Elen Never Sleeps and Super VHS, with remixes courtesy of Occult You. We've picked the woozy and otherworldly 'White Surrender' by Elen Never Sleeps to stick here, but you might as well get yourselves over to bandcamp and grab the whole thing.


Elen Never Sleeps' website

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The Cast Of Cheers - Human Elevator

Single review by KevW

Fancy dress parties, mankinis, body building dwarves, sadomasochism, old men wielding chainsaws in front of crucifixes, miniature dogs, table tennis, pillow fights, possible vampire activity... it's all part of the usual Friday night ritual round at The Sound Of Confusion HQ. We weren't expecting Dubliners The Cast Of Cheers to turn our recreational activities into a mini documentary to accompany their new single 'Human Elevator' though. We jest of course, our Friday nights consist of a nice cup of chamomile tea in front of Mastermind, but then we don't inhabit the world imagined by the mastermind of the quartet's latest video. It's a slight challenge to figure out the exact concept - or the point in general - but it's an entertaining watch.

'Human Elevator' is also an entertaining tune, and a definite highlight of their recently released 'Family' album, turning up the catchiness by a few notches and adding a stomping glam beat that's destined for the indie-disco. It's as close to a pop song as they've come, building on the foundations of a post-punk track to add a few extra layers of extra appeal and a repeated hook that's difficult to shake. It should leave a bit more of a mark on people's conciousness than previous tracks and if they can continue along a similar path for future releases then they could get a slice off the crossover pie currently being enjoyed by the likes of Two Door Cinema Club. But stick to the creepy videos though, it kind of suits them that way.



The Cast Of Cheer's website

Stream or buy the album

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Albatross Archive - Home Away From Home EP

EP review by KevW

More folky bird-based frolicking around? Ah go on then. Hot on the talons of our Sootytern review earlier this week come the less exotic but more gracefully named Albatross Archive, another bunch of nature lovers with a penchant for organic sounds and wooden instruments. The quartet are equal parts English and Welsh but have chosen to roost in the Welsh capital and ply their trade in natural and acoustic music that mixes modern folk with just a hint of alternative/indie sounds creeping in. There are no Mumfords type anthems or Stornoway-esque Luddite tendencies. Fuelled by those great power sources used by hollow instrument lovers everywhere - tea and chatting nonsense - their music flits around in a slightly light-hearted manner, incorporating the odd unexpected sound and quirky twist.

The four tracks on this EP show that while they may be serious about music, they're also in it for the pure enjoyment and fun and aren't afraid of a playful moment or two, such as the trilling flute (possibly) and lyrics to 'Sodium'. They even flirt with jazz on 'King Of Hearts' with its sax and piano intro, and 'Illustrations' manages to take in folk, jazz, music hall, indie, barbershop and more. They're not working the formulas that's for sure. Topping the podium is the wonderful psych-folk of opener 'One By One' with its briskly strummed guitars and dancing voices. It's well thought out and well carried out, as is the EP as a whole. Birds in band names then: The Incredible Flight Of Birdman, Sootytern, Shearwater, Bowerbirds, Ladyhawke, The Mynabirds... all good, but we'll draw the line at The Eagles.



Albatross Archive's website

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Skye - Featherlight

Single review by KevW

Skye Edwards is of course best known for her time spent fronting Morcheeba. Since her exit from the band nearly a decade ago neither they nor her have achieved the commercial success they flirted with for a few years. Morcheeba's career has steadily slipped from public conciousness, and despite releasing two solo albums, Skye herself has seen her star wane. The assumption is that the output of both stagnated, retrod old ground with diminishing returns and was gradually shunned by a public who'd moved on. That, however, could be completely false. As, personally, I've heard very little of the music created by either in the past decade, until now and this new single from Skye's forthcoming third album 'Back To Now' which is out in October.

The general sound and vibe of 'Featherlight' won't come as much of a shock to anyone familiar with Morcheeba (who Skye is now reunited with). This is no great departure, it is though, surprisingly good. Although described as "trip-hop" throughout her career, the music has always been a very adult, sanitised version. The kind of sounds that the phrase "coffee table music" was coined to describe. 'Featherlight' is a higher tempo than you may expect, but it's hardly directed at the kids and will most likely only sell a modest amount. Yet Skye's sultry tones are in fine fettle here and although you can almost feel polished pine coming out of the speakers it's a pretty decent effort. This is sophisticated pop but with enough of a hook to generate a fairly universal appeal. It looks like we owe Skye an apology for writing her off too soon.



Skye's website





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Band To Check Out: These Curious Thoughts

Article by KevW

It's fairly commonplace for recordings to be made by people who aren't in the same studio or even the same country. The Postal Service were so named because of the DAT tapes that were sent back and forth between the two collaborators by via US mail. The Kills created some of their early songs by sending pieces of music to each other via transcontinental communications. Aaliyah's just collaborated with Drake despite passing away over a decade ago. We could go on, the concept of people making music together, um, apart or even having never met isn't a new one. Sean Dunlop (from Detroit) and Jim Radford (London) met while travelling in Peru and discovered a shared love of music, kept in touch and began to collaborate via email, with Jim sending lyrics to Sean who then puts them to music. Together they became These Curious Thoughts and reportedly have completed an astonishing 200 or so songs.

There are already numerous recordings available from iTunes but as a starting point it's worth having a look at the more concise offerings on their SoundCloud and Facebook pages where free downloads are also available. In terms of sound we're looking at a fairly conventional indie-rock format, and the description of "a proggy R.E.M." just about fits the bill, although the proggy aspect amounts to a slightly less conventional sound than to 14 minute opuses about unicorns. With seven albums recorded, picking out a few highlights would be a challenging process due to the sheer volume this prolific pair create, but with various web presences and tracks streaming it's easy enough to dip your toes in the water and explore as you wish. You may find that you share some of their curious thoughts, and if you do there's a veritable banquet to tuck in to.









These Curious Thoughts' website

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Emma - Purple Trees EP

EP review by KevW

OK then, 60 seconds: bands with a single human name as their name - go! Erm, Travis, James, Jethro Tull doesn't count. Madonna? No that's her real name, and Cheryl Cole's just calling her Cheryl now but that doesn't count for the same reason. Anyone remember Sammy? Right time's up. We're struggling but there must be loads we've missed. We don't know who the Emma in question is here, or even if there is one, but that's the chosen moniker for this quartet of North London men who came together at the start of the year and have played several small gigs around the capital, honing their sound and rehearsing and recording to now emerge as "London's best kept secret". They're not the first band this year to make such a claim, so is there weight to their statement? Debut EP 'Purple Trees' is free to download for a limited time, and we'd suggest getting your paws on it while you can, and if you miss the freebies, well it's worth spending a couple of quid on too.

For a new, and we're guessing self-produced, group, these songs have the sound of experience, direction and completion. What should really be considered demos feel very much the finished article. We're talking dreamy electro-pop with enough bite to stop it ever being lumped in with any chillwave-type fads. They cite heavy rock bands amongst their influences and while their sound is some way from that, you can see what they mean with the delicately crunching yet harmonious 'Serulean Fades' and the jagged intro and beats on 'Perfect Blue'. The vocals may be soft and misty (which works perfectly) but musically, although hazy and lush, there's also a gravity behind these tunes. 'Purple Trees And The Green Rain' is the closest they come to pure pop and it sounds great; there's depth of sound and careful production and it's obvious that time, effort and thought has been put into this EP. As for London's best kept secret? Well they can't be now the cat's out of the bag, but of all the groups who've made that claim recently, Emma have as strong a stake as any. Ooh, just though of another one - Marion!





Emma's website

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Kandle - Small

Single review by KevW

Finding a unique voice is difficult with so many artists out there, but 21 year old Kandle Osborne is well on her way to doing just that. Coming from a musical background must have helped (her father/producer is a musician of note in her native Canada), and being exposed to many different sounds and styles has rubbed off on this single from her debut EP. 'Small' is difficult to describe; it's bluesy that's for sure, the swampy guitars as well as her rich, world-weary voice see to that. But it also crosses over into folk and Americana in its structure and fairly basic instrumentation which adds little more than some subtle slide guitar and percussive rattles. Then, just when you think the song is set in its stride, we're gifted a brush with psychedelia for the mid section. It's this simple few bars that make the song, taking it somewhere else and breaking its routine.

She knows where her roots lie too. On the flip is a cover of The Rolling Stones' classic 'Playing With Fire'. It's not often wise to mess around with such revered material, but she doesn't opt for a straight cover. Her take is more soulful, still bluesy but in a thoroughly modern way. It doesn't sound like a trip back in time or a recreation of any particular vibe. Of course it's no match for the original, but nothing would be. However, if any budding musicians out there want to know how to take a classic and rework it successfully they could do worse than take a leaf out of Kandle's book and play to their strengths. Use your own voice, your own sound, but don't mess with the format too much; this way a song will bear your own hallmarks but won't detract from what made it so hallowed in the first place. On both counts, this single is a job well done.

Kandle's website

Stream the EP in full

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Get Well Soon - Roland, I Feel You

Single review by KevW

On September 3rd, German instrumentalist and all-round talented bugger Konstantin Gropper will release his third full album as Get Well Soon, and what better way to launch the campaign than with a Hollywood blockbuster-style video for the album's first single 'Roland, I Feel You'. This really is stunning. Starting with dark scenes from a Western movie with a mysterious, grizzled man and a child setting fire to a doll, we then move on to the death of said child, her apparent resurrection in a strange religious ceremony, marching troops and levitation, murder, dwarves and more strange rituals, giant monsters and a mysterious priest-like figure with magical powers. Naturally our heroine defeats the monster and all ends with... well Christ knows.

There's probably sense to be made of the story somewhere, but we'll leave you to watch it for yourselves and come to whatever conclusions you can draw. Oh, and the tune? Well that's suitably impressive too, as would have to be the case to be accompanied by such ambitious footage. It's cinematic, naturally, and feels more like the work of half an orchestra than a band which it most likely is. These are epic sounds that aim high and hit their target. You can pick out elements of folk, Latin, rock, pop, indie, opera, and alt-country - but all blown off the scale. It really is quite something and our appetite for the album couldn't be higher. If it's a fraction as inventive and formidable as this we could be looking at something huge.



Get Well Soon's website

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Gallery Circus - In 10

Single review by KevW

Ah, bless. South Tyneside twins Gallery Circus' mum made them wear the jumpers their nan knitted then for Christmas on the cover of their new single. They don't look too impressed by that, but cheer up guys, it's keeping the family happy. Plus the racket you make doesn't lend itself to images of ornate knitwear, so people probably won't judge. With a sound they're calling "anti-garage" (and we're calling "indie-rock") and the alleged ability of Daniel Ross to play guitar and piano at the same time (!) you can't deny that the raw talent here is impressive, but that must surely be put down to the fact that they first began playing in bands aged just five. You'd be hard pushed to believe they sounded anything like this at that point, although their attire may have changed little.

New single 'In 10' sounds like the work of a quartet yet it's believable that it was recorded with less overdubs than you'd expect and the swampy, blues guitar gives gravity to the song and allows the poppy melodies to float on top. Their ear for a melody suggests they could write for any number of landfill indie bands to make a quick buck, but coupled with an understanding of what makes music higher in quality you suspect this will never be the case and there's no reason why this harder sound with more depth can't pick up a decent amount of followers as it is. There's no real 'wow' factor, yet that doesn't really seem to be the point and their hard-edged take on guitar music is perfectly fine left just as it is.



Gallery Circus' website

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