Megan Wyler - Through The Noise

Single review by KevW

The name Megan Wyler may not be a familiar one, 'Through The Noise' being her debut single, but you may be aware of the work of producer Adem Ilhan even if that's another name that may not immediately ring any bells, outside of the folktronica scene at least. Ilhan is an experienced hand with a fine pedigree, having worked with Four Tet, Fridge, Silver Columns and as well as his solo career. Needless to say he knows his onions, ans the fact that he's chosen to work with Megan Wyler surely indicates she's a lady not short of talent, and sure enough, that talent is plain to see.

You realise this within the first few seconds of 'Through The Noise'. The song is a stripped-back, piano-led piece that conjures up the icy magic of winter, especially when the quietly picked guitar (or possibly banjo or mandolin, it's too subtle to be sure) kicks in, adding to the sparkles of sonic glitter that are used sparingly throughout. Really it's all about the voice here, and Megan Wyler's voice is as pure and pretty as any you're likely to hear all year. Not affected in any way, this is the real deal and is stunningly note perfect and entirely captivating. We have our finger and toes crossed, because if a voice of this quality failed to find success it would be a major loss.
 

Megan Wyler's website





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Apash 2012 - Blacker

Album review by KevW

Ah it's nice to hear music being made with an acoustic guitar that you can't describe as "folk something" or "something hyphen folk". Apash 2012 is a one-man band from Italy and 'Blacker' is his second release, and despite being equipped with an acoustic there's no earnest balladeering, nope instead we get actual songs, and very good ones at that. There are haunting stripped back tracks like 'It's Your Turn' and 'Alcatraz' which fit in more closely with the dreampop scene than any old fashioned cliched rubbish. When the songs are stripped back to simple guitar, voice and mild production they gel to make some really wonderful sounds.

On 'Routine' the same approach is used but this time the six strings are of the electric variety. You could use songs like this as the basis for far more ordained indie-rock tracks, but this is a rare case where they're best left just as they are; simple, effective and performed with genuine care. It's not easy to try your hand at music in this manner without becoming middle of the road, but Apash 2012 has no such problems; the same could be said for 'Jealousy' which in an unusual way recalls Syd Barrett. This is a man who understands music, so a curious and unorthodox approach is adhered to throughout, and it's entirely natural with it.

When he brings in a full band the results are equally beautiful. 'Happiness' is a superb and uplifting piece of lo-fi indie and will be an instant standout for anyone hearing the album for the first time. He even delves successfully into electro-pop (of the retro variety) on 'All In' which will draw Postal Service comparisons. He even throws in a couple of plays on words with song titles (the dark 'Rosemary Fields Whatever' or the lethargic, Nick Drake by-way-of Nirvana unplugged 'Eye Of The Tired') The fabled apocalypse is even given a look in on the excellent 'Shiva'. 'Blacker' was our introduction to Apash 2012 and it was a very pleasant surprise.




Apash 2012's website

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Frontier Ruckus - Careering Catalog Immemorial

Single review by KevW

Michigan band Frontier Ruckus make no secret of their love for 90s nostalgia (you have no idea of how the 1990s now being thought of as being nostalgic makes me feel) and this first single from their upcoming 'Eternity Of Dimming' album does capture the sound of the US alternative scene of that time. The album isn't out until the end of January, but the single is available now from Bandcamp, and if you head there (it's the buy link below) you'll be able to read some weird nonsense about what it's all about, but good luck making any sense of it. We get two versions of 'Careering Catalog Immemorial', the album version and the '90s Carpool Version'.

That makes for a game of spot the difference which could be quite fun. The Carpool version is only subtly different, more uptempo (maybe) with more of a beat, although in terms of quality there's little to split the two. The more picked-guitar album version is perhaps ever so slightly more appealing in its stripped back approach which manages to convey a bit more feeling. Whether you get one of both it's definitely worth a purchase; 'Careering Catalog Immemorial' is delicate and really well written, the best way to describe it would be to say that everything clicks. The band seem on the same wavelength, something usually results in decent music. This is no exception.



Frontier Ruckus' website

Buy the single





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Vices - Airports

Single review by KevW

We've been following Reading quintet Vices for a while now, and caught up with them for a brief Q&A session a couple of months back ahead of the release of their 'Hotel Monsoon' EP. If you missed that then you can have a read by clicking this link. If you didn't then hopefully you enjoyed listening to the tracks 'Dying Day' and 'Human Being' that we posted alongside it. With any luck this will have resulted in you becoming something of a fan of the alternative/indie types and therefore you'll be pleased to note that they've just unveiled a brand new video for the track 'Airports' which you can watch below.

It's a contemplative track that feels like it's dealing with an element of uncertainty, something which gives it extra intrigue and generates pathos. It's handy that it comes with a great chorus too, so even those who tend not to examine their music that carefully will find something to cling on to. The vocals are strong as ever and are another weapon that Vices use to lift this song to unexpected heights. The mysterious, smoke filled and psychedelic video adds to the effect even more. Grand results on all counts.



Vices' website

Buy the EP





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The Invincible Summer - Runaway/To The Sky

Single review by KevW

Australian band The Invincible Summer were put together by multi-instrumentalist Matt James following what he describes as "spending the Australian summer in the chill of the northern hemisphere". Now based in the much more hospitable climes of Sydney he's gathered together a selection of like-minded souls and set about capturing some of his ideas on tape, resulting in this debut double A-side single. If we use some football parlance (no, not Aussie rules, actual football) then this first offering could comfortably be described as being a record of two halves (if you're thinking "well, yeah. Duh!" Then look up the phrase and its meaning).

First there's 'Runaway' with its 90s house piano and chart indie sound. It's tolerable but not something you'd go out of your way to listen to again. A decent chorus manages to salvage something, but really it's not a particularly good track and you'll have heard its kind many times before. Then we get 'To The Sky' which throws any initial presumptions about the band up in the air. The jump in quality is instantly noticeable, maybe because he's trying to write what he wants instead of aiming for that pop hit. 'To The Sky' is a mighty and slow-burning powerhouse with a chorus that reaches for the sky. There's  a hint of 80s pop to it, but had one of the big hitters released this back then it might be considered a classic now. More like this could see them go far.





The Invincible Summer's website

Buy the single





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Peter and Kerry - Split For The City

Single review by KevW

It's not exactly the most inspiring of band/duo names is it, Peter and Kerry? Still, at least we know it's factually correct, and since when has the name been the most important factor anyway? This London-based pair released their debut album 'La Trimouille' earlier on this year on Tape Club Records and are finishing 2012 off with this new single, taken from the album. 'Split For The City' probably sounds a lot like you'd expect music by a duo called Peter and Kerry to sound like. A bit indiepoppy, possibly slightly on the twee side, fairly personal lyrics involving relationships... they're all here.

It's twee enough to include the line "I sent you off to work with a packed lunch" but isn't sickly in any way. It deals with a relationship that's run its course ending when the heroine (we assume that's Kerry) pretends to go out for a cigarette and escapes to the city to get away. It's instantly likable and sticks to your brain like velcro, making us wish we'd heard about them a bit sooner and had the chance to check out the rest of the album, something we'll be doing pronto. We suggest you do the same.



Peter and Kerry's website

Buy the single





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Atom And The Volumes - To The Beat

Single review by KevW

Toronto band Atom And The Volumes are billing themselves as psychedelic but on the basis of new single 'To The Beat' is hard to see how. Taken from their self-titled debut EP, this track does have a certain groove but would be more comfortable being tagged as indie-rock than much else. This shouldn't be considered a downgrading though, and 'To The Beat' is by no means a bad song. In fact it's pretty decent despite not fitting the space it claims. It could well be that Atom And The Volumes' other work does push the parameters of guitar music to mind-bending new areas, but it doesn't here.

Still, take it for what it is and you'll find an enjoyable tune with a rather excellent and decidedly homemade video that flits between live footage and the adventures of Batman and Wonder Woman along with some break-dancing baddies and other assorted plastic figures. The film might have your brain struggling to figure out just what it's being subjected to but the the music is unlikely to follow suit. We're not setting sail for cosmic destinations on that front, we do however, find a competent and promising alternative rock band that may well venture deeper into obscure sonic territories on future releases.



Atom And The Volumes' website

Stream or buy the EP





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Kingfishers Catch Fire - Ballerina EP

EP review by KevW

As bloody stupid band names go, well, Kingfishers Catch Fire is one. We'd like to hear the explanation behind that. They're a six-piece alt-folk group from London (yep, another one) but it's with relief that we can report they're not your stereotypical pretend folkies from the capital. No, Kingfishers Catch Fire are actually very good, have their own sound and on this debut EP they have a fistful of decent songs too. It's shaping up to be the complete package with this lot. We just so happened to mention chamber-pop in the last review we published. The 'Ballerina' EP begins with a song called 'Ballerina Overture'. I think we need say no more.

The second track is simply 'Ballerina' and ploughs a more normal alt-folk furrow and is carefully arranged with swelling strings and a neat wall of sound, it verges on folk-rock, but again, not the horrible variety you're probably imagining. In fact, oddly, it sounds a bit like The Bluetones, although we're not sure how. It's immaculately produced, any more would be overkill and they get the balance just right to bring the best out of 'Silhouette Of A Boy Ruined'. The indiepop stomp of 'Pandora' is a sweet as a tanker full of honey, before we head back to chamber-pop for a fleeting moment on 'Romance' which quickly dives into alt-folk/rock. Kingfishers Catch Fire have all the right attributes, lets just hope they can fight their way through the crowds.



Kingfishers Catch Fire's website

Stream or download the EP





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Hey Geronimo - Dreamboat Jack

Single review by KevW

We'll offer no prizes for guessing that Brisbane band Hey Geronimo don't take themselves too seriously. New single 'Dreamboat Jack' is lighthearted to say the least; it's slightly goofy but a catchy pop tune with it. Taken from their self-titled debut EP, it's a track overflowing with melody that you'll either love or want to bludgeon to death. Currently we're loving it, although I have a feeling this appreciation might not last. That doesn't seem to be the idea though. Hey Geronimo are on a mission to create big, fun, stupid indiepop hits, and 'Dreamboat Jack' is certainly one of those.

As if the song alone didn't give us enough of an idea that we're not talking 'Kid A' territory here, then have a look at the video. It's a James Bond-style action thriller chase involving a stuffed lion and zebra, some toy speedboats and cars and some "giant strawberries". Spoiler alert: it all ends well and the Zebra gets away. Enjoyment of this song and video is unlikely to last beyond a handful of plays but it's worth it just for that, we don't have to sit here pondering the attributes of chamber pop every day, y'know.



Hey Geronimo's website

Stream or buy the EP





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Ditt Inre - Inget Val

Single review by KevW

As well as being one of the world's premier exporters of indiepop, Sweden is also a force to be reckoned with when it comes to electro-pop. Particularly the blissed-out variety found on this new single by enigmatic duo Ditt Inre. They showed themselves to the world back in May with the release of debut EP 'En Värld I Brand' which garnered some acclaim, and they return with a new single in December that could be the perfect variety of dreampop to brighten up your winter, and thankfully it has nothing at all to do with Christmas.

'Inget Val' (which translates as 'No Selection') is downtempo but uplifting, like if Sigur Ros did tunes. It's glistens and sparkles in a way that brings a smile to your face and seems generally full with wonder at the world and all its magic. Like we say about much of the releases we feature, commercially it will probably sink without trace, but to those of us whose lives it has enriched for a brief period it will be remembered as a relaxing, shining, laid-back thing of beauty.



Ditt Inre's website

'Inget Val' will be available on December 11th from Cascine Records





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Elephant Stone - Heavy Moon

Single review by KevW

It was just over a year ago that we picked the superlative jangle-pop of 'Love The Sinner Hate The Sin' as OROTW due to it's early Teenage Fanclub melodies and all round amazingness. If you enjoyed that song too, then the exciting news is that the Canadian group will be releasing their debut album on February 5th, so we've not got long to see if the rest of their tunes are made of the same magic dust as that track, In fact we can hear more right now, as Elephant Stone have just made the video to their new single 'Heavy Moon' available to watch online.

To be honest it was a little bit disappointing that the "official video" was nothing more than some grainy footage, seemingly filmed on someone's phone in a dimly lit rehearsal space and sounded more dire than a demo would. Thankfully that's not the finished article, in fact it's a rehearsal of an entirely different track put there to con us. Check the Soundcloud link for the actual recording that will be released. We're fairly confident that within a few plays you'll fall for this beautifully harmonic indie in much the same way as you did with the last single. After a brief scare, our hopes for the album are high.



Elephant Stone's website





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Cub Scouts - Told You So

Single review by KevW

'Told You So' is the lead track from the EP of the same name by Brisbane collective Cub Scouts, a band who've been hovering on the fringes of the indie scene (in the UK, I can't speak for down under) for a while now without quite managing to pierce its skin and get fully absorbed by it. Maybe it will take a killer album for the UK press to fully adopt them instead of mentioning them favourably in passing. They've got some decent tunes, but just how good they could end up being we don't know. Again this is something that people with the luxury of hanging in the band's inner circle and experiencing them live will have more knowledge of.

It's looking promising if 'I Told You So' is to be used as a barometer though. We're not talking chart-crashing behemoth or anything like that, this track is delectable indie/dreampop that stands on its own two feet instead of aping others or engineering itself to sound like certain other dreampop bands that have broken the UK *cough* Empire Of The Sun *cough*. Not wishing to impose itself on our brains with any particular force or surprise, 'I Told You So' opts for a softer approach, politely making its presence known with some nice melodies and effects. So it won't be the song that breaks them, but don't let that put you off enjoying it all the same.



Cub Scouts' website

Buy the single





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Space Wolves - Space Wolves II

Album review by KevW

Putting bands like Klaxons to shame, New York lo-fi popsters Space Wolves put out their second album in as many months. Maybe they used all their creativity up on concocting another batch of shambolic DIY indie/garage tunes, but they could only come up with 'Space Wolves II' as the title. It pretty much carries on where the first album left off, but maybe with a bit of a softer, poppier side on display this time around. It's packed with melody and most of the songs sound like they were recorded in one take, which maybe they were. Once again we're looking at short, sharp blasts of song that don't outstay they welcome, in fact they barely even get in the door before buggering off without so much as taking their coat off.

Nothing cracks the three minute mark (maybe they can set that as a goal for 'Space Wolves III', should there be one) and that's why this album is engaging. You won't find your new favourite song hidden away amongst this lot, however you'll find some cracking guitar-pop made by people who care and have an understanding of how this genre works. Too much lo-fi drags on, is engineered to sound primitive or is just a plain old racket. Space Wolves know that you need decent songs, you need to record them using the equipment you have, not in some posh studio, and that you need to leave them as they sound recorded in that manner. Not add faux distortion and noise.

So 'Space Wolves II' sounds entirely natural, and that's something that will always be a bonus; this is how these songs were born, they haven't opted for cosmetic surgery and are all the better for it. People talk about authenticity in music being important, if you're one such person then you'll fully appreciate these ragged guitar-pop gems with their simplistic approach to recording and clear knack for conjuring up a decent tune or twelve. The best songs? It would be a waste of time isolating tracks, this is pure consistency. If you like one track you'll like the rest, if you don't like one then go running off back to your auto-tune.




Space Wolves' website

Stream or download the album





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Yusuf Azak - Go Native

Album review by KevW

It's always painful to have to criticise an album by an artist who undoubtedly puts a lot of effort into their work, and is also likely to read your words, along with family, friends and fans. Yet this second album from Glasgow's Yusuf Azak doesn't have a great deal going for it. Granted, it does improve with repeat listens, but simply getting through those first few plays is painful, something I personally couldn't do. 'Go Native' isn't the worst album you'll ever hear, neither is it inept or comically bad. It's just unbearably average; and to make it average it sounds as though a lot of thought and care has been put into its creation.

Yusuf's voice is reasonably interesting, it's not your default singer-songwriter setting. The songs? Well you've heard worse, but it's difficult to describe any of these tracks as being particularly good. Competent maybe, but little more. Variation doesn't appear to be a word in Azak's vocabulary; this is eleven tracks of mid-paced strumming, none of which particularly goes anywhere. Go into any bar in the country and you'll find at least one bloke who's got a dozen of these. Individually it's possible to be mildly impressed, put them together and it becomes a struggle.

At a couple of points he comes close to hitting on something; 'Lay Me Down' sounds like a good demo, it would be great to see what a band and producer could turn it into. 'Sensitive Cell' could make a nice Simon & Garfunkel B-side - if it was recorded by them. 'Smile Tactics' is kind of like Bob Mould covering Nick Drake. It's no good though, I'm simply scraping around for compliments and struggling to find any. Still, this is just one person's opinion and I'm sure (well, there's a chance at least) that someone might find this album inspiring. The overall impression can be summed up in the final line sung on painfully dull closer; "is this where it ends? 'cos now I'm losing".




Yusuf Azak's website

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Five For Free #135

Kid Wave - Shade Of The Sun

If you missed Monday's post or have the memory of a goldfish (yes I know the whole three-second thing is a myth, but you know what I mean) then you may not be aware of Kid Wave, although the Londoners have impressed so much at this early point in their career that we're certainly not the only ones featuring them. Anyway, you need to get their new EP now. It's free on Bandcamp and here's 'Shade Of The Sun'. It's ace.


Kid Wave's website

Download the EP





The Susan Constant - Locked Up

Curiously named Boston band The Susan Constant have announced details of a new EP. The EP is out in January and will be called 'Shapes', first single 'Locked Up' is being given away free. They managed to get nominated as Boston's best powerpop/indie band this year, no mean feat given the wealth of talent in the area. 'Locked Up' is the kind of jangly guitar-pop that could be lifted from the mid 90s.


The Susan Constant's website

The EP will be available from Tour De Stade Records





Oh Minnows - Trade

For some reason the amazing Oh Minnows went under many people's radar when he first released his excellent 'Oh Shadows' album. The good news is that it's been given the reissue treatment from Young & Lost Cub and this will hopefully mean his amazing, dreamy indie reaches more ears. The current single is 'Trade' which you can download below, then go and buy the album.



Oh Minnows' website

Buy the album





The Deadline Shakes - Don't You Be Too Cool

Glasgow guitar-pop maestros The Deadline Shakes had us mightily impressed with their debut single 'Sweeten The Deal' which took us from jangly 60s psychedelia through to 90s indie. Well now you can get your hands on another track, 'Don't You Be Too Cool' for free. It's another cracking pop tune and comes at a handy price given the amount of money we'll soon be spending on booze over Christmas.


The Deadline Shakes' website





Being There - Allen Ginsberg 

So far, unless you've invested in the album which we highly advise due to the fact that it's brilliant, you may have only heard the upbeat, jangly indie tracks by Being There. Awesome songs like 'The Radio', '17' and 'Tomorrow'. Well new single 'Allen Ginsberg', which is also from the 'Breaking Away' album shows a different, more thoughtful side to the band. Plus it's free for a limited time, so grab it now.



Being There's website

Buy the album





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Lizzy and The Yes Men - Deserts

Single review by KevW

OK this starts off sounding like The Raveonettes so it's getting a thumbs up already. But moving on from the surfy, twangy guitars of the intro and the nocturnal atmosphere they create, you find that Lizzie and The Yes Men aren't trying to rip off our favourite Danes. They head in a more pop direction, although it's a hundred miles away from the chart pop of today. You'd maybe be better using The Pretenders or Blondie for comparison purposes. 'Deserts' is one of those songs with a timeless feel and could have been written at just about any point in the last thirty-odd years. However, as we've said about many songs before; it couldn't pass for an original thanks to the (slightly) more modern production.

Lizzie's voice is rich and warm and you can bet that live those gorgeous tones would be something to behold. 'Deserts' doesn't stray far from the classic pop/rock single format but those guitars and jangling chorus bring with them an added appeal and finding fault with this track is nearly impossible. That's not to say it's the greatest song ever, or even of this year, it's simply that there's little that could be added or taken away that would improve it. It's nearly time for lists of bands to keep an eye on for 2013. I think we can safely add Lizzie and The Yes Men to that category.

Lizzie and The Yes Men's website

Pre-order the single

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Bo Keeney - Don't You Worry

Single review by KevW

We're always banging on about "this mixed with that" or "a cross between X-band and Y-band", and this is obviously because many artists take inspiration from many styles, genres and other bands. We like more than one kind of music and I'm sure you do too. Winchester-based musician Bo Keeney clearly does. He was born in LA to a mother who sang in punk bands and hung out with Van Halen and Guns N' Roses, his father was also musically minded. So at age four Bo began to learn the drums, becoming (apparently) quite accomplished. Following a move to the UK aged 11, he now makes his own sounds in his studio, a shipping container in Winchester.

New single 'Don't You Worry' is from his forthcoming debut EP of the same name. Intriguingly, he uses his love of multiple genres in a different way than most. Rather than attempting to blend them, he chops from one to another smoothly and without sounding forced in any way. Starting in an ambient manner, with soulful acoustic strumming, he soon introduces funky indie guitars. It verges on being too polished, which is a worry for his future work, but stays edgy enough. Then the song flips into a drum and bass track briefly while keeping the same melody, then there's a switch to blues guitars and a slower pace before finishing as a slightly polished indie-rock track. It might not be a song that everyone will appreciate, but it's wonderful to find someone being so individual.



Bo Keeney's website

Buy the EP





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Dressed Like Wolves - Heaven Is Just Memories, Of A Place I Used To Know

Album review by KevW

The first we knew of Thornaby (north-east England for you non UKers) band Dressed Like Wolves was from their contribution to a split EP with fellow northerners By Toutatis, and it was clear then that there was talent at work, and more than that; while the grounds of the UK are currently saturated with water because the water table is so high that it will take weeks, if not months to clear, the UK music scene is undergoing a similar fate with blokes and acoustic guitars. They wash through our streets, disrupt transport and are generally pissing everyone right off. What's more, it could take months for this flood to subside too. Except for people like Dressed Like Wolves. While the costly flood damage is being cleared, it's worth remembering that water is essential for life. And likewise, blokes with guitars can also be an incredibly useful tool for humanity.

With songs written by Rick Dobbin and aided by band mates Daniel Allen and Matthew Brown, Dressed Like Wolves have taken various battered, out of tune instruments (essentially whatever fell into their hands) and used these to bring some intricately delicate songs to life. And delicate is the operative word; where most of the world is compressing the living hell out of their music to make it louder, more powerful and generally upping the likelihood of rupturing an eardrum, 'Heaven Is Just Memories...' is an album so natural and soft that it feels like finding a tranquil desert island whilst being lost at sea in a raging storm. The sheer tenderness of these songs is what demands your attention; those who shout loudest are rarely the ones worth listening to, it's the subtle messages that often contain the most power.

This is an album of such fragility that you daren't breathe on it for fear of it collapsing like a house of cards, and you sense it was created in much the same careful and steady handed way. Isolating individual tracks almost seems futile and rather like defeating the purpose. Heartfelt needn't mean horribly cheesy and earnest, and these songs are nothing if not heartfelt, that superb voice carrying each one as carefully as if it was the most valuable and brittle object in the world. It's not an album to skip through or pick highlights from; it just doesn't work that way. Of course anyone who's after music with some clout or something to give them an aural caffeine boost will be left cold. However, anyone looking for a haunting and beautiful world to get lost in for half an hour or so will instantly fall in love.




Dressed Like Wolves' website

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Slam Dunk - Welcome To Miami

Album review by KevW

Both band name and album title suggest that we're in for more of that horrific commercial North American rock that inexplicably shifts millions of copies. It's a relief that Slam Dunk don't belong with the Nickelbacks and Orsons of this world. These guys are a much more diverse prospect and, yes, there are times when they do take a turn for the commercial but never submit to it completely. Plus, they're eclectic, throwing in different instruments and styles which has its good points and bad. On the bad side it means there are a couple of stinkers here, on the plus side, there are some cracking indie-rock tracks and should you grow weary of one particular song then there's every chance you'll like the next.

So let's look at the good: 'Dying Breed' is a triumph of powerpop with a punky edge and (possibly baritone) sax, it's pretty irresistible and sticks in the memory; the scratchy 'Da Dunda' feels born out of a jam session and harks back to the original R&B and rock 'n' roll set; the riotous rock of 'Scabies' is similar in style to The Gaslight Anthem and their ilk; 'Sass' is another where they attack the song instead of simply letting it form naturally; final track 'Fantasy' grabs you by the throat a bit more again, seemingly like the band mean every word and every note is important. It's more of this determination and passion that's needed to take Slam Dunk to the next level. Too much here is missing that level of enthusiasm, and this has a tendency to rub off on the listener.

Now let's look at the less good: 'Can't Stand It' aims for anthemic but instead slips into arena bore-rock, there's no need for that kind of guitar solo, it sounds bloated and indulgent; 'Horse Bumper 1' seems directionless, like some instruments scraping around to try and find a tune; 'Peter' is nothing but filler. There's missed opportunities too. 'Why Can't I Change' has a nice twangy, surf sound, it just needs a song to go with it; 'Runner' sounds very American (the band are actually Canadian despite the album title) and again just isn't quite strong enough on the song front, although the piano-led second half just about saves the day. 'Welcome To Miami' is a fairly good album, but if they let fly and committed themselves more fully to their music they have the ability to make a great one.




Slam Dunk's website

Pre-order the album





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Geronimo - Please Come Over "Geesten" Video

Single review by KevW

We often get sent videos for submission where the focus is as much on the visuals as on the audio, but here it's taken to the extreme. The song used is 'Please Come Over' by Chicago band Geronimo and is taken from their new album 'Examinate'. Rather than them commissioning a video for the song, filmmaker Robb Donker made the visuals himself, with the band's full consent, and they're so happy with it that they've been promoting it themselves. Known as the "Geesten" video (we don't know why, possibly an alias of Robb's?) it explores the supernatural and has been compared to David Lynch/Twin Peaks.

As a random coincidence he later found out that the song was partly inspired by Twin Peaks, so it's odd that was picked up on. "Geesten" is a pained and surreal piece that was inspired by the supernatural, something that definitely comes across well. It's dark and disturbing, possibly dealing with demonic possession, or maybe just the inner torment created by our own minds. Whatever the thinking, it's a powerful film that only acts to enhance the song, and is a terrific example or two art forms working together hand in hand, even though the seed was planted only by chance.



Geronimo's website

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Bombers - Drawing/Buddy's In A Cult

Single review by KevW

For a year or so now the music press have been going on about the B-Town scene (that's Birmingham by the way fact fans, B for Birmingham, and B because it's the UK's second biggest city) and as we all know they like to make up scenes and genres freely in the hope of making a name for themselves as opposed to the musicians they're writing about. But there are a lot of good bands in Birmingham at the moment, just as I'm sure there are when the spotlight is focused elsewhere. Still, now is a good time for B-Town bands to capitalise on the publicity, and Bombers are wasting no time letting people know about their new single.

'Drawing' isn't out until the end of January but beginning the press assault now will hopefully build up enough momentum to transfer into decent sales. 'Drawing', along with B-side 'Buddy's In A Cult' are both short, sharp punky blasts that don't make the two minute mark and don't need to. There's an determination and urgency about the way they hurl themselves into these songs that comes across as pure passion; a band that actually mean it. The sound isn't new but that doesn't matter, there's a whole new generation out there waiting to experience the power of basic punk-rock force and Bombers are delivering it with real conviction.



Bombers' website





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Sly Horse - Shotty Beach EP

EP review by KevW

And he is a sly one is Sly Horse (real name Steve Cautious, real real name Steve Abrehart). For starters, we kind of assumed he was American, possibly from California. Turns out he's from Kingsbridge (kind of south of Plymouth for you non south-westerners) and his music is equally hard to pinpoint. Personally he cites indie, hip-hop, punk and funk as influences, and although we don't find any rapping, there is a definite influence in the beats. His new EP 'Shotty Beach' is the result of crossbreeding his favourite sounds to attempt to craft something unique. Now just about everyone who isn't trying to be gangsta rap or landfill indie is doing exactly the same, which means the question is, is Sly Horse much cop?

We'll go for a yes. The production is similar at times to chillwave or electronica ('Now I'm Back In Devon' being a prime example) but the spectre of hip-hop looms large over the beats he lays down as the foundation for some tracks ('Fireworks In Prague' in particular). In terms of the songs, well you'd have to say they're written, and therefore possibly began life as reasonably regular in structure and technique, but there are good lyrics and the songs are strong and emotive. Which means that, although it may take a couple of spins to fully get to grips with 'Shotty Beach', Sly/Steve/Steve has managed to come up with something that's both good and succeeds in finding its own little niche.



Sly Horse's website

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The Creamier Tones - Frail EP

EP review by KevW

The word "creamy" would probably be quite low down on your list of potential descriptions of the music of David Disher, who has just put out his third release under his The Creamier Tones alias. 'Frail' is billed as a journey from confusion to clarity. Well he's not telling fibs. If you're familiar with The Red Krayola's 'Free Form Freak Outs' then chaotic and discordant opener 'Fractures' might ring a few bells (and your ear drums) and it's followed immediately by 'Painfully Clear' which, possibly ironically, does possess a lot more clarity (as in you could actually call it a song) but it clings on to the previous shards of noise and is a mixture of cutting and tunefulness.

Softer again is 'Feats Of Sleight', a song that drops the pace and is constructed from layers of shimmering synths and twinkles that could happily fall into the dreampop category; that is until the chorus kicks in, like the song as collided with a wall of noise; it's sudden and unexpected but it works. So will we find those creamy sounds on final track 'Crystals Form'. It's an icy title that leaves you expecting lightness and sparkling sounds. Well not really. 'Crystals Form' begins as a picked acoustic track with more and more layers added until it becomes a delicate yet lush cacophony that's done within two minutes. So Nothing smooth then, but some interesting sound collages nonetheless.


Free download: 'Painfully Clear'

David Disher's website

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The Smoking Trees - Acetates

Album review by KevW

The Smoking Trees are a duo from California, and they would like to take you on a trip. One of those 60s-type acid trips that involve drugs, hallucinations and weird and wonderful sounds. They've chosen to do this by making a 21 track album; so essentially they've made a double album, but as we live in the digital age there are no gaps to flip the record over, or pauses to put disc 2 on. Nope, on 'Acetates' they're expecting you to be in for the long haul, probably a bit much to ask for most music fans who don't have a spare afternoon to kill. In fact, if you buy the special edition CD you get a bonus disc of demos too. Time to stock up on the snacks, load up the bong and cancel and meetings you may have had planned for a while. Get comfy, this could take a while, but it might just be worth it.

The cliched but correct rule of thumb is that there are virtually no double albums that wouldn't have been improved had they been condensed down to a single offering instead. Yeah, 'The White Album' is great, but take out some of the nonsense bits and it could have been even better. Same situation here. The Smoking Trees have some truly fantastic songs, and here's our handy list of the best for anyone who finds the thought of investing in a 21 track album a bit much. The driving 'See', the awesome 60s jangle of 'Merry Go Maggie', the sitar utilising 'Changes In Perception', the pure retro sounds of 'Calling', the cosmic wavering of 'In Another Land', the even more cosmic 'Eyes Closed', the poppy 'On An Afternoon', the strummed 'Every Little Thing', the effects heavy 'Nowhere Land' and the funky and expansive 'Stay For The Night'. There's a handy ten for anyone with shorted attention spans/a busy lifestyle.

The rest will be subject to personal opinions, as indeed is the whole thing; some of it is weird, some of it perplexing and some songs seems totally pointless, yet somehow it remains cohesive. Just. The Smoking Trees can make some amazing music and their pastiches are knowing but rarely kitsch or mickey-taking. They even throw in a backwards track for people who like hidden messages in their music. 'Acetates' is a trip and it's a thoroughly enjoyable one, even though one or two stops are unnecessary, so the old adage about double albums being better if they were single albums rings true. Still, at least you get your money's worth, and if you do have a day to spare and anything that's likely to "expand your mind" then you'll find the perfect soundtrack to your experience right here. Enjoy this trip, and it is a trip.




The Smoking Trees' website

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Out This week - 26th November 2012

School Of Seven Bells - Secret Days

It's not taking US duo School Of Seven Bells much time to churn out plenty of decent music, and new EP 'Put Your Sad Down' came as a bit of a surprise being so soon after their previous release. Still, can't complain, their sound may be changing slightly and possibly heading in a more commercial direction, but songs like free taster 'Secret Days' prove they're still worth investing in.



School Of Seven Bells' website

Stream the EP in full

Buy the EP





Nothing - Downward Years To Come

If you preferred School Of Seven Bells when they were a bit more shoegazey then you should find plenty of love for Nothing. With a few free tunes available on their Bandcamp page you can investigate more there, or go and buy new EP 'Downward Years To Come', the fuzz-heavy title-track from which you'll find for nothing below.


Nothing's website

Buy the EP





Waylayers - Love Locked

Having spend a good amount of time touring and recording, London trio Waylayers release a new single, 'Magnets' this week. You'll find it to stream on the usual places, although we're enjoying the B-side just as much. 'Love Locked' is an equally impressive piece of electro-pop that deserves equal billing, and the great news is that you can download this track for free.



Waylayers' website

Buy the single





The Faint - Evil Voices

Omaha experimentalists The Faint are part way through a mammoth US tour and although they've been around for yonks they're still producing some gritty and experimental electro-punk like free single Evil Voices which is all sharp vocals and pummeling beats that sound as fresh as they've ever done. Sounds like they've still got plenty of ideas and a burning creative urge.



The Faint's website





OBLIGATORY RECORD OF THE WEEK

Kid Wave - All I Want

A very late entry for OROTW this week. We first heard this single from brand new London band Kid Wave yesterday and it instantly caught our attention thanks to the warm indie-rock stylings and the terrific vocals which could be the marker that sets them apart from the pack. We don't have a great deal of information, in fact 'All I Want' may well be their debut single. We'll bring you more when we have it, but until then, name your price, download and enjoy; all three tracks on this single area ace. The first taste of a band full of potential.


Kid Wave's website

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Band To Check Out: The Acid Portal

Article by KevW

London band The Acid Portal think we might like them. They mention Cocteau Twins, Kate Bush and Pixies as influences, so it's looking good so far. They show a lack of pretension; even better. Yeah, we like The Acid Portal. Better listen to some of their music and see what that's like then, eh? They have a single out on December 12th which is called 'Black Candles' and combines the atmospherics you may expect with some chugging guitars, so far so Pixies meets Cocteau Twins, with vocals that sound a bit like they were recorded at the far end of an aircraft hanger and are strangely choral.

The only other recording available to our ears at the moment is called 'Sleepwalker' and comes across as being a slightly more conventional number, and therefore it may be a more immediate hit with people of a less experimental taste. 'Sleepwalker' has more of a demo feel than the single, probably because it is, but it also has the potential to become an even better track once they've given in a slap round the face and woken it up a bit. So just the two songs so far, both of which point towards a band that it's worth making a note of and watching this space. Yep, even with the music, we like The Acid Portal.




The Acid Portal's website

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National Snack - Love You Hate You

Single review by KevW

You'll have your own opinion on what our national snack is depending on where you're from. But it's probably curry. Does that count as a snack? Anyway, this National Snack are less universal than any commonly consumed foodstuff, in fact the London mob seem to be more a musical version of Ready Steady Cook, taking whatever ingredients they have to hand and attempting to make a decent meal out of it, rather than a dogs dinner. If we were in the audience they'd probably get our vote too, for their blend of sounds which they lovingly describe as "heavy shouty bassy pop", which is near enough to be considered accurate.

Simplifying things a little, we're looking at and indiepop band, but not one with a twee disposition. 'Love You Hate You' is being released on their own small label and contains all the general ingredients you'd associate with the genre, and a few added extras as well which help give them a little more identity. The guitar can't decide if it's punk or powerpop, so it settles for the middle-ground and that suits it perfectly. The lyrics are sharp and a bit shouty and drums are given a rigorous testing. This is proper DIY pop done to a high standard. We can't wait to sample what they serve up next.



National Snack's website

'Love You Hate You' is out on December 17th





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Reuben Hollebon - Breaking Plastic

Single review by KevW

Come the nuclear holocaust (sorry to keep banging on about it, but it is just a few weeks away, right?) the only things that will survive are cockroaches (yes I know that's a myth) and singer-songwriters. Singer-songwriters will survive through sheer strength in numbers. There are just so many of them that any explosion will singe and destroy those on the outer fringes, but the core will be sealed by the mass of other bodies like a mammoth lead casket. Yes, the singer-songwriter shall take over the world, and we'd better hope a few more of them are like Nick Drake or Neil Young than Jack Flipping Johnson. Well, at least Reuben Hollebon seems to be on the right side.

His debut EP 'Clutch' is out on December 10th and the lead track is 'Breaking Plastic', a song which shows no hippy tendencies and even has the balls to experiment slightly when it comes to vocal styles. So this isn't your drab gap-year student fodder that will hopefully be the first to go, this is a promising new talent who will hopefully survive armageddon and lead us pied-piper like into a happy future where the Newton Faulkners of this world no longer prosper and more interesting sounds fill the airwaves. I'm living in cloud cuckoo land maybe, yet we can but hope.



Reuben Hollebon's website

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Ulterior - The Locus Of Control

Single review by KevW

If you have a psychological condition that means you think you can control events that affect you then there's a strong possibility that you have what is known as 'The Locus Of Control'. Any song that explores psychological anomalies and phenomenon should have lyrics that talk of "howling at the moon" and other disturbing attributes, and it's generally accepted that the accompanying music shouldn't be happy-clappy cheesy pop to be covered by Glee. Something that's very unlikely to befall this new single from Ulterior. This gang of psychonauts from London are more than happy to oblige on that front.

"Nothing behind the eyes" they cry in despair as the musical equivalent of nuclear clouds gather in the skies, threatening to consume all of humanity. This is industrial, intense and unlikely to make the Magic FM playlist. It's under a month until the end of the world now* so we should expect, along with the hurricanes and flooding that are affecting both sides of the Atlantic, plenty of dark, desperate, doom-mongering music to sountrack the demise of humanity. And it just so happens that this gang of psychonauts from london are more than happy to oblige on that front too.

*of course it's not you daft bugger



Ulterior's website

Info on purchasing Ulterior's music





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Juveniles - Through The Night

Single review by KevW

It's been a decent year or two of steady build-up for French band Juveniles, with a couple of releases on the super cool Kitsune label to their name and a couple of gigs in London under their belts to begin to impregnate themselves on the minds of the British (well south-east English anyway) public. Capitalizing on the publicity these recent live shows have hopefully gained them, they're releasing a new EP this week, with the lead track being the kind of slightly retro electro-pop that we've come to associate with acts linked to the Kitsune family, although this release it being taken care of by AZ/Universal, so maybe a little extra clout is behind them now?

Well in 'Through The Night' they have a song that's maybe not quite 'pop' enough to set the charts on fire, but it is a good listen with what you'd expect to be a reasonably wide appeal, heading towards the more 'band' based end of the synth-pop spectrum. Things are reasonably routine but it does come equipped with a decent chorus that should let the memory linger a little longer than some. So a pleasant enough offering, but as to whether or not they're headed for future stardom? More music will need to be made and for now the jury's still out.



Juveniles' website

Buy the EP





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The Divers - A Little Better

Single review by KevW

If there was a Nobel prize for music, one would assume that, like the prizes for physics, chemistry etc., the winning recipient would have to show either an exceptional quality in their field, above that of anyone else in the world, or make a discovery that could change the face of humankind. It's unlikely that London-based band The Divers would be in consideration on either count, making, as they do, some very good indie-rock, but it's the kind that will happily impress followers of this particular genre, yet will be unlikely to see them filling stadiums around the world, and it certainly breaks no new ground.

But criticising debut single 'A Little Better' for not being the greatest song made this year is a bit like slagging off Iniesta for not quite being as good as Messi. This is an enjoyable, if fairly standard song, that shows definite promise even if it doesn't quite fulfill it just yet. The band sound tight and they sound confident, and with those attributes, especially if they're allowed to grow naturally, can come great things. From a single seed an oak tree can grow, so although this is the mere foundations, there's the sense here that The Divers could be back and sounding even better before long.



The Divers' website

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HVOB - Dogs

Single review by KevW

Well you're probably wondering, so I'll put you out of your misery. Most bands that have long names reduce them down to initials (not acronyms! An acronym is where the letters spell another word, so HVOB is NOT an acronym), these guys have chosen the opposite approach. Their full name being Her Voice Over Boys. We don't have a great deal of information, and can only speculate on the name, but HVOB are a production/musician duo who formed earlier this year, possibly based on continental Europe. The 'Dogs' EP is their debut release, and as these things often do, it comes with a brace of remixes, and also another track, 'Let's Keep This Quiet' on the B-side.

As songs go, 'Dogs' straddles genres, hinting at the influence of house, trip-hop, electro-pop, indie and soul. It's also fairly simple in structure, but simplicity is often the hardest thing to perfect and can sound lazy in the wrong hands. Here it sounds, well, not quite inspired, but certainly as though they know where they're headed with it. Built around a basic beat and synth/keys lines it's repetitive in a good way. Where some songs can become tedious using this trick, HVOB use this repetition to get under your skin. The vocals, when they appear, are soft and soothing, only adding to the easy-going nature of the song. It's not coffee-table house for people who don't really like house though, they have substance too and should be worth keeping an eye on.



HVOB's website

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Milk & Biscuits - White Noise

Single review by KevW

Did you know that you need a license to sell seaweed in the UK? Seems odd. In Ireland, especially on the coast, you can buy it in lots of places, presumably without needing the correct paperwork. I was reminded of this fact by watching the fantasy-land video for this new single by Milk & Biscuits, a band who began a couple of years back as an offshoot of Restlesslist. The video for 'White Noise begins on seaweed covered rocks and the discovery of an antiquated camera which has the power to illuminate anything it focuses on, including unusual seaside findings such as a ship in a bottle that's apparently washed up in a rock pool, and a man fishing on rocks that are far too distant from the ocean for him to have any reasonable chance of reaching water with a cast.

The song itself is in two parts, the first is folky dreampop that's really quite enchanting, but as our heroine moves inshore to explore windmills and strange women blowing bubbles (from one of those bubble blowing bottles you get, not just out of her nose or anything ridiculous) we appear to reach the end. But then, following the meeting with a dashing young man with a horse, a graveyard, a chess board and a strange man in a suit reading from a book, the whole tempo changes and we're in indiepop land. There must be rhyme or reason to be found somewhere in this video, but either way it's great to watch and the song's terrific, although I'm not entirely sure it wasn't all just one big dream.


Milk & Biscuits - White Noise from Laurence Dean on Vimeo.

Milk & Biscuits' website

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