This month saw Swedish dreampop duo The Deer Tracks complete their trilogy of albums with the release of 'The Archer Trilogy Pt. 3', and the good news for fans isn't just the opportunity to get your hands on more of their splendidly experimental pop tunes, but you'll be able to catch them live as they're hitting the road too. Before the album and current single 'Lazarus', the band also put out album track 'W' as a single last year and the contrast between the two songs serves to show how eclectic and versatile they are, so we've included streams to both below.
Whereas 'W' was possibly more abstract, a strange form of pop music that defied easy categorisation, current single 'Lazarus' is a different sound altogether. The vocals are what really makes this track so great, as they move from dreamy coos and sighs to actual verses, both sound sublime. Musically you can hear the electronic shoegaze buzz of bands such as The Radio Dept. being pressed against a pop backing that could be taken from a Niki & The Dove remix. It all results in a truly wonderful alternative pop track that leaves you wondering just why the hell these guys aren't more celebrated?
2/28/13 – Toronto, ON – Silver Dollar Room
3/01/13 – Montreal, QC – Divian Orange
3/02/13 – New York, NY – Piano’s
3/03/13 – Somerville, MA – Johnny D’s
3/04/13 – Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands
3/06/13 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
3/07/13 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
3/08/13 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
3/09/13 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade – Purgatory
SXSW – Austin, TX
3/17/13 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory
3/18/13 – Wichita, KS – Rock Island Live
3/19/13 – Denver, CO – Lion’s Lair
3/21/13 – San Diego, CA – Quality Social
3/23/13 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside
*ALL DATES WITH MAGIC WANDS*
For more news, reviews and downloads follow The Sound Of Confusion on Facebook or Twitter
When most people think of post-rock they think of elongated instrumentals that consist of long periods where nothing much happens except maybe a couple of drawn-out and heavily effected notes on a guitar, then maybe after five minutes or so everything might erupt into a cacophony of crashing cymbals and soaring guitars which end with a grand and spectacular finale. Words like "glacial", "towering" and "sonic cathedral" are the default settings for reviews of such material. Generally most music fans would rather they just cut to the chase, or better still, play a proper bloody tune. If you're a doubter of post-rock as a decent, credible and interesting genre then Italians Elara are here to persuade you otherwise.
OK so a title like 'Soundtrack For A Quiet Place' and an EP that begins with a song called 'Me and You Under the Aurora Borealis' might appear to be asking for trouble, but stick with it. It is a long instrumental piece but the grandeur is definitely there and while there are quiet moments they help create a forceful atmosphere. In essence they've stripped away some of the boring parts and left the impressive "towering" and "glacial" parts in. 'We Are Infinite' cuts this down even further, mixing in classical sounds and resulting in an epic worthy of any film score, the same could be said about final track 'Seljalandsfoss' which is darker in nature but no less majestic. We can't make promises, but if you're not a post-rock fan, it could be worth checking out Elara, you might be surprised.
The whole anti-folk scene that grew up a few years ago was all a bit puzzling. As to what exactly constitutes anti-folk we don't really know, and no one else seems to either. The bands given that label often shared little in common, and many of them were really quite folky anyway. So as genres went, this one was rubbish, if it even existed. If it's OK with whoever decides these things, we'd like to call this new single from Sheffield brothers Low Duo anti-folk, at least for the first track, the second is probably just some form of acoustic music that someone somewhere has probably invented another silly sub-genre for.
The reason why 'Born Into A Spider' could be called anti-folk is that it takes what could be a regular acoustic song and deliberately steers it away from folk while using the exact same instruments. It's just a guitar and a voice, that most basic of pairings, yet the vocals are crisply distorted and the guitar is noisy and ragged. Lyrically it's somewhat warped and surreal, but that's hardly a revelation. Still, the main thing worth noting is that it's a very good tune (excuse our hipster language there). 'Winter' is a simple but likable song that's much more delicate and unhurried; it's certainly very sweet. We've come to the conclusion that Low Duo are anti-bad.
Read the following sentence: "electronic, industrial dance rock band". Now you know exactly what this single from Canadians Latenite Automatic sounds like. Despite being from Vancouver the song has actually got an Eastern European feel, maybe because that part of the world became so synonymous with industrial music. It's sometimes said that music takes on some of the characteristics of the environment it was created, hence some bands' choices of unusual recording spaces (churches, haunted houses and so on), although here we'll assume this is coincidence and nothing more than a reflection of the band's personal tastes.
The title of the new album from these guys is 'You Are Electric?', something which recalls a certain Gary Numan song and it would be fair to say that his influence may have crept into the music here. Certainly his harder, later work. 'Ghost Love' is essentially a rock song wrapped in dance clothing; there are stern guitars and a hard rock beat. The structure is also along more traditional lines, but the addition of clanging, metallic sounds and the buzz of a synthesizer push the track into a different space. It's still heavy and crisp, but with a retro-futuristic vibe to go with it.
I suppose when it comes to being an up and coming new artist, having your lyrics praised by Sir Paul McCartney is about as high a compliment as you can reasonable expect. Well that's exactly what happened to the Norwegian songwriter behind Anna Lena & The Orchids when she was lucky enough to receive a tutorial from the man himself a while back. Anna is set to release her debut EP in March and it sounds like the former Beatle isn't the only fan. Do a little searching around and you'll find plenty of gushing quotes, and to be honest we're inclined to agree with them.
The lead track to the EP is 'View Of My Sanity' which is a splendid alt-pop song and one that is instantly recognisable as being of a different calibre to most bright young things. Anna's voice exudes a warmth and a richness that could lend itself to spine-tingling moments if used the right way. It is used the right way on this track, but the mysterious and quite potent nature of the lyrical theme here lend themselves to a different emotion. There is a sadness and there is the sense of being lost, but it's hearing those words sung in that voice with such perfect, otherworldly production that marks Anna Lena & The Orchids out as quite possibly belonging to a different league.
This trio have been together for less than a year and are already offering up this mini-album of ragged, rickety garage/blues tunes, so no time has been wasted and as you'd expect this means that any imperfections have been left just as they are. This is a technique that works wonders for some bands and makes others sound totally inept. For Leicester's The Pale Faces? It sounds exactly as they were meant to be. We're talking DIY pop music that's bristling with personality and lo-fi aesthetics. Whether they're to remain as ramshackle and brittle as this on future releases or are planning to evolve into something more commercial time will tell.
The very first sound you hear is distortion, they make no attempt to hide behind anything; noise-pop is where they're at and where they want to be. 'Ocean Wide' is a sludgy take on blues as reimagined by a proto-grunge group. It's like playing a Cramps 45 at 33rpm instead. Dark and prowling. As is common with bands of this ilk, a love of 60s pop, in particular the wall of sound and girl groups, is clearly apparent on 'No More Kisses'. You can stick this one in a box with some early Dum Dum Girls demos and it wouldn't be out of place. The slightly discordant organ pierces your ears but is actually beneficial to the song. The same organ continues on to the muffled 'Any Day Now' which sounds like it has a pack of zombies on vocals.
It's always tempting to imagine these songs given the full production treatment and see if it improves them or strips the character away. There's the odd surprise. 'The First To Go' contains electronics in some form or other (it's difficult to tell amongst the din) and sounds not unlike another song, but which one we can't quite pinpoint. 'This Cannot Be The End' barely contains a tune, just a rumbling bass and some distant cries, and 'Torture' is similar but a faint vocal melody lifts it a touch along with what's not far off medieval chanting. That organ pierces your eardrums again on 'Here Comes My Man', a song that sounds like a doo-wop tune caked in a layer of mud. Then finally 'The Fate Of Isabel' is yet more of the same beautiful sludge and unusual, distant vocals. Mother's Day is on the way. This would be the ideal gift for the in-laws that you can't stand.
In another example of how one link in the chain of the music world leads to another, we followed on our recent Ummagma single review by passing our excited ears over the work of San Franciscan musician (she also apparently a designer and filmmaker) Jane Woodman who will be releasing an album next month and from the snippets we've heard her dark blend of indie and alt-pop could be one to make a note of. It certainly doesn't sound like the work of an amateur, she knows what she's doing and achieves some quite brilliant atmospherics which also take in shoegaze and dreampop. Her most recent release though, is a single (and another link in the musical chain) collaborating with Zoe Keating.
The who actually met and first joined musical forces in the 90s before concentrating on separate projects, but these two songs see the partnership reignited. This is stirring stuff indeed. 'Sister Europe' is menacing and moody with its heavy beat and sharp, distorted guitars. It's almost gothic but that word doesn't really do it justice. It's a potent mixture of alt-rock, shoegaze and post-punk with a steady, prowling pace and ominous vibe. There's a similar feeling to 'Tango' which also uses beautifully twanging guitars but lets the spaces between the music be as important as the music itself, almost creating an air of suspense. Two expert examples of alternative guitar-pop for those who prefer a touch of mystery in their lives.
Yet more news from the busy world of Ukrainian/Canadian duo Ummagma who only recently sent us three new videos to the songs 'Human Factor', 'Rotation' and 'Kiev', all of which featured on their excellent twin album release from last summer. With so many songs there's still much more work to do and they've now passed on another video, this time for the track 'Talk To Her', a ghostly and chilled piece of ambient, instrumental dreampop. It sounds like summer so will hopefully go some way to warming at least your soul if not your body in these chilly last few weeks of winter. Like all their music, the two albums are name-your-price downloads via Bandcamp.
Much like the song, the video is a mesmerising and abstract blend of colours that swirl around forming different shapes and patterns. With so many bands aiming for some kind of novelty factor in music promos with the hope of going viral, this actual match of sound and vision is a welcome change. They've also introduced us to a talent we were yet to discover: San Francisco musician Jane Woodman who has lent her remixing skills to another track from last summer's release bonanza, 'Lama'. Again the sound here is woozy and slightly catatonic, but in a good way, recreating that warm feeling as you gently drift off to sleep. Her own material sounds good too, so we'll do some investigating and report back very soon.
The opening track lets us know straight away that the press, the reviews aren't a parade, and this is worthy stuff from a newish artist. Indeed the very title is reminiscent of a Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album in its authentic, well chosen mix of words: 'The Bursting Sheaf'. The opening track; it sounds vaguely surf to begin with, but who's to say it's a surf sound just because it has clickety and raw, echoed guitar licks? In fact it might be better described as "underwater ninja" music (not an existing sub-genre yet), but he chose the more reconcilable: 'Saltwater Crocodile'. Then we have with ;Walking the Shoulder; a tune which, like many of his compositions, rings of a classic feel; something Vetiver might well wish they had composed. It is an eminently simple but faintly beautiful tune of indie-folk with a touch of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on the harmonies, yet with the accomplished, contemporary production sound of, say, Ben Folds. It sounds just as warm and as truly perfect as some of the best on his first album, 'Seven Stars'. By the time you hear 'Set Stone' you suspect he’s a multi-instrumentalist and you are awarded with lyrics of the likes of "you may think that you need to restore me, but you won’t; I’m set in stone" almost bringing to mind some of Prince Billy’s honest, little classics on 'Sings Greatest Palace Music' but less sombre and more positive, though similarly honest.
Regarding Neil Young, there’s not a shared identity but there is a similarity. 'Two Hunters' almost has the same arresting, arousing effect of the opener to 'Harvest', something about the metre of it, and it's nearly as well conceived. That's impressive as 'Harvest' is a seminal album. Is this a seminal album? Well, 'Seven Stars' perhaps was, but that the question is even worthy of raising with 'The Bursting Sheaf' is actually very, very impressive. Not to over do the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy comparison, but John Amadon could very easily find himself in that territory of highly regarded, well exposed alternative folk; the kind of music that is revered, gets millions of listens and yet there is never a hit single. John Amadon could also be very at home playing with Vetiver or Band Of Horses in a sunny, American folk venue but he's quite studio orientated and doesn't have a band as yet, although there are some vague plans.
At the moment he's a studio professional, and Scott McPherson, who has worked with Elliott Smith and Neil Finn, appears on this album, as well as a list of other extremely competent guests. 'Oaths' is benefited by this, and remains an accomplished highlight. What might really make this your favourite release for some time is that it feels like an album, it really does. His plan was to go into the studio shortly after the very well received 'Seven Stars' with its gems like 'Empty Fiction' and not have a plan other than to write "no love songs". What has come out is such luscious stuff, I guess because it has the folk-rock character of composition, where experiments and allusions are embellished, made into something whole and even given a fine precedence. Basically every track has a suspenseful, and therefore exciting composition; many have delicately played, intriguing outros as well, which are a sure sign of comfortableness with a track, and dedication. There is a guiding energy to all these tracks, like a soul who simply wishes to create, and nothing else besides. That's rare. This artist will find some very happy listeners indeed, that is for certain, and he'll be regularly played in people's private rooms, and on head sets around the globe for some time to come. To be honest, this is the kind of real music a fair amount of the people who fell in love with Fleet Foxes and co. will have been eagerly waiting for.
Two young British talents that have been in the spotlight lately are chart-topper Jake Bugg with his authentic take on "proper" guitar music, and another is slick new pop talent and Brit award winner Tom Odell. Both are heading out on tour soon and both will be supported on some dates by a new female singer-songwriter from London. We can't tell you about her live performances yet, but if recorded output is to be the barometer upon which we judge talent then these two celebrated musicians are about to be upstaged by 18-year-old Misty Miller, a girl whose music is far more impressive than the acts she'll be warming up for. The proof of the pudding is in the tunes, and new EP 'Girlfriend' which, by the way, was mostly written when she was aged just fifteen, is made up of incredibly well written garage rock and roll tunes.
The title-track puts most of the UK's current garage throwbacks to shame, the frantic 'You Know What I Mean' is top drawer material and the same goes for 'Lonesome Cowboy'. If this is just the start then imagine how good she could be in a few year's time. Even the mellower tracks like 'Devil' and 'Little Drummer' pack quite a vocal punch and the guitar sound is just great, the same style that's been handed down through generations from Chuck Berry to The 13th Floor Elevators to The Cramps to The Raveonettes. I guess you could think of her as a British Lissy Trullie but potentially better. Either way, if you're off to catch Bugg or Odell then get their early. The main act will be on first.
As you know we feature a heck of a lot of Scandi-pop on The Sound Of Confusion, in terms of volume Sweden just about edges it. Often this is separated into two different kinds: indie (Shout Out Louds, Sad Day For Puppets, Sambassadeur) and pop (Niki & The Dove, The Sound Of Arrows, Soul Of Gaia). Stockholm band Nervous Nellie have brought these two worlds together, cleverly covering both bases at once. They're not a new band, just new to us, and as such this track is acting as our introduction to the quartet made up of two sets of brothers.
The band were born out of a sense of not having a place to belong, in part down to moving extensively as children. You could say they've now found their place and that place is the band. This lead single from the EP of the same name takes big pop hooks and plays around with them, adding intermittent beats and synths along with a more regular band format. The result combines pop sensibilities with indie credibility and willingness to experiment. You could say they're the next step in the natural progression of Sweden's music scene, but that just sounds pretentious. So let's just say they're a great band instead.
The whole of the music world is about to descent on Austin for the annual SXSW meat and tunes festival, but locals The Boxing Lesson won't have to travel far and will be showcasing tracks from their forthcoming new album 'Big Hits' at the event. If you want to check them out beforehand then they've made the punky indie of 'Eastside Possibilities' available for free.
Download 'Eastside Possibilities' for free by heading here
3/1 Mohawk Austin
3/8 South by-Interactive Kick off party at Swan Dive
3/9 Lola's Ft. Worth w/ Little Barrie
3/16 OFFICIAL SXSW SHOWCASE @ Holy Mountain 10p
4/9 BIG HITS ALBUM SELF-RELEASE
Lovelier Other - Leave This Behind
This contemplative and introspective track was the debut single for Lovelier Other, a band who are keeping tight lipped about just about everything. We know not where they're from or who they are, but in 'Leave This Behind' they have a quite gorgeous and thoughtful track and that's really all that counts. If you want more then a second single, 'Hidden Shelters', is also available.
Download 'Leave This Behind' for free by heading here
It was always going to be odd when the worlds of disco and funk collided with the worlds of sci-fi and psychedelia, and to be honest we didn't think it would be brought to us by a Hungarian band. But here it is, the new single from Zagar, it's called 'Space Medusa' and we won't bore you with details because you're either going to love it or hate it, so here it is.
You could say that Black Black Hills are another example of British bands being influenced by the past decade's dominance of US alt-rock over the critical eyes of the music press. So yes you can mention The National, Arcade Fire and many many more, but this doesn't take away from the fact that the Brighton group have a great tune in 'Far From My Arms'.
The End Of America are based in New York and they deal in more conventional Americana, the stuff made with a bit of a groove, some decent harmonies and acoustic instruments. Their album 'Shakey' is available now and they're giving away a free download of the track 'Grew Up Here' before they head off on the road and, naturally, to SXSW.
Feb 27 - Brooklyn, NY - Rock Shop - Shakey CD Release Show
Feb 28 - Boston, MA - Bell in Hand - Shakey CD Release Show
Mar 1 - Hamden, CT - Outer Space - Shakey CD Release Show
Mar 2 - Philadelphia, PA - Ortliebs - Shakey CD Release Show
Mar 3 - Pittsburgh, PA - Smiling Moose
Mar 4 - Cleveland, OH - 21 Lounge
Mar 5 - Columbus, OH - Kobo
Mar 6 - Crown Point, IN - House Show (RSVP for details)
Mar 7 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
Mar 8 - Asheville, NC - Emerald Lounge
Mar 9 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Stopover Festival
Mar 10 - Memphis, TN - Poplar Lounge
Mar 11 - Houston, TX - Mongos
Mar 13 - Austin, TX - SXSW
For more news, reviews and downloads follow The Sound Of Confusion on Facebook or Twitter
As you know (or if you don't check our search box!) we've been following the build up to the release of the new album by San Francisco's Finish Ticket since late last year, looking at them as a potential indie/mainstream crossover act who could well be a name you'll hear a lot more in the coming year or two. Well the album arrives today and we're lucky enough to have been offered a stream of the whole thing. So without further ado, here's 'Tears You Apart' in all its glory.
We admit to being a little unsure when we heard Fyfe's single 'Solace' last month, but it won us over in the end. The main point of criticism being that the song appeared to be as much of a vocal showcase as a song to actually enjoy, but as it went on more layers were added and more interest along with them. Once that sheen was taken away, or at least diluted a bit, the song became much better. New single 'St Tropez' is instantly recognisable as being the same artist, but a few things are different this time and it makes for a much more rewarding listen.
Firstly the song is superior, it doesn't follow a set pattern or a conventional format. Plus, if you're going to aim for polished then you have to get it right or you'll just be destined for a spot on Jools Holland and a few middle-class coffee tables. Fyfe will do better than that. 'St Tropez' is again a mix of pop, electronica and trip-hop but is neatly layered with choppy beats, backing vocals, synths and some inspired brass that gives the song that extra kick. The best part is that there is no rule book here, everything seems pieced together in the way it sounded best, not in the way it's expected to be. We're looking at a talent on the rise.
Going on the information we've been given we can only guess at how Gemstone Heist got together. Knowing it's project of two singer-songwriters - Ashley and Gail - might not seem unusual, but when you consider that one of these girls grew up in Liverpool and one in Kentucky then it gets a bit more interesting. We should be glad that this trans-Atlantic coming together of musical minds occurred though, because although their new single 'Sex Tape' is nothing more than acoustic guitar and singing, it makes a very welcome break from over-earnest blokes peddling the same tedious old crap.
It tells a harsh tale of drugs, violence and poverty to the simplest of tunes, and this only amplifies the message. It's worth heading to their Bandcamp page just to read the lyrics. It's not your traditional songwriter fare. It's partly the subject matter that makes this song so captivating, but equally the almost lazy, half spoken vocals and the sheer skeletal nature of the song. Gemstone Heist sound authentic, and that's something that's missing in so much acoustic music right now, so let's hope someone picks them up and gets their records some publicity. This is more deserving of any Brit award than Ben fucking Howard.
We're now well and truly used to bands and producers using 8 bit computer technology to create dated-sounding electro-pop and to be honest that whole scene got twee and boring a while ago. So what's 7Bit Hero all about then? Is this going to be even more basic glitches and pings than 8 bit? Well there are some sound effects in 'Come On. Stand Out' that are defiantly retro and belong to a computer game circa 1988, but other than that this is the most overly joyous and ridiculously fun pop song we've heard in an age. In fact it's so cheery that some people won't even be able to face it; it's WAY over the top.
If you do want the rush of ten gallons of Red Bull all at once then 7Bit Hero should do the trick with this happy-clappy single from new album 'We Eat Loot'. The video is suitably ridiculous in its overly fun nature and to be honest it looks more like an ad for a smartphone than a music video, but that doesn't take away from the party. It's surely one to polarise opinion but we're on the side of it being a good tune, like a sugar-coated, kids version of The Flaming Lips. That said, after about 4 listens in a row you begin to get that horrible post-sugar comedown effect. Use sparingly.
Gravelly voice, dark music, sinister lyrics, general wouldn't-trust-him-to-do-the-babysitting vibe... let's just do the Tom Waits and Nick Cave comparisons now to save with them later. He's even got his own Bad Seeds to back him. THE HEALTHY BOY & The Badass Motherfuckers is Benjamin Nerot, a French singer-songwriter accompanied here by his band, although he releases other material under a different guise. We've mentioned he's not alone in style but he does have a little extra mystery, possibly down to his accent and possibly down to him not being such a well known artist. The band name doesn't exactly lend itself to radio play, and to be honest neither does the music, not on mainstream stations anyway.
It's a Tindersticks like misery-ballad that begins 'Carne Farce Camisole'. 'Our Story's Grave' is mumbled lyrics, almost as downbeat as the human voice can get, yet the mood is lightened by a flute. An odd juxtaposition but one that works. It's really an introduction as much as a song, and things get going properly on 'Boneman' which takes blues and skiffle and sticks them together is an unorthodox manner with those vocals now sounding pure creepy. It's a standout, that's for sure and if you were to try and find something suitable for release as a single then this could be your best shot. There's acoustic blues on 'Not Gonna Lose You' which is part Howlin' Wolf and part Spacemen 3.
It's difficult not to picture overflowing ashtrays and empty bottles of whisky when listening to this album, but at points the mood does alter, even if the voice remains the same. 'Triumphs & Victories' for example, is a brilliant piece of atmospheric alt-rock, then follows the desolate 'I'll Never Take You Along In My Fall'; it's pretty bleak. 'Portrait' doesn't exactly brighten up the atmosphere either but there is another slab of uptempo rumbling in the form of 'Grapes' which is haunted psychobilly and sounds a bit possessed, before the thunderclaps and downpours of 'Hey Man!' bring the curtain down. Plenty of people out there celebrate the dark works of genius by artists like, well you know who. So unless you know them already, add these Badass Motherfuckers to your list.
Formed in North London in 2010, Smug Howlers set about making a name for themselves with their live performances on the local circuit. Knitted together by a talented group of local lads, a shared love of easy indie led to new music and two EPs; 'Pink Champagne Lady' and 'Swiftblow', which are currently available to buy on iTunes or to stream on Reverbnation, a mix of indie songs with big choruses and an easy listening edge.
Instantly accessible and definitely catchy, the two EPs are a good reflection of a new band on the up. The good news is, after some time away working on different projects, Smug Howlers are currently working on new material for a release later in the year. In the meantime, if you like your indie with a rocky edge, follow Smug Howlers on Twitter to make sure you don’t miss it!
How good's your memory? Today mine was given a test. In five and a half years of The Sound Of Confusion being in existence we've featured hundreds of bands and thousands of songs. Upon hearing this new single by London-based quintet SULK a rare smile lit up my usually miserable face. Back in 2008 on our radio show we were getting excited about this promising new band called The Ruling Class. They seemed to have some ace tracks. A year or so later they were awarded Obligatory Record Of The Week for the baggy-style single 'Marian Shrine'. This was their second OROTW. The first? Well that was in the summer of 2008 and was a little tune called 'Flowers'.
Me and our Scottish correspondent (for I think it was he who discovered them) were both excited about the prospects for the band, but then it all went silent. A couple of years passed with little activity and we heard about a name change. The Ruling Class were no more, SULK were born. Finally it's been announced that their long overdue debut album will be released on April 15th preceded by a single on April 1st. That single? It's only bloody 'Flowers'! They've given it a facelift and a general makeover so that it now sounds like a more vital piece of early 90s indie/dance than it did in the first place. It's mighty fine to hear this song again, let's hope it gets more coverage this time around.
London's Snapped Ankles release this, their debut single on March 25th (although 10" copies are available direct from the label now) and 'True Ecology (Shit Everywhere)' could easily have had a catalogue number that begins FAC. Yes this gang are delving into the world of early, taut post-punk. You can hear Joy Division for sure, you can also hear Gang Of Four. The production is minimal and snappy and exactly recreates the sound associated with Factory Records' early releases. There's more going on than just mimicry though, these guy do have an identity of their own.
Yeah the bass is a bit Peter Hook and the drums are taken from the moment that punk merged with the Berlin scene to create a new breed of bands that brought an element of krautrock to their songs. 'True Ecology (Shit Everywhere)' is almost robotic in its tightness and doesn't contain a milligram of flab. There are swirling electronic sounds which in this case only add to the industrial effect. Even with slight echo the vocals are still have spoken, half spat with razor blade precision. Snapped Ankles are another angular post-punk band but don't let that put you off, this is a totally different kettle of fish to the revival of a few years ago, and it's far better with it.
Did the split single go out of fashion for a while or is it just our imagination? There seems to have been a revival of bands sharing discs in recent years anyway, perhaps as a way of cutting costs to get their songs out there and also reaching double their regular fanbase. It can be a good trick if you can get it right. The coming together of garage-punks The Coathangers and lo-fi noise monsters Nu Sensae is one that makes sense, and you could easily pass it off as an oldie from about 1978 too. So vinyl junkies of a certain persuasion will love the format and the sounds. As you can see from the cover it's not exactly sweetness and light.
Nu Sensaesound completely possessed on 'Throw', it makes you wonder if that news story about the zombies a couple of weeks back was real. It's inhuman to be able to howl with such ferocity for four minutes and still have any windpipe left at the end of it, but this is what they do, and they do it over a bed of sludgy guitars and muffled bass with grungy riffs thrown in here and there. Faring a little better on the actual tune front, The Coathangers rabid, high velocity punk is carried off as if it was live and captures the urgency and excitement that comes more with gigs than studios. A pair of primal pieces that will fit the freaky collection of many a music fan.
Some labels you just know are going to come up with the goods every time, and we're yet to hear a stinker from Glasgow's Flowers In The Dustbin imprint. They introduced us to The Deadline Shakes late last year with debut single 'Sweeten The Deal', a near perfect piece of guitar-pop that was like loads of your favourite bands and yet like not quite like anything you'd heard before at the same time. Well now it's second single time where we find out whether or not they just got lucky first time around. As if we'd ever really doubt them. 'Boy' is a fine follow-up and importantly not simply a recreation of the first release.
You could perhaps say that 'Boy' is more traditional sounding and maybe not as adventurous as 'Sweeten The Deal', but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. In truth this song is more familiar in sound but the high standard remains and once again they show us they know their way around a guitar tune. You almost get lulled into a false sense of normality with the verse, before the chorus explodes like a burst of colour, reminding us that sunkissed psychedelia is where these guys lay their hats. It's March now, there will surely be more material to follow. Are they saving something extra special for the summer weather they were made for? We're not betting against it.
Before we get to the music, this Various Artists compilation from Vanity Case Records is worth mentioning for the packaging alone. You will receive a CD in a slip case, both with beautiful artwork, wrapped in fabric and tied with a ribbon. Along with this comes a bundle of dried sage which is to be burnt to help purify your body, mind, soul and home. The sleeve notes for the album come on an ancient looking piece of parchment, all of which come encased in a velvet bag; you really do get your money's worth with this lot, it's almost too good to take apart and play. But play it you must, or you'll be missing out on a musical Alice In Wonderland adventure.
As far as we can tell some, although we don't know how many, of the songs here are covers, but as we only recognise one song out of the lot this may not be the case. It could be that the artists involved have picked deliberately obscure psychedelic tracks that have yet to receive the credit they deserve. Geese kick things off with a version of Buffy Sainte-Marie's classic 'Moonshot' (also covered by Galaxie 500) but frankly this is blatant cheating because with a song this good you can't fail, so we're disqualifying them on these grounds. What comes next is like disappearing into a musical Narnia, a haven for the weird, wonderful, wacky and wide-ranging. We could write about each song individually, they're all that interesting.
From the post-punky 'Basilisk' by Kilgore Trout, the drone-pop of Mueran Humanos' 'Horas Tristes', to the warped doo-wop/folk of ST 37's 'Just You'. Then it all goes a bit Harvest label circa 1971. 'Hanging Up Hung Up People' by Simply Gerard is a fabulous oddity, The Congregation throw in the oddly cinematic instrumental 'Emil', 'Ye Psyche Lobe' by 3eese is just... strange. The brilliantly named 'Howard Be Thy Name' sound like Syd Barrett and Kevin Ayres (RIP) put through a blender on 'Raising A Lunatic', 'That Dirty Clown' by K. Ross is just plain creepy. Underneath the bonkers 'Mandy' by Val Denham + Farmacia is a great pop song trying to escape. It's then left to Frozen Geese to wrap things up with a solitary saxophone playing a song called 'Smile'. It's a brilliant and captivating ride, all the songs deserve more attention than we'd had the space to give them here, and if you come out the other side with your sanity intact then well done!
It sure as hell will be frozen in Russia right now so it's hardly surprising these guys chose to name themselves The Frozen Orchestra. The St Petersburg group's name is fitting in more ways than one. 'Freak Control' isn't a warm album to listen to; it's not particularly accommodating, giving off an aloof air and an often frosty response. This isn't a criticism, merely an observation, as not all music is designed to be a warm blanket for the soul. There are lighter moments aplenty and these are also characterised by an icy cool, but this is more akin to the beautiful landscapes that snow and ice can create; The Frozen Orchestra turn these visions into musical soundscapes. Glacial is the journalistic cliche we're looking for. They also have the middle ground covered, whether you call it trip-hop or alt-pop you'll be familiar with the direction taken by 'Overjoyed' or 'Tricks'.
'PingPong Girl' starts things by showing the full range of what they do, from the spine-tingling female vocal to the industrial blast of the second half and the electro-rock stylings they use to bind the sounds together. The Frozen Orchestra have just about encapsulate themselves in a single song. From there we get electro-rock with songs like 'Russian Slurs' which is what the last Garbage album should have sounded like had it not been a damp squib, and it hurtles to a terrific and tumultuous ending. What prevents this album from being just too cold to feel much emotion for are those vocals and the experimental style they adopt on the likes of 'Dirt' and 'Games' which, while they won't win international acclaim, definitely indicate that The Frozen Orchestra have some ideas and they're not afraid to use them; you could call them uncompromising.
Those tingly, snowflake-pretty, fragile guitar and voice tracks are easier to absorb. Head for 'Never Ending Fall', 'Water' (although this almost breaks into 80s soul so be prepared), or the gorgeous 'Une Fille'. 'Rollow' somehow manages to fuse synth-pop with mariachi and rock which is odd and impressive simultaneously. The title-track is also concocted from an unusual combination which could easily go wrong yet they just about manage to pull it off. Seven-minute closer 'Autumn' is something of a journey, from a humble opening passage to more icy melancholia, some classical guitar and brass-powered middle section; it all goes a bit prog. 'Freak Control' isn't the easiest of albums and this is in part down to it being, at over an hour long, a bit of a slog. Given time though, it will unveil itself to be an accomplished record.
If any band has got some living up to expectations to do then it's London's Palma Violets. Championed heavily by NME who gave them track of the year for 'Best Of Friends', tipped by the BBC Sound Of 2013 and even SoundsXP. So it's crunch time as debut album '180' is out this week. They can consider expectations lived up to and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Here's 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.
Catch them live:
19 MAR Palma Violets, Lemon Grove, Exeter, UK
WED 20 MAR Palma Violets, The Junction, Cambridge, UK
THU 21 MAR Palma Violets, Queens Social Club, Sheffield, UK
FRI 22 MAR Palma Violets, Electric Circus, Edinburgh, UK
SUN 24 MAR Palma Violets, The Empire Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, UK
MON 25 MAR Palma Violets, Paul Weller, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK
TUE 26 MAR Palma Violets, O2 Academy Oxford, Oxford, UK
THU 28 MAR Palma Violets, Bitterzoet, Amsterdam, Netherlands
SAT 30 MAR Palma Violets, Debaser Medis, Stockholm, Sweden
April 2013
TUE 02 APR Palma Violets, Molotow, Hamburg, Germany
WED 03 APR Palma Violets, Lido, Berlin, Germany
THU 04 APR Palma Violets, Exil, Zürich, Switzerland
FRI 05 APR Palma Violets, La Flèche d'Or, Paris, France
SAT 06 APR Palma Violets, Charlatan, Ghent, Belgium
TUE 09 APR Palma Violets, Electric Brixton, London, UK
SAT 13 APR Palma Violets, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vampire Weekend, The xx, Coachella 2013, Indio, CA, US
SUN 21 APR Palma Violets, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vampire Weekend, The xx, Coachella 2013, Indio, CA, US
TUE 23 APR Palma Violets, The Independent, San Francisco, CA, US
FRI 26 APR, Palma Violets, Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC, Canada
TUE 30 APR Palma Violets, 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN, US
Caitlin Rose - I Was Cruel
Sharing plaudits right across the board from mainstream outlets to the indie hideaways is the new album from alt-country singer Caitlin Rose whose already acclaimed new album 'The Stand-In' is released this week. She's certainly got a great voice and while the songs may be clean and pretty they're also totally irresistible with it. Here's a free download of 'I Was Cruel'.
25/02/13 Brighton at The Haunt
26/02/13 Bristol at Fleece
27/02/13 London at Dingwalls
28/02/13 Leeds at Brudenell
01/03/13 Manchester at Ruby Lounge
02/03/13 Glasgow at CCA, Glasgow
03/03/13 Brixton at Windmill
09/03/13 Nashville at Mercy Lounge
Post War Years - The Bell
London-based Post War Years seem to have been around for an age now and we heard the first demos from them five years ago back when we were a radio show. They released the epic electro-pop track 'The Bell' as a single in the autumn and as we missed it then we thought we'd give the little beauty a plug this week as its parent album 'Galapagos' is now available.
16 FEB LEADMILL, SHEFFIELD
17 FEB ACADEMY 2, LIVERPOOL
18 FEB WHELANS, DUBLIN
20 FEB ORAN MOR, GLASGOW
21 FEB ACADEMY 2, NEWCASTLE
22 FEB ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER
23 FEB OAKFORD SOCIAL, READING
25 FEB CARGO, LONDON
27 FEB KOMEDIA, BRIGHTON
1 MAR THE REGISTRY, PORTSMOUTH
2 MAR SIXTY MILLION POSTCARDS, BOURNEMOUTH
6 MAR A NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS, LEEDS
7 MAR BUNGALOW & BEARS, SHEFFIELD
8 MAR SPANY VAN DYKES, NOTTINGHAM
9 MAR START THE BUS, BRISTOL
Deluxe - Dust
This duo from New Haven, Connecticut first formed in 2009 but were partially put on hold until 2011 when they began working with more ambition. Deluxe take care of all instruments and programming themselves and their unusual approach is an odd mix of retro and modern, of electronic and organic. This week they release atmospheric new single 'Dust'.
OBLIGATORY RECORD OF THE WEEK Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Let The Day Begin
A brief history of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is that they started off great, went a bit poor, changed their sound and made arguably their best album in 'Howl', went rubbish again and then back to being good. Suck on that Wikipedia! So now they return again, but in what form? As you've guessed by us awarding them OROTW they're in proper scuzzy, dirty rock form on single 'Let The Day Begin' which raises a toast to just about everyone over some fuzzy, psychedelic rock. We're hoping for more of the same from new album 'Specter At The Feast' on March 18th.
3/10/13 - BELFAST, UK / LIMELIGHT
3/11/13 - DUBLIN, IE / THE ACADEMY
3/13/13 - USINE, FR / ISTRES
3/14/13 - CRANZ-MONTANA, CH / CAPRICES FESTIVAL
3/15/13 - PARIS, FR / TRIANON - SOLD OUT
3/16/13 - PARIS, FR / TRIANON - SOLD OUT
3/18/13 - MILAN, IT MAGAZZINI GENERALI
3/19/13 - TORINO, IT / HIROSHIMA
3/20/13 - ZURICH, CH / KOMPLEX
3/22/13 - AMSTERDAM, NL / PARADISO - SOLD OUT
3/24/13 - MANCHESTER, UK / RITZ - SOLD OUT
3/25/13 - GLASGOW, UK / BARROWLAND
3/26/13 - BIRMINGHAM, UK / INSTITUTE
3/27/13 - LONDON, UK / BRIXTON ACADEMY
3/29/13 - NOTTINGHAM, UK / ROCK CITY
3/30/13 - LEEDS, UK / ACADEMY
4/01/13 - BRUSSELS, BE ANCIENNE BELGIQUE
4/02/13 - LUXEMBOURG, LX / DEN ATELIER
04/04/13 - VIENNA, AT / GASOMETER
04/05/13 - MUNICH, DE / MUFFTHALLE
04/07/13 - BERLIN, DE / COLUMBIAHALLE
4/08/13 - HAMBURG, DE / GROSSE FREIHEIT
4/09/13 - KÖLN, DE / LIVE MUSIC HALL
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With a band name like that, an EP title like that and with artwork like that, you'd be forgiven for thinking that The Love Dimension are from San Francisco and wear some flowers in their hair, such is the hippy ideals apparently being expressed. Well we can't tell you their preference for hair decoration but these guys actually are from San Francisco and this EP is made up of songs that could easily have been made in 1967 (the year Scott McKenzie had that hit) but it's not wispy flower-power nonsense. Much of this EP has more guts than that and fits in more comfortably with the freakbeat and garage scenes of the time than of wimpy student drop-outs smoking spliffs in the sun.
Opening track 'The Lighthouse Of Your Mind' actually sounds that little bit more modern than the rest, but only to about 1983 and the fey jangle of the emerging British indiepop scene, albeit with an added freak out towards the end. For much of the rest we're in classic garage territory and The Love Dimension capture this sound with ease. The bluesy 'Down The 101' is like The Seeds rattling through a track at double speed. It's primal and it's authentic. 'Heart Full Of Soul' also belongs on a Nuggets collection and would have been a classic of its time (UPDATE: It was indeed a classic of its time for The Yardbirds), and the same goes for 'Can You Feel Me' which has a great riff and a more psychedelic vibe. The music here is all well worn, but sometimes things just look and feel better that way.
As you can see, there are a fair few members of New York collective all boy/all girl and so we're treated to a variety of different instruments, mainly of the stringed variety. Ukulele, guitar, viola, bass and cello to be exact, and although the music this clan make has a definite pop element, it's closer to chamber-pop than yet more alt-country or folk which will be a relief to many. The whole group only came together last year after partners in music Danielle Lovier and Nicholas Rahn decided to broaden the range of their sound. Whether they've settled on the current line-up for plan to grow further we don't know, but they seem to be doing just fine as they are.
It is something of a challenge to pin down their sound and this can only be a good thing. There's a definite diversity and you can find elements of every form of music that uses the listed instruments amongst their songs (baroque, country, classical, pop, folk, rock, indie, jazz). A series of gigs will have helped them gain a following and a better understanding of each other musically, but which of their songs you enjoy the most will likely be down to personal taste. We've posted a couple of our favourites below and although there is no official release out there to buy yet, there are five songs available for free on their SoundCloud page, so head over and give them a listen.
Once the reserve of some of the worlds finest indiepop groups, Sweden has recently made a sterling attempt to win back the pop crown that it has (kind of) captured in the past (ABBA, Roxette, um, Ace Of Base?) with plenty of quality pop making its way across the North Sea. We won't list the same old names again, you probably know who they are. Hoping to join them is 24 year-old singer Nadia Nair and on debut single 'Bon Voyage' she's going about things in the right way. This is well-crafted pop, this is sophisticated pop, this is not the cheesy identikit comedy pop substitute that we're currently force fed.
Being sophisticated and classy doesn't always make for great music, in fact the opposite is often true, but Nair manages it with ease here. 'Bon Voyage' not only displays an adept voice but also instantly likeable sounds that are constructed from things like real instruments (it doesn't particularly matter what makes the sound so long as it sounds good, but it's worth pointing out here). We get a mix of guitar, tribal beats and backing vocals blended in with some synths and a decent build-up that could satisfy radio playlist compilers. Potential breakthrough a distinct possibility.
