The Parson Red Heads - Times

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Devout followers of Portland's The Parson Red Heads will no doubt already be aware of this single from their latest EP '6' which was released last month, but for the uninitiated, this quartet (and their many part-time members and helpers) successfully combine laid-back Americana with indie-rock and the odd hint of psychedelia. For further introductions the video for the single shows a little more of the inner workings of the band in the studio and a tantalising glimpse of where the magic happens.

'Times' takes its cue from a few generations of bands who've attempted to live up to Gram Parsons' dream of making "cosmic American music" and they've come closer than most, happily combining the time-honoured traditions of country with the harmonious sounds that echoed out of Laurel Canyon, as well as contemporary bands who've seen this sound revived. Evan Way from the band says this is one of his favourite songs they've recorded, and if you lay back in the sun with this serenading you in the background it's hard to disagree.





The Parson Red Heads' website

Buy the EP





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Yelephants - Tart

EP review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Following a free download single earlier this year, New Orleans band Yelephants have now put out their debut EP, 'Tart', also as a free download (well, name-your-price, and to be honest you probably wouldn't mind paying for their shambolic form of garage-rock). The quartet state that they haven't been together for that long but have already played a good few shows, and judging by the DIY enthusiasm that's thrown into these five songs you could probably bet that watching them would be a heck of a lot of fun. Even on record they sounds as though they're about to unravel in front of you, but that's all part of the charm.

They have good songs too, and the lack of studio sheen only serves to add an endearing quality to the EP. Take 'Jason'; a song with muffled guitar and bass that's just about glued together by a beat and has a good dose of melody from the vocals. It sounds a bit like The Strokes after they've been on a three day bender. 'Girls' has a classic punk riff and the vocals sound like Marc Bolan singing under a duvet; it's really quite good. They drop in what we assume to be a tribute to Burt Reynolds in the aptly-titled 'Burt Reynolds' but the vocals are indecipherable, so we're guessing really. Despite this it's another great track with a nice melody, as is the surfy 'Balloons', and once again any clarity is joyfully brushed aside in favour of making a superb racket instead. There is a slight break in style for final track 'HBMFS' but all in all 'Tart' is a triumph of tunes and passion over polish and professionalism.



Yelephants' website

Stream or buy the EP





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Barry Brusseau - The Royal Violent Birds

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Barry Brusseau is a singer-songwriter who's jostling for space in the crowded music scene of Portland, Oregon, but he seems to be managing OK, as 'The Royal Violent Birds' is his second solo album after years spent playing in other bands. Part of the key to his success may be down to the fact that, unlike many of the city's championed artists, he's not attempting to combine the worlds of indie and electro-pop in the wake of bands such as MGMT proving that, mixed correctly, sales and fame can be achieved. Instead Brusseau considers himself to be an indie-folk artist, although this, while essentially correct, does give a slightly false impression of the music he makes.

With deep tones like his and songs that you're unlikely to find soundtracking kids TV shows, there are bound to be comparisons drawn to Tom Waits, Nick Cave and so on, and it is likely that Brusseau is no stranger to their work, but his approach is a little different. Opening with 'Pig Frost', you're led into something of a false impression of how the album will pan out. This is a very American sounding alt-rock track and could even be considered post-grunge, but it's only about a minute long and is something of a false dawn. This means we don't have to wait to get to the crux of what 'The Royal Violent Birds' is about. That deep voice is joined by spacious but elegant arrangements for the near chamber-pop of second track 'Across The Fire', and this is a far better example of where Barry Brusseau fits in.

Little more than some lonely brass augments the desolate title-track for the most part, although guitar joins in from time to time. It's an ominous feel that's created here and seems to be steeped in legend and tradition, whether real or fabricated. These baron songs fill much of the album and while this is no cause to detract from the quality, it does mean that this is a record that may take a few plays to gain your full appreciation, but if you allow this to happen then tracks like 'Love and Adoration' or the lighter 'Empty Head' become that bit more special. Moody centrepiece 'Home Sick Yawn' is perhaps closest to Nick Cave, but it's followed by 'Plymouth 73' which again has a chamber-pop feel, mixed with a touch of country. Ending on the solemn but captivating 'Till The Wind Blows Everything' we reach the end of an album that, while it may not be as immediate as some, shows some excellent songwriting skills.





Free download: 'Love and Adoration'
(Click to stream, right click, save as to download)

Barry Brusseau's website

Buy the album





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Winter Mountain - Find, Follow

EP review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

As a site that focuses primarily on new and alternative music, it's only when an act has suitably impressive songs that we'd consider featuring music that's a little closer to the middle of the road. This debut EP from Winter Mountain unquestionably fits that description. We can mention some of the greats of the late '60s and early '70s that have been a clear inspiration here, with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Simon & Garfunkel being prime examples, and the duo even goes as far as to say they're influenced by the fabled Laurel Canyon and Nashville scenes. We think they'd have fitted in perfectly with that group of musicians.

The pair (an Englishman and an Irishman) have launched their career with a very competent trio of songs and don't come up short in the harmony department. Naturally the songs are primarily acoustic, but if you're thinking nu-folk then forget it. This is far better. The tender 'Whenever You Lay Your Head' shows a lack of bravado that's very welcome and lets the simplicity of the song speak for itself. This spacious approach also works really well on the livelier 'Sarah'. It's 'Shed A Little Light' that really stands out though and genuinely sounds as though it could have been penned by one of the greats we mentioned, yet has Winter Mountain's stamp all over it. It's the most upbeat here and also, unless you're particularly absorbed by the avant-garde, quite irresistible.



Winter Mountain's website

Buy the EP





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Joaquim Barato - April To July EP

EP review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Born in Lisbon but now residing in Peru, it's clear that Joaquim Barato will have absorbed more than one culture (in fact his travels may have taken him to many more) and this can be felt on his current EP 'April To July' Although the EP centres around what would probably be described as a mixture of post-rock and dreampop, there is an exotic leaning to some aspects of his sound that we don't find in many North American or European artists who cover similar sonic ground. Taking care of every aspect of this EP barring the artwork (credit there goes to Peruvian artist Maria Elena Alvarado), 'April To July' is very much a DIY affair.

Beginning with the instrumental post-rock of 'Corazón de Conejita tràs el Atlantico', Barato manages to avoid falling into the trap of needlessly extending the song beyond its natural limits, and this results in a song that captures all of the intended spirit and atmosphere without the tiresome extravagance that often gets thrown in with it. The expansive sound many seek is caught here in just four-and-a-half minutes. The EP's other tracks are two versions of 'On My Way', the first being a slow-paced, electric guitar-driven tune that brings in those accented vocals and asks the question "Why do I seem to be so far away from my home?". The chimes of guitar again lend a post-rock feel to the song. It's maybe the acoustic version of the same track that holds the most power though, with those vocals being allowed to express themselves more clearly without the extra instrumentation. Either way, Barato seems like a man who has more than one trick up his sleeve.



Joaquim Barato's website

Stream or buy the EP





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Dråpe - Canicular Days

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It's been a steady uphill glide for Oslo quintet Dråpe (it's pronounced "draw-peh"). The band formed in 2010 and released their first EP the following year, five songs they say were inspired by "colorful shoegaze, dream pop weightless, sunshine, summer and love." The Norwegians were brought to our attention earlier this year with the quite brilliant free download 'Memories' (which still sounds heavenly here) and the promise of a debut album very soon. True to their word, their first full length is now available. It's called 'Canicular Days' and you should listen to it, because it's a stunning collection of all the things that inspired them. Essentially, they've lived up to their potential.

As expected, Dråpe's sound does draw heavily from the dreampop that you already know, but that's not to say they've failed to put their own slant on things, and it's definitely not to say that they don't have the songs to compete with the best. Very often a band will make sure their opening track is one of the best, as it will be many people's introduction to their music. Here that opening track is 'Blue Skies' and it begins as a lush and misty-eyes soundscape with heavenly layered vocals. Then a quick change through the gears turns it into an impressively galloping dream-gaze track. It's the impressive start we'd hoped for. The best thing about 'Canicular Days' is that they haven't put the best song first; they've made nearly everything here a best song contender. 

Those vocals run through the whole album and the magical changes of pace do to. Take the surging 'I Kept Falling Asleep', and listen as it suddenly slows into an explosion of colour, taking its magic to another level. 'Sister's Eye' is built for blissfully lying back and enjoying in the sun as it steadily shifts through the gears, and 'I Don't Mind' achieves a similarly breathtaking feat.'Wanted You To Stay' and the sublime 'Hike' steer them a little closer to conventional shoegaze with wonderfully wailing guitar sounds and more of those stunning vocals. The term "dreampop" gets used regularly, but 'When You Wake Up Again' actually could be the soundtrack to a particularly relaxing dream which you'd prefer not to end at all. It's left to the unfortunate 'I Did What You've Done' (another typically great song) to signal the end of an album that you don't particularly want to finish. The music may be all soft and snuggly but as an album 'Canicular Days' is rock solid.

Dråpe's website

Buy the album





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Spilt Milk - Funeral Blues

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Well this hardly sounds like it's going to be a barrel of laughs, does it? The story goes that late last year, Spilt Milk decided to write a series of songs loosely based around the theme of death. Not some blistering dark metal or feedback-fuelled psych/shoegaze, but a batch of reasonably traditional indie/folk type numbers. 'Funeral Blues' isn't quite as miserable as you might expect though, indeed some songs are light and sparkling as though the sun is gently reflecting of them. "All the tired horses in the sun, how am I supposed to get any riding done?" is the unusual refrain that's repeated as the only lyric to the countryish opener 'All The Tired Horses'. That's a certain sadness to it, but nothing approaching despair.

The delightfully plodding, cowbell-powered 'Take One Home For The Kiddies' is still rooted in Americana but the percussion (which sounds like someone hitting a selection of drinking glasses) gives the song a wonderfully playful feel, despite the talk of funerals. Like much of the album, this track is incredibly short and this works well, allowing several ideas just enough time to flourish without becoming a burden. 'How' uses a classic chord structure and is the first real taste of sadness that we get, although it's more a resigned sense of letting go than of genuine heartache. The title-track is fuller in length and instrumentation and deals directly with death, yet again it doesn't feel morbid, even given the lyrics ("I thought that love would last forever but I was wrong, so let them come, let the mourners come"). Lyrically it's unhappy but, strangely, there's still an element of joy to the music.

'Funeral Blues' doesn't change from this notion, even 'Queen Anne's Lace' which seems to be describing a dead body is really quite light and happy in sound, but not to the point where death is ever celebrated; it's simply dealt with in a matter-of-fact way. There is a more maudlin feel to the (once more) twinkly 'Fire and Ice' and also on highlight 'Tea at the Palaz Of Hoon'. The short, classical piano piece, 'Das Musikalisches Opfer', should feel out of place but works well. 'Why Did You Go?' is another music box tune and then you reach the final song 'A Late Walk' which, once more, has sad lyrics but a somewhat jaunty feel. 'Funeral Blues' contains some wonderful songwriting and perhaps doesn't pan out the way you expect it to, and that's probably for the best. After all, what's the use in crying over Spilt Milk?


Spilt Milk - Tea at the Palaz of Hoon from Subbacultcha! on Vimeo.

Spilt Milk's website

Stream the album in full

Buy the album





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Five For Free #203

Art Decade - No One's Waiting

Kicking us off in truly majestic form are Boston band Art Decade and their new track 'No One's Waiting'. The band have an album set for a September release but until then this little stunner will easily satisfy our grand pop needs. With huge, swooping strings and flourishes of sound, this track has drama and ambition oozing from every pore. An album's worth of these would be unimaginably good.



Art Decade's website

Catch them live:

Aug 16 The Space, Hamden, CT
Oct 10 Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA





Lockets - Surrender

Philadelphia band Lockets create electronic dreampop that draws on the synth sounds of days gone by as well as the current trend for all things ethereal. With a new EP set for release any time now, the group having been putting a few songs out on the net for our listening pleasure. These include the wonderful freebie 'Surrender', and having heard others we can tell you there's more where this came from.



Download 'Surrender' for free by heading here

Lockets' website

Stream or buy the EP





Week Of Wonders - Piggybacks

Listening to this single from Seattle band Week Of Wonders you'd expect them to hail from the southern states such as California or Florida rather than up in Seattle. Mind you, they describe their sound as "tropical punk" so they're aiming for the exotic sounds which they manage to create here. 'Piggybacks' is like a little ball of aural sunshine that will brighten up your day.



Week Of Wonders' website





Evil Eyes - Shake The Dust

We've been waiting for more by Californian quartet Evil Eyes since featuring them in January. Well, the good news is they've been keeping themselves busy and have completed their debut album, 'Borderlines'. The even better news is that they're giving away new single 'Shake The Dust', and the even more better news is that it's a very special indie-rock tune.



Evil Eyes' website

Stream or buy the album





Baywaves - Figures

As we've said before, there's nothing wrong with a little mystery and myth in music, but we don't believe for one second that Baywaves are from Vanuatu. What we do believe is that the excellent, twangy, reverby guitar-pop of 'Figurines' is one half of their first single, the other track being 'To The North'. But by our reckoning, it's this B-side that's got the upper hand.



Baywaves' website





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Modesty Blaise - I Love You

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Summery indiepop anyone? It's that time of year, and with the weather we've had recently just about any song can sound full of sunshine and light, so when you stumble upon one that's written to be all sunshine and light anyway, well that just doubles the effect. Bristol band Modesty Blaise are no newcomers to all of this of course, so they know that releasing a single of this nature at this time of year means it will fulfill its optimum potential, and that it does, with a cheery and slightly silly video to run alongside it.

It's a shame that in a twenty year career these guys are still relative unknowns, so we'd suggest spreading the word about this melody-filled and joyous track as far and wide as you can. 'I Love You' is classic indiepop like they've been making for thirty years, in fact it goes back further, incorporating a little '60s pop here and there too. With bundles of organ to accompany the guitars and overly optimistic vocals it's probably not a tune that will have an extensive shelf-life, so get your fix now. Quick, before it melts!



Modesty Blaise's website

Buy the single





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The Holidays - Voices Drifting

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

As almost none of you will remember, The Holidays were tipped as a band to look out for back when we were a radio show and they were releasing their first singles. If you missed out on that, it's worth digging around their website/YouTube and so on to hear more. They're a band who had every chance of translating the moderate success they've been building in their native Australia into genuine chart success in the UK. Having spent the past two years constructing their second album whilst on the move between Melbourne, London, Paris, Berlin and Tokyo, they've finally announced that it will be available early next year.

Before that of course, must come a few tasters to remind us why we championed them in the first place and to spread the word that they're still very much a going concern. New single 'Voices Drifting' finds them back with a vengeance, consisting of the same kind of indie/electro/pop that's made stars out of The Naked & Famous, Empire Of The Sun and even MGMT at their poppiest. 'Voices Drifting' probably isn't going to top many song of the year polls, but its arrival marks the second phase of a very talented group who, with a little bit of luck, will enjoy the wider success they deserve this time around.



The Holidays' website





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Luk - For You

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

First brought to our attention at the end of last year, Tel Aviv group Luk already had a bit of history to them, as they'd originally formed in 2009 as Dual Ark, a quartet who released a solitary EP. Fast forward a while and the core of the group, Amit Adar and Adiel Luk reformed as Luk and began working on edgy, synth-driven pop songs, although now they've added Daniel Zaga to complete the line up. After posting a few demos online in 2012, this week sees the release of their first proper single, 'For You', a crunching but soulful slice of electro-pop/rock.

Israel's music scene has become known as being both varied and in good health and this single goes another step towards proving that. Vocally the song has a sharp, gritty edge, as though proper passion has been put into the delivery, and it's easy to feel the soul from that alone. Musically 'For You' juxtaposes the craze for '80s pop sounds with a more modern feel. Some of the synth sounds are classic and familiar yet the song sounds very up to date. You'd struggle to convince anyone it was really from that decade. A great start for Luk and another reason to celebrate Israel's wonderful musical diversity.


Luk's website





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sæs - Passed Out (It's Night Time)/Alcanzam

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

No, we can't tell you how to pronounce sæs or what it means, but maybe the band can elaborate in the comments section. In fact the only information we have is that they're a duo from Orlando, Florida and that these are their first two songs. The rest of the details will no doubt appear in time. The music that sæs make is a particularly gentle form of dreampop, but not one that strays into ambient soundscapes. They pin both songs down with a beat and beautiful vocals so that their music remains very much in the "song" category.

The first of the pair is 'Passed Out (It's Night Time)' which gently introduces itself with a wandering guitar line and some percussion, before dual vocals are added to create what appears to be a love song. "I will not run away from you again, as long as I'm home by ten". It's a simple and very pretty song that inhabits its own world, just allowing us to peek through the keyhole at the magic beyond. It's much the same vibe on 'Alcanzam' but here they let electronic beats weave their way through the honeyed vocals and paint a fragile and stunning picture that feels so delicate you dare not even breathe on it. I think we've just discovered a class act.





sæs' website





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Metropolis America - Bittersweet

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

There's something about this new single from Philadelphia trio Metropolis America that screams "guilty pleasure!" at you very loudly. Maybe it's the cascading guitar line that's nicked from another song (but I can't think which one) or maybe it's simply that they've written such a contagious and melodic pop song that you feel somehow uncool by liking it, perhaps it's a combination of many things. Still, the end result is, whether we're happy about it or not, that 'Bittersweet' is a killer pop song that begs for repeat plays. When no one else is listening of course.

The garish coloured video and some cheesy lyrics add further weight to the guilty pleasure theory (and of course people will say that you shouldn't be guilty about liking any music, and they'd be right to say that, but we still feel wrong by adoring this so much). The song is pure powerpop that's teeming with melody and life and is like injecting pure sunshine into your veins. There will be those who refuse to accept this song on credibility grounds, well, they can bugger off and listen to their Atoms For Peace albums. I'm gonna give this another spin if it's alright with you.



Metropolis America's website





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Kensington - Ghosts

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

This new single from Dutch band Kensington is worth checking out for the video alone. Filmed in the remote and fragile Out Skerries archipelago off Shetland, we're treated to traditions and dramatic scenery that adds an extra dimension to the music. Maybe coming from a similarly isolated island myself means the personal impact is greater, but anyone would find it hard not to be caught up in the magic of it all. The single is taken from the band's album 'Vultures' which won the 3FM Award for best Dutch album 2013.

Musically we're in the realms of indie-rock but impeccably made and with definite passion ingrained into every chord and every word. It could perhaps be compared to latter-day Idlewild or Frightened rabbit, only this is that much grander, with crashing drums and a huge chorus. It's definitely a stirring number and you can see why it's become award-winning material. Add the power of the song to the power of the visuals and you have something that's really quite mighty.



Kensington's website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

SAT AUG 03, STONEROCK, BAD BENTHEIM
SAT AUG 03, NIRWANA'S TUINFEEST, LIEROP
TUE AUG 06, ROCK 'N RALLY, BEDEPUSZTA
WED AUG 07, SZIGET FESTIVAL, BUDAPEST
FRI AUG 09, OSSEFEESTEN, MAASBREE
SAT AUG 10, ZANDSTOCK, 'T ZAND
SAT AUG 17 OOGSTFEEST ALDEBOARN, OLDEBOORN
WED AUG 21, AID, WAGENINGEN
FRI AUG 23, GLEMMER BEACH FESTIVAL LEMMER
SAT AUG 24, MAMMAMIA OPEN AIR, AHAUS
SAT AUG 24, HUNTENPOP, ULFT
WED AUG 28, INTRODUCTIECONCERT , ENSCHEDE
THU AUG 29,  STÖPPELHAENE, RAALTE
SAT AUG 31, WALLENPOP, HELLEVOETSLUIS
SAT SEPT 07, BRABANT OPEN AIR, EINDHOVEN
SUN SEPT 08, IMPACT FESTIVAL, HELMOND
SAT SEPT 14,  APPELPOP, TIEL
SAT SEPT 14,  ALBLASPOP, ALBLASSERDAM
SAT SEPT 21,  PISART FESTIVAL, EIJSDEN
SUN SEPT 22,  KEMPENERPOP, WAALRE
SAT OCT 05, STROOIPOP, GEFFEN
WED OCT 09, DE OOSTERPOORT, GRONINGEN
THU OCT10, PARADISO, AMSTERDAM





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The Third Sound - For A While

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It's great that the shoegaze revival is still showing no signs of running out of steam. Once the dirtiest word in music, this rebirth has also seen a reevaluation as the genre combines itself with krautrock, psychedelia and more to bring itself up to date in new forms. The Third Sound are definitely a part of this and offer further proof that it's not just the UK and US that are reclaiming these sounds, for as far as we can tell, The Third Sound have members from various locations across the globe. The press release mentions Rome, their Facebook page mentions Berlin, but there are indications of members from further afield.

With new album 'Of Destruction And Creation' out this week, we thought the time was right to take a look at current single 'For A While'. A slow-burning number, this song bypasses the heavily distorted and grinding guitar sounds as well as crashing drums and heavy reverb, as though they're in search of a new way to deliver their songs. The result isn't unlike certain tunes from The Dandy Warhols canon. A dark and mysterious song, 'For A While' feels as though it's carrying a weight on its shoulders and in that respect echos early tracks by The Verve, but the monotony of the vocals combined with the chiming guitars turn this into something quite hypnotic.





The Third Sound's website

Stream the album in full

'Of Destruction And Creation' is available from Fuzz Club Records





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Spring King - Sticks

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

If you've been finding the inevitable deluge of summer tunes a little bit slick and predictable then you'd do well to check out the new single from Spring King. The enigmatic band seem to do seasons quite well, as last time we featured them was back in January with the distinctly darker sounding 'V-V-V-Vampire', mind you, primal garage-punk like that is all weather music, so it probably wouldn't sound to out of place now. But the guys have brought us something entirely different and seemingly engineered for this time of year for their latest trick.

With the opening refrain of "summer summer summer summer..." there's little hiding their intentions (and little hiding their cynical attempt to tap into a specific market). Mind you, with the type of music they make, it's difficult to see Spring King tapping into any market other than that of cult heroes. 'Sticks' is a lazy, lo-fi, discordant type of song but in the best possible way. It feels like a relaxed sunny pop tune that's been pumped full of Valium and probably doesn't know where it is, but still it ambles along quite delightfully. And to be honest, the effects of a few beers and too much sun produce a similar reaction in humans, so they've probably hit the nail on the head with this one.





Spring King's website

Catch them live:

Oct 19 Night and Day Cafe, Manchester, UK





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Shadow Shadow - Riviera

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Shadow Shadow initially began life in 2009, but it would be quite some time before any music saw the light of day. Mattias Friberg started the project in a cottage in the Swedish countryside, and it wasn't long before other musician friends stopped by to lend a hand to the sounds he had begun to create using a plethora of electronic instruments. Some way further down the line, we get Shadow Shadow's first international release, 'Riviera', and from the off it's clear that his cottage full of electronic instruments may not have been state of the art, as the intro to 'Riviera' is purely retro, and not unlike the early works of greats like Jean Michel Jarre.

This is a warm analogue sound, and it does stay for the whole song, but as we progress so does the instrumentation. Joint male and female vocals sing an almost country-style song over the top and the synth layers increase. It's not unlike a less poppy Sound Of Arrows, especially the breaks to allow those vintage sounds space to come through again. 'Riviera' ends up growing into something quite intricate. B-side '1000001' really deserves equal billing, as the same mixture of past and present is used, this time with a sole female vocal that's part dreampop and part more conventional mainstream sounds. Both tracks here are high quality and hint at bigger things to come.





Shadow Shadow's website

Buy the single





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Lauren Aquilina EP Launch Review - Wed 24th July Archer Street‏, London

Review by karla@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Photo by Phillip Nash

We absolutely adore Lauren Aquilina after reviewing her outstanding 'Sinners EP', so it was a pleasure to be invited down to her EP launch party last week. Held in the sophisticated Archer Street cocktail bar in Soho, London, where the downstairs "Chukka Bar" was roped off in honour of the event. As I descended the stairs into "Chukka Bar" I was greeted with a very busy, atmospheric, air conditioned room where friends and family of Lauren Aquilina (and the odd journalist) mingled amongst one another or relaxed in classy, boothed seating areas eagerly awaiting Lauren to kick off the night.

Lauren made her way over to her keyboard roughly an hour after the doors opened at 7pm; a keyboard modestly decorated with blue fairy lights which only added to the ambiance of the night and the audience's mood. She then went on to give a humble yet humorous address, "Hello. Thank you for coming. I really didn't expect this many people to come. My name’s Lauren Aquilina and this is a song about being happy. I hope everyone's happy even though the drinks are really expensive!" whilst looking apologetically over the head of the crowd encircling her to the bar staff. The happy song which opened the 7 track set was 'King' taken from Lauren's debut 'Fools EP' which reinforces the message of positivity in the bridge; "You don't gain a single thing from misery, take it from me."

Lauren is one of those rare artists who doesn't falter, or over accentuate or go off on crazy vocal tangents for attention live - but remains pitch perfect to the point where as soon as she opens her mouth, something magical happens and you become completely mesmerised. Despite a look of vulnerability and shyness on her face as she sings, Lauren's delivery is strong and confident, and even when her microphone malfunctioned and cut out - Lauren continued hitting all the right notes with a look of bewildered amusement on her face at the unexpected turn of events. This could have been a perfect moment to display diva-ish qualities, but no. Lauren Aquilina remained completely unfazed and continued like a true pro with no complaint, even seeming to find the situation quite funny - what a good egg.

Taking the time to chat to the audience before her next song, Lauren went on to announce "We're here to celebrate the release of 'Sinners EP'", and how crazy her week had been since the EP dropped. She then mentioned her single 'Sinners' had charted as a new entry at #53 in the mid week UK official chart - which is an incredible achievement considering she's currently an unsigned artist and the single had only been out for two days! Next up was the third track taken from the 'Sinners EP' entitled 'Ugly Truth' - which was played at what seemed like a faster tempo than the EP version and despite bouncy, upbeat piano chords and the catchy pop hook to it there is an underlying angry discontent to the lyrics "You're going to feel the sting from my black and yellow heart" where once again I was awestruck by the majesty of Lauren's voice. She is one of those rare artists who sounds exactly the same live as on their records and is has a captivating simplicity about her that saw me standing on my tippy toes trying to peer over what seemed like the tallest people in the world, in an attempt to devour every second of the performance.

We were then treated to an exclusive called 'Lovers or Liars' which we were told was "a brand new song which I've never played before... I hope you like it!" and we did, very much so. It follows along the same mature lyricism about whether a romantic partner is worth fighting for - "You're the kind of tired sleep can't solve". After this, Lauren showed her fun side again when she announced "The rule for this song is that every single person in the room has to sing along. I don't care who you are!" - this track was 'Fools' the very popular title track from her debut EP where her microphone again malfunctioned and standing next to the sound crew a joke sprung to mind, "How many people does it take to fuss over a microphone?" The answer was around 5.

Lauren then told us "I’m going to bring on some beautiful women now... It’s not what you think, they're string players!" who performed alongside her for the remaining three songs of her set which were all from the 'Sinners EP'. Power ballad 'Talk To Me' was hauntingly performed and the strings only served to intensify the painful intensity of the track which was spellbinding. 'Irrelevant' followed with the introduction of "Sorry if I cry - getting emosh!" - and this was one of the most heart wrenching performances I have ever seen. Lauren has a way about her when she performs that makes you feel like you are trespassing on the innermost thoughts and feelings of a very private moment. Lauren falls so completely into her music and into herself during the process that she seems almost oblivious to the fact she has an audience.

Lauren then wrapped up the set with ,"So this is the last song. Thank you so much for coming and I promise that I’ll try and buy as many of you expensive drinks as possible!" and a faultless and flawless performance of the title-track of the current 'Sinners EP' that begins with the lyrics "our lives are stories, waiting to be told". Lauren Aquilina still has so many stories waiting to be told and no doubt will continue to perform to captivated and speechless crowds for many years to come. I caught her as she made her rounds after the show and my parting words on the huge opportunities ahead of her were "don't you ever change" which she was adamant she will not - and do you know what, I kinda believed her. Right here we have a new addition to the next addition of real British talent - a truly inspiring individual that seems to be firmly rooted in a love of music over a lust for fame.



Lauren Aquilina's website

Buy the EP





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Empty Chairs - Akira

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

As the saying goes, remember remember the fifth of November, for that is the date that Brooklyn dreampop trio Empty Chairs will be releasing their debut album 'Caveat Emptor'. Beginning life as a solo project in 2011, Pete Spear recruited Whitney Broadstreet and Matthew O'Koren to add some meat to the songs he was writing, and the full band was born. We (and they) described them as dreampop, and this description does fit, but there's a whole range of other influences to what they do if we're to judge their sound on the strength of new single 'Akira'.

All kinds of strange electrical sounds pepper the backing like an organised form of chaos, then vocodered vocals join in and give the track something of a space-age feel, although this would be retro-futuristic more than anything else. Psychedelic? Yeah that word could be used too, but then anything unusual is generally described as being so. 'Akira' is really like some sort of twisted pop song that's been passed through so many filters that it's unrecognisable from its original incarnation. And naturally that's a very good thing.





Empty Chairs' website





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New Manic Spree - Ghosts

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

If you're a fan of grubby people in blindfolds, dark woodland and garish beings with incredibly ugly and deformed toes then go and seek help. Before you do that you should have a gander at this quite bizarre new video from New Manic Spree. Keeping up our (unintentional) record of featuring at least a couple of bands from Melbourne on the site each week, this Aussie quartet are purveyors of ambitions indie-rock that doesn't come with the usually offensive stadium-rock bravado that can destroy bands of a similar ilk. These guys have big tunes but they know how to use them.

'Ghosts' masterfully uses the steady-build technique, well, for the first 30 seconds of so, and then we get some strings joining in, a thumping beat, more guitars and vocal chords being put to the test. This slightly orchestral feel hangs around for the rest of the song as more layers of vocal are applied and we hit proper grandeur. New Manic Spree don't lose sight of the song underneath al of this though, and a nicely controlled guitar solo adds an extra dimension without smothering things. Potential to become quite big? Yeah, these guys definitely have it.





New Manic Spree's website

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Ides - Prisms

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

With a sound she describes as "sadcore punk", Alanna McArdle crafts incredibly pretty songs as Ides, as well as now being a member of Joanna Gruesome who will shortly be releasing their debut album. It looks as though she's not going to have much time on her hands, as the album is dropping Stateside too, so a possible future trip across the pond isn't out of the question. There's no sign that she'll be giving Ides a rest just yet though, with this new single and live dates planned for August. However, just to on the safe side we'd suggest catching her then in case this project gets mothballed for a few months later in the year.

It's a little challenging to find the punk aspect to 'Prisms', but sadcore is a definite match. This song basks in a strange kind of beauty, perhaps similar to those comparison favourites Mazzy Star. The same desolate, twanging guitar fills out the backing while McArdle's amazingly rich and warm voice provides everything else this song needs. She could sing a capella and still be a force to be reckoned with. Because of the nature of this song, it feels a bit like she's only at half power, as for a tender number like this that's all that's needed. The range and force are there to be seen though, and you can imagine that if Ides were to belt a song out at full power the results would knock your socks off.

Ides' website

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Tijuana Panthers - Semi-Sweet

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

California: it's seen as the home of manufactured human perfection. Boob jobs, face-lifts, body builders and fake tans. There's a certain irony that these ideals are so regularly ignored by the music scene from the Pacific coast. The new album by Long Beach trio Tijuana Panthers doesn't come with the musical equivalent of plastic surgery or showing off its six-pack while rollerblading through the streets; this is a modern garage-rock/indie album that's presented as it is: naturally, simply and probably laughing at the aging population around it as they spend thousands of dollars trying to artificially cling on to their youth. You perhaps couldn't call 'Semi-Sweet' a lo-fi album (except maybe for 'Sunday'), but it's shot through with the power of enthusiasm and good songs instead of nip, tuck and implants.

The great thing about Tijuana Panthers is that they know when enough is enough, and all but one song is under three-minutes in length. For comparisons you could look to Ty Segall, The Soft Pack and maybe even Allah-Las, they're all on the same wavelength, spurred on by a punk attitude and indie sensibilities. So we're rewarded with songs that are fuelled by melody and fervent guitars that are just messy enough but never come close to falling apart at the seams. With the likes of 'Tony's Song' we're looking at tracks that everyone's been hoping The Strokes will return to making for the past ten years. There have been bands making music with a similar aesthetic for decades, and you could take something like 'Father Figure' and slot it in just about anywhere, the ringing guitars sound timeless.

Elsewhere they touch upon the increasingly celebrated Nuggets series, with 'Wall Walker' and 'Forbidden Fruit' sounding as though they could be freakbeat 45s from 1967. They combine garage, punk and doo-wop on 'Boardwalk' which could be a reinterpretation of an original surf tune and 'One Way Ticket' also sounds like The Ramones covering a lost '60s classic. Never short of melodies to throw at these little balls of trebly fuzz, they reel off 'Push Over' and 'Juvy Jeans' which both contains that garage-punk spirit, and they bring this inspired sense of melody to another surf-influenced track, 'Baby I'm Bored'. 'Semi-Sweet' is a trip though the various forms of guitar-pop that have been capturing imaginations for half a century, and Tijuana Panthers seem to have a good understanding of all of them. As you hear the final clatter of 'Boardwalk (Reprise)' the only thing you can really say against this album is that it's short on originality, but that's hardly a good enough reason to avoid what it an exceptionally good set of songs.







Tijuana Panthers' website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Aug 02 Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
Aug 23 Constellation Room, Santa Ana, CA





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ShiShi - Eternal Bliss

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

A year on from their inception, Philadelphia husband and wife duo ShiShi bring us their debut album, and having picked up on them upon the release of their debut EP 'So Close To You', it's somewhat gratifying to have these songs (including single 'Hold You Truths') gathered together in a compendium like this, with of course, a whole load of tunes that are new to our ears. It seems to be only 'Just Like Flowers' that didn't make the cut, but its absence is more than made up for in what we do have; ten songs that deliver a whole new form of what you could describe as dreampop, but would also fit the description nightmare pop, and that's not to say it's bad, it's anything but, however the gritty and harsh sounds are at odds with many in the same scene.

Tom Lugo has been making music for quite some time as a member of various projects and that experience shines through on 'Eternal Bliss', making sure they're carving their own niche and that the quality control is kept high. With so many of the songs containing lyrics that deal with the power of love and emotion, it seems almost paradoxical that the music is so sharp and cutting. "I will try, I will sigh, write your name across the sky... I will do anything for you" is among the many examples of this. Such romance dealt with by fiery guitar, forceful vocals and an almost industrial feel. It could be this approach that makes the album work so well; ShiShi take the expected and twist it into the unexpected, and it works. The maelstrom of sound adds more force and devotion to the tale of love, it feels like sheer determination as opposed to soppiness.

The acerbic shoegaze of 'Turn Back The Clocks' is noisy yet the guitar rings crystal clear, adding more credibility to their unusual technique. As we previously mentioned, the likes of 'Nick Of Time' and 'Season Of The Bitch' are what The Big Pink's second album should have sounded like, combining the coarse electronics with the guitar effects and creating a real force. New track 'The Vow' introduces some big beats and an atmosphere that soars that little bit higher, again it's a different form of love song that combines the past and the future musically, and the title-track sounds as lovably hectic as ever. The shoegazey 'Rewind' is a highlight and offers a brief respite from the pounding beats, but these return with a vengeance on the noise-pop of 'Generation Waste'. The album finishes on a high with the chiming, noisy electro-gaze of 'Illuminate The Sky'. 'Eternal Bliss' is an album with jagged edges but a soft centre, and although it occasionally borrows, as a rule ShiShi have a sound that's uniquely their own.







ShiShi's website

Stream or buy the album





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Ketch Harbour Wolves - Queen City: Volume One

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

From Denver to Auckland to Manila and far more besides, there are plenty of places with the nickname 'Queen City', so really this album could resonate with many people across the globe as a tribute to the place they live. For Ketch Harbour Wolves though, 'Queen City: Volume One' is written about the place they call home: Toronto. It sounds like it too, the band's third album is one that has traces of many other North American bands in its make-up. You can hear a little Arcade Fire from time to time, moving further south you'll find hints of Interpol and The National, there's even the odd moment that reminds you of UK band Doves.

It's lyrically that this album is most tied down to Toronto though, and not being an expert on the city I'll leave it to the natives to play spot the reference. These eight songs all have a similar feel to them and a similar sound, yet each one is put together by a group who all seem to be reading from the same page, so in that respect it comes across as entirely natural, as though the tracks were floating around, fully-formed, just waiting for Ketch Harbour Wolves to pluck them from the air and commit them to tape. There's an almost grandiose appeal to 'Pulled From The Wreckage', but it's one that unfurls itself after a handful of plays; it could be said that the album in general sounds best once it's been given time to grow on you.

Keeping much the same pace throughout doesn't detract from this, the standard of both writing and recording is high. Songs like 'The Good Blood', 'The Angelus' or the epic '1992' would receive high praise if they'd been released by a better known band, but that's something that Ketch Harbour Wolves have the ability to become. There's a different feeling to 'Signs Were Everywhere', one that's difficult to pinpoint, but the vocal style is different (as it is on the Prince goes alt-rock of 'Through A Glass Darkly' with its lovely sweeping strings) and it adds some diversity, especially as it's followed by the alt-country-infused 'Should Have Learned'. Perhaps to show that there will be the continuity that the album title suggests, we end with 'The Beginning' and its refrain of "this is just the beginning". At just eight tracks it could appear on the surface that you're not getting your money's worth from 'Queen City: Volume 1', but then what would you rather have? A dozen songs with two or three that will have you reaching for the skip button, or this many that are rock solid in quality? I know what I'd prefer.




Ketch Harbour Wolves' website

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Sons Of Hippies - Griffons at the Gates of Heaven

Album review by jay@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

With such a name, you'd expect Sons of Hippies to be some '60s pastiche. What they do deliver couldn't be farther from that template. This is powerful, expertly crafted, modern alt-rock. Singer Katherine Kelly has a strong, emotive voice that has a delicious husky edge. Kelly follows in the lead of Chrissie Hyde to Shirley Manson, Karen O and Goodness' Carrie Akre, where they use their voice to enchant and bewitch you. Opener 'Forward' is a kaleidoscopic maelstrom of a song. It has almost tribal undercurrents while it rides a dark, sensual groove, like some oncoming tropical storm; a seductive, enticing introduction. Bright and bolder, 'Mirrorball' spins on crystalline vocal layers as the song dances on its sense of urgency. It ends in a swirling haze of synths. These synths take a stronger lead in the start of 'Dark Daisies'. Then a near industrial edged guitar gives the song huge dynamics, as a crunching riff is spat out, and the song gloriously expands. The whole song then anchors itself down and arcs out in a raw soundscape.

After the controlled chaos of 'Dark Daisies', 'Rose' is fresher with a beautiful pop backbone. The song is a true grower, which digs its self into your DNA. It rushes at you with a summery hit. It now feels that the album has hit its stride, and 'Spaceship Ride' is another sparkling gem of a song. It has vibrancy to it which is impossible to ignore. In a perfectly placed break, filled with some sublime post-punk guitars, we are told "to turn your radio on". The song unexpectedly twists into a perverted cheerleader chant at its close. 'Man or Moon' bolts into view, recalling prime Garbage and their sublime electro/pop/rock. Again it is wrapped in an utterly contagious hook, sinking its teeth deep into you. As we hear of the man "waiting to jump onto the shoulders of impending doom." Kelly coats the start of 'Magnets' in a chocolate deep vocal. 'Magnets' is a sweet, simpler song with some rather wonderful high harmonies. It has a near ‘60s girl-pop vibe that St. Etteine harnessed so well. A perfect pop pill.

'Blood in The Water' falters slightly after such a strong pack of songs preceding it. The start is a touch formulaic, then it recovers itself with biting, sharp vocals and angular fuzzed guitars. Like a sweet sister to the brat of Sleigh Bells. A counterpoint male vocal adds a strong dynamic to 'Whatever We Spend'. It is another strong song that has an effortlessly crafted structure and feel, with a delightful loose break. We are then treated to a slice of twisted majesty as Kate Bush meets NIN on 'Minute By Minute'. A stately riot of a song, which has switchblade sharp changes and huge dynamics. It punches you into blissful submission. 'Animal Battle' pales slightly after the stomp of 'Minute…', it is a near diatribe, Kelly coming on like a young Patti Smith with an angular, discordant feel matching the vigor of the lyrics. And so we find ourselves coming to the close of 'Griffons at the Gates of Heaven', an album that is passionately rewarding and at times seductive and startling in its rewards. Final track 'Cautionary Tale' is just that, warning of the dangers of excess. Another expansive track with one of those shining pop edges that hold you in, allowing you to wonderfully indulge yourself.







Sons Of Hippies' website

Stream the album in full

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Aug 02 Local 662, St Petersburg, FL  
Aug 08 Octave, St Petersburg, FL  
Aug 14 The Underbelly, Jacksonville, FL  
Aug 15 The 5 Spot, Nashville, TN  
Aug 17 Preservation Pub, Knoxville, TN  
Aug 18 Karmasonics, Asheville, NC
Aug 18 The Emerald Lounge, Asheville, NC
Aug 20 The Blind Tiger, Greensboro, NC  
Aug 21 Velvet Lounge, Washington, DC  
Sep 16 P&H Cafe, Memphis, TN  
Sep 17 Lindbergs, Springfield, MO  
Sep 18 Cicero's, St Louis, MO  
Sep 19 The Green Lantern, Lexington, KY  
Sep 20 The Comet, Cincinnati, OH
Sep 21 Spitfire Saloon, Cleveland, OH  
Sep 24 JR's Bar, Philadelphia, PA  
Oct 05 State Theater, St. Petersburg, FL  
Oct 12 STPPFE Fest, Washington, DC  
Nov 08 cheer up charlies, Austin, TX  
Nov 13 Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles, CA  
Nov 16 Bows & Arrows Collective, Sacramento, CA





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Pylo - Bellavue EP

EP review by jay@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

With a sense of expectation I place the headphones on to indulge myself in Pylo and their EP 'Bellavue'. Instantly a stark but warm lone guitar glides over, then the emotive, powerfully emotive vocals of Matt Aldus grab hold of you. And so we are already entranced by lead song 'View'. The song expands as it intensifies. Like the sun rising, it builds and builds with a stately yet utterly irresistible grace, flooding everything with resonant colour. 'Enemies' is the only familiar song here, but rather than that familiarity breeding contempt, its grandeur is heightened by being in such rarefied surroundings. Here the song has an outro of a lone baritone sax, a sublime, playful Floyd-esque moment.

More measured but no less intense, 'Crying on Land' is full of intricate, sparkling Nick McCabe style guitar motifs. While the song glides and waltzes around, we hear questions of "where you really go with this love?" The song sustains an elegiac form, which ebbs and flows quite beautifully. With opening flourishes of 'Riders on the Storm', 'Bare Eyed' then sweeps into view with a wonderful near pop hook, and a enticing bass ties it all together. Like those handful of U2 and Simple Minds tracks that have no ego and simply revel in the life affirming, 'Bare Eyed' is similarly regaled with a sense of glory and abandon that takes you sky-bound. Then all becomes calm and that guitar spreads out. With 'Bellavue', Pylo have given us four songs which demand repeated plays, and grow every time. If the EP is this good, then surely the album will be something truly special.





Pylo's website

Buy the EP





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Out This Week - 29th July 2013

Everyday Mistakes - The Lack Of Your Presence

Swedish artist Everyday Mistakes (the alias of Mattius Malm) follows up his excellent 'Obscure Lanes' album from earlier this year with a brand new single called 'The Lack Of Your Presence'. A slight departure from most of the album, this track embraces electronic sounds and results in a top quality tune that would happily fit the new-wave banner.



Everyday Mistakes' website

'The Lack Of Your Presence' is available on July 31st from Novoton





I, a Man - Less Travelled

Yet another product of Melbourne's enormously healthy music scene, I, a Man have picked up a few plaudits back home, but with new single 'Less Travelled' they're aiming (ironically given the title) to push their music a bit further afield, and we're glad to help them do that, because in this track they have a very good slice of indie-rock that could well turn a few heads.



I, a Man's website

Buy the single





SPC ECO - Delusional Waste

Following the success of their 'Push EP' earlier this year, SPC ECO (pronounced "space echo") give us another synth-fuelled electro-rock number that's softened by gentle female vocals. The experience of Dead Garcia (ex-Curve) shows in this nocturnal, pulsing and edgy pop track that should find fans across a broad area of the musical spectrum.



SPC ECO's website

Buy the single





Symbol & Surface - Among the Graves

Minneapolis band Symbol & Surface began as two brothers, David and Brian Bauernfeind, but is now a quartet following the addition of Stefan Kuhl and John Nielsen. After a debut EP in 2011, they set to work on debut album 'We Are The Same' which is out this week. Have a listen to the single 'Among The Graves' which mixes alt-rock with just a hint of country.


Symbol & Surface's website

'We Are The Same will be available on July 30th from Bandcamp





OBLIGATORY RECORD OF THE WEEK

Jaws - Gold

With much of the country having just enjoyed watching Bolt, Farah and so on compete at the Anniversary Games in London, it seems fitting that we've gone for a track called 'Gold' as OROTW. Birmingham band Jaws' new single is worthy of that title too. With much being made about other bands from that particular city, there's a slight sense that these guys have been unfairly overlooked when they may well be worth the publicity that Peace, Swim Deep and so on have received. This cracking piece of indie will do their cause no harm as it rides along on a bed of guitars that both buzz and ring and a solid beat that all lead into a chorus plucked from somewhere on high.



Jaws' website

Buy the single

Catch them live:

September:
13th - Also Known As - Banbury (18+) - FREE ENTRY
14th - Southsea Festival - Portsmouth (All Ages)
15th - Pure - Basingstoke (All Ages)
16th - Basement - York (14+)
17th - Think Tank - Newcastle (14+)
18th - The Cockpit - Leeds (14+)
20th - Sound Control - Manchester (14+)
22nd - East Village Arts Club - Liverpool (14+)
23rd - Soundhouse - Leicester (14+)
24th - The Institute - Birmingham (14+)
25th - The Barfly - London (14+)





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