Constant Supply - Crystal

Single review by KevW

This County Donegal pairing have been floating around for a couple of years, using their distance from the centres of major music scenes to their advantage and developing a style that's not directly influenced by other movements going on around them. Using guitar, bass, vocals and a drum machine, Constant Supply released their first EP, 'Alleviate' at the beginning of last summer, something which led to more gigs and more press and radio coverage, all helping to get the ball rolling. The time since then has been spent putting together their debut album 'The Coast Ain't Clear', which is due for release sometime soon, although an exact date hasn't been given just yet.

The first cut to be unveiled from these sessions, which were recorded with Villagers man Tommy McLaughlin, is new single 'Crystal', a track made of dark textures and menacing undertones. It's a shadowy little tune and you wouldn't trust it as far as you could throw it. According to early reports the album will follow in a similar vein and names such as Radiohead, Pavement and Elliot Smith have been mentioned as references. So we can expect a brooding record that's not exactly full of the joys of spring, but one that may well go some way to establishing this underground duo even more.



Constant Supply's website





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Dead Wolf Club - Radar

Single review by KevW

Ah Tintagel, the home of King Arthur and his knights and the magical wizard Merlin; the birthplace of the guitar and the discovery of electricity, this town has given us such noted musical heroes as The Beatles, Bob Marley and Celine Dion. Is there a more important place on the whole of this planet? The Romans didn't think so, basing the plan of their Italian home to match street maps of the north Cornish town and the ancient Egyptians constructed their great pyramids there before transporting them by specially commissioned barges to the Giza plateau. Yes, we're talking utter crap, there may be the myths of King Arthur and his comrades but besides that Tintagel has had a relatively quiet existence. Wracking our brains long and hard we failed to think of any bands/musicians of note to be the product of the picturesque location.

That was until we heard Dead Wolf Club, who although relocated to London for at least part of the time, hail from the coastal village and produce a mighty racket as if their goal was to rouse the sleeping king from his slumber so he can return to save our glorious land from the sinister, shapeshifting Tory millionaires currently doing their best to sink our once great ship of a nation. With a rollicking indie/punk track like 'Radar' they should at least get him stirring a little. The vocals yelp furiously and the guitars shudder incessantly before the chorus hits and spreads a soothing layer of melody over the song. It's got a neat hook too, and deserves to spread its appeal far and wide. Quite probably the best thing to come out of Tintagel for about 1500 years.



Dead Wolf Club's website





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Maia - Pepper Stars

Album review by KevW

If you had to choose a location that claims to have invented "sci-fi folk" then Huddersfield would probably be quite low down on the list. Yet this is the claim of West-Yorkshire's Maia, and their second album 'Pepper Stars' has a cover and title befitting of such a declaration. And check these track titles: 'Alien', 'More Strangely Than The Moon', 'Four Angels', 'Pepper Stars'... they're making a decent attempt at backing up their statement, and lyrical themes often focus on subjects not of this world. But what would sci-fi folk sound like? Is that what 'Space Oddity' was? Or the music from The Clangers? Sci-fi folk may be an oxymoron; can you mix futuristic sounds and imagery with the rustic, earthy sounds of folk?

Maia may have an obsession with space but it's an earthly noise they make, albeit a wonderfully diverse one. 'Alien' with its military drums and heavenly voices definitely strays from traditional sounds (and actually does include some Clangers-like noises), but then 'Zuma Aluma' has a continental feel, part French and part Latino; they're obviously fans of diversity and not slaves to routine. The twee and twinkly 'Alight Adventure' is joyfully fantastical, also including more exotic sounds, and we're only three songs in. There are flirtations with jazz such as 'Dear iO' and the trad sounds on 'The Grandfather Plan' which possesses cinematic qualities, as do many of these compositions.

The beautiful simplicity of 'Where Else But Earth' is a moving highlight that flowers into a mariachi and flamenco hybrid with some excellent backing vocals and imaginative lyrics. In contrast it's followed by the gentle, countryish bop of 'The Boy', then 'More Strangely Than The Moon' takes country and bolts on a ton of brass making something pretty unique. There are even playful hints of classical music on 'Sundown' and 'Towards The Onion'. Single 'Living In The Alligator' could be the best starting point for people used to more conventional songs and structures. These are clever tracks with interesting arrangements, they may be sci-fi in some of their themes but their music is truly global.









Maia's website

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Family Cave - Family Cave EP

EP review by KevW

Slightly at odds with the experimental indie/electro-pop sounds emanating from their city at the moment, are New York's Family Cave, a band whose style is steeped in deeper tradition; those of folk, Americana and traditional guitar music. This makes them no less interesting as their songs are utterly lovely. Have you ever listened to a Lambchop record and wished the bugger would just cheer up a bit? Help is at hand on 'All The Places', a song dealing in similar sounds and imagery but one that doesn't require the same amount of dedication to be enjoyed. The vocals are lighter and the music has an optimistic glint in its eye while happily incorporating acoustic guitars, pianos and harmonicas. You could maybe say this was Americana for people who don't really like Americana, but that implies it's somehow not as worthy. For the record it is as worthy, although that shouldn't matter either way and bands should be judged on their tunes.

Free track 'Place For Me' captures a similar atmosphere; reflective and thoughtful but untarnished by the ravages of time and the memories of lost loves and missed opportunities, it could be that this lightness comes from the band's Californian roots, you can feel the sunshine glowing in the music. 'Direction' is a simple acoustic ditty backed with mournful strings and a a sweet melody, transporting you from campfire singalong to something altogether more decorative and inspiring. For many the highlight of this EP will be 'Walk Like', by virtue of its admittedly adorable sock-puppet based video. Whichever your favourite, it's unlikely you'll find anything life-changing here, instead 'Family Cave' is a nice little EP with some instantly likable songs on, and sometimes that's all you need.




Family Cave's website

Stream or by the EP





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Moones - Better Energy

Single review by KevW

OK so we're guilty of missing out on this adorably funky piece of guitar-pop when it was released as a single earlier on this year, but to throw out that old cliche: better late than never. Even more so when it's a catchy, jumpy and energetic number like this one. Moones might not be a household name, yet their work hasn't gone unnoticed and the video for 'Better Energy' is nominated in two categories at the UK Video Music Awards. Given their quirky style and non-mainstream sound it seemed a fairly safe bet that their video might follow a similarly interesting and unconventional route, especially as they're a small band nominated for some big awards. We thought we'd better investigate.

Sure enough, this hyperactive bundle of fizzing indie/pop is accompanied by suitably bizarre, perplexing and grin-inducing madness. Combining real footage with animation, pyrotechnics and dubious looking stage props, the video (at a guess) details a shipwreck in the Antarctic during which the captain catches fire and dies, the band are left performing on an iceberg where they successfully go fishing for mackerel, um, sausages, a barbecue and a canister of gas. SOS messages go ignored by a passing fisherman receiving a massage from a penguin and eventually the iceberg crumbles away leaving the band to freeze to death. Oh, and there's a piano playing cat with a machine gun who gets eaten by crabs. Just ive them the prize now.



Moones' website

Buy the single





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Tom Odell - Songs From Another Love EP

EP review by KevW

Is having your music hyped by Lily Allen (yeah we know she's called Lily Rose Cooper now but we're just making sure everyone knows who we mean...) a good thing or a bad thing? Well on the one hand, it's gained the London singer and pianist more publicity than he would have had by this point, although given time his music should generate an equal amount of publicity, just without this kick start. On the downside he's got to put up with about six months' worth of reviews mentioning this connection ahead of his actual music (sorry there, Tom). Tom Odell would most likely do well regardless of celebrity endorsements. His music is fairly universal, in that it crosses barriers ensuring fans of many genres will find appeal here, and it's also very good and therefore likely to receive fairly widespread acclaim, not just from niche corners of the market.

Debut EP 'From Another Love' finds him in typically good voice, the one we first heard when we featured him a few weeks back, it's a voice that's not only note perfect but one that has no trouble conveying bucket-loads of emotion; the guy sure can sing. So the buzz is accurate, but is it sustainable, will people still be flocking to hear him when a new next-big-thing turns up? The answer is most probably yes. His music does show great talent and is devoid of any gimmicks. It's raw and emotional but note-perfect enough to pull in plaudits from all over the place; from NME to Radio 2. 'Another Love' deals with heartbreak but this most overused musical emotion doesn't feel tiresome in this instance, it knocks you for six instead. Odell's songs are hallmarked by this powerful voice combined with delicate piano that, when needed, hits great heights. The EP is available on Monday, but to get a taste of the raw talent at work, check out these session versions of 'Sense' and 'Can't Pretend'.







Tom Odell's website

Buy the EP





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Five For Free #126

Blonde Bunny - How Do You Cope, Hope?

Now here's a band capable of bringing the psych-rock crown back to the UK. London-based Blonde Bunny have made their debut EP available for free download and 'How Do You Cope, Hope?' has one of the heaviest psych grooves we've heard all year. With a muscly bassline and some scorching guitar this lot have what it takes to be rubbing shoulders with the big boys before long.


Blonde Bunny's website

Stream or buy the EP





ELIM BOLT - Farm Kid

In November, South Carolina's ELIM BOLT will be releasing their debut album on a new local independent label, Hearts & Plugs. Titled 'Nude South' it looks set to be full of what they accurately describe as "indie croon rock". So it has edge, generally avoids mainstream rock sounds, and also shuns lo-fi ramblings in favour of something more substantial. Check out free single 'Farm Kid'.



ELIM BOLT's website

Pre-order the album





Selebrities - Time

We've been banging on about Brooklyn electro/post-punk band Selebrities for quite some time now and it's been a little disappointing that they haven't become as big as they deserve to be. But slowly and surely their star continues to rise and maybe that break into the more mainstream music press is finally on the horizon. Grab awesome free track 'Time' to hear what all the fuss is about.



Free download: 'Time'

Selebrities' website

Stream the album in full

Buy the album





Aztec Birds - No. 7 Honey

More impressive rumblings from the North East of England, an area producing more quality new bands than most at the moment. Aztec Birds are a guitar/vocals and drums styled duo, but stop any White Stripes comparisons right there. The tunes on their debut single are a punky and psychedelic form of garage rock that you can dance to, and they make a superb noise.



Aztec Birds' website

Stream or download the single in full





The Foreign Films - You Were My Summer Sun

Rounding things up with some gorgeous, melodic sounds are The Foreign Films whose new single includes the orchestral, sunkissed pop of 'You Were My Summer Sun'. Beginning with some tidy harmonies and a reflective mood, it soon builds to a sublimely realised and euphoric ending that should capture the heart of many a guitar-pop fan, especially those with a penchant for 60s pop.


The Foreign Films' website

Stream or download the single in full





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