Out This Week - 24th March 2014

Baby Guru - We Need Some Space

Making good use of analogue-sounding electronics, classic psych-pop and a Beatlesy chorus, 'We Need Some Space' is a little gem of a tune. Baby Guru are a trio who've been around since 2009 and this track is taken from their new third album 'Marginalia'. They state that they're from Pluto, and we'd almost believe them if we hadn't secretly discovered they were actually Greek.



Baby Guru's website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Apr 02 Big Band Café, Hérouville St Clair, France





Should - Down A Notch

Another duo who could easily trick you into thinking they were a four or five piece band, Should are from Baltimore, although their music takes clear inspiration from classic British indiepop. New album 'The Great Pretend' is out this week and single 'Down A Notch' is a lovely guitar tune with chiming guitars and a timeless melody that will tick the right boxes for C86 fans everywhere.





Should's website

Buy the album





The Vickers - I Don't Know What It Is

Although released on reliable Irish imprint Ruby Music, The Vickers hail from Florence in Italy, but you wouldn't think it given their accents on 'I Don't Know What It Is'. Their new album 'Ghosts' is out later this week and includes previous single 'She's Lost', as well as the trippy guitar-pop of this more recent cut. It's a bit like being trapped in a hazy, colourful dreamworld.





The Vickers' website

Buy the album





Withered Hand - Horseshoe

If you're in the UK then you might be lucky enough to have a copy of 'New Gods', the new album from Edinburgh's Withered Hand already. If not, you can buy it from this week. Single 'Horseshoe' is a cut above most Americana-type alt-rock, with lyrics that are heartbreaking ("please don't put a shadow on her lung... so young") and generally exceptionally well thought-out. Brilliant



Withered Hand's website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Apr 17 The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, UK
Apr 18 The Gate Arts & Community Centre, Cardiff, UK
Apr 18 CCA Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Apr 19 Night & Day Café, Manchester, UK
Jul 25 Baldersby Park, North Yorkshire, UK
Jul 25 Midland Railway Centre, Ripley, UK





OBLIGATORY RECORD OF THE WEEK

Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)

Sometimes it can feel like we're in a world of our own; that the bands we champion should be world-beaters but the rest of the planet doesn't get it. Perhaps they can't see what we can, or perhaps we're just mad and have it all wrong. Some of the best records of recent years have barely been given a look in elsewhere, when they should be hugely acclaimed. Future Islands are now on their fourth album, and they haven't been ignored. They've gained press, have a big fanbase and people have heard of them. Yet they should be bigger. They should be rivalling The National or Arcade Fire for praise and size. Maybe they're just too quirky. 'Cotton Flower' landed at number 16 in out Top 30 tracks of 2012, and the utterly amazing 'Balance' was ten places higher the year before. Admittedly, both of these songs, however brilliant they are, took a few plays to win us over, and this will be due to the individual style of the band. New album 'Singles' is out this week, and finally the press seem to be getting as excited about Future Islands as we have been. With tracks like 'Seasons (Waiting On You)' it's no wonder. Hopefully they'll finally break through. Your turn next, Sad Day For Puppets!



Future Islands' website

Stream the album in full

Buy the album

Catch them live:

March 25 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
March 26 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall SOLD OUT
March 27 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
March 28 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club SOLD OUT
March 29 - Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
March 31 - Billings, MT @ The Rallyard
April 1 - Bozeman, MT @ The Filling Station
April 2 - Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett
April 3 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile SOLD OUT
April 4 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre SOLD OUT
April 5 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge SOLD OUT
April 6 - Eugene, OR @ Cozmic Pizza
April 7 - Arcata, CA @ Humboldt Brews
April 8 - Reno, NV @ The Holland Project
April 9 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
April 10 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel SOLD OUT
April 12 - Indio, CA @ Coachella
April 15 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room SOLD OUT
April 16 - Las Vegas, NV @ Beauty Bar
April 17 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's SOLD OUT
April 19 - Indio, CA @ Coachella
April 20 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
April 21 - El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace
April 22 - Marfa, TX @ Padre's
April 23 - Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
April 24 - Dallas, TX @ Three Links
April 25 - Little Rock, AR @ Stickyz Rock'n'Roll Chicken Shack
April 26 - Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
April 27 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
April 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church SOLD OUT
April 30 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall SOLD OUT
May 1 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club SOLD OUT

UK / EUROPEAN TOUR WITH ED SCHRADER'S MUSIC BEAT
May 7 - London, UK @ Electric Ballroom SOLD OUT
May 8 - Manchester, UK @ Sound Control
May 10 - Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape
May 11 - Gent, BE @ Vooruit
May 12 - Paris, FR @ Le Trabendo
May 13 - Metz, FR @ Les Trinitaires
May 14 - Munster, DE @ Gleis 22
May 16 - Aarhus, DK @ Pop Revo Festival
May 17 - Hannover, DE @ Cafe Glocksee
May 18 - Dresden, DE @ Beatpol
May 19 - Leipzig, DE @ Conne Island
May 20 - Nurnberg, DE @ K4
May 21 - St. Gallen, SUI @ Palace
May 22 - Luzern, SUI @ Sudpol
May 23 - Offenbach, DE @ Hafen 2
May 25 - Koln, DE @ Gebaude 9
May 26 - Munchen, DE @ Feierwerk
May 28 - Wien, AUT @ Flex
May 29 - Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
May 30 - Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby Festival
May 31 - Neustrelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival
June 3 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
June 4 - Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
June 5 - Liverpool, UK @ The Kazimier
June 7 - Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
June 8 - London, UK @ Field Day





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Artist To Check Out: Lost Boy?

Article by ethan@thesoundofconfusion.com

Lost Boy? has released a collection of covers, aptly titled 'Covers'. Lost Boy? is one guy, Davey Jones from Long Island, who writes and records songs and then plays live with a full band and Lost Boy? is frankly a pleasure; it's heavy and the songwriting is often perfect. There is a nineties thing going on, which obviously has current appeal, but it's really well done and the songs are great, and I'm the right age to be a sucker for nineties nostalgia. The imagery is all stuff from MTV and early nineties pop culture. Alternative, punk, garage, grunge, lo-fi; I'm sure all of these get used to talk about Lost Boy?: Pixies, The Breeders, Neil Young, The Ramones.

He's a good guitarist and has a great pop sensibility. The guy's voice is super high, the recording is all very do-it-yourself; lo fi, fuzzed-out. Davey Jones plays all instruments on the tracks and has a band for playing live. This guy is getting written up a lot and he's been putting out material steadily for years and at this point maybe he doesn't need me to write about him. 'MTV' and 'USA USA' are the two full-lengths, then there's live material and demos and EPs and whatever. 'She's a Highlight' is a great song, 'USA' is great too, and so is 'Chew'.

Lost Boy?'s website

Buy Lost Boy?'s music





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Five For Free #274

The Crayon Set - Attack

You could say it was very fitting that Dublin collective The Crayon Set are releasing a song called 'Attack' right when we're at the point of a major conflict in Crimea, but then there are always song about war and there's always a war going on somewhere. This highly contagious and slightly elaborate indie-rock track is a bit harder than their recent album and will be on an EP of the same name, released on March 29th.



The Crayon Set's website

Stream or buy the EP

Catch them live:

Saty, March 29, Whelanslive, Dublin, Ireland





Little Racer - Vanessa

Brooklyn quartet Little Racer are back with a new EP for Young & Lost Club who released their debut single in 2011. 'Modern Accent' (out April 8th) draws on influences from "New Order to Cat Stevens", so they have eclectic taste. Free taster 'Vaneassa' does have just a tang of New Order about it but the chiming guitars and strong vocal give it an identity it can call its own.





Little Racer's website

Pre-order the EP





PASTEL GHOST - PRISM

Besides being the bedroom project of a girl from Oakland called ezv, all we can tell you about PASTEL GHOST is that she likes capital letters. 'PRISM' is from her new EP 'SHADOWS' which will be out soon. Despite the shouty typing, 'PRISM' is all soft textures and woozy vocals as she takes us on a journey through wondrous electronic dreampop.



PASTEL GHOST's website

'SHADOWS' will be available soon from Bandcamp





Violet Swells - Jupiter's Garden

More Aussie psych, but with Violet Swells they forgo the deep grooves in favour of catchier guitar-pop songs that have been filtered through a kaleidoscope and make for nice, easy, magical and summery listening. 'Jupiters Garden' is the Tasmanian group's debut single and if you like this, then check out B-side 'Only' which casts a similar spell and is also yours for nothing.





Download both tracks for free by heading here

Violet Swells' website





The Kill Van Kulls - Wishing

It sometimes seems like Manchester has an insatiable appetite for guitar bands. Many of them, including The Kill Van Kulls, have a slightly broader sound that takes in a little electronica or psychedelia. Really though, new single 'Wishing' from their forthcoming album is a great big hunk of top quality alt-rock with a retro feel and is designed to make the most out of your speakers.





Download 'Wishing' for free from The Kill Van Kulls' website

Pre-order the single

Catch them live:

07/03 XFM @ BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER, UK
18/03 THE COCKPIT (W/ PATTERNS), LEEDS, UK
20/03 THE WAITING ROOM (W/ STRANGERS), LONDON, UK





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Tilapia - Insteelworks

Single review by karla@thesoundofconfusion.com

Back in January we were introduced to the wonderful world of Tilapia via their debut EP 'Rawshank'. In light of the impending release of the South London four-piece's follow-up EP 'School' (out on April 7th through Disorder Records), we are very happy to premier 'Insteelworks', the first track to be revealed from the new EP. Available as a free download.

'Insteelworks' is almost three-minutes of dreamy indie-rock with shimmery synth/bass, nostalgic guitar riffs, and eclectic vocals that move from being typically 'indie' to conjuring up similarities between the distinctive gruff, urgent, throaty, theatrical vocals familiar to Tim Kasher (think Cursive tracks like 'The Gentleman Caller') and then reaching the other end of the spectrum with childlike high whispers reminiscent of Claudio Sanchez (Coheed and Cambria). This is a vibrant track full of variety that has your heart pulsating in sync with the discreet chugging of the drum beats. A blinding effort from an exciting act that should see Tilapia (presumably named after the freshwater fish) swim their way through the music scene in no time, leaving nothing but the joyous ripples of new fans in their wake.



Tilapia's website





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Tyrannosaurus Dead - Greatest Hits

Album review by soul1@thesoundofconfusion.com

You'd have to guess there's a slight tongue-in-cheek aspect to Tyrannosaurus Dead deciding to call this album 'Greatest Hits'. The fact that smaller, independent bands such as this London and Brighton-based quintet don't really have what your average musicologist would describe as "hits" isn't really the issue, it's more the fact that these sixteen tracks are more a tying up of loose ends, a bringing together the collection of songs they've released on a trio of labels since 2011. So we don't just get the lead-tracks and most popular B-side and EP material, we get a compendium of everything. That said, most indiepop bands would be proud to release a compilation of this quality as a "best-of" at the end of their careers, so the fact that this is just a few years' worth of scattered recordings makes it all the more impressive.

With a clear penchant for fuzzy guitars and poppy melodies, they're anything but original, but that's not really the point. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have a set of lovable songs such as this than have Thom Yorke pissing about with some electronic glitches and calling it art. The flying start of 'Buried In The Ground' is like injecting liquid Pro Plus into your eyeballs, and once you're awake, you're not allowed to nod off again. This might be sixteen songs long, with a track length that ranges from under two-minutes to over five, but it zips by, never allowing fatigue to set in. '1992' could be from then; it could be from any time since about a decade earlier, but it's great fun. It's the energy, vibrancy, excellent use of guitars and surplus of melody that make this record tick. We could be here all day discussing each song individually, but many of them are pretty much the same make and model, (barring the more thoughtful dreampop of 'Always Fine' and 'Banner') yet somehow have enough variation so that you hardly notice.

Boy/girl harmonies are given a good airing on songs like 'Misery Guts' 'Matthew' and 'Silver' (and most of the album to be honest); they aim for a more C86-oriented noise-pop approach on 'Oyster Boy You're A Blast', 'Splinters', 'Bed Dread' and the grungy 'Smiling Politely'. Songs such as 'Soft', 'Sadie' 'Lemonade' and the quick-fire burst of 'Dead Body' are just irresistible if this kind of thing is your bag. They have one final dip into more pensive waters for final track 'Pure & Apart' before leaving us feeling much happier than when they found us. It's difficult to decide whether Tyrannosaurus Dead put the "power" into "powerpop" or whether they put the "pop" into "powerpop". We'd have to say it's probably both.



Tyrannosaurus Dead's website

Buy the album





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The Jezabels - The Brink

Album review by soul1@thesoundofconfusion.com

After forming back in 2007, Aussies The Jezabels have gone on to be big news in their homeland, with both of their albums hitting number two in the charts. But somehow this success hasn't been repeated in the UK yet. Released a few weeks after it hit the Australian market, their second full-length was actually recorded in London, and the band have begun to make more progress in this country, although it pales in comparison to the award nominations and victories they've scored down under. So what gives? Why haven't we embraced them in the same way in the UK? If you have an answer then you're a smarter person than me. My only guess it that because our charts are overrun with the same handful of big US popstars with Pitbull guest-spots that they just don't get the coverage.

You'd have to say that if they maintain this standard then their time will surely come. Comparable in style to bands like Metric or Howling Bells, 'The Brink' is one of those albums where every track could be a single. There is variation, and some songs will appeal to certain tastes more than others, but as a complete body of work this is quite seismic. The band hold nothing back and the production is like injecting each song with whatever Lance Armstrong was on; they make the very most of every asset they have without crossing the line. Be it alt-rock with electro leanings as found on 'Look Of Love' and the poppier electro-indie of 'Beat To Beat, or the powerful and emotive likes of the title-track, 'Got Velvet' and especially the tender 'Psychotherapy'; they don't miss a trick. With the depth of sound and their willingness to embrace different techniques you can even find echoes of the more commercial School Of Seven Bells tracks. You get no half measures here. These are big songs.

It can be a challenge to borrow from '80s rock and still sound good, but it's no problem for these guys, as we quickly find out on 'Time To Dance'. They allow a little more thoughtfulness to creep into 'Angels Of Fire', a song that finds them "getting old and bitter"; they did make it clear this album comes from a darker place than past material, although it's hardly a load of moping, gloomy tunes. The vocals soar and pull the song up high with them. "I've got a Cold War fascination" is another sign of something darker below the surface, especially as it's delivered on love song 'No Country', and more less-than-happy lyrics are scattered throughout. Single 'The End' is still a towering highlight and a must for anyone new to the band: make this your first port of call and you won't be let down. One running theme is just how personal the lyrics appear to be, and singer Hayley Mary has openly admitted that the challenge of following up a successful debut in a different location with a different producer was a challenge, but it was one they overcame with seeming ease. Nothing feels forced in the slightest. By the time you reach pensive yet epic finale 'All You Need' you can be in little doubt. The Jezabels deserve a break here, and a big one. At the moment, Australia has a secret. Please let that no longer be the case.









The Jezabels' website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Mar 20 GEBAUDE 9, Cologne, Germany  
Mar 26 El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Mar 29 Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
Mar 31 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Apr 01 Neumos, Seattle, WA  
Apr 02 Imperial, Vancouver, Canada
Apr 04 The Starlite Room, Edmonton, Canada
Apr 05 Republik, Calgary, Canada
Apr 07 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN  
Apr 10 Lee's Palace, Toronto, Canada
Apr 12 Brighton Music Hall, Boston, MA
Apr 15 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
Apr 16 Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA
Apr 17 Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
Apr 25 Oakbank Racecourse, Oakbank, Australia
Apr 26 Maitland Showground, Maitland, Australia
Apr 27 The Meadows, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
Apr 28 Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Apr 29 Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
May 02 Palais Theatre, St Kilda Vic, Australia
May 03 Prince of Wales Showground, Bendigo, Australia
May 04 Murray Sports Complex, Townsville, Australia
May 06 The Tivoli, Brisbane, Australia
May 09 Astor Theatre, Mount Lawley Wa, Australia
May 10 Hay Park, Bunbury, Australia
Jul 17 Deichbrand Festival, Cuxhaven, Germany
Jul 18 Tollhaus, Karlsruhe, Germany





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Five For Free #273

Canon Logic - IBOK

We're continually reporting on how Brooklyn has some bands who materfully straddle the worlds of the mainstream and the alternative. Well, Canon Logic are one such band, and their single 'IBOK' is one such song. Taken from their new EP 'WYLD', this is big on radio-friendly hooks and also retains an air of innovation that will appeal to the indie crowd. They should be bigger, put it that way.





Free download: 'IBOK'
(Right click, save as)

Canon Logic's website

Stream the EP in full

Buy the album





King Of Prussia - Actuary

If your tastes tend to veer more towards less commercial indie sounds, then you might be well acquainted with King Of Prussia already. The Spanish/US collective have over 20 musicians featuring on forthcoming double album 'Zonian Girls…And The Echoes That Surround Us All' which is out in April. Single 'Actuary' is top-grade guitar music that's embellished by a plethora of wonderful instrumentation.



King Of Prussia's website

Pre-order the album

Catch them live:

THU 27 MAR Flicker Theatre and Bar, Athens, GA, US
FRI 28 MAR The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC, US
SAT 29 MAR Rockin' Hard Saloon, Murrells Inlet, SC, US
SUN 30 MAR Chapel Hill Underground, Chapel Hill, NC, US
MON 31 MAR Slims, Raleigh, NC, US
TUE 01 APR The Camel, Richmond, VA, US
WED 02 APR Velvet Lounge, Washington, DC, US
THU 03 APR The SideBar Tavern, Baltimore, MD, US
FRI 04 APR Pianos, New York, NY, US
SUN 06 APR Stage on Herr, Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, Harrisburg, PA, US
MON 07 APR Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, US
TUE 08 APR Howlers Coyote Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA, US
WED 09 APR Wilbert's, Cleveland, OH, US
THU 10 APR Frankie's, Toledo, OH, US
FRI 11 APR The Yellow Barn, Ann Arbor, MI, US
SAT 12 APR Hideout, Chicago, IL, US
SUN 13 APR Daytrotter, Rock Island, IL, US
MON 14 APR The Black Sheep Cafe, Springfield, IL, US
TUE 15 APR Foam, St Louis, MO, US
WED 16 APR Springwater Supper Club, Nashville, TN, US
THU 17 APR Pilot Light, Knoxville, TN, US
FRI 18 APR Emerald Lounge, Asheville, NC, US
SAT 19 APR Under The Couch, Atlanta, GA, US





Rasputin's Secret Police - Kids With No Friends

With news that yet another gritty, grungy '90s band have reformed (Veruca Salt), it really seems like there's a taste for this kind of thing at the moment. So it's the perfect time for the wider world to hear Rasputin's Secret Police. The duo have been making music for years, but never really ventured out of Philadelphia. New album 'Comfortable' should see the word spread further. Here's 'Kids With No Friends'.



Rasputin's Secret Police's website

Pre-order the album





Reveries - Rows

We hadn't featured Swedish band Reveries since a single last summer, and then they deliver us two singles in quick sucession. Firstly came 'Tip Of Your Tongue', and now 'Rows'. This is classic-sounding guitar-pop with a spring in its step and plenty of melody. It's perhaps the strongest track we've heard yet, changing from different dynamics and applying a bit more crunch when needed.



Reveries' website

Buy the single





Benjamin Shaw - Goodbye, Kagoul World

Canadian-born but Blackpool-raised, singer-songwriter Benjamin Shaw accurately describes his sound as "mope-fi". From the forthcoming album of the same name, single 'Goodbye, Kagoul World' shows that he at least has a sense of humour with it. This brass-flecked alt-rock track gently plods along with a wearyness to the vocals, yet still it sounds sparkling and lovable. Rarely has moping sounded so good.



Download 'Goodbye, Kagoul World' for free by heading here

Benjamin Shaw's website

Pre-order the single

Catch him live:

WED 16 APR The Ivy House, London, UK





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