The Noble Thiefs - Got It Made/When You're In Love

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

The Nobel Thiefs may not have excelled in English at school, but we're willing to bet they got top marks for music. With so many bands heading out on a garage tip at the moment, and many of those incorporating a little blues to give some added depth, it's nice to find a band who are not only doing that, but also have soul pumping through their veins. Having recently hit the UK for some gigs, the Winnepeg quartet thought it would be a good idea to give them a little something to remember them by, and so they released this double A-side single to coincide, and it does a splendid job of showing two slightly different sides to a band who sound as though they were born to make music.

First off is 'Got It Made', and although we didn't catch them when they were over, we're willing to bet this one tore the place apart when they played it live. There's a tip-top garage riff that propels the track along, but add those rich vocals in and run a fluid bassline through the thing and you've got a potent mix of styles that can't fail to impress. They're retro sounds but they're retro sounds done properly. 'When You're In Love' has soul too, lots of it, but it's driven as much by blues as anything. Slower and more pensive, it doesn't lose any power thanks to those vocals again and the meaty guitar and bass that would flesh out the bones of any song and turn it into something that gives off a shed-load of authenticity. We'll use those three words again: garage, blues, soul. If you like any or all of them then you need to give this single a good coat of listening to.


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Georgia's Horse - Weather Codes

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Judging the correct length for an album can depend on many factors. For a set of fizzing, punky type numbers, just breaking the half hour mark will do fine, any longer and it could get repetitive. Other bands who've been known to indulge a bit more like, say, post-Barrett Pink Floyd, can get away with an hour quite easily, such is the epic and sometimes slow-building nature of their material. For her second album 'Weather Codes', Texan native Georgia's Horse, the alias of Teresa Maldonado, had a whopping 40 tracks to pick from. A double album could have been on the cards, but how many double albums, however good they are, would not have sounded better trimmed down to a single? Probably not many. And so Georgia's Horse picked 14 tracks for this endeavour. Which leads to another question and a potential problem with 'Weather Codes'. Is 14 tracks (with a regular length of anywhere between two-and-a-half and five minutes) too much for one sitting?

To her credit, Teresa has included a certain degree of variety to the compositions she chose to include, so that prevents monotony. However, the consistent tempo and general barren feel hardly make for the most diverse of listens either. The writing process started on an old, out of tune piano, and many of the songs have only been lightly ordained since those early demos, but finding a bad song is a challenge. The roots of the recording process are perhaps best heard on the lovely 'A Long Ride Home', the plinky-plonky 'Fancy' and the simplistic 'Brick Hard Heart', another sweet song. Based around a not uncommon theme of heartbreak and loneliness, this record can be hard going at times. Stripped-back blues is given a run out on 'Apple', the bare-bones approach is used for 'The Millers', 'Strep Throat' is nicely made but forgettable, the same could be said of 'Six' and also closer 'Pram'. Many of these songs are accomplished and emotion-packed without necessarily being the most rewarding of listens.

When Georgia's Horse come up with the goods then we find some truly excellent songwriting and arranging. The haunting, baroque ballad 'Ginger' piles on the atmosphere, as does the stark and desolate 'The Bullet Sinks'; 'Thistlebomb' and the ace, crunching 'Weather Codes Part 2' are more experimental and introduce more modern sounds, although they're hardly cutting-edge; better still is 'Weather Codes Part 3', a timeless and emotive track. 'Westlake' is a total stunner. It would be amazing to have had fourteen tracks of this calibre, but that's easier said than done. Here Georgia's Horse gets everything right: her voice is rich and silky, the style moves away from the traditional formats used so far and the production sounds sublime. This is a real highlight, not just of the album, but of the year so far. All told, 'Weather Codes' isn't the most accessible of albums and it could have been shortened at no major cost and improved in doing so, but maybe that would be compromising Georgia's Horse's vision for the album. It's blatantly obvious how much care and attention has been ploughed into the record. So while it may be hard going at times, it improves with repeat plays and you have to take your hat off to Teresa Maldonado for making such an emotive and carefully considered set of songs.





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Calling All Astronauts - Post Modern Conspiracy

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It may not be on a par with Rage Against The Machine sticking two fingers up to The X Factor, but London trio Calling All Astronauts bagging the Christmas number one in The Hype Machine's Twitter chart was still good going, especially given that Hypem charts often feature the same old names. Plus we get to feel mildly smug as it was our post that qualified them. Clearly it was a reasonably popular tune therefore, and not just amongst us. So if you were one of those who gave it a play then and helped contribute, you'll be pleased to note that their debut album contains more of the same, in fact you may know this already, as it was released last month, we're playing catch-up. The all-seeing eye (it looks like the one from the US dollar bill that they've used), a symbol used by the Masons, the Illuminati and generally those who are allegedly plotting a new world order, along with the album title should let you know that there's a certain political agenda here.

Calling All Astronauts are driven by the general state of things and there are tracks that focus on how the system is wrong and how a select few are trying to control the entire human race. See 'Someone Like You',  'What's So Good About', 'Politicized' and 'The Demise Of Society'. These aren't empty political statements though, and 'Post Modern Conspiracy' isn't an album about *yawn* "sticking it to The Man" made by people who have no idea who "The Man" is anyway, nor what the problems really are. This band are a bit more clued-up, but rather than get into a political debate, we'll switch to the tunes. The album contains the messages they want you to hear so we won't repeat them all. This trio get described as post-punk, electro-rock and goth amongst other things, and this record feels like an update of what bands such as Sisters Of Mercy and Depeche Mode were producing three decades ago. The ethos is the same but the sounds are modernised.

Vocally a low, near monotone drawl delivers the lyrics, occasionally switching to a Lydon-like snarl for some of the more electrified moments, while coarse guitars do battle with sharp, electronic-sounding beats for attention in the background. You could criticise the album for basically picking a format and sticking with it, but that argument falls apart a little when you realise that that's the whole point. Calling All Astronauts have their sound and they've mastered it. As for ups and downs, well, there really aren't any: 'Post Modern Conspiracy' is remarkably consistent in both style and quality. Whether they're hitting out at scenesters on, um, 'Scenesters', "crass love songs" on 'It Could Have Been Lust', or religious ideology in a materialistic world on 'Eye Of God', these songs come with a message, and these are messages delivered as if they really care. What it comes down to is that, whether politically-charged electro-rock is a style that suits your personal taste or not, Calling All Astronauts are one of the few bands out there who are saying it like they mean it.







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Flying Cape Experience - Let's Sing More About The Eyes

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Flying Cape Experience sounds like a computer game or a scene from a Harry Potter film, yet Flying Cape is actually the name of the place where this duo reside. The Finnish husband and wife pairing recorded this, their first album together, at the end of 2012 and released it earlier this year. 'Let's Sing More About The Eyes' is an aural journey as much as a collection of songs, and you can pretty well summarise what the band are about from opening track 'Unfold'. It's the longest song here at a mighty eleven minutes, but it takes you on a wonderful trip that encapsulates many aspects of what's to come on the rest of the album. With a long intro section that's essentially an ambient and incredibly peaceful drone, it's not until the mid-point that vocals are introduced and we get a gorgeous hybrid of Mazzy Star and Cocteau Twins. These two bands are clearly a big influence on this record. The guitar begins to get louder, almost like the later work of Spacemen 3, as the track gently builds before stopping, seeming to pause for breath. The final third is a blend of the trio of influences we've mentioned; there's still a light drone, there are bubbling sound effects and glistening chimes that are quite fantastical. If you find the length a little daunting then trust them, it's worth every minute.

After such a mammoth entrée, Flying Cape Experience then serve up some delicious portions of dreampop. 'Cry Baby' begins like Beach House covering The Radio Dept., but by the time the vocals hit you can almost hear the ghosts of bands like Portishead or even Morcheeba drifting through the song, steering it away from what you may have expected; they're not going to just run through the dreampop instruction manual. Flying Cape Experience want the music to be their own. The fuzz of distortion opens the next track, 'I Love You', which sounds somewhat eerie given its title, it marks one of the starkest points of the album, but only for a while. This is another song that changes, and beautiful guitars and a deep bass chime in, lifting the mood wonderfully, like the most angelic post-rock you've heard as the noise increases to a thunderous crescendo, before falling back to earth with a gentle bump and sparkling off into the ether with some more eerie vocals. 'Let's Sing More About The Eyes' isn't all elongated, meandering and grandiose sonic adventures though.

'Blue' is simpler, consisting of dreamy vocals and the warm, omnipresent fuzz that bathes the album. And it only just scrapes over two minutes. 'The Cape' also fits your conventional single length and is still backed by that gentle hum with the vocals becoming the focal point; the music playing a supporting role, and 'Together Alone (Kaleva)' is a short and reflective tune. If you want something more upbeat then Flying cape Experience also cater for your needs. They dip closer into the realms of shoegaze with the beat-driven 'Morphosis', a song that allows a touch more noise to enter the equation; it's almost surprising that it's the same band by the grungy mid-point, but those telltale vocals and fuzz just about give the game away. They're not totally done with the songs of epic proportions, and 'I Am The Stars *A Message From Jim Morrison* I Want You So Bad' is more than just a long title, the track is lengthy with separate sections that are interlinked to form a wandering, meandering whole. It's good and at times it's impressive, but it could be the weakest song on the album. That said, calling it "weak" would be doing the song a disservice. It's simply a little less dazzling than some other tracks, although the final third dips into shoegaze again. The tender and very soft 'Swans' is like Kate Bush falling into a gentle sleep inside a Cocteau Twins tune played at half speed; it's about as soothing a dreamscape as you can get. Lastly comes 'Try' which is relatively simple with a little more soul to the vocals and yet another lovely build. It's one thing writing all this about Flying Cape Experience, but really the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So tuck in.







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Skelocrats - Free EP

EP review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It was right at the end of last year that we first heard about Dublin guitar-pop group Skelocrats when they released an album called 'The Complete Skelocrats' which took just 37 minutes to rattle through fifteen songs, all without sounding harried or half-arsed. What Skelocrats do is make pure indie/pop tunes with no nonsense, so you get to enjoy tune after tune without any needless indulgence or boring extended fade-outs. It's worth popping back and checking out that album if you missed it first time around, and if you've just spent all your cash on festival tickets then a good few tracks on the album are free to download too. Speaking of which...

Ace netlabel EardrumsPop have just put out this free three track EP by the band in which, thankfully, we get more of the same joyous, fluff-free music. Yes, Skelocrats have three songs here and they're done and dusted in a little over eight minutes. 'No Exceptions' has a title which sums up this approach, and it also happens to be a catchy guitar number of the variety that you will clap along to when no-one's watching. The second (what we think is) original track is 'Misguided Tour'; again it's classic, simple pop fun with some "ba ba bas" which you'll probably sing along to when no-one's watching. They finish off with a version of 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son' by France Gall from back when Eurovision Song Contest entries were good. This particular track was a winner for Luxembourg in 1965 and also became a live favourite for Belle & Sebastian for a while, but Skelocrats offer a whole new take on it. May they keep the songs flowing!





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Letters To Fiesta - Vampires

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Earlier this year we were singing the praises of Manchester alt-pop group Letters To Fiesta for making actual pop music that wasn't horribly tedious and predictable like so much that gets unwittingly funnelled down our ears. That was their recent single, the very fine 'Mesosphere' which came backed by another decent tune in 'Statuettes', proving they were no one-song-wonder. In case you still weren't sure, they'd like to back this up further by putting out another single. It's called 'Vampires' and it continues where they left off with their previous offering.

Which means, of course, that this is another instantly likable alt-pop song that's free from cliches and has had thought put into the actual song instead of just getting any old tripe and plastering it in the latest production fad. We'll stand by comparisons we made to Nikki & The Dove, Lykki Li and Kate Bush, so if you missed them before then you'll know by now that they're female fronted. They deserve extra kudos for not jumping on the whole spook-pop bandwagon that's currently rolling through musicsville. 'Vampire' by name maybe, but this isn't some ghostly-sounding piece that's doing its best to attract the Twilight crowd. Much like what we hard before, this is quality pop, and we only wish there was more of it around.



Letters To Fiesta's website





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I-Wolf & The Chainreactions - Skull + Bones

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

As you're now probably aware, 'Skull + Bones' is the second of two albums released by Austrian artist I-Wolf & The Chainreactions on the same day. The other being the first in the set, 'Flesh + Blood'. A few songs are contained on both albums in alternate versions, but most are different compositions, the idea being that 'Flesh + Blood' is the "life" album and 'Skull + Bones' is the "death" album. As we found out, the "life" album may have been slightly lively at some points, but it still gave off a bleak aura and wasn't the most comfortable of listens. It was, though, innovative and very accomplished with some very fine music included. This album is supposed to be darker and is dedicated to those we've lost. If this is to be darker, it'll be a job to prevent it from becoming overbearingly so, especially given the atmosphere of the supposedly lively half of the equation.

Relying more on working as a solo artist than with such a large band, those soulful vocals that projected some heart and life into 'Flesh + Blood' are gone. 'Howling Years' is a male vocal, and this is over the top of what could be the soundtrack to a particularly desolate scene in a Western movie. The beat thuds bluntly. There doesn't feel like much life here; it feels like something drawing to a close. The pounding begins again on 'Brighter Than The Sun', a song that talks of a struggle and of desolation, desperation even. The lyrics do not paint a pretty picture. It seems as though I-Wolf can make an album that's even more filled with doom and barrenness, yet the music isn't as depressing as it could be. It feels like a band drawing their final breaths, but it's not dull, it contains emotion and it contains a certain complexity which seem at odds with the sparse arrangements. 'Let It Go' is one of the more accessible songs on the first album, and even here it's lighter than what comes before. That said, by comparison is gives off vibes of confusion and submission. The line "let it go" perhaps referring to life in its final throws.

There's a more upbeat feel allowed to come back into the music on 'Wicked Paradise' and the female vocal also helps lighten the load, but still, gone is the lushness and density of some of the "life" album's tracks, it's also almost unrecognisable from its first incarnation. If soul was what carried 'Flesh + Blood', then it's the desert wilderness that 'Skull + Bones' is rooted in. 'Side Walk' could also be from a Western and the pedestrian pace of the album does become a bit of a burden at times. There's a slight glimpse back at that soul on 'Everybody Needs A Way', but it's accompanied by a medieval sounding beat that could be leading up to an execution. If the very thought of listening to 'Skull + Bones' is now becoming a chore, it should be noted that these songs, although not instant, are by no means bad, and instant gratification can be found in 'Holdin Thru', perhaps one of the best songs of either album. There is a final blast of life before the total consumption of the existence at stake here. 'You Know It Ain't Right' is another more easily appreciated song despite the fact that it takes the tone down a touch further again. With the finale of 'Total Eclipse Of The Sun' ebbing away into the distance, the grand odyssey is over. I-Wolf has made this album gloomier than its counterpart, but it has its moments. We'd still pick "life" over "death" in terms of the music though.




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I-Wolf & The Chainreactions - Flesh + Blood

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Wolfgang Schlögl is a member of various musical projects in his native Austria, but late last year saw the return, after nine years, of his I-Wolf & The Chainreactions guise with single 'Let It Go'. No one-off, he's now released two albums, both on the same day and with some tracks appearing on both records in different forms. Firstly is the longer of the pair: 'Flesh + Blood' - the "life" record; the idea being that this is more upbeat, enthusiastic and contemporary. In places it is, at other points it feels dark, but that's as much a representation of the artist in general as anything else. One thing that is for certain is that it's incredibly diverse and experimental. Take opening track 'Trailerpark Voodoo/Howling', seven-and-a half minutes of soundscapes, strange noises, sporadic beats and a soulful female vocal. Attempting to pinpoint a genre is futile, the best you can do is call it avant-garde and be done with it.

The single 'Let It Go' is on both albums. In this instance it almost represents itself as a modern form of space-rock, and those sound effects and unusual touches carry through from the first track, in fact they're omnipresent on these albums. This is more accessible and has a gospel twang, like someone remixing a Spiritualized track. The brass-led 'Turn Where Your Heart Is' may have some uptempo industrial beats and (possibly) flute, but it's not exactly full of the joys of spring. It is another fine song though, and perhaps it just means that I-Wolf has a different idea of "life" than we do. 'Exploration Blues' is a highlight; again its soulful and again it's innovative, but this one's more approachable and would make good single material, the vocals are perfect. The beat is played around with more for the jazzy 'Blazing Fires' and 'For So Long' could be described as trip-hop, touching on rap and showing the diversity of the music I-Wolf makes.

That point seems to see a change in the album's style. 'Hearts On Fire' also touches on trip-hop and could be from an experimental work from the '90s. Although well made, it's not as successful as some of the album's previous songs, yet remains within I-Wolf's comfort zone; he knows how to make music this way. This venture into different genres continues as 'Wicked Paradise' takes inspiration from the rise of bass culture, the constant being those soulful female vocals that seem here for the duration. Beats change again and are joined by some twinkling piano on what sounds like it could be a retro-cinematic soundscape with 'The Lightning And Thunder', that is until the vocals enter the fray, pinning the song back in line with the rest of the album. There's such an ominous feel to 'It Will Burn Us' (even with the prog organ break) that you begin to wonder what kind of "life" 'Flesh + Blood' is meant to represent. They wrap things up with a screeching dubby genre-mash called 'Total Eclipse'. Yes this is a lively album, but far from a happy one. That said, it's inventive, innovative and not afraid to go out on a limb. Pop fans will find little of interest here, but seekers of left-field treats will get hours of enjoyment from a substantial body of work. And this is only half the story...




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Fist City - Boring Kids

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Initially released in December, Alberta band Fist City will give their oddly-named album 'It's 1983 Grow Up!' a full UK release this week and they've sent over this fab video for single 'Boring Kids', so we thought it would be rude not to share it with you. Amongst the savoury delights included in the film are what look like Pagan rituals, devil worship, spells being cast and possible demonic possession. So perfect Saturday viewing for all the family then. In all honesty, although it's dark and contains a lot of fire, the video is so fast-paced its difficult to get to grips with exactly what's going on, but you do get the general idea.

'Boring Kids' also happens to be a pretty darn fine tune. Take your pick from these: punk, noise-rock, lo-fi, garage, psycho-surf, satanic-rockabilly - or alternatively just use them all. They all fit the style of the song; short and uh, the opposite of sweet at under two-and-a-half minutes. For something which could be described as so sinister it's a surprisingly light listen; the production isn't sludgy like you may expect, and they even manage to make the song sparkle just a touch, plus it's quite a melodic track. So if you don't want to risk summoning any nasty spirits from the pits of hell, just listen to the tune on its own and you should find it to be a thrilling, DIY rock 'n' roll riot.





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Snakadaktal - Ghost

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

If you're not yet up to speed on Melbourne band Snakadaktal then you should skip back and check out our initial feature on them from January which included their debut UK release, a double A-side single of 'Dance Bear' and 'Air', as well as a free download of 'Chimera'. So there's plenty to get acquainted with, and if you like what you hear then there's good news on the horizon. The band will be releasing their debut album 'Sleep In The Water' on August 2nd, and there will be a couple of singles in the lead-up to the main event, staring with this slower, more atmospheric piece called 'Ghost'.

The band label themselves as "dreampop" and the music they make is a form of dreampop, but a little different from the norm. Instead of crossbreeding their music with shoegaze as most dreampop bands do, Snakadaktal mix theirs in with a sound that's closer to trip-hop. Certainly 'Ghost' shows this sound of well, and it also shows that they have diversity; it's not just another version of what we've heard before from them. The production is immaculate, although not to the point that it detracts from the song, it more a case of getting each note just right to create the desired effect, and this they do. With a name like 'Ghost' you'd expect a haunting sound, and that's exactly what we get. Expect more from them on these pages soon.





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The Phoenix Foundation - Thames Soup

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

As has been said before, you're rarely let down by a band associated with Memphis Industries, and this proved to be the case with New Zealanders The Phoenix Foundation who released their excellent synth-pop single 'The Captain' earlier this year. It turns out there's more to them than that though. The Wellington group released their album 'Fandango' at the end of April, and far from being more synth-pop or different variations on the same theme, they've shown that their songwriting and musical skills stretch further afield, as evidenced by current single 'Thames Soup' which, if you knew know better, you could easily be convinced is a different band entirely.

The vocals are a constant and these connect the songs which will ensure that the album doesn't feel like a hotch-potch of ideas all stuck on a disc together, but gone is the sound they made on 'The Captain'. Synths are still here, but now they're pushed to the back and the starring role is handed to guitars instead. With an insistent, driving bassline, the guitar lines delicately weave their way through the song, rather than announcing themselves with a bang. This technique gives a pleasant smoothness to the track and allows those vocals to become the main focus of attention. Want labels? Well you could call this indie/pop I suppose, but it matters little, the band don't seem fussed about sticking a certain label to their sound, and if they keep coming up with the good then there's no reason why we should either.





The Phoenix Foundation's website

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Catch them live:

12 - July - Auckland - The Powerstation
19 - July - Christchurch - The Bedford @ CPSU
20 - July - Dunedin - Queens
21 - July - Dunedin - Chicks Hotel - NEW SHOW!!!
26 - July - Napier - The Cabana
27 - July - Wellington - James Cabaret





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Pixies - Bagboy

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Relations amongst the various members of Pixies have been up and down ever since they first split twenty years ago to prevent themselves from killing each other, such were the level of inter-band tensions. However, the unlikely happened in 2004 and the band reformed and toured extensively. At that point they also released a solitary single, 'Bam Thwok', which may have got fans hoping for a new album, but it wasn't to be. Since then, both Frank Black and Kim Deal's other band, The Breeders, have released albums, but new material from Pixies seemed increasingly unlikely, especially when it was announced earlier this month that Kim Deal had left the band, leaving the trio of Black, Lovering and Santiago.

So it was a huge surprise yesterday when a brand new Pixies track appeared online as a free download. 'Bagboy' is a new recording, and what's more, you can hear the vocals of what sounds like Kim Deal featured on the song. Maybe they'd recorded new material before she left? It soon transpired that it wasn't Deal at all, it was in fact (apparently) Jeremy Dubbs from The Bunnies doing a very good impression. 'Bagboy' sounds like classic Pixies though, and proves that they still have it in them to recreate that magic; this could have slotted nicely into their back-catalog and contains some of their ace trademark guitar sound. Fans don't need a review, they will have made up their minds already, and we're expecting the reaction to be positive, especially given recent events. Just maybe the band can carry on without Deal, and just maybe they have more songs lined up and ready to go. Could we get that long-awaited reunion album after all? Is this proof that it will be worth doing after all? At the moment the situation remains clear as mud. The silver lining is that we've got a top new song from the alt-rock legends.





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Major Leagues - Endless Drain

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It's been a good two or three years now since guitar-pop bands decided that the best route forward was to create fuzzy, hazy indiepop songs that sound like they're made to be listened to on beaches and should incorporate girl-group melodies with the sounds of '80s indie bands. So after groups like Dum Dum Girls and Best Coast made albums which defined the genre, how come it's still so popular and isn't showing any signs of losing its flavour just yet? We could list the other bands we've featured on the site who are making music that's practically identical to this single from Major Leagues, but we'd rather not wear out our computer keyboard. These things aren't cheap.

These Aussies probably have been enjoying making their songs "underneath the sun" and "searching through the sand", and we're enjoying listening to it. I guess it's that time of year that these kind of songs should sound best in, but quite how this genre is the gift that keeps on giving is puzzling. We should be bored to tears by now, but 'Endless Drain' is just such an irresistible song that the end doesn't even seem to be in sight. This will be great news for bands like Diiv, Beach Fossils and the like, and they can continue down their sunkissed paths knowing that their sound still has a way to go before the backlash begins. We tried to hate this, but we can't. It's ace.



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Drenge - Backwaters

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

As we previously mentioned, we weren't quite sure what all the fuss was about when it came to Sheffield brothers Drenge, but judging a band by the first couple of songs that appear online is far from a fail-safe way of sizing up a band. Your best bet is to wait for the proper singles or an album, that way you're hearing the sound the band are happy with (in most cases at least). Now converted, we're happy to say that Drenge do have something a bit special about them. Not life-changing, but without a doubt worth a bit of your precious ear time. Their album should be out in August, and 'Backwaters' is the latest single.

In style it's a punky track and also one that fits in with the darker side of things that many alternative guitar bands are delving in to. 'Backwaters' has elements of psych and garage too, both very much in vogue again at the moment, so the hype is to be expected: just about every box is ticked. The only thing we're yet to hear (from just a handful of tunes mind) is a stone-cold classic that will make sure they leave a dent and aren't simply a passing fad that will be forgotten about should they decide not to make another album. We hope the pair go on to make many more records, as there is something about them and the more they produce the higher the chances of such songs arising becomes. For now, they're a decent new band.





Drenge's website

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Catch them live:

JULY
5 – Hop Farm Festival,   Paddock Woods
6 – Blissfields Festival,  Winchester
6 – Hyde Park,  London w the Rolling Stones
20 – Latitude Festival,  Southwold
21 – Longitude Festival,  Dublin
28 – Kendal Calling,  Kendal
AUGUST
3 – Y Not Festival,  Pikehall
18 – Beacons Festival,  Skipton
SEPTEMBER
6 – Bestival, Isle of Wight





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DeLooze - Lost Army

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Maybe it's a sign of the times. There was the predicted beginning of a shift in consciousness and potential increase in natural disasters and so on that had been forecast by many cultures (including the US government) that supposedly began in December (the Mayans didn't predict the end of the world, get your head out of your Hollywood movies!), and today it was reported that the Russian meteor which injured thousands earlier this year sent out shock waves so powerful they circled the globe twice - far bigger than any atomic explosion in history. But the music world also seems to be going through a bleak period, and this new single from London's DeLooze fits in perfectly.

This is not to say the song is bleak and dull, more that it comes with a tension; it feels full of doom and talks of "danger" and having to "run away". 'Lost Army' definitely has a touch of the apocalyptic about it, and is another example of a current wave of bands spontaneously producing music of a similar mood. DeLooze tackle the subject in a grander fashion than most. This song isn't minimalist doom-mongering, and nor is it end-times post-rock. This is a huge, slightly orchestral monster of a tune. It feels like an approaching disaster than mankind can't avoid. If we really are going through a transition and more strange natural or man-made disasters are likely to occur, then here's your soundtrack to it.



DeLooze's website

Buy the single

Catch them live:

'Lost Army' Single Launch (Support from Heart-Ships & Death Rattle)
Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at 7:00pm Islington Assembly Hall
London, United Kingdom





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Five For Free #194

MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR - SCREAM QUEEN

It's been a while since we've posted anything by Texan garage/indie/pop band MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR, but they've announced a new EP to be released this autumn and it includes new single, the rather wonderful and varied track 'SCREAM QUEEN'. Hopefully the EP sells well enough for them to afford to replace the broken caps lock key on their computer.


MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR's website

Buy the single





Hemendex - Faith In War

Being peace-loving people we're not keen on war. So it's good to note that Croatians Hemendex (who possibly experienced those kind of horrors first hand) state here that they've "lost my faith in war... I'm happier without it". They do this to a retro sounding piece of synth music with plenty of guitars for a nice cross-genre alt-pop sound.


Hemendex's website

Buy the single





The Olms - Wanna Feel It

On to something a little more organic sounding. The Olms are LA duo Pete Yorn and J.D. King and their debut album was released earlier this month. They make a superb mix of the harmonious alt-rock that's been flooding the US alternative scene, but mix it in with a cracking indie/pop song creating something more appealing. It's yours for an email address.



Download 'Wanna Feel It' for free from The Olms' website

Buy the album





Saskatchewan - Possession

Sitting somewhere in the middle of all we've mentioned so far are Florida band Saskatchewan who recently released their debut album 'Occasion'. From the album is 'Possession', a track that mixes various so called "alternative" genres such as alt-rock and dreampop with a slightly soulful vibe and a pop edge supplied by the subtle use of electronic sounds along with a more regular band set-up.



Download 'Possession' for free by heading here

Saskatchewan's website

Buy the single





Go/No-Go - Desperate Romantics

Sydney's Go/No-Go should get your feet tapping. Their new single 'Desperate Romantics' is a lively alt-pop tune with guitars borrowed from Gang Of Four and an slight Talking Heads influence. It also contains the kind of drumming that's likely to lead to RSI in later life. Still, it's a good tune, so let's enjoy it while we can and keep our finders crossed for the drummer...



Go/No-Go's website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Fri 7th June - Sydney, Oxford Art Factory





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Daughters of Ether - The Heroines of Modern Dreampop

Article by wayoutwest@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Since the ancient days of the Sirens (whether mythical or not), women have graced listeners' ears with loving vocal ether. This still continues today, albeit such a mystifying thread is now laced through a myriad of different genres. This playlist is dedicated to the daughters and beneficiaries of that tradition. Sing and play on sisters.  ~ WayOutWest


Stargazer Lilies – We Are The Dreamers

Stargazer Lilies' website





The Rungs – Confluence of Anomalies

The Rungs' website





Plum – Meadow of Weeds

Plum's website





Sealight – The Moon

Sealight's website





Flying Cape Experience – I Love You

Flying Cape Experience's website





Горобчики - співаний вірш

Gorobchiki's website





broaddaylight – Arpeggio

broaddaylights's website





Heligoland – Always Another

Heligoland's website





Ummagma – NIMBY

Ummagma's website





Love Spirals – Love Survives

Love Spirals' website





Autumn's Grey Solace – Holocene

Autumn's Grey Solace's website





Whirr – Ghost

Whirr's website





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MYPET - Gloria

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Not a cover or in anyway connected to the R&B standard of the same name, this 'Gloria' is the work of US electro-pop duo MYPET. Perhaps they've added forming a synth-pop/dreampop/electro-pop duo to the American national curriculum recently, it almost seems like a rite of passage at the moment. Why then, are we bothering to write about this particular duo when we hear from so many (too many to possibly fit on the site without the whole internet buckling under the weight of the whole thing, leading to catastrophic results for government spying operations that rely on the web in countries throughout the world)? Well that's easy to answer: because we like it.

There is a heck of a lot of this stuff doing the rounds and we've had to reinforce our inbox with an extra three foot layer of hardened steel to cope with it all, but MYPET have a catchy tune in 'Gloria', a song from their current EP 'Reflex'. Along with the melodies and the electronics is a more interesting beat than many can muster, and the hypnotic refrain of "attention Gloria" gets under your skin in a good way. There's the merest hint of an exotic side to their sound too, which may make for a more diverse future direction and does make them stand out that bit more. This is one pair who may well go the course.





MYPET's website

Buy the EP

Catch them live:

Thursday July 18, 8:00pm Trinity Centre (Dalston), London, UK
Tuesday July 30, 7:30pm Sebright Arms London, UK
Saturday Aug 10, 8:00pm in UTC+02 Sala Razzmatazz Barcelo





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Strangefruit - Sea Of Fog

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

I suppose that naming yourselves after one of the most poignant and important songs in history instantly gives you a lot to live up to. Perhaps they'd have been better off calling themselves Mistletoe & Wine, that way they couldn't fail. But Strangefruit it is for this London quartet, and of course their new single isn't a patch on Billie Holiday's classic, but then not much is. 'Sea Of Fog' doesn't have any kind of political message that we can see, but it's a complex and accomplished piece nonetheless. To give you some idea of the background, some members of Srangefruit were in celebrated jazzy experimentalists Polar Bear, and if you don't know them, see if there are any live clips on YouTube. They were quite something.

'Sea Of Fog' barely compares style-wise to that band, instead it plucks bits from all over the place and pieces them together into a grand and incredibly well thought out song. All of which is irrelevant if it sounds like a load of old tripe. But it doesn't, this is pretty awesome. Loosely an alt-rock song, it has more depth that much music that would carry that name. The vocals are strong and are really the focal point of the song, so having a great range really helps. Musically it's anything but straightforward, taking you on a journey with an occasional folk influence, the cinematic grandeur of Anna Calvi and a hugely powerful instrumental section that knocks your socks off. It may not go down in history like te song they chose as their moniker, but it's good enough not to tarnish it.





Strangefruit's website

Buy the EP





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The Pyramid Ship - Going Out EP

EP review by jay@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Recently we featured the latest album by Kassini. That was an expansive, almost progressive album. The connection between Kassini and The Pyramid Ship is the lead singer John Hogg. As exhibited with Kassini, Hogg has a powerful, raw, yet rich voice. With The Pyramid Ship and this debut EP, Hogg, along with musical partner Charlie Morton, is shaking off any shackles and simply delivering tight, superbly-crafted modern rock. The title track opens the EP and punches out in true style. There are shades of latter-day Stone Temple Pilots and lost Brit-rockers The Senseless Things, in the rolling grooves. It's a powerhouse of a song driven by Hogg's vocals; as was once said  it's a "mindshaker meltdown" of a track.

'Outside My Door' slinks in on a dirty bass rumble. This is maintained throughout the song. Hogg indulges his best Robert Plant lasciviousness, and "hears her knocking". ‘Outside My Door’ is a dirty, sultry beast that is all the better for being recorded up close and personal. Keeping the Zepp-size groove on, 'Riding' swims in on another low-slung trip. It has a looseness not seen since Reef and their early tracks such as 'Naked'. The song then finds its own footing and stomps with an almost raw-glam power. The concluding track to the EP is 'Breaking up', it's fresher than the low-slung tracks previous. 'Breaking Up' houses a wonderful skyscraping chorus that lights up the whole song. The song then stretches out in a psychedelic, bewitching brew, before finding its rock-solid base taking us out in classic fashion. This is a delightful entrée that whets the appetite and leaves you craving for what The Pyramid Ship will give us next.

Sell your beats online at ReverbNation.com

Learn how to make a free Electronic Press Kit

The Pyramid Ship's website

'Going Out' will be available from July 9th on Flame Proof Music





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Sonic Hearts Foundation - Into Forever

EP review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

You may have first heard about Glasgow band Sonic Hearts Foundation when they released their debut single 'The Storm' last summer, and you may have taken advantage of the free download of their first EP 'Into Forever' which they released earlier this month. If you haven't got the free download yet then we strongly recommend doing so. It will expire on July 1st, so you've only got a few days, but should you prefer a physical product then there's a limited edition of 100 of those too. The first we heard of the EP was recent single 'Northern Lights', a heavy psych-rock track with thundering drums and an atmosphere that you'd need a chainsaw to cut through.

There are, of course, other tracks on the EP, and they offer more variety too. On the (slightly) more commercial side of things is 'Azrael', a clattering, rumbling, post-punk tune that also lays on the atmosphere with a trowel. The echoey vocals drift around, seemingly trapped inside the song and this creates a strange but unique effect. 'USA' employs this same vocal technique and the noise is phenomenal; pulsating electronics, thundering drums, air-raid sirens and more all vying for space. It's a glorious racket. Last but not least is '1984'. This has a more electronic feel and verges on krautrock at times, but again those vocals swirl through the song and the instruments, every one of them, scream at you as loud as they can. Sonic Hearts Foundation aren't a band who do things by half.



Sonic Hearts Foundation's website

Stream or download the EP





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O Emperor - Contact

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Irish band O Emperor have previously toured with Mumford & Sons, but don't hold that against them, because it could be one of the most important things (besides their tunes) that they've done. We like O Emperor, we liked last year's double A-side single 'Electric Tongues'/'Erman Gou' which was the first new material since their debut album 'Hither Thither' (a top 10 record in Ireland, and nominated for the Choice Music Prize) and we liked 'Holy Fool', the first single from second album 'Vitreous' (out in August in the UK but available now on their home turf). Hopefully their psychedelic pop/rock tunes will have opened the eyes and ears of all the Topshop folk pretenders who attended those gigs, and maybe they realised that music can be a little more exciting.

The next track taken from the new record is 'Contact' which maintains an element of accessibility; you don't need to be a psych obsessive to get this one, but is also a rampant stomp through indie/rock/psychedelia and pop hooks. It's a top tune, and it doesn't rely on being overly left-field to become one. Many current psych bands are incorporating more drones and krautrock and stretching songs out past the ten-minute mark. This can be great, but if it becomes too common we're in trouble because not everyone can maintain quality for such a duration, so the whole scene could implode. It's bands like O Emperor and songs like 'Contact' that are keeping it grounded and still rooted in popular music; a base it needs to keep a grip on if it's not to become a niche area once more, so long may they continue down this path.





O Emperor's website

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Aug 29th Paris, Pop In, France
Aug 30th Schaffhausen, TapTab, Switzerland
Aug 31st Dresden, The Sound of Bronkow Music Festival Germany
Sept 1st Berlin, Privatclub, Germany
Sept 3rd Hamburg, Astra Stube, Germany
Sept 4th Leipzig, NaTo, Germany
Sept 5th Hannover, Feinkostlampe, Germany
Sept 7th London, Sebright Arms, UK





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Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles - Follow

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

The very name of the band suggests literate types and those who are likely to make music of a fantastical nature. This song isn't as dark as the Sherlock Holmes referencing band name, but it is as intriguing as the name of the album it's taken from. Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles are a band from Leeds who make startlingly ambitious orchestral pop/indie that's a little bit like a less smug Divine Comedy with the throwaway humour removed. 'Follow' is taken from their current EP 'Tales From Pegasus Wood', an EP title that suggests more of the same could be in store, and as this tale is so grand and majestic then we must assume at least some of the others are too.

Unusual percussion, brass sections (lots of brass sections) and a cacophony of other instrumentation including strings and God knows what else all make 'Follow' an amazing listening experience. It's cinematic, it's contagious, it's articulate and the lyrics are wonderful. It helps that the vocals are very strong and very clearly British, because this is a very British sounding record. It conjures up all kind of images, many of them traditional scenes; however unique and impressive it's not cutting edge by any means. Having not only the vision to construct such a song but the balls to carry it out deserves to be applauded in its own right; the fact that it's done to such a brilliant standard is an added bonus.


Arthur Rigby and the Baskervylles' website

Stream or buy the EP





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The Short Stories - Send My Love To Everyone

Album review by jay@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

An uplifting swathe of horns welcomes you into 'Angry Young Man (1)' and quickly you are stepping into The Short Stories' world and their album 'Send My Love To Everyone'. This isn't an album for if you're wanting to rage against the world. It has a quintessentially English feel to it. 'Angry Young Man' glides through with those twinkling horns shimmering through the song. This is a song that allows you to feel like walking along on a lazy summer's day, with an ice-cream. After that bright introduction 'Short Stories For Long Nights' is a more sombre affair. It tells a tale of youthful frustration, leading into a paean about the redemptive abilities of the right song. This is painted with a sharp lyrical quip that recalls Billy Bragg or Jarvis Cocker, in taking an everyday scene and making it feel quite extraordinary.

'Make Me Smile' has a light footedness to it that lifts you out of the 4am reverie left over from 'Short Stories...'. This is a fresh and breezy song; lovely use of an almost mariachi sounding trumpet adds a sunshine edge to an already summery song. It has a lightness of touch that the Divine Comedy honed so well. The sun is kept shining with 'Are You Listening To Me Now?'. As before there is a darker undercurrent to the lyrics than the music suggests. Musically the song rides along, and you can simply loose yourself in its infectiousness, then take a deeper listen and it tells of a lost relationship, reminiscing on its journey. A chiming guitar swings you into 'Bridges'. It has a loose, hooky-bass texturing the darkening feel of the song. The vocal has a edge to it that recalls Ian Curtis' monolithic delivery. As the song progresses, it touches deeper into Joy Division and The Cure's territory. It's not trench-coated goth, but has a more introspective touch and enriches the album by its contrast. The song almost has a reprise built into it, lead by some guitar lines that would fit on any Richard Hawley album. 'Bridges' builds and builds into a nine-plus minute trip.

'Falling Star' is preceded by a lovely little wry soundbite on the meaning of love. Then, after 'Bridges'' epic grace, 'Falling Star' dances and swirls and turns out to be one of the best songs on the album. It has a true irresistibly that will always get you dancing, but it is a excellently crafted song, that has flashes of Belle & Sebastian, but stands tall in such company. With another crackling intro, this time lifted from Gershwin's 'Summertime', 'The Robin Song' ,echoes 'Summertime''s note with a bluesy harmonica. Another sharp lyrical picture is painted, delivered like some lost Lou Reed track from his 'Berlin' album. 'The Robin Song' meanders slightly and your attention almost wanes, then the all is pulled back into the song with some genteel and masterful guitar, then the song stretches out, almost overstaying its welcome.

After 'The Robin Song''s wander, 'Make Me Happy' is inevitably concise, yet not throwaway. A rich rush, namechecking Morrissey and recalling his former band at there brightest. It's not quite a Smiths homage, but it dances happily in their bequiffed shadow until switching it up with some classic rock 'n' roll Telstar guitar. Then those horns make an enchanting return. The Short Stories take us into the album's last couplet of songs. 'We're Still The Same' has a slower waltz-like feel to it, a lament with the refrain "we're still the same somehow". And so to the end and 'Angry Young Man (2)' returns us to where we began. Our "young man" has been through a journey and is looking forward. The song works lovely in the context to end the chapter of 'Send My Love To Everyone'. It then codas in an unexpected splendor that is noisily grand. With this album The Short Stories have given us a mature, crafted, at times enchanting album, that stands out for simply being about the art and pleasure of the song.




The Short Stories' website

Stream or buy the album





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Reveries - rvrs

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Neither track on this single by Sweden's Reveries is actually called 'rvrs', so they're joining the current trend that's emerging where bands give names to single releases, after all, traditionally a single has included two tracks anyway, so why ignore the other? I guess it was formerly a case of the b-side being a half-baked cover, remix or song not deemed good enough to make the cut for the album. But in the digital age everything really gets the same billing. Both tracks are available to stream on Bandcamp, Spotify and so on, in any order, so having substandard material there will naturally do harm. Plus, in the case of 'rvrs', it's maybe the second track that will get the attention anyway.

Firstly there's 'Phase II', a tune with a woozy and half-awake atmospheric intro that leads into a psychedelic dreampop mid-section that runs for just over a minute, so it's almost as much intro as song, but it still sounds really good. So the main event for most people will probably be what you would have called the B-side. 'Distance' is longer and also has a more complete feel. It touches on dreampop again, but the twanging guitars and ever-so-slightly moody vibe give it an air of mystery. It has to be said that this is a heck of a tune, and is one of those that is deserving of wider attention (lots of songs are deserving, but not all have a style that would appeal widely enough for that to happen: this does) but probably won't get it. We'll give Reveries full marks for this one though.



Reveries' website

Stream or buy the single





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