Josh and Mer - The Tithe

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

The Josh in the equation of Josh and Mer is Josh Shroeder who has a new EP out very soon, but he's currently focused party on his new album with Meredith Adelaide. The Portland-based duo have just put out their second effort, titled 'The Tithe', and here you can have a listen to the really quite pretty title-track, and if you want to play the good old game of review comparisons then there's one obvious duo that this sounds not unlike. Interestingly, it's not another male/female duo, but Simon & Garfunkel who you can detect on this song.

Mer's vocals obviously mean there's a difference, but in style this track is very close to the legendary pair at their dreamy best, and Josh's voice (which we compared to Radiohead in a previous review) definitely has a hint of that duo's stunning tones about it. The song is delicate, soft and has an almost breathless beauty that can only come from a song that's left so untouched by the hands of a multitude of musicians. The saying "too many cooks spoil the broth" comes to mind. Josh and Mer don't fall foul of that rule, and 'The Tithe' is irresistible.



Josh and Mer's website

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Josh Schroeder - Monster Of A Golden Heart

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

A few years ago, any indie/rock type band who had a singer with strong, Buckley-esque vocals were simply labelled as a second-rate Radiohead and cast aside. It probably ruined a few careers, but others withstood the comparison and went on to great things. I'm sure Muse's accountant couldn't care less about those early comparisons. For an artist or their PR company to actually use Radiohead as a comparison in press materials shows that times have changed, but this new single from Josh Schroeder is described as a "dark love song in the vein of Radiohead".

It's a fair description: the song doesn't sound like Radiohead very much, but it has those same haunting vocals and creates a similar vibe. There's an intensity to this song that comes purely from the voice and the song itself, not from the music. Musically 'Monster Of A Golden Heart' is very minimal, but it doesn't need choirs and orchestras and bells and whistles. The simplicity and the vocals give off their own unique power, and prove once and for all that you can play about in a studio as much as you like, but if the source material is strong enough then you could be wasting your time.



Josh Schroeder's website





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Songdog - St Lucy's Day

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Songdog aren't a new band, but they're a band that I've personally never really listened to. This is down to nothing but pure chance. New single 'St Lucy's Day' is the first teaser of their new album 'Last Orders From Harry's Bar' which is set for a release on October 7th. Listening to the song (and possibly to the band for the first time) I found them very difficult to place. This is largely acoustic, but it's not really folk, it's kind of Americana but not quite. It recalls Tindersticks with a less gloomy vocal. The intrigue led to me find out more.

As fans will know, Songdog originally formed in Wales but have members from right across the UK. So the slight American influence must come from their personal musical heroes. It's actually really nice to hear a song of this variety that doesn't fit neatly into a category. It's mysterious, a little dark and intricately arranged. The standard of songwriting pisses from a great height over many others who attempt this sort of thing. Comparisons? It can easily be compared to greats like Tom Waits, Nick Cave and so on. It's a pleasure to finally hear them.



Songdog's website

Pre-order the album

Catch them live:

ALBUM LAUNCH SHOW, THURSDAY 10TH OCTOBER
ALLEYCAT, 4 DENMARK STREET WC2H 8LP
DOORS 6.45PM, ON STAGE 7.30PM





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Oliver Wilde - Pinch

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

OK, we'll bite our tongue and hold fire on attacking the fact that everyone, especially if their music in any way could be described as acoustic or folk, is releasing animated videos at the moment, because this one doesn't involve a small cute character getting lost and frightened in a big city or whatever. But the question remains, when will people stop making these bloody things? The video for 'Pinch' is made in much the same way, but the storyline is different, so we'll let him off. Oliver Wilde, as you may know, is from Bristol and describes his music as "lo-fi dad-rock". And that we do like.

Earlier this year he released the album 'A Brief Introduction To Unnatural Lightyears', and we covered the single 'Perrett's Brook'. 'Pinch' is from the same album and is about as tender and subtle as acoustic music can be without turning to mush. But mush this is not, it's a fantastical, dreamy and tender song that forces you to listen, simply by being so unassuming and quiet. I guess this creates some form of intrigue. It's a fine song however it works, and if you're a fan then you'll be pleased to know that this new video arrives to coincide with the announcement of several live dates, so you can go and see the man for yourself.



Oliver Wilde's website

Buy the album

Catch him live:

August 31st - Arctangent
September 15th - Southsea Fest
September 28th -  Figure 8
October 12th - Simple Things
October 19th - SWN fest
October 27th - St Pancras Old Church, London





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Sir Psych - Hello Echo

Album review by jay@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Sir Psych takes us by the hand and gently leads us down the rabbit hole with a kaleidoscopic, psych swirl of echoing vocals and lysergic hazes of sound with the opening (and near title-track) track of 'Hello Echo (Part One)'. Like walking down a barren, sun-kissed road where the shimmering heat haze obscures all. Then before you notice you are enticed into second song 'Gentle Rivers'. The pace remains as sedate as before; swathes of organs colour the sepia tinged sounds. There are nods to early Floyd, and distant waves to J. Spaceman as we are slowly consumed, letting it all wash over us.

 'Things Are Getting Better Everyday' draws you out of the ebbing waters. It is lit by crystalline keys and chiming guitar. It has lightness to it which works well against the sun bleach crawl of before. Brighter still is 'Exit Light' which takes 'Riders on the Storm' and gives it a scintillating, but brief, update. 'The Same' harnesses the same primitive Americana blues so beloved of Mazzy Star. 'The Same' has a depth and richness to it that will reward you on with repeated visits. The song glides out on some charming, near conventional, pop melody. This pop undercurrent underpins 'Hello Echo (Part Three)'. Like some lost sixties pop gem spliced with a Zombie-esque nugget vibe, this is a sweet, delightful song. It trips by like a summer's breeze. Follower 'If That’s Where You Want To Be' is less successful. It suffers from a lack of cohesion; while having some lovely little touches, it fails to gel like that which has preceded it.

'Eve' almost falls foul of the same disjointed nature, but it has a near childlike, exquisite melody running through it that lifts it away from any mire. And so Sir Psych stars to draw 'Hello Echo' to a close with the penultimate song 'So Long I’m Gone'. It's the sound of the end, end of a night, end of the day, end of love. Slowing everything down. Expelling the tensions, taking that last sip, last toke, and slowly shutting everything away. The album draws out on a warped, melting instrumental, 'Goodnight Echo'. And so Sir Psych bids us farewell from his beguiling, enchanting, perplexing but fascinating album.





Sir Psych's website

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Letters To Fiesta - Tears Apart

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

"The summer's gone" they sing in the opening verse of this song. Yeah, don't rub it in. It's still August (just) and we might have a few more weeks of sun. Plus, at least we had a summer this year; it's been a good one for weather and for music, and one of the bands helping the cause have been Letters To Fiesta who we first heard at the start of the year and who kicked of this fine summer with 'Vampires' in June, and now end it with the brilliant 'Tears Apart' as the nights start to draw in again.

It's a bit of a belter this one too, and there's more good news. We've heard a handful of tracks, but the band are about to step it up with the release of their debut EP and the announcement of a UK tour any day now. So you can get out and catch them live and rid those end-of-season blues. This seismic indie-rock with lung-busting vocals should be just the ticket. 'Tears Apart' is more proof that this band mean business and they have the tunes all ready to be able to conduct that business. Expect to be hearing a lot more from this Manchester lot.



Letters To Fiesta's website





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Cosmonauts - What Me Worry

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

After wowing London with some sell-out shows, Californians Cosmonauts have now given their new album 'Persona Non Grata' a proper UK release (it was out back home earlier in the year). They've also just unveiled the video for single 'What Me Worry', so it's all go at their UK operations room, and they're a new band to us, but we've heard them now and we want a piece of the action. The sound the band make is perhaps typical of the shoegaze/psych/drone sound that we've been championing since day one.

Their are droning but sharp guitars that recall Stereolab, there's a slightly muffled dual vocal (or maybe double-tracked) that follows a simple, repetitive melody and there's plenty of relentless, basic beats that add a krautrock feel. It's quality stuff they've got here, and not just because it ticks the boxes for our particular taste, they could well reach a wider audience with a song this good. So if you like guitars and you like good tunes you'll probably like Cosmonauts. It's as simple as that.




Cosmonauts' website

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Five For Free #212

Lanark - Able Oust

When you receive somewhere in the vicinity of twelve trillion submissions a day, it's easy for the odd track to slip through the cracks. So apologies to both band and you for bringing this song to your ears a few months late. You might know it by now, if not, then it's by Perth experimental indie band Lanark, it's called 'Able Oust', and as they probably don't say in that part of the world, it's a little ripper.


Lanark's website





Johnathan Rice - My Heart Belongs To You

The interwoven world of alternative music can get a little complex, so let us tell you that Johnathan Rice is one half of the duo Jenny And Johnny with his girlfriend Jenny Lewis who's in Rilo Kiley. Got it? Good. Well this lovely, romantic tune with it's gruesome video is from his upcoming album 'Good Graces'. It's an old-fashioned but modern produced alt-pop/indie tune, and yes, that it Jenny in the video.

Johnathan Rice's website

Pre-order the album

Catch him live:

SEP 11 Los Angeles, CA, Largo at The Coronet
SEP 19 Omaha, NE, Pageturners Lounge
SEP 22 Portland, ME, State Theatre
SEP 23 New York, NY, Mercury Lounge
SEP 24 York, PA, Strand Theatre
SEP 25 West Long Branch, NJ, Pollak Theatre
SEP 27 Urbana, IL, Pygmalion Music Festival
SEP 28 Cincinnati, OH, Midpoint Music Festival
SEP 29 Chicago, IL, The Bottom Lounge
OCT 01 Iowa City, IA, Englert Theatre
OCT 02 Columbia, MO, The Blue Note
OCT 05 Dallas, TX, South Side Music Hall

Horse Lords - Bending The Lash

The LAMC series of split 7" singles has thrown up some to class material. We hadn't even heard of Baltimore quartet Horse Lords before this beauty turned up on one such release. 'Bending The Lash' doesn't really fit a genre, but if you can imagine someone like Silver Apples or Neu! bursting on to the scene now then it might not sound dissimilar to this.


Horse Lords' website

Buy the single





Lower Dens - Non Grata

Speaking of which, the other side of the fine slice of vinyl mentioned above comes from a band we're a little more familiar with. Fellow Baltimore group Lower Dens who we covered a number of times last year when they released their acclaimed album 'Nootropics'. 'Non Grata' doesn't sound like a cut that didn't make the album, it sounds new, fresh and right up to their usual high standards.


Lower Dens' website





Mini Dresses - Watching You

In what's been a quite otherworldly and dreamy Five For Free, it seems right to end on some classic sounding dreampop. So here's Austin band (they may be based in Boston now!) Mini Dresses who have just released two free tracks. We've chosen to go with the echoey, hazy and lush 'Watching You' but if you pop to their site you can get the more jangly 'Everywhere I Go' as a freebie too.



Mini Dresses' website

Stream or buy the single





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Let's Buy Happiness - Run

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

From a personal perspective, listening to so much music, constantly, it's strange how one minute you can be caught up in the thrill of a high-powered, feral garage-punk lightening bolt, and the next be sat listening intently to the subtle beauty of a dreamy pop song that seems to be at the other end of the spectrum. I guess that's the joy of music, and quite why some people choose to limit themselves to being fans of just one genre is a mystery. At least to me it is. Let's Buy Happiness are going for delicate beauty on this track, and they manage to pull it off.

As 'Run' has a slight dreampop feel to it and female vocals then we'd being doing the world of obvious musical comparisons a disservice if we didn't at least mention Mazzy Star and The Cocteau Twins. Let's Buy Happiness would probably be happy being compared to such greats, but their personal style is less reliant on effects and the warm blanket of fuzz. It's a cleaner sound, a pure sound and it's made from little more than a stunning, soft vocal and some guitar. Towards the end that fuzz does manifest itself more, but they've done enough here to convince us they're no mere copyists.



Let's Buy Happiness' website





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Like Swimming - Go Buffalo

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Can we take the DNA of Swedish people and inject it into anyone who ever been part of the Disney club or the Brit School please? Because the formulas that organisations like those have for producing pop records seem to be broken and appear to have accidentally trotted out a load of shite for the past few years. Pop bands in Sweden are great (well, the law of averages says their must be some duffers, but we keep hearing brilliant new talent). Like Swimming are a new band from Stockholm and 'Go Buffalo' follows on from free download 'God Knows' earlier this summer.

Some may call this indiepop, but really it's just plain old pop in terms of genre. Let's not forget that "pop" isn't a dirty word; there have been many stunning pop records, but unfortunately the public make a mess of things and often pick the wrong ones. So, if you'd be so kind, could you point people in the direction of 'Go Buffalo' and Like Swimming in general so they can hear how catchy, radio-ready, irresistible and commercial music can be made in a way that doesn't rely on the same horrible tricks and the same songwriters and producers for every bloody artist. And there's not even the sign of a guest spot from Pitbull. And that's the icing on the cake.



Like Swimming's website

Buy the single





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Little Big League - My Very Own You

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Looking at the (seemingly) American-shot video depicting skaters and general urban life of young adults, you would perhaps expect something a touch more punk or metal than this chiming and melodic tune. Philadelphia group Little Big League got together a couple of years ago and spent 2012 working on the songs that would make up their album 'These Are Good People' which saw the light of day in August. We're told by other reviews that the band are known as a skater/punk type of band. With this fabulous single though, we're just not seeing it. So perhaps the rest of their debut fits the bill better.

Here we're given an opening of pleasantly chiming guitar and a really sweet vocal from singer Michelle, and there's also heaps of melody going on. Stick this out by one of the bigger of the indie/pop bands doing the rounds and people would be championing it. The chorus reaches that bit higher and gets there. It's also telling that I've had this song on repeat for a while now since first hearing it. A quality track that proves that looks can definitely be deceiving.





Little Big League's website

Stream or buy the album





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Battle Lines - Colonies

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It's that classic part of the excitement of music again. Hearing a band develop from very early stages to an outfit ready to take on the world. As we mentioned when we covered 'Huh Her' earlier this year, we were lucky enough to discover Battle Lines in their original incarnation and with a different band name. Time has passed, the name Battle Lines has stuck, and the music they're making sounds like it could be sticking around a bit too. New single 'Colonies' is a big tune. Not in a bombastic, stadium-rock way, in an excellently written and perfectly produced way.

This is pop music in wolves clothing. The electro/alt-pop is the basis for the song, but it sounds like someone has taken a foot pump and blown this thing up to totally different proportions. This is perhaps, and ironically, too big, bold and edgy to be accepted by the pop world, but it should find favour with the more discernible modern music fan. This pop tune becomes engulfed in blazing guitars and a beat that almost sounds threatening. It's a pretty awesome construction, and you can't deny that if you blasted this out at full pelt it would knock your socks off.



Battle Lines' website

Buy the single

Catch them live:

16/09/13 - The Basement, York (w/JAWS)
19/09/13 - Holy Trinity, Leeds
23/09/13 - The Library, Leeds
04/10/13 - Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds
05/10/13 - The Hop, Wakefield
20/11/13 - Liquid Room, Edinburgh (w/COHEED AND CAMBRIA)
21/11/13 - Solus, Cardiff (w/COHEED AND CAMBRIA)





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Sivu - Over & Over

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

I've made much of my inherent dislike of blokes with an acoustic guitar thinking that they'll be the next Frank Turner/Ben Howard/Newton Faulkner/other tediously dull musician. Yet with Sivu things have been a bit different. That difference is a total lack of the muso fallacy of "keeping it real". He's not Jake Bugg, he's here to make interesting music of his own that might borrow and take influence but it has its own identity. He's not afraid to try new things in addition to his music either. Check out the video for 'Better Man Than He' for an example of that.

Plus, Sivu doesn't just strum away with some generic heartfelt lyrics on his guitar and call it a tune. 'Over & Over' is his new single (you should be able to download it free by signing up to his mailing list although at time of writing there appears to be a glitch) and yes, there's acoustic guitar here, and it's joined by ominously booming drums and the further addition of organic instruments that present the track in something of a baroque style. However way you want to describe Sivu, and however much you may love an artist who relies solely on voice and guitar, chances are that Sivu has better tunes.



Sivu's website

Catch him live:

SAT 31 AUG In The Woods 2013, Kent, UK
FRI 13 SEP Festival Number 6 2013, Portmeirion, UK
SUN 20 OCT Sŵn Festival 2013, Cardiff, UK
TUE 22 OCT Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK
WED 23 OCT O2 Academy 2 Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
THU 24 OCT The Cockpit, Leeds, UK
SAT 26 OCT Sound Control, Manchester, UK
SUN 27 OCT Òran Mór, Glasgow, UK
MON 28 OCT Northumbria Uni, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
SAT 09 NOV Festival Les Inrocks, Nancy, France
SUN 24 NOV The Institute, Birmingham, UK
MON 25 NOV Rock City Nottingham, UK
WED 27 NOV The Ritz, Manchester, UK
THU 28 NOV Electric Brixton, London, UK
FRI 29 NOV O2 ABC, Glasgow, UK
SUN 01 DEC The Junction, Cambridge, UK
TUE 03 DEC Button Factory, Dublin, Ireland
WED 04 DEC Black Box, Belfast, UK
FRI 06 DEC The Globe, Cardiff, UK
SUN 08 DEC Barbican Centre, London, UK





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STRFKR - While I'm Alive

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

I suppose, given that we've had forty years or so of people making music videos, that the generic performance type is old hat, and coming up with new ideas that are decent is a challenge. Luckily it seems like there are a whole new generation of directors out there attempting to out-weird each other. The footage for 'When I'm Alive' isn't the most bizarre we've seen, but it gets you wondering exactly what it's all about. But with a band like STRFKR (they also spell it the rude way with vowels included as you probably know) then pushing barriers is all in a day's work.

'While I'm Alive' first appeared late last year as the first single on the band's forthcoming third album 'Miracle Mile' which is now available worldwide. The video though, is a bit newer and has been released to coincide with a pretty hefty North American tour this Autumn. Although the band toy around with the fringes of music, this track is closer to regular electro-pop than some of their other material, making it the perfect choice for getting the punters in the mood for a good night out.





STRFKR's website

Stream or buy the album

Catch them live:

09/03/13 @ Altar - Pittsburgh, PA
09/04/13 @ 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.
09/06/13 @ Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
09/07/13 @ Terminal 5 - New York, NY
09/08/13 @ Toad's Place - New Haven, CT
09/09/13 @ Royale Nightclub - Boston, MA
09/10/13 @ Port City Music Hall - Portland, ME
09/12/13 @ Higher Ground - South Burlington, VT
09/13/13 @ Corona Theatre - Montreal, QBC
09/14/13 @ Opera House - Toronto, ONT
09/15/13 @ Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac, MI
09/17/13 @ Metro - Chicago, IL
09/18/13 @ The Bluebird - Bloomington, IN
09/19/13 @ Off Broadway - St. Louis, MO
09/20/13 @ Exit In - Nashville, TN
09/21/13 @ 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA
09/22/13 @ Music Farm - Charleston, SC
09/24/13 @ Grand Central - Miami, FL
09/25/13 @ The Social - Orlando, FL
09/26/13 @ Jack Rabbits - Jacksonville, FL
09/27/13 @ Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
09/28/13 @ Jefferson Theater - Charlottesville, VA
10/11/13 @ Emo's - Austin, TX
10/12/13 @ Tree's - Dallas, TX
10/14/13 @ Gothic Theater - Denver, CO
10/16/13 @ Knitting Factory - Boise, ID
10/17/13 @ Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
10/18/13 @ Wow Hall - Eugene, OR
10/20/13 @ Treasure Island Music Festival - San Francisco, CA





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Kasket - Warm Regards

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It's very fitting that this new single from Kasket is being released on a label called Apollo, as it sounds cosmic, like a slow journey through space, watching the stars float past the windows of your ship. It's pure and relaxed and comes with a suitably mesmerising video. Kasket incidentally, may sound like a band name, but it's the alias of UK producer Charlie Baldwin. A man who states quite clearly that he doesn't fall into the category of producers associated with many UK scenes. He doesn't make dubstep, he doesn't make drum and bass; he makes what he wants.

Devoid of having to follow a set of rules means that he's free to produce ambient gems like this, and if you're liking that ambient is simply a byword for boring then you should be proven wrong here. This dreamy number begins with guitar and retro sounding synths; it could be from the '70s, but Kasket shows diversity here too. Pretty soon into our voyage some interesting beats are introduced. They too don't fit a genre, but are probably more jazz than anything if we were pushed to come up with a name. The piano here adds to the diversity. It's a wonderful voyage, and we hope he takes us on many more.



Kasket's website

Buy the EP





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Grass House - I Was A Streetlight

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Grass House's career has been a bit like a big cat on the prowl in the Serengeti. They let their presence be known a couple of years back in phenomenal style, and since then they've been in the background, just waiting to pounce. They've teased us by dropping the odd single like 'And Now For The Wild' earlier this summer, and then they disappeared, camouflaged into the musical background, stealthily plotting their next move. That next move is 'I Was A Streetlight', another superb single that cements their status as a band of the highest order.

There's an ever present darkness to their music, but the way it's performed really brings this supposed bleak outlook to life. This is alt-rock that's both unique and impressive. Their plan is serving them well, as on September 5th they'll play at The Lexington with support from Dark Bells and Climbing Boys, as well as DJ sets from Echo Lake, Die Mason Die, RIP Records and Bella Union. In short, they're impressing others in the business, and so they should. Grass House are readying themselves, poised, waiting for the right time to go in for the kill and throw their album out there. We're thinking it could be pretty savage.



Grass House's website

Buy the single





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Southern - World Don't Shine

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Given the style of music we hear on 'World Don't Shine', Southern seems like the perfect name for this group. This is alt-country-influenced, southern-fried indie-rock. From Liverpool. Sounds can be deceiving. The reason why this lot are called Southern isn't due to any wannabe US fantasies, it's the surname of the brother and sister who formed the group in Belfast before they moved across the Irish sea. With a drummer added to pad them out to a trio, they've thrown themselves straight into writing songs that are undeniably great. They do have an American sound, but maybe that's filtered down through their influences.

Where the song is from doesn't matter, what it sounds like does. It's even more impressive knowing that Southern produced this track as well, as it's immaculately done, avoiding the pitfalls of over-production or forcing a sound. 'World Don't Shine' sounds perfectly natural. It sounds like it was the music they were always meant to make. Any time now the band are heading into the studio to begin work on their debut album which, if all goes well, will be with us in the first half of next year. Southern are a name worth making a note of.



Southern's website





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Flyte - Over and Out

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Just when we think the world of regular indie/guitar bands has reached its natural end and that the only way forward is to diversify and come up with new offshoots and new ideas, along comes a band to make us think again. Meet Flyte, a quartet from London who will be releasing their EP 'Live' next month and have just made this, their first video, using a giant green screen in their bedroom. We're told there are catchy nods to Talking Heads, and you can hear that. In fact a few bands of that era come to mind, including XTC.

Really though? 'Over and Out' is guitar-pop as it's been made since the turn of the century. So you can think of The Strokes, you can think of The Postelles, you can even think of Hockey. These guys, like it or not, have aspects of all these bands about them, and plenty more besides. Is this a bad thing? Only if you're determined to find a brand new sound. If you want catchy and well-written indie tunes then you're looking in the right place. So what if they sound like other bands, and so what if some of them may not be fashionable at the moment? Flyte know how to write a decent tune and they've proved it here. More power to them.





Flyte's website





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Adna - Dreamer

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Isn't it really annoying (most likely for the artist above anyone else) when young musicians are described as being wise beyond their years or having a sound that seems more mature than it should for their age? Do people think that everyone carries on watching Bob The Builder until they're twenty or something? This is Swedish singer-songwriter Adna. Last year she released her debut EP, earlier this year she released an excellent single called 'The Preittiest'. Now, and still in her teens, we get another single: 'Dreamer'. And you know what? She sounds wise beyond her years.

This is a mature and thoughtful song, but then at 18 or whatever you can be mature, smart, talented and have an understanding of the world. You can also pen a fine tune as dozens have proven in the past. This chilled, minimal alt-pop song is further proof. One comparison that springs to mind is Kate Bush, you can hear a similarly unique and dreamy style to some of her work. Adna has wisely concentrated as much on her education as her music for now, although we think a career in music is definitely on the cards, but this choice is further proof that she has a mature mind. Oh, and about the Kate Bush thing, do you know how old when she wrote one of the all-time classic pop songs, 'Wuthering Heights'? She was 18.





Adna's website

Buy the single





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Cull - Canker/If It Works

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Aw. One of the tags on Cull's SoundCloud page is "friendrock", the big soppy bunch. Well it's certainly not the kind of music designed to make enemies, but then it's not commercial by any means. So if you're expecting something radio friendly or something you can put on at a family get together then think again. This is cutting, shoegaze-influenced noise-rock. It's not extreme or uncomfortable, but you're mum might think it's a bit of a racket. Especially 'Canker', which may start in a psych/dreampop way, but soon introduces sharp beats and shards of razor-like guitar.

It's a good tune, but it won't be for everyone. I think you'll probably have guessed from that short description whether or not it's for you. 'If It Works' might go down a little better at weddings,but only by the point that most people have gone home, just leaving the drunk uncles to make fools of themselves. This is more like a traditional "tune", although they don't let us off quite that lightly. This too has an abrasive side and it actually feels like you're listening to it through whatever the ear equivalent of beer goggles is. Two very good, but deliberately awkward (in a good way) tracks.





Cull's website

Buy the singles





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Au Palais - Blue Lights

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Following up the sterling electro-pop that Au Palais released earlier in the summer wouldn't be an easy task for anyone, but they've done it in some style. The Toronto duo (it's all about the duos of late...) had a real winner in 'Thrones', but perhaps they only do winners. This particular duo happen to be brother and sister, so maybe their brains are on the same wavelength having spent so much of their lives together. Once again they don't put a foot wrong on 'Blue Lights', and once again this isn't as straightforward as plain old electro-pop.

The pair have their own style, one that may have been lumped in with chillwave a year or two back, and one that draws from dreampop too. Strip the electronics away and imagine this played on a piano or guitar and you've have a haunting, gothic-influenced ballad. It's best left how it is of course, and the vocals are alluring and warm, the synths pulse gently and the beat is kept simple and minimal, but not in a harsh or sharp way. 'Blue Lights' is slick but without being overly glossy. It also sparkles with more and more magic as it progresses. These two are definitely on to something.



Au Palais' website





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Palace - Treetop Lover

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

I'll be honest, when I saw that the opening line to the press release for this track was "Nursery rhymes with a Broadway rock twist", I didn't get my hopes up. Well you wouldn't, would you. Upon listening to 'Treetop Lover' by St Louis quintet we find that, although that description fits if you look at it in a sideways kind of way, really we're talking indiepop. Taken from their album 'Summer, Don't You Dare', Palace actually sound like they're influenced by mid-period Beach Boys as much as anything, and if you thing about it, many of Brian Wilson's melodies around that time were a little like nursery rhymes.

This is pure summer and a lot of fun, but it's not throwaway or novelty. It's more a tune to bring a smile to your face and provide a bit of escapism for a few minutes. The verses are sweet, but the chorus is, in its own little way, really quite beautiful and catchy as hell. They tried to make this song be hated by opening the blurb with that line, but they failed, as 'Treetop Lovers' is a gorgeous song that grows with each listen and has that key ingredient: the chorus. If you can come up with a good chorus in pop music then you've cracked it. Palace, we're led to conclude, have cracked it.



Palace's website

Buy the single

Catch them live:

Sep 12 The Demo, St Louis, MO





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Al Lover - Vodun Moon

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Knowing the amazing memory power of our extremely intelligent readership, you'll all remember that we previewed the first half of this double A-side single back in July. 'Snake Hands' was a very fine track that was a collaboration between Al Lover and White Fence. Should you have happened to be the victim of a power cut that day and your frantic efforts to reach our site failed, we suggest you skip back and check it out. The single gets its release on August 31st and now that the time is approaching, Al Lover have posted the video to the single's other track online.

We mention music being innovative and experimental quite a lot; these are the sounds we like to cover, but we haven't heard anything quite live 'Vodun Moon' before, although you could pick out traces of many psychedelia and world music bands if dissection is your thing. Really this is their own form of exotic psych and it's a potent and heady soup of different noises that come together to form a unique listening experience. Besides a few samples of speech, this song is an instrumental but it's designed for moving too. You can't call it dance music as such, but stick it on at a party when everyone's head is in just the right place and things will go wild.



Al Lover's website

Buy the single

Catch them live:

Sep 03 Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles, CA





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Band To Check Out: Moulettes

Article by karla@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Formed in Glastonbury in their teens just over a decade ago and theoriginal stomping ground of several former members including Ted Dwane (Mumford & Sons bassist) and multi-instrumentalist Robb Skipper (The Holloways, Hares), female-fronted Moulettes have been my favourite musical find of 2013 since I saw them bring an overwhelming amount of west country talent to London's O2 Academy Islington back in May.

Currently a five-piece, still consisting of three of the original members, Hannah Miller (vocals, cello, guitar), Ruth Skipper (vocals, bassoon, autoharp) Ollie Austin (drums, guitar, glockenspiel, backing vocals) plus multi-instrumentalists Jim Mortimore (double bass,banjo, guitar, backing vocals) and Anisa Arslanagic (violin, glockenspiel, backing vocals) the band already have three EPs, ('Horses for Hearses', 'Sing Unto Me', and 'Uca’s Dance') and two albums (self-titled debut album, 'The Bear’s Revenge').

This summer has seen Moulettes gain a formidable reputation on the festival circuit and they are all set to start work on a third album tentatively titled 'Constellations' with a headline in November. Happily genre-undefined, their sound covers a breathtaking hybrid of indie-rock-pop-prog-classical-gypsy-jazz-blues. Impulsive, unpredictable, enchanting and spine-tingling striking, Moulettes take you on a gripping and remarkable journey that ends on such a high you'll need a ladder to get down from. There is no one like them on the current British music scene and this quirky edge makes them thoroughly

indispensable.

Moulettes' website

Catch them live:

30/08/13 FARSUND NORDSJOFESTIVALEN (NORTH SEA FESTIVAL)
06/09/13 COALVILLE, LEICS BOOZE FUSION ALTERNATIVE FOLK FESTIVAL THE VICTORIA, WHITWICK RD
07/09/13 ISLE OF WIGHT BESTIVALTIME: 5:45PM. SWAMP SHACK STAGE
08/09/13 ISLE OF WIGHT BESTIVALTIME: 4:15PM. REPLAY WITH ROB DA BANK STAGE
14/09/13 MARTOCK, SOMERSET FANNY’S SEPTEMBER PARTY
21/09/13 ULLAPOOL, ROSS-SHIRE LOOPALLU BROOMFIELD HOLIDAY CAMP, WEST LANE.
19/10/13 WHITBY MUSICPORT FESTIVAL
20/10/13 NR LEWES APPLEFESTTIME: ONSTAGE APPROX 3PM
15/11/13 CLITHEROE, LANCASHIRE THE GRANDTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: 18 YORK STREET.
16/11/13 WAVENDON THE STABLESTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: STOCKWELL LANE.
20/11/13 NEWBURY ARLINGTON ARTS CENTRETIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: MARY HARE.
21/11/13 OXFORD THE JERICHOTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: 56 WALTON STREET.
22/11/13 SHEFFIELD THE GREYSTONESTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: GREYSTONES RD.
23/11/13 DONCASTER THE LEOPARDTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: 2 WEST ST.
24/11/13 MARNHULL, DORSET MARNHULL VILLAGE HALLADDRESS: BURTON STREET.
28/11/13 BARNSTAPLE, DEVON THE FACTORYTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: GRATTON WAY, ROUNDSWELL IND ESTATE.
29/11/13 SOUTHAMPTON THE JOINERSTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: 141 ST MARY’S ST.
30/11/13 LONDON ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL TIME: 7:30PM.  ADDRESS: UPPER ST.
04/12/13 NOTTINGHAM GLEE CLUBTIME: 7:30PM.  ADDRESS: BRITISH WATERWAYS BUILDING, CASTLE BLVD, CANAL STREET.
05/12/13 BURY, LANCASHIRE THE METTIME: 7:30PM. ADDRESS: DERBY HALL, MARKET STREET.
06/12/13 BRISTOL THEKLA TIME: 8:00PM.





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Misty Miller - Taxicab + Q&A

Article by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

We've been championing the prodigious talent that is Misty Miller on the site all year. Today she unveils new track 'Taxicab' which you can stream below and is a typically breezy garage-rock thrill with a touch of darkness around the edges, but first we were lucky enough chat to her about her definitely non-debauched lifestyle, her future plans and whether or not any of you fancied producing her new record...

TSOC: Hello Misty! Much has been made about you still being in your teens and being so accomplished already. Has your age helped or hampered your musical career so far?

M: The fact that I started out early was a good thing I guess. Because it meant I got to figure out the kind of musician I wanted to be (and was) in a natural way. I started at 15, and now, after recording an album, touring and generally growing up... i feel it is now that i am really ready. Musically.


TSOC: We read that many of your songs were written aged just 15. Are these the songs that have appeared on your two recent EPs and have they changed much since they were originally written?

M: The songs I wrote at 15 appear on my first album, which I recorded at 15. So in fact, some of them were written around the age of 14. I was writing a lot while recording that album, which have a much bluesier, dark sound that helped the progression from where I was to where I am now, but they are not going to appear on the second album. Generally, the songs you have heard on both EPs have been written in the past 2 years or so.


TSOC: Girlfriend and Next To You have been incredibly consistent records. Do you have plenty more where they came from or is it time to get writing again?

M:  What I like is that both EPs document where I was at that time. And luckily, I'm still in a similar place musically. So I guess there is more where that came from, yeah! There are songs we play live that I can't wait to record and for everyone to hear. I'm looking forward to recording the album and think I'm ready. There are songs that I put up on SoundCloud that are recorded in my bedroom which show a more personal way of recording, but my label usually take em down ha!


TSOC: You're essentially making guitar-based music in a time when indie, garage and so on aren't having the chart success they were a few years ago. Do you hope to change that or would you be happy remaining slightly underground?

M: I have no problem remaining slightly underground as long as I am happy with the record and I get to tour it and live off it. But to be honest, I think the time is coming where this kind of stuff IS going to get the chart success it once did. Bands like The Strypes or Jake Bugg are pulling it off, so i think there's room for a girl to do it as well! People are bored of the same old singer-songwriter girls.


TSOC: What about your long-term goals? Do you plan to still be making music in ten years' time and how successful do you hope to be?

M: I plan to make music all my life, whether its on a label playing big tours or on my own and playing little gigs I can find myself wherever I am. But knowing me, and the hunger I have for it, I hope to be successful enough to live off a killer album or two and be touring the world with it. But I've got to love it. I've got to love the albums I make and enjoy playing them... cause without that, nothing would feel a success to me.


TSOC: For your next record, imagine you could pick any producer or artist in the world to collaborate with. Who would you choose?

M: Ah that's a hard one. I honestly can't think off the top of my head. I'm sure there are some producers out there but I am bad with names! If I could just find a producer NOW, that would be great! Anyone interested? Anyone... ?


TSOC: As you're still a relatively new artist, can you give us one interesting fact about yourself that no-one else (apart from friends and family maybe) knows?

M: Hmm.. I give great needle and ink tattoos.


TSOC: Have you got any debauched rock 'n' roll stories yet? Is it party time after gigs or home to bed? (Pretend your Mum won't be reading this!)

M: My mum will be reading this.


TSOC: Are there other current bands or artists that you'd put in the same bracket as yourself and are there any unknown bands we should be checking out? Can you give us any new band tips?

M: Check out The Fat White Family, they are good friends of mine and their music is seriously worth checking out. The south London music scene is where I got most of my inspiration from. As I stated earlier, I guess The Strypes and Jake Bugg are doing similar things... both playing retrospective, honest music. It's got a kick but feels real... like good ol' rock and roll.


TSOC: Finally, that tricky question: Fantasy festival time. You're headlining and you can pick five bands past or present to be on the bill. Who do you go for?

Iggy Pop and The Stooges
The Velvet Underground (in their prime) 
The Beach Boys
David Bowie 
Nirvana



Misty Miller's website

Catch her live:

All dates supporting Eels in September:
3 Glasgow, O2 ABC
4 Newcastle, O2 Academy
6 Leicester, O2 Academy
7 London, Shepherd's Bush O2 Academy





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Burning Condors - Polka Dot Girl

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

London band Burning Condors are starting to become a bit of a favourite since we first heard their single 'Knockout'/'Riot In The Streets' back in April. It was the rawer second track that caught our attention most on that occasion, the songs switching between blues, garage and more. Recent single 'Love On The Rocks' had a bit of a country thing going on. So they're not restricting themselves stylistically and album 'Round Our Way (out Sept 9th) could be a real mash of different guitar sounds, but this should be nothing to worry about, as the mix seems to work and their punk/garage/indie roots with unite the lot.

Before then we have new single 'Polka Dot Girl'/'Judgement', and both of these songs follow a more modern garage-rock sound. 'Polka Dot Girl' uses classic melodies from the genre but while it looks back at bands gone by, it also has one foot in the present and doesn't sound dated. It's probably the best we've heard from them so far. Mind you, 'Judgement' is not to be sniffed at either. Initially lulling you into thinking it'll be a more cinematic piece, the intro ends and they lay on some rabid guitars and whip out a storming garage-punk tune. Whatever you say about Burning Condors, you can't accuse them of half measures.



Burning Condors' website

Buy the single





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decker. - Shadow Days

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

It was in May that we reviewed 'Killing Me' by deker., a band described as psychedelic desert folk. The song was taken from the Arizonan group's album 'Slider', and this week sees another single from the same album. 'Shadow Days' is released tomorrow (Aug 29th) and you know what? There's no better way to describe this song than psychedelic desert folk. This song, more than any of the others, seems purpose built for that particular label, and a quite splendid tune it is too.

Now with a video to give your eyes a piece of the fun too, 'Shadow Days' moves from a simple plodding bass and slide guitars which add an eerie vibe and then gradually begins to swell. The vocals are also a touch spooky, but they're perfect for this track. It creates a real atmosphere and the chorus is pretty special. It might not be a first listen song, it might take two or three goes, but it's worth the effort, as by the time you reach the squealing guitar and crashing drums the song feels like some kind of psychotic episode, and it's really quite spectacular.





decker.'s website

Stream the album in full

Buy the album

Catch them live:

Aug 31 Elevation Fest - Orpheum Theater Flagstaff, AZ
Sep 07 THE SAIL INN, Tempe, AZ  
Sep 14 Martini Bar, Sedona, AZ  
Sep 19 THE SAIL INN, Tempe, AZ  
Sep 24 Hotel Congress, Tucson, AZ
Oct 05 Page Springs Cellars Harvest Fest, Cornville, AZ  
Oct 06 Echo Country Outpost, Los Angeles, CA  
Oct 07 Soda Bar, San Diego, CA Tickets re
Oct 08 SECRET SHOW w/ Wesley Hartley, Cornville, AZ  
Oct 09 The Rogue Bar, Scottsdale, AZ  
Oct 10 Blackbird Buvette, Albuquerque, NM  
Oct 18 Apache Lake Music Festival, Tortilla Flat, AZ
Oct 19 Spirit Room, Jerome, AZ  
Nov 06 Hi Dive, Denver, CO  
Nov 07 Riot Room, Kansas City, MO  
Nov 08 Tonic Room, Chicago, IL  
Nov 09 TBA, St Louis, MO  
Nov 10 Soundpony, Tulsa, OK





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Odd Us - Home

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Not a band but a person, Odd Us is the moniker under which Los Angeles resident Aras Baskauskas releases music, and 'Home' is the first single off his debut album. Titled 'The Tree and The River', it may have you thinking about Americana or alt-country, and as the song begins you're in the right ballpark. There's much more here than that though. Aras Baskauskas spent a fair amount of time travelling and wanted to use music to express experiences and utilise the sounds he'd heard to make something unique. That all sounds a bit hippyish, but the song doesn't.

'Home' is an ode to the more uplifting side of life, the joy that certain occasions can bring, in this instance coming home. Musically the song soon transformes from a simple beat, acoustic guitar and vocals to incorporate a much richer and more innovative sound. It does its job, 'Home' is definitely uplifting and the flurry of instruments that we've reached by the time the first chorus hits is totally lovable. It's kind of a journey into sound and almost becomes like some kind of indie-rock/orchestral crossover. Impressive stuff.



Odd Us' website

Buy the album





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Scotti Brains - Keep Your Eyes Open Boy

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Included in their ranks is acclaimed music producer Dan Carey, whose credits include everyone from M.I.A to Franz Ferdinand to Lily Allen to The Kills, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. So we can reasonably expect Scotti Brains' new single 'Keep Your Eyes Open Boy' to sound good. As a band, Scotti Brains may be a one-off project, we're not really sure as they keep the info quite scarce. But apparently the collaboration grew out of some early morning jamming sessions between the trio which were really quite noisy.

It just so happened that they had a full day to record the song, so the finished article is a little kinder on your eardrums. It's essentially an instrumental track that has hints of krautrock, indie and various crossover genres that result in something that's got a little Stereolab to it. Now that's never a bad thing of course, and because of the repetition used here, the track actually seems to get better as it goes on despite changing little. The drums get a bit sharper and a few more effects are added, but really this is just the hypnotic nature of this variety of music at play, and it's all good.



'Keep Your Eyes Open Boy' is out on September 2nd through Speedy Wunderground





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Sad Day For Puppets - Come Closer

Album review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

Anyone who's followed the career of Swedish guitar-pop heroes Sad Day For Puppets will know they're reasonably prolific; music just seems to come to them naturally. Since 2008 they've released two albums and a further five singles and EPs containing exclusive material. As well as the band being tight, rock-solid players, there have really been three things that have stood them head and shoulders above the competition (we haven't nicknamed them The Best Band In Sweden™ for nothing). This trinity of genius is as follows: in Marcus Sandgren they had one of the best guitarists around, enveloping songs in blissful and unpretentious sound. This is something so many people fail to grasp properly and it results in nothing but showing off. Secondly there's the simply spellbinding voice of Anna Eklund, if you can't see the pure beauty in this then you should seek medical help. And lastly, the songs. The melodies sound as though they've fallen down from heaven.

Following their 2011 tour of Japan, Marcus Sandgren left his full-time role in the band (entirely amicably, he'll even being doing the odd live show from time to time), so one section of this trinity was missing. Would SDFP be able to make another record that matched their previous output? How would they fill the void? It's also worth remembering that for every guitar-smothered, staggering shoegaze/alt-rock song (examples would be 'Marble Gods' and Last Night' from debut album 'Unknown Colors', or 'The Monster & The Beast' and 'Such A Waste' from 'Pale Silver & Shiny Gold'), there were delicate, gorgeous, stripped-back tracks (let's say 'All The Songs' from the first album and 'Beads' from the second). So would this now be the default for Sad Day For Puppets? Perhaps not. Think about it: some of their best songs have been full-band indie/shoegaze/pop songs that haven't had such a rich coating of guitar. We'll' go for 'Cherry Blossom' and 'Sorrow, Sorrow' to pick one from each album again.

So as important as the guitar aspect is, the band can manage without it perfectly capably. They still have the very able playing of Martin Kallholm anyway, but it's the power of one guitar, not two. For 'Come Closer' the band have changed their sound, but not by much. There are more songs in the vein of 'Sorrow, Sorrow' and so on, they also use keyboards and a guest guitarist for some parts of the record (oh, and forget any notions of them going electro-pop, that's far from the truth). What we can't underestimate is that the fundamental long-term success of any band is down to the songs. This integral part of the band hasn't changed. The tracks they've written for 'Come Closer' are pure gold; irresistible, as though the melodies come from some magical place that no other groups have discovered. Add that voice to these songs and the result is even more angelic. Despite losing, at least for now, one of the things that made the band so great, they've adapted so that no quality is lost. This album is pure brilliance yet again.

You may have heard 'Come Closer' and 'Human Heart' already; both are honeyed and impossible to dislike. They sound like you'd expect, maybe a little more indiepop than shoegaze, but not indiepop as we know it; this is fantasy-land, dreamy and doesn't focus on replicating the past. Those tracks are not alone. There will be very few more gorgeous songs released this year than the lullaby-like 'Bye Bye'; it's about as perfect as this genre gets and all you can do is drop everything and listen. The tender and pretty 'Bells' is a love song like this band do with such subtle majesty. 'Senseless' gives us a glimpse into their previous, heavier sound but is still pure pop joy at heart. It's somewhat ironic that the song sings of a "honey-dripping voice" as that's exactly what it is. 'Destroyer' will also be one to look out for if you're after a little more rock in your indiepop, and the brooding 'Living Dead' pulls forth the dark side that has manifested itself in certain past songs, prowling around the speakers as if it's about to pounce.

The first indication of any slight change of style comes in 'Stardust'; it's more electronic than usual and lets us hear a side of the band that they've hidden until now. It may come as a surprise, but when they hit that chorus the song sails off into the clouds, and the same goes for 'Shiver And Shake' which has another stunner of a chorus and even a short guitar solo. 'Sugar' is the most prominent change of direction and does see Sad Day For Puppets come close to electro-pop; it sounds odd at first as it's unexpected and therefore may be the only stumbling block here. However, if you take it purely as a tune then it's still very good and soon becomes natural to listen to. Sad Day For Puppets have risen to the challenge of having one of their cornerstones removed and they've proven that through the sheer strength of their songs and those timeless melodies they seem to conjure from a secret source, the same source where Anna was gifted those amazing vocals, that they're a force to be reckoned with. Can we still give them the title of The Best Band In Sweden™? You bet we can.





Sad Day For Puppets' website

Stream or buy the album





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