Mummy Short Arms - Change

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The first thing that strikes you when listening to 'Change', the second single from Glaswegians Mummy Short Arms, is the bellowing growl of vocalist James Allan. If you can picture an insane Tom Waits morphing into a werewolf below a full moon then you're half way there. The shrieks sound both desperate and psychotic, elevating an already great tune into something to behold. The ponderous harmonica and guitar strums add a swamp-like feel to the bluesy rock dynamic. Although Mummy Short Arms are blessed with a slightly unorthodox sound there is enough quality here to also appeal to those with less adventurous ears. B-side 'Where's The Mortuary?' is another stellar effort, listening to these tracks it's difficult to believe this is only their second single; they have the confidence and the fully formed ideas of seasoned old pros. A first-rate single on more than one level.

MUMMY SHORT ARMS - Change by Flowers In The Dustbin

Mummy Short Arms on Myspace

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Muck and the Mires - A Cellarful Of Muck

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Such is the Britishness of Muck and the Mires sound that it comes as a big surprise to find that they hail from New England. 'A Cellarful Of Muck' doesn't try to hide its influences, it doesn't push boundaries and it doesn't try to pretend otherwise. This is pure, old fashioned garage rock 'n' roll and whether or not this album is for you depends purely on your stance towards the genre. Those looking for innovation should stop reading now, those looking for a primal collection of two-and-a-half-minute retro guitar numbers, however, are looking in exactly the right place.

There is no pretence here, 'A Cellarful Of Muck' is a riot. From the opening bars of the rifftastic 'King Of The Beat' through to the final thud of 'Love Is Knocking At Your Door' the pace is relentless, the album's producer Kim Fowley hit the nail on the head when he described the band as “1964 Beatles meets The Ramones”. The themes covered here rarely stray far from the age-old problem that seems to affect men in garage bands: not having much luck with the ladies. The song titles speak for themselves; 'Tired Of Losin' Sleep', 'Laura's A Liar', 'Love Hates Me', and they're heading for a restraining order with lines like “if I can't keep your love I'm gonna creep you out”.

There's little here that strays from the template and you can't help but feel that a little more variety wouldn't go amiss, such as the chimes on 'I Don't Need A Reason To Miss My Baby' which make for a welcome break from the simple guitar/bass/drums layout. Criticising Muck and the Mires for sticking to the format is a bit like having a pop a Slayer for being too heavy; it's what they're trying to do. Evan Shore's vocals have a similar feral quality to that of a young Paul Weller and they can certainly knock out a catchy tune. This isn't an album that will change your life, but it will put a smile on your face, and you can't knock that.

- Muck & The Mires - "King of the Beat" - ‘A Cellarful Of Muck’ (Dirty Water Records 2011). by Cani Planeta

- Muck & The Mires - "Creep You Out" - ‘A Cellarful Of Muck’ (Dirty Water Records 2011) by Cani Planeta

Muck and the Mires website

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Out This Week - 17th October 2011

M83 - New Map

The sixth studio album by French electro/dreampoppers M83 has received some fantastic reviews so far, with many claiming it to be their best work yet. 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming' has a more 80s feel than their previous material but is still built from layers of shoegazey synth, distortion and samples. It's a double album and highlights include 'Midnight City', 'Reunion', 'Intro (feat. Zola Jesus)' and the luscious rush of 'New Map' which is free below.

M83 - New Map by Drugs and Mirrors

M83's website

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Grass House - The Breeze

Yorkshire's Grass House have set out to make music that avoids current trends and scenes. Not only do they achieve this, they do so with some flair. 'The Breeze' is an incredibly powerful track, carried by the brooding vocal and choir with a backing of simple guitar and drums which lets the song breathe. In this case less is most definitely more. Awesome.

The Breeze by Grass House

Grass House on bandcamp

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Spectrals - Big Baby

Twenty-one year old Louis Jones' first album as Spectrals is written about the heartache of a failed relationship and is done with some maturity (much like the début by another group of fellow Yorkshiremen - Arctic Monkeys - a comparison that's been made several times). 'Bad Penny' is a highly accomplished album with some great indie-rock tracks such as 'Big Baby 'which you can get for free below. In the end he won the girl back. Bless.

Spectrals - Big Baby by Slumberland Records

Spectrals' website

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Forest Fire - Mtns Are Mtns

Brooklyn keeps on spitting out quality bands, they must put something in the water there. Forest Fire have a more alternative take on alt-country and some killer tunes to boot. New album 'Staring At The X' is out this week and includes free download 'Mtns Are Mtns' which adds a heavenly choir and slide guitar to bolster the acoustic backing and ends up being really quite beautiful.

Free download: Mtns Are Mtns

Forest Fire on Myspace

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OBLIGATORY RECORD OF THE WEEK

Acid House Kings - Heaven Knows I Miss Him Now

'Music Sounds Better With You' was the first album in six years from Swedish indiepop legends Acid House Kings. One of the best cuts from it is the stunning sweep of 'Heaven Knows I Miss Him Now' which is out today on 7" (500 copies only so get in quick!). Two versions of the song are available; Acid House Kings original and a different recording featuring Dan Treacy from Television Personalities on vocals which is free below. Both versions are nothing short of stunning and we wish Dan Treacy a speedy recovery. One of the best tracks of the year.

Acid House Kings- Heaven Knows I Miss Him Now by Estoesunmartirio

Free download: Heaven Knows I Miss Him Now (feat. Dan Treacy)

Acid House Kings' website

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Five For Free #20

Future Islands - Balance 

We blogged a free track from the new Future Islands album earlier this week, you can find that here. Now having had time to digest more from 'On The Water', it's become clear that these guys have a lot of really quite brilliant tunes in their arsenal. Best of all is 'Balance', a track that keeps getting better and better. Download it below and see what you think.

Future Islands - Balance by thrilljockey

Future Islands website

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The Morning Clouds - The Wrong Things

'The Wrong Things' is taken from the début EP by Denver's The Morning Clouds which is in stores now. This track recalls The Beach Boys with its layered vocals and despite the menacing clouds on the cover it's a laid back, sun kissed and summery tune with tropical guitar twangs of the kind which blessed the Tennis album earlier this year.

The Morning Clouds, "The Wrong Thing" by The FADER

The Morning Clouds on bandcamp

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Still Corners - Into The Trees

Sub Pop has once again become one of the most vital labels around. Still Corners album 'Creatures Of An Hour' was released on the imprint this week and you can get hold of single 'Into The Trees' for free. It's a wall of warm, fuzzy, ethereal shoegaze with a breathy vocal courtesy of Tessa Murray and somehow mixes in minimal atmospherics at the same time. Lovely stuff.

Still Corners - Into the Trees by subpop

Still Corners' website

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Real Estate - Green Aisles

If you didn't pick up the free download of 'It's Real' earlier this week then you can grab it here. Real Estate are also offering another single from their second album 'Days' for free. The album is out this week and sees the band refining their sound and creating a more complete package then the début. 'Green Aisles' with it's mellow harmonies is a definite highlight.

Real Estate - Green Aisles by DominoRecordCo

Real Estate on Myspace

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Minks - Araby/Little Fawn

Minks' first album was out earlier this year and was a delightful take on lo-fi 80s indie, coming over like a more ramshackle version of The Cure.  New single 'Araby' is more of the same and sees them sticking to their guns rather than getting a glossy makeover. B-side 'Little Fawn' has more of a 60s feel and is equally as good. Pick up both tracks below.

Free download: Araby

Free download: Little Fawn

Minks on Myspace

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Orienteers - Orienteers

This article also appears on www.soundsxp.com

This is Orienteers first release since changing their name from the quaint moniker 'That's The Spirit'. The alteration came from an apparent desire to reflect the band's tendency to write about travel, and this does sound like an outdoor record but one that's stopped off for a nap in a hammock rather than possessing the get-up-and-go the title implies. 'Orienteers' is so laid back it's practically asleep which makes for a very soporific listening experience. In some respects this is to it's credit; in short bursts it can be quite appealing in its sparseness and it does boast a certain otherworldly quality. Yet over the course of an album it's challenge to maintain interest through ten variations of the same theme, and this is a shame as there are some nice ideas here.

'Walking Song' plods along  happily enough until you realise the path it's taking you down is a dead end – and that sums up the problem: none of the tracks really go anywhere and the record is crying out for a change of pace or anything that might make the songs more engaging. The vocals sound as though they were recorded down a phone line and then pushed as far back in the mix as the desk would allow, in fact Orienteers pull off the unusual trick of making everything sound this far back. This is by no means a bad album, it's more a missed opportunity. Orienteers have ideas but seem to be lacking the map that will get them to their destination. Pleasant enough but far from essential.

ORIENTEERS by orienteers

Orienteers on Myspace

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For Abel - Yorkshire

This article also appears on www.soundsxp.com

With the news this week that UK unemployment figures have reached a 17 year high, the timing of For Abel's latest single from their 'Greater Inventions' album is perfect. The vitriol contained in 'Yorkshire' is directed at the coalition's failure to look after the country's working classes. It does so in some style too, with vibrant guitars and a bouncy, relentless bass line as they bemoan “all the promises” that have been broken. It's difficult not to think of The Wedding Present at their most sprightly; even with a political message this is pure ear candy for those who like their guitars lively and animated and their lyrics impassioned. Flip-side 'On TV' is also well worth the money and is similarly powerful and energetic. There may be nothing particularly new about what For Abel are doing but they do it extremely well. A bit like all the best British indie bands of the past 30 years rolled into one. 

FOR ABEL - Yorkshire by Flowers In The Dustbin

For Abel on Myspace

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Teeth - Whatever

This article also appears on www.soundsxp.com

The début album from Dalston trio Teeth sets out its stall from the off. During the first jagged pulses of opener 'Confusion' with its icy, computerised refrain of “Y'all think we care, but we don't” you realise this isn't going to be an album to play to your mum - unless your mum thinks Crystal Castles are a little too middle-of-the-road, that is. The ten tracks contained here are bristling with punk attitude and pounding industrial beats, topped off with layers of discordant synth, but Teeth also have an ear for a catchy melody.

The harsh, spikey, lo-fi electro-rock is satisfying enough if a quick blast of energy and aggression is what you're after, although most memorable are the tracks where their knack with a tune is allowed to shine through. The unsettling 'Dead Boys', a coarse, high-octane banger, is followed by the similarly danceable 'Time Changes' and demonstrates that 'Whatever' is as suited to clubs as much as indie discos. Previous single 'See Spaces' hints that underneath the agitated outer skin, Teeth might just be a big old pop band at heart, albeit a somewhat angry one.

'Whatever' is a wealth of contradictions and a mash up of ideas. It's both fun and hostile, tuneful and unnerving, aggressive and loveable. A challenging listen it may be but there's enough light amongst the shade to ensure that you'll be back for a second helping. Teeth by name, teeth by nature – this is a record with more than enough bite.

TEETH - See Spaces by moshi moshi music

Teeth's website

Stream the album in full

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