29 posts tagged “indiepop”
 Heart at The Depreciation Guild at Webster Hall, NY (10/3/09) ♥ photo by Hannah Tour Dates
10/18/09 Artists For Humanity Boston, MA
Discography
11/17/09 Bikini Barcelona 11/18/09 Circo Price Madrid 11/19/09 Tinglado 2 Valencia 11/20/09 Santana 27 Bilbao 11/21/09 Confort Moderne Poitiers 11/22/09 Point Ephemere Paris 11/28/09 Reverence @ ICA London 11/30/09 Thekla Bristol 12/01/09 Academy 2 Liverpool 12/02/09 Academy 2 Newcastle 12/03/09 Stereo Glasgow 12/04/09 Academy 2 Manchester 12/05/09 Academy 2 Birmingham
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The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Depreciation Guild at Webster
Hall, New York (10/3/09)
Before the show, my astute friend was telling me about an evolved species of “bro” that is quickly infiltrating many concerts. Much like their forefathers, these bros are loud, obnoxious, and harbor a strong fondness for Keystone Light, but these neo-bros diverge from the pack by maintaining a level of enthusiasm for the music that is so fervent – you could even call it “pure.”
With that said, you can imagine the mixed bag that constituted the audience that night at Webster Hall. Opening band, The Depreciation Guild, played to a crowded, eager room even though it was only seven o’clock. Having seen them before, I knew that ear plugs would be handy since their brand of upbeat shoegaze is beautiful – but slightly deafening. Fronted by the Pains’ drummer, Kurt Feldman, the band had most of the audience swaying to their melodic songs, which all melded into one long, pleasantly loud medley. They played in front of a giant set of television screens that flickered technicolored squares the whole time, making their entire set feel like a dreamy music video, circa 1989. Somehow, I think that’s what they were going for.
My ears were still buzzing by the time the Pains took the stage. Fame (or at least, blog fame) has yet to change them, as they seem to have maintained all the buoyant liveliness and low-key charm from their early Cakeshop days. Lead singer Kip Berman and keyboardist Peggy Wang repeatedly thanked the audience in an almost stunned tone, and this awed disbelief of all their success was an endearing theme for most of the night.
Despite the size of the venue, it was a typical Pains show in
every way: frenzied dancing, unbridled enthusiasm, and even some lame/awesome
jokes (“Why can’t wizards have babies?” “Why?” “They have crystal balls!”) Opening
with album favorites “This Love Is Fucking Right” and “Young Adult Friction,”
the band had the audience singing along to every word – which is quite an
achievement, considering how often indecipherable (in an adorable way!) Kip’s
mumble tends to be. They played a few songs from their new EP, with tracks like
“Higher Than the Stars” and “103” immediately winning fans over, and they even
ended the night with the song that gave the band their infamously wordy name.
Having just finished an extensive tour, the band had all these songs –especially the LP ones—down flat, but at the same time, there was no denying their palpable energy, which easily translated to the crowd. As predicted, the neo-bros were in full force that night, but they were easily tolerated. I mean, it’s hard to hate someone who barks out the entire breakdown of “Young Adult Friction,” even if he does reek of Axe Body Spray.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: creating a world where neo-bros and pop kids can peacefully coexist, one infectious chorus at a time.
Before the show, my astute friend was telling me about an evolved species of “bro” that is quickly infiltrating many concerts. Much like their forefathers, these bros are loud, obnoxious, and harbor a strong fondness for Keystone Light, but these neo-bros diverge from the pack by maintaining a level of enthusiasm for the music that is so fervent – you could even call it “pure.”
With that said, you can imagine the mixed bag that constituted the audience that night at Webster Hall. Opening band, The Depreciation Guild, played to a crowded, eager room even though it was only seven o’clock. Having seen them before, I knew that ear plugs would be handy since their brand of upbeat shoegaze is beautiful – but slightly deafening. Fronted by the Pains’ drummer, Kurt Feldman, the band had most of the audience swaying to their melodic songs, which all melded into one long, pleasantly loud medley. They played in front of a giant set of television screens that flickered technicolored squares the whole time, making their entire set feel like a dreamy music video, circa 1989. Somehow, I think that’s what they were going for.
My ears were still buzzing by the time the Pains took the stage. Fame (or at least, blog fame) has yet to change them, as they seem to have maintained all the buoyant liveliness and low-key charm from their early Cakeshop days. Lead singer Kip Berman and keyboardist Peggy Wang repeatedly thanked the audience in an almost stunned tone, and this awed disbelief of all their success was an endearing theme for most of the night.
 at Heart at The Depreciation Guild at Webster Hall, NY (10/3/09)♥photo by Hannah |
Having just finished an extensive tour, the band had all these songs –especially the LP ones—down flat, but at the same time, there was no denying their palpable energy, which easily translated to the crowd. As predicted, the neo-bros were in full force that night, but they were easily tolerated. I mean, it’s hard to hate someone who barks out the entire breakdown of “Young Adult Friction,” even if he does reek of Axe Body Spray.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: creating a world where neo-bros and pop kids can peacefully coexist, one infectious chorus at a time.
10/05/2009 21:12:48 ♥ kateg (
)
♥
thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com
♥ myspace.com
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09/28/09
Criminal Records Atlanta, GA
Discography
09/28/09 The Earl Atlanta, GA 09/29/09 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC 09/30/09 Black Cat Washington DC 10/01/09 Ottobar Baltimore, MD 10/03/09 Webster Hall NY 10/05/09 First Unitarian Church Phila, PA 11/17/09 Bikini Barcelona 11/18/09 Circo Price Madrid 11/19/09 Tinglado 2 Valencia 11/20/09 Santana 27 Bilbao 11/21/09 Confort Moderne Poitiers 11/22/09 Point Ephemere Paris 11/28/09 Reverence @ ICA London 11/30/09 Thekla Bristol 12/01/09 Academy 2 Liverpool 12/02/09 Academy 2 Newcastle 12/03/09 Stereo Glasgow 12/04/09 Academy 2 Manchester 12/05/09 Academy 2 Birmingham
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The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars EP
A few months ago, certain people were sure that the apocalypse was nigh. Or at least, (for lack of a better term) the twee-pocalypse. Why else would a band like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart be on the Carson Daly Show or have a commercial on MTV U? The simple answer: they are a solid band who released a solid album. On their latest EP, Higher Than the Stars, the Pains once again showcase their pop prowess, all the while reminding us that it is possible to live in a world where our playlists can intersect with Carson Daly.
Consisting of four new tracks and one remix, Higher Than the Stars maintains all the rollicking melodies and winking lyrics found on their debut album, but there’s clearly something crisper and more focused going on. A track like “103” begins like any other Pains song, with an infectious beat and Kip Berman’s mumbled vocals, but towards the end, the synths and guitars kick in for a last hurrah, seamlessly adding another layer of interest to the song. It’s nothing major, but it’s definitely something new and intriguing.
The band has yet to move away completely from their jangly roots, but the EP hints at a slightly less lo-fi sensibility. “Falling Over” and “Twins” both lack the fuzz from the first album, but they hardly seem to be hurting because of it. “Twins” especially benefits from the cleaner sound, making the guitars more palpable and Peggy Wang’s background vocals all the more prevalent. Lead single, “Higher Than the Stars,” shows the band heading towards a more polished sound but staying true to their shambling aesthetic. It is the surprisingly ethereal remix of the same song that proves that the band has potential for experimenting with other sounds. Even under a heavy wave of drum machines and synths, the song’s simple chorus (“in the back of her mother’s car”) keeps all of its charm and wayward naiveté intact.
Despite the average pop kid’s reluctance to see their favorite bands succeed in the “real” world, I have no qualms about seeing the Pains acquiring even a Belle-and-Sebastian-level of stardom. They definitely deserve it. So go ahead, put them on awkward indie movie soundtracks or even an Outback Steakhouse commercial. I have a feeling it’s not going to change them.
A few months ago, certain people were sure that the apocalypse was nigh. Or at least, (for lack of a better term) the twee-pocalypse. Why else would a band like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart be on the Carson Daly Show or have a commercial on MTV U? The simple answer: they are a solid band who released a solid album. On their latest EP, Higher Than the Stars, the Pains once again showcase their pop prowess, all the while reminding us that it is possible to live in a world where our playlists can intersect with Carson Daly.
Consisting of four new tracks and one remix, Higher Than the Stars maintains all the rollicking melodies and winking lyrics found on their debut album, but there’s clearly something crisper and more focused going on. A track like “103” begins like any other Pains song, with an infectious beat and Kip Berman’s mumbled vocals, but towards the end, the synths and guitars kick in for a last hurrah, seamlessly adding another layer of interest to the song. It’s nothing major, but it’s definitely something new and intriguing.
The band has yet to move away completely from their jangly roots, but the EP hints at a slightly less lo-fi sensibility. “Falling Over” and “Twins” both lack the fuzz from the first album, but they hardly seem to be hurting because of it. “Twins” especially benefits from the cleaner sound, making the guitars more palpable and Peggy Wang’s background vocals all the more prevalent. Lead single, “Higher Than the Stars,” shows the band heading towards a more polished sound but staying true to their shambling aesthetic. It is the surprisingly ethereal remix of the same song that proves that the band has potential for experimenting with other sounds. Even under a heavy wave of drum machines and synths, the song’s simple chorus (“in the back of her mother’s car”) keeps all of its charm and wayward naiveté intact.
Despite the average pop kid’s reluctance to see their favorite bands succeed in the “real” world, I have no qualms about seeing the Pains acquiring even a Belle-and-Sebastian-level of stardom. They definitely deserve it. So go ahead, put them on awkward indie movie soundtracks or even an Outback Steakhouse commercial. I have a feeling it’s not going to change them.
09/27/2009 18:11:08 ♥ kateg ()
♥
thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com
♥ myspace.com
edharcourt.com ♥ myspace ♥ twitter
Ed Harcourt is nothing short of amazing when he's playing live, possibly due to his many years of opening up for REM, Wilco, Beth Orton, Supergrass, etc. An amazing multi-instrumentalist, he mostly relies on his piano and strong vocals.
Recently, he composed the score for the "Donnie Darko" sequel S Darko, which I gave it a good review... despite the critics panning the movie. Russian Roulette EP is the latest release, around or after sxsw.
Like many of his previous songs, these songs on the EP tells little stories. I think sometime his personal life shows through in these songs, for instance the musical roller coaster "Caterpillar" reflects the singer's emotions of highs & lows when his newborn daughter Roxy was placed in an incubator.
These are great piano songs, they sometime sound a bit like old fashion television theme songs (accessible to anyone that hears it). There is one mountain folky-ish song called "Creep Out Of The Woodwork", which may be because of the country-sounding intro.It's the first song I've written about her. She was a little ill and we waited for her in the hospital for the chrysalis so we could take her home.
-- Ed Harcourt
My favorite is "Sour Milk, Motheaten Silk", whose music was inspired by "Cypress Hill and Japanese children's shows". The violins towards the end by his wife, Gita, added a nice touch to the song.
You can get Russian Roulette EP from Dovecote Records, where you can also purchase his last album, The Beautiful Lie. Although it may sound gimmicky, you can get the EP via USB in the shape of a bullet. It's cool!
Harcourt will next appear in London at Standon Calling on August 2nd.
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VERISMO
verismetal.com ♥ myspace Well metal's still huge all over the world, but it's a question of taste... and personally it's not my cup of tea. But if you like a bit of a harder (but not ear-punishing as some metal bands I've heard) guitar-noodling of Verismo, you can download their latest EP Greed for (ironically) free, if you sign up on their mailing list:
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| THE RADIO DEPT. theradiodept.com ♥ myspace ♥ twitter
We've previously mentioned Radio Dept. before and Randy describes This Past Week as: "it's shoegazey, melancholy, a bit subdued, but also lush and really well-layered between the vocals, guitar, keyboard, samples, and drum machine." I think anytime I read layer and drum machines, I just think of lo-fi, but they aren't. They're definitely dreamy in some chases. The single (4 tracks) are a quick listen. The songs are easy-on-the-ears, a little too relaxing with the mostly-instrumental "The Idle Urban Contemporaries". Obviously the main and title track "David" is the best among the songs. However, I didn't particularly care for the Rice Twins remix of "David", which is too jumpy and that use of vocal autotune drives me nuts, in my opinion. It could've been an interesting song if you haven't heard the original mix. But then again, I've mentioned before that I wasn't keen on remixes either. David EP is available now from Labrador. |
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BRAIN CHILDREN
myspace.com They've just released a self-titled CD/12" and based on the six tracks, it's pretty much what you would expect out of a disco dance/synth band... ultimately sounding like they're from the 80s. There's definitely some bassy funk elements, especially on the "Guts", which I think there are actual girls-vocals on it. Either way, if you like what you heard, check out more at their myspace. It's easy for Australians to order the Brain Children EP directly from their record label Stained Circles (THEY SELL TAPES! TAPES!!! It's like 1986 again). Outside of ozland, you can only order 7" only, and you must use paypal. |
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GALA
galasound.com ♥ myspace ♥ twitter Her latest release is an EP called Tough Love. This release is really polished, a very professional produced little six-track. For the most part, I love pop music, and since Gala's background is from Italy, she certainly knows her eurodisco music. If you don't like eurodisco, then turn away now, but if you dig Sophie Ellis-Bextor or Kyle Minogue, then you'll love Gala. Pretty soon, you'll find youself dancing uncontrollably to "Freed From Desire The Un-Remix" and "DKOL (Different Kind Of Love)". Watch out for that distinctive yip-yelp she does on "Tough Love". I see that she'll be heading over to Moscow for a live show at the Forbes Club on September 18th. You can follow her on Twitter, which she will occasional take some pictures on her walkabouts. |
07/17/2009 00:04:12 ♥ vu (
)
♥weheartmusic.com♥twitter.com/weheartmusic♥news.weheartmusic.com
As you know, Australians have the best taste in music. This weekend Australian radio station, Triple J, is counting down the Hottest 100 of all time. I recall, in the past, I have made a post regarding the annual Hottest 100 that Triple J broadcast every Australia Day (January 26th).
Basically, for this event, the public were invited to vote for up to 10 songs that they regarded as being the best songs of all time. Easy! Voting was not just limited to Australians, so my first statement could potentially be wrong, but an interesting exercise all the same. It is this weekend that they are now counting down the top 100, well worth a listen.
(Although i guarantee my 10 wont be in there.... well not all of them anyway)
I'm posting this because you, right now, can click HERE and listen along. Hurry! They've started!
Footsteps is the name of the song I'm referring to. It's the pretty harmonies, the simple beat, the uncomplicated lyrics and the catchy catchy tune.
I'd like to hope that the rest of the tracks from the debut album, Flight Paths, are as this lovely, but alas i have not heard it. But you can hear some more of their tunes on their MySpace page.
The song is available on iTunes, and you can also download it free here:
Pocketbooks - Footsteps (MP3)
And you can watch a video for the song here:
Pocketbooks - Footsteps (Video)
Are you in Australia?
Well do I have some thing pleasant for you!
Sydney three-piece Where's Jerome have had their latest tune, Into The Ocean, made single of the week this week on iTunes.... unfortunately it's only available to iTunes users in Australia.
So.... Download it FREE all week from iTunes! Hurry. Click on the link below!
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=322312905&s=143460
For more info (or if you're not lucky enough to be standing on these fair shores) you can look here:
http://www.wheresjerome.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wheresjerome
That's all for today.
Sally
sally@weheartmusic.com
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05/17/09 Rooz Cafe Class Oakland, CA 06/12/09 The Know Portland, OR 06/13/09 Le Voyeur Olympia, WA 06/15/09 Jewelbox Theater Back Seattle, WA 06/17/09 Visual Arts Collective Garden City, ID 06/18/09 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT 06/19/09 Bluebird Theater Denver, CO 06/20/09 Burt’s Tiki Albuquerque, NM 06/23/09 Red Room at Grill Tucson, AZ 06/24/09 Southern CA Discography
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Foma is an indiepop group from San Francisco by the way of Albuquerque, and last Tuesday saw their latest release, Inverness EP.
I don't really know much about them, but based on the "recommendations"
on CD Baby, they seem to think they sound like Modesto's Grandaddy.
Based on their latest EP, they seem to me like sounding like Ben & Jason or even a mellowier Lucksmiths (and that's not a bad comparison considering how we all love the Luckies here).
I have concluded that the band is mostly lead by singer/songwriter Edward Burch, and they also seem to be half an instrumental jam band. Three of the songs on the EP are instrumentals "Interlude", "JM Sebastian" and "Gray's Elegy" (Sebastian is 90% instrumentals, there are some lyrics on it). The instrumentals aren't bad either, they are distinctive and seems to emphasis more on the percussions and drums, at least that's what I tend to hear when there is an absent of singing.
The vocals are from Burch are sweet, tender and calming. There's also hints of sadness to his singing style, but this is probably due to the use of Charith Premawardhana's violins and Hun Kim's cellos. I've always thought bow instruments are sad, especially if played slowly.
I had a hard time determining which song to use, I like these songs equally: "Control Panel", "Ess-Ther's Victory" (the closer of the EP) and "Seraphim Succubi". I've decided to go with Succubi, only because of that creepy intro. The tone is a serious one about a seemingly sweet-looking girl.
Inverness EP is available now, you can pick it up at Amoeba Records, if you're lucky enough to live in California. Otherwise, buy from them on tour and, of course, there's CD Baby.
I leave you now with "Kurt's Theme" from their Phobos album:
I have concluded that the band is mostly lead by singer/songwriter Edward Burch, and they also seem to be half an instrumental jam band. Three of the songs on the EP are instrumentals "Interlude", "JM Sebastian" and "Gray's Elegy" (Sebastian is 90% instrumentals, there are some lyrics on it). The instrumentals aren't bad either, they are distinctive and seems to emphasis more on the percussions and drums, at least that's what I tend to hear when there is an absent of singing.
The vocals are from Burch are sweet, tender and calming. There's also hints of sadness to his singing style, but this is probably due to the use of Charith Premawardhana's violins and Hun Kim's cellos. I've always thought bow instruments are sad, especially if played slowly.
I had a hard time determining which song to use, I like these songs equally: "Control Panel", "Ess-Ther's Victory" (the closer of the EP) and "Seraphim Succubi". I've decided to go with Succubi, only because of that creepy intro. The tone is a serious one about a seemingly sweet-looking girl.
Inverness EP is available now, you can pick it up at Amoeba Records, if you're lucky enough to live in California. Otherwise, buy from them on tour and, of course, there's CD Baby.
I leave you now with "Kurt's Theme" from their Phobos album:
05/08/2009 22:18:52 ♥ vu ()
♥ itsallfoma.com ♥ myspace.com/foma
Got a few gems to share this pleasant Saturday afternoon for you. Let's start off with the one I like the best.
Mascot Fight - Pantomime Hearse
For starters I like the name of the album. Pantomime Hearse... it's like pantomime horse.... but not quite! ha ha!..... yes well.... i like it, so shush.
The next thing I like about the album.... are all of the songs. It's such a cute album. Cute, poppy... and short (that is, kind to a girl with next to no attention span whatsoever). The type of tunes that just can't help put a smile on your face. The songs are simple and the vocals are nothing complicated either.
The tunes sort of remind me of something. It's not the mainstream indiepop style that so many bands are replicating today. Dare I say... this album takes me back to the early 90's style-wise... not britpop in the Blur, Oasis, Pulp sense of the word, but potentially similar to various other bands who was bounding around in the same-ish realm. I was going to tentatively say Pavement.... and then delete it, but i've just opened their MySpace page and had a look at thier influences... and bonanza! I hit the jackpot.
Who are Mascot Fight? Let's see. Mascot Fight
are not easy to stalk via the internet without finding heap of videos
about sport mascots fighting each other.... curious indeed. Other than
that, Mascot Fight appear to be a bunch of boys (4 to be
exact) from Derby in England who formed in 2004 with a quirky sense of
humour and a talent for writing catchy tunes.
Anyway.... if this interests you in any way... go here: http://www.mascotfight.com
This will enable you to listen to them, then begin stalking them (politely, of course) via any medium you so choose.
That's a photocopier (not a chair)..... something i'm glad we've cleared up now.
The Steps - The Steps
One thing i need to say about this band first, it that it was such a relief to find out they weren't the other band named Steps who were a questionably popular with english people (with bad taste) back in the late 90's.
The Steps are, in fact, a four piece indierock band out of Austin, Texas. I wouldn't call it pop at all. Although there are a couple of tracks on their debut self-titled album, which are borderline.
Pull the Cord and Townes Lane are two tracks which stand out in (or more probably stick in) my mind. You may have noticed i'm more of a girl who likes tunes more than meaningful lyrics? Well yeah, that's me to a tea.
There is one song on the album.... that caught me by surprise. Here was me sitting happily on the train to work, listening obliviously to my earPod and on comes a song that i thought was Jet (Loose Mind). You can imagine my disgust. I had to use all my might to remind myself that it wasn't Jet and it was ok to not hate them. Luckily most of the songs don't sound like Jet as much. (The start of Belle also sounds just like a Stereophonics song... hmm).
I reckon these guys would be great live and this album would be most suited to being played loudly during either a car-trip or a really intense session of carpet vacuuming. It's not reeeally my thing. but i would dance to it and sing along if i had a beer in my hand (and i knew the words).
For ease of stalking, here are some relevant links:
Offical website: http://www.wearethesteps.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thesteps
Brother - Little Birdy
Just the new single from the brilliant Perth band, Little Birdy. I'm not sure if we've covered Little Birdy here before (I'm sure I'll find out pretty soon one way or another)... but they are one of a great number of brilliant bands to come out of Perth. I'm sure there's something in the water over there or maybe it's just because there's not a lot to do other than spend hours perfecting musical skills and recorded some of the best tunes there could be.
Brother is the first single from their yet to be released 5th album, Confetti.
It's quiet, but has both a catchy tune and beautiful lyrics. It gets almost to the dance-around-the-room level during the hand-clap portions of the song. However, in my opinion, the best thing about Little Birdy, by far, is the awesome vocals provided by Katy Steele (brother of Luke Steele, frontman of the Sleepy Jackson and half of the duo Empire of the Sun, who have been having quite a bit of recent success all over the shop). I wont admit to singing along with various other Little Birdy tunes and feeling inadequate in my lack of singing skill prowess.... no I wont admit that.
Anyway.... I wont spend too much time on this. Best wait for the album, i reckon. In the meantime here's their website where you can grab the single and play it to your hearts content: http://www.littlebirdy.net/
I think that's it for now.
Have a tops weekend!
Sal
sally@weheartmusic.com
For starters I like the name of the album. Pantomime Hearse... it's like pantomime horse.... but not quite! ha ha!..... yes well.... i like it, so shush.
The next thing I like about the album.... are all of the songs. It's such a cute album. Cute, poppy... and short (that is, kind to a girl with next to no attention span whatsoever). The type of tunes that just can't help put a smile on your face. The songs are simple and the vocals are nothing complicated either.
The tunes sort of remind me of something. It's not the mainstream indiepop style that so many bands are replicating today. Dare I say... this album takes me back to the early 90's style-wise... not britpop in the Blur, Oasis, Pulp sense of the word, but potentially similar to various other bands who was bounding around in the same-ish realm. I was going to tentatively say Pavement.... and then delete it, but i've just opened their MySpace page and had a look at thier influences... and bonanza! I hit the jackpot.
Anyway.... if this interests you in any way... go here: http://www.mascotfight.com
This will enable you to listen to them, then begin stalking them (politely, of course) via any medium you so choose.
That's a photocopier (not a chair)..... something i'm glad we've cleared up now.
One thing i need to say about this band first, it that it was such a relief to find out they weren't the other band named Steps who were a questionably popular with english people (with bad taste) back in the late 90's.
The Steps are, in fact, a four piece indierock band out of Austin, Texas. I wouldn't call it pop at all. Although there are a couple of tracks on their debut self-titled album, which are borderline.
Pull the Cord and Townes Lane are two tracks which stand out in (or more probably stick in) my mind. You may have noticed i'm more of a girl who likes tunes more than meaningful lyrics? Well yeah, that's me to a tea.
There is one song on the album.... that caught me by surprise. Here was me sitting happily on the train to work, listening obliviously to my earPod and on comes a song that i thought was Jet (Loose Mind). You can imagine my disgust. I had to use all my might to remind myself that it wasn't Jet and it was ok to not hate them. Luckily most of the songs don't sound like Jet as much. (The start of Belle also sounds just like a Stereophonics song... hmm).
I reckon these guys would be great live and this album would be most suited to being played loudly during either a car-trip or a really intense session of carpet vacuuming. It's not reeeally my thing. but i would dance to it and sing along if i had a beer in my hand (and i knew the words).
For ease of stalking, here are some relevant links:
Offical website: http://www.wearethesteps.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thesteps
Just the new single from the brilliant Perth band, Little Birdy. I'm not sure if we've covered Little Birdy here before (I'm sure I'll find out pretty soon one way or another)... but they are one of a great number of brilliant bands to come out of Perth. I'm sure there's something in the water over there or maybe it's just because there's not a lot to do other than spend hours perfecting musical skills and recorded some of the best tunes there could be.
Brother is the first single from their yet to be released 5th album, Confetti.
It's quiet, but has both a catchy tune and beautiful lyrics. It gets almost to the dance-around-the-room level during the hand-clap portions of the song. However, in my opinion, the best thing about Little Birdy, by far, is the awesome vocals provided by Katy Steele (brother of Luke Steele, frontman of the Sleepy Jackson and half of the duo Empire of the Sun, who have been having quite a bit of recent success all over the shop). I wont admit to singing along with various other Little Birdy tunes and feeling inadequate in my lack of singing skill prowess.... no I wont admit that.
Anyway.... I wont spend too much time on this. Best wait for the album, i reckon. In the meantime here's their website where you can grab the single and play it to your hearts content: http://www.littlebirdy.net/
I think that's it for now.
Have a tops weekend!
Sal
sally@weheartmusic.com
Afternoon girls and boys... just a little catch up from Sally here....
a few bands that I've been listening to recently that i though i could
give my two cents about.
Sound and Silence - Our Static Lives
First up! I must admit, I only got my hands on this one this morning, but I've listened a few times now. Our static lives is an album of soothing tunes, not ideal for a Friday afternoon pep up. More suited to a Sunday afternoon relaxo session. Some very cute songs indeed. Indiepop, slow and subtle. Glockenspiel and quiet guitar.
Out of Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada (so their handy myspace page tells me), Sound and Silence are: Brian Holt, Eugene Burton, Heather Konkin and Patrick Doyle. I can only assume it's Heather who has the amazing voice (unless one of the guys is keeping something secret), especially on the track If I Were A Pirate. However, not being on a quest to make enemies, the lead singers out-of-tune vocals has just driven me slightly bonkers.... to the point that i'd like to challenge him to a singstar competition.
Anyway... any info you require lives here: http://www.myspace.com/skyystudios
They also have an official site... which doesn't seem to work.... or my computer is busted... again.
Matt Pond PA - The Freeep
Another soothing bunch of tunes... however this one gets me more in the mood for Friday night festivities that lay ahead (not much more though). For starters The Freeep plays on the love of my favourite word "free". And free this ep is... imaginative yes? Now before i type another word you must go here and download it so we can all be on the same page together.
From New York, Matt Pond PA appears to be a bunch of guys... namely:
The Freeep contains contains a total of 9 tracks... 6 songs and 3 interlude-y type tracks. The interludey tracks are experimental-esque jangly sounds. Those tracks are a contrast to the "actual" songs, which are your standard guitar indiepop tunes. Stand out tracks for me are Imperfect and First Light, which are a bit more lively in tempo and make me want to bounce around a little more than the others.
Basic Shape - Rainy Day
Quite a fitting song for today's weather... perfect jim jam weather, I must say. "Rainy day, let me drown in you".... all i need to do is go and stand outside for 5 minutes.
Anyway, Basic Shape are a 5 piece from Melbourne Australia and Rainy Day is their second single. A very mellow song with some very cute harmonies.
Recorded in " the loungeroom of Gerry's mum's house", the b-side is so very cute it makes me smile. Named Sweety Pie, it describes a lady who seems to be both sweet and gentle as well as a complete bogan, but turns out to be their mum.. what a twist!. I dunno.... describes my mum pretty well now i think about it.
I've just noticed by looking at their website that there they have an album out (Boat without a Sail), of which Rainy Day is a single from. I'm not sure why i'm so surprised. hmm.
What else?
Just a few things that I need to say (I'll write them here because no one in real life will listen to me):
1. Razorlight tickets for their shows in January in Sydney and Melbourne went on sale yesterday. I do like Razorlight, but I don't like Razorlight $65 worth, so i'm slightly miffed at that one.
2. Tonight I'm off to see Peabody at Spectrum in Sydney (if there are still tickets left when I rock up). This tour marks the release of their 3rd full-length album, Prospero. Should be a tops night.
That's all from me!
Sally sally@weheartmusic.com
Sound and Silence - Our Static Lives
First up! I must admit, I only got my hands on this one this morning, but I've listened a few times now. Our static lives is an album of soothing tunes, not ideal for a Friday afternoon pep up. More suited to a Sunday afternoon relaxo session. Some very cute songs indeed. Indiepop, slow and subtle. Glockenspiel and quiet guitar.
Out of Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada (so their handy myspace page tells me), Sound and Silence are: Brian Holt, Eugene Burton, Heather Konkin and Patrick Doyle. I can only assume it's Heather who has the amazing voice (unless one of the guys is keeping something secret), especially on the track If I Were A Pirate. However, not being on a quest to make enemies, the lead singers out-of-tune vocals has just driven me slightly bonkers.... to the point that i'd like to challenge him to a singstar competition.
Anyway... any info you require lives here: http://www.myspace.com/skyystudios
They also have an official site... which doesn't seem to work.... or my computer is busted... again.
Another soothing bunch of tunes... however this one gets me more in the mood for Friday night festivities that lay ahead (not much more though). For starters The Freeep plays on the love of my favourite word "free". And free this ep is... imaginative yes? Now before i type another word you must go here and download it so we can all be on the same page together.
From New York, Matt Pond PA appears to be a bunch of guys... namely:
This slightly confuses me... because there's four people in that picture there..... hmm. Feel free to enlighten me if you wish.Matt Pond - vocals and guitar
Dan Crowell - drums
Chris Hansen - guitar and keyboards
The Freeep contains contains a total of 9 tracks... 6 songs and 3 interlude-y type tracks. The interludey tracks are experimental-esque jangly sounds. Those tracks are a contrast to the "actual" songs, which are your standard guitar indiepop tunes. Stand out tracks for me are Imperfect and First Light, which are a bit more lively in tempo and make me want to bounce around a little more than the others.
Basic Shape - Rainy Day
Quite a fitting song for today's weather... perfect jim jam weather, I must say. "Rainy day, let me drown in you".... all i need to do is go and stand outside for 5 minutes.
Anyway, Basic Shape are a 5 piece from Melbourne Australia and Rainy Day is their second single. A very mellow song with some very cute harmonies.
Recorded in " the loungeroom of Gerry's mum's house", the b-side is so very cute it makes me smile. Named Sweety Pie, it describes a lady who seems to be both sweet and gentle as well as a complete bogan, but turns out to be their mum.. what a twist!. I dunno.... describes my mum pretty well now i think about it.
I've just noticed by looking at their website that there they have an album out (Boat without a Sail), of which Rainy Day is a single from. I'm not sure why i'm so surprised. hmm.
What else?
Just a few things that I need to say (I'll write them here because no one in real life will listen to me):
1. Razorlight tickets for their shows in January in Sydney and Melbourne went on sale yesterday. I do like Razorlight, but I don't like Razorlight $65 worth, so i'm slightly miffed at that one.
2. Tonight I'm off to see Peabody at Spectrum in Sydney (if there are still tickets left when I rock up). This tour marks the release of their 3rd full-length album, Prospero. Should be a tops night.
That's all from me!
Sally sally@weheartmusic.com
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26 Nov 2008 Landet Stockholm Discography
01 Dec 2008 Blauer Engel KIEL 02 Dec 2008 Admiralspalast BERLIN 03 Dec 2008 Subway KÖLN 04 Dec 2008 Feinkost Lampe HANNOVER 05 Dec 2008 Unikeller OSNABRüCK 06 Dec 2008 Sparte 4 SAARBRüCKEN 08 Dec 2008 tbc KASSEL 09 Dec 2008 Asta Wohnzimmer LüNEBURG
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Pelle Carlberg released The Lilac Time last Tuesday with US distributor Darla Records, although the album's been out in Europe since August. We caught up with Pelle in October to talk to him in his homeland of Sweden and he explained a lot of things, so be sure to listen to our interview! I will have to add that some people are hard to interview since sometimes they don't understand when doing radio interviews that they are the person that needs to talk and tell interesting stories - with Pelle that was not a problem at all. My fifteen minute limit for calling internationally went over in no time because Pelle was just so engaging.
For instance, he went on to explain "1983" as if someone who's never heard it but leaving out the punchline. Of course, since I have already loved the song, I can tell you that despite his to-do-away with the Belle & Sebastian comparison, that the song sounds incredibly like a B&S song...
I was surprised to find out that all his songs are based on true events, which leads me to wonder about his taxi ride in "Tired of Being PC" or his car problems on "Metal to Metal" or his hatred for a certain airline on "Fly Me to the Moon" (you get the impression Pelle travels quite a bit).
My favorite fun song on this album is "51, 3", which tells the story about Pelle taking a facebook quiz that tells him his mental age is 51. Just the opening line is well worth hearing.
Fans of Club 8 should take note of Karolina Komstedt's appearance on "Nicknames." He was apparently touring with Club 8 and had asked her to sing on the song with him. The song is quite upbeat and punchy, about reminiscing in their teenage years - going out to see old friends and drinking.
If you like indiepop and don't already own The Lilac Time, you can get it via Darla Records or Labrador. I will have to mention that I have bought things from Darla, and with the more obscure indie bands they may list it but it doesn't mean they have it in stock. This was very annoying when several packages I have ordered in the past end up missing one or two items. To be fair, they did not charge me for the missing items, but still, don't list CDs that you do not have in stock! I haven't ordered from them recently, so they might have changed the way they display what you can or cannot buy. Also, I'm sure with recent products, such as The Lilac Time, they should have them in stock - not to discourage you from ordering, of course.
As a bonus, here are our previous Pelle Carlberg songs we've used in the past:
I was surprised to find out that all his songs are based on true events, which leads me to wonder about his taxi ride in "Tired of Being PC" or his car problems on "Metal to Metal" or his hatred for a certain airline on "Fly Me to the Moon" (you get the impression Pelle travels quite a bit).
My favorite fun song on this album is "51, 3", which tells the story about Pelle taking a facebook quiz that tells him his mental age is 51. Just the opening line is well worth hearing.
Fans of Club 8 should take note of Karolina Komstedt's appearance on "Nicknames." He was apparently touring with Club 8 and had asked her to sing on the song with him. The song is quite upbeat and punchy, about reminiscing in their teenage years - going out to see old friends and drinking.
If you like indiepop and don't already own The Lilac Time, you can get it via Darla Records or Labrador. I will have to mention that I have bought things from Darla, and with the more obscure indie bands they may list it but it doesn't mean they have it in stock. This was very annoying when several packages I have ordered in the past end up missing one or two items. To be fair, they did not charge me for the missing items, but still, don't list CDs that you do not have in stock! I haven't ordered from them recently, so they might have changed the way they display what you can or cannot buy. Also, I'm sure with recent products, such as The Lilac Time, they should have them in stock - not to discourage you from ordering, of course.
As a bonus, here are our previous Pelle Carlberg songs we've used in the past:
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Links: pellecarlberg.se myspace.com/pellecarlberg darla.com labrador.se
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I got a note that Crystal Stilts were extending their tour with Swedish indie darlings Love is All, so I thought I'd mention it here before I forget. Crystal Stilts is on Slumberland Records, a label responsible for bringing over Stereolab and Velocity Girl - so deeply rooted in indie and much respected here with most of the W♥M writers.
Their much-anticipated debut album, Alight of Night, came out late October, and I'll have to say if you're a fan of Joy Division and early Jesus and Mary Chain, you'll absolutely LOVE these guys. They also seem to have a lo-fi indie quality to their recording too, and the singer, JB Townsend (?), kind of have a bit of a dark tone to him.
My favorite songs on the album is actually the more energetic jangy guitar numbers like "Departure", because they sound like the song was written in the 60s. Actually, most of their songs seems to be in that 60s vein, but they are not quite as poppy... again, probably to do with the dark brooding singing and lyrics. The free song they are offering is "Crystal Stilts", which they evidentially wear their influences like a badge of honor.
Here are those tour dates:
If you want to get their debut EP, you can get it for $10 on Woodsist Records (amazon is selling it used for a ridiculous amount of $50, so I do not recommend that).
Their much-anticipated debut album, Alight of Night, came out late October, and I'll have to say if you're a fan of Joy Division and early Jesus and Mary Chain, you'll absolutely LOVE these guys. They also seem to have a lo-fi indie quality to their recording too, and the singer, JB Townsend (?), kind of have a bit of a dark tone to him.
My favorite songs on the album is actually the more energetic jangy guitar numbers like "Departure", because they sound like the song was written in the 60s. Actually, most of their songs seems to be in that 60s vein, but they are not quite as poppy... again, probably to do with the dark brooding singing and lyrics. The free song they are offering is "Crystal Stilts", which they evidentially wear their influences like a badge of honor.
Here are those tour dates:
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Nov. 21 New York, NY Less Artists, More Condos
Dec. 07 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom #
Dec. 08 Boston, MA Great Scott #
Dec. 10 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa #
Dec. 11 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern #
Dec. 12 Detroit, MI Magic Stick #
Dec. 14 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle #
Dec. 17 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge %
# = w/ Love is All
% = w/ Vetiver
If you want to get their debut EP, you can get it for $10 on Woodsist Records (amazon is selling it used for a ridiculous amount of $50, so I do not recommend that).
There seems to be a trend in music submitted to me lately: Asians!
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10/01/08 Northcote Social Club Melbourne, Victoria*
10/02/08 The Palace and the Mystic Valley Band Melbourne, Victoria** 10/03/08 The Tivoli Brisbane, Queensland** 10/04/08 The Enmore Sydney, New South Wales** 10/05/08 Spectrum Sydney, New South Wales*** 11/15/08 Coolongatta Hotel Coolongatta, Queensland * with Fearless Vampire Killers ** with Conor Oberst *** with The Atrocities and Warhorse |
ihearthiroshima.com ♥ myspace.com
Before I begin, I have to say that I love that name, "I Heart Hiroshima". Maybe it's the heart-thing, you know? Well I♥Hiroshima is three-piece indie pop band from Brisbane, Australia. Although I couldn't find where they got their name from, I am assuming it's in reference to Hiroshima, Japan. If you think it has anything to do with atomic bombs, I don't think that's the case here: this group is positive and fun.
I think all three band members sings, although I couldn't tell you which boy member dominate the other. For sure, fans of boy-girl vox should really appreciate I♥Hiroshima, as Susie Patten and either Matthew Somers or Cameron Hawes have banter-like singing. And forgive me for say that their singing style comes off as sounding very DIY and amateurish. However, I get the feeling that they don't really care what I have to say - just as long as they and you are having a great time.
So, Tuff Teef was released late last year in Australia. I don't believe it's actually available in the US, at least not physically on CD. The single that they liked and released is "Punks", which sounds like a dialogue between Patten and Somers. I will admit, I liked the bit about "Don't lock your doors, I have these punks on the ropes".
Speaking of lyrics, here are some of the best one I heard from this album you should watch for:
- "you got cold hands, like an honest man" ("Stop That")
- "I've got teef, you've got none" ("Teef")
- "I don't care what your daughter said (we keep it within the family/she started the fight!)" ("Electric Lake")
So anyway! If you like boy/girl indie sound (they sound so cute) with some quirky lyrics, and hate bass, then you'll love I Heart Hiroshima.
And guess what? Mister Conor "Bright Eyes" Oberst have personally asked them to tour with him on his upcoming Australian tour in October. You can purchase Tuff Teef from Valve Records.
mightyimpiety.com ♥ myspace.com
We never get anything from Singapore, so I was pretty happy to see Singapore's Impiety's latest EP, Dominator. It was quickly recorded and cut from earlier this year (April) from Studio 27, and available now (?) from Pulverised Records. By the way, just a note, but these guys have been busy, with 18 Atomic Years Satanniversary, a 2-CD greatest hits, which was just released this year. That's right, this band have been around for 18 years, since January 1990.
Anyway, starting off with the striking skeleton Ghengis Khan-like army, the album paints a mood of destruction and domination. The majority of the EP is guitar and fast-drumming and I did enjoy the horse galloping and sword clashing on the intro track, "Introbliteration".
I usually have a poor ear when it comes to understanding lyrics for black metal, but surprisingly, I was able to pick up a few words here and there. The words you do hear is pretty typically death metal ("Satan", "Jesus", "Christ", "terror", etc).
There is one interesting cover song on this EP, "The Black Vomit". This song is originally by the Brazilian black metal band Sarcofago (you can hear their version on their myspace).
If black metal is your thing, Impiety offers some great guitar thrashing and superfast drumming and they demonstrate why they've been around for nearly 20 years and going strong.
meeble.com ♥ myspace.com
My initial reaction to Never Trust The Chinese was kind of borderline offensive. I the more I thought about it, I thought this might be in reference to a joke about how people just blindly trust the Chinese when it comes to fortune cookies (which admittedly, I thought "that's so true..."). But once I got past the title, this Phoenix-based band intrigued me because they are a band, but utilize guest vocals, like electronic artists like Tricky and the Chemical Brothers.
I have always known that I was going to use their opening track, "Fine" as the song of choice when I first heard it. It's quite lush and melodic, features an uncredited woman singer. That song represent Mr Meeble's sound, but my favorite song is "It All Came To Pass", which comes off like a trippy acid jazz. The vocals on this track is by Monique Blue, is absolutely seductively gorgeous.
"Raindrops" is another good one. It felt like a three-part song, with Devin Fleenor starting it off and Yasmine Iliya came in with "raindrops keep falling on my head", while the third part is by an uncredited poetry-type singing. There's something for everyone on this song.
Never Trust the Chinese have been out since July, and can be purchased in a variety of format on their website. Fans of electronica should definitely check out Meeble.
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