75 posts tagged “pop”

The Maladies

The Maladies - Album Launch - Oxford Art Factory

It was a dark and stormy night.... well, less stormy and more irritatingly rainy.... anyway it was a night to venture out for the purpose of viewing the album launch show of Sydney boys, The Maladies. 

Playing a bunch of songs from their debut album, With You Right By My Side, Baby The Deal Just Can’t Go Down, it was a pretty fine show, I must say. Loud, dirty, bluesy rock, from foot tap inducing tunes to slow, sullen mini-epic songs, but still not quiet. I'd never actually been to a Maladies show before so I was not sure what to expect. Thankfully, it wasn't disappointing in the slightest. I can only assume that the horn section and the back-up lady singers might have been a special occasion for album launching purposes, possibly not the correct sized stage for so many people to squish on to, but you really can't go wrong with a very large saxophone. All the same, quite impressive musicality, the entire band (including back-up musicians on this particular occasion) didn't put a foot wrong. Nice.

Ask me to name a track. Well no, I can't because I am yet to acquire a copy of the album, but i can assure you, that either catching a Maladies show and/or purchasing your very own copy of With You Right By My Side, Baby The Deal Just Can’t Go Down is quite a good idea.

If you are in Brisbane or Melbourne you are in luck because there's more shows to be played:

19 Nov - The Step Inn Fortitude Valley, Queensland w Mexico City & Sue Ray           

27 Nov - The Tote Melbourne, Victoria. w James McCann’s Dirty Skirt Band, Black Pony Express & Little John.           

 

An honourable mention also has to go to Jamie Hutchings. I'm sure he's being playing shows in some form or another since before the dawn of time. Always enjoyable.... and, it seems, about to embark on a tour of europe, so if you're over that way, be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled. Or maybe just look at his website for tour dates (might be easier).

The Maladies - http://www.myspace.com/themaladiesband

Jamie Hutchings - http://www.myspace.com/jamiehutchings

The Rocketsmiths

The Rocketsmiths

The Rocketsmiths.... brought to me by facestalk.... but really.... considering the vast volumes of bands that pop up via the internet I must admit this offering from The Rocketsmiths is not too shabby at all. Not what i'd usually admit to listen to. 

Anyway, a neat little tune named Doctor has landed on my earpod, and i must say I like it. It's simple, it's pounding, straight down the line. Punk pop, short and sweet. A five piece from Brisbane, The Rocketsmiths have been around for some time (well, since 2006 at least) and released a handfull of EP's. Well worth further investigation.

Tour dates for the Doctor tour... here:

20 Nov 2009 - MUM at World Bar, Kings Cross, Sydney,

21 Nov 2009 - The Clubhouse (formerly Empire Corner Bar), Fortitude Valley

The Rocketsmiths -http://www.rocketsmiths.com/

Fan Death

Fan Death

Well, according to Wikipedia (an obvious reliable source) Fan Death is "a South Korean urban legend which states that an electric fan, if left running overnight in a closed room, can cause the death of those inside (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia)." 

As for the band, Fan Death is a couple of ladies who make a brand of discotheque pop stylings of the type that I have never heard before. It's like modern disco, really. Very simple standard disco backing with two female voices singing over the top. Enough to drive you nuts if disco isn't your thing, but i have a little soft spot for disco music....(thanks mum), but not so much for this tune (bring on the Walter Murphy Band... ahem). 

There's not a lot of obvious information available as to where these ladies are from, so I can only assume that they are american and it appears there are no live shows on the horizon. Maybe they've gone to Korea to dispel the rumours.

Fan Death -http://www.myspace.com/fandeath

Sally

sally@weheartmusic.com

Lynhurst has the notable distinction of being the closest band to ever live by me. 

When the Big Chief, Vu, showed me their CD, my first reaction was, “I know these guys.”  And after seeing their picture on the inlay of the CD jacket, my second reaction was, “Wow, they have really grown.”

Let me explain.  I have always felt the role of proud, unrelated relative to this brothers-sister trio for over the years I’ve had the opportunity to watch them play at all the south Minneapolis hotspots like Minnehaha Falls, Betsy’s Back Porch and Famous Dave’s.

No matter how young they look, these musicians are already seasoned professionals.  Matt and Jake were regularly performing gigs before reaching their teens and Mari, the youngest, wasn’t too long to follow.  What amazed me watching them play at such a young age is how comfortable and confident they looked on stage.  Their debut album is no different.

The press promotion states that Field Day is the combination of The Carpenters meeting The Cardigans.  Some reviews I have read have labeled it as Radio Disney.  I would have to say with Mari’s nuanced voice and Matt and Jake’s robust sound, they have created something in between.  It's fun, well played rock ‘n roll.  “Kiss Me Now” is definitely the radio friendly hit, but I found myself liking all the songs on the CD.  In fact, I was surprised how long I kept the CD in the player of my car as I drove through the streets of Uptown, around Lake Harriet, past Java Jacks on my way home.

 

-Dave

Probably a fitting band name for a sunday-written review. 

Yawn. 

Doesn't really conjure up images of excitement, does it? I nearly wrote this band off before even listening to them (a very sally thing to do). Well... look at the cover art.... i thought "ooh, some sort of horrendous metal band". Who ever said i jump to weird conclusions?

Not a great deal of information on these guys (maybe my detective skills aren't up to scratch), but according to their MySpace page, they come from Chicago, are influenced by after-birth and biblical murals, and used to be called Metrovox, but have since changed direction musically and hence required a new name. I wouldn't say Yawn is a fitting name, but who am i to make that call?

As far as i can tell, this is their self-titled debut EP. The music? Simply, it's indie pop. I wont say cute, but there's some really quirky, but well put together songs. The music itself is thick, layers of indie guitar pop intertwine with a whole realm of unusual sounds (I'm sure there's a kookaburra in there somewhere - mmm well known as the greatest songbird in history *ahem*).  Seems a bit novelty-esque; a bit Vampire Weekendy, very similar sounding vocals, same sort of whimsical feeling, same bouncy beat, but just that little bit more quirky. Favourite track? Empress. Makes me feel as though I'm on a beach drinking cocktails out of coconuts (not that I've ever done that.... or really want to, come to think of it).

Yawn

The best part is that you can download the EP for free on their website and that would be right HERE.

Also, if you happen to be in Chicago, you might be interested to hear that they are playing a show (with Megachurch... great band name!) on the 31st October at Snack Manor (I'm imagining this place has an abundance of cheese toasties).

Short and sweet today.

Sally

sally@weheartmusic.com

The Drones

Just a quick one here. After being on the scene for quite a few years now, I've never been a huge fan of the Melbourne band, The Drones; just not my thing. But don't get me wrong, The Drones do what they do (epic, dreamy, well-constructed rock) extremely well. So they are very much worth a mention. The news that I'm wishing to share with you is that although their latest album Havilah was released months ago (March 2009) in Australia The Drones have added US dates to their upcoming Havilah Tour. Support includes Model/Actress (USA) and Bridezilla (Aus), so well worth nipping along.

There's no shortage of dates, so whether you be in the US or, it seems, in any city in Europe (slight exaggeration), you'll get a chance to see them in the near future. Some of the closer dates include:

September 9 - Bell House - Brooklyn, NY
September 15 - Schuba's - Chicago, IL
September 16 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA
September 17 - The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
September 18 - Cafe DuNord - San Francisco, CA

Just a little sample to whet your appetite, have a listen to the tune, Nail It Down, from their live album recorded at The Hi Fi Bar in Brisbane. The live record is set to be released later this year. 

http://thedrones.com.au/
http://www.myspace.com/thedronesthedrones
http://atpfestival.com

Dappled Cities
I've always had a soft spot for Dappled Cities although I must admit I've kinda let me interest slide over recent time. Have they been hiding? or has living in suburbia alienated me that much?

What's to love about Dappled Cities? Well... many things. What I mostly value about their music is the variety in their songs. From mellow, soothing, chill-out type tunes to feel-good pop songs that force you to get up and have a little dance. I must also say that, as a bonus, they do put on a splendid live show.

So what's the news? It seems I haven't really been that out of touch after all, the band have been spending time in the US... I can't be expected to be keeping up with all this news!. The big news is that this Sydney band have recently released their third album, Zounds, which happened to debut at #1on the Australian Independent Music Charts... and will be released in the US on September 15th. (An interesting fact: all 12 songs on the album feature the sounds of a "Gakken" – a $40 build-it-yourself cardboard synthesiser from Japan)

The first single, The Price, has a bit of a disco feel. But what's new about this track, to me, is the inclusion of a string section, intermingled with that infectious indie pop that they are best know for. I'd have a dance. I have yet to hear the entire album, but off the back of their first single, I'm sure to be hunting it down in the near future.

If you happen to be in Perth, you are in luck. You can catch the final show of their Wall of Zounds tour tonight at the Norfolk Basement in Fremantle... run!

http://www.myspace.com/dappledcities
http://www.dappledcities.com

The Grates
Look at these guys, awww.... everything appearance-wise about The Grates oozes cuteness and fun (feel free to look at their website for further evidence), but don't be fooled too easily. There's a definite rawness to The Grates, guitar-rich pop songs, complimented by the voice of Miss Patience Hodgson, which can sway from sugary sweet to rock vixen-esque in a matter of seconds within the same song.

Since bursting on to the scene several years ago (with their debut album Gravity Won’t Get You High) The Grates rose to an immense level of popularity in Australia and not for the first time, they are set to head overseas on the back of their latest, self-co-produced album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won. (Due to be released in Canada and the US on September 15th)

I can assure you that these guys put on a splendid show and i whole-heartedly advise you to pop along if they happen to be swinging through your neighbourhood. Check there website (or their MySpace page for show dates).

http://www.myspace.com/thegrates 
http://www.thegrates.com
http://www.twitter.com/thegrates

The Scare
Originally from Queensland, The Scare now spend a great deal of time in the UK. The other day i managed to pop along to the album launch of their new release Oozevoodoo. I must say I was concerned that I'd have a terrible time. Just reading about them before the show... "It is abrasive but clear, we like being noisey but channeling it in a fashion that you can still make out the melody", I was a little apprehensive that it'd be some kind of horrid punk monstrosity. But what do you know! It was excellent. I haven't heard the album itself, but what I can say is The Scare are an excellent live band. The tunes are a bit more heavy than i'm used to, but there was no absence of melody, which i loved.The frontman, Mr Kiss Reid, channels enthusiasm and entices the crowd to feel the tunes rather than just stand there watching like a stunned mullet.

So, on that note.... here are some live dates that I feel you should pop along to:
Sept 5 - Hobart - Republic Bar Sun
Sept 6 - Launceston - Hotel New York
Sept 9 - Albury - Sodens
Sept 10 - Wollongong - The Harp
Sept 11 - Sydney - Gaelic Club
Sept 12 - Central Coast - Coaster Festival
Sept 17 - Adelaide - Fowlers Live
Sept 18 - Perth - Rosemount Hotel
Sept 19 - Bunbury - Prince of Wales
Sept 20 - Fremantle - Newport Hotel
Sept 24 - Maroochydore - Sands Tavern
Sept 25 - Gold Coast - Miami Tavern
Sept 27 - Brisbane - The Step Inn

http://www.myspace.com/thescare
http://oozevoodoo.blogspot.com/

And with that... it's time to bake some scones.

Sally
sally@weheartmusic.com

Clearly Amy Serrata is into jazz and hip hop, just take a listen to any of her song - you can just hear it. Serrata describes her sound as a mix of soul nujazz (I hate that word!) and pop with elements of hip hop, which pretty much sums up what she's trying to do on her self-titled debut album.

Starting with "This Is Me", the song instantly sets the tone of the album: a strange funk mix, girl-pop vocals followed by contemporary singing. It's as if the message is "accept me as I am" when you accept the song as genre-mixing.

Like the start of a work week, "Monday Mornin", starts off with a "yawn". Although the song is about breakfast and starting the day, the double bass feels like it's an evening song.

So after morning, she finally gets up and sings "Hello World". She looks forward to seeing the world, despite it being a "big bad place".

I could go on, but it seems like the album takes you on a journey, ending my favorite song, "Love Another". When you can get past the artificial record noises, you'll find there's plenty to love about "Love Another", especially the soulful vocals - backed with a mainstream dance beat.

She isn't shy citing classic ladies, Ella Fitzgerald & Billy Holiday, as well as more contemporary soul artists, Adele and Norah Jones. So if you like those artists, but with a modern mix, you'll love Serrata. You can get her album at Amazon.com or on emusic.

Well I may have been living in a musical hole lately but one thing just struck me; regardless of the Hip, Rock, Synth, Electro or just Cheesy prefixes, there's a hell of a lot of British Pop acts around right now, and they appear to be taking over the charts left right and center. Well, inbetween Jacko that is.

Almost Top of the Pops right now is young 'un La Roux. Here she is trying to recreate the 80s pop sound again, in a suitably VCR quality vid of her Glastonbury appearance not too long ago.

Then there's BBC's Sound Of 2009 postergirl Little Boots, who gets my vote for best Glasto outfit. The hairdo ain't bad either. What? The music?! Erm... you decide. EDIT: Well that didn't last long. Well done BBC, ruining the promotion of artists once more... Here's the promo then: I passed on chart darlings The Ting Tings until I heard Mrs Ting speak. Jesus she sounds more of a northern lass than I do. Which isn't quite right... But anyways, I promised to post some so here they are in all their delay pedal glory:

And I better post this before I feck it up so... more to come in a few mins.
Ooook... and resume. Lily Allen. Love her or, more likely, hate her, Pop's current front woman can hardly be ignored. So hear you go. I'd post some of her Glasto appearance but I think we've had enought of 5 Kbps video for one post... So here's the official vid for "The Fear".
You didn't think I'd get through a post without writing about one person you've never heard of, did you? Well thanks to the BBC's current video-article on the UK Club Pop scene - today it's Dan Black and his current single that should probably be harrassing the charts much more than it is right now. It's not like it's the wrong genre or anything...

And how can I leave without a nod to yet another decent band to come out of sleepy University town Aberystwyth - The Hot Puppies. Luckily these lot were around while I was doing my degree, so I actually got to see these lot play for once. I'm sure I've posted about them here before but can't find the video so... And I've no idea what they're doing now, but Wikipedia suggest... I hate to be rude but... much Sleeper-esque inbreeding going on ;o) Oh those dirty dirty puppies. Anyways, I'm not sure they're not quite as poppy as the above but what can you do? And I swear I've posted this vid before... where is it? Vu? You didn't steal it again did you? Update: I forget the Noisettes' current gift to the advertising gods - Don't Upset The Rhythm.

So that's it. Is the UK pop scene back to full force? Or just a pop in the pan? In true DiS style... Discuss. Below. Somewhere. If you can find the button...

- Christpopher

100 best songs ever!
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!


Pocketbooks
The last time I used the word "cute" in a review I got a little bit of piss taken out of me, but from what I have in front of me with respect to the London-based outfit, Pocketbooks, "cute" is one of the first words that springs to mind. It's pop, indiepop.... the cutest kind. *covers head ready for arse-kicking*.

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)



Where's Jerome

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

In the rose-colored world of indie pop, where the legends of Amelia Fletcher, Pam Berry, and Rose Melberg loom large, it’s easy for any girl with a pretty voice, guitar, and a pixie haircut to get ahead. The four girls behind Liechtenstein have all of the above, but on their debut album, Survival Strategies in a Modern World, they add their own distinct take on the tried and true shambling twee record.

Liechtenstein’s influences are clearly palpable within each song. The fuzzy guitars are straight out of a Black Tambourine EP, while the schoolgirl vocals could easily fit in a Softies track. But upon further listens, Liechtenstein set themselves apart with layered harmonies, foreboding lyrics, and a darker edge that may scare away the more fragile pop fans. Opening track, “All At Once” combines moody melodies with a thumping bassline that your lame uncle would probably describe as “funky.” The song immediately lets listeners know that isn’t your typical sunny pop album.

Sure, there are songs about cats and flowers, but the band has a knack for infusing even the most infectious songs with a gloomy undertone. The air of mystery might have something to do with my inability to understand most of the lyrics. On the uplifting “Postcard,” I can make out bits and pieces about running away and not leaving a note but all attempts at interpretation are lost when a tide of sugary harmonies comes crashing in. It’s not much, but I get the impression that the song isn’t just about not leaving the cat on the stove.

Liechtenstein is perfectly capable of writing the catchy, upbeat tunes, as seen in “Postcard” and “Roses in the Park,” but it’s on the slightly darker songs where they set themselves apart from the numerous bands they seem to be paying tribute to. The sense of urgency in tracks like “Reflections” and “Sophistication” provides a nice change from the overly cutesy landscape of today’s pop. The more mellow songs also offer an interesting contrast to the girls’ deceptively heavenly harmonies. It’s an added bonus to songs like “By Staying Here (We Will Slowly Disappear),” where, combined with the jangly guitars, morose lyrics, and handclaps, it is basically twee kryptonite.

In many ways, Liechtenstein don’t stray too far away from the typical indie pop formula, but they do tweak it a bit to produce an album that is both sweet and sour in all the right places. If you own at least seven cardigans or you’re just a sucker for anything Swedish, chances are, Liechtenstein is your dream band. But even if you’re a testosterone-fueled alpha-male, it’s pretty difficult to resist their charms.

Another case of other less important things getting in the way. I first received this album in *cough* April. I've been a bit selfish haven't I?

Never fear, the people in my office do get to hear it, be it recycled through my brain and translated into sallyvoice.

Impossible, is the debut album by Bristol band, Bronze Age Fox. For starters, individually the tracks are diverse, but also as a whole, the album is quite different from anything I've heard. I see names like Simian, Boo Radleys and Phoenix being batted about and I can see where they're coming from, but I wouldn't say the similarities are exact.

I'm quite enjoying the mellowness of it all. The jangly synth sounds, especially in Denizens Of The Deep and Pinstripe. The track that most closely resembles hard-ish rock is Hidden Track, but it's still quite mellow with lovely lady backing vocals. Bouncy, pretty, poppy, perfect dancing material.

Is it bad that the very beginning of the track You Wouldn't Want Me To Lie makes me picture Mr G from a certain Summer Heights High? Well it does. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about, right? ok. However, after the first few bars, after I've gotten that image out of my head, the song steers away from the effeminate male drama teacher sound to a more hearty and textured song.

Some interesting facts about these guys:

• The NME described them as “possibly our (UK’s) classiest leftfield pop band”
• A previous release in the form of a compilation album of some of their singles was cunningly called ‘Compilation’.
• David Edwards (drummer and programmer) has received very critical acclaim for his solo side project, Minotaur Shock.
• Dominic Jones (singer) has been "singing like a girl" as electronic artist Red Setter.
• Thom Stone (guitar) has been kept busy trying to keep Amy Winehouse out of trouble as her tour manager.
• Will Edwards (bass) has been playing bass for Minotaur Shock (his brother) on his live jaunts.

 

Overall, if we're talking opinions, I think Bronze Age Fox are brilliant. I'd crank this and do some serious vacuuming any day... or better still... spending an hour or so laying in a park in the sun listening via personal music device (as i type this on a cold raining wintery night)... Bliss.

See more?
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bronzeagefox
SVC Records: http://svcrecords.co.uk/

You can get your hands on Impossible via their MySpace and the SVC records pages.



Sally
sally@weheartmusic.com