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If you’re in the mood for a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously but makes great music with a massive sound, Pink Widower is right up your alley. When I was little I used to want a Tiki bar in my living room and have Tiki parties with a Hawaïan shirt and/or grass skirt dress code. Years of watching Magnum, P.I. convinced me that that was the height of class. Now, it sounds more like the start of a seventies Key party, but I’d still love that bar. When I first heard Pink Widower’s “The Crimson Eye”, my old Tiki dream sprung to mind, because it’s a brilliant song that has a slighty sleazy, old wood-panelling feel, but in a good way! My favorite song on the MySpace is “Baby Elephant”, a mellow yet riotous song about a baby elephant. But do not miss “Battledogs” for all it’s poppy and theatrical wonder. Oh, and if anyone out there has some free time, could you listen to “The Golden Well” and confirm whether the chorus really is ‘old man vagina’ …
Now some additional Pink Widower facts for your New Band Day scrap books: It’s a 4 to 7 piece band from Portland, Oregon … Yah, I’m not sure how many members they have, but one of their sites said 4 to 7 so I’m sticking with that. They’re fronted by The Jed, formerly of Six Foot Sloth. Their songs sound fun, but complicated; I would love to know how the layers of hand claps, voices, a brass band, bells, and that instrument that goes kgrrrrr in the opening of “Battledogs” (what is that?!?) come together on stage. Their debut comes out in June on North Pole Records and I think it’s going to be a perfect summer record, so keep your eyes peeled for it.
You know how hot people tend to travel in packs? Well, the same goes for hot bands. In honor of our upcoming 100best post, we bring you Tennessee’s own Royal Bangs. They released their debut We Breed Champions themselves in 2006, but - here’s where this month’s 100best band comes in - Patrick Carney checked them out on the MySpace, loved what he heard, and is going to release the record on his label Audio Eagle Records on the 13th of May. They’ve been blogged to pieces so don’t take my word for it, but hot damn they’re good. They have a bleepy, organized chaos-y feel comparable to Whirlwind Heat and Architecture In Helsinki, and Modest Mouse around with experimental vocals and odd shifts in mood. They also get the stamp of approval from at least 50% of The Black Keys, which should really be enough to pique your curiosity.
Listen to the Strokesy “Broke Calculator” courtesy of I Rock Cleveland.
Royal Bangs - Broke Calculator
The five-man, Oxford-based outfit Foals are no longer a secret thanks to their debut, Antidotes. But, this doesn’t mean cool dudes and chicks can’t dig them. Okay, for some of the ultra-coolarazzi once you’re known and enjoyed you’re no longer it. Visitors to 100b are better than that.
Antidotes was recorded last year, released in late this past March, and “Cassius” has had significant UK air- and video-play. That’s why you get a sip from a different cup to help you decide:
Foals - Electric Bloom
For more, visit the official Foals site and, of course, their FoalSpace.
Meet my newest obsession, the fantastically dark folksy tunes of Kid Harpoon. I have no idea now where I first came across this man, but I’ve been absolutely hooked ever since.
Kid Harpoon has released two EPs (First EP and Second EP, of course) on the Young Turks label over the last 6 months. Though, to be fair, at 6 tracks apiece they’re really more like mini-albums, or a full album with an intermission. They are both excellent releases, perfect for anyone who likes their folk-rock with a bit of a growl and a sharp tongue. Although all of these songs aren’t all as vicious-sounding as “Riverside” (below), there’s a delicious darkness bubbling beneath the surface that occasionally crosses over into the sinister. I couldn’t possibly love this more.
Listen to “Riverside” right away, it’s definitely one of Kid Harpoon’s best so far. Who doesn’t love a good murder ballad? If this doesn’t send you straight off to order the EPs (on sale right now for a measly £10 combined!), or grab both over at emusic, I don’t know what will. There’s a rumor (so called because I can’t remember where I read it) that Kid Harpoon has an album in the works, with only this one track as a repeat from the EPs. Good god, I hope it’s true and I desperately hope it’s soon.
Visit Kid Harpoon at myspace or his members-only website (simple registration required for access to “new songs, short films, and pieces of writing”).
Kid Harpoon - Riverside
I normally go for loud, energetic bands, but it’d been a very hectic day and by the end of it I was so relieved to hear $100’s delicate folk songs. This Canadian band doesn’t yell for attention, instead the singer’s voice floats along like she hasn’t a care in the world, all the while accompanied by some impressive finger pickin’ and slide guitar action. This results in songs that aren’t for the ultra cool and cynical, but are just sincere and lovely. They’ve had a serious set back when guitarist Ian Russell was diagnosed with Leukemia in August last year, but I was glad to learn he’s in remission now and feels well enough to start playing again. The first song that made me stop and listen was “Not For Me”, a song that expresses the fears and hopes of a woman on the brink of insanity. But “Marbridar” almost made me forget I was so frazzled earlier today, I accidentally stole a bottle of lemonade.
$100 - Marbridar
In September 2006, tamboosh posted about Pete & The Pirates for New Band Day when everyone else was pissing themselves over the Arctic Monkeys.
Back then they had only the Stop Wait Begin EP to their name. Now, Pete & The Pirates are in full effect with their debut LP Little Death, which you’ve probably at least heard something about. We ain’t throwing up “Mr. Understanding”. Instead, give “Bright Lights” a spin. If you like both of these tracks, then you’ll enjoy the album.
For more head over to the official Pete & The Pirates site.
Pete & The Pirates - Bright Lights
This week, 100b’s inbox shared Broken Records with us. Broken Records are so new they don’t have nothin’ out yet, other than an EP sold at their shows, but they have been getting some attention around the music world. They’ve done live sessions for the BBC and were voted Best of the T Break Stage (the best of unsigned Scottish music) at 2007’s T in the Park. According to their band bio:
Using a range of instruments including guitars, bass, violin, cello, accordion, mandolin, piano, trumpet, glockenspiel and drums, they create a sound combining traditional European folk with modern Scottish alternative music.
And they do have an incredibly eclectic mix of sounds. If you want some real-life comparisons, there’s moments in Broken Records’ music that sound like: Franz Ferdinand, Sons & Daughters, Muse, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Beirut … and more. They’re definitely going to be big this year and they’re currently planning their debut single release, so hop on board before it’s too late to say you knew about them first.
Download “Slow Parade” below and then go listen to what I think is their best song, “If The News Makes You Sad”, at BrokenSpace.
Broken Records - Slow Parade
I came across a beautiful band that is sure to make you smile on a dark, dark day. The London based Tom Hatred & his Angryband are melancholy and sweet and their songs inspire dreamy moments of nostalgia without ever having heard a note of any of them. Inspired by fifties Rock ‘n’ Roll, folksy pop, love, death and heartbreak Tom Hatred has me dancing to lyrics that would have otherwise hurled me into a deep depression if it weren’t for the shake-your-ass and tap-your-feet quality his songs have. His voice ranges from deep Nick Cave-ian to dreamy and flighty. I want to lock them in a box and keep them all to myself, but that’s just selfish and a little bit creepy, so check them out on their Space and Face and let them bowl you over with their wit and charm too.
They haven’t had any releases yet, but for now you can listen to a good EPs worth of song on their sites. They’re all little gems of lovely, but my favorite is the rockabilly-ish song “From Here It’s Hard To Tell”, it’s fast and bouncy and eloquently ‘disses’ the vain and vapid. The band can also be found on The Mules amazing compilation of new bands from October last year called Pick Your Own. More on that later …
Yeah, it’s understandable when people just don’t get excited about an album of covers. When the covers are the long-playing debut of a band, well, that could be a worry. But, sometimes, you should be excited. Sometimes you shouldn’t worry.
The Dynamics’ Version Excursions, released by the German Groove Attack label, is just that: 14 covers of classics old and new covered in a chilled-out old school reggae that manages grab and hold your attention while soothing you at the same time. The track list speaks more to the variety than any attempt to single out specific highlights:
01. The Dynamic Sound
02. Girls And Boys
03. 7 Nation Army
04. Land Of 1000 Dances
05. Lay Lady Lay
06. Miss You
07. Rockit
08. Brothers On The Slide
09. 90% Of Me Is You
10. Whole Lotta Love
11. Feel Like Making Love
12. The Creator Has A Master Plan
13. Fever
14. Move On Up
Frackin sweet.
To get a taste of what you’re in for when you buy this album, here’s what Patchwoks, Dapper Ray, Stevie Levi, Mounam and Flab Master Flab have done with the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”:
The Dynamics - 7 Nation Army
For more from The Dynamics, slid over to their DynamicSpace.
UK indie label Alcopop has just released Alcopopular Vol. 2, a cassette tape (yup, it’s true) mix of some of their up-and-coming artists. Some of this stuff is sounding great - I’m suddenly wishing I hadn’t just gotten rid of that little mini-stereo I had been hanging on to because it was the only thing I had that still played tapes. If you, unlike me, thought ahead and still have a cassette player, this compilation can be yours for a measly £ 4. For this tiny portion of your hard-earned pay, you’ll get tracks from The Young Playthings, Harry And The Potters, Jeremy Warmsley, Sam Isaac, Kid Carpet, and a whole bunch of bands that you probably haven’t heard of yet and probably should. There’s the Weezer-esque pop of The Honey Brothers (whose drummer is none other than Adrian Greenier of the always excellent television show Entourage), some frantic madness courtesy of Johnny Foreigner (which I recommend, I’m enjoying their myspace tracks as I type), and wonderful charming loveliness from Decades. I’m still checking some of the bands out myself - I’m sure there’s more greatness to be found on there. So, if you have a tape player, get your order in now before they’re gone!
Montreal’s Plajia (pronounced, according to their email, plah-gee-ah) released their debut album, Beautiful Explosion, in October of this year. To be honest, I don’t know all that much about them - neither their website nor the email they sent to us gives much of a biography. They’ve been around since 2001 and are “influenced by the British-pop compositions of the 60’s and 70’s icon groups, often with a psychedelic and progressive twist”. I’m not quite sure what their sound is, as the songs I’ve heard are rather genre-hoppy, but that’s not a bad thing - they would fit nicely alongside both The Arcade Fire and The Bicycles. Their first single, “Beautiful Explosion” is a 60s pop-fest, while “Dummy” has some nice Classic Rock flair and “This House” is soft and lovely.
Plajia is definitely worth your time - they’re growing on me by the minute. Give them a listen at PlajiaSpace and be sure to try my favorite so far, “Beating The Charms”. Beautiful Explosion is available in exchange for moneys all over the place - check here to find the place most convenient for you.
Plajia - Beautiful Explosion
Okay, as usual, I mangled New Band Day. I committed myself to letting you know about LP, the Holy Fuck album released at the end of October. However, having made the commitment to them based on notes from a respected indie record label and shop, which lead me to believe this was their debut album, I discovered this is actually their sophomore release. Their self-titled debut was unleashed in 2005. Damn it, I’m still sticking with them.
SIDEBAR - In the event you’re not in the know, yes, Holy Fuck is the name of the band, not some ruse to attract visitors to 100b.
Technically, Holy Fuck are jammed into the electronica/krautrock genre. I’m not a real electronica fan, so I was dubious when I popped the CD into the player. When I think of electronica I think of music I can’t get any traction with (see Porn Sword Tobacco). However, I think calling Holy Fuck electronica could lose them a lot of fans turned off simply by the thought of bleeps, blurps, and dings. Sure, their sound is driven by electronic devices of various types. The result, though, is like an indie rock layer cake topped with electronic icing - the cakey bits are delicious by themselves but the icing is so yummy. Depending on what level you focus on you can hear two different bands, which, I have to say, makes for an enjoyable listening session.
Try them for yourself and see what you think. “Royal Gregory” is one of the more dance-like and bass-heavy of the tracks. Others, such as “Super Inuit”, “Lovely Allen”, and “The Pulse” are much less so. A wonderfully varied experience.
Holy Fuck - Royal Gregory
For more, head to the Holy Fuck MySpace zone. For tour dates and more, check out their official site.
Auxiliary House is a band that popped into the 100b inbox long enough ago to be embarrassing. I promptly flagged them for future posting and then forgot to actually post about them. Auxiliary House is a band made up of any members of Trekky Records bands that take an interest - apparently there are a few core members but, for the most part, each time Auxiliary House gets together, there may be a totally different line-up.
Although they’ve been experimenting together since 2004, they don’t seem to have any physical releases or full albums. However, they have recorded a bunch of stuff, available to download via their official site. Trekky and Auxiliary House encourage the sharing of their music, so go get yourself some and pass it around. Here’s “Animal Song”, the first song of theirs I heard - I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, but it grew on me quickly. But don’t expect any of their other songs to sound like it. Which is the beauty of a band with constantly shifting ‘members’, all with different musical backgrounds - anything and everything might go into the mix, making each song something unique.
Auxiliary House - Animal Song
Nothing, I got nothing on this female trio. I really love their sound and I’d love to know more about this band, but apparently Songs For Moms, are a non-entity that make dirty, folksy, rockabilly with a grungey twist. After scouring the net and visiting both their sites, I’m left as puzzled as I started out. Well, I did learn they’re from Oakland, California and their debut album The Worse It Gets The Better just came out on Starcleaner.com, but that’s it. They’ve toured with Blitzen Trapper and Two Gallants and there are echoes of the latter band in the way Songs For Moms fire off at breakneck speed and manage to sound fresh and weathered at the same time.
Songs For Moms - Don’t Live With Your Lover Or Love With Your Liver
Songs For Moms - Underground
Songs For Moms - My Darling Faye
As is often the case with me, I just spit into the wind when it comes to New Band Day. I always forget what the rules are. Or, even worse, I just bend and meld them to my will so I get my way. So, today’s rule for what qualifies as a new band is never having released a full-length album. An EP doesn’t count. (Maybe that really is the rule?) Either way, wow, look at that. The 1900s qualify and are our new band today!
We received access to the 1900s new album, Cold & Kind, released ealier this month. I listened to it while catching up on the email that piled up during our 100break. I was wooed by today’s featured song enough to purchased the entire album from emusic and picked up their 2006 EP, Plume Delivery, while I was there. Now I think you should buy it, too.
The 1900s - When I Say Go
Not all of the album sounds like “When I Say Go”, but the harmonies and often throwback late-60s sound will appeal to many. (Think hippies not go-go boots.) Most of it is a very fuzzy and acoustic album that will serve as a source of comfort during happy and sad times. It’s pretty much like fleece. You’re either going to love it or hate it. Those that enjoy them could definitely find themselves in love with this Chicago-based septet.
Listen to more on The 1900s MySpace page.
Recent busyness here at Bean Central has kind of zapped my blogging mojo. Actually, it’s zapped pretty much everything but my Playstation mojo - I’ve barely done anything but play Tomb Raider Anniversary for days. Don’t judge me.
But then I discovered something marvelous hiding in the 100b HQ inbox and I couldn’t wait to post about it. Actually, marvelous doesn’t really cut it in this case - this music is sweeping, catchy, fun, uplifting, sad, huge, quaint, and just darned beautiful. (That may sound like I just strung a bunch of random adjectives together to try to sound writer-y, but have a listen in a minute and you’ll see that they’re all true.)
This is Plushgun - a project started by one Dan Ingala - currently based in Brooklyn - only 8 tiny months ago. Originally trained in classical music before moving on to other academic pursuits, Dan has written, recorded, and produced all of Plushgun’s music so far, with help from some guest musicians. This is a wonderful sound he’s created - part indie pop, part indie rock, part electronica, part soaring classical (electronic) orchestration. Like all of my very favorite music, Plushgun is not a one-genre pony, and definitely isn’t afraid of the dreaded ‘pop’ word. As Dan said, “there is no shame in making music people like, so long as you like it too.” Hear, hear! I couldn’t possibly agree more.
Not that there’s anything bubblegummy about Plushgun - this is pop in the best possible way - ‘Pop’ meaning: music that feels really good. All of the tracks I’ve had the chance to listen to are absolutely stunning - but “Just Impolite” makes my heart soar. Seriously, I listened to it about 4 times in a row.
Dan says that Plushgun is going live, and that he’s got some great musicians to perform with, so keep an eye out for them at your favorite venue. A Plushgun EP should be coming soon and, in the meantime, tracks are available for purchase by Snocap via PlushSpace. Dan’s also working on an album so, Record Deal Guys, get your contracts out, you won’t be sorry.
Plushgun - Just Impolite
Plushgun - Dancing In A Minefield
I guess one of these creatures is Cary Pratt of Prairie Cat, but I’m not entirely sure what is going on in this picture. Well, at least now I know what my next nightmare is gonna look like.
The wonderful Catbird Records recently co-released Canadian one-man band Prairie Cat’s debut album Attacks!. Here’s a little taste of the seven song gem. It’s perfect for a lazy afternoon or a Monday so horrible that it needs its own anthem of Grumpy. I don’t know how to describe this song, but if it was a drink it would be over-sugared strawberry Kool-Aid, because it has a yummy familiar flavor, but it’ll zap anybody right out of their state of apathy with its quirky sweetness and alien, luminescent coloring. If you like what you hear you gotta be quick like a prairie cat (ha, see what I did there?) to get your hands on one of the 100 pretty special hand-painted versions.
Look here, this is a confesssion. I don’t have tons of time to trawl the Intertubes for new artists. Sometimes I wish I did or was willing to let go of some of my other activities. I’m not, so I rely on carefully chosen sources to provide my exposure to new music when I’m unable to dig around myself. Sources such as Bean and Tamboosh, emusic (and to a lesser extent iTunes) recommendations, The Album Club (not your average monthly music source), and a few kindred blogs.
When this month’s package arrived from The Album Club what did I find inside? Well, hot dog, a new artist perfect for New Band Day - Eugene McGuinness in the form of The Early Learnings Of Eugene McGuinness released by Double Six, a label created by Domino specifically for The Early Learnings Of … and McGuinness’ earlier first single.
I’ve enjoyed the 22-year-old McGuinness’ album so much so far (after about five run throughs) that I wished everything in the world was free and we could all just share the whole thing for everyone to enjoy everywhere. Alas, that’s not what Hangin’ Out In 100b is about. But, McGuinness’ eight tracks of fun are worth the lunch money it takes to get your hands on it.
I usually prefer more upbeat music, so “High Score”, “Monsters Under The Bed”, and “Bold Street” are probably my favorite tracks. But, that’s not to say those slower tempo and more introspective songs, like “Madeleine” or “Vampire Casino”, aren’t enjoyable, as well. Given this London native is so young, we can all look forward to further growth and exploration to come!
Eugene McGuinness - Monsters Under The Bed
Don’t want to take my word for it? Try out some more before purchasing by directing your attention to Eugene McGuinness’ space.
The photograph of Mr. McGuinness has been used with kind permission from Tim Dougall. The original is much bigger, clearer, and not so cropped!
Hats and Glasses are a band I found via emusic - I downloaded their EP a couple of days ago because, well, I liked their name. But that’s about all the information I can give you about them, because even Google-ing doesn’t come up with much. They’re from Boston, consider themselves a Rock ‘n Roll band, and have apparently been together since 2003. As far as I can tell, the EP is their debut release. Rock ‘n Roll is a fitting description, but not at all in a traditional or typical way. There’s something about them that reminds me of The Modern Lovers - not that they sound similar but they both appeal to me in the same way. Their myspace page lists them as “Punk / Metal / Melodramatic Popular Song”; Virb has them has “Post Hardcore / Southern Rock / Comedy”. Clearly, Hats and Glasses don’t fit in one of those nifty genre descriptions. All I know is that this EP is my new favorite thing and I love it more each time I listen to it. You’ll really have to hear it for yourself:
Hats and Glasses - November, Stupid People, Pay The Man
Hats and Glasses’ EP is available for download from emusic here and will supposedly be out in September for physical buying. HatSpace has several songs for your listening pleasure and one for download. Go check them out, right now.
The Great Danger are from Brighton and got together almost a whole year ago. They’re so new their fontanelles are probably still squidgy and not grown together yet. They have a fresh post-grungey sound that has absolutely nothing to do with them Nickelbacks and 3 Doors Downs. They actually sound like a British version of Pixies, but even at their angriest they’re youthful and endearing.
The songs on their MySpace are as exciting as they are raw, so I can’t wait to hear what they sound like when their skull has had some time to harden! But I really hope they don’t polish/grow up too much. Here’s two out of the three songs they have up for grabs. Both heavily feature oh-oh-ohs, but it’s all good.
The Great Danger - Pretty Pretty
The Great Danger - Oh
Okay, I’m just going to blurt it out … Plans-&-Apologies-are-not-a-new-band! I might even catch hell from the Bean and Tamboosh for breaking New Band Day rules. But, there, it’s done … It’s too late to turn back … So let’s move on already! Damn. (Bygones.)
In my defense, Plans & Apologies are new to me. And, I’ll wager you a 0.79 GBP or 0.99 cent iTunes voucher they’re new to at least 98.27% or more of you out there. (Seriously, they’ve got just 2748 MySpace profile views, including mine.) What’s more, they’re a testament to will-we-ever-make-money PR and the power of silly publicity emails written by goofy dorks to garner attention in the snatch-n-grab world of the Intertubes.
In honor of British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s stepping down, Plans & Apologies gave advance views of the video and the single “Mel Gibson’s IRAQ!”, part of a double a-side - together with Meetoo - due for release in September from Pandaz Pop and Exercise1 Records.
Enjoy the video? Then use the Intertubes to download the track itself:
Plans & Apologies - Mel Gibson’s IRAQ
If you likes what you hear, you can download their earlier albums for FREE at the Pandaz Pop site. Yes, for free. Meaning, for no monies. This is part of my complicated rationalization for considering them a new band. They seem to make no money. They offer their older albums for free. They haven’t really broken out yet.
If for some reason you don’t like downloads, you can also catch a listen in the Pandaz Pop MySpace zone.
Fear Of Flying are a British band that play fast, dancy, eighties pop songs. I thought the eighties were tapped out, but these guys make it sound fresh again. Their songs are a celebration of youthful debauchery and great pop music. They’ve already supported the likes of The Maccabees, Jack Peñate and Jamie T and they sound so insanely fun and catchy that they probably won’t have any problems selling their tunes to the people.
Fear Of Flying - Forget-Me-Nots
Fear Of Flying - Shadows
Fear Of Flying - Three’s A Crowd
Things have been so crazy this week that I really didn’t expect to have a New Band Crush, so I wasn’t paying attention to The Stomps at first. When I finally woke up out of my caffeine haze and gave them a proper listen, I was hooked! They’re from New Zealand and they’re a cross between a more subdued version of Man Man and a theatrical, modern sea shanty band - if there is such a thing. Their MySpace claims to have these two songs from their first EP up for free, but the download thingy don’t work, so here ya go. “The Bitch Has Done It Again” is amazing, it’s an angry, roaring beast of a song about a cheating, ehm, skank. Don’t forget to download the other two (working) songs on MyStomp from their upcoming second EP, because especially “Beaumains” you won’t want to miss. Sigh, it’s times like this that make me love New Band Day so very much.
The Stomps - The Bitch Has Done It Again
The Stomps - One More Night
The last home-recorded and -produced releases we heard from Maps (aka James Chapman) were singles-only, “Start Something” and “To The Sky” (2005) and “Lost My Soul” and “Sparks In The Snow” (2006). Now, the Northamptonshire lad has released his debut full-length album, We Can Create, 11 tracks (including “To The Sky” and “Lost My Soul”) put together with participation from Valgeir Sigurdsson (production for Bjork) and Ken Thomas (mixing for Sigur Ros).
Breathy and throwback in style, the album reminds me of Electronic without the oompf and drive. (Some will scoff and laugh at that, coming up with much better musical roots for Maps. But, I don’t pretend to know about all kinds of music. I simply point out artists, albums, and songs you might want to know about and purchase.) This description of Maps is not, by any means, meant to bash the effort. We Can Create is smooth and easy to listen to. For some it will feature as a full album listen. For others it will serve as quality mix material or will be shuffled in with other music to change the tempo and feel.
All in all, well worth a sample and follow up.
Maps - So Low, So High
And, of course, you can check out MapSpace for more.
A few weeks ago I happened upon White Denim’s “ShakeShakeShake” off SXSW 2007 Showcasing Artists while bouncing around the Intertubes. After finally listening to the track in me Pod I had to pick up a copy of their one and only release, the EP Let’s Talk About It (2007).
This is some good stuff people. Somewhat rough. Very genuine. If you enjoy off-the-wall ‘Cowbell Rock’, then give White Denim a whirl. I don’t think there is a track on the EP that doesn’t have a cowbell either featured prominently or hidden within the fabric. Sah-wee-tah.
White Denim - ShakeShakeShake
White Denim - I Can Tell
If you like what you hear, you can listen to more on the White Denim website and their MySpace page, which I think has to have been written while under the influence … or by a 12-year-old. Of course, this just adds to their goofball charm.
And, yes, that’s the best picture of White Denim I could find that wasn’t on flickr. That’s how damned new and undiscovered White Denim is.
I know yesterday was New Band Day, but I found out that I don’t have class because Jesus flew to heaven today or something … Anyway I had some time to kill, so I was looking through the home of Bromheads Jacket, my new favorite label Marquis Cha Cha’s list of artists. I’m not even halfway through it and I already cannot wait to tell the world about three of the bands!
First up is Let’s Wrestle. They sound like a bunch of sulky post-punk teens who might just refuse getting out of their garage even if they made it big. They oooooze cool, like only the early garage bands could, without even trying. My favorite song on the myspace is the minimalist Art Brut-type ruckus of “Let’s Wrestle”, though the new single that came out two days ago with the excellent title “Song For ABBA Tribute” is really amazing too.
Then there’s Thomas Tantrum. This band rocks as hard as the lead singer is adorable. Her voice flows through arty, guitar driven melodies like Dorothy through a field of poppies. I already can’t choose which song I like best. “Pshandy”, the soon to be released follow up to their debut single “Armchair”, starts as a hypnotizing, almost grungey affair, but the chorus makes you sit up and salute their surprisingly poppy brilliance.
Check out the video for the lovely “Pshandy”:
Finally, I would like to direct your attention to Electric Spoon. They’re a cross between Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and even Cat Stevens, if they could pick a guitar like erm, Blind Willie Mctell. If you don’t like any of these artists you should still give them a chance, because they’re really a brand on their own. They’re fresh and new, but they make soulful, bluesy rock music and remind me of the best the seventies had to give us.
Here’s the video for the beautiful, sleepy debut “You”:
Everybody’s talking about Vampire Weekend and for good reason, they’re flippin’ awesome. I should be fair and admit that aDawgg told me about them first but I stole them for New Band Day because of that previously mentioned awesomeness. A little googling showed me that Stereogum has already picked them as a Band To Watch and their description of Vampire Weekend as a brainy blend of Paul Simon’s Graceland and Talking Heads is perfect. The music is wonderfully charming and fun and feels like summer and I seriously can’t wait until we can hear some more of it. I’m already thinking about how great it must sound live - maybe in a park, as the sun is just about to set. They seem to be unsigned (not for long, I’m sure) but are releasing some songs digitally and on 7″ sometime this month (I haven’t been able to find a specific date yet). In the meantime, listen to two tracks on their official site and a couple more on their vampirespace.
It’s New Band Day! I have three brand spankin’ new bands for you today. These bands are very, very different from each other, and are a testament to the diversity and originality of the British music scene right now.
First Up is Butterfly Bangs. This band’s debut single “On The Street” comes out in ten days exactly. It’ll pick you up faster than you can say superkellyfragalisen … tric … Oh forget it, it’s upbeat, fast and catchy! Listen to the three other songs and tell me that this band is not totally schizophrenic. I have no idea what their next song is gonna sound like, but I can’t wait to hear it. They have an additional MySpace page with extra songs for your downloading pleasure.
Hands On Heads make the kind of music that the FBI would play loudly for days and days to get militant cult leaders to surrender. These guys play psychedelic punk and they’re guaranteed to give you audio vertigo, but they’re different and they push boundaries which is always exciting. Here’s one of their friendlier songs:
Hands On Heads - Romantic Aorta
Even though Hands On Heads is a bit of a challenge to get into, nothing beats these three peculiar girls. The strangest song I’ve heard this week would have to be The Duloks’ “Help! I’m Turning Into Mick Jagger”. Listen to it on their official site. I honestly don’t think I can take a whole CD of the insanity, but the songs on their sites are quirky and you’re gonna want to tell your friends about them. “Bad Vegetarian” almost had me squirt Coke out of my nose. The drink, obviously … with songs like these I don’t need mind altering substances, unlike Keeeeeef! Har-har.
In October 2006, The Bird & The Bee (Inara George and Greg Kurstin, respectively) released their four-track EP Again and Again and Again and Again, including a Peaches remix of “Fucking Boyfriend” that topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart the week of December 2, 2006 (my preference is for the original).
Now, George and Kurstin have a complete jazz-influenced and often retro-sounding long player, The Bird And The Bee, released on Blue Note Records. The three tracks from the EP - “Again & Again”, “I’m A Broken Heart”, “Fucking Boyfriend” - found their way onto the debut, along with seven new creations.
One thing I read somewhere (I can’t remember where, but it must have been The Album Club notes accompanying the CD) is something you should listen for. In the chorus of the languid R&B-like “Because” the word prostate nearly slips past you. Prostate? Did Ms. George mean “a gland surrounding the neck of the bladder in male mammals and releasing prostatic fluid” lying on the ground? Methinks, instead, she meant “lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward.” Accidentially mixing up the two in a presentation? Oops. Conceivably having this digitally preserved for all eternity? Priceless. Naturally, because I knew about it my brain searched it out like a tongue to a sore tooth. Now, you, too, can share. It’s my gift to you.
In all seriousness, prostates aside, The Bird And The Bee is a lot of fun. The mix of tracks is different enough to suit whenever you’re likely to listen to it. Over the past few days I’ve listened to the entire album a number of times in an effort to see if the languid, chillout tones of a few of the tracks wouldn’t work for me. I really couldn’t find a time and place the album didn’t leave me satisfied. Early in the morning? Good. At work? Good. In the evening while reading or tapping away on the laptop? Even better.
The duo doesn’t have a MySpace page! Sike! To sample four of the tracks from the album head over to The Bird & The Bee at MySpace.
Holy jabberwocky Batman, I’m so infatuated with this insane band from Cardiff, I can’t see straight. You have to check out Threatmantics’ debut single “Don’t Care”! It is the freaking bee’s knees, the dog’s bollocks, the cat’s meow, if you will. I haven’t been this excited about a song in a long time. It’s half in Welsh with a chorus saying “I don’t know what you just said” - which is very true in my case and accompanied by a viola, drums, a bass and a singer who sounds happily deranged.
I don’t mean to jump the gun while we’re only halfway through the year, but I think they’re my favorite find of this year. They’re original, crazy, yet catchy and they do things with a fiddle I never heard before. Check out three more songs including the song that won me over on The MySpace.
Here’s the very sweet and strangely threatening “Little Bird”:
Threatmantics - Little Bird
I was curious about what those Transgressive guys were up to, so I had a look at their list of releases to see if there was anything new. Mechanical Bride isn’t brand spanking new, but I didn’t know about her yet. Her myspace page describes her as “a young girl from surburbia, buried deep in the perversion of music, all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small”. Her music is described as “delicately experimental, folk/electro”, which seems accurate, based on what I’ve heard so far. The three songs that make up her “In The Throes EP” (released by Transgressive sometime last year but seemingly sold out) are available for listening over there at thatspace. “Chapel” and “Poor Boy” are quite lovely but the real gem there is “Love Is Lost”, a short and bittersweet song with a fantastic combination of folksy guitars and soft, floaty beats.
Their music is a bit darker than you would expect from the four carefree boys in this happy Footloose-esque picture. Talk Taxis’ first single “Liverless” comes out in June, but you can already check it out on their myspace. It’s stressy, energetic, funky almost ska-ish combined with a seemingly agitated singer who’s voice sounds dangerously strained. I like it. The other three songs on theirspace are similarly tense, but all have that shake-your-booty quality. They, like Bloc Party before them, prove once again that angst and dancing indie teens are as compatible as Mario Van Peebles and crappy movies.
Talk Taxis - Publicity
I’ve been cleaning out all the mp3s I was supposed to check out before deciding whether I like a band enough to buy their album or whatever. In reality, I ended up with an 85-song playlist that was completely overwhelming. So while finally sorting through it, I came across Van She’s “Kelly”, which I had totally forgotten that I loved. Like fellow Australians Cut Copy, Van She take everything fun about the ’80s and turn it into modern dance-pop (with some Van Halen-esque guitars thrown in as well). “Kelly” is, as far as I’ve heard, their best by far - it’s like time travel back to my childhood in the form of a perfect pop song.
According to their website, Van She is working on some new stuff right now and you can hear a few songs over at myspace. Or you can download the whole Van She EP at emusic.
Screaming Tea Party is the half Japanese, half Italian outfit based in London. Their continent crossing influences resonate in their music and gives them a fresh and unique sound. To be honest I have no idea what this happy threesome is singing about most of the time, but when it sounds this good who cares?
The four songs on their myspace has them moving between punk and sweet mellow pop. “Death Egg” is such a cute melodic song that it’s almost shocking to hear the robotic sounds of “Between Air And Air”. The last song sounds like they’ve been reared on The Jesus And Mary Chain while “Death Egg” is more Peter, Paul And Mary, the only common link are the Italian/Japanese accents … and their badassness.
Here are both songs from Stolen Recordings:
Everybody’s talking about Pop Levi and for good reason. I downloaded one of his songs ages ago, loved it, forgot to look for more information on him, then saw his debut album - The Return To Form Black Magick Party, apparently released a few weeks ago - all over the place in Amsterdam last week. So when aDawgg came home with it a few days ago, I was pretty excited. I finally had a chance to listen to it this morning and it is so much better than I had hoped it would be. Seriously, this album is literally knocking my socks off as I type this.
Pop Levi was born in London but lived, as far as I understand, in both Liverpool and Los Angeles. As well as releasing his own solo singles and EPs, he also played with Ladytron for a while. His music is odd, in the most gloriously magical way, being glam, bubblegum pop, electronic, and rock all at the same time. I was going to write something about Marc Bolan and both 1964 and Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles here, but Ninja Tune’s press release about the album put it way better than I could’ve: “Although the most obvious precursor of his sound might be Mark Bolan, listen carefully and you’ll hear touches of everyone from Jack White, Prince and Hendrix to Dylan, Lennon and Beefheart in there.” It’s true, the Marc Bolan influence is striking and immediate, but I can already tell that this is an album I’ll discover new things in every time I listen to it.
It’s one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long time and you need to have it, right now. I’m not saying you should check it out, you really do need it.
These five guys from California run their band according to the five pillars of Delta Spirituality. Check out the pillars on their official site (scroll all the way to the bottom). My favorite pillar is number V. “Pop is not the enemy”. I have a whole rant about pretentious bands, but they put it way better than I do: “No one was ever original by trying to be original… They just end up weird and self indulgent.” Hear, hear! They’ve been supporting Cold War Kids on their US tour, maybe they’ll tag along when they come our way in three months. Meanwhile I’ll be praying to the Gods of Gig to make it so.
Delta Spirit play socially conscious (not preachy!) indie pop with a southern twang. All four songs on their myspace are absolute gems and they’re so different that it’s hard to pin-point what direction they’re going in. “Children” is just beautiful, it starts with a steady low banging of a single drum, when the other instruments chime in the song seems to rise and rise to something untouchable. I’ve listened to it a couple of times now and it just keeps getting better and better. “Street Walker” is a dancy pop song, it makes me want to bust a move and it sounds happy at a first listen, but then I found out it’s about child sex slavery. Which is when I found out I’m not comfortable twisting the night away on a song about abused children, but it’s a great, catchy song. My favorite song on their myspace is “Crippler King”. It begs to be played in a big barn where all good rockabilly tunes sound best.
Ok i’m in a mega hurry, but this band deserves an epic post, so check em out! They sound like The Futureheads and Stellastarr* doing the Arcade Fire. They have a beautiful big sound with excellent harmonies. Listen to their songs on myspace. Lovely.
A little less than a year ago, I was having a poke around on the Tapes ‘n Tapes site, looking for something or other, and saw that they were touring with some band called Cold War Kids. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to start gushing about CWK again.) As we all know, I ended up loving them. So when I got an email from the Tapes ‘n Tapes mailing list this week with names of bands they’ll be touring with this year, I thought I better check them out. Ladyhawk sounds interesting, but I couldn’t get their myspace page to play anything (don’t worry, I’m not going to start ranting about how much I hate myspace) and they’ve been around too long to count for New Band Day anyway.
Harlem Shakes, on the other hand, just released their first EP and I even like them! Like I said last week, it’s difficult finding a band that you’re excited about every single week, but these guys are pretty cool, especially considering “Burning Birthdays” is their first release. They have an indie 50s-pop thing going on here and there, which makes me happy. A wee bit like what Special Needs were doing before they imploded. You can listen to a couple of tracks off “Burning Birthdays” over at (sigh) their myspace page and a few other songs as well - I liked “Carpetbaggers” right away, so make sure not to miss that one. Or you could download the whole EP from emusic, which is where I’m headed right now.
I’m running a day late with New Band Day and, just to warn you, this is going to be a cheat post anyway. I didn’t do this last night because, frankly, I didn’t really have anyone to write about. With Tam internet-less, it’s hard having someone new (who I’m actually excited about) to write about every week! I’ve been doing some New Band research this week, but I haven’t listened to anything enough yet to know if I should recommend it.
So, I’m just going to link to a blog I’m fond of, Keep Hope Inside and the fantastic three-part feature he did on new bands for 2007. Some of the mp3 links have expired by now, but Mr. K has written descriptions for each band he’s listed. That should be enough to inspire you to do further searching if anyone sounds interesting to you. So rather than me going through his list and telling you about what I liked, why not just have a look for yourself?
Keep Hope Inside: Bands I Want To Namedrop Because They Will Become Big In 2007 - Part One
Tam and I went along to the Melkweg the other night to see The Fratellis, and as usual, were dreading the Dutch support act. I feel a little rude saying that, but almost every single local band that we’ve seen has been very dull, usually what I like to call boredom rock (you know, those bands that aren’t nearly as exciting as Coldplay - no insult intended to Coldplay - and somehow don’t manage to be any specific type of music at all). They’re almost always the same, like no one dares do anything even slightly different. And as much as I like to be supportive of new bands, just the thought of one of those type of Dutch bands bums me out. (As a disclaimer, I should point out that there have been a few exceptions - Hospital Bombers and De Nieuwe Vrolijkheid, for example - that we really enjoyed.)
So you can imagine our surprise when About took the stage and they turned out to be one skinny guy with a computer (and some badass moves) and a chick with a guitar, playing some very awesome electronic-dance-pop-punk-indie. Tam and I were very excited indeed. They’re loud and chaotic, a mix of just about everything under the sun, but most definitely have enough of a pop sensibility to be fun and danceable as well as fresh and original. I couldn’t wait to get home and look them up (despite my prediction that a band named About would be hard to Google, which turned out to be very true) and knew they would be this week’s New Band.
I don’t know much about them, but I see that the myspace page refers to only one member and they’ve (he’s?) already been noticed by Pitchfork and Q magazine. There’s also mention of a debut album, Bongo, so I’ll have to look into how to get hold of that later. For now, listen and/or download some tracks from About’s myspace page.
For me, this week is Music Week. With Christmas and all that craziness, I’ve gotten way behind on my all my music geekery. So I’m spending this week going through all the blogs and other music sites I love, just a little bit each day to keep my brain from exploding.
Before this morning, I had absolutely nothing to share for New Band Day. But I read about Shout Magic over at Badminton Stamps and, well, I liked their name enough to check them out. Yes, sometimes even we judge a book by its band name. So I hopped over to their myspace page and listened to what they’ve got going on there. To tell you the truth, I’m not sure exactly what to make of them and I’m not completely sure I like them yet. But they’re interesting enough to listen to some more and besides, it’s New Band Day, not Already Established As Awesome Band Day. They remind me a bit of Tapes N Tapes - not in their sound exactly but in their oddness - but a little more laid-back.
Go along and check them out at that myspace thing. If you like them (or are undecided like me), you can download their EP from the “Audio” section of their official site (both links above) for further listening - which is what I’ll be doing about 5 minutes from now.
UPDATE: 100b just received a lovely comment from Mike, Shout Magician, on one of our more recent posts, which reminded me to add an update to this here post. I downloaded the Shout Magic EP, just like I said I was going to, and I’ve given it a more careful listen. I feel bad that I was so lukewarm in this post, I hadn’t intended to - Shout Magic deserved a better write-up, especially since I’ve ended up liking their EP so very much. Now that I’ve listened to it a bit more, I’m kind of surprised that it didn’t grab me right away when I originally wrote this post. I’m especially liking “Ben Franklin Forever” and “Branch Dividians” right now, they’re absolutely fantastic. Almost pretty, but still quite funky and there’s some great old-school sounds in these songs that makes me smile. There, I just wanted to make that clear. Oh, and Mike also says that they’ll be putting some more songs up on their site soon, we’ll be looking forward to it!
I don’t have a lot of time for a long post today, so it’s a good thing I wrote a note to myself (um, about two months ago) to look up The Goodbye Plot. To be fair, this isn’t the type of music I generally listen to - they’re compared to Doves and Badly Drawn Boy, neither of which I ever got into, on their Artist Log page. “Bruise” and “Hold On” are quite lovely songs, but I think the band’s potential is in “All Kinds Of Everything” and “Can’t Get Back There”, which are a little more interesting. Those four songs make up The Goodbye Plot’s recently released A Night’s Darkness And A Day’s Drive EP, which you can listen to on their myspace page.
If you love the Raveonettes but always thought they could tone down the feedback, London based Havana Guns is your kind of band. Their second single “N.Y.C.S.” comes out next week and it’s definitely worth your pennies. It’s an uplifting poppy number with brains. The lead singer’s warm, almost lazy sounding voice cuts through the high energy rhythms while a tambourine chimes away. It’ll sound great on your way back from a long day of working at the plant or any other time you need to wind down.
Listen to it now from their official site.
There’s almost no chance you all don’t already know about Elvis Perkins, singer-songwriter son of Anthony Perkins. But I just found out that Elvis’ debut album, Ash Wednesday will finally be released in February 2007 by XL Recordings, which is pretty exciting. His songs are stunning, somehow full of joy and sadness at the same time - be sure to have a listen to “Ash Wednesday” and “While You Were Sleeping”. There’s two myspace pages for Elvis, where you can listen to some of his songs, and I’m sure searching The Hype Machine will get you all the music you’ll need to tide you over until February.
Lets Bitter Cinema is Chris Hutchinson’s one man band from Sheffield and according to his myspace he is the future. Apparently the future is one loud ball of raw, stripped down synth-punk. He screams his angry lyrics like he’s trying to rile up a marching crowd of protesters, so it makes sense that he occasionally uses a bullhorn.
You can order his first single Take This Act Down / Oh Vienna from On The Fringe or listen to it on his myspace. “Oh Vienna” especially is a scary, snarling beast and sounds like “I Wanna Be Your Dog’s” modern sister. “Don’t Leave The Kids Alone” makes me wish I had this song when I was a teenager to fuel my hormone-driven righteous indignation. Lyrics like “They’re scared of no one even Jesus, son / They’re scared of no one even Satan, son” would have fit my state of mind perfectly then. Anyway, we can rest easy, because I have heard the future and it sounds good, my friends. Loud, but so good.
Lets Bitter Cinema - Don’t Leave The Kids Alone
It was nearly a year ago now that I sat, warming myself by the glow of my laptop, searching for information about this odd little band I had read about - Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. All I knew was that they were three kids who were playing some old-school country / rhythm & blues / rockabilly stuff. A year later, I’ve finally found out a bit more about them. I know now that they’re all siblings and that they’re 13, 16 and 18 years old. They sometimes play with their parents and they record in their house. They’ve also released two singles, one you shouldn’t even bother looking for unless you’re ready to go straight to ebay (”Honolulu Rock And Roll”, released last year), and “Mean Son Of A Gun”, released this past September on CD, for download on iTunes (UK, at least), 7″ vinyl, and 10″ 78 RPM vinyl. Nice - I didn’t even know they still made 78s.
It’s ridiculous that three kids - the youngest of which is literally half my age - are this talented already. According to their artist page on Sunday Best, the three of them play nine instruments between them. If that wasn’t impressive enough, that list includes the ukulele and the trombone. And I don’t know which of those gals is their singer, but she’s got a mean growl that just knocks your socks off.
Listen to their latest release, “Mean Son Of A Gun”, in its entirety over on their myspace page.
The other day I was just sitting around, waiting for The Arcade Fire to give me some new songs to listen to. Around lunch I realized that that was not going to happen anytime soon and I was sad. Then I came across a band that seemed to say, “Don’t be sad, Tam! We may not be The Arcade Fire, but we can rock the orchestral, melody-driven indie just as hard.” I should probably worry about the fact that I have imaginary conversations with bands, but what I’ve heard from We All Have Hooks For Hands so far is worth a little bit of schizophrenia.
They’re an eight-man band - they just added their last two members two months ago - from Sioux Falls who, according to their myspace bio, started this band as a side project for their friends, so “let’s fucking have fun”. Well, Mission Accomplished. Even though I’m not their friend, I’m having the time of my life listening to them.
The three songs on their myspace page make me feel like a kid in front of a closed toy store, because I want something to take home with me now. Luckily they are working on a full length album and I hope they’re hurrying. Apparently they have released an EP, but it’s harder to find than WMDs in Iraq. I may not be the most topical blogger, but it still applies.
Imagine, if you will, Dr. Moreau gets it into his devious mind he just has to create an energetic English indie music hybrid. He digs the Arctic Monkeys — being English and all — so he bundles them up in a burlap sack and secrets them away to his island. Then, he realizes it’d be mighty sweet if he added a bid of Brummie-style swagger, so he shanghais Mike Skinner.
Once he has all the pieces in place, Moreau splices the genes from Skinner with those of Alex Turner, ensuring a nice blend of the later’s sound with the a hint of the former’s vocal style sans the hip-hop derived vibe. What does that pungent stew produce?
Yep. Bromheads Jacket.
Be warned! If the Arctic Monkeys aren’t high on your list of favorites or you don’t like The Streets, this new Sheffield trio’s November 13 debut Dits From The Commuter Belt may not be your cup of tea. However, you need to know that simply describing them as an Arctic-Streets mash-up doesn’t do them one bit of justice. It’s only meant to give you an inkling of what to expect. As a celebration of that we won’t mention those other two by name for the rest of this post.
The Bromheads sound is sometimes darker and often much heavier (or purposefully rougher) than their better known Yorkshire brethren and they are definitely different than anything the Birmingham hip-hopper cum crooner has done. In fact, listening to Dits while typing up my thoughts makes me feel like going out for one of those how-did-I-get-stuck-in-a-dumpster piss ups! It’s music for getting to the party with or for making it through long and dreary days slaving away to make someone else lots of money. It perks you up and gets you ready to roll!
I knew one of the singles would be “Trip To The Golden Arches” even before scrounging up confirmation it’s their third off the album. How could it not be with such an incredibly catchy chorus to lure you in within the first 50 seconds: Who’d have thought you could have so much fun … staring at two headlights, wishing you had a gun. Oh, it wasn’t supposed to turn out like this. I only popped out for a banana milkshake … and a super-sized pack of chips.
Other standout tracks include “One Nautical Mile” (another of those to-the-party songs), the poignant “Poppy Bird” (listen carefully to the conclusion of the story), “Fight Music For The Fight” (driving bass and drums – grrr!), and “He Likes Them Airbrushed” (featuring the excellent line She might look good, yeah. She might look nice. She might get inside your head. … But will she still be your Angelina Jolie when she farts in bed?)
Before you buy the album (which I believe you should), you can give them a whirl for free. Download their first two singles — “What Ifs & Maybes” and “Woolley Bridge” — from the official Bromheads Jacket site or listen to all three singles on their MySpace page. Do it! You owe it to yourself!
Bromheads Jacket - Woolley Bridge
Bromheads Jacket - What Ifs & Maybes