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After running through the 100b HQ mailbox, I’m tapped out. But, not empty enough to post a belated New Band Day selection.
Dear reader, I bring you Get Well Soon, the vehicle for 25-year-old German musician Konstantin Gropper. “If This Hat Is Missing I’ve Gone Hunting” is just one of many stand-out tracks on Rest Now, Weary Head! You Will Get Well Soon, a self-produced album two years in the making.
Capturing the essence of a variety of influences while remaining unique is a difficult task, one Gropper excels at. Be sure to listen to the entire song. The hook is bound to get you.
Bringing some of the music sent to the 100b HQ mailbox to the attention of the music-loving public has been something on my To Do List for a while. One thing I used to love as a radio DJ - in college (at university to those from the U.K.) and two stations in The Netherlands - was all the free crap you get. This happens the longer you write about music on the Intertubes, too. So, if you like what you hear jumping out of the 100(mail)b(ox), do some searching, visit the links or head to your favorite musix supplier.
Without further delay, the inaugural edition of From The 100(mail)b(ox).
Monday, 12 May 2008
Patrick Pleau, Simon Bolvin and Paco Laviolette are Plajia, a Quebec-based mellow trip-rock (as they bill themselves) outfit. UK-indie meets Coldplay while sippin’ sizzurp (not necessarily a bad thing). Definitely a niche-filler. Check out the sound of their Beautiful Explosion on the Plajia site.
»»» Hear: Plajia (Official Site)
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
“So Much More” is an immersively haunting song from Swedish duo Strangers In Wonderland. This is the soundtrack that carries us toward lands we have yet to explore and people we have yet to meet.
Strangers In Wonderland - So Much More
»»» Hear More: Strangers In Wonderland (Official Site)
Thursday, 15 May 2008
I have jumped up-and-down on the Iller Than Theirs bandwagon for a year. Now, Tone Tank, one half of Iller Than Theirs, has released The Black Six Sessions, a free solo EP with Doc Strange, J. Howells Werthman and Scott Thorough contributing on the boards. If you dig underground hip-hop, then head over to Scum Life and dig around for the drop.
Tone Tank - Ain’t Shit Changed
I have to admit the other two self-released MP3s sent by Zak Smith didn’t completely catch, let alone hold, my attention. (A track usually has about 30 seconds to make an impact on me.) But, “Minstrel Show” made me sit up and listen. Put it on loop and run through the song a few times. Seems Mr. Smith is getting in a few well-timed jabs in this short-but-sweet track. A thumbs up.
Zak Smith - Minstrel Show
»»» Hear More: Zak Smith (Official Site)
Friday, 16 May 2008
I’m not sure if I was supposed to start laughing while “Carlos Walter Wendy Stanley” by The Chap was playing, but I did. Hell, I can think of worse reactions than busting out a wide grin. The Chap is bizarrely fascinating. If the rest of their work is as entertainingly goofy as this, then I’ll be keeping an eye out for their album Mega Breakfast soon.
The Chap - Carlos Walter Wendy Stanley
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Reminiscent of the old school flag hoisted by Slick Rick and held high by Joe Budden, this is the first single from Holliewood. There is tons of room for growth. That said, if he fills it Holliewood may make a name for himself if he builds on this mininalist East Coast foundation.
Holliewood - Brooklyn Keeps On Takin It
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Tamboosh raised awareness of the Voluntary Butler Scheme back in March. If you enjoyed the ’shorter than short EP’ back then, here’s another fun one from VBS.
Voluntary Butler Scheme - Laundry
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Ponytail is The Arcade Fire on acid. Seriously. This is some powerfully unusual stuff. And I don’t mean unusual like Porn Sword Tobacco. I mean all up-in-your-face electro-blasty-unusual. Word.
Ponytail - Celebrate The Body Electric (It Came From An Angel)
»»» Hear More: TheirPonySpace
Thursday, 29 May 2008
“Pop is not a dirty word,” says The Takeover UK guitarist Mark Solomich. “We love the art form. We are chasing the perfect pop single.” Amen, my brother. We hangin’ out in 100b salute you. Pop does not equate to boring, bad or behind us in our books.
When I saw The Takeover UK were from my native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania I had to give their full five-track EP, It’s All Happening, a listen. They’re certainly influenced by the barrage of U.K. indie bands out there, as well as some of those that loom large in the U.S. (The Strokes, to name one). Out of these influences, they manage to combine the drive and quirkyness of the U.K. genre with the twang of the good ol’ U.S. of A.
As a band still finding their feet in the dangerous waters of indie pop they have a solid starting point in It’s All Happening. There are key parts of the elusive indie pop formula floating around in there. All of which makes me look forward to hearing what develops further in their debut album, Running With The Wasters, coming out in September.
The Takeover UK - Ah La La
»»» Hear More: TheTakeoverUKSpace
Friday, 30 May 2008
“Father Feed Me” is a no-frills story-laden track from Calico Horse (the reincarnation of A Clock Work Army and calling Southern California home). Not having heard anything else from them, I have no idea if “Father Feed Me” is indicative of their overall sound. Nonetheless, this one is definitely interesting.
Calico Horse - Father Feed Me
I once got sucked into one of those book clubs from hell that’d punish me if I didn’t pick something from their crappy selection with monthly packages of books I would otherwise never even consider looking at. It took six months to get rid of them, but when that sweet day of redemption finally came I raised my fists to the heavens and vowed I would never EVER join a club again. Yeh, I’m gonna have to break that overly dramatic vow because Slow Club is definitely worth joining. They’re too stomping to be twee, but so cute, I swear I want to stuff them with cotton candy and take them to Disneyland. They play twangy folk with a rockabilly twist, but have moments of almost boombastic Arcade Fire-type outbursts. Strangely, they’re often hailed as the British answer to the White Stripes - probably because they’re a guy-girl duo, but that’s like comparing apples with … Care Bears. I love them both, but in very different ways. I haven’t heard a song I didn’t go nuts over yet, so I don’t even care if they’ll send me books about the joy of scrap-booking, I want in.
Look them up at Moshi Moshi Records and on the MySpace. While you’re there check out the beautiful “Apples & Pears”, it sums up what makes them special in three and a half minutes.
Slow Club - Me & You
I stumbled across New York band The Postelles during my digital wanderings earlier today, and I fell head-over-heels with their songs. They’re on a European tour at the moment and they’ve toured with Jack Peñate before. They have an EP out on iTunes and their latest single “123 Stop”, produced by Albert Hammond Jr., is out now. They sound a bit like a cross between The Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, and The Libertines but fronted by a fifties rock ‘n roll crooner. In one word they’re lovely, I’m a smitten kitten.
The Postelles - White Night
I have to admit I haven’t even heard the full album myself yet, but like a kid at a sugar party, I got too excited. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin’s new album, Pershing came out this week! You can stream it on AOL’s Spinner page or download it from Amie Street. Their last album, Broom, was a 2005 favorite of mine, so this news made my stomach do a double somersault - in a good way. For a sneak-peek of the new stuff listen to this sweetly layered pop song with a misleadingly emo-ish title.
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Think I Wanna Die
For perhaps the first time ever, here’s a remix I actually like. To tell you the truth, I usually don’t even download remixes, because I always end up wishing they’d left the original song alone. But here’s the Shoes Mix of the Mystery Jets’ current single, “Young Love”, which I’ve already expressed my love of. This remix adds its own element but doesn’t take away from the dreamy Spring-like sound of the original. Nice.
The Mystery Jets’ Twenty One is out now at record shops near you.
Mystery Jets - Young Love (Shoes Mix)
I’ll just be honest here. I was supposed to post about Ladyfingers a long time ago. Like maybe almost a year ago, possibly. I kept putting it off because, I guess, I wasn’t sure I could do him any justice. Also, (and some may say this is a little pathetic and that may be true) a part of me loves this music so much that I kind of didn’t want to share it. Not that I don’t love you all, gentle readers, but it was nice to keep it as my own little secret treasure for a while. (And I hope it’s understood that trying to keep music as my secret is probably the highest compliment I can give.)
But that’s all blown to crap, pretty much, because Ladyfingers will be playing at SXSW in exactly one week’s time. In the same line up as one Billy Bragg. Since everyone with any taste is going to be peeing their pants over this within a few weeks (or at least I hope so), the jig is pretty much up.
So let’s see - the best way I can describe Ladyfingers - basically Mr. Adam Weiner (songwriter and singer) with assorted others - is as absolute rockabilly mayhem. Seriously, it just blows you you away, knocks you across the room, makes your hair stand straight up. The first song I heard was “Cure For The Common Cold” (below) and it blasted through my speakers like a tiny tornado. I just sat there, a little stunned and absolutely sure I needed to hear it again, right away. But I ordered the album, My Prom, first.
As wonderful as every aspect of My Prom is, the thing that keeps me listening is Adam Weiner’s incredible, indescribable, vocals. His singing is clearly influenced by countless greats (Elvis and Buddy Holly among them) but is completely his own. He growls, hiccups, squeaks, croons, hollers - and sometimes all within a few seconds of each other - there’s no one else quite like this. You’ll definitely like Ladyfingers if you’re, like me, also a fan of Dan Sartain - but that’s the only artist I can think of who is even vaguely similar.
Clearly, you need to hear this for yourself. And if you’re at SXSW, you lucky bastards, check him out next Friday night (details on Ladyfingers’ Myspace) and then come back and tell me how awesome it was. But, pretty please, try not to rub it in too much.
Ladyfingers - Cure For The Common Cold
Ladyfingers - Ladyfingers
100b is no stranger to The Boy Least Likely To. I’ve adored them ever since I heard the first few notes of “Be Gentle With Me”. The Best Party Ever is an absolutely perfect album. Their blog is just about my favorite thing to read anywhere on the internets. I’m totally their #1 fan. And that thing they do - the kindergarten school band playing slightly dark little tunes - sounds like it’s gotten even better than before. Unbelievable, but true.
Listen to three new tracks from their upcoming second (so far still Untitled, as far as I know) album at The Boy Least Likely To’s Myspace. Plus, you can download the first single, “I Box Up All The Butterflies”, for free (with darling cover art, featuring the little bird above) via their official site, so I won’t share it here. Instead, enjoy the track that made me fall in love with them in the first place.
The Boy Least Likely To - Be Gentle With Me
The Voluntary Butler Scheme is Rob Jones’ one man band from Stourbridge. At times he channels The Jackson Five as in “Tabasco Sole”, sometimes he sounds more like The Sweet as in “Trading Things In”, but his lyrics are always witty and I’m always blown away by his abillity to make a big, big sound all on his lonesome. His songs feature ample handclaps and doobeedoos, which is really all I ask from a good song. As far as I can tell he’s had no official releases, but he does have a shorter than short free EP on a seperate page on the myspace. These songs go by so swiftly, they’re more like very good jingles, but he wrote them on his lunch break. Imagine what he can do on a day off!
Hm, what else might make you want to give his work a whirl? He just writes incredibly sweet, clever, but whimsical songs that made me laugh while a super scary storm was passing through my neighborhood. Oh, and he looks hot in that picture. Yep, hotness. An important factor often overlooked by the serious music press. Luckily, I’m neither press nor serious, except when I said he made good music.
The Voluntary Butler Scheme - Baking
The Mules Present ‘Pick Your Own’ might just be the most delicious mix of new bands I’ve ever heard. It came out last October, but I hadn’t had the pleasure of hearing it before. It features the “cream of London’s young musicians” according to the CD jacket, and it’s no lie. If all the lovely reviews from last year haven’t suaded you to get it yourself yet, let me channel Mr.T and say, I pity the fool. Just as I pity myself, the queen of fools, for not getting it sooner. ALL these songs and all these bands make me want to crawl into the CD and hug each and every one of these people. Most of these bands, like Lightspeed Champion, Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit and Eugene McGuinness, already enjoy their fair share of Indie fame, as did this CD four months ago. So if you’re like me, and you find yourself thinking what the kids are talking about right now - while you’re wondering when you stopped being one of those kids - and you don’t read Drowned In Sound religiously and thus haven’t bought this CD yet, this is the bandwagon to jump. I promise it’ll be the best two bits you’ll spend all year.
I wasn’t going to highlight any of these bands individually, because they’re all worth your equal and lavish attention. But, if not for their sweet tunes then out of sheer gratitude, you have to go check out our beauteous host and instigator of the magical congregation that is the Pick Your Own compilation, The Mules. They open the CD with their own “This Is Your Life”, it’s celebratory, serious, and danceable all at the same time, and a wonderful start of great things to come. So go on over to their sites and give them their due props.
You can buy and sample it on kartelcreative.com.
The Mules - This Is Your Life
Recently, those lovely lads Shout Magic sent over a copy of their latest release, Ceiling Fan And Other Revolutions. I wanted to post about them right away, but things around these parts got a bit crazy for a while. And to be totally honest, I’m not sure I really know what to write about Ceiling Fan anyway.
I’ll just get some stuff out of the way first. 1.) These are some of the friendliest and nicest guys I’ve had the pleasure of exchanging emails with. Which isn’t necessarily the best reason to talk up a band, so it’s a good thing that 2.) I adore their music. I’ve struggled to find some nifty adjectives to describe Ceiling Fan, but nothing seems quite right. It feels peaceful. And soothing. It’s creamy and buttery. But, although those are probably the kind of words I’d use to describe something I didn’t want to just call dull, Shout Magic is definitely not boring. There’s a strong ’60s influence in there but they avoid anything typical or obvious. They sound like getting dressed up to go dancing (not clubbing, mind you - proper dancing) but also like they wouldn’t be out of place playing in a beatnik coffee house.
Yes, that is a weird description, but it’s all the little bits that run through my head when I listen to them. And I love listening to them. Oddly, they’re appropriate for all kinds of situations - they’re great for if you need a little calm to clear your head to, but also energetic enough to be a happy energy boost, and most things in between. They sound good in the sunshine or if you’re up in the middle of the night. I realize I’m not doing a very good job describing what they actually sound like, but that’s because they don’t have a sound that can be described in any of the usual ways. I can’t compare them to other bands, because Shout Magic is far too unique for that. I can’t say you’ll like them if you like so-and-so, because they just don’t sound like anything else. I’ll be honest here and admit that it took me a while to get into them - their sound might not grab you straight away, it might take a few listens to settle in. But once it does, you’ll be hooked.
Order Ceiling Fan And Other Revolutions (in a lovely handmade silk-screened case) via Shout Magic’s official site (under ‘audio’), or from iTunes. And their first EP is still up for free, also on their site, so grab that while you’re at it. You won’t be sorry.
Shout Magic - Suzie
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 …
Kris Williams is a hard-working Welshman. He first recorded with kaptainblack (whose 7″ “Drone The Queen Bee” single I actually have and enjoyed, but never really got into). Then there was Dirty Perfect, whose music I unfortunately can’t find an example of. And now there’s Eugene Francis Jnr, a whole new stage name for a whole new music.
They (yeah, ‘they’) are calling this Folktronica (was this already a genre name I never knew about?), which makes a lot of sense to me. You’ll probably like it if you like Bright Eyes, or Devendra Banhart - or Arcade Fire, or the Flaming Lips. Which I do. You know, I was just saying to the Mighty Tamboosh that I haven’t heard anything brand new lately that’s really gotten me interested. Eugene Francis Jnr has changed that - “Poor Me” and “My Own Pollution” are so stunningly beautiful and uplifting, it feels like the warm sunshine on a breezy spring day. Which is perfectly fitting, because his debut album, The Golden Beatle, will be released on April 28th - some music is meant for the summer, or cold winter nights, but Eugene Francis makes music for the hope of spring.
Listen to some tracks on EugeneSpace and pre-order The Golden Beatle at Legion Records.
Sons & Daughters’ second album, This Gift was yesterday’s second exciting release - it still sounds like them but it’s pretty different from their previous releases. Where Love The Cup and The Repulsion Box sounded like a dank and dripping basement that may or may not have been the scene of a crime, This Gift sounds like the band that would be playing in a slightly greasy bar, where locals are gossiping about that basement and what really went on there. That slightly threatening edge Sons & Daughters previously had has softened in places - this album sounds like a mix between their older releases, some glam rock, a dollop of The Long Blondes, and just a touch of Kylie Minogue here and there (or at least on “Darling”, below). That may not sound like a winning combination, but it really does work wonderfully well. If my crazy attempt at a description isn’t winning you over, have a listen to a few tracks for yourself at Sons&DaughtersSpace.
Sons & Daughters - Darling
Hearing the Vampire Weekend EP last year was so exciting to me, I’ve been literally counting down the days until their debut full-length release. It’s finally here and I have fallen head-over-heels in love with it. The most unique sound I’ve heard in quite some time, their blend of African influence, indie pop, and post-punk is delicious like a sno-cone on a hot summer’s day. But, c’mon, you already know what they sound like - you just want to know if it’s worth a portion of your hard-earned paycheck. You bet your ass it is. I’m on my fourth listen since yesterday and it just keeps getting better. Get it at your favorite record shop or, if you want some instant enjoyment (and I know you do), right here at emusic.
Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance
The crew over at The FADER gave a shout out about the free download of White Denim’s “Paint Silver Gold” RCRD LBL have available. Get the free track here and enjoy the White Denim experience.
In case you don’t know about White Denim, 100b wrote about them for New Band Day last May. Dang, get up to speed dudes!
The Raveonettes’ third full-length album, Lust Lust Lust, came out last week and DAMN, it’s good. I love how the Raveonettes just go about their business and quietly get better and better. Their sweetly smutty 50s surfer motorcycle gang fuzz gets more sophisticated and more endearing with each release. There’s no doubt that they’re one of the best indie bands around and we love them dearly. Get the new album at emusic (as well as the first single, “Dead Sounds”) or at your local malt shop.
The Raveonettes - Sad Transmission
The deliciously kooky Mystery Jets have a brand new song called “Flakes” up for free to promote their upcoming new release. It’s a delicate, beautiful song that has a christmassy feels thanks to the sound of a million teeny, tiny bells. You can pick it up at myfreedownload.co.uk, which also has free downloads by Foals, Wilco, Battles and many, many more.
I recently posted about The Shaky Hands who have toured with Menoma along with Tu Fawning from Portland, Oregon. I don’t know what it is about Menomena, but some really amazing bands seem to follow them around. So now direct your attention to the amazing Tu Fawning! They sound unlike any new band I’ve heard lately. They play dark cabaret circa 1920, but with a strong beat, while a woman’s flowy, but almost sinister voice completes their hauntingly mesmerizing sound. When I first heard their song “I’m Gone” on theirspace I was absolutely blown away. As far as I know they only have a couple of demos out, but they’re supposedly looking for additional band members and planning on recording an EP soon. Have I mentioned that I play a mean kazoo?? Anwyay, I’m itching to get my hands on their work! In the meantime, here’s another wonderful song to hold us over:
Tu Fawning - Out Like Bats
Come all ye gathered and lend an ear to The Shaky Hands from Portland, Oregon! I promise that ear will be rewarded with songs that are sweet, sweeping, gems of lovely. Their eponymous debut came out earlier this year and you can pick it up at HoloceneMusic.com.
The Shaky Hands - The Sleepless
London based The Metros are a happy bunch who mention ultra cool bands of yore like Squeeze and The Blockheads as their influences, but throw in some drum ‘n bass for good measure. To me they just sound like a bunch of kids who have a riot making music together. They combine that good old Rock ‘n Roll with a little bit of punk, ska and rockabilly and the end product sounds rowdy and sweet and utterly contagious. If you like bands like The Cribs and The View, you’ll definitely love The Metros.
They’re signed to 1965 Records and you can check out four of their songs on the myspace for a little taste of big things to come. I took a shine to “Live A Little” especially; it’s a bit tragic, a bit sleazy, and all kinds of danceable fun. But I think that the teenage anguish laden “Education Pt.2″ is the song that has all the kids jumping for joy.
No fair!! The world is teeming with new bands that leave me absolutely cold and of course they’re planning to stick around FOREVER. Glasgow based The Royal We are amazing, they make beautiful melodic pop music with an edge, they’re unique and they’re supposedly only planning on making one CD. Just the ONE! I was delighted and devastated all in the same two minutes. You cannot dangle such a juicy, sugar-coated carrot in front of me and then tell me I can only have a nibble. That’s mean and more mean. Set for release on the 24th of September, you can pre-order the wonderful single “All The Rage” from their upcoming one and only album over at Domino Records. They are also going to play some farewell shows, so catch ‘em while you can. I doubt they’re coming my way, so let me know how it went. Lucky bastards.
Here’s the bloody video for “All The Rage”:
Not so long ago, 100b received Murder Mystery’s (self released) debut album, Are You Ready For The Heartache Cause Here It Comes in our inbox. It being the first thing I’ve found in there that I was really excited about (yup, we listen to every tiny thing you send us, folks), I scooped it up right quick and claimed it for myself.
I imagine a lot of people will cry Strokes when they first hear Murder Mystery, and there’s no denying that there is a Strokesian element there (understandable since Are You Ready … is co-produced by Strokes guru JP Bowersock). Although the tracks available on myspace were more than enough to get me interested, they initially gave me the impression that Murder Mystery’s similarity to The Strokes is more than it really is. Listening to the full album (a lot) shows that Murder Mystery is even better than I’d originally hoped. There’s some early Beatles and Buddy Holly hiding in there, maybe a little Motown and other assorted 60s pop goodness (I swear I hear a little girl group stuff going on), some Beach Boys details, a few 1977 CBGB’s moments, and some excellent handclaps (I’m a big fan of handclaps). You might like them if you like any of those bands mentioned above, The Cribs, The Blood Arm, The Detroit Cobras, Belle & Sebastian, The Modern Lovers, Stellastarr* … Are You Ready is a lovely combination of sounds, feels happy and uplifting - and, maybe it’s just me, but I find it kind of cosy somehow.
As with anytime I try to post about music I really like, I never feel like I’ve been able to do it justice. I always end up letting the music itself do the talking because it’ll probably convince you better than I can.
Murder Mystery - What My Baby Said
Murder Mystery - Baby, You Can Write Me A Letter
Are You Ready For The Heartache Cause Here It Comes is available from Insound or for download through SNOCAP at MurderMysterySpace.
(Edit: oopsy, I messed up the link to Murder Mystery’s official site. It’s all better now, so go check them out!)
I just want to use this space to thank Filthy Little Angels. They come up with the most creative ways to introduce their bands. This time they made us a free album of covers of songs from 1987. Whoever came up with this is a motherlovin’ genius!
I haven’t listened to them all yet, but I got soso excited by the second song that I had to share. If this incredible version of “China In Your Hands” can’t convince you to go over there and snatch up the 19 songs, I don’t know what will. I always thought that this T’Pau song was nice to hear in moderation, because it can get a bit whiney. Slideshow Freak snatched it up, made it their own and turned it into something I would gladly listen to on a loop for the next couple of hours. I am in awe.
Like I said, I haven’t listened to the whole thing yet, but if this is any indication what the rest sounds like … awesome. Download the whole album here.
It’s been a long time coming, but they’re back! The Corals new album Roots And Echoes is set for release on the 6th of August, but you can listen to it in full over on Columbia Records. Personally, I’d rather hear the whole thing when I get my copy, but of course I couldn’t resist sneaking a peak … and it was good. Here’s a recent interview describing how the album came about.
Individually, the 30-year-old DJ Yoda (aka Duncan Beiny and pictured above) and Mr. David Viner are excellent artists. The former is a DMC DJ of the Year (2001). The latter an indie-folksy-bluesman guitar player reminiscent of Eric Clapton and Leon Redbone.
The magic begins when you put these two goofy-looking London-based musicians together. They almost work better than peanut butter and jelly with bananas. And, hot damn, if they aren’t poptastic as all get out for their collaborative track on the 2006 album The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda. Just the right amount of hipness and cheese.
DJ Yoda - Pussy Cat (ft Mr. David Viner)
For comparison by those unfamiliar with Mr. David Viner, here’s the title track from his 2004 This Boy Don’t Care, which has the added zest of flute-jams.
Mr. David Viner - This Boy Don’t Care
Check out DJ Yoda and Mr. David Viner on the Intertubes.
I got my hands on some serious iTunes voucherage last month and bought a mountain of albums, singles, and one-offs. Now I’m not working my way through them all and bringing a few here and there to your attention (if you didn’t already know about them, that is).
The first up to bat is The EP from Frank N Dank. One music review site (not Bitchfork) actually said there were two ’serious flaws’ with Frank N Dank’s The EP - Frank N Dank. Now, I can see why these two dudes might not be what you get down with, but, damn, saying Frank N Dank are the two biggest problems with a Frank N Dank CD. That’s just cold. And unfair.
Repping Detroit, Frank N Dank (aka Frank Bush and Derrick Harvey, aka Frank Nitty and Dankery Harv) aren’t the source of uncool on their own album. In fact, the album just ain’t uncool. With Dutch producers I.N.T, Kid Sublime, and Wouda on the scene, The EP - released by Dutch label Dopeness Galore last month - is light years better than a lot of the mass-produced Shit Hop making the rounds out there. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Touch (the site with the review I mentioned at the start of this post).
For your sampling I chose the Werkmix of “Spitkicker” because the beat is simple, stripped down, head noddin’ excellence. The original is very good, too, the Werkmix shows what you can do with so little. And, yes, I purchased the dirty version of the album, so the bleeps are intentional and part of the song.
Frank N Dank - Spitkicker (Werkmix)
Frank N Dank - Why?
For more, check out The Official Frank N Dank site and Frank N Dank on MySpace
When you get release sneak peaks there’s a secret unspoken hope it’s something you’d want to buy anyway. Making it a gift of sorts. It doesn’t always happen. In fact, more often than not, it’s like you opened a Christmas present and Santa really did bring you a lump of coal.
No lumps of coal when 100b got a knock on the door and were handed access to a few Iller Than Theirs tracks from the upcoming ILLer Than Theirs.
Tone Tank and Krayo hail from Embedded by way of Brooklyn NYC and are part of the Nuclear Family. Produced by J. Howells Werthman - with beats from Junk Science’s Snafu and appearances from Nuk Family fellows, as well as Jah-C from The Project and Masta Ace (both from Glow In The Dark Records) - their debut, ILLer Than Theirs, will drop when the leaves turn gold and brown later this year. Keep an ear to ground.
On “It Is What It Is” Cool Calm Pete (also on Embedded and Definitive Jux) glides in to make a typically smooth appearance. This is underground, my friend. Sah-weet-tah.
Iller Than Theirs - It Is What It Is (ft Cool Calm Pete)
Go see if your space is IllerThanTheirSpace.
I guess most of you blog hoppin’ folks have these songs on four different I-pods already, but I’ve missed a few things that have been going on in music. So if you’ve been out of the loop as well and want to catch up on what the über cool in-crowd is talking about music-wise:
Kanye West has a new video for “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” from his new album Graduation:
The Battles’ video for “Atlas” is just amazing. It reminds me of Magneto’s suspending plastic prison:
Then there’s my favorite one, the Pharoahe Monch song that rocks so hard I had to buy new socks … ha:
The elderly are finally planning a revolution after years of complaints about ‘the youth today’. Check out The Zimmers’ video for “My Generation”:
Here are some interesting “leaky” mp3s as well:
First up Lauryn Hill’s contribution to the Surf’s Up soundtrack. I used to be a huge fan of hers but when she fell off the radar I forgot how good she was at this:
Lauryn Hill - Lose Myself
[from SynnerNation]
Yum-yum, this new Okkervil River song is so so good. Listen to their latest and an older favorite of mine:
Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe [from YouAin'tNoPicasso]
Okkervil River - For Real
Art Brut’s song “Direct Hit” is yet again a catchy, riotous hunk of burnin’ crazy:
Art Brut - Direct hit [from Idolator]
Then there’s this Queens Of The Stone Age song going around from their new album Era Vulgaris. This song excites me more than should be allowed:
Queens Of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu [from Idolator]
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”:
In the universe where George Clinton rules funk, Sa-Ra Creative Partners are, as one of their sites describes their totality of sound and production, the hip hop ambassadors of “Afro Magnetic Electronic Spiritualism”.
The resumes of Sa-Ra, collectively, or individually, as Om’Mas Keith, Shafiq Husayn, and Taz Arnold, encompass mixing and engineering, managing and producing for and with the likes of Kanye West, John Legend, Jurassic 5, Ice-T, Lord Finesse, Foxy Brown, Mobb Deep, Jam Master Jay, Pharoahe Monch, Heavy D, Bilal, Dr. Dre, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Hit Man, 8 Ball, Mobb Deep, Jesse West, and Grand Mixer DXT.
In case you can’t tell, that’s serious experience and clout. And it comes in handy as hell when you decide to do step up and do an album yourself. Enter The Hollywood Recordings, out this month on Babygrande Records. You will go right 8 or 9 times out of 10 when the featured artists on your debut include - in order of appearance - Rozzi Daime, Ty (from Ty & Kory), Talib Kweli, Capone-N-Noreaga, Lord Nez, Bilal, Erykah Badu, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kurupt, Erika Rose, Pharaohe Monche, and the late J Dilla.
If you’re ready for a new hip hop experience, you need to give this 19-track opus a spin. You can’t pigeon hole the Sa-Ra influences, but the selections below give you a glimpse into the specturm of sound you can expect to flood into and swirl around your adventurous dome.
Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Glorious
Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Feel The Bass (ft Talib Kweli)
For more, visit the Sa-Ra site and their MySpace page.
Update: I didn’t complete the mp3 URL correctly in the original post. This has now been corrected. Sorry about that! I’m only human!
Just over a month ago I wrote about Balkan Beat Box’s self-titled debut and noted their follow up, Nu Med, was due out this month. Of course, I purchased an advance release. The verdict for those hungry for quirky music? It’s a cracker!
This offering has more instrumental tracks and leans more to the Mediterranean compared to the Eastern or Southeastern European sounding Balkan Beat Box. Tracks that immediately jumped out and grabbed me by both ears: “Hermetico”, “Digital Monkey”, “Mexico City”, “$20 For Boban”, “Habibi Min Zaman” and “Balcasio”. But, the entire album is an organized cacophony that slaps you like one of the Three Stooges and plasters a tremendous smile on your face.
Don’t trust me? Give “Mexico City” a try and then get yourself a copy of Nu Med.
Balkan Beat Box - Mexico City
If you visit Jdub Records you can hook yourself up with downloads of “Hermetico” and “Digital Monkey” … if they’re still available by the time you read this. Whaddya waiting for? Geez.
The Cribs’ new video for their upcoming single “Men’s Needs” is deemed too shocking to show before 9PM on MTV2, according to NME.com. The Cribs have a special place in our hearts so we didn’t need an incentive to watch or listen to anything they make, but it is a brilliant move. Banned videos always garner extra publicity and chatter. The only bit that made me dry-heave a bit was when the naked lady felt herself up with the drummer’s arm she just cut off. There, I did my bit of Cribs PR, if the ban didn’t want to make you see it, severed limbs and a naked lady sure will …
Check it out. Too shocking or just shocking enough?
My beloved Black Wire released their new single, “See The Blood / Brother, We Had A Choice”, this week. I’ll never understand why more people don’t listen to these guys. They’re poppy enough to dance to, but punk enough to get your blood pumping. Plus, this is definitely what the Top 40 will sound like after the zombies come for us.
Black Wire - Brother, We Had A Choice
Buy the very limited 7″ single (that I wish I had) from HMV.
Due to my own bad timing and a backlog of newly purchased and received music, Alberta Cross just missed out on recent New Band Day selections. So, in lieu of a longer write up, I’m briefly tuning you in to their debut LP - The Thief & The Heartbreaker - on Fiction Records, home of The Maccabees, Snow Patrol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
What to say?
If you enjoy the country-folky-rocky genre, then the Swedish (Petter Ericson Stakee and his brother John Alexander Ericson) and English (Terry Wolfers) troubadours of this London-based band may just be for you. It’s not music to jog to (not that I jog, but you get the point). More like music to gently sooth your frayed nerves without being frustratingly whimpish and sucking the life out of you. There’s definitely Americana oomph there. Think Neil Young teaming up with Ryan Adams. Perhaps.
But, don’t just sit there and take my description as gospel. Find out for yourself. Sample the title track then head over to Alberta Cross on MySpace to catch some more, before purchasing the whole shebang at any store or site where fine music is sold.
Alberta Cross - The Thief & The Heartbreaker
Oh-oh-oh my dog - that’s me having a mental orgasm - a new Interpol song! It’s all over the internets and when I read some of the stuff people were saying about it, my head almost exploded. I don’t mean to start blog wars or anything, but someone actually called it a better version of Editors. That would have been a compliment if Editors weren’t a weaker version of Interpol to start with. If that makes me a 100bitch, I’m totally cool with that.
Interpol - Heinrich Maneuver (not the radio rip)
Mmm, M.I.A. Sexy in a raw way before. Now, with the ‘official’ leak of “Hit That” off her late-Summer release, Kala, she just got dirty hot. I mean, come on, she says ‘chocha’ for fricksake. (If you’re wondering, look it up in the Urban Dictionary.) I haven’t heard that in the rotation since I last listened to Clipse and, before that, Missy Elliot. Not perving, just making a point. And one I think she’s making herself anyway. So, I’m actually just validating.
From what we’ve heard so far, it looks likes Kala isn’t going to be a sophomore dud of a follow up to Arular. If this is any indication, Kala will definitely be a must buy.
M.I.A. - Hit That
You can catch “Birdflu”, another post-Arular track, at her M.I.A.Space.
The bewitching “Tickle Me Pink” off of Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit’s debut 7″ The Epic Tale Of Tom And Sue has haunted me ever since I first heard it. Not because it is so catchy - it’s too unusual for that, but because it creates such a quaint and magical mood. It took a few listens for it to grow on me, whereas the B-side “Cold Bread” I fell in love with from the get-go. I would describe it as an industrial folk song, but as far as I know there is no such genre.
Johnny Flynn is a 23-year-old Shakespearean actor from London who just happens to make beautiful music as well. Psh, if he is as good an actor as he is a musician, I’m going to be a bit peeved at the Gods for such an unfair distribution of remarkable talents. His next single comes out on the 18th of June, and I can only hope it’s going to be as amazing as these two songs.
Johnny Flynn - Tickle Me Pink
I’m ashamed - teetering on the cusp of appalled - I’d never heard of Brother Ali until three days ago. It’s like I’ve been living in a cardboard box in my living room for a few years. No, seriously, it’s embarrassing now that I’ve stepped blinking into the light.
You see, I’ve been getting NewsFire up-and-running on my laptop and am now reading Oh Word regularly. Catching up on back posts I read a write up about a Brother Ali remix there (more on that in a sec). The voice really pulled me in, so I dug around for some more samples.
Based on what I found, I bought Ali’s most recent album, The Undisputed Truth, yesterday. After a few times through it, I bought the (I now know) acclaimed 2003 Shadows On The Sun and 2004 Champion EP, all on Rhymesayers Entertainment. (That sound you hear is me crumpling up my cash and flinging it in the face of Big Music.)
Try these two examples of what make this man a great underground rapper. Visit Brother Ali on MySpace. Do a search and read more about him and his story.
Then pick up the albums.
Brother Ali - Truth Is (Clean)
Brother Ali - Whatcha Got (Clean)
(I don’t normally like clean versions of anything. However, the clean versions of the two tracks above are well done and don’t completely distract from the listening experience.)
The ROBOTOBOTS remix of “Truth Is” Oh Word turned me onto completely transforms the sound. It’s turns it into a Boxing Anthem, those songs you can imagine yourself, the challenger, head down and hidden beneath the hood of your robe, entering the arena in order to walk away with the title.
The remix is available here because I’m scared you might miss your chance to download it. Head over to ROBOTOBOTS and pay your respects.
Brother Ali - Truth Is (ROBOTOBOTS Remix)
Bumped into Vivek Shraya samples at MISSINGTOOF during my Weekend Adventures On The Internets. Some interesting stuff, I think. Don’t ask me why, but I’m going to call him the indie-disco-pop Justin Timberlake. That’ll surely insult someone. Maybe one of his Toronto-based hometown fans. Maybe Vivek himself. Nevertheless, the indie-disco-pop Justin Timberlake he shall be to me.
(Vivek, if you’re searching for yourself on the Internets and happen across this … It’s meant to be a compliment. Oh, and Vivek … It’s okay to search for yourself on the Internets.)
If We’re Not Talking is out on May 15 on Skinsong in the US. So far, no UK label that I could find. Cop a listen over at hisspace. Each of the three songs available (”Chemistry”, “Your Name (ft SaraQuin)”, “Fevered”) is sufficiently different I can’t easily classify a genre into which he can be pigeonholed. Make up you own mind.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Baby 81 will be out in just a few short days, but if you can’t wait that long, the whole album is available for previewing on their blackrebelspace. (Though, given how quickly the Kings Of Leon’s preview was taken down, I’d go there straight away if you’re interested.) I’ve given it a quick listen - it sounds like they’ve picked up where they left off on Take Them On, On Your Own. I think Howl is their best album by far - as unexpected as it was, I absolutely loved hearing them play more bluesy/folksy stuff. On the other hand, when they rock, they rock harder (and with more brains) than almost anybody. Hmm, I guess I’m just a big BRMC fan, no matter what kind of music they’re doing.
Preview Baby 81 while you can, and go buy it on Monday.
Sweet Baby Jesus, just smack me dumb!
Jack and Meg White have hit us with another slammer of a single in “Icky Thump”.
What did I do just about first thing this morning? Duh. No group makes me as excited about music like The White Stripes, so, of course, I dug around for a listen to the new track. I found a rip from the radio right away and didn’t even wait to import it into iTunes before giving in to the sonic temptation.
For a very limited time only, 100b is making the same 83 XFM radio rip available for you to slobber over as well. For hours only and it’s coming off. Prepare yourself for the purchase of the single and album! The … countdown … has … begun.
The White Stripes are back!
The White Strips - Icky Thump
Update: I was so excited to listen to and then share “Icky Thump” I forgot to credit the blog where I found it. Now, because I have a weird surf history clearing routine, I can’t even dig it out. If it was you, good blogger, I apologize!
I wasn’t sure what to listen to on this beautiful lazy Sunday afternoon, but I felt like something more cheerful than clowns and confetti, which is when The Sw!ms caught my ear. I don’t know if they officially spell their name with an exclamation point, but for some reason it is fitting. Their sixties power pop inspired sound seems to be made to celebrate these first few happy days of sun! Learn more about these guys over on their official site.
Here are three songs from last year’s debut CD Ride Of The Blueberry Winter via theswims.com:
The Sw!ms - We Need Lava
The Sw!ms - Depth Charge
The Sw!ms - Vermillion Archer
I feel like I say this every time I post about it: I’m not pimping emusic. I get 100% of nothing in return for mentioning how great this download service is. And I always seem to have downloads remaining or refreshed as part of my monthly subscription, so I’m often listening to something from emusic. Apparently, sometime over the weekend, while I was catching up on albums I downloaded last week, I got my refreshed quota again. Don’tcha see? I’m swimming in emusic!
So, while digging through the emusic crates for interesting stuff last week, I ran across a few emusic-only albums members could download for free. One of them was a massive 37-track collection of the 2007 Independent Music Awards (IMA) winners. For free. You can bet your music-craving ass I downloaded that. This is one of the reasons music is oozing from my ears right now.
The IMA categories run the gamut from Americana to Pop/Rock to Hip Hop/Rap to Jazz to World Music, as you would except from a vehicle intended to give indie (in the truest sense of the word) a stage on which to shine. Having listened to the 37 tracks, I thought I’d publicize a few of the artists and songs that stood out.
Melissa McClelland won the Best Americana Song category for “Passenger 24″ from Thumbelina’s One Night Stand. This is a vaguely haunting track that forced me to sneak over to her website, where she’s aptly described as “a heroine you will not be able to get out of your mind.” So true. So true.
Not to be outdone by Ms. McClelland, Kristy Kruger won the Best Americana Album category for her entire fourth album, Songs From A Dead Man’s Couch. Kruger is currently touring all 50 U.S. states in homage to her brother, Lt. Col. Eric John Kruger, who died in Iraq in November 2006. As her press info quotes, “Since he died in the name of this country, I’d like the country to know his name. And I’d like to see America, the whole thing. I’d like to see what he died for.” The track available on the IMA collection is “Gold Rush” and after a listen I want to hop in a bruised and battered old car and go west without any maps or plans and just see where I end up.
If the story of how they formed is true, it, alone, would be reason enough to give them a whirl. Shana Halligan and Kiran Shahani lived one block away from each other in L.A., recorded just one wall way from each other, but never knew about the other until the Internets helped their paths cross. Don’t look at me like that. It’s their story and they’re sticking to it. Based on “Overdue”, a song from their Pop/Rock Album category-winning The Mating Game, this duo, known as Bitter:Sweet, was destined to be together thanks to Al Gore and those Internets. You can also hear Bitter:Sweet on the Devil Wears Prada soundtrack. It’s been a big year for these two.
Melissa McClelland - Passenger 24
Kristy Kruger - Gold Rush
Bitter:Sweet - Overdue
DANG, the new Modest Mouse album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, is so flippin’ good, I couldn’t wait any longer to post something from it. I haven’t read any reviews or reactions yet so I don’t know how everyone else feels about the album, but I can’t imagine anyone not loving it. (Unless you didn’t like Modest Mouse in the first place but we can’t do anything about that.) It’s beautiful, wild, fun, angry and sad - it seems to me that Isaac Brock is a man who truly understands and feels the entire range of human emotions and expresses them like no one else, often all within one song. I’m not into writing a proper review of We Were Dead … , at least not right now, but if I did, it would be positively glowing.
If you need any incentive to go buy the album yourself, have a listen to this. Pretty much every track on this album is, of course, fantastically good, but this one has all the little things I love about Modest Mouse in one song.
Modest Mouse - Steam Engenius
I was so excited when I first heard 747s that I started writing a New Band Day post straight away. Then I found out that they already have a full album Zampano out since september last year. Where was I?? Half the blogosphere has probably written, praised and launched them into a career of booze, broads and debauchery already, but I’m finally ready and laced up to shake my pom-poms for these guys.
747s make the sweetest pop songs, but I haven’t heard anyone do it quite the way these boys do. They’re from Ireland, Italy and Germany, but they’re based in Liverpool - I hope I got that right. They’re fifties inspired and dreamy and you’re gonna have to fight off your dear old dad over this one, but they can also do stompin’ rock as demonstrated by “Elaine”.
Listen to “Elaine” via their official site: