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I’m breaking some New Band Day rules with this band, but I say rules be damned! Yes, I am just that rebellious. This band is not brand-spanking new as their debut album, Twist And Hold Til Morning, came out in October last year. But they’re an amazing band, they started in the noughties, and they’re new to me - and them’s the only rules I’m following today.
Steve Hefter And Friends Of Friends from Baltimore make deceptively innocent sounding songs about life, love, ‘bullshit’ and their mom hooking up with - gasp! - a lawyer. Twist And Hold Til Morning has some truly beautiful music and the oddball lyrics are deliciously captivating. Their upbeat mix of folk, country and pretty melodies is bespeckled with lovely flecks of melancholy.
Steve Hefter And Friends Of Friends - Pants
Steve Hefter And Friends Of Friends - Why A Lawyer
Sometimes you find some music you really love but you just don’t know what to say about it. That’s what’s happened to me with the lovely Grey Anne. A Portland musician with a wonderful voice, Grey Anne sings odd, slightly quirky songs that are both folksy and funky. As for not really knowing what to say about her - I like her a lot but I have no idea how to explain why. I’ve had a listen through her whole debut album, facts n figurines - it grabbed me from the very first track and just kept getting better as I listened. There’s a lot of folksy girl singers out there, but Grey Anne has something different, something that makes her not just another folksy girl singer. The songs have a light, sing-songy feel, but also have a little darkness and oddness to them - both in their sound and lyrics. Give “Flapjack Devilfish Flies Again” (below) a listen - I’ll be very surprised if it doesn’t make you want to pick up facts n figurines right away.
Hear more at Grey Anne’s myspace page, or buy facts n figurines now through Greyday Records’ shop or emusic.
Grey Anne - Flapjack Devilfish Flies Again
Two years ago, we were very sad to see the demise of one of our all-time favorite live bands, Soledad Brothers. They made their energetic, stomping, stirring bluesy garage performances look so easy. We had a great appreciation for all the members of the band, but we especially liked the way Ben Swank turned into a frantic haze of hands and feet behind the drums. So when I came across London-based The See See’s MySpace page, I was pleasantly surprised to see his name in the line up.
If you’re a fan of the Soledad Brother’s fast paced rock ‘n roll, The See See’s mellow seventies rock-inspired psychedelic folk tunes may not be your cup of tea at first, but give them a chance, because their sound is wonderfully rich, exciting, and timeless. They actually sound like they’ve been playing together forever and with seasoned musicians like former Eighteenth Day Of May frontman Richard Olsen in the mix, they’re bound to create something beautiful. My favorite song on the site is definitely the upbeat “Clap Your Hands and Shake A Chain”. They’re debut single came out in May, but is impossible to get a hold of now and they’re second one is on its way. There’s also talk of an album released some time next year, so there’s exciting times to come!
OK, so now that I’ve proven that I don’t always pick bands that have no further information than ‘from the UK or thereabouts’, I’m back to not knowing anything. I first came across the The See See, but when I heard Richard Peter Snapes & The Lie Awakes’ enchanting “Land We Share” I had to, ehm, share. Apparently, Richard Peter Snapes was a solo artist for a while, but decided he wanted to be in a ‘real’ band and now he and The Lie Awakes are a band of five, who merrily make songs with a luscious, big, full sound. Their next(?) single will be released in January. Surprisingly, I have no idea whether they’ve had any other releases, but the sweetly melodramatic, yet upbeat “I’ve Made Up Stories” would make a incredibly good debut single. My favorite song on the site is the aforementioned “Land We Share”. It’s dreamy, sweeping, passionate .. just lovely.
Sounding like a haunting mix between hobos traveling during the Great Depression and East European gypsies, Dark Dark Dark creates an image of sepia-toned photographs of long-forgotten wayfaring musicians just trying to make their way in the world.
And no wonder, because Dark Dark Dark are basically following the tradition of those musicians themselves. According to their label’s band bio, the members (Nona Marie Invie, Marshall LaCount, Jonathan Kaiser, and Todd Chandler) met while traveling across America, not actually intending to form a band. They played to earn their keep and ended up as the band they are now. They make glorious use of the kind of instruments we don’t hear too often anymore - accordion, upright bass, cello, banjo - and create a music that sounds both refreshing and dusty like old 78s. Their songs are “songs of ghosts, fermenting bodies, heavy hearts and magical dreams [that] shift the musical perspective from the dead, to the grieving, to the guilty, both remembering the past and looking ahead to the future”. Their music is lovely, a little spooky, and definitely catches your attention.
Dark Dark Dark has an EP out, “Love You, Bye.”, which isn’t available on iTunes or emusic in the UK but perhaps is in the States. Their debut album, The Snow Magic will be out on the 28th of October on Supply and Demand Music so be sure to look out for that. Check out their debut single, “New York Song” below, and visit DarkSpace to hear more.
Dark Dark Dark - New York Song
It’s my turn to do New Band Day again, and yet again I have next to nothing to tell you about the band I picked. This time the lucky mystery band is La Shark! I tried all my researching tricks (read: I googled them) and most results were from people who were really psyched Shark Week had started again on the Discovery Channel. Furthermore, the band has only one song up on MySpace. I don’t normally judge a band by one song, but it’s so amazing I couldn’t pass it up.
So here’s yet another one of my flimsy New Band Day posts, but I make it up with some really wonderful music. La Shark is a five-piece band from London. The one song on their page, “Bones”, is a crazy shambolic affair that’ll inevitably set up camp in your brain. The great beats, quirky lyrics, pretty harmonies and overall weirdness are faintly reminiscent of Mystery Jets, but sounds more like they had a collision with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I’m definitely keeping an eye on these guys, because if this song is any indication of what the band sounds like, it’s more than enough reason to get really really excited about their future work.
La Shark - Bones
As usual, I think I might be breaking the rules with New Band Day. Well, honestly, I’m not sure if I am or not. True, Like Drawing Blood isn’t Gotye’s first album (that would be the 2004 offering Boardface). Also true, Like Drawing Blood isn’t even a new album, having been released in Australia in 2006. Yeah, I know, but it’s 2008, you say. Well, from what I can find Gotye and Like Drawing Blood seem to have been a purely Australian phenomenon for quite some time, like kangaroos and koalas. Then, I guess on the back of his Australian success, he’s venturing to Europe with the August release of the album. Admittedly, I suck at finding release information, but I think I’m covered.
For those, like me, that didn’t realize Gotye (Wouter DeBacker, born in Belgium) existed prior to this week, he’s a genuine Australian indy star. Like Drawing Blood was voted the best album of 2006 by listeners of national youth station Triple J and was nominated for an Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) music award. He then went on to receive the Most Outstanding New Independent Artist at the first Australian Independent Record Chart Awards. As if that wasn’t enough, to cap all that off, in 2007, Gotye went on to receive the ARIA best male artist award, rejuvenating the success Like Drawing Blood was already experiencing.
This sounds like someone we should all hear, right? Well, have a go with his hit down under, “Learnalilgivinanlovin,” one of the popiest of the many excellent songs on the album.
Gotye - Learnalilgivinanlovin (MP3 removed by request)
To learn more, visit the Official Gotye Site. If you’re intrigued, there’s more at his GotyeSpace.
Miracles of Modern Science are a six-piece band currently based in Brooklyn who play - according to the email 100b received a few weeks ago - ‘orchestral space-pop’. Which, honestly, sounds exactly like the kind of thing I would hate. Luckily I checked them out anyway, and was pleasantly surprised to find that ’space-pop’ isn’t the weird experimental nonsense I expected it to be.
As it turns out, the email description is quite literal. Miracles of Modern Science (MOMS) have no use for guitars or any of those crazy new-fangled contraptions - they’ve stuck to violins, cellos, and other assorted classical instruments. This, as you might guess, creates a beautiful, sweeping orchestral sound, yet their songs are most definitely pop-based. As I’m sure you’ll read anywhere that mentions MOMS, their sound does definitely put one in mind of the Arcade Fire. But way more fun. (No offense to the Arcade Fire, who I love with all my heart, but ‘fun’ isn’t necessarily a word I’d use to describe them.)
Oh, and as for the ’space’ part of ’space-pop’? They perform in silver spacesuits that are quite possibly leftovers from The Mysterians, a movie I recently enjoyed greatly. As for whether these songs themselves are outer space oriented? I haven’t quite determined that yet.
Miracles of Modern Science are currently finishing up their debut EP, which will be released by the brand new label Amazing Wow. So brand new, in fact, that that they’re still working on their website. Amazing Wow itself sounds like something to watch out for, based on their mission statement:
“Amazing Wow is a modern music label that rejects the concept of music piracy and the antiquated notion that every download is a lost sale. AW is not an online community, but an exclusive label that treats its artists with the same devotion and attention as any traditional label. Instead of making CDs, AW offers all the music for free download online, and makes money from ad revenue, merchandise (shirts, vinyl, etc.) and bands’ tours.”
Have a listen to Miracles of Modern Science below, or at MiracleSpace, and keep an eye out for their debut EP and Amazing Wow.
Miracles Of Modern Science - Eating Me Alive
Miracles Of Modern Science - MR2
Lime Headed Dog is Joel Cox of Good Shoes fame. Strangely, his MySpace page raises more questions than it answers - what with the porny blog entries and no information it provides. So I’m not sure whether this band is just a fun side project or whether he’s really going to release music under that name, but I’m incredibly impressed with the few songs he’s put up.
When I was a wee ‘boosh, my kindergarten class mates and I got weekly music classes from a hippy-ish looking guy who believed in releasing our inner artiste, so he handed out bells and sticks and tiny cymbals and let us clang away like mini madmen. Individually, the instrumental bits in Lime Headed Dog’s songs sound a lot like those crazy chaotic, unruly kindergarten jam sessions, but there’s a clear method to the madness and it ends up sounding so very exciting. Just listen to “Francis Bacon”. It’s part spoken-word insanity, part experimental bleepy rock, totally wonderful and very different from anything I’ve heard lately.
Lime Headed Dog - Francis Bacon
It’s probably clear by now that this post won’t be showing off my superb researching skillz because I got virtually nothing else to report. So yeah … I don’t know when the song was released, or whether it ever was, but there is a video for it here. There’s also a mind-blowing video called “Reflections Of A Bull” featuring Joel Cox on youtube which is possibly even more scintillating than the song posted here, but, again, I don’t know whether it’s released under Lime Headed Dog or some other name altogether. It’s astounding how inept this post has left me feeling, so if anybody reading this knows more about the band, please do share your knowledge.
Reflections Of A Bull:
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.
Get Well Soon - If This Hat Is Missing I’ve Gone Hunting
Last month, when tha dawgg and I visited Rough Trade East, I was intrigued by an album with a cool cover. Of course I passed it up like a dumbass and regretted it almost immediately. I picked it up a couple weeks ago and it’s even better than the cover made it look.
The album was Los Angeles duo No Age’s debut, Nouns. Calling them ‘experimental’ (which they are) makes it sound like they play cardboard boxes and old-school answering machines. They’re not exactly pop, but they’re not unpop. They’re fuzzy, gritty, and a little chaotic - in the kind of catchy way that makes me want to party. No Age does exactly what drummer/vocalist Dean Spunt says a band should do:
“Bands should be fun and exciting and they should push all the buttons at the same time. They should make you feel like you are going to explode and make you utterly confused and inspired at the same time.”
Indeed.
No Age - Here Should Be My Home
I was checking out White Whale to see what those guys were up to and learned they had a free seven-song sampler on eMusic. Thanks to Bean, I was recently initiated to the eMusic club, so I was really excited that I could just hop on over and harpoon that magnificent whale.
“Inside The Cinema” stands out for me, but really the whole sampler is worth the no money you spend on it. Culture Reject from Toronto have been getting a lot of attention lately thanks to this sublime song. It makes a big impact, due to its complicated layers and spanish handclaps, even though it has the feel of a simply sweet and mellow song. Their eponymous debut came out in April and you can hear it in full at White Whale.
Culture Reject - Inside The Cinema
If you enjoy haunting neo-folk, then For Emma, Forever Ago, the debut album from Bon Iver (a.k.a. Justin Vernon), will be just what the doctor ordered. A haunting nine tracks of thought-provoking and introspective music written and recorded in an isolated cabin in Wisconsin.
Vernon released the album himself in 2007. So, it doesn’t exactly qualify for -completely- New Band Day. However, the label-based re-release on Jagjaguwar is new to the United Kingdom, so I can get away with it.
Have a hear of “For Emma”, the obvious title track. Learn more at Mr. Vernon’s BonIverSpace. Then buy this widely-lauded album to find out what has everyone buzzing.
Bon Iver - For Emma
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 slightly 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.
Pink Widower - Motorcycle Mechanic
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 Itali