Thu, 22 November 2012
A Suffolk’n’Cool week of great highs and lows so far - a brilliant afternoon of Canadian music in London on Monday. The new Suffolk’n’Cool site went up yesterday and today an innocent update to a theme brought it crashing down again - and it’s only Wednesday. Never mind. We’ve some really interesting music this week from the likes of Paper Beat Scissors, Pigeon Park, DubRaJah, Abandoned Pools, Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac, Bereto and 7Horse. Meth Lab Zoso Sticker - 7Horse (LA and Seattle) 7Horse is what happens when you dump accelerant on the smoldering embers of creativity. The fresh avenue for rock veterans Joie Calio and Phil Leavitt, 7Horse’s music burns where cosmic country meets dirty blues, where primal urges unfold into bawdy nights, and where two friends — and longtime bandmates — discover radically new sides of each other. Calio and Leavitt were stuck in a seemingly interminable holding pattern with their longstanding project dada, the trio responsible for the hits “Dizz Knee Land” and “All I Am” but whose efforts to make a sixth studio album had stalled. the notion of creating something new and sonically different took hold. The pair began trading ideas via iPhone, sometimes as little as just a riff and a phrase. “I’d get a sound file with a killer riff on it and the words ‘Meth Lab Zoso Sticker,’” Leavitt says of one exchange that would become a 7Horse song title. Convening at the Woodland Hills, Calif., studio of Scott Gordon and using time originally booked for dada, the two began taking their song sketches and filling them in. The sparks that flew during the making of “Let the 7Horse Run” are reflected in the feeling of immediacy on the album. “Let the 7Horse Run” recalls a long lineage of blues music from Robert Johnson and Son House to Keith Richards, Led Zeppelin and early ZZ Top and even to contemporary purveyors like the Black Keys. Hopeless - Pigeon Park (Vancouver, Canada) Pigeon Park was formed four years ago by founding members Nick Weber (Vocals) Kevin Okabe (Guitars) Logan Pacholok (Guitars and Vocals) Artur Leppert (Bass) and Hunter Elliott (Drums). Together the five of them began a musical journey embarking on two cross country tours and recording two albums. The band released their debut record “The Sun” in 2010. 2012 saw the band touring nationally, playing popular BC festivals and being chosen as a finalist for 99.3 FOX seeds, expanding their fan base across Canada. Upon returning from tour, they stepped into the studio and released their new self titled EP August 31st.
Bali Dub - DubRaJah (Russia) DubRaJah is a project of Sergey Gabbasov. He is a social anthropologist, specialising in the peoples of the Himalayan region, director of several ethnographic films about different cultures of Asia and Africa, traveller, musician. Sergey collaborates with such artists as Eric Mouquet (“Deep Forest”) and Robert Rich. The album Terai is a dub dedication to authentic cultures of Southeast Asia. In Shadows - Abandoned Pools (LA, CA, USA) Abandoned Pools release their long-awaited third album, Sublime Currency on August 28, 2012 via Tooth & Nail Records. Sublime Currency is the culmination of the eleven-year journey of Tommy Walter, the songwriter and musician who was bassist and co-founder of the critically acclaimed band eels, who sold well over a million copies of the debut album, Beautiful Freak. Sublime Currency is the follow up to Abandoned Pools’ 2005 release Armed to the Teeth, a disc that revealed a songwriter grappling with confusion and darkness. Now less confused and less dark. Probably deluded, but certainly less dark. www.facebook.com/AbandonedPools Matagalán - Bareto (Lima, Peru) Bareto was born in 2003 as an instrumental group. From Bareto’s latest (2012) LP: Ves lo que quieres ver (in english: “you see just what you want to see”. Ten songs written by the group, in their first time working with a music producer (Miami based Manuel Garrido-Lecca), mixing cumbia, reggae, psychedelia and dub, among other latin generes. The lyrics talk about how Peruvians have to deal with their differences as society (in Perú, every city is like a little country) to keep the machine going. The first single off the album is called “Camaleon” (“Cameleon”), a song about how politicians change every time because of their personal convenience, no matter what’s better for their community. In the music video, a clown try a “politician costume” and go for the election poll. Other subjects in the record are racism, social differences and street insecurity, facts that coexists in Peru’s everyday reality, but that are not easy to talk about, because, as the title of the album suggest, “you see just what you want to see”. The Argentinian singer and composer Kevin Johansen is the special guest in the album, singing in this track “Matagalán”. If You Were Mine - Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) On Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the rich heritage of the region’s settlers from the Scottish Highlands is kept very much alive through music, songs and stories. Seinn is a new release from long time friends Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac, two stalwarts of the traditional music scene in Cape Breton. While their friendship and a shared interest in Nova Scotia’s Gaelic heritage go back a long way and they’ve played together before, this is their first formal collaboration. Wendy is an award-winning fiddler, piano player and step dancer from Creignish, Cape Breton. While visiting her grandparents throughout her youth, Mary Jane fell in love with Scottish Gaelic traditions and song and released her first album while enrolled in Saint Francis Xavier University’s Celtic Studies program. Rest Your Bones - Paper Beat Scissors (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Relocated Burnley boy Tim Crabtree began Paper Beat Scissors in 2008 following a move to Halifax, Nova Scotia eight years ago. The Paper Beat Scissors live show is an intense and intimate experience – solo finger-picked laments are paired with live loops and a haunting voice that slips into the music, then darts back out to pull the listener in. I met Tim at the Atlantic Canadian Music Industry Association showcase event in London on Monday. His performance was remarkable and totally mesmerising. Really subtle and intelligent use of loop machine gave his work an etherial quality which was compounded by his haunting, passionate falsetto notes and delicate guitar style. It must be difficult to get up and perform to an world weary music business audience, knowing that you only have 20 minutes to impress - but for me Paper Beat Scissors has it. More music on his Bandcamp page at www.paperbeatscissors.bandcamp.com His eponymous album is a remarkable piece of work. |
Wed, 14 November 2012
We’ve got a rather acoustic, unplugged kind of feel to a lot of the tracks this week. There’s a great mix of raw, passionate songs with some superbly executed musicianship from London, New York, LA, New South Wales, Manchester, Margate and Gardabær, Iceland. There's a cracking track from Funke and The Two Tone Baby (pic) to close the show out. What Are You Waiting For - Dikta (Gardabær, Iceland) "Dikta has been a creative outlet since high school, friends since kindergarten, music is a shared passion for all of us so it just made sense to do it together,” according to Haukur. Started in a garage in their hometown of Gardabær, Iceland, Dikta was inspired by bands like The Smashing Pumpkins and The Cure. Playing together for as long as they have, the members of Dikta are able to "feel each other out" while creating new music, explains Haukur: “We’re communicating with each other through our instruments and our music." Their music-making process allows them to try new instruments and recording techniques, a freedom that carries over to their powerful live performances. Now releasing a brand new captivating music video for their first single “What are you waiting for?” from the album Trust Me, recently released in Europe 24th of August and 4th September in the US. Dikta performed at CMJ Music Marathon in NYC, Iceland Airwaves in Reykjavík and will be touring Germany later this month. 11.23.12 Wil, Switzerland @ Gare de Lion 11.24.12 Leipzig, Germany @ Neues Schauspiel 11.27.12 Hamburg, Germany @ Prinzenbar 11.29.12 Hamburg, Germany @ Club Stereo 11.30.12 Munchen, Germany @ Backstage Club 12.1.12 Dresden, Germany @ Beatpol 12.2.12 Berlin, Germany @ Comet Club 12.3.12 Cologne, Germany @ Studio 672 @dikta Mariam's Cake - Robin Grey (London, UK) Robin Grey has been impressing us with his thoughtful quietly spoken music for a while, now he has come up with a music video featuring the talents of legendary puppeteer Ronnie Le Drew on marionette (http://www.ronnieledrew.com/) and young blood Arran Glass on plants. As I suppose we should expect the video is as thoughtfully and creatively produced as the music. A real treat. The track is from his album The Nearest Door. Four albums are available on Jamendo www.jamendo.co,/en/artist/341226/robin-grey Get Up, Get Out - Rebecca Pidgeon (LA, CA, USA) Known for her compelling live performances, Rebecca will be hitting the road this summer and fall on a unique tour in partnership with the first-of-its-kind all-women wine company, Women Of The Vine, kicking off in Paso Robles, CA on May 26th. Over the years, she has shared the stage with numerous artists, including Aimee Mann, Peter Himmelman, Madeleine Peyroux, and Luciana Souza. Pidgeon recently drew rave reviews in the much-lauded movie Red, starring Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman. She also had a recurring role on the hit CBS television series,The Unit. Rebecca Pidgeon’s new album ‘Slingshot’ will hit stores and digital platforms in October. Produced by multiple Grammy winner Larry Klein. A couple of dates supporting Marc Cohn this week: 11/13/12 Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC 11/15/12 Ram’s Head, Annapolis, MD that tour continues into the new year. @rebeccapidgeon Kingdom by The Sea - Enjuillet (LA, CA, USA) Enjuillet was originally formed by Ela Kitapci and Taylor Morrow as a side project when the two musicians began writing together while fronting their own respective bands. Shortly after, the two bands dissolved and Enjuillet became the sole musical outlet for the two young musicians. Enjuillet’s first project was the “Kingdom by the Sea EP” which was released in the summer of 2011. The six track EP was recorded at Loyola Marymount University as a thesis project for friend of the band Danny Parra, a recording arts major at the university. The goal then, as it is now, was to create moving, meaningful and entertaining music that would astound and delight audiences of many different musical backgrounds. This EP captures the essence of these two individuals and Enjuillet as a whole. “Kingdom by the Sea” is inspired from a line written by poet and short story writer Edgar Allen Poe in his poem Annabel Lee. The song follows a suggested dialogue between Poe and Annabel Lee; what they might have said to each other during the final moments of her life. This song has a most glorious melody to it with the two characters playing thought for words, joining the force of love through melodic wonder. It is unique in every sense of the word. These songs, beautifully arranged and choreographed, allow audiences to envelop themselves in the storylines that are so eloquently presented. Enjuillet has performed in and around the Los Angeles area including but not limited to The Whisky, Roxy and Viper Room along with many smaller venues. Enjuillet are an amazing duo. These creative minds fused with exceptional talent bring sonic beauty in its most unique form. “Kingdom by the Sea EP” is available in both digital and physical formats and can be purchased by logging onto www.reverbnation.com/Enjuillet Footprints On The Moon - Will Knox (NYC) London born Will Knox embodies all that is great about the troubadour tradition in England and translates it to New York where he plays with a talented group of UK and US musicians. Together they create something that is at once rootsy and yet intelligent and demanding of full attention. Indeed that is what he achieves every time I’ve seen him play, almost immediate silence and an enraptured audience. The track is from his 2010 album The Matador and the Acrobat. Will is playing a show in London next Wednesday 21 November at The Slaughtered Lamb, 35 Great Sutton St., London, EC1V ODX Grab this opportunity to see the maestro at work. Blinded By Love - Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders (NSW, Australia) Another track off the remarkably solid debut Hurtsville album from Jack Ladder and the Dreamlanders. Eight varied tracks that give you time to really get into them. Sung with a passion against a sometimes industrial backing that is somehow both sparse and lush. Order the limited, 180 gram vinyl, complete with download card and hand-numbered photo/lyric book, via the Holloweyed webstore iTunes, Google Play, Bandcamp and eMusic. As I think I said before I rather suspect that we’ll be coming back to this album for a while. It is a huge regret that I didn’t get to see Jack Ladder perform at the Aussie Barbecue at CMJ2012. :-( Or any of the other three NYC shows they played that week. @Hurtsville Platt Fields - Franco and The Dreadnaught (Manchester, UK) Franco's singing and playing exude confidence and while making no attempt at covering up his Mancunian inflections, his delivery is all the more real and raw. Franco is no stranger to success and as a testament to the power of his musical ability, he was asked personally by Desmond Tutu to write a song celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela. The archbishop gave the song entitled "Inyaniso" (translation - "Truth") as a gift to Mr Mandela for his 90th birthday. Previously Franco was the songwriter and front man for International One, who signed a record deal with a subsidiary of UNIVERSAL RECORDS. Shortly after the label went under in the recession causing Franco to partner up with his acoustic guitar and embark on a solo career. Franco and the Dreadnought have released a 6 track EP of well recorded demos. If you're in London, he's playing The Bedford in Balham on Thursday (tomorrow) and on Friday, he's playing Sanctuary in Cow Lane, Burnley. @FrancoDnought Ceciles Song - Funke and the Two Tone Baby (Margate, Kent, UK) Funke and the Two Tone Baby (Dan Turnbull) is off on his first UK tour in a week or so. After slots at some of the country’s leading folk and blues festivals, including Smugglers Festival, Leigh Folk Festival and Broadstairs Folk Week, the one-man mechanical blues band is now taking his show further afield. With a stage presence and his mix of the traditional combined with a love of electronic music he brings the blues into the 21st century. Beginning on November 25 in his home county of Kent, Funke will play eleven venues from Coventry, Gloucester, Oxford and London: November 25 – The Duke of Cumberland, Whitstable November 27 – The Cherry Tree, Canterbury November 28 – George & Dragon, Sudbury November 29 – The Queen’s Head, Coventry November 30 – Café Rene, Gloucester December 1 – The Old Bookshop, Bristol, December 3 – The Truck Store, Oxford December 3 – The Red Lion, Oxford December 4 – Bertie’s Bar, London December 7 – The Stag, Hastings December 8 – CJ’s, East Grinstead The ‘Injustice & Queen’ EP is out now, available from shows, or digitally at iTunes and Bandcamp Debut album scheduled for release in summer 2013 with larger UK tour to support. www.funkeandthetwotonebaby.co.uk www.facebook.com/funkeandthetwotonebaby @Funke2tonebaby |
Thu, 8 November 2012
Music from all corners of the everywhere this week with a diversity of tracks from locations as remote as Oregon, Sweden, The Yukon as well as the hotbeds of contemporary music making in Ontario, Brooklyn, Japan and southern France. It never ceases to amaze me how much spectacularly individualistic music is being created today and how feasible it is to buy it from anywhere in the world. Not many years ago, the only viable way of finding music by talented artists like Volfonique (pic) would have been to travel to his home area and seek out local record stores. What a difference technical developments have made. Speaking of which, the new Suffolk'n'Cool website is making what can only be called progress. The current sticking point is to develop a good audio player to replace the current Flash player that will work reliably on IOS devices (iPad, iPhione, etc.) as well as most browsers on Mac and Windows. For the technical, HTML5 seems to be the way to go, so that's where we are going. Balkan Banghra - Volfoniq (Montpellier, France) A track from his album Ernest which you can pick up through the wonderful LCL netlabel at www.lclweb.org/artists_volfoniq.htm Founded in 2004, Volfoniq is a "one-man-dub" from the south of France. In a retro-futuristic mood, he uses his classical formation (clarinet) and a rich musical history to produce a dub that goes farther than tags, respecting the jamaican roots, but adventuring into new lands of experimentation. Based both on electronic and acoustic elements, his music is fundamentally opened and generous. Recognized for his producer and remixer skills, Volfoniq stepped over the stages in France and Europe thru rare and osmotic livesets. Encounters and sharing are at the center of Volfoniq's approach, that led him to collaborate with numerous artists from different kinds and places.. On this pilgrimage, he's faithful to LibreCommeLair (LCL) label, and also made some releases on prestigious e-labels like Jahtari or A Quiet Bump. Volfoniq shared the stage with the likes of : Alborosie (I), Brain Damage (F), Das Kraftfuttermischwerk (D), Disrupt (D), Dj Palotai (H), Dreadzone (UK), Dub4 & Mc Taiwxan (F), Jahcoozi (D), Junior Cony (F), Kaophonic Tribu (F), Rusko (Uk), Solo Banton (Uk), SoomT (Uk), Tribuman (F), Uppercut Band (Uk), Zion Train (Uk)... Lay Me Down - Ali Bartlett (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) Alan Carr at Darkhorse Radio recommended that a few of us take a listen to Ali’s music - thank you Alan. Quite a find. Ali says, “I love music. I'm so glad that i have had the opportunity to make it with good friends and its my sincere hope that if you stumble upon my music that you find something in it for yourself to enjoy or connect to. I have no demands of music except that it continue to exist in my life which it does ...and for this I feel excessively fortunate. Les Cooper has been an integral contributor to the songs. We made these songs together in the greatest spirit of music during afternoons where we killed a few hours in the company of one another, laughing, discussing life and strumming a few chords with generosity of spirit and mind. Les is an incredibly gifted, creator and you should search him out. He infuses all his projects with something incredibly special which I’ve been thrilled to hear and share with him all these years.” www.reverbnation.com/alibartlett http://uk.myspace.com/lescooper Headshake feat. Julia Spada - Saturday, Monday (Sweden) Scandinavian wunderkind Ludvig Parment is never one to sit still for too long. His new project Saturday, Monday combines the glitchy, glam attack of previous projects with a darker hued, although undeniably catchy pop aesthetic, destined to convert dub-steppers, party rockers, EDM purists and adventurous music seekers alike. Beginning with a much buzzed-about remix of Lykke Li's "Love Out Of Lust," followed by a two song EP, Saturday, Monday's latest concoction is "Headshake." Featuring the sultry vocals of Julia Spada, "Headshake" is a deceptively sly dance track, minimal but instantly addictive. The "Headshake" Meltage remix is a trippy, dreamy affair, delving deeper into the Parment-described "darker" territory that he first introduced with the Lykke Li bootleg remix. In the accompanying video, a motley clutch of skaters, smokers and vagabonds spark to life and escape ennui, with "Headshake" providing the perfect soundtrack. Saturday, Monday's upcoming full-length album The Road and the Ocean and the End is set to be released in early 2013 via Despotz Records. www.soundcloud.com/saturday-monday Call Me The Writer - Lukeus Adams (Portland, Oregon, USA) American singer-songwriter Lukeus Adams was born in Utah, but is now settled in Portland, Oregon where he’s been releasing his music since 2002, slowly but surely finding a substantial local following. His songwriting style and presentation might best be described as alternative folk, as it’s very much song-centred, with just an acoustic or electric guitar providing primary backing. The musicianship is bright and clear, but it’s Lukeus’ voice that chiefly catches the ear. Its cracked, weathered tone seems to reflect a 100 years of hard living, and it drips a sad and soulful intent. Pouring Rain - Old Time Machine (Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada) The new album from Old Time Machine (Ryan McNally, Kyle Cashen) was released a couple of weeks ago via File Under: Music. The 9-track album comes on the heels of the bands’ critically-acclaimed debut EP, Old Time Machine/Old Cabin. Produced and engineered by Jordy Walker, the full-length has already received incredible reviews throughout Canada. Forming in 2009, Ryan McNally and Kyle Cashen came together for an art exhibition. In a fort made of cardboard boxes, scrap lumber, thrift store sheets and chicken wire, the duo started as the art-show contribution of a bluesman and a bedroom-musician who were tasked to create works representing the long, dark Yukon winter nights. The duo work together to blend Ryan’s studies of finger style traditional blues, with Kyle’s experience crafting ethereal soundscapes to create familiar, but distinctly original music. Music that Uptown Magazine claims, “many will soon be familiar with.” Released in Canada this past April, the two have been touring relentlessly in support of their debut from which Pouring Rain is taken. http://oldtimemachinemusic.tumblr.com/ www.facebook.com/oldtimemachine Rearview - Great Caesar (Brooklyn, NY, USA) EXPLICIT (naughty word) @ 1:20 Armed with horns, guitars, and everything in between, the six men of Great Caesar produce a brilliant and unmistakable brand of brass-fuelled rock. Their sound is at once organic and electrifying, combining jazz roots with hard rock sensibilities in a way that does justice to both. Great Caesar began modestly as a jazz trio before gathering three more members, swapping instruments, and evolving steadily into the six-piece powerhouse they are today. Their studio offerings include a self-titled EP (2007) and a string of A-side singles (2010), which they continue to give away for free despite their growing popularity. First and foremost, however, Great Caesar is a live band, dazzling audiences with performances that are equal parts chaos and virtuosity. Fans have noticed, flocking in ever-growing numbers to shows across New England. MON 19 NOVEMBER The Studio at Webster Hall, New York, NY, US FRI 30 NOVEMBER The Rock Shop, Brooklyn, NY, US FRI 7 DECEMBER Taco Hut Headquarters, New Haven, CT, US SAT 8 DECEMBER The Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA, US @Greatcaesarband Don't Call Me In The Morning - Otonana Trio (Japan) Otonana Trio is a three-piece rock band formed by guitarist Kentaro Saito (formerly of Dynamite Club), Naoya Miyara (who performs with The Cavemans), and Goshi Miura, who is described as one of the most active and hardest working bassists in the local Japanese music scene. The name Otonana Trio roughly translates to "Three Grown-ups" or "Trio de Adults" in broken Japanese. Kentaro Saito, 38, made a name for himself during his fifteen-year career as guitarist for NYC-based rock group Dynamite Club. Dynamite Club performed at venues all over the world, playing shows at local clubs, in living rooms, and at big festivals, while spending most of their nights sleeping on the floors of lovely accepting people's homes, who had become their friends after only a couple of hours. For Otonana Trio's debut album Stories at the Homerun Office, Saito gathered some of the best musicians in Japan to put together a work with a fresh new energy that displays his musical evolution. @sightonsaito |
Wed, 31 October 2012
With music ranging from the deliciously quirky pop to the downright “interesting”, you’re almost certain to find some point this week where our respective musical tastes coincide. Probably. This week we’ve tracks from LA, London, Marseilles, Dublin, Regina and Winnipeg in Canada and the almost chewable Mönchengladbach in Germany as well as the inevitable track from New York. A variation on the usual picture style this week with a screen grtab from my phone on Sunday. You have to admire the understatement in the Night forecast! Bumblebee - Rachel Brown (NYC, USA) Rachel Brown released her debut EP Building Castles on September 18th. The singer-songwriter, who was born and raised in New York City with Ethiopian, Bermudan and Southern roots, fuses pop, Caribbean, Hawaiian, country, hip-hop and world sounds into Building Castles' six self-penned songs. The EP's first single, "Bumblebee," will be accompanied by a music video directed by Rex Arrow Productions founder Ian Wolfson (Mac Miller, Nelly). With no formal musical training, Brown found her voice organically. "I would pick up my guitar and teach myself how to play by writing songs," says Brown. "I just played until it sounded right." Peers and established veterans alike quickly recognized Brown's natural talent. She was the 2010 recipient of the prestigious ASCAP Foundation Robert Allen Award for songwriting as well as a 2011 recipient of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame Abe Olman Award for Excellence in Songwriting. She also received a very coveted showcase slot at the National Association for Campus Activities' national convention, leading to a 40-date college tour. Brown's music also caught the ear of one of her favorite musical influences, Wyclef Jean. The week after she graduated college, the singer received a surprise when Jean brought her up on stage to perform an impromptu duet of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" at a fundraiser held at New York's legendary Cipriani 42nd Street, and most recently Jean joined Brown onstage at her residency at NYC's famed supper club, The Darby on W 14th St. @Rachelbrownnyc Slow Crawl - Garrison Starr (LA, CA, USA) “Slow Crawl” was co-written with Kevin Devine who also contributes some fine guitar to the track. It’s from Garrison Starr’s recent album Amateur Her first full-length since 2007’s The Girl That Killed September, Amateur is co-produced with musician Justin Glasco (Dan Wilson, Cary Brothers, Matt Nathanson) and features contributions from Glen Phillips, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kevin Devine, Gary Jules and many more. What a long strange trek it’s been. During contractual stints with Geffen, Virgin and Vanguard Records, Starr released a wealth of critically acclaimed material that intimately connected with listeners. Now nearing her 20th Anniversary as a recording artist, and free from the confines of the agendas and politics of record labels, Garrison is confidently hitting her stride, both a seasoned songwriter and an accomplished entertainer. Long gone are the “brand” names, but the passion remains the same and that's what comes over in the music. Firmly embracing the new paradigm of the burgeoning era of DIY that allows for user-generated navigation, Garrison has self-released music via Direct-To-Consumer platforms such as Bandcamp and Topspin (her most recent fan-only “living room” EP entitled Not For Nothing contains a magnificent acoustic version of The Killers “When You Were Young”) and partnered up with publisher Brite Revolution to release a live EP called Relive that was recorded in front of a select group of fifty friends and fans in Nashville. Starr most recently utilized Pledge Music, (an online “pledge drive” similar to Kickstarter), to fund the Amateur recording. You can get the album from both iTunes and Amazon under her own Radtown Music imprint. @garrisonstarr Spitfire - Public Service Broadcasting (London, UK) This track is taken from their excellent album The War Room which was released in May. Their new offering comprises their own version of Everest along with three remixes. As ever, the tracks mix sound from old broadcasts with their own music, to great effect. You can see / hear the original on the video page at publicservicebroadcasting.net there is also a glorious interpretation of the infamous radio description of the navy review at Spithead many years ago, in which the Lt Cmdr Thomas Woodroofe appears to be rather emotional about all the little fairy lights ;-) They have live dates coming up in Chelmsford, Southampton, Brighton (sold out), York, Hull, Derby, Leicester, London, Bristol and Cardiff. Details on their site. @PSB_HQ John Peel Centre benefit concert As you’ll be aware, SnC is pretty keen on a local arts centre which is doing great things to provide a space for creative activities in Stowmarket, here in Suffolk. It takes the name of former local resident and proponent of independent music, John Peel. The first ever John Peel Festival of New Music took place a couple of weeks ago as part of Norwich Sound + Vision. Within that was a pretty impressive concert featuring The Fall, The Undertones, Bearsuit and Dingus Kahn who all volunteered their services to raise funds to continue the renovation of the former Corn exchange in Stowmarket to provide state of the art facilities and ultimately, a John Peel’s legendary record collection. Fortunately, the gig was held at Epic Studios which just happens to be the woking base of our chum Charlie Gauvain and concert excerpts and interviews with The Fall’s Mark E Smith and Michael Bradley and Paul McLoone of The Undertones available have been compiled into a great video. See it here: http://thespace.org/items/e00018ag?t=tzqr Prairie Girl - Rah Rah (Regina, SK, Canada) Fall 2012 sees the release of The Poet’s Dead, the third and most accomplished album to date by Regina, SK sextet Rah Rah. Building on the strong foundation of their last release, the critically acclaimed and iTunes Canada championed Breaking Hearts, this new ten song effort effectively captures a band at the peak of their abilities doing what they do best. The Poet’s Dead, recorded in late 2011 under the production guidance of indie-rock recording geniuses Gus Van Go and Werner F (The Stills, Hollerado, Priestess), clearly displays that Rah Rah has truly fine-tuned the essence of the band and refined the maturity of their sound. "Recording with Gus and Werner was one of the most rewarding challenges I've ever been a part of,” says band member Erin Passmore. “They understood how and when exactly to push us and I'm so proud of what we've been able to create with their help and guidance." Rah Rah formed as a trio in 2007, originally created by Erin Passmore (vocals, drums, keys, guitar) and Marshall Burns (vocals, guitar). By 2008 they had been joined by Kristina Hedlund (violin, keys, accordion, vocals) and Erin’s brother Joel Passmore (formerly of Despistado and Sylvie) on bass. Later that year another former Despistado member Leif Thorseth (guitar) also joined the band. The band is rounded out by its newest member, Jeff Romanyk (drums, keys, guitar). The members of Rah Rah share a collective mentality, taking turns taking the lead, both in songwriting and while on stage. The melodic male/female vocals and shared instrumentation traded off seamlessly (Erin Passmore and Jeff Romanyk both play drums, keyboards and guitar, while Kristina Hedlund plays violin, keyboards and accordion), plus a true level of fun throughout ensures that a Rah Rah show will not disappoint. The Poet’s Dead was released digitally on October 2nd and physically on October 22nd through Hidden Pony Records. Check their site for show dates across Canada and to LA in the next 45 weekas plus the video for Prairie Girl. @rahrahband Miss Chan - Chinese Man (Marseilles, France) In his somewhat unseemly swag grab at The Great Escape 18 months ago Pete Cogle snagged a promo copy of Racing with the Sun by Marseilles-based collective Chinese Man. It had a massive impact on Pete and, I'll confess that it hugely impressed me too. In Pete's analysis this track, Miss Chang, "starts with a sample of an old Chinese song, on top of a lovely dubby beat, leading into some live vocals provided by Taïwan MC & Cyph4". In 2005, Sly, Zé Mateo and High Ku committed their first phonographic havoc. "THE PANDI GROOVE EP", a mix of influences back from their parents: Reggae, Brazilian Baile Funk and Old School Hip Hop ... Racing with the Sun was released last year (2011) They have a few live dates planned during November and early December: 08/11/12 PARIS A l'occasion de la sortie de son CD-DVD Live, Chinese Man revient à Paris pour un ultime et unique concert à la Machine du Moulin Rouge à partir de 20h et jusqu'à 00H - SOLD OUT 04/12/12 Cologne (Germany) - StadtGarten. 05/12/12 Hamburg (Germany) - Uebel & Gefährlich. 06/12/12 Hannover (Germany) - Glocksee. 07/12/12 Dresden (Germany) - Scheune. 08/12/12 Berlin (Germany) - Bi Nuu. 09/12/12 Frankfurt (Germany) - Das Bett. Pete loves this album as much as ever. I can hear why. You can get this and more of their music from iTunes, Amazon and, indeed, from their lovely label site. Check out this superbly crafted video too. @Chinesemanrec Show Me Your Eyes - Royal Canoe (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) Royal Canoe is a group of musicians on a mission to construct ambitious, inventive music. The songs are thick with catchiness, rich in rhythm and are consistently pushing against the boundaries of pop music. They spend almost every day in a shit-hole rehearsal space writing hooks, singing through effects pedals, scrawling lyrics on scraps of paper, and constructing heavy beats in odd time signatures. They create samples by running conventional sounds through unconventional pieces of gear, drumming on bathtubs and garbage cans, listening to Big Boi and manipulating bits of old records. The band calls Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada home – the enigmatic prairie city, which has served artists as both an abundant, creative watering hole and a debilitating quagmire. @royalcanoe Coming Out To Play - Thomas Allan (Mönchengladbach, Germany) We heard from Thomas Allan a few weeks ago in SnC 342. Since then, he's been in touch to say thanks, to resolve a couple of queries and to ask a favour. “When it was broadcast you weren't sure if I was from Mönchengladbach or London. Here are the facts: I was brought up in Bury St. Edmunds and then moved to Germany, due to my fathers connection with the British Forces. He was also brought up in Bury St. Edmunds. I am currently, as you guessed, in Mönchengladbach where I write, record, play and produce all my own music. My time is spent between Germany and England at the moment in an attempt to get my music noticed and also to settle in London to continue my studies. I really appreciate you broadcasting my track, it makes it all the work worth it, when a man with your musical experience plays a track of mine and likes it. Due to my music being far more British influenced and orientated, it is not as appreciated here in Germany as I hope it would be in the UK. Do you have any addresses or contacts that could help me in my mission to "spread the word" in the UK? Any help would be greatly appreciated!” www.facebook.com/thomasallanmusic www.jamendo.com/en/list/a113172/commercial-b-sides We Tried - Bouts (Dublin, Ireland) This Dublin based guitar-shredding group of rockers, whose video of "Turn Away", off their latest release, piles a group of their closest friends inside four small walls of a Japanese Karaoke booth, cover those walls with the song's lyrics and pass around a bottle of Ireland's finest drink and a microphone. You probably guessed that this is one of their more sing-along songs so for a heavy dose of their guitar loudness, stream and get a free download of "We Tried" off their self titled EP Bouts, which was released Oct 2011. You’ll find it on Bandcamp at http://tinyurl.com/cp82ezu Our track is from their Bouts EP 2011 which was recorded and mixed in 8 days last year. It’s available as a free download from their site. Pick it up, enjoy it and tell your mates; friend them on Facebook and spread the word. That’s the way it works. By the end of 2012 the band, comprising Barry Bracken: Vocals and Guitar, Daniel Flynn: Drums and Percussion, Colin Boylan: Guitar and Vocals, Niall Jackson: Bass and Vocals, will have played nearly 50 shows including numerous Irish festivals and in support of bands like We Were Promised Jetpacks, Wintersleep and Presidents of The USA. They somehow found time to put out a limited edition double A-side 7 inch "Get Sick"//"Turn Away" in March. It's almost sold out but you may still be able to order a copy. @gimmebouts |
Wed, 24 October 2012
As quirky a selection of music as you’re likely to get in your ear all week with tasty audio treats from The Bloody Angle, Little People, Choir of Young Believers, Orfanij, Lola Dutronic and firstly, You Bred Raptors? who are a New York City based band as familiar with playing on the subway as any more conventional venues. The line-up comprises 8 string bass, drums and cello. I’m actually pleased to be locked away in the barn this week, it was raining when we got back from Cornwall and it has been dark, dank and foggy ever since. In fact it has been so dark that photography without flash has been near impossible. So here's another pic from Cornwall. In fact if you are ever near Port Isaac this is a great little cafe serving superb coffee and is run my someone with great tastes in music - a real gem. Orchids - You Bred Raptors? (Astoria, New York, USA) "Born somewhere between the Neolithic Era and the Industrial Revolution, You Bred Raptors? minstrel through the NYC subways with the Music Under New York Program. The trio of egghead rockers comprise Eplileptic Peat (real name Peter Rains/eight-string bass), Zach Schmidlein (drums) and Bryan Wilson on (cello), who named themselves after a line in Jurassic Park. “Our name is a question? The band is an inquiry, not a declarative statement,” says Peat. “I want people to like us but not know why.” They also aim to raise awareness about Dinosaur cloning research. Their latest album "Hammond" came out in February 2012. Thanks for the support and hold on to your butt." www.reverbnation.com/youbredraptors @youbredraptors The Bloody Angle - The Bloody Angle (Charlottesville, VA, USA) The Bloody Angle plays southern-fried swamp rock, with a touch of americana and a hint of country. Gritty guitars, lap-steel, and finger-picking support vocal harmonies and traditional keyboard tones. The sound conjures the southern countryside, civil war battlefields and backroad watering holes. The eponymous debut album was released last week. The album was recorded entirely in the analog realm, at producer-songwriter Matt Singleton’s studio in the Central Virginia countryside. “We wanted to produce a record that was warm, immediate, and spontaneous.” quotes Singleton. “This album was a direct backlash against the modern style of making music... no edits, no grid, no auto-tune. We wrote and performed together in the studio, and captured the songs to tape as they came out, warts and all.” When the record was finished, the band had the vinyl masters cut directly from the analog tape. “As far as we can tell, there is only one guy around who even does this anymore. Carl Rowatti, at Trutone Mastering Labs in New York. We went up and watched him cut it. So cool.” The songs toggle between personal stories and character driven studies. The common thread is the southern landscape, where the stories live among the soldiers, drunks, bible-thumpers and other characters that Singleton either encounters, inhabits, or pulls from the pages of history. The sound has a surprising maturity, given that the band has only been together for a year. @thebloodyangle Aldgate Patterns - Little People (London, UK) Little People is the moniker of UK-based downtempo electronic musician Laurent Clerc. He returns with his second full length album We Are But Hunks Of Wood on Youth & Progress Records. Along the lines of DJ Shadow, RJD2 and Four Tet, Little People plays downtempo, intelligent electronic music. Part beats, bleeps and real live instrumentation, this new record falls in a place where Bonobo and Explosions in the Sky would hypothetically meet. We are But Hunks of Wood is a sonic leap forward for Little People, which establishes him as a key proponent of the downtempo electronic music scene. Having initially come from the world of instrumental hip hop where tracks are often more akin to just sketches or interesting ideas, Laurent Clerc's pieces are fully fledged songs whose arrangements create a sense of mood and movement, effortlessly going from nuanced electronic patterns to soaring string arrangements over the course of the journey. This is no beat tape. There are many reasons why it has taken time for Little People to release his follow up record. However, the primary reason is that he feels he has to reinvent his work methodology through writing and record his tracks from the ground up. He views sampling as tantamount to taking another man's 2 bars of inspiration and passing it off as your own. The story of the samplist making the jump to creating his own material is not new, but it isn't always a successful one. Laurent has taken the time to make sure that leap was taken with aplomb. @LittlepeopleM
Paint New Horrors - Choir Of Young Believers (Copenhagen, Denmark) When listening to Denmark’s Choir of Young Believers, it’s hard not to imagine an army of white-clad singers with arms outstretched, their voices raised in holy polyphon — in fact, the Danish group is the brainchild of Jannis Noya Makrigiannis. For years, Jannis moved in the underground circles of the Copenhagen indie scene. In 2006, he moved to the Greek island of Samos and began developing his own solo material. Jannis returned to Copenhagen and, gathering musicians and friends around him, formed Choir of Young Believers, an orchestral-pop project marked by magisterial melodies, dark lyrical concerns, and a healthy dose of cathedral-grade reverb. Choir of Young Believers have garnered an imposing number of accolades in their Danish homeland and in Europe for their debut full-length, This Is for the White in Your Eyes. The band received praise from outlets such as Mojo, The Guardian, Uncut and more. This Is For The White In Your Eyes, signalled the arrival of a powerful new talent, possessed of a fully formed vision, arch compositional ingenuity and a tenor to die for. While White in Your Eyes racked up overwhelmingly positive press, it can practically be seen as a soft launch for Choir of Young Believers’ masterful Rhine Gold. Now a proper band, the collaborative dynamic has imbued their sound with more authority and daring, as Choir inhabits a wholly unique space where intimate folk, classic Krautrock, big-sky Americana, avant-garde composition and bombastic theatricality seamlessly serve the same master. Like Choir’s music, Makrigiannis’ powerful voice unifies the ambitious scope of Rhine Gold by sounding at once dolorous and magisterial. The rich, enveloping production does wonders to corral such creative largess under a unified, sepia-toned song cycle. www.facebook.com/choirofyoungbelievers www.myspace.com/choirofyoungbelievers @COYBmusic Inertia - Orfanij (London, UK) Orfanij are Jonny on vocals, acoustic and electric guitar and Alexei who contributes vocals, synth and samples. The musical birth of Orfanij took place in East London's warehouse raves. This was followed by months in an attic studio where a Minimoog and a few guitars met digital synths and samples. Inspired by the duos engagement with the global non-violent movements against tyranny, corruption and oppression, the lyrical story told by Orfanij comes from the individual's dark and beautiful experiences with contemporary culture defined by an age of connections and the increasingly easy sharing of information. The result of their hard work is their soon to be released debut album which will be supported by a European tour beginning in November. www.facebook.com/pages/Orfanij/320110414677695 @theorfanij
S.O.S. - Lola Dutronic (Toronto-Berlin-Dusseldorf) The 4th album by Lola Dutronic, "Everyone's A Star", and their first full album for Red Star, comes hot on the heels of the well-received "New York Stories" EP - we heard a few tracks from that a while back. Available as a digital download and as CD it’s already being hailed in some quarters as their best album yet, it contains the pensive electro ballad "On My Radio", the epic title track "Everyone's A Star" and the song that some people are already calling the Single Of The Year, "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead", featuring backing vocals from Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth, Hugo Burnham, Mona Mur & En Esch, Jeremy Gluck, David Buckley, Eric Debris, Ian MacKay, Ray Coburn, Bill Wood, Billie Bucko Brock, Jaymz Bee, Teddy Fury and Project Heartbreak. http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/everyones-a-star/id554032335?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
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Wed, 17 October 2012
No really, it is 345 this week. I just got it completely wrong all through last week’s show. Doh. Must try harder. It’s CMJ week in New York and I’m stuck here in the UK. Still, with cancelling New York relatively late in the day means that the diary is relatively clear so there’s been time for a few days in Cornwall. Now it’s back to the Barn and get cracking with that website. Weigh You Down - Crushed Out (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Crushed Out is an explosive hit of surf-garage momentum and rock & roll from Brooklyn, NY consisting of Frank Hoier on guitar and vocals and Moselle Spiller on drums. After four national tours and a well-received EP, 2010's Show Pony, the couple, formerly known as Boom Chick, are set to release their debut full-length, Want to Give, on Nov. 6, 2012 on their own Cool Clear Water imprint. Want to Give is a pure guitar/drum adrenalinrush - plenty of fuzz, tremolo, riffs, chunky chords, slide and Black Sabbath power chords. The songs are tight and lean; no fat, no studio fairy dust. Recorded both at Brooklyn's Bunker Studio as well as at Crushed Out's own analog studio in a rural New Hampshire barn, the tracks were all self-produced and mixed by John Davis. The bulk of Want To Give was created during Charles Shaw-fueled jam sessions at the duo's practice space in Red Hook, Brooklyn in 2011. Moselle was working as a freelance graphic artist and Frank taught guitar lessons. At night, they'd jam in their industrial space in Red Hook's Ohm Acoustics speaker factory. Deciding to escape NYC rents, they moved their gear up to Moselle's childhood town in rural Effingham, NH, where they set up their own 16-track recording studio in the old barn on the property. Crushed Out formed as Boom Chick in September 2009. Southern California native Frank came out of the skate punk scene and learned his way around a recording studio (as well as his wariness of record labels) from his father, a musician who was in the first white band signed to Motown Records. Moselle grew up in New Hampshire and is a former junior Olympic downhill skier who later studied graphic design. She produces all of Crushed Out's distinctive artwork, videos, posters and merchandise and makes a lot of her own stage clothes. Moselle's ability to learn to drum - she decided to play the drums and three months later the two were playing Brooklyn loft gigs - was a highly discussed topic in early interviews. Now an accomplished drummer with four national tours under her belt, she is the thunderous beat in the band, with Frank taking on lead vocals, even while shredding on lead guitar. Caves - Fitz. (Birmingham, UK) Singer/Songwriter Sam Fitzpatrick fronts a collective of musicians and friends performing sincere and intricate acoustic/alternative folksong. With their wistfully folky sound, these boys bring a special sort of energy to their music, gracefully waltzing between the "get up and dance" and the "sit down and listen". Fitz. is on tour throughout the UK in support of his forthcoming single 'Caves' released on Monday (October 15th). @Fitzofficial Bad Karma - Burning Shapes (Kent, UK) BURNING SHAPES round off the summer with scorching debut album 'THESE THINGS HAPPEN' produced by Joe Hirst (Bloc Party, Ian Brown, Razorlight, Beth Gibbons) through Friendly Tribe on 1st October. The band introduced a sound that has been described as West Coast pop on steroids with a trilogy of summer singles over 2011/2012 and gained national attention for their innovative use of QR codes as a music distribution tool for the forthcoming album. Having already supported the likes of Mumford & Sons and The Stranglers, and performed at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend Festival the band continue to support releases with live shows and festival appearances in London and the South East with plans afoot for a UK tour later this year. With recently single 'BAD KARMA' getting picked up for the soundtrack to the £2m British feature film Lucid coming out next year things are really heating up for this Kent based four piece. AKA Annie - Peg Simone (NYC, NY, USA) Another deliciously quirky track from NYC artist Peg Simone. Her idiosyncratic take on music and life really appeals to me. So does her sometimes snarling sneering vocal tone. I reality she is a lovely person with whom I had the great pleasure of lunching last year. You Can - Skipping Girl Vinegar (Melbourne, Australia) Melbournian five-piece Skipping Girl Vinegarwas established in 2006. The band comprises of brother/sister duo Mark and Sare Lang and their respective childhood friends Chris Helm, Amanthi Lynch & Kelly Lane. Their debut album launched in 2008 – “Sift the Noise” brought the band to the attention of the music industry and earned them critical acclaim from senior music writers across the nation. Childhood friends and celebrated songwriters, they have released two critically acclaimed albums in their homeland, Sift the Noise and Keep Calm, Carry the Monkey that made many ‘Album of the year' lists. Where hi-fi swagger meets low-fi sway, Skipping Girl Vinegar have carved out their own heart-warming, hobo-pop sound that is testament to the band’s old-world authenticity and song craft. Skipping Girl Vinegar released their Chase the Sun EP into the USA on the 25th of June that hints at whats to come from their critically acclaimed album Keep Calm Carry the Monkey due for release into the USA later this year. Skipping Girl Vinegar has played many of Australia's premier festivals including packed shows at Splendour In The Grass, The Falls Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Sunset Sounds, Pyramid Rock and Port Fairy Folk Festival. SGV have also supported the likes of The Lemonheads, Something for Kate, Shout Out Louds, Missy Higgins, Angus & Julia Stone. Recently charting on the U.S. CMJ charts with their 'Chase The Sun' EP (2012), the band have been invited to play the CMJ Music Festival in New York which is on this week. They are playing no less than three CMJ slots: Legion (Brooklyn) at 10pm on Wednesday (tonight) Pianos Upstairs (Lower East Side) at 3pm on Thursday (tomorrow) as part of the Planetary showcase The Delancy on Saturday at 5:20 as part of the legendary Aussie BBQ which is organised by Millie and the Sounds Australia team. They also have showcases in Los Angeles & Nashville. Whilst in the U.S. Skipping Girl Vinegar begin recording their third album with legendary producer Brad Jones (Josh Rouse, Missy Higgins) and release their Keep Calm, Carry the Monkey LP into the U.S on Mon, 22nd October 2012. Busy times eh? So Help Me God - D A W N S (Montana, USA) Montana outfit D A W N S is a musical collaboration between songwriter David Boone and string-arranger Audrey Riley which released its self-titled debut in June. Now, the group, which worked with producer Danton Supple on their previous release, will unveil a new 7-inch on October 9. So Help Me God is the centerpiece. D A W N S released their Danton Supple (Coldplay, Starsailor, Morrissey) produced self-titled debut in June on the Summer Solstice. The EP is a dynamic collaboration between Montana songwriter David Boone and string-arranger, Audrey Riley (The Smiths, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins) and combines lush melodies and orchestral arrangements with americana, indie rock and pop. Today, RCRDLBL premieres a FREE DOWNLOAD of "So Help Me God" with Emily Zemler calling the track, "A rocklicking folk-rock number with orchestral undertones." The first new music from D A W N S since the EP and again produced by Supple, "So Help Me God" will be available as a 7-inch with b-side "Camouflage" on Tuesday, October 9th. Stream both tracks from the 7-inch here. The touring band is an eclectic six-piece outfit with upright bass, cello, lap steel, bow saw and percussion and they’ll be on the road through the Fall with stops in San Francisco, LA, Austin, Milwaukee, Philadelpia and NYC for multiple CMJ performances. Bodmin Dubbing - Bagas Degol (Penzance, Cornwall, UK) The band is Rick Williams (clarinet), David Twomlow (bag pipes and soprano saxophone), and Dave Trahair (tabor drum and percussion). From Penzance in the far west of Cornwall, BAGAS DEGOL has/had a fast growing reputation on the Cornish music and dance scene with their distinctive style of traditional music delivered with a powerful, raw edge. Their name in Cornish means 'Feast Day Band' in recognition of the occasion for which they originally came together - to accompany the famous Tom Bawcock's Eve lantern procession in Mousehole. I first played a track (Bodmin Dubbing) from their album Tonight we're going to party like it's 1399 on SnC 039 back in November 2006. One concern is that in August 2010, the previous time they were on the show) their website was advertising gigs from 2007. Now it is gone entirely. Very sad :( However, they did show up here: http://www.cornwallmusic.co.uk/events/bagas-degol-red-letter-days-0 so perhaps there is hope. |
Wed, 10 October 2012
A selection of the most interesting music I’ve heard all week in this week’s Suffolk’n’Cool. The tracks come from LA, Colorado, New York, Orange County, London and the Faroe Islands and they as diverse as their origins. There’s also a particularly high level of instrumental playing in evidence this week - listen out for Teitur’s playing in particular as well as Gypsy Bed. Fabulous stuff. I spotted this gem of a Citroen van serving waffles at the Aldeburgh Food 'n' Drink bash last weekend. Breaking Free - Nerd Revolt (LA, CA, USA) From the very first conversation, m.0 and the iLL.F.O. bonded over a love of synthesizers. It was the start of a friendship that would inspire them to reach for their dreams. But it was more than just starting a band. They shared a vision of what a 21st century artist could be. The tools kept getting more powerful, and you could broadcast your work instantly. Having total creative control, you can share ideas and express yourself... which might empower others to live their dreams too. From all these late-night conversations, the seeds of Nerd Revolt were planted. Jamming out at Command Central, they started with what they knew best: music. Both lifelong musicians, they felt an instant chemistry in the studio. NR’s first EP, Haze of introspection...and sh*t. captures the pensive, moody atmosphere of their early days as a Live PA act. With their eponymous debut album, Nerd Revolt has unveiled a more confident and refined sound. Dark, complex, and synth-heavy, their self-produced record captures an emotional journey and tells an inspiring story of liberation. the iLL.F.O. (lead vox + synths + programming) delivers hypnotic, confessional lyrics and psychedelic soundscapes, while m.0 (synths + programming) holds it down with his production, sound design, and engineering skills. Keeping true to their vision, Nerd Revolt’s creativity goes beyond just music. Self-taught in video production and photography, they’ve seen their collaboration take on new dimensions. As their friendship evolves, so does their art... and the whole journey’s being documented on their blog, dejaded.com. Nerd Revolt isn’t about hype, pretense, or bowing down to the status quo. It’s about expressing yourself and spreading positivity. It’s about being who you are and inspiring others to embrace themselves. Through living their dreams, m.0 and the iLL.F.O. are empowering people around the world to believe in theirs. And the revolt’s just beginning... @nerdrevolt Bob Lefsetz, in his excellent Lefsetz Letter quoted lyrics from Macklemore & Ryan while they were at number 1 in the iTunes album chart: "The Heist" Macklemore & Ryan Lewis contains the song "Jimmy Iovine." You can hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RwW6ERgpvo You can read the lyrics here: http://www.songlyrics.com/macklemore-ryan-lewis/jimmy-iovine-lyrics/ Although there are references to Jimmy earlier in the track, at the end the lyrics are: "Now I'm sorry, I've had a long day Remind me, now what's your name? That's right, Macklemore Of course, today has been crazy Anyway, you ready? We'll give you a hundred thousand dollars After your album comes out we'll need back that money that you borrowed So it's really like a loan A loan? Come on, no 1-2, 360 degrees, we will reach your goals You'll get it done in the merch that you sell out on the road Along with the third of the money you make when you're out doing your show Manager gets 20, booking agent gets 10 So shit, after taxes you and Ryan have 7% to split That's not bad, I've seen a lot worse No one will give you a better offer than us I replied I appreciate the offer, thought that this is what I wanted Rather be a starving artist than succeed at getting fucked" Although this song is specifically about Jimmy Iovine, it could be any record label honcho. You see the label and its execs need the money, to protect their lifestyle, to try and succeed in their failing race to keep up with the bankers. Selling recorded music ain't what it used to be, and they're not gonna suffer, the acts must. Jailhouse Jumbo Jones - Teitur (Faroe Islands) Renowned singer-songwriter Teitur is on a U.S. and European tour in support of the recent release of his EP Four Songs. The EP contains three new tracks, “Home”, “Jailhouse Jumbo Jones” and “She Lives in the North” and a new version of “Poetry & Aeroplanes”, the title track of his debut album from 2003. The EP was recorded in the newly completed Studio Bloch, owned by Teitur’s long time recording and mix engineer, Jonas Bloch Danielsen. The stunning studio is based in an old building in Torshavn, in Teitur’s native Faroe Islands, utilising the natural acoustics of the building, having been partly carved into the surrounding rock and using 100 year old cork built into some of the walls, from when the building was used for ice storage, for natural sound insulation. The recordings are the first time Teitur has released anything recorded solo, without any other musicians, in his career, and he will be playing out songs from his next, yet to be recorded, album on the forthcoming tour. Teitur comments: “Sometimes songs take on a new meaning or a new musical direction after you have played them lots of times live. I've often had regrets recording certain songs before I had the chance to play them live - it should really be the other way around, that you record your song once it's come full circle, ideally after a tour. This fall I will go on a solo tour and play only intimate venues where I will try out new songs - material I intend to record for my upcoming album. I've always been throwing in new material into my tours, but this time it will be more than one or two songs. I've also made a 4 song EP for the tour in the same spirit.” The Four Songs EP is available through Arlo and Betty Recordings. @teitur February Truths - A Shoreline Dream (Denver, CO, USA) Melodipsych night dreamers A Shoreline Dream spent the first part of 2012 locked away in their Barnum studio creating a series of EPs inspired by their mountainscape surroundings and the never-ending changes going on around them. Created as a concept album of sorts, these three EPs, released digitally over the course of three months, and each containing three songs, have come together as a full album once stitched together. Each disc plays a role to what was going on during these secluded sessions, which is ever present while listening to them with ears open and eyes shut. With mountains of tone, and dream drenched roads paving the way through the songs themselves, the 333 series is a unique gazed-out listening experience, similar in vein to the vibe contained on their 2007 EP, Coastal. The first EP, Three, brings to mind open landscapes, dune inspired within epic environments. The second, 3, sets its tone to the night, and to Barnum itself, with it's vibe being set by the studio and the circus neighborhood it was recorded in. The third and final EP, III, was written with driving in mind, as each song is dedicated to the roads the band uses to test their tracks, with the final epic song "103" actually being written as a soundtrack to the drive up the highest paved road in North America, to the very top of Mt. Evans. This unique collection of songs is soon to be available through toneVendor exclusively, in a quantity of 100 only and then they will be gone for good. What you'll get is a set of 3 custom digipak CDs, in a O-card wrapped box, and each copy will be hand numbered and signed by the band. 11.5 Seattle, WA @ Comet Tavern 11.6 Portland, OR @ Ella St. Social Club 11.8 Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge www.facebook.com/ashorelinedream @AShorelineDream CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival, NYC 16-20 NYC Take a look and get a feel for how crazy CMJ can be. Panels start at 10:30 most days and run through until about 4 while the music gets underway at around midday and continues until around 3am. @cmj Fools - Gypsy Bed (Hudson, NY, USA) Combine world-class players with spoken-word poetry and you get a rompinʼ wild ride with GYPSY BED, the sexy, cool, jazz and world- infused sextet. This all-acoustic debut has songs dealing with social issues as well as living, dying, and love. Featuring “Skin to Skin,” previously recorded by Harry Belafonte, Jennifer Warnes and Diane Reeves. Godfrey Nelson is a composer/producer who has worked in many aspects of the music business from songwriting and commercials, to film, theater and CDs. Gypsy Bed's debut CD has given Godfrey a chance to bring together a group of friends he has worked with over the years to realize a vision, hence the band "Gypsy Bed". All the musicians and co-writers on this CD are world-class artists in their own right and have contributed their talents with heart and soul. Instrumentation includes acoustic guitar, upright bass, accordion, piano, vocals and drums. Get the CD from www.cdbaby.com/cd/gypsybed Tumbleweed in the Grand Scheme - Sam Page (Orange County, CA, USA) There are no computer-generated sounds in his music – just a raucous (albeit melodic) mix of real guitars, bass, percussion and vocals. After releasing a home-recorded EP in January 2011, Sam formed a band and did twenty gigs in southern California. He then released a second EP Waiting for Another Spring in April 2012. In a past life, Sam earned a PhD in Philosophy and for five years was a full-time college professor. But then he needed a break from being rational. So he decided to pursue a music career . . . Cymbalism - Audiogold (London, UK) Audiogold are fast gaining a reputation for having an ambient sound and great stage presence, through their regular performances on the UK music scene, including a bi-monthly residency at The Proud Galleries in London. Signed to JAMC records (a division of ChinChin records), Audiogold are renowned for their large, ambient sound, great stage presence and intricate songwriting. Influences include Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, and Pink Floyd. Audiogold play regularly at such venues as The Hoxton Underbelly, Camden Rock, Bush Hall, Camden Barfly. Their debut album, Embers & Theories is available in all digital and physical formats. @Audiogold |
Wed, 3 October 2012
The Argonauts called by on a very hot day a couple of weeks ago to play us a few tunes and have a chat. They may describe themselves as “Four pretty boys from the safe haven of Dedham step out into the real world with their raw and fresh take on the ironically mainstream indie genre.” But I for one consider there to be real potential in each of these young musicians. George Adams, Joe Wenden, Jake Murray and Dan Thomson who in this formulation make up The Argonauts. Even in the short time since the recording, the band have gone onto indefinite hiatus, not, I hasten to add, because of the Session at the Barn, but because leading light George Adams has taken off to Australia for a gap year. Even with the likely demise of the band as such, I rather think we’ll be hearing more from them. There’s more of their music lurking on the likes of YouTube, MySpace, Soundcloud - go check it out, and if you like what you hear, let them know. www.youtube.com/user/ArgonautsBand www.facebook.com/ingridandtheargonauts www.myspace.com/563954628/music @TheArgonauts_UK Sessions at the Barn studio engineer: Jeremy Gugenheim. |
Wed, 26 September 2012
For the first time in a very long time, NO tracks from Brooklyn nor even anywhere else in New York. Eight cracking tracks though from Spain, London, Virginia, Australia, Canada, LA and Mexico. You'll get the tracks at a bit of a canter since I'm getting close to the upload limit on the servers at Libsyn and I've got another Session at the Barn to fit in this week, from The Argonauts. Keep an eye on the SnC site, iTunes or your podcatcher of choice. Over to Wingfield Barns - a gorgeous arts centre, not far from The Barn, for a rather good photography exhibition today. Panic - La Olla Express (Alicante, Spain) A cracking fusion/rock/ska band from Spain. They still have a MySpace page but haven’t logged in since may 2010 and their website goes nowhere. Sadly, it all points in one direction. However, due to the wonders in the intertubes, their music is still as available and fresh as the day it was … On Jamendo at: www.jamendo.com/en/list/a51155/panic Sensation - Thomas Allan (London, UK / Mönchengladbach, Germany) Thomas Allan is a 20 year old, half British and half German singer-songwriter. His album "Commercial B-Sides" was recorded in his cellar. Thomas had various sessions in many professional studios but the producers were not able to capture the rough energy of his songs. Therefore Thomas decided to record, produce and mix his songs himself in his cellar, which gave the tracks this raw and authentic feeling! So look forward to some hand made music! Thomas' tracks have been broadcasted on BBC-Radio, where he was called "the new Billy Bragg". If you like what you hear, please give it a "like" on Facebook to stay updated with the latest news and releases! www.facebook.com/thomasallanmusic www.jamendo.com/en/list/a113172/commercial-b-sides I don’t fit in - Suburban Living (Norfolk, VA, USA) On the heels of the Cooper's Dream EP, Suburban Living unveil the Eyes Wide Shut inspired video for latest single, "I Don't Fit In." A dreamy, synth heavy jam drizzled in reverb and lauded by Consequence of Sound as a "summer anthem," the video tackles the issue of isolation via the lens of scantily clad models in masks, cross dressing and pink lipstick. The moniker of barely legal, Norfolk Virginia native, Wesley Bunch, Suburban Living has even drawn comparisons to the patron saint of pop despair, Moz, himself with yvynyl declaring he, "puts a cheery mod sound on a dire outsider's lament that Morrissey could be proud of." The video premiered yesterday via Prefix Magazine and Suburban Living embark on a mini east coast run in October before CMJ with dates opening for Ra Ra Riot, Mac DeMarco and more. http://wesley-bunch.squarespace.com/ @Suburbanlivingz
Dumb Love - Jack Ladder and the Dreamlanders (New South Wales, Australia) I think we’ve waited long enough for another superb Jack Ladder track. This may not yet be the masterpiece from Jack Ladder but I think this album puts down a marker and may well be a future collectable quoted by artists as a key influence. Order the limited, 180 gram vinyl, complete with download card and hand-numbered photo/lyric book, via the Holloweyed webstore iTunes, Google Play, Bandcamp and eMusic. @Hurtsville First Transmission - Jon Samuel (Halifax, NS, Canada) Samuel was introduced to music at a young age. He discovered the merits of modern music through MTV/ MuchMusic and classic rock through his father. In his teens, artists like Nirvana taught him you didn’t have to be a rock star to write rock music. By 16 Samuel was playing all-ages shows, like Halifax’s Cafe Ole, where he spent almost every Friday and Saturday night for over a year, regardless of who was playing. Samuel began his recording career in the Halifax band Slight Return (whose debut was released on Quebec’s Matlock Records). Over the years he crossed paths with the Juno Award-winning Wintersleep, and he first joined their side-project Contrived for their second full-length record Dead Air Verbatim and the subsequent Blank Blank Blank album before joined Wintersleep full time. First Transmission was recorded in the spring and summer of 2011, along with fellow Winterlseep band mates Tim D'Eon and Loel Campbell (and a portion of the record was done in the band’s rehearsal space). Most of the record was recorded in an apartment in Montreal. Rah Rah’s Erin Passmore lends vocals to two tracks. First Transmission is released on Hidden Pony Records. @centurysamuel Hanging On - Active Child (LA, CCCA, USA) Indiginous For Pat Grossi of Active Child, the last two years have been nothing short of enriching. Musically, Pat has worked within and appropriated a number of styles into his sound, from his early days singing with that heavenly voice as a choir boy to his more recent forays into laptop-assisted indie-pop made in his bedroom, best exemplified on 2010’s acclaimed Curtis Lane EP. This track has just been covered by Ellie Goulding. That won’t do his career any harm eh? @activechild Tyrant - Lili Haydn (Los Angeles, CA, USA) The accomplished and revered Lili Haydn is gearing up for her fourth studio album, I am a Man, due for release early 2013. Already gaining the respect of industry heavy hitters & tastemakers including Linda Perry, and George Clinton, I Am a Man is guaranteed to not disappoint with it's quirky pop hooks, raw grooves and honest incisive lyrics. "Tyrant", the first single from the upcoming album highlights Lili's soulful and melodic talent, in addition to her passion for social justice. Both as a solo artist and in her legendary collaborations (Roger Waters, Herbie Hancock, Page and Plant), Lili has toured the world and her records have been celebrated by NPR, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and audiences worldwide. In addition, she is the featured voice and violin on several films with Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean 3 & 4), among many others. Lili is also a film composer in her own right, with six feature films to her scoring credit. A humanitarian and activist, Lili also performs regularly for various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the Global Security Institute @LiliHaydn Black Widow - Elan (Guadalajara, Mexico) The word “elán” means “life force”. But the rock band “ELAN” (written in all caps “ELAN” as opposed to “Elán”, the lead singer) – a brother-and-sister led quintet from a small village near Guadalajara, Mexico – define themselves in different terms than other contemporary bands. There is a staggering level of musical communication nearly hard-wired into the band members' genes. ELAN has played together since they were children. Guitarist Mauricio “El Pato” López has collaborated with the DeFans since their early teens, while bassist Carlos “Charlie” Padilla Maqueo was in the first jam band with Jan Carlo at 11 years of age, and drummer Michel “Cheech” Bitar DeFan is a cousin. They have been best friends for nearly two decades and have played together for just as long. Jan Carlo shares, "We’ve really hit the point we’re at because of the constant touring we’ve done together over the past 15 years. We’re really a live band, and we’ve developed our sound by playing anywhere we could." |
Sat, 22 September 2012
Dominic Daniels is relatively new to his instrument of choice, the ukelele but already he is well able to support his skills as a writer of intelligent songs. He came into the barn (on a very hot day) with bass player Harry Buttery to play us a few tunes and have a chat about his music. Dom can currently be found on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/c3spoct If you want to contact Dom, drop me an email and I'll forward it on to him. We've another Session at the Barn coming up within the next week, from The Argonauts. |
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