Wed, 29 August 2012
An inadvertent fishy theme this week with the show topped and tailed by tracks called Fishermen. The voice of Paige McClain Wood infuses the sound of the Peach Kings with a delicious smoky sound in our opening track from Texas / California and we close out with Icelandic band Útidúr’s song Fisherman’s Friend which itself has some highly distinctive vocals. In between, Nordic Giants and Shy Around Strangers make welcome returns whilst Michna, Leftover Cuties and Angelo M impress with their style and skills. Yesterday didn’t feel that different but in the afternoon the air became alive with these spectacular butterflies feeding on the nectar. Today it’s back to normal, blowing a gale and heavy rain. Fisherman - The Peach Kings (TX/CA, USA) The Peach Kings, Texan Paige McClain Wood and Californian Steven Trezevant Dies, are set to release their new EP Handsome Moves in September 6, 2012. The EP will be released exclusively on vinyl, and as a digital download via iTunes. The duo will be playing a string of tour dates this September, including a free residency at Harvard & Stone in Los Angeles along with a stop by NYC in September. They describe their sound as "gypsydelic," which is just what it sounds like. Stemming from their inability to choose one genre of music to play, they coined the term in order to reflect their own personal view of the band. "Gypsy-" because they were inspired by playing outdoors and "-delic" because it contains just a hint of strange. The Peach Kings are strongly influenced by visuals in cinema and fashion. The Peach Kings draw their sound and inspiration from the smoky smooth crackle of blues, folk, and soul vinyls as well as the hypodermic tones synthesized in various beat laboratories across the globe. Stripped down, The Peach Kings' power is derived from Paige's hauntingly sensual vocals combined with Steven's complementary rhythm and picking. While the intoxicating "Fisherman" is the first single from Handsome Moves. Suffolkandcool.com and a fond farewell. Work is progressing at a frenetic pace on the development of the new website. It’s a complete fresh start from the ground up which would simply not have been possible (let alone in the time) without the assistance and advice of my good chum Justin Wayne (The Justin Wayne Show) who is proving himself to be a veritable goldmine of under the hood know-how. I hope you’ll like it. Justin and his lovely wife Dr Jamie are moving from London back to Manitoba, USA next week so I trust you’ll join with me in wishing them bon voyage. I know we’ll be in regular contact and I hope we’ll be able to collaborate on more good stuff. Who knows, perhaps we can both get to CMJ next year. Shine (Featuring Cate Ferris) - Nordic Giants (Brighton, UK) Brighton duo Nordic Giants were playing what they describe as cinematic post-rock at The Studio Bar at Komedia as part of the Great Escape Festival in May. A bunch of us just stumbled in pretty much by chance and were delighted with what we saw and heard. An unbelievably complex yet compact stage set-up involved more lengths of electrical string that I’ve had hot dinners as well as the projection of quite stunning silent videos with which the band played. This really was something else. Their four track EP A Tree As Old As Me is available Hidden behind feathered masks and effortlessly changing between instruments, the duo performs live original soundtracks to a backdrop of award winning short films (Provided by Shorts International). From dreamy ambient swells, epic builds and huge moments of power to a combination of dark, funny and beautiful short films, which can bring tears, smiles and actually scare you at times. Imagine the visual story telling of a cinema experience mixed with the raw energy and passion of a live gig - and you’ve hit the nail on the head!
@nordicgiants That Train - Angelo M - (Pennsylvania, USA) Emerging on the music scene after a steel mill bankruptcy cost him his pension, Angelo M has since made the unlikely transition from steelworker to touring artist. With guitar influences ranging from the likes of Ry Cooder, Chet Atkins, Duane Allman and Leo Kottke, recent reviews have been hailing Angelo M as a brilliant guitarist with an excellent voice, and calling his performances powerful. To date, his songs have been featured in the PBS Television series RoadTrip Nation, and garnered song writing honours in the prestigious ‘Mountain Stage’ NewSong and Billboard’s Song contests. His track Every Kind Of Blues was also selected from thousands as a finalist in Billboard’s 17th World Song Contest and received a Gold/First Place in Blues in the 27th Mid Atlantic Song Contest. Angelo M’s debut album aptly titled From Steel To Strings is now available to purchase via all major download stores. Details on how you can purchase it along with information on forthcoming gig dates can be found at www.creativeanddreams.com/angelo-m Never Look Down - Shy Around Strangers (NYC, NY, USA) We heard from Shy Around Strangers in show 330 with their track It’s Alright. Now they’re back with Never Look Down - some interesting lyrics in here. Assuming that all has gone well their debut EP was released yesterday, August 28th. Next is a series of shows around NYC. Co-founded in 2010, members Emily Powers, Saric and Michael Dawson shared a disdain for the current superficial trends in the recording industry, and starting recording their first EP as a collaborative protest against the importance placed on physical aesthetics. The sultry grit in Emily Powers vocal delivery is enough alone to entrance an audience. Her voice breaks with the sincerity of a wolf in sheep's clothing, luring you in with a sinister wink, and leaving you excitedly ill at ease somewhere between fear and sexual tension as you ponder her clever wordplay. @shyaroundstrangers Wanted Exotic - Michna (New York, NY, USA) The Moving Mountains EP is the first new material from New York producer Michna in nearly three years, since the release of his highly-acclaimed debut album Magic Monday in 2008. It's been quite a while between releases, but Michna's been anything but idle during this period – he's done everything from painting to production for the NBA to remixes for DM Stith, Joy Orbison and Kelis. And all the while, he's been working on new material, taking his time to record a follow-up to Magic Monday that represents another great leap forward in terms of both songwriting and production. His latest EP, Moving Mountains demonstrates the result of this endeavor, and the four tracks here provide a neat summation of Michna's versatility, covering more musical ground in 20 minutes than most artists do in an entire album. "Wanted Exotic" has house-influenced sounds giving the clearest nods to Michna's "other" career as a club DJ in NYC. Smile Big - Leftover Cuties (Los Angeles, CA, USA) “Smile Big” highlights the Leftover Cuties signature noir-pop sound, showcasing ukulele, brushed drums, double bass, and trumpet. Singer Shirli McAllen’s velvety vocals combine seamlessly with Austin Nicholsen (bass), Stuart Johnson (drums), and Mike Bolger (keys, horns, accordion) in a way that pays homage to the sophisticated, sultry sounds of yesteryear while embracing the tones of today. Leftover Cuties is currently in the studio working on their forthcoming album with producer Jake Sinclair (Weezer, Pink, Butch Walker) which is due out early 2013. The band recently released an all-covers EP called Departures boasting special arrangements of favorites like “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga and “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" by Bob Dylan. Departures followed their critically acclaimed debut Game Called Life EP which features the breakout title track and theme song to the Showtime hit series The Big C (listen here), as well as their album Places To Go, which was helmed by producer Tony Berg (Peter Gabriel, Pete Yorn). @LeftoverCuties Iceland Airwaves 31 October - 4 November already sold out. A stonking 65 artists have been added to the line-up for the now sold-out Iceland Airwaves - including GusGus, Hjálmar, Sin Fang, For A Minor Reflection and Nico Muhly to name but a few. The festival, which takes place between 31 October - 4 November in a wide array of Reykjavik venues, also welcomes Pascal Pinon, Lay Low, Daníel Bjarnason, Captain Fufanu, Úlfur, Borko, Kira Kira, Ghostigital and many others to the line-up - see below to see the full list of fantastic artists who have recently been added: GusGus, Kindness (UK), Hjálmar & Jimi Tenor (FI), I Break Horses (SE), Sin Fang, Nico Muhly (US), Ólöf Arnalds, Vacationer (US), Valgeir Sigurðsson, Jesuslesfilles (CA), Lay Low, Daníel Bjarnason, Ben Frost (AU/IS), For A Minor Reflection, Pascal Pinon, Sam Amidon (US), Bloodgroup, Kool Thing (DE), Árstíðir, Blouse (US), Ghostigital, Borko, Passwords (CA), Skúli Sverrisson, Kira Kira, Pétur Ben, Legend, The Echo Vamper (DK), Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band, Dr. Spock, Úlfur, Sometime, Beatmakin Troopa, Jafet Melge, Futuregrapher, Tonik, Stereo Hypnosis, Dj Andre, Prince Valíum, HIGHASAKITE (NO), Beneath, Celestine, Plastic Gods, Shiko Shiko (FR), Cercueil (FR), Captain Fufanu, Puzzle Muteson (UK), Croisztans, Angist, Low Roar (US/IS), Momentum, Langi Seli og skuggarnir, Paul Corley (US), Benjamin (FO), Fenster (DE), Eclectic Moniker (DK), Technical Kidman (CA), Heavy Medical (US), Contalgen Funeral, Hinir Guðdómlegu Neanderdalsmenn, Thizone, Bendagram (FI), Dimma, Wistaria and Heflarnir. And click here to see the FULL line-up so far - it's going to be incredible! Fisherman’s Friend - Útidúr (Reykjavík, Iceland) Útidúr (pronounced: ooh - detour) is a ten piece group from Iceland that plays joyous and ambitious chamber-pop with a dramatic streak. Although this charismatic crew is quite (midnight) sunny in attitude they also know their way through darker waters. Trace elements of Angelo Badalamenti, Beirut, Calexico and Ennio Morricone can be found in their system so fans of these should expose themselves to Útidúr in any way they deem appropriate. Formed by guitarist/singer Gunnar Örn and keyboardist Kristinn Roach, Útidúr started churning out multifaceted songwriting that soon chain-reacted the project to mushroom into a ten strong bunch. The full posse now includes players of double bass, drums, trumpet, violins, a second guitar and an accordion. The band has honed their craft for a while and began playing at various venues in downtown Reykjavík in late summer of 2009. Útidúr’s debut album ‘This Mess We’ve Made’ is out now and was recorded at the Sigur Rós recording studio ‘Sundlaugin’ in the summer of 2010. The album is big in sound, featuring over 20 musicians, and you can expect a spacious blend of bipolar drama and sofa-sinking mellowness, all soaked in hook-laden pop sensibility. @Utidur
Direct download: snc338-120829.mp3
Category:Suffolk,Cool,international,Music,podcast,Peter Clitheroe,Peach Kings, Nordic Giants,Angelo M,SHy Around Strangers,Michna,Leftove -- posted at: 3:33 PM |
Wed, 22 August 2012
An extended interview with the highly distinctive talent that is Dudley Saunders takes up the latter part of the show. He is an articulate and thoughtful man with interesting things to say about music and the emotional responses it evokes. His new album, the first in five years, isn't out until October but we have privilaged access to a track to close the show.
Today the wilderness beach at Bawdsey called out "Get over here and don't forget the beer and sandwiches". Well, when you get the call of nature, you really have to respond!
Henry - The Mean Season (Washington DC, USA) From their eponymous EP out now on Fake Chapter Records. The Mean Season is completely stripped down. Cherie, Ryan, and Mathias, three members that seem to have been together for longer than their years, create songs that are not overly complex and seem oddly familiar even though you have never heard them before. The music, derived from a myriad of influences, all retain the same soul. The lyrics are intelligent and powerful, born of long lunches sitting in front of paintings at the portrait gallery. "The Mean Season has really caught my attention. With their submitted EP, the trio has made an album of undeniably catchy yet powerful indie rock songs with a folk tinge. The voice of lead singer Cherie on the title track (my favorite!) is haunting and beautiful. 'Black Tie Affair,' another favorite, is a nostalgic tune with a country edge which I found hard to get out of my head (especially the chorus 'why does it always have to be another love song?')" - The Deli Magazine @themeanseason Wolf - Tailor (Johannesburg, South Africa) South African singer, Tailor, wrote half of her album, The Dark Horse, in just one day. That the songs spilt out of her without any warning is as strange and striking as the debut LP sounds. “I began playing about on my guitar and singing lyrics that seemed to sail in to my head. I didn’t even realize I had written a song until the producer asked me to play it again because he hadn’t hit record,” she explains. This song, the bewitching “Wolf,” is Tailor’s first single from The Dark Horse. The need to escape drives much of The Dark Horse. It’s there in the acoustic guitar-driven “Ghosts,” in the sinister lyrics of the otherwise poppy “Step Back,” and at the heart of the oblique “Indian.” Even the album’s sunniest song, the glorious, handclap-backed “Love Anthem,” isn’t as happy-go-lucky as it sounds on first listen. For Tailor, The Dark Horse marks the end of her escape and the start of a new chapter. “I love the drama in the album because it sort of sums up my life - lots of ups and downs, like a rollercoaster ride. It’s odd, but it’s also in your face. It’s not just like me, it is me.” @thisistailor Fluffy Clouds - Lee “Scratch” Perry with The Orb A lovely new take and genuine collaboration between The Orb and Lee “Scratch” Perry. Anne - Conveyor (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Conveyor is a Brooklyn-based music project spawned by the fated juncture of a wandering tarot of musicians in Gainesville, FL. Was it kismet or perhaps a primordial summon which led these gentlemen purveyors of sound to individually tune in and migrate North to the bustling seductress known as New York City? Their retort is Sun Ray, a debut EP birthed and released in the warm embrace of Spring 2011. Brimming with lucid, homey synths layered over acoustic guitars and harmonious vocals, they channel extraterrestrial bible-thumpers drenched in love, spouting acid-soaked pop unabashed to beam with the simultaneous embrace of life/death realities backed by a polyrhythmic, pulsing backdrop. A decidedly grand task indeed, and following a string of self-released, handmade EPs, they are releasing their debut full-length album in 2012 with Brooklyn’s Paper Garden Records, a testament to our nature and the nature of ourselves. @therealconvdeyor Love Song for Jeffrey Dahmer - Dudley Saunders (Los Angeles, CA, USA) From Dudley Saunders 2007 album The Emergency Lane. A dark, discomforting and ultimately quite beautiful song. Monsters Kickstarter campaign Monsters is the first Dudley Saunders album since 2007 is scheduled for release in October. Right now the drive is on to secure $4000 in pledges to support the album’s release. Dudley has a Kickstarter campaign running which gives music lovers a chance to help the album reach a wider audience and get their own copy a full month before release. There are a range of pledge options from the $10 digital download to a more substantial pledge that will see Dudley drive or fly to your location and play a private concert just for you and your friends. He tells us more about his motivation, music and people’s reactions to it in this extended interview. We need to respond quickly. The campaign ends in 9 days, at 11.09 on 1 September. If the target isn’t reached, the campaign ends, pledges are deleted, no money changes hands and the album release fund is empty. If the pledge target is reached at all goes ahead and you’ll get your download (or whatever you pledge for) and the money will be there to make the release happen. Find the campaign and make your pledge at the Monsters Kickstarter page Monster - Dudley Saunders (Los Angeles, CA, USA) A fantastic preview of the almost title track of Dudley Saunders’ upcoming album Monsters, due for release in October. |
Wed, 15 August 2012
Again, some rather interesting music this week with mostly very new material and an old favourite to close the show. It’s harvest time here in Suffolk, so the air is regularly filled with dust and the sound of agricultural machinery - sometimes way into the night. It is unfortunate that they seem to harvest when when it is otherwise quiet and, particularly when it is warm and I need the windows and door open at the barn for ventilation. Oh well, a bit of ambient sound is probably forgivable once in a while eh? If all else fails, a walk down by the estuary at Woodbridge usually clears the head. A very atmospheric day today in so much as there seemed to me a lot of atmosphere about, which was squeezing l few large drops of rain out of itself. Hurtsville - Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders (NSW, Australia) The title track of a remarkably solid album. 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. 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. I rather suspect that we’ll be coming back to this album for a while. @Hurtsville Huron River Drive (and Evenings Remix) - Shigeto (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Huron River Drive is a track on Shigeto’s debut LP Lineage. In the context of which it has a quite distinctive vibe of its own. Now the track has been released on a single which also features two remixes and remixes of two other tracks from the original album. Taken as a whole, the single is an exploration of the possibilities inherent in Shigeto’s sound, and serves as a fine introduction to the work of one of Brooklyn’s more interesting young producers. The entire collection is available direct from Ghostly International Gotye This is glorious. Gotye has rounded up his favourite covers of "Somebody That I Used To Know" and edited them together - brilliantly. Kenny Herzog in Spin also has an interesting selection of the six tracks that get stuck in Gotye's head … and you can see why.
Artyom and Yuriy are from Irkutsk, Siberia, where they were raised and educated in Soviet tradition. Enrolled as children in stern classical music school, they spent many long, dark winters with nothing to do but practice, practice, practice! The boys have come a long way from the steppes, with a dozen albums over their 20-year career. They've toured all over the world, from the trance clubs of Ibiza to NYC's Lincoln Center. They've won many awards, including a coveted Golden Mask (Russia's Grammy awards), First Place in the Instrumental Category of the 2011 International Songwriting Competition, and "Best New Band" at the Soviet Union National Music Festival in 1986 (their public debut). What sets them apart? Virtuoso talent performing a unique hybrid of rock & folk, supercharged by a Russian ethnic pulse. This is the sound of genius, bred and raised in Soviet Siberia, then freed of the Iron Curtain just in the nick of time. Enjoy! Crows Feet - Black Pistol Fire (Toronto, Canada & Austin, TX) Black Pistol Fire is a Canadian rock and roll duo that splits their time between Toronto, Ontario and Austin, Texas. Their wild and energetic rock and roll sound has been described as a mix of classic southern rock and garage punk, garnering comparisons to early Kings of Leon, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Black Keys, and Clutch. It's clear that the band's sound spans many different eras and sub-genres, relying on a classic rock and roll sound that has been updated for our modern times. The group features Kevin McKeown on guitar/lead vocals and Eric Owen on drums. The two have been friends since kindergarten and began playing music together in high school, when they discovered a shared passion for rock and roll music. They eventually became the founding members of rock and roll trio The Shenanigans and recorded an LP titled Bombshell Baby. After things with The Shenanigans and Toronto got stale, McKeown and Owen wanted a change of scenery and to try out something new, so they packed up their instruments and headed south. The duo finally settled down in Austin, Texas in 2009 and Black Pistol Fire was born. The band recorded their second LP in the fall of 2011 with producer Michael Rocha in Toronto. This album, titled Big Beat '59 was released yesterday via Rifle Bird records. As a companion piece to the album, the band recently released a five song EP titled Shut-up! A Tribute to Little Richard. The EP is a bit of fun, displaying Black Pistol Fire's modern and fun blues-rock spin on Little Richard's signature soul sound. @blackpistolfire Gold Star - Glass Vaults (New Zealand / NYC) Glass Vaults are New Zealand natives Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce. I played their track Crystallise on SnC334 a couple of weeks ago. Having played former chorister Active Child’s track Johnny Belinda last week I thought we’d get a bit of a theme running here with this second track from Glass Vaults. I’m sure that the “vault-like” sound will have been created electronically but it’s always interesting to hear the interaction between a human voice and the space in which it is sounding. This track takes on an almost cathedral style acoustic and the voices play in it. @Glassvaults Cule Cule Trombon - KEPAY (Guadalajara, Spain) I’ve played this before but not for just over six years. The glorious Cule Cule Bon Bon with added trombones. Isn’t it just glorious. They may not be around any more because the site address returns a can’t find the server notice. You can still get the whole Desde el Fondo album free from Jamendo. www.kepay.net/ (link not working when I last checked but give it a try) |
Wed, 8 August 2012
Music from New York rather dominates this week but Maryland and LA get looks in and we close with a spectacular track from the ever exciting Xera from Asturia on the north coast of Spain. When you’ve finished listening, and not a minute before ;), do follow the vimeo link in the Active Child notes and give your eyes a treat as well as your ears. It's a slightly shorter show this week because we need to hold a bit of storage space at Libsyn in reserve for a few rather special shows that will be coming up soon. More on that next week. I’m sure our friends in Manitoba and Saskatchewan will scoff in a derisory fashion but we do have some spectacularly “big” skies here in Suffolk. The clouds today have been particularly sumptuous. With harvest well underway, I just couldn’t resist them temptation this afternoon. Song 11 - Late Cambrian (Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY) Late Cambrian is an indie rock band out of Greenpoint, Brooklyn who took their melodic indie pop/rock sound to the stage in late March of 2011. They have one album and one EP to their name. The lyrical content tends to be existential in nature, tackling subjects such as ageing, the cult of celebrity and being a shut in. Personally I am attracted by the refreshingly polish-free approach to arrangement and recording. In 2012 the band recorded their first release with their current lineup: the Social Season EP. "Song 11" is a single from the album and features Brendan Brown of the band Wheatus, who tracked a blazing guitar solo while also lending his unique vocal abilities. You can catch the band live at the Kahbang Festival in Bangor, Maine on Friday and next Friday at the Liberty Music Festival in Philly. Don’t worry Brooklyn, they’ve not completely deserted you, they’re playing Cameo in Williamsburg on 27th with Isle of Rhodes and Tough/Luck. @Latecambrian Jump Ship - Railbird (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Railbird is the indie band who everyone in the know has predicted will blow up in a major way since their self-released debut, No One, first hit the streets. This Brooklyn-based musical collective features a stunningly talented cast of multi-instrumentalists led by lead vocalist Sarah K. Pedinotti (SKP), whose haunting voice has drawn apt comparisons to luminaries including Bjork and Kate Bush. Meanwhile, Railbird’s unique blend of experimental psych-pop has found a home with fans of Grizzly Bear, the Dirty Projectors and Massive Attack. Speaking of fans, Railbirds’ list of admirers has recently grown to include Sean Rowe and Sarah Barthel of Phantogram, both of whom appear on Railbird’s brand new single “Jump Ship,” which was just featured as MP3 Download of the Day on AOL Spinner. Speaking about the track SPK says, "This song was all about collaboration and contradiction from it's conception. I wrote it with my friend/bandmate/bass player, Ben Davis. And we were playing with the idea of musical phrases, each of a different length, all happening at the same time… The lyrics reflect that sort of displaced feeling. Watching someone but never knowing them ... " @Railbirdmusic The plight of full on recording studios BBC News - Producers' attempt to keep music studios alive Buckets of Rain - Patty Reese (Maryland, USA) Patty Reese performs more than 250 dates a year, released a WAMMIE award winning album “Here and Now” and has garnered multiple songwriting awards over the years. Her powerhouse vocals, strong work ethic and honed songwriting skills have led her to the recording of her best work to date Strong Medicine. On her recent CD, between acoustic guitar-accompanied story songs and powerful songs backed by a full band, Patty puts all of her crafts to work. The title track, Strong Medicine, tells of the healing power of love with a beguiling, smokey vocal performance over a blues groove reminiscent of Al Green. Mystery Girl - Romans (New York, NY, USA) The debut single, “Mystery Girl,” from Romans who are Jeremy Fury (Singer for Ohio-based band, We Are the Fury) and Craig Bonich (Guitarist of Head Automatica and Jaguar Love). With Fury’s vision and Bonich’s support, it wasn’t long before the two hit it off while on tour with their respective bands. Coming together, the two are able to find a powerful musical presence. Delivering something of a refreshing twist on current Rock n’ Roll, the band aims to incorporate the best parts of 50’s Doo Wop, 60’s Brit-Rock, and 70’s Glam. With elements of The Rolling Stones and a nod to T-Rex and Ziggy Stardust era David Bowie, there is no denying that Romans will appeal to the masses but they may not know why. If you’d like the single, you can download it free from RERDLBL Backing up the two on recording are Rick Penzone, Christopher Hatfield and Los Angeles native drumming monster, Jon Safley. Produced by L.A. based noise-smith Manny Nieto (The Breeders, Rumspringa, Health) and assisted by Rick Parker (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Von Bondies, Good Old War). @Romansarealive Johnny Belinda - Active Child (LA, CA, USA) 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. His sound is so wide-ranging that he has found himself touring with many notable acts of differing genres, including dubstep producer James Blake, dreamy synth-pop of School of Seven Bells, and the indie-rock bands White Lies and White Rabbits. Nothing quite prepares you for the leap that Pat has taken with his debut album, You Are All I See, out on August 23rd via Vagrant records. Recently, he has expanded his sonic ambitions and turned the studio into an instrument for a record that sounds cosmically huge and yet intimate all the same. Take a look a the spectacular video for the track, directed, DPed, edited and coloured by Dylan Wiehahn over at http://vimeo.com/45089420 @ActiveChild Good to hear Sarah Morrison from IRNY making her debut as AMPed presenter last week, about time too! The AMP site has been having problems over the past day or so. Small men with even smaller hammers are in the system topping things at random in the hope of discovering whether the problem is technical (a bit fell off) or financial (someone forgot to stick another coin in the meter). Either way, the site says that the account has been suspended. Special offer: You can join me in monitoring progress in real time by going to musicpodcasting.org right now. Well, that should have done it. It’s bound to be back online now - just to make me look a fool. Arian - Xera (Asturia, Spain) Xera is an electronic /acoustic folk music group from Asturia in the very north of Spain. Their sound is an integration of electronic and traditional Asturian music, mixing live instruments with samplers, industrial percussion... with a symphonic treatment that result in a very wide spectrum of sensations. They published their first full work, "Lliendes", under a Creative Commons License in 2007 with Tierra following in 2009 and now the 11 track Llume. Take a few minutes to check out a few of their videos to get an impression of the energy working its magic in this band. |
Wed, 1 August 2012
So now its August. Whatever happened to July? A really pleasing selection of tracks this week including something slightly steamy from the wonderful Marla Mase. Take a listen and tell me if I should be tagging the show “Explicit” - whatever that means. Do you expect the show to be totally work and family safe or do you expect to hear the odd expletive or sexual reference in the mix from all these young popular music combos with their funny cigarettes, their long hair and their flared trousers? Drop me a comment on Facebook or through the contact page here on the site. I’d really be interested to know what you think. Funeral Genius - Makar (New York, NY, USA) Makar consists of Andrea DeAngelis, co-singer/songwriter/guitarist from New Jersey and Mark Purnell, co-singer/songwriter/pianist from New York. Beginning in 2002-03, Makar played their first, nail-biting, exciting NY gigs at places like Luna Lounge, CBGBs gallery, Knitting Factory and Pianos and began recording their 18-song debut album, 99 Cent Dreams, on July 14, 2002 at Multiway Studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Fast forward … Makar began work on its second album, Funeral Genius, August 2008 at the Seaside Lounge in Park Slope, Brooklyn. You just heard the title track. It is now available on Amazon.com, CD Baby, iTunes, etc. @makarmusic Skating - Jess Goyder (London, UK) Jessica grew up in India, Ethiopia and Oxford in the UK. A classically trained pianist and self-taught guitarist, it’s her voice that continues to silence the room. She cut her teeth in a local band and played her way solo around London and Sydney. Then little short of a musical explosion followed her first landing in Barcelona. Here she fell in with a crowd of Brazilian musicians, discovered Bossa Nova and lived for more than a year as a singing angel street statue. Later periods in the city were spent wrestling music theory in Catalan and taking local cabarets by storm in an eight-girl country band. Her songwriting is often inspired by her travels, from a tour of Central America and Cuba, where she performed regularly at Havana’s 'Casa de la Troba' to a series of concerts in Brazil and Argentina. Having recently returned to London from Mallorca with a publishing deal in place, she is in the final stages of recording her debut album. She continues to write and perform regularly both solo and with a band. @Jessgoyder Bang To Break The Drum - Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) You’ll know about Ben by now. After his sensational performances at TGE Codger has been playing him a fair bit and if you want to know more, there is a conversation with him in SnC show 323. His propensity for hard work is demonstrated in his schedule for the summer and autumn. If you get a chance, do go see what all the fuss is about at: Aug 3 @ Hunter's Ale House, CHARLOTTETOWN Aug 9 @ Dooryard Festival, WOODSTOCK Aug 10 @ Messtival, ANAGANCE, NB Aug 11 @ The Capital Complex, FREDERICTON Aug 26 @ St. Stephen, NB (**Freedom Festival) Sept 1 @ Roodehaan, WARFHUIZEN, NL Sept 2 @ Abbey Sessions, THORN, NL Sept 2 @ Effenaar Tuin, EINDHOVEN, NL (**Brandend Zand Festival) Sept 6 @ Simplon, GRONINGEN, NL Sept 7 @ VLIELAND, NL (**Into the Great Wide Open) Sept 8 @ Patronaat, HAARLEM, NL Sept 11 @ Water Rats, LONDON, UK Sept 14 @ Winston, AMSTERDAM, NL Sept 15 @ Le Grattoir, GERARDMER, FR Sept 16 @ La Truite de Argent, TAVIGNY, BE Sept. 17 @ Ponyhof, FRANKFURT, GER Sept. 19 @ Muffatcafe, MUNICH, GER Sept. 20 @ Haldern Pop Bar, HALDERN, GER Oct 25 @ Junction, CAMBRIDGE, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Oct 27 @ The Cockpit, LEEDS, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Oct 28 @ Oran Mor, GLASGOW, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Oct 29 @ Library, BIRMINGHAM, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Oct 31 @ Islington Academy, LONDON, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Nov 1 @ Academy 2, OXFORD, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Nov 2 @ Sound Control, MANCHESTER, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Nov 3 @ Thekla, BRISTOL, UK (w/ Katzenjammer) Nov. 16 @ Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, HALIFAX (**Special Performance and Collaboration with the Nova Scotia Symphony) He also has a Pledge Music campaign on to create a video for the song “Conduit” (which I played on SnC323). If it captures just a fraction of Ben’s imagination, it will be sensational. On the other hand, if the pledges don’t come in during the next 34 days. We’ll never know what he was planning! Check out more at www.pledgemusic.com/projects/bencaplan June Strangelets - Megastick Fanfare (Sydney, Australia) Proponents of experimental pop, megastick fanfare uses a variety of instrumentation, both acoustic and electronic, to create its sound. The multi-instrumentalists are in their element live, with energetic performances their hallmark. In 2011 megastick fanfare’s debut album, grit aglow, attracted critical acclaim as one the most anticipated debut releases from “one of most exciting Aussie bands kicking around” (Dom Alessio, triple j). A variety of influences and instrumentation culminate in a first appearance that traverses the full experimental pop spectrum, from abrasive intensity to incendiary sparkle. Grit aglow, “a sonic explosion that will leave you flabbergasted” (JMAG), was recorded in the band’s rehearsal space, produced by Frey Lindsay and megastick fanfare, and mixed with Jonathan Boulet. Experimenting broadly with texture and structure, megastick fanfare’s virgin offering maintains a firm pop grounding and melodic focus So American - The Dust Engineers (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Fresh off the heals of releasing their video for “Freeway Freakout” on My Old Kentucky Blog, The Dust Engineers are back at it again to create fireworks with their cover of the 1978 track “So American.” Originally performed by The Mutants and then again by Dodge Dart, The Dust Engineers have put a nice twist on the song, with singers Zac Meyer’s and Sara Maeder’s voices dancing around each other playfully in the piece, creating a stellar cover. Guitar player Erik Rosenberg explains The Dust Engineers’ relationship to the song: I first heard "So American" while living in Israel. At fifteen years old I popped my first skateboarding video, Black Label's "Label Kills," into the VCR. The soundtrack was packed with great bands like The Clash and Cheap Trick, but the song accompanying Jeff Grosso's skating stood out from the rest. Fast forward about a decade later, we started playing it live and our fans loved it too, so we recorded it last week in the practice space.” The Dust Engineers released their new EP, Bail, on July 17th. www.facebook.com/thedustengineers @dustengineers Crystallise - Glass Vaults (New Zealand / NYC) Glass Vaults are New Zealand natives Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce. Two freakishly talented musicians with an uncanny knack for delivering lush, trance-inducing, hallucinatory walls of sound that shimmer with ghostly incantations capable of transporting you deep into an aural other-world of their own creation. Hot on the heels of their North American live performance debut at L.E.S. hotspot Pianos (5/29), where they were offered a residency through June, Glass Vaults just premiered their newest single, “Crystallise,” on Indie Shuffle Kick back, have a listen, and allow yourself to be enveloped in the golden dreamscapes of Glass Vaults. @glassvaults She Hooked Him Up - Marla Mase (New York, NY, USA) Marla Mase is a writer/performer/producer/singer/songwriter from New York City. She writes songs, plays, monologues, short stories, erotica, blogs,and poems. She is known for her gutsy, sexy, raw, performance style and her intelligent lyrics. Her newest work, SPEAK, is a genre-busting rock album with a mix of world beat, spoken word, funk, r&b, punk, and classic rock-n-roll. It is very Mase — eclectic, provocative, theatrical, risky, and passionate – and as with all her work it has a TRUE/SEXY GROOVE. Marla’s co-writer and producer is internationally renowned guitarist/ recording artist Tomás Doncker. They are now working on her 3rd CD, personal affairs, scheduled for release in the Fall 2012. A powerful “charged” song and just listen to what’s going on with the band. Reminds me of The Blockheads at their best. www.reverbnation.com/marlamase @marlamase Me And You - Keep It Secret (Norwich, UK) Keep It Secret are a band based in the East of England, mainly in Norwich, but also a little bit in Lowestoft. Mattie doesn't like Lowestoft though, it has too many seagulls. The band draw their influences from a variety of groups and musicians, with Mattie drawing inspiration from heavily melodic Pop-Punk bands such as Greenday, Blink 182, New Found Glory to name but a few. Levi grew up listening to similar artists whilst also flirting with Alternative bands including Bloc Party, Senses Fail and many more. Toph developed his drum skills on a diet of much the same along with a healthy dollop of Hip-Hop and Reggae. The band formed after singer and guitarist Mattie met distinctly average bassist Levi at college. They just clicked and Levi was invited to practice with Mattie and drummer Toph, who Mattie had previously been friends with at school. The whole affair was very pleasant and after a number of gatherings Keep It Secret had a repertoire which they feel represents the energy and fun that the band is all about, with a mission to play and perform in front of anyone who will listen. So book them! And if your not in a position to book them then make sure you go see them once someone else has booked them! @keepitsecretuk |
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