The Strange Death of Liberal England #2

I saw Strange Death again last night, they were great, playing mostly new songs, in fact I only knew two songs played throughout the show-

I heard enough to say that the new stuff will be fantastic. Cannot wait for the album, early spring hopefully.

You can download the long since sold out debut e.p. in my last post here.

Support Strange Death because they deserve it.

T-Shirts available here
Listen to them here

That is all.

PS. Strange Death might have got the break they deserve - they will be supporting a band some of you could guess that I love - Editors - on the forthcoming Mar/Apr tour - if you are going get down early!

Apartment #3 - NEWS

Hmmm, Apartment news, just as I conceeded defeat:

I quote from Apartment myspace:

David is currently recording with his new band "AGE OF GIANTS" www.myspace.com/ageofgiants and will be performing with it throughout the year.

Liam is currently involved in his project "SMALLER FORCES"... check out his music.

APARTMENT will be entering the studio to record some new songs in MAY.

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Here is the first glimpse of action from David's new project, Age of Giants, a song that was originally demoed on DC's own myspace a good while ago now and available if you search the labels below:



I follow and await the magic words London and live, very soon, I hope!
Happy, happy days.

HURTS #4

Sorry really busy, hopefully has some nice things tomorrow, if not Monday as away for the weekend, but a quick post to say fear not, Hurts were fucking wonderous.

Will Young was there so he obviously thinks so too. They will go far. Highlight was a new song (to me) called Stay - epic.

Opera singer with them, a drummer and additional keys. Theo was great on vocals - wonderful voice - was holding a comb a bit too much, but I think it will be a 'I was there' moment. See Hurts when they next tour.
Apparently we have to wait till August for the album which is a bit of a shitter!

Lovely venue, bit too loud probably, sound was a but muffled, still took nothing away from the gig.

Catch them on the NME Radar Tour late April and May - Hurts in a full tour is great news, this could well be the only chance to catch them in small venues.

Heres a vid, not mine...

The Joy Formidable #3 - Popinjay

The Joy Formidable, a band I've posted quite a bit on here - this is the trio's NEW single, Popinjay and it's out now on itunes, I wasn't expecting it this early, but hey I am not going to complain.

If you've liked what you've heard, let's support this fucking good band and say thanks to them.

Here is the link to buy it.

The March tour isn't too far away now...

VIDEO

Scary Mansion - New Music "Introducing"

Listen / Buy

Leah Hayes is the mastermind behind the Brooklyn-based rock group Scary Mansion. After playing for several years as an Antifolk singer/songerwriter, Hayes picked up bassist Bradley Banks, and former-Fugue-member Ben Shapiro. She then found herself fronting a wild rock band. "I still write the songs and sing, but I like having boys making crazy noise behind me." Hayes has always had a unique sound, accompanying her voice with the "thunderstick", a three-stringed acoustic instrument similar to a banjo or dulcimer. When Hayes plays the thunderstick clean, it evokes Appalachian front porches. But when plugged in, the thunderstick screams through a distortion pedal for a punky, 90's grunge sound.

Scary Mansion's newest record, "MAKE ME CRY", comes out on Talitres Records in Europe

DOWNLOAD: Mp3 LINK
Make Me Cry Sample
1. No Law

WATCH:

Soap&Skin

A very recent find, I cae across Soap&Skin through last.fm (it works!) and was blown away on the first listen, a Union Chapel show in April was prompty booked.
I couldn't believe she isn't even 20 yet!

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Lastfm bio: Soap&Skin is the experimental musical project of Austrian artist Anja Plaschg (born 5 April 1990). Anja Plaschg grew up in a small village called Gnas in south east Styria, where her parents have a farm. She has played piano since she was six. At the age of 14 she began violin studies and developed an interest in electronic music. She attended the Graz Polytechnic for Graphic Design, but dropped out at 16 and moved to Vienna shortly afterwards. There she studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in the master class of Daniel Richter, but at 18 dropped out again.

Musicians like Xiu Xiu, Cat Power, Björk, Nico, Aphex Twin and composers like Sergej Rachmaninow or Arvo Pärt have had a great impact on her music.

After only playing a handful of concerts she was already being dubbed a “Wunderkind”. In 2008 she played German singer Nico in the play “Nico - Spinx auf Eis” by Werner Fritsch in Berlin and Vienna, performing several songs in it, including “Janitor Of Lunacy”, from her first EP.

Her first album, called “Lovetune for Vacuum”, was released in March 2009. It received excellent reviews and placed in the Austrian Top 10. The album also achieved chart positions in Germany, Belgium and France. Music journalists have already claimed to see in her a new star of Austrian pop
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Joanna Newsom #4

I am a happy Bunny today as I have very nice tickets to see Joanna at the Royal Festival Hall in May, very happy. I wish I was going to the ATP too but I still have The National, She & Him and now Joanna to look forward to in early May before The Great Escape festival.

So as a celebration, more Joanna Newsom! Not too long, well a week and a half till Have One On Me is out, can't wait... Get it in pre-order only £10.99 for a triple CD set! Link

Alessi's Ark - New Music "Introducing"

Listen

This is just lovely, watch this and buy her album, fantastic:

Laura Marling #1 - Devil's Spoke

Listen / Buy
You can watch the new single from the lovely Laura Marling below. I really want a London tour ticket!

She & Him

Listen

I seem to be posting a fair share of Indie / Folk duo's etc at the moment, so if you don't like them you'll probably have to wait a while for the heavier stuff to return - a bit of variety is good I think.

The new CD Volume Two is out early April, you can try the new single on the listen link. T

Review of Volume One / Buy

Generally, it's a good idea to be wary of actors who make pop albums, but every rule has at least one exception, and She and Him's VOLUME ONE is an unfettered delight. A collaboration between actress Zooey Deschanel and prolific indie-folk musician M. Ward, She and Him is not merely a case of a cult musician using a more famous name as an entry into the musical mainstream: in fact, Deschanel is the primary songwriter here and sings all the lead vocals barring a pair of duets, and she scores impressively on both fronts. Deschanel turns out to be a gifted pop songwriter with a knack for penning crisp 1960s-style pop songs like the glorious first single, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" and singing them in a flirty, country-inflected style that recalls the likes of Jackie DeShannon and early Linda Ronstadt. Ward and an all-star band of fellow Portland, Oregon, indie-ites, including the Decemberists' Rachel Blumberg on drums, set Deschanel's songs and vocals in arrangements perfectly balanced between Phil Spector bombast and indie-rock cool. The entire album is a joyous, enchanting listen.

St Vincent - Marry Me

Listen / Buy

Annie Clark, Marry Me. The title of her first album and a clear expression of my love of her. St Vincent = amazing.

Listen / watch / whatever below:

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

15 years since the last album, it's hardly surprisingly the name wasn't familiar with me, but I have a feeling Gil Scott-Heron will do in 2010 what Johnny cash did in the mid 90's with his American Recording albums, this album is dark, very dark, but also honest, touching and effortless.

I'll Take care of you (a cover) is beautiful, Me and the Devil's title says it all. The title track, another cover is a stand out too.

The spoken interludes may put a few people off, but the songs within are beautiful and brutal at the same time - something very few records can manage successfully - You can listen to all of the new album I'm New Here below - highly recommended. Can buy with yet another super bonus CD from Rough Trade here.



and also, here is the rather dark video for the single Me and the Devil

Lightspeed Champion

Lightspeed Champion releases his new album Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You next week (15th Feb) you can pre-order a signed CD version here. Preceding single Marlene is fantastic.

You can also download numerous covers and quick albums from his official page, no need me duplicating them - there are about 20/30 different songs (not all good mind) that you can get all for free. Here is the link if you are interested.

Joanna Newsom

Joanna Newsom will be releasing her new album Have One On Me on me on February 23, on Drag City. It will probably be album of the month, maybe a contender for the year - but we will have to see!

Hailing from Nevada, this 28-year old lady lives for music. Joanna released two albums (The Milk-Eyed Mender and Ys). I love her music and can't wait for Have One On Me. It's a 3 disc album! Pre-order the album here and download the first two songs of it below.

'81 and Good Intentions Paving Company, both are great!

The XX

I was truly the last person on the planet to appreciate The XX.

At first I was bewildered why it was so lavishly praised through all quarters, I think I've been converted by the release of VCR. In places it is a work of beauty after a few listens, certainly one record you can put on and enjoy no matter what mood you are in.

Rough trade voted it number one album of 2009 and you can buy a bonus CD with five tracks exclusively through them here.

January 2010 in Music

A new thing that I may or may not continue with, I've been a bit quiet as I'm somewhat knackered, had about 5 days of gigs in a row and marathon training on top of office job (poor me hey!)
This will be a brief summary of some of the CD's I've given a spin that came out this month, or those that have come to my attention this month - I won't be going on about leaks...

My favourite album of the month is a close call, originally I would have said the next album I'll be talking about, but I think after further listens it is Teen Dream by Beach House. Listen


Without doubt terrible album artwork but that can be forgotten with the beauty of the music. My lastest favourite is probably the album starter, Zebra, it is pure beauty in music. Read more from me here

Runners up is this beauty

Hidden by These New Puritans (listen) and read more here
Other recommended albums out this month;

LINDSTROM AND CHRISTABELLE - real life is no cool - listenBuy from the triple cd version exclusive to rough trade here.
"norway's maestro of disco returns once again, this time teaming up with sultry vocalist christabelle, to bring us 'real life is no cool'. an edgy pop album full of hypnotic beats, swirling electronics and the vibrant, off the cuff vocal performances of christabell (much of which were improvised and later edited by lindstrom), giving off the distinct air of structured chaos that lindstrom describes surrounded the making of the album".

FYFE DANGERFIELD - fly yellow moon - listen
Buy the CD / deluxe vinyl double CD here
"following guillemots 2008 album 'red', mercurial singer-songwriter fyfe dangerfield used the window of time created to spread his wings and lovingly record his beautiful debut solo album'fly yellow moon'. the album is written entirely by fyfe and produced by adam noble in urchin studios, london - the same studios where guillemots recorded their first classic ep 'i saw such things in my sleep'. the 10-track record startles from start to finish, magnificently eclectic, warm and uplifting, haunting and melodic - it sounds like a classic upon its first listen. the record flows with highlights including from the beautiful 'so brand new', the joyous 'faster than the setting sun' to the scintillating first single 'she needs me' which has already been zane lowes hottest record in the world and the stunningly reflective 'don't be shy'".

THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN - know better learn faster - listen
Buy from Rough Trade Here
'know better learn faster' sports a fuller sound with more pop tricks and trickier arrangements that incorporate swirling philip glass-y keyboards, pavement slackness, new orleans horns and bluegrass tinged banjo alongside guitar bass and drums, it contains a collection of hard-learned lessons about love, sex, and human connection. 'know better learn faster' is a more mature record, slightly disillusioned with the world, but no less playful and with no less personality. thao conveys a warm exuberance that keeps the music spry despite the weighty subject matter and the band's energy rarely flags; instead the guitars grow only more manic and urgent as the album progresses. on kill rock stars.

YETI LANE - yeti lane listen
Buy the CD here
"parisian trio yeti lane release their self-titled debut album on sonic cathedral recordings. this 10-tracker melds tribal beats, krautrock synths, sparkling pop, cosmic rock and hypnotic guitars and sounds like a mix of can circa 'ege bamyasi', pavement circa 'terror twilight', the shins and new order circa 'low-life' to make a monumental psychedelic masterpiece."

And finally for now an album that came out last year that I've fallen for properly this month...

SHE KEEPS BEES - nests - read more here / listen
Buy from Rough Trade and get their debut album Minisink Hotel free! here
"a stunning, raw, sultry and absolutely essential album for those that love the 4 track demos of pj harvey and the early pre-croon of cat power. formed in 2006, brooklyn, she keeps bees are a couple / band you won't want to slap the crap out of. their music is bluesy, but not what you're thinking. jessica sings 'til her stomach hurts while andy holds down the rhythm - lumberjack style. the music is simple, gritty and downright sexy - howlin' wolf and millie jackson to start, but you'll probably hear pj harvey and cat power in there too. this homemade recording keeps it real simple: drums, guitar and little else. we absolutely adore this album."

Mix Tape Jan 2010 DOWNLOAD - LINK

Norway - Beach House (from Teen Dream)
We Want War - These New Puritans (from Hidden)
Lovesick - Lindstrom & Christabelle (from Real Life Is No Cool)
When You Walk In The Room - Fyfe Dangerfield (from Fly Yellow moon)
Know Better Learn Faster - thao with the get down stay down (from know better learn faster)
Lonesome George - yeti lane (from Yeti Lane)
Joints - Holly Miranda (from The Magician's Private Library)
Animal - Dag for Dag (from Boo)
In This Shirt - The Irrepressibles (from Mirror Mirror)
Wear Red - She Keep Bees (from Nests)