The Colours of the Farm...

'Music is a safe kind of high.' ~Jimi Hendrix

As my pal Jimi agrees, here are some new narcotics for your earholes...

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The tale of how Grouplove came to meet has been splattered in the blog coverage they have spurned so far and who am I to rob you of that knowledge! The band met in Crete as part of an arts residency, though they come from LA, London and New York.

In one of those beautiful moments of connection, the group have span out a fantastic EP full of Arcade Fire-esque momentum. Each track bounds along in an epic fashion, prompting sing-a-longs and hand waving in a crowd on a wonderful festival evening. 'Colours' brings a ranting, chanting lyrical assembly with 'It's the colours you have, no need to be sad, they really ain't that bad." Sumptuous and fulfilling, I defy you to listen to the likes of 'Naked Kids' without a stupid grin on your face.

Grouplove's Myspace

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Fractal Farm manufacture rhythmic indie rock that snaps and twists its way along. From Wilmington, North Carolina, the threesome are working on a debut DIY ep and looking at tours across the US (but sadly not these British shores yet).

Perfect for summer, the soft angles of their music jut their way into your ribs and you can feel the energy of the band, bold and brash in the recordings. 'Walking' and 'Bone Ideas' blend psychadelia with math rock and indie pop, pushing the neat categorical types to compare them to a whole heap of bands, from Foals to Radiohead to The Shins. But comparisons be damned as these guys forge their own brand and I hope they make it to British shores sometime soon so I can see it all up close and personal.

Fractal Farm's Myspace

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Just One More Hit (or five)

• Sam Buck Rosen is a soulful electronic whiz who has a record out you should find and listen to, which is titled 'Dominant Mind' and is full of wonderment and distortion.
• I have rediscovered possibly one of the greatest albums of all time, in Tom Waits' 'Closing Time'...simply breathtaking from start to finish.
• New Arcade Fire - wondrous as bloody always!
• Janelle Monae has a new album out titled 'The ArchAndroid', a sci-fi, R&B tale of love and identity (I think I love her a little bit)
• Wavves surfing back our way with 'King Of The Beach'; and 'Cool Jumper' as a teaser of what's to come from the noisy talented buggers.
  

Albums out over the next week or so that you should buy include;

• 'LP4' by Ratatat [Perfectly produced sampling and mixing masterpiece with beats that send your body trembling]
• 'Been Listening' by Johnny Flynn [Troubador pretty nu-folk with a buoyancy and certain sweetness]
• 'Memoirs' by Rox [modern soul from Londoner songstress with feeling and sass]

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So! Until next time true believers!!

Ears peeled and eyes open!

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The Haze of the Heat...

'Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine.' ~Anthony J.D' Angelo

Alas, sunshine basks the British south coast as we somehow stumble and fall into the glare of a summer and music, as always, seeps out of cars, doors and headphones as festival season gets ready to explode and music lovers across the nation start putting on those summery tracks that get them glowing in the golden rays.

AND I am no different, with a summer playlist underway and twee pop beginning to filter back onto my stereo, I charge ahead with New Narcotics.

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Allo Darlin' are a foursome whose ferocious mixture of ukeleles and shiny happy singing simply sends ear splitting smiles across listeners faces. Such joy and melancholy fused into a big ball of twee within their debut, self-titled album released this year. A promising single propelled them into the eyes of the BBC for a brief while and now their debut album sets itself up as a beach accompaniment on hot, lazy days where nothing but relaxation is necessary.

The gentle ebb and flow of low key tracks such as 'Heartbeat Chilli' sit alongside the jovial, hop-a-long melodies embedded in the likes of 'Silver Dollars'. 'Let's Go Swimming' stands out as a monument to calm but effective indie pop as the vocals of lead singer Elizabeth drift across a selection of strings to create an effect not dissimilar to floating serenely atop the surface of the water. Simply gorgeous...

Allo Darlin's Myspace

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Staying with the indie pop theme for the current climate of heat and happiness, another debut album released about a month or so ago comes from a Sheffield band, Standard Fare. Debut album 'The Noyelle Beat' has recieved some blog-acclaim for its jolly melody and sharp, short riffs catapulting along amongst a backdrop of teen angst.

'Dancing' stands out as a beat-skipping hit of sorts as the vocals of frontwoman Emma almost plead in the strain and emotion behind the relationship dissolution at the heart of the track. Similarly, 'Philadelphia' pines over distant love but wins out despite the emotional whine with the rollicking chorus and careful vocals set atop a classically twee indie guitar riff.

Standard Fare's Myspace

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Hot Off The Presses (of my brainbox)

• The soft approach of Brazilian/American band Little Joy does exactly what it says on the tin. Music to while away the lazy, hazy hours of heat...
• Someone still loves I Still Love You Boris Yeltsin (that someone is me...). Check out new single 'Sink/Let It Sway'.
• As every other pun-able body on the net and beyond have said, Male Bonding take their name a little too literally with the video for 'Years Not Long'. (Maybe more bands should do this, imagine the delightful videos of bands such as Japandroids and Crystal Castles...)
• Fancy a free EP? Matador is giving away a seven track offering for Kurt Vile HERE. If you don't know him, he's a little bit lo-fi, he's a little bit rock'n'roll.
• You know I love the lo-fi offerings of Toro Y Moi and this new 7" gets a little bit higher and I still love it. It does make me want to 'Leave Everywhere' (hopefully with Chaz).

Albums out over the next week or so that you should buy include;

• 'Say It' by Born Ruffians. [Canadian indie soul with grumbling and rumbling at its gnarly heart]
  
• 'Existence' by Detroit Social Club [Biffy meets Coldplay with a kick up the arse and a little bit of guttural songwriting]
• 'Twilight Saga Original Soundtrack' by Oh My God, Have You Seen Some of the Bands On Here?!?!?!?! [Metric, Sia, Black Keys, Bats For Lashes, Vampire Weekend, Band Of Horses...nuff said...]

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I am going to try and update more often, even with mini posts here and there and everywhere BUT
just enjoy the music and the sunshine and some alcoholic beverage (if you are legally allowed to of course) and CIAO FOR NOW!
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Camden Crawling Commentary and Crap... (Part Deux)

'Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.' ~Maya Angelou


Here is the much belated second part of my Camden Crawl experience, as I stumbled around on a Sunday through a heady mix of booze and bands...

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Arriving at Camden around half an hour before bands were due to really kick off the evening events, we headed to the VIP bar to drink/starspot/soak up some atmosphere. I have never felt more alt-celebrity in my life. Flanked by Rox, Vivian Girls and Comanechi (trying to blag free drinks), whilst We Are Scientists played a secret, mini, acoustic set above my heads...

I could get used to this...

We headed downstairs to see Male Bonding at Dingwalls, a shabby cesspit of a venue (which is a compliment, trust me) where I had previously seen a young Miss Marling at my previous Crawl in '07.

Male Bonding fire off aggression in precise and compact blasts of music, shattering the hush of a packed room. The grunge punk ethos lies at the heart of the trio of masculine musical combatants onstage and they know how to grab attention and then punch attention in the face. Noise and movement take hold of the band with the likes of 'Nothing Hurts' rousing feelings of bile and lust in equal measure. An impressive debut album awaits on a shelf somewhere for you to go and listen...

Male Bonding's Myspace

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Next up was the wonderfully named Gold Panda at the awesomely cramped conditions of the Barfly. Nothing short of a superb sonic assault ensued upon the jam packed, sweaty room, with a little space for some jerky dancing for the few taken over by the spirit of electro. Concussive vibrations and a shattering of any silence that could occur in the waves of noise that Mr Panda emanated, wearing a sinister panda hat atop his head (I WANT ONE...)

The indian base of 'Quitters Raga' imbues a dreamlike electronic sense, showcasing the talent for mixing and sampling embodied in the constantly shuffling and regenerating rota of tracks in the arsenal of Gold Panda. Great one eyed monsters of light swooped and dove over the audience as the speakers pulsated, sending the audience away dazed, confused but gloriously satisfied.

Gold Panda's Myspace

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A trip to the Roundhouse with new and old friends alike to see Stornoway, an act I had checked out previously and held some small promise for after hearing a few catchy tracks here and there on the interweb. I was expecting calm melody and hum-a-long riffs scattered to-and-fro.

Instead, I got Coldplay meets Mumford & Sons minus any possibly decent hooks and interest. The band looked bored, the crowd looked bored and my interest was solely in the two drinks my best bud had decided to purchase for us. Two PINTS of white wine... [PICTURED...]

The mixture of forgettable music and slowly vanishing wine made up my mind, leading to a swift exit into the Camden night.

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My last band of Camden Crawl came in the form of Veronica Falls at the nifty little Blues Cafe. The foursome trot out an impressive set of lo-fi loveliness in muffled tones and fuzzy murmurs. 'Found Love In A Graveyard' is somehow rollicking in its slow, low key fumbling method and the hopping bop and chant behind 'Starry Eyes' buzzes the Camden Crawl to a beautifully serene finale. Until next time....

Veronica Falls' Myspace

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Some Mid-May Musical Moresomes (more crap basically)...

• The National's new album, 'High Violet', is particularly wonderful, depositing the band as one of the indie rock backbones of Americana...
• A collection of possible revolutionaries in Wu Lyf (or World Unite/Lucifer Youth Foundation), who have released a smatter of distinctly different and wonderful tracks, showcasing noise rock, hip-hop, dreampop amongst other stifling genres titles...
• M83 are fantastic. Now, Team Ghost (led by a former member of M83) are fantastic...
• Sleigh Bells kickscream their way into the hearts of the musical youufff with screeching and wailing and fantasmic upbeat tracks such as 'Tell' Em'...

Albums out over the next week or so that you should buy include;

• 'Sea of Cowards' by The Dead Weather [Jack White et al grind and grit their way through a second record]
• 'Here's To Taking It Easy' by Phosphorescent [American folk that shuffles and moseys its way into your mind]
• 'Infinite Arms' by Band of Horses [More beardy Americana, desolate and authentic]

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Byeeeeeeeeeeee...keep your ears open and your mind wiiiide open....
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Camden Crawling Commentary and Crap....

'What should such fellows as I do, crawling between earth and heaven.' ~William Shakespeare

This update is a two parter y'all! And I promise never to use y'all ever again (unless I feel it necessary)! I journeyed to the Camden Crawl based in, hey look at that, Camden last weekend thanks to a PR based best friend and acquired some media passes, so I could do some justice to the glut of gigs and array of artists performing over the weekend at a host of venues, big and small, across Camden. I will begin, in a way that makes some sense, with the bands witnessed on Saturday!

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Thanks to our superb socialising skills, we managed to befriend a VIP who passes onto us some tickets for the Roundhouse, which is a ticketed event even with the Camden Crawl wristbands. So, we thought why not begin our wonderfully eclectic weekend with a trip to see the Sugababes!

But it was not the Sugababes. A late entrance bought onstage three women who act more as a tribute band, trotting out wonderful pop songs that they had little to no part in creating. They can sing and they don't look half bad in their outfits, but i'd prefer the original 'One Touch' line up in front of me. So we make a swift exit....

'Overload' video (still the best slice of Sugababes...)

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I have always had an affinity for the 1960s school of pop rock, circa The Byrds, The Zombies et al. Psych pop group Race Horses bring back the memories of flowery shirts and flouncing rhythms in a wondrous form, performing at the Jazz Cafe.

The Kinks style 'Cake' and the delightful falsetto that rings through 'Pony', with the frontman Meilyr Jones squealing 'I want to be your poooony', are so joyous, it is hard not to bop a limb somewhere along the way. I want someone to give them their own TV show and see them become the new Monkees. Dedicating songs to the merchant navy, screeching through a vocoder and strumming up some cosmic bleeps, there is nothing Race Horses won't delve into, and it all comes together rather remarkably at the finale of every track.

'Goodbye Falkenburg', their debut album as Race Horses is out and I will be making a purchase asap.

Race Horses' Myspace

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Remaining at the Jazz Cafe, a venue that bleeds unadulterated bliss and cool, for Best Coast, we took some balcony based seats to gain an overview of the venue, stage and band.

The stark, dark Best Coast are all attitude and they mostly pull it off. West coast dusk settles over the Jazz Cafe as they pile their way through the low key, lo-fi 'Make You Mine' and a wonderfully dreary cover of 'That's The Way Boys Are'. They stumble along with a high effort laziness and sleaze, reminding me of a 1950s grunge movement that never happened.

The grumbling voice of Bethany Cosentino sidles alongside the rumbling music to craft a sound that will, fingers crossed, produce an amazing upcoming album release. And for some reason, perhaps encouraged by the 50s emotion sweeping throughout the band, I can smell a burger bar, cooking up delicious west coast quarter pounders...I had to make do with McDonalds...

Best Coast's Myspace

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We stayed put for a few ditties from the duo Slow Club, hearing good things and being suitable impressed by the simple but effective harmonies concocted within the softly spoken indie pop jangles. A drunken audience ruined some of the atmosphere of the quiet Slow Club, who deserved more hush. Oh and Charles wore an awesome Steve Zissou hat...

We moved on to catch Teenage Fanclub, deciding to catch Slow Club at their own gig soon, which promises a jawdropping line up of new bands in Veronica Falls, Spectrals and Summer Camp.

Slow Club's Myspace

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Teenage Fanclub are a band with something of a historical alt rock following, so I feel somehow ashamed to admit I knew little of their work before investigating them prior to the Crawl. Working on their ninth album, they headlined at the Koko, although it wasn't quite what I expected.

I listened to a few songs before heading to the capital city and fell into a mini-lust with their original EP 'Everything Flows'. However, I suppose 19 years can change a band and the group onstage didn't show the oomph I was looking forward to after hearing the 1991 ep. Moments of emphatic exuberance burst forth from the tremendous Koko stage but it was all a little dull at times, despite the packed house. I feel some of the sound lost its way through the crowds and framework of the building and the laidback attitude didn't quite notch itself up to exciting music.

We trudged back to catch a last train in the rainfall that beset Camden on the Saturday eve, soggy and shattered from the crawling (and drinking) we undertook...

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Some non-Camden based Musical Moresomes (more crap basically)...

• New School of Seven Bells, new Wolf Parade and new Best Coast...
  
• Two bands from Austin, TX, have come together to release a brilliantly warped 7" in 'Dream Over' by Pure Ecstasy and 'Your World Is Night' by Sleep Over.
• Crystal Castles' new album =screechtastic and bleepasmic...
• LCD Soundsystem's new (and last) album = a mish mash of wonder and goodbyes...
• Covers can be a tricky business but Pomplamoose do every single one perfectly, pitching an indie pop ethos behind a wide range of genres (oh and singer Nataly Dawn is heavenly...) Check out 'September' and then everything else they have done....

Albums out over the next week or so that you should buy include;

• 'Total Life Forever' by Foals [math rock gone all literary and rogue (and better)]
  
• ''Nothing Hurts' by Male Bonding [party metal fuzzing along with a growl]
• 'Together' by The New Pornographers [Canadian supergroup powerpop indie]
• 'The Latin' by Holy Fuck [Meandering electronica experiments...]

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Thats about all we have time for boys and girls but tune in next time (sometime next week) for the second part of my Camden Crawling Crap special!!!!!

Peace out homeboys (and girls)
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