New Band- Teen

There are seven bands in my iTunes library with the word teen in their name led by Teenage Fanclub. The list also includes Teen Daze, Teenage Bad Girl, Teenage Kicks, The Teenage Prayers, Teengirl Fantasy and The Teenagers. Now added to this long list is the new Brooklyn lo-fi band simply called Teen. The all female Brooklyn based trio will release their debut album called In Limbo on August 28th via Carpark Records. Their fortunes sound promising as they have enlisted Sonic Boom of Spaceman 3 to do some production on their new album.

Download Teen's mesmerizing new song Electric and then watch the video. Also, watch the bonus video for the band's lead single Better that features scenes from the ridiculous 80's Kevin Bacon bike courier movie Quicksilver.

Download: Teen- Electric

Watch:



TEEN - "Electric" from stereogum on Vimeo.


Teen BETTER from FAR EYE on Vimeo.

New Band- Divine Fits

On July 17th I wrote a post about the announcement of the 2012 Polaris Music Prize Short List and lamented the break up of the Handsome Furs stating they are my sentimental choice to win the award. The Montreal pair of Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry were probably Canada's sexiest indie rock couple  and made some great music videos to prove it.

It did not take long for one half of the duo, Dan Boeckner, to find new work. A new indie supergroup was announced within days of the break up with Dan joining Spoon lead singer Britt Daniel and New Bomb Turks drummer Sam Brown to form Divine Fits. My Love is Real is the first single they released and it sounds like the Handsome Furs never went away. The song has an electro groove and synth pop coolness that would be at home on any Handsome Furs album.

The second song that the band have released is the catchy Would That Not Be Nice and features vocals from Britt Daniel. The song has a more straight ahead indie rock feel to it and is more akin to the sound of Spoon.

Another Divine Fits song was released over the weekend and it is cover of the Camper Van Beethoven (Take the Skinheads Bowling!!!) song I Was Born in a Laundromat. This song also features Britt Daniel on vocals is by far the heaviest of the three songs released.

The new album from Divine Fits is called A Thing Called Divine Fits and will be released on August 28th via Merge.

Stream all three songs below:

Favourite Songs: The Sundays- Can't Be Sure

Unless you are half dead, you probably already know that the Olympics started the other day with the marathon, overly stuffy opening ceremonies. Even the queen looked like she was going to fall asleep as  athletes from every country in the world, including tin-pot dictatorships and South Pacific atolls, marched into the stadium. On top of that, Canadians had to endure CTV's blase coverage which consisted of Brian Williams blabbering geography lessons and political opinions that nobody cares about. I heard that NBC's coverage was even worse, with them cutting away from Danny Boyle's tribute of terror victims, to an interview that was given by Ryan Seacrest. Really!!! Ryan Seacrest?? Pathetic!!

Anyway, I will be cheering for the Canadian team like everyone else. I don't think the Canadians will win many medals. In Canada, there isn't the excitement around the Summer Olympics like there was around the Vancouver Winter Olympics where we won 14 gold medals. People in Toronto would much rather cheer for their favourite nation in the Euro Cup than cheer for their home country in The Olympics. The media do their best though, over-hyping Canadian athletes that probably won't even come close to winning a medal.

Watching the Olympics yesterday I noticed that there are some events taking place at Earl's Court arena in London's west end. This reminds me of a trip I took to Britain when I was 10 years old. Highlights of the trip included shopping at Harrod's, walking through a race riot in Cardiff, watching dumb people picnic in the lion area of a safari park, and seeing a Tattoo at Earl's Court. No, I am not talking about the ugly tramp stamps you will find on the back of suburban housewives. I mean the militaristic shit show with bagpipe bands, soldiers building and shooting cannons and special forces guys rappelling down ropes from the ceiling of the arena.

One of the good things about my trip to England was the fact it did not rain while I was there. I have heard stories that this one of worst summers for rain in Britain in recent memory. The third day of the games provided the inevitable rain that England is famous for. The lyrics in the song Can't Be Sure by The Sundays is a really good song to describe the mood in Britain at this time. The people of Britain are going to enjoy these Olympics games despite the economy, phone hacking scandals, weather etc.....

"England my country the home of the free, such miserable weather
But England's as happy as England can be
Why cry"

The Sundays are an English alternative band led by angelic voiced singer Harriet Wheeler. Best known in North America with their cover of the Rolling Stones classic Wild Horses which was featured in a Budweiser commercial. Can't Be Sure was the band's debut single in 1989. The song's lyrics basically mean to live life simply and that there are some things you can't change (like the weather). The band recorded three albums in the 90's and I don't think they officially broke up.

Download the song Can't Be Sure and buy the three Sunday albums on iTunes

Download: The Sundays- Can't Be Sure

Buy: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic on iTunes
Buy: Blind on iTunes
Buy: Static and Silence on iTunes

GO CANADA!!!!!

New Music: Bat For Lashes- Laura + video

English songstress Bat for Lashes (Natasha Khan) is back with a new song and new album. The first single is called Laura and is a slow piano ballad with poignant lyrics addressed to a friend. The song seems to be written about Natasha consoling her friend for being lonely after living an empty lifestyle. This song continues Bat for Lashes string of naming singles after people. The others being Prescilla off of her debut album Fur and Gold and Daniel off of the follow up album Two Suns. She seems to have a habit of writing songs that are very personal and dear to her heart.

The new album is called The Haunted Man and will be released on October 23rd in North America. Some people have made a fuss about the album artwork and have labeled it NSFW because Natasha appears on the cover semi-nude. Natasha has never shied away from doing somewhat risque photo shoots as illustrated in this Fader Magazine feature from 2009.

Risque photo shoots aside, I swear that this girl has the most beautiful big brown eyes I have ever seen and this is more than accentuated in the first few seconds of the video for Laura. I could probably fall in love with this girl in a heartbeat. The video features an actor who just might be badass movie actor Terence Stamp reprising his role as Bernadette from the movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.


 

New Band- Heavenly Beat

The other day I wrotea post on a new band called Ice Choir- the side project of Pains of Being Pure at Heart drummer Kurt Feldman. Like Ice Choir, Heavenly Beat is a synth driven new project from an a member of an already established New York band. This time it is John Pena, the bass player from jangle indie rock band Beach Fossils. The music has a Balearic chillwave vibe perfect for the beach or lying in bed listening on a pair of headphones.

The new LP from Heavenly Beat, Talent, is available now via Captured Tracks.

Here two songs from the album below.

Download:
 

Stream:

New Music: Ringo Deathstarr- Rip

When Richard Starkey changed his name to Ringo Starr when he joined The Beatles, I bet he didn't know that 50 years later that emerging groups would play on his name when they formed their own bands. I'm talking about Atlanta alternative band Gringo Star and Texas shoegazers Ringo Deathstarr. The latter band have released a new song called Rip. The group, who have the most awesome band name this side of Austin, will release their second LP called Mauve on September 11th 25th via Sonic Unyon.

Listen: Ringo Deathstarr- Rip on Soundcloud.

New Band: Ice Choir

Ice Choir is the new project of Pains of Being Pure at Heart drummer Kurt Feldman.  Feldman changes course from his usual tweegaze music to make down tempo synth pop which reminds me of 80's new romantic bands like Scritti Politti, Johnny Hates Jazz and Visage. One of the band's new songs is called I Want You Now and Always which hints at the Depeche Mode classic I Want You Now. It is always fun to hear the old school keytars, drum machines and cold synth swaths.

The band just released their latest single called Everything is Spoilt by Use which features Caroline Polachek of Chairlift.

Ice Choir release their debut album, Afar, on July 31st via Underwater Peoples.

Download: Ice Choir- Everything is Spoilt by Use (Featuring Caroline Polachek)
Download: Ice Choir- I Want You Now and Always
Download: Ice Choir- Teletrips

New Music: Tamaryn- I'm Gone

Another one of favourite bands from 2010 have released a new song. San Francisco Shoegaze/Dream Pop duo Tamaryn are back with a new single called I'm Gone. Tamaryn is one of those bands that would keep even someone with ADD entranced. A great tune perfect for a lazy, sultry summer day.

Tamaryn release their new album , Tender New Signs, on October 16th via Mexican Summer.

New Music: The Hundred in the Hands- Keep it Low

I loved The Hundred in the Hands 2010 single The Young Aren't Young. Now the band is back with a song called Keep it Low from their new album Red Night. The boy/girl duo hail from Brooklyn and make sexy synth pop music perfect for sultry summer nights.

Download: The Hundred in the Hands- Keep it Low

Buy: The Hundred in the Hands- Red Night via iTunes

Best Coast- Live at The Phoenix

On Saturday afternoon Bethany Cosentino of the band Best Coast sent out a tweet stating "Toronto tonight at The Phoenix! Doors open at 8, come sweat with us." Voila!!! I had my plans for the night.

I arrived at The Phoenix at 9 o'clock just in time to see openers Those Darlins. Those Darlins are a garage band from Nashville Tennessee and are made up of two guys and two girls. The band played a raucous 45 minute set of garage and punk songs. A favourite among their set was a fun song called Pussy Party....you can imagine what that song was about. I was sold on this band and was wondering why they have not worked with Jack White's Third Man Records. They seem like a perfect fit to work with Jack.

After a half and hour break, Best Coast came on stage promptly at 10:15. Against a backdrop of a mural that contained the album artwork from their latest LP (see above) they started the concert with the songs The End, Crazy For You and Goodbye from their debut album Crazy For You. Having seen Best Coast twice before I knew that singer Bethany Cosentino likes to be very engaged with the crowd. It didn't take her long to berate the audience for being quiet and inactive, wondering why there were not more people dancing. She then backtracked on her statement saying that she was a lousy dancer and probably wouldn't be moving much either. The rest of the first set consisted of their trademark lo-fi sunshine pop and angst driven love ballads- a mixture of songs from both Crazy For You and their new album The Only Place. Bethany apologized for playing a couple of ballads but I don't think the audience minded. Later Bethany had to check on the status of her partner, the ever popular guitarist Bob Bruno, as he seemed to working up a good sweat. She then gave a shout out to Bob which resulted in a huge roar from the appreciative crowd. The rapport between Bethany and Bob was fun to watch as Bethany took several playful jabs at Bob. Also she had to introduce their touring bass player who is from Toronto. She donned his baseball cap for a couple of seconds to more thunderous applause. I believe the hat may have been a Blue Jays cap but I was too far back from the stage to confirm.

After a thirteen song opening set the band were ready for an encore. The encore started with the song I Want To from their album Crazy For You. Near the end of the song a long haired dude jumped on the stage and started dancing to which Bethany exclaimed "That was fucking awesome." The encore included a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song Storms from the forthcoming tribute album Just Tell Me That You Want Me. Even though the band have played it several times over the last couple of weeks, including on the Jimmy Fallon show, Bethany forgot some of the lyrics. Oops!! The last two songs of the night were the popular When I'm With You and Boyfriend. The former included a spirited shambolic guitar solo by the aforementioned Mr. Bruno which resulted in another deafening cheer from the audience.

As mentioned earlier I have seen Best Coast twice before and this is by far their best concert. The first concert I saw them play was at The Great Hall during NXNE a couple of years ago and Bethany got pissed after a heckler told them they sucked. They played awesome but Bethany was not very talkative after the incident. Also the sound wasn't very good and Bethany kept asking for updates on the L.A. Laker game who were in the NBA Finals at the time. The second time I same them was also at The Phoenix. That concert was an all ages affair and most of the people were 17 year old skate kids who were there to see indie pop punk band Wavves. Not my scene. I left happier on this night.

Download: Best Coast- The Only Place
Video: Best Coast -I Want To
Purchase: Best Coast- The Only Place via iTunes

There is no song list from the Toronto concert posted yet so I took their set list from the concert in Montreal on Friday night. It looks like it is the same.
Set List:
The End 
Crazy For You 
Goodbye 
Last Year 
Summer Mood 
The Only Place 
No One Like You 
How They Want Me To Be 
Why I Cry 
Dreaming My Life Away 
Our Deal
When the Sun Don't Shine
Do You Love Me Like You Used To
Encore:
I Want To
Sun Was High (So Was I)
Mean Girls
Storms (Fleetwood Mac cover)
When I'm With You
Boyfriend

Favourite Songs: Amy Winehouse- You Know I'm No Good

Tomorrow will mark the one year anniversary of the death of Amy Winehouse. The iconic but troubled singer was found in her house dead on July 23rd, 2011 after a night of heavy drinking.
I remember when I first her single Rehab on the BBC radio show hosted by Zane Lowe. I knew instantaneously the song, along with the artist were going to huge. She did become huge in England where she already had a little bit of success with her first album Frank. It took another year for her to become known in North America. The result of her success led to many other British female R&B stars including Duffy, Estelle, Adele and Florence & the Machine.
Her 2006 album Back to Black won numerous accolades including making the 2007 Mercury Prize short list, and several Grammy awards. The production of the album by Mark Ronson was near flawless incorporating the back up band of soul singer Sharon Jones-The Dap-Kings.
The great production values are most prevalent on the second single from the album You Know I'm No Good. The infectious song features Amy's raspy voice infused with a R&B hip hop big beat and a jazzy Dap-King horn section. The song also makes reference to her favourite beer Stella. The song was later remixed and recorded with Wu Tang Clan rapper Ghostface Killah.
Sadly, Amy Winehouse never released another album before she died. In the years between the release of Back to Black and her untimely death last year she led a pained life of alcohol and drug abuse. Having friends like Blake Fielder-Civil and Pete Doherty didn't help and the song should have about them
Buy: Back to Black LP via Amazon
Download: Back to Black via iTunes

New Music: Bloc Party- Octopus (Video)

Finally got around to listening to the new Bloc Party single Octopus and I am not sure how I feel about it. I was a huge fan of the band's first album Silent Alarm but I must admit I found their follow up albums, A Weekend in the City and Intimacy, kind of boring.

Bloc Party has been on hiatus for the last few years and in that time lead singer Kele Okereke released a solo album called Boxer. Kele was also voted 2012's Sexiest Man in Indie Rock by Nerve Magazine just a couple of weeks ago.

Their sound on this new single still channels the same Gang of Four dance punk style that they have had over their previous three albums. There is also a cheezy guitar solo near the end of the song. Feel indifferent about this song.....but maybe it will grow on me.

The video is also pretty standard with the band playing in a warehouse or a loft and rhythmic gymnasts dancing around. Warning: The video may give you an epileptic seizure.

Bloc Party are set to release their new album called Four on August 21st. The album is available now for pre-order on iTunes.

New Music: Kindness- That's Alright

Kindness is the project of British artist Adam Bainbridge. His latest song, That's Alright, sounds like it was lifted straight out of 1989 echoing the sounds of The Time, Janet Jackson and Soul II Soul.

Listen:

New Band- Kestrels

The Halifax band Kestrels are being billed as a shoegaze band. I can hear the shoegaze influence, but I can also hear the east coast influence. I think these guys sound a little bit like Sloan . Slowdive vs Sloan?...judge for yourself.
The new album from Kestrels-A Ghost Story- is out now on Sonic Unyon Records

Listen: Dumb Angels featuring guitar from Tim Wheeler of Ash

New Music: Menomena- Heavy Is As Heavy Does

Portland indie rock band Menomena are back with a new single called Heavy Is As Heavy Does from their forthcoming fifth studio album, Moms, which is out on September 18th via Barsuk Records. The band have been reduced to a duo after co-founder Brent Knopf left to concentrate on his new band Ramona Falls. Even if you don't know who Menomena is, you've probably heard their music before. Their song Taos was featured in a Crown Royal commercial which was in heavy rotation on Canadian television a few months ago.
The song is a sleeper and inches along until it hits a wall of screeching guitars at the 2:28 mark.

Listen:

New Band: Melody's Echo Chamber

Melody's Echo Chamber is a psych pop band fronted by French artist Melody Prochet and is under the stewardship of Tame Impala lead singer/guitarist Kevin Parker. Parker's influence is all over this song, However, it could easily be classified as dream pop when Prochet's beautiful voice is added into the equation.
The band will be releasing a split 7" single for their song Crystallized along with Unknown Mortal Orchestra's cover of the below song. The single is available on July 31st via Fat Possum Records
The debut album from Melody's Echo Chamber will be available on September 25th.

2012 Polaris Music Prize (Shortlist)

Today marked the announcement of the 2012 Polaris Music Prize shortlist that celebrates and rewards the best in Canadian recording as selected by music critics and bloggers across Canada. The prize will be awarded on September 24th in Toronto. There is really no surprises on this year's list. The only thing missing is a French Canadian artist who have been selected and have won in the past-Karkwa won the prize in 2010. Last year the Arcade Fire wrapped up an unbelievable year of winning awards by taking the prize. The only band that has won before on this year's short list is Fucked Up. They won in 2009 for their album The Chemistry of Common Life and are nominated this year for David Comes to Life. Some of my favourites to win the award this year are Grimes and Japandroids as I wrote about earlier in my Top Albums 2012 (so far) post.  Also electro band Handsome Furs would be a sentimental favourite after their recent break up. I think they are my most loved band on the list-may they rest in peace.
See the list below:

Cadence Weapon-Hope in City
Cold Specks-I Predict a Graceful Expulsion
Drake:Take Care
Kathleen Edwards-Voyageur
Feist-Metals
Fucked Up-David Comes to Life
Grimes-Vision
Handsome Furs-Sound Kapital
Japandroids-Celebration Rock
YAMANTAKA//SONIC TITAN-YT//ST

Watch the NSFW video What About Us? from the Handsome Furs.

 
Handsome Furs - "What About Us" from stereogum on Vimeo.

New Music: The xx-Angels

The xx are back with their familiar minimalistic haunting sound. I am probably the millionth person to blog about this today, but this band is that good and deserve all the attention that comes their way.
The new album from The xx Coexist will be released on September 10th.

Listen:

Favourite Songs: Queens of the Stone Age-Better Living Through Chemistry

Tonight marks the return of AMC's hit drama Breaking Bad. I'm looking forward to seeing what creator and writer Vince Gilligan has in store for main character Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he becomes more inimical and takes over the as drug kingpin in Albuquerque New Mexico. As the series is in it's final chapter I am betting the last 16 episodes will be crazier than ever.
But first, what better way to celebrate the premiere of Breaking Bad than paying homage to the song Better Living Through Chemistry by Queens of the Stone Age.  The band is classified as stoner rock, although this is a term that Josh Homme rejects- and a lot of band's lyrics revolve around drug culture. Queens of the Stone Age formed in Palm Desert California in 1997 and released Rated R in 2000 to critical success. It became the band's breakthrough album.
Better Living Through Chemistry (not to be confused with the debut album from Fatboy Slim) was never released as a single but is arguably one of the best songs the Queens of the Stone Ages ever recorded. A dark slow lilting tune with a fast guitar piece, Nick Oliveri's driving bass and a track time of over 5 minutes. The song is most likely about the taking of LSD in the desert with a hint of violence.
Sadly, Oliveri was kicked out of the band in 2006 for being a jerk-rumours were that he hit his girlfriend.

"The blue pill opens your eyes
Is there a better way
A new religion prescribed
To those without the faith
The hero holding a knife
And blood is not enough
Is it too late to go back?
Is it too late to go?"

Listen: Queens of the Stone Age-Better Living Through Chemistry

Buy: Rated R LP on Amazon
Buy: Rated R(Re-issue Deluxe Edition) iTunes

New Music:Passion Pit-Constant Conversations

The new Passion Pit single Constant Conversations easily qualifies as one of the songs of the year. The tune is a soulful R&B influenced slow burner complimented by Michael Angelakos' sweet falsetto.

Passion Pit's new LP Gossamer will be available July 24th. 

Listen: Passion Pit-Constant Conversations

Music Video: PS I Love You-Toronto

New music video showcases my adopted home town of Toronto.
Kingston noise rock duo just released a new music video for their song Toronto. The video shows quick images of Toronto's downtown skyline and waterfront interspersed with various colours and shapes. The visuals of the skyline are almost the same view of Toronto I have out of my window at home.
Watch the video via Spin
The song Toronto is taken from the album Death Dreams now available on iTunes

New Music-Puro Instinct Dream Lover

More 80's like goodness from synth pop band Puro Instinct. Featuring sister act Piper and Skylar Kaplan (must have hippie parents with names like that) the song features beautiful harmonies slightly overridden with gorgeous synth pop. This is a follow up single to one of my favourite albums from last year- Headbangers in Ecstasy.

Puro Instinct-Dream Lover

New Music-Eternal Summers You Kill

I fell in love with the band Eternal Summers when they played NXNE a few weeks ago. Their poppy post punk is perfect for summer-thus the name of the band. Eternal Summers new album Correct Behaviour is out on July 24th.

Download: Eternal Summers-You Kill

Eternal Summers play The Garrison in Toronto on August 7th.

New Music-Diana Born Again

This band is starting to get some serious buzz. At least the Guardian has picked up on this band and featured them on their music site yesterday. The best part of these guys are that they are from Toronto. The band sounds like late seventies pop mixed with modern day chillwave which makes sense because they employ Destroyer's saxophonist Joseph Shabason.

Listen:

!!! (Chk Chk Chk)-Live at Lee's Palace

When I was perusing through the concert listings last Thursday I was shocked to see that dance punk act !!! were playing a show at Lee's Palace on the following Saturday. They haven't released a new album since their 2010 release Strange Weather, Isn't It and there has not been any news about them releasing any new material. I had heard a lot of good things about their live show and I knew I had to see them. I always love it when bands come through town and they are not promoting a new album or there is no buzz surrounding them. It usually means that the show will not sell out. This was the case on Saturday as Lee's Palace was only at 75 % capacity.
The show opened with a band called Dopes led by former Tangiers and Bad Tits singer Josh Reichmann. The band consisted of two members-one playing guitar and Josh playing a keyboard which was perched on top of two of Lee's infamous red stools. They were backed by a Macbook that provided pre-recoded backing tracks. The songs were an odd experimental mix of post punk and pop music. The last two songs were sung with auto tune-I'm not a big fan of auto tune and songs came across too weird for me.
After a 45 minute wait it was time for !!! to take the stage. Lead singer Nic Offer came onto the stage wearing only a pair of boxer shorts. Apparently they were porno shorts, but I was too far back of the stage to see what pictures were emblazoned on them.  He later explained that he bought them at a Thrift shop in Athens Georgia. The first song was the classic All My Heroes are Weirdoes. Nic Offer started doing the frenetic dancing he is famous for and the rest of Lee's Palace followed suit. Nobody was left sitting at the side tables or the previously mentioned stools.The band raced through some of their classic material like Must Be the Moon,Yadnus and Heart of Hearts leaving the crowd in a sweating frenzy. Nic Offer also made a couple of forays into the crowd and did a few tightrope acts on the wooden side bars around Lee's pit. Kudo's to the dude in the Pure Energy T Shirt who jumped up on stage and out danced Offer. Offer didn't mind as he danced along with him and invited him back for the encore. The band played two new songs called Except Death and Jack Ruby. Offer also announced that they have completed recording a new album and it would be released "whenever the internet says it is cool to do so." Looking forward to it. They only played one encore song which is probably a good thing as the crowd and the band looked like they were drowning in sweat due to the crazy amount of dancing mixed with the sweltering venue. However myself and the rest of the crowd were left wanting more.
Next time.....

Here is the set list from the show

All My Heroes are Weirdos
Jamie, My Intentions are Bass
Except Death
Must Be The Moon
Byron
Jack Ruby
Yadnus
Cokie
Heart of Hearts

New Music- Comanechi Major Move

Yes!!!! Comanechi has released new music. I have been a huge fan of lead singer Akiko Matsuura  ever since she started drumming with The Big Pink. She has this fun, crazy personality and likes to get naked when she performs. I saw the band perform twice at Toronto's NXNE festival a couple of years ago and was blown away. Akiko was wearing a "barely there" swimsuit and the guitarist, Simon Petrovitch, kicked a monitor over and it landed on my foot.
Akiko also has another band called Pre.

You can order the 7" single via Comanechi's website

The song is a grunge punk rocker and apparently the video was filmed in Akiko's living room.

Favourite Songs-Art Brut Axel Rose

This is a song that would make the lead singer of Guns 'n Roses very proud. A punk tribute featuring a "fuck you" attitude sung with the heart of Johnny Rotten era Sex Pistols. Eddie Argos' spoken word delivery never sounded better. The song is taken from the 2011 album Brilliant! Tragic! which was produced by Frank Black.

"This world is fucked and you're an idiot/
Why don't you take a long look at my middle digit!"

Listen: Art Brut-Axel Rose

Music Mix-TomKat

Today's music mix is dedicated to TomKat or Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. May their relationship rest in peace.

Plants & Animals- Tom Cruz
from the album La La Land

Com Truise-Broken Date
from the album Galactic Melt

Tom Vek-C-C (You Set Me on Fire)

Cat Power-Metal Heart
from the album Moonpix

Bonus: From Tom Cruise's fellow Scientologist-a really good break up song

Beck-Sea Change
from the album Sea Change

New Band-Savages

With the release today of the movie Savages it is only fitting to talk about a new band with the same name. Savages is an all girl four piece post punk band from London U.K. Obvious influences for this band are Siouxsie & the Banshees and Joy Division. They also sound a bit like the band I wrote about on Monday-Altered Images.
Listen to Flying to Berlin below. This song is really good.
Also available on iTunes

New Music Summer Camp-City

Moshi Moshi electro pop band Summer Camp have just released a new song from their EP Always. The third track from the EP is awash with 80's synths and Hip Hop star Pyramid Vritra from the Odd Future collective contributes a verse to the track.

Listen below:



Purchase Summer Camp-Always on iTunes.

Music Video Casiokids-Dresinen

Cute cartoon video for the song Dresinen from Norwegian electro-pop artists Casiokids. Especially love the blue monster near the end of the video.

Song is available on the album Aabenbaringen Over Aaaskammen (say that 3 times fast!!!)
Purchase iTunes

Top Albums 2012 (so far) Part 2+Featured Songs

Below are my top albums of 2012....so far. Part 2

11. Grimes-Visions
Vancouver by way of Montreal bedroom artist makes pure pop bliss. Maybe my favourite album of the year.
Listen:
Grimes-Oblivion

12. Jack White- Blunderbuss
No other words....Jack White is a genius
Listen:
Jack White-Sixteen Saltines

13. Japandroids- Celebration Rock
Garage rock mixed with Springsteen...a harder edged Hold Steady.
Listen:
Japandroids-The Nights of Wine and Roses

14. Killer Mike- R.A.P. Music
Old school hip hop with a social conscious
Listen:
Killer Mike- Reagan

15. Memoryhouse- The Slideshow Effect
Dissed by the mainstream music press...but I still love them. Canada's answer to Beach House?
Listen:
Memoryhouse-The Kids Were Wrong

16. Public Image Ltd.- This is PiL
Johnny Lydon never sounded better and they get along just fine without guitarist Jah Wobble.
Watch:
Public Image Ltd.- One Drop

17. Saint Etienne- Words and Music by Saint Etienne
British dance kings come back with solid album
Listen:
Saint Etienne-Tonight

18. Spiritualized- Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Lead singer Jason Pierce may have almost died twice but his music is full of life
Listen:
Spiritualized-Hey Jane

19. Trailer Trash Tracys- Ester
Great debut from Scottish post punk/shoegaze band.
Listen:
Trailer Trash Tracys-Candy Girl

20. The Walkmen- Heaven 
Maybe the most beautiful album of the year.
Listen:
The Walkmen-Heaven

Top Albums 2012 (so far) Part 1+Featured Songs

Below are my top albums of 2012....so far.

(in alphabetical order)

1. Alabama Shakes- Boys & Girls
Old school soul and rock 'n roll backed by Brittany Howard's beautiful voice.
Listen:

Alabama Shakes-Hold On

2. Allo Darlin'-Europe
Scottish Pop Twee for fans of Camera Obscura

Listen:

Allo Darlin-Capricornia

3. Beach House-Bloom
Dream Pop masterpiece
Listen:
Beach House-Myth

4. Bear in Heaven- I Love You, It's Cool
Electropop and indie rock goodness with 80's overtones.
Listen:
Bear in Heaven-Sinful Nature

5. Chromatics- Kill for Love
More electropop from Drive Soundtrack favourites.
Listen:
Chromatics-Kill for Love

6. Cloud Nothings- Attack on Memory
Awesome Lo-fi Indie rock.
Listen:
Cloud Nothings-Stay Useless

7. DIIV- Oshin
Shoegaze and guitar based Dreampop from Beach Fossils side project.
Listen:
DIIV-How Long Have You Known

8. Father John Mistry- Fear Fun
Alter ego of J Tillman makes folk almost as good as his former band.
Listen:
Father John Mistry-Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings

9. Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel....
Crazy singer-songwriter returns after long hiatus
Listen:
Fiona Apple-Every Single Night

10.  Frankie Rose-Interstellar
Frankie goes from lo-fi to Dreampop
Listen
Frankie Rose-Know Me

Favourite Songs- Altered Images Dead Pop Stars

Wow....this song was released in 1981 and is still relevant today.

"dead pop stars rotting in the studio
pretty bodies make the little girls scream
dead pop stars here them on the radio
pretty bodies every little girls dream"

Altered Images were a Scottish new wave/post punk band and a favourite of John Peel's. The band,were most obviously, influenced by Siouxsie & The Banshees and their first two singles were produced by Banshee's bassist Steve Severin. Sadly, the band didn't last very long only recording three albums and disbanding in 1983.
This song laments the popularity of pop stars that are being played on the radio and how they fade away after their 15 minutes are up. The only difference between today and 1981 is that some pop stars don't seem to be going away i.e Justin Bieber.

Altered Images-Dead Pop Stars

Diamond Rings-I'm Just Me

Happy Canada Day!!!! New video from Canadian electro Diamond Rings called I'm Just Me.