Last month, everyone's favourite sexually ambiguous multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wolf unveiled the second single to be taken from his forthcoming album Lupercalia. The track, entitled The City, was premiered on the Steve Lamaq show and is the follow up to the superbly rousing post break-up soundtrack Time Of Your Life. The City is an equally stellar effort. I think it's the wailing sax solos that do it for me - if not them, then surely the upliftingly spirited vocals, both of which give a distinctly Springsteen-esque flavour to this otherwise bouncy pre pre-summer record. The City will released March 14th on vinyl and download.
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Patrick Wolf - The City
Friday, 28 January 2011
The White Panda
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Brother - Darling Buds Of May Video Released
Broadly speaking, you're in either of two camps: you either love Brother, or you hate Brother. I've met people from both sides - a middle ground does not exist. So what now for a band that appear to be 2011's musical equivalent of the Israel/Palestine conflict? That's right, a new promotional video and a tour with The Streets. Supporting The Streets is a shrewd move. Both acts ham up their gritty, urban image, and play music with yob-pop overtones. It's similarities like this that will no doubt endear Streets fans, looking for an alternative now Skinner has decided to wrap up The Streets project, to the cause.
The video, featuring typical council estate fare, is for the quartet's debut single Darling Buds Of May. The track, which is an updated version of the song's original demo incarnation, is available to download over on itunes. As is often the case these days, I prefer the demo version.
BONUS!!
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Cut Copy - Remixed
It's only a matter of weeks 'til Zonoscope, Cut Copy's third studio album, is released to European fans, and already it seems that most of the record has found its way onto Youtube. Is nothing sacred?! I've restrained myself, both physically and chemically, from copping a look at this leaked content - I want to the hear the album in its high quality entirety - I feel this record deserves as much. So, until the album's release, I've been making do with the various remixes of the band's new material. Most of them are a bit meh, though this one, by Illinois' Tigorilla - featuring some Tears For Fears style xylophone action - is a noteworthy effort:
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Bagraiders - Sunlight
In celebration of Bag Raiders self titled debut album hitting American shelves today, Modular records have kindly offered up the track Sunlight to the baying masses. The song features the vocals of international quirkster Dan Black, and is described as a "four minute slice of summertime bliss". Oh the irony of listening to a sun drenched record while still waist high in British winter. The single release will see Sunlight remixed by Armand van Helden, Tiedye, and GLOVES. Stream the entire album over at the Spinner website.
Monday, 24 January 2011
Ruby Frost - Interview
Having featured on the pages of this blog before, regular readers will be more than familiar with Ruby Frost, the diminutive New Zealand singer-songwriter who's destined to cook up a storm in 2011. Somewhere in her diary, she found the time for an obsessive blogger/fan (i.e. me) to interrogate her about all things Frost - here's the results:
Check The Availability: Ruby, Thanks for taking the time out of your no doubt busy schedule to answer a few questions. How are you? Where are you?
Ruby Frost: Thank you for having me! I'm doing well thank you, sitting in my New Zealand Bedroom next to 100 pieces of scrap paper and a blackboard covered in lists.
CTA: You came to my attention after playing CMJ in New York last year. By all accounts, you went down a storm. How did the gig come about?
RF: That gig was the most amazing prize! I won an MTV competition in New Zealand back in 2009, and part of the prize was a trip to New York to perform at CMJ 2010... But I had eight whole months to wait until going and the suspense almost killed me. I loved New York; the bike rides, the different cultures, the subway, the pizza, and the light-up dance floors where we could dance 'ironically'.
CTA: That wasn't your first time in the States, right? I believe there was an incident involving you, a gunman and a church during a previous trip there.
RF: I used to travel to America a lot with my parents' Gospel band from the age of 12 until about 16. And yeah, one day there was a gun scare in the mega-church we were visiting and I was stuck by myself in the foyer selling CDs while the service went on. It was terrifying, but it caused me to write a short story about the gunman's festering skin (terrible acne). That was the first time I ever did something under the Frost pseudonym.
CTA: There seems to be a lot of talent coming out of New Zealand these days. I'm thinking Ladyhawke, Brooke Fraser, Mt Eden Dubstep. Does the environment there lend itself to making great music?
RF: I think so. I think we're very isolated down here, and maybe we feel like outsiders from the 'rest of the world'. But I like that because it means you have a license to act like the misfit, and create anything you want. There's no massive industry over here that gives you set-in-stone standards.
CTA: Speaking of Mt. Eden Dubstep, how did you end up providing vocals for Oh That I Had? It's such a beautiful piece of music.
RF: They got in touch asking if they could remix one of my songs, and at the time I only had an old E.P. recorded. Oh That I Had was on the E.P., just vocals and piano. It's a very spiritual song so I was interested in how it would end up, but I really like it; it's beautiful.
CTA: How far off are we from hearing the full album? Have you decided on a name yet?
RF: The album should be coming out around July! And that's a prospect which makes me equally delighted and incredibly nervous. There's still a lot of work to be done so I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into it. I have one name idea but it's TOP SECRET. Sorry.
CTA: I understand the song writing process involved collaborating with some big name talent over in Australia. How do you find working creatively with other people?
RF: I thought I would hate it and went into my first session a little bit guarded. But I quickly realised co-writing is one of the most exciting things you can do - instead of labouring away alone, you get to do your favourite thing with the excitement of having to jet out ideas instantly and quickly. It's always a challenge but that's why I like it. I want to get away from that now though, having done a few sessions, and am going to lock myself away to write alone again. I think it's important to have both... they are different ways of using your brain.
CTA: You recently released the video to Moonlight. Fantastic stuff. having made the video, you must feel like a real popstar now, right?
RF: Haha, definitely not! It's exciting to finally have something out, but it just makes me want to work harder and write 1 million more songs and try to get it all down to a fine art. I guess it's all in the experimental stage. But I am enjoying this haphazard process!
CTA: ...and finally, I have to ask, are there any plans to play some live shows outside of New Zealand any time soon? I'm thinking specifically (...and selfishly) that you might come and play in the U.K..
RF: Yes, we are looking into some ideas, but it is still early days. I would love to spend a couple of months in the U.K. and maybe also Sweden just to meet up with interesting people and try and collaborate and come up with new things. But who knows, nothing is set yet.
Ruby Frost - Pressure (Leno Lovecraft Remix)
Ruby's latest E.P. Moonlight was released to New Zealand fans today and is available via itunes. The 28th and 30th January will see Frost play Hamilton's Parachute Festival.
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Jonathan Boulet
Jonathan Boulet is everything you'd want to be: young, incredibly talented - and Australian. His grammar though, leaves a lot to be desired, as evidenced by the appalling syntactic error on his latest track entitled You're A Animal. No doubt he'll tell you it was a purposeful mistake; I have my doubts.
Although Boulet, signed to Modular Recordings, is best known for making laid back, colourful folk-pop music, You're A Animal sees the Sydney native take a new direction. At the song's heart is a frenetic percussive riff, atop of which sits an anthemically shouty vocal hook; a sweet-sounding symphonic war cry to galvanise every misunderstood skinny indie-kid in the land. Add to that a blast of punchy guitar power-chords and you've got yourself some of what I'd call Tribal Rock - and I love it!
You're A Animal is taken from Boulet's as yet untitled sophomore album which is due for release in mid 2011. If you're in the Brisbane area and find yourself at a loose end on New Year's Eve, you could do worse than to head to the Powerhouse No Years Festival which features Jonathan play alongside Shout Out Louds and Neon Indian. A snip at $85?
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Cut Copy - Take Me Over (Tim Goldsworthy Remix)
Continuing with their steady drip-drip of Cut Copy/Zonoscope related news, Modular Recordings have sent out a re-work of Cut Copy's tropical-slash-Men At Work inspired track Take Me Over, featuring Tim Goldsworthy, producer of In Ghost Colours and all round legend, on remixing duties. Also confirmed is the track listing for forthcoming album Zonoscope, which will hit European shelves on 07/02.
Zonoscope Tracklisting:1. Need You Now2. Take Me Over4. Pharaohs & Pyramids5. Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution6. Strange Nostalgia for the Future7. This Is All We've Got8. Alisa9. Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat10. Corner of the Sky11. Sun God
BONUS!!!!
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Ruby Frost - Moonlight Video
Although Slough band Brother feature highly on my hypothetical list of ones to watch for 2011, it would be New Zealand Popsicle Ruby Frost who would top it. Whereas the former has been described as potentially "the most polarizing band of 2011", I believe Miss Frost will unite all peoples and bring about world peace with her utterly adorable looks and cool electro-infused pop hooks. Above is the promo vid - released yesterday - for Ruby's song Moonlight, directed by one Veronica Crockford-Pound.
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Florrie - Sunday Girl
Perfume adverts, a perennial bane of my life, seem to increase exponentially as we approach Christmas. Out of the over-the-top, faux artsy mire has come Nina Ricci's effort; an advert which I found was sound tracked by none other than British drummer-turned-pop-up-and-comer Florrie, performing a cover of Blondie's multilingual classic Sunday Girl. Very pleasant indeed.
Monday, 13 December 2010
Eye Emma Jedi
Eye Emma Jedi are a band in-complete. Despite having already released single Crucified back in early November, and being B-listed on Norway's equivalent of Radio 1, this talented multinational outfit made up of Andrew Murray - no, not that one - and Alexander Pavelich are only now searching the capital's streets for additional band members.Influences include the likes of Phoenix, Passion Pit and The Killers, though, from the little I've heard, I'm inclined to describe their sound as a cross between the heavier edge of Foo Fighters, and the power pop of Orson - perhaps with a splash of emo.
The band landed the job of remixing The Wombats' forthcoming single Techno Fan, which is set for online release early in the new year. I'm told we can expect to new materiel of their own after the Christmas break.
MP3: Eye Emma Jedi - Crucified DOWNLOAD
Monday, 6 December 2010
Brother - Live At London's Met Bar
A new video of Slough band Brother has been posted up on their Acid Love website. It's a promo vid of a gig the band played at London's Met Bar last month. It was only their second show in the capital and appears to have been an industry/press junket following the band's contract signing with Geffen a little while back. Features songs False Alarm and New Year's Day.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Grouplove
Grouplove. Do they take their name seriously? Yes. Yes they do. They're sharing a t-shirt for God's sake! That's one step away from a band orgy and an outbreak of the clap.
The band, now based in L.A., are the product serendipity. Band members Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi met via a chance meeting in a New York bar. A strong bond formed between the two and it was from there the friends moved to the Mediterranean island of Crete as part of an art residency. There they met future band members Sean Gadd; a London born guitarist and singer; pro-surfer and musician Andrew Wessen, and his long-time friend and drummer Ryan Rabin. The resultant sound can be heard in single Colours, a track that is equal parts The Pixies and Canadian rockers Born Ruffians - bouncy and eerie in one gulp.
For Grouplove, after featuring at number 10 on NME's mid-year 50 Best New Band's of 2010 round-up, it would appear things are starting to get serious. I would have to agree, these guys are, to use a term, ones to watch. If you're lucky enough to live in Australia or New Zealand (...or both) then you can download the band's debut E.P. through itunes. For the rest of us, I hear we'll have to wait till after Chrimbo.
Grouplove: a group-you-can-love?
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Polarsets
Does anyone remember the Vacanti Mouse? No? Allow me to jog your memory. It was the mouse that researchers controversially grew what looked like a human ear on the back of. Now you remember? The reason I bring it up is because it was one of those things that you'd never think possible. The same thought crossed my mind when I first heard Newcastle based trio, Polarsets - a band who have successfully blended the seemingly incompatible sounds of indie-rock and anthemic Euro-trance. Polarsets? More like Polar Opposites.
Single Leave Argentina was released back in April this year. Catch the band's latest release, Morning, over at their Bandcamp page.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
The Joy Formidable - Album Release
I first wrote about The Joy Formidable back in February '08. Gosh, doesn't that seem like a long time ago? Now, with the release date of the Welsh trio's debut album The Big Roar confirmed, and widespread critical acclaim from taste-makers at The Guardian, Pitchfork, and NME, I feel my early support of the band was well justified.
Following the U.S. release of E.P. A Balloon Called Morning via Black Bell Records (Passion Pit's Ayad Al Adhamy's label), the band withdrew to a corner of a London bedroom to self record and produce the album. Along the way, they received help from engineer Neak Menter as well as L.A. based mixer/producer Rich Costey, who, long-time followers of the band will be pleased to hear, oversaw new recordings of signature tunes Austere and Whirring. The album will be meated out with eight new recordings of the band's epigrammatic indie-rock sound.
The Big Roar will hit U.K. shelves on January 24th, being released via Canvasback/Atlantic Records. Head over to the bands website to pre-order.
MP3: The Joy Formidable - Whirring DOWNLOAD
Monday, 29 November 2010
Patrick Wolf - Time Of My Life
I don't normally give relationship advice, but what do you do when friend breaks up with his girlfriend? What you should do is play him Time Of My Life, by English multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wolf. The feature of all-to-many-a break up tune is the angry rant. Time Of My Life contains no such diatribe. Instead, Wolf's romantic croon consoles it's troubled listener - things will get better; they always do. And in the end, you'll be happy without them.
Time Of My Life will get a single release on 6th December via major label imprint Hideout Recordings. Expect an album to drop May next year.
Patrick Wolf - Time Of My Life
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Ruby Frost
Ruby Frost is the ice cold moniker of pint-sized New Zealand sing-songwriter Jane de Jong. I introduced you to her - briefly - earlier this month when I posted the Leno Lovecraft rework of her track Moonlight - a shimmering masterpiece. It's about time you got to know her better.As a youngster, Frost funnelled her creativity into the written word, putting to paper the time when a gunman burst into an American church she and her family choir where attending - the gun, it turned out, was a hockey stick. Now 22, Frost has turned to music as a way of expressing her creative bent.
It was this time last year she won New Zealand MTV's 42 Unheard competition, seeing off competition from 357 artists from across the country. I never watched the show, but, wearing her handmade sequinned bat-cape, I can imagine there was only ever going to be one winner. The competition won her a recording contract with major label Universal Music, who sent her on a song-writing jaunt to Australia. There, she hooked up with a slew of big name producers and now we're starting to hear glimpses of the electronic-infused direction Frost music is heading. A little less 80's than Marina and the Diamonds; a little more fun than Ellie Goulding, Frost nestles between the two. Her voice - appropriately - takes on the icey chill of Bjork, while her charismatic style brings to mind a cuter version of Kate Bush.
Out there is precious little of Frost's music. This could be a clear sign that label want's to get things right - but when you want to hear more, it's a damn pain. Nevertheless, we're told we can expect and album out sometime in 2011.
MP3: Ruby Frost - Goodnight DOWNLOAD
Monday, 22 November 2010
Cut Copy - Take Me Over
Things are moving fast in the world of Cut Copy. A few weeks ago I reported that the band had penned in 7th February as the European release date for Zonoscope, their upcoming LP. Now we have Take Me Over, the first official single to be taken from the record. You'll be pleased to hear it's available to download now from MP3 retailers across the web. A 12" release is imminent. The band have also announced a world tour that will follow the release of the album. Head over to Pitchfork for dates and venues of the European leg of the tour.
Cut Copy - Take Me Over
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Brother Tour
Last month I introduced you to the sounds of Slough based band of miscreants Brother, hoping you'd approve of their attempt at reviving the Brit-pop genre. The guys set themselves the rather aspirational target of playing in front of 10,000 people by this time next year; and now, with the announcement of an extensive UK tour, they appear to be making definite inroads into achieving this dream. Visit the bands website for dates and venues.
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Treefight For Sunlight
When you think Denmark, I'm sure you picture Vikings, Carlsberg, and Lars Ulrich. When I think Denmark, all I hear is whimsical psychedelic pop-rock. Or at least I did after listening to Copenhagen quartet Treefight For Sunlight.
Although there's no denying an MGMT influence, their approach is a more organic one - a synth free zone. Treefight use a wall of harmonies to create weight while still keeping things light and bouncy. The intricacies of their music demonstrates an awareness of psych-pop/rock that runs deeper than the genre's latest revival. I mean, there are times when these guys are one flute flurry away from sounding a lot like The Free Design. One listen will have you transported to West Coast America.
Having just signed to the Bella Union label, you can expect a full length album some time in February next year.
MP3: Treefight For Sunlight - What Became Of You And I DOWNLOAD
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