Saturday, June 25, 2011

new: We Are Losers

Disgraceful lack of posting of late. More tomorrow!

Londoners, if you're partying hearty tonight I'll be spinning some records in the Good Ship in Kilburn from 11:30 til 4 a.m. Fun and frolics, soul, pop, rock n' roll, maybe even some electronic mumbo jumbo, see you there!

We Are Losers have released a single on UK indie/dance label Dance To The Radio. More excellent Irish bands breaking out into the wider world. Happy days! It's been great to see a band go from bedroom demos, to recordings, gigs, signings and acclaim. Have a listen to this, it's a beaut. Check them out on bandcamp. Here's a track called Moany and the single, Cheerleader:

Moany by wearelosers

We Are Losers - Cheerleader by Nialler9

Monday, June 13, 2011

new: Jimmy Screech, Fucked Up and Pillars and Tongues

Fucked Up return with cracking new album, David Comes to Life. You've probably heard all about this, but I feel I need to get my little bit in about it. It's a terrific noise. Imagine if Green Day weren't annoying perpetual teenagers spouting weak political slogans? And made much better music? Fucked Up are top notch.

Fucked Up - Queen Of Hearts by snipelondon

Reading this great regular update on British hip-hop at Bearded Magazine I came across Jimmy Screech. You may have heard Jimmy before as a member of Roots Manuva's Banana Klan. His new album The Remedy is out now on Map music.

Jimmy Screech "Divine (Wrongtom's Divine Intervention)" by wrongtom

I really like this and will be checking more of their stuff out over the course of the day. They're called Pillars and Tongues. The Pass and Crossings comes out on June 28th on San Francisco label Empty Cellar.

Pillars and Tongues - The Making Graceful by Music Fan's Mic

Sunday, June 12, 2011

new: Emmy The Great, Popical Island compilation, (old) Das Racist and The Feelies ...and the Sunday Smile playlist

Until yesterday I'd only heard of Emmy The Great, but after reading a piece on her new album in the Guardian I checked her out. She's excellent, looking forward to hearing more. Check out gig shots of her three night residency in St. Pancras Old Church on The Camden Store. The new album is about the breakup of her relationship after her fiancee found God. Virtue is out June 13th. Get this track free from rcrdlbl. I'm falling in love with her songs.

A Woman, A Woman, A Century of Sleep by Emmy The Great

Popical Island strike gold yet again, compiling the very best in Irish pop music. This is the second installment, 18 tracks that will be released June 25th on CD and download. Here is a taster of what it will sound like along with a bandcamp stream of the first compilation. Head over their Soundcloud page for a listen to a track from Tieranniesaur, a groovy jam called Here Be Monsters.






Relax is set to be the title of the next Das Racist release on August 16th. I've listened to their tracks here and there but hadn't come across this yet. Listening to more of their stuff is getting me excited for their first proper (paid for, full release, not mixtape etc.) album. I'd missed out on this tune first time round, it's top notch!

Das Racist - Fashion Party feat. Chairlift by blackmarketborn

Here are their first two, free stream/download mixtapes. Quality business.

Mishka Presents Das Racist - Shut Up, Dude Mixtape by dasracist

Das Racist - Sit Down, Man Mixtape by Hypetrak

The Feelies are new to me. They were on the go between 1976 and 1992, garnering much acclaim and legendary and influential status. They reformed in 2008 and recently released their "comeback" album Here/Before on Bar/None Records. 

The Feelies - Nobody Knows by Song of the Day

Every Sunday morning my buddy Byron and I post 20 odd tunes on 8tracks for our friends to listen to over breakfast and general Sunday morning relaxing. Here's this mornings offering. Chilled, upbeat and fun ...even if it is pissing down outside.



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

new: Ungdomskulen, Glasser/Jamie xx (new to me), Ty Segall and Little Black Ant

Blogging? On a schoolnight? Good grief.

Last month Ungdomskulen released a mini LP of tracks, all under a minute long. If you're in London tomorrow night I'd recommend checking them out in The Shacklewell Arms near Dalston with the spectacular Civil Civic, who we may have mentioned once or twice before. I know people flying over from Ireland for this. It's gonna be a hoot 'n a half. See you there?

Elle by UNGDOMSKULEN

djnodj is one of my favourite blogs. Wisdom and poetry, great dance music and pictures of beautiful women and skateboarding. First listen to this earlier this evening, very good indeed.

Glasser / Tremel (Jamie xx remix) by Young Turks

Picked this up on Stereogum. I have a real soft spot for Ty Segall. He makes such joyful noise. Has garage/lo-fi/pop changed completely of late? Mark Ronson producing Black Lips. White Denim creating a multi genre masterpiece. Thee Oh Sees sounding like a haunted fairground. And this Beatles-in-a-filthy-pub sound from Ty Segall. I'm far from an authority on the subject but I quite like a lot of these bands, it's nice to see sounds developing. Goodbye Bread is out June 21st

Ty Segall - You Make the Sun Fry by One Thirty BPM

Hop skip and jump over to the, as-usual, excellent Real Horrorshow Tunes for some upbeat and soothing electronics. Little Black Ant is the act. Orchestral, danceable, smooth blips, beeps and beats. Excellent stuff. This is her latest release, with some remixes below. She'll be DJing the first ever London show by Christian AIDS too on June 30th according to RHT. Will have to check these Christian AIDS out, they sound like a jolly nice bunch. Will report back.

LBA - I'm happy to be sad by LittleBlackAnt

Disclosure - Carnival (Little Black Ant Remix) by TransparentRecs

Sun Glitters - Find Your Way (See) (LittleBlackAnt Remix) by LittleBlackAnt

If you like my writing but consider it brief, I've started writing reviews for the excellent State.ie. I've been reading State since its days as a print mag and am delighted to have gotten the chance to have my reviews posted to their site. Well worth a read, a really good team of brilliant writers involved. I've recently reviewed Black Lips, White Denim, The Indelicates, Battles and a cracking Summer Camp gig in London.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

new: Bodi Bill, Blue Scholars & Teens

Well this is turning into quite the blogging Sunday ...I was supposed to get my hair cut today but it's drizzling out so I'm drinking tea and listening to loads of music instead.

...New band to me, are Bodi Bill, a Berlin electronic folk act. This is the second release from their debut album What? Can imagine these guys making waves over the next few months.

Bodi Bill - Pyramiding (Edit) by Sinnbus


new: Chad VanGaalen, Tasseomancy, Cass McCombs and Benjamin Taylor Leftwich

I posted about Chad VanGaalen the other day ...I needed to revisit him on the back of this AMAZING video. I picked it up from Anika In London ...good read.


Chad VanGaalen - Peace on the Rise (OFFICIAL VIDEO) from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.

I picked this up too. Canadian sisters Sari and Romy Lightman make up Tasseomancy. Their current album is called Ulalume. Gorgeous sounds.

Soft Feet by tasseomancy

I started listening to Cass McCombs recently, knowing that he was seen as a living legend and wanting to decide for myself whether or not the fuss was warranted so I picked up his latest, Wit's End. I found something incredibly delicate and gentle about his music. It had a real calming effect on me. Here is a new video from him for County Line from that album. You can stream the album over at Guardian Music.



Finally, today I will be listening to more Benjamin Taylor Leftwich. I checked a few tunes out on a recommendation this morning. Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm is out July 4th.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Box Of Stones by dirty hit



new: Ed Sheeran plays a song on a boat

We spoke about Ed Sheeran recently on d'blog. He's really very good. Here's a video of him sitting on a boat in Camden and playing a song. Good stuff Ed.



new: three top London acts ...Super Best Friends Club, Disclosure and Grass House

With working and commuting a lot I've been laying off the features, better to blog when I can than bust my balls sticking to a regime, so instead of a London band of the week here are a bunch of great bands from London worth checking out.

Super Best Friends Club create a groove, then make a mess of it in an outstanding display of musical destruction. In parts it sounds like The Postal Service and Beirut got drunk, stole some traffic cones and ran off whooping and hollering into the night.

On the very interesting Hakisac Records. Will be posting more of their roster in coming times.




Super Best Friends Club - Sunshine SUPER MEGATRON


Much of my beef with dubstep thus far has been it's grating womp and often disjointed alienating feel (which I appreciate is a massive part of the appeal), but as it evolves (and an exciting evolution it has been) it's shed some of that with acts like Disclosure. Very danceable too, which is exciting. I suppose they're just taking the framework and filling the interior with delightful electronics and samples. Teenage brothers from South East London, expect loads more great stuff from them.

Live: Tonight (June 5th), Lock Tavern, Camden with Filthy Dukes. Til 3 a.m.

Carnival by Disclosure.

Disclosure - London Town by The Big Beat


And lastly we have Grass House, a cracking band whose E.P we discussed back in December. This new track, which will be released as a free download from June 27 is a conscious effort to create something lighter than their usually darker material. So they do light and heavy well. They're a bloody brilliant band, one of my favourites in London, follow them on facebook and twitter and listen to more stuff on their Soundcloud page.

Live: June 28th, Old Blue Last

A Cradle a Short Breath by Grass House

Saturday, June 4, 2011

new: Beirut, Matias Aguayo, Is Tropical and Retarded Cop

Ah Beirut, you are so so loveable. A new track from Zach Condon and co. The first is a track he wrote when he was 17, has played live since and has now decided to release on an album. Run out of inspiration and stuck for tunes? Not likely, this is a beauty, and another great example of a band who seem to get nothing but joy from playing music together. A heartwarming delight fit for a sunny Saturday evening.

Beirut - East Harlem by Revolver USA

Weird wee tune here from Matias Aguayo who I first encountered recently as a guest on the excellent Ice Cream by Battles, the highlight of their most recent album, Gloss Drop. While this track is worth a listen and warrants further checking out of his E.P of the same name, at 7 minutes it kinda drags. It may need a few more listens and is worth a little boogie along to.

Matias Aguayo - I Don't Smoke by Kompakt

Loving this London based act, Is Tropical. Their debut album, Native To is out June 13th. Check them out at XOYO June 17th for their album launch as part of the Kitsune clubnight, also featuring Yuksek, Jupiter and Age Of Consent.

Is Tropical - The Greeks by The Recommender

Finally, Dublin's Gaz Le Rock, aka Retarded Cop, following months of hilarious hype on facebook and twitter, has released his debut album, You Have The Right to Remain Retarded. It horrid pretty noise from a guy that you instantly want to go on the worlds greatest bender with. Gav, come visit, we'll relive Copvan ...



The album is “a mixture of Marshall amps, Gibson guitars, unemployment, sexual objectification, fast food, parenthood, police, celebrity winners and squirrels." Get it and go see them live.

RETARDED COP - OBJECTIFY ME by RETARDED COP

Friday, June 3, 2011

new: Civil Civic, Those Darlins, Holger ...and Blondie (but are you bothered?)

New tune and video from the fabulous Civil Civic. Two Aussies in the UK making lovely noise. They're all set to release their debut album but since they're releasing it independently they need a few quid for pressing and mastering. Check out their page for donating, you will be rewarded depending on your generosity. I'm heading along to see them next Friday in London, I'm all kinds of excited. Leave a comment if you're coming along, we'll have a pint!



...here's what they're at.



In a "my favourite things" Q&A in Spin, Bethany Cosetino from Best Coast mentions Those Darlins as her favourite new act. I had a listen. This is the title track from their most recent album. Get on this, it's excellent!

Those Darlins - "Screws Get Loose" by terrorbird

Listen to this. It's bloody brilliant. Holger is the name of the band, they're from Sao Paolo in Brazil and blend Latin, Carribean and African music together in a palatable western indie pop style. Nothing not to love. Summer music sorted! $5 for the album? Absolute steal.

Holger - Beaver by MyHolger




And finally, some new Blondie. Not bad I guess. Sounds like The Sounds. I still don't know how I feel about old bands and new music. Good for them but I don't know who buys new Stones, Blondie, McCartney albums ...there are a few exceptions, Paul Simon for one, but it's a funny market. Do have a listen to this clip of her cover of Sunday Smile by Beirut though, this is more like it.