divendres, 27 de novembre del 2015

THE BRAINSTEMS. No Place Else



Austràlia sempre ha estat font d'inspiració i lloc de trobada de grups d'estils diversos. Els The Brainstems els podem catalogar com a banda de garatge rock i com a tals dignes de la nostra més absoluta consideració. Els seus temes tenen la força i la qualitat suficient com per ressenyar a aquest blog. Avui mateix surt al mercat el seu darrer treball del que vos presentarem tres temes que es troben al seu soundcloud i que són representatius del que poden trobar a l'àlbum complet.
Leave it to St. Louis, where the current DIY scene feels less overburdened by stale trends than in other comparable cities and where there is still space for genuine weirdos that hasn’t been crowded out by people performing weirdness, to produce a garage band like The Brainstems, who sound more like one of the crop of quality Australian DIY rock groups than they do the franchised LA garage sound. 
Take a listen to their debut LP, No Place Else, which we premiere here today (speaking of the Australian sound, it was mastered by Mikey Young of Total Control, who I’m not sure sleeps and very well may be superhuman). There’s zero BBQ sauce here – this isn’t a PARTY DUUUUUUUDE, flamingo-with-backwards-hat-and-sunglasses, my-first-tattoo-was-a-neck-tattoo band. These are straightforward, well-written, hooky songs with just enough guitar solo – the solos here don’t feel hammy. If it’s party rock, it’s rock for a party full of your closest friends who you actually care about seeing, rather than a party full of drunk randos and jerks that talk too loud at you about things you hate and one naked guy running around violating everyone’s boundaries. 
The recording has the kind of scratchy surface this style calls for, but is otherwise remarkably clean. These songs feel finished, rather than carelessly tossed off. An album like this is proof even for those of us who are deeply weary of Straightforward Rock n’Roll that there’s still value in the formula, that it can still be done right. This is an album made for the love of playing music with your friends. That kind of honesty carries through. Jes Skolnik


dimecres, 25 de novembre del 2015

EIGHT. Eight



Poca cosa hem pogut trobar d'aquest trio llevat de què està liderat per dues components de Year of Glad i Amanda X i que és el seu debut. Aquest Ep de quatre cançons es troba en la línia de treballs com els de les primeres Breeders. Se suposa que es tractarà d'un projecte paral·lel i que la seva vida no serà massa llarga. Així i tot ens trobam davant un treball d'indie rock prou interessant, directe i contundent. Aquí no demanam molta cosa més per ser feliços.



The trio of Eight is scheduled to open Saturday’s show at the First Unitarian Church, which also includes Frankie Cosmos and All Dogs. The fledgling outfit is fronted by Mimi Gallagher (Year Of Glad, ex-Nona) and Cat Park (Amanda XBandname), and just shared its self-titled debut EP. The album offers a ripping glimpse at this new configuration, oozing with attitude and armed with a heavy bite, while constantly in motion. (thedelimagazine.com)


dimarts, 24 de novembre del 2015

MYSTERY WORLD. Mystery World


Si demanau avui en dia per un autor prolífic, el primer que em vendria a la memòria seria en Dylan Ewen, no hi mes que no trobi al correu alguna nova referència seva. En aquest cas publica un treball amb el nom de Mystery World acompanyat de: Steffe Welton (Vocals), Cooper Leardi (Guitar), Sean Duffy (Bass) i John Blank (Drums). Les peces són més reposades del que és normal en les composicions de Dylan Ewen però la qualitat es manté.
La meva preferida: "Pill Friends".


dilluns, 23 de novembre del 2015

POSTAL BLUE. Of Love & Other Affections


No és fàcil trobar un grup "unipersonal" encara que sempre adoraré els beneïts Sparklehorse que estaven formats bàsicament per en Mark Linkous (tristement desaparegt el març del 2010) que s'encarregava dels instruments i la veu en gran part dels seus treballs. Postal Blue és un d'aquests "grups fantasma", n'Adriano Ribeiro ho fa tot ell en aquest notable disc. Hi trobarem guitar pop i jangle bàsicament i reminiscències a grups mítics com els Byrds o més propers com els Felt o els Stereolab. No seré tan optimista com els autors de l'article ressenyat a continuació però si que diré que ens trobam davant d'un molt recomable treball que sonarà bastant de temps als nostres reproductors.

Brazil’s Postal Blue‘s new album has taken a very long time to make. The band started as a 4-piece in 1998, released their first – and until now only – album in 2004 and have released several EPs and singles on labels like Shelflife, Humblebee, Cloudberry and Drive-In Records. Today Postal Blue is a one-man band, where singer and songwriter Adriano Ribeiro does almost everything himself, – and he does it well!
The new album “Of Love & Other Affections” is definitely worth the wait. 10 lovely, well produced and well crafted indiepop songs that all are a real pleasure to listen to.
Most of the songs here are upbeat, classic indiepop, with strong sound references to the melodic, bittersweet jangly pop from Sarah Records and the early days of Creation, as well as 60s bands like The Byrds and The Zombies. However, it’s on the songs that take him out of the typical and familiar indiepop genre where he shines the most. “One Day” is so beautiful, and here Adriano really shows that he’s a great singer. I also love the violin parts by former Math and Physics Club member Saundrah Humphrey on this song. It adds so much depth and emotion. Another collaborator it is important to mention, is Shelley Jane from Derby, UK. Her backing vocals on the lovely “Still Blue” are superb, and reminds me a bit of the vocals on Stereolab’s “Dots and Loops”-album.
“Isn’t it funny” is also one of these slower songs that really shows his quality both as a singer and a songwriter. The chorus on this one is irresistible. Perfect!
It is rare to find an album where absolutely no songs are “fillers”. This is one of those few, and it is a strong contender to my album of the year list.


divendres, 20 de novembre del 2015

THREE MAN CANNON. Will I Know You Then



Des de Philadelphia ens arriben els Three Man Cannon amb aquest "Will I Know You Then". Un treball de només 6 peces però que no consideren un Ep. Si l'hagués de qualificar amb una sola paraula diria que és INTENS. Intens i una mica obscur pens jo coincidint amb l'apreciació que d'ells en fan des del blog "isthealternative". Un tema destacaria per sobre els altres, "Gold or Silver", un tema a cavall entre el rock americà de tota la vida i l'indie rock que tant ens agrada. Ells, al seu bandcamp, el qualifiquen d'indie punk però el primer terme no m'acaba de convèncer. Guitarres contundents en trobam a totes les composicions i una secció rítmica també potent i a la vegada camaleònica. A "Pushing People" hi apareix també un piano en el tema més tranquil del disc. En definitiva un treball molt recomanable i que de segur no estarà a cap llista de final d'any però que m'ha alegrat molts de moments aquests darrers mesos.
I don't know how to talk about this record. Will I Know You Then fills a void that only a method actor could. The songs sulk and brew with an intense amount of emotional potency. Three Man Cannon embody a new sound of indie rock that casually digests its former folk roots and spits out a more cohesive project. The album is being released through Lame-O Records.
The one thing I have to say is that this record takes a while to sink in. It's slower than most other albums I enjoy listening to and it trudges along with an intellectual passion not seen in many other acts. There are only six songs here but they encompass 31 minutes of music. The dark toned "Mood" is the song that brought to life my interest in this record. The song unwinds as the guitars grow in power, the drums pounding along as the vocals groan out, "spinning deeper into a dark, dark place. always together." It sounds melancholic and feels even more down. Three Man Cannon possess the power to make beautiful movements, such as the mid section of opener "Honest." The pianos and lead guitar melody hum along together against a steady rhythm section. 
A few of these tracks are hefty, with "Pushing People" being a six and a half minute pulse of arpeggiated chords. Closing track "Now Nothing" is the same way, but stretched out longer and filled in by more airy musical motifs. It can be either hit or miss depending on how the listener feels about this dark, almost emo revival jam progression. It's a rather perfect send off for an album I had no idea I would connect with. Will I Know You Then is a record more for people willing to lose themselves in a fit of sincere compositions. I still don't know how to talk about it, but I enjoy listening to it.
http://www.itsthealternative.com/music/2015/11/5/three-man-cannon-will-i-know-you-then-review

dimecres, 18 de novembre del 2015

THE JOHN CANDY. Ghostpedia


The John Candy és una banda brasilera formada per: Guilherme Almeida - guitars, acoustic guitars, vocals ; Vinicius Leal - guitars, keyboards, vocals ; Gustavo Cockell - bass i Joab Regis - drums i aquest treball ja és el quart que publiquen en deu anys d'existència. L'escena indie de Brasil ens sorprèn per moments perquè demostra una qualitat comparable amb la d'escenes molt més consolidades a nivell mundial. les etiquetes que trobam per al seu treball al bandcamp ens parlen d'un ventall d'estils molt ample i que van des del dream pop a l'indie rock passant pel jangle. Efectivament, el treball no destaca per la seva uniformitat, va variant una mica d'estil però mantenint un nivell de qualitat més que acceptable. Tal vegada les influències més destacables estarien envoltant els Dinosaur Jr o els mateixos Ride. En definitiva, un treball que es mereix una sèrie de sessions perqué no entra a la primera però va guanyant a cada escolta.


dimarts, 17 de novembre del 2015

WEEKENDER. “Floaty Feeling, Blue”


Ens ha arribat al correu la ressenya d'aquest nou tema dels Weekender que publiquen com a avançament del seu nou treball que sortirà el proper gener del 2016. En la seva línia, un pop eteri que ben bé es podria qualificar de dream pop encara que a certs moments s'endureixen una mica i treuen un poc ses ungles. El tema està bé per obrir boca i esperar impacients a què arribi el gener.


Philadelphia’s Weekender, led by songwriter Derek Sheehan, have announced their sophomore EP, Floaty Feeling, Blue, will arrive January 15, 2016 on PaperCup Music, premiering the title- track from the record today via IndieShuffle – share via Soundcloud. Floaty Feeling, Blue is a record of dreamy, textured pop tunes, soaked in psychedelic effects, recorded at Fancy Time Studios with co-producer Kyle “Slick” Johnson, who Sheehan worked with on the band’s debut, Spanish Peaks. Over the past two years, Weekender have built a loyal, local following, becoming the band to support touring acts coming through town, including Future Islands, The Growlers, Nothing, Surfer Blood, Israel Nash, Peace, and Field Report, amongst others.
Floaty Feeling, Blue is a natural progression for Weekender, with Sheehan now surrounded by a group of musicians, ready to take his vision forward, including Jesse Petas (drums, percussion), Steven Rosplock (Guitar, Vocals), Brendan McGeehan (Bass), and Dan Mudd (Synthesizer). As the band has shifted, the sound has progressed with the addition of heavy synthesizers. “I bought two ‘80s analogue synths, a June 106 and Prophet 600,” says Sheehan, “adding a lot of the finished tracks. The textures of the synths create space for guitar and vocals, and I really love how much is going on between the notes.”
Thematically, the record is about the connection between the human and the natural world. “The lyrics embody the balance we strike between the two, not only individually, but also with how we relate to one another in each world,” stated Sheehan. “The theme was not immediately apparent, but as the songs took form during the writing and recording process so did the meaning. I find that letting my subconscious mold songs as I write, is probably my favorite part about songwriting, and similarly in the studio. Being in the moment and letting things happen is what I love about it.”
 page1image17264

Floaty Feeling, Blue track listing: 
01. Loving/Hating
02. No Time To Waste
03. Floaty Feeling, Blue

04. My Only Dream 05. Half Awake
06. When We Woke 



dilluns, 16 de novembre del 2015

BELIEFS. Leaper


Els beliefs són una banda de Toronto que acaben de publicar els seu segon Lp de títol "Leaper", un fantàstic execici de shoegazer de la mà del segell Hand Drawn Dracula. Si us ha agradad el darrer treball dels Lusts no dubteu en escoltar aquesta meravella dels de Toronto. En l'ona de les grans bandes shoegazers dels 80s com els My Bloody Valentine. Un gran segon treball que sol marcar les bandes novelles. Per als qui us agradi més la literatura vos deix amb la critica de David McElroy a xsNoize.


Toronto’s Beliefs release their second album Leaper on 13 November on the ever impressive Hand Drawn Dracula label. Leaper is an album of shoegaze influenced indiepop that pays homage to the likes of The Pixies, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and even The Wedding Present, who are a personal favourite of mine, so all the signs point to something very good. What you ultimately get is an album that is as fresh as a daisy, full of fuzzy guitars, great washes of noise and superb melodies, leading to an album that is surely bound to make Beliefs pop up on many people’s radars.
Opener Tidal Wave is as good an example of what’s to come as anything. An opening feedback squall leads to an MBV like drone of distorted guitar and your attention is grabbed from the off. I don’t know if it was deliberate or not, but the Dinosaur Jr referencing lyrics (“You’re living all over me”) are a nice touch. It’s a superb start, yet it’s trumped by the simply outstanding 1992 which is one of the best things I’ve heard in ages. Part Pixies, part joyous guitar pop, 1992is a track you HAVE to hear and you can so below – you can’t fail to love it. Colour Of Your Name comes next sounding like The Wedding Present circa Seamonsters but having fun. It’s a summery feeling track albeit one masked in wonderfully fuzzy guitars. Drown and the title track take the pace down a notch, focusing more in atmosphere albeit with added feedback and aggression in the latter which compliments the mood nicely before the excellent pop like Ghosts arrives, wrapping you up in its loveliness.
The album is basically a succession of impressive tracks that doesn’t relent at all. Morning Lightis another noise encased pop gem and it’s followed by Go Ahead And Sleep which reminds you of Ride at their most intense before they let Andy Bell have too much influence. The penultimate Leave With You perhaps suffers by comparison to the breathless opening nine tracks of the album but, that said, it still impresses. The record then ends on the brilliantly titled Swooner which starts off quieter than you might expect but builds to a booming, echo laden climax that ends the album perfectly.
As I said at the outset, Beliefs are band you are bound to hear a lot about soon given the quality of Leaper. There is no harm at all in making a record that pays homage to your influences, as long as there is enough of you in the record itself. Beliefs more than achieve that with Leaper and it is an album that you really have to get your hands on.


dimarts, 10 de novembre del 2015

CONTROLLER. No Future


Els Controller són un grup de Brooklyn, NY i ells mateixos es defineixen com un grup de dance-rock. El tema que ens presenten del seu segon Ep que publicaran aquest mes de novembre n'és una bona mostra. Ritmes contundents i perfectes per ballar el millor indie rock.

Back before the band could afford amps in the early 2000s, lead vocalist Jonathan Bellinger and guitarist Josh Shabtai played acoustic freak folk behind the paper thin walls of an East Village apartment. After a decade the group expanded to include Brian Dell on bass, Kyle Monson on synth and Keith Gordon on drums, morphing into the electrified pop punk outfit, Controller.
They released three addictive tracks in 2012 as their debut, self-titled EP, and today we bring you a the first single of their follow-up: the title track from their second and forthcoming EP, No Future
Bellinger describes the track: "On the surface, the song is a murder ballad, like 'Folsom Prison Blues,' but it's really about the kind of reality distortion field that can start rotting your mind when you spend a lot of time in a relationship with someone (a girlfriend, a parent, a friend) who's really negative and unstable. Certain crazy people tend to bring out the crazy in the people around them, and this song is about letting that consume you until you feel insane yourself.” 
by Rachael Roth


dijous, 5 de novembre del 2015

YEAR OF GLAD. Year Of Glad Ep


Els Year Of Glad són un grup novell de Philadelphia que practiquen un pop-punk d'escola. Els seus membres provenen d'altres grups ja desfets com els Nona, els Mike Bell & The Movies o els Good Luck. Aquest primer treball ens presenta quatre temes entre els quals sobresurt el segon, "Flowers". Tot i ser el començament el grup promet i esperam més coses seves en un futur.



dimecres, 4 de novembre del 2015

DAME. Charm School


Els Dame són una banda de Philadelphia que practiquen un post-punk molt interessant. Els seus membres: Mike Quaranto - Band Leader, Drums Ron Dionisio - Sales Manager, Sax, Vocals Marcia Galambos - Lead Vocals Sal Zaffino - Guitar, Lead Vocals Steve Shelikoff - Bass Bill Nocella - Keyboards, Vocals Joe Krammer - Trumpet, vocals Izzy - Percussion, Vocals. No passaran a la història però el tema "Charm School" es mereix ser escoltat




This is outstanding. It’s funny how serious a lot of gothy post-punk bands seem to take themselves, but then end up writing boring music anyway. This is an exception because it’s simple but powerful; the songs are carefully thought out and sound like they actually mean something. There’s nothing worse than like 4 bars of “oooo-ay-o”s on the same riff, while singing about shadowy trees and bats or some shit. It also helps that it doesn’t feature Americans trying to do British accents (or any kind of accent) because that’s so dumb.
Anyway, I hate a lot of stuff but I LOVE Dame. Listen to this.
http://nodovesflyhere.tumblr.com

dimarts, 3 de novembre del 2015

ACRES OF DIAMONDS.Be a good one


Els Acres Of Diamonds no seran mai un grup de masses com no ho són cap dels seus referents, els Galaxie 500, en John Cale i n'Iggy Pop amb els seus The Stooges. Tot i així el seu nou treball conté una sèrie de temes molt interessants començant pel que obri el treball, "Bad Weather" que comença molt tranquil però que es va revitalitzant amb el pas del temps. També destaca "Atlantic" un tema tranquil però potent com els temes del seu estimat John Cale. Per acabar val la pena escoltar la personal versió del "Search & Destroy" dels Stooges.

"I have words and phrases cycling through my head that I've composed and rehearsed mentally everyday since childhood, accumulating more and more over the years. I don't have to write these word patterns down. 
The lyrics to Bad Weather grew out of an unsettling phrase I thought of from my early twenties: 'My mind is made up of so many people, they don't fit together.' I've had a lot of anxiety about identity and decision-making, and the combination of these anxieties has at times led to a very chaotic mind." 
Acres of Diamonds' Gwen Rooker on our newest single, Bad Weather. (Facebook)


HAMILTON LEITHAUSER & PAUL MAROON. I Could Have Sworn Ep


Ja fa temps que els Walkmen ens van subornar de nou amb el seu darrer disc Heaven publicat el maig de 2012. En aquest temps però, els seus integrants han anat publicant treballs en solitari o, com és el nostre cas, en parella. Maroon i Leithauser han publicat un Ep que pràctcament podria haver estat signat per la banda al complet. Així no se'ns fa tan llarg el temps de silenci. Dos temes a destacar per sobre els altres "My Reward" i "New England Crows".


GRASSFIGHT. Please don't tell








"Please Don't Tell" és el nom del tema amb el qual els Grassfight retornen després d'un temps de silenci. Pop-punk a rompre amb un tall molt addictiu



Brooklyn quartet Grassfight seem to smother their music in black.
Brooding, foreboding noise rock with a post-punk template, the four piece are set to release their new EP on October 9th.
Clash is able to premiere lead cut 'Please Don't Tell' and it's a brutal return from the quartet. The tale of a suburban couple who stay together under false pretences, the track blends lyrical dexterity to a pummelling sonic sensibility. (Robin Murray)

dilluns, 2 de novembre del 2015

THE OCEAN PARTY. Light Weight


The Ocean Party és un grup australià relativament recent. En els seus tres anys d'existència han editat amb aquest darrer "Light Weight" cinc discs. Està clar que no perden el temps i, tot s'ha de dir, no per massa producció els seu nivell de qualitat baixa gens. El seu estil es podria definir com un pop de guitarres amb un cert regust jangle que els fan deliciosos. Temes a destacar d'aquest darrer treball podrien ser el que dóna nom al disc "Light Weight", "Guess work" i "Greedy".

The Ocean Party have long been lazily lumped in under the cringe-worthy 'dolewave' classification. Yet the Wagga-via-Melbourne band — while clearly constructing their compositions poolside, midday on a Tuesday with a can in hand — have always been far more lyrically precise and cheekily profound than their Centrelink-bound comrades.
Their newest album, Light Weight — their fifth effort in just three years, a work commitment also at odds with that genre label — finds the six-piece sounding sharper and more naturally synergised than ever before. It's a creative leap attributable to two key adjustments — the inclusion of a new song-writer (and bassist) Mark Rogers and this being their first studio-recorded LP, with producer John Lee (Lost Animal, Love of Diagrams) successfully merging the varied creative input of all six members into a logically cohesive flow.
Light Weight, with its further accentuation of the band's glowing warmth making it aptly suited for the impending summer months, perfectly walks the line between simplicity and lyrical richness, with enough details to ensure it lives on long after the complimentary weather turns. (Jonny Nail)