mouth harp anyone? a good, old-fashioned country tune can do wonders for the soul. take laura veirs's "soldier's joy" for example. it's straight-up hoe-down. it's the hoe-iest hoe-down ever. all the hoes will be there! the tune comes from veirs's latest tumble bee, an album of mostly traditional folk-country songs performed and arranged specifically for children, but designed to be pleasing to adults as well. and how! that's colin meloy of the decemberists singing as veirs's duet partner. "soldier's joy," by the way, has quite a long history in the pages of american music.
sweden's shpy has only 31 likes on their facebook page, but if this video goes viral -- and it deserves to -- then that will surely change. produced by shpy, lägenhet25 and "eight buckets of paint and five french mastiffs," the video for "lated" is one those that makes you think, "fuck, this must have taken days upon days to complete." the highlight comes around the 2:30 mark when the dripping red teardrops collide with a tidal wave of blue paint pouring from the television (an ocean of emotions?). this triggers an exquisitely violent eruption of kaleidoscopic paint storm that destroys everything it touches. making an otherwise pallid and bland wilderness that much more beautiful.
shpy is actually two men: daniel vegerfors, of elias & the wizzkids and yamon yamon, and simon karlsson of the third try club. the song itself is wonderful. a delicious slice of mournful electropop. you can download it for free, as well as four other tracks, over at bandcamp.
how could you not love a band that uses the photo at right as the cover of their debut album? then to call that album problems is a stroke of genius. but australia's bluejuice has always been ahead of the curve. problems, released in 2007, was a critical success with its explosive combination of punk, pop and hip-hop. their new album, company, follows the 2009 release of their sophomore effort head of the hawk. quirky, cool, energetic, but not nearly as obnoxious-hipster as other bands, bluejuice keeps all those irresistible qualities in tact on company. "cheap trix" is reminiscent of early scissor sisters, with its swirly synths and foot-stomping chorus; while "the recession" and "aspen, new york" are much in line with anything maroon 5 has released. effervescent pop-rock through and through. the kinda guys with whom you'd want to get drunk, get naked and party.
are you enjoying the winter weather? neither am i. luckily there are songs like "smile" from audiodax. we first brought you the duo way back in 2010. that was for their other tune, "all the koalas," another perfect summer song. the forth worth and chicago lads have since moved to LA to perfect their intoxicating blend of pop and hip-hop. clearly the southern california sunshine is doing its job.
truthfully, alexander's "truth" didn't strike a chord with me until the remix featuring the rza was released. the original was sent to me innumerable times via email and has appeared on countless blogs throughout the year. yet sometimes it takes a remix to rightfully call attention to a song (see: "rolling in the deep" [bosley remix]). not that "truth" is remixed and reworked within an inch of its life. quite the contrary. only a rap by wu-tang's the rza is added but it's effective and complimentary to the song's ethereal arrangement. the eponymous debut album from alexander -- lead singer of ima robot and edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros -- is out now.
brooklyn is the epicenter of the 21st century indie music movement. for over a decade artists, in shocking numbers, from every conceivable genre have emerged from the new york borough to produce some of the most critically acclaimed and influential indie music. the strokes, MGMT, interpol, vampire weekend, etc. these bands aren't even the tip of the iceberg. when i do research on an artist on which i am planning to post it's surprising if they are not from brooklyn. savoir adoreare from brooklyn. and in exquisite brooklyn indie pop fashion they have released "dreamers," an amalgamation of pop, synths, rock and alternative.
having recently become fascinated, intrigued and obsessed with the life and career of marilyn chambers, i have been made aware of other facets of the golden age of pornography, more commonly known as the "porno chic" era. this was the early 1970s when behind the green door, deep throat, and the devil in miss jones made it cool to be a porno star.
andrea true also was a porno star. she, like marilyn chambers, wanted very much to achieve mainstream success in so-called 'legit' films. however, most adult film actors and actress, although they household names and treated like movie stars, were blackballed in hollywood. some turned to other avenues like theater and pop music. in 1975 true recorded one of the greatest one-hit wonders of the disco era, "more, more more." it's a song so ubiquitous over the last 35 years, yet is such a product of its time.
in the 2005 documentary inside deep throat, true said: "somehow someone decided that it was time for a porn star to become a pop star." she continued that the tune was nothing more than the lines "more, more, more/how do you like it?" repeated ad nauseum. "that's all it was ... it means nothing."
upon hearing a song, do you ever ask yourself: hmmm... don't i know this from somewhere? such was the case with lemonade's "the place where you belong." shai, the r&b group that originated the song, were one of the many vocal harmony r&b groups to emerge from the success of boyz II men. shai scored a major pop/r&b hit in 1992 with "if i ever fall in love." two years later, they had their last top 40 hit (#34) with "the place where you belong," which was also featured on the soundtrack to beverly hills cop III. the brooklyn trio lemonade have covered the song and done what any good cover is supposed to do: twists it, puts a different spin on it, but makes it recognizable and accessible. what do you think? compare both tunes below.
recently i had the opportunity to see sweden's sister duo first aid kit absolutely rivet the audience with their folk-pop, bluesy styling. at the core is the sisters' gorgeous, melancholic harmonies. so lush and piercing, often brutal at times in their purity and execution, the harmonies are truly what make the act so remarkable. but the music is also exemplary. first aid kit could be at the forefront of ushering in the new folk-pop revival. "the lion's roar," the title track from their forthcoming album, was performed better live but the studio version will give a sample of the sisters' sound.
while you're making your green bean casserole and mulling whether or not you should bring your FTM post-op transsexual boyfriend to thanksgiving dinner this year (and the answer to that is a resounding "fuck, yes!"), here is something else to mull over: why isn't baron von luxxury the biggest pop star on the planet? actually, let's rephrase the question. when will baron von luxxury become the biggest pop star on the planet? the answer: soon. valentine's day 2012 sees the release of luxxury's debut album the last seduction. the title track is pop perfection with tinkling synths and pulsing drum machines. check out the video below, as well as his remix of austra's "spellwork."
"i'm obsessed with this conquest." you can say that again. sweden's the sound of arrows have been around for a few years but they are just now releasing their full-length debut album, appropriately titled voyage. from start to finish the album is a sonic journey of magnificent euro synthpop. the only problem is, even after 13 tracks, it feels as though the voyage ends too soon. that is, it's a trip worth taking repeatedly and often. see if you can listen to "conquest" -- a glorious pop number, in all its minor key tonality fabulousness, with its spectacular pulsing rhythm and addictive harmonies -- and not get hooked. an instant candidate for the repeat button.
chris senseney and stefanie drootin-senseney are big harp. the husband and wife duo have recently released their debut album white hat, from which this track, "everybody pays," comes. the highlight of the track is chris's deeply rich baritone vocals. slightly slurred, but always inviting, chris's vocals offer a nice juxtaposition to the simple, elegant strumming of the guitar and the light percussion of brushes on a snare drum. also check out the video below.
wanna dance? yeah, me too. what should we listen to? say, i know. how about sam padrul's new single "all i do"? who? sam padrul. he's a chicago DJ who's done several remixes for other artists and now has his own single out. it's funkified electro-pop. it's super catchy. very danceable. you'll like it. did you know that on his facebook page bio it says "sam will continue to spew forth hot jams from ever[y] orifice until the day he keels over from being overfunked."? seriously. is it getting hot in here? why are you taking off your clothes? ... ohhhhhhh ....
after playing a half dozen songs to a packed crowd at the fillmore in san francisco last week, guitarist vicki peterson of the bangles said into the microphone: "we have a new album out. some of you don't give a shit, but don't worry. we'll play the hits." the hits, of course, are iconic. "manic monday," "eternal flame," "hazy shade of winter," "walk like an egyptian," to name a few. the bangles ripped through those, and others, with such intensity, such ferocity, that many standing around me were left staring with their mouths agape at the end of each song. the hits may have commanded the most applause, but the songs from their new album left the biggest impression.
after nearly eight years the bangles have released sweetheart of the sun, a california sunshine pop album filled with big hooks, mature songwriting and powerful vocals. it hearkens back to the group's original jangle-pop roots and still maintains that classic bangles sound that made them one of the juggernaut groups of the '80s. now that the band has completed their recent national tour, we got a chance to catch up with peterson to talk about the new album, being a working mom, and the bangles' thirty-year legacy.
the bangles in all their '80s glory.
(l to r) michael steele, debbi peterson,
susanna hoffs, vicki peterson.
steele left the group in 2005.
It's been nearly 8 years since your last album. Although you've been touring extensively, what prompted the return to the studio?
Part of it was just the selfish desire to have new songs to play live...
Although Bangles material has long been inspired by '60s pop, California/sunshine pop and power pop, in many ways Sweetheart of the Sun feels like you're getting back to your roots, especially when you put it side-by-side with All Over the Place. Would you agree?
Yes, definitely. It wasn't so much a conscious decision to go back-to-our-roots, as it was just giving ourselves permission to shamelessly mine our influences and not worry about it. That, and since we produced the record, there wasn't any filter between what we wanted and what we got.
Tell me about the lead single, "I'll Never Be Through with You." When I first heard it, it reminded me a lot of "Something That You Said," which is one my all-time favorite Bangles songs. Then I discovered both songs were co-written with Charlotte Caffey.
It's funny, because I hadn't really noticed that until recently, but yes, both songs were initially written years ago by Charlotte and Susanna. When we were going through our collections of older, unrecorded songs, I really liked "I'll Never Be Though With You" and re-worked the lyrics with Sue.
Tell me about the two covers that appear on the record -- "Sweet and Tender Romance" and "Open My Eyes." How did you happen upon those?
"Open My Eyes" is a song we used to do years ago. I always loved it and suggested that we track it. "Sweet and Tender" was one that Susanna brought in. She'd been introduced to the McKinley Sisters, who'd recorded the song in 1964 -- with Jimmy Page on guitar, I might add -- by an acquaintance and fell in love with the song. We were working at Matthew Sweet's house, listened to the song and played it right then and there. I think Debbi played it in one take, maybe two. But we kept the first one.
The Bangles have had a 30-year career, which is phenomenal for any band and especially for an all-female band. Did you think it would last this long?
Well, we did have that 10 year hiatus, but still, it is sort of amazing, isn't it? Believe me, I'm very grateful for the continued interest in and passion for the Bangles. I'm especially pleased that we're able to make new music together, and do it with joy. I'm not sure what 22-year-old me would have thought of being in a band at this point in life, but I'm inclined to think that she would have said, "Well, why the hell not?"
How does recording today, in the digital age, compare to when you first recorded? Do you find you adjust to the changes naturally?
In many ways it could not be more different. We have absolutely taken advantage of the technology available to us. Matthew Sweet is a bit of a gear-head and got both Susanna and me all excited about new plug-ins and hardware. There is a spontaneity and sense of freedom tied to the ability to record in your own home, whenever the spirit moves. This, in contrast with booking an expensive studio and working 14 hour days for weeks on end. We have adjusted gradually, I guess. The last Bangles record was done in a studio we put together with Brad Wood in a rented house in Beverly Hills, and now we're in our own homes. Pretty amazing, actually.
Over the last three decades have you seen any changes in the ways in which audiences respond to your music?
Maybe less sloppy drunkenness. No, I take that back. Actually, I think our audiences are as enthusiastic as ever. It constantly surprises me.
You're all moms now. How do you handle being working moms?
Power naps. That's my secret. Debbi still has a young child, so she's exhausted. It's complicated. There's a lot of scheduling and texting going on. We work around the kids' schedule when we need to, and aren't as productive as non-moms might be, but you know, wouldn't change a thing.
Is there one song you've never recorded that you wish you had, or would record if the opportunity presented itself?
There are many. And one or two will probably end up on a Bangles' record, so I can't tell you what they are!
Will there be a sixth Bangles studio album?
As the Magic 8 Ball would say, "The signs point to Yes."
time to slow it down, kids. this lo-fi folk electronica gem comes courtesy of low roar, aka ryan karazija, the bay area native formerly of the audrye sessions who now lives in reykjavik. "tonight, tonight, tonight," is eternally melancholy. it's perfect for the chilly autumn weather, and probably everything you'd expect from an artist who created the song and its accompanying album in iceland. low roar's eponymous debut is out now.
if you're a regular reader you know that i steer clear of top 40 pop acts. there's so much more (and better and more better) music out there than what's deemed popular by radio and record company marketing teams. still i have two very definite and obvious weaknesses: lady gaga and rihanna. i just had the chance to listen to rihanna's new album talk that talk. unfortunately it's not one of her finer efforts, but that doesn't matter. every rihanna album whether or not it plays well from start to finish is chock full of one or two really great pop songs. one of those is the sensational current #1 single "we found love." the other is "where have you been," produced by dr. luke and ester dean and co-written by calvin haris. in many ways it's a sequel to "we found love," though there's been no word on whether this song will be released as a single. the track is one of rihanna's most club-ready tracks to date. hard trance elements are abound and her vocals on this track, as they are on the entire album, are full and powerful. she's never sounded better.
if these lads were any more hipster, they'd be way too ironic for you to know about them
according to google translator "fuck art, let's dance" is "fickkunst, lass unstanzen" in german. (easy for you to say.) i wanted to know how to say that phrase in german because the band with the same name hails from hamburg. they've definitely got the "let's dance" part covered. check out their new single "the conqueror" below. it's giddy, poppy dance rock.
jessica and jennifer clavin are bleached. and they've come up with what might be a perfect rock 'n' roll song. showered with both punk and pop influences, "searching through the past" is three minutes and 30 seconds of chunky guitars and killer vocals. instantly accessible and attention-grabbing, it reaches another pop stratosphere shortly after the 2-minute mark and into the fade out with the driving, repetitive (and undeniably hooky) chant of "come on back." it's OK to be blown away by its fabulousness. (the duo is on the roster at artfag recordings, which might be the hottest name for a record label ever.)
there's a breezy elegance about electric guest's "american daydream." but it's an elegance swaddled in sadness. through filtered vocals front man asa taccone creeps around every lyric like a lovelorn stalker leading up to an undeniably catchy chorus that's reminiscent of a fireside camp singalong. "oh, no in love i'm just an animal/you said you want me but you want me to leave," he laments. the LA-based duo is poised to become one of the biggest breakout acts of 2012 with their debut album, set for a spring release, produced by danger mouse. in the meantime you can stream "american daydream" here and another track, "troubleman," over at bandcamp.
summer camp's music sounds exactly as they appear in this picture. it's a sound of '80s-inspired oversized sweaters with wonderfully bad patterns, grainy melodies, and artists who seem as detached as their far-away stares indicate, yet so invested and meticulous. it's familiar, but keeps you guessing and, more importantly, intrigued. we first brought you one of their songs back in august. that song, "better off without you," was as bouncy and jaunty as "nobody knows you" is plaintive and gut-wrenching. both songs appear on the group's debut album welcome to condale, which offers quite a share of fuzzy indie pop with dreamy, delicious chillwave overtones.
i'm sure i've mentioned the music alliance pact (MAP) before. it's a collection of 30+ music blogs from around the world that each month put together a free downloadable compilation with each blog selecting a song by an artist from their home country. these compilations have exposed me to such an array of worldwide artists and musical genres and i highly suggest you seek them out. they can be found via a simple google search. this month, romania is represented by moonlight breakfast and their wonderfully bouncy pop number "still."
paper bag records has quickly become one of my favorite labels. its roster of artists is impeccable, diverse, and i always look forward to their free samplers and eclectic compilations. from their newest fall sampler comes these two songs, both of which are excellent and showcase the toronto label's multifarious musical offerings. first up is elliott BROOD, a toronto trio that have made quite a name for themselves in their homeland. "if i get old" is a great bar song. it's the kind of song people would murder during karaoke night; one you would vow to swear off from listening to forever, but is so infectious that once you hear it, you realize how much you love it.
austra is something entirely different. one of this year's breakout artists austra is like ABBA on acid. "identity," the b-side to their new single "spellwork," taken from their debut album feel it break, is psychedelic eletronica that is both eerie and inviting. a hallucinogenic pop drug. if you haven't yet exposed yourself to austra, you might want to start now.
the closest i've ever gotten to visiting paris is the france pavilion at epcot center in orlando. but there's something about musicemia's "i am" that strikes me as very parisian. (it must be the accordion.) this is really interesting because musicemia is a swedish duo. lead singer daniel renström channels some serious eddie vedder on this song, and it only adds to the flavor of this folk-pop/indie rock number. along with goran sajinovic's accordion playing you have a tune that's both melancholic and hopeful, dark and inspiring. perfect for the impending approach of a bitter cold winter.
if you ranked a list of the gods and goddesses of indie pop, belle and sebastian would undoubtedly be at or near the top. for 15 years they've been churning out solid indie pop albums. from their most recent album, write about love, comes this b-side remix to the single "come on sister." british pop music producer richard x has remixed everyone from annie to M.I.A., róisín murphy and pet shop boys to goldfrapp. now he takes a stab at belle and sebastian's "i didn't see it coming" and scores a winner. keeping the charm of the group's trademark '60s chamber pop sound, richard x adds some expressive, but not overly obtrusive, eletronica elements and turns the song into a toe-tapping dance number.
Belle and Sebastian - I Didn't See It Coming (Richard X Remix)
a-ha's "take on me" is one of those songs that will be covered until the end of time. it's been done and redone so many times in myriad styles by artists of every genre. obviously some are better than others. here's one of the best. spanish songstress anni b sweet gives the tune a dreamy folk-pop treatment with nothing more than a guitar, ukelele, xylophone and delicious harmonies. this song has been around for a couple years but it's a new discovery for me. and what a find! the best part of the song comes at the end when it fades out with sweet's simple singing using "da-da-da."
if you've ever wondered how a song can sound cinematic, this is a good example. the irrepressibles are a ten-member orchestral ensemble from the u.k. their album mirror, mirror was released last year in europe and in the rest of the world this year. one of the tracks, "in this shirt," was used this summer on the reality TV show "so you think you can dance." it's a majestic pop song that builds slowly, courtesy of an excellent string arrangement, to a stellar climax and accentuated by lead singer jamie mcdermott's falsetto vocals.
The Irrepressibles - In This Shirt (Original Version)
earlier this year dublin's hoarsebox changed their name to this club. that's OK by me because i had never heard of hoarsebox either. but they've got my attention now. "i won't worry" is an overtly poppy dance-rock tune with some spectacular screaming vocals by lead singer johnny holden. fans of phoenix, hard-fi and athlete should take note.
"bike home" might be the coolest song ever to feature a hook based around the words 'boa constrictor.' they're also two of the only words one can understand when listening to this, a tune written and performed by the vancouver duo humans. swirly synths build and build to an undeniably catchy hook, which, as mentioned, is almost indecipherable. but does it matter? no. no, it doesn't.
speaking of mysterious bands, i stumbled upon this tune living on my iPod since march. news to me. it instantly grabbed me with its airy snyths, '80s pop-inspired chorus, and the singer's smokey vocals. but who the hell was it? the only thing i could find was that it was by a band called echoes. it took me a while to track down which echoes it was. (apparently that's a popular name for bands.) they're from the u.k. they remix everyone from the wombats to kate bush ... and that's about all the information that's available. whoever they are, i do hope they'll keep making tunes as great as this one.
vacationer is one of those shrouded-in-mystery groups. it's very chic; it's in these days, you know, to be cloaked in darkness as far as what the band is all about. what do we know about vacationer? their members are connected to those of the excellent brookly group body language. in fact, "gone," the track featured below, was produced by two members of body language. the song itself is a buddy holly-meets-washed out sonic lullaby. it's dream-pop perfection replete with syncopated hand claps, tinkling synths and emotive vocals.
do you believe the lana del rey hype? with remixes like this one from penguin prison, it's hard not to. it seems this girl is everywhere these days, and with only two songs(!) to her credit. so what's your opinion? is she an overnight sensation worthy of all the recognition? or a carefully calculated marketing ploy?
need some beats to get through hump day, mary? course you do! australian DJ/producer beni, whose debut album house of beni was recently released on modular records, is given a premier, ultimate remix by belgian DJ/producer mickey on "yeah." normally, i always take my beats with a generous side of vocals, but this tune, with its vocals practically nil is so exhilarating, and offers quite an exquisite rush, that it doesn't even matter.
it's been only a couple days since i posted the last charli xcx song. normally, i wouldn't stack them so close together, but i'm really into this chick and i think she's going to be huge.
"nuclear seasons," a track you can grab for free at her site, is "about a sense of decay," she says. "whether it be the decaying of love, the decaying of life or the decaying of a period of time. it's about being lost and frozen and surviving. it's about being on your own and feeling magic alive when you come through the other side."
the other side, clearly, is the early 1980s. charli's goth-pop evokes memories of classic new wave bands like the motels and quarterflash, the mid-90s duo shakespear's sister, and even recent singers like gwen stefani. because of all the recent acts riding along in the new wave revival of the last several years, it's harder to stand out. charli xcx could get lost in the shuffle. she's got the look to make her stand out, and with the right tunes, and the right marketing, she could be the next indie "it" girl to go mainstream.
"when all of your armor/and all of your shields are gone/the heart is an army/and all of the guns are drawn/and the war goes on," sings meg roussel, the lead singer of the six-piece band big history, out of new orleans. big history calls themselves a cross between beach house and the XX. that's pretty accurate. although "wardrum" feels more electro-pop than dream pop. but it doesn't matter. the song is still catchy as hell.
