Category Archives: New Music 2013

September Girls-Talking EP.

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To merge Garage Rock with the Wall of Sound is something that I pretty much have a weakness for. I say weakness, but that’s not the word I want to use. But I am being lazy. It’s irrelevant.

The best Irish band EVER; September Girls released their Talking EP on Monday. It is bloody excellent. I love them. Genuine love for them. They have this haunting sound surrounding their music, but the ethereal vocals add something quite delicate to the music. They aren’t as rambunctious as a lot of bands who make music similar to this, but something about their music is quite tough. Go find yourself a leather jacket (a fake one obviously..or maybe just for me. I don’t eat/wear animals. Each to their own.) and bop around to this EP as freely as you wish.

Talking has quite an eerie vibe about it. Sort of like a tamer version of The Creeping Ivies. The b-side to Talking is Some For Me which has a gorgeous summer feel to it. Their debut record is hopefully going to come out this summer, probably going to be one of the best things you hear. Past releases by this Dublin 5-piece have been just exquisite, and the Talking EP is just as perfect. The little break down in Some For Me which happens around 2.08 then the drums kick in, it’s a beautiful moment. The vocals start again and you are transported towards something simply stunning. The vocals on both tracks have a glorious distorted sound. Jack White has The Black Belles. Well, we have September Girls. I love both bands, but we win really don’t we.

They make music that is pleasurably catchy. Having their songs stuck in your head all day is a small piece of heaven; unlike having something by some generic and mundane pop band. This is music with a lot of power and the ability to make you cause some kind of riot. But..maybe do that internally or just go throw your limbs about in some sweaty basement bar.

The EP is out on Art For Blind and you can purchase it here now: http://artforblind.bandcamp.com/album/talking-ep

THE CREEPING IVIES-Spinning(video.)

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I’ve backed The Creeping Ivies for some time now. When I saw they finally had some merch out, I had to buy a shirt. I wear it with complete pride; proud that I’m a fan of such an incredible band. A band that have the backbone of a genre I hold very close to my heart (Punk) mixed with this insanely good lo-fi/Garage Rock feel. It is just perfect. Becca and Duncan are perfect; and they completely and utterly reinforce my love for duos, and why I love duos.

This evening they put out the video Spinning which is taken from their stunning debut record, Stay Wild. The video sees them stomping around mixed with a live performance. To be honest though, they could have made a video and done nothing at all and I’d think it was wonderful. I just absolutely love them a hell of a lot.

If you like music that shakes up your soul and leaves you feeling a bit sinister; then The Creeping Ivies are for you.

AUTUMNS-Keep On Sinking.

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Keep On Sinking is distorted and hypnotic. Very loud and raw. It makes you want to thrash your limbs about in a careless manner. It doesn’t matter if you break stuff or your bones; this is the perfect music to do it to. One person making a lot of noise.

His obscure sound is incredible. One person doing this. ONE.PERSON. I’ve written about him before, and I’m trying to think of something else to say that doesn’t involve me repeating what I’ve already said. It’s allowed anyway. My blog, my rules. If all music sounded like this I’d be very happy. But we need different sounds and things to acquire peoples tastes. This isn’t for everyone, I have no idea why. But these things happen. When I was sent his music from Bek at Soft Power I was genuinely happy that music like this was being made. In my head I always thought music like this was being made in secret, maybe it still is. It is perfect for dark basement bars that are crammed full of people who really really love music. That’s who Autumns is for. He makes music for those who really really love and adore music. Keep On Sinking just shows that.

The video is brilliant too. There’s a cute cat in it, stuff gets broken and some other stuff gets set on fire and you can watch it here:

The debut cassette is out RIGHT NOW. It came out today and you can get it right here: http://softpowerrecords.bandcamp.com/releases

The b-side to Keep On Sinking is the wonderfully moody Who Would Have Thought. You know maybe it could be too soon to call out what the best single of the year is, so I’ll just say that Autumns is the best new artist of 2013. I refuse to be swayed on that. Every single part of me is saying he is. I never doubt brilliance or talent when I hear it.

Christian is a genuine talent, making the best brutal music around. Rambunctious to the core; it just makes my ears extremely happy.

GHOST PAL-God Save MCFK.

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Last year I wrote about a band called Sons Of An Illustrious Father, on the back of that quite a few bands from New York got in touch with me. Something which felt entirely strange. I live thousands of miles away from a music scene that speaks to me. I’m far away from it all, but when I listen to it- I feel like I am there. You create your own sense of belonging. Sometimes you won’t belong, that’s why nothing is permanent. If it was, we’d never do a thing. So a few bands got in touch, and I really enjoyed them all. This Tuesday sees the release of one of them releasing an EP.

Ghost Pal are a collective of incredibly talented musicians from Brooklyn. They have this massive sound to their music which is found in the likes of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. They create this friendly atmosphere to their music, as if you too could be a member of the band. I have a cowbell lying around if that’s any use…No? Didn’t think so.

Their new EP, God Save MCFK is just magnificent. When I’ve written about them before, I have always likened listening to them as some kind of spiritual experience. The last track on the EP, Raja’s Song (Hold On My King) is just so beautiful. The lyrics are so lovely, but there is one line that I just adore that goes, “I will love you through every single day.” There is something so pure and innocent about this line. Something so simple but so utterly special. It is just a gorgeous line. It is the perfect song to end the EP on, and I think (after playing the EP many times) that this is my favourite on God Save MCFK.

As so many have been in Ghost Pal, and still are, you get a true sense of community in the music. They don’t need grand vocals or over the top production to make their point. It is their simple lyrics and heartfelt passion that they play with that make them so easy to connect with. Everything comes from the heart with Ghost Pal, and that’s why you really cannot help but love them.

An EP just isn’t long enough to showcase how brilliant they are. I don’t dance, but songs like God Save Mama Coco’s is enough to make me want to move my limbs in a questionable fashion. I won’t though. I’ll just pretend I have. They make music for hazy summer days and hot nights. They bring out the best in you because you really feel the music; there’s no way that you couldn’t.

But, you’re going to have to wait until Tuesday to get that kind of feeling. But if you can’t wait that long, then you can just hit up their bandcamp page here: http://ghostpal.bandcamp.com

JOE INNES & THE CAVALCADE- Fables.

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I dislike a certain kind of Folk music. The kind where they stand on stage looking helpless slanting to one side telling pointless stories. I don’t need mention names because it isn’t nice.

It’s a good job Joe Innes actually has something to offer you in comparison to most. I fell in love with his music last year. He is nothing short of incredible and has supported the likes of She Keeps Bees and Sea Of Bees. Joe is the boss of the Anti-Folk scene, you may have thought it was dead, but you weren’t paying enough attention. It was being wasted on others. Oh how foolish.

His charm and wit truly shone on The Frighteners, and Fables is the first new release since last year’s record. Worth the wait? Yes, because there are mentions of dinosaurs and the killing of Jesse James. Fables is beautifully boisterous and just as charming as anything from The Frighteners. In his email to me, he said it is their best recording to date. Everyone says that don’t they. I listened to some of The Frighteners again just to see if he was right. You should always trust in the music, and that I did. Fables is nothing like previous releases and yes, it is the best he has done to date.

I’ve had Fables on repeat, and there is no way anyone could ever fault Joe’s songwriting skills. He tells tales in a way that you’ve probably been longing for. Fables makes you feel as if you are in some kind of Western, Joe’s the one that’s going to rescue you with his heroic lyrics full of wisdom and wit. There’s probably nothing else you really need. He is honestly one of London’s finest.

Fables is out on the 13th May, and you can listen to the brilliant track right here: https://soundcloud.com/joeinnesandthecavalcade/joe-innes-and-the-cavalcade-fables

 

MISHKIN FITZGERALD-Present Company.

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Last year I wrote about an amazing band from Brighton called Birdeatsbaby. They had this brilliant cabaret feel to their music, something which I’d never really enjoyed before until then. More than likely because they had a dark vibe going on. It basically felt like Nick Cave at the circus, it was amazing. Now their lead singer has a solo record out, and it’s a lot darker and I think my ability to not be able to sleep means I’m going to ramble on more than usual. You take the good where you can.

Let’s just firstly appreciate that She Makes War feature on the song Raise The Bar. The guitar kicks in with haunting vocals and nothing else really seems to matter; it’s enough to melt your brain but you cannot help but listen to it intensely. It’s an intense song with a few dramatic build-ups and quiet moments that may spook you. It is bloody excellent.

The title track, Present Company is the perfect opener and just shows how strong her voice is. It also shows how deeply influenced by classical music Mishkin is. Her voice sounds so vulnerable over the piano, think Nick Cave singing Into My Arms. That kind of vulnerable. Then the drums kick in and she develops this attitude that is found in my idol, Patti Smith. A song that sounds so simple is made up of so much. I’ve had it on repeat, I should move onto the rest of the record. The drumming on this song is so furious, it is perfect.

My Body, A Bridge is incredibly chilling. It sounds so eerie and is just so beautifully sad. Some of the best songs ever written are sad. There are no other words to describe them, sad is the only word you can use. I’d probably cry if I wasn’t too tired (and I’m pretty sure I cried enough at Beach House on Tuesday to last a while!) Again, it is so simply composed but you know there is so so much more to it.

The constant vibe surrounding this record is dark. It is probably why I like it. I’m not really one for enjoying songs that are about sunshine and flowers. That isn’t for me. I want poetic words over haunting music. You pretty much get all that and more from Mishkin’s record. She sounds so fearless and in control of every element of this record. How many artists can you sense that from? Not many. She has that raw energy that is found in the likes of Shirley Manson and Courtney Love.

I love how cryptic most of the songs sound, especially on I Want This. Cryptic and slightly menacing, but you don’t really pay too much attention to that because of how strong yet delicate her voice sounds. And also, her piano playing skills are simply gorgeous. This is a person who truly believes in music, more importantly THEIR music, which is how it should be. It is nothing like Birdeatsbaby which is a good thing. Her solo record is a different side to her, but just as divine as the music she makes in Birdeatsbaby.

There can sometimes be beauty in heartache, Present Company demonstrates that in such a careful way with utter truth. Stitches is going to be the song that hits you right in the gut. It is phenomenal.

Present Company is out on the 1st May on Dead Round Eyes Records.

EVOL.

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As a Music Writer (I hate the term “Music Critic” or “Music Journalist”) it is always really nice when a band reach out to you. It’s even better when they make music that you really really love.

I believe you shouldn’t use age or any of those factors when talking about musicians. It doesn’t take anything away from their music, but Evol are pretty young. But they are also pretty damn amazing.

The singer, Kevin emailed me maybe an hour or so ago. He’s from Burlington. It’s in New Jersey. You may or may not have heard of it. When a band on the other side of the world reach out to you, well, it’s a nice feeling. It’s nice knowing someone is paying attention to you. So you must return the favour. I had to return the favour, I couldn’t ignore such a band at all. The music Kevin and his friend Luke make is brilliant. Two people making a LOT of noise. You know how I love duos who make noise. The Kills started all that a long time ago for me. It is something that has stuck, and I’m glad it has. I can’t imagine not having that as one of my music based habits.

Evol make music that will gloriously melt your brain. They unleash a lot of fury, which is understandable. Kevin told me that where he lives, people are either into death metal or 2 Chainz. And I thought where I live was bad. We all face our own battles, right?! They are influenced by Sonic Youth. There aren’t many shit bands that are influenced by Sonic Youth. It is like Sonic Youth were put here to influence and bring out the best in budding musicians. I think, by judging Evol, they’ve filled their purpose and much more.

The thing that really sold me was that Kevin has only been playing guitar for just over a year. In such a short time he’s managed to create his own noise that you cannot help but want more and more from. There’s also one other thing that really touched me. Kevin is influenced by Punk Rock. The good stuff. The genre that taught a generation to speak up and take no shit from anybody. The genre that spoke to so many; and still does. It is not dead, a lot of band still carry that Punk Rock ethic with them. You don’t have to be in a band to do that, you can apply it to everyday life; to just keep on going. But, Kevin said something that I thought was truly beautiful about Punk Rock, and also makes me believe (and hope) that Evol go far with their music. He said this: “Punk Rock taught me that I don’t have to live up to African-American stereotypes.” It is sad that we live in a world where we have to live up to what is expected, but you know what? Thank goodness for Punk Rock to save our souls and teach us important lessons such as not giving in to those stereotypes.

You can listen to Kevin and Luke’s music here: https://soundcloud.com/#covert-bummer You should play it pretty loud. It’ll infect your brain in a good way. Always in a good way. They’ve done a brilliant cover of Sonic Youth’s  Silver Rocket. Oh and their own song Solitude is beautiful also. They don’t just stick to one style of music. They mix lo-fi with ambient vibes and hints of Krautrock. I love them. I just love them.

 

(Oh and Kevin agrees with me that The Jesus And Mary Chain are better than The Beatles. Not many hold this opinion, but it’s good to know that someone else shares it. It’s a shame we live in a world where disliking them is wrong. We can all have an opinion, remember that. Be nice.)

Garbage & Marissa Paternoster-Because The Night.

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Yes I dislike covers, but only when they are done in a mundane fashion. If you’re going to take someone elses work, then please do something to change it slightly. Add something to it. I don’t know what, but blow people’s minds. You have the power to do so, so you should.

So, with my dislike for covers those that are familiar with the best day of the year, RECORD STORE DAY will be aware of some of the releases that are coming out. I’ve got my eyes (and hopefully hands) on The Horrors/Toys split release. Looks good. However, there’s one in particular that got my attention more than others.

Patti Smith is my ultimate idol, closely followed by Shirley Manson. Basically, I have a thing for women who aren’t afraid to speak up and use their voices for the greater good. Oh, and they also make insanely beautiful music. No days have gone by where I haven’t listened to Garbage or Patti Smith. I just have to. That’s all there is to it.

Most are familiar with Patti’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Because The Night. Probably the best love song of all time? Oh go on then. Some have covered it and butchered it. There was a truly awful dance version of it some time ago. I wanted to do a Van Gogh; it was that bad. Then you have some who cover it and bring back the beauty and purity in it. They nail it. They bring it back to perfection.

Record Store Day sees the release of Garbage and Marissa Paternoster’s (Screaming Females. Listen to them. They are a brilliant rock band) cover of Because The Night. The live clips I have seen are out of this world. But my favourite has to be from Garbage’s show in New York at Terminal 5 from this Friday just gone.

Marissa is THE best guitarist around right now. No doubt about it. She has such a distinctive voice that goes so well with Shirley’s. You can see why both bands have come together to do this release. They just work so well together. One can only hope they do more.

When your hero covers a song by one of your heroes and makes it just as beautiful, it makes you proud. Makes you proud to not just a music lover, but proud to love both bands. Everything about their cover is all kinds of wonderful. The way Shirl and Marissa look at each whilst singing this is gorgeous. You can see how Shirl has taken Marissa under her wig, and in time will probably be just as empowering as her. She’s probably already there to be honest.

Anyway, go to your local record store on Record Store Day (20th April) and buy this. Buy some others too. Support your local record store, always.

 

LOOM-I Get A Taste.

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LOOM

Last year I wrote about my favourite new band. A band that are so exciting, they make you want to break stuff because they get you that excited. Or maybe I just want to break stuff so I can say I have done something outrageous. Whatever.

Loom are incredible. I love them. They were the highlight of last year because they brought something new. I got my cassette of Bleed On Me and I’ve played it only once. I don’t want to ruin it. I’ve pre-ordered their new one, I Get A Taste and I’m sure I’ll just play it once out of fear of ruining it.

I Get A Taste is just as ferocious as Bleed On Me. Thing is, even if they did some insane power ballad it would still sound brutal because thankfully, Tarik has a voice like no other. He’s got this fucking incredible and passionate gravely tone to his voice which makes you so bloody thankful that a band like this exist because I am sick of a lot of what I hear. Do you remember how exciting it was when you first heard The Kills? Spiritualized? Bands like that. Bands like The Jesus And Mary Chain or more recently The Men; they all had/have something so exciting about them. This excitement makes you glad you went out of your way to find something new.

I think seeing Loom live would leave you bruised and beaten. That’s how you know you’ve had a good time at a gig. They make music to thrash around to. Music that’s not like anything else around. Throw your body around and into the walls. Unleash all the fury. All of the fury inside. Let it all out, let it all go.

I don’t think there’s anything left to say except for, it isn’t too late for you to pre-order the 7″ which is out on Monday on Hate Hate Hate records : http://www.roughtrade.com/albums/70155

ROSES.

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Some places in the world make really good music, some places are the hub of music that isn’t all that. It is all personal taste therefore this is just my opinion. I’ll choose The Jesus And Mary Chain over The Beatles any day. I’ll choose Morrissey over David Bowie. Again and again. People look at you as if you have two heads when you say things like to them. As if you you’re supposed to listen to and love The Beatles or Bowie. B is for bullshit kids.

Los Angeles is the home to a LOT of bands a love. Part of the reason I’d like to visit there, but I know I wouldn’t leave. I’d set up camp in a sweaty basement bar watching bands thrash about. Leaving covered in whisky and sweat from anyone/everyone. Small, intimate venues own my heart. They are the home to purity and unity within music. I struggle to think how you can connect with a band playing an arena. It isn’t for me, but it is for others. That’s fine.

So yes, L.A. Home to a lot of bands I love and such. As is New Yorks (but please don’t mention the Knicks to me at the moment..panic sets is when I check the league standings.) One band that I’ve recently familiarised myself with and fallen in love with is Roses. Three guys who make a lot of noise. I love The Fall, and they sound like how Mark E Smith would sound if he sung in a more conventional way. I guess what I am trying to say is that Roses sound like a band from Manchester in the 80s. Some would be insulted, but this is a big thing. It’s a great thing. Two amazing bands came from Manchester; The Fall and The Smiths. They have the thrashing quality that made me fall for The Jesus And Mary Chain when I was very young. You can just hear the fury in the guitarist; you can imagine his fingers bleeding as he plays like a feral beast.

As always when I find a new band; they don’t have much to go on. Personally this is okay with me because it means I can pay more attention to two songs rather than a demo collection enough to throw me off. They have a song that’s just listed as Untitled. It is stunning, it is beautiful and innocent. The singer’s voice really does sound as if he is truly reaching out to one person in particular. It feels entirely personal, and your heart just goes out to him. It may just be a demo for now, but I hope they don’t change too much. It is perfect as it is.

A lot of the West coast bands I love do have a certain vibe to their music, like you just know they are from there. It isn’t a bad thing, but sometimes you want more. If you want those who go against a typical West coast sound you have the likes of Crocodiles, L.A. Witch, The Long Wives and of course, Roses. Play them loud. So loud. I think I’m annoying my neighbour by playing them loudly, and on repeat. But the thing is, We Hate Our Friends HAS to be played quite loud and on repeat. I’m just doing what I should.

Sometimes you just hear a band and you try to fathom why you love them. What lured you in and why. Thing is, when you give yourself a headache over that, you don’t enjoy the music as much. So just listen to whatever you want. Don’t call someone out for being a fan of a band you dislike or for not liking a band you don’t like. If we all liked the same thing, then all music would be boring. And trust me, there’s some really exciting stuff out there. You’ve just got to look for it if you want it badly enough, and with that….VIVA ROSES!!

https://soundcloud.com/#rosesla DIG.