Monthly Archives: February 2009

The Howling Bells…they’re back! they’re back! etc.. etc..

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Back in 2006, it seemed like Howling Bells were everywhere across the blogosphere and beyond. This Aussie group in 2006 were rightly acclaimed when they released their shoegazing/4AD-inflected debut on an unsuspecting world. they were signed to Bella Union in the UK, which is always a sign of being violently cool, and they’re Australian, which is also pretty damn special (I mean, the country gave us the Go-Betweens, Nick Cave, Kylie and Frente! What more d’you want?!?!)

fast forward to 2009, and the band are back (etc. etc..) Now signed to Independiente, they are set to release new single INGLE “Cities Burning Down” on February 23, and their sophomore album Radio Wars on March 2. Independiente have made ‘Into the Chaos’ available as a free download, as well as a Naum gaubo remix of ‘Cities Burning Down’ which I have already played about five times this evening.

You have to get your ears around this, damn it, I can’t stop listening.

Howling Bells -‘Into The Chaos.’ mp3

Howling Bells -‘Cities Burning Down (Naum Gaubo remix).’ mp3

Howling Bells website/Howling Bells myspace

Presenting…The Silent Years

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Oh but there’s some good stuff hitting my inbox at the moment.

Like this track ‘Know Your Place’ from the Silent Years. I’d never heard of their music before today, but i’m truly impressed by this track, which is something pretty fabulous. I’m gonna have to investigate further. They hail from Detroit, which has produced some amazing music over the years, and seems to this honorary scot to be one of the most musical places in the US of A. Their second album is called The Globe and will be released in the UK soon.

The Silent Years -‘Know Your Place.’ mp3

This is a video for a song called ‘on Our way Home’ which can be streamed at their myspace, too…

There is definitely a space theme going on, and judging my their website, it’s pretty clear the band have no time for those who are anti-evolution. Cool… : )

To whit: “Has anyone ever been curious about what exists at certain web addresses? I recently typed in jesuschrist.com and found, among other things, a $250,000 reward for anyone who can prove that evolution doesn’t exist. Can anyone help me with this? I could really use the $250K, and while it is absolutely the dummest thing ever to believe that evolution is not reality, I think that for the money I could pretend for a whiler that I am uneducated.”

the Silent Years website/The Silent Years myspace

Presenting…Help Stamp Out Loneliness

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‘Could you review our single?’ say so many email requests. It’s hard to be hurtful, when you like what you hear (and are still getting emailed requests from people going ‘You said you’d feature us…whne are you going to do it?!?!). Sometimes, it may be just chance but there are bands that -even without an mp3 to post, I figure, sod it, I have to feature them.

And one such band are Help Stamp Out Loneliness. Hailing from Manchester (but of course!), they are another fine reminder of how much gorgeous underground c-86 influences there are out there. Citing 4AD legends Colourbox as their main inspiration the band comprise D. Lucille Campbell (vocals, tambourine); Louise Winfield (organ, vocals); Katherine McMahon (piano, vocals); Bentley Cooke (guitar); Colm McCrory (bass); Ben Ambridge (drums, maracas); Ana Log (70’s drum machine & general sex appeal; it says here). Lazy comparisons will be drawn with B*l*e and S*b*s*i*n and C*m*r* O*s*u*a; for me, it’s Stereolab, not because this sounds like space age bachelor pad music, so much as it sounds very european, and I mean that as a compliment.

Their debut single ‘Torville and Dean’ will be out soon on Papiloons Noirs, and you can hear it on their myspace page. For me their standout track is ‘Record Shop.’

You’ll have a favourite Help Stamp Out Loneliness song soon too…

It Hugs Back – A new video, an old video and the last single. Oh, and a review of their forthcoming album

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Hell, there must be some planning going on over at the indie superhouse that is 4AD/Beggars Banquet/Matador. Not only have they signed Broken Records (supported by this blog since August 2006), and signed Camera Obscura, (in addition to a roster that currently includes TV On the Radio, Stereolab and Bon Iver), they also signed It Hugs Back towards the end of last year, too.

I’ve mentioned this band before, but seeing as the debut album Inside Your Guitar landed on the mat at 17 Seconds Towers a few days ago it seemed like I should mention them again. Believe me, an album as summery as this will light up your spring and summer – even if the good ol’ British weather remains as sodding awful as it…well, it usually is, let’s be honest, isn’t it?

The band -Matthew Simms (Guitar, vocals), Jack Theedom (Organ, backing vocals), Paul Michael (bass) and Dimitri Sudell (drums) have made a debut that shows the first relase from this album ‘Work Day’ was no fluke. This is an album that is beuatiful and wonderful, and completely on its’ own terms. It’s dreamy – but you’d never call this shoegazing. It’s folky – but it rocks, as well, just gently. It evokes classic guitar stuff, but it’s never indie by numbers or c86 re-treads. And is that a hint of Nick Drake…or was I thinking of Ooberman? The best records make you want to go back and listen to them as soon as you’ve finished them. With this album, you find yourself planning to do it before it’s even finished. I might need to invest in a new msuical theasuarus. Sod, it, we’ll just call it the fabulous debut from It Hugs Back.

****1/2

Inside Your Guitar isn’t out until April 6 2009. A long wait, huh?

Well, until then, whet your appetite with this, the video for forthcoming single ‘Now + Again.’

The previous video for ‘Work Day’ can be seen here:

It Hugs back official website/ It Hugs Back myspace

And an official mp3 for ‘Work Day’-

It Hugs Back -‘Work Day.’ mp3

The first four singles can be downloaded from iTunes and eMuic has two of them as well.

The return of Camera Obscura

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Back in 2006, when 17 Seconds first started, the inaugural album of the year was Camera Obscura’s Let’s Get Out Of This Country.

Three years later, they return with a new label, 4AD, also hope to fellow scots Broken Records, and their fourth album, My Maudlin Career.

The title track is already available as a free downlaod, so why deny yourself the pleasure? Find out what’s happening, what they’ve been up to, and get ready for the album’s release on April 20 (or 21 for Americans and Canadians)! On the evidence of the title track, they continue to grow and delight, as the song does, with each successive listen…

Camera Obscura -‘My Maudlin Career.’ mp3

Camera Obscura’s website/Camera Obscura’s myspace

Jeez, do I have to be nice all the time?

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Sometimes, being nice, especially when you’re feeling tired, grumpy and run down is just too much.

So how about something to show that things can be aesthetically dark and brilliant?

First up, Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley (above) run the Southern Lord label, which produces some amazing stuff. They also have their own band, Sunn O))) (just pronounced Sun, in case you were worrrying). Like this, pretty much my introduction to Black Metal a couple of years ago…and which got me into Boris as well.

Sunn O))) -‘It Took The Night To Believe.’ mp3

When I feel a little more educated about it all, I will do a post on the Japanese underground – Boris, Merzbow, Melt Banana and Acid Mothers Temple, for example. Sample this and enjoy.

Boris -‘Flower, Sun, Rain.’ mp3

The Shining is a deeply scary, but very well-made film. Like many people, I first heard of the Melvins becuase Kurt Cobain loved them. This cover shows that anyone who thinks metal lacks inventiveness hasn’t lived.

Melvins -‘Dies Irae.’ mp3

Were/are Carcass thinking man’s grindcore? Whatever…this track, heard by me years ago when I was still at school showed me that the guy who listened to scary metal stuff might have a few aces up his sleeve.

Carcass -‘Heartwork.’ mp3

My understanding is that swiss act Celtic Frost have now split for good, but their album Monotheist was seen as stunning a couple of years ago. I think this track shows why.

Celtic Frost -‘Drown In Ashes.’ mp3

Finally…blink and you’ll miss it! Turn this on by chance and you’ll jump out of your skin…This is one of the shortest songs ever.

Napalm Death -‘You Suffer.’ mp3

Presenting…The French Semester

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There seems to be something in the water. 2009 is the year it all sounds like 1982, right? At least, that was the theory, in oh, january at least. So, are you into electro-pop or old-school indie? It’s time to decide whose sides you’re on, comrade!

Last year, the Frech Semester released their acclaimed debut Open Letter To The Disappeared. Less than a year later, their sophomore release, Good Friends Only I Could See (look at the above image very carefully!) is about to hit us.

It’s wonderful low-fi indie pop meets shoegaze meets Britpop meets the Shins and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. What the date again? (It’s so dark in here) 1982 or twenty years on?* There’s an excellent piece on them here with some tracks from their first album.

I think I’ve fallen in love. With a pop group. Again…Sigh

French Semester -‘Backwards Rolling.’ mp3

French Semester -‘My Old Hands.’ mp3

The French Semester’s website/The French Semester’s Myspace
* With apologies to Simon Puxley and Roxy Music

Presenting…Mimas

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This arrived in my inbox a couple of days ago.

Mimas are a Danish band, with a somewhat brilliant and quirky sense of humour, which is always good in these dark times. Their album The Worries came out in October in the UK and will be out in the US in June.Snævar Albertsson (the singer, above) included this amusing interview with them, so I knew I had to feature them:

Where are you from?
We’re from the future. No just kidding. We were formed in 1960 and then we broke up and reunited in 2004 with the name Mimas and Papas, but now we just like Mimas more. We live in the only country in Scandinavia where you can get seriously drunk without being the poorest person on earth the day after. Booze is cheap here!

– Why are you named Mimas?
We really think that most good artists start with a M. Megadeth, Madonna, George Michael…. So we were really sure about the M. Imas we came up with while playing squash. It’s a mental condition.

– How would you define you?
If you would think of a mix between the old Take That and then take some of Ice Cubes solo stuff and put in a bit of the more melodic Norweigian Black Metal you would be completely off. We’re just way more indie than that.

– Your record will be out in the States on June 2009 on Distile Records and it will be distributed via Stickfigure. How is everything is going so far?
Well. Very well. All we ever wanted since we were small kids on the playground shitting our pants and eating dirt was to make music and play it for people.

– Your record is already a success in the UK and you will tour Europe on June 2009. Are you planning to tour the US soon?
World domination is on our to do list, so of course!

Mimas -‘Cats On Fire.’ mp3

It also comes with this video – how could I not post this?!

Make friends at their myspace page

Lux Interior remembered

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Saddened to read, only a week after the death of John Martyn, that Cramps’ frontman, Lux Interior has died at the age of 62.

This legendary band, with their unique blend of rockabilly and surf guitar, love of 50s b-movies and schlock-horror acts were a truly pioneering band. Original guitarist Bryan Gregory died nearly eight years ago, but Lux and his wife, Poison Ivy had led the band for over thirty years.

17 Seconds bows its’ head and remembers him this way:

The Cramps -‘Human Fly.’ mp3