Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Delta Rae – Bottom of the River



Raise the dead, set the water to hissing and smoking, and get the walls shaking in a mystical ceremony with Delta Rae.

Carried by a powerful four-part harmony and a beat derived from the walk of a condemned man in leg shackles, “Bottom of the River” is rife with voodoo, black magic, and the occult. But be warned though because with all their southern soul fire and mysticism, Delta Rae will cast a dangerous spell over you with their sultry incantations.

Watch the fantastic video for “Bottom of the River” below, and keep an eye out for their full length debut album due out later this year.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Zulu – Sistine Chapel


Reeking of good ol’ fashioned English punk, Zulu will have you ready to throw a brick as you tear through the streets on a rampage. With deep baritone vocals, plenty of angst, and grinding rock riffs that will turn your bones to dust, Zulu brings some serious punk-infected rock to the table.

Listen to “Sistine Chapel” from their upcoming debut album via Stroll On below.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Work Drugs – License To Drive


Check out the latest Work Drugs track, “License To Drive,” the first single from their forthcoming album.

An exuberant ode to the coming summer, “License To Drive” is rife with teenage nostalgia, taking you back to a time when having a driver’s license was a ticket to freedom. Wrapped in shimmering synths, a catchy hook, and an infectious beat, you can almost feel the wind in your hair and hear your closest friends laughing in the backseat as you soak in the sun.

Watch the fantastic video below, and keep an eye out for the new album.


Friday, February 24, 2012

Wolf Gang – The King and All His Men


Helloooaaaa Friday!

I’ve had Wolf Gang on repeat for a while now and just had to share this song going into the weekend. Something about “The King and All His Men” just screams Good Times. It could have something to do with the New Wave synths, driving beats, and insanely catchy hook – or not, I’m not entirely sure.

Check out the video below and be sure to grab their fantastic LP Suego Faults.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Patti Smith – Camera Solo


"Sometimes, if I crave silence I turn to my Land 250. The experience of taking Polaroids connects me with the moment. They are souvenirs of a joyful solitude.” – Patti Smith

(Photos taken from her recently published collection of polaroids titled Camera Solo.)


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

AA Loves - Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes


With a name like Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes you know you’re in for a real treat, and the Rackettes do not disappoint.

Mixing in ol’ fashion 60’s pop, Motown soul, and boogie woogie blues, Clairy Browne is a fun sexy time personified. On tracks like “Lean Lanky Daddy” and “Champagne,” four part harmonies and backing vocals sing out with plenty of sass and sex appeal over mean bluesy bass lines and swingin’ rhythms. Meanwhile their live shows are a riot with plenty of double claps and choreographed dance moves to transport you to another world.

Check out “Baby Caught The Bus” and “Lean Lanky Daddy” below and be sure to grab their fantastic debut LP Baby Caught The Bus available via bandcamp.



Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Empire of the Moon - Transition



While Empire of the Moon might sound a helluva lot like Empire of the Sun…well actually they do sound a bit like Empire of the Sun, except as the differences in their name imply, Empire of the Moon makes shimmering chill-wave more suited for relaxed evenings spent exploring the vast caverns of your mind than Empire of the Sun’s exuberant dance-floor bangers.

Filled with smooth beats, tranquil vocals, and a deep sense of distant longing, this five-piece Argentinian band will quickly become a staple of your “Fuck You Winter, I’m Staying In Tonight For A Relaxed Evening” playlist.

Have a listen to “Transition” below, taken from their recently released debut EP Saturday Children.

 

Monday, February 20, 2012

Anna Calvi – Naughty Girl (cover)




Anna Calvi is a monster!!! On guitar that is…As evidence, look no further than her cover of Beyonce’s “Naughty Girl.” Like her version of “Wolf Like Me,” Calvi transforms Beyonce’s pop-piece into a dark, sensual voyage fraught with tension and danger.

Showing amazing restraint in her vocals, her sultry whispers create an uneasy sense of murky sexuality that’s frankly a bit terrifying. As you listen in stunned silence, straining your ears to catch her soft murmurs, she lures you into her mysterious world. The tension rises to a boiling point as she steadfastly refuses to raise her voice beyond the softest of purrs until suddenly she unleashes a wave of unhinged psychedelic guitar screeches and some mean shredding.

Aside from the god-awful lyrics on the chorus, the lines translate surprisingly well into her style of dark deviance.

Check out the live version of her cover, recorded at BBC’s Radio 1, below.

Friday, February 17, 2012

AA Loves: Such Hounds


Pour yourself a nice glass of fallin’ down whiskey because Such Hounds is in the building today.
These Brooklyn indie folk rockers sound like they just crawled out of the Dust Bowl covered in misfortune, bourbon, and hard luck. With a sound resembling Deer Tick, their bitter sweet melodies smell of moonshine, stale beer, and nostalgia.

Warbling lyrics like “We laugh until we fall apart,” “I wonder why you left me on the side of the road to die all alone,” and “Time can never fix the things I’ve done even if I’ve done nothing wrong at all,” Such Hounds will instinctively make you reach for a cold one.

Stream their debut EP below or head over to Bandcamp to download your free copy.


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Mr. Cool himself.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Fort Lean - Sunsick



Fort Lean, that knavish quintet from Brooklyn, is back with “Sunsick,” the lead single off their debut album.

These rapscallions have clearly been hard at work as their surf infused classic rock sound is as sharp as ever. Drenched in longing, “Sunsick” simmers slowly with its pounding rhythms, woeful lyrics, and Spaghetti Western-esque guitar lines.

Their album drops February 28th via Neon Gold and Black Bell Records, but in the meantime you can score a free copy of “Sunsick” over at bandcamp. Oh, and while you’re there, don’t forget to grab their killer four-track EP.

For those of you in New York, the band is having record release party on the 28th at the Santos Party House.




Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Tennis – Young and Old Album Stream


Who needs a date on Valentine’s Day when you’ve got the brand new Tennis album streaming online for free? With plenty of charm and sex appeal, I daresay the new Tennis album will not disappoint as a partner for the evening.

Every bit as idyllic and sugary sweet as their last album, Young and Old takes Tennis’ sepia-tinted 50’s pop throwback sound and infuses it with heaping amounts of soul, a dash of longing, and more than enough catchy beats to go around.

For their latest album, the Denver couple enlisted the production help of the Black Keys’ Patrick Carney and his efforts have helped create an album that obliterates the concept of “sophomore slump.” Drawing on the eclectic influences that made Brothers such a memorable album, “Young and Old” incorporates the best of Motown with its soulful beats, moving rhythms, and bouncing pianos to highlight Tennis’ hazy sun-bleached melodies. As if that weren’t enough, Alaina Moore’s voice is lovelier than ever – so sugary sweet it melts like cotton candy as soon as it hits your ears.

Stream the album below and be sure to grab your copy today courtesy of Fat Possum.



Monday, February 13, 2012

Dirty Blonde Asylum - Fire


Just came across the shoegazey delights of Dirty Blonde Asylum aka Jack Chamberlain.

With heavy doses of stylish moodiness, monstrous guitar riffs, and thunderous beats, “Fire” is mind-blowingly massive. Set to breath-taking footage of nuclear explosions in all their awesome destructive power, the video for “Fire” is the perfect backdrop for the track.

Chamberlain is currently at work on an EP, so we certainly have something to look forward to.

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Kills Tenth Anniversary Show Video Warmup


Ever since The Kills announced their 10th Anniversary show in NYC several months ago, I’ve been wracked with anxiety, breathlessly eager for the show to begin. Now that we’re only one day away from total blues rockin’ mayhem, I thought it only fitting to share a few of my favorite Kills videos that I’ve had on repeat over the last several weeks.

Enjoy.









For a special treat, check out this beautifully shot short film that gives you an inside glimpse into the band’s nervous pre-show jitters and what they do to get ready for a show.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Eugene McGuinness – Shotgun



He’s baaacckkk! Eugene McGuinness that tasteful British rake, who’s been a perennial favorite of this blog, has just released another single from his forthcoming album.

Brutually rhythmic, mod twinged, and catchy as all hell, “Shotgun” is quickly going to join his last two singles, “Lion” and “Thunderbolt,” on repeat. In line with his previous two singles, “Shotgun” features a sleek cyclic Bond-esque bass line and McGuinness’s unique vocal acrobatics.

Have a look at the captivating video below as it will undoubtedly be the best 3 minutes and 15 seconds of your day.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

We Are Serenades – Birds


Obliterate those Winter blues with the smoked out hazy sounds of We Are Serenades (formerly Serenades).

Laid back, fuzzy, and ethereal this Swedish duo sounds like the last days of summer – bright and warm, but with twinges of melancholy and nostalgia as one clings desperately to the fleeting moments before the cold reality of life settles back in.  

Watch the amazing videos for “Birds” and “Oceans” below, taken from their forthcoming album Criminal Heaven, which is set to drop April 17th via Cherrytree Records/Interscope.


Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Cellophane Flowers – Yes I Am


As soon as I began listening to Cellophane Flowers’ debut EP If I Was A Girl, I immediately regretted not checking it out sooner.

While much of the EP is bright and melodic, “Yes I Am” is a surprising departure. Hidden among the indie gems, this wolf in sheep’s clothing is lurking in wait, ready to turn your bones to dust with its great grinding rock riff. Like that rock goddess Abbe May, Francesca Corradini’s voice with all its tender anxiety is the perfect juxtaposition to the hard guitar lines, making your skin crawl with all her underlying angst.

Keep your eyes out for their debut album Staring At The World, which they just recently finished with the help of Dave Allen of The Cure and Human League.

In the meantime, check out the amazing fan vid for “Yes I Am,” which is probably the best way ever to watch the Dali/Disney masterpiece.



Monday, February 6, 2012

Seaside Postcards – Strange Days


I recently got a very nice email from the talented lads behind Seaside Postcards and had to share.

For fans of Joy Division, this trio hailing from Pesaro, Italy is a must listen. Their dark indie sound is reminiscent of the stark moodiness of Ian Curtis and the gang with their minimal guitar lines and heavy bass. Rather than Curtis’ deep baritone, Seaside Postcards opts for hazy ethereal whispers, which make for quite the haunting effect.

Watch the video for “Strange Days” below and be sure to download your free copy of their self-titled EP here or stream it at bandcamp.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Let’s Buy Happiness – Dirty Lakes


Now that I’ve finally gotten a chance to listen to Let’s Buy Happiness, I’m kind of sort of a lot of completely obsessed with them.

This five piece from Newcastle makes some insanely catchy indie pop gems that put an ever widening grin on your face. While I’m not all that familiar with the scene in Newcastle, their melodic guitars, textured sound, and laidback exuberance, seems more like something out of Canada’s effervescent music scene a la Land of Talk or Reverie Sound Revue.

I suppose it doesn’t hurt that Sarah Hall’s adorable voice sounds a bit like Elizabeth Powell’s in that it’s full of folksy warmth yet has the cold distance of the stars (yea that was an odd way to put it, but there’s no other way to describe it).

Check out the fantastic video to “Dirty Lakes” below and head over to bandcamp to pick up their other singles and debut EP.


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Brothers In Law – Holy Weekend


If Smith Westerns and Yuck were to give birth to a love child while taking massive amounts of acid, I suppose they would sound a bit like Brothers In Law, a trio from Italy.

Taken from their second EP, Gray Days, “Holy Weekend” takes you for a darkly exuberant ride with its hazy vocals, driving beats, and spiraling guitar lines.

On a side note, is it just me or does the track’s opening riff remind you of Interpol’s “Lights?”

Anyways, stream the track below, and keep an eye out for the release of Gray Days on February 13th via We Were Never Boring.