T O P I C R E V I E W |
Jose Jones |
Posted - 06/23/2009 : 15:13:01 i'm so thrilled about some albums lately, but i don't want to make a new topic for each one, so here's the list:
DEERHUNTER - microcastle i just discovered this a couple months ago, and it's easily one of the best albums i've ever heard. i can't stop listening to it!
THE HANDSOME FAMILY - honey moon beautiful, nearly flawless album. rennie sparks never disappoints. great summer night album.
ANIMAL COLLECIVE - merriweather post pavillion haven't stopped listening to this one since january. endlessly wonderful.
----------------------- they were the heroes of old, men of renown. |
35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Arm Arm Arm |
Posted - 09/24/2023 : 12:57:50 I can't believe what a great band Van Halen was, Eddie's fantastic yet succinct playing and songwriting, the brother bond with the drums, Michael Anthony's harmony and of course the vaudeville of Roth, somehow it all works and is so different from other hard rock acts.
The production of these recrods is great as well, not dated sounding at all. They're a damn fun band..! Much like Zeppelin's Rock-n-Roll, and Pixies Rock Music embody their subject, so too with VH's Beautiful Girls.
And the album's are a tribute to brevity, around 30 mins. Here's to short albums!
Cheers |
Arm Arm Arm |
Posted - 09/24/2023 : 12:54:31 Van Halen, first six albums with Roth - fantastic.
Wagner's Ring Cycle, 14 disc box set, taking my time with this, two discs in and it's quite good. The end of disc two feels like an ending unto itslef and there's 12 discs to go...!
Cheers |
pot |
Posted - 07/21/2023 : 11:14:03 There must be an indie rock band factory in America somewhere churning out Gen Z bands playing stuff like the bands from the 90's these days
Momma - what a terrible name for a band
Household Name is a pretty decent album though - you can hear the Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth influences in there - remind me of Big Deal now split also from CA and they had a simirly feel-good grungy shoegaze summer vibe
Playing live they come across like an American High School band playing at their final year Prom but credit where due they seem to be writing some good tunes and they can play their instruments |
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Posted - 07/04/2023 : 05:46:50 I really like the new Blur song St Charles Square - unusual for me to say something like that as I've always though they were a bit average
I'm getting kind of Trompe le Monde/Pixies vibes from it though ? Anyone else think that ? |
Arm Arm Arm |
Posted - 06/05/2023 : 17:23:46 Clutch – Psychic Warfare |
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Posted - 06/05/2023 : 00:30:21 Can't get enough of MUNA these days - synth rock band from LA been going for a few years now and three albums down
Really catchy funky 80's style - watched a few live recordings and it's like watching The Bangles or something from the 80's - love the keyboardist/bass player with the big frizzy hair she's straight out of a Prince video
Better than Haim (which isn't hard - they got about one song) |
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Posted - 05/14/2023 : 00:50:46 New Alison Goldfrapp album is really dancy - don’t know why she has gone solo (I guess it’s just a natural progression) but the songs still retain the general ouvre of Goldfrapp so I dunno why she just didn’t release it as a Goldfrapp album ? Anyway lots of nice, velvety synths and vocals as you would expect |
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Posted - 04/28/2023 : 13:16:15 Jim E. Brown
What a class act
Thank the algorithms for bringing the music of Jim E Brown into my life
Seriously though, the guy is a fucking chump ! This barfly act he is putting on doesn't really work that well and it's the band you have to listen to here really
There seems to be a splurge of new bands coming out these days featuring deliberately terrible vocalists - the worse they are the better - although that is slightly unfair because I think behind some of them there is real talent required to actually do that and make it feel authentic - like Hotel Lux and whoever their vocalist is
Was it Mark E Smith who started all this ? or Eddie Argos ? or even Frank Black
Why does sounding shit sound so good sometimes ? Why am I more drawn to dischordant music than perfectly produced note perfect garbage like Adele or Sam Smith
Anyway all his/their stuff is worth checking - Nausea is a good album - the band who consist of a basist, keyboardist and drummer really are an odd looking bunch like a Sparks tribute band or something - and at times they play the oddest but still somehow interesting to listen to music ! like something from an 80's Children's TV show about Science or something
You get 2/3 of the way through this album (Nausea) and all the bizarre self-deprecating humour etc and then they just throw this one in: Kiss Me Once, Kiss Me Twice and suddenly they are playing this absolutely gorgeous slightly (The) Cure-esque synth ballad from the 80's - could easily be Robert Smith singing there at the start - is this a cover I'm not sure?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERVZTbpt_IM
Next tune on the album is a cover of Oh Sweet Nuthin by The Velvs which is also not a bad cover actually !
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Posted - 03/25/2023 : 04:39:16 Really turning out to be a good year for music so far - this new 80's electro pop synth wave dark wave De-vo Ultravox esque from Seattle (Telehealth) only got three tracks out so far but they're all bangers - No Time Lost has more darker tones and beautiful melody - this one here is more bouncy and highly infectious (recommend not watching the video and just listening to it - hope they didn't waste too much money on that garbage - really spoils the song IMO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df4jCit5MVg |
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Posted - 03/24/2023 : 08:37:02 I just bagged me a ticket to see the legend Richard Thompson play in Edinburgh in June - been waiting for years for him to come back to Scotland (never seen him before) Been listening to his albums all day he really is a talented and diverse folk musician - just listening to 1000 Years of Popular Music (2006) and there's this jazzy woman singing on some of the songs - don't know who she is but she's got incredibly soulful and husky tones |
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Posted - 02/24/2023 : 06:33:11 Material Condition by The Stroppies sounds like it could be a lost Bossa nova track |
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Posted - 02/21/2023 : 14:55:02 Billy by Horsegirl is the most sublime piece of early 90’s(esque) shoe gaze lol-if feedback frenzy I’ve heard for ages
Their debut album is worth a listen too - lots of Sonic Youth and general indie grunge shoegaze lovelies in there - just out last year + they also just released some weird early demo album that’s about as weird and experimental as you could image - just sounds like them messing about in the studio half pissed or stoned or something - somehow though the complete and utter steaming pile of random, unharmonious garbage they came up there is strangely alluring nonetheless
What’s with the current trend in bands deliberately singing unharmoniously, or out of tune but yet it sounds so good and why?
It’s not a new thing by any stretch this but loads of new stuff I’m getting into is like this |
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Posted - 02/05/2023 : 07:25:39 Strongly recommend you get your lugs round the new band project by Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall - The Waeve - like nothing I've heard for a while - strangely atmospheric song writing - sounds like something from an undiscovered 70's archive - Sunday chill out zone |
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Posted - 02/02/2023 : 12:33:59 I Want To Grow Up is even better than Cool (Colleen Green) Stick these albums on your headphones and go for a walk on a summer day. Maybe she gets better as we go back in time?
Weird also to think that I have a step-sister in law called Colleen Brown who lives in Florida |
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Posted - 02/02/2023 : 11:45:38 Just discovered Colleen Green - listening to her latest album Cool - she's really cool I like her style. Could easily be a Breeders album I'm listening to. I love indie rock chicks with strong American accents
Some of the songs feel like they could go on for longer though and fade out too quickly? Like this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFsJ0DSS9Fc
Terry are back with a new tune Gold Duck as well and it's the usual stuff you'd expect from them - new album incoming which I am probably going to listen to the shit out of like I've just done with all their |
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Posted - 01/28/2023 : 13:44:40 Hands Across The Creek - an album that will be remembered
Not a long album but plenty of variety - from lo-fi punk to acoustic folk balladry to weird funky synth machines and lots of vocal artistry from the lead vocalist - the art of making bad vocals sound really good and some top song writing - I think there is something special about this band you should give them a listen
Planet Lux |
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Posted - 01/27/2023 : 12:22:07 Hotel Lux debut album out today - nice bit of lo-fi indie with a slight brit pop edge - you can hear the Art Brut/Eddie Argos influence in all of their songs. Album of the year so far - wouldn't mind bagging some tickets to see them live on their current tour |
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Posted - 01/14/2023 : 00:55:09 First new release of the year goes to Belle & Sebastian - who are back with another new album! Quite impressive that they still manage to churn out the happy tunes - and their new female replacement vocalist for "Belle" has lovely dulcet tones. The usual funky, twisty, folky vibes with a little bit of flower power. I tend to listen to their albums a few times and get bored but it's definitely worth it each time. I think Scotland should declare independence from the warmongering central of the world and enter the Eurovision this year with one of these songs and beat Ukraine! |
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Posted - 11/30/2022 : 15:26:42 New Bowie album (Divide Symmetry) is really good - I'm not a massive fan but I'm really digging CD1 which is all early demos - recognise a few songs but a lot of it's new stuff for me and I really like the rawness of it, I think I prefer it to the produced Bowie sound of his time actually, got more soul - four CDs all looks like old rarities got John Peel on there inroducing some of the recordings
There's one or two tracks on there featuring other artists - this one called Andy Warhol (song title) is performed by someone called Dana Gillespie, who is an actress as well as singer songwriter I just looked up. This version on the album on CD2 is a fairly well-known song of hers which was released a few years after this recording which is year fuck knows because it doesn't say - I'd say late 60's early 70's probably. Anyway the guitars remind me a lot of Joey's style - and in fact the start of the song is straight out of some track off Bossa or something
Deezer it up - it's track 24 and 31 (get two recordings of this performance from different places)
I can't find any other version like this on Youtube - only the produced version so this Pixies-esque style I'm picking up is limited to this rare early demo on the new Bowie album - defintely prefer that version also (as is the case with all these Bowie demoes as well) |
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Posted - 11/12/2022 : 06:27:02 Never heard of Winston Surfshirt before but their new album Panna Cotta is chilled as fuck! Some Ozzie funk/hip hop band - all very laid back stuff with plenty of soul - I have no doubt this one will be getting a few spins before I delve into their back catalogue |
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Posted - 10/08/2022 : 05:05:24 Can't wait for the new Fazerdaze album - couple of great new tunes out from them so far - managed to catch the last 5 mins of her playing Sneaky's in Edin in 2006 but too busy talking to the guy from Big Deal while ordering a pint
It's like a load of bands were holding off releasing their new stuff until the lockdown nonsense eased up (or fucked off depending on how you want to look at it) hearing loads of great new stuff and there's this and I think a new album from Drahla coming? |
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Posted - 10/07/2022 : 12:27:47 How could I have missed this single release back in July? So uplifting - right wee banger of an indie pop choon - I'm killing it with over-replays right now
These two are going to be huge I predict (Sorry)
Not only a great peice of songwriting but the production on it is perfection - including the distant echoey backing voices/vocals running throughout
I reckon this album will bag them a Mercury nom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNaBYq1-Tqs |
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Posted - 10/07/2022 : 05:33:42 It is Indie Album Xmas Month after all - SORRY just dropped their 2nd album (ANYWHERE BUT HERE) and it's really good! Maybe better than their first? Kicks off with a real belter of a tune and they keep flowing..
Poor kids, they just dropped their 1st album in early 2020 to critical acclaim, and then the fake pandemic hit!
They're back now and should be able to tour this time (pending any further hysteria over covid/money pox/climate change/nuclear armageddon)
I might grab some tickets for them if they play anywhere nearby - Ah but they're doing the whole skipping Edinburgh thig oh well |
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Posted - 10/06/2022 : 02:47:06 Slowcoaches are one of the best punk bands ever I think - great energy and vocals from the punk girl |
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Posted - 10/04/2022 : 08:47:33 Dry Cleaning are turning out to be quite an influential band these days, and they've only been going a few years. Heard a new song from Ideal Host (The Conflict) new band led by Slowcoaches punk girl Heather yesterday on 6 Music - great vocals and very Pixies-esque sound and just then this new band called PVA - both got the same kind of idle female talky vocals but PVA seem more electronica than lo-fi indie
I suppose credit to Kim Gordon for it all originally, unless there was another one before her?
And as I'm looking these songs up I find Drahla have new material out as well - more weirdness - October must be Indie Xmas month or something
Ideal host https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUnGWHYGgro PVA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bFmQc-57g0 Drahla https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oavmvYjVerA |
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Posted - 10/01/2022 : 18:18:07 Cate le Bon is back as well!
She seemed to go a bit dull but this new video is quite something - very good song and the pop art video is also
#teamcatelebonforever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOJ4NVu_4GM |
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Posted - 09/24/2022 : 12:08:23 Terry anyone?
Just checking out some of their YouTubes quite Pixieish in both music and style and video - who isn't these days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdOT5Ix8VOY
Early Wet Leg or something - catchy indie pop with clever lo-fi video |
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Posted - 09/18/2022 : 00:41:35 Yee haw I found a new Stoneman Family clip - bit more recent than some I’ve watched. Not sure when it dates from probably circa the 70’s - it’s in colour and one of them’s turned into a big old bear
If it’s not your scene please forward to the end around 15m40s where the crowd starts dancing - some kind of mixture of line dancing and Irish dancing (although not in a line) - almost identical to the kind of dancing you’d see around the start of the 90’s during the rave scene it’s most amusing
https://youtu.be/VniX-ANWHS0 |
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Posted - 09/11/2022 : 00:49:19 Some good songwriting on the new Megadeth album - it’s a really solid album and I’d say maybe their best since So Far, So Good (controversial)
As well as the usual complex stuff you expect from Mustaine there are few really great heavy rock/more metal numbers on there. I could even see them potentially getting their first number one in the UK with (say) Mission To Mars? (If such a thing meant anything these days)
When you get into the bones of the song around 1m in: listen to this track and tell me if you can also (like me) totally imagine Frank banging a rocking number out like this hypothetically on some of the early solo albums or the Bluefinger era?
https://youtu.be/obrcmwWsNTY |
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Posted - 09/08/2022 : 09:45:12 The Queen Is Dead |
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Posted - 09/07/2022 : 10:49:22 quote: Originally posted by Bedbug
Really into Bruce Hornsby lately.
Didn't even know Van Halen covered the Kinks till this new Frank song came out.
Me neither or I suppressed the memory of this song from my Beavis and Butthead years |
Bedbug |
Posted - 09/07/2022 : 10:46:36 Really into Bruce Hornsby lately.
Didn't even know Van Halen covered the Kinks till this new Frank song came out. |
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Posted - 09/07/2022 : 08:05:35 Talking about Van Halen.. new Megadeth album is quite good! Last two tracks are real rock n rollers - with a heavy rock edge - Police Truck and This Planet's On Fire (feat Sammy Hagar - vocals work well with Mustaine I think) rest of the album is more technical Megadeth but still some good songwriting and willingness to be experimental within the genre. Can't believe they're still churning out Megadeth albums - not far off 40 years now |
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Posted - 09/04/2022 : 18:07:53 I just saw the Bay City Rollers play my home town woo and you know what? They fucking rocked it! Would have been nice if the red hot chili pipers hadn't demanded the headline slot I don't know what happened but they're a bunch of posers who are not welcome here again. But the Rollers - albeit pretty much a tribute band these days - The front man was good he got the crowd going
https://youtu.be/kpSRpeZ2r-w
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Posted - 09/02/2022 : 02:31:19 The Knife have been releasing some new music recently I just saw - how could I miss that? Nothing really grabbed me so far from the new stuff but I decided to go back to the Shaken Up Version album of remixes from 2014 - I thought it was pretty good at the time (better than their previous album before that anyway - that opera stuff - bit boring) - but anyway I'm rediscovering this album and it's got some great tracks on it that are really up there with the best of the The Knife: nice remix of Pass this On and Ready To Lose has a really nice tribal/shamanic feel to it like the Fever Ray album (first self titled album) |