The Drums is ranked 5th in the BBC 10 for 2010-list. Dudes seem to be a little sketchy, and I saw a pretty bad live video, but they do have a couple of good singles.
Even though it's way too early for summer vibes, 'I want to go surfing' is a nice track that proves you don't need a whole lot to make a good song: a nervous bass line, some surfrock guitar riffs and some of the most cheerful whistling a whole time:
Another song by these New Yorkers that didn't even make it onto their ep, is "I felt stupid", which I listened to on endless repeat one night when I was playing Bejeweled Blitz into oblivion. Excellent track with some Cure and Smiths echo's, maybe an idea for that last track you needed for that valentine's day mixtape? I must warn you though that the music video is like, REALLY gay.
While we're on the subject of Valentine's, I like the new Hot Chip too. Maybe not as suited to heat up the dancefloor as 'Ready for the floor', but still, a very well crafted little track.
I checked some mixtapes by other people, and this was one of the standout tracks. High places is a duo that sound like a modern version of Dirty Projectors meets Cocteau Twins on vocoders or whatever.
I literally got up this morning and 2 songs from the nineties just sprang to mind like that, so I'm going to feed you some more random nineties stuff.
The Posies are not down with embedding videos.
I like some of the snippets of the new Joanna Newsom, but apparently, the successor to her last full-album is shaping up to be a TRIPLE album. As much as I liked most of 'Ys', sitting through one full-album of hers was hard enough already, so I'm not really sure whether this is really the best plan.
Couple of interesting concerts coming up: This Thursday offers the choice between Maria Timm @ Bruges (11/02 Cactus) and Beach House @ Ghent (11/02 Vooruit), both reasonably priced and not sold out when I checked yesterday. The Horrors (Minnemeers Ghent and Botanique Brussels) are playing 2 dates too, but I'm glad I caught them at Rock Herk because it seems they got a little expensive. Times New Viking @ Charlatan Ghent 23/03 too.
Then 2 more bands I used to be avid fan of but not so much anymore, both on weekdays: The New Pornographers (who haven't really done much since their latest effort 'Challengers') at Botanique BXL on May 25th and Los Campesinos!at the same venue on March 18th. These Cardiff youngsters had to replace their keyboard player and just have a new record out (3rd one in 18 months, can't blame them for not being productive) called 'Romance is boring'. Can't get into the new singles, but the video for the title track does have a nice bit of cleavage in it, so here you go:
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The world is fucked
I've been feeling rather nineties lately, I guess it won't be long before I get bored enough to do a nineties compilation podcast. Somewhere last week, somehow the name My Vitriol popped into my head, and I ended up checking out their videos again. Even though chronologically they're more a noughties band, I guess you could situate a band with some Foo Fighters riffs and shoegaze influences in the nineties and get away with it. This London-based band released FineLines in 2001, and played some big gigs, although they arguably weren't the right band at the right time, battling the forces of nu-metal. I always feel that the singer of this band is like a Brian Molko that isn't butt-ugly.
Anyway, the singles are still good, Moodswings being my favourite, and Always: your way being the most succesful. According to Wikipedia, they went on hiatus at their peak, and are now back to recording records and playing shows. Good for them!
Speaking of Brian Molko, does anyone even remember the follow-up single to their breakthrough single, "Nancy Boy"? It was called Bruise Pristine, and even though it's hardly their best single ever, it showcases what the primordial Placebo was all about. Mainly teenage angst I'm guessing. Check it.
Staying firmly in the nineties, I think most people of my age still have fond memories of the Troublegum record by Irish band Therapy? . Biggest bum-out regarding this band is that they'll always be remembered by Diane, even though that song illustrates their good choice in cover songs (Huskur Du and Joy Division), it doesn't really illustrate the impact their debut album had on the adolescent mid-nineties generation. They released a string of follow-up records but most of their fanbase had moved on, although they're still rocking and playing smaller festivals around Europe. They toured with Helmet once, and only recently, I've come to notice the similarity in some of their use of start-stop riffs. "Stop it you're killing me" and "Femtex" below. "Masturbation saved my life" is a pretty funny opening line.
And closing off the nineties chapter for now, the debut single by Garbage. Garbage will always be Butch Vig's band, even though their choice for Scottish Shirley Manson as frontwoman turned out to be a good one. Clearly still struggling with the rock and roll pose in the video for "Vow" though. Best Garbage single ever, "I think I'm paranoid" coming in as a close second.
Closing off, I forgot about the new Balthazar single when discussing the new singles from Belgian bands in my previous post. I quite like the new track by these local (relocated to Ghent) hipsters (sound quality is mediocre):
Anyway, the singles are still good, Moodswings being my favourite, and Always: your way being the most succesful. According to Wikipedia, they went on hiatus at their peak, and are now back to recording records and playing shows. Good for them!
Speaking of Brian Molko, does anyone even remember the follow-up single to their breakthrough single, "Nancy Boy"? It was called Bruise Pristine, and even though it's hardly their best single ever, it showcases what the primordial Placebo was all about. Mainly teenage angst I'm guessing. Check it.
Staying firmly in the nineties, I think most people of my age still have fond memories of the Troublegum record by Irish band Therapy? . Biggest bum-out regarding this band is that they'll always be remembered by Diane, even though that song illustrates their good choice in cover songs (Huskur Du and Joy Division), it doesn't really illustrate the impact their debut album had on the adolescent mid-nineties generation. They released a string of follow-up records but most of their fanbase had moved on, although they're still rocking and playing smaller festivals around Europe. They toured with Helmet once, and only recently, I've come to notice the similarity in some of their use of start-stop riffs. "Stop it you're killing me" and "Femtex" below. "Masturbation saved my life" is a pretty funny opening line.
And closing off the nineties chapter for now, the debut single by Garbage. Garbage will always be Butch Vig's band, even though their choice for Scottish Shirley Manson as frontwoman turned out to be a good one. Clearly still struggling with the rock and roll pose in the video for "Vow" though. Best Garbage single ever, "I think I'm paranoid" coming in as a close second.
Closing off, I forgot about the new Balthazar single when discussing the new singles from Belgian bands in my previous post. I quite like the new track by these local (relocated to Ghent) hipsters (sound quality is mediocre):
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Shut up, Narcissus
A plethora of Belgian artist came over to the Studio Brussel radio station to play their new singles this week, ranging from more of the same (Mintzkov) to pretty godawful (Fixkes) stuff.
One new local single we do support here at the IASSP HQ, is the new one from The Black Box Revelation:
Sounds like someone slipped these youngsters a T Rex cd or something. These lads have gusto, and they can make a pretty standard riff and straightforward lyrics into a song that is worth listening to.
Random nineties video of the week:
Funniest video of the month:
Click (no embed)
So, Lily Allen is taking a kiddie break, but the new Maria Timm sounds a little Allen-esque. Can't find a video, think the song is called "Why don't you run along?".
Been rockin':
City and Colour
Great Lake Swimmers
American Nightmare
Customs
One new local single we do support here at the IASSP HQ, is the new one from The Black Box Revelation:
Sounds like someone slipped these youngsters a T Rex cd or something. These lads have gusto, and they can make a pretty standard riff and straightforward lyrics into a song that is worth listening to.
Random nineties video of the week:
Funniest video of the month:
Click (no embed)
So, Lily Allen is taking a kiddie break, but the new Maria Timm sounds a little Allen-esque. Can't find a video, think the song is called "Why don't you run along?".
Been rockin':
City and Colour
Great Lake Swimmers
American Nightmare
Customs
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