It's Raining Planes and Helicopters

Review: Tatterattles - Tatterattles EP

2012-02-16T00:13:00.000Z

Open e-mail. Read press release. Look at the name Tatterattles. Let images of Tera Melos and Battles come to mind. Play EP. Realise that it's definitely not that. Check it out anyway. Slowly fall in love with said EP. Write review. And now here we are.

A single pluck in Handsmedown almost made me cry. Not a single note had ever done that to me before. It took a while to sink in. Maybe it's the thought of my girlfriend thousands of miles away for Valentine's Day. Maybe it's just me being overwhelmed by many of the things happening around me at the moment. So many maybes, and only one certainty. Damn you, Benjamin Fletcher aka Tatterattles, for your contributions towards my inevitable nervous breakdown.

Other tracks aren't moments of relentless sunshine either. Take 'Alas, Alack!' for example. It's a morosely melancholic yet somewhat hopeful track, dominated by an endlessly repeated series of finger-plucking and vocals reminiscent of Stuart Warwick at his most brilliant. This comparison holds up in 'Dead Letters' too, evoking memories of Warwick's song 'Ex-Gay' in some parts.

It's a similarity most definitely a consequence of mutual influences more than anything, and by the time 'Learning How To Fly' comes along, Tatterattles are a little more upbeat. An unnamed female vocalist sings a not-quite-twee, simple and short song accompanied by bird whistlings and Fletcher's supporting vocals. It's a wonderful change from the melancholic start, even if the lyrics aren't all about the fine and dandy.

'Too Soon' is the most folk-ish out of the five tracks on offer, but the essence stays the same. The overall sense is that you are listening to a man in a state of indulgent sadness, deriving both pleasure and pain from heartbreak. Emotionally, it's a very moving record. Your heartstrings will be pulled, tears will be shed, and sheds will be made into personal fortresses of solitude.

Cry your beardly tears, Tatterattles, it's okay. We are here for you, and we hear you.

The EP is due to be released on 18th February on Holy Ghost Records.

Twitter / Facebook / Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics // Album Review // Love Among The Mannequins - Radial Images

2012-02-13T13:52:00.000Z

Let’s get this out of the way, Love Among The Mannequins features some big names. Members of Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea, O You Broken Eyes, and Shoes & Socks Off all come together to release Radial Images. This album is littered with literary references and classical allusions, many of which I’m probably far too ignorant to recognise without a full-day googling session that is, and even that might not suffice.

While you knowledge of the lives and passions of such figures as Nikola Fyodorovich Fyodorov, Arnold Schoenberg or George Robert Price would provide insight into some of the themes, a listener doesn’t need to spend hours dissecting the song titles and lyrics to enjoy Radial Images.

At times a challenging listen, the album is mostly shoegaze punk with intermittent bursts of hardcore sound. As the members are so diverse, the sound of this record is hard to categorize.

Taken from MM Issue 6 - Buy it HERE

Words by Jay Johar

Read the rest of my review HERE.

New Music Video: Brontide - Colour Tongues

2012-02-06T11:39:00.001Z

Brontide have released their new music video for their latest single, Coloured Tongue.

The single is available on pre-order at Holy Roar Records.

Facebook / Official Website

Album Review // Hyms - Cardinal Sins / Contrary Virtues // Musical Mathematics

2012-02-04T02:03:00.001Z

It’s always risky for a band to release a double album at any point in their career. To do it for your debut – as a two-piece, no less – seems nothing short of audacious. Further more, to call yourself Hymns, make use of church organs in your music and then describe yourself as atheist rockers smacks of intentional provocation. But despite all this, there’s no denying that Cardinal Sins / Contrary Virtues is a mammoth of a release.

The first half – titled Cardinal Sins - is the more rock heavy disc of the two albums, with a venomous garage rock sound that’s very much influenced by the likes of Nick Cave. ‘Prologue’ begins your listening experience with a short, apt choral introduction flowing into ‘A Punch To The Temple’, the first single from the release that truly sets the tone to this epic piece of work.

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics.

This review is published in issue #6 of the Musical Mathematics zine, which you can buy HERE.

Top 50 Albums of 2011

2012-01-30T16:25:00.000Z

Alright, it's that time of year again. It's the time when pretty much every music publication publishes its albums of the year list, and I intend to follow suit. Wait, no it's not. I'm incredibly late to this party I've invited myself into. This is embarrassing. It's almost February 2012, and I've only just posted my Best of 2011.

This lateness is mostly out of being incredibly busy with my new job, and the whole settling back at home and finding my groove thing is another part of it too. I won't bother you with a long-winded introduction, like the one I wrote for 2010. Here's my top 50 albums of 2011.

Note: where available, click on the album title to listen to a stream of the album. [S] signifies you need Spotify. If you don't want to/can't register for Spotify, go search for the album in the legally-gray waters of Grooveshark. If you like the album enough, I strongly suggest you buy it.

1. Dad Rocks! - Mount Modern

I've already mentioned in my review before the end of the year that it would've taken an absolute masterpiece to overthrow Mount Modern as my nominee for album of the year, and sure enough, it stayed on top of that pedestal to win the world-famous* It's Raining Planes & Helicopters's 2011 Album of the Year award.

There's many beautiful tracks that would've been highlights for any album this year, from the perfect Battle Hymn Of The Fox Father to the delightfully hilarious Weapons. It's hard for me to choose a favourite as it's simply just whatever is currently playing.

It's a collection of smiles in bad weather, that's what it is. The words are often optimistic in one verse and then disparaging in the other. While there are political and social subtexts, it's not preachy neither is it overbearing. Gracefully subtle, it's a sublime debut album from Dad Rocks!

* Claim not factual

Read my full review of the album.

2. Brontide – Sans Souci

Talking of sublime debut albums, Sans Souci is another that can proudly claim to be in the company of Mount Modern. It's even earned the title of Album of the Year over at Musical Mathematics. It's not hard to see why. They've certainly matured a lot since I first saw them at Southsea Fest back in 2009.

Sans Souci is an impressively cohesive album from start to finish, building up atmospheres in the right places and breaking into chaos at the most sonically opportune moments. While some of the songs are longer than six minutes, it doesn't lend itself to the trappings of many an instrumental band. Each song is sharp, concise and tolerates little to no nonsense.

A cracking good introduction for those who are unacquainted with Brontide, Sans Souci is a triumph as evident by it being embraced by several publications as their album of the year.

3. Tubelord – Romance

How do you follow up a startlingly fresh debut which was famously hailed as a collection of 'pop songs for rock kids'? Do you (A) rely on tried-and-tested tricks, appeasing fans who wanted more of the same, at the risk of becoming stale and predictable, or (B) go in a completely new direction that abandons many of the reasons fans loved the debut so you stay fresh and evolve, at the risk of alienating long-time fans?

If you're Tubelord, the answer seems to be (B). While it has definitely pushed away a not insignificant number of fans of Our First American Friends (and the earlier Square EP), the band seems to have made the right choice .

Romance have gone for a more 'pop synth songs for indie kids' sound, incorporating James Elliot-Field's synths effectively into their sonic arsenal. It's a sound heavily hinted at in their Tezcatlipoca EP. Eclectic in its essence, the common thread it has with OFAF is its mish-mashing of ideas, often resulting in songs that seem to be built on different trains of thoughts crammed together. It makes for an exhausting yet exhilarating listen, thus earning it the bronze medal on this list.

Read my review of the album.

4. Hymns – Cardinal Sins / Contrary Virtues

A concept double album is always an incredibly ambitious undertaking, and bands who choose to record one risk the label 'pretentious' tacked onto them. So it's admirably brave of Hymns to go through with this. I have very little doubt that they have succeeded in their vision.

Religious iconography is littered in an album written by self-described 'atheist rockers'. The first side, Cardinal Sins, is a garage rock-fuelled affair laced with anger, bile and exasperation. The second, Contrary Virtues, is its more optimistic twin, balancing out the cynicism with hope.

My review of the album can be found in issue #6 of the Musical Mathematics zine.

5. tUnE-yArDs – W H O K I L L

One of the quirkier and more hyped-up releases of the year, W H O K I L L thrusted the awkwardly capitalised tUnE-yArDs into the hipster spotlight. While many have testified that tUnE-y... I fucking give up. Tune-Yards (there!) is said to be much better experienced in a live setting, and while I can't confirm whether this is true, W H O K I L L is enough of an introduction to have got me hooked.

There are times at which the ideas don't seem to want to work, but at Tune-Yards's persistence, they become superbly crafted oddballs. W H O K I L L has many W T F moments, but more in the way of “what the fuck, how did they manage to get away with that?”. It's a record unlike anything else I've heard this year. It might not be for everybody though.

6. Shapes – Monotony Chic

Just a year after the excellent 'The Pasture, The Oil', Shapes have managed to outdo themselves with the brilliantly brutal Monotony Chic. Their brand of schizophrenic mathcore fleshes itself out beautifully in this mammoth of a record.

Their decision to work with Swedish producers, Eskil Lövström & Pelle Henricson (producers of the landmark The Shape Of Punk To Come by Refused) has paid off immensely. The melodic collides with the discordant, resulting in a crushing sound that's sure to murder a few ears.

7. Gil Scott-Heron / Jamie xx – We're New Here

While some might argue that Jamie xx's reworking of Gil-Scott Heron's I'm New Here is not enough to qualify it as a stand-alone album (with a few even calling it a remix album), I find it an injustice if I were to disqualify it on such a technicality.

In fact, We're New Here is massively superior to its predecessor, with Jamie xx's signature sparse beats a perfect accompaniment to Gil-Scott Heron's poetic lyrics. Even if you're not a fan of The xx, you might find We're New Here to be a treat.

8. Johnny Foreigner – vs Everything [s]

Johnny Foreigner are masters of the indie noise pop they so proudly purvey. Their sound seems to as if their song-writing approach is to cobble up as many different ideas as possible and arrange them into somewhat coherent songs. Over the course of three albums they've definitely mastered that sound and evolved into a significantly more mature and consequently a more nostalgic three-piece outfit.

Read my full review.

9. Three Trapped Tigers – Route One Or Die

Yet another debut in the top ten. The thing is though, you can't exactly call Three Trapped Tigers newcomers. Route One Or Die was one of the most anticipated debuts in recent memory. Their three previous EPs, conveniently titled EP1, EP2 and EP3, are brilliantly chaotic, tightly-executed exercises in unpredictability.

Route One Or Die is more of the same. Three Trapped Tigers are comfortable in their sonic insanity, and it's a well-advised stance. The debut is all the better for it.

10. &U&I – Light Bearer [s]

Out of the 'post-Blakfish' bands, it's quite clear that &U&I is the closest to the sound of the Brummie underground legends. But what is also abundantly clear is the fact that &U&I aren't comfortable on resting on their laurels.

Light Bearer has in it a tinge of grunge and punk mixed in with a healthy portion of mathcore, with a much more serious tone adopted in its lyrics. The band themselves might be sick of the endless comparisons to Blakfish, as it's admittedly cast a mighty shadow over them. Nonetheless as&U&I, Light Bearer is an incredible effort which does much to alleviate any assumptions that this was going to be Champions Part 2 (Blakfish's critically-acclaimed only album).

11. Battles – Gloss Drop
12. The James Cleaver Quintet – That Was Then, This Is Now [s]
13. Love Amongst The Mannequins – Radial Images
14. M83 – Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
15. Hella – Tripper

16. Cut Copy – Zonoscope
17. LightGuides – Samba, Samba, Samba
18. Vessels – Helioscope [s]
19. Ed Wood, Jr. - Silence
20. Tellison – The Wages Of Fear [s]

21. The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar [s]
22. Fucked Up – David Comes To Life [s]
23. Dananananaykroyd – There Is A Way
24. Cats and Cats and Cats – Motherwhale [s]
25. Rainbow Danger Club – Where Maps End

26. Upcdownc – Calaveras
27. Squarehead – Yeah Nothing
28. Bottlesmoker – Let's Die Together In 2012
29. Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys [s]
30. Explosions In The Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care [s]

31. Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness [s]
32. Kevin Devine – Between The Concrete and The Clouds
33. Alright The Captain – SNIB
34. Bright Eyes – The People's Key
35. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost [s]

36. Codes In The Clouds – As The Spirit Wanes [s]
37. Asobi Seksu – Fluorescence [s]
38. Sigur Ros – Inni (Disc 1 of 2)
39. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
40. La Dispute – Wildlife

41. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
42. Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea – What's There To Write About?
43. Yuck – Yuck
44. Japanese Voyeurs – Yolk [s]
45. Radiohead – The King Of Limbs

46. Crash of Rhinos – Distal
47. Slabdragger – Regress
48. Wilco – The Whole Love
49. Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind of Fix
50. Metronomy – The English Riviera

Album Review // Johnny Foreigner - Johnny Foreigner vs Everything

2012-01-11T14:01:00.000Z

Brummie noisemakers Johnny Foreigner’s Johnny Foreigner vs Everything seem to have purposefully named their album as a confrontation, and given frontman Alexis Berrow’s infamously outspoken blog that has been known to irritate the likes of Rick Martin of NME, it’s not a surprising choice. But what at first glance may seem to be merely the intentionally confrontational Youtube rants of a naïve, teenage, and self-described rebel, the band never does veer off into that abyss of cynical immaturity.

In fact, vs Everything is a record by a band that’s had their share of fun with the music industry while at the same time have also experience firsthand its failings. Nostalgia is hidden not so subtly in the noise, and the noise is, for the most part, an absolute joy to listen to.

Read the rest of my Johnny Foreigner review on Musical Mathematics.

Purchase links: http://alcopop.wordpress.com/shop/

Check out Johnny Foreigner at www.johnnyforeignertheband.com

Musical Mathematics // Single Review // Blacklisters - I Can Confirm

2012-01-08T13:36:00.000Z

Blacklisters’s new single is exactly what you’d expect. It’s a mind-fucking, ear-murdering masterpiece of uncontrollable noise from Leeds’ finest. Taken from their upcoming debut album that’s due out sometime in 2012 (hopefully it will be before the world ends); it’s an excellent teaser to what will be one of next year’s truly skull-crushing releases.

When we take it out of the context of the album though, it’s still a beast of a track. The unmistakably haunting, gritty vocals are one of the highlights of I Can Confirm.

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics.

This was taken from zine issue #5, which you can order HERE.

Review: Knorx - Opportunity Never Knorx Twice

2012-01-07T12:13:00.000Z

Knorx knorx. Who's there? Knorx. Knorx who? Knorx featuring Joe and Jamie of Tubelord and Tobias Hayes of Shoes & Socks Off / Meet Me In St. Louis fame. Oh how wonderful, do come in. I was just boiling some tea.

So, Knorx featuring the Joe and Jamie of Tubelord and Tobias Hayes of Shoes & Socks Off / Meet Me In St. Louis fame, what brings you here to our quaint little house? I see you've brought some grungy, distorted sounds with you. Oh my, you really needn't to, but it's lovely all the same. That muffled voice of yours, I do apologise, but for someone hard of hearing like me, it's not easy for me to make out what you're saying. Saying that though, it's an intriguing trait. It suits you well.

&amp;lt;a href="http://knorx.bandcamp.com/album/opportunity-never-knorx-twice"&amp;gt;Opportunity Never KnorX Twice by KnorX&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;
Oh, did you say your parents are Tubelord and Shoes and Socks Off? I must say you don't sound much like them. I do see that little bit of resemblance though. You have Tubelord's yelpy and math-y influences in you, and Shoes and Socks Off's dark, bubbling undercurrents. Still, you are definitely your own person. That much is clear.

You know, I wouldn't think your parents would marry and have a child like you, but seeing it now, it's a wonderful thing. I can't help but wonder if they're planning any more baby Knorxes. That would be quite lovely, isn't it?Oh, you're leaving already? But you've only just been here for 18 minutes. You must come over again some other time. Have a safe walk home, and do say hello to your parents for me.

Download it free on Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics // Zine #5 Christmas Special // Pre-Order

2011-12-13T03:01:00.000Z

For 50p you can pre-order our special Christmas issue, which comes free with an A3 screenprint of original artwork from Matt The Horse.

In the issue, we have Johnny Foreigner, This Town Needs Guns, Big Success, The James Cleaver Quintet, Cloudkicker, Michael Kiwanuka, Munroe Effect, Blacklisters, and many more. As usual, I also have my column, Free Music For All, with this particular one focusing on math pop.

You can pre-order it HERE.

It comes out on December 19th. Put that in your calendars, people.

Album Review // Tubelord - Romance

2011-12-07T00:53:00.006Z

After almost exactly two years since their quite excellent debut album, Our First American Friends, Tubelord are now releasing their long awaited follow-up under the Big Scary Monsters/Holy Roar/Blood & Biscuits record label collective, Pink Mist.

As was hinted in their Tezcatlipoca EP, this was never going to be OFAF Mark II. They’ve moved from a math rock, Biffy Clyro-esque, ‘pop song for rock kids’ sound to a more indie math-pop vibe, a change brought about mostly by the addition of James Elliot Field on synths/keyboard. Nowhere is this more evident than ‘4t3’, a guitar-free, synth-dominated affair that plods along with quirky grace.

Read the rest of my review of the album on Musical Mathematics, with links to buy the album.

This review is from the print edition (zine #4) of Musical Mathematics

Review: Dad Rocks! - Mount Modern

2011-12-02T09:51:00.000Z

You know that feeling when an album you've been waiting so eagerly for the past few months for actually turns out to be utter crap? Well, that feeling can go suck a line of asses because that's not what happened with Mount Modern, the debut album of Snaevar Njall Albertsson (Mimas frontman) under the moniker of Dad Rocks! [Read my interview with him HERE]

At the core of it, Mount Modern retains many of the traits that make Digital Age the successful record it was: the cynical, ironic lyrics, the light-hearted yet slightly mournful music, and the earnest yet incredibly thoughtful tone the whole thing is packaged in. While his Digital Age EP was an absolutely wonderful piece of work with instant classics such as the incredibly titled Aroused By Hair and the cynical yet superb Kids, Mount Modern is several steps forward in Albertsson's maturity as a songwriter. Mount Modern dwarfs Digital Age with its depth and songcraft.

It is less of a lo-fi offering than his EP, with a myriad of instruments complementing his intriguingly idiosyncratic fingerpicking style. Mount Modern attempts to pose questions and tricks you into giving some thought into the grievances he brings up, when all you probably wanted was to listen to an acoustically-led album to spend your lazy weekend with.

Dad Rocks!'s songs are sunny days that come along when the world is slowly going to shit. It works as well when you're having a lovely cup of hot chocolate and there is a thunderstorm outside as it does when you're having a picnic at the beach while warships and battleships occupy the horizon.

Mount Modern is without question the album of the year so far, in my honest opinion. Every listen only convinces me more and more of this. It will take an absolutely special record to come out in December to topple Mount Modern off its high pedestal.

Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter / Tumblr / Soundcloud

Review: Ornament Tournaments - Tacheles

2011-11-25T09:54:00.004Z

Ornament Tournaments, with an excellent name which rolls off the tongue, have released their debut album Tacheles, and it’s a corker of of an introduction to the three-piece from Horsham. Last month I interviewed the band, talking about the album, the band, and all sorts of other good stuff. You can read the interview here.

The record starts with ‘Crab Face’, which is reminiscent of melodic punk bands such as The Attika State and Grown Ups. This is true for most of the album, with jangly, twinkly guitars aplenty and math pop playing a heavy influence in their sound. ‘Flower’, which was previously an exclusive download from Musical Mathematics, is a familiar favourite. The extra instrumentation on the song adds welcome depth to what is arguably the best song of the record.

Then we move on to ‘Bungee Scream’, which - suggested by its title - starts with a bang, and then as quickly slows down and vocal harmonies come into play. This is before it erupts into a gang-vocal, riff-tastic segment interjected by the classic ‘parappa’ moment, and then concluded with syncopated riffs and glockenspiels.

‘Brass Buttons’ goes for a different approach, with a more conventional alt pop rock sound. Keep in mind that when I say ‘conventional’ here, I mean it in a relative sense compared to the other songs. ‘Avoid it’ slows the pace down slightly with its vocal harmonies and alternating quiet-loud-quiet structure.

Title song ‘Tacheles’ is surprisingly not representative of the whole album. It’s a fine, slow-burning instrumental piece that’s maybe too short for its own good, and probably would’ve served better as an introduction or a closer. I would love to hear this song fleshed out more, because it deserves its own explosive climax.

Alas, ‘Tacheles’ is not a closer, ‘Alas’ is. At five minutes and seven seconds, it’s by far the longest in the album, and it uses that length well. Meandering guitars, driving basslines, tight drumming and woo-ohs are put to excellent use.

Tacheles by ornamenttournaments

It’s an excellent record, and at ₤3, is an absolute bargain. Get it, listen to it, love it. I know I did.

Facebook / Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics // Review// Yes We Canada - ‘Hector Oswald’

2011-11-14T10:19:00.000Z

I was pretty gutted when Folkstone’s finest, Elephants, decided to call it a day. So imagine my delight that certain members would be teaming up with ex-members of another animal band (Wolves). So what do you get when you breed an elephant with a wolf? What, you don’t think it’s possible? Oh you skeptic, hear us exclaim in unison; indeed it is possible. Indeed, Yes We Canada.

How’s that for a long-winded, totally unnecessary introduction? Anyway let’s move forward, forget that atrocious piece of writing and listen to Yes We Canada’s new single, Hector Oswald.

Read the rest of my review and the link to listen and buy on Musical Mathematics.

Musical Mathematics // Review // Ed Wood Jr - ‘Silence’

2011-11-14T10:15:00.000Z

Ed Wood Jr was a man who became a cult figure, not because he was a great director or writer, but because he was so utterly shite at what he thinks he does best. But what does this have in common with his French duo namesake? Not a whole lot, as I can tell.

‘Silence’, their upcoming EP, is an exercise in loops, syncopated rhythms, samples and some fine drumming that drives the whole experience forward. Maybe I can blag it and say that the layered rhythms and use of samples are reminiscent of Wood’s recycling of footage, sometimes creating jarring, stuttered stories that made little sense to anyone but himself. Sure, that sounds credible. And it might even be true. But unlike his films, the Lille duo has actually created something rather competent.

Read the rest of my review and the link to buy the LP on Musical Mathematics.

Musical Mathematics // EP Review// Bombers - ‘Film Fanatic’

2011-11-14T10:11:00.000Z

Bombers. What an apt name. They come, they drop a bomb on you, and they’re gone. With songs that range from 1.30 to 2.30, you can listen to the whole EP in your fag break. Post-punk with a pinch of Art Brut-ish indie, it combines a frenetic sound with witty, dark lyrics sung with devil-may-care vocals. These Brummies rely on a very rate of high hooks per minute to pull you in into their sweaty brand of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it doom punk.

Read the rest of my review and the link to buy the EP on Musical Mathematics.

Musical Mathematics // Review // NGOD - Bait Head

2011-10-23T13:23:00.000+01:00

Musical Mathematics favourites NGOD have come out with their brand new single ‘Bait Head’, and it’s a corker. Made up of tracks ‘Probably Not’ and ‘Bait Head’, it’s an excellent alt pop rock offering reminiscent of the likes of The Xcerts and The Attika State.

‘Probably Not’ starts proceedings in fine fashion. It’s a wonderfully crafted track, so much so that you completely forget that it’s over 5 minutes long.

Read the rest of my review and find listen/purchase links on Musical Mathematics.

EP Review // LA2019 – ‘Deco’ // Musical Mathematics

2011-10-16T17:02:00.000+01:00

What if, as food for thought, instead of Daft Punk we had Sigur Ros do the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy, or instead of Vangelis, we had a very synth-obsessed Explosions In The Sky soundtrack for Blade Runner? What’s that? You’ve been wondering the same thing too? Well, wonder no more, for LA2019’s Deco EP will satisfy that curiosity.

This EP debut from London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Tom Skyrme is ambitious in its scope, with its far-reaching, cinematic songs basking in memories of when 80’s electronica ruled supreme. The most obvious influence here is the aforementioned Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis, even down to the name (referring to the film setting, Los Angeles in 2019).

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics.

This review was taken from Musical Mathematics Zine #3. Buy it HERE.

Interview: Ornament Tournaments: Christmas Trees, Omnichords, & Scandinavian Math

2011-10-13T11:26:00.000+01:00

Not too far in the recent past, Musical Mathematics released Ornament Tournaments's Flower as a free download. Tacheles, of which Flower is a part of, is Ornament Tournaments's debut album, released last month. It's an excellent first effort, with math and pop rock influences driving the whole record (review coming soon). A recommended buy, and at a mere ₤3, it's a bargain.

Ornament Tournaments have kindly granted us an exclusive interview, in which we discuss the album, future plans, and the origin of names.

I: First of all, what is an ornament tournament? Is it like some kind of Antique Roadshow deathmatch? If it’s not, what’s the story behind the name?

Joe: An antique roadshow deathmatch would almost be more easy to explain than the real story, but sadly that is not the case. In fact, on Boxing Day about 3 years ago, two of us were sitting round the Christmas tree and drinking brandy. Inevitably, someone got out a guitar and the improv which ensued was heavily influenced by the array of Christmas decorations (ornaments) and how they should have a fight (tournaments). It was stupid, but it's kind of poignant because it's the first time we were together and thought 'hell yeah, let's start a band'.

I: Do the three of you share the same tastes, or do you all listen to different types of music?

Joe: Musically, we've all come from pretty much the same place and grew up with the same kind of bands in our stereos.

John: Joe's into a lot of growly American bands like Bear vs Shark which is definitely an influence from his part. I'm quite into dance/electro artists which can only be a good thing for bass I guess. Dec's into The Saturdays, apparently.

I: How does that affect the way you write your music? Does it make easier or harder?

Joe:There's obviously loads of emo, math and trendy things like that which affect our sound, but I think we've ended up sounding up a lot more like the bands we were all in to a few years ago when we first started really listening to music. Reuben, Hundred Reason, old Biffy Clyro, etc. I think the fact we were all in to the same stuff makes it a lot easier to understand what the other one's thinking when we write now.

John: Yeah, definitely. We can give the most obscure explanations of an idea, something like 'nah that intro should have a wide sound but like actually quite narrow sounding', and we'll know exactly what each other's saying.

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://ornamenttournaments.bandcamp.com/album/tacheles"&amp;amp;gt;Tacheles by Ornament Tournaments&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

I: I see there’s been some controversy over a blog making your music available to download for free without your permission. Would you mind elaborating?

Joe: Basically, we came across a blog from the USA which had posted a few words about the album and we were really flattered that our music had met the ears of someone so far away. But we realised they'd pirated the record and had been hosting it for free. I kind of overreacted and sent them an email because we weren't the only band who they were doing this to, and the labels of the other bands would probably be even less pleased than we were. They chose to post the email we'd sent to them on their message board and lots of people said very mean things about us. We retaliated via social media, and the whole thing just got kind of out of hand and childish. We did some damage control and made our apologies for dealing with the situtation so badly.

John: What was most frustrating was that we were obviously happy to get mention from a blog across the pond, and so wanted to reblog it etc, but how could we give a link that gave our release for free when we'd been advertising it for a small price to the same people. It was went about in the wrong way for sure, but from the way the blog's reacted, they seem to have the wrong idea about the whole free music thing.

I: Carrying on from that, the internet has been both a blessing and a curse for bands. Does the good outweigh the bad, or vice versa?

Joe: I think it's an argument that I'll never be able to figure out on a personal level, but I think its helped us as a band particularly beyond measure. We live seperately in Plymouth, Sussex and Nottingham for most of the year and that makes the immediacy of that internet vital in keeping the band going. When the album was being recorded, I finished the lead vocals then left the country for a couple of months whilst Declan was already halfway through a 4-month round the world trip. Meanwhile, poor John and our wonderful producer Sam Hanlan were sat in a basement in Surrey playing harmonium and omnichord for days on end trying to get everything finished. I remember being sat on an island in Asia and sending feedback on the mixes back home, and this album most probably wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the internet.

I: You’re a relatively new band (unless I’ve missed something). What’s been the hardest part of starting out in the business?

John: Well really we've been together for nearly 2 years, but this answers your question really; the hardest part is being together for long enough to progress. We've been separated by university and travels etc so that hindered the possibility of a proper release for a good while, and also it meant our gigs were spread far apart, meaning we werent nearly as tight as we should be and could be quite embarassing, really. We had a good run this summer though what with Tacheles and a few great gigs in a row.

I: What’s your view on the importance of record labels nowadays? Is there anyone in particular who you would love to sign for?

Joe: It certainly helps having people to promote stuff on your behalf to a bigger audience, but I think we're just as keen to get management or booking agency representation. The music business is so much bigger than pushing records, and it'd be awesome to get our name out there in other, more creative ways, so we'll probably be doing bolder things with our next release.

I: What’s the music scene like in Horsham? Do bands stop by there to play often?

Joe: It's strong but is very cyclical. When we were about 13, there were local gigs every weekend that were completely full of people of all ages just dancing like mad. It was an awesome time. I remember a show at the legendary Extra Time Bar of the local leisure centre which was headlined by Enter Shikari with Exit Ten as main support. Floors and Walls, Devil Sold His Soul and, more recently, People in Planes played pretty grotty venues to a couple of hundred local kids. At the moment, it's a lot more a 'family' scene with local music festivals and battle of the bands. It's all ridiculously well organised and the sound and crowd is usually great. We haven't had many biggers bands pop-in recently, but with local bands like Tied To The Mast getting signed and moving up, hopefully the town's time will come again!

I: What in the world is a Tacheles?

Joe: This is gonna sound outrageously pretentious, but when me and John were in Berlin, we stumbled across this department store which had been abandonded about 40 years ago. Squatters moved in and it became this international art house. There was a bunch of South American guys who lived in there and they let us play their instruments. Sam Hanlan (our good friend/producer/engineer) played drums and about 30 people stopped by in this room and listened to us jam for about half an hour. It was the most fun I've ever had with music and everything we do is now is sort of based around that kind of jam format, but in a very contrived kind of way. The arthouse at some point acquired the name 'Tacheles' which is a yiddish word meaning straight-talking. It seemed like an apt tribute to the venue which has now been taken over by commercial developers and a really great and pure thing has been lost (fuck the system and such).

John: There's that enigma gone. Hah, nah adding to what Joe said, a lot of things happened around that time that probably influenced the songs on the release. Tacheles just fitted well.

I: If there’s any band you could tour with, who would it be and why?

John: Some sort of Scandanavian math band who can drink you under the table and introduce you to the most beautiful women in the world. If not, maybe

I: What are your plans with regards to future releases? Any plans to re-release Tacheles on vinyl/CD?

Joe: We're thinking about recording an EP for release some point early next year, but that's still up in the air and dependent on when we can get in the same town for long enough to write and record a few songs. Perhaps release a split, but that's all pipe dreams right now. Tacheles will probably live as a digital release for the rest of time.

I: Favourite venue to play in/watch a band?

John: The Prince Albert, Brighton, hands down. We opened the Big Scary Monsters Xmas tour last year and although most people had come to see Tangled Hair and Tall Ships, everyone watched us openers, so we played to pretty much a full house. We're playing there in December supporting Look Mexico which we're so excited for. It has a great vibe. Spanky Van Dykes in Nottingham is probably the most aesthetically pleasing venue we've played, though. Seriously cool.

I: What’s been the best thing so far about being in a band?

John: Free beer and good times.

I: Describe Ornament Tournaments in three words.

OT: Choice, bonza, scramscram.

Musical Mathematics //EP Review// Living Commontree - ‘A Stone’s Throw Away From A Rock Fight’

2011-10-02T02:05:00.000+01:00

In my desire to simplify everything, I have concluded that all post-rock bands are members of one or two schools of thought: the slow-burners, or the head-bangers. In the slow-burners camp, you’ve got the likes of Explosions In The Sky, Jeniferever and 65daysofstatic, and in the headbangers side, you’ve got …And So I Watch You From Afar and Talons. Whether you agree with this or not is irrelevant to the point I’m about to make: Living Commontree are more ASIYFA than Explosions In The Sky. Note: I should probably stop using these two bands as two opposite ends of the post-rock spectrum.

But there’s obviously more to it than that. Living Commontree’s ‘A Stone’s Throw Away From A Rock Fight’ is much like Adebisi Shank without all the fancy effects. They’ve got the punchiness, pace, playfulness and fun that’s everpresent in the Irish trio’s armada of material, and yes, this Mancunian outfit runs a pretty tight ship too. With only three songs on the EP, it’ll be quite a stretch to compare their quality to the likes of Adebisi Shank and Don Caballero, another influence of theirs.

Read the rest of the review, listen to the EP and get the link to download it from Musical Mathematics.

New Music Video Time: Talons - Impala

2011-10-02T01:47:00.000+01:00

Talons's Hollow Realm was, in my opinion, the best album of 2010. Released on Big Scary Monsters in the UK and Topshelf Records in the US, it sounded like what the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse would listen to get themselves pumped up for their tasks at hand.

The video for Impala, directed by Frederick Lloyd, employs animal masks the band have been known to wear in live performances. The song is one of the best from the album, and though I would've liked to see more action in the video, it certainly gives off a creepy vibe.

One thing still puzzles me. Is Buff Orpington a real person, or did Talons just make him up? (see their songs Commisserations, Buff Orpington and The Tragic Decline Of Buff Orpington)

Album Review//Squarehead - ‘Yeah Nothing’ // Musical Mathematics

2011-09-26T04:16:00.000+01:00

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not very knowledgeable on the recent revival of the American surf pop sound, influenced mainly by The Beach Boys, and spearheaded by the likes of The Drums. But from just listening to Irish three-piece Squarehead’s Yeah Nothing, I can only surmise that it’s a good thing.

Infectious rhythms, vocal harmonies and sing-along choruses are provided in very generous portions, with the overall effect akin to watching montages of attractive youths under the summer sun doing whatever it is attractive youths used to do in the sixties (play volleyball and adjust their bikinis all day, I believe).

Read the rest of the review on Musical Mathematics.

New Music Videos: Three Trapped Tigers - Reset / Tubelord - My First Castle

2011-09-22T08:19:00.001+01:00

It's the Big T Music Video Weird-Off! Well, not exactly, but it easily could have been. Two of my favourite bands starting with the letter T have both come out with quirky videos that complement the songs they accompany perfectly. Three Trapped Tigers feature a surreal origin story of a Superman/prophet-like Matt Berry, and Tubelord has gone for a showcase of household items with a running text which sort of explains what the video is about.

Tubelord ≈ My First Castle from Sean Roy Parker on Vimeo.

Who's the winner? I'm leaning towards Three Trapped Tigers and Matt Berry. It's just so incredibly insane it works.

Free Downloads: Wake Me Up When All The September Cliches End

2011-09-22T07:51:00.002+01:00

As per usual whenever I haven't posted in a while, I make a post apologising for my long absence and then I provide you with a list of legal free downloads for you all to greedily click away and listen without spending a dime AND being guilt-free about it.

Shapes - The Pasture, The Oil

&amp;lt;a href="http://weareshapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-pasture-the-oil"&amp;gt;The Pasture, The Oil by SHAPES&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

While Shapes's Monotony Chic is one of the best releases this year, let's not forget their excellent EP The Pasture, The Oil. Shapes is a noisemongerer of progressive hardcore, and The Pasture, The Oil is a fine showcase of that. Six tracks of heavy-as-you-like Brummy mathcore owing to the likes of Blakfish, Meet Me In St. Louis and Glassjaw, it was a bargain when you had to pay for it (the CD is just GBP 5.00), and it's completely unmissable as a free download.

Download Shapes's The Pasture, The Oil HERE.

Joshua Keogh - Keepsake

Joshua Keogh - Keepsake - EP by youngexeter

Joshua Keogh is a young singer-songwriter who mixes soulful folk with elements of acoustic pop. While that's not the usual stuff you'd expect to read about here, it's certainly one of my favourite chilled out EPs of recent times. For fans of Joseph and David and Bombay Bicycle Club.

Download Joshua Keogh's Keepsake HERE.

Sun Buffalo - The Friendly Pyramids

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://sunbuffalo.bandcamp.com/album/the-friendly-pyramids"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Friendly Pyramids by Sun Buffalo&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Remember Sun Buffalo? Well, they've come out with another EP, and again it is available to download for free. The Friendly Pyramids has a more defined sound that takes its cues from the best of shoegaze and grunge, with garage pop vocals (and the welcome introduction of woo-oohs into the mix) at the forefront this time around. If that doesn't entice you, then please, just check out Ghost Part II.

Download Sun Buffalo's The Friendly Pyramids HERE.

Big Scary Monsters September 2011 Sampler

Weapons by Dad Rocks!

You can stream the whole sampler on Punktastic's Soundcloud HERE.

IRPAH worships Big Scary Monsters. Without Big Scary Monsters, I would't have nearly as much love for weird time signatures and jangly guitars as I have now. So a free sampler from them is like godsend. Here we have a varied mix of music. New signings Algiers and Hymns (Sam Manville of ex-Blakfish) share the stage favourites such as Dad Rocks! and Kevin Devine. If you're a fan of BSM or just wondering what the fuss is about, this download is really, really recommended.

Download the Big Scary Monsters September 2011 Sampler HERE.

Bottlesmoker - Let's Die Together In 2012

&amp;lt;a href="http://misspelledrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mpr107-bottlesmoker-lets-die-together-in-2012"&amp;gt;[mpr107] Bottlesmoker - Let's Die Together In 2012 by Misspelled Records&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

I cheated on this one a bit. I've already included this on my Free Music For All column on the third issue of the Musical Mathematics zine. But I'll excuse myself by saying this is a preview for you all to make you buy them zines. Well, rumours are the third issue might come out free anyway, so, urm, yay?

Indonesian folk poptronica (I've completely made that genre up) mixed in with dream-drone hazy pop, it's a b-sides album with a quality exceeding most bands' actual albums. Experimental yet accessible, Let's Die Together In 2012 is a surprising success that deserves more than it's b-sides label.

Download Bottlesmoker's Let's Die Together In 2012 HERE.

---

So there you have it. Five excellent free downloads to keep you listening through the weekend. It's certainly a very varied mix of bands, so I hope there's something there for everyone. Enjoy!

Review // B>E>A>K - ‘The Yellow Edition’

2011-09-11T22:37:00.001+01:00

Sunderland-based B>E>A>K is fun, fun, fun. The Yellow Edition, the latest in a series of releases by them titled The Life Of Birds, follows that theme of danceable instrumentals layered with trumpets and organs, flowing guitar lines and some groovy bass.

<a href="http://bandcamp.musicalmathematics.co.uk/album/the-yellow-edition">THE YELLOW EDITION by B>E>A>K</a>

The core members in B>E>A>K consists of members from Coal Train, The Lake Poets, Field Music, Razmataz Lorry Excitement, This Ain’t Vegas and Boxed Roomer. With such a dizzying array of musicianship, it’s tempting to label them as a ‘supergroup.’ But far from just an amalgamation of all these bands, B>E>A>K is a fresh offering that soars the skies on its own merit.

Read the rest of my review of B>E>A>K's The Yellow Edition on Musical Mathematics.

Review: LightGuides - Samba Samba Samba // Musical Mathematics

2011-08-25T21:29:00.000+01:00

Glaswegians LightGuides are a recent signing of one of my favourite labels Alcopop Records, and as with all things Alcopop, there is an emphasis on the ‘pop’. Taking their cues from fellow Scottish rockers The X-certs and Biffy Clyro, LightGuides play loud anthemic rock with admirably tight execution and contagious bouts of energy. This is the sort of sound that could fill arenas. Samba Samba Samba is massive pop rock at its best.

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics.

35 Albums You Should Buy From PIAS-Affiliated Labels

2011-08-10T01:19:00.002+01:00

I have no doubt that you have indeed heard about the riots in UK that started out in London. In the midst of that, the Sony/PIAS warehouse was burned to the ground, destroying catastrophic amounts of physical records stocked by independent record labels. The full list of record labels affected are available HERE.

Countless people’s livelihoods are affected here, not to mention the prospect of the creation of awesome future music by bands under these labels. Keeping that in mind, please help these fine people cope with this loss by buying digital downloads or any in-stock physical records.

This list is directly inspired by DevilMatt’s own list of 30 Ace Albums You Should Buy From PIAS-Affiliated Labels, which I suggest you check out. Echoing his sentiments, this is not a ‘best-of’ list from a critical point of view. These are simply records that I have enjoyed over the years. You can buy them either directly from the record labels’/bands’ websites, or independent record stores such as Banquet Records and Rough Trade.

Please also follow @_label_love_ on Twitter for details of and how to get involved with a fundraiser for those affected by the PIAS fire.

Hassle Records:
65daysofstatic - We Were Exploding Anyway
Trash Talk - Eyes And Nines
Blakfish - Champions
Tubelord - Our First American Friends
Rolo Tomassi - Hysterics
Rolo Tomassi - Cosmology
Cancer Bats - Birthing The Giant
Alexisonfire - Crisis

Young Turks:
Holy Fuck - Latin
The xx - XX

XL Recordings:
Discovery - LP
Gil Scott-Heron / Jamie XX - We’re New Here
M.I.A. - Kala
The Teenagers - Reality Check
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

4AD Records:
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Efterklang - Magic Chairs
TV On The Radio - Dear Science
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Best Before Records:
Dananananaykroyd - Hey Everyone
Johnny Foreigner - Grace & The Bigger Picture
Johnny Foreigner - Arcs Across The City
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up Til’ It’s Light

Xtra Mile Recordings:
Crazy Arm - Born To Ruins
Dartz! - This Is My Ship
The Xcerts - Scatterbrain

Rough Trade:
Antony & The Johnsons - Crying Light
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Warpaint - The Fool

CSS -Cansei de Ser Sexy (Sub Pop)
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping (Polyvinyl)
Youthmovies - Good Nature (Drowned In Sound)
Forward Russia - Give Me A Wall (Dance To The Radio)
Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies (Ambush Reality)
The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic (Matador Records)

Free Download: B>E>A>K - The Red Edition

2011-08-04T01:13:00.001+01:00

B>E>A>K is a strange one. Alter-egos of the Sunderland-based Coal Train (including an ever-expanding 'nest' of other musicians), the band has gained a reputation for the their theatrical, visually arty shows with their members wearing masks that resemble a familiar group of irreconciably angry avian characters. To add to this somewhat bonkers experiment, the band members have gone under monikers such as The Blue Tit, The Red Rooster and The Green Gannett and do their interviews talking in subtitled chirps.

But hey, this is a music blog. It's the music that really matters. So it fills me with great pleasure to impart to you that B>E>A>K has not ignored their musical sensibilities for artistic mad-hattery. The Red Edition is the first part of a series called The Life Of Birds, and if this is a sign of things to come, I can only wait in feverish excitement as they prepare for their next release The Yellow Edition.

<a href="http://beaktastic.bandcamp.com/album/the-red-edition">THE RED EDITION by B>E>A>K</a>

It's easy to dismiss this as a gimmick, but then think of all the fun you'll be missing. Far from being pretentious, B>E>A>K> instead feels like a liberation from the idea of 'what's 'cool' and what's 'silly'. Abandon all your prejudices and let yourself loose. B>E>A>K> have, and they're all the better for it.

Official Website / Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter

Here's the teaser video done for The Red Edition.

Free Download: Enemies - We've Been Talking

2011-07-26T22:06:00.002+01:00

If there's such a thing as Tropical Math then Enemies's We've Been Talking definitely fits that bill. Upbeat with a fair amount of technical playfulness, you won't find many better debuts this year.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://enemiesmusic.bandcamp.com/album/weve-been-talking"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;We've Been Talking by Enemies&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Think Brontide on their summer vacation at a pool party in the Carribean and you've got Enemies. Consistent but not repetitive, technical and fun... Enemies's debut album are those things, and more. This becomes all the more incredible as they've recently just decided to make this album available to download for free (on Bandcamp) until Tuesday evening (2nd August 2011) to celebrate getting 2,000 'likes' on their Facebook page.

Will they follow in the footsteps of their Irish brethrens The Cast Of Cheers, who released their debut album for free and has gone on to much bigger things (for example, supporting Two Door Cinema Club at Brixton Academy)? I don't know for it sure, but they don't, it will be a massive shame.

Review: Conquistadors - On Tape EP

2011-07-26T18:21:00.000+01:00

Conquistadors (or Conks as they are affectionately known) – their third EP ‘On Tape’ is a pigeonhole-dodging, incredibly versatile record that aims to play with your expectations of genre conventions. The most specific term I can think of without being too narrow is melodic post-punk, but even that label falls short in describing Conquistadors sound in ‘On Tape’.

The intro track is pretty much just a preview of songs so we’ll start with the second track ‘Black Swan’. In the songs first half it seems like we are treated to a brilliant mix of math pop and melodic punk, but then in the second half it excellently charges head first into Blakfish territory. ‘Homework’, with its pop melodies and wonderful harmonies, typify Conquistadors fearless, genre-surfing philosophy.

Read the rest of this review and links to buy it on Musical Mathematics.This review also appears on zine issue #2, which you can buy HERE.

Musical Mathematics: Review // EDiLS Recordings - Bear Left

2011-07-20T12:24:00.000+01:00

My review of EDiLS Recordings's free compilation, Bear Left, is up now on Musical Mathematics.

The DIY Liverpool label, EDiLS Recordings, has come out with its second free compilation titled Bear Left. The diverse collection consists of 12 bands from 4 countries (England, USA, Finland, Sweden), many of whom go under the label post-rock.

The End Of The Ocean’s (Ohio, USA) ‘Maybe For The Better’ combines the apocalyptic gravity of Talons with the startling fierceness of …And So I Watch You From Afar, providing a deeply satisfying vista of events that’s both optimistic and mournful. Cool World’s ‘Only Fooling’ is a toe-tapping indie pop tune from Wisconsin, USA, which will be your summertime indie-pop anthem of choice, even if the weather’s shit and you’re forced to stay in all week.

Third track ‘Dime & Suture’ from Gifts From Enola is riff-heavy post-rock imported from Virginia, USA, with faint but audible, muffled screams providing an eerie, pained undertone that takes it up a notch above many of their more straight-forward brethrens. Liverpudlian alt country duo, Go Heeled, fuses the quirkier side of pop and the dancier side of indie to come up with this gem of a song titled ‘Hugs & Misses.’

To read the rest of the review and download the whole compilation, go to Musical Mathematics.

Free Download: Musical Mathematics - Second Time Lucky

2011-07-01T11:03:00.001+01:00

Musical Mathematics has released their second compilation today and it is available to download for free. You can check out the description of each song to see if they're what you fancy and listen to individual songs by clicking on their titles. You can also download the whole digital compilation and get the bonus track 'Shed' by Title Fight from the Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

1. Enemies - Coco et Moi

Richter Collective, IRL. Math rock/Post-rock/Tropical.

Upbeat Math-y instrumentals perfectly paced to tug your heartstrings from the Irish four-piece outfit

http://www.facebook.com/enemiesenemies

2. The Clippers - Boku & Chevre

Topshelf Records, Boston USA. Pop/Rock, Power/Indie.

Fast paced powerfully addictive summer jams from a brilliant two-man music team.

www.theclippers.muxtape.com

3. Conquistadors - Oh Luxemburg

Godmonkey Recording, UK. Alternative/Progressive.

Four friends from Birmingham making music without boundaries. Eclectic tastes and an unstructured style make for high-energy filled catchy songs.

www.conksmusic.co.uk

4. Grown Ups - Pears

Topshelf Records/Doghouse Records, US. Pop Punk/Punk/Post Hardcore.

Chicago based rockers Grown Ups create a unique blend of Melodic Punk with passion and precision with a fierce Post-Hardcore edge.

www.ihategrownups.tumblr.com

5. Hymns - Idyllic In Nature Horrendous In Habit

Big Scary Monsters/Function, UK. Post-Hardcore/Rock.

Big guitars with intricate drums and a vocal line that’s far from priest like. http://www.prayforhymns.tumblr.com/

6. Rooftops - Raft Easily

Clickpop Records/Topshelf Records, USA. Math Rock/Math Pop.

Intricate math pop with a triple guitar attack and sparse vocals from an ever- evolving Washingtonian four-piece

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rooftops/55424297298

7. Heliport - Jerome Kerviel Is A Market Man

hiphiphip, FR. Rock/Indie/Punk.

MM favorites Heliport finally released their long awaited album this year and have a lot in store for the rest of 2011.

http://heliport.bandcamp.com/

8. Sport - Los Angeles, 1984

Unsigned. Melodic/Punk-rock/Pop-punk.

France’s relatively unheard of Sport should be playing the warp tour, fun yet powerful punk-rock.

http://wearealoneinthisteam.tumblr.com/

9. Pneu - Choux Crane

Head Records, FR. Math-rock/Noise-rock/Experimental.

Having made quite a name for themselves through extensive touring Choux Crane is just one example of the sheer brutality this manic duo can produce.

http://www.pneu.bandcamp.com/

10. Shapes - Cacophony of Silence

Big Scary Monsters (UK) Zankyo Records (Japan), UK.

Loud Bursts of Alt-Punk. Three long term friends delivering the music they love to you!! http://weareshapes.tumblr.com/

11. RicoDimitri - Apache

Unsigned, UK. Fuzz/Alternative/Rock.

This Brand new duo from the midlands smash distorted bass together with giant drum beats. BassVsDrums scenario.

www.facebook.com/RicoDimitri

12. &U&I - La Mere Viper

OnDryLand, UK. Experimental/Math Rock/Post Hardcore.

Emerging from the flames that was once Blakfish to deliver a sound that will blow your mind. http://andyouandi.net/

13. Great Cynics - Cider For Breakfast

Household Name Records UK, Kind Of Like Records US. Acoustic/Punk/Sing-along.

Great Cynics and their fans sing about partying, sleeping on sofas and drinking beer with their friends.

www.ihatecynics.tumblr.com

14. Coping - F for Now

Topshelf Records/Fliff City Hit Squad, US. Midwest Emo/Punk/Indie.

Fun, light and modest punk rock from the heart of the USA, full of outstanding sing-a-long moments.

www.coping.bandcamp.com

15. Tangled Hair – Campfires

Big Scary Monsters, South East, UK. Indie/Math Pop.

A band that started as studio based project and blossomed into something truly extraordinary.

http://asktangledhair.tumblr.com/

16. NGOD - Talk with Hands

Unsigned, UK. Math-Pop/Soft Rock.

Stylish, smooth and subtle technical pop, full of sweet licks and harmonious tones. www.facebook.com/ngodband

17. Pharaohs - Photosynthesis

Centurion Records, UK/hiphiphip, FR. Math-Pop.

Ex-Haemostatic Picnic Racers hailing from Kent produce catchy pop-punk with a lovely helping of intricate tapping. www.pharaohstheband.com

18. Stagecoach - Map To The Freezer

Alcopop Records/This Is Fake DIY Records, UK. Rock/Indie Pop/Noise.

Anthemic skateboard indie pop with a flawless mix of humour, brains and a knack for well-placed woo-hoo’s http://www.stagecoachuk.com/

19. Alcoholic Faith Mission - My Eyes to See

PonyRec, DK / Paper Garden Records USA. Post-Rock/Folk/Indie

Soaring mix of folk and post-rock and a potent combination of Americana and Scandinavia sentiments and sensibilities

http://alcoholicfaithmission.com/

20. Gallops - Eukodol

Holy Roar/Blood & Biscuits, UK. Experimental/Electronica/Rock.

England’s answer to Battles - dark, synth-driven dance movements powered by incredibly tight and precise drumming.

http://gallops.tumblr.com/

21. Title Fight - Shed (Only available when you download the whole digital compilation)

SideOneDummy Records, USA. Punk Rock.

Fresh out of Kingston, Philadelphia Title Fight play youthful yet passionate stage diving punk rock.

www.title-fight.net

via Musical Mathematics

Stream: Lost From Atlas - Live Set

2011-06-27T23:03:00.000+01:00

This is such a find I can't believe I've only just stumbled upon this live recording of a Lost From Atlas live set courtesy of Leeds-based Our Neck Of The Woods.

If you don't know Lost From Atlas, they're an instrumental (post-)rock band from Yorkshire whose penchant for ridiculous breaks, hard-earned musicianship and explosive live shows makes them a band you can't afford to miss, especially if you're a fan of ...And So I Watch You From Afar, Battles and 65daysofstatic. Their debut album was a slick, well-executed record that was both passionate and precise in its delivery.

Tumblr / Facebook / Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics: Review//Canals - Marionnettes

2011-06-17T13:16:00.002+01:00

Here's a review I wrote of Canals - Marionnettes for Musical Mathematics:

Canals are a four-piece, Canterbury-based math pop band who claims influences from the likes of Maps and Atlases, Tall Ships and Colour. Their track Marionnettes owes much to the latter, with its jangly guitars, sing-along vocals, and complex timing complemented with a bouncy, poppy exterior.

Marionnettes is very rich in its construction. It starts immediately with a wave of...

Read the rest of the review on Musical Mathematics.

Free Download: Rainbow Danger Club - Where Maps End

2011-06-05T18:21:00.003+01:00

;Where Maps End by Rainbow Danger Club;

After quite an eventful weekend, I'm thankful that today has been quite the quiet Sunday, and what better way to celebrate than listening to this name-your-price album from progressive art-rock outfit Rainbow Danger Club. Based in Shanghai (yes, THAT Shanghai), their album Where Maps End is an atmospherically dense piece of work, littered with leitmotifs and vast sounds that give their music an extra dose of heart. At times haunting, and at its best absolutely magnificent, Where Maps End is an absolute beauty of a record. It almost feels criminal that they're allowing this to be downloaded for free (even though you have the choice of paying as much or as little as you want).

The album can be downloaded HERE.

Bandcamp / Facebook / Official Website / Soundcloud

New Music Video Time: Three Trapped Tigers - Noise Trade

2011-06-02T10:58:00.000+01:00

It's a little surprising how long it took for Three Trapped Tigers to finally come out with a debut album, but Route One Or Die was definitely worth the long wait. It's the Three Trapped Tigers we've come to know and love from their three EPs, imaginatively titled EP1, EP2 and EP3, with songs even more creatively named as 1, 2, 3 and so forth. I was genuinely surprised they didn't call their album LP1, to be honest with you.

Naming conventions aside, Route One Or Die is a great album, and Noise Trade is corker of a track, and the music video for it is great. You can download another track from the album titled 'Cramm' for free HERE.

New Music Video Time: Stagecoach - Jonah Lomu

2011-06-02T10:05:00.002+01:00

How do you make a music video about Rugby superstar turned school bully? Why, with an attempt at a Guinness world record involving pizza of course! Yeah, that link was lost on me too, but the video for Stagecoach's latest single is still pants-wettingly hilarious. Pizza-related violence, yum. Click below to watch it on NME.

Read my review of the single HERE.

The video is up exclusively on the NME website.

EDIT: The video is now up on youtube.

Review: Well Weapon Compilation Volume 2

2011-06-02T08:52:00.002+01:00

Well Weapon Records, a Northern England-based independent label, houses some pretty sweet bands in their small roster, most notably Lost From Atlas and Zefs Chasing Cara. Knowing this, I went diving into their second compilation with high hopes.

Read the rest of the review and the link to the compilation HERE.

And it doesn't disappoint. The compilation is dominated by math rock in its many forms. From Bearcubbin's obnoxiously titled 7-minute epic opener to Duck, Little Brother, Duck!'s Billy Mays via the gang vocals in Girlfriends's Brobocop and the jazzy funk of Suffer Like G Did's cheekily titled Bring Me The First Aid Kit, Well Weapon's second compilation is also not without its curveballs. Observe No Monster Club's indie pop offering, Wish Me Well, and Laps Around The Sun's Ice Formations, a mixture of electronica and grunge-like guitars.

The last four tracks provide a relatively slowburning exit for the compilation, not unlike the dying embers of a once huge bonfire. Let me assure you though that was not a criticism. Einhorn's Getwellvet builds up a perfectly glorious climax for itself reminiscent of early 65daysofstatic. Reach from Lost From Atlas is less technical from the band's previous offerings, but they make up for it with an amazingly well-crafted song with both an explosive opening and an equally explosive end. Russia Today's Why Not? brings the intensity down a few notches with its mix of minimalist glitch electronica and soothing post-rock. The Widest Smiling Faces's The Only Lonely Ocean follows the ambient minimalistic mood set by Russia Today, but with a touch of Damon Albarn-like vocals, making the track not unlike a stripped down, beautifully bare to the bones Gorillaz b-side.

Track list:
1) Bearcubbin' - Stephen Baldwin's Address At The White House Press Correspondents Dinner
2) Girlfriends - Brobocop
3) No Monster Club - Wish Me Well
4) Laps Around The Sun - Ice Formations
5) Duck, Little Brother, Duck! - Billy Mays
6) Suffer Like G Did - Bring Me The First Aid Kit
7) Einhorn - Getwellvet
8) Lost From Atlas - Reach
9) Russia Today - Why Not?
10) The Widest Smiling Faces - The Only Lonely Ocean

You can buy the compilation at their Bigcartel and preview it HERE. The compilation comes with a zine that features brilliant graphic art from the likes of Matt The Horse and Orlando Lloyd.

Facebook / Bandcamp / Bigcartel

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News: Musical Mathematics - Second Time Lucky Compilation

2011-06-01T09:13:00.000+01:00

Leeds collective Musical Mathematics - I write for them - has announced the line-up for our second compilation, aptly titled Second Time Lucky.

Our compilation this time around will feature the likes of: Grown Ups, Stagecoach, Gallops, &U&I, Hymns, Enemies, Shapes, Tangled Hair, Sport, Rico Demitri, Pharaohs, The Clippers, and more to be announced. The compilation will be available to download for free and as limited edition CDs.

After a hugely successful first compilation which featured The James Cleaver Quintet, Talons, Olympians, Dad Rocks!, Mimas, Tall Ships, Noumenon, and many others, we hope you will enjoy this second one just as much.

Check out and download the first compilation HERE.

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Free Download: Aviaries - Ribbons

2011-05-31T15:40:00.000+01:00

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://aviaries.bandcamp.com/album/ribbons"&amp;amp;gt;Ribbons by Aviaries&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Leeds experimental post-pop outfit Aviaries has released their newest single, Ribbons, and it's available to download for free. Following in the footsteps of their Hydrology EP, Ribbons is all about soaring vocals and guitar lines to match. Shades of late 80's alt-pop and groove do nothing but wonders for the songs. The new single is also a lot more polished than their previous offerings. James Kenosha's mixing and Tom Woodhead's mastering have definitely added that shine to Aviaries's music.

Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter

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Listening To: Stellardrive - Amuptaum

2011-05-29T15:34:00.001+01:00

Straddling between the ferocity of And So I Watch You From Afar and the quiet crescendos of Explosions In The Sky, Stellardrive packs a mighty punch with their brand of post-rock. They might not be breaking new ground, but the music is impressive nonetheless.

Official Website / Facebook / Twitte r / Reverbnation / Myspace

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New Music Video Time: Our Lost Infantry - I Love You Sandra Billson (The Last Dance)

2011-05-27T15:53:00.000+01:00

Catchy, enormous-sounding, and energetic, Our Lost Infantry's latest single, I Love You Sandra Bilson (The Last Dance), is a track littered with pop sensibilities and a roaring chorus. Melodic with pop punk influences and an evident playfulness with time signatures, the song is filled with abundantly clever wordplay accompanied by rousing piano lines and rocking riffs.

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New Music Video Time: Brontide - Sans Souci (Album)

2011-05-23T10:20:00.002+01:00

Brontide - Sans Souci (Illuminé) from BeatCast on Vimeo.

If you can’t wait to listen to Brontide’s excellent new album, Sans Souci, then here it is in its entirety as an exclusive film for Beatcast. 56 minutes long with all 8 tracks from their album, it was filmed in Kent at Coach Road studios.

As it happens, a track from the album titled Jura is also this week's Big Scary Monsters '11 Collection track.

The album Sans Souci comes out on May 30th via Holy Roar.

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Free Download: Minus The Bear - Hold Me Down EP

2011-05-21T10:36:00.000+01:00

Seattle math rockers Minus The Bear is giving away their 6-track EP, Hold Me Down, for free through their website. It includes the title track and its live version, a b-side, a remix and two other live tracks. All you have to do is give your e-mail to them via this widget down here.

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Free Download: Rumour Cubes - We Have Sound Houses Also

2011-05-21T10:22:00.003+01:00

We Have Sound Houses Also is the free to download debut EP from London-based ambient post-rock outfit Rumour Cubes. Think Explosions In The Sky with their built from the ground up soundscapes but with an industrial feel wrapped all around it. Cinematic, melancholic and epic, the three tracks on showcase here reveals an overwhelming potential that cannot be ignored by fans of the post-rock genre.

You can download their EP for free from their Bandcamp.

We Have Sound Houses Also by Rumour Cubes

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Musical Mathematics

2011-05-20T22:41:00.001+01:00

Hi there. I realise I haven't updated in a while, but it's only because exciting things are happening. I've been writing reviews and columns for Musical Mathematics's zine issue #2. The zine will feature Conquistadors, Hymns, Brontide, The Cast Of Cheers, and many, many others. We will also cover the Adebisi Shank / &U&I / Shapes gig at the Brudenell.

There's also other brilliant stuff I'm not even sure I'm supposed to tell you about. You'll find out in good time, my friends. To make it easier, why don't you sign up for our Musical Mathematics mailing list? I promise you we'll not spam you, or give it to other people.

Check out Musical Mathematics from any of these links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Bigcartel / Bandcamp

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New Music Video Time: My First Tooth - Sleet & Snow

2011-05-16T09:30:00.001+01:00

Folk indie pop outfit My First Tooth has come out with a new music video for their new single Sleet & Snow. Released as a free CD on Alcopop Records, it was quickly sold(?) out soon after. Their debut album 'Territories' was a charming,warm record that's both ambitious and understated at the same time. Sleet & Snow is no different. It's the My First Tooth we all know and love.

Exclusive acoustic video after the JUMP.

Now may I jog your memory and take you back to the time when we had these lovely people play for the blog in a toilet? Not a week later they were then interviewed by MTV. So if you want to be noticed by the big boys, meet me in a toilet in a pub and I'll sort it out.

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Free Download: Aviaries - Hydrology

2011-05-14T12:49:00.009+01:00

Hydrology by Aviaries
One of the bands who I discovered during Live At Leeds are the experimental post-pop outfit Aviaries. Weaving elements of post-rock, pop and electronica in their debut EP, Hydrology, it makes for an exciting 4-track collection that sounds like if Vampire Weekend jammed with a stoned out And So I Watch You From Afar.

Aviaries will be playing at Beacon Festival in August.

Bandcamp / Facebook / Myspace / Twitter

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New Music Video Time: Tellison - Say Silence (Heaven & Earth)

2011-05-11T10:43:00.003+01:00

Everyone's favourite indie pop band certainly took their time in releasing their second album. Contact! Contact! was a perfect debut filled with catch, poppy tunes that reside in your head far longer than you thought possible.

The Wages Of Fear not only mantains this, but improves it immensely with more mature songwriting and heartfelt lyrics. Say Silence, their next single out on 6th June, is no exception. The video itself a brilliant piece of work.

Unfortunately the album has been leaked, forcing the band to stream their entire album in advance on their website. Listen to it HERE.

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Review: Stagecoach - Tony Hawk / Jonah Lomu

2011-05-10T12:44:00.003+01:00

What do you get when you bring in two wildly different characters such as Tony Hawk and Jonah Lomu together and ask them to make sweet, sweet indie pop punk? Well, the results won't be nearly as fine as what Stagecoach has come up with: a double A-side single with two foot-stompingly excellent tunes that's both intelligent and silly in equal measures.

Jonah Lomu by stagecoachuk

Read the rest of the review HERE.

True to character, Jonah Lomu is the more punchy of the two with its riotous chorus and lyrics about intimidating bullies (who aptly enough is personified in the song by the Rugby man himself). Weezer-esque at times, the song itself is about the ever-present bullies in your life who seem to always be watching over you, no matter what stage of your life you are in. Despite that seemingly depressing theme, it actually comes out as sounding quite optimistic, and in typical Stagecoach fashion filled with sing-along moments (who could resist just shouting out Jonah Lomu over and over again?)/

Tony Hawk then takes it down a notch and brings to our attention everyone's favourite skateboarding game and the slacker university students who play them. It starts with Luke Barham's acoustic guitar, then proceeding to exclaim 'and it goes like' before going ooh-woo-hoo all over us. Don't be fooled by the mentioned ooh-woo-hoos, as this is a damning critique of said students who spend all day getting high and playing video games while completely forgoing the opportunity they were presented with. It's a very valid point in a time when university fees are going up and employment are going down. But heck, it's not stopping us from stomping our feet and nodding our heads to the music, especially since it's all in agreement.

Here's Stagecoach playing Tony Hawk to the very people they're criticising (probably) at Leeds University during Live At Leeds:

Continuing with their theme of being immensely likeable, silly yet intelligent all at the same time, the first 50 people to buy the single at their live shows will receive a limited pizza box edition. It's out May 30th on This Is Fake DIY.

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Live At Leeds 2011 Review

2011-05-07T12:15:00.002+01:00

Live At Leeds was over a week ago, but I'm still feeling the aftereffects of one of Leeds's musical highlights of the year (Leeds Festival? Never heard of it).

We started the day at the Cockpit with a fresh dose of Wot Gorilla? who hails from Halifax and brings with them a formidable collection of math rock goodness. I was very surprised at this change in musical direction since the last time I saw them (the first thing that came to mind was how much more they sounded like The Mars Volta). It's not a bad thing. In fact, it was an unexpected delight.

Read the rest of the review (which includes Aviaries, Kong, These Monsters, Tall Ships, Stagecoach, Bearfoot Beware, Humanfly, Frightened Rabbit, Dunch Uncles and Pulled Apart By Horses) HERE.

Then we headed upstairs to Cockpit 3 for a taste of Aviaries. Aviaries somehow successfully manages to incorporate pop and post-rock - two traditionally different genres - into their own winning template. This results in songs that are filled with hooks and climaxes that have been built from the ground up. Unfortunately it was their bassist's last performance with the band. If they manage to find a suitable replacement, Aviaries can definitely be a mainstay in the Leeds scene.

Shortly after we headed back down to the Cockpit to see the ferocious Kong. There's not much about Kong that can be said by me that others already have. Their live performances are completely mesmerizing. The destructively devastating power of their show was aided by their creepily transparent masks and lack of clothing. Hardcore at its progressive best.

Staying at the Cockpit, we then caught another band from the Brew roster. These Monsters were known for their jazzed-up brand of progressive hardcore, but with their saxophone/synth playing having left the country a few months ago, I was mighty curious to see them for the first time with their new sound.

And my, what intense sounds they make. Old songs become reworked and are more punchy and heavy as ever. New songs abandon their old 7-8 minute epic sound for 2-3 minute bursts of brilliance. Taking their cues from previous stage-conquerors Kong, These Monsters were monstrously monolithic in their performance.

Tall Ships had quite tough acts to follow then, but hey, no problem. The math pop trio's unique brand of instruments-swapping, loop-dependent performance bring about sing-alongs and toe-tapping of the most excellent degree. Their upcoming Pink Mist tour with Three Trapped Tigers is shaping to be quite a tasty prospect indeed.

After a little break we headed to Leeds University for a little powerpop punk action from Stagecoach at the Stylus. While the venue itself seems quite unfitting for band performances (it is mainly a club for students), Stagecoach managed to work around such minor details with their energetic, exuberantly enthusiastic set.

Still in the same building, we then strolled our way to the Mine, where we saw Bearfoot Beware for the first time in what felt like a million years. Fresh off the release of their frankly quite brilliant No Face's Gold, the band brings with them Blakfish-influenced, Tubelord-loving musical melting pot that points to many exciting future endeavours.

Afterwards, we headed to Leeds Metropolitan University, where yet another Brew band were busy conquering ears. Humanfly is another sonically devastating powerhouse of a band whose heavy riffs, guttural vocals and intense drumming all added up to a highly impressive, stage-conquering performance.

For something different, we decided to walk down to the O2 Academy, where we saw venue headliners Frightened Rabbit take the stage. Filled to the brim and with hundreds of fans singing along to every word of their biggest songs, they certainly know how to work the Academy. This is one of the more emotionally inspired shows from the weekend, and it will not be hastily forgotten by the people who were there.

Dutch Uncles with its quirky pop charmed us at the Leeds Met Back Room with their strangely captivating performances punctuated by the vocalist's jerky dancing and vocal execution. For the penultimate show of the night for us, it was quite a strangely wonderful experience.

To end the night on a high note, we proceeded to watch one of the most talked bands of the day, Pulled Apart By Horses. After having just flown in from Norway, the Leeds sweatmongerers showed no signs of fatigue as they completely tore apart the rest of the line-up. If not for the frequency in which they masterfully rile up the crowd to a glorious frenzy, one would think this kind of reaction was because this could be considered as a homecoming of sorts. Crowdsurfing, walls of death, moshpits, pain, sweat, tears, these were all present. Pulled Apart By Horses is an all-too-apt description of how you would feel going home after a show like theirs.

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Live At Leeds 2011 Pre-Review

2011-05-04T22:58:00.000+01:00

I've got a review coming soon for Live at Leeds 2011, which was as rad as a surfing turtle. In the meantime check out this collection of footage from various bands that day filmed by Rock Sound. We saw most of the same bands anyway. Expect some videos from me too.

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Free Download: Former Monarchs - My Friend Has No Job

2011-04-27T11:00:00.003+01:00

My Friend Has No Job by Former Monarchs

Here's a corker from Cork (sorry). You can download the excellent, angry, melodiously harmonious My Friend Has No Job by Former Monarchs. These Irish kings take their influences from Reuben and Oceansize. Go on, what are you waiting for? Download that shit.

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Review: Bearfoot Beware - No Face's Gold

2011-04-25T14:15:00.002+01:00

Bearfoot Beware have changed much since their last release (if I remember correctly), The Elegant Philantrophist. Line-up changes have not only shaken up some musical duties, but also the direction their music has taken. From the post-punk/pop funk leanings of previous releases to the math rock/alt pop of No Face's Gold, it's safe to say their evolution has brought about the best out of them.

Tom Savini's Fake Blood starts off the record with a blaster. Enthusiastic, vibrant and quirkily jaunty, it sets the tone for the record with its shouty vocals, groovy basslines, jangly guitars and fantastic drumming. For most of the track, the energy is relentless, and then it slows down to a halt.

Gérard Depardieu then takes the torch, with its soft vocals to accompany the quiet start. As it builds up to a glorious, cacophonous wall of sound, the singer's snarky laughs throughout the track encapsulates the tone of the EP. Bearfoot Beware is angry, arrogant and confident (all in a good way), but not without its sense of humour.

Read the rest of the review, listen to and download the EP for free after the JUMP.

Catbus proceeds to showcase more of the vibrancy and melodious chaos that is abundant in the EP. Binary Pulsar is the mildest of the lot (barring the outro), but it's not without its share of noisy moments. It alternates effortlessly between soft vocals, strums and a touch of drums, and short bursts of utter mayhem. Outro track A Insomnia Strikes almost sounds like it could've come from a misplaced recording by Gold Panda, and it's a very strange inclusion, to say the least. But that's not to say it's unwelcome.

Vibrant, quirky and jaunty are the words that come up repeatedly while listening to this EP. Yet they've also managed to sneak in a few brilliant quiet moments to complement the energetic, confident majority. Wholly recommended, and with it being free and all, you have no reason not to get it.

Listen to the whole EP here:
Bearfoot Beware - No Face's Gold

Download the whole EP for free from their Bandcamp.

Facebook / Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Twitter / Official Website / Myspace

This review can also be found on Musical Mathematics.

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New Music Video Time / Free Download: Brontide - Matador

2011-04-23T17:00:00.001+01:00

Here's the new music video for Brontide's new single, Matador. The single is the first track of their album, Sans Souci, which comes out on May 30th 2011 on Holy Roar.

The single itself is available for free download, and the album is shaping up to be one of the best records of the year.

Download 'Matador' after the JUMP.

Matador by Brontide.

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New Music Video Time: Dananananaykroyd - Muscle Memory

2011-04-20T15:55:00.001+01:00

Glaswegian posi-coresters (formerly fight poppers, and how do they come up with these genres?) with the nearly-unpronounceable, sometimes unspellable name (Danananananananananana-B-A-N-A-N-A-NA, this shit is bananas-aykroyd) comes back with a new single titled 'Muscle Memory.'The music video to said single should unquestionably the official music video for the London Olympics. I mean, they're already dressed in Adidas, the sports meet sponsors. Might as well, right? There's so many sports and sports boffins in the video it'd be a crime not to. Jumping on a trampoline to take a bite out of a carrot hanging from a fishing pole counts as a sport, right?

I'm in London right now, incidentally. So I haven't been updating much. I've also been trying to catch up with work, so that's a bit of a bummer too.

Twitter / Official Website / Facebook

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Free Download: &U&I - Stalk This City / La Mere Viper

2011-04-17T13:47:00.002+01:00

&U&I (pronounced and-you-and-i) have released two tracks up for free download to celebrate the birthday of two of their members, Rich and Wiz.You can listen to the new single 'Stalk This City' and then head off to their website to download it.

&U&I - Stalk This City

Download the new single (which also includes La Mere Viper) after the JUMP.

If you haven't heard, &U&I is one of the several new bands (Sam Manville seem to have started the other few) to have risen from the ashes of hardcore legends Blakfish (I wrote a write-up of them for Musical Mathematics HERE), and is already shaping to be one of the best hardcore bands in the country.

Download the free single from their website HERE.

Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter / Official Website

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Review / Free Download: Is World - Turning EP

2011-04-17T11:05:00.002+01:00

Is World takes its cues from the early emotional rock bands from Midwest America, and as fellow Illinois folks, counts Billy Corgan amongst its influences. In their debut EP, thick, crunchy guitars, melancholic lyrics and scratchy vocals definitely do dominate the songs as a result of this. But it's also much more to Turning EP than just that.

There are so many excellent things going on in this record, from the jangly, jaunty guitar lines of Either/Or to the anthemic Weezer-esque vigour of Stuck With Me via the heavy strings and drumming on For Now, ending with a mammoth 19-minute instrumental outro in the form of (reprise). They claim to be comprehensively educated in symphonic music and jazz, which explains why even within just four tracks (one of which is actually longer than the other three combined), Is World shows more ambition, scope and experimentation than most bands on a full album.

Read the rest of the review and listen/download the EP for free after the JUMP.

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://isworld.bandcamp.com/album/turning-ep"&amp;amp;gt;Turning EP by Is World&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Is World seems intent on throwing you a curveball just when you thought you have them all figured out. There is nowhere more evident than in the aforementioned final track, a bittersweet 19-minute journey through the genres of post-rock and ambient electronica. It seems almost self-indulgent at times, but Is World is comprehensively forgiven for this. Their musical experimentation is more often than not immensely successful, and strikingly poignant at times. Balancing an extremely dangerous tight rope between what works and what doesn't, Is World isn't a band content with comfort zones and safe choices. Turning EP is a commendable first effort that deserves serious attention.

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Review / New Music Video Time: Just Handshakes (We're British) - New Adventures In Pop / Falling Over Our Fear

2011-04-14T11:37:00.006+01:00

Leeds is one of my favourite places to go to for music, and with bands like Just Handshakes (We're British), who could blame me? New Adventures In Pop is twee indie pop sprinkled with infectious choruses and addictive melodies crafted beautifully together. This is the sound of blurry summer memories and half-forgotten romances intertwined with jangly guitars and upbeat synths.

The video for Falling Over Our Fear (directed and produced by Sean Gledhill of Leeds's Anthologies) perfectly complements the single, capturing that hazy, buoyant twitch the band embodies. This becomes all the more impressive since this is Gledhill's first full effort at making a music video.

You can buy the single as a digital download on iTunes and Amazon. But if you prefer physical records, you'd have to wait till April 18th and buy it either on Bandcamp, Elefant Records, Rough Trade, HMV, Norman Records or Bigcartel.

Listen to another song, Downward Spiral, from them after the JUMP.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://justhandshakeswerebritish.bandcamp.com/track/downward-spiral"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Downward Spiral by Just Handshakes (We're British)&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

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New Music Video Time: Jonquil - Get Up

2011-04-12T17:23:00.001+01:00

JONQUIL /// GET UP from B A N K S on Vimeo.

Here's a new music video from Oxford band, Jonquil. Their EP 'One Hundred Suns' from which the song came from, is a delightful record littered with math rock-tinged dance folk sensibilities.

Listen to another song from them after the JUMP.

Jonquil - Baby Steps by Jonquil

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New Music Video Time: Spring Offensive - A Stutter and a Start

2011-04-11T15:35:00.002+01:00

To coincide with the release of their new single, Oxford outfit Spring Offensive have unveiled a brilliant, single-shot video to A Stutter And A Start. The single is available to order through iTunes or Bigcartel for the physical copy (which includes, oddly enough, a colouring book).

Listen to another song, A Let Down, by them after the JUMP.

A Let Down by springoffensive

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New Music: LightGuides Signs To Alcopop

2011-04-11T14:39:00.001+01:00

In an Alcopop Records-themed sort of day, it's been announced that LightGuides, alternative pop punkers from Glasgow, Scotland, has signed with the label.

Listen to their song, In Memoria, after the JUMP.

In Memoria by lightguides

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I'm Listening To: Jumping Ships

2011-04-11T14:16:00.002+01:00

I received my copy of Jumping Ships 'Heart & Hope' single this morning (their first on the Alcopop label), and it's absolutely brilliant. Punchy, anthemic, and hook-filled, give the song a listen below and buy it HERE:

Heart and Hope - Jumping Ships by alcopop

I've been following Jumping Ships for a while now, and I was delighted to discover a 'lost' 5-track set from when they were recording Orientations EP. It's up for free download on their Soundcloud.

Listen to and download the set after the JUMP.

Jumping Ships - 'Orientation LOST' by jumpingships

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A Response To 'Why I Don't Care About Record Store Day' by NME's Rick Martin

2011-04-09T12:53:00.002+01:00

I was on Facebook yesterday, and there was an article that kept coming up in my timeline. It was an article from Rick Martin, a music writer on the NME online blog. I decided to look at it. And it made my blood boil.

If you haven't read it, then you can click on HERE to read the bollocks NME call music journalism.

"I don’t even care if I never own a physical CD or vinyl record ever again. I got rid of 90 per cent of my CD-based record collection last year, leaving behind only the records I’d paid for before becoming a music hack. I don't miss them."

Is there a reason why you only kept the ones you paid for, Rick? I'm guessing you care more about these records because you actually PAID for them with your own money.

Read more of my response HERE.

"if you’re seriously bothered about the way your tunes are delivered to you, you’re focusing on totally the wrong aspect of what makes music great."

I don't think anyone prioritises the packaging over the music. What people are actually focusing on is to make the release of a record more of an event and the whole package to be more meaningful towards the bands that release them and the fans that buy them. No band would begrudge a fan who only buys digital downloads, but there would be a sizable number who would love to have something they can actually hold and put a needle on.

"the death of the physical single won’t kill B-sides. Aren’t digital EPs and free pre-album taster downloads their modern equivalent?"

I didn't know we were mourning the death of B-sides.

"If artwork is worth seeing, you’ll see it, even if it’s not on the cover of a CD or vinyl record."

Fair enough if you don't mind looking at the artwork on a small iPod screen or on the artwork window on your iTunes, but many people love looking at the artwork on the CD or a vinyl record, the same reason many people go to art galleries instead of looking at thumbnails on an art website.

"you don’t need to own music to enjoy it. I don’t sniff records."

Yes, you don't need to own music to enjoy it. But you do need to pay for it for bands to keep creating the music you enjoy.

"Buying a CD or 7” doesn’t make me like a tune any more than if I’d hear it streamed on a blog – great music is great music however you hear it."

Great music can become crap if the medium is crap. A blog streaming an MP3 at 96kbps cannot compare to a CD or a vinyl playing on a good audio system. Artwork can look like shit if you were looking at it through a compressed 500kb JPEG.

"If you’re going to release something physically, make it spectacular, an event, something worth owning – an idea Radiohead have clearly come round to with newspaper release of ‘The King Of Limbs’."

Of course there's the fact that Radiohead is one of the biggest bands of the planet and can actually afford to do something like that without worrying about making money or even just breaking even. And Rick's statement is also ignorant of the many excellent efforts bands have put through into making their physical releases infinitely more special than just an MP3 download. Consider Peggy Sue's beautifully done Lover Gone EP, which transforms from a CD case into a shadow puppet theatre, or many from Alcopop Records, including the new Johnny Foreigner record released as a Frisbee-EP. Those are a lot more creative than a 'newspaper record'.

"The faceless high street stores I could tolerate, but local independents? In my experience, the stereotype is usually true: they’re staffed by socially-inadequate, sniffy twerps."

Most of the local independents I've been to are staffed by friendly, helpful people who genuinely love music. Have you tried Crash and Jumbo in Leeds, Banquet in Kingston, and Rough Trade in London, just to name a few? Maybe it's your own attitude that's to blame?

"If I was teenager today with meagre wages to blow, I wouldn’t buy CDs (like I did with my minimum wage spoils ten years ago) or waste my weekends in record shops. I’d download Spotify, keep my ear to the blogosphere and spend my dough on tickets to gigs and festivals. I might even have some spare cash for a better guitar, amp or synth. Is it a total coincidence that guitar sales have increased in recent years?"

Fair enough, that's how you'd live your life. But many teenagers and young adults I know (including myself) still buy CDs and vinyls and frequent record shops because physical releases mean a lot more nowadays in the digital age. I can sometimes spend hundreds of pounds on physical releases in one month, even when doing so would mean I'd be broke for the rest of it. And what's more, by paying for the music I love, THE BAND gets spare cash for a better guitar, amp or synth (and after that, just MAYBE they can get something to eat), so they can keep on making music.

I have Spotify, and I admit it's the greatest thing ever. But whenever I find an album I really love on Spotify, I always end up buying a CD (or most likely a vinyl) of it as soon as I can afford it. After all that I still have some money left to go to gigs and festivals. I've been to so many and spend so much on records that I've actually become friends with the bands I love and frequently get guestlist spots anyway. So win-win for me?

"Of course, there’s the eternal conundrum of how you make this modern music consumption model profitable – and Spotify’s disastrous margins suggest that no one’s even close to finding it yet."

That's why we have bands release physical records. It's a way to make money while also making the release feel special to the band and their fans. Sure, many of these bands don't go platinum, but that was not the point anyway. These bands love what they do and sales isn't the ultimate thing for them. Many are proud enough with the hundreds of copies they do sell.

"Physical singles are a dead horse. The less time and effort is spent on flogging them, the more money labels might have to blow on signing new bands – the ones formed by kids buying guitars, clothes and drugs rather than records."

So your idea of a good band is one full of kids with fancy equipment with impeccable fashion sense and a drug addiction, and not one that actually puts the time, effort and money into making their musical releases more special? That paragraph right there summons up your misinformed view on music and the bands that make them.

What infuriates me the most about the article is that it attempts to dismiss the physical release completely, presenting an analogue vs digital situation, when there's really no need for it. This is a false dichotomy. You can keep enjoying both, or you can enjoy one. Both have their own pros and cons. Both have their advocates. But it's a bit stupid to dismiss the merits of the other while championing your format as the only one that matters.

Rick Martin, you have your opinion and that's fine, but as many have already told you, your opinion is severely misinformed and based on glaring inaccuracies.

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Vive La France: Apes Did Ensemble

2011-04-04T22:58:00.003+01:00

So now that I'm in France for a few days, I thought it'd be criminal of me not to do a French special. Apes Did Ensemble is a Parisian band that plays a mixture of Math Rock and Post Rock. So they're a bit like Mimas then, I hear you shout from the back of class. Well, yeah, if you put it like that, but not quite. Here, have a listen:

Apes Did Ensemble - (Everybody Loves) Magritte

Their excellent debut EP is available to buy HERE and on iTunes. If you're not convinced yet, just listen to their EP HERE.

Facebook / Twitter / Deezer / Myspace / Official Website

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Au revoir

Holiday Break: Vive La France!

2011-04-02T12:09:00.001+01:00

If you haven't figured it out, yesterday's review of Rebecca Black's Friday was an April Fool's joke. So was my announcement that I would stop blogging (C'mon, that joke's been overused more than LOLcats). But I will somewhat be taking a break from the blog as I'll be leaving for London later today and for France tomorrow.

I'll be dressed up like this:

I'll try to update as much as I can, and I'm thinking of featuring French bands, and maybe even a review of all the baguettes I'll be enjoying.

If you know any quality bands from France, don't hesitate to comment or e-mail me at admin@mujahidjohar.com. Who knows, I might get you an Eiffel tower keychain as a prize.

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Review: Rebecca Black - Friday

2011-04-01T00:01:00.107+01:00

Much has already been said about internet phenomenon Rebecca Black. Time Magazine has named her the most influential person in music in their newly released list, ahead of Bob Dylan and The Beatles. Rock Sound called her the saviour of rock and roll, while NME hailed her as the Lady Gaga-killer. But one question remains, why has she suddenly transformed from a virtually unknown preteen to one of the biggest commodities in the music industry?

Read the rest of the review after the jump.

One listen to Friday, her debut single that came out in February, and it's too easy to list the numerous reasons why. As Ark Music Factory CEO Patrice Wilson has stated, Rebecca Black is way ahead of everyone in terms of innovation, songcraft and experimentation. Every beat, every note, and every lyric is thought out and carefully crafted, in what is an honest perfectionist's quest for absolute beauty. Many have witnessed Rebecca Black's obsessive controlling iron grip over her musical output. A producer who has worked with her reveals that Rebecca Black is not one to go for cliched routes.

Though her music may sound similar to much of what you hear on the radio, rest assured the way she recorded it is by no means the tried and tested methods that have served luminaries such as Justin Bieber and Rick Astley so well. That almost robotic voice that she sings in? If you guessed auto-tuned, you could not be more wrong. Rebecca Black reportedly went through months of groundbreaking vocal chord surgery that fused her larynx with that of a South American poisonous frog. This was chronicled in a documentary/expose that claimed that Rebecca Black is, amongst other things, a Satanist who is also a Freemason while being the new head of the Illuminati.

Strong claims, but that doesn't detract from the fact that Friday is this generation's Who Let The Dogs Out. Just like Baha Men's masterpice, what keeps everyone hitting the replay button for Friday is the intelligent, poetic lyrics that would have put Bob Dylan and John Lennon to shame. Who else but Rebecca Black could put so much tension in a chorus that lists days of the week in quick succession, all the while commenting on the state of a society so eager for progress that time goes by them like sands through a timeglass. Not since Craig David's seminal 7 Days has a song so beautifully captured the very essence of the urgency of modern life by using something as simple as the days of the week.

But in truth she is not the only tween capable on making sharp social commentary. In fact she's only one of many in a new wave of young teenagers unhappy with the shallow nature of their peers' obsession with the superficial. Take Jenna Rose for example. In 'My Jeans' she provides a damning critique of the fashion industry and celebrity culture. As biting as anything that comes out of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and as catchy as the plague, many have argued that Jenna Rose will soon take Rebecca Black's mantle in this newly-born agit-pop movement.

But I digress. This was supposed to be a review of Rebecca Black's Friday. A review meant to focus on the music, and nothing (or no one) else. But it's almost impossible to discuss Friday without elaborating on its social significance. Its commentary complements the music in a way Dylan couldn't. To talk about the music and only the music is betraying the very essence of the song itself. This is why I will never be able to write this review with only an objective mindset focused on the music and only the music.

Because of that, I am sad to say this will be my last post on the blog. I have found the ultimate song, and there is no reason for any other type of musical pursuit. I announce my retirement from blogging, and from listening to music in general. Thank you for reading, and for the final time ever.

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Rest In Peace: The Ghost Of A Thousand

2011-03-31T22:56:00.000+01:00

British hardcore punks The Ghost Of A Thousand have decided to call it a day, after nearly 7 years. Their debut album, This Is Where The Fight Begins, was one of my favourite albums of 2007, and their second album New Hopes, New Demonstrations, only cemented their place further as one of the best hardcore bands in Britain.

The Ghost Of A Thousand will be missed.

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New Music Video Time: Tall Ships - Plate Tectonics

2011-03-31T17:14:00.000+01:00

So you know about the Plate Tectonics single coming out in early April. Now here's the video, which is a collaboration between Tall Ships and Todd Atticus. There's a lion in slow-mo, so if that doesn't totes your goats and tugs your ducks then nothing will.

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New Excite: Johnny Foreigner - Certain Songs Are Cursed Frisbee-EP

2011-03-30T17:38:00.002+01:00

Pre-orders are selling like hot cakes laced with crack for Johnny Foreigner's upcoming EP, Certain Songs Are Cursed. It's coming out on one of our favourite record labels, Alcopop Records (Stagecoach, Ute, My First Tooth) on April 18th.

What Drummers Get by johnny foreigner

As with all Alcopop releases, this one will not be your typical jewel-case CD physical release. It's being labelled as a frisbee-EP. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but maybe it will allow for full-on ultimate frisbee tournamets at JoFo gigs?

Listen to another song off the EP after the JUMP.

Johnny Foreigner Vs You (Cursed Version) by johnny foreigner

You can also get it as a bundle along with My First Tooth's Sleet & Snow (which is available on its own for free, just pay for postage!) and Freeze The Atlantic's Colour By Numbers EP for a measly £7.50. Be quick though! Apparently it's all selling quite fast.

Bloggy Foreigner / Facebook / Twitter / Myspace / Formspring / Official Website

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What A Lush Song: Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

2011-03-30T17:19:00.002+01:00

I am quite in love with this new Fleet Foxes song, Grown Oceans. It's from their upcoming album, Helplessness Blues.

Download the track 'Helplessness Blues' after the JUMP.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues by subpop

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I Like This: Pygmy Lush - Old Friends

2011-03-30T17:04:00.000+01:00

Old Friends by lovitt

This is the album I wanna get right now. Unfortunately I got lost at the website they assigned for European pre-orders (England, in Europe? Those crazy Americans) because it was mostly in German. Anyway it's up for pre-order in several different colours and several different versions and whatnots on their Bandcamp. So many choices, it's almost criminal.

Bandcamp / Facebook / Blog

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Free Download/Review: Sun Buffalo - Sun Buffalo EP

2011-03-29T21:30:00.004+01:00

Sun Buffalo by Sun Buffalo

This is an excellent little EP by Sun Buffalo, a band that has only been in existence since late last year.Hailing from Maryland, USA, Sun Buffalo brings with them a healthy dose of melodic punk, hardcore, indie pop and even a hint of jazz - along with a million other things. Even within songs, Sun Buffalo seem to have no respect for genre boundaries, and is all the better for it. Disparate influences mesh and intertwine and break off into tangents and then back again, and it all works surprisingly well.

A very promising first effort. I very much am looking forward to any of their future offerings.

Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter / Myspace

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Free Download: Musical Mathematics - First Time's A Charm

2011-03-29T17:00:00.001+01:00

Musical Mathematics is a Leeds-based music blogging collective and sort of like It's Raining Planes & Helicopters's buddy blog. I've recently joined in their writing team, and I can say nothing but good things about the blog. Not because I'm now a member of course (although that plays a part), but I genuinely believe that the content there is always great and exciting.

Recently they've released their first compilation ever, aptly titled First Time's A Charm. This fine collection of tracks is definitely something you can't afford to dismiss. Choke full of IRPAH faves such as Dad Rocks!, The James Cleaver Quintet, Adebisi Shank, Tera Melos, Tall Ships, Talons, and various others, as well as bands I've never heard before and glad to be introduced to, it will also be released as a limited run of screen print CDs.

Listen to the compilation and download it for free after the JUMP.

<a href="http://bandcamp.musicalmathematics.co.uk/album/first-times-a-charm">First Time's a Charm by Musical Mathematics</a>

Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp / Blog

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New Release: Tall Ships - Plate Tectonics

2011-03-29T16:37:00.001+01:00

&amp;lt;a href="http://bsmrocks.bandcamp.com/track/plate-tectonics"&amp;gt;Plate Tectonics by Big Scary Monsters&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Tall Ships is releasing Plate Tectonics, a track from their brilliant There Is Nothing But Chemistry Here EP, as a digital single. It will feature a remix of Snow by Pure Lust and a remix of Chemistry by Teej. The first 50 orders will get a limited edition print. It's available to order from their Bigcartel on Monday, 4th April.

Photo of the screen print after the JUMP

Photo from Tall Ship's Blogspot

Facebook / Myspace / Soundcloud / Bigcartel / Twitter / Blogspot

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Joseph & David - Here's To My Old Friends (Live)

2011-03-29T10:28:00.001+01:00

Last Saturday I went to see Stuart Warwick play the Left Bank in Leeds, a church that has been converted into an arts and music venue. The place itself is beautiful, and while lighting the candles, we found a papier mache Jesus hiding in the narrow passageways and unicycles in the store room. This surreal theme befitted the nature of the show, as Stuart Warwick's voice definitely benefited from the brilliant acoustics the church provided.

One of the many highlights of the show was the first support band, Joseph and David. David Henshaw's voice is hypnotising, complemented beautifully by his own guitar and the trickling of Joseph Lawrenson's piano. Other than the named Joseph and David, Kieran O'Malley further added to the bittersweet atmosphere of introspection with his often mournful violin-playing.

Listen to 'Father' from their EP 'So Short Of Time' after the JUMP

In their brilliant EP 'So Short Of Time' (which you can listen to and buy on their bandcamp), there are several other musicians lending their talents, and it all builds up to a great record worth listening to over and over and over again.

Bandcamp / Facebook / Myspace / Vimeo / Twitter

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From Brunei With Love: Eda Brig - Unplugged Sessions For Pelangi FM

2011-03-28T14:45:00.003+01:00

Eda Brig (formerly The Chief Brigade) was recently invited by national Bruneian radio station Pelangi FM to do an acoustic session for them. The set consists of several of their own songs and several covers including one from The Police and another from Foo Fighters. It's a great session overall.

Check it out after the JUMP.

Unplugged sessions for Pelangi FM by Eda Brig

Facebook / Soundcloud

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From Brunei With Love: Dayfuckers - Trainwreck Blues

2011-03-28T13:24:00.003+01:00

Dayfuckers - Trainwreck Blues

This is one of several demo songs available on Bruneian four-piece Dayfuckers's Purevolume. Their music style varies from song to song, with elements of Britpop, indie pop, Southern American rock and garage rock with a tinge of grunge all contributing their influences. I wish they used something other than Purevolume though. Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing what these guys have in the near future. Maybe a studio version of these ace tracks?

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Coal Train - Carry You On My Shoulders

2011-03-28T11:30:00.002+01:00

Check out the new single, Carry You On My Shoulders, from Sunderland-based Coal Train. It's ace, isn't it? It's not often you hear about the old days of making mixtapes on, you know, actual tapes anymore.And these boys appreciate their vinyls, and appropriately, this will be released on limited edition 7" vinyls on Run Of The Mill Records.

Listen to and download second single 'Tall Ships' for free after the JUMP.

They're about to embark on a European tour involving dates in Germany and the Czech Republic, and a few dates in Sunderland and Newcastle before then. Catch them if you happen to be around. They're absolutely mint live.

Bandcamp / Facebook / Myspace / Twitter / Blogspot / Soundcloud

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Review: Tangled Hair - Apples EP

2011-03-26T14:03:00.002Z

From the ashes of Colour (two-thirds of them, to be exact) up rises Tangled Hair. This debut EP from the trio - although the demo itself definitely deserved its own full release - will undoubtedly be endlessly compared to Alan Welsh's and James Trood's former band, but after just one listen to Apples, it's clear they have definitely evolved musically and applied new influences to their new musical project, especially with the inclusion of bassist Alex Lloyd.

Read the rest of the review and listen to Campfires after the JUMP

This is math pop at its best, with dashes of jazzy influences omnipresent in Welsh's guitarwork. The vocals are ripe for gig sing-alongs, the melodies are made to dance to, and the time signatures are as unconventional as it can be before it starts becoming an incoherent mess. Intricate and unpredictable in equal measure, Apples is a gloriously-layered record. If it doesn't catch you at first try, then be patient and it will grow on you. This is an EP worth your time and effort.

Tracklist:
1) I'm Calmer Than You Are
2) Forty Winks
3) Campfire
4) Daylight #1
5) Daylight #2

The album is officially out on April 11th, but is available on iTunes now.

Bandcamp / Twitter / Tumblr

This review is also available on Musical Mathematics.

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Free Downloads: March 2011

2011-03-22T16:08:00.002Z

This edition of Free Downloads has been greatly helped by the Kytes EP competition, in which whoever gave me a link to a free song which I liked the best would win a copy of the excellent Kytes EP (review HERE). So thank you all for your submissions.

View and listen to all free downloads after the JUMP.

Beat Radio - Golden Age

This is the winning tune that won Tom Ward a free Kytes EP. This song reminds of a mellower MGMT with little hints of Local Natives. A winning tune indeed.

Nanobot - Sparticles EP

While they've taken cues from fellow Irishmen Adebisi Shank and The Cast Of Cheers, the band Nanobot have got a softer electro sound that reminds me much of Passion Pit and LCD Soundsytem.

Explosions In The Sky - Trembling Hands

To build up anticipation for the release of their new album, 'Take Care, Take Care, Take Care' in April, post-rock gods Explosions In The Sky have decided to release their single, Trembling Hands for free.

Vazquez - Vazquez EP

This self-titled EP from Vazquez is full of riffs, musicianship and swingin' tunes.

Cramm by Three Trapped Tigers

Three Trapped Tigers - Cramm

With three rather brilliant EPs under their name and a reputation to match, it's unbelievable that Three Trapped Tigers have not got an album out yet. That's about to change with debut album 'Route One Or Die'. One of the freshest, most innovative bands out there, there seems to be very little doubt that their debut album will do nothing but match the lofty expectations from fans they've built up through their very exciting live shows. Free download available here: http://threetrappedtigers.heroku.com/

Men - Everything So Far

This is basically a collection of what Men (not to be confused with MEN) has recorded so far, and most of these are ace.

Darwin & The Dinosaur - 7 In A 4

Darwin & The Dinosaur plays terrific melodic punk in the mould of Grown Ups and Millencolin.

Time Columns - Summer

If you're a fan of 65daysofstatic's brand of post-rock, math rock grooviness, then you'll no doubt love Time Columns.

Tom Ward - Libertè EP

Tom Ward's Libertè reminds me very much of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Like GCWCF, Tom Ward's EP is deeply affecting and emotional, and at its best is absolutely sublime songwriting.

Our Lost Infantry - Parkin by ourlostinfantry

Our Lost Infantry - Parkin

Our Lost Infantry is the perfect mix of folk, pop, indie and rock. For fans of Frightened Rabbit, Sky Larkin and everything else inbetween.

Under The Tree (Radio Edit) by Eda Brig

Eda Brig - Under The Tree

It's very strange to me that Eda Brig reminds me of Malaysian screamo-ers Love Me Butch. This is because their influences lie elsewhere, from the likes of jazz legend Miles Davis to rockers Foo Fighters. Yes, this is all very confusing. Maybe just give the brilliant track a listen, and it'll all make sense.

Topshelf Records Fifth Year Anniversary

See, if you click on the banner there, you're getting yourselves a bargain. Topshelf Records, who recently released Talons's all-conquering debut album out in the States, have made several releases from their excellent back-catalogue available for free to celebrate their fifth year anniversary.

Recur by Vessels

Vessels - Recur
Vessels's Helioscope is already shaping to be one of the best releases of 2011. Taking their sweet time with their second album (their last record 'White Fields and Open Devices' was released in 2008) has paid off greatly, resulting in a very tight, very impressive album with comparisons drawn towards Explosions In The Sky, Sigur Ros and 65daysofstatic. Recur is Track 4 of the album and is available to download for free.

Musical Mathematics - First Time's A Charm

Although I've recently joined the Musical Mathematics team, I can take no credit in their first debut compilation that features a mammoth 21 tracks from 21 bands. Included are the ferocious James Cleaver Quintet, the technical Tera Melos, the excellent Wot Gorilla?, and various other brilliant bands too numerous to mention.

Yeah Buddy (aint nuthin but an acapella) by MattEmery

Matt Emery - Pulled Apart By Matt Emery

This is one of the best cover records you're ever going to get. Taking a unique view yet still maintaining the essential ingredients which made the originals great, Matt Emery's collection of Pulled Apart By Horses cover is nothing short of excellent. You can read the my full review HERE and download the EP HERE.

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Track: Bearfoot Beware - Catbus

2011-03-20T00:08:00.001Z

Catbus - Unmastered by bearfootbeware

This unmastered track is a preview of the new sound Leeds band Bearfoot Beware is going for in their upcoming album No Face's Gold (coming out in April). Previously they sounded a bit like this:

Listen to The Love Life Of Trevor Bennett after the JUMP

The Love Life of Trevor Bennett by bearfootbeware

Although I do like their old sound, I'm immensely excited about what they have to offer with respect to their musical direction and line-up change. Recently they headlined the George in Leeds for the British Wildlife Festival. Expect good things from them in April.

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Review: Matt Emery - Pulled Apart By Matt Emery

2011-03-18T23:06:00.002Z

Pulled Apart By Horses are many things. They are one of the best, most entertaining live bands in Britain. They are purveyors of unpretentious, raucous, sweaty rock, and irreverently humorous, shouty vocals. They also provided us with one of the best albums of 2010. So it's perfect fodder for a piano reinterpretation then, yes?

If you choked yourself on that last bit there, then you haven't heard Matt Emery's covers of PABH's tunes on his youtube channel, and subsequently his upcoming cover EP, aptly called Pulled Apart By Matt Emery. Matt Emery covers 4 tracks by Pulled Apart By Horses, and he somehow manages to successfully incorporate the etherial, atmospheric nature of his Elysian Fields album with the furious intensity of Pulled Apart By Horses.

Read more, listen to tracks off the EP, and download the EP after the JUMP.

The record starts with 'High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive,' and with opening lyrics 'I'll make you dance with my balls on fire,' you would be forgiven in thinking that this seeming mismatch would all go horribly very quickly. But alas, as soon as the piano kicks in, everything makes sense.

High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive by MattEmery

When you're covering Pulled Apart By Horses, there's no way you can play it straight, just by definition. With this self-awareness present throughout the EP, Emery plays to the 'bodacious' lyrics to perfection, taming the seemingly untamable, and emulating the sounds of a Transylvanian pub sing-along like it's second nature to him. 'Yeah Buddy' (and its acapella sister) is the perfect encapsulation of this. With flowing notes and a voice bordering somewhere inbetween shouty and ethereal, it's probably my favourite of the flock.

'Back To The Fuck Yeah' puts the piano to the side and gets an acoustic guitar involved. This still does not detract away from the atmosphere Emery has built up, and in fact adds a welcome dimension to what is already an impressive EP. 'I Punched A Lion In The Throat' is probably the most straight-forward of the five tracks, yet it's also one of the most haunting - at least as haunting a cover of Pulled Apart By Horses can be. The otherwise absurd cries of 'I punched a lion in the throat,' 'ultimate power' and 'maximum life' here become something completely different altogether.

I Punched A Lion In The Throat by MattEmery

The final track is an acapella version of 'Yeah Buddy.' What a way to close a record. Impressive in its ambition and subsequent successful execution, it could've easily gone into cheap comedic territory, especially (again) with a track as playful as 'Yeah Buddy'. Yes, with lyrics like '800 pounds of heavy metal, yeah!', there's always going to be humorous elements, and Emery doesn't attempt to avoid it altogether. It's just refreshing to hear a cover that can be both played for laughs and also legitimately count as a beautiful piece of music.

You can also find this review on Musical Mathematics.

P.S. I also recommend that you listen to Matt's own music, especially his brilliant album, Elysian Fields. Matt has also done an acoustic session for the blog previously. Matt Emery also plays for the amazing indie powerpop band Stagecoach.

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Over and out

EDIT:

You can now download the EP HERE.

The Monopolist - At Sixes And Sevens

2011-03-14T17:35:00.005Z

The Monopolists - At Sixes And Sevens

Our favourite Strokes 'tribute' band, The Monopolists has released their new single, At Sixes And Sevens. What's captivating about this single is the fact that it shows how much The Monopolists has grown and matured as songwriters. All this while maintaining their knack for catchy, guitar-driven garage rock that comes with all the right hooks and staccato rhythms.

Download the song after the JUMP.

The Bruneian indie garage rock revival seems headed towards much success, with The Monopolists spearheading the movement.

The song is downloadable for free HERE!

You can also be a fan, follow them and download some more songs from them on Facebook / Twitter

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Competition: Free Kytes EP

2011-03-07T17:43:00.001Z

Now here's the blog's first competition ever.

I recently reviewed Kytes's new EP, and to celebrate the release of the EP next week, the band has decided to give away free downloads to a lucky few. Yesterday @JimHelixLee on Twitter won the first of the free EPs. Now you can be the second.

All you need to do is to post a link to a free download of a song you love, and the best song that I haven't heard before will be the winner. Sound good? You've got until 12.00am tomorrow (March 8th UK time) till the competition closes. You can post the link either on the Facebook page, on Twitter (reply to @mujahidjohar), or at the comments section. Please don't forget to leave your e-mail address.

Now go on and impress me with your musical knowledge!

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Review: Kytes - Ursa Major, The Great Bear

2011-03-03T23:58:00.006Z

The blog's favourite math punks are at it again. Kytes's debut two-track EP was only a taste of what these boys can do, and with new release 'Ursa Major, The Great Bear,' they completely justified the excitement that I had built up waiting for this overdue follow-up. Originally scheduled to come last October, the delayed March release made me quite concerned that it would not be worth the wait. Boy, was I wrong.

Listen to the EP and read the rest of the review after the JUMP

The record wears its influences proudly, meshing elements from Blakfish, Grown Ups and Pulled Apart By Horses seamlessly and effectively into four/five-minute math punk epics. Jangly, discordant, and angular, yet cohesive, intricate, and layered, Kytes have got themselves a winner of an EP here. Let's hope their next record won't take as long to release as this one.

[Refresh if player does not show up]

The EP is available to pre-order HERE as a limited edition physical copy (£3) or as a digital download (£2), both of which will be available on March 14th.

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Exclusive: The Xcerts Acoustic Session

2011-03-02T11:34:00.002Z

I've got another excellent acoustic session with you on the blog. This time it's with Scottish rockers, The Xcerts. I managed to catch them at the Leeds leg of their Rock Sound Tour with Dinosaur Pile-Up and Japanese Voyeurs. Enjoy the video:

The Xcerts - Carnival Time

I first saw The Xcerts at Southsea Fest 2009, a gig in which their bassist was absent because of some injury I, for the life of me, can't remember. Despite his absence, and despite not having heard The Xcerts before, I came out of that gig a fan of their brand of alt rock.

Since then I've managed to catch them live a couple of times with a complete line-up, and with every performance they seem to be getting better. Possessing anthemic rock sensibilities and melancholic, darkly subtle lyrics, The Xcerts's second album Scatterbrain came out last year to widespread critical acclaim. It also earned a spot on this blog's Top 50 Albums of 2010.

The Xcerts - Scatterbrain

Videos of their live show at The Cockpit later that night after the JUMP.

The Xcerts - Distant Memory

The Xcerts - Hurt With Me

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Exclusive: George Rae (Acoustic Session)

2011-02-23T21:53:00.002Z

George Rae - Briefly Past

This session has been sitting in my youtube channel for a while, and I never really intended for it to be an acoustic session for the blog. It was just a video between friends. George is a dear friend of mine, and this video was recorded two years after we last met.

But then I decided the songs and the performances are too beautiful to not spread the word. I don't want to throw so many praises, as I don't want to seem like I'm just hyping up my own friend. I'll just let you decide on this one.

His myspace is HERE.

Watch another video after the JUMP.

George Rae - Michael

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What's On The Stereo: Kidnapper Bell

2011-02-22T06:10:00.002Z

Kidnapper Bell - Falling and Laughing by kidnapperbell

This is my fresh sound of the day. Claiming influences from Minus The Bear, Tellison and Johnny Foreigner, Kidnapper Bell definitely hits all the right notes in my book of right notes (whatever that means).

If this is the first two singles they've released, then we can be justified in expecting bigger things from them. True to their words, the two singles sound like a hybrid between Tellison and Johnny Foreigner. This is indie pop with a dash of post-punk, mixed to perfection.

These two tracks are available on pre-order HERE as a handmade physical to be released on March 7th.

Listen to one more song after the JUMP

Kidnapper Bell - Mouthful Of Pennies by kidnapperbell

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Interview: Snævar Njáll Albertsson (Dad Rocks!, Mimas) - Big Scary Monsters, Formidable Moustaches, and Rockin' Old Men

2011-02-16T14:34:00.003Z

Snævar Njáll Albertsson is the frontman for Mimas, the self-described Death Indie band from Denmark. Boasting post-rock sensibilities yet sprawling across a dizzying variation of genres, their first album 'The Worries' combined bizzare yet brilliant lyrics with bittersweet musical dreamscapes. The second album 'Lifejackets' strayed away from the post-rock elements into math/pop/rock territory, and again exploring various genres like an indiscriminate kleptomaniac in a record store. It's a record that grins from ear to ear in the way the Cheshire Cat does; quite quirky and adorable but also slightly terrifying. He also goes under the moniker Dad Rocks!, the finger-picking, genre-bending acoustic guitarist who incorporates hip hop, dub, folk, pop and who-knows-what with the help of various accompanying instruments. His debut EP 'Digital Age' is something of a gem littered with witticisms and skilled songcraft.

This is one of the most enjoyable interviews I've done so far. I thank Snævar for kindly agreeing to be interviewed for the blog.

Read the interview after the JUMP
Linkage (I recommend Bandcamp):
Dad Rocks!: Bandcamp | Facebook | Tumblr | Twitter
Mimas: Bandcamp | Facebook | Tumblr | Twitter

As always, 'J' stands for me, and 'S' stands for Snævsy.

J: First of all, why the name Dad Rocks! and Mimas?

S: It's funny 'cause with Dad Rocks! either you love or hate the name. But I've noticed when people actually listen to the music they tend to like it more. Obviously the first thing that comes to mind is a group of 50-year old men rockin' out while playing some Led Zeppelin covers... I'm a father to two fantastic kids, and playing music and being passionate about music is an important part of me. So I really hope that some day my kids will think that I rock, but I'm aware of the risk that some day they might simply find me embarrassing. Damn kids.

With Mimas we thought the name sounded cool. It's a moon to Saturn and it looks so much like the Death Star from Star Wars!

J: 'Lifejackets' has the happier sound of your two Mimas records. Was this a conscious decision, or something that came naturally?

S: It came very naturally. I guess we just evolve very easily. If you want post-rock records listen to Mogwai. They seem to be quite happy with what they do. Not that we're not happy about The Worries. We just felt that we didn't want to repeat ourselves, as we're constantly inspired by new sounds and bands.

Mimas - La Moustache Formidable (from 'Lifejackets')

J: Were you as a band worried that Mimas was going to lose some fans of the post-rock, instrumental elements of 'The Worries'? How do you think it turned out?

S: I think we were aware that the post-rock fans out there would find the new record challenging, or maybe even bad. But we were not really worried. We love our fans, and I'm sure some of those that wanted us to do another 'The Worries' would probably understand our need to try something different. We tend to focus on the positive things though, and it seems like we've gained a lot of new fans with this record too. And wow, we've been played on the radio too. Crazy shit.

Mimas - Cats On Fire (from 'The Worries')

J: You also play as Dad Rocks! as a solo project. How is the songwriting and recording process different to what you do with Mimas? Do you get inspired by the same things as Dad Rocks! and as the frontman for Mimas?

S: There are positive things and negative things about having a solo-project. With songwriting and recording all the decisions are up to you. It's a cool thing cause you get to learn a lot about yourself as a musician, but at the same time you sometimes need band-mates' opinions. That's not really possible with a solo-project. So there are good and bad sides. Regarding inspiration I think we inspire each other a lot in Mimas. I know it sounds gay, but it's true. Ideas bounce from person to person, and it's an exciting process. With Dad Rocks! it's often some element that's outside the musical project that gets the ball rolling.

Dad Rocks! - Nothing Keeps Up

J: What is the best thing about playing as Dad Rocks!, and playing with Mimas?

S: The best thing about playing as Dad Rocks! is probably that all decisions are up to me to make. But it can easily be the worst thing as well. With Mimas it's going on tour with my best friends.

J: You did a cover EP for Big Scary Monsters (available to download for free HERE). What was the hardest song to cover? Which one did you enjoy most?

S: They were all pretty tough. The Colour (ed: RIP) song 'Chutes' is just mind-blowing technically, so I had to re-work that one a lot. Toby from Shoes and Socks Off also has a really unique way to play guitar if you ask me, so I felt that I really needed to change the whole thing, but still keep the melody intact. I might have ruined the song, but at least I gave it a try.

J: Were there any songs on the cover EP that you knew would be voted in? Any surprise inclusions/exclusions?

S: I thought that there would be a Colour song. I love Colour but all their songs are just way to complex for me, so I was kinda nervous about that one. Obvious exclusions were Adebisi Shank and Talons. How the hell would I cover them? No chance in hell dude.

Dad Rocks - Chutes (Colour cover)

J: Are there plans for a debut album by Dad Rocks! soon? What should we expect?

S: Oh yes. It's way more hi-fi than the (Digital Age) EP. I have loads of people playing different instruments on this one, so you'll have drums, upright-bass, strings, cornet, clarinet and a good handful of instruments. Lyrics are still quite weird and contain words like 'breasts', 'tits', 'burger-king', 'shit' and so on. Take a look at this video from the studio:

J: What about Mimas's third album? Will we hear another change in direction like we did from 'The Worries' to 'Lifejackets'?

S: I have no idea what will happen with the next album, we've just started jamming some stuff, so hopefully we'll have a couple of new songs in the spring. I'm excited though!

J: How does touring in the UK compare to touring in Denmark or Iceland?

S: We've never played Iceland before actually! It's on the to-do list. For us we have a better following in UK. Maybe because our debut-album was released there on Big Scary Monsters Records. Our last Mimas tour was amazing and generally we had a lot of people coming to our gigs. Our fans are really kind people!

J: Were there any bands that were an absolute joy to tour and/or play with? Any nightmare stories?

S: Aw, man. Shapes are our homeboys. They are incredible people and we love them very much. We've done a couple of tours with them. But dude, we've played with so many awesome people/bands. Mutiny On The Bounty are very good friends, also Union Sound Set, Talons, Tall Ships, Stagecoach, This Town Needs Guns, Crowns On The Rats Orchestra. It's also been amazing to support the likes of Maps & Atlases, Why?, Sunset Rubdown and Mono.

J: What made you sign to Big Scary Monsters?

S: The fact that Kev (Kevin Douch) is a really passionate person about his label and bands. He really loves the bands he puts out, and I admire the fact that he started his label at such an early age and that he's now making a living from putting out music he loves. He has given both Mimas and Dad Rocks! a really solid fan-base in the UK, and we're now a part of a really great network.

J: Describe Dad Rocks! in three words.

S: wtf

J: Describe Mimas in three words.

S: La Moustache Formidable

J: Finally, recommend us a band from Denmark/Iceland that you like.

S: One of each! Denmark: Sleep Party People. Iceland: Sin Fang

Signing out

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What's On The Stereo: Ute - The Gambler

2011-02-10T21:18:00.001Z

This is a record that's a little bit of a 'grower' for me. At first I didn't know what to make of this genre-dodging EP, but something persisted in me. Something made me listen to it on repeat several times. And how my patience has paid off.

Listen to the EP after the JUMP

Ute - The Gambler EP by alcopop

In just five songs, Ute manages to combine several influences, genres, and styles and successfully interweave elements of seemingly incompatible categories into mesmerising, often dark narratives with a bewitching soundtrack. All this would not be out of place in a Tim Burton film, as a friend of mine remarked upon hearing Ute's songs.

Released on Alcopop in early December last year, I just thought you should know, this thing's been playing on the stereo for a while now.

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Interview with The Panic: Enigmatic Songs, Panicky Members, and Problematic Lives

2011-02-01T19:30:00.008Z

Indonesian alt-rockers The Panic owe much of their sound to the likes of Radiohead and Sigur Ros, with a friend describing their sound as 'Radiohead being trapped in a forest being hunted by bears'. If I were to expand on that, I'd say something about the ambience of the woods with a pursuing malice lurking in the background, but no, I won't. I think you'll find it's not difficult to appreciate their ability to craft hauntingly beautiful, devastatingly melancholic songs that more often than not manages to bring chills down your spines.

Akis, the vocalist of The Panic have kindly agreed to do an interview for the blog.

Read the interview after the JUMP

J: Why the name The Panic?

A: Why the name The Panic? because The Panic represents our character as band. We are always going into full panic before a show begins, And then when we read the lyrics of (Radiohead's) Paranoid Android, we decided to name ourselves as such.

J: When and how was the band formed? Were all of you friends before that?

A: The band was born on 2001, but it was a different name and played Hip Metal. In 2003, we decided to move in the direction of Brit Rock, and the year after that we started using the name The Panic while moving into the genre we call Enigmatic Rock. Yeah, all the members have been my friends since I was in high school, except Agi, our drummer. He joined in 2006 and is actually a friend of the drummer before him.

The Panic - All Human Talk by thepanicindonesia

J: What are the musical and lyrical influences/inspirations for the band?

A: All the words are from and for the world

J: Is there a certain philosophy/ideology the band lives by?

A: Our philosophy is to let everyone realise that our livers are not as good as we think it is. There's many problems and together we must solve them.

J: Are you planning on recording and/or releasing an album anytime soon?

A: Yes, we will release an album this year, but we don't know if we are going to make the record ourselves. If we have the funds we will make it on our own.

J: Other than music like Radiohead and Sigur Ros, what other kinds of music do each of you listen to?

A: Hmm.... Explosion In The Sky, Muse, Rage Against The Machine, Bjork, and all good music. We're not just into dreamy shoegaze, we're into all sorts, as long as it's good.

J: What was the best memory you have had as a band?

A: I think the best thing is working together as a team, as shown by this video here. I think we always work together with smiles on our faces :)

J: What would you describe The Panic's sound as? What makes The Panic unique from other bands?

A: Our sound is a mix of rock, britpop, post-rock, shoegaze and industrial. This combination results in us having our own character, creating a new genre we call Enigmatic Rock. This is what makes us unique. We're a band from Asia, and we can make music as good and in the same class as any in Europe and America.

J: How does the band go about writing a song?

A: I write the lyrics for all the songs, but the arrangement is done as a group with the band.

J: What's the best thing about being in The Panic?

A: Be the knowing rather than the unknowing. The Panic gives me knowledge. I am just like a scientist with The Panic.

J: Do you prefer to write/record songs or perform them live?

A: Both of these things make me happy

J: What would you say the experience of seeing The Panic live would be?

A: You will shut up and think that we are made up of various awesome elements, from the song, the sound, the lyrics and the action live. You can experience a taste of that in our youtube channel.

J: Are there any plans to tour outside of Indonesia?

A: I want to. There some arrangements to tour the Philippines in progress, and we hope it will work out. I also hope you'll invite us to your place, Jay, and do a show there. Heheheh :D

J: Where do you want The Panic to be in 5 years time?

A: I want The Panic to be an internationally-known band

J: What bands from Indonesia (or Asia in general) would you recommend for anyone who likes the sound of The Panic?

A: Toe from Japan

Photos are all courtesy of the band.

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Exclusive: My First Tooth Acoustic Session In The Lady Loo

2011-01-27T01:22:00.004Z

It's not often you get an acoustic session recorded in the comforts of the mysterious ladies bathroom. But hey, that was the best-lit, noise-free environment we could manage to find in such a short amount of time.

Anyway, the band featured today is My First Tooth, who plays a delightful mix of alt-folk and indie pop that's both highly danceable and deeply emotional. It's a bit like doing the Macarena after your favourite kitten just died. Or not.

Watch the videos after the JUMP

Their album, Territories, is a folk-pop corker of an album. Go get it. Like, now. Or you can listen to it on Spotify first, if you want. HERE YOU GO.

The band has kindly (after I bribed them) agreed to play an exclusive acoustic session for the blog.

My First Tooth - The Factory

My First Tooth - Margaret Yen

In case you haven't read the first sentence and just skipped to the videos, you might have noticed that it was recorded in the ladies loo. This marks the first time I've ever recorded a session in a place originally designed for filthier things. And it turned out better than I could've expected.

You can download both songs as mp3 files here:

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New Look!

2011-01-25T16:46:00.004Z

So, what do you think of the new look?

I think it looks great. There's still a few things that need to be sorted out, like the link tabs on the side, and I'm still looking for possible fonts to use. I would really, really appreciate it if you can give me some feedback on how it looks for you. Doesn't really matter if it's positive or negative, I just want to make it look the best for everyone.

Read more after the JUMP

Examples of this is when earlier a few people complained that the font I was using was too bright and hard to read. And I agree, it was. It was a horrible choice of typography and you are free to shoot me in the head in the comforts of your own imagination. So now I've gone to a more 'conservative' and considerably more readable font/colour. Let me know how that works out for you.

The artwork for the blog is done by David Wigglesworth. I love his work, and he has definitely done a great job. I'll work on the other stuff to live up to the wonderful images that decorate my blog. Go check him out now HERE.

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Adebisi Shank - International Dreambeat

2011-01-23T22:49:00.003Z

Photo by TheJayMo

Adebisi Shank will rock you.

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Exclusive: Matt Emery Plays Ghost Dreaming And A Song With A Long Title

2011-01-21T14:17:00.006Z

Matt Emery has a different musical side to being the drummer of indie powerpop quintet Stagecoach with their quirkily fun, hilariously witty, contagiously enthusiastic tunes and live performances.

For those of you who haven't heard of Matt Emery's solo project, it's been described as 'hauntingly ethereal' and much like 'Sigur Ros scoring the piano.' Often breathtaking, always beautiful, Emery's voice interacts gracefully with the melancholic melodies of his piano. This is the soundtrack of the most vivid of your bittersweet memories.

Matt Emery has kindly agreed to perform exclusively for the blog on his acoustic guitar. Do enjoy.

Watch the videos after the JUMP

Matt Emery - Ghost Dreaming

Matt Emery - Just You And Me Stranded Out 2 Miles At Sea

You can download both performances as MP3 files here:

Here are a couple of live videos of Matt playing with his band Stagecoach recorded earlier that night at Fibbers, York, while on tour with Twin Atlantic.

Stagecoach - Hieroglyphics

Stagecoach - Headbangers' Ball

Signing 0ut

Over and out

Free Downloads Of 2011

2011-01-14T14:34:00.005Z

Come 2011, come the first installment of the year of my erratically-scheduled Free Downloads list. All downloads here are available via the excellent Bandcamp (Myspace? What the heck is that?).

Free downloads after the JUMP

Lines Across Maps - S/T EP
What if you put Blakfish, Colour and Tubelord into a blender and hoped for the best? You probably would get a very messy kitchen and a mob screaming for your blood, but you'd also get Line Across Maps. The three-piece from Lincolnshire recorded their first EP and released it in October 2010. Expect more big things from them.

Jazz Hands - The Party EP
Because I'm not feeling that creative at the moment, I'll keep at it with the band comparisons. Jazz Hands is a maths-y Grown Ups with the same amount of fun, and the EP bloody well lives up to its name.

Light Skits - Nooks And Crannies
I am feeling very mathematically musical today, hence the appearance of a third math rock band in this list. I would again compare them to other bands that I like, but I've run out of bands to compare to. I know, poor effort. But heck, since it's free, what have you got to lose?

Mother Night - Extinct Dialects
Now we go into more experimental territory. Incorporating elements of post-rock, shoegaze, math, metal and psychedelia, Extinct Dialects is an intriguing listen. Hailing from Massachusetts, USA (thank you, spellcheck), their album is available on a 'name your price' basis (and that price can be £0.00).

Exploding In Sound's Wax Unwound Compilation
This is as good a compilation as you can get for free. Featuring the likes of Pulled Apart By Horses, Sky Larkin, &U&I, Shapes and Monotonix, this is for people who likes their music with a bit of the heavy.

Darwin & The Dinosaur - The Bear
Ah, melodic punk. And a Billy Bragg cover. How can it get any better?
(Thanks to Chris from the cBox for this one)

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Down Yonder, Yonderboy

2011-01-11T15:48:00.003Z

All Bob Minor / Too Easy by Yonderboymusic

What I'm listening to right now.

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Top 10 Of '10 For Everything Else

2011-01-10T15:31:00.006Z

After top-of-the-year lists for albums and EPs, now I've brought you more lists as we come into 2011 with new hopes and ambitious plans and try to forget our crushed dreams and unresolved resolutions of 2010.

See my top 10 lists after the JUMP

Top 10 Films
I didn't see many films this year. It's probably because I find many of the films in cinemas to be mostly drivel. So I probably only watched about 20-30 films that came out this year, preferring to discover old gems, like the surreal and disturbing Eraserhead, and the excellent Fargo from the Coen Brothers. Still, 2010 was not without its fair share of brilliant cinematic moments.

1) Toy Story 3
2) Inception
3) The Social Network
4) The Kids Are All Right
5) How To Train Your Dragon
6) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
7) Kick-Ass
8) Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1
9) Get Him To The Greek
10) The Other Guys

Top 10 Gigs
2010 saw many unforgettable 'you had to be there' moments, not least the final show for much-loved Brummies, Blakfish. Les Savy Fav gave us one of the most insane performances which involved foot-rubs, crushed cellphones and a make-shift swing made with microphone cables. Rage Against The Machine was a victory party to end all victory parties, while Foals's new year's eve party closed 2010 on an extremely high note. This year is probably the best it's been for me when it came to the gigs I went to. Many of them were mindblowing, and trying to rank them all in a top 10 list seems unfair. But here you go anyway.

(c) Rhi Lee

1) Blakfish (RIP) & Friends - Final Show @ The Flapper, Birmingham (19th March)
2) Les Savy Fav @ Constellations Fest, Leeds (14th November)
3) Rage Against The Machine @ The Rage Factor, Finsbury Park (6th June)
4) Foals New Year's Eve Party @ HMV Forum, London (31st December)
5) Jimmy Eat World @ O2 Brixton Academy (23rd November)
6) Pulled Apart By Horses Album Launch @ Brudenell Social Club (19th June)
7) Crystal Castles @ Heaven, London (19th May)
8) Tubelord @ Live At Leeds Fest, The Library (1st May)
9) Vampire Weekend @ O2 Academy, Newcastle (12th February)
10) Rodrigo y Gabriela @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Academy, London (6th November)

Top 10 Brunei Musicians
This year I explored the Bruneian music scene more deeply than I've ever been, and made myself some good friends in the process. But I'll be frank, I still have a long way to go to before I can even say I know it very well. Saying that, I found myself discovering some local gems that deserve a bigger audience. It's also been more varied and creative than it's ever been. Here are ten that caught my ear.

1) Hebiimetaru
2) The Monopolists
3) The Satellite Kids
4) Adi Rani
5) A Band Once
6) D'Hask
7) Magabu & The White Shoes
8) Not Famous
9) Avantgarde
10) Jenna Human (ex-Airholes)

Top 10 Songs
This is probably the hardest category to shortlist, simply because all of us have heard thousands and thousands of songs this year. I will surely regret forgetting a few on this list, but you'll have to take this for what it is: a futile attempt to arbitrarily assign a number to musical pieces. If I were to include a section called 'honorable mentions', it would number in the hundreds.

1) Foals - Spanish Sahara
2) Daft Punk - Derezzed
3) Tall Ships - Ode To Ancestors
4) Rolo Tomassi - Kasia
5) The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
6) Grown Ups - Pears
7) Adebisi Shank - International Dreambeat
8) Elephants - Take My Breath Away
9) The James Cleaver Quintet - The Shame
10) Crystal Castles - Not In Love (Feat. Rob Smith)

Top 10 Labels
To put it simply, these are the ten labels that put out many of my favourite releases of 2010.

1) Big Scary Monsters Records
2) Brew Records
3) Alcopop Records
4) Rough Trade Records
5) Hassle Records
6) Moshi Moshi Records
7) Holy Roar
8) Transgressive Records
9) Wichita Recordings
10) Ondryland

Top 10 Things I Bought This Year
Now I'm pretty much just trying to milk this post.
1) Apple iPad
2) Samsung Galaxy S
3) made-in-china generic ukulele
4) Everything I bought from the Big Scary Monsters shop
5) Michael Azerrad's Our Band Could Be Your Life (such a good read for anyone who loves music)
6) Axe Cop t-shirt (I'm one of the first in the world - definitely first in the UK - to get it)
7) Steepletone hi-fi (now I can play my cassette tapes)
8) ...........

Fuck this, I'm making myself some hot chocolate.

Signing Out
Over and out