Monthly Archives: April 2010
The Goodnight Loving Album, Tour Dates
Kind of ironic how I can’t sleep and am instead writing about a band called The Goodnight Loving, no? They play charming garage rock, tinted with quite a bit of jangle pop (rather like The Exploding Hearts, who are one the same label, Dirtnap) but also with a hefty dose of country- and folk rock. Their album The Goodnight Loving Supper Club is due July 21st and will be supported by touring upon its release on the following dates:
4/30 – Madison, WI – University Of Wisconsin “Lakeshorepalooza”
5/8 – St Paul, MN – Turf Club w/the God Damn Doo Wop Band, Pleasure Birds
6/10 – Detroit, MI – Lager House w/Useless Eater, Kommie Kilpatrick
6/12 – Ottawa, ON – Going GaGa Fest
6/16 – Cambridge, MA – The Plough & Stars
6/17 – Brooklyn, NY – Silent Barn (PopJew Presents)
6/18 – Brooklyn, NY – Bruar Falls
6/19 – Manhattan, NY – Cake Shop
6/20 – Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s w/Reigning Sound
6/26 – Milwaukee, WI – Club Garibaldi – Dusty Medical 5th Anniversary Party w/Thomas Function, France Has The Bomb, Midwest Beat
7/3 – Neenah, WI – Cranky Pat’s
7/8 – Atlanta, GA – 529
7/12 – Durham, NC – House Party
7/17 – Milwaukee, WI – Linneman’s “The Goodnight Loving Supper Club” Record Release Party
7/23 – Boise, ID – Ziesta RockNRoll Party
7/24 – Portland, OR – Slabtown “The Goodnight Loving Supper Club” Record Release Party
7/25 – Seattle, WA – Funhouse
8/1 – Las Cruces, NM – The Train Yard
8/3 – Austin, TX – Beerland
8/7 – Milwaukee, WI – Cream City Music Festival
~ “The Pan” ~
Sarasota – "The Chiller"
I wasn’t planning on posting anything today as I’m feeling a bit under the weather, but then I stumbled (tumblred?) upon this little pearl on Tumblr. Sarasota is his name and he’s made a song (and video) about having ice cream for brains. Or something to that effect. Either way its weird cheerfulness put my in a better mood so I had to spread the word. Fact is you can download his album Things Alive for free here. Oh, and you gotta love this quote made by one of his friends that’s posted on Sarasota’s tumblr: “I don’t mean to keep telling you that everything you make is creepy.”
Here’s the video for “The Chiller”, starring Sarasota himself and what I think is supposed to be an evil scoop of ice cream:
~ “The Chiller” ~
Sleigh Bells Offer "Treats"
Hey, remember when I wrote about a little known duo called Sleigh Bells? Well a lot has happened since then. They’ve racked up quite a lot of hype and are now about to put out their debut album, Treats. The cover (above) is slightly puzzling, but I guess the bizarreness of it fits with their “soft vocals against harsh electro-rock” sound. And speaking of treats, the new song “Tell ‘Em” is available for download. I wasn’t too keen on their previous one, “Crown On The Ground” but I really like this one and have high hopes for the album.
~ “Tell ‘Em” ~
Crime Waves
~ First Aid Kit – “Hard Believer” ~
Though they’re usually dubbed as folk I think this song has more elements of alt country, which for a Swedish band should be completely wrong but this is gorgeous in so, so many ways.
~ David Cronenberg’s Wife – “Sweden” ~
I might as well admit that it was their name that initially made me curious. Slightly bizarre and the lyrics are pretty much just spoken yet it manages to be a pretty catchy tune. Their song “My Best Friend’s Going Out With a Girl I Like” is also really good, check out that one as well.
~ Stornoway – “I Saw You Blink” ~
Now that spring has finally arrived (although it’s pouring down outside as I type this) it’s time to listen to some spring-like songs, and that’s what this is to me: cheerful, cute and danceable indie pop.
~ The Jezabels – “Hurt Me” ~
This one is very much on edge; it feels like every instrument is tense and on the brink of breaking, which is what I love about it. As the title (might) imply, this is not a cutesy song but pretty dark and intense.
~ Therese – “Shed My Skin” ~
Beware, euro dance! Well, it’s better than that I think. Therese tends to make pretty slick house music, which is what “Shed My Skin” is. Don’t get me wrong – it’s highly disposable but a really nice listen as long as it’s still fresh.
Alphabeat's New Mix, Video of "DJ"
Woohoo! Alphabeat are releasing “DJ”, my favorite song of their latest album The Beat Is…, as a single on May 31st. It will be a new mix though and I’m still not sure if I like it or not. Well, I mean I like it but I can’t really say that it’s an improvement from the original. The difference is subtle and that just makes me wonder why they even bothered mixing it again. Anyhow, here’s the new version accompanied by the video which is rather cute:
Mixylodian, "Make Me"
Time for a quick update on Montreal band Mixylodian. They’re about to launch a new album, Wild In Church, and are sharing the first single “Make Me” with the world. I’m not really sure how to describe it other than that it has a sort of tropical vibe to it. So a summer song then, albeit perhaps not a completely conventional one (but then my country’s idea of modern summer songs are pretty much always of the euro-techno kind so I might not be the best judge of that). The album cover makes me think of anything but summer though!
~ “Make Me” ~
Alvin Purple
When I first heard Alvin Purple’s “The Look” I immediately thought of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s back in their “Date With The Night” and “Pin” heydays. Singer Carly does sound a bit like Karen O in the beginning, with her voice slightly distorted against the backdrop of a simple bass drum, and the added growling guitar chords only confirm my initial impression. But as the song proceeds it becomes clear that Alvin Purple have a lighter and more composed sound. So no, they’re not another Yeah Yeah Yeahs copy, as their other track “Stare to Declare” has a post-rock/shoegaze feel to it with its swirling guitars and a fluid composition. It is also my favorite of the two.
With members hailing from Leeds and York, Alvin Purple formed in late 2008 and got their first break after only a few months with the demo “Dont’ Be Alarmed”, helping them land a supporting slot on a Dark Captain Light Captain’s tour. The gigs followed one another after that, helping the band develop their sound both on and off stage. While starting out rather Lo-Fi, they began to flesh out their sound with synths and drum machines, resulting in their current eclectic mixture of influences. The double A-side “The Look/Stare to Declare” is the band’s first release and is available for free via their bandcamp site (of course you can also nab them below but you can choose format at bandcamp, if that’s preferred). They hope to follow up with a second single within a few months, and then perhaps set out on a tour. So stay tuned.
The Indelicates Are Back!
British duo The Indelicates are following up their brilliant debut American Demo with sophomore album Songs For Swinging Lovers, out today via Corporate Records. The album is available as a “Pay What You Like” – that is, you pay whatever amount you want, and that includes not paying at all. However, please consider that the duo are on their own now and therefor can’t afford any lavish PR campaigns, so even the smallest amount will boost their spirits, I’m sure. Plus if you help continue to spread the word on their new album that would probably be appreciated too.
More info on the album from the official press release:
Recorded in Berlin by gifted producer Ed East (Chikinki), Songs For Swinging Lovers is a stunning, diverse and intellectually complex record that marries the band’s trademark lyrical precision and songwriting skill with a broad palette of musical styles and influences. The strains of country, Weimar cabaret, holy bible-era manics, belle epoque cafe music, Muder Ballads-era Nick cave, 90s indie and 70s sleaze can all be heard in the arrangements.
A more personal album than its predecessor, Songs For Swinging Lovers veers between the furious (Your Money, Flesh) and the reflective (Savages, Sympathy For The Devil) with detours into the metaphorically historical (We Love You, Tania) and the outright disturbing (Roses).
Buy or download Songs For Swinging Lovers for free here.
~ “Savages” ~
Between Two Waves: New Eardrums Compilation
Fellow Scandinavian music blog/label Eardrums are serving up yet another free compilation of delicious indie music, this time called Between Two Waves. Here’s some yummy copy-pasta about the project:
Between Two Waves – a free indie compilation of 38 songs on 3 volumes.
We are proud and happy to release Between Two Waves – a non-profit project from music lovers to music lovers. It is the fourth compilation project from EardrumsPop, a small net label closely related to the Eardrums music blog. We release free compilations, often with a special theme.
The main idea behind the Between Two Waves compilation is co-operation & collaboration. Bands and artists were invited and encouraged to find someone to work with and make a new song together for the compilation. The only requirement for the songs was that they had to be ”warm and melodic”. The positive attitude and genuine will to participate of all the people taking part in Between Two Waves has been the engine of the whole project.
Many of the artists who ended up making music together for Between Two Waves, have never met each other. These bands have found the same pitch through liking each others music and working together despite the distance. In miles the distance between Sweden and South-Africa or France and USA might be long, but sharing the same passion for music brings people closer to each other. Several of our projects have plans of continuing their work together, either on recordings or on concerts.
Email, internet and other electronic tools have been important for the long-distance collaborations in Between Two Waves. One of the songs went from computer to computer, musician to musician, via 5 Japanese cities before it was finished!
Also the team of four people behind Between Two Waves found each other as well through music. We all, Knut, Leena, Stefan and Tim, are from different countries with different backgrounds, but found each other and the same bandwidth through the similar music taste, and the Eardrums music blog, run by Knut.
The cover art for Between Two Waves will be made by our favourite illustrators, and at least one of the artworks will be made as collaboration between illustrators. The compilation will also include a booklet with artist biographies, interviews, poems and cartoons.
Between Two Waves is planned to be released on the 12th of April, and can be downloaded for free at eardrumspop.com.
