Jeff the Brotherhood – “U Got The Look”
Have I told you how much I love Jeff The Brotherhood yet? The Nashville-based garage rock duo hooked me with the Jeffro Tull drum set slogan, then sealed the deal with their relentless garage punk. Their LP “Heavy Days” is out now on Infinity Cat Records.
The Big Pink – “Velvet”
“A Brief History of Love” is the debut album of the UK-based electro-rock duo, The Big Pink, and it has me completely enraptured. Their sound is modern and anachronistic all at the same time – like MGMT meets My Bloody Valentine. It took me a good month to wrap my head around the combination of that and it’s enormity. Once I made it past the wall of distortion and reverb to the other side of their music – the lyrics – I fell to my knees. The impassioned plea of “Velvet”, one of my favorite tracks, particularly slays me. “These arms are mine/ Don’t matter who they hold/ So should i maybe, Just leave love alone/ You call out my name, for the love you need/ Which you won’t find in me.”
The pair will make their way to San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall on November 17. Count me in.
A little bit electro pop, a little bit 80’s synth rock, meet Lilofee. San Francisco’s answer to Ladytron, MIA and Santogold. This track, featured on my Flour + Water Mixtape, has been literally stuck in my head for weeks now. Infectious. “Hey mister, hey mister, I kissed your kid sister. Whatcha gonna do?”
The band is scheduled to play around town from now through the end of the year, including The Hemlock, El Rio and Red Devil Lounge. Check their MySpace page for specific dates.
Electric Tickle Machine – “Part of Me”
Part of me is absolutely smitten with this band from New York and their self-released debut, Blew it Again. They just look like trouble, don’t they? They sure know how to pick cover album art too. The band is touring the hell out of the US for the next two months and will hit San Francisco’s beloved Thee Parkside on November 11. Their album will soon be available on InSound, but until then you can grab these free MP3s or nab one of their limited 500 vinyl albums. Check their MySpace page for more tour dates.
I’ve been a wee bit obsessed over Ty Segall’s latest album, Lemons. He’s a San Francisco garage rock gem. Enjoy these videos and be sure to check out the album.
The Sweet Serenades – “On My Way”
Those Swedes have done it again with more infectious powerpop to get your booty moving. They’ve got the formula for catchy indie pop down cold. And this Stockholm-based duo, The Sweet Serenades, are no exception. Their new album, Balcony Cigarettes, is out now on iTunes. I’d tell ya more about the band, if I could read Swedish. So for now we’ll let their music do the talking.
Good God there are some bands I crave sometimes and The The is one of them. Can anyone compare to Matt Johnson? Why yes. After listening to the latest Thom Yorke 12 “, I was suddenly struck by the comparisons. Just listen to this track, ‘The Whisperer“, from The The’s Naked Self 2000 album (their final studio album) and tell me if you don’t hear a little Thom Yorke wailing in there.
It makes sense though. The UK band who formed in the late 70’s rose to prominence in the late 80s/early 90s with the release of Soul Mining (1983) and Dusk (1992), were quite the underground sensation. They even recruited ex-Smith’s band member Johnny Marr for a stint. So if you’re not hip to the sound, be sure and check it out. A wise man once said, ‘true happiness this way lies’.
Chad Vangaalen – “Microscopic World”
Black Mold– “Metal Spider Webs”
I must admit I have a little crush on Chad Vangaalen. It happened after I saw him play Bottom of the Hill earlier this year. I’ve always been a big fan of his eccentric and sensitive style of music. His reputation as a recluse combined with his tendency for macabre subject matter had me expecting a very dark and dour character – maybe even surly. (He named his side project Black Mold, for Christ’s sake.) Needless to say, I was completely surprised by the affable, engaging and adorably funny man that entertained us that night. It didn’t make sense, but I liked it.
I also like his tenacity for continually putting new music forth into the world. He’s the Bradford Cox of Canada. And just like Mr. Cox, he’s been very busy this year. His acclaimed album Soft Airplane is up for Canada’s esteemed Polaris Music Prize (results to be announced September 20). He’s just released a debut album for his side project Black Mold, described as his electronic alter-ego. AND he’s released a free EP of B-sides from Soft Airplane. Whew, makes me tired just reading that.
File Washed Out under ambient electro pop extraordinaire. The latest release (Life of Leisure) from the Columbia, SC-based group, loops nicely with the easy listening pleasures of The XX this week. Couple that with my latest obsession XKCD (thanks Too Much Happiness) and you’ve got yourself a another full-fledged addiction. Sigh.
Atlas Sound – “Walk A Thin Line (Fleetwood Mac Cover)”
The solo project of Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, Atlas Sound, has released a most amazing cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Walk A Thin Line”. Genius. Atlas Sound is playing The Great American Music Hall on November 3 with Broadcast. An excellent show indeed.
the OCMD 