EPISODE 1: ONE POUND NOTE
Artist: Sleigh Bells
Song: Comeback Kid
Album: Reign Of Terror (2012) ***The return of the crazy-beat, filthy-guitar infused stylings of the twosome known as Sleigh Bells has us kicking off episode 1 of the new season. Why? Well…why not? We couldn't think of a more fitting banger to open up with, and since both Bunsen & Af' had to forfeit their ticket to the Toronto date on the current SB tour, we had to get our Sleigh Bells fix somehow.
Now, we can't say the whole album is as fantastic, but they have managed to take their signature sound and amplify it. The beats are beatier and the guitars are fuzzier.... if you can even imagine that. And an added bonus in the awesome column, is that Derek rocks an In Utero shirt in the video.
Artist: Bear in Heaven
Song: Reflection of You
Album: I Love You, It’s Cool (2012) *****
No better record to be listening to when you sleepily slide your sunglasses up between you and the blinding cold morning sunshine. If the first record was cold, dirty tail lights, the new one’s a cold, dirty rainbow. Great band keeps getting better. Back to front recommendation on both records. If this isn’t the sound of the festival circuit in 2013, then I give up.
Song: ifuckingloveyou
Album: BBDEP1 (2010) ***
ifuckingloveyou was brought to our attention after Big Black Delta was enlisted to join the current M83 tour as the 4th(?) leg opener. Great jam, Great vocal modulation, and Great synths. With only a one-man project, Jonathan Bates (the bassist for the band Mellowdrone) has said he plans to release Big Black Delta material every few months. Cool. We'll hold him to that.
Song: This Head That I Hold
Album: Electric Guest EP (2011) ****
Finding Electric Guest was worth the night-long web-slog. They have a real nice EP out right now with a DangerMouse full length called “Mondo” out in may. THEN you find out that the singer is Jorma Taccone’s (Lonely Island) brother. Electric Guest: Like Jorma with eyebrows.
Song: Burn a Miracle
Album: Anarchy My Dear (2012) ****
Now it's no secret that Bunsen is a huge Say Anything fan, so it also comes as no surprise that we'd include the first single from their new album, Anarchy My Dear. As with previous albums by these gentlemen, they've continued to grow and mature with each consecutive release, and it comes across not only in the songwriting but in their live show as well. (Bunsen was on hand to check them out at the Opera House in Toronto on their last visit. Pretty damn awesome too. ) Fans hoping for another '…is a Real Boy' may be a bit disappointed, since the angsty Max Bemis seems to be a thing of the past, but if you've grown along with the band over the years, and have loved each progressive release, then this one's for you.
Now it's no secret that Bunsen is a huge Say Anything fan, so it also comes as no surprise that we'd include the first single from their new album, Anarchy My Dear. As with previous albums by these gentlemen, they've continued to grow and mature with each consecutive release, and it comes across not only in the songwriting but in their live show as well. (Bunsen was on hand to check them out at the Opera House in Toronto on their last visit. Pretty damn awesome too. ) Fans hoping for another '…is a Real Boy' may be a bit disappointed, since the angsty Max Bemis seems to be a thing of the past, but if you've grown along with the band over the years, and have loved each progressive release, then this one's for you.
Song: Rifle’s Spiral
Album: Port of Morrow (2012) ***
Mercer IS a genius, even if he’s only let us know it on approx. 1.5 albums. (All of Wincing the Night Away and half of this one, and this half might be the best half). You'll end up hearing it – you don’t have any other choice. Also… RICHARD SWIFT IS THE NEW KEYBOARDIST?!
Song: Sparkly
Album: (Self Titled) (2012) ***
The Neon Tribes live. I don’t know anything about this band except that the three tracks I bought are great. Wikipedia, let’s see… nothing. Rest of the internet… okayyy.... New York via Australia…blah blah blah... “drawing on the psychedelic and soulful sound of modern throwback artist Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Young Magic rejuvenates and re-imagines the neo-psychedelic genre by injecting it with the ethereal feel of dream-pop artists such as the XX and Beach House” …..seriously…. fuck music journalism.
Song: Atlantic Ocean
Album: Atlantic Ocean (2009) ****
To me, Richard Swift will always be the pianist on Starflyer59’s life/game changing The Fashion Focus. This was the first thing I heard him do solo. It’s fucking great. Catchy, light, soulful, hilarious lyrics like “/I’m part of the scene / I’m part of the scene / I got the drum machine / BOOM-TAP, BOOM-TAP / BOOM-TAP, BOOM-TAP/”. Great record all the way through, and like I said before, he’s now the Shins’ keyboardist. The universe is awesome.
Song: Up On High
Album: Silent Hour / Golden Mile EP (2012) ****
When we think of Grizzly Bear, we think of Ed Droste for some reason. (“Two Weeks” is the reason). But most of Veckatimest was Daniel singing. PLUS you got all the Department of Eagles stuff. I’m starting to take him pretty seriously. He lays down a batch of songs that I would have completely accepted as new GB tracks. Hope he saved the best for last. Either way, this is a totally worthy warm up While We Wait for the Others (SONG TITLE PUNS!!!!)
Song: Everyone Knows
Album: Gone (2012) ****
This release may have gone overlooked by a lot of people since it was released the same day as that monster of a Shins record, but despite being overshadowed, this album as a whole holds its own. We weren't sure what to think when it was announced Kenny Vasoli (ex / now-back-with The Starting Line) would be the singer for this new shoegaze dream pop project. I mean, he sings pop-punk songs, doesn't he? Well, Kenny doesn't care what you think. Kenny does what Kenny wants.
After the release of their EP with the same name, a few months back, our interest was sparked, and the album did not disappoint. Full of blissed out looping piano riffs complete with Vasoli's signature vocal stylings layered over top, works wonders and will leave you feeling like you're floating in the clouds. Seems like a great summer album. On a side note, check out their website for what we think is pretty a damn original concept. http://vacationermusic.com
This release may have gone overlooked by a lot of people since it was released the same day as that monster of a Shins record, but despite being overshadowed, this album as a whole holds its own. We weren't sure what to think when it was announced Kenny Vasoli (ex / now-back-with The Starting Line) would be the singer for this new shoegaze dream pop project. I mean, he sings pop-punk songs, doesn't he? Well, Kenny doesn't care what you think. Kenny does what Kenny wants.
After the release of their EP with the same name, a few months back, our interest was sparked, and the album did not disappoint. Full of blissed out looping piano riffs complete with Vasoli's signature vocal stylings layered over top, works wonders and will leave you feeling like you're floating in the clouds. Seems like a great summer album. On a side note, check out their website for what we think is pretty a damn original concept. http://vacationermusic.com
Song: Vol Au Vent
Album: Soliloquy (2005) ****
If there were more ambient electronic records like this, there’d be no snob cast, and I’d have Mutek tickets. BUT THERE AREN’T! Album is so good I sometimes pretend that AIR made it instead of becoming awful. Irrrrrrresistable. Damn. Lotta full album recommendations.. Oh shit here comes another one.
Song: Can’t Let Anybody Know Who You Are
Album: Feel Me EP (2012) *****
First full release I bought in the new spring release season. Evan’s got a bunch of EPs out there. All great, most free. Debut LP’s in the works. That Pitchfork gave this EP a 3.3 = even better. PS: Fuck You, fucking ‘Nate’ Patrin. http://ripfork.com/2010/01/nate-patrins-review-of-gazzillion-ear-ep-by-doom/
Song: Simple Song
Album: Port Of Morrow (2012) ****
What more can be said about this album that Af' didn't already cover. Get it. That's all you need to know. Sure to be in the the top 10 releases of the year. You heard it hear first. Great video too.
What more can be said about this album that Af' didn't already cover. Get it. That's all you need to know. Sure to be in the the top 10 releases of the year. You heard it hear first. Great video too.
Song: Pariah
Album: (Self Titled) 2011 **
Sometimes you find a great track, then later you find out that it was used in MTV’s Skins and the rest of the album isn’t that great, but you love it anyway, and you put it in your podcast because you don’t watch fucking MTV’s Skins, and nobody’s going to actually hear this and realize how fucking amazing the vocal processing and performance is and go listen to the rest of the record. Then your co-host loves it and asks about the album and you have to be like “nope – kind of generic”, and then you have to change the subject and be like “Hey – isn’t MTV and MTV’s Skins the fucking worst?” Sometimes.
Song: Ataraxia
Album: (Self Titled) 2005 ****
A bit of an older album, but one that wasn't featured or talked about much when it came out. It's the debut self titled release from Deftones' frontman Chino Moreno and his other project Team Sleep. This is a must for fans of trip hop and shoe gaze and (in our opinion) for fans of the band Telefon Tel Aviv. It always seemed like Chino's vocals could fit in just about any genre and he once again proves it with the spacey sounds on this record. Great dark chill out album.
A bit of an older album, but one that wasn't featured or talked about much when it came out. It's the debut self titled release from Deftones' frontman Chino Moreno and his other project Team Sleep. This is a must for fans of trip hop and shoe gaze and (in our opinion) for fans of the band Telefon Tel Aviv. It always seemed like Chino's vocals could fit in just about any genre and he once again proves it with the spacey sounds on this record. Great dark chill out album.
