The Real Tuesday Weld - Last Words

I present to you a single-listen blog. It's always a special occasion when you hear a song for the first time and instantly feel attached to it. The feeling is one of warmth and satisfaction, but also quiet anticipation of what more could await. It's a feeling that happens far too rarely for me, so I had share it while it lasted. Sadly though, the very nature of a 'single-listen' means I can't offer much in the way of description. However I do remember the chorus having some great vocals. They had power behind them, but at the same time were soft and reserved. Check it out for yourself so I can stop mucking around actually give it another listen.

Last Words

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p.s. i can't say i'm the biggest fan of the band name...

Howling Bells - Into The Chaos

It's been well over a year since I've even thought of this band and then all of a sudden, BAM, this song comes on the radio. One round of the chanting opening riff and I was hooked. The slow, haunting vocals took over in the chorus and the Howling Bells memories came flooding back. It's been so long that all I can really remember about their last album is that it was good. With a second album on the way, the band couldn't have found a more perfect lead single than Into The Chaos. My attention is well and truly theirs.

Into The Chaos

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The Little Ones - Morning Tide

A couple of weeks back, I was reminded of a relatively unknown Californian band called The Little Ones. What were they up to I wondered. After all, they had once held a special place in my heart. They were one of just two international bands that have released an EP that I really got into. The other was Voxtrot. I'm not saying that Australian bands are the only ones capable of producing good EPs. That would be ludicrous. But with a local band, an EP holds more relevance, because you can go out and see that band live. International EPs just depress you by the fact you won't get to see them for a good few years. It's not a very sensible argument, but still, I have a tendancy to wait for an album before judging a band and getting all excited. But with The Little Ones, the lure was just too much. Their EP was a brilliant collection of pop gems that had me seeing a summery visions of The Shins. But many months went by and I forgot about them. That's why it was such a pleasant surprise to look up what they've been up to and discover that they've just released an album, called Morning Tide. I can very happily report that it takes off where the EP left off. It took me a few listens to really fall in love (when doesn't it?), but I am well and truly there now. The same, impressive consistency of their EP remains. Every song has it owns bubbly charm and has me singing along. They may not have truly outstanding tracks here, but they've got an album full of great ones. I'm yet to hear a disappointing song by this band. If you haven't heard them yet, get to it!

Morning Tide

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Sunny Day Sets Fire - Summer Palace

There are two things in life that just never seem to happen.

a) I never like an album the first time I hear it. I seem to operate on familiarity. I need to get to know the songs before I can decide whether I like them or not.

b) I never like any of the music that gets sent to me in the countless promo emails I receive. Granted, I don't actually listen to 90% of it, but I've almost given up hope. Something about being told something is good mustn't sit right.

That's why this album is so weird. I got an email, saw the word indie-pop, saw the word full stream and thought to myself "yeah, why not eh?". What ensued was one of the best first-time listens I've had in a good while. Something about Sunny Day Sets Fire's music must have been quite engaging, because it left quite an impression. I've already forgotten what it sounded like but I remember it was good! I'm avoiding the second listen, not just because I had to share this momentous occasion immediately, but also because I don't want to ruin the image. Is it really a great album or am I imagining things........

Stream it for yourself here.

Or for the downloading types, here's an mp3 for your consumption:

Brainless

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The radio aint that bad...

Finding a good radio station is quite a challenge these days. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any out there that I can rely on consistently. However, that's no reason to give up. Radio is still a great way to discover new music and today it delivered. Thanks Toby.

It Was by Animals Talking

I'm not saying this song is groundbreaking or anything like that, but hearing it played was rather refreshing. It feels light and free flowing, which gives it a sort of uplifting vibe. Animals Talking are a relatively new band out of London which I'll happily admit I know nothing about. But if this song is any indication, we might be hearing a lot more soon.

Chritsmas Chart Attack

I came across this on last.fm recently and it caught my interest. Basically they're trying to get a song into the number one spot on the Christmas charts using the collective might of indie music fans. If enough people buy it, it has the potential to rival some of the more traditional chart-toppers, ie Idol has-beens. The song in question is "Lips are Unhappy" by Lucky Soul. I've talked about the band before and considering they started their own label to release an album, becoming a DIY success story, they're quite an appropriate band to be championing.

It really isn't that relevant to me, considering it's all UK based, yet for some reason I felt compelled to get involved. I think the thought of challenging the mainstream charts, which are saturated by mass-marketed artists and fed to the unsuspecting public, is something that was just too good to resist. Besides, it is Christmas, a time when we're supposed to be give generously. What better cause than independent music? (don't answer that)

Then again, all this talk of charity is a bit inappropriate, considering it costs just 40p (less than AU$1). The track is one that comes on the album, but seeing as I never paid for it the first place, I've hardly got anything to complain about. And for those who do actually own the album, you're not completely paying for nothing as you also get an exclusive bonus track.

The best part is that it was so easy to do. Any eBayers out there with a Paypal account will be happy to know that you can have it all done in a few minutes. You don't actually get the tracks yet, as it's just a pre-order, but you get an email with a link to the tracks when they go live in late December. It will be interesting to see how this little experiment pans out. Will indie music triumph or will my 90 cents be spent in vain?

Mp3: The Towering Inferno

Click the picture above to find out more....

....Lucky Soul on Myspace

Radiohead - In Rainbows

It’s a bit late, but I’ve finally gotten around to featuring Radiohead’s latest ‘event’, i.e. the release of their 7th album, In Rainbows. I won’t go into the details of its release, because I’m sure you are more than familiar with it. Instead, I’ll just offer my opinion on two important aspects:

1) The Method
There’s no doubting that the release of this album was a spectacle, propelling the future of digital music into the spotlight. Full credit to whoever came up with the idea, I thought it was brilliant little experiment. It spread their music at phenomenal speed, slapped the big record labels in the face and best of all, made the band a fair bit of money in the process. However, despite all this, I doubt it will do much to revolutionise the way we buy music. The ‘pay what you want’ system simply isn’t practical on a larger scale. Perhaps some more big bands may give it a shot, but that’s about as far as I see it going.

The execution of it all was surprisingly well-managed. When you consider how many people would have been accessing the site at once, it’s impressive how quick and smooth the process of downloading it was. And just in case you’re wondering, I actually didn’t pay anything for it. But before you go get your pitchforks, I would like to point out that I had every intention of giving a little donation, all the way up to the point that it asked for my credit card details. But it seems I wasn’t alone in this regard with only 38% of downloaders actually paying anything for it. That's not the only factor to suggest this experiment wasn't all rosy. I also think the band abused the trust of some of their best fans. At no stage did they mention that the CD would be released separately, so many fans thought the mp3s would be all they'd get. As such, they paid a decent amount for it. If they now want the higher quality CD, they’ll have to pay again. I think an upgrade scheme would have been nice, where those who paid a certain amount were sent a free CD. Still, whatever the outcome was, I doubt I'll be forgetting about this little episode anytime soon.

2) The Sound
I suppose I should preface this by saying I don’t consider myself a Radiohead fan. Sure, I love OK Computer, but I’ve never given the other albums enough time to sink in. I have the same problem with Pavement, where I latch on to one great album (Crooked Crooked Rain) and ignore the rest. Trust me, it’s not something I’m proud of. But even with my underdeveloped viewpoint, it’s pretty clear that In Rainbows is pretty special. The power of Thom’s voice is simply incredible and from start to finish the album boldly strides into some pretty brave musical territory (and pulls it off). While I’d still say I prefer OK Computer, there’s no real need to compare them. They’re separate entities that can be enjoyed independently. It’s all the more reason to look further into this great band.

(You really shouldn't need these mp3s, but here they are anyway)

Bodysnatchers – This is the obvious ‘go-to’ track. By far the most accessible, I'd say many would agree in saying it was the first to really be liked. If you’re at a party and want a track from the new Radiohead album, it’s pretty hard to go past this.

Nude – It’s a hard to say anything about this track other than ‘wow’. As far as vocals go, it’s up there with best I’ve ever heard. The emotion is so powerful and I don’t even know what he’s saying.

Released: 31/12/07 | Website | Last.fm

The Go! Team

The Go! Team have come along way in the last 3 years. In fact, for those who aren’t aware, they have evolved from a one-man bedroom project into a collective very worthy of their name's exclamation mark. When you see this colourful, excitable bunch live on the stage, it’s hard to believe that much of their music began on one guy’s laptop, but that’s (pretty much) how it was. When Ian Parton produced the brilliant Thunder Lightning Strike, the next, not-so-logical step was to get a band together and turn the music into a live performance. Despite all the odds, they’ve done incredibly well and when I saw them last year, it was a highly memorable experience. Sure they’ve got plenty of novelties (constantly changing instruments, two drummers and a rapping lead singer named Ninja), but they’re bursting with so much playful energy that these things become huge assets. But what impresses me most is that despite undergoing such a massive transformation, they’ve somehow managed to remain true to the original spirit of the Go! Team name. It’s something that’s definitely worth commendation.

Thunder Lightning Strike (2004)

Despite my first reference to this album being about its apparent ties with the sport of skipping (or maybe because of it), Thunder Lightning Strike quickly became a favourite. It champions instrumentation without overdoing it and commands an army of samples to brilliant effect. It is music in its purest form. Not just songs, melodies or riffs, but rewarding, inspirational MUSIC. I’ve had many favourites over the years, but the song below occupies a special place in my heart after seeing it used very nicely in a ski movie during a video-editing phase of mine.

MP3: Huddle Formation

Proof Of Youth (2007)

I’ll be quite honest and say straight up that I don’t enjoy this album as much as the last, but that isn’t to say I’m not incredibly impressed by it. I expected this album to sound like it was from a completely different band and instead, I was met with more great Go! Team. The rapping element of their sound isn’t too pervasive and the instrumentation still reigns. It definitely fits in with their live sound and will continue to fuel many shows into the future. I tried to pick a song that really captures this live energy of theirs.

MP3: Doing It Right

Label | Website | Myspace

Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak

I've noticed something interesting amongst my musically minded friends. While we all have similar tastes, we each have our own little 'niche' that only we enjoy. I guess it makes sense if you think of the entire musical spectrum as a giant piece of paper and you're personal preferences as a circle that covers a certain area (I should write a thesis on this). It's unlikely you'll find people whose 'area of interest' is exactly the same as yours, but usually they'll overlap enough for you to get along. As for the areas that don't overlap, they become your guilty pleasures. It's the music you might get ridiculed for or perhaps have to keep secret. Well amongst my pretentious indie friends, my niche is mainstream music. Now I don't mean that commercial slosh kind of mainstream, but more mid-tier mainstream. The bands that got popular so you're not supposed to like them anymore. The Franz Ferdinands, Maximo Parks and White Stripes. The bands that 'esteemed' critics may frown upon while thousands of regular people enjoy them. Well in these cases, I'll happily join the masses. So what does all this have to with Good Shoes? Well, you see, they epitomise this type of music. Good Shoes are your typical British indie-rock band from head to toe. This may sound negative, but it's not because they're delivering on a successful formula. Their album is exactly what you'd expect. It's not particularly deep, but it's a heap of fun. Their music isn't revolutionary, but it's still mighty fine. They won't ever be my favourite band, but they appeal to a side of me that just wants to forget about the details of life and bop along to some energetic pop music.

Blue Eyes - There sure is a lot of songs out there about Blue Eyes. One more can't hurt can it?

Photos - Barring a little introduction, this song is the first track and really serves to get the album off to a powerful start

Released: 26/03/07 | Website | Myspace

Super Furry Animals

Super Furry Animals were part of the first post I ever unleashed unto the internet. I hadn’t really listened to them much, but a bizarre instrumental track called Oi Frango managed to catch my attention. Thankfully this led me to devote more time to their then-new album, Love Kraft, which I discovered to be equally bizarre. But in a world saturated by reused formulas, it is the bizarre who reign supreme. Their different approaches are what keeps music fresh and interesting. They add colour to our drab lives. I think this is why I’ve come to enjoy Super Furry Animals so much. They are so invigoratingly odd! For this reason, I’m not going to even bother trying to describe their sound. They come from Wales, but that probably won’t explain much more than their accents. Across their many albums, they’ve experimented with countless styles and I’m only just beginning to get to know them. 2005’s Love Kraft remains my favourite, but then again, it’s the one I’ve listened to most so who knows. They have a new one (Hey Venus!) coming out very soon and early indications are good. If you’ve never entered the land of Super Furry Animals, now is the time. Either they’re out this world or out of their minds; I’m yet to decide.

Run Away – This track comes of Hey Venus! and I must admit that I am totally and utterly consumed by it. Something about that chorus just drags me in everytime. It’s a little tame by their standards, but great nonetheless.

Lazer Beam – While it may not be my all time favourite, this song seams to epitomise their sound. It’s full of whacky sounds yet still maintains a somewhat solid structure.

Back On A Roll – This is another of the sing-along songs which they do so well. They have a knack for crafting melodies that seep into your consciousness and take control.

Label | Website | Myspace

The Harry Potter Trilogy

Now I’m not one who would normally go around proclaiming this, but there’s no denying that the Harry Potter books are pretty damn addictive. So when the latest one arrived, I was amongst the millions doing pretty much nothing but reading it. However there was a slight twist to my story…..around the same time I had acquired a heap of albums and was in the process of evaluating them. Amongst these were three albums by bands beginning with the letter S, all of which I had never heard of. This combination of unfamiliarity and similarity was posing particular problems and I could never tell them apart. To solve this dilemma, I decided to whack them all in a playlist and let them play through while I attended to the far more important task of reading my book. By the time I finished it, I would have listened to each of these albums at least 6 times, yet I felt like I was even further from getting to know them. That was, of course, until I listened to them in a different context and I discovered that, not only had they been drilled firmly into my head, but they had become intrinsically linked to the book. This was last thing I needed, at time when I was trying to shift my attention back to the real world, but it did add a bit of extra dimension to how I felt about these albums. I wouldn’t call them my favourites, but they’re all decent, with their own sounds that I’ve really come to enjoy. However, to save myself from insanity, I think I’m going to put them aside for a month or two. And so I present to you, the Harry Potter Trilogy: An enjoyable collection of new music with a title relevant only to myself.

Shapes and Sizes – Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner

This is an album of extremes. I’ve already talked about the intimacy they sometimes display, well at other times, they also venture of into fits of hyperactive lunacy. It certainly keeps things interesting, even if it can occasionally fall apart. This song has earned the spot of equal favourite, not just because it’s bursting with energy, but because it manages to stay reasonably together the whole way through.

MP3: Head Movin'


Sister Vanilla - Little Pop Rock

This band is as erratic as the last. For every moment of brilliance, they walk off the track a little too far. However, when the dust settles, it’s the good parts you remember and there are more than enough of those here. Their sound seems to hark back to some prolific movement, but I can’t think what. Whatever it is, it has an ‘epic’ feel to it. This song is particularly grabbing, I just wish they’d ended it earlier.

MP3: Jamcolas

The Sea And The Cake – Everybody

Of the three, this is probably my least favourite album. It’s also the one I’ve listened to least so I’m not sure what caused what. Either way, it is still a good album. It has a nice sense of tranquillity about it and something the other two don’t: consistency. However, this is probably also its downfall, because in the end, I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed by it. As for this song, I think they got it just right.

MP3: Crossing Line

The Thrills

As far as I’m concerned, The Thrills are to Ireland what Belle & Sebastian are to Scotland: The Best. Forget U2 or Snow Patrol, The Thrills are a band worthy of occupying the national pedestal. Their first two albums were brilliant and now with their third, they have cemented this spot at the top. If you’ve never really listened to The Thrills, you have much to discover. I’d always found their music enjoyable, however it wasn’t until I listened with good headphones that I realised how rich it was. Whether it is strings, backing vocals, piano or a multitude of other cool sounds, there’s always plenty going on. Best of all, it all combines seamlessly with the wispy lead vocals to form smooth, harmonious music. No chance for a flutter is left begging, yet every sound has a purpose. It is, quite simply, a pleasure to listen to.

So Much For The City (2003)

The release of this debut album instantly put them on the map. This is hardly surprising, considering how many big hits it had on it. The first half of it is ridiculously strong while the rest isn’t too memorable. This could just be that I like those first 5 songs so much, I never pay attention to the rest, but either way, it was hard just choosing one.

MP3: Big Sur

Let's Bottle Bohmemia (2004)

As a complete package, I probably haven’t given this album as much attention as I should have. This is largely due to the second track, “Whatever Happened To Cory Haim?” being so damn good. Every time I made a mix, or just listened to them, I would go straight to that song. However the rest of the album is actually quite good and I figured it was about time I acknowledged that.



MP3: Not For All The Love In The World

Teenager (2007)

Over the course of their career, they seem to be making less and less big hits and instead producing a constant stream of good music. This third album is the perfect example of this. It may lose the battle when it comes to picking standout songs, but as far as overall standard goes, it is excellent. It’s a fresh batch high quality Thrills music and I’m loving it.

Mp3: The Midnight Choir

Label | Website | Myspace

Lucky Soul

Listening to Lucky Soul has been a rather bizarre experience. As I go through their debut album, I find myself enjoying their melodies and singing along, but their music just doesn’t seem like my thing. For example, if I was scrolling through my ipod (read: superior equivalent), compiling a playlist, I doubt that I’d choose any of their songs. Yet at the same time, I can’t deny that they make some great music! It’s such a ridiculous contradiction that I am at loss to explain it. However, I still wanted to feature them because I am positive that there’ll be people out there who will thoroughly enjoy Lucky Soul. Their music reminds me of that 60s girl group sound, though there’s certainly some other elements, such as jazz, creeping in. The album I’ve been listening to, The Great Unwanted, is interesting because it feels more like a collection of singles than a complete piece. But I guess when those singles are good, there’s nothing really to complain about. You should check out Lucky Soul for yourself because at the moment I’m looking pretty hopeless at offering a definitive verdict.

Add Your Light To Mine Baby – This song kicks off the aforementioned album and I like it more each time I hear it. Can't get enough of those trumpets.

The Towering Inferno – Not that everything above is just a waste of space, but I think this song may just have the potential to make that playlist, just so I could hear that powerful change towards the end.

Label | Website | Myspace

Editors - An End Has A Start

It’s hard to write anything about Editors without mentioning the obvious comparisons to Interpol. They have the same dark sound, fuelled by very deep vocals. On their first album, the similarities were a little suspicious, but now that they’ve backed this up with another solid album, I think it’s fair to say that they are a significant band in their own right. While many bands try to reinvent themselves on their sophomore album, Editors have stuck to their tried and true formula and it works great. As soon as I began listening, I was reminded of the old sounds that I enjoyed so much. Yet while the sound was the same, the songs were new and it was enough to feel fresh and interesting. I’m amazed at how quickly this album has entered my consciousness. The songs are well written from start to finish and there’s plenty of variety. To put it simply, this album is a great listen. Fans of Interpol may scoff, but if so, I think you’ll be missing out on a band that will more than likely be to your tastes.

Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors – At the track one, this is the undeniable stand-out. It’s got energy, emotion and best of all, it pays out smokers.

The Racing Rats – Deep vocals and screeching guitars are of Editors specialities. This song’s got both. It’s also got piano. Mmm

Released: 25/06/07 | Website | Myspace

Electrelane - No Shouts, No Calls

That voice! Where is it coming from? Like a ghost, it passes straight through me and speaks directly to my mind. Listening to Electrelane's new album can be quite a haunting experience, but this is exactly why I enjoy it so much. Their vocals aren't going to win them any prizes in talent shows, but something about them really hits the spot for me. This is strange because this female four piece from England were once largely instrumental. Apparently they were never happy with songs they sung on, so they tended to avoid them. Whatever it was they did to fix this, I'm glad they did it. That's not to say I don't enjoy their instrumental work. Traces of their past style is present here, however it plays more of a supportive role, which works quite well. The album starts of quite intense (the tracks below are the first two) and then tends to fade away a bit. Originally I thought it was going to be one of those albums with only a couple of strong songs to support it, however the rest have really come into their own and now I'd say it's actually quite a solid effort. I find myself turning to Electrelane's soothing sound more and more often when I turn my mp3 player on. When you consider the competition it has, that's quite an achievement.

To The East - My love for their vocals probably stemmed from my first experience with them. I had just gotten their album but hadn't had time to listen to it yet. As I was coming home at some unearthly hour that night, I was listening to the radio and this song came on. I was quite taken by the subtlety with which they sang and was eager to find out who it was. I had arrived home and was literally waiting for it to be back announced before I could go to bed. When I heard it was Electrelane, I got such a warm feeling knowing I would have that album to wake up to.

The Greater Times - Sorry, no romantic anecdotes for this one. Just a plain old mp3 and an introduction that serves no purpose other than to fill some space. Hope you enjoy!

The Bees

The way I got into The Bees was rather bizarre. I was browsing through a $10 CD shop looking for some new music. I really didn't know what I wanted so I decided to pick something at random. These days I wouldn't dare do such a thing but alas, I was once ignorant. As fate would have it, I ended up picking The Bees' album "Free The Bees", simply because 'it looked good'. What brought me to this unfounded conlcusion is beyond me, but I'm thankful for it because the album turned out to be great. I'd never heard of The Bees before, but it seemed that around the exact same time I got this CD, I started hearing about their song 'Chicken Payback' everywhere. This quickly became a favourite, however seeing as I had the entire CD at my disposal, I eventually got to know the rest of the songs and discovered them to have a suprising amount of depth. They recently put out a new album 'Octopus' which continues with their highly impressive style. This sound of theirs definitely goes beyond the boundaries of any one patricular genre. It's kind of hybrid between pop, rock and ska. Basically it's colourful and a lot of fun. But while they're most renowned for their gimmicky songs, the best part about The Bees is that they follow this up with solid, more serious songs. Of course none of their music could be considered completely serious, but when you think of it as a sliding scale, you'll get what I mean. And to help you see that, here are two songs from each of their last two albums; one from each end of the scale.

Chicken Payback - Quite possibly the most hilarious song ever written. Absolutely perfect for drunken gatherings and school discos alike.

Horsemen - After hearing the song above, you'd be forgiven for thinking these came from two different bands. Its proof of their ability to make incredibly diverse music.



End Of The Street - I'm not even going to bother trying to explain this song

Love In The Harbour - This is quite nice song that has a strong country element. The album also contains a song that is steeped in disco groove. In other words it's got everything you need in life.

Website | Myspace

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

The Arctic Monkeys created a huge storm when they burst onto the scene early last year. I wasn't obsessed like some, but I would definitely have called myself a fan. I found their music fresh and exciting and welcomed the jolt they gave to the music world. Well now a year has passed, the hype has died down and it's time for the band to deliver again. No longer can they rely on the novelty of their rapid rise to success; this time, it's all about the music. I must say that I never expected it, but they actually did it. Favourite Worst Nightmare is as musically sound as their debut and all you fans out there should be over the moon. It's got energy, youth anthems, seedy underbelly tales and plenty of cynicism, but then again, that's where things go wrong. It's more the same. It's not brand new anymore. There's nothing to get excited about. Don't get me wrong, this is a great album, but I don't think it lives up to their debut, simply because it came second.

Brianstorm - One thing I've found interesting about the Arctic Monkeys is that I'm always aware of the lyrics. It's not like they're poetic or anything, but something draws my attention to them. This song was the first single and while it took me a while to get into, it's probably my favourite.

Old Yellow Bricks - I'm not sure what it is I like about this song. It could be the very structured nature, how each instrument comes in on cue, or perhaps it's just that tambourine.

Released: 23/04/07 | Aus: 21/04/07 | Website | Myspace

Field Music - Tones Of Town

I am completely baffled by this band. I had always thought they held some sort of connection to Maximo Park and Futureheads, but as began to research them, I couldn't find a shred of information that suggested it. I was just about to post about how I'd completely lost the plot when I stumbled accross a lone source confirming my suspicions. I hadn't imagined it! But while Field Music may indeed contain past and present members from those bands, their sound is completely different. For those who are unfamiliar with them, Field Music play a very experimental form of pop music. They use plenty of vocal harmonies (and disharmonies), abrupt tempo changes and wacky instruments to create a sound that is as bold as it is pleasant to listen to. Tones of Town is a definite step forward from their self-titled debut. Sure it had its moments, but ultimately it felt more like a collection of good ideas rather than actual songs. With this album they have corrected this problem and really defined their sound. I know I should stop saying this, but you should check these guys out becuase Field Music are unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Honestly!

Working To Work – I’m amazed at how bare their music sounds at times. The silent moments are almost haunting as the band proceeds to weave their minimalist pop-brilliance around them.

Place Yourself – I had no idea Field Music were capable of such conservatism. The soothingness of this song is plentiful.

Released: 13/2/07 Aus: 24/2/07 | Website | Myspace

The Fratellis

The Fratellis are the latest UK indie rock band to have their music lapped up by the masses worldwide. Their debut album, Costello Music, was released in September 2006 and huge success followed. They did iPod ads, won music awards and had their music broadcast all over the world. So why am I only just finding out about them? Why am I so out of the loop on this one? Most importantly, since when did my little sister start introducing ME to bands? The Fratellis are at the stage where I’m supposed to publicly denounce them and claim that I knew them first. Looks like I’ll just have to swallow my pride and join the crowd. Their music succeeds by being so fundamentally sound. You’ll think you’ve heard all these riffs before, but the truth is that you SHOULD have heard them before. They draw from such elementary pop principles that it’s surprising these songs weren’t thought of earlier. Sure their influences can be obvious at times, (one song is suspiciously Libertines-y) but ultimately their sound is original. I’d actually planned to just use one song of theirs, but when I returned to the album, I came to realise that the whole thing was good. I’ll probably forget about them in a month, but for the moment they’ve got my full attention. I just have a soft spot when it comes to catchy music (so much for being a hardened music critic). If you too have been ignorant, I am proud to announce that The Fratellis very much exist and their music is well worth a listen.

Flathead – Soft then loud – so obvious. Bada ba badadadada chorus – so simple. And yet I’m loving it.

For The Girl – OK so this ones a little a silly, but it’s all in good fun.

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Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future

I made a very conscious decision not too look closely at Klaxons until their debut album arrived. This was not only to avoid the plethora of singles that were due to be recycled, but also to separate myself from all the hype they were generating. They seemed to polarise opinion between those who loved their fresh new sound and those who despised their image (or as some may put it, those who hated their music and those who loved their image). But in the end their story appears to all boil down to one phrase: new rave. It’s the movement that Klaxons have been swept up in and whether they like it or not, it’s the movement that will forever define them. Centred on an electronically influenced blend of rock music, it also spawns images of trendiness, remixes and puppeteering record labels. It’s a movement that makes me sick in so many ways, but if we can just stop and appreciate the music for what it is, there’s a lot to be gained. This electro-rock combines the dancability of electronic music with the sing-along anthems of rock to create a very infectious dance floor atmosphere. We’ve been busting out to The Presets for years now but if NME wants to hail Klaxons as the pioneers of a new era then good for them; I’ll just be happy to enjoy the music. After giving their album a thorough listen, my suspicions of manufactured fame have disappeared. This is a genuinely quality album which strengths lie in its accessibility and the ease at which it gets you moving. It’s a fast paced onslaught filled with vocal harmonies and sci-fi allusions that is solid throughout. With an album as fun as this, I’m willing to give Klaxons the benefit of the doubt.

Two Receivers – I’ve always had a soft spot for falsetto vocals and this song (along with the rest of the album) is dripping with them. It opens the album and does so in style

Totem Of The Timeline – It’s a promising sign when two of the album’s best tracks (these two) are previously unreleased. It shows the band isn’t just relying on its early singles. This song falls more under the category of short, fast and straight to the point.