ULKEDOOF

The summer of '79

2009-01-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

1979 was, amongst others, the year Talking Heads recorded the ground-breaking and breath-taking Fear Of Music album with Brian Eno. One of the best known songs is Life During Wartime (as seen on Stop Making Sense) but I always really liked Electric Guitar - but you can't do that YouTube it seems.

The next best song was Here comes the Summer by the Undertones. Not covered by Moke, by the way - but still a nice song.

Also, Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division came out.

However, the year did not end there. Due to some mental arithmetic mixups I would have plugged Ash's Girl from Mars but that's on their '1977' album so I'm going to plunge straight ahead to the people who got LCD Soundsystem's panties in a bunch: Death From Above 1979.

Just drums and bass. Remove one and you get a frustrated drummer, or a frustrated bass player. A guitar player alone can pretend to be a singer-songwriter, but these guys have to stick together. And the raw energy they unleash by doing that, is, well just awesome!

They have a dearth of official videos but you can start with Pull Out. Go on with Black History Month and if you like that, just get the album!

Sadly, they released just one album but I hope that's enough to keep me going for another 30 years or so!

Late new years resolution

2009-01-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

I will make more blog posts this year than my co-bloggers in total. So far I'm winning :-)

Stay tuned for the best of 30 years ago - 1979.

Civilization

2008-09-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

Fairly recently (3 weeks, cough, cough) I went to my only festival of the year: festival deBeschaving. It was just outside of Utrecht so no hassle with tents and travel and stuff. I'll share my highlights here, I'll spare you the criticism of Pete Doherty, Kate Nash, et al.

First act we managed to catch was Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly. (Yes, the interpunction is important!) Really nice laptoppy singer-songwriter stuff. I was particularly taken by War of the Worlds and I-Spy. His throaty voice and (slightly) critical lyrics make this a worthy addition to my shortish trophy room of singer-songwriters.

Next was the Dodos. Advertised as calm, folk, not a beat too many. What we got instead was postfolk: droning on, pulsating. Brilliant! Not entirely representative but still good is this video of Fools. It's really amazing how just a guitar, drums and an occasional shout into the microphone can absorb you. Their new album, Visiter, is good but it does not catch the feel of their live show.
For me this was really the highlight of the festival, but my ears hurt a little afterward.

We enjoyed the sun, Das Pop, Kaizers Orchestra (a lot but from a distance) and Oi Va Voi after that, but the final highlight for me is definitely Slagmalsklubben (I'm missing an a with a circle above it here, I'm sure!). Weird Teletubby-influenced Swedish electro, so-lame-they're-funny ramblings between songs but still, you can't go wrong with a song like Sponsored By Destiny. Oh yeah, and some blinking lights!

The final bus back home beckoned, so no Mogwai.

Transformers

2008-07-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

I'm not writing much, I know. Sorry! My Internet is down most of the time, yadda yadda yadda. (The rest of the blog is down too, but I can't explain that away that easily!)

Robots in Disguise is, however, one band I think you should not miss out on!

The Sex Has Made Me Stupid was fabulous first time around - I could not stop listening to it. Even without the video, it's still pretty cool!

And for some strange reason I really, really, really like 'I live in Berlin' - Although my German girlfriend may have something to do with that! (She does not live in Berlin, nor is she a robot in disguise, and she's smarter than me!)

In the end, Motormark may have the final word, though! Everybody at the discotheque has made me stupid! Remember folks, Motormark let made you stupid first ;-) This version is by Stereo Total, but the original was better. Crystal Castles avant la lettre, but even more chaotic!

Maybe the next best thing!

2008-06-06T01:43:00.000-07:00

Jack (Will and Grace) on playing blackjack: "Oh, no, all that "hit me, hit me" gets me excited for all the wrong reasons."

Anyway, here's a Hit Me (more like a Hit Machine?) that gets me excited for all the wrong reasons. The biggest surprise, probably, is that they're not even Scandinavian. They're from Amsterdam!

Hit Me TV - Maybe The Dancefloor

~~P.S. See if you can find the Blokgolf Remix. It might even help you through your exams, Euro 2008, etc.~~ Here it is!

Most Boring Post! Nice music? Yes!

2008-05-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

Glasvegas is nice. They make me think of Nancy Sinatra (by way of Jarvis) and JMAC.

Here's a (sorry for the indirection) link.

Enjoy!

Daddy's gone is nice as well, maybe I like it even better. Come to think of it, it's eight years almost to the day my little brother hanged himself so there might be some symbolism in that vid.

And since these guys look like rockabillies from 1980 (check the hairdos!) I am not going to embellish this post with still pictures.

They've not got the noisyness of A Place To Bury Strangers - Willem, is that next Monday? - but they're kind of human. I like humans! For breakfast; that is.

Death Cab For Cutie's Newborn

2008-05-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

The new released album of DCFC is called ' Narrow Stairs'. There's no change of style since their last album 'Plans', but still every album of theirs is worth the attempt of listening and when the simple melodies open up, they won't leave your head. Hail to the thief, grab it!

Death Cab For Cuty - Narrow Stairs (album in mp3)

The password is: nodata.tv. If you type that in your internet browser, you'll find a very fine blog!

Veteran Swap

2008-04-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Tina in
Phil out

Now that's what I call a good trade.

Starting Point

2008-04-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday dEUS kicked-off their new tour along small venues across Europe, hawking their upcoming album Vantage Point. Doornroosje in Nijmegen had the honour of being the first of over twenty stages to be taken possession of, which shouldn’t be that much of a problem. My point of reference in this respect was the stunning performance they gave in the Aula Magna, Lisbon, Fall 2005, which is likely to be the most suitable concert location I ever visited.

I soon discovered that wasn’t really fair, for the obvious reason that at this stage the band is still entitled to some degree of imperfection. Plus, during their a two-hour (!) show I’m almost convinced they managed to play every single track of their new album. That’s the spirit!

Some points worth mentioning:

The Black Box Revelation, opening for dEUS, prooved once again that Belgians know their way around guitars.
“Slow” sounded a little… slow. Wait, make that feebly.
Mauro Pawlowski without a beard looks like John Stamos. All bearded he bears a striking resemblance to The Magic Numbers.
Mauro knows how to use his voice. Still, he should work on his facial expressions.
For us Dutchmen it is rather embarrassing and sometimes awkward when someone speaks Flemish and you don’t understand what’s being said. So Mauro, if what you meant to say was ‘thank you’, then you’re welcome.
Mauro Pawlowski is rather intriguing…

dEUS - The Architect (video)
dEUS - Instant Street (track on MySpace)

Verily, doth this cause you affront?

2008-04-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

Does it Offend You, Yeah? first got onto my musical radar because of their weird, weird name. They stayed there for a long time until they popped up, stealthily, on a bored, what-shall-we-do(wn)-now afternoon. "You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into" the album title read. Well, neither did I.

Neither did I.

At first, I - grasping at straws by now - compared them to WRM, but that didn't match up. White Rose Movement is rather awesome too (will be subject of a next post, I promise) , but DIOYY transcend the genre - if there even is one to speak of.

I would totally understand you if you had no clue what I was talking about so here's a few a clinks: We Are Rockstars, and my personal favorite Doomed Now. Doesn't come across half as well as the original but what can you do? You could download the original,wink, wink, nudge, nudge. It makes me happy!

Young, Fresh & New

2008-03-31T02:56:00.000-07:00

Der Jugend is zurück: De Jeugd van tegenwoordig – Hollereer (mp3)

Post-Postal Service-before-there-was-a-Postal Service: The Notwist – Good Lies (mp3)

80's synths and Miami Vice drums, isn't that really all you need? M83 – Kim & Jessie (mp3)

Zoot alors: Zoot Woman – live in my Head (mp3)

Hmmm, maybe there's still hope for Chinese Democracy too: Portishead – Machine Gun (mp3)

They only want you when you’re seventeen part II

2008-03-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

For some mysterious reason 'youth' seems to be a theme these days. Check MGMT's 'Kids' and 'The Youth', seventeen year-old Laura Marling who sings on Mystery Jets' 'Young Love' or M83's new album 'Saturdays=Youth'. And now Ladytron (best known for their hit 'Seventeen') have released a new single as well as Dutch electro hip-hoppers De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig ('Today's Youth').

Hollerate: De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - Hollereer (stream)

Ladytron - Black Cat (mp3)

Ladytron - Seventeen (mp3)

They only want you when you’re seventeen

2008-03-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

Laura Marling, you know, the ultra-talented seventeen year old girl with the amazing voice and the catchy folk-pop songs? She played in Paradiso in Amsterdam yesterday. Dressed in one of her bear-sized grandpa’s shirts and fresh from the blind lady next door who cut her hair she awkwardly played some songs. And she must have practiced a lot, since they sounded exactly as they sound on her (quite excellent) debut album. I guess she had to concentrate real hard to reproduce those songs so well because she kept looking at her shoes or her microphone. Well done, Laura!

Afterwards I had a couple of drinks with some seventeen-something girls (and no it wasn’t like that at all) who knew what being seventeen is all about. Hot fashion, juicy gossip (‘you know Chris and Janine…well, they totally did it!’), bitchfights (“bitter is not a good color on you honey”) and even throwing drinks in someone's face (I thought that only happened on tv). Suffice it to say; I prefer my seventeen year-old girls that way.

Laura Marling – Ghosts (mp3)

Mystery Jets – Young Love (featuring Laura Marling) (mp3)

Be Your Own Pet is Still Rock'n'Roll

2008-03-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

...Although they've grown past majority now.

Or should that be: even though they've grown up, they're still rock'n'roll?

After this, rather gothy, video you could expect the worst. Teenage girls in nurse uniforms, how emo can you get (the background in the pic doesn't count, that's just a club in Austin)? Well, cousin Jemina (not Aunt, although she's from Tennessee) still has got a voice like you wouldn't believe - raw, guttural, sexy - and the band serves her really well. On stage, she's a raging vixen, shaking her stuff like Iggy has reincarnated even if he has not died yet. (He Should, BTW)

I was overjoyed to see that BYOP had a new album out (source of the first video) and I like it even better than their previous effort. I guess you get better when you get older, up to a certain age. One song hypemachine/youtube has not picked up on yet, but which to me really exemplifies the raw strength of BYOP can be found here. 100 downloads only!

This one is rather funny as well.

Red

2008-03-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

Today, on the fifth day of spring, Guillemots are finally releasing their long-awaited follow-up album Red. I will not bore you with another exhausting allegorial representation of the album - I trust a short yet indisputable must-buy recommendation will do.

Eclectic, sophisticated, stupefying, sometimes bombastic, but with every element deliberately chosen.

Adrian Crowley RULES

2008-03-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

Do you like (Smog)? Do you like Nick Drake? Do you like Bonnie Prince Billy? Well, you might like Adrian Crowley

High Fidelity Records wrote a beautiful review about Adrian Crowley. His record 'Long Distance Swimmer' has been turned grey on my Ipod in the last weeks and it's fantastic if you like the names of the artists mentioned above. Download 'Harmony Row' on the right side of this page (under 'weekly obsessions') and if you like it, you can get the whole album at High Fidelity Records.

Asthmatic Kitty Releases Free Video Game Compilation!

2008-03-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

The label of a.o. Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond and Castanets releases a compilation of songs to play during the independant videogame 'AutoSurf'. The music is influencing the speed of the game, so it's really interactive. The fine eclectro is made by some artists of the label and a lot of friends. Some songs are exclusively released on this compilation. Also when you're not playing videogames, the music is nice to listen and free to download!

Asthmatic Kitty - Music for videogames v.1 [album]

PC, Hi-IQ Niggers and Teenage Pregnancy

2008-03-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen Juno yet, go do so. Now. Not only is the movie nice (nice enough to make me cry, 2 out of two times I've seen it - whereas Contact only managed 66.65% :)

But the soundtrack... Man that snipped my bellbottows off with a boxcutter (*)! The indie tracks are very high quality - two Belle&Sebastian tracks! Sonic Youth/The Carpenters actually featuring - as in being talked about - in a movie! Cat Power! - The Kinks (selling point for your parents (unless you're preggers I guess)). Best thing, the original tracks are really catchy too, I kept whistling them walking home for days. Why didn't they get an Oscar?

Connecting nicely into the (major spoiler! ?) upper class babies, here's a very good track by Cadence Weapon: "Tattoos and What They Really Feel Like". Sounds gangsta, but it's not!

His new record "Afterparty Babies" is out now on Canada's upperclass records. I'm listening to it right now and it's very, very good. Cool beats and very cool rhymes without the "Look at me I'm a white guy from Nova Scotia" Buck 65 routine :) To be sure, they both suffer from excessive name-drop-ism but when you're namedropping Ian Curtis/Frida Kahlo I guess you are allowed some leeway.

Here's another nice Cadence Weapon video on YouTube: "Sharks". That one's a bit older, though.
Finally, here's a really booming track: House Music

Full disclosure: I am a big fan of CWs labelmate The Russian Futurists. I read their promotional emails. I really look forward to TRF's next album ;-) Finally: I downloaded CW's latest from bitTorrent, but will go see him as the pre/post-show of The Russian Futurists!

(*) = I stole that too from Cadence Weapon. He's just got too many good lines!

Go pique yourself

2008-03-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

dEUS will release a new album in april. And if that fact alone isn't enough to pique your curiousity how about the guest vocals from Lies Lorquet from Mitzkov, Guy Garvey from Elbow and Karin Dreijer Andersson from The Knife? Still not piqued enoug? There are not one but two singles. 'The Architect' for Belgium and 'Slow' (featuring Karin Dreijer Andersson) for the UK, Scandinavia and The Netherlands. Need some more Piqueing? How about the video for Slow? If you still need more you can just go...

dEUS - The Architekt (mp3)

dEUS - Slow (featuring Karin Dreijer Andersson from The Knife) (video)

Three String Transpose

2008-03-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

Canada! Whooo! (Yeah!)

Now that we've got that out of the way, let me tell you what I thought about last Monday's concert by Islands and We are Wolves.

I'd seen both of them before, both at Dour 2006. The difference was that I saw Islands from the back of a chock-filled tent and WaW pretty close-up. That time, Islands was all dressed in white and you couldn't really hear the songs. But - they must have been pretty good otherwise the tent collectively would have buggered off to get french fries or beer. They didn't bring the pretty violin girl along this time, but they had two Japanese guys (I guess they had them 2 years ago, but I didn't notice) so that was about even. Musically, they were interesting enough to listen to, a great way to spend a pre-show, but nothing more. Come on, a 6-piece band should be able to give a nice show!

Less is better.

It was turning kind of late on a regular Monday night, but who needs to go to sleep on a regular Monday night when you've got three guys - one with a bass, one with a drum kit and one with a synth & drumcomputer? Everybody who has got a job, that's who!

They started off with "Walk Away" but then the main bass string broke. That was a good thing, because they were just about loud in a good way. The roadie tried to repair it, didn't work, so then Alexander (if wikipedia is correct) transposed the songs down into three strings. That, on the other hand did work! The show was not as gut-wrenching deep down as you'd want, but my hearing aid will thank you for it later on.

I will not moan about the songs I like that I think that they should have played (I Wrote Your Name On My Kite), but here's a new We Are Wolves song I reallly like (and the video is great too!), Psychic Kids: http://youtube.com/watch?v=8fE4XMxz-NY

It has also got stop-motion IKEA furniture, Britney could use more of that!

Ah yeah, one more thing to mention: they didn't only play the new album but also the oldies - as far as you can speak of that! And yes, that includes Little Romeo and Little Birds!

As I am writing this, The Russian Futurists has posted completion of his next album, so I can obsess over a new Canadian band for the next two months!! :-)

MGMT live = barren

2008-03-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

Kylie Minogue without 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head'. Hot Chip without 'Over and Over'. Justin Timberlake without 'Rock Your Body'. Feist without 'Mushaboom'. Whitney Houston without 'I Will Always Love You'. The Postal Service without 'Such Great Heights'. Sinead O'Connor without 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. The White Stripes without 'Seven Nation Army'. Fischerspooner without 'Emerge'. New Order without 'Blue Monday'...no wait, Joy Division without 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. Nirvana without 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. The Knife without 'Heartbeats'. Annie without 'Heartbeat'. MGMT without 'Kids'.

Jens Lekman And The Kalimba

2008-03-05T01:36:00.001-08:00

Last week Jens Lekman played two shows in Holland and they were fantastic! Though some horns, keys and guitars came out of a laptop, it was really enchanting. In his band there was a cello player and Marla Hansen played the violin and she did it wonderfully (check here some vids of her with Inlets). Still the most intimate moments were the most impressing to me. Jens solo with his guitar or with a Kalimba. That is an african instrument and in the hands of Jens it sounds really cool. It has a bell-like tone with beautiful overtones en limited possibilities. Someone somewhere posted an album with Jens' live Kalimba songs. You can download it here to check it yourself!

Download: Jens Lekman - Songs On The Kalimba (album)

Volkoren Exists 5 Years!

2008-03-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Some recordlabels are a sign for good music. The dutch label "Volkoren" (named after a very Dutch kind of bread), is such a label. Under their hood they have beautiful alt.country/quiet pop/folktronica bands like 'At The Close Of Every Day', 'Brown Feather Sparrow', 'Ponoka' and 'Anderson'. Internationally they have good distribution deals, making their music available in the United States, Spain, Japan and other cool places. The label exists 5 years, which means an anniversary party in Hedon, Zwolle, the Netherlands...

Vacuuming Asteroids and Venn Diagrams

2008-02-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

This was shown on MTV back in 1995. What I would give to see something like that nowadays!

Although this is even cheesier!

Which of the two videos is better? Which of the two bands do you like better? Discuss.

Lamspshade Singer Goes Solo and 80's!

2008-02-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

The female singer of the danish indie/new wave/postrock/noise band Lampshade has heard her solocarrier calling. The project's called asinrebekkamaria and the music is very 80's, as in dancable and dirty. Her beautiful voice always touches hearts and this time it will also touch your feet.
Check her myspace if you like good electro of if you can't wait for the third album of Lampshade!

How Terribly Strange To Be Seventy, part I

2008-02-16T04:31:00.000-08:00

Why is all (well, almost all) pop music about being young and sad or young and partying? Seems a bit superficial to me and, on a more universally individual note, quickly dated. What if you find your love (or money, or ..., depends on what you're running low on), or the party's over, ah, what then? How Terribly Strange To Be Seventy will be the list to show you 'what then': a collection of beautiful songs loosely based on the 'old age' theme. Please add to this list!

The first one is 'Old Friends' and 'Bookends Theme' by Simon & Garfunkel, from which the title of this post is derived. Notable detail: it is said that Art Garfunkel himself is now 67, almost there..

Old Friends

Old friends, old friends sat on their parkbench like bookends
A newspaper blowin' through the grass
Falls on the round toes of the high shoes of the old friends

Old friends, winter companions, the old men
Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sun
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settles like dust on the shoulders of the old friends

Can you imagine us years from today,
sharing a parkbench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
silently sharing the same fears

Bookends Theme

Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories; They're all that's left you

Hot Chip

2008-02-13T01:03:00.000-08:00

All bloglove and hyperbole aside, the new Hot Chip is actually very good. To be honest, I wasn't really expecting it to be that good. Thanks for dissapointing me though.

By the way; is it me or is anyone else also hearing a bit of Dan Deaconism in some of the new songs?

No. 1 guys: Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (mp3)

Not so danceable, not not so great: Hot Chip - One Pure Thought (mp3)

A remix of a bonus track that's a cover: Tracy Thorn - Kings Cross (Pet Shop Boys cover) (Hot Chip Remix) (mp3)

This is one of their more interesting remixes: Caribou - She's The One (Hot Chip Remix) (mp3)

Kevin Barnes's management

2008-02-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

As a devoted follower of everything produced, touched or even mentioned by Of Montreal, I recently put my hands on MGMT, formerly known as The Management. In 2005 this group, consisting of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden (I guess both of Dutch descent?) went on a tour with His Royal Godness Kevin Barnes And The Band, which I cannot imagine having done any harm to their music.

Having peddled their Time To Pretend EP for three years, nowadays they're definitely for real.

MGMT's debut album was released January 22nd and it's definitely the first release of 2008 I'm really, really excited about. Think Of Montreal, add some eighties panache and maybe even a little Broken Social Scene.

MGMT - The Youth (mp3)

MGMT - Time To Pretend (video)

Guillemots return

2008-02-06T07:21:00.000-08:00

After the release of their most recent single Annie, Let's Not Wait in January last year, and the following months of touring during last summer, Guillemots migrated south. Or north, I'm not quite sure, since they're literally from all over the world. Whatever they did, they most certainly did not hibernate.

Their new clutch contains eleven eggs, two of which have already hatched! Get Over It, the first little offspring to fly out in the UK on March 17, and Kriss Kross, placed for adoption right here!

The remaining little brothers and sisters are expected to fly off on March 24. Let's hope these eggs are just as well fertilized as those of the aforementioned early birds!

Nine times more!

2008-02-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite records in 2005 (and 2006) was Swedish indie pop band Love is All's 'Nine Times That Same Song'. Jumpy rhythms, chaotic saxophones and charmingly energetic vocals by the charismatic lead singer Josephine. It took some time before the record caught on and recently they released a remix album to simmer down the angry mobs demanding a new album (which was gasoline on the flames for some since the remix album wasnt very good). But the follow-up seems to be in sight, rough drafts of new songs are streaming on their myspace! If you ever get the chance, go see them live, trust me, you'll thank me for it.

Of Montreal - Make Out, Fall Out, Make Up (Love Is All cover) (mp3)

Love Is All - Felt Tip (Hot Chip Remix) (myspace)

Love Is All - Busy Doing Nothing (myspace)

Sufjan Stevens rare B-Sides And (live) Tracks/Hidden Treasures

2008-02-03T03:17:00.000-08:00

Treasures are not to be hidden in the ground, they are there to be found. Just like some beautiful songs of the great and holy Sufjan Stevens. I won't spend too much words, because these songs speak for themselves. You can download these special tracks all at once, here in this zipfile:
- Adlai Stevenson (alternate version)
- All Delighted People
- Borderline
- Bushwick Junkie
- Chicago (acoustic version)
- Damascus
- God’ll Never Let You Down
- How Can That Stone Remain?
- I Can’t Even Lift My Head
- Jupiter Bad June (Live)
- Many Guides (Live)
- Niagara Falls
- Opie’s Funeral Song
- Pickerel Lake
- The First Full Moon
- The Friendly Beasts
- The Lord God Bird
- Variation on Commemorative Transfiguration and Communion at Magruder Park
- Wolverine
- Woman At The Well
- The Brooklyn Queens Expressway 3 (Live on WYNC)
- The Brooklyn Queens Expressway 6 (Live on WYNC)
The last two tracks are live versions of music Sufjan made for a film (yes, he can do everything)!

In this zipfile are some great covers Sufjan did:
- Free man in Paris (Joni Mitchell cover)
- Lakes of Canada (The Innocense Mission cover)
- Ring Them Bells (Bob Dylan cover)
- She is (Tim Buckley cover)
- The One I Love (REM cover)
- What Goes On (Beatles cover)

(With thanks to The World Forgot for some of the tracks, great blog by the way)

Review new We Are Wolves: Total Magique

2008-01-24T17:11:00.000-08:00

Theoretically you should have read the review of the first We are Wolves album for this.

You didn't as I didn't write it.

Good!

This album is even better than their first one!

Why is this one better than the last one:? (in no particular order)
0) They're from Canada. [ no points, last one did also]

1) Less French, as that's always hard to understand. [ hard to check ]

2) It rocks more! [subjective]

3) Being Dutch, I got a soft spot for "I wrote my name on your Kite" (Andre Hazes and all that!)

4) They're coming to Utrecht (3rd March) as the preshow of Islands. [ yay!]

5) You have got to love a song name "Teenage, Bats, Anthropology" (at least, I do) [subjective]

6) Sounds more like Monster Magnet! Without going totally metal. Nobody remembers Monster Magnet anymore, but I still like my Negasonic Teenage Warhead! Whatever the guy was called, he wore a Jesus jacket in 1992... [ applies only only for ulkedovers < 98 ish]

7) OK, I'm straight outta reasons here - I could go on for ages about White Rose Movement or whatever, but I won't. Why oh why didn't no-one pick up on WRM?
[7a]: They're too brilliant!

I'll Pitch a Fork at you Personally, godd*mn you!

2008-01-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

It's a strange experience when you get music input from your old folks. My mom, before she died, used to like Morrissey, Sisters of Mercy and Ian C. a lot; my dad was a regular Beatles and Stones junkie (as you can expect!). Oh yeah, and Wagner. FYI: the last record they bought together was 'Fear of Music' by the Talking Heads.

Well, I was young too. Didn't like the Beatles - my parents liked them. Didn't like the Stones - on the radio too much.To my mind, that left two choices:
- go psych = Pink Floyd
- go real rock = The Who

For what it's worth, I liked both about equally (I went with the Who on princincple).

Oh, and I forgot about the Beach Boys. [And Jan and Dean, but that's another matter, as that's not really music!]

Boy, did I ever make a mistake! It turns out I like the close, cloying harmonies attributed to the Beach Boys more than the well-composed sing-alongs of the Beatles or the proto-heavy-metal of the Stones. Also, I don't do drugs and I'm not one for fighting on the beach in leather jackets.

So where did that leave me?

In 1 band: The Russian Futurists.

In 2 bands: TRF and Panda Bear. You know, the guy from the Animal Collective.

Person Pitch by Panda Bear is really quite amazing! At first it sounds like your Beach Boys tape is running badly in your tape recorder, then you pay attention to something else and it sounds like someone's mumbling in the background, and THEN you start paying attention properly.

It is all and yet none of the above - it's not "Californication/-a Girls", it's also not the "Let's dance to Joy Division/She 's Lost Control" dichotomy, not the Beatles versus Devendra Banhart, it's more like "Zen and The Art of Motor Cycle Maintenance"/"Even Cowgirls get the Blues" and it's not even like that!- it's what you make out of it!

(I make a happy clap- and sing-along out of it!)

Listen to "Take Pills", as that is the best 'capsule' intro I can find; the speedup at 2:30-ish may well be the most brilliant invention in music ever. God, I can keep bouncing around like a Teletubby on speed on this record. Let's push publish....

Anticipation

2008-01-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Are you as excited as I am? There are quite a lot of interesting records that will (if all goes well) be released in 2008.

Like the Swedish band The Radio Dept., who proved that there’s only one step between My Bloody Valentine (who will quite possibly also release a new record this year) and The Pet Shop Boys. In 2006 they released 'Pet Grief' which has grown to be one of my favorite records.

We’ve all been waiting even longer for a new record from Norway’s Kings of Convenience. Erlend says that if we’re all really sweet and do our chores than 2008 might just see a follow-up to 2004’s (!) 'Riot on an Empty Street'.

Belgium’s pride (Soulwax is the other pride) dEUS will release a new album on april 21 which will feature a duet with Karin from The Knife (got your attention now, don’t I?).

April 15 will see the release of M83’s new record Saturdays = Youth. No ambient stuff there, that will be saved for the Digital Shades releases. M83 have gotten help from Ken Thomas and Ewan Pearson (who did an incredible job on Tracy Thorn’s latest record) on this one.

Elbow is also readying their 4^th album. A new track ‘The Bones of You’ is up for preview at their site.

I have a hard time deciding who is my favorite Canadian BSS-chick. Amy Millan (of Stars) released a crappy solo-album and is officially out of the race. It’s now between indie’s first lady Feist and Metric’s Emily Haines. June 23 should see new work by Metric, maybe that will be decisive.

First up is a remix for everyone’s favorite Italo-girl Sally Shapiro (I feel a remix album coming up) but after that Junior Boys should finish the follow-up to their critically acclaimed album This is Goodbye (which was a follow-up to their also critically acclaimed Last Exit). Hey, Jeremy, Johhny, why the hell are you reading this, get to work!

I guess their finally done with all their side-projects since a new Wolf Parade album should be available to us by june. As good as all those side-projects were (Sunset Rubdown, Swan Lake, Handsome Furs) Wolf Parade still feels like the ‘main’ project. Hope they’ll be able to keep that feeling.

Just catching up to 2005...

2008-01-24T14:52:00.000-08:00

Since 2008 is sooo 2007 (so far), here's a list of albums I wished I'd listened to more in 2006, even though they came out in 2005. Linking to relevant links is left as exercise to the reader (or Choquolage :)

10. We Are Wolves - Non-Stop Je Te Plie En Deux. Just brilliant. It's a mix of electro-pop and Monster Magnet. Note to self: must write review of their new record! Okay, I'm cheating - I just got this in 2007.

9. Wir Sind Helden - Von Hier An Blind. Fitba? Que'st que ce que ca?

8. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us. You can never be too paranoid.

7. Modeselektor - Hello Mom! Three years on, this will stiil make you bounce around like a very bouncing ball indeed.

6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - S/T. Key track: Upon A Tidal Wave Of Young Blood.

5. Put something you like here, and keep the rest unchanged, hmm?

4. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment. Huh, what's this one doing here? Well, this might be the one record that got me out of my old listeninng habits - pop question: in January 2006, when faced with the question between completing your backcatalogue of Eels and this, what do you do? Answer: both!

3. Tom McRae - All Maps Welcome. The Bishop of Mope might be close to a promotion to
Archbishop. (He's blown it with his next record, though; though it's still nice!)

2. The Russian Futurists - Our Thickness. Mumblin' stumblin' over all the words I'm wordin' it must be the Bourbon, I should stop now otherwise I'm going to mention Panda Bear (and that's definitely a 2007 record, oooh boy)

1. Metric - Live It Out. Because of this record, I traveled to Cologne and London, where in the day-before-the-actual-show I got to know Buck 65 and Holy Fuck! And it never gets old!

At The Finish Of Every Record

2008-01-21T12:59:00.000-08:00

At The Close Of Every Day will release a new record in spring 2008, called 'troostprijs' (consolation prize). While the title is in Dutch, the lyrics will be in English. The record is already mixed and finished and in the youtube link below you can see a video of the hard labour of making an intimate slow-and-steady-wins-the-race- contemplative indie record with a beautiful package. During the video you can listen to the song 'I need to break your hearth' of the forthcoming album. Check!

At The Close Of Every Day - the making of 'troostprijs' (youtube video)

And that's how people grow down

2008-01-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

Morrissey is releasing a greatest hits album with two new tracks. One of them's called 'That's How People Grow Up' and it's...well, it's no 'Irish Blood, English Heart' and it's no 'You have Killed Me'. It sounds a bit...bleh to me. Later this year will see a completely new album though, we'll see if he still has it then.

Morrissey - That's How People Grow Up (mp3)

Well, do you?

2008-01-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

I had listened to British Sea Power’s second album ‘Open Season’ quite a lot in 2005. It’s a melancholic ‘old-school’ indie album. Now they've returned with an album that asks the rethorical question ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’. If your answer’s negative you had better stay the hell away from this album, because rock is what it is! If your looking for subtlety just find yourself an old Dire Straiths LP somewhere. If you’re not, listen to BSP’s epic new single.

British Sea Power – Waving Flags (mp3)

Xiu Xiu

2008-01-09T05:02:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of love for Xiu Xiu. I think I love them as much as I hate trying to describe their music. Xiu Xiu is Jamie Stewart and his cousin Caralee McElroy with percussionist Ches Smith. That was the easy part, now comes the hard part.
The best way to describe their music is perhaps 'experimental indie' but that's not really a description at all. Sometimes it's noise, but some tracks are just sparse percussion with spoken word (or whispered word). Some tracks might be folky and accoustic while others might be full-on electronic guitar and dissonant beats. Vocals can be raw pasionate and often scary screams but could also be disturbingly desperate whispers or a even a misleadingly sweet girl.
Having said all that Xiu Xiu does have a clear and unique sound and feel (dark and disturbing).

Just give them a listen (if you have the heart that is). Their new album is now streaming here but will only be there untill januari 10.

One of their 'easier' songs with a great video: Xiu Xiu - Boy Soprano (video)

New Order cover: Xiu Xiu - Ceremony (mp3)

New single: Xiu Xiu - I Do What I Want, When I Want (mp3)

Lovely to Spree you? Strict Aerial machine?

2008-01-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

Ride a White Hound of Love? Ooh La La La La? Black Cherrybush? Together We're Utopia? Okay, I'll stop now.

But who could've thought that a Goldfrapp record could sound so much like The Polyphonic Spree with vocals by Kate Bush? The new Goldfrapp album 'Seventh Tree' basically sounds like a cross between Polyphonic Spree's 'Together We're Heavy' and Kate Bush's 'Aerial'. Not really sure yet if that's a good thing though. I'll let you know. Or you let me know. The new record is out in february.

Could be on Kate's 'Aerial': Goldfrapp - Clowns (mp3)

Could be on The Polyphonic's 'Together We're Heavy': Goldfrapp - Happiness (mp3)

With a Wit Woo

2008-01-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

I remember toothpaste kisses being horribly contrived, but then again that may have had something to do with my very first Bacardi Breezers I had that same night and the fact that it all took place in a tent.

Well. Toothpaste Kisses anno 2008. It's from The Maccabees and they can pull it off.

2007: Best 10 albums

2007-12-27T02:07:00.000-08:00

Since compromise is sooo 2007 (we're already way into 2008) we'll just post the different posters top 10's seperately:

Choquolage:

1. Feist - The Reminder
2. BSS Presents Kevin Drew - Spirit If…
3. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
4. The Besnard Lakes - Are the Dark Horse
5. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
6. Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War
7. Low - Drums & Guns
8. Apparat - Walls
9. St. Vincent - Marry me
10. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Konditorei:

1. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
2. Low - Drums and Guns
3. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog
4. Radiohead - In Rainbows
5. Tunng - Good Arrows
6. Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
7. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
8. Mice Parade - Mice Parade
9. Neonbelle - In A Cabin With...Neonbelle
10. The Kissaway Trail - The Kissaway Trail

Melvinbloodyhand:

1. The National - Boxer
2. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
3. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
4. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
5. Phosphorescent - Pride
6. Radiohead - In Rainbows
7. Sleeping States - There The Open Spaces
8. Akron/Family - Love Is Simple
9. Kemialiiset Ystävät - Untitled
10. Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall, 1971

Ruben:

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. The Mary Onettes - The Mary Onettes
3. Film School - Hideout
4. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
5. The National - Boxer
6. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
7. A Place To Bury Strangers - A Place To Bury Strangers
8. Maps - We Can Create
9. Band of Horses - Cease To Begin
10. Low - Drums & Guns

WorthyNonsense:

1. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
2. Maxïmo Park - Our Earthly Pleasures
3. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
4. Säkert! - Säkert!
5. Pop Levi - The Return To Form Black Magick Party
6. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
7. Babyshambles - Shotter's Nation
8. Feist - The Reminder
9. The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns
10. The Rumble Strips - Girls And Weather

Jetzt hat Abfahrt im Gleis 3...

2007-12-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

As the year is nearly over, I thought it would be nice to pay attention to a country which is not Canada or Sweden. As the nicest Kulturell-thematierten Abenden I've had (the Canadian was a bit of a let down) was a German one, and for various personal reasons :-), the country of choice is Germany. I'll keep it slightly on topic and will not talk about the second world war.

Let's start with an artist who kind of needs the attention: Bodo Boson - I think he's also in a grindcore band and a "normal" band but I like this style best so far. I've got it straight from the horse's mouth that there will be an album this spring!

After the World Cup in 2006 there was not a single person in the Netherlands who could not, at the least, hum along to 'Wenn es Passiert' (video). But I like Denkmal a lot better, as it involves smashing things with hammers.

One of my favourite concerts letztens Jahres gab's in Paradiso - Mediengruppe Telekommander! It was at the end of a German-themed evening (see above); I'd seen them before but this knocked my socks off! After a change-over-Pausen the German Beastie Boys (they don't like the title, but they are) came back in komplette Daft-Punk outfitts to play Bis Zum Erbrechen Schreien (video/audio).

Daft Punk brings me nicely to the last German band I want to mention - the Knark Relloem Trinity. Here's hoping 2008 brings a lot of good stuff to you all, and a cover of Knarf Rellom Trinity ist playing at my house by Daft Punk!

One last: Element of Crime - you don't know this band but it's as good as Jacques Brel; nur auf Deutsch...

11 best shows of 2007

2007-12-24T02:29:00.000-08:00

Yes puny humans, cheer for us!
I would like to use this 100th post (!) to congratulate ourselves. And to continue the listing. If it wasn't for the surprise act of the year the number one of this list would be the act I posted about first.

I've seen quite a lot of shows in 2007. My goal was to see all the artists that ended up in my top 15. But a good record does not necesarily mean a good show of course, and there were some surprises this year.
The best supporting act of 2007 was Patrick Watson...thrice! First he opened for Loney, Dear which kinda made me lose interest in the main act. Right after that we were treated to him supporting Interpol (again more interesting than the main act) and he had a double-headline gig with The Besnard Lakes.
The Biggest let-down was The Field. As much as I love his album the 'live act' was anything but live. He just stood there behind his laptop and flicked some switches. Boring! Lo-Fi Fnk at Pukkelpop also were a bit...sad and someone needs to tell Justice that a glowing cross is not an act, it's just a glowing cross.

But what were the 10 shows that made me dance, scream, cry or pee (not really!)?

10: Bjork at Cultuurpark Westergasfabriek (july 8)
I was and still am a bit disappointed by her last album. It features some good songs but it's just not that special somehow. The concert was however. She played the crowd like a Japanese flute. She danced like a little elf-troll on speed accompanied by brass-girls, lasers and flags. She ju-jitsu'd to the beat of Hunter and finally destroyed everything with the anthemic 'Declare Independance' (I still hear her shrill voice scream "raise your flag!" sometimes).

9: Pukkelpop in Hasselt (august 16, 17 and 18)
Although Arcade Fire didn't convince at all (because the sound was crap) Spoon (made me want to dance), Architecture in Helsinki (made me want to dance even more!), Sonic Youth (but not the entire set) and Fujiya & Miyagi (funky!) did. Seeing Low and Besnard Lakes again was also very nice but the true winner of Pukkelpop had to be Patrick Wolf. What a show, what a crowd, what a showman! The first beats of Accident and Emergencies were spectacular.

8: Stars in Paradiso (september 29)
Stars revolve around Amy Millan and Toquil Campbell who proved to be even more charming live than on record. The instant-hit 'Take Me To The Riot' got everyone going, the funky 'Genosha Heights' kept everyone moving and the cathartic duet 'Your Ex-lover is Dead' moved eryone even more. And as if that wasn't enough 'In Our Bedroom After The War' topped it all of (best last song on an album ever?).

7: Soulwax in Club 11 (october 21)
Simian Mobile Disco?...pfff! Justice?...bleh. Soulwax really proved they are the coolest of the cool. They invented cool, threw it away, invented a new cool and reinvented that. They played the remixes they did for other acts...live. To have enough good remixes to be able to do that is one thing, to come up with the bloody genius idea is another, but to make it work so incredibly well is....well....Cool.

6: Spinvis in Theater Kikker (september 23)
Spinvis is really Eric de Jong and played by himself in the small and charming theatre Kikker. I didn't really think it was going to be that special without his band but just him, a guitar, piano and lots of electronic tricks proved to be enough. Escpecially since he posseses a unique talent for uncovering big emotions from 'small' urban situations. I'm not ashamed to say that my eyes filled up a bit.

5: St. Vincent in Theater Kikker (december 8)
Annie Clark was so fragile it looked like whe was made of porcelain. But despite her appearance she really knows what she is doing. And what she's doing is nothing less than brilliant. She plays the piano and the guitar like she was born to it, has such a clear and beautiful voice AND writes incredible songs. An entire album full of them in fact. During the concert I was so close that I had to restrian myself from stepping on stage and hugging her. A savant with looks and charms.
St. Vincent - Marry Me (mp3)

4: Of Montreal in Paradiso (december 11)
Ridiculous costumes, psychedelic (and sometimes downright psychotic) visuals and opening your show with a 15-minute song? A recipy for disaster. But Of Montreal got away with it, and how! Their music features lots of rhytmn changes and breaks but my attention never wandered for a second. I dind't really consider myself a fan before, but now I'm converted. A paradoxically great show. You can watch all of it here.
Of Montreal - The Past is a Grotesque Animal (mp3)

3: The Besnard Lakes in Paradiso (may 28)
Nobody wanted to go with me to see The Besnard Lakes in Paradiso. Understandable if you try to describe their music; "well, it's kinda 70's rock, with male falsetto vocals and a shrill female voice, it's really loud and the songs last about 8 minutes...". They played their entire album and created that magical feeling that you sometimes get when everything just comes together... twice! It happened with 'And Tonight' and with 'And You Lied To Me'.
The Besnard Lakes - And You Lied To Me (live video)

Since I was foolish enough to finish this list before seeing my last show of the year:
2.5: Dan Deacon in Melkweg (20 december)
Just imagine a world where a fat bald-ish sweaty American loops Woody Woodpecker, uses raw techno-beats and sings and screams over it in a helium voice. Then imagine it being the coolest thing ever. COngratulations, you're living in that world! A dance-of, holding hands in a circle and a sing-a-long have never been this cool. The anthemic 'Wham City' was the highlight of the night.
Dan Deacon - Wham City (mp3)

2: Low in Paradiso (may 7)
I've had the pleasure of seeing Low twice this year. The first time was in Paradiso and I have to say that I was not at all prepared for that much subdued beauty. They've learned that less IS more. Highlight of the show was 'Take Your Time', a track that brims with tension and when the harmonic release comes it goes from the gut to the heart. The second time at the pukkelpop festival made me want to see them again a few days later in Utrecht. I really should've gone again.
Low - Take Your Time (live video)

1: The Ark in Waterfront (october 1)
A big fan of The Ark took me to see them. They're huge in Sweden but this was their first time in The Netherlands and they played in quite an unknown venue for some mysterious reason. Not that they seemed to notice because they played as if the crowd consisted of 150.000.000 people instead of 150. We had to endure two lame supporting acts but were treated to THE BEST CONCERT OF THE YEAR! A glam-rock show that spits on the Scissor Sisters from such great heights that it isn't even funny anymore. Cried from enjoyment and peed from exitement. I get all barfy even thinking about how great that show was.
The Ark - It Takes a Fool to Remain Sane (video)

Breaking news

2007-12-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

New songs!

Kate Bush – Lyra (preview)

Destroyer – Foam Hands (mp3)

Magnetic Fields – California Girls (mp3)

M83 – Couleurs (stream from Stereogum)

Zoot Woman – We Won’t Break (mp3)

Fischerspooner – The Best Revenge (mp3)

Top 15 remixes of 2007

2007-12-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

The season to be jolly? ‘Tis not! ‘Tis the season to be finishing the lists! So get to it!
I’ll start with a relatively easy one; the remixes. The 15 remixes that got me dancing, prancing and romancing (and in some cases even necromancing).

Feist shows that she does not only have a great taste in men (she’s dating Kevin Drew) but also in remixers since she’s in the list twice (and there’s the Chromeo remix that didn’t make the list). Caribou is also in the list twice. D.A.N.C.E. surely has to be the most remixed song this year but it wasn’t the MSTRKRFT, Diplo or Soulwax remix that got to me, it was the impressive epic (11.22 minutes!) remix Jackson and His Computer Band did that was my favorite. Muscles lends his trademarked screams of joy to the Bitch from Sweden and in turn gets the disco treatment from Van She. Xiu Xiu surprised me this year with a surprisingly listenable remix and cover album which features the lovely Eau Claire getting electro-fied. Another Remix album worth mentioning is Soulwax’s collection. I’ll say it one more time: go see them play those remixes live if you get the chance (because your worth it!). Remixers of the year for me are The Teenagers who turned everything they touched into gold (the kind with a really good bass).

Feist – 1 2 3 4 (Van She Technologic Remix)

Lo-Fi Fnk – City (Teenagers Remix)

Grizzly Bear – Knife (Girl Talk Remix)

Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver (Paul Epworth Phones Remix)

Malle Pietje en de Bimbo’s – Tienerhoer (Seymour Bits Remix)

Xiu Xiu - Hello From Eau Claire (Gold Chains Remix)

Bloc Party - The Prayer (Does It Offend You, Yeah? Remix)

Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (Jackson & His Computer Band Remix)

Cold War Kids - Hang Me Out To Dry (Hostage Remix)

Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)

Caribou - Melody Day (Four Tet Remix featuring Luke LaLonde, Adem & One Little Plane)

Robyn - Cobrastyle (Muscles Remix)

The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control (Soulwax Nite Version)

Caribou - She's The One (Hot Chip Remix)

Muscles - One Inch Badge Pin (Van She Tech City Gym Remix)

The shows just go on

2007-12-18T05:10:00.000-08:00

I started to get worried a while back. Something happened to me that never happened before. I was starting to get kind of tired of concerts.

The National was...bleh (and don't get me started on the scroteless supporting act Hayden!). Then there was Caribou who gave a decent show I guess but the sound was horrible and ruined the show. I still had high expectations for Ed Harcourt but those weren't fully met. Í wouldn't even have felt like going to the show I was gonna see after Ed if it wasn't for the surprisingly good supporting act.

Ed brought along singer/songwriter Jonna Lee from Sweden. She apparently gets compared to Feist a lot, not a bad thing of course. Her voice was beautiful and even got to me despite of the largely uninterested crowd. The highlight was an incredible duet she did with Ed Harcourt who produced her debut. After seeing Ed and Jonna in Amsterdam I traveled back to Utrecht to see St. Vincent. And boy am I glad I did!

Annie Clark was as lovely as I imagined she'd be. And what an incredible talent! She knows how to play the piano and especially guitar and has a fantastic voice to boot. A truly captivating performance. for a crowd of about 50 people. Thanks to Annie I actually got exited about seeing Of Montreal. And they definitely put me back on the right track, because they were....profound.
Next up is Dan Deacon who is supposed to rock the hell out of his crowd. I'm up for it.

Jonna Lee - And Your love (with Ed Harcourt) (myspace)

St. Vincent - Marry Me (mp3)

Dan Deacon - Wham City (Lempel Remix) (mp3)

Let's pretend we don't exist

2007-12-14T04:30:00.000-08:00

The past is a Grotesque Animal. Not at all grotesque is taking five whole minutes for a completely ridiculous costume change. I guess performing in blue fishnet stockings and tight boxers just takes away the extra tension one must have bringing songs like Gronlandic Edit in what used to be a church (“Oh, the church is filled with losers, psycho or abused”).

I would call this song the soundtrack to my life. To an extent, I would compare Of Montreal’s performance last Tuesday in Paradiso, Amsterdam to the moment you see your life flashing by, with the tunnel and the lights… All your life you’re afraid this moment will turn out to be a great disappointment, though people who have had the experience keep telling you they actually did not want to go back. Well, they were right. Paradiso wasn't all that bad.

Of Montreal has been my religion for about a year now. The performance they gave last Tuesday has strengthened my belief. Their songs sound even more convincing when performed live on stage, though I discovered it’s hard to lose oneself in the music with all its rhythm changes and unpredictable emphases. It takes more than a peppermint to stay focused on the profound greatness of Of Montreal’s three most recent albums, and sometimes it seemed like Minister Kevin Barnes had a hard time acknowledging this.

While praying for a new album to come out in 2008, here’s some bible study material:

Of Montreal – Gronlandic Edit (Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?)

Of Montreal – Rapture Rapes The Muses (Satanic Panic In The Attic)

Of Montreal – Forecast Fascist Future (The Sunlandic Twins)

No! Christmas is coming!

2007-12-11T03:14:00.000-08:00

But - this year that does not only mean musical horror, according to Sounds Familyre:

"Beginning Monday, Dec. 10, at the Sounds Familyre blog, we will be posting Christmas mp3s from the Sounds Familyre Famile: new interpretations of traditional Christmas carols as well as original songs! A new song every day! The twelve days of Christmas, Sounds Familyre style."

Remember the Sufjan Stevens Christmas albums released last year? The Sound Familyre Famile include Danielson, Soul-Junk, Sufjan Stevens and Woven Hand, among others. Sounds Familyre style is folk, a bit weird, small, creative and personal, among others. This might just be the perfect antidose to the annual wham/dion/etc.-madness - the first song, by Danielson is a perfect start.

All heavy laden, get ye to the Sounds Familyre blog.

Let The Inlets In!

2007-12-01T04:08:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you find an album that feels to be made personally for you. The Vestibule EP of Inlets is such a record for me. Inlets is Sebastian Krueger, who also plays guitars, clarinets and bells and sings falsetto in My Brightest Diamond. This time Sebastian is accompanied among others by Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond and Marla Hansen, who are both also playing with Sufjan Stevens. The names of his friends tell something about the music, but it is still rather unique. There is the banjo of Sufjan Stevens, the falsetto of My Brightest Diamond, the loops of Steve Reich, the folk of Marla Hansen, but also a lot of his own. The sphere of the Vestibule EP is intimate and special. I can still listen to it daily, a year after getting to know the music. There are close harmonies on this record, layered upon Fender Rhodes, banjo and guitars. Sparsely drums, bells, violins and clarinets are played. Everything was recorded in the bedroom, but it sounds extremely warm and close. Maybe you should download the EP for free and let yourself be overwhelmed in a positive way. Watch out: when you let it in, it won't go out!
You can also watch cool boat performances on blogotheque!

From 8-Bit To Warm Orchestral

2007-11-30T14:56:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen an album box as cool as this one? It's modelled after the floppy-reader of a Commodore64 computer and there's also a beautiful flyer in style. The Commodore64 Orchestra finally released their album and it’s fantastic. Earlier I wrote a post about their live performance, but the album is worth another post. The orchestra plays tunes of C64 games from the 80’s. Inside the cool box are two cd’s, one with the original computergametunes and another one with the orchestral versions. It is striking how much wonderful melodies were incoporated in these simple games.

As a bonus there’s additional multimedia on the cd. It features an interview with Rob Hubbard and Jeroen Tel, the original composers of the music. You can also find a trailer for the project. The coolest thing supplied with the album is a zip file with three seperate tracks with the flute-, bass-, and stringparts of the track ‘Monty on the run’. These tracks can be used for a remix-competition. The 20 finest remixes will be released! More zip files will be posted on their website, so check that out if you like it. The album can be bought here.

Rob Hubbard - Monty on the run (mp3)

C64 Orchestra - Monty on the run (mp3)

The Remix

2007-11-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

The remix has come a long way.

A remix used to mean the track just got doubled in length or a thumping club beat was added, preferably both. In 1982 both Soft Cell and The Human League released an entire album ful of remixes. After that remixes become more popular but only since a couple of years have remixes gotten more creative and are seen as something that could be as cool as (or even cooler than) the original. Now an artist's worth is also judged by the remixes they make and the remix artists they choose for their tracks. Bands like Depeche Mode show they're still 'hip to it' by choosing artists like Tiga, M83, Jacques Lu Cont, Goldfrapp, Richard X and Boys Noize to remix their tracks. And who knows where The Klaxons (remember them?) would be if it hadn't been for the Soulwax, Kavinsky, To My Boy and especially the Van She remix?

Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (Boys Noize Remix) (mp3)

The Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Soulwax Remix) (mp3)

2006 and 2007 were important years for remixes; acts such as Justice, Digitalism, Boys Noize and Simian Mobile Disco gained a following based almost solely on their remix work before releasing an album.
Several indie bands released remix albums; Architecture in Helsinki, Stars, Xiu Xiu, My Brightest Diamond, and At The Close of Every Day for example.
Soulwax released an album with remixes they did for other artists and started playing them live (!).

Architecture in Helsinki - Do The Whirlwind (Metronomy Remix) (mp3)

Don't be too afraid, it's quite lovely: Xiu Xiu - Hello From Eau Claire (Gold Chains Remix) (mp3)

2008 will bring a new album by Metronomy and two new ‘remix acts’ will release albums that are highly anticipated. Some remixers have original takes on a song, some remixers even improve it but the two remix acts I’m talking about consistently impress the hell out of me with their remixes.

Van She improved The Klaxons ‘Gravity's Rainbow’ by about 300%, had something new to say about Tiga’s ‘I’m Gonna Want You’ and clubbed Feist’s ‘1 2 3 4’ to the next level. Their EP featured ‘Kelly’, one of the most cathy popsongs of 2006. They’ll release their as of yet untitled debut in 2008.

The Teenagers did a kick-ass Lo FI-Fnk remix for 'City' (try to sit still to this one!), cut up Au Revoir Simone’s ‘Fallen Snow’ and added some bass to Simian Mobile Disco’s ‘The Beat’. Their current single 'Starlett Johansson' is a sure-fire hit and will most likely be featured on their debut album that’ll be released in 2008.

Feist - 1 2 3 4 (Van She Technologic Remix) (mp3)

This one's for you Wiegertje: Muscles – One Inch Badge Pin (Van She Tech City Gym Remix) (mp3)

Van She - Kelly (mp3)

One of my favorite remixes ever: Lo Fi-Fnk - City (The Teenagers Remix) (mp3)

The Teenagers - Starlett Johansson (mp3)

Busy

2007-11-26T03:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week.

Last thursday Loney, Dear played in Utrecht. His performance suffered from the same thing as the the last one I saw; the supporting act was better. First time Patrick Watson opened for him and left me pretty breathless (I hadn't heard of him then), this time Neonbelle opened for them and again they proved to be quite talented.

Then it was time for STRP on friday. STRP is a festival where technology and art meet. Which meant there were different installations (a lot of interactive videogames and light installations) and some music shows in the evening and DJ-sets all through the night. Unfortunately I was only able to see Apparat & Band and Roisin Murphy play (had to miss Soulwax, Modeselektor and Goose among others).
I wasn't all that impressed with Apparat who started a bit...lackluster in my opinion. Apparently it was a subtly built set and it got a lot better, however by that time I was gone to see Roisin Murphy. Roisin presented herself as a more intelligent version of Kylie or Madonna even. Highlights were of course 'Movie Star' but there also was a song from her previous record (I assume) that was very trance-inducing and 'Dear Miami' and 'Primitive' worked rather well live.

Sunday iLiKETRAiNS ended my busy weekend. I was surprised to see they were a lot younger than I had imagined since the singer has a very low voice I associate with people like Nick Cave or Lou Reed. They played their set well but played only two songs from their EP Progress/Reform which is a lot better than their current cd which features two many bleh songs and isn't produced very well. The visuals were nice though; a projected chessmatch to the drum of 'a Rook House For Bobby' and a very psychedelic everchanging rorscharchtest.

Next up: The National

Entire EP! Neonbelle - In a Cabin With... (free download)

Roisin Murphy - Primitive (mp3)

iLiKETRAiNS - A Rook House For Bobby (myspace)

Apparat

2007-11-21T01:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite electronic records of last year was 'Orchestra of Bubbles' by Ellen Allien & Apparat. I knew Ellen Allien, Berlin Techno-diva and founder of BPitch Control music label but hadn't heard Apparat's music before (although he worked on Ellen's 2003 'Berlinette') and was very curious about it. Apparat is Sascha Ring, electronic musician and one of the owners of Shitkatapult records who released 'Walls' in may this year.
Walls is a surprisingly eclectic record. It features pure dance-pop (Hailing from the Edge and especially Holdon), darker Junior Boys-y songs (Limelight) and M83-like synth-shoegaze (Headup). but my favorite is the two-part Fractales. Part 1 has beats that would make Timbaland go fetal in a corner with jealousy but at the same time are much more subte and delicate than his. Part 2 is a fragile melancholic dreamy synth-scape with lots of strings.

This friday I will have to face a difficult descision; at STRP festival Apparat and Roisin Murphy will partly play at the same time. What should I do?

Best dance song from 2006: Ellen Allien & Apparat - Do Not Break (myspace)

A beatmaster at work: Apparat - Fractales part 1 (myspace)

A remix from BPitch control's hipsters and one of Thom Yorke's favorite band's: Apparat - Holdon (Modeselektor Remix) (mp3)

Beer's gone. So now what?

2007-11-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

Some personal information probably no one will care about: I'm from a small town in the middle east. Of the Netherlands that is. It's where they speak the dialect the name of our blog is taken from.

To add some trivial knowledge certainly no one will ever care about: just a couple of years ago our local pride Grolsch Beer moved its fabric to a nearby region, which left some hardcore locals with a severe identical crisis. This week it became public Grolsch is about to be sold to a South African brewery. [sentimental mode] Serves them right, those bastards who stole our pride away. [/sentimantal mode]

But we don't need Grolsch anyway. We've got Junkie XL. He's from our part of the country and proud of it! To kill the pain of losing a major brewery, he comes up with the perfect solution: Fuck more! I say we act in accordance with his suggestion.

Junkie XL - Fuck More (video)

(I'd link the mp3, but then you'd probably skip this awesome video)

Neonbelle

2007-11-19T03:51:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in the Beirut review last week, the supporting act was Neonbelle. It was their second show ever (as Neonbelle that is), but you wouldn't have guessed.
Neonbelle are a Dutch project consisting of Pien Feith (who has her own band) and Jelte Heringa (who worked with Spinvis amongst others). A while ago they dissappeared into a cabin (for the aptly-titled project 'In a cabin with...' from Badmintone records) with no clear idea and came out with a (free!) EP filled with beautiful songs.
Their sound can perhaps best be compared to Portishead or Hooverphonic in a sense that it's mostly slow, electronically based with haunting female vocals. But they do have a sound that is clearly their own; not just the beats but also the vocals are lesss clean and a bit darker. Their live performance was nothing less than stunning; Pien's voice was incredible and showed a controlled rawness that's quite unique (it reminds me a bit of PJ Harvey or Cat Power). Jelte's beats were sparse and extremely pleasant. The combination is pure gold.

The EP is completely free and can be downloaded here. The 22nd of november there's a showcase in Tivoli opening for Loney, Dear.

Not there yet

2007-11-16T03:59:00.000-08:00

Poor Zach Condon. He was sick as a dog and drinking a lot of whiskey (or was it cough sirup?) to be able to keep playing yesterday. Zach Condon is of course Beirut, you know, the 21-year old American kid who was only 19 when his first cd (as Beirut) was released. Makes you think what you've done with your life up till now, doesn't it? (I know I haven't done crap with mine). His balkan influenced music spread like a virus over the net and almost every paper I've read had an article about him.
So he's talented and popular. But one thing became clear during the show; he hasn't made his materpiece yet. Yes, his voice was great even wracked by illness, yes, his band was great even though there was little room for improvisation. But the main flaw with Beirut is that he just doesn't have enough great songs. The first song (and title song) on his first record 'Gulag Orkestar' is clearly his best song by far. Armed with the knowledge of the potential shown in that song the other songs seem to be good enough and not as good as they could be. Having said all this I must add that even his weaker songs are better than the great songs of a lot of other artists.

I expect him to evolve (artistically that is) and release his true masterpiece in a couple of years. If he keeps his talented band then he'll realy blow us away with his show then.

First and still best song: Beirut - Gulag orkestar (mp3)

From the second album: Beirut - A Sunday Smile (mp3)

* the supporting act Neonbelle was incredible and as such deserves a seperate post.

The Arcade Fire still burns or the Win Butler did it

2007-11-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

Last april Arcade Fire would play in the beautiful Vredenburg theatre. The band and the place gave the show high potential and it was sold out immediately. Unfortunately frontman Win Butler lost his voice and had to skip the rest of the tour, including that show. Last night they had their revenge. They played in the (much bigger and less intimate, as in: not at all) Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. But still I had high hopes. And that was just what I was afraid of.
Because may 2005 I (together with Konditorei) saw them in Amsterdam and that is probably still my favorite concert ever. It was one of those concerts where everything just comes together. The setting was Paradiso, a venue that's not too big and used to be a church (with those beautiful windows) where their theatrical music fits perfectly. The crowd was enthousiastic and ecstatic but respectfull (as in not clapping and not singing when they shouldn't be. Yes I'm talking directly to you, you stupid spastic bitch and monotomous zobie asshole!). The bandmembers were obviously enjoying themselves and the songs and the set were fantastic.
That's why I was a bit scared that yesterdays show would not live up to my expectations. And for a song it didn't. Opener 'Black Mirror' didn't impress that much because the sound was crap and Win seemed a bit agitated (by the crap sound I now assume) but the sound got better. And then they played an incredible version of 'In The Backseat' and I knew that they still had it. Chills. And I haven't even mentioned the fantastic New Order cover or the visuals. The big round screens showing live-footage (made to look old) and real old tv fragments.

I think everyone would agree with me that it was quite a spectacular show. Aside from the sound that started badly the only thing I criticism I can come up with is the fake flat organ...I don't see why there was a need for that.

One of the many highlights: Arcade Fire - No Cars Go (mp3)

What good would that do if there's no place to go, I ask you: Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running (mp3)

Thanks to Konditorei for starting this post and Ruben for linking the Age of Consent cover.

Fest

2007-11-12T03:04:00.000-08:00

glamour in the DJ booth

Saturday Ulkedoof DJ'd at Fest. There was much joy and dancing and someone working some knobs and switches while trying to look like he knew what he was doing. Anyway, the set featured favorites like:

Lo Fi-Fnk - City (The Teenagers Remix) (mp3)
Pop Levi - Pick Me Up Uppercut (myspace)
Malle Pietje en de Bimbo's - Tienerhoer (Seymour Bits Remix)
Feist - 1234 (Van She Technologic Remix)
Junior Boys - In the Morning (mp3)
Cold War Kids - Hang Me Out To Dry (Hostage Remix)
Metric - Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix) (mp3)
Black Kids - Listen to your Body Tonight (mp3)
CSS - Knife (Grizzy Bear cover) (mp3)
The Field - Everda y (myspace)
Isoleé - Face b (myspace)

and of course: The Smiths - Hang the DJ (more appropriate to some then 'Last Night a DJ Saved my Life (Mirage Remix)' by Indeep)

I hereby officialy declare the shoegaze-revival opened

2007-11-08T01:11:00.000-08:00

I was actually waiting for one more clear sign before definitely declaring a shoegaze revival. And then it came to me.
I guess you could say it started with then-popular My Vitriol (My Vitri-who? exactly.) in 2001, the same year M83 formed. My Vitriol were very clearly influenced by THE shoegazers My Bloody Valentine and were not afraid to show it (hence the name of the band I guess). Then M83 released their first real shoegaze-ish album in 2003 (Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts), this time it was shoegaze with synths. Then Amusent Parks on Fire formed (well, it's one guy, so I guess he didn't so much 'form' as decided to be APOF) which is described more as stargazing then shoegazing (listen to it, it will become clear). 2006 saw the release of the acclaimed album Pet Grief by The Radio Dept.

Now 2007 sees post-shoegaze acts like Silversun Pickups, Air Formation, Film School, A Place to Bury Strangers, The Maps, Blonde Redhead and there is the highly suspicious recent appreciation for Alcian Blue.
The real revival was soooo close I thought...and then the final sign came to me: My Bloody Valentine are going to release a new album...this year!

quick shoegaze-course:

The original: My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow (mp3)

With synths: M83 - Teen Angst (mp3)

Stargazer: Amusement Parks on Fire - You Made Me Realise (My Bloody Valentine cover)

Broke up in 2006: Alcian Blue - Frozen Sleep (link to post with mp3)

indie-shoegaze: Film School - Two Kinds (mp3)

hardest shoegaze you'll ever hear: A Place to Bury Strangers - To Fix the Gash in Your Head (mp3)

m83 with guitars: The Maps - Elouise (mp3)

Sonic Youth adepts: Blonde Redhead - 23 (mp3)

Alcian Blue

2007-11-05T03:51:00.000-08:00

Precisely a year ago Alcian Blue’s website read that the Washington DC-based band called it a day and quit. Two months ago I read this ‘news’ after discovering their self-titled/produced debut album and couldn’t believe that a wider audience hadn’t noticed them. And the fact that they make shoegaze/ gothrock/ dreampop/ postpunk/ or whatever you want to call it, couldn’t have been a real obstacle since Pitchfork is smurfing A Place To Bury Strangers.

A few months before quitting, Alcian Blue delivered a masterpiece with delicate synthscapes, hushed vocals, lots of pedals (thanks to Death By Audio, again see my last post) and a drum machine. Especially the use of the latter makes their sound distinct from My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, The Cure, Joy Divis…Yawn...

Where was I? Oh yes, this year they released their final EP Years To Late, with four of the five tracks listenable at theirplace. But I have to say that it’s not as great, gloomy, synthy and truly wonderful as their album, due to the fact that their drum machine is replaced by an actual drummer and their songs are too dreamy and stretched out…which is also nice, but makes them less unique…but I already said that. Did I mention that they are great!?

Three of the many favorites of their self-titled album:

Very Cure-esque: Alcian Blue - You Just Disappear (mp3)

Pounding yet slow: Alcian Blue - Frozen Sleep (mp3)

Tambourine jingles: Alcian Blue - See You Shine (mp3)

Let's smurf to Joy Division!

2007-11-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

In this era of Joy Division hyping (seriously, when is this going to stop? And will this repeat itself on, let’s say, a five year basis, likewise to the five and a half ABBA revivals we’ve had so far?), let me tell you that eighties joy can be divided differently.

The Wombats already pointed out the silliness of dancing to Joy Division and in this respect I have nothing to add. Let’s all keep celebrating the irony of dancing to sorrow and misery. We have all reason to do so since this night a Dutch Pop Idol contestant responded “Who’s that?”, when she was complimented on her apparently well thought-out theatric eighties Kate Bush-dress. So kudos to The Wombats.

Kudos to Late of the Pier, to To My Boy and to Hadouken! for setting a new standard of new rave, after Klaxons had accidentally mistaken it for anything that combines electro, guitars and some high-pitched oowoowoow’s.

And finally, kudos to Nintendo’s NES, which brought us an enormous source of 8 Bit samples that have been used by an increasing number of electro-/synthpop bands. Fans of The Smurfs on NES must now worship Thermostatic from Sweden for recycling its samples and producing the masterpiece Joy Toy (2005). What’s in a name!

The Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division (video)
Late Of The Pier – Broken (mp3)
To My Boy – The Grid (video)
Hadouken! – That Boy That Girl (mp3)
Thermostatic – Reasons (mp3)

8bitpeoples.com (free 8 bit releases)

Breaking news

2007-11-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is just too much.

Not only have Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds confirmed that their new record (that's gonna be called 'DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!!') is planned for a release on march 3rd 2008 but Morrissey (also known as the object of her obsession) plans a Greatest Hits collection and a new record with Jerry Finn who did 'You Are The Quarry' in 2008!

If only I could, Nick's so dreamy...*sigh*: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Into My Arms (mp3)

How appropriate: Morrissey - November Spawned a Monster (mp3)

Beep-boop beep-beep-boop!

2007-11-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

What are you saying R2D2? Has Timmy fallen down the well again?

Ah, Blip-blop. I never played much of the original Super Mario, but I had a Commodore 64. Whenever I feel like moving around on the dancefloor like a robot from 1984, there is nothing like this!

My like for the genre started with an impromptu performance by 6955 in Utrecht (my sleeve is even crappier than the one shown there, poke around for fun stuff and MP3s). It was a really great show, just a guy on stage dicking around with a bunch of Nintendos but somehow using them for sequencing real cool music.

Then on to 64revolt (another site with lots of free MP3s, try Alice, Sweet Alice) and Motormark (now sadly defunct, but what a great closing show for Dour 2006! - I remember thinking 'So this is what electro-punk-rock for the 2010s sounds like!' ) and then Dan Deacon (see Choquolage's last post).

The Polish Ambassador also deserves to be snuck inbetween somewhere. Although, strictly, he's not blip-blop, he gave me last year's summer soundtrack. Especially with London Telecommunicating. He has also made one rather silly video featuring my IKEA chair :)

The latest (and greatest - isn't it always?) in this line is Crystal Castles. Not named after the computer game (from 1983!) but after She-ra's Castle! Yeah, from He-man. How nerdy can you get? Well, for me not nerdy enough, because Knights is a really awesome song. Check it out here , but close your eyes - the video does not move at all!)

And then, there's also Megablast (Hip Hop On Precinct 13) by Bomb the Bass and ASCII Disko and The Peoples Republic of Europe (or The Popular European Republic, or whatever they are called) and Add N to (X)... But they don't really count.

Batshit briliant

2007-11-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Opening an album with a song that's basically Woody Woodpecker's laugh looped at two different speeds with some xylophone, crappy keyboard sounds and crazyfying beats? That Dan Deacon surely is a bold musician...or just plain batshit crazy.

Helium voiced scream anthems, nintendo happy hardcore and techno drums, yet integrated in great pop songs. His album 'Spiderman of the Rings' is a bit like the not-quite backwards-dancing dwarf from Twin Peaks; it freaks you the hell out but you just can't stop watching/listening.

Not as unlistenable as you might expect: Dan Deacon - Crystal Cat (mp3)

Again not as unlistenable as you might expect: Dan Deacon - Wham City (mp3)

HEY MUSCLES, I LOVE YOU, I WANNA HAVE YOUR BABIES

2007-10-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

The day Muscles decided he would pursue his dreams of being a musician was the best day in the history of pop music since the day Serge Gainsbourg was born. His album ‘Guns Babes Lemonade’ (I know!) has been out now for a while, and it is truly AMAZING. Muscles is just one humble Australian, but every song on the record sounds like a group of sweaty people – who have synthesizers and are superfun and your new best friends - is screaming at you about ice cream, marshmallows and hammocks, and you never want them to stop. Never. Because when they stop, they leave you cold, alone, lost and out of breath. And for some reason, every time, completely naked.

Muscles - Hey Muscles, I Love You [mp3]
Muscles - Marshmallow [mp3, sendspace]

Until the day after tomorrow then?

2007-10-30T01:58:00.000-07:00

Ryan Adams' productivity, Tom Waits' sitting-in-a-barr-iness, Sufjan's multi-instrumentalism modesty, Jarvis Cocker's charm and an continous stream of quality. An EP and four albums long (see, I'm not even counting the download only 2-CD b-sides collection) the English troubadour Ed Harcourt has given his fans his own brand of up-beat songs (All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed) and melancholic ballads (This One's For You).

Although he still hasn't had his break-through and probably never will he released a Best Of, ironically titled 'Untill Tomorrow Then'. The best of features favorites like the jazzy title-track 'Untill Tomorrow Then', the near-perfect popsong 'Loneliness' and the melancholic 'Visit From The Dead Dog'. The Best Of doesn't just have two new songs, there's an entire bonus disc with 15 previously unreleased songs! That bonus disc could have very well been an official album, quality-wise. As Always, Ed doesn't disappoint. It's good to be a Harcourt fan, you should try it.

From album 'Here Be Monsters': Ed Harcourt - Beneath The Heart Of Darkness (myspace)

From album 'From Every Sphere': Ed Harcourt - All Of Your Days Will Be Blessed (video)

From album 'Strangers': Ed Harcourt - Loneliness (video)

From album 'The Beautiful Lie': Ed Harcourt - Visit From The Dead Dog (video)

From Best Of 'Untill Tomorrow Then': Ed Harcourt - Untill Tomorrow Then (myspace)

What actually IS free to a good home?

2007-10-29T02:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, I think we can all agree that Feist has gotten enough attention (deservedly so by the way) and the same can be said for Stars’ new record. I’ve also recently covered Amy Millan’s solo work, but there is one more female vocalist in Broken Social Scene.

I’m talking about the ever-lovely Emily Haines of course. And although a Metric post is long overdue (their first album has recently been re-released) I wanted to talk about her solo work (well, together with her backing band The Soft Skeleton).

June saw the release of her album 'Knives Don’t Have Your Back' in Europe and the UK and in July the outtakes EP ''What Is Free To A Good Home?' (I don’t know, what is? No seriously, I have no idea) was released. 'Knives Don’t Have Your Back' is a criminally overlooked record full of dark nocturnal piano-driven songs with beautiful lyrics (her father was an admired poet) that cut you like…well…knives. And the incredible part isn’t that the album is quite far removed from the rock-attitude and cleverness she shows in new wave band Metric. The impressive thing is that the 'What Is Free To A Good Home?' EP is EVEN BETTER! Seriously; I listened to it two times a day for at least two weeks and still come back to it frequently. Do yourself a favor and listen to this:

The video for Our Hell is as disturbing as the song: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton – Our Hell (video)

Take her to the bank, take her to the bar: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton – The Bank

Also from the EP: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton – Bottom of the World (mp3) (mypsace)

The Madd is b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

2007-10-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

The Madd is definately both wicked and massive.

The Madd is the shit.

The Madd is b-a-n-a-n-a-s.

Everything about The Madd just rubs the right way. It's rock 'n roll. It goes down like chocolate. It has an organ that makes you dance around in your living room and scare the cat. The band members are well-dressed and look thoroughly un-Dutch, in a good way. Singer Dave van Raven bluntly checked out chicks and tits during their gig and the invitation for their release party proudly boasted 'after the show: free fucks', but my mom would still welcome them as her sons-in-law because they're too charming not to.

The music is a sixties-best-of in the best way possible. It's an appropriate tribute, but manages to surpass being just that. It's fucking energetic. They totally get away with choruses like "Heyheyheyheyhey - jump now" and I love the Beatlesque vocals on Roughy The Beatles Man. Even the slight Dutch accent of the singer just adds to it instead of it being annoying. Releasing 'Ongeneeslijk Beat' ('Incurably Beat'), The Madd's first full length album, has just been another bull's eye for the Excelsior label. Go out and buy the damn thing, it's worth it.

And please don't do the "But Hera, they sound just like The Who"-thing. I know. But I don't mind. I'm incurably beat. To hear what The Madd themselves sounds like, try their show at Motel Mozaïque. Hear some more at their Myspace or Last.fm.

Breaking news

2007-10-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

New Roisin Murphy record 'Overpowered' is her best record…wait…THE best record…of all times…ever. It’s like she was bitten by a radioactive Annie, who was bitten by a radioactive Madonna, who was bitten by a radioactive Spice Girl, who was…etc.

New Sigur Ros track: Sigur Ros – Hljomalind (myspace)

New Xiu Xiu tracklisting revealed. Includes titles like: 'In Lust You Can Hear the Axe Fall', 'You Are Pregnant, You Are Dead' and 'Under Pressure' which features Michael Gira (see Melvinbloodyhand’s previous post here). They also posted this as ‘their new album’…they obviously lied.

New Final Fantasy single: Final Fantasy – Hey Dad (myspace)

all the leaves are brown

2007-10-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

These days the weather in Holland is the best you can get in the autumn! The sun shines through the colored leaves, making every moment a flickr possibility. Some records for me are connected to a certain season. Beth Gibbons (Portishead) and Rustin man released ‘Out of Season’ in 2002 and it’s still my favorite autumn record. Even though it’s not done to post about albums older than 3 weeks and younger than 20 years, I feel the urge to do so. The music is acoustic, slow, contemplational and sometimes jazzy. Her voice is enchanting (sorry for mentioning this inevitable word again on Ulkedoof!) and full of the depths of life. Check this:

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Sand river (mp3)
Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Show (mp3)

Music is what separates humans from apes.

2007-10-24T02:06:00.000-07:00

Music is the doorway into our tiny human brains. We can't keep ourselves from connecting music to events, feelings and memories. And that is why we speak of summer songs, love songs, party songs, nostalgic songs from when we were young and so on. There's certain songs that I will never play again in my life because they were played at the funeral of someone I loved. There's songs that make me smile, cry or feel in love just by hearing them. I just wanted to share a few of them with you.

Ella Fitzgerald - Dream A Little Dream
Louis Armstrong - Wonderful World
Bright Eyes - First Day Of My Life
Belle and Sebastian - Funny Little Frog
Johnny Cash - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Radiohead - Karma Police
Chavela Vargas - Paloma Negra
Tindersticks - Another Night In
Cat Power - Werewolf

Bedroom Community

2007-10-23T16:23:00.001-07:00

Bedroom Community is a fairly new label based in Iceland. They debuted with the releases of Nico Muhly, Ben Frost and Valgeir Sigurdsson. All three are beautiful records, Muhly displays magical arrangements reminiscent of Reich and Glass (with a cameo appearance by Antony without the Johnson). Valgeir's name might not ring a bell but he produced Björk's records from Vespertine on. He is also label-owner and studio-engineer, and his record is one of the finest released this year.

The record I want to highlight is Theory of Machines by Ben Frost

A very moving ambient/noise record with one loud track: 'We Love You Michael Gira'. Gira has recently visited the Netherlands with his insanely loud acoustic shows, but he is best known as the founder of the industrial noise band Swans. Ben Frost samples one of Gira's guitar parts in the aforementioned song creating a devastating track. If this scares you the other four tracks are less loud and equally beautiful.

Well, just check it out.
Official Site

Although Platinum & Drambuie does sound nice

2007-10-23T03:09:00.000-07:00

Forget Rubber & Beer, Wood & Whiskey and Platinum & Drambuie! The best combination is obviously Iron & Wine.
Iron & Wine is Sam Beam who with ‘The Shepherd’s Dog’ has made one of the most enchanting albums this year. Listening to it may cause you to imagine yourself wandering through imaginary woods (so it’s an imaginary wood when you’re already imagining it? Yes it is, now shut up and do as I told you!) where everything is made of iron and wine…and there are all these…men…with beards…

But it may also just enchant you (you already said enchanted! Go away! Who the hell are you anyway?) …without all those useless images.

Anyway, his folkish masterpiece can be heard in its entirety on his myspace.

My favorites are:

Iron & Wine – Innocent Bones (myspace)

Iron & Wine – Lovesong of the Buzzard (myspace)

Iron & Wine – Carousel (mp3)

Soulwax

2007-10-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

It's hard to pin down Soulwax. They started as a rockband (album: 'Leave the Story Untold'). Soon more danceable influences found it's way into their music (try to sit still to the song 'Too many DJ's', I dare ya!) on their acclaimed second album 'Much Against Everyone's Advice'. After that they revolutionized Dj'ing with the mash-up sets they did as Too Many DJ's (named after their own song). Then they returned with a third Soulwax album after six years (ironically titled 'Any Minute Now'). Although this may not have been a very surprising move they followed that with a remixed version of that album called 'Nite Versions'.

And to top it all of they played a secret gig in Amsterdam yesterday (last.fm event: not so secret) where they played the remixes they did for other artists live.
Yes, you heard (read) me right; they played the remixes they did for other artists... live!

Easily one of the coolest shows you're likely to see this year.

They also played the remix they did for a new Hot Chip song, which isn't even out yet: Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (Soulwax Dub)

Another favorite was: The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control (Soulwax Edit)

Even more remixes can be heard on the most comprehensive Soulwax site...ever.

She Wants Revenge is a dish best served twice

2007-10-19T04:04:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does the new She Wants Revenge (also know as the more joyfull Division or the new New order or the newer New Order if Peter Hook stops being a dick) sound an awful lot like a lazy Placebo with a singer whose testicles have in fact fully descended?

I guess Justin Warfield paid close attention every time he worked with Placebo. If you don't mind the repetition ('She Will Always Be A Broken Girl' is pretty much a new 'These Things') I guess it's a nice album though.

Their latest single: She Wants Revenge - True Romance (myspace)

Video for their best song, directed by Joaquin Phoenix: She Wants Revenge - Tear You Apart (video)

Wax on, wax off, wax on again

2007-10-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Spinvis is this 40-something Dutch ex-mail man (from Nieuwegein) who finds poetry in the mundane (regret, aging, cold hands when you drive to work on your bike on a winter morning, candy getting stuck in your nose). He is arguably one of the most interesting Dutch artists. After two albums he recently released a b-side compilation, and even this one's quite brilliant. On of the most interesting songs on 'Goochelaars en Geesten' (Magicians and Ghosts) is 'Was' (wax) which is a cover of 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son' (Wax doll, sawdust doll) which was composed by Serge Gainsbourg and sung by France Gall.
Now Arcade Fire have covered it on their split 7'' EP (backed with LCD Soundsystem).

Note you Canadian hipsters; Spinvis was first. Nieuwegein is the new Montreal!

1965 Eurovision Song contest’s winning entry: Arcade Fire - Poupée de cire, poupée de son

The beautiful title track: Spinvis – Goochelaars en Geesten (myspace)

Spinvis - Voor Ik Vergeet (video)

The Everlasting Black Desire

2007-10-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

---Newsflash!---
Bertrand Cantat is to be released from prison tomorrow (October 16th).
---end---

Seems to me we've got something to look forward to! Some recaps for now:

Noir Désir - Sober Song (mp3)
Noir Désir - À L'Envers, À L'Endroit (video)

Noir Désir - Le Vent Nous Portera:

Or, to quote Loffe: "Lökkerisirruuunogakohoma!"

2007-10-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

So, who needs music that sounds like people would actually enjoy it out of their free will? Music you can imagine people listening to in the car, on the bus or in the supermarket while looking for the prettiest broccoli?

I sure don't. And it so happens that the Swedish comedian Loffe has made a song, years ago (in 1975, in fact), which I can't imagine anyone listening to. Ever. That's the beauty of it. 'Mdssan' has got everything I need in a song: A crazyperson singing high, singing low, playing the piano like a crazyperson does and laughing maniacally during the finale. Oh, and there's a choir. You heard me right. A choir. I'll give it a steady 8.5 on my personal Crazy Music Meter with a scale from one to ten ('Mdssan' is crazier than a swingdance version of Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights' - which got an 8 -, but not as crazy as a rusty robot singing Stevie Wonder's 'Part-Time Lover' - which will never be topped.), so it's quite crazy. However, since we all know the greatest music in the world comes from Sweden, and Loffe has jammed frequently with Jimi Hendrix, 'Mdssan' is PC, too. Try to listen to it while looking for the prettiest broccoli. You might bring home an artichoke, instead.

Loffe - Mdssan (mp3)

Taken By Trees has Amy Millan and Amy Millan has Taken By Trees

2007-10-15T02:51:00.000-07:00

I do believe Feist is getting enough attention (okay, last time: 1 2 3 4 (video) ) while the other female vocalists from Broken Social Scene aren’t given enough and are also quite succesfull, with or without band.
First up is Amy Millan who also sings in Stars who recently released their new album ‘In Our Bedroom After The War’. Which is fantastic and gives me a reason to mention her solo-cd ‘Honey From The Tombs’ from 2006. Which sucks. Ass. Then why the hell mention it at all? Because it has one song you should hear. One amazing song that I keep coming back to. The rest of the album is country-twang crap (sorry Amy) but do yourself a favor and listen to Skinny Boy.

Lips I could spend a day with: Amy Millan – Skinny Boy (download on myspace)

Perez Schmerez.

2007-10-13T03:49:00.001-07:00

So nowadays, when telling someone you're listening to Feist, you suddenly have to prove you're not necessarily against Britney Spears or anything... Why, for heaven's sake, why?
Maybe one of my fellow editorial staff members could write a review on her latest album, just to show the world we give Britney a fair chance.

Or actually, no. Me and probably a substantial part of the other staff members started listening to Feist way before ~~Oprah's Bookclub~~ Perez ordered us to do so. Want proof? Here: you got proof.

Or, well, now I come to think of it... whatever. We don't have to prove anything. Perez recently admitted to visiting Ulkedoof on a weekly basis. Wanted to join forces and all that. Turns out someone ripped-up and ate all his chickens just a couple of days after that.

Nostrils

2007-10-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, oh dear.

So much nice new music to write about - The Octopus Project + Black Moth Super Rainbow, anyone? Also, why doesn't anyone like The New Young Pony Club except when you've seen the keyboard girl?

So much old music to get to know! (Guided by Voices! Songtitles like "Kicker Of Elves" and "Tractor Rape Chain"! A lot better than I had expected! And a nice book, too (see Hera's last obsession))

So much current goings-on! (Of Montreal coming to the Netherlands! Modest Mouse shouldn't have been so modest - they've got Johnny Fucking Marrrrrr! Oh yeah, Control is coming out next week!)

Why, O why, is it then that I can only listen to mid-90s-a-like noise at the moment?

It started off with http://ulkedoof.blogspot.com/2007/09/rockethouse-was-its-elementary-dear-my.html
but then a fellow co-blogger had to 1-up me by posting the following http://ulkedoof.blogspot.com/2007/09/tap-supersonic-fuzz-gun.html.

All that got me back to Ride and Mudhoney and J&MC and looking forward to Asobi Seksu playing in Amsterdam. Maps wasn't exactly noise, but it was kind-of-My-Bloody-Valentinish.

That's awesome! Break those eardrums! But on second listen, I don't see how APTBS could claim the title of 'Loudest Band in New York' - them mp3s all sound the same loud to me :-) .

Err, the youtube videos also look and sound all the same to me.

There is only one way to settle this: let them both play in the Netherlands - I'll stand in the middle - and whichever band gets me to put earplugs up my nostrils first, wins.

Disclaimer: I have been to a Motorhead concert, so my hearing may have been damaged!

Did they hate Amsterdam?

2007-10-09T01:23:00.000-07:00

Like Sid and Nancy as musicians, that's how the husband and wife duo of Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry came across to me yesterday. Armed with boredom and discontent Handsome Furs charmed the audience and with the constant battle between his guitar and her raw syth-beats they grabbed our attention. A constant battle is also the theme of their record Plague Park. The battle between hating the city ('Handsome Furs Hate this City') but also hating the small towns ('Dead + Rural').

With all this boredom, discontent, battling and hating I would've expected a less charming duo. Not so.

Handsome Furs - What We Had (mp3)

Handsome Furs - Handsome Furs Hate T his City (myspace)

Handsome Furs - Dumb Animals (video)

St. Vincent has Taken By Trees and Taken By Trees has St. Vincent

2007-10-08T02:00:00.000-07:00

Another sweet female voice is from Victoria Bergsman better known as the former lead singer of The Concretes and undoubtedly even better known as ‘that chick who sings Young Folks’. She now makes music as Taken By Trees and her record called Open Field is very lo-fi. It’s mostly piano or guitar with some percussion and that voice that makes you want to hug her to death like she was a pink mini-dwarf-baby-puppy. Especially when she’s feeling Lost and Found.

Taken By Trees – Lost and Found (mp3)

New Buffalo has St. Vincent and St. Vincent has New Buffalo

2007-10-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

I find myself listening to the lovely Sally Seltman, better known as New Buffalo a lot lately. Her latest album 'Somewhere, Anywhere' is a grower, it took me a while to really appreciate it. I wondered why I took that time but I guess the reason is that New Buffalo is a very welcome alternative to the angst, neuroticism and heaviness of most music. The music of Arcade Fire (check here october 6th), Interpol and The National for instance aren’t exactly easy listening. You could always throw in something happy like an Architecture in Helsinki, some New Pornographers or Bonde do Role but sometimes I need something a bit more subtle. New Buffalo seems to specialize in songs of contentment (for example in the song 'I've got you and you've got me (song of contentment)'), comfort, wonder and all around sweetness. You might be wondering what the point to this story is. Well, the point is that New Buffalo doesn't have to feel so alone anymore:

St. Vincent is Annie Clark and used to be in The Polyphonic Spree and in Sufjan Stevens' entourage (but then again, who wasn’t?). Although her music is a bit less subtle than New Buffalo's it breathes the same sweetness when she sighs “what me worry? I never do” or asks John: "marry me John, marry me John (I’ll be so good to you)". How could anyone deny such a lovely voice from such a lovely appearance? Okay, so I could but that has nothing to do with her (I'm going to marry either Elvis Costello or Nick Cave). From the lovely piano play to the ‘pom-pom-pom-pom’s to the handclaps to the lush strings and the modest lyrics, it’s all drenched in an incredible sweetness. Even when Paris is burning she’s dancing (albeit a ‘black waltz’).

Sounding a bit desperate: St. Vincent - Marry Me (mp3)

St. Vincent - Paris is Burning (myspace)

Bad metaphor/good metaphor

2007-10-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

You be the judge:

Of Montreal: Gronlandic Edit
‘Let's fall back to earth and do something pleasant
We fell back to earth like gravity's bitches
(Physics makes us all its bitches)’

Katie Melua: If You Were A Sailboat
‘If you were a house I would live in you all my days’

Cold War Kids: Hang Me Up To Dry
‘Now hang me up to dry
You wrung me out
too too too many times’

Katie Melua: If You Were A Sailboat
‘If you were a river I would swim you’

Toranja: Carta
‘É que hoje acordei e lembrei-me
Que sou mago e feiticeiro
Que a minha bola de cristal é folha de papel
E nela te pinto nua
Nua, numa chama
Minha e tua’
['Today when I woke up I remembered
That I’m a magician and an enchanter
That my crystal ball is a piece of paper
And on it I paint you naked
Naked, in a flame
Yours and mine']

Katie Melua: If You Were A Sailboat
'If you were a piece of wood I’d nail you to the floor'

WorthyNonsense: [Unreleased]
'Katie Melua, if you were a musician I’d burn your house, drain your river and nail the piece of wood in question to your glottis.'

Of Montreal - Gronlandic Edit (mp3)
Cold War Kids - Hang Me Up Tp Dry (mp3)
Toranja - Carta (video)

Certainly NOT the only gay in that village

2007-10-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

OhmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodOhmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodOHMYGOD! BEST CONCERT OF THE YEAR ALERT! ohmygodohmygodo-*SLAP*...Thanks. I'm okay now.

Swedish Glam-rock band The Ark played their first concert in The Netherlands. Even though it was in a small venue in Rotterdam for about a hundred people they played as if they were on a giant stage playing for a crowd of thousands. They gave it their all and convinced everybody there that The Ark is THE GREATEST BAND EVE-*SLAP*...Sorry, I went of there again.

From the frantic first notes to the fantastic last one their motto was ~~absolutely no decorum whatsoever~~ glam, bam, thank you ma'am! Frontman Ola made Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears look like a conservative librarian with his impressive voice, stage personality, golden jumpsuit and 'controversial' lyrics. Lyrics about homosexuals' right to have children ('Father of a Son'):

And I may be gay
But I can tell you straight away
That Ill become a better father
than All of you anyway...(so listen!)
One day I will become
The father of a son
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah!

About sexualization ('Tired of Being an Object'):

Well, don´t project your bore
On the girl on the dance floor
She doesn´t at all find
The men´s looks abusive
She doesn´t want your shield
Maybe she´s the one who´s free
Maybe sometimes getting fucked Can be amusing

And even about bare-backing ('Disease'):

If there is disease in you
I want to have that disease too

I can't remember having that much fun at a show. They deserve to be Swedens biggest act. And to be THE BIGEST BAN-*SLAP*...I'll stop now. Promise.

Their break-through single: The Ark -It Takes a Fool to Remain Sane (video)

Their fabulous 2007 songfestival song video: The Ark - The Worrying Kind (video)

Don't Make Fun Of Hera's Tears.

2007-10-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

Today the last 30 seconds of this tiny snippet of documentary on Morrissey made me cry.

Celebration - The Modern Tribe (4AD)

2007-10-02T00:41:00.000-07:00

The hybrid child of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV On The Radio might be the best way to describe Celebration. Though they have released some stuff already, their new album 'The Modern Tribe' caught my attention. Why? you might ask; I don't have an idea.

Nerd-o-fact: David Sitek (TV On The Radio) produced the record.

Here's the video for Evergreen. Be your own judge.

Oh yeah and here's their myspace for more stuff, quite a lot of stuff, actually

In Amsterdam after the trip

2007-10-01T01:29:00.000-07:00

It took me four and a half hours of trains, busses and trams to get to the Stars concert last saturday but as soon as they started 'Take me to the Riot' that exhausting journey was instantly forgotten. I was treated to an exhilirating set of songs from their 2005 break-through masterpiece 'Set Yourself on Fire' (please don't), new favorites (or rather favourites) from 'In Our Bedroom After the War', some old songs and the Smiths cover 'This Charming Man'.
Stars are a romantic indie-pop band from Canada (yes, from the Arts & Crafts label) who specialise in narrative songs about the intricacies of relationships. The songs in which Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan both sing parts from a male and female perspective are their trade-mark. Like on 2005's 'Your Ex-lover is Dead' where two ex-lovers meet again and we hear that their thoughts about each other are way off, or 'One More Night', a cruel tale about sex with an ex. The new album has 'Personal', which is sung as a personal ad ("Wanted single F/ Under 33/ Must enjoy the sun/ Must enjoy the sea") and slowly turns crueler and crueler.

Okay, so maybe they're not so much a romantic band as a band that sings about romances.

From 'Set Yourself on Fire': Stars - Your Ex-lover is Dead (video)

Fantastic set-opener: Stars - Take me to the Riot (myspace)

Moving: Stars - Personal (myspace)

Not quite so Serene Republic

2007-09-28T04:26:00.000-07:00

In 2005 I went to see Broken Social Scene. I managed to see the last couple of songs from The Most Serene Republic who opened for them and I have to say; I was impressed. Even though similarities with BSS are obvious (large group of Canadians with male and female vocals making cacophonic music) they were actually the first band to be signed to the Arts & Crafts label who were not in any way part of BSS.

As I said, when I saw them live they intrigued me. I quickly found their debut ‘Underwater Cinematographer’ and expected to love the album. That, sadly never happened. It’s not that it’s a bad record, it just never clicked with me. Even the song I liked best from that album (‘Where Cedar Nouns And Adverbs Walk’) had a clear flaw (an unnecessarily long intro). Here was an album I really wanted to like but didn’t, what I mostly heard was potential.

Then came 2006 and I came upon ‘Emergency Performance Art Piece’ from their EP ‘Phages’. I really liked it and hoped this was an indication of their second album.

Now their second album ‘Population’ is (almost) out and they have made progress. The mathematic rhythms are still here, as are the cacophonic mash of instruments and the beautiful harmonizing. But the songs are much stronger and much better structured. It’s good to see they're living up to their potential.

From their debut: The Most Serene Republic - Where Cedar Nouns And Adverbs Walk (myspace)

From the new one: The Most Serene Republic – Present of Future End

WiTTY TiTLE WiTH WEiRD TYPOGRAPHY

2007-09-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

If you like your music slow, low and dark and with alternative typography then we might have just the thing for you. iLiKETRAiNS (I do, but that's not the point here) are a band from the UK that depressed us (in the good way) with their album 'Progress/Reform' in 2005.

They sound like a choir of doomed miners in a slowly collapsing mine. With epic guitar walls and a Nick Cave like voice singing pitch-black lyrics about historic tragedies. Tales about tragic chess-players ('A Rook House for Bobby'), doomed forgotten explorers ('Terra Nova') and selfish railway reorganizers ('The Beeching Report'). But as much as this might sound like a gimmick (they even wear British Rail-uniforms) the music is solid and lasts.

Their new album 'Elegies to Lessons Learnt' continues along the same line but features smaller personal tragedies instead of grander ones. I just can't get enough of tragedies, unless their my own (or Britneys, I'm sooo done with her).

Some tragedies for you

Not even that: iLiKETRAiNS - No Military Parade (mp3)

iLiKETRAiNS – A Rook House For Bobby (mp3)

And from their new album: iLiKETRAiNS – The Deception (mp3)

Tap the Supersonic Fuzz Gun

2007-09-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

Well, now we’re on the ‘they’re from New York and sound a bit like Jesus and Mary Chain’ tour, I should introduce you to A Place To Bury Strangers. This band is being described as the loudest band from New York, mostly because of their overwhelmingly use of reverberating distortion which blows out of your speakers.

This is where front man Oliver Ackermann kicks in. He’s responsible for these noise explosions, since he designs and builds his own hand-wired pedals, not only for APTBS but also for bands like Spoon, Wilco and TV on the Radio. The pedals have names like Interstellar Overdriver, Total Sonic Annihilation and Supersonic Fuzz Gun, and their sound can be heard on the website of Ackermann’s company, Death By Audio. If you don’t feel like clicking the link; the names of the pedals pretty much describe their sound.

After shoegaze band Skywave split up, front man Ackermann formed APTBS and the other band members continued under the name Ceremony. APTBS recorded a self-titled debut album, which sounds like I said, a bit like JAMC. Especially the guitar effect, bassline and distant and monotone vocals can be compared to JAMC‘s Psychocandy. Just listen to APTBS’s Breathe and Psychocandy’s Inside Me and you’ll know what I’m talking about (or won’t of course). But APTBS aren’t just copycats. They have their own distinct sound that’s less slow and sweet for example and also tends more towards post-punk.

Their album has a lot of good songs, but I especially like I Know I'll See You and the epic album closer, Ocean…but that’s me. Feel free to listen to the other songs!

Rockethouse

2007-09-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Rrright. A mySpace band with about a thousand listeners. What is wrong with this picture?
a) Bad Band.
b) Bad Luck, exposure wise.
c) OMG! They're from New York! And they sound (a bit) like Jesus and Mary Chain! Copycats!
d) Have you been typing random words into Google again?

Yeah. It's C. You could probably tell, or could tell probably.

Rockethouse first caught my attention about two years ago, due to their then current album title ("Weapons of Mass Distortion") and also due to the 'I can download whatever I want' factor. Truth be told, the album did not disappoint: as I can't be bothered (UKian: arsed) to rip the oldies but goodies of the Jesus and Mary Chain to mp3, so I'll just settle with these guys - although they're from the States.

Wait. Is that really fair?

Yeah, as much as the comparison between the Monkees and the Beatles makes sense (haha! I'm not a musician, I just play one on the xylophone). Both give a twist to the genre that's unique, relative to the side of the pond you're on. Who is reinventing who - I'll keep out of that; one thing is for sure! Shoegaze is not dead! Viva el shoegaze norte-americano! (c.f.: Asobi Seksu)

Check out the songs on their myspace page-thingy: http://www.myspace.com/rockethouse
. They've got a new album out but it doubt we'll get to hear it here :(

If I could link legally to 'Pedestal or 'Lock and Load' I would - that would be great as those two figure greatly amongst my semi-recently acquired anthems. But you youngsters don't know much about the Jesus and Mary Chain in the first place:)

Although I have not expressed any opinion on the musical quality of 'Rockethouse', lemme just say that the drumming on 'Pedestal' is as good, if not better, as the drumming on Ride's track 'Nowhere' - capisce?

All you nostalgists, think about it.

It's elementary, my dear Patrick Watson...

2007-09-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

For my first post, I'm not going to talk about an entire style, artist, album or even song. Some songs, albums, artists or even styles you may have to grow accustomed to - sure. I want to get down to the basics instead.

From time to time, just listening to a random song, you get this magical moment: "What? What! Can I hear that again?" - a snippet of a song that is just so cool you have to hear it over and over again. It could be a lyric that's really cool, but that's not what I'm talking about here (worthy of another post, though!). Sometimes the music itself is so enchantingly beautiful that you can listen to the same ten-second segment on repeat for hours on end.

My most recent run-in with this phenomenon was with the opening track of Caribou's new CD, Andorra. The song is called "Melody Day" and the relevant moment occurs right at the start, at 0:15, 0:28, 0:35, 0:42, 0:56 etcetera. Just those high plinking tones, mind you, forget about the tambourine - those high tones make me all dreamy.

What's your favourite snippet?

Kevin and Feist sitting in a tree, S-O-C-I-A-L-I-S-I-N-G

2007-09-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

With the risk of repeating of repeating myself; I love me some Broken Social Scene. And not just the Broken part, but the entire Social Scene. Last year they put the collective on indefinite hiatus since the members of the scene had more success with their solo-projects and bands than was (probably) anticipated (especially Feist*). But soon they came up with a new, more workable format called 'BSS Presents...'. It features one song-writer with parts of the collective playing his/her songs. First up is Kevin Drew, who together with Brendan Canning forms the core of BSS.

Where BSS sounded chaotic, explosive (in a very good way) and anthemic on their last album Kevin's 'Spirit If...' sounds more subdued. It’s less eclectic but still eclectic enough and it’s far more personal. Although most lyrics are still indecipherable they contain just enough understandable parts to move you. Like in ‘Bodhi Sappy Weekend’ where the repeating line “please don’t scratch me out” sounds anguished and desperate, especially placed between the lines that are less direct. Desperation and frustration seem to be the main themes on Spirit if…, with song-titles like 'Tbtf' (Too beautiful to fuck), 'F-up Kids' (“he’s in love with the fucked up kids”) and 'BrokeMe Up' ("everybody broke me up").
There is a lot to discover in Spirit if… and it's easily one of the best albums of this year for me. But then again, I am a bit prejudiced. Because I love me some Broken Social Scene.

Frustrating: Kevin Drew - Tbtf (download from site)

In love with the fucked up kids: kevin Drew - F-up Kids (mp3)

Apparently he wrote this in three hours as a gift for a friend who had a bad day: Kevin Drew - Cocaine Skin (myspace)

* Rumor is that Kevin is dating Feist (who just keeps popping up everywhere). They could be the coolest pair since Nick Cave and PJ Harvey.

Klicking, ticking, strumming and picking

2007-09-18T01:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is about 'folktronica' (ugly term), 'future folk' (less ugly, more stupid) or 'laptop folk' (totally demeaning) but sometimes I really seem to need a fix of it. Ever since David Kitt's 2001 modest masterpiece 'The Big Romance' with it's beats, repeats and multiple electronic layers over romantic folk-ish songs I've been a fan of the genre and got curious with every release labeled with aforementioned ugly, stupid and demeaning terms. The problem is that there aren't that many artists in the genre and even fewer good ones (The Books, Four tet, Múm, The Album Leaf). 2003 saw Postal Service's incredibly succesful debut 'Give up' and some PS-lite's surfaced after that but the more harcore 'folktronica' (let's call PS 'poptronica' and say we didn't) releases are still few and far between. That's why I was thrilled to see a new Tunng album as well as a new Efterklang and a new Caribou release. But with the latter two having dropped most of their overt electronics from their sound that leaves me with just Tunng. Tunng has been making the kind of music that I need for three albums now. Little folksongs riddled with chirps, loops and sometimes surprising beats (like in 'Surprise me 44'). Clicking, ticking, strumming and picking their way through songs about girls, dead cats and spoons (I personally draw the line at girls). Their new album is called 'Good Arrows' and is totally satisfying.

From their debut 'Mother's Daughter and other songs': Tunng - Tale From Black (mp3)

From their sophomore 'Comments of the Inner Chorus', a song about a dead cat (I'm not ashamed to say I've cried): Tunng - Woodcat (mp3)

And their Bloc Party cover: Tunng - the pioneers (myspace)

Here is the video for their new single: Tunng - Bullets (video)

Ssssh! Better than the K-word

2007-09-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

I know... I already pronounced this my obsession of this week (and the next one), but I think this video should adorn this music blog's frontpage for at least a couple of days.

It's most likely to be adored by anyone who likes Klaxons, the 80s or both, but does not dare to say so. Late of the Pier is, as we speak, still practically unknown to everyone's neighbours' daughter, so don't worry. Yet.

The LOOOOVEBOA- what!?

2007-09-13T04:36:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I didn’t really dig Jens Lekman’s previous albums. The out-of-tune strings, the lo-fi sound quality and the bored vocals didn’t do it for me. And truth be told, I must have been wrong! Because Jens’ new album ‘Night Falls over Kortedala’ does impress.

The incredibly pompous (in a good way) opener ‘I remember every kiss’ (only someone from Sweden could reach this level of pompousness) tenses all my muscles. Then ‘Sipping on the sweet nectar’ starts and the first thing that comes to mind is “the LOOOOOVEBOAT! Soon we’ll be making another run” and immediately after that comes the obligatory “what the fuck was that!?”.

The rest of the album is decorated with bits of soul and Motown (Barry Manilow, Diana Ross & The Supremes) layered with Burt Bacharachesque strings, sprinkled with some Copacabana and Lambada with just a pinch of funky doo-wop. And, I’ll remind you again, all this from a Swede.

In his lyrics he shows the wit of Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt and Morrissey’s melodrama. But having said this all I have to add that the album has it’s own sound. And what a sound! In Sweden the record is currently topping the charts.

The love Boat?: Jens Lekman - Sipping on the sweet nectar (mp3)

Majestically pompous: Jens Lekman – The opposite of hallelujah (mp3)

Eagle Seagull

2007-09-11T05:05:00.000-07:00

Early 2006 I came across Eagle Seagull (back then there was this ungoogleable asterisk between the separate words), a six-piece band from Nebraska (US). I was sure they were destined for success. But then it grew quiet. Although they got some love from the bloggers it didn’t turn into the success I thought it was going to be. Still, I loved their self-titled debut album to bits and got some friends excited about them. I visited a charming small concert and thought their obscurity was an injustice right up there with third-world debt, AIDs and the ridiculous added costs to a concert ticket in the Netherlands. But then came late 2006 and to my utter surprise I found their album in a giant wall-mart kind of store in Berlin (not even in one of the many hip small semi-second hand record stores) with bonus-tracks! It appeared their cd had become a semi-not quite underground success and was released in Europe on a German Indie-label.

I was thrilled and even more so when they came back to The Netherlands to play another show, which was great. At first I was a bit bummed that they didn’t play all my favorites from their debut (especially ‘Holy’) but then I noticed that all the new songs were fantastic. Every. Single. One.

But what the hell kind of music do they make? I hear you wondering (not really, but I’ll pretend, just play along will you?). They are mostly compared to Arcade Fire which I understand but don’t think is entirely fair. Yes, they do sometimes have their passion and grandeur but they’re also not afraid of an Interpol bass-line ('Heal it/Feel it'), Robert Smithesque vocals, Connor Oberst upsetness ('Your Beauty is a Knife I Put at my Throat'), Jamie Stewarts (of Xiu Xiu) bottled up horribility or Wolf Parade’s akward rhythms. And all this without sounding like copycats and losing their own unique sound.

Their next album is going to be called ‘Year of the How-to Books’ and dammit, this time they’re really going to be huge! Mark my words.

An oldie from the debut: Eagle Seagull – Your Beauty Is A Knife I Put At My Throat (myspace)

Two new songs, both more danceable than earlier songs:

Eagle Seagull – I’m Sorry But I’m Beginning To Hate Your Face (mp3)

Eagle Seagull – You Can’t Call Yourself A Secret (mp3)