JUNE: This Month’s Releases In Full
words: Jamie Milton
The highlight of my month was seeing the lead singer of Friendly Fires sweat it out on the new turf of the Glastonbury Other Stage with the campest dance routine for some time. It worked, and the crowd loved it. It goes to show, all you need is energy, enthusiasm and people will find it difficult not to warm to you. Even though the greatest entertainer alive has passed, there’s still room for his take on wowing an audience. Hopefully in time, the crop of stars who merely look uninterested, staring down blankly will be abolished. It’s not one of the biggest problems in music, but it might be for live music.
In the recording studio however, things have brightened up. June has been our busiest month to date, releases coming in from all sides. Results vary, but the uniting feature of all, bar a couple, is this sense of determination to make something not just special, but vastly different. This was highlighted first and foremost in our album of the month, Dirty Projectors’ ‘Bitte Orca’. Dave Longstreth incorporated an “accessibility factor” into the record which I declared “makes the whole listen stick in your head rather than forcing you to scratch it in bewilderment.” Kasabian, a less likely act to twist and turn in such style, also produced a forward-thinking record that made no mistake of attempting to abolish a lager-swigging status thrown at them so early in their career. However, I saw it as an unsuccessful move: “It’s when the band stick to their guns that they become a more formidable prospect.”
A couple of “veterans” did indeed stick to their guns, with mixed results. Eels returned to some hostility and criticism towards his latest ‘Hombre Lobo’ concept album. Often deemed safe and restrictive, for an album that covered one single subject, ‘desire’, more could have been made of it. On the EP front, Deerhunter returned after only a short while with their surprisingly tight and coherent ‘Rainwater Cassette Exchange’, a project that provided an “even more accessible Deerhunter than the band exposed on the last record.”
Debut albums came thick and fast, artists ranging in the size of hype that upheld them. La Roux produced the finest debut of the year to date, a real shock to the system, a record refusing to be dictated by a couple of hit singles. We Were Promised Jetpacks followed a trend of emotional, Scot-bred songwriting, tweaking the sound of Frightened Rabbit and producing something more damaged and edgy. Let’s Wrestle released their first album proper: one “prolonged, aggressive but intelligent chant of triumph.”
The surprise of the month came in the form of Jack Penate – a previously interesting pop star but never one to make a fuss about, his Paul Epworth produced sophomore album inhales African guitars, drums and spirits, carrying the soul and confidence he exited with from his debut. Future Of The Left also turned more heads that previous with their latest. Matt McDonald put it best: “Future of the Left are still nowhere near a headline slot at Glastonbury and a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with Pepsi. But each and every one of their songs communicates the idea that they would never want to be.” That was June.
JUNE’S RELEASES, IN SCORE ORDER:
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca 8.8 [mp3: Two Doves // alt ]
La Roux – La Roux 8.8 [mp3: Colourless Colour // alt ]
Jack Penate – Everything Is New 8.3
Future Of The Left – Travels With Myself And Another 8.3
Deerhunter – Rainwater Cassette Exchange 8.0
White Denim – Fits 7.9
We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls 7.9
Broken Records – Until The Earth Begins To Part 7.9
Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer 7.8
Eels – Hombre Lobo 7.6
Let’s Wrestle – In The Court Of The Wrestling Let’s 7.5
Dinosaur Jr – Farm 7.1|
Amazing Baby – Rewild 6.7 [mp3: Invisible Place // alt ]
Regina Spektor – Far 6.7
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum 6.1
Little Boots – Hands 5.0
The Gossip – Music For Men 4.3
ALBUM REVIEW: Broken Records – Until The Earth Begins To Part
Words: Gareth O’Malley
Broken Records. A Scottish seven-piece band that uses instruments such as the violin, the accordion, the cello and the trumpet. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, they do bear some similarities to a certain Canadian seven-piece, and I’m sure you know who I’m talking about. This is something that has come up in pretty much every review I’ve seen of the band’s debut album, ‘Until the Earth Begins to Part’, and it really is an unavoidable comparison. Which is a shame, really, as Broken Records are so much more than Arcade Fire imitators, and it would be foolish to dismiss them thus.
One thing in particular this album, that neither of Arcade Fire’s albums had, is a sense of fun. Yes, you read that right. Even though the album, according to frontman Jamie Sutherland, is “based around all the shit things men do”, the music is joyous on many an occasion here. The album builds from subdued beginnings, however. ‘Nearly Home’’s quiet intro gives way to galloping strings, and, later, Sutherland’s impassioned vocals. It is a fitting start to the album, hinting at what is to come, rather than letting itself get carried away. A violin part segues into the bass-driven second track, the band’s debut single ‘If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It’, which appears here in a re-recorded form. Called ‘a hymn to apathy’ by the band, it is an excellent track, but, as you’ll soon discover, only the first in a series of highlights.
There are plenty of moments on ‘Until The Earth Begins To Part’. You know the kind I mean, the ‘oh-my-god-this-is-astonishing’ sort of moment. Not the least of these is featured on ‘A Promise’. Piano is the most prominent instrument in the track until around two-and-a-half minutes in, when bass and drums enter and the song takes off. I like to think of this as 2009’s ‘Festival’ (off Sigur Rós’ ‘With A Buzz In Our Ears We Play Endlessly’ – listen to it and you’ll see what I mean). Similar moments occur on ‘Wolves’ and album closer ‘Slow Parade’.
Track number six has the band telling us that ‘If Eilert Løvborg Wrote A Song, It Would Sound Like This’. Surely a contender for second single, it has one of the best choruses I’ve heard this year, and a vaguely Eastern European, quick-tempo feel to it.
Penultimate track ‘A Good Reason’ is the standout here, however. Easily one of the best all-round songs of the year, it boasts a violin melody that stays in your head for days at a time, Lacking a discernable chorus (which is not always a bad thing), its four minutes race by. A highly enjoyable listen.
‘Slow Parade’ finishes the record. A stop-start affair, it is yet another fantastic closer (2009’s list just keeps on growing – much like this record, in fact). Its last two minutes are triumphant – a wall of sound is developed, before the song explodes to bring the curtain down on an excellent album.
There only really seems to be one song that I do not yet like, and that is the underwhelming lead single, the album’s title track, but it’s not really much of a big deal, as the other nine songs are all fantastic. Definitely a band that can develop from here, Broken Records have delivered an album in which there is something for everyone, and it is a remarkably consistent listen despite the mixed bag with which we are presented. A triumphant debut.
Word has hit by now. You’ll be aware of pretty much all of the bands below. All you have to do from now onwards is scroll below to see who beat who in the final stage and then all you’ll have to do is glance right and vote for your favourite. So in finer terms, this is when it gets fun. On other sites critics get the choice as to who the best new act is and now it’s your turn.
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FINAL BATTLES
Passion Pit vs. Danananaykroyd – Passion Pit’s sound looks set to turn a few more heads than Dana.. will, simply because Michael Angelakos will have more access to that sort of attention because of his accessible pop sound and more chart-friendly name, alliteration and all. But if we’re still thinking in terms of who exactly can span a lengthy career, consistently producing exciting albums that’ll make end of year lists fall over backwards, the Scots come out on top.
Empire of the Sun vs. Florence and the Machine -This might be the toughest decision out of the lot. Empire of the Sun’s debut is patchy but no doubt the most ambitious debut around at the moment in terms of weird concepts and over-worldly image choice. Florence and the Machine have treated us to the brilliant ‘Kiss With A Fist’ and ‘Dog Days Are Over’ already and the debut will be just as chart friendly, danceable and likeable. But don’t ask me why, I’m going with Empire of the Sun.
White Lies vs. The Tough Alliance – No doubt about it, White Lies, via. their interviews, are attempting to create a dark, depressed image to sit nicely with their sound. Plenty of us are latching onto it. Not only do their songs have not one little ounce of hope in them, they’re also sparse and ambitious in sound. Great for a winter evening alone. The Tough Alliance however will have to wait until the summer until they catch on. Their chirpy Cut Copy-esque melodies are unashamedly cheesy and just as likeable as White Lies. But White Lies are just starting and they have much more in them.
Little Boots vs. Broken Records – Having just won the ’sound of 2009′ choice from critics among us through the BBC, Victoria Hesketh will be on such a high. She’s destined for success on some small part at least now, whereas Broken Records could filter out under the radar, without getting the recognition they deserve. As a musical act, both are capable of conjuring up a couple of quality albums but Little Boots will create more of a musical legacy if she captures the right audience.
O Children vs. Maps + Atlases – Everything in both of these band’s back catalogues is all killer, no filler, which makes it nearly impossible to choose between the two. O Children. are still in their early days though, whereas Maps + Atlases are getting ever closer to releasing a stunning debut album, accessed to thousands of already established fans. Expect O Children to take this prize by storm next year but I’m going with the old-skool Americans on this one.
—————————————————- the remaining five go to a vote. This is when you decide. Voting closes this time next week. Choose carefully and listen to the music of all five of our choices before you make a decision. Have fun!
P R I M E NEW BANDS ‘09 THE TOP THREE VOTE – primaries words: Jamie Milton To conclude our seemingly never-ending quest to track down the best of the new, we saw it a fitting time to narrow the list of 30 odd names all the way down to three. Plenty of names are flying about in large quantity by now. Lady GaGa already, is top of the UK iTunes chart – so she’s made it. But whilst the features we’ve provided you so far have been done on a basis of who would emerge the most successfull now in opinionated-fashion, MFM will be giving you a guide of whom is capable of creating the most exciting music. This isn’t dependant on who’s got the best stuff around currently, but that’ll no doubt help. Instead it’s decided on a basis of who has the most flair and most ambition, as well as the already-indicated songwriting ability to help them on their way. Eventually you’ll vote to decide on the final three but we’ll do the starting bits for you.
and we then pit them against eachother, in completely random order. ‘the dead certs’ only featured nine names so the first four rounds will exclude the acts in that group. Following? If not, hopefully when you see it in action it might make a little more sense. For old time’s sake, we’re including La Roux in ‘the likely lads’ to even things out and just because she deserves a place which we should’ve given her already.
let the games begin:
RND.1 (narrowing down 34 to 30) ————————————————– TUBELORD vs. O. CHILDREN(right) This is a tough draw. Tubelord have already given us some great songs and definitely have a scene behind them but O. Children just have that little more about them. Winner: O. Children.
LEAN HORSE MARATHON vs. POST WAR YEARS Another nasty pair of great names. LHM’s debut self-released LP was dreamy and blissful but Post War Years’ ‘Black Morning’ EP is something else. Winner: Post War Years
DINOSAUR PILE UP vs. HOCKEY Difficult again – Dinosaur Pile Up could have a few show-stopping hits inside of them and Hockey have certainly won the hearts of minds of every hipster about but tune-wise; winner: DPU
LET’S WRESTLE vs. THE TOUGH ALLIANCE Early indications show Let’s Wrestle to be packed with potential indie-hits but there’s nothing truly original in there as of yet. TTA have released tons of great stuff so far and look likely to keep it up. Winner: The Tough Alliance.
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RND 2. (enter the dead certs – three vs. three) LITTLE BOOTS vs. GRAMMATICS vs. THE TEMPER TRAP Word is spreading fast on Little Boots’ electro-fest of smart gadget-led pop. As is the buzz on Grammatics; their even more intellectual take on indie has left many speechless and their self-titled debut will be up against Danananykroyd for debut of the year. The Temper Trap could end up being THE new band of the year and we might be looking back on them regularly by the end of the year. But indication suggests, winner: Little Boots.
WE HAVE BAND vs. THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART vs. BROKEN RECORDS This is painful, horrible, why did I make myself do this? We Have Band make excellent indie-pop and if everything were right in the world, would be huge already. POBPAH’s (haha) debut album is consistent and breathes maturity at such an early stage. Broken Records could be the next Arcade Fire or even Belle & Sebastian. So; Winner: Broken Records.
LA ROUX vs. FLASHGUNS vs. MAPS + ATLASES La Roux’s ‘Quicksand’ finally hit today; it really is pop at its very best. Everything Flashguns have offered so far has been great, quirky fun and Maps + Atlases’ debut EP not at one moment failed to maintain your attention with its Southern-state-guitar-fused-enthusiasm. Winner: Maps + Atlases
EMPIRE OF THE SUN vs. THAT GHOST vs. CATHERINE A.D ‘Walking On A Dream’ keeps getting better and better, MGMT-esque stuff of dreams, worthy of the hype that ‘Electric Feel’ etc. got last year. That Ghost’s ‘Open Windows’ is just as good but the rest of ‘Young Fridays’ sounds too purposefully messy. Catherine A.D makes the most sophisticated pop around. But to pick a winner; Empire of the Sun. THE TOUGH ALLIANCE vs. OX.EAGLE.LION.MAN vs. VV BROWN As said above, the Tough Alliance make powerful dance-pop in similar vein to neighbours Cut Copy. Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man could be capable of big, big things but you get the feeling they haven’t delivered it yet. VV Brown might have hit the peak of her career already with ‘Crying Blood’ but you get the feeling the girl’s ambitious. Winner: The Tough Alliance.
DANANANAYKROYD vs. ESSER vs. FANFARLO The toughest matching so far. Dana-etc. apparently, have the debut of the year in ‘Hey Everyone!’ and funnily enough that’s believeable. Esser is destined for stardom and everybody knows it and Farfarlo, well everything they’ve made so far has been nothing less than beautiful. A winner? Danananaykroyd.
DINOSAUR PILE UP vs. WHITE LIES vs. SKY LARKIN Dinosaur Pile Up will certainly shake things up musically somehow this year, I can see Sky Larkin attempting the same but going slightly more under the rader. But the big name in this draw has to be White Lies, a band who everybody seems to want to get their grubby mitts on. Winner: White Lies.
FRYARS vs. PLUGS vs. O. CHILDREN frYars has an awful lot going on in that head of his, certainly a few hits at least. Plugs as well, know a thing or two about writing infectious pop tunes but O. Children combine catchiness with the ability to make you feel truly shaken after a listen. Their songs are depressing, tributing Joy Division and they’re a big step forwards from disbanded Bono Must Die. Winner: O. Children
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE vs. CALORIES vs. BOY CRISIS It seems like everybody is pinpointing Florence and the Machine to be the act to cause a stir in 2009. A brit award to her name already; in a large batch of female solo artists destined for bright futures, hers seems the brightest. She’s up against pop-punk delight Calories and hyped-up Boy Crisis. Both Florence’s opponents have plenty to give but probably aren’t capable of a lengthy successful career like she perhaps is. Winner: Florence and the Machine
POST WAR YEARS vs. GENTLE FRIENDLY vs. TITUS ANDRONICUS vs. PASSION PIT An unfortunate draw for these guys, to be pitted in a four-way frenzy. Unfortunate too that they’re four of the strongest acts in our list. So without going into detail, all four are capable of a long illustrious career of consistent brilliance and we really mean that but if one act stands out as possible stars, it has to be Passion Pit. Winner: Passion Pit. ——————————————————–
So that’s it for now, people. There’s ten acts left in it and we’ll narrow it down to five. Then comes your chance to get involved in the final vote of deciding a top three. Hope you enjoyed the primaries, keep checking back to see if your favourite new band made it into the top five.
PT.2 – THE LIKELY LADS/ LADETTES words: Jamie Milton
Hopefully last week you acquired some additional names to check up on every now and then when it comes to the forthcoming year, just a week away now! Scrap your NYE plans though people; here comes a list of names to keep you occupied well into the new year. Some are certified names that most of us will have heard of. Some even, were mentioned in our guides last year or even the year prior to that. We’re just that on the ball. Or not, depends how you look at it really… ‘The Likely Lads’ as you’ve probably gathered, refers to acts that have a reasonably high chance of becoming that “next big thing” that A&R lot sniff out (excuse the pun). Quite a lot of these names are on wee little independent labels and so to see this lot get somewhere would make it all the more satisfying.
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Broken Records Cited last year as the music world’s next Belle & Sebastian, with an Arcade Fire formation and spirit to match. Their reputation has mounted and word of mouth (ie. kind words from big blogs) has pretty much printed their name in our heads for the next 12 months as well. Their releases so far have been delicate little treasures and a 2009 album release is more than likely. Their brass, triumphant sound is the most uplifting source of enjoyment at the moment and that seems set to remain the case.
Dananananaykroyd (top picture) One of the best live bands in the UK have the mighty task of transferring two drum kits and all the associated riotous energy that comes with it into a compressed, potentially surround sound disc. ‘Hey Everyone!’ has got everyone bending over backwards in excitement in anticipation of what could clearly be an album that finally does a terrific pop-punk scene justice both critically and for the first time perhaps, commercially. The un-radio friendly name probably lessens the likelihood of just that but don’t expect the name to shorten by a half-dozen syllables anytime soon. mp3:Dananananaykroyd – One After One (zshare)
Dinosaur Pile Up Combining the darkest shades of both Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age whilst somehow incorporating their own dose of Weezer-esque fun; even though it shouldn’t be, the three-piece’s sound is unique and fresh and horrendously addictive. With Matt Bigland, formerly of Mother Vulpine at the helm, they have experience, knowledge and new ideas. With Zane Lowe and a major label thrusting them into NME-led limelight, success seems assured.
Esser Life after Ladyfuzz looks set to finally see a better day; Ben Esser is pretty much the solo artist everyone’s keeping an eye on. An eclectic range of instruments, all delightfully adapted to Esser’s sharp, forward-thinking songwriting, keep everything new and interesting. Working with Paul Epworth, a man who’s managed to pull a few success stories out of his recording studio, the latest Transgressive beauty is quite the gem.
Hockey Touring the UK early next year with another name to watch; Passion Pit, every hipster’s favourite new band, sounding akin to LCD Soundsystem with additional feedback from the speakers, combine frantic, futuristic beats with Julian Casablancas-esque vocals that’d charm any of us over. Easily one of the most hyped bands around today. Check hypemachine and you’ll see what I’m talking about. They’ll either make it big time or be the biggest anti-climax of the year.
Fanfarlo The delicate acoustic tones of friendly bunch Fanfarlo look set to finally arrive on a larger scale. Chances are the album-in-the-making that’s been at the centre of their plans for the last few months will finally arrive in our recordstores. ‘Fire Escape’ was their breakthrough single a couple of years back and another ten of those and they’ll be a serious name to reckon with. VIDEO: Fanfarlo Black Cab Sessions
Flashguns This Brighton/London quartet share a fair bit with The Maccabees and not only because they both hail from the same area. The inspired, breakneck spirit combined with lyrical wit makes up for any gaps between the two but what Flashguns bring new to the indie scene is a more eclecticly-inspired set of songs, giving us more potential for greater, more odd things. They may sound like they’re inspired by The Smiths and Biffy Clyro but certainly not Moby. So sometime, expect something different.
Q&A: Flashguns
1. What’ll be your first step in 2009? The first thing we’ll probably do next year is take stock of where we our and get an idea of a few quantifiable goals, then we’ll set about blowing them out the water. Step up the touring, with bigger supports and towns, the next single to be produced by Stephen Steet, and perhaps even an album!! Basically prep ourselves for a serious year of progress and achievement. 2. Do you think that featuring in big press like NME will help spreadthe word more than on the blogosphere or other internet sites? I think a prominent feature in a publication like NME, for example radar, will get you a lot quick fire attention and fans and that’s always very exciting, however a presence on the blog and online scene is more permanent and probably helpful in the long term, steadily building up hype or what not, both are very valuable to the early stages of a band. 3. How ambitiously are you thinking when it comes to next year? I don’t think our ambitions have any limits, we’re definitely dreamers, but I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that. I think our music is promising, and our writing is showing no sign of levelling off, it’s always improving so hopefully this can really take us places. Realistically in 2009 we would love to acquire a big fan base, play a ton of festivals, and hit Europe. From there however, we will always be thinking on a universal scale, it’s the only way you’ll ever get anywhere!
4. Do you associate yourself more with the Brighton or London music scene?Why? I not sure either are that applicable to be honest – we grew up, met, formed the band, made music in boarding school, which isnt the coolest of things, but to be honest it helped us side step alot of cliques/trends/scenes and really focus us on what we wanted to do without any pressure. In London there are many scenes which leaves it very open minded and a huge amount is going on for music. I would love to say Brighton, it is definitely our second home, but i feel like the scene there has broken down, where as before it used to be considered very highlyand supportive of up and coming acts. 5. Any other bands we should be keeping an eye on? A band i’ve seen a couple of times recently is Boy Crisis from NY, i haven’t been as enthralled by a small scale live show for a long time as when i saw them. Mumford and sons have got a really cool thing going on, very beautifuland a guy from Paris called Dan Black is great.
Post War Years Inspired by the intrepid “math-rock” scene that’s so clearly got much more to give; Post War Years triumph on the live stage and so far so good, on record too. Samples scatter in between a spirited wall of robot-built noise. Between the gadgets and the speakers however is a set of ideas that have been developed from early 21st century music into something more gutsy and more capable of impressing a wide-spanning audience. mp3:Post War Years – False Starts (zshare)
Sky Larkin Finally for Leeds trio Sky Larkin, things have begun to come good. Their quirky, cheerful, guitar-drone-heavy sound has caught the hearts and minds of Wichita Records and with a debut scheduled for next month, big things could be on the horizon. And deservedly so, we had them down as a great new band two years back and until late this year, little arrived on their doorsteps. These guys and Grammatics are the best thing to come out of busy-ol’ Leeds in quite some time.
That Ghost Dreamy lo-fi anthems caught our attention late this year on the mini-album ‘Young Fridays’, a compilation of young Ryan’s best work to date. Almost by accident he’s drawn up some of the most addictive yet carelessly done anthems. With a purposefully spontaneous, rushed attitude in the recording studio, the cracks between the perfect melodies make his work all the more exciting. With plenty of momentum behind his stride, if it continues, a star will be born. VIDEO: Open Windows
Tubelord When word began to filter out on the subject of great new bands, one name was being consistently mentioned; both by fans and other bands. Tubelord’s appeal lies in their infectious melodies combined with intelligent, uncool yet shameless activity. ‘I Am Azerrad’ et al have been doing the rounds for some time now, and things look set to evolve even further after the initial hype that’s yet to die down.
Q&A: Tubelord First step of 2009? -the first step will be back on the road for just 5 dates with Colour and Calories. After that it’ll be finishing off all that education nonsense and releasing our DAAAAAYbute. A debut?! -you will have an album to hold as well as behold. indeed. Are there any other new bands that you’re tipping? -yes, www. asktubelord. com on the right hand side of the screen is a mass of links to loads of bands/artists/photographers we give extra bum love to, have a gander in that direction and you’ll find something new and old i’m sure.
VV Brown ‘Crying Blood’ may have an undeniably depressing title but the fast-thinking, expertly produced breakthrough single for the soulful Northampton had everything one needed to get big the first second VV let out a cocky “a-ha-ha-ah”. You can picture one of her 50’s-inspired pop songs appearing on a future iTunes advert and if that occurs, they’ll be no stopping her. VIDEO: VV Brown @ Jools Holland
2008 GUIDE: A look back on what we said… words: Jamie Milton
This should actually be pretty fun. Sometimes locating and writing about your favourite new bands can turn out to be a strenuous process but last January we tried to make it short and snappy, making it easier for us and easier for you to discover the latest talent. Last time round we only made a short statement about how clearly correct we were about everything that was said in our 2007 guide and so to follow that up with another guide was quite a risk. But it seemed to have paid off when the likes of Foals, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, These New Puritans, Johnny Foreigner all hit sky high with their debut albums. But it’s what we said that makes it more interesting. So from a pessimistic frame of mind, we devoted more space to some bands than others, handed out more praise to some bands than others and it’s there that we might’ve got things a little bit wrong.
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THE UNDERSTATED? The most notable inclusion that we had little to say about was Santogold. Reacting to the wave of hype that hadn’t nearly reached its peak at the time, we described her as “M.I.A’s Bessie suffering from early stardom”, with the need “to produce something special in 2008 to match the NME cool-list hype”. She completely surprised us. The self-titled debut was one to indulge in at least once a week, its opening period being one of the strongest out of all of 2008’s albums. It still took us a while to find that one out but eventually she turned us round. We also knew a minimal amount of These New Puritans at the time. Since then I’ve gone to see them four times, each time round seeing an improvement. Their spastic, spirited debut ranks in my top 5 of the year and Jack Barnett’s coat of feathers is on my wishlist for Christmas. We made note of Vampire Weekend’s “Sophisticated indie/alternative bliss, certain for success.” but at the time we weren’t nearly prepared to discover their self-titled, Summery charmer that took the first half of the year by storm. And by only devoting one line of written word to MGMT? Well, we won’t go into that one…
THE OVERRATED? So as for those with a whole paragraph next to their name, a couple require justification. We’d predicted bigger things for Blood Red Shoes than what actually eventually occured, ‘Box Of Secrets’ remains to this day surprisingly underwhelming. That said, their frightfully energetic live performances make up for that entirely. A split was apparently on the cards, we’re never bound to find out whether that was actually true or not. Nothing really happened with Tired Irie apart from a couple of enticing single releases to raise the temperature a little. It remains to be seen whether Broken Records can become everything they deserve to be, but a badly-produced recent single of ‘Lies’ put us off a little. The Rosie Taylor Project may not have sold too many records but they’re still as magnificent as we thought they were going to be and Foals, our top tip, disappointed us only slightly with their debut ‘Antidotes’ which could’ve been an awful lot more. Look back on the list in a couple of years from now though, and there might be more to be impressed about.
THE ONES WE MISSED Wild Beasts are the first band to spring to mind. ‘Limbo,Panto’ was a flamboyant, lyrically-unbeatable feind of an album. Fuck Buttons were in our mindset at the time of writing in January but we hadn’t warmed to them, things haven’t really changed since. Tokyo Police Club seemed to have completely passed us by, ‘Elephant Shell’ being an impressive little thing and The Wave Pictures’ debut was a lo-fi gem that we’ll be coming back to so, so often.
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We’ve moved the new bands month to December now so it’s then that you can expect our verdict on all things futuristic. We’ve got some pretty fine plans in store…
NEW TO US: Broken Records B-side, debut Rolo Tomassi album and Ratatat remix words: Jamie Milton
So it seems that our White Lies post got taken down without warning yesterday. In future blogger people, just ask me if you want a post removed and I’ll be willing to co-operate. If you’re still in desperate need of their new b-side, ‘Black Song’, pop along to our hypem (see sidebar) and have a listen. Sorry White Lies people if you don’t approve, but mail me first ok?! Now the whole American Election is still intriguing me beyond belief and I live in England. I think us English should get at least half a vote in the electoral college because in all due respect, this presidency choice affects every single country around America. McCain might be called a chicken on this whole debate delay scenario but I think people, you might be able to count your blessings because I’ve been told today that McCain is a pretty darn good speaker compared to Obama who apparently, waffles on a bit…Frightening times.
Rolo Tomassi – Abraxas So the people of ISpy PR just sent an email to me the very second I decided to post this song to let you know about the debut Rolo Tomassi album, ‘Hysterics’, out now for those who aren’t aware. They sent me this song to post so I won’t be getting any surprise post-deletion from them. And for those of you with a delicate head, heart, body and soul, best to keep yourself at a distance from your speakers because Rolo Tomassi are pretty intense. A punk spirit outweighing several more unpredictable elements to their sound, Abraxas is high-paced and high in punk spirit right from the off, occasionally diverting into an almost jazz-tinged journey before breaking into another frenzy. If you like what you hear, ‘Hysterics’ will almost definitely be your thing.
Ratatat – Shempi [Zongamin remix] Oh this ever-lasting quest for the best remixes that I’m been telling you about, thanks to a heads up from gorillavs.bear, I’ve found one that’s only just coming out. You may remember a while back we went a bit crazy for ‘LP3′, Ratatat’s latest record thanks to a revealing interview on the record’s spirit, energy, atmosphere, recording process, the whole bunch. We understood what this record was all about but somehow, Zongamin has given us an almost improved version on what was arguably the strongest track on ‘LP3′. Cutting straight to the chase with the action not teasing us as it builds, the pace is toyed with, each tremendous segment on the song re-arranged, adjusted into an equally impressive piece. A risky take at the song but one that’s clearly pulled off.
Broken Records – Travelling Songs I got there first, I’m telling you. I have substantial evidence that I found Broken Records before most if not all of the music blogs. Even a kind member of the Rosie Taylor Project thanked me for pointing them out to them in our bands of 2008 list, posted in January. Well, to continue the fan-fist-fight, I’ve just pre-ordered Broken Records’ third single, ‘Lies’, from recordstore, signed and everything. If receiving ‘Dear Science’ in it’s proper little package this morning wasn’t enough for me, this should prove quite a treat. Anyway the b-side to ‘Lies’ is predictably impressive but unpredictably delicate in comparison to the a-side. The words, “The waves will bring you home” are churned out in a huge dose of passion as gentle acoustics, simplistic as they are, bring us home gloriously.
Last year we predicted success for Klaxons, Fields, Jamie T and The Maccabees. They went on to produce some of the better albums that we set our ears to in 2007. Now it’s again our turn to conclusively give you a list of bands to look up and listen to. Most of these bands will be releasing their debut records in 2008, so not only is this a list of new artists, it’s also a list of essential purchases. Improving from our list last year, we’ve got more writers having their say leading to a wider range of artists being included – more for you to check out!
Note that this is just a list of bands we like – some lists carry names who they know will be huge – the list below contains bands who we WANT to be huge.
With live performances becoming that little more priceless each time, Foals won’t be playing in small, intimate venues for much longer. A triumphant Reading set had hundreds watching from outside the tent and this is all due to the raw, ferocious and fun sound that Foals produce. Melodic guitar hooks compete for attention while lead vocalist Yannis defines ‘cool’ with his shy yet unbeatable stage presence.
Their debut, produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek is already shaping up to be a must-have.
At the age of 17 and already writing some of the most beautiful songs to ever come out of the city of Reading. Her EP ‘My Manic & I’ opened many eyes including mine – an appearance on Jools Holland recently outlined her capabilities with her outshining almost every other guest Holland had on the show all year.
A debut is due early 2008. We have hope after all in singer-songwriter’s.
A route to success for the grand Welsh posse seems inevitable. Singles have received stellar reviews, gigs are hyped to be a must see and they’re apparently some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They’re giving their country a proud stance seeing we’ve had to endure Stereophonics and The Automatic.
However lots of pressure is on these guys to produce in 2008, let’s hope they can do themselves justice.
An MFM discovery in 2007 which Jamie stumbled upon while browsing about on myspace, they turned out to be the most talented and friendly people alive in Leeds today. Acoustic lullabies to send you to sleep, comforting you through a difficult day, the Rosie Taylor Project are more than just a simple accidental discovery. Word has spread quickly about these guys, spending their first year as a band supporting Jens Lekman and Camera Obscura isn’t bad going.
With ‘Bathroom Gurgle’ being one of MFM’s singles of the year, these guys have hype coming at them from all sides. Optimistic, frantic and vibrant music accompanied with a gung-ho live performance that nobody can fail to notice, Late of The Pier are here to wake us up – by pinching us lots and lots of times.
One man with two at his helm, it could be that Joseph Mount won’t be seeing this as a solo project for much longer. Metronomy’s live performances are trippy, dancey and these days, accompanied with backing dancers! You become addicted – wanting to see them again in an instant. Another electro act with an undeniably clear future. Foals adore them too.
Arcade Fire+Beirut influenced joy from Scottish triumphs. Expect either a subtle rise in the next two years or sudden dominance from here onwards. Full of multi-instrumentalists, they are heading the right way in becoming one of the most exciting acts around.
Note them down as an outside tip but ensure that you spend at least an hour of your day repeating the tracks up on their myspace. Tired Irie are yet another electro-indie act who have the backing of Foals and the talent to match, it seems like these future stars are all in one special friendship group. A listen to ‘Sumerian’ will blow you away.
Indie rock’s only hope for next year? Maybe. Pete and his crew are here to shake you by the sides and open your mind to something that makes so much sense. Indie songs have never sounded so complex and catchy at the same time, people have been going crazy for these guys, Plan B love them and so should you.
With mini album ‘Arcs across the City’ ripping the living shit out of any pleasing victim that played it, it seems that Johnny Foreigner have officially landed on planet Earth, and we are bowing down. Already well known in and around London, their fanbase will have multiplied a million times in a year’s time. A listen to Johnny Foreigner is like the greatest, most liberating slap in the face you’ll ever confront.
The album has been leaked and it’s been heard by many, but others are waiting for the storm to brew. A two-piece with even more edge than the White Stripes, ignore lazy Subways comparisons and when this album gets its eventual release in or around April, force yourself to purchase it.
Fired up indie dance-off holders. Chants galore with a team spirit to match, Maccabees-esque groove.
The Albums + Acts we’re looking forward to the most
Some of these albums are unannounced, some are planned out and ready to hear and some have already been leaked. Nonetheless, all will be essential listens over the next 12 months. You may recognise a lot of these acts from the list above, or from a couple of years+ ago when they shot to fame originally.
Beach House- Devotion Be Your Own Pet – Get Awkward Bloc Party – TBA Blood Red Shoes – Box of Secrets British Sea Power- Do You Like Rock Music? Coldplay – TBA Crystal Castles- Crystal Castles Deerhunter – Microcastle Doves – TBA Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid Foals – Antidotes Franz Ferdinand – TBA Guillemots – TBA Hot Chip – Made In the Dark I Was a Cub Scout – I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope Late Of The Pier – TBA Lightspeed Champion – Falling Off the LavenderBridge Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now, Youngster… Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping R.E.M. – Accelerate The Futureheads – TBA The Magnetic Fields – Distortion The Raconteurs – TBA The Young Knives – Superabundance These New Puritans – Beat Pyramid Wolf Parade – TBA
All mp3s posted on Music Fan's Mic are posted after gaining the relevant permission.
Jamie Milton began Music Fan's Mic in 2006 as a means of publishing and collecting his reviews for other publications. Since then both Milton and Gareth O'Malley are co-running the blog and posting the best new music on a regular basis.
Boom-box-in':
Yeasayer - Odd Blood LP
Final Fantasy Heartland LP
Beach House - Teen Dream LP
These New Puritans - We Want War
Gigi - The Old Graveyard
jj - The xx Intro
Toro Y Moi - Causers of This LP
Liars - Sisterworld LP
Vampire Weekend - White Sky
Los Campesinos! - In Medias Res
MFM @ HYPEM
