Antipodean band The Bamboos have been around for 10 years, and to celebrate this impressive milestone they’re releasing a double A-side single ‘Eel Oil’/'Wihelm Scream’. ‘Wilhelm Scream’ is a cover of British minimalist electronic artist James Blake, and features Megan Washington’s soulful vocals against some solid brass. A must-have for lovers of smooth funk, this limited edition single is available now.
Alfie Jurvanen of Bahamas has long been known for his soulful style of folk music. The second single off of his forthcoming release, Barchords, is an example of him living up to his reputation. The drums are light and airy, the guitars are melodic and catchy, and the vocals are breathy, intimate, and complimentary to the guitars. Though the song is about losing someone it’s still really light hearted and easy to listen to; you’ll probably find yourself humming it throughout the day without even realizing it.
Barchords Tracklist:
01. Lost in the Light
02. Caught Me Thinkin
03. Montreal
04. OK Alright I’m Alive
05. Never Again
06. Overjoyed
07. I Got You Babe
08. Any Other Way
09. Snow Plow
10. Your Sweet Touch
11. Time and Time Again
12. Be My Witness
Bahamas new LP Barchords is set to release on February 7th 2012 through Brushfire records.
Oh man, the 90′s was an an odd decade indeed. Filled with big hair and teenage angst, they were a time in history when pop culture seemed to be taking a cat nap. Although there were a few great bands above the radar (Nirvana comes to mind) and the underground electronic movement was beginning to take shape, most popular music of the time seemed to utterly lack substance. I suppose the same can be said for today, but back then pop music was less sexy and more cheesy in nature. It takes a brave remixer to take on material from that time, and I give Milan-based electro producer Gigi Barocco props for attempting to rein in one of the most audacious tracks of the era – “The Bad Touch” by Bloodhound Gang. The crisp beats in this remix switch up on a dime and the synth arpeggios in the buildups are particularly well done, causing the inescapable head bob; however, the core material is so silly it can’t be taken seriously and the remix becomes cheesy by association. Still, it is a fun track and you might enjoy dancing up on your lady friends to it tonight so give it a listen and decide for yourself.
Bloodhound Gang – The Bad Touch (Gigi Barocco Remix)
“We started as lovers, don’t know where it’s gonna end” sings Patrick Watson on his fresh new single “Into Giants”. The song is warm and uplifting, touching on the way the world feels when you’re with someone special and all the ways that people can grow together. The instrumentation on the track is just as inspired as the lyrical content, combining upbeat drum patterns with finger style guitar, and a voice that sounds almost like a more energetic Bon Iver. Add catchy horn parts and big vocal harmonies to the formula and you have a feel good brand of poppy folk music that only Patrick Watson can deliver.
The groups new album, Adventures In Your Own Backyard, is set for release on April 17th in Canada and May 1st in the U.S. from Domino/Secret City records.
Patrick Watson has “Into Giants” for FREE download HERE.
http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/34497535
Indie act We Have Band has been around for quite a while now, forming in 2008 after working together for a record label. 2010 saw the release of the British trio’s debut, ‘WHB’, an album that saw the band experiment with their sound. Now they’re gearing up to put ‘Ternion’ out, and have dropped ‘Watertight’ as a lead single. An urgent and muscular track, ‘Watertight’ has the incessant vocal and tight guitars that will cement We Have Band as purveyors of quality electronica. Don’t miss ‘Ternion’, available on January 30.
Download: We Have Band – Watertight
When making an album, recording live is the musical equivalent of doing your crossword puzzle in pen. It’s risky. If one member of the band falters or delivers a performance that’s less than stellar- it shows through in the playback and you pretty much have to record the whole song over. There are very few opportunities to “punch in” where you left off in this kind of recording environment. Because of that, engineers often steer bands away from live recording. When it’s done right, though, it’s gold. The Album becomes a testament to a moment, an honest feel for the bands sound, as if you were watching them at a concert. It gives the record an energy and drive that cannot be created through tracking.
This is the nature of the mantle that Geoff Ereth and his band Brigg Fair have taken upon themselves. A challenge that they have well met through both their performance and the location in which they recorded- the sanctuary of an old church, whose high ceilings allow for beautiful organic reverberation and a light pulsing echo.
Brigg Fair – You Know Who You Are
Set to release in March 2012, Brigg Fair’s full length debut is a blend of soft rock and power pop that truly has something to say. “How’d you like to make some money? How’d you like to kill yourself for change?” Continue reading
Denver rockers Hindershot are poised to drop their sophomore record ‘Curse Us All’, and at the risk of going overboard, it’s more of a blessing than a curse. Packed with emotional lyrics and incredibly powerful melodies, this is a more grown-up effort than their debut ‘It’s Only Blood’. The title track itself is a master class in creating interesting indie-rock, and features minimal yet intense synths that build into a slightly glam-influenced chorus.
Definitely a success story-in-waiting, Hindershot’s ‘Curse Us All’ is out on January 27 on Hot Congress Records.
