Archive for the ‘Earworm’ Category
11/2/09 News briefs: Girls, Hot Chip, Nikolai Fraiture, Titus Andronicus and Weezer Snuggie
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Girls have made some adjustments to their line-up, adding a new guitarist and drummer. And they’ve also hinted that there is a XXX rated version of their new NSFW video for single “Lust For Life.” Whether we see that, who knows? (Likely.)
Hot Chip have announced that they will be putting out a new album in February. According to the band, this will “warm the cockles of our soul right in the middle of the bleak mid-winter.” You can pre-order the special CD/DVD version here.
Though his bandmate Julian Casablancas is stealing all the attention at the moment, The Strokes’ Nikolai Fraiture got into the headlines by finishing the ING New York City Marathon yesterday. He can’t really brag though - Nikolai came in 23,347th place overall.
Titus Andronicus frontman Patrick Stickles had a rough time on Halloween night playing Weezer covers at a VICE party in Williamsburg.
And speaking of Weezer, you can now order the official Weezer Snuggie. Good/bad news: the new album Raditude comes with it.
Tags: Girls, Hot Chip, Nikolai Fraiture, Patrick Stickles, Snuggie, the strokes, Titus Andronicus, VICE, Weezer
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Earworm: Fever Ray “RA 178 (Halloween mix)”
Friday, October 30th, 2009
Who: Fever Ray
Sounds like: Shadowy and claustrophobic musings by Karin Dreijer Andersson that gives insight into how she composes the music of Fever Ray and The Knife. Or the most off-putting mixtape you’ll likely ever hear.
RIYL: The Knife’s Silent Shout, horror soundtracks, black metal, ominous Halloween background music, electro, evil, leftfield indie rock, goth, things that lurk in the dark and go bump in the night
Need to know: Karin Dreijer Andersson put together this special Halloween mix for Resident Advisor, the online electronic music community’s Bible. Before Karin founded The Knife with her brother Olof and her solo project Fever Ray, she was in an indie band called Honey Is Cool, who released a couple albums and started the label Rabid, which releases the music of both The Knife and Fever Ray. Karin also sang on the last two albums by Röyksopp.
Track: RA 178 is an offbeat mishmash of songs Karin felt were true to the Halloween spirit – or Resident Advisor felt would make a good Halloween feature. Her choices provide spooky nuances here and there, but overall it works better as a mix suited to her enigmatic persona. Beginning with a cascading instrumental by Neil Young, the mix logically transcends into a brooding downtempo Yo La Tengo cut, and then hangs a sharp left when Journey To Ixtlan impose their funereal black metal dirge. Brothers Jad and David Fair get in the mood with a playful little narrative about Nosferatu, and then it creeps out again with the zombie march by hip goth singer Zola Jesus. Bruce Haack summons Satan with a quirky electro number, Krause get crazy with the rhythms, and Burial Hex sound as if they’re partying with the Cenobites from Hellraiser. Suicide and Amadour & Mariam each lighten things up in their very distinct styles, before Shackleton drops down low for a hearty bit of dubstep. Entombed enter and exit the fold with the most obvious transitions, thanks to their riveting Scando death metal providing an adrenaline rush. However, when it dies in the hands of Maddalena Fagandini’s pitter-pattering pulsations, things begin to wrap up for Burundi’s hushed tribal hymn.
Buy: You don’t need to buy it, you can download it here for free.
Tags: Fever Ray, Halloween, Karin Dreijer Andersson, Resident Advisor, The Knife
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Earworm: Wild Nothing “Summer Holiday”
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Who: Wild Nothing
Sounds like: A big fan of C86 indie pop and shoegaze can’t decide which he likes better, so he makes music that meets middle ground with winning results.
RIYL: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Shop Assistants, The Radio Dept., The Legends, Black Tambourine, anything on Sarah Records
Need to know: Wild Nothing is simply Jack Tatum, an ambitious 21-year-old from Blacksburg, Virginia who also works under the guise of solo lush orch pop act Jack and the Whale and in the arty trio Facepaint (who sound a smidge like Wolf Parade). He’s another in the long line of one-person bands indie blogs have been fawning over this year (see also Wavves, Blank Dogs, Washed Out, Neon Indian, Dum Dum Girls, etc.). He does a true cover of Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting” that takes the song’s etherealness to higher ground thanks to a heaping teaspoon of echo. In an interview with Chugardism, he admits that he works at a coffee shop and studies Communications at Virginia Tech. How down to earth!
Track: Released by Captured Tracks, “Summer Holiday” evokes the picture perfect summer… it’s a shame it’s arriving three months late. Jangling guitars, pretty boy-girl vocals, a spry beat and wistful melodies, Tatum really gives The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart a run for their money as far as writing warm’n’fuzzy, understated indie pop goes.
Buy: You can buy the “Summer Holiday” 7-inch here.
Tags: C86, Captured Tracks, indie pop, Jack Tatum, shoegaze, Wild Nothing
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Earworm: Charlotte Hatherley “Full Circle”
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Who: Charlotte Hatherley
Sounds like: Fierce, inventive power-pop-punk by a guitarist who isn’t afraid to break out of her comfort zone and throw in synths, disco beats, vibraphones and whatever else she fancies.
RIYL: Matador-era Liz Phair, Ash, Brendan Benson, Veruca Salt, Blondie, mid-period The Donnas, but not necessarily Bat For Lashes
Need to know: Hatherley spoiled the sausage party they were having in Ash when she joined the band as lead guitarist in 1997. She left the band in 2006 to pursue a full-time solo career, but rumours circulated that the band asked her to leave in order to get back to their “three boy hardcore action.” Hatherley joined Bat For Lashes this year as a touring member and also plays bass with electro pop group Client. She used to date Edgar Wright, director of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World; he directed two videos for her first album, Grey Will Fade.
Track: Taken from her third album New Worlds, “Full Circle” demonstrates Hatherley’s songwriting depth, moving beyond the guitar-driven pop of her previous work and introducing terse proggy synth digressions and an airy disco-funk breakdown into the punky song structure.
Buy: You can pick up New Worlds here.
Tags: ash, bat for lashes, charlotte hatherley, new worlds
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Earworm: Annie “Songs Remind Me Of You”
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Who: Annie
Sounds like: Something you’d hear playing on a fashion runway for a designer who uses stark colours or in an expensive German shop that sells Bauhaus furniture.
RIYL: Röyksopp, Richard X, Air, Empire Of The Sun, Simian Mobile Disco.
Need to know: This single’s release marks something of a comeback for Annie - her first and only album, Anniemal, was released in 2004. After making waves with two singles, “Chewing Gum” and “Heartbeat,” she signed an international record deal with Island/Universal. She released a new song, “I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me,” but then parted with the label due to creative differences.
Track: “Songs Remind Me Of You” is a pristinely-produced bit of ’80s-influenced Norgwegian synth-pop. The self-reflexive single finds Annie breathily asking “how does it feel to hear your songs on the radio?” As with many of her tracks, “Songs Remind Me Of You” takes on a more melancholy tone when considering that her original producer and boyfriend Tore Kroknes died from a heart condition in 2001.
Buy: Her long-awaited second album Don’t Stop is out on November 17th, and available for pre-order here.
Tags: Annie, Don't Stop, Songs Remind Me Of You
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Earworm: A Sunny Day In Glasgow “Hybrid Moments”
Monday, October 26th, 2009
What: Heavily layered, fluttering dream pop shaped by nebulous soundscapes and heavenly harmonies. Far too complex and erratic to be shoegaze.
Sounds like: The Misfits getting covered by a band that would rather hang out at sound collage exhibitions featuring wine & cheese than their local Hot Topic.
RIYL: My Bloody Valentine, Brian Eno’s Another Green World, late period Stereolab, Cocteau Twins, Deerhunter, a nice amalgam of the entire 4AD catalogue
Need to know: They’re actually from Philly, not Scotland. Co-founder/leader Ben Daniels invited his sisters Robin and Lauren to sing in the band and on the first two ASDIG releases: the Scribble Mural Comic Journal LP and the Tout New Age EP. Cellist Annie Fredrickson also sings, but in September they were looking for one more singer. Ben used to study at McGill University in Montreal during ASDIG’s formative years.
Track: “Hybrid Moments” is undoubtedly the most undemanding piece of music ASDIG have ever released. Eschewing their usual ethereal sound, the band thrash their way through Danzig and co’s raucous anthem with as straight a cover as they could deliver. It’s undeniably Misfits, but the female lead vocal, ghostly back-ups, cavernous echo and buzz-saw guitars allow them to call this stunning work their own.
Buy: You can buy their latest and best album Ashes Grammar over at the mis ojos website.
Tags: A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Hybrid Moments, mis ojos, Misfits
Posted in Earworm, The New Music | 1 Comment »
Earworm: People Under The Stairs “Trippin At The Disco”
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
What: A perenially underrated L.A. hip-hop duo comprised of Thes One and Double K.
Sounds like: A throwback to the simpler days of hip-hop, block parties in the Bronx, original MCs rhyming over disco breaks, etc.
RIYL: The Quannum family, including Blackalicious, Lateef and Chief XL, DJ Honda, Cunninglynguists, Dilated Peoples, Beatnuts, and any other hip-hop group stubbornly keeping the golden-era hip-hop flag flying.
Need to know: These guys have been making reliably high-quality hip-hop for over 10 years - or five times the length of Ja Rule’s career. A couple years ago, the group’s producer Thes One made an incredible album based entirely on radio commercial jingles from the ’50s.
Track: Any time a rap group does this kind of old-school homage, they’re faced with an ultimatum: keep people interested with sharp, modern lyrics over vintage production, or go for pure authenticity by keeping it 1981-simple. “Trippin At The Disco” opts for the latter, with Thes and K emulating the funky cadence of primitive masters of ceremony and no mindblowing turns of phrase. The beat is a simple bassline with bursts of triumphant-sounding horns and strings. While high-concept, the music video is as authentic as the song. As described on YouTube: “In March of 1980 two young rappers from los angeles appeared on the “Chikara Kurahashi Hit Station” variety show in Tokyo. It was the first time rap music had ever been performed in Asia and here is the lost tape of that performance.”
Buy: The group’s seventh album, Carried Away, was released on October 13th.
Tags: Carried Away, Double K, People Under The Stairs, Thes One
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Earworm: Mini Viva “I Wish”
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Who: Mini Viva
What: A tasty pop duo from Newcastle and Manchester assembled by influential UK production team Xenomania and tipped to become the next big thing in pop music… overseas.
Sounds like: A Xenomania production, which is essentially dance pop that is shrewd and “funky fresh” enough to appeal to both the mainstream crowd and the hip’n’critical. indie-loving blogosphere.
RIYL: Girls Aloud, the previous incarnations of Sugababes, Rachel Stevens, The Saturdays, Mel and Kim, Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Red Blooded Women
Need to know: Mini Viva is comprised of Frankee Connolly and Britt Love, who actually co-write their songs. They describe their sound as “neat beats and musical treats.” They’re managed by Simon Fuller, the man responsible for American Idol, S Club 7 and Spice Girls. Their debut single “Left My Heart in Tokyo” reached #7 on the UK charts and was remixed by the brilliant Fred Falke. You can download a free track called “Bedroom Viber” here.
Track: “I Wish” is a serious contender for 2009’s single of the year. It’s hard to argue with Popjustice’s claim that it’s also the best thing to come out of the Xenomania factory since Girls Aloud’s timeless 2007 single, “Call the Shots.” In fact, it shares a similar sweeping climax and pounding disco beat as that song, not to mention those saddened, gleaming synths.
Buy: Geffen will release an album in early 2010 and “I Wish” will be released on November 30th.
Tags: Mini Viva, Xenomania
Posted in Earworm, The New Music | 2 Comments »
Earworm: Haddaway ft. Dr. Alban and Malin Sundström “I Love The 90s”
Monday, October 19th, 2009
Who: Haddaway (pictured) featuring Dr. Alban and Malin Sundström
What: Haddaway and Dr. Alban, Euro-dance artists who were briefly popular in the 1990s, made a song in 2008 heralding the ’90s return. The subtext of “I Love The 90s” is that a Haddaway/Dr. Alban comeback is contingent on a ’90s comeback. They can’t do it alone.
“I Love The 90s” goes on the offensive at 1:57, when Malin Sundström of Swedish dance group Caramell writes off a couple of other decades: “’60s just passed by, ’80s was last night…” According to Sundström’s non-linear concept of time, the ’60s are now ahead of us, while the 10 years that constitute the ’80s happened in a single evening.
Sounds like: A microwave-reheated version of mid-90s Euro-dance pop exuberance.
RIYL: Haddaway, Dr. Alban, The Real McCoy, Ace Of Bass, Aqua, Snap!, Technotronic, Scatman John, Crystal Waters, etc.
Need to know: A vaguely broken-seeming Dr. Alban adds an extra touch of desperation to the track when he sings “Haddaway and Dr. Alban in a cool collaboration.” With all due respect, Dr. Alban, it’s not up to you to decide whether the collaboration is cool or not. Please just remain focused on your original goal of celebrating the ’90s. At 1:40, Haddaway looks around like “where’s the beat?” Then he starts singing again, and his face is like “aw yeah, there’s my beat.” Could this song have been inspired by VH1’s I Love The 90s? In keeping with the ’90s theme, Haddaway’s ‘do is equal parts Sharpton and Kramer.
Track: On “I Love The 90s” Dr. Alban makes a series of inter-/intratextual series of references to 90s songs by MC Hammer, Snap!, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Haddaway and himself, but his Scatman John impression is weak almost to the point of disrespect. Scatman never went “deebee dubba debba dubba debba.” He’s not Fred Flintstone, he’s the Scatman alright?
Buy: After much searching, there’s no indication of why this song was made, or where it can be bought.
Tags: Dr. Alban, Euro-dance, Haddaway, Malin Sundström, “I Love The 90s”
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Earworm: John Carpenter “Seasons”
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
Who: John Carpenter
What: Not the famous director behind Halloween and Big Trouble in Little China. Instead he’s a psychedelic guitar-slinger destined for cult hero status.
Sounds like: Well, if we’re to go by what he wrote on his MySpace page, it would be “Scott Walker, Echo and the Bunnymen, Roy Orbison, John Cale and early Roxy Music,” which is a pretty fair description. He also sounds like he’s an avid collection of the Teenage Shutdown comps.
RIYL: Julian Cope, The Seeds, The Mighty Boosh, Kurt Vile, Todd Rundgren and any of the above influences
Need to know: Carpenter has a few odds and sods out there including a record titled Demos and Live Fiascos. This year he’s put out an EP called Possibilities on Lost Industry and just recently released the Seasons/Haunt My Home 7-inch on Mexican Summer. His drummer’s name is J. Explosive.
Track: “Seasons” actually sounds like it was dug from a dusty crate of vinyl that was lost for 40 years. Creeping, hypnotic bass lines, devil-worshipping guitars, and those heavily abused piano keys at the end all give Carpenter’s deep, unrelenting baritone vocal the potency of Jim Morrison at his most persuasive.
Buy: You can buy the 7-inch here.
Tags: john carpenter
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