Join The Facebook Group
Isn’t it about time for a new LCD Soundsystem record? North American Scum is playing on the radio and I’m getting nostalgic for a new Murph disc. How long does it take him to throw together a dance party?
Anyway, good week for music, though it’s the first week in a bit that there isn’t a new Radiohead song, or a Muse song, or a Fun song, BUT (!!!) their album is out (Fun’s)s, and I can’t recommend it enough.
K, let’s get started.
YACHT – The Afterlife
Actually, speaking of great dance parties, this little duo is in the running for best one of the summer. Their tracks Physic City and Summer Song were circulating the web all through the lazy, smoldering days and now that the full length has finally landed, the band gave up another one for free. Very glad they did as I was really looking for a reason to play this one.
Red Wire Black Wire – Breathing Fire
Of the handful of new bands featured on this week’s show, RWBW is easily one of the most accessible. It instantly has those great 80’s throwback synths and it breaks into a very hip swaying chorus. John Hughes would have used this one in a heartbeat. The album Robots & Roses comes out next month.
Hyperstory – a’happenin
It starts out with a tiptoe. Maybe if one of Tim Burton’s stop-motion characters were peaking around a corner as a spider drops down the wall. The chorus enters and subtle-like lightens up the room. You’ll be repeating “something is a’happenin here” all day long. All in all, it’s a one-man-band led by Scott Blevins who has inlisted members of Beck and Janes Addiction to help out, and apparently, the debut disc took two years to write and record, but then again, you have forever to make your first record, as they say.
Amy Millan – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
It was a dangerous move to cover this Death Cab For Cutie song. I get the feeling that for some in the current generation this song is looked at in the same way Driver 8 was to many REM fans in the 80’s. But then again, one of the folks from Broken Social Scene would be one of the few to get away with it. And it’s done in the new Americana way, which is hip right now. Cool-Meter aside, this is pretty darn great, and at some moments matches Ben Gibbards version. Its on Amy’s Master’s of the Burial disc.
Royal Bangs – My Car Is Haunted
Buzzgrinder loves them. To me, its okay. Their album Let It Beep gets released on the 15 th of September and all in all is a fun romp thru indi-ville. Its not made a lasting impression on me, but like I said, Buzzgrinder loves them.
Heavy Trash – Gee, I really Love You
Ah, John Spencer. I first heard your band the Blues Explosion on the Scream soundtrack some ten years ago. But hey man, this doesn’t sound anything like that. But I guess that’s why it a different band, yeah? This is like a late night on the wrong side of the tracks in some great 1950’s dive bar. Dig it, dig in, due out in October.
Peggy Sue – Lover Gone
1950’s named, but more towards the sullen female songwriter vein. This title track from the trio’s latest laments its pain much in the same way that Cat Power’s I Am Free does, but it doesn’t feel unoriginal. Much more like a very sad, little music box. You can turn the lever, but the ballerina won’t be smiling.
Sunbears! – I’m Alive!
Woah! Hey! Yeow! That’s a lot of exclamation points for one title, but don’t let the excitement go understated either. Really, its pretty amazing what two people can pull off. We’ve gotten use to a two person team going all lo-fi White Stripes, yet this Florida duo throws in the kitchen sink accomplishing something that wouldn’t be out-of-place on a Polyphonic Spree record. Their disc Dream Happy Dreams is avail on their website with the Pay-What-You-Want mantra.
Flashy Python – Skin and Bones
After quite a bit of confusion as to if Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was still a band (confusion that’s not exactly been cleared), Alec Ounsworth surprised us all with this new band (of sorts). Well, okay so its not any less confusing actually. You see, Alec also has a solo disc coming out next month, under his name, but Flashy Python is really him, too, under an alter-ego. The difference is Python has Ounsworth pulling in a few others to help out: members of The Walkmen, Dr. Dog, and Man Man. So basically, if you’re on the train, enjoy the ride.
Jack White – Fly Farm Blues
New Jack White again. At this point we should really just prepare to make it a monthly feature. BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME (!!!), he’s solo. No band or partner-in-crime. Just Jack sitting in front of the camera during a It Might Get Loud shoot improving on the trashy blues that Jack can do in his sleep. Its not a fantastic song and barely memorable, but it shows the artist at work, letting loose, and letting it flow. However, if it does grab you enough for repeated listens, you can pick up the track via 45 on White's Third Man Records website.
The XX – Crystalised
Talk about going zero to sixty in no time. A few months ago this band barely existed. Now they have two tracks in the top ten over at Elbo. The group of 19 year olds is brining the trip-hop back. It was fun the first go-round so I’m up for a revisit. Very laid back, very sheik. Take it or leave it.
James Husband – A Grave In the Gravel
The multi-instrumentalist from Of Montreal finally steps out with his own material after a few false starts. It has an amazing 70’s vibe all over it, but doesn’t quite leave that lasting impression. Grab it on his disc A Parallax I.
The Swell Season – In These Arms
Here's to the underdogs! The surprise hit that was the movie Once and it’s soundtrack, a complete album from this Irish / Eastern Europe duo made them into stars. Can they follow it up? Judging from this song, all signs point to yes so far. Here is hoping the rest of Strict Joy is just as nice.
Cold Cave – Life Magazine
There are quite a few songs out there that sound like what Cold Cave are currently doing, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. Stereogum has called them a Band To Watch, which is easy enough. So, you can sit back and watch, or pick up their disc Love Comes Close now.
The Happy Hollows – Faces
As I mentioned in the radio broadcast, the problem this Cali group is currently facing in the reviews is that everyone is trying to categorize them by comparing them to other bands – very different sounding other bands – unsuccessfully. It’s a shame, because all in all, they stand great on their own feet. A nice groove with Juliana Hatfield / Heather Nova vocals and some Hot Snakes style guitars. ;-)
****************************************************
The Weekly Feed is distributed by WFPK and Louisville Public Media. Produced and hosted by Kyle Meredith. Make sure to say hi, yeah?
Join The Facebook Group
