Five Songs You Must Hear... #6

Time to take a look at a juicy feast of new tracks from the ever emering new indie/disco/electro scene in the UK this year; featuring tracks from some of the biggest new breaking acts in the country that have still yet to be really recognised by the industry for their efforts.

#1: Partyshank - Penis Vs. Vagina

Massive new tune that's even been included in a set by Justice, yet the Grime/Indie duo from London have still be to snapped up by any record label to date. This track comprises of dark bass and powerful vocals, yet a cheeky foreground that's instantly danceable whilst still being accessible.



#2 The Glamour Manifesto - Digital Behaviour

Big, Powerful percussion, guitars and high pitch filthy synths all with a similar voice of fall out boy in this track. Although, the lack of tunage on their myspace is clearly going to have an effect on building their fanbase.

#3: Glamour For Better - Shape

The four-piece indie/electro band from Reading have already also signed upto Ear Candy. This tune is sharp and full of electronica influences, yet they shape things up with near screamo vocals, that at times beings their sound down.


#4: Tapedeck - Destiny


This track reminds me of early Basement Jaxx, an 80s beat and sweet rhythm is cheesy and ever similar to Room 5's cover of Make Luv, but it works well. They class themselves as Screamo on MySpace, but I've yet to be enlightended on this claim. It sounds more like Jamiroquai gone indie. Something that will either explode with juiceness or produce an epic fail!


#5: Queens of Noize - Kiss With A Fit

Similarities in voice of this duo already spring up Robots in Disguise, and at first I thought it might be a side project of the duo. They are about to appear on BBC 6music with Partyshank and they're going to appear in the June issue of Vogue, at this stage any exposure is usually welcome.

Album Review #4: Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles

Well, that's the first time I've had to write the same thing twice, and no one actually said "you can say that again", but oh well.
It's taken around three years to produce a put together but the debut album from Toronto electronica duo Crystal Castles is finally here and it's been creating a major buzz on the music scene over the past month or so. It was released in North America in the middle of march, but only last week over here in the UK, where is only reached #47 in the charts. Me thinks it may just climb up a bit this week; if it doesn't then British people are a shameful and should be mercilessly slaughtered like dogs!
It's taken three years to get this album out, mainly due to endless touring and promotion, but they obviously explored musical genres at the same time until they were happy with what they came up with.
The result is very much like an American Justice, not American justice per say, we all know what that's like, they have the chair after all. No, I'm talking about Justice the French duo who are most famous for their song 'D.A.N.C.E' that most recently won best video at the American NME Awards 2008.
Much has been said already before spoiling it for you, or letting onto too much. Let the longest review so far, begin!

Review

#1 - Untrust Us
A slow paced opening is initiated under the vocals of death! 'Untrust Us' is at best a dim, half-hearted drone. Maybe it's just their style to piss people off with the very first listen and first track; maybe they like it that way. Personally I like to be blown away on the first track, and this, although it is genuinely good, just doesn't do it for me.

#2: Alice Practice
For what started out as a voice test that was only taken seriously once Klaxons keyboardist ___ got hold of it and started spreading it around and when the track was released it sold out in just three days. If the last track's vocals sounded like death, then these come from the Satan’s daughter; more like Alice in Hell than Alice in Wonderland. If the record carries on like this, I may have to inject myself with some depressants to calm myself down, such is the explosive nature of this - annoying to some but fucking genius to me - song.

#3: Crimewave
Possibly one of the best tracks on the album, it’s a composition of slow beat rock, dumbed-down synths and vocals that sound like C3-PO on crack. This song live is one of the most chilled out mind explosions I've ever heard and the closest thing to my Nan trying to rave that I’ve ever heard. If CC were really trying to delight and piss people off at the same time, then this is the song that makes it. Stonking dancefloor epidemic.

#4: Magic Spells
There's something very poetic about this track, although it’s slightly repetitive and probably my least favourite on the album.
It's quite an experimental track that plays heavily on a bassy background, I sort of the feel also that the vocals don't really fit; this could have been used a lot better as a short skit rather than a full length waste of time.

#5: Xxcuzxx Me
If the world's heaviest person could do ballet blindfolded with a broom stuck up their arse then this is what it would sound. The bass is incredible and the destructive overload of synths and powerful percussion makes for the most extreme track of the outing. I was slightly disappointed not to hear this song in their set on their recent tour, but I hope they play it at Gatecrasher or the NME New Noise Tour.

#6: Air War
One of the most accessible tracks on the album, full of strong 80s influences, which bursts with energy with every beat. It’s one of the most accessible tracks of the album, although I can't really draw any comparisons to other artists, I'm starting to see CC as one of the most unique new acts in the world today. Their energy and presence on record is amazing for a band that comprises of just two; although they do have a session drummer.

#7: Courtship Dating
Definitely my favourite track of the entire album; it's so well crafted and put together, and played live with a session drummer and 5 strobes, smoke and LEDs its transformed into a Stonking phantom of magnificence. I think it’s quite possible that this is so far my favourite track of this whole year so far.

#8: Good Time
"Good times keep rolling, got to escape now", one of the few mellow tracks of the record, that shows their unique depth of sound that is clearly one of the reasons they're the hottest new act on the planet. This music is epic, yet seriously danceable and you don't even need a glowstick to be having a good time.

#9: 1991
A sonic bass and sweet melody foreground place start this track off well, but it’s the shortest song on the record, I would have preferred the track to have been even shorter, almost like an extended skit, but its length leaves the listener yearning for more.

#10: Vanished
Easily one of the best produced songs on the record, it’s a beautiful anthem that shouts and screams with quality. It reminds me of the backing music on the old Pokémon Gameboy games, especially when you're about to capture Mewtwo at the end of the game.

#11: Knights
Epic are words that have been sprung around other reviews around the web a lot about this track, but I don't find this short symphony epic, I find it rather like alcohol, when you feel sick, letting out the pain makes your head feel better, yet if you carry it inside you, you end up feeling as darkly sick and wonderful as the genius of this song.

#12: Love and Caring
The sister track to 'Alice Practice' brutal bass and pathotic screaming from Alice Glass sex up this track more heavily than a Russian bush and French celery in a 80s Eastern European porno. Fookin' joy to my music stained ears.

#13: Through the Hosiery
Standard joy to my ears, the opening is instantly catchy yet pointlessly stupid, but that's how all great music is created I think. Sticking a flanger on vocals isn't very difficult, but it always sounds impressive when you're pissed. Keith Murray's solo on The Great Escape was invented during teaching someone else how to two-tap on guitar, and Slash's best riff came about when he was simply sodding about, and he's never even really liked it, but it sounds awesome.

#14: Reckless
it’s hard to explain in words how similar yet how different some of the tracks on this album sound. An Atari sound chip has helped create the bands primary sounds, and with the fact that the band have said they have no influences, could this be one of the purest records out on the market at the moment.

#15: Black Panther
After 14 tracks I didn't think I could take anymore of this raping of my acoustical measuring organs, but 'Black Panther' has just upped this album from extremely enjoyable to as contagious as the Black Plague. Soon boils will start to appear all over my body as my bodily organs start to give way to this masked rhythm that is now the soundtrack to my life.

#16: Tell Me What To Swallow
I really wish I could tell Alice Glass what to swallow, because it wouldn't be her own microphone! The close of this album begins a whole new chapter of disco music to the world. If you can open your ears and close out all emotions and preconceptions to comprehend how effortlessly epic this track sounds, then you can truly understand the brilliance of Crystal Castles.

Verdict

It’s easy to like Crystal Castles, but what's even easier is to fall head over heels in love with their New Rave destroying, genre splitting Punk-Revival synthesised juice goblets of blood and terror.
I think it's quite possible that this song could be the soundtrack to the Iraq War, its bloody and genuinely terrible, but if you look at the background its where the old and bold of this world trick the young and innocent into killing each other or in this medium go out and spend your hard earned cash on this extreme episode of Indie-Noisia and Disco-Trance.
The genius of this album cannot be fully appreciated until you've given it at least the 5th listen. When you first listen to it, it's hard to see the point of just making uncontrollably stupid noise for the point that you're able to do it. However, the whole point of this album lies in the fact that this music is possible to create, and you know what, it’s the best album I've listened to in almost a year, well that may not sound like very long, but in the music industry these days, a year seems like a millennia. Buy this album, or cheekily download it, and you will find your life has just become that tad bit more of a tonk more exciting, just because a skinny but yet insanely hot Canadian girl put next to 'Satan on synths' are able to turn all the conventions of music on its head just for a laugh. Crystal Castles are the best thing to happen to Canada since they broke away from the British Empire, and what's even more hilarious, is that the Canadian Government are funding this exodus. "Blame Canada, Blame Canada!"

10/10

Up & Coming Artists #3: Flobots

Flobots

A Time For American Heros

This week's Up & Coming Artist is the 6-piece (7 piece with session trumpet) Indie/Hip-Hop band that with their 2007 second album 'Fight With Tools' and 2008 single 'No Handlebars' is setting the US Modern Rock scene truly alight. I don't normally review bands or artists that have already released two albums, however this is a truely important exception.

With a MySpace following of 65,000 people worldwide and over 3 million profile views, they are quite well established and have recently signed to a Major American label. However, this fame has duly been well earned and the band have had to work very hard for their work to be finally recognised by the fatcats of the US Industry.

At the turn of the year, their album began to sell more rapidly and they were soon outselling more established national acts, and early this year they were offered a formal major recording contract with Universal, which they rightly snapped up and said thank you very fucking much America.

All this is very well, but what might you ask stands this band aside from the rest of the ever emerging new generation of great new bands and acts from the likes of New York, Chicago and in this instance Denver, Colorado; the heart of America.

The band were first referred to me by a mate at work around two months ago, I'd never heard of them, despite the fact they were about to set alight a new genre of rock in the most important country in the world.

With exploding lyrics from frontman Jonny 5 that scream Mike Shinoda at every angle for me, Flobots comprise a set-up that touches on light-metal/indie/math and thrash rock all sexed up with a dab of hip-hop and progressive/classical rock.

This year's single 'No Handlebars' really sums up Flobots in a nutshell, its poppy, its bright, its fun and yet its meaningful and serious all at the same time. "I can lead a nation with a microphone and I can split an atom from a molecule".

Flobots are starting to sounds to me like the American power-rock version of Oxford, England's mathrock funksters Foals.

Although the band are insistant, that although they've now signed to a major label, they won't abuse the privilages they've been given that other bands do. They insist they are going to use their new found fame for solely good purposes and to help change the dogmatic society of America for the better.
Upon signing their new deal with Universal, the label wanted the band to release 'Fight With Tools' completely untouched and were very keen for the band to continue exploring music with activism and community-building.
"We imagined a world where the message of 'Fight With Tools' is the mainstream, with the airwaves broadcasting honest statements about our nation’s past violence and calling for a new vision of a fully engaged, non-violent society. We imagined a network of music fans in cities around the globe organizing to implement this vision.
This is where I feel the band's true identity is shown, and I pray to god, and every angel in existence that the band carry on with this message, and their third album could potentially be one of the biggest selling albums in America that year, and I literally cannot wait for the band to come to the UK sometime later this year or early next. A slot at Glastonbury 2009 would be absolutely perfect!

Storming The Charts #3: Sam Sparro

Sam Sparro

Black & Gold

Australian born Sam Sparro was once many years ago a child actor - starring in a McDonald's commercial - before his father when limp and toe to get him into singing and performing. He was introduced to soul music and through his singing, Chaka Khan became one of his early admirers. Sparro moved to London to discover the British music scene, and it was after these experiences and others that included a job in a coffee shop in Los Angeles that he wrote his first single 'Black & Gold' during the low times in his life. Sam returned to the UK where he was immediately snapped up by London-based Island Records, launching him to instant stardom.

The single 'Black & Gold' was released in the UK on March 23rd and has received significant airplay on Radio One, as well as gracing the top of almost every music video channel in existence, bar of course MTV Base over the past few weeks.

Sam has not been afraid to come out and assert that he is proud to be gay, and its definitely not affected the exposure of his material, which I think is a really positive sign of how dynamic and free flowing the British music scene is becoming these days.

The single has been well received by many professional reviewers, including surprisingly DIS, which I find baffling; however, maybe thats yet another sign of the positive moves in the industry over the past year or two.

'Black & Gold' is a dark yet powerful dance ballad, that comprises of razor sharp vocals from Sparro, and a beat that could force my Grandad out of his grave to get jiggy on the dancefloor!

"Cos' If you're not really here, then stars don't even matter... I wanna be next to you"

You really get a sense of how Sam wants to empower his audience and take them on his own life journey, but all within the comfort of your own living room chair. Black & Gold is a feel good 80s power ballad with 21st century wit and spice.

The fact that this song had been riding in the top 5 of the singles chart is clear proof that even these days, good music can still grace the top of the charts, and we may not have to carry on praying that we don't always have to be subjected to the clasping claws of Soulja Boy and his fellow 'New Hip-Hopstars' for much longer.

What scares me about mainstream music at the moment is that, it is now almost May and there have been only FOUR number one singles for this entire year! Personally I think that's shocking. I pray for mercy upon the Singles Chart and the sane citizens of The United Kingdom for many years to come.

Five Songs You Must Hear... #5

I'm quite into my Filthy House and Electronica music at the moment, so I thought I'd enlighten you with some blasts from the past and some recent licks. No doubt you'll recognise some of them, although others I'd love to surprise you with as always.

#1: Justice Vs. Simian - We Are Your Friends


Probably the most well known song produced by the French duo, its easy to dance to, easy to sing-a-long to, but most importantly its a fucking tonk tune that you can party to and sing to with a group of 50 people when you're absolutely blitzed out of your skull!


#2: Bassment Jaxx Feat. Dizzee Rascal - Lucky Star


Easily my favourite track that the UK duo has ever released, and its also been graced with the presense and power of Mr. Dizzee himself. Sporting beats and riffs to die for, this song is the perfect way to get in the mood for a night of absolute drunken sweaty mayhem.


#3: Leftfield Feat. Afrika Bambatta - Afrika Shox


If you're looking for some genuinely good electronica that you can move your arms around in the air like a Team America SOS Signal, but also be blown away through sheer quality then this song is for you. Be sure not to turn it up too loud though, bleeding of the ears can be contageous.


#4: Uberzone - Satisfaction (Short Mix)


This track conjures up such bass and tight synths that its utterly out of this world. Sounding and feeling as if ET shat on a turtle and ate it for breakfast the next day, that is presuming that ET really does exist of course!



#5: Azzido Da Bass - Dooms Night


Absolutely immense track thats been remixed more times than Jordan's had boob jobs. Be sure to check out the 'Switch Remix' and the new 'Dooms Night 2008' mix that can be found on 7digital I believe, and it's also featured on the 2008 Floorfillers album.

Album Review #3: The Last Shadow Puppets

The Last Shadow Puppets
The Age of the Understatement

When I look at pictures of Alex Turner and Miles Kane together, I can’t help but think their new band was some idea thought up after a night of heavy drinking and strip poker.
Firstly there are the people that see Turner finally stepping out into the limelight to lap up the celebrity lifestyle, and cash in on his success with the Monkeys’ by releasing a duet album with his new best mate. Then there are also the people that think Kane is using this project to stir up some interest for his in-hype but struggling for popularity band The Rascals.
However, when you throw all those equations out of the window and take the time to sit down and listen to their debut album, that’s when you can start making comparisons to the great duos of music history.
The opening title track and debut single ‘The Age of the Understatement’ is quick to point out that this is a serious record and not just a weekend job. The thunderbolt beat and cute pop vocals from Turner and Kane play off of each other like a Torvelle and Dean Dance.
Many critics have labelled it as a Bond theme album, and to be honest, they’re not far wrong.

Review

Track #1: The Age of the Understatement
The title track opener sports a fiery drum roll, clever riffs and percussion perfection that lament a truly epic beginning of the album.”What seemed all unknowing and candid, but they suspected it was false”. These lyrics speak of the mysteriousness and deceitfulness of this “relentless marauder”.

Track #2: Standing Next To Me
True guitar pop down to the bare nails that could easily be released as a single later this year, it seems to be getting a lot of popularity on iTunes at the moment as the next best song past the title track, however I think the real genius in this album lies later on the in record, with ‘Separate and Ever Deadly’ and ‘I Don’t Like You Anymore’.

Track #3: Calm Like You
Building ever so gently with drums and trumpets, before Turner’s explodes onto the scene and unleashes his toned down acoustic voice that without Matt Helder backing, sounds all sheepish; it’s only when Kane joins in does it all start to make sense.

Track #4: Separate and Ever Deadly
This is my favourite song on the record, Kane and Turner really nail it on the chorus and towards to the end of versus when their vocals play off of each other. It’s almost like prose at a West End show. “Can’t you tell I’m a ghost in the wrong coat/Biting butter and crumbs”, is possibly the best duet piece of the album that stereotypes the shifts of personality during relationships.

Track #5: The Chamber
Starting out calm and collected, the voice of Turner takes over for the majority of the song with Kane backing. ‘The Chamber’ is a mellow song about blind love and being locked inside your own feelings for someone, and the inability to see the bigger picture. It’s beautifully put together, but for me it’s just too short and the ending to the song really doesn’t do the rest of the work justice.

Track #6: Only the Truth
Upbeat and powerful, the riffs in this track are sublime, they burst and burn your ears, and percussion and violins circumvent the vocals. “Only the truth, she reckons she holds”. There’s something about this song that reminds me of Arcade Fire, exploding with noise and energy with every note, almost like ‘No Cars Go’, yet at 2:44 it’s yet again on the short side. This record really is turning into a short and sweet affair.

Track #7: My Mistakes Were Made for You
For me this is the closest thing this record offers to the Monkeys’ brilliance, like a 505 sliced with ‘Do Me a Favour’, only with the thunderous ending of the latter left out. At this point of the record, I’m starting to question the importance of Kane, it’s almost like Domino asked there to be a lot more from Turner on purpose. Obviously because they realised it would sell more copies.

Track #8: Black Plant
‘Black Plant’ is a joy of a listen; Kane’s backing flows sweetly with the beat and accompanies Turners vocals stupendously. “The paper cuts from the love letters you never gave him”. This dark female that the two speak of throughout the album, she’s mysterious and wondrous, yet ever deadly. The pair once said in an interview, the album culminated the dreams and fantasies of both of them.

Track #9: I Don’t Like You Anymore
This track starts off with a neon blast of a sonic beat, but is followed up with mesmerising vocals from Turner, and that in turn is garnished by explosive vocals from Kane. This woman, whoever she is, seems to be just as machiavellian as she is mysterious and ever deadly. This track reminds me of one of Kane’s Rascals’ tracks titled ‘Is It Too Late?’, is swings and sways from beat to beat, and the speed of the song stretches with the emotions that accompany the vocals from Kane and Turner.

Track #10: In My Room
If anyone can identify the opening of this track to anything other than the Bond title sequence please let me know. “Humour absorbs the thought... turning the tension round”. The fact that it’s similar is irrelevant; it’s a tight and tasty tune that offers sweet vocals, clever riffs; a distant organ and a beating heart of a rhythm.

Track #11: Meeting Place
As the album beings its ending, I feel the second half of the album hasn’t has the same affect on me as the first four or five tracks that exploded with energy. You know how you feel when you get a massive steak, every bite is worthwhile and every mouthful you get happier... or sort of. However, by the end of the meal, you feel bloated, unable to move and have the worst indigestion ever. Although this track does nicely round of the message of the record, it does carry on the theme of the ‘mysterious woman’, and bring it to a sensible close

Track #12: The Time Has Come Again
Personally I think this is quite a weak closer, On the other hand, it’s not a bad last effort, and be the end of the track, the ending starts to make sense. This mysterious woman is too good to be true that no matter how much you try to get away from her, you always find yourself going back and persuading her to take you back even if you are “hiding” from yourself.

Verdict

I agree with a lot of the critics views of this album, but feel some of them are mislead by the hype, I tried not to pay attention to most of it; I read the NME interview with Turner and Kane before they reviewed the album, and I read the review in Q before I sat down and had my first listen. I was impressed by the difference of the album, I don’t think it’s the sort of jam I’m usually interested in, but it sort of reminded me a bit of Sinatra and Martin, it has the fun and X factor of The Rat Pack, and the cheek and charm of the Everley Brothers; yet there’s something else, that can only be explained by its modern scope and appeal. Turner and Kane have incorporated some of their Trip Hop conventions as well as their favourite mid-song silences that are so effective.
I’m not going to be drawn in and say that it’s one of the best albums of the year, it’s clearly not. However, it’s definitely worth a listen one evening after work, and it’ll appeal to a definite wider audience that’ll also only benefit their day jobs. I admire the two for trying something different at least. Turner could have sat on his arse over the summer and new-year before working on the Monkeys’ third, but chose to spend it doing this. It’s almost like a kids hobby, like friends playing with each others’ trains sets and arguing over who’s got the faster diesel. It’s not great and not something I’ll be banging on every second of every day, but it’s a good album to dip in and out of over the next few months, and I’m quite looking forward to seeing them at Reading later this year.

7/10