Sunday, April 27, 2008

Crystal Castles



In case there is any doubt regarding who the best new band over the past year is...

Song :: Crimewave by Crystal Castles

Here's the first minute and a half of Crystal Castles' "Black Panther":
Video Teaser :: Black Panther (now with 100% more lederhosen)

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Swedes to keep an eye on

Gothenburg's Love Is All playing Wishing Well at a train station, Oslo...


#16.1 Love Is All - Wishing Well from Handheld Shows on Vimeo.

Song :: New Beginnings (demo) by Love Is All

Shouty Swede-accented female vocals can only be a good thing!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Best New Music of '08... so far



Okay, I've given "Hey Ma" a week of constant attention in order to rid myself of the bias that comes with judging new material from bands you've grown with over the decades. And I believe I have yet to fully discover just how brilliant this new James album is. This stuff needs to be heard!

Song :: Waterfall by James

"Waterfall" is a tight track and the chorus is "radio-friendly", in an alternative kinda way. Listen to how Tim Booth sings the criticized, not-so-original words "don’t take a phone company to tell you life’s pay as you go"... almost as a sigh. He is in top form here. Signature James guitars, piano and blaring horns flesh out this song. The album is full of this.

"My mirrors laughing at me, says boy are you getting old
There’s so much junk in your life what you’ve got you don’t even know
Don’t take a phone company to tell you life’s pay as you go
I wonder how much of life is set up in utero"


There is a "Hey Ma" rehearsal video and an excellent, fun interview here:
Myspace :: Jamesisnotaperson

One thing though... wherever you are, Tim Booth's 'fro... please come back!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Cull me morbid, cull me pale

PETA activist Morrissey has once again decided to boycott touring Canada in protest of our country's continued involvement in sealing. In response to the Canadian government's purported statement that the slaughter is necessary because it provides jobs for local communities, Mozzer noted that the "construction of German gas chambers also provided work for someone – this is not a moral or sound reason for allowing suffering." Morrissey has called for his fans to boycott Canadian goods, saying that Canada has "placed itself alongside China as the cruelest and most self-serving nation." Coincidentally, tonight I had yummy Chinese food served up from a Canadian restaurant. So I'll have to start my boycott tomorrow then.

Song :: Meat is Murder by The Smiths

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Hey Ma! Where are you?

Today is new-album-release-day for James as their first output since the reformation gets unleashed on the world! Not quite... unless you live in the UK "Hey Ma" is not yet available (predicted Canada release is two weeks away). The seemingly long-gone practice of holding back foreign release dates (and watching loyal fans pay triple for imports) is not all that long-gone apparently. Congratulations music companies... just when we all thought you couldn't get your heads up your asses any further...

So, today, I bought the excellent Crystal Castles instead. Not quite in the same genre as James, this Canadian electronica duo's sound is more video game than the soaring anthems James has to offer. The video for Air War is listed as a fan creation but its pretty near spot-on and suitably creepy in its own unique little way...

Video :: Air War by Crystal Castles


Song :: Air War by Crystal Castles

Monday, April 7, 2008

So I meet you at the cemetry gates



Just your typical 15-year-old-loner-girl-meets-mr.-popular-at-pet-cemetery type video (actually, the John Hughesian theme and imagery are typical of an M83 project):
New Video :: Graveyard Girl by M83

Just your typical citizenry visiting the airshow type video:
Video :: Truck by The Octopus Project


Just your typical Canadian indie band hanging out on the cracking ice sheet singing your typical indie song featured in your typical Freddie Prinze Jr. drama type video:
Video :: Your Ex-lover Is Dead by Stars


Song :: Cemetry Gates by The Smiths

Friday, April 4, 2008

My wandering days are over

The new Juno soundtrack gets released next week on iTunes. Yeah, more Belle & Sebastian exposure to the masses. Well, the indie masses at least. Who, of course, already know about B&S. So never mind.

Song :: My Wandering Days Are Over by Belle & Sebastian

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Pogo-a-Go-Go

Today I was soooo excited to go to the office that I put me on a spanky new white suit, coiffed my 80's hair and left the gas guzzler at home...

Video :: Happiness by Goldfrapp


Song :: Happiness (Metronomy remix feat. The Teenagers) by Goldfrapp

Excuse me while I go and ice my knees...