There’s a lot of awesome bands in Seattle. A lot of them are my favorite bands. I’m not sure what it is about the west coast, i just relate to the music there more or something… But the one that is grabbing my attention the most right now is the band that is Telekinesis!
Exams are coming up and that means a lot of procrastination…I’m super good at it. In fact, I am pro. One of the things I like to do most while procrastinating is having dance parties. They are pretty sweet.
So, I’ve uploaded a playlist of songs I’ve been rockin’ out to lately. Old new retro nu disco minimal pop electro dance beatZ. It doesn’t matter the style ’cause it’s all awesommmme! Have a great weekend =)
These fuckin Apple ads are infectious. They haven’t changed up the way they’ve marketed the iPod in like 5 years, yet everytime I see those white headphones on those colorful backgrounds, I know I’m about to see some sweet Indie-kid dance moves set to some song that I haven’t heard yet, that I’m going to love soon. Case and point:
You have no idea how badly I want to be the chick in the fedora.
The song comes courtesy of The Ting Tings, a British electro/indie-pop duo which formed in 2006. They’re about to release their debut LP (We Started Nothing) next week, and so far I’ve heard three tracks which I spend half my days dancing to in my living room.
Here’s some tracks from the LP and one remix that I’m enjoying:
The Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go
The Ting Tings - That’s Not My Name
The Ting Tings - Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix)
In other news: I’m going to see Lykke Li and El Perro Del Mar tomorrow. I’ll let you know how that bun tastes after I take a bite.
Anyone who knows my music taste (or has heard me talk non-stop about what I’m into) knows that I love The Lodger. Love. Their first album Grown-Ups was to me the best album of 2007. It’s perfect guitar pop for anyone who’s ever wondered if “this is what life is all about” while listening to “Wan Light” by Orange Juice.
But sometimes I never want a sophomore album to come out because it just diminishes my holy view of a debut. I don’t know if Life Is Sweet, The Lodger’s second album due out May 19, will be as perfect as its predecessor, but the first single “The Good Old Days” has got me excited. It’s being released by Bad Sneakers Records, home to the equally excellent Wild Beasts, whose debut album is sure to be overplayed on my stereo when it finally comes out. But back to the good old days. Imagine if the Mystery Jets tried to record a Saint Etienne song. Nuff said.
To go along with the rest of the blogosphere, here is a track from Islands’ forthcoming Arm’s Way. Islands really turned me off a few years back when they played a show here in London. Perhaps it was Nick Diamonds/Thorburn/ Whatever-he’s-calling-himself-these-days being aloof, a bit of an ass, and the general lack of staying power of Return to the Sea that irked me, but I’m really feeling this new song. A darker turn from the previous sugary pop, more Humans than Rough Gem (which they’ve apparently disowned), Creeper somehow manages to be the catchiest song about a stalker I can remember.
Arm’s Way is out May 20 on Anti.
My Swedish friends are hating me for butchering the Swedish language with my babblefish translated titles - so this one goes out to them.
I first wrote about Lykke Li back in December. At the time, she was pretty much the bees-knees in the Swedish music scene. After having only released one single (”Little Bit“) people were hailing the 21 year-old as the next Robyn. Just a few months later, and konichiwa bitches, Lykke dropped her debut LP Youth Novels. The LP was produced by Björn Yttling (of PB&J fame) and Lasse Mårtén (who after producing Kelly Clarkson singles, seems to have gotten frustrated and turned to the likes of Lykke and the Shout Out Louds to get back his street-cred). The album is a fairly solid debut for Li. If I was Pitchfork, I’d probably give it a 7.4/10.
A couple of my favorite tracks are:
1. The Jens Lekman-ish “My“, a dreamy pop number which makes me want to run through the Swedish low-land wheat fields.
2. “Dance Dance Dance” a song about those times when you have so much on your mind, but decide to dance it off.
3. “This Trumpet in My Head” is one of two spoken-word songs on the album. It’s got a sweet classical guitar intro, a great little trumpet section, which Lykke claims she just “can’t get out of her head”. It kind of reminds me of the first time I listened to Danielson’s “Did I Step on Your Trumpet?”.
Lykke Li - This Trumpet In My Head
In the mean time, Lykke’s also gotten to be quite tight with her fellow Scandanvians, performing a medley of songs including (her own) “Little Bit”, “Until We Bleed” and “With Every Heartbeat” with Kleerup and Robyn at the P3 Guld Award
[Update: That video got deleted. So here’s a sweet video of Lykke busking with her homies in Sweden]
Another sweet video, featuring her new-found homies, is her acoustic rendition of “I’m Good, I’m Gone” (Lykke’s latest single) with guests: Robyn, Adam & Bebban (of the Shout Out Louds), Daniel (of The Concretes), Lars Laakso and Mikael Hjalmar:
I’m feeling mellow aujourd’hui and The Postmarks have been on repeat all day. They are from Miami and their sound is very 70s-esque. The video for ‘Goodbye’ is perfection and the girl has fantastic fringe.
‘Let Go’ and ‘Know Which Way the Wind Blows’ are my favourites.
Know Which Way the Wind Blows - The Postmarks
I think it would be amazing if The Teenagers remixed ‘Goodbye’ or ‘Let Go’, oui?! I’m still obsessed with their re-working of ‘Fallen Snow’ by Au Revoir Simone and the Postmarks have a pretty similar sound so…
Fallen Snow (The Teenagers remix) - Au Revoir Simone
oh, and in case you were curious about le photo….. it is the cover of my zine, Les Femmes, with Hannah (alors, peut-etre). The glasses just seem to fit all too well with the 70s vibe of the Postmarks. Anyways, it is going to be out soon, for more info…lesfemmeszine@gmail.com.
That’s right kids, The Long Blondes will be releasing the follow-up to the truly excellent modern classic Someone to Drive You Home. The new album, Couples, will be preceded by the first single “Century” on March 24. Once again, it’s sure to be packed with references to old hollywood movies and 1960s fashionistas, with edgy, rocking guitars to boot. I haven’t found any of the songs yet, so enjoy “Swalloo Tattoo” from the debut and the hidden gem “Fulwood Babylon”.
The Long Blondes - Swallow Tattoo from Someone to Drive You Home (2006)
The Long Blondes - Fulwood Babylon from the b-side of the Weekend Without Makeup 7′’ (2006)
And since it just wouldn’t be a Daniel post without something Swedish, I’m happy to announce that El Perro del Mar (Sarah Assbring) will be releasing the little sister (I could have said giving birth, but this metaphor is bad enough already) to 2005’s Look! It’s El Perro del Mar, which was simply self-titled in North America. The first single from From the Valley to the Stars is “How Did We Forget.” The horns kick ass, I’m talking “I Don’t Want to Cry” by Chuck Jackson kick ass. I’ll just throw that one in too.
El Perro del Mar - How Did We Forget from From the Valley to the Stars (2008)
El Perro del Mar - Here Comes That Feeling from Look! It’s El Perro del Mar (2005)
Chuck Jackson - I Don’t Want to Cry from the wonderful decade that was the 60s
And since I’m missing home ever so much from France, I’ll throw in a Canadian announcement too. Montreal rockers Islands will be releasing their second album Arm’s Way sometime in the first half of this year (that’s some good journalism for you). Islands are good, great even, but nothing compared to The Unicorns which guitarist Nicholas “Nick Diamonds” Thorburn and drummer Jamie Thompson were both in. Seriously, listen to Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone. It’s one of the best Canadian indie releases ever, up there with Sloan’s Smeared. It will be especially liked by anyone who has ever looked back on when The Strokes used to rock as “the good ol’ days.” Listen to it a lot, you’ll thank me later.
Islands - Rough Gem from Return to the Sea (2006)
“I Was Born a Unicorn” from the aforementioned greatness
#5
Miracle Fortress
Five Roses
Montreal, Canada
Secret City / Rough Trade
MP3 | Next Train
Based out of Montreal, Graham Van Pelt has created the closest thing anyone has come to a Beach Boys record of the new millenium. Mixing layers upon layers of guitars with catchy melodies, the similarities never end as he even has a voice similar to Brian Wilson. But there’s nothing unoriginal about it, because he picked one of the hardest pop artists of the 20th century to copy, so coming close is a pretty great feat. On top of that, he’s not trying to top the Beatles, so he did it all without having a nervous breakdown.
#4
The Clientele
God Save The Clientele
London, England
Merge / The Track and Field Organization
MP3 | Bookshop Casanova
The Clientele’s first full-length release Suburban Light (a compilation of singles and compilation tracks) is perfect. Released in 2000, any unknowing listener would have to assume that it was recorded in 1966. That being said, their first two albums were unsuccessful attempts to re-create the soft, romantic mood of the earliest work. Not to say they were bad, they just showed no growth from a creative band with much potential. Their last release, God Save the Clientele, has the band expanding their sound, which has something to do with the addition of Mel Draisey on keyboards and strings, giving the band a much fuller, less subdued sound which dominated prior releases.
#3
Lucky Soul
The Great Unwanted
Greenwich, England
Ruffa Lane
MP3 | Ain’t Never Been Cool
The Pipettes are good, but Lucky Soul are great. Where the former had great singles and an album which didn’t quite live up to them, Lucky Soul have created one of the most consistently enjoyable albums of the year. Like the Pipettes, Lucky Soul rock the 60s girl group sound familiar to fans of the Shangri-Las and Lesley Gore. Just like those songs from days passed, although the songs have upbeat drums, strings, and horns, they are all tales of lost love and heartbreak, everyone’s favourite topics.
#2
The Tough Alliance
A New Chance
Gothenburg, Sweden
Sincerely Yours / Summer Lovers
MP3 | The Last Dance
Sweden is taking over the pop world. I like almost everything I hear from Sweden, and one of the best examples is The Tough Alliance’s new album A New Chance. It’s definitely a retro-sounding album that takes its cues from 80s new wave and 90s dance, but don’t let that fool you, because this album is unlike much you’ve heard.
#1
Jens Lekman
Night Falls Over Kortedala
Gothenburg, Sweden
Secretly Canadian / Service
MP3 | Your Arms Around Me
Oh Jens. His songs are great, and although all of the albums are dubbed “collections of recordings” spanning several years, all of the songs on his newest release Night Falls Over Kortedala play perfectly as an album. His charming wit and somewhat bizarre/cute romanticism find a home among consistently perfect melodies and lush arrangements. This album is Tigermilk good.
