New video from Listen Lisse - Outlaw of Her Love

This video can be seen in HD in Youtube.

Sons of Noel and Adrian

Amazing folk band worth checking out. Their album is worth buying for all the folk enthusiasts.

Nadine Khouri - A Song to the City

I've been listening the new EP from Nadine Khouri – A Song to the City.  It’s 23 minutes long with 5 songs.

Her songs are about observations, journeys with references to traffic lights, gas stations and the city. She tells us things we all know yet somehow don’t put into words, a confirmation of things that we suspected to be true.  She eliminates the doubt and the listener can start to believe once again in things they thought they had lost.  Powerful lyrics which reflect the human condition “I thought I lost my heart in some transaction……Everybody here lost their hearts somewhere, Everybody here pretends to care, Less and less….. Only true love is gonna save you, From this dark alley”

She tells her story in a way that does not force itself on you but it is more laid back, sort of like an insightful understanding, she’s been there and done that, and therefore she understands.

http://www.nadinekhouri.net/news/

http://vimeo.com/13828871

Bachelorette

One woman electronic act from New Zealand touring the world.  I guess she sounds like The Knife meets Bjork but I'm also thinking Kraftwerk as well.  "got the gift of the gab" is it just in New Zealand that they say that?  Her music has a warmth and it's got an experimental edge, distinctive voice, a lot of the right things in one person.

There's definitely some good sounds coming out of New Zealand right now although it looks like she is with Drag City records which is one of my favourite indie labels.



Myspace link

Die! Die! Die!

When I was playing at Chicks Hotel I was told to check out the band Die! Die! Die!
They have a video that I particularly like with people falling out of trees followed by animation, followed by more people falling out of trees and then a dancer.  I like it. 

I've not heard much else from them but will write more when I know more.

Here's the video.

Grinderman - new album

You cannot lose your faith in someone who continues to reinvent themselves again and again.  Someone who knows when the cut off point is, when they are flogging a dead horse and it is time to move on.  Avoiding stagnation at all costs simply because to do anything else would be pure suffering.  Nick Cave is one of these people.

The new Grinderman video is something of a collage of images, they've borrowed from all sorts of things from Hindu Gods to David and Goliath.  The bath scenes with the hair is something that reminds me of the NZ film The Kitchen Sink, probably too obscure for most people to know of but definitely an outstanding short film.  But hey guess what I just found it on YouTube, imagine that.



You get to see Nick Cave dressed as Hindu God Kali, and he is also wearing leopard boxers at the end.  Maybe this is the end of his No Pussy Blues?  He also has shaved off the weird moustache.

video for 'Heathen Child'

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid84902428001?bclid=9783754001&bctid=479890348001

I look forward to the album when it comes out

Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer - Flattery Not Included

The Gentleman is something that might have left our society but there is a wave of gentlemen out there geared up to instil the Gentleman back into society.

Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer is one of these fellows.

He arrives on stage with nothing more than a little banjo, a pipe and a most impressive backing track.  One thing is for sure, he's got style.  He then proceeds to entertain you with his clever rhyming craft and his humour.  "why can't there be more kissing in porn, hmmp where's all the romance gone?"

He's an entertainer for sure and as far as comedian/songwriters go he has hit the nail on the head, combining the two in a most satisfactory manner and making one wish one were more gentlemanly on all occasions.  He inspires pipe smoking, crack cocaine (sense of humour required), kissing in porn, romance, cups of tea, etiquette and the gentleman's code.

www.myspace.com/mrbthegentlemanrhymer



 Most splendid!

Stevie Starr - We hope in all things new

Stevie Starr has released an album that not only captures some of the sounds that remind me of New Zealand but he also captures sounds and memories of the things that he's found while being abroad.   Some of the songs are like soundscapes, setting the scene which is why it reminds me of travelling and looking out at the world through train windows.  There is plenty of atmosphere all the way through this album and what is nice about it is that it seems to be stepping away from the mainstream.  During my conversations with Stevie Starr it is apparent that this is a deliberate move as much of the things going on in the mainstream he finds to be quite sickening, which I can relate to. 

Theres a sort of melancholy in some of the tracks which to me is reminiscent of the moods found in the music of God Speed You Black Emperor.  His lyrics sometimes digress into statements of self loathing "you could even have dances with sad bastards like me" but he does not dwell in this for very long and gets onto more ironic yet life affirming statements like "rejoice with enemies.....with bullets that shoot your heart, rejoice, rejoice"



I recommend this album and it can be downloaded for free.

www.thesteviestarr.com

Petra Jean Phillipson

Sultry singer Petra Jean Phillipson. She came, she saw and she delivered.  She's got one of those voices which pulls you in with its bluesy charm as her voice rises up and down like ripples; subtle but effective.

I've been listening to the album Notes on Love.  The song Cradle of your Smile is my favourite, it's over 9 minutes long and sits nicely at the end of the album as a dark end to the tale.  It has a lot of delay/distorted guitar pulsing in and out as she sings lyrics like "I long to be nowhere"

The song Independent Woman is a song that gets into some darker blues sounds with drums and guitars loosely grinding in and out during the breaks in her singing. She crones "independent woman don't need a man" while the song Billy Steaks sees lyrics like "I'll die and I'll cry if you don't come back and marry me soon".  You get the idea, so if you like a bit of brooding for the sake of brooding without any blood spilt then this is one for you.

She has done a cover of the Nick Cave song Into My Arms which is a nice interpretation of the song.  However the song belongs mostly in the arms of Nick Cave and in this version it lacks the moody emotional depth that Nick conjures but that is something that Nick deals specifically in so it is hardly surprising.

Julian Casablancas

A lot of people who listen to Julian Casablancas solo album Prazes For the Young probably wish they were perfectionists too. When I read an interview with him and he talked about spending a lot of time getting it right and I read about his reputation of being a perfectionist I was interested to hear how this album sounded. It took me a little while to get into his voice, but his good looks urged me to listen on and his voice grew on me for sure.  His perfectionism resulted in some really good songs and yes he did "get it right".  I particularly like the lyrics in the song Out of the Blue.  The epic River of Brakelights really sets this album off and his voice hits a sort of peak.  At times he breaks out the keyboards and suddenly you are transported to an obscure moment in time during the 70's and at other times he is more country sounding with the help of a banjo. This is one of those artists whose integrity would never really be questioned, he definitely does not come from the world of cheap tricks and clichés rather he uses what skills he has in the appropriate places not denying his pop impulses or the production techniques he has available to him. 

It seems like he's developed a bit since The Strokes, and this is something that he explores through his own sense of conscience with lyrics like, "the ones that I made pay were never the ones who deserved it and the ones who deserved it will never understand it".  The album is filled with gems of wisdom but he still has that rock n roll sensibility with lyrics like "yes I know I'm going to hell in a leather jacket."

Listen Lisse - NZ tour and new video

An interview with Listen Lisse during my recent tour through New Zealand.  I was interviewed by Radio 1 in Dunedin the day before myshow at Chicks Hotel.  I am discussing the new album Pow Bang.

Chicks Hotel is a pretty cool place in Port Chalmers, right by the sea. Playing there was a pleasure, it used to be a hotel of course and upstairs reminded me a bit of the film The Shining, it was no surprise then that in 1976 there was a murder of a wife and her lover I believe.  You wouldn't think that anybody was going to turn up to this venue as it's located on the outskirts of Dunedin but sure enough the people come down from the surrounding hills and fill the place up, eager to hear what music is up for listening.

Visit Listen Lisse on Myspace

The Bastard Fairies

Alternative Pop band from Los Angeles are the antidote to the horribleness of Gaga. Lush vocals and interesting musical arrangements, all the things good music should be. A good tune all the way through. Some of the songs have a carnivalesque feel, it's definitely naughty but nice at the same time. There is a song about an obsessive compulsive, a sexy catchy song called Ode to the Prostitute, another about sleeping around with the boy next door and a song about a shallow person who doesn't have to feel, all disguised in catchy alternative pop songs.

Download the album for free or donation and find out for yourself...

Download by following the link on myspace

Josh T Pearson

pic by www.scott1212hartzler.blogspot.com

There's that old myth that making music is for the young and trendy. And that's just what it is, a myth. Why the hell shouldn't someone have something to say at any stage of their life.

Josh T Pearson looks like he's been around the back yard a few times and he has the long beard to prove it. With all those sticks and birds stuck in his hair there was no real point to cut it. The irony of all this is that beards are trendy.

But that's besides the point, he's got a good image nevertheless and his background picture shows him holding a rifle surrounded by several young brides looking rather melancholic. I am a fan of good photography especially when a picture speaks for the music.

Josh T Pearson on myspace

Norman B now Manatee

Howling vocals and great musicianship going on here from French band Norman B. They have now reformed and are called Manatee and still have some of the original members.

Manatee on myspace

Norman B myspace

Wayne Robbins and The Hellsayers - Lonesome Sea

Wayne Robbins & The Hellsayers, The Lonesome Sea

I found this album in the £1 discount box at Rough Trade records. Lucky for me. Why it was only £1 I do not know, probably because people haven't been braiwashed by advertising into buying it. Do not be deceived however because the treasures that you can find in music are sometimes hidden far away in the back corners of a record shop.

So I listened to the music and was pretty happy with my purchase, the album lifts you up and pulls your strings with sounds that range from dreamy slide guitar to distorted and noisy guitars all the while keeping the melody strong and impulsive. The songs draw you in and the album actually does sound like a lonesome sea, nice title. The album has a song called Forgiveness and that is by far my favourite.

Find them on Myspace

Download a track here for free, then buy the album

Hopefully they keep making amazing music, it is always sad when really good bands give up because the music industry was too busy wasting it's time and money on complete shite music filled with cliches, tricks, and gimicks. I'm hoping for a change in attitude but only the consumer can cause that to happen.

Tune Yards

Lady with a loop station, a little guitar and a big sound.
Watch the video to see how she puts together a song by recording in sounds. The latest craze for solo performers.

Bon Iver

His voice sends chills down your spine. He's the sort of person the industry would try to polish up but nope, he's keeping the beard by golly.

Free downloads here

The Low Lows

The Low Lows are a band worth checking out.

I saw them live some time back when I went to see Parkbench playing at the Luminaire and they were quite captivating. The musicians in that band reacted so well off each other and were able to use build ups in all the right places. When so many bands bombard you with a wall of noise this band had all the intensity you'd want without overloading your senses to the point where you lose interest.

They've done a CD which is not as good as their live performance but certainly is a really good listen. Go and see them live if you get a chance.

Free downloads here, listen and buy more

The National

I thought of Tindersticks when I heard The National. They are from Brooklyn and their music is quite beautiful.

Find them on Myspace, they are doing a tour and are playing the Royal Albert Hall in London on the 6th of May

Holly Golightly

Sultry singer Holly Golightly is definitely one for your album collection. She's supercool in all the right ways. She reminds a little bit of Mazzy Star if she was a rockabilly.

If you don't know where to start because she's done a few records then download some free tracks then buy your fav album