The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Hell.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Hell.

And Kip and the band tells us - A couple months ago I posted a demo for the song "Hell" and some people said, "why don't you record that for real?" So we went over to my friend Danny's studio (House Under Magic) and recorded the track along with two cover songs - "Ballad of the Band" by Felt and "Laid" by James as a way to mark our forthcoming tour of Japan. 

The latter has lead vocals by Jen Goma, who sang on our last album and also performs with the excellent pop contortionists, A Sunny Day in Glasgow. The Felt song is really the UR-Felt song, the wry articulation of what Felt is most famous for - not being an eighth as famous as they ought to be. The song "Hell" is about how insufferable performances of sensitivity are when there's a good song playing and someone you want to dance with.

Remaining Tour Dates:

November 28 - Hong Kong - Cockenflap Festival
November 29 - Singapore - Neon Lights Festival

There is something quite raw and genuine about this three track release. 'Hell' has that natural rock feel to it, not to polished, it just lets the bands collective talent do the work, and is pleasingly unpretentious. Having found a link to the cover of 'Laid' I could not resist sharing this as well. I love so much of the music James have released down the years, and this version does the original justice, whilst demonstrating that this band can put their stamp on a whole range of music, in a really good way.

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Frøkedal - Kid

Frøkedal - Kid.

Those promo words - If songs are like children, it’s important to fend off favouritism… but perhaps there is something a little special about Frøkedal’s latest, ‘Kid’. The single is paired with news of Frøkedal’s forthcoming debut album ‘Hold On Dreamer’ – a ten-track offering, slated for release on February 26, 2016 via Propeller Recordings.

“Kid opens with a depiction of a young child who falls asleep under the table during a family party,” explains singer/songwriter Anne Lise Frøkedal. It all seems conventional enough, before the track takes a somewhat poignant turn: “It turns out that this is only a made-up memory because all the photos of the child have disappeared along with the family's recollection of him”.  

“I remember you, kid” forms a fitting refrain, and a comforting assurance that resonates throughout new album ‘Hold On Dreamer’. Lyrically, a theme runs across its ten tracks: “They deal with people whose lives are about to take a turn – for better or worse,” Frøkedal says. “For me, writing about change is much more interesting than exploring situations that already work. Most are real stories, about real people, some influenced by my own life more than others.”

Having fronted successful Norwegian outfits Harrys Gym and Grammy-nominated I Was A King (who count Sufjan Stevens, Robyn Hitchcock and Norman Blake among past collaborators), Frøkedal approached her solo descent differently, almost defiantly. “Almost everything I’d done in the past I tried to avoid,” she says. “Harrys Gym had a huge pop sound with lots of instruments, so the new songs had to be simple. I wanted a stripped-down sound that was still dynamic.

“Because everyone has a computer these days, there’s no limit to how many times you can multi-track. I’m sick of that. Big, busy songs don’t touch me emotionally anymore. I hoped to go the other way – to remove as much as I could and be left with a beating heart.”

'Kid' is such a fine and pleasing song. I was going to take a day off from Beehive Candy today, but having played this a couple of times, I can't 'sit on it', any longer. I'm trying to keep a note of albums on the horizon that I really wan't to have, the list just got longer with the forthcoming debut album 'Hold On Dreamer'.

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Tuesday &: The Wretched Desert - The Aves - Vallee - Eves The Behavior

The Wretched Desert - Dead Reckoning.

Background - Zach Lind of Jimmy Eat World and wife, Holly Lind, dreamt up The Wretched Desert one day when they decided to turn their living room into a music room. When they realised how good the acoustics were in that room, Zach began recording himself playing drums then added more and more instruments while Holly laid down vocals and, alas, their debut EP Street Lights came to fruition.

Following Street Lights, the duo continued to cook up some living room tunes during the off season of Jimmy Eat World’s tour schedule that turned into sophomore EP set to release November 13th. Recently, The Wretched Desert happily offered the EP title track, “Dead Reckoning”, as a taste of what is to come. 

Zach explains, “As we were writing Dead Reckoning, we couldn’t help being reminded of the hockey scene in Strange Brew. This song is our ode to the McKenzie brothers from whom we’ve learned so much about the mysteries and secrets of being human”.

'Dead Reckoning' certainly builds on the 'Street Lights' EP. Keyboards compete with drums and percussion, whilst there is an almost robotic feel to the vocals, which is not a criticism, as they are seem so rightly matched. Looking forward to what follows soon.

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The Aves - Juan Bianco.

Background - Taken from their soon to be announced debut album, Adelaide's favourite garage kids The Aves launched their first single 'Juan Bianco' last Friday (November 6) at the Grace Emily.

Filled with jangly guitars, upbeat rhythms and laconic vocals laced with harmonies, Juan Bianco is a tough as boots slice of garage pop about dreams lost and starry eyed suburban ambition. With three impressive EP's, a Big Day Out slot thanks to triple j and a stack of touring under their belts that includes Canada's NXNE Festival, New York's River Rocks and Brisbane's Bigsound, The Aves have become known for their high energy live shows, infectious pop-smarts and tongue in cheek lyrics.

Initially taking cues from a varied range of the greats like Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, The Kinks and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Aves have taken the melting pot of influences and naturally developed their own succinct style.

Bright jangly guitars launch what is a really cool and very catchy song. The melting pot of influences are noted, but who cares, The Aves have a superb sound of their own, and this single sets expectations high. More please.

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Vallee - Jungle.

Background - The biggest driving force for Melbourne band Vallee has been the positive response from strangers from all around the world connecting with their music. The collaborative song writing of guitarist Michael Keirs and bassist Brendan Aked make up the core of the Melbourne indie rockers. 

Influenced by the post punk revival scenes from the late 90’s and the new wave scene that stems from the 80’s, the band cites Bloc Party and The Wombats as an ideal that they strive to achieve. After a steady string of shows across Melbourne in 2014 followed by a working holiday in Europe, and multiple surgeries related to a motorcycle accident, it’s been almost a year since they headlined the Evelyn hotel in Fitzroy. 

The follow up to their first EP Radio sees the band release their new single “Jungle”. The title track off their first EP Radio reached #1 on the Triple J Unearthed charts and subsequent video was featured on mismatch.tv, whilst second single “Cuba” debuted at #9 and received airplay on Unearthed radio. 'Jungle' by Vallee will be released 13th of November 2015.

'Jungle' reminds me somewhat, of the legendary Scottish band 'Big Country', and that is meant as a compliment. The guitar and drum sound has some of those vibes, however this is far more energised and vocally more powerful. Lets be clear this is a great song in it's own right, and one that sinks it's hooks in deep.

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Eves The Behavior - Girl.

Background - Taking a direct look at modern day feminism and the reality of pressures born out of social media, enigmatic young Australian lyricist Eves The Behavior presents her intimate new audio offering 'Girl' (out 13th November). 'Girl' was produced by Eves The Behavior and Christoffer Berg (Fever Ray, The Knife, Depeche Mode), with additional production by Stella Mozgawa and Thomas Rawle.

"There's a sort of unprecedented darkness that's brewing over modern feminism. A new beast that needs tackling. I refuse to believe I'm being old fashioned in saying that it comes out of the widening jaw of social media. Because I don't write this from an arm's length away... most days I feel like I'm being swallowed whole. I am growing up with very confused ideas of how to look and behave as a young woman. I'm terrified of growing up not knowing how to feel good about myself. And I'm terrified that other girls are in the same situation. I am slowly re-defining my perception of where I'm placed in the world and in my relationships."

Eves The Behavior is Hannah Karydas; a twenty-one-year old Brisbane-based singer, songwriter and producer with a unique look on the world. Few young musicians have quite the steady vision and kaleidoscopic ambition in which Eves The Behavior sets her sights on, which is in part due to Hannah's synesthesia; a condition which elicits an experience of mixed senses, in particular elements that trigger and become colours in her mind. This rare sense affects and influences her own music, allowing Hannah to figuratively paint her music, including the shadow and darkness from within. 

'Girl' conveys passion and sincerity, covering a topic that is serious and relevant. Musically the 'marching beat' is just right for the lyrics, whilst Hannah's vocal delivery is spot on. It's a very good song, simple as that really.

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Monday Alternative: Funktionslust - Phedre - WoodzSTHLM

Funktionslust - Unstable (Dro Carey remix).

Background - Funktionslust announce their 'Window' EP will be released 20th November. You can pick up hints of all sorts of diverse sounds in Funktionslust’s music, from technoid rhythms to glacial coldwave-esque atmospheres, but they bring these styles into a hyper-modern sound world that is distinctly their own. 'Window' is the duos tightest, tensest most compulsively listenable offering to date. 

Funktionslust formed in London, when Sage Redman and Joe Gillick met in their first year of university, bonding immediately over their love of idiosyncratic pop (St. Vincent, Owen Pallet, Tune-Yards, Cocteau Twins etc.) Originally, Sage grew up in Seattle – her parents were “super unmusical”, but her uncle had connections to the grunge scene. Joe, on the other hand, grew up in London, where he was exposed to the music of grime crews like Ruff Sqwad and Roll Deep. 

'Window' is about a disconnection from oneself inside, (inside as in indoors, and inside as in ones self) and from others outside. It explores the dichotomy and beauty of disconnection vs. connection with partners and friends and the parallels between what one thinks of themselves and what one perceives others to think. Every aspect of each song is created with one synthesiser, acting as a temple for all their ideas. Each idea, each strand of inspiration, bounces off the walls of this 'temple', and emerges as one nuanced, unmediated and tangible sonic construction. 

Funktionslust are classicists, writing traditional melodic pop songs, but there’s an experimental bend to their production informed by artists like Four Tet, Mumdance, and Oneohtrix Point Never.

Prior to the EP's release we have a remix of Funktionslust first single 'Unstable'. Australian producer 'of the moment', Dro Carey's remix, stays reasonably close to the original and if anything lightens & thins the sound a little. Both versions make the pending EP release, of real interest.

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Phedre - Tivoli.

Background - Toronto-based experimental pop duo Phèdre return with new single (+video), "Tivoli." 

Melted-pop duo Phèdre make music for escaping. The visually evocative soundscapes emerging on their previous releases take form like a great comic; a concise narrative, bright colors, and psychedelic textures. If comic books had strobe lights Phèdre's certainly would.

As for what they take from the real world, Phèdre's music borrows from hip-hop, psych and high-bpm electronica to make music digestible to internet-induced-ADD-types and also those who can sit through a heavily conceptual full-length. 2016 will see them entering a new cycle, with a couple of new energetic releases.

A looping sound wall comes to life as the bass kicks in, however the vocals are a surprise. Strangely addictive the soundtrack matches the quirky vocal nature and bang! it's finished and time to play again (like I said, addictive).

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WoodzSTHLM - Underwater (feat. Flores & Olle Grafström).

Background - This is the new track from 22-year-old Swedish producer WoodzSTHLM. 

"Underwater" paints a picture, not of drowning, but of human instinct and it's reluctance to give in, even as the surface light becomes further out of reach. 

The single is part of a complex and dark EP, Lighthouse, coming November 20th via WoodzSTHLM's co-founded label, Mångata Records.

Moody and intricate, the song has sultry vocals and a soundtrack heavy on the bass line. Layers of rhythmic percussion sounds, carry the whole piece along. The synth's bring it all together, and as a tease for the EP it really works.


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Straight Shooting Saturday: Lady Low - The By Gods.

Lady Low - Burning Like A Fever.

Background - Released in mid October “Burning Like a Fever,” is the current single from Hollywood’s favourite romance rockers, Lady Low. Described as “where strings and heartstrings collide,” Lady Low is a rock sextet comprised of Jimmy Sweet (vocals, guitar), Eden Lee (vocals, drums), Shanel Chavers (vocals, synth), Kaitlin Wolfberg (violin), Corinne Olsen (violin), and Mia Siler (viola). Sweet had always wanted to start a band that combined love’s passion and old school rock and roll. After returning to L.A. by way of London, he formed Lady Low.

Sweet started out with legendary San Francisco rock band, The Richmond Sluts. He still performs with the Goodtime Boys, a ‘70s cover band, along with members of Hot Hot Heat, Fleet Foxes, The Heavy, and Beachwood Sparks. While studying vocal performance at Ohio University, Eden recorded and performed with The First Street Heat, a nine-piece funk group. She has also been featured in SassafraZ and Tempo Tantrums, a female a cappella group. More information on Lady Low is available on the band’s official website.

Wolfberg writes the string arrangements and also plays viola, keyboards, and violin. She has worked with indie legends The Bats and The DB’s, and has played with heavy hitters such as Dweezil Zappa and Ruthann Friedman.

We featured Lady Low back in early June, however the current single 'Burning Like A Fever' has got under my skin, so why not give the band another share. The whole structure and feel to this song, just ticks a lot of personal 'like' boxes, simple as that.

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The By Gods - On The Radio.

Bio from the band - Nashville-based band The By Gods — originally George Pauley (vocals, guitar) and Tye Hammonds (drums) — breed hook-laden, roll-your-windows-down rock & roll, respectfully reminiscent of the band’s early to mid-90’s alternative predecessors.

With The By Gods, Hammonds and Pauley are focused on the difficult art of keeping it simple, and making the music they love. "We're really hedonistic when it comes to most things with The By Gods." Hammonds explains, "As long as we're into it, we think that other people will be too."

The band’s new album G​et On Feelings ​is chock-full of rock & roll spark, assembled perfectly with intelligent and, most importantly, intoxicating melodies. With it, the band grows from a duo into a trio, thanks to the addition of bassist Natalie Pauley. Together, The By Gods hit their full-stride from the opening track and, down strokes-be-damned, continue delivering their fuzz-guitar-laden youthful energy in crystal-clear high fidelity on “Miss It” and “On The Radio.” Pauley’s guitar work buzzes with maturity and exploration, from the appropriately off-kilter chorus chords of “My Way,” to the raucous bridge riff in “I Really Don’t Care.”

The new record like it's predecessor was recorded by, Carl Amburn (Riddle Of Steel, Traindodge, Self-Evident, Town Portal), at his Oklahoma barn studio, The Mousetrap. Out of that barn, a most-impressive beast of a full-length has germinated and is ready to devour the planet. You see, eventually The By Gods’ music will help put an end to war and poverty. It will align the planets and bring them into universal harmony. Allowing meaningful contact with all forms of life, from extra terrestrials to common household pets...and, it's excellent for dancing.

From the forthcoming album 'Get On Feelings' (out on January 22nd 2016) 'On The Radio' is their current single, and pretty typical of the power soaked album. It's potent rock'n'roll, reliant on energised and passionate performance, cutting out the nonsense and just playing to please, and pleasing the listener.

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