Category: 2008 releases

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2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music

Heaven, Mystery and Boris Yeltsin. Intrigued?

It’s been a long, long week. Sometimes things just don’t seem to go your way, you know?
But today is Sunday, and tomorrow’s a clean slate. So, things are looking up already, aren’t they? And with that tone of optimism, let’s jump straight into another tune trio.

The Heavenly States – The Race

The Heavenly States - The Race
The Heavenly States

The Heavenly States really and truly excite me. It’s pure, guitar-driven pop rock, with subtle hints towards a Dinosaur Jr love skulking underneath. All of which is played with an earnestness which seems to be lacking in other contemporary bands of the same genre. There are hints of Arcade Fire in there, but only hints… The Heavenly States are definitely their own band.

This song, “The Race“, showcases everything that makes them great; the hummable, angst-laden, and extremely catchy hooks of singer/guitarist Ted Nesseth’s lyrics, and violinist Genevieve Gargon’s complementary, darting chords. In short, pop-rock perfection. “The Race” is taken from their “Delayer” album, which will be out in the US by next week.

Listen: The Heavenly States – The Race

Mystery Jets – Flakes

Mystery Jets - Flakes
The Mystery Jets

Perhaps one of London’s best-kept secrets, the Mystery Jets consistently produce classic, timeless, and slightly off-kilter songs that, quite simply, kick ass.

The below song, “Flakes“, is a great introduction to them for those who haven’t heard them before. There’s something about lead singer Blaine Harrison’s vocals here… they seem to recall early shades of Mark Mulcahy (and come on; when isn’t that a great thing? Miracle Legion and Polaris… we miss you!). And then when that choral chorus of “oohs” kicks in? Man… killer.

“Flakes” is due to appear on Mystery Jet’s forthcoming album, which as of yet is being kept under wraps. As soon as I have more information on a release date, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Listen: Mystery Jets – Flakes


Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Modern Mystery

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Modern Mystery
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Another indie-pop song? I know, but as I say, it’s been that kind of week, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin are just the band to pick you up out a funk. Finely crafted vocal harmonies, and tunes that seem somewhat reminiscent of a lighter Rogue Wave = great times.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – henceforth to be known on this blog as SSLYBY, as the name is far too long to continually type out – are about to drop their second album, “Pershing” on the general public on April the 11th. This tune from that album, “Modern Mystery“, has them at their jangly-guitar best. Sincere lyrics and hook-laden chorus ensure the interest in Pershing is going to be huge.

There is no modern mystery,
We’re making up our history
– SSLYBY, “Modern Mystery”

Listen: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Modern Mystery

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2006 releases 2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar live songs music

Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s

A friend recently alerted me to the fact that a new Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s track is floating around the wide wide world of the internets, and it is with much pleasure that I present it below.

Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s
Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s

Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s are a band that I, quite frankly, can’t believe haven’t cracked the big time yet. Their 2006 release, “The Dust of Retreat” is an amazing album, but one that – while it gained critical rave reviews – failed to set the main population alight. Which was a great shame, because the band regularly release cracking tunes.

There’s somethingcool, laid-back, and yet somewhat disconnected in songwriter Richard Edwards’ lyrics. He’s pointed out many a time that the “Margot” of their name was inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow’s character in “The Royal Tenenbaums”. And, has been pointed out before, this seems reflected in their songs. You could quite easily picture them being used in a Wes Anderson soundtrack.

The new song below is from their forthcoming album, “Animal“. Entitled “Children’s Crusade on Acid“, it’s a live performance from their appearance on Sirius radio. However, I thought I would include one of their older songs here as well, for those who haven’t heard the band before. The first track is called, “Skeleton Key“, and is from the “The Dust of Retreat” album.

Listen to both, and fall in love.

Listen: Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s – Skeleton Key
Listen: Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s – Children’s Crusade on Acid (live)

Oh yeah. And if you want to be the subject of one of Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s future albums, then check out their myspace blog. Richard says:

I’m planning to compose, and record, a collection of three albums about three specific people. I’d like to take applications from people who would like to have an album composed about them.

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2008 releases artists digital downloads live songs music

Stephin Merritt – A Nun’s Litany (live on Fair Game)

Stephen Merritt - The Nun’s Litany
The Magnetic Fields (with Stephin Merritt – middle)

For close on twenty years now, Stephin Merritt has been recording what can only be described as pop masterpieces under the name “Magnetic Fields”. Stephen’s songs have a way of crawling inside you, and then filling you with raw emotion until you explode. Cliched that may be, but it certainly doesn’t make it any less true.

Recently, Stephin appeared on PRI’s “Fair Game” show, and performed his heartbreaking single, “The Nun’s Litany“, live, with just his ukelele as accompaniment. Magnetic Fields fans will know that this is not the first time he’s done so live; in fact, there is a Channel 4 video of him doing just that.

That said, this version, to me, is filled with even more longing, even more yearning, and even more heartbreak.

I just wished that he performed the vocals on this song in the recorded version, which appeared on their latest release, “Distortion“. Instead, those were performed by Shirley Simms. While she does so admirably on the record, nothing could live up to this version, for me.

I want to be a brothel worker,
I’ve always been treated like one.
– Stephin Merrit, “The Nun’s Litany”


Listen. Love. Support.

Stephin Merritt – The Nun’s Litany (Live on Fair Game)

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2008 releases artists digital downloads guitar music rock gods

Perez are back. That’s a good thing… right?

So if you’ve read my past post, “30 South African bands you SHOULD hear”, you would know my extreme love for the band, Perez. If you haven’t read it though (and can’t be bothered to click through to that link), here’s a short recap:

Perez were, without question, my favourite South African band of all time. Take away that qualifier, “South Africa”, and they would still qualify as one of my favourite bands, full stop. No other band fuelled my desire to enter this world of music as much as Perez did. Point blank, for a long time Perez were – to me at least – South African music.

The fact that Mike Goddard, the drummer, had been just a few years ahead of me at my school only engendered more loyalty to them. In fact, all the boys were familiar faces around my hometown of Umhlanga; so it was no surprise that they sustained a near cult-like following. Within 18 months of their debut show they managed to clock up four number 1 singles, and sell out just about every live venue in South Africa – still holding attendance records at some of them.

Perez
Perez… undoubtedly my favourite SA band ever.


But then the unthinkable happened. Perez broke up. And, as I said in that post mentioned above:

I don’t think South African music ever quite got over it. They represented every hope, and every dream we had, of exposing South African rock to an international audience. I remember the exact moment I received the news they were breaking up. It was at a band rehearsal, and we all just looked at each other; it was like we had lost the heart and soul of everything we were trying to do.

Fast forward a few years. Perez had played a reunion gig here and there, whenever they found themselves in the same country. I travelled the world, and ended up in Australia. So imagine my surprise when I received word from back home (yes, I still use the term “home”) that Perez were officially (“it’s for real this time, I swear!”) back together… and not only were they jamming, but recording too! It was possibly the best news I had ever heard. Or was it?

…

You see, the problem with Perez is that they now have to live up to the ghosts of their former selves. And, listening to the tracks that they’ve released so far, I’m not 100% sure I’m ready to commit to that; at least, not just yet.

Obviously you can’t expect a band to always stay the same. Nor would you want to, anyway. Listening to the same song, over and over again, would be interminably boring, not to mention depressing. So I’m stoked that Perez are taking a brave step in a new direction. After all, not only have they changed, but time has elapsed. We would have changed, too.


So it’s a good thing that they’re staying fresh with this new direction. And what a new direction it is, at that. An extreme departure from the majority of their past releases, the new tracks from Perez have them sounding like an updated version of The Beatles (post-India trip with Donovan Leitch, of course… their psychedelic foursome incarnation). And if anyone could pull off something like that, it would be Perez.

But I’m in two minds here. While I’m impressed with the new direction, and think that they pull off the style with veritable aplomb – I mean, the songs grow on you exponentially the more you listen to them… which is probably just a sign that it’s scarily new – there’s still something missing here. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say the heart and soul that used to shine through in their old music doesn’t seem to be there anymore; but that’s the description that keeps coming to mind. And as much as I hate myself for it, there it is.


Now, this is all purely based on the tracks that they’ve released thus far, so I’d be the first to admit that all this opinion is based on something that isn’t the finished product. Not by a long shot. And look… to be honest, this is Perez. These guys could release a load of steaming crap, and I’d still be prepared to hang on for their next release, hoping that it conjured back the magic of that first time I heard “Wasted Out”. I would, and that’s the truth. But I just hope that these new releases are made for the love of it all, and not just for the pressure to reform. Because at this stage, I’m not sure which of the two it is.

And if it turned out to be the latter, that would ruin a lot of beautiful, beautiful memories.

I’m being needlessly hard on them, and I know that. But that’s what happens when you mean something to people. I hope the guys take this in the way that it’s meant. I know they always welcome feedback, so hopefully they will. I’ll still be ordering the CD the very day it’s released, without question. I’m just voicing an opinion, that’s all.

Take a listen to the two tracks below, and see what you think. The first is the track “Caught in the Silence”, (with its disquieting, and quite frankly, awesome lyrics), and the second is “If it’s the End” (which shows again how well Matt and Nic’s voice complement each other). If you knew of Perez previously, drop a comment and let me know what you think of their new efforts. It would be nice to hear other people’s opinions.

(again, as always, simply click on the “play” icon to hear the tunes)

Listen: Perez – Caught In The Silence
Listen: Perez – If It’s The End

Oh yeah… and more tunes are available on their myspace page , and also on their facebook fan page. Check it out, seriously.

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2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music

Music for a rough morning-after…

Firstly, apologies for the lack of regular posting this week. I had my head buried in spreadsheets for most of it, and conferences took up the remainder. That said, the week is drawing to an end, and reports have been filed, so last night was a celebration.

Today? Today is the morning after.

So what am I listening to, feeling melancholic and slightly tender? Are you living through the morning after yourself? Then listen on, brother…


Destroyer – Foam Hands

Destroyer - Foam Hands

Dan Bejar, aka Destroyer, is one of the more prolific musicians about these days. From his work with New Pornographers, Swan Lake, Hello, and Blue Roses, many would have come into contact with his work at one time or another. However, in my opinion one of his musical outlets that has been criminally underrated, is his work put out under the “Destroyer” moniker.
Granted, it’s certainly not his most accessible work; but there’s definitely something there, even if it does take a listen or two to get into it.

This latest release, “Foam Hands” (from his forthcoming album, “Trouble In Dreams“) might be the track to change that, however. It’s certainly the most accessible of Destroyer’s releases to date, and just might be what most needed to drag them in deeper.

There’s something there that connects with me today.

I’m not the kind
to tell you what is true
and what is totally out of control.

Dan Bejar has this way of saying a lot; without needing to say very much at all. Here’s to more of this.

Listen: Destroyer – Foam Hands


The Republic Tigers – Building & Mountains

Republic Tigers - Buildings and Mountains

I think that The Republic Tigers are a band that automatically polarises opinion; people either wholeheartedly love them, or handle them with barely concealed disdain.
I’m of the former.

The Republic Tigers certainly challenge people. Combining elements of electronica, acoustic guitars, sweeping vocal harmonies, and epic lush texturing… well, it could be overwhelming. But it’s not. The Tigers manage the process with an aplomb that belies the fact that this track, “Buildings and Mountains“, is actually off their debut (yes, debut) forthcoming album, “Keep Colour”.

A track like this just exudes promise. I’ll certainly be waiting for their album with keen ears. When those breathy vocals kick in at the 0:30 second mark? Man…

Listen: The Republic Tigers – Buildings and Mountains


Tin Bangs – Your Sky Is Falling

Tin Bangs - Your Sky Is Falling

A strange choice, perhaps, considering the preceding two songs on this morning after. But I think Tin Bangs are a band to watch out for.

There’s something about this track, “Your Sky Is Falling“. The sense of urgency that Tin Bangs convey is certainly undeniable. In fact, I’ve heard it described as a sense of “god damn urgency”. That said, there’s something else hiding behind that urgency, to me. It’s not only urgent; it’s a sense of desperation. A sense of clutching at straws. A sense that this is our last chance. And the ultimate question… what have we done with it?

And if that’s not a suitable song for a morning after, then I don’t know what is.

Listen: Tin Bangs – Your Sky Is Falling

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2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music

Dallas Green – City and Colour

Back in the day, I used to be a pretty big Alexisonfire fan. In fact, when I’m feeling like a bit of anger is called for, I still am. So it was with interest that I awaited the sophomore release from Alexisonfire’s guitarist, Dallas Green, under his acoustic side project called “City and Colour“.

And man, has it been worth the wait.

City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love
Dallas Green, aka City and Colour

City and Colour‘s latest release is entitled “Bring Me Your Love“, and follows up from the highly successful debut album, “Sometimes”.

You know, people often complain that hardcore / metal / post-core / whatever-trendy-heavy-label-you-want-to-use music is “just screaming” and that, “there’s no musicianship there at all”.
I’ve always been of the opinion that the so-called “heavy” musicians make some of the most melodic, and most meaningful music, and that if they just slowed it down and dropped the notches below 11, more people would be able to see that. And Dallas Green, aka City and Colour may just be the person who explains that to the mainstream population.

Dallas’s plaintive voice, and enchanting melodies craft an entire experience; the emotions are undeniable. While purists will claim that the tunes don’t stand up to similar tunesmiths such as Sam Beam and Elliot Smith, there’s something in these songs that resonates with people.

I hope they make you feel something. I really do.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: City and Colour – Waiting
Listen: City and Colour – Body In A Box

Want some visual to go with that auditory pleasure? Then check out the video for “Waiting” below:

 

 

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2008 releases artists music politics

Will.i.am and Jesse Dylan – Yes We Can

It’s no secret that I am absolutely intrigued by the US election race at the moment. For the first time in years, I’ve seen truly charismatic, presidential speeches from several candidates – particularly John McCain and Barack Obama.

Being a South African, currently living in Australia, I’m somewhat removed from having a self-serving partisan view to the elections, so I think that puts me in a unique position when it comes to discussing today’s post: Will.i.am and Jesse Dylan‘s song, “Yes We Can“, which was inspired by Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can” speech in New Hampshire.

Hope

In short, I find the song (and speech, of course), nothing short of inspirational. Considering that Barack is already a Grammy winner, it should come as no surprise that I’ve always thought the man has a certain timbre to his voice that just strikes home with me. There’s something honest, something credible there… and all that is simply conveyed by voice.

At the Huffington Post, Will.i.am posted his reasons for recording the song. Here’s a short excerpt:

no one on this planet is truly experienced to handle the obstacles we face today…
Terror, fear, lies, agendas, politics, money, all the above…
It’s all scary…

Martin Luther King didn’t have experience to lead…
Kennedy didn’t have experience to lead…
Susan B. Anthony…
Nelson Mandela…
Rosa Parks…
Gandhi…
Anne Frank…
and everyone else who has had a hand in molding the freedoms we have and take for granted today…

no one truly has experience to deal with the world today…

they just need “desire, strength, courage ability, and passion” to change…
and to stand for something even when people say it’s not possible…

The song’s video is a veritable ratpack of celebrities; just some of the names featured in the video include:
Jesse Dylan, Will.i.am, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriquez, Kelly Hu, Adam Rodriquez, Amber Valetta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger and Nick Cannon.


Enough about the backstory. What about the song? It’s inspiring. It’s what people need to hear. And it does what all good music should do: Inspires change. Of course, they had some pretty good material to work with.

Here’s the video:

The transcript is included in the video information.
When you hear those opening lines “It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation/Yes we can/It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom/Yes we can“, tell me it doesn’t inspire hope with a straight face. Go on. I dare ya.

– Hope.

***Update***
I see that a lot of people are coming through to this entry, looking explicitly for the transcript of this video. So, to save you looking in the youtube entry for it, here it is below…

 

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics…they will only grow louder and more dissonant ……….. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea —

Yes. We. Can.

 

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2008 releases artists digital downloads guitar live songs music rock gods

Counting Crows live on WXPN – Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings

Thank god for WXPN – as usual they’ve brought the goods with NPR’s latest World Cafe show, featuring Counting Crows live, previewing eight (yes, I said eight) songs from their forthcoming album, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings.

Counting Crows - Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings
(Counting Crows previewed Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings on WXPN World Cafe)

We’ve already previewed some of the new songs here before, so I won’t be posting the whole set (but if you’re really desperate, then drop a comment here and let me know; perhaps we can work something out). That said, this show exemplifies one of the reasons I feel Counting Crows is one of the greatest live acts around: Adam goes into great detail to give you the backstory of each song, and really makes you feel part of a greater experience; as if we’re all sharing the same journey, the same ride.

As mentioned in our previous post about the album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings is really a double album: The “Saturday Nights” half is ostensibly the more “rock” half, and the “Sunday Mornings” the more acoustic. On this World Cafe show (which was aired on February 8th), Counting Crows performed four songs from each side. I’ll be posting one song from each half for now; the first is “Cowboys” from the “Saturday Nights” section, and the second is “Washington Square“, from the “Sunday Mornings” section.

I could try and write up an analysis of each song. But really, who can do it better than Adam himself? So I’ll leave the smart words to him, in his introduction to each song. I will say this though; I’ve been hesitant to get excited about this album. This set might just have changed that.

Again, if you’d like me to post the whole set, then drop a comment and let me know.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Counting Crows – Cowboys (live on WXPN/World Cafe)
Listen: Counting Crows – Washington Square (live on WXPN/World Cafe)