Another long gap between posts so am determined to stop making such a meal out of this and just get on and post about music godddamit.
I heard We Have Band in session on Huw Stephens' show and really liked the sound of this track - it's sort of uplifting yet still a bit moody indie-pop. The fact that there's a cover of 'West End Girls' on their MySpace is a definite clue as to their general vibe.
I was really pleased to get to see O Children (mentioned in a previous post) at The Windmill the other week (their singer is the tallest man I have ever seen in my life!). Also on the bill were this band, Plastic Passion, who were really great even though they looked like they should be in separate bands. This track is their 'tribute' to Tracey Emin but really you have to see them live to get the full benefit of these boys.
'Anatomy Domine' is a gently building and brooding electronica number from Sourya which made me prick up my ears - it's from a mystery 'Taste Of Things To Come' album that's on my iTunes and I can't remember where it came from but it's gone awol now - it was probably Artrocker. My iTunes played the intro to The Source 'You Got The Love' after this finished due to the way I'd sorted it and it sounded like part of the song...
I'm not necessarily ready to embrace all of their tracks quite yet but I really like 'Converging In The Quiet' by Crystal Stilts which I heard on Rob da Bank's show... Yet another Brooklyn band who are psychedelic - but this isn't in the twee, slightly bonkers way of MGMT et al. This is way more murky and morose and it sounds like it was recorded aeons ago - and it's all the better for it.
See, I knew I shouldn't have started this because the gap in between posts means that I have to make this the longest post ever - I really should learn to do this as I go along.
Burningpilot are definitely very interesting and they become even more intriguing when last.fm informs me that even their record label don't really know who the band are (which seems a bit remiss to me, but there you go). This track makes me think of Devo even though it shouldn't but it definitely has a teutonic dance feel to it. Their other tracks are a bit more 'grown-up bloke' rock - the vocal style and unfettered organ meloldies of the other tracks are definitely reminiscent of The Stranglers - which I clearly why I like them. Check out 'Accelerate' which isn't anything like The Stranglers.
They're in all the 'tip for 2009' lists but sod it, 'One Night In October' by Little Comets is totally joyful and it won't be long before they come totally ubiquitous and therefore possibly hateful, so enjoy them while you can.
These are not even vaguely to be confused with the above but Little Boots were also in the Sound Of 2009 list - formerly of Dead Disco and cute as a button, she is basically a Pet Shop Girl, but that's just the start of what is good about her.
Off of all of the 2009 list nominees, it is La Roux who I think I am falling in love with. Her visual style is so individual (without appearing at all forced), that I find her utterly compelling. This track is rarely off my ipod these days and you can watch the thoroughly 80s video (it even includes a gymnast!) at her myspace.
Last up from the girls, Catherine A.D vocally sounds a lot like PJ Harvey during the 'To Bring You My Love' era and KD Lang and 'Carry Your Heart' sounds like it was sung on a moor in a time, far, far away with a bodice probably heaving somewhere nearby. But it's gratuitously marvellous so I'll share it with you even if it's a bit of a self indulgent guilty pleasure. It's like the Evanescence of good songwriting. Actually, that makes it sound awful but maybe you'll see what I mean.
Other worthy mentions:
Nice bit of promising indie rock (apparently influenced by ...And They Will Know Us...) - 'Nurse! Nurse! from Nephu Huzzband.
Moody but uplifting girl rock in The Breeders vein from Sky Larkin
Foals go electro? - yes, it's Gallops!
Fan Death will probably go far because they really have the look (Human League girls having raided Goldfrapp's wardrobe) and Erol Alkan is already remixing their stuff.
Right, that'll do for now - and I really must learn to write about these bands when I hear them to save you having to trawl through posts this long... I haven't even begun to mention how utterly, utterly amazing Grace Jones was on Wednesday night...
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