The Amplifetes – Whizz Kid from THE AMPLIFETES on Vimeo.
The artistry of this video really grabbed me. Anders Hellman’s animation is way cool; the simple black and white cut out images popped 3-D with scribbles to top it all complement the Swedish groups fuzzy pop music. The Amplifete’s consider themselves a mix of psychedelia, classic rock and electro and their tunes solidly support the claim. Another Nordic band to love.
The Mary Onettes “The Night Before The Funeral” from Labrador Records on Vimeo.
Recent TWIAPC fav The Mary Onettes sent this video along this week and man oh man do I heart it. The song “The Night Before The Funeral” is a solitary reflection on a young love that has run its course. The video nails that feeling of solitude perfectly. Directed by the group’s Philip Ekstrom it follow his brother Henrik as he wanders through a series of locations the brothers have a sentimental attachment to from their childhood. The flat lighting and slightly quirky character match the song to a T. Another Nordic win!
[MP3] The Night Before The Funeral
Sebastian Blanck “I Blame Baltimore” from Rare Book Room Records on Vimeo.
The fantastical space odyssey captured in Sebastian Blanck’s new video was just the kind of playful narrative I’ve been in the mood for lately. It’s sentimental and off beat much like the music on his new LP Alibi Coast. The imagery is simple and sweet not needing to be a big production or totally silly. It is just delightful. A wonderful way to float into the work of Sebastian Blanck.
Oh, Florence how do I love thy gingery ways. This video from the last single off of her spectacular album Lungs is all sorts of saturated color yumminess. The woman knows how to work the camera and almost as well as she knows how to stop you in your tracks with her voice. If you haven’t already purchased Lung get to it if for no other reason than to blast as the soundtrack for a dance party of one. I highly recommend it for the good of your soul.
I had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with this Philly band a few weeks ago and found a trio with some major musical ambition. They’ve got their eyes on capturing a share of the indie pop rock market and the work ethic to make it happen. At the beginning of their journey they’ve already got a lock on Spoon-ish piano riffs and catchy singable lyrics; and yes, they are aware of the strong Spoon influence on their early work. Those comparisons though have driven them back to the studio and the new material is equally catchy but entirely of The Fleeting Ends conception. The piano cuts a tidy pop swatch across the jangley guitars to great toe tapping effect. Lead singer Matt Vantine has a voice made for pop; a little bit pleading a little bit crooning. As the young group continues to rack up live show experience and defining their strongest sound I wouldn’t be surprised to see them steadily achieve their musical ambitions.
When I first heard Lay Low I was taken by the tenderness of her voice. Her new single “By And By” is a simple sweet morsel of pop reflection that she delivers with a coy coo. It was enough to draw me under the spell of Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir – the lady behind the stage moniker – and into her new album, Farewell Good Night’s Sleep, I dove. She calls it country music and she has certainly done her research as she manages to capture the essence of the rich history of female country crooners. The native Icelander has a fascinating command of her vocals tuning the notes and the delivery style to set the mood for each track. Accompanied by the requisite smooth steel guitar her soft voice spreads over the arrangements with authentic twang. The album’s 12 tracks each have enough variation to carry your attention but also run with a relaxing continuity. A delightful new artist for your consideration.
Villagers is the brainchild of Irish wunderkind Conor J. O’Brien who, with the encouragement of his parents has been pursuing his creative muse from the early age of 12. Getting lost in the works of Roald Dahl and Jim Henson fed his imagination which, over the years, has bled into O’Brien’s work. Clearly he enjoys the role of storyteller – in particularly when it requires taking on a bit of a character- and the majority of his songs do spin an interesting tale. The instrumentals, mostly played by O’Brien on the record, are rooted in folk influence but branch out into pop and rock territory as the direction of the lyrics require. Those lyrics are as charming as they come and wear the polish of a man who isn’t afraid to indulge a little fantasy. The few tracks I’ve been able to get my hands on have been lyrically and instrumentally satiating in their wit and intention. Leaving me eager to hear more, much more.
Villagers’ debut album Becoming A Jackal comes out in the US on June 8th and they’ll be doing a brief tour through the North East later in June, including a stop in Philly on the 22nd.
I had the hottest ticket in Philly last Friday for the Beach House + Washed Out show in the sanctuary of The First Unitarian Church. To be totally honest I was not amongst the masses to worship at the altar of Beach House. That isn’t to say I don’t appreciate their music I just think their are other acts out there that are more exciting. When given the opportunity to see them live though I figured I should check them out; see if the secret is in the set.
To get the evening started Washed Out, much buzzed about electronic artist out of Georgia, was tasked with getting people at the packed Sanctuary show in the Beach House spirit. It is rare that I find an one man electro act something worth watching – usually I’m most happy dancing like a crazy person to their music – however, Ernest Greene dancing around his keyboards, laptop and other odds and ends was plenty intriguing. He mentioned it was his first seated show and it was immediately apparent why. Washed Out makes music that requires dancing; to not move to his effect laden loops would be almost disrespectful.
Starting with luring base beats Greene slowly builds a dense series of loops and effects. It took a mere two minutes before kids were on their feet tranced out his work. It was a brief set but he successfully revved up the crowd in preparation of Beach House’s pending arrival.
Under the shimmery diamonds hanging from the ceiling Beach House – Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally – claimed their spot on a dimly lit stage. The set up was basic; Scally and his guitar, Legrand on keys and a live drummer as was the stage banter. The group kept their focus on their music channeling a mesmerizing amount of energy into putting on one transfixing show.
Legrand’s voice was raspy and seductive commanding the attention of everyone in the room. She has a voice reminiscent of some of the great pop female vocalists Grace Slick’s howl, Stevie Nick’s ethereal hum even a bit of Dusty Springfield’s twang. Watching her produce the words live give the lyrics a richness and sincerity missing from their records. When not singing she is pulsating over her keyboards keying out lush synths and providing a visual expression of the energy her voice usually carries.
Countering the richness of Legrand’s voice and instrumentals Scally weedles his way deftly through the intricate guitar lines. I noticed that there are a few parts that I had previously credited to the keyboards but are actually his careful picking on an effected guitar. His fingers effortlessly made quick work of the clean rhythm lines it was incredible to watch him at work. The few moments when he wielded a slide were complete bliss.
The set list flowed beautifully, punctuated with the occasional “thank you.” Where I had been expecting to hear wave after wave of fuzzed out rock I actually got a well framed and potent live show. I am still not the biggest fan of their recorded material but, having heard the music live, I now better understand the skill behind their sound. Beach House’s real magic is in their astounding live performances and that is more than enough to make me a champion of their cause.
I dropped by World Cafe Live last week to catch Bear Hands’ set opening for As Tall As Lions. Their music has intrigued me for a while and I was curious to see how it translated live. The group’s recorded material is a hyper combo of surf guitars, tight drums and sing/speak lyrics which is pretty much what you get in their live show. While the four members of the band don’t have a whole lot to offer in terms of stage presence, they do a nice job of bringing some added flair to the live presentation.
Watching them – guitars(2), keyboard, bass & drums- create their music you get a much better sense of bass and percussion presence. The roots of their tracks are maintained but they really punched up the weight the bass lines carry in establishing the rhythm and the percussion was what added most of the draw.
With the ubiquitous extra floor tom, played by basist Val Loper, front and center it was hardtoignore the contribution the percussion makes to Bear Hand’s intensity. While there were the occasional aggressive guitar riff the wealth of their energy cam from drummer TJ Orscher’s side of the stage. As the set went on I noticed there is an interesting call and response relationship between TJ and Val that I never noticed on the recordings, perhaps because I assumed it was all one percussionist. On the whole, it was a good set and if their future works show signs of evolution then they have a good chance at growing their following. The group has been on the road for a long time and I’m guessing they’re gonna take some time to rest and regroup now that they’re back in Brooklyn. I look forward to hearing what directions they explore in their new work.
The evening began with Los Angeles’ Sea Wolf who seemed to have been the draw for a great many of the folks packed into the sanctuary. Due to some inclement weather I missed most of Sea Wolf’s performance but I did catch the last half-ish of their set from the back of the Church. I say this because where I sat wasn’t the best acoustical position so I don’t feel as though I got the best impression of what Sea Wolf has to offer. That being said, I can share these few observations; the cello was extraordinary, claiming an effortless spot amongst the rest of the band as though it were a female vocal line; the group needs to improve their general stage presence as they looked rather bored; their songs volleyed nicely between catchy pop and carefully built ambitious arrangements. All in all, I’d say Sea Wolf has a rightful claim on their place in the hearts of the indie masses.
The transition between sets was smooth as The Album Leaf, touring with a full band plus a string quartet quickly organized themselves and began playing. The ambient rock group, helmed by Jimmy Lavalle, is totally at home in the sanctuary of a church where their music can stretch and sore as the arrangement dictates. As the multiple instruments contributed their share to an astoundingly dense sonic whole a choreographed series of images were dancing on a scrim behind them as lights scattered around the stage pulsed in time.
The visual component working in tandem with the beautifully orchestrated music accentuated it’s cinematic quality. Lavalle creates music that takes your imagination places; he doesn’t hold your hand and walk you through the song instead he provides the catalyst – and soundtrack- to let your mind wander.
While many, including myself, associate The Album Leaf with electronic music the live show is actually a well balanced combination of synths, keys, guitars, strings and bass. The quartet that had accompanied them gave the music a lusciousness absent from strictly synthesized material. Lavalle’s greatness is intricately tied to his awareness of the boundaries of traditional and electro music making. A yin and yang relationship that was on its finest display last Sunday. After experiencing The Album Leaf live I’m not sure whether their records will be enough to satiate me. Of course, I’ll keep on listening until the next opportunity to see them arrives.
Saturday, May 22nd
AKA Music , 27 N 3rd St Philadelphia
5pm- 9pm
Beyonce embraces the retro trend in her new video and I like it. Remaining honest and avoiding kitschy she gives life to another memorable music video lady lead. This woman can do no wrong.
[MP3] Single Ladies – Pomplamoose
This video came to my attention via the fellas at Stark who nail their description of the song as a straight forward expression of emotion, in this case about long distance love. I really really like lead singer Emma Kulp’s voice which is always as straight forward as it is on “Philadelphia.” I love it when a video brings a new act to my attention.
Apparently I am in a girl vocals kind of mood and who better to scratch that itch than the wonderful ladies of The Like. This retro video is perfect for their vibe and the spirit of the song. They are releasing their new album Release Me on June 15th but will be in Philly, hopefully playing some of the new tunes, on June 2nd with the Futureheads.
Finally, this Glee flashmob made me long for my college days when the was the time and energy to organize such events. Watch and enjoy!
I know, I know I just did a remix rehash but when this niblet landed in my inbox a minute ago I just couldn’t wait for next week to share it. Phoenix’s Back Ted N-Ted is due to release his debut LP later this summer and is whetting our appetite with this yummy take on Imogene Heap’s Say Goodnight & Go. He playfully minces the beats the result is an electro tune worthy of it’s own music box. Glad to have Back Ted N-Ted on my radar; can’t wait to hear what his LP has to offer.
Another week, another grab bag of new remixes that have broken through the fog of, shall we say, less than stellar remix attempts I receive on a daily basis. It’s a nice mix of new and old faces providing you some rhythms to propel you through the week.
I tried to catch French Horn Rebellion’s Hype Machine set during SXSW but the clock gods were not operating in my favor. Listening to their remix of TWIPAC favs Savoir Adore makes me wish I had made a better effort. The brother Molinari clearly have a way with music as they flip “Bodies” on its head to make it down right disco. Isolating the vocals and adding some crazy synth action sheds all sorts of new light on the track. This one def gets a permanent spot on the summer jams playlist.
Bodies (French Horn Rebellion Remix) – Savoir Adore
Bodies (Original) – Savoir Adore
This is the first remix of Marina & The Diamonds’ single to really have much of an effect on me. Clock Opera works with precision as they push the original ever so slightly to give it some grit. I wasn’t entirely familiar with Clock Opera before this but a little investigation revealed the British quartet have some tasty track of their own, might I recommend “White Noise.” Their album A Piece Of String, comes out June 7th and I may need to get me some of that.
I Am Not A Robot (Clock Opera Remix) – Marina & The Diamonds
Currently bopping all over the place with his other project Telephoned Sammy had time to cranky out this chill little bounce. Considering it is crazy humid and the start of a new week – after a doozy of a weekend none the less – this jam’s low key vibe seemed fit just right into today’s slow churn. It had the perfect amount of pep to keep my head bobbing though dinner.
Work This City (Sammy Bananas Remix) – Body Language
I am beyond exhausted tonight after driving all over the North East this weekend for weddings, bachelor party crashing, charity walks and family time. Car listening included a whole lot of tunes I’m going to be sharing over the next few days but these three really stood out so, I could resist quickly pulling together a post before I collapse into a stone cold coma.
This Philly group has been itching to get some TWIAPC love for a while but they fabulous new eponymous record sealed the deal. On it, the trio keeps their loose ragged edges while giving their haunting lo fi music a holistic shape. Echoey jagged guitars scat in time with intense, almost tribal, percussion that leans on deceptively steady bass drum. The reserved howl of Busses’ lead singer Dave Brett often provides the frame in which the instrumentals find their context. The balance between Brett’s clean voice and the far more complex instrumentals sets a sonic trap to lure the listener. Once they hook you they pare it all down and prove that simplicity can be just as poignant as complicated arrangements. They’re celebrating their album release on May 13th at the Khyber.
Listening to La Strada takes you on a trip through musical history; Strings represent a traditional chamber structure, unfussy guitars suggest a bit of doo wop influence, group choruses -with a bit of accordion- enliven a gypsy folk vibe all tethered to the here and now with sing song confessional lead vocals. Their new LP New Home – partially recorded at Philly’s Minar Street Studio- captures the reverent spirit of the group’s sound. The nuances of each sonic variable is given a chance to shine without becoming muddied or overwhelming. La Strada’s music reflects a familiarity with a interesting assortment of historical generes which imparts a cinematic bent perfect for a Wes Anderson movie. They’re on a mini tour right now – sans Philly stop- but I hope they have plans to extend their schedule as I have heard great things about their live show. The album is out now and I suggest you nab yourself a copy.
This Arizona quintet is known for dabbling in all sorts of psych rock roots antics. They have no problem cutting loose and letting their vocals screech over a rabid drum line that, in turn, races a hyper guitar riff but their just as keen when slowly meandering through bluesy jam session. They maintain their sorted flavors on their new album Bloom Creek which travels a carefully constructed arc encompassing back woods chamber folk, dainty piano centered ditties and patiently rolling harmonies. What Laura Says’ unencumbered rootsy sound will draw a varied crowd and send everyone home pleased with what they heard. They are about to hit the road in support of Bloom Creek (sadly no Philly stop planned – yet) so if they’re passing through your neck of the woods well, you know what to do.
