February 28, 2013

Cool new band: 1984

1984 was a good year. It was an dark distopian vision of the future by George Orwell. It was a breakthrough Van Halen album. It's a really hard to Google name for a new band. But they're well worth searching for.

Blood Red Shoes mentioned in an interview that they produced 1984's album Influenza. Since I love Blood Red Shoes, I decided to check them out. Man, am I glad that I did.

Here's the video for "Maze",


the title track, "Influenza", and

"Complain".

Influenza is out now, and you can check out more of their music at their Soundcloud.

Based on these guys, and another artist they mentioned that will be featured in a future post, I want Blood Red Shoes to be my musical advisors. Wanna write for the blog?

February 27, 2013

New Little Boots - Motorway

Back in July, I posted the new Little Boots track "Every Night I Say A Prayer" and thought that a new album might be imminent. Now it's late February and we have another Little Boots song. This one's called "Motorway". The new album Nocturnes is coming out May 7.

Enjoy this catchy pop gem! If you like it, head on over to her site for a free download.

February 26, 2013

New David Bowie: The Stars (Are Out Tonight)

I posted the first song released from David Bowie's forthcoming new album The Next Day when it came out. He's now released another tune. This one steps up the rock a bit. It's called "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)".


The Next Day is out March 12.

February 25, 2013

New Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Scarilege

Here's the brand new Yeah Yeah Yeahs song "Sacrilege" from their forthcoming album Mosquito. The new album hits the streets/Internets April 15-16.

It's got Karen O's distinctive vocals, noodle-y guitar, gospel choir parts and it will keep blood-sucking insects at bay.

February 24, 2013

Cool tune by Stellify - The Rebel

Here's Stellify with a great tune called "The Rebel". To me, it sounds like lots of classic rock and blues, mixed with some Oasis influence. The singer's voice reminds me of Stevie Ray Vaughan somehow.

Good, guitar driven rock.

Nice one!

Looking forward to hearing more from these guys.


February 23, 2013

Very interesting covers by Ted Leo

In news from several years ago, but still this decade, Ted Leo posted some electric guitar and vocal covers of some famous tunes by Robyn, Concrete Blonde and Sade. So, of course, I had to get right in there to post them here. Years later. Whatever.

Robyn "With Every Heartbeat"

Concrete Blonde "Joey"

Sade "By Your Side"

And in even older news, here's Ted covering Kelly Clarkson "Since U Been Gone" and Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps" from 2007.

You can download the Robyn cover from Pitchfork.

February 22, 2013

New clip from DIIV - Wait

It's swirly. It's sexy. It's DIIV with the video for "Wait" from Oshin. It's NSFW due to nudity.


They're a cool live band as well. Check out my post on their show at the Phoenix in Toronto with Japandroids.

February 21, 2013

New Phoenix tune Entertainment

I can't remember exactly where I came across the band Phoenix. It was around the time they released their third album, It's Never Been Like That, in 2006. I thoroughly enjoyed the smooth pop hooks and song writing of that album. From there, I sought out their previous releases, 2000's Untitled and 2004's Alphabetical. Also good albums, and to my ears, they were getting better as they moved along. 2009 brought us Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and the critics universally gave the album rave reviews.

Now they've got a new album, Bankrupt!, coming out April 22-23. The first song, "Entertainment", has been revealed through the lyric video below. It's classic Phoenix in all their smooth-synth pop glory. Enjoy.

February 20, 2013

New Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are a band that I really should love. They've got driving beats, loud guitars, they're British and they write good ol' rock songs. But for whatever reason, they've never fully grabbed my attention.

Here are a couple of new tracks that just might do the trick. Time will tell. The first song is called "Let The Day Begin" and the lyric video is for "Returning". Both are from their new album Specter at the Feast, which is out March 18.



February 19, 2013

Favourites: Limblifter

Limblifter are an awesome Canadian band. I mentioned them when I wrote about another awesome Canadian band, Mounties. Their powerful guitars, power pop song writing sensibilities and unique lyrical stylings make them one of my favourite bands ever. I always wanted to play such melodically rich, vocally catchy and powerfully energetic music.

Here are a bunch of tunes of their amazingly solid 1996 eponymous début.

"Vicious"

"Cordova"

"Tinfoil"

"Screwed It Up"

"Ariel Vs. Lotus" and "Wake Up To The Sun" from 2000's Bellaclava.


"Perfect Day To Disappear" from 2004's I/O.

I wanna go to their show at the Horseshoe on March 22. But that would be three nights in a row of live shows. Which would be awesome.

February 18, 2013

New song from Daughter - Still

I enjoyed the song "Smother" by Daughter and posted it here in these virtual pages. They've got a new single called "Still" out and it's below in all it's quiet intensity. Their début album If You Leave is out March 18.



February 17, 2013

Cool band: The History of Apple Pie

Here's a band that recently crossed my radar. They're called The History of Apple Pie and they write pretty, cute indie pop with buzzy guitars. Overall, lots to like here.

The video below is for "See You" from their début album Out of View.



And here's "Glitch".

February 16, 2013

Guitar heroics from Gary Clark Jr.

I'm a guitar player and I grew up with guitar god influences from the classic rock and heavy metal worlds. I didn't know that I missed any of that in the world of indie, until I heard a bit of Gary Clark Jr. on Conan. Not that I'm saying there are no good guitars in indie, there are. Especially from bands like The Joy Formidable, Biffy Clyro and Bob Mould just to rhyme off a few. It's just that "reach for that great blues-y vibrato high note" kind of playing isn't heard that much these days.

So here's that track "Numb" from Blak and Blu that I caught on Conan. Tell me you don't agree that he's got a sound we don't hear too much these days.


Maybe I'll put up a post about Van Halen one of these days.

February 15, 2013

Lissy Trullie covers Miz Markie through a Lou Reed filter

Here's an interesting cover. It's Lissy Trullie and Adam Green covering Biz Markie's "Just A Friend" where they've done the verses to the melody of Lou Reed's "Walk On The Wild Side" with paraphrased lyrics. Overall, pretty unique and pretty cool.

February 14, 2013

Favourites: Death Cab For Cutie's Transatlanticism

I first heard Death Cab for Cutie's "Transatlanticism" on the amazing TV show Six Feet Under. I remember Claire (Lauren Ambrose) and Edie's (Mena Souvari) romance and how this song captured the mood so perfectly. I even thought that I should become a music supervisor for TV movies at that point. Actually, I still think it would be an amazing job that I would love.

February 13, 2013

Cool and different new tune from The 1975 - Head.Cars.Bending

As you may recall, the first song I ever heard by The 1975, "Sex", tore the roof off my little mind. It impressed me so much that it came in at number 17 on my Top 60 Songs of 2012. Their next EP, Music For Cars, is out March 3 and you can hear the track "Head.Cars.Bending" below.


February 12, 2013

Frightened Rabbit with new videos from Pedestrian Verse

I posted about Frightened Rabbit's EP State Hostpital. And I posted about the new song "Dead Now" from their then forthcoming album Pedestrian Verse. Now Pedestrian Verse is out in the wild for our enjoyment and they've released videos for "Today's Cross" and "The Woodpile". More classically wonderful Frightened Rabbit.




They're in Toronto on March 31 with Wintersleep at the Phoenix. Join me there. I'm sure they're playing elsewhere, too.

February 11, 2013

New song from CHVRCHES- Recover

Chvrches released the song "The Mother We Share" and we all sat in awe of their fantasticness. And we waited patiently for more fantasticness. Then the news came. The fantasticness had a form: an EP. The EP had a name: Recover. The EP would be out March 25-26. The EP would have a title track. Obviously, that track would be called "Recover". And we could listen to it's fantasticness.

February 10, 2013

Favourites: Via Audio

Reaching back into the recent past, all the way back to 2004, for Via Audio's great track "Harder On Me" from their album Say Something Say Something Say Something. Rumour has it they'll have a new album out this year.

February 9, 2013

The Subways

While The Subways is a pretty uninteresting band name, I love the way their boy-girl vocals mix and I love the super high energy in their music. Definitely on my "see live" list.

They're from the UK and they've put out three albums, 2005's Young For Eternity, 2008's All Or Nothing and 2011's Money And Celebrity.

From Money And Celebrity:
"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"


"We Don't Need Money To Have A Good Time"


"It's a Party"


From All Or Nothing:
"Girls and Boys"

"Alright"

"I Won't Let You Down"

"Shake Shake"

From Young For Eternity:
"Rock and Roll Queen"

"Oh Yeah"

"With You"


February 8, 2013

Some Minor Noise make a moody statement

Here's a cool and moody track by Some Minor Noise. They're from Toronto, the track's also called "Some Minor Noise" and they're working on their début album.






February 7, 2013

Cool new tunes from How To Destroy Angels

Trent Reznor's band with his wife Mariqueen Maandig, along with Atticus Ross and Rob Sheridan, How To Destroy Angels, has been teasing out songs from their forthcoming album Welcome Oblivion. Check them out below. Sounds like it will be a strong album.

"How Long"

"Ice Age"

"The Loop Closes"

"Keep It Together"

February 6, 2013

Barely Blind

Barely Blind is a band that seems to have been on my blog list for a long, long time. So I guess it's about time to write that damn post, right?

They're an indie-rock, power pop band from Texas. You can get their 2011 album Wilder Child of a Thousand Suns at their site. They write cool tunes! Check out a bunch below.

"Inner Child"

"Purgatory Creek"

"Sliver Lake"

"Can't Expect"

"Nature of the Beast"

February 5, 2013

Official vid for PAWS' Sore Tummy

I put up a post with PAWS' début album Cokefloat! and now they've got an official video for the first single, "Sore Tummy". Great track.

February 4, 2013

New Young Galaxy

Back in the summer, Young Galaxy put out a new single with a great couple of tracks. Here's a new tune from their new album Ultramarine, which is out April 23.

February 3, 2013

A glimpse at family life in The Bob Mould Band, and clips from Austin City Limits

Bob Mould has released the second video from his 2012 album Silver Age. This time we see the band bringing out their acting chops in the clip for "Star Machine". It's a heart-warming look at the stress that being alternative rock legends living in the star machine can put on your family life. And it's a great song.


If you missed it on TV, here's Bob and the band playing the classic Sugar track "If I Can't Change Your Mind" at Austin City Limits. They put on a high-energy set that's worth watching.



I really like how they give a nod to Bachman Turner Overdrive's "Hey You" in the live version of "Star Machine". You can hear it below in this "behind the scenes" clip, also from Austin City Limits.


If you're so inclined, geek out over the band's gear here.

The Bob Mould Band's in town to play the Horseshoe on March 1. See you there.

February 2, 2013

Favourites: Clarknova

Clarknova were a Canadian band. From Newmarket, apparently. I really enjoyed these two tracks back in the late, late 90s. So now I share them with you.

"Johnny Under"

"Bed Bugs"

February 1, 2013

Cool new one from Ms Mr called Fantasy

I put up a post about Ms Mr before. Now they've put out a new song from their forthcoming album. This song's called "Fantasy" and their début full-length album is out May 14.