Sindrome, the new band from Ulver mainman Kristoffer G. Rygg (aka Garm) and Daniel Cardoso (ex-Sirius), is now to be known as Head Control System. Listen to four full tracks on their myspace page: https://www.myspace.com/spiralsektor
MP3: Mew - Why are you looking grave?
Today's mp3 comes from Mew, the latest act hyped for international success out of Denmark. Simon Thibaudeau found the helium-infused vocals to be too much of a Flaming Lips rip in his review, but I prefer to liken the band to other intelligent rock acts such as mid-period Radiohead or maybe heavier acts such as Tool and Dredg. I'm not saying they all sound alike, but rather that they share many similar characteristics such as uneven time signatures and polyrhythms and the tendency towards cinematic soundscapes. Mew doesn't get all that heavy outside of the bombastic intro track on the new album "And the glass handed kites" and because of that, I think they could appeal to listeners on both sides of the fence. It's as epic as any power-metal, but with more of a feminine touch. I'm not really a fan of Dinosaur Jr. (indierock heresy, yes I know), but the guest vocals on this track from J. Mascis are superb in context. His gravelly delivery is a perfect counterpoint to Jonas Bjerre's light and airy voice.
Mew - Why are you looking grave?
Folie
Eyepennies
Mitek
Here is a record that you should be hearing in you favorite hip lounge with all you BCBG friend for a $12 martini after a long work week. A few years ago, this was all over the place with St-Germain and Plaid in every laid-back bar in town, now it might be better used as schmooze music at home. Honestly, Folie are pretty good at this downbeat/house thing and certainly more forward thinking than the aforementioned St-Germain. You won't see me paying $12 for a martini though.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Juni Järvi
Meanwhile
self-released
I don't know anything about Juni Järvi, but I suspect he's heard a bit of Jens Lekman. Not that I mind, Juni Järvi's managed to pen some rather cosy little songs on this cd-r release. I shouldn't write him off as some Lekman copycat though, so let's say he's a mix between Jens Lekman and Adam Green, with a bit of Ballboy thrown in the soup. It also sounds pretty impressive for being a cd-r release, with all sorts of instruments in the mix. I suspect Juni's an Aries, and I think there's great success for him to be had in the future of indiepop.
- Simon Tagestam
The Legends
Public radio
Labrador
The greatest criticism one could level at The Legends debut album "Up against The Legends" was that it lacked variation. Whilst, it was undoubtedly one of the finest indie-pop albums released in 2003, most of the songs had a very similar structure. However, bar "Something good" (which wouldn't be out of place on "Up against The Legends"), this is no longer the case on "Public radio". The band's reference points are still firmly set in the 80s but they have now increased their palette. We're talking classic bands like Joy Division, New Order and The Cure. It is a known well-known fact that The Legends aren't ashamed of wearing their influences on their sleeves, and rightly so. The Legends are able to ape them in a way which is indistinguishable from the recordings of their heroes, albeit with a slightly more crisp production. If the Rolling Stones could sell rock and roll back to America, then surely The Legends have a chance selling indie-pop back to the UK?
- Nick Levine
Mew
And the glass handed kites
Sony/BMG
You know why the Flaming Lips are not copied more, despite their fame? Because nobody has the balls to even try to sound like them, they are just that good. You know why Mew will never be a regular play of my discography? Because they try to be the Flaming Lips, albeit less happy and more melancholic, and they just are not as good.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Various Artists
Records make great pets
Stereo Test Kit
What a great compilation this is! It's the first in the series from Stereo Test Kit Records, and it's a fantastic mix of the best Swedish indie music around. It starts of with two of my favourite songs this year: El Perro Del Mar's "Dog" and Heikki's "Former hero", then it continues with a few tracks by artists I've never heard but were surprised how good they were (e.g. Björn Kleinhenz) and some other tracks I've heard before that I really like (Sambassadeur's "Between the lines" being one of them). The compilation is pretty cheap as well, so if you've never heard of most of these bands I think you should try and get your curious fingers on it. Now I can't wait until Stereo Test Kit release the second volume; if the quality will be this high it can't be anything but a must-have.
- Simon Tagestam
Warwick Avenue
Let it out
Columbia
Warwick Avenue draw from a lot of influence to create some pretty complex and layered rock. I love the use of harmonica and Hammond organ and the strong southern rock influence appeals to me a great deal. I am not too sure about the songwriting though, it seems to be lacking the extra either melodic content or rock grit to make it any good. This one will make it to the mediocre pile with a lot of its friends.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Congrats to Karl Elisha - you've won a copy of the new self-titled CD from Hyacinth House. Thanks to everyone that entered - all you people who missed the boat should still download a song and check 'em out. It's good stuff.
And lookee here - a new batch of reviews has been posted as well: [click here]
Babylon Bombs will enter Decibel Studios in Stockholm in mid-October with Lasse Mårtén (Blindside, etc.) to record their second full-length album, tentatively due out late March 2006.
"Bones" will be the first single from Finnish rockers Slideshaker's new album "In the raw". It comes out out on November 14 in both 7" and CDS format, but in the meantime, you can download an mp3 of the track here: https://netti.nic.fi/~hekkis/audio/Slideshaker%20-%20Bones.mp3
Go here to download a full recording of Stalwart's show from October 8 at Vastavirta in Tampere, Finland: https://www.hahmot.net/html/mp3.htm
Robert Post's next single "There's one thing" (as posted here in August) will be released on October 31.
The video for "Riverbank" from Pelle Carlberg is now online: https://www.labrador.se/video/riverbank_small.mov