Tag: Mp3s
It's been a few years since Motorpsycho has done much of anything and I suspect that a lot of people have only heard of them in passing. Maybe you know their contribution to the "In the fishtank" series in which they collaborated with the Jaga Jazzist horn section. Or perhaps you've heard of producer/musician Deathprod/Helge Sten and his long-time involvement with the band. Whatever the case may be, Motorpsycho is this week's 'Flashback Friday' pick. I'm not as well-versed in the band's older, more jagged-edged material as I should be, so I've decided to post a track from their 2001 album "Phanerothyme". At this point in the band's career they decided to sound less like Jesus Lizard and a whole lot more like Yes. Sound confusing? I'm sure the transition baffled a lot of people. What remained intact the whole time though was their melodic sensibility - no matter what era of the band your listening to (even going into the band's more recent Krautrock exploration), you can always tell when it's Motorpsycho. I figure this song is a good place to start. Can't wait for the new album "Black hole/Blank canvas" when it comes out on March 20. I have no idea what to expect.
Motorpsycho - Go to California
I went and saw the band Smalltown play here in Olympia a little over a month ago at the beginning of December. Despite a less-than-ideal show situation, the band delivered a great set of impassioned, melodic punk-rock. They reminded me a lot of the way Rancid used to be before they started believing their own hype, but with less Clash influence and more of a classic mod-rock feel ala The Jam. I don't consider myself much of a punk-rocker anymore, but I still really enjoy this sort of stuff when it's done well. Smalltown gets it right. Check out the newly posted mp3.
Smalltown - Friendly fire
New track today from Aerial, one of the first signings to the new label (The method of) Nomethod. No disrespect to QGMR whose "No language" EP comes out tomorrow as the label's first release (available here as a cheap paid download), but Aerial is the band that grabbed my attention. The band's four-song album "Black rain from the bombing" (yes, four loooong songs) doesn't come out until the end of the month, but I'm just too excited about it to wait that long. The label compares them to Mono and Sonic Youth with elements of "Blizzard"-era Motorpsycho, but I'm also hearing touches of classic Swedish indie like Him Kerosene. Post-guitar-rock? Anyhow, the riffs on this thing are monstrous. So many beautiful twisted patterns, weaving in and out of one another. 2006's first great release. For you lucky folk in Stockholm, be sure to check out both Aerial and QGMR at the free Nomethod showcase at Sjöhästen on February 11. Flyer here.
Aerial - Time is on fire
By the time I discovered Nicolai Dunger he was already on his third album, the excellent "This cloud is learning". "Soul rush" came out soon after (I was already late with the previous record) and the combined grandeur of those two records sealed it: I was impressed. So of course I started to poke around his earlier discography and was moved considerably by what I found. The musician I thought was a retro-folkie/Donovan-throwback was actually a formidable experimental musician, willing to dabble in many genres and play around with all sorts of interesting textures and arrangements. It's no wonder he never got much attention until he toned it done with the records I heard first - this is not accessible pop. It's not so surprising for people getting into Dunger today; his experimentations are now well-known and celebrated - the upcoming Edith Södergran tribute is just one example. I can't say that all his dabblings have been successful to my ears, but I applaud him for trying. It's much more risk than most musicians are willing to take on. So today here's a track from his first record "Songs wearing clothes". The guitars are distorted and King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp lends his patented 'Frippertronics' to the proceedings. Even if you're not into that sort of thing, it's worth listening to just to experience Dunger's expanse of talent.
Nicolai Dunger - We left us (ft. Robert Fripp)
Today's new mp3 is from Finland's Boys of Scandinavia. Along with labelmates Viola, these guys are making some of the best retro-goth/new-wave dance-pop you can find. It would sound a bit out of place at your local Necropolis night or what-have-you. I think that's where a lot of the also-rans seem to go amiss - they forget that all the great bands from the 80s had a serious dark edge to them. Sure, it's got a nice beat that you can dance to, but it's also got a sinister, more mysterious side as well. BoS aren't just copying their influences either. There are obvious nods to all the usual suspects (I shouldn't have to list them, so I won't), but they've got something different that sets them apart. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it doesn't really matter 'cuz it's meant to be enjoyed, not dissected. If you like, you should buy it.
Boys of Scandinavia - Beautiful as a person
Of the many female singer/songwriters to make waves in Sweden this past year, Ane Brun never really captured my attention. Sure, I listened to her records in passing, but they never left any sort of lasting impression. That is, until "Duets" came out. I always like projects like this because they seem so fun for everyone involved. They are also a great excuse for an artist to stretch their repertoire and try new things without the pressures usually associated with an album release. Ane's voice really shines on this collection's song selection and bare-bones arrangements. There's an interesting variety of duet partners, too. Teitur's quiet, hesitant voice on the track I've selected for posting today is the perfect male counterpart for Ane's oohs and ahhs. Nice stuff.
Ane Brun - Rubber & soul (ft. Teitur)
Convoj's debut self-titled EP made a decent impact this past year and I think they are perfectly poised for when it comes time to release their full-length. You hear Norrland post-hardcore roots in the discordant melodies, but it's those dance-heavy beats that make 'em special. You like it? You should buy it.
Convoj - My timekeeping heart
Of all the post-Refused bands, I like David Sandström's stuff the best. He made one brilliant Scandinavian folk-inspired album ("Om det inte händer nåt innan i morgon så kommer jag") and then reinvented himself as a singer/songwriter. Quite a distance from his beginnings as Final Exit's frontman, eh? His latest album "Go down" almost made it into my top 10 for the year, but I listened to it too much and burnt myself out. It's still a great record, we just need some time apart y'know? Today's track is David's take on Stina Nordenstam's lead single from her last record "The world is saved". It's interesting to note how well the song works in a rock context - even with all of Stina's pop artifice stripped away, you still have a great song.
David Sandström Overdrive - Get on with your life
Okay, Laakso didn't officially make my top 10 list or even the honorable mention list, but that's not because it didn't deserve it. It's a serious oversight on my part and I apologize. I only just started to appreciate the album "My gods" in the last few weeks, so I've been hesitant about praising it too much before I've given it enough time to sink in. I don't trust that new-album euphoria when it comes to my year-end list. At first it was just the singles that got my attention, but the more I delve into the album, the more I like about it. The music is extremely catchy and the lyrics are quite witty in their self-depreciation. I discover a clever new line almost every time I listen. And those screeching falsetto backing vocals! More than a novelty, I swear.
Laakso - High drama
Happy holidays everyone. I'm going to take some time this week to take a second look at a couple of the honorable mentions from my top 10 list. First, let's revisit Hello Saferide. My first impression with this record was tainted by hype. It's not that I didn't enjoy "Introducing..." when I first heard it, I was just surprised that so many people were getting excited about a nice girl folksinger. Now that I've had more time to let Annika Norlin's copious charms sink in, I appreciate the album much, much more. It comes down to this: Annika has a lovely voice and is a good songwriter and that's enough. Even further, this is an album that will still sound just as good five or ten years down the road. It doesn't stray from convention because it doesn't need to. The classic formula still works fine.
Hello Saferide - Nothing like you
The new Madrugada live album "Live at Trafalmadore" has been a long time coming. The band's long-time reputation as a stellar live act made it inevitable. I've never actually seen them myself, but I've heard enough bootlegs to confirm and today's mp3 post one such example. I'm not sure of the exact source for the recording, but I'm pretty sure it's from a radio broadcast back in 2000 around the time of the first (and still best) album "Industrial silence". This is one of the quieter, more subtle songs from their early catalogue. The band's restraint has always been one of their strong points and I think it's showcased beautifully here, especially with the skeletal, understated guitar work.
Madrugada - Shine (live)
New mp3 today from Closer, an up-and-coming Stockholm-based act that I think sounds like a darker, more melodic version of At the Drive In. Or maybe imagine a prog-ier version of Khoma/Koma. It's heavy, but not exactly what I'd consider metal. I immediately knew these guys were something special when I downloaded a song from their website and listening to all four tracks from their as-yet-unreleased "Tokpela" EP only confirms my gut feeling was 100% on-point. The band has a very clear intent and vision to what they want to do and it's surprising that no label has snapped them up yet, but I can't imagine that the situation will last too much longer. The world needs more intelligent rock bands like Closer and they're simply too good to ignore. Heck, if I wasn't so strapped for cash I'd pony up the money myself. Spread the word: this is a band to watch.
Closer - Open casket
New mp3 today from Denmark's Menfolk. Let me tell you: this is the shit. Heavy, angular indierock ala Shellac, Jesus Lizard and Cop Shoot Cop. And just like the latter of those three, they've got two bass players for extra bludgeoning power. I can never understand why there aren't more bands like this because I love this stuff. C'mon, why wouldn't you embrace a genre sometimes referred to so lovingly as "pigfuck". This isn't as antagonizing as some of that scene's early practitioners (Big Black, Pussy Galore, etc.), but that sound! I can't get enough. The double low-end attack is the icing on the cake. Give me more!
Menfolk - Nine
I'm kind of cheating with today's mp3 post. My normal modus operandi for Fridays is to post an older track and this song only kinda/sorta qualifies as this particular piece was originally released in 2002 on M-narsitik, but I only just heard it for the first time on the recently released "Catch that totem! (1998-2005)" collection that Alog recently released via Melektronikk. I consider these guys to be my favorite electronic act right now (their latest album of all-new material "Miniatures" made my top 10 for 2005) and this new disc of odds and ends is a fine addition to their discography. This particular is based on the song "Vitamine" by the Swiss group Velma, but Alog didn't have the lyrics at the time and decided to make up their own instead and ended singing the tracklist for the "Duck-Rabbit" album that they were working on at the time. Having never heard the original, I can't really judge how well it compares, but I like it just the same. Note: I hope to be getting copies of this CD in the mailorder by the end of the month, but you can always order it directly from the band or the label.
Alog - Catch that totem!
New track today from Finnish melancholy dancepop act Viola. Unlike a lot of other Finnish acts who dabble in gothitude (HIM, The Rasmus, et al), Viola actually writes good songs and has an edge to their sound. This is most definitely not the typical watered-down bs you might expect from that part of the world. Dark pop hooks and a beat you can dance to. If you've been listening a lot of various New Order/80s nostalgia soundalikes that keep popping up, Viola mines many of the same influences, but updates their sound with their own flair. Very recommended and available from ye IAT webstore.
Viola - Tedium rock