They look like fun don't they? They are! I'm generally not a fan of overhyping bands, especially when they're young so everyone is just playing the age card as some kind of novelty but Operator Please have released one of my favourite songs of the last few weeks - 'Leave it alone' is a kicking little punk rock/pop song with parts that remind me of Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Land Of Talk esque melodies, except they're Australian... and kids. Ok now we're over the age thing lets look at the brilliant video and listen to the wonderful song:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/82nlsd - Leave It Alone
I'd seen SIA once before this night, at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. I remember only knowing a couple songs, 'Breathe Me' ad 'Sunday' but leaving totally blown away by her. This occasion was no different. Seeing as her album was only floating around the internet and not officially released I went only knowing her past records, but kids, next time SIA is in town please make sure you go along. Her voice was consistently amazing, she had hilarious banter with the crowd the entire way through and at one point checked up on us all, 'Is everyone ok? Can I get you guys anything' to which an audience member replied, 'A Beer!' and SIA got her tour manager to bring up some beer from the dressing room and handed it out to the audience. Can you say aww? What a sweetie. She ran through some oldies but goodies, 'Sunday' 'Destiny' 'Somersault' and the stunning 'Breathe Me' and introduced her new album which, by the way, is fantastic. New songs 'Day Too Soon' 'Buttons' 'The Girl' 'Academia' 'Playground' and 'Soon We'll be found' are all lining up to go into SIA's best writing yet. Did I mention the intro song was performed in UV glow outfits by her and the whole band? no? magic!
Pictures below; videos to come.
Adele - Chasing Pavements (Beggars)
The first time I saw Adele play was in an oddly themed 60s bar in Soho about a year and a half ago. She was incredible then, and one and a half years later she is still incredible and this time, available to the masses. Her earlier songs have been floating around the internet for awhile – ‘Hometown Glory’ ‘My Same’ and ‘Best For Last’ and they are all hidden soulful gems. At 19 years old many people are already trying to squeeze her into the same box as Kate Nash and Lily Allen but that is purely lazy journalism. The only thing they have in common is youth and hometown. Her new single ‘Chasing Pavements’ has a glossier sheen that previous songs, but is still another slice of her refreshing London soul. The most rewarding thing about Adele is her voice, it is flawless and rich and bubbling over the top of her acoustic melodies seamlessly. The chorus of ‘Chasing Pavements’ is bigger than it needs to be; with the sound of full string orchestra behind her, she could have easily carried the song without it, but it’s a minor complaint in the overall Adele picture. The B-side, ‘That’s It, I Quit’ is more loyal to Adele’s previous style; harking back to older soul sounds with a modern acoustic sound meshed in, a staccato style of singing flowing through the track with regular guitar and vocal stops to give you time to catch up.
The great thing about new talent like this is that while there is no doubt to Amy Winehouse’s talent, her reliability isn’t exactly her selling point. Adele possesses as much soul; granted a different kind but as much never the less, and best of all Adele will always show up.
8/10
Remi Nicole - My Conscience and I (Cool Delta)
The album opens with, 'Go With The Flow' and an unfortunately irritating over the top London accent. This seems to be a trend at the moment, but Remi is just arriving that little bit too late; it just feels tired now, where are all the females who are going to be offering something new? A bigger frustration though is that when it's the 'LDN' style of singing it's near impossible to tell if the artist actually has a good voice. A lot of the songs on 'My Conscience And I' seem to follow the same formula; none of them are offensive, or particularly bad, but very few song on the album are special enough in music or lyric, to stand out from everything else that's around at the moment.
First single 'Rock 'n' Roll' single is highlight, 'Tabloid Queen' sounds like the beginning of a Jack Penate song, but then as soon as she starts to sing about Heat Magazine, it all gets a bit embarassing. You get the feeling someone has put a lot of effort in to making Remi Nicole appear 'cool' when instead this intense pushing of current culture actually rubs off in a negative way. 'Fed Up' and 'Right Side Of Me' are more stripped down songs and suit her much better, it feels more comfortable - like she isn't trying so hard to be relevant. As a whole though the album just seems too simple, it's followed a pop formula and slung a guitar on the singer to make it feel a bit indie, but it ends up just feeling like some odd 'tween rock/pop' sent to give mothers someone their child can safely listen to.
3/10
Kill The Lights - Buffalo Love (Maple Music)
"Kill The Lights is four men and one woman making calculated noises to specific rhythms with amplified instruments." Band Bio
"Buffalo Love" is one of those albums with so much difference and variation to it that it takes a good few listens to start to understand what it is you might be listening to. This is not a negative quality by any means, unless you are an impatient listener. The album is definitely a grower - however 'Skinny White Girls' along with having an amusing title and being my favourite track on the album, has an instantly clear indie/pop appeal while remaining just on the edge to constantly make you re-consider whether that is anywhere near a correct classification.
The album is full of prominent stabbing guitar parts placed throughout, speedy drumming and a variation of vocal showcases - yearning, sleepy, and at times urgent; Kill The Lights is a hard band to fit into any boxes. Songs like 'Orestes' while still containing the feverish drumming seen so many other places on the album has haunting guitar parts and the kind of vocals on a chorus that make you shout right back. It's not the most consistent of albums, there are a few tracks that fall at the mediocre end of the spectrum, but highlights such as 'Skinny White Girls' 'Orestes' and 'Bombs' clearly show a band that knows what they want to sound like, even if we don't always share in that knowledge.
"Underlying it all, there is a sense that music should be an artistic venture that combines passion, musical chops, friendship, and self-challenge." Band Bio
6.5/10
Silversun Pickups - Pikul (Upshot)
Silversun Pickups are without a doubt one of my favourite new bands of this year. They manage to mix up their sound to be familiar yet completely refreshing. As a band their song is both quiet and loud, delicate and strong, and always in all the right places.
The EP originally released in 2005 has been re-released off the back of the success of the album. Since we have already done the 'New Kids on the Block" feature with their drummer i'm going to keep this short and sweet. This EP is great, the album is great, go show them some love even if you don't feel strongly about the colour silver, the sun or pickups in general.
8/10
Silversun Pickups
(Specifically Christopher, their obviously talented and *bonus* funny, drummer)
Please, for the record, state:
1. i) Name and Current residing/Music making location?
Christopher from Silversun Pickups. We currently create music, whether it be good or hideous, in Los Angeles. Silverlake to be more specific...
ii) Please share a fun fact about you (Music related or otherwise)
I'll give you 3 fun facts, and you can guess which on is true:
Fun Fact #1: I was once 6 feet 4 inches tall and had aspirations to be an NBA basketball player. But I had bad knees.
Fun Fact #2: On our tour supporting Kaiser Chiefs in Europe, the catering crew refers to us as the Take Aways. Because we all take our food to go.
Fun Fact #3: SSPU only communicates with each other via Skype. AT ALL TIMES...
2. A little summary of your sound? Any artist comparisons to help people fit you into their mental record collection?
We are a rock band that likes dynamics and distortion. I would say if you mention My Bloody Valentine and the Pixies and Sonic Youth in the same breath as us, that would make us blush...
3. What was the first ever concert you attended? (Preferably no lies,
even if it's embarrassing, my first was The Spice Girls so no judgement here)
My very very first concert, that I begged my parents to let me go to was the Monkees 25th anniversary tour. At the Greek Theatre in LA. It was a great show. I still have the concert shirt and if you look at a few SSPU press photos, you may even see me wearing it...
4. Which artist/band would be a dream collaboration for you?
I think it would be the bees knees if we ever worked with Wilco or Radiohead. We would then realize that we're nowhere near as talented as they all are, and subsequently quit being musicians and work at a supermarket...maybe we shouldn't collaborate with them. Maybe we should stick to our original plan and work with Weird Al Yankovic...
5. Where can we find/hear/buy your angelic music?
iTunes, Amazon.com, most major retailers: Best Buy, Target, etc...Hot Topic & any indie record store. Or you can go to DangerbirdRecords.com & buy it there!
www.myspace.com/silversunpickups
For instant listening *Get Glucky Recommends* 'Lazy Eye' 'Rusted Wheel' and 'Little Lover's So Polite'
1. i) Name and Current residing/Music making location?
Becca: Ra Ra Riot - The world. We don't really have a home at the moment because we're always traveling, but for reference we're from Syracuse, New York.
Mat: Ra Ra Riot; originally from Syracuse, New York; currently squatting in Wes's parents' house in beautiful Frenchtown, New Jersey, trying to write some new music.
ii) Please share a fun fact about you (Music related or otherwise)
Mat: A fun fact about the band? Ra Ra Riot is a nonsensical name.
2. A little summary of your sound? Any artist comparisons to help people fit you into their mental record collection?
Becca: People have compared us to R.E.M., Talking Heads and Dexys Midnight Runner, and I think if you take that sort of rock band sound and add melody driven strings to it you could get a pretty good idea of what we sound like.
Mat: Hmm, this is a difficult question to answer. Instead I'll tell you some of our individual favorite artists: The Beatles, Debussy, The Fall, Fugazi, Kate Bush, Philip Glass, Dvorak, Ceremony, The Police, Peter Gabriel.
3. What was the first ever concert you attended? (Preferably no lies,
even if it's embarrassing, my first was The Spice Girls so no judgement here)
Becca: Hahaha mine was a little boring, Allman Brothers. Followed by lots of Dave Matthews Band concerts embarrassingly enough. Had I been able to get those Spice Girls tickets, I would have been right there with you!
Mat: My first concert was Limp Bizkit and Cypress Hill - a fact which, for some reason, I am constantly reminded by my bandmates.
4. Which artist/band would be a dream collaboration for you?
Becca: Paul Simon or Kate Bush.
Mat: For me, it would have to be either The Beatles, Mid-era Clash, or Mark E. Smith.
5. Where can we find/hear/buy your angelic music?
Becca: Depending on what country you live in, you can buy it on itunes and in some retail stores. The EP isn't available outside the US so it's only our single, Dying is Fine and Each Year (RAC Mix) that's available. However, we are in the studio right now (I'm literally in the studio) recording an album that will be out everywhere around April. So some people might have to wait for that!
Mat: www.myspace.com/rarariot, itunes - where else, I don't know. I haven't been to a music store in months.
Please, for the record, state:
1. i) Name and Current residing/Music making location?
Rachael Cantu, Echo Park (Los Angeles), California.
ii) Please share a fun fact about you (Music related or otherwise)
Depends on the mood, but I can turn into a dancing machine. I've always wanted to learn to breakdance professionally. I have fancy feet.
2. A little summary of your sound? Any artist comparisons to help people fit you into their mental record collection?
Not cool. I had a friend once tell me that she loved my music because it's not "cool". I took it as a compliment. Think haunting, but not scary. Pretty, but not beautiful. Comparisons: mix between Rachael Leigh Cook and Rachael Ray except that I don't cook nor do I act.
3. What was the first ever concert you attended? (Preferably no lies, even if it's embarrassing, my first was The Spice Girls so no judgement here)
I didn't go to a concert 'til I was in my teens (besides Christian rock concerts at my church...those do not count). My first real "I paid for it" concert I attended was AVAIL. Some good ol' fashion hardcore punk rock.
4. Which artist/band would be a dream collaboration for you?
Tom Waits. Period.
5. Where can we find/hear/buy your angelic music?
Angelic, why thank you... You can buy it from iTunes or from my label, (they ship quickly) at:
www.qdivision.com/cantu
I am in the process of recording a new album with the amazing Meghan Toohey as producer/engineer. Keep your ears open for that!
For instant listening *Get Glucky Recommends* "Saturday", "Your Hips Are Bad" and "Make A Name For Me And You"
www.myspace.com/rachaelcantu
