Archive for the 'Alternative' Category

• Band / Artist : The Heys – mySpace
• Genre : Alternative / Rock
• Sample Track Download : aintwotUsay
• Buy CD : Amazon – 4 West Records
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9.5 out of 10

In all the years I’ve been heavily into music, there have been a few defining moments, that I can look back on and say, that was a good time in music history. For instance when Guns and Roses released the album Appetite for Destruction, or Nirvana released the album Nevermind. In the 90’s the Brit pop wars saw great albums from Blur, Oasis, Dodgy and the Verve. Whilst there’s been many albums since, there hasn’t been anything that really evoked that same kind of feeling. Until now.

I first came across The Hey’s via MySpace. The usual too and fro occurred and a week or so later, I popped the disk into my CD player and was soon blown away. There’s a rawness that is all too easy to compare to Oasis, and a sense of pop that is easily to lay at Blur’s feet, but there is also something else there, something that quite frankly I wasn’t expecting. To put this into context, I play many, many albums, but it’s not often I feel both exhausted and elated at listening to one in it’s entirety. Straight out of the gate with “Fridaynight”, it’s hard not to want to move, stamp feet, or bash the steering wheel on the car, as if you’re a virtual drummer in the band. For me though, one of the real defining tunes is “Elbowculture”, with that hint of laddish youth, that brings back memories of my own youth, going out on the pull, drinking quantities of alcohol, that now quite frankly would have me talking to the great white telephone for an age, and playing the latest Sega Genesis and SNES games. Yes I know, I have dated myself terribly, but hey, some of that reckless youth, still lurks somewhere deep within.

The relentless pace continues with “Pressure” which rolls over you like a wave of electricity, jolting ever neuron in you brain. After such a strong start, it’s nice that the album balances up and takes a breather with “Brightenupmyday”. To move between two extremes is something of a gamble, that doesn’t always work out, here though there’s a common thread that weaves between all the tracks, fast or slow. At the beginning of title track “youngbored&broke”, it kept threatening to break out into “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Rainbow. OK maybe that’s just my jaded view, but I just love how just a few bars can evoke those kinds of flashbacks.

With 14 tracks, it’s a really difficult album not to go through track by track and disseminate, but there’s really no need. This really is an album that comes along once in a blue moon. I’d love it if this marked the resurgence of British dominance, but this time in the indie scene. I’ve nothing but good words to say about every one of the tracks on this album. I left this album with a sense of sheer excitement and just cannot wait to see where the bands goes next.

On a final note, I would love to go to a gig where the band was playing, as I have no doubt that sheer electricity of the album would be amplified greatly seeing them perform live. The dogs bollocks, make no mistake.

Conclusion : I’ve made no secret in the podcast, that this is one absolutely phenomenal album. If this isn’t a band destined for great things, then there’s no justice in the world. Regardless of who you’re a fan of, if you like good rock and pop, this is a must have in your collection…. yes I’m talking to you. Pick up a copy NOW!

• Band / Artist : Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – mySpace
• Genre : Alternative / Rock
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : Amazon
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

Nick Cave was one of those characters that quite frankly scared the bejesus out of me. Rational, maybe not, but sometimes you just get that air of something not quite right. I’m sure underneath it all he’s quite a likeable chap. However musically, it’s his mix of the dark and sardonic, that has held me at arms length. There have been brief forays, though. Actually in all honesty, I’ve only ever felt the need to purchase one of his albums and that was the 1994 release, Let Love In. I bought that for one specific track, “Do You Love Me”, which managed to really get under my skin during a mellowing out session with a friend, watching MTV all night. To give you an idea of the kind of night that was, besides the Nick Cave song, the other track that became almost an obsession was “Little Star” by Stina Nordenstaum. When you compare the two tracks, you’ll see what an extraordinary night it was. Any way I digress.

Apart from the one album, the only other real thing that caught my eye, was the track he released with fellow antipodean, Kylie Minogue, “Where the Wild Roses Grow”. An interesting diversion, but not really my cup of tea. And so we come to today. My friends over at Anti, previously sent me the album by Grinderman, another Nick Cave offshoot. While the voice of Nick is unmistakable, for me it was just too raw and sprawling to enjoy. When this latest release hit my inbox, again from Anti, it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I put it into the CD player.

The title track “Dig, Lazurus, Dig” greets you first and it won me over immediately with it’s mix of dark, emotionally charged vocals, with a hint of Jim Morrison and a driving beat. Nicks vocals are unmistakable, but there is an eloquence in them that I haven seen in a while, or maybe it’s just listening to them with friendly ears. So far all the chemistry is right, great opening track, which indeed is the title track and something I love, a title track that really shapes your expectations from the offing. “Today’s Lesson” has a much looser and melodic sound, but there’s still that quirk that lies underneath like a foundation on which all the tracks seem to resolutely adhere to.

“Night of the Locus Eaters” is an interesting track. Whilst I’m a huge fan of repetition, this one takes it to a whole new level. My brain kept yelling at me that this was a boring, monotonous track, but my heart fell in love with it. If you ask me why, I’d be buggered if I can tell you, but there’s that mesmerizing, hypnotic quality that just sucks you in. “Jesus of the Moon”, is a mellower track and indeed one of the shorter on the album. It has a very similar makeup to a few of the tracks on the album, but here with a twist of something more melodic.

“Midnight Man”, takes a slightly different turn, with it’s almost 60’s psychedelic sound. Thrown in the pot with Nicks vocals, and the result is something quite interesting, and fairly distinct from the rest of the album. “More News from Nowhere”, wraps up this 11 track album, with nearly eight minutes of classic Cave.

I’m so thankful sometimes that I work with some amazing labels and PR companies, that seems to know my tastes sometimes better than I do. While I’ve never professed to be a big fan of Nicks music, there is enough here to turn me into a real convert. It’s certainly given me the impetus to go out and discover some of the albums I’ve missed.

Conclusion : A wonderful album with which to reconnect with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. 14 years since my last dalliance, bur I’m certain it’s not going to be that long next time. A good solid and well constructed album, that contains a somewhat black heart with a scorching burning ember.

• Band / Artist : Rosie Thomas – mySpace
• Genre : Folk / Alternative
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

As more and more recommendations come winging their way to me, I’m at first astounded at the amazing talent that I’ve never heard of and I’m also pleasantly surprised at the quality of recommendations. With Rosie Thomas, I shouldn’t really be surprised as she’s on one of my favourite record labels, Nettwerk.

This is one of those classic scenarios, where I put an album on, after getting home from work, with kids bouncing off the walls and my wife, frazzled after a day of chasing ankle biters, and I realised that this laid back release, may be better suited to being alone and relaxed. That’s easier said than done, but I finally found some downtime, to really listen and found a wonderful, if short album to cosset my weary soul.

The CD opens with “If This City Never Sleeps”, a track that immediately greets you with some wonderful guitar, soon joined by just the most wonderful vocals. I’d liken Rosie’s voice, to another favourite Nettwerk artist of mine, The Weepies, Deb Talen. A wonderful track this surely is, but lasting just 2 minutes, 1 track in and I’m already hungry for more. “Why Waste More Time?” has a very live, acoustic sound to it, and then I remember that this whole album was pretty much recorded at a home and apartment in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, using a couple of open mics and it’s this live sound that makes the album feels very personal and intimate.

“The One I Love” may sound like a familiar title, not surprising then, as it’s a cover of an R.E.M track from their 1987 release, Document. This is a much more relaxed version than R.E.M’s and it’s not one I would have thought would benefit from this treatment, but it holds up very well.

A particular favourite track of mine is “Much Further to Go”, which really showcases Rosie’s voice, as well as featuring some wonderful accompaniment. It also has a slight production feel to it, but really gels together, to form an absolutely beautiful track. “All The Way to New York City”, is also one of my favourites and it’s this track that reminds me of some songs from the soundtrack of my life. The names are all but forgotten, but the song washes over me like wave of memories.

The final track on the album, is the title track “These Friends of Mine”, which is a curious song, when compared to the rest of the album, or rather it is for the first 40 or so seconds and then it settles down to provide a fitting end to a wonderful album. On an album of 10 tracks, 32 minutes is a little on the short side, but this is a classic example of quality over quantity.

Conclusion : A wonderful album from an artist who’s on her 4th album and yet, I’m only just discovering her. One of my favorite finds so far this year.

• Band / Artist : The Haiku – mySpace
• Genre : Alternative / Folk Rock
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : Band Store
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

I love the raw, indie rock sound, which I hear more coming from the UK than anywhere else. It’s very reminiscent of the 1980’s, which washes over me like a wave of nostalgia. The Haiku are a band I’d heard on a few podcasts, prompting me to approach them for something for review. The band at the time were working on a new album, but fired over this 4 track EP.

“Things Will Get Better” is the first track and you are immediately greeted with a wash of acoustic guitar, which I just love. The track runs at a fair pace and is very enjoyable. “Blind Man Takes the Gun” has a very long intro, taking around 30 seconds to get to the vocals, and unfortunately never really got into it’s stride for me. “You Don’t Have a Choice” is perhaps the strongest track on this 4 track EP and in fact the longest at a tad under 4 minutes. “Taking Control” is the final track to an interesting and and fairly enjoyable EP.

The only reservation I have is that the production of this material leads me to believe it’s recorded pretty much as live, as it sounds very much a live performance, rather than a fully produced studio effort. The drumming also was a little off in places, but if taken as a live session recording, didn’t detract too much from the songs. The songs themselves don’t have the conventional verse / chorus make up, which is OK for a track or two, but they all seem to have that feel, which means they do feel sometimes to be going on a little long.

Conclusion : An interesting EP which serves as a stepping stone to the bands first album, featuring the track “The News is: The World Sucks”, probably my favorite Haiku track. It will be interesting to see how the bands sound has developed between this track and the new album.

• Band / Artist : Chasing Arrows – mySpace
• Genre : Rock / Alternative
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

First off I have to say, I get a little antsy when a band releases a 7 tracks and calls it a CD. To me 7 tracks, weighing in at 24 minutes is more an EP than an Album. Calling it a CD just seems to be a way to blur the lines. Anyway rant over.

It’s sometimes difficult when a band requests a review to get a good feel of what they are about, just by listening to a few tracks on MySpace. Sometimes I take a chance and am blown away and sometimes I get a CD and just think, ouch a one track wonder. So when this CD came in from Chasing Arrows, and I heard the first half minute or so, I began to wonder what I’d let myself into. This 1 and a half minute track is more like a drummers warm up, but I could sense something really pleasant coming, unfortunately what I got was the next track “Stranger than Danger”, which while a pleasant enough track has an awful start.

Oh those lads from Oasis have a lot to answer for, in this case more for the guitar work that’s interspersed throughout the title track “Transparent”, rather than overall musical influences. This is a great track, that really has a great vibe about it. The vocals also have a very distinct sound and contrasts the music nicely. I was trying to think of who the lead singer reminded me of, but couldn’t quite place it, but when “My Addiction” started I keep thinking of John Evans from the John Evans Band, an artist already reviewed here on Indie Launchpad.

The more I got into this CD, the more it started to relax itself. The first few tracks feel somewhat uptight, but by the time “Unaware”, the firth track starts, everything seems to flow much freer. “Down and Out” failed to really grab me, but the final track “Look Ahead” I really enjoyed, with it’s flashes of Bruce Hornsby.

Conclusion : A great band which I can see developing nicely by the time a full album release comes to fruition.

Album – This is Grand Atlantic – Grand Atlantic

• Band / Artist : Grand Atlantic – mySpace
• Genre : Alternative / Rock
• Sample Track Download : Nice Guys?
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8.5 out of 10

Australia has a lot to answer for, like Neighbours, Home and Away, Young Doctors and Paul Hogan. It’s not all doom and gloom however, there are the odd rays of light that shine from our down under cousins. Not being immersed in Australian music, means it’s very hard for me to find new bands and know what’s hot and what’s not. It’s great then when listeners to the podcast, pipe up and make some stellar recommendations. I was tipped off about Grand Atlantic a while back and in fact had their album sitting in my in pile for the longest time. A couple of weeks ago, I was reminded that I hadn’t yet mentioned Grand Atlantic, so decided to come back to them with renewed interest. Imagine my delight, and utter guilt when realizing this was an amazing album, that had somehow flown under my radar.

The first few tracks, remind me a lot of Oasis, however the harsh lead vocals are replaced with vocals that are somewhat easier on the ear. The whole bands sound is very reminiscent of the Brit pop scene of the 90’s, but with a strong 80’s rock influence. The album opens with “Prelude”, which is a much softer song than would usually open this kind of rock and pop album. “Coolite” very much exudes Oasis goodness and it’s here that the real nature of the band comes to the fore. Again with “Smoke and Mirrors” the influence of other bands seep out, but there’s much here that is fresh and interesting.

“Wonderful Tragedy” sees the band take a slightly different, more theatrical turn, very reminiscent of Marc Almond, there’s that hint of kitsch, but only the merest hint, as the vocals cover the kitsch with just the right bend of testosterone, but make no mistake, this is very much a track aspiring to be a classic rock ballad, but just misses the mark ever so slightly.

It’s hard to make the Oasis comparisons, and not have that nagging wish in my gut for the laddish singalong track. Unfortunately this never transpires, but we do get a small homage to the Beatles, with “Burning Brighter”, which just has that great combination of lyrics and a melody at times, which reminds me of “Getting Better”. “Moth and Rust” is a bizarre little peel away from the rest of the album, but it does give a nice touch of levity, especially in the opening moments. “Peace Be with You” again pains homage to some 60’s icons, but here it’s more the Beach Boys, rather than the Beatles and is just a wonderful track to lay the 13 track album to rest.

Conclusion : A very strong album, which has a nice mix of freshness and timeless influences. A great find from Australia that shows there is some amazing talent just waiting to be discovered. I look forward to find some more great talent from Australia and will be keeping a keen eye on this exciting band.

• Band / Artist : Kate Maki – mySpace
• Genre : Alternative / Folk
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : MapleMusic
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 7.5 out of 10

Sometimes there’s a fine line between folk and country. Opening with “Highway”, the slide guitar is there and the familiar country musical drawl, which I thought was going to whoosh straight over my head. Then I heard the vocals, demure and almost afraid, breaking through. Breaking through is something I found the vocals having to do a lot of, as the music mix, was in places not favorable to the vocals, there’s still enough however to be latch onto and enjoy.

The forth track “White Noise” is for me the track where I finally fell into the groove. Gone are the slide guitars replace with a simple piano and guitar arrangement to compliment the vocals. This is an album that’s at times like riding on a see-saw, with ups and down. While “White Noise” is definitely a high point, the track the follows “To Please”, is a bit of a low point. It’s a nice sing along kind of track, but it’s just a little over the top with what sounds like a ukelele and the spoons. Nice on it’s own merits, but just doesn’t sit well on the album. The vocals too, are not as defined and strong as the rest of the album.

This is very much an album that can be pretty much divided into two halves, the country influenced slide guitar half and the acoustic half, which for me is the style I much prefer. “Beyond the Sun” and “We Are Gone” and prime examples of what I love about this album.

“Don’t Look Down” is a surprise track, as Kate shares vocals, with someone who sounds very much like Lou Reed, I just wish there were more opportunity on this 2 and a half minute track to hear the two voices bounce off each other more, instead of singing in near isolation. “On a String”, a wonderfully whimsical 1 minute instrumental track concludes an album which pretty much is a mixed bag for me. There is however much to enjoy.

Something I also noticed, is that while this is an 11 track album, the total running time is a tad under 28 minutes, the longest track being just shy of 4 minutes, while the shortest is the ever so short “On A String”, weighing in at 1 minute 11. For musical content this could almost be considered an EP.

Conclusion : Not my usual cup of tea. The musical style, is something that took me a little while to get used to, but it’s the vocals which really bring this album to life. Certainly an artists I’ll be keeping an eye on.

• Band / Artist : The Bathtub Sophist – mySpace
• Genre : Alternative / Other
• Sample Track Download : Martian Lullaby
• Buy CD : N/A
• Buy Digital Download : Amplifier
• Rating : 7.5 out of 10

I’m often making shoutouts for submissions from countries other than the normal US, UK and Canada. I’ve reviewed a fair few bands and artists from Australia, but never one from New Zealand, this I’m hoping to rectify now, with Bathtub Sophist, a name that really stands out from the norm. This 6 track EP, which is only currently available for digital download, has a fairly eclectic sound, but one thing that all tracks share, is an amazing soundscape.

“Jah Playground” opens the EP and it’s such a mellow, basic sound, that it would be easy to disregard, were it not for the fact, that there’s a wonderful fusion of everyday life sounds and a downtempo, almost dub musical accompaniment. “Efficiency – Effectiveness” , takes a female Stephen Hawking and again fuses it with a very simplistic music track, which shouldn’t work, but somehow does. It’s by no means the stronger of the tracks on the EP, but it really manages to get under your skin.

“Martian Lullaby”, unsurprisingly takes a more spacey, electronic turn, which at times, sounds like something that should feature on the Logan’s Run soundtrack. It’s also the shortest track on the EP at a minute 20 seconds. “Shanghai Sapera” as the name indicates, has a more eastern flavour, with drums that sound like those drums with two balls on strings that hit the drum as you twist the shaft. I kept wanting to hear some kind of choral vocals, to really make the track pop, as at times I felt my mind begin to wander.

“D Train” again unsurprisingly has a heavy train accent, but at the end of the day, I could not escape the persistent drumming that really made my ears appreciate silence when it finish. “Space Junk” is the track that really stands out and shows the real magic on this EP. It was indeed the track the brought Bathtub Sophist to my attention.

Whilst this EP represents an eclectic range of tracks, there is much to enjoy, but also a little to annoy. Whilst I’m a big fan of repetition, it has to be constructive and not consist of a constant banging of drums. The final track for me, really shows the magic that can be achieved and I’m hoping this is the direction that is taken in the future.

Conclusion : Something quite different, but enjoyable. If you are a fan of electronic / alternative music, there is surely something here you will enjoy. If this genre is new to you, it may prove an interesting introduction.

• Band / Artist : Robert Bray – mySpace
• Genre : Acoustic / Alternative / Folk
• Sample Track Download : Reasons to Consider Becoming a Hermit
• Buy CD : Artist Store
• Buy Digital Download : N/A
• Rating : 8 out of 10

There’s something undeniably comforting in listening to a story unfold via music. Without wanting to come across the wrong way, Robert Bray’s vocals remind me a lot of Billy Bragg, although not quite as laddish, but their not over refined and smoothed out. This leads to a sound that is very much a the sound of someone real, if you know what I mean. I imagine the sound we get here, is as near to a live performance as you’ll probably get on CD, without it actually being a live performance.

I have to admit, I’m coming back to this EP, after it didn’t quite gel with me first time around. As music styles develop, so do musical tastes and I know it was me at fault, which is why I just put it aside for another day. With fresh ears, I have to say I really started to get confused as to why I didn’t get it first time around.

Musically and to a certain extent vocally, I keep being reminded of Double, the Swiss band who had a hit in the 80’s with “Captain of the Heart”. A memories indeed.

Opening with “A Plague of Singer-Songwriters”, the mood is subdued with vocals very prominent and pronounced. The acoustic sound is just such a delight, with choral vocals (electronic?), really elevating the track to the next level. “The Breakers of Their Own Rules” is a much more radio friendly track, but radio friendly here means late night, mellow, as opposed to daytime pop/rock, not that that’s in anyway a criticism.

“Reasons to Consider Becoming a Hermit” features some wonderful acoustic guitar, which for some reason had me smiling, which was quite a surprise to me, when I became aware of it.

I wonder if Robert is trying to compete with the Manic Street Preachers with his verbose song titles. It’s not going to be easy to remember the name of the fourth track, “A Butterfly Caught in a Web No Longer”, in fact it’s doubly not going to be easy, as I found this probably the weakest of the tracks on the EP.

The penultimate track “Don’t Look Down” reminded me a lot of the nutty boys, Madness. The main reason for this is the piano, which is very reminiscent of Madness on their Rise and Fall album. This track is also the longest on the album at a tad over 7 minutes. With the final track “The Priestess and the Tower”, we have the final sound introduced, that of a violin, which nicely adds another dimension to the EP.

Conclusion : A wonderful acoustic sound that really comes alive with Robert’s vocals. An EP that really unwinds and reveals itself very nicely.

• Band / Artist : Pete Samples – mySpace
• Genre : Electronica / Alternative
• Sample Track Download : If Something Changed
• Buy CD : Vinyl Republik
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

If there’s one thing I love, it’s having my aural senses cosseted and caressed. This is exactly what happened when I put in the new CD from Pete Samples and was greeted by the amazing, if a little short track “Bouquets of Balloons”, which really appeals to my love of the repetitive. Listening to amazing sounds and music that just roll in and out, like the serene majesty of the sea.

I’ve mentioned frequently my love of what I can only call the repetitive. One of the greatest examples is the first 30 seconds of the Who’s, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” which I’ve always wanted to splice together into a track that lasted an hour or so, but just never got around to. That same itch is ever present throughout this album. “Standing Upon the Shoulders of Giants”, is simply an amazing track that has all those early mentioned traits, but also has an almost hypnotic beauty. No complexities, no over production, just sheer magic.

All through the album, there’s the unmistakable sound of vinyl, the crackles and pops, that remind me so much of listening to Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd. Indeed there’s a very strong 70’s flavour to many of the tracks, or rather influence, that combines effortlessly with the sound of the naughties. “Angered Man: Novelty Store” is probably the most intense track on the album, which is hardly surprising given the title, which certainly does little to hide it’s wrath.

The 10 track album ends with “And All the Kids Smile” which feels very much like a reprise of sorts. It’s interesting to hear so many different elements of the album converge on this one track. Kids singing, repetition, harsher sound. Although I said this is a 10 track album, on my pressing there are in fact an extra 3 tracks. Track 11 seems to be a reworking of “Standing upon the Shoulders of Giants”. I say reworking, but it’s probably just a different mix sans vocals, as it lasts the exact same amount of time. Similarly for the other two tracks, which are different mixes of “If Something Changed” and “And All the Kids Smile”.

Conclusion : This is such an interesting album, from so many different viewpoints. I love to put this album on to unwind and just let me mind go soaring. If you are into the ambient and mellow, there’s so much here to enjoy.