Friday 25 September 2009

Bodebrixen @ The Old Blue Last, London - 22-09-09



Some people in East London need to learn how to smile, Bodebrixen were sent to teach them how. They are like Los Campesinos! on Alphabeat flavoured acid and tonight they are in full on party mood. The oh-too-serious, wrist slashing indie kids of the OBL don't know which way to look.

Mainly the musical output of two men, Aske Bode and Andreas Brixen, Bodebrixen flesh out to eight when performing live and they are squuezed onto the tiny stage alongside a multitude of balloons and other inflatables. The songs are unshamedly pop and happy as hell with most of the band holding their smiles in place for the full set.

Tracks such as 'Keychain' and 'Clock Radio' have that perfect sing-a-long pop angle that the Scandinavians do so well, and the formers Na na na na na na hook is repeatedly played on loop in our heads well into the next day. There is a definite naivete to Bodebrixen's music that is missing in most British acts, they play for the fun of it - not to look cool to their friends and possible conquests. And to be honest it makes for refreshing change.

The set is closed with confetti and the inflatables strewn across the room and smiles beaming across (most) peoples faces. East London might not be their target audience but Bodebrixen have won over at least a few of them tonight.

The set list was:

Suit Your Needs
Traditional Jazz
Clock Radio
Year Is Dying
Dead Man
Shone
Keychain
Own Company


Bodebrixen's Myspace

Download MP3s
Keychain

Thursday 24 September 2009

Washed Out - 'Feel It All Around' Fan Video



It feels like every other tweet I've read for the last couple of days has been raving about Washed Out, aka Ernest Greene of Perry, Georgia. So in order to join the love-in I thought I'd put up this fan made video of new single 'Feel It All Around'. It is all summery and laid back at a time when all we have to look forward to is dark nights and cold days.

Washed Out's Myspace

Wednesday 23 September 2009

Dizzee Rascal Goes Country And Western Bonkers



Dizzee Rascal is on this week's Jools Holland and performed this crazy, slide guitar version of 'Bonkers'. Next stop the Grand Ole Opry?

Everything Everything - MY KZ, UR BF (Portmanteau Remix)

Last week we had the brillaint video for new Everything Everything single 'MY KZ, UR BF' and now we have this rather trippy, electro remix from Portmanteau.



The single is officially released on October 5 via Young & Lost

Tuesday 22 September 2009

Graham Coxon - Dead Bees



The third single to be taken from Graham Coxon's brilliant album 'The Spinning Top' will be the track 'Dead Bees'.

It is backed by this quite frankly disturbing video which was directed by Chris Hopewell and sees a deranged, half dead bird scavenging across the forest floor.

The single is released on September 28 via Transgressive Records.

Nancy Elizabeth - Feet Of Courage



The latest offering from the Leaf Label's Nancy Elizabeth, 'Feet Of Courage' is a beautifully litlting affair. The video was filmed over two days at Portishead open air pool by Bafta winning artist Esther May Campbell and John Milton.

The single is out now and is take from the album 'Wrought Iron' (Out October 5), you can buy it here

Nancy's Myspace

Monday 21 September 2009

The Drums @ The Flowerpot, London - 19-09-09



TTG ventured across the road (we like it when we don't have to travel too far to gigs) to The Flowerpot in Kentish Town on Saturday for the debut UK show by much blogged about Brooklynites The Drums. The venue was packed, with plenty of industry figures venturing to North London for the night and a rather plump looking Boy George too.

Taking to the stage just after 10pm, The Drums were instantly able to brush off any ideas that they were all hype and no substance, injecting enough energy into the room to power the lights for the rest of the year. Front man Jonathan Pierce provides an all action focal point (ably helped by the maniacal tamborine playing of Jacob Graham), his dance moves finding some previously unknown link from Morrissey to Ann-Margaret in Bye Bye Birdy while guitarist Adam Kessler gives us the shimmering riffs.

There's a lot more to this band also than the surf sounds of break out track 'Let's Go Surfing', the set opening pair of 'Best Friends' and 'Me and the Moon' for instance showing they have an ear for a big hook while 'Don't Be A Jerk, Johnny' and 'When I Come Home' showcased The Drums abilities to provide us with sing-a-long choruses at every turn.

The only complaint TGG had was the amount of backing tracks used throughout the set, including the now iconic whistles on the aforementioned 'Let's Go Surfing'. But this was a minor quibble during what proved to be a great performance from a band which had a lot to live up to.

Check out some footage from the gig below:



The full set list was:

Best Friends
Me and the Moon
Submarine
Make You Mine
Don't Be A Jerk, Johnny
Let's Go Surfing
Saddesr Summer Ever
I Felt Stupid
When I Come Home
Forever And Ever, Amen

Download MP3s:
Let's Go Surfing
I Felt Stupid
Me and the Moon

Los Campesinos! Get A New Member



Los Campesinos! have welcomed new member Kim Campesinos! to the band with this brilliant video which was filmed at Cardiff City's ground. Kim replaces Alex Campesinos! who left the band in June to return to University.

Kim joins the band ahead of their upcoming October UK dates.

Coventry Kasbah (October 21)
Southampton Joiners Arms (22)
Exeter Phoenix (23)
Cardiff Gate (24)
Manchester Deaf Institute (26)
Newcastle University (27)
London Relentless Garage (28)
O2 Academy Oxford (29)
Leeds Cockpit (30)
Glasgow King Tuts (31)

Friday 18 September 2009

Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension



The first taste of Julian Casablancas' solo album, 'Phrazes For The Young', has been posted online in the form of '11th Dimension', the first single to be plucked from the record.

The sound is almost Strokes meets Tom Tom Club, 70s meets 80s - cool and laid back but kitsch at the same time and we have to admit - we like it alot. A lot poppier than we were expecting but all good none the less.

The album is due for release on October 19.

Julian's Myspace

New Sounds #1 - Surfer Blood



By the end of October Surfer Blood will be everywhere - on every blog, in every edition of your favourite fanzines and on the pages of the new music sections of every major music magazine. Why? Because by the end of October the West Plam Beach quartet will have played a mammoth eight shows at this year's CMJ plus another two Brookly shows on top of that.

They've already been shown the love by Pitchfork and our friends over at Sound Bites for their hook filled, surfer Shins via Weezer rock. Tracks such as 'Swim (To Reach The End)' and 'Floating Vibes' are packed with chiming melodies that sometimes venture into stadium sized cataclysms - masking the melancholic subject matter like the sunny disposition hiding the dark underbelly of your favourite beach-side escape.

Their debut album 'Astro Coast' is released very soon, we'll bring you more news of release dates/label when we have them.

Thursday 17 September 2009

Everything Everything - MY KZ, UR BF



This is video just brilliant, watch it and understand why Everything Everything are one of the best new bands around.

The single is officially released on October 5 via Young & Lost, more details on Everything Everything's Myspace.

Girls - Album


The debut album from San Francisco's Girls has been streaming on Soundcloud since the beginning of the week but obviously until now I didn't have anywhere to put it. It is officially released on Monday (September 21) so you have a whole four days to listen to it here before you decide whether or not you have the spare cash for a copy.

The band begin a UK tour in Nottingham on October 9, more details over on their myspace - myspace.com/girlssanfran

Pavement Reformation - A Good Place To Start


What better way to start a new adventure than to confirm the rumours of a Pavement reformation.

Domino Records have just this minute published a statement confirming the band are to return and are set to play live around the world in 2010.

From said statement:

The first show announced is a New York performance on September 21, 2010 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.  A pre-sale begins at 10:00 AM EDT on Friday, September 18, 2009 (tomorrow).  The password for the pre-sale is ZOWEE and the ticketing link is HERE.  The general on-sale is slated for 10:00 AM EDT on Friday, September 25, 2009.

More details after the jump... jump!

Update: Pavement had now announced a further two dates at the same venue, on September 22/23

Things will appear...













when the time comes to pass