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July 9, 2010

Best Coast – Crazy For You (2010)

(Indie,Pop,Lo-Fi,Garage)

Notable album covers catch the eye, dribble it around a little, and then snap it back into place, forever skewed. They can be funny, gross, shocking, stunning, or just plain wrong. They can define artists. With Take Cover, we aim to track down the most striking new album covers taking up web space and vinyl bins and get the story behind them.

When we think of fuzz-pop duo Best Coast, a few things come to mind: California, the beach, hazy summertime nostalgia, and frontwoman Bethany Cosentino’s cat Snacks. All those things are present on the cover of Crazy for You, Best Coast’s debut full-length due out July 27 on Mexican Summer. That cover comes from David Rager, a California native now based in Paris. Rager captured Best Coast’s entire aesthetic with a bold simplicity, coming up with a great visual analog for the album’s actual sounds. We caught up with Rager to talk about that album cover.-Pitchfork

2 years ago

July 8, 2010

MAGISKA MAGISKA MAGISKA MAGISKA ALIVE!!

Click Here!!

2 years ago

July 5, 2010

Allo Darlin’ – Allo Darlin’ (2010)

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(Indie,Pop,Female-Vocal)

Allo Darlin’ are a fan’s band. They are close friends that found each other and the music they make in London. Elizabeth and Bill are from Australia, Mike and Paul are from Kent. They’ve only been playing seriously as a band since January 2009, although Elizabeth has been releasing music under various guises since 2007. Their debut album was released on Fortuna Pop in June 2010.

ALBUM REVIEWS

PITCHFORK The 10 songs on Allo Darlin’s self-titled debut album don’t rewrite the formula for wistful bedsit charm as much as show that it can still be carried out masterfully. 7.9/10

BBC This debut is a joy from beginning to end, a fully-formed talent at the first attempt – as rare as it is welcome.

LOUD AND QUIET It’s effortlessly cool…this record will have you playing it lots of times. 8/10

ARTROCKER Don’t embark on your summer affair without this under your belt. 8/10

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER Put simply, this is the best summer record you’ll hear all year, and potentially the best you’ll hear all decade.

THE LINE OF BEST FIT When we talk about records fit for summer, we mean one that evokes lazy, crazy days of warm sun by means of unhurried ease and glorious melody. Allo Darlin’ certainly do all that. Get it home, though, and there’s just as much to admire in the smart lyrical touch that belies any sort of scene connotations, a fine romance borne from catching hold of the little things.

2 years ago

July 2, 2010

School of Seven Bells – Disconnect From Desire (2010)

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(Indie,Pop,Electronica,Shoegaze)

On their excellent second album Disconnect From Desire, New York’s School of Seven Bells update the atomic, textured sound of classic shoegaze bands like Ride and My Bloody Valentine with danceable beats, of-the-moment electronic textures and some of the prettiest, angelic vocals (courtesy of identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza) in indie rock. To celebrate the release of their new LP, which hits stores on July 13th, Rolling Stone has a complete advance album stream. (Pre-order the album here.) Highlights include the uplifting electronic ballad “Babelonia” and “I L U,” which fuses ex-Secret Machines member Benjamin Curtis’ chiming guitars and droning vocal samples with Alejandra’s sensual vocals. -Rollingstone

2 years ago

Autolux – Transit Transit (2010)

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(Indie,Rock,Shoegaze,Alternative)

Full-length and first release in six years from this Los Angeles-based shoegaze trio. After dropping their critically lauded debut, Future Perfect, in 2004, Autolux more or less went off the grid. Sure, the trio toured to promote that effort, but the band mostly stuck to the West Coast for the latter part of the 2000s. That was until 2009, when Autolux embarked on a nationwide tour and began teasing fans with new material from their oft-delayed sophomore project, Transit Transit, that finally hit stores in the summer of 2010. The 10-track album promises another blend of shoegaze and post punk with a few instrumental cuts to boot.

2 years ago

The Books – The Way Out (2010)

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(Indie,Electronica,Experimental,Folktronica)

Sample-twisting virtuosos The Books are set to release their next full-length, The Way Out, this summer on Temporary Residence Limited.

Much like their 2005 effort Lost and Safe, the new record consists of bright collages, some of which have pop or folk-style vocals. “The working concept for the sound of The Way Out was pretty simple: Every track needs to sound like it comes from its own universe,” says the band. It will be their first album in almost five years, a stretch of time that can be partly attributed to the incredible amount of cutting and splicing that went into each song.

“We started collecting audio tapes and video tapes on our last tour and we came home with a mountain of stuff, around 4000 tapes,” Zammuto told Pitchfork last summer. “There’s an unbelievable amount of treasure to go through, and that’s what we’ve been up to over the past few years.”

The Way Out will be The Books’ first release on Temporary Residence Limited, a Brooklyn-based label that houses artists like Mono, Low and Eluvium. If you’re looking for a sneak peek of the record, check out this stream of the first single, “Beautiful People.”

2 years ago

June 30, 2010

Dirty Projectors with Björk – Mount Wittenberg Orca EP (2010)

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(Indie,Folk,Experimental,Bjork)

Björk and The Dirty Projectors plan to release an EP comprised of the tracks they played out together last year at New York’s Housing Works, a live collaboration lined up by Stereogum’s Brandon Stosuy. The online debut of the seven-track Mount Wittenberg Orca EP is due June 30th and just as they wrote and performed the tunes for charity, so too will this release be strictly for non-profit. Proceeds will be donated to the National Geographic Society. Whatever the good cause, this is news to celebrate: we get a Bjork and DP collab and National Geographic gets to roll out a few more brutal lion vs. gazelle take down photos. Everybody wins. (Via Vulture via Pitchfork)

2 years ago

Shinichi Osawa – SO2 (2010)

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(Electro,House,Dance,Mondo Grosso)

Shinichi Osawa made his debut as the leader and bassist for Mondo Grosso, a band formed in Kyoto in 1991, with an album “MONDO GROSSO” released in 1993 from For Life Records (Japan). In the heightened acid-jazz movement, the album got great reviews and was well-received overseas as well. In 1995, after finishing off the tour following the release of the second album “Born Free,” the band was disbanded.

Thereafter, MONDO GROSSO has become a collaborative unit featuring Shinichi and various vocalists and musicians that …he chooses to team up with. …In 1997, he released the third album “Closer.” Around the same time, he began his career as a hit-making producer and produced hits such as “Rhythm” by UA and “YOU MAKE ME” by Monday Michiru, to name a few. …In 1999, he moved to Sony Music Associated Records Inc. and created his own label “REALEYES.” During the same year, bird, fully produced by Shinichi Osawa as the very first artist from his label, had a massive hit selling well over 800,000 copies. As of the year 2000, he resumed activities as “MONDO GROSSO,” now his own unit.

Then came the release of a highly-acclaimed masterwork album “MG4,” which includes the smash hit “LIFE.” This album was also released from Sony Music in a total of 25 countries worldwide including the United States, the United Kingdom and France. …In 2002, Shinichi provided a track, as the one and only contributor from Japan, for the official 2002 FIFA WORLD CUP album “FEVER PITCH” which was sold in over 30 countries worldwide…In 2003, his fifth album “NEXT WAVE” was released. With a sales record of over 150,000 copies, which is extraordinary for a club music album, Shinichi has truly triggered the “next wave” to Japan’s music scene.

In 2004, Shinichi renamed his record label FEARLESS RECORDS and engaged himself in producing far more innovative works, compiling mix CDs of his own works and releasing music from abroad as recommended by Shinichi himself. …In 2006, he moved to Avex Entertainment Inc. In this new environment, his performances far beyond musical activities are very promising.

Our Asia’s finest electro music producer, Shinichi Osawa is back with 2nd album “SO2”. Released date is set on June 16th!

2 years ago

Twin Sister – Color Your Life EP (2010)

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(Indie,Pop,Experimental,Dreampop,Psychedelic)

Twin Sister are a Brooklyn-by-way-of-Long Island quintet that do so much so well. Their songs have a remarkable sense of atmosphere and romanticism. They nod at their heroes— maybe Stereolab and Björk, maybe Cocteau Twins or 1980s pop— without overtly stealing. They seem to know they are capable of great things; perhaps ostentatiously, they released a trailer for Color Your Life, just their second EP (following November 2008’s brief but occasionally stunning Vampires With Dreaming Kids). The EP features six songs, one of which is the instrumental “Galaxy Plateau”, a stormy, harmonium-lead bit of futzing that is completely inessential. Even then, it’s handled with such grace, it never feels presumptuous. Almost earned.

Twin Sister’s singer, the mousily enchanting Andrea Estella, has the sort of breathy, committed voice that untangles knots. It sits all over the mix on Color Your Life, a significant, if not monumental leap forward for the band. Sometimes Estella is high up, as on “Milk & Honey”, a wrenching ballad about what so many of their songs are about: the promise of love and the confusing moments at the beginning and end of every relationship. It’s a gorgeous song that quakes and quivers before abruptly ending. The respite is brief before they sharply enter the best thing they have done to date. “All Around and Away We Go” is a magical thing, driving and relaxed at once. Pitchfork’s Ryan Schreiber recently compared the song to Andrea True Connection’s disco chestnut “More, More, More”, and despite the seeming incongruity, that’s right on. Twin Sister thrive when things are hushed, as on Vampires’ arresting “I Want a House” but they seem unhappy with those simple moves. “All Around” takes them to a new and better place.

The rest of Color Your Life weaves in and out with little urgency. “Lady Daydream” is similarly lush, and full of heartfelt declarations— “If you can’t find the sea, I will take you there,” Estella sings on the chorus. Seven-minute opener “The Other Side of Your Face” seems to be the unfinished cousin of “All Around and Away We Go”— it never quite leaves the launching pad. Closer “Phenomenons” is polished and, strangely, almost radio-ready if it had an actual chorus. But that’s not who this band is, either. In full, this is a mood record from a band that is still perfecting how to be not-too quiet. Power and volume often come easily to young bands. If things are reversed for Twin Sister, then they probably don’t have very much to worry about.-Pitchfork

2 years ago

Boy & Bear – With Emperor Antarctica EP (2010)

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(Indie,Folk,Rock,Australia)

Fresh off the airplane from a month-long UK tour with Laura Marling, Sydney five-piece Boy & Bear have recently released their debut EP - With Emperor Antarctica, in Australia

Since the launch of their jaunty and rollicking debut single ‘Mexican Mavis’ and winning the Triple J spot at Homebake 2009, Boy & Bear have been rapidly growing, earning the right to tour with some of today’s most respected artists, including Angus & Julia Stone, Hungry Kids of Hungary and the UK’s Laura Marling. Laura Marling subsequently invited Boy & Bear to tour with her in the UK: two members of Boy & Bear, Jake Tarasenko and Tim Hart, also played in Laura’s touring band.

From the moment you first hear Boy & Bear, you’ll know this is something special, something different. Rich harmonies, music that breathes, full of unexpected twists and imagination, a sophisticated timelessness.

It’s the sound of an outfit that you’d think has been performing together for years, perhaps decades. Which makes it all the more incredible to discover the five players that make up Boy & Bear are all in their early 20s and this incredible five-track EP, With Emperor Antarctica, is in fact their debut effort.

The theme of their latest single ‘Rabbit Song’ is something of a mystery to lead vocals/guitarist Dave Hosking, “I’m not sure what this is about – it might be a bit of the little man syndrome. I think it’s a little bit anti-establishment. As hippy and ’70s as it sounds, I like that whole thing about going against the whole rat race – rebelling against that”.

With Emperor Antarctica was recorded over 10 days at 301 Studios in Byron Bay and produced by Rick Will. The result is an extraordinary debut effort from a gifted new Australian outfit. It’s music that makes your chest swell from a group of players exhibiting a maturity beyond their years and experience, an experience reflected in the bands live show.

2 years ago

The Chap - Well Done Europe (2010)

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(Indie,Rock,Pop,Electronica,Avant-Rock)

The Chap, a pan-European modern pop group based in London and Berlin, began life at the beginning of the last decade. In their quest to create music which “sounds wrong”, they pre-empted the current flavour for lo-fi prog-pop by several years and spawned a legion of fans who couldn’t believe how a band that revelled in the multilayered detachment and precision of their recordings could dive headlong into the realms of hard rock n roll immediacy, gaining themselves a reputation as one of the most exciting, challenging, and engaging live acts around.

“Well Done Europe” is The Chaps’ fourth album and sees them set sail toward New-Wave-pop-world domination…-Phonicarecords

2 years ago

June 24, 2010

My Recent Vinyl Purchases!!

2 years ago

OST & Kjex – Cajun Lunch (2010)

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(Electronica,Pop,Disco,Tech-House)

With a sound that straddles electro, funk, disco and house, Oslo based duo Ost & Kjex returnwith their second long-player ‘Cajun Lunch’ on Hamburg based imprint, Diynamic.

Having released their cheese fixated (and indeed sampled) debut album ‘Some Cheese but not all Cheese comes from the Moon’ in 2004 the food obsessed Norwegian pair have released a multitude of EPs and remixes on labels such as Crosstown Rebels, Planetnoise, Modular, Snick Snack, Punkt, Dialect and now Diynamic Music and played in venues and festivals all over the world including Fabric (UK), Panorama Bar (DE), Moog (ES), Fusion Festival (DE), Hove Festival (NO), Nu Music (NO) and Noveau Casino (France) to name a few.

The debut album, to their big surprise awarded them a nomination for best electronica album at the Norwegian Grammys and the pair continued to develop their sound on releases such as ‘More Songs About Cheese And Revolutionary Tarts’, ‘How Not To Be A Biscuit’ and ‘Boston Food Strangler’.

Since then the food boys have awoken, got their hands on some serious sounds and started shredding out tunes aimed at the dance floor. In the summer of 2008 they stumbled upon Hamburg based Croatian Solomun, resulting in a collaboration track called “Federgewicht”(Featherweight) and the beginning of their association with Diynamic whilst only last summer the pair contributed vocals on the dance floor hit ‘Summertime’ by UK producer Jamie Jones.

In between live shows and remixing the busy food geeks have now prepared their second course for your delectation. As the title suggests ‘Cajun Lunch’ mixes elements of delta blues and bayou basslines into their organic house sound, especially on the guitar filled ‘Bluecheeseblues Parts 1 and 2’ but also in the general laidback atmosphere that envelopes every track. From the opening sun-kissed grooves of ‘Mosambiquetravelplan’ featuring Bugge Wesseltoft on piano to the sexed-up funk of ‘Continental Lover’ and the deep house tones of‘The Yellow Man’ the boys continue to conspire with the album’s guest vocalist, Tracee Meyn.

Providing a juxtaposition to the pairs’ house foundation and Mr. Ost’s falsetto lead vocals, Tracee becomes an integral part of ‘Cajun Lunch’s funk filled sound giving it that extra spice to their production relish. On the darker and minimal edged ‘A New Deal’ and bassline driven ‘Seraphine’ Tracee is further assisted by members of her gospel choir who combine to give ‘Cajun Lunch’ a fuller, more rounded sound whilst tracks like ‘We Got Ticket To Moon’ and ‘Bluebird’ see the guys strip everything down to the bare essentials and groove with their machines, taking their house sound into dark, sweat filled boxes the world over.

‘Cajun Lunch’ is house music but not as we know it (and certainly with more cheeses). Whilst ‘The Yellow Man’ spins a shimmering groove that sees Tracee sparring with Mr. Ost’s lovelorn delivery we also find the duo’s production dexterity in full bloom on the closing ‘Lets Set The Time’ which takes a slo-mo house groove into deep dub territory with Mr. Ost providing a dreamlike vocal over the top, lulling us in to a chilled, hammock-strewn slumber.

Ost & Kjex’s love for electronic music still takes the boys wherever the cheese is fresh and the beats are crunchy: from the Reggiano Parmesan factory in Verona to your local watering hole, churning out theatrical performances or fucked-up live sets for the dance floor. This summer will be no exception as you will find them gigging in clubs, live venues and festivals across the world both as a duo and also featuring “The Traces” gospel choir.

2 years ago

Shit Browne – Every Single Penny Will Be Reinvested in the Party (2010)

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(Indie,Rock,Post-Britpop,Electronica)

A Parisian quintet boosted by Manchester energy, Shit Browne shouts urban, joyful and poetic pop music for all. Brothers Sebi Browne (vocals) and Benjamin Browne (bass), joined by Denis Browne Jr, Hadrien Browne, and Tigrou Browne, the “Shit Browne” experience is set to start feet moving on a thoroughly modern level with its own revamped twist on an otherwise classic genre for the 21st century. From the hypnotic ‘electronics’ to the explosive ‘winter collection’ Shit Browne jumps on its own inspiration and reboots itself at will as electric or electronic. by remembering the proud times of universal partying – Detroit, Chicago, Manchester – the five Brownes link with the epic daily battle of rock against depression and resignation.

2 years ago

June 23, 2010

Sea Of Bees – Songs For The Ravens (2010)

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(Indie,Pop,Folk,Acoustic,Dreampop)

The strength, innocence, honesty and purity of intention that flows throughout Sea of Bees’ debut, Songs For the Ravens, manifests itself compositionally and technically – most immediately with the laser beam pull of Jules’ captivating voice. She’s so versatile, not only as a vocalist but as a songwriter, that Songs For The Ravens finds her masterfully navigating Americana-tinged stompers (Sidepain), heavy, trotting expanses (Marmalade), soaring harmonic rock sorrow (Wizbot) and keyboard-brightened musings (Willis). Aside from the drums and a few other instrumental lines, Jules wrote and played every single bit of the entire album – including handheld percussion, glockenspiel, guitar, bass, keys, marimba and slide. This is a record that will soothe your broken heart, commiserate with you when you’re angry, befriend you when you’re lonely and celebrate life with you through the pure joy of its being. Longing is expressed with hope; sadness with understanding. Its scope, intensity and solidity would be considered stunning for any weathered artist; it’s simply astounding here.

2 years ago

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