Feb 28, 2007

Wilco Add Shows in Perth and Melbourne

Wilco (minor band from Chicago) have announced 2 extra dates for their Australian April tour. Luckily Perth can now see them, as well Melbourne now can see them twice. Come on Sydney, can't we sell out the Enmore. How about a secret gig at the Hopetoun? A man can dream. Plus as an added bonus, Augie March frontman Glenn Richards will support Wilco through out their tour. Here is a full list of touring dates.

April 16- The Tivoli, Brisbane- tickets
April 18- The Palais Theatre, Melbourne- tickets
April 19- The Palais Theatre, Melbourne- tickets
April 21- Enmore Theatre, Sydney- tickets
April 22- Metropolis Fremantle, Fremantle- tickets

As a reminder "Sky Blue Sky" is released on May 15 on Nonesuch.
Here is the track listing-
1 Either Way
2 You Are My Face
3 Impossible Germany MP3 (live)
4 Sky Blue Sky
5 Side With the Seeds
6 Shake It Off
7 Please Be Patient With Me
8 Hate It Here
9 Leave Me (Like You Found Me)
10 Walken
11 What Light
12 On and On and On

Feb 27, 2007

Wes Anderson American Express Ad

You might have seen this in the cinemas recently. I love it, but then I consider Wes Anderson to be a cinematic genius. He makes films with flair, heart, humour and flat out originality. The good news, he has a new film, "The Darjeeling Limited", due out late in 2007.

Feb 26, 2007

Yndi Halda and Other Bits of Goodness

I think I have found the great hope of English music and their name is Yndi Halda (means Enjoy Eternal Bliss, also the name of their new release). Hailing from Canterbury they mine the same shaft as Explosions in The Sky, but comparisons aside they stamp their own sound on their music which is truly epic in sound and size. They recently released a four song EP on Big Scary Monsters. The shortest song clocks in at 11.46, but their subtle textures and epic peaks will easily hold your attention. When instrumental music truly works it can strangely and subtly elevate itself to a singular beauty. And this music does work.
Please listen here-
MP3: Dash and Blast

Jagjaguwar is a label that rarely gets it wrong. Black Mountain, Okkervil River, Minus Story, Oneida are recent good examples. The Besnard Lakes new record sounds exciting too. Coming in March, Odawas (from Indiana) release "Raven and The White Night" and if this track is any indication it looks to be special. I could try to put into words how it makes me feel but this Pitchfork description is more than apt.
"Alleluia"'s drawn-out moments of suspension owe as much to My Morning Jacket's astral hymns as to Grizzly Bear's recent experiments with space and texture, but its funereal drums remain steadfast throughout, as if the band were marching toward a lonesome, dust swept canyon, headed for a slow and certain doom."
MP3: Alleluia

Some really catchy music from California that I can recommend.
The Morning Benders. They have a new EP coming out soon called "Boarded Doors". If you like melodies that don't quit and music that keeps that summery mood going then this band might be for you. If you like this track you can discover more here.
MP3: Damnit Anna

The Attachments hail from Berkeley. A four piece, their music is pop to the extreme and their debut EP shows a lot of promise. You can check out some tracks at their My Space.
I can especially recommend "F Train Girl".
Calexico @ The Basement

Calexico is named after a small town in southern California, but in my book the word translates to mean "Music with Heart and Soul". For that is what they provided Sunday night at The Basement. Last here in 2004, it was a pleasure to have them back. Their music is pulled from so many different styles and genres it is nearly impossible to pin them down. Suffice to say they swing from thumping rock songs to desert tinged ballads to mariachi swing to heart felt folk, all the while keeping the audience thoroughly entertained. They opened quietly with "Convict Pool" before playing a lovely instrumental which led into "Yours And Mine". By "Across The Wire" the band was in full swing and really providing an atmosphere of perhaps being in their hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Then they played my favourite song "Sunken Waltz" and I was feeling very satisfied. The show was then driven by their excellent musicianship. Joey Burns is a charismatic singer who keeps the band heading in the right direction. Paul Niehaus, Martin Wenk, John Convertino and Volker Zander are all accomplished musicians who don't miss a beat on a variety of instruments, drums, guitar, pedal steel, vibraphone, accordion, standup bass and trumpet. Ah, the trumpet, the highlight of the night. Martin Wenk and Jacob Valenzuela were outstanding, their beautiful sounds adding that extra special edge to every song they were used on. A bunch of songs then flowed, "Not Even Stevie Nicks...", "Guero Canelo", "Letter To Bowie Knife", "Bisbee Blue" and a few others I didn't catch the name of (didn't complete a set list this time). Just a great night of excellent music, its a pity the venue still stops you from standing up close and personal with the band, I honestly believe that would provide for an even better atmosphere.

MP3: Across The Wire

SET LIST UPDATE: Thanks to Jessie, I found a set list here...
Convict Pool
Drape
Yours and Mine
Frontera/Trigger
Across the Wire
Sunken Waltz
Deep Down
Ballad of Cable Hogue
Prison on Rt 41
Sonic Wind
Not even Stevie Nicks…
Minas de Cobre
Roka
Letter to Bowie Knife
Ojitos Traidores
Guero Canelo

Bisbee Blue
Alone Again Or

The support act Whitley, from Melbourne, was excellent. From what I understand the project was originally Lawrence Greenwood, but it now constitutes a full five piece band, playing a blend of country and rock. The singer's voice was very soulful and projected very well, although unfortunately not everyone was listening. Those that were, heard the sounds of I believe a very promising Australian act. I bought their EP "Lost in Time" and it is well worth your time tracking down a copy from Casadeldisco Records.
Whitley Myspace

Feb 25, 2007

Art Express



Yesterday I had a great day at the Art Gallery of NSW, where the highlight was the exhibition Art Express. Comprising the work of HSC students in Visual Arts, it was quite an eye opening look into the artistic minds of our young students. The exhibition covered a lot of ground in various styles of art- video, ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. I particularly enjoyed the work of the artists whose images of their work I have included above. Some of the creations were thought provoking, some were quite dark and others displayed simply beautiful images. The exhibition opened on 14 February and runs through until 22 April. I can recommend a trip to the Gallery for a great day out.

Feb 23, 2007

Adrian Klumpes/Seaworthy @ The Stone Gallery

Sometimes it nice to take in a show without any idea or preconception what the music you are about to hear will sound like. So I was intrigued to go along to The Stone Gallery thursday night and see what musical journey I would go on. Firstly the venue, a 19th Century stone church provided a great setting, different from the usual beer hall that's for sure. Holding roughly 150 people, the event started at 7.30 with Sydney trio Seaworthy up first. They provided a beautiful sound scape with slow, sparse songs full of ebb and flow. Comprising a guitar, piano and some backing of various samples and effects, Seaworthy drew you into their music and painted ambient textures with their patient music. Although the songs lacked epic structure, drifting through the venue, I enjoyed the sounds they were creating.

Their latest CD "Map in Hand" is released on 12k
MP3: Map in Hand Pt 4
MP3: Map in Hand Pt 5

Adrian Klumpes was the headliner and he was previewing tracks from his newest album "Be Still". A one man show, with some electronic samples as backing, he sat down at a grand piano and proceeded to demand everything possible from such an instrument. The first song was my favourite, a twenty minute epic that had about 33 different peaks as Adrian went from barely tickling the keys to launching an all out assault on the piano in front of him. I thought the show tapered off slightly from there on in as some of the shorter songs lacked dramatic structure. Although one song was very interesting as Adrian proceeded with various tools to create all sorts of unique sounds with the piano wires. Also a member of Triosk and Pivot, he is certainly a gifted artist and if you like minimalist sounds that can still provide intensity his recordings are worth checking out. By the way I didn't take many photos as the camera seemed to be intrusive to the music in such a setting.

Be Still is available on The Leaf Label
MP3: Exhale
Explosions in the Sky on Conan (02/20/07)

For those of you that have Foxtel, Explosions In The Sky were on Conan O'Brien yesterday. If you missed it, enjoy their grace and power.

Feb 21, 2007

Festivals

Sasquatch Music Festival 2007 has announced its lineup. Taking place on May 26-27 in George, Washington, the festival has the magnificent Columbia River for a backdrop. This is yet another festival I would die to be at, just check out the preliminary lineup-

Saturday, May 26:

Björk
The Arcade Fire
Manu Chao Radio Bemba Sound System
M.I.A.
Citizen Cope
Neko Case
The Hold Steady
Grizzly Bear
Ghostland Observatory
Electrelane
Two Gallants
The Slip
Loney, Dear
Aqueduct
The Thermals
Viva Voce
The Blow
Gabriel Teodros

Sunday, May 27:

Beastie Boys
Interpol
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Spoon
Bad Brains
Ozomatli
Dandy Warhols
The Black Angels
Mirah
Tokyo Police Club
Money Mark
St. Vincent
Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter
Smoosh
Common Market
Helio Sequence
Minus the Bear

Closer to home, The Laneway Festival (March 4) has announced playing times. The Park Stage is looking awfully good to me-

PARK STAGE:
9:00 - 10:00 Yo La Tengo
7:20 - 8:40 Peter Bjorn & John
6:15 - 7:00 The Walkmen
5:10 - 5:55 Youth Group
4:05 - 4:45 Camera Obscura
3:00 - 3:45 Fionn Regan
2:00 - 2:40 Holly Throsby
1:00 - 1:40 Dan Kelly

REIBY PLACE STAGE:
9:00 - 10:00 Gerling
7:40 - 8:30 The BellRays
6:25 - 7:10 The Sleepy Jackson
5:00 - 5:50 Midnight Juggernauts
3:45 - 4:30 Love is All
2:30 - 3:15 The Temper Trap
1:15 - 2:00 Gersey
12:20 - 12:55 The Shaky Hands

BASEMENT STAGE:
9:20 - 10:00 Dappled Cities Fly
8:10 - 9:00 Expatriate
6:50 - 7:40 Snowman
5:40 - 6:30 Archie Bronson Outfit
4:25 - 5:10 Ground Components
3:10 - 4:00 Bumblebeez
1:50 - 2:30 My Disco
12:30 - 1:20 The Crayon Fields


Feb 19, 2007

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone-Explosions In The Sky

All of a Sudden I am so unbelievably happy that Explosions In The Sky have a new album. The very fact that this Austin, Texas quartet have delivered their fourth full length is reason enough for myself to be doing cartwheels of delight. Can you tell I love this band? The thing that constantly amazes me about EITS is their incredible ability to convey truckloads of emotion through the seemingly simple use of guitars and drums. When EITS enter the arena most other instrumental bands seem to be swimming in the children's pool.

"All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone" crystalises and defines lucidly sheer moments of power and divine moments of beauty. Ah, moments, moments when you hold your breath and wish they would never end. That's what consistently draws me to the music of EITS. The first time I heard the opening track "The Birth and Death of the Day" it somehow managed to have an other worldly affect on my body. The track begins with the simple churning drone of guitar before it explodes into life. Then it hushes to a near stop before building again with a wave of shimmering guitars. The drums start pounding again, reaching heart stopping noise, then the moment arrives, the song almost grounds to a halt and a single chord is gently caressed and you feel faint at its beauty. And that's just the first song! The second track "Welcome, Ghosts", which I'm sure you have heard by now, clocks in at an economical 5.43. It is a succinct statement of post-rock delight, the key moment being at 3.10 when a gentle strum plays over an incessant rhythm. Suffice to say the rest of the record is full of such moments, if you allow yourself time you will discover them and they will feel like you own them. My other personal highlight is the last track "So Long, Lonesome", perhaps their shortest song ever, which introduces piano. It begins with a tender melody. Tender enough to give you goosebumps. Its only February, but this has to be a contender for album of the year. Please, please tour here!

MP3: Welcome, Ghosts

Two classics from two life changing albums, if you don't own them, but them now, you will not be disappointed-
MP3: Memorial from "The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place"
MP3: A Poor Man's Memory from "Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever"

Spunk Records have it on local release or you can check out Temporary Residence for more goodies.

Feb 18, 2007

Letters From Iwo Jima Trailer


If you found Flags of Our Fathers a moving and thought provoking film, which I did, then somehow it looks like this film blows it out of the water. Could be Mr Eastwood's finest achievement yet!



On a completely unrelated note, The Arcade Fire's fifth and final show at New York's Judson Memorial Church was broadcast live today on NPR. If you missed this superb show you can listen to it in full here. Truly a indication of their all conquering greatness.
The Last King of Scotland

Forest Whitaker WILL win Best Actor at next week's Academy Awards. His performance in The Last King of Scotland assures him of that. He is a force of nature in his stunning portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. By the way, the film is marvelous, a vivid, realistic portrayal of human excesses and failings. The film begins in 1970 Scotland when Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), just graduated from Medical School, decides to escape the family nest and head for Uganda on a whim seeking adventure and perhaps putting his newly found skills to good use. A chance meeting with the new President Idi Amin, by way of a coup, turns into an offer from Amin for the young Scot to be his personal physician. Amin is impressed by his forthright manner and the fact that the President has a curious love of Scotland. From there the movie takes us on a whirlwind ride through the Amin administration as the new President turns from lovable folk hero to maniacal despot. Garrigan, a purely fictional character, gives us a vivid insight into the extreme excesses of unchecked human greed and power. McAvoy, largely a TV actor, is excellent as the naive Scot. But Whitaker is larger then life as the brutal dictator, as his character swings from one emotional extreme to another. At times gregarious, then the next minute swinging into fits of rage. The Last King of Scotland will definitely be one of the best films you will see in 2007.

Feb 17, 2007

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd represents Robert De Niro's second attempt at directing following on from A Bronx Tale (1993). He has managed to craft a dense, intricate film that while not wholly satisfying is a rewarding film on some levels after its 2 hour 45 minutes length. The film tells the story of Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) who upon leaving Yale University in 1939 joins Military Intelligence where he is posted to Europe during World War II. After the war Wilson returns home to work for the fledgling CIA. The film then jumps back and forth from his CIA career to the pivotal year of 1961 when the failed Bay of Pigs operation was attempted during the Kennedy Administration. The movie covers a lot of ground and introduces a lot of key characters. William Hurt is excellent as usual as the CIA director, John Turturro convincing as Matt Damon's assistant and the marvelous Michael Gambon as Damon's professor at Yale. The only weak point in the cast is Angelina Jolie as Damon's wife Margaret. As usual I find her acting wooden and her screen presence to be zero. The Good Shepherd's main weakness is its lack of dramatic tension in the first 2 hours. Whilst it remains interesting it never takes a grip on you. A stunning torture scene conducted by John Turturro really escalates the film and the remainder is quite spellbinding as the action flows from scene to scene. Matt Damon is practically in every scene through out and he is excellent as the stoic life long career man who sacrifices his family for career. He remains nearly expressionless through out but I think this suits the character he is asked to play. So summing up, I believe The Good Shepherd is an earnest film that delivers an insight into the beginnings and inner workings of the CIA, without ever scaling any great dramatic heights. Oh and I reckon the film would have looked sensational in black and white.

You can view some trailers here.
SXSW 2007

Oh, to be in Austin, Texas in a month's time. For music fans Austin is a great place to visit all year round. However South X SouthWest, running March 14-18 is perhaps the highlight of the musical year. The trouble is deciding which venue to attend each night. The schedule has just been released and if you have a spare couple of hours you can peruse it here.
So, so many great bands to see, but here are few nights I would love to attend-

14th March, Emo's- Beirut, The Mountain Goats, Blonde Redhead or
Antone's-The Rosebuds, The Broken West, Oakley Hall

15th March, Buffalo Billiards-Bob Mould, Rocky Votolato, Jesse Sykes, Menomena or
La Zona Rosa-What Made Milwaukee Famous, Cold War Kids, Architecture in Helsinki or
Mohawk-Evangelicals, Catfish Haven, Ladyhawk or
Mohawk Patio-Bishop Allen, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, The Besnard Lakes, Okkervil River or
Soho Lounge-Deerhunter, Do Make Say Think or
Stubb's-Bloc Party, The Dears

16th March, Stubb's-Andrew Bird, Badly Drawn Boy, The Good, The Bad & The Queen or
Habana Calle 6-Amy Millan, Apostle of Hustle or
Maggie Mae's-Dirty on Purpose, Page France, Chin Up Chin Up

17th March, Habana Calle 6- +/-, Frog Eyes or
Stubb's, Kings of Leon, Spoon

I haven't even mentioned some reasonably talented artists like Annuals, The Black Angels, BOAT, Calla, Cloud Cult, Cursive, Micah P. Hinson, Immaculate Machine, Lucero, Maps & Atlases, Maritime, Midlake, Mogwai, Oh No! Oh My!, Oxford Collapse, Rjd2, Sloan, Tokyo Police Club, Chad VanGaalen, Voxtrot that are playing in various other venues.

Feb 15, 2007

Explosions in the Sky - Greet Death - Be The Riottt

Greatness never sounded so good. Live from the Be The Riottt festival in San Francisco last year. I implore you watch this all the way through, you will cry with joy by the end. I'm like a little kid with a new toy today. I have their new album in my hands, trembling while typing, a full and comprehensive review is coming.

I'm still trying to track down the new Menomena album. No luck so far, should have ordered it from Barsuk Records, save me all the hassle.

I love Frog Eyes. Their new album "Tears of the Valedictorian" is due May 1. By all reports this will be special. Here is a track from the forthcoming album.
MP3: Bushels

I'm currently working on a list of my favourite 50 songs of all time. Yes I have gone insane...
Let me just say that a band touring here is odds on to be number one.


Feb 14, 2007

Bonnaroo 2007

By all reports this will be the lineup at Bonnaroo 2007 in Manchester, Tennessee. A four day extravaganza, I was lucky enough to attend in 2004. Highlights that year were a staggering My Morning Jacket, plus Wilco, Kings of Leon, Gillian Welch, Calexico, Gomez, Bob Dylan, Black Keys, Grandaddy and many, many more. Its truly one of the world's great festivals. Originally started as a Jam Band type festival it has grown to include a huge variety of acts incorporating rock, folk, country, blues, bluegrass and many other styles. Of course the reunion of The Police has been of major focus, although I can't say that has me too excited. Australian acts confirmed are Wolfmother, John Butler Trio and Xavier Rudd. I think the lineup has plenty going for it. I have marked in bold the acts I would be excited to see. What acts excite you?

The Police
Tool
Widespread Panic
The White Stripes
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Wilco
The Flaming Lips
Manu Chao
The String Cheese Incident
Franz Ferdinand
Bob Weir & Ratdog
Damien Rice
Ween
Gov’t Mule
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
The Decemberists
Kings of Leon
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Wolfmother
Regina Spektor
Galactic
The Black Keys
DJ Shadow
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Spoon
Keller Williams (WMD’s)
Sasha & John Digweed
STS9
Old Crow Medicine Show
The Hold Steady
North Mississippi Allstars
Fountains Of Wayne
Hot Tuna
Feist
Hot Chip
Lily Allen
John Butler Trio
Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys
Aesop Rock
The Richard Thompson Band
Dierks Bentley
Xavier Rudd
Gogol Bordello
Junior Brown
Tortoise
T-Bone Burnett
Mavis Staples
Clutch
Cold War Kids
Dr. Dog
Paolo Nutini
Brazilian Girls
RX Bandits
The Nightwatchman
The Slip
Girl Talk
Railroad Earth
Martha Wainwright
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Annuals
Tea Leaf Green
Sam Roberts Band
Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Charlie Louvin
Sonya Kitchell
Mute Math
Apollo Sunshine
Uncle Earl
James Blood Ulmer
The National
The Little Ones
Ryan Shaw

Feb 13, 2007

Maps and Atlases

Maps and Atlases are from Chicago and they play music that sounds quite unique. It has a restless energy that never sits still in the one place. Frenetic, jittery, impetuous, diverse are some adjectives I would use to describe them. "Trees, Swallows, Houses" is their recently released EP and well worth investigating. Their music has crazy time signatures that make each song jump all over the place, making each listen a discovery in itself. Dave Davison, Shiraz Dada, Erin Elders, Chris Hainey form the band and even though they are a conventional Indie rock four piece, their music is far from conventional. The drumming is truly special, beating out frenetic ruptures and the guitars are more then just instruments, they are pushed to the limits with rhythmic syncopations that offer a unique take. This is quite intricate music and well worth a listen.
MP3: Every Place Is a House
You can check out more tunes at their Myspace
or purchase Trees, Swallows, Houses here.

Feb 12, 2007

Pavement - Trigger Cut - 1992 Belgium

Early days. Gary Young is still the drummer. I think this was the first Pavement song I heard, or maybe it was Summer Babe.

Pavement - In The Mouth A Desert

Some Pavement memories. Live Seattle, 1999. It was their last year, but the greatness remained.

The Arcade Fire - The Well and the Lighthouse - 2/10/07

I'm thinking of renaming my blog, Arcade Fire on Youtube. But hey, this is greatness in motion. Live on Saturday from Montreal's Ukrainian Federation. A track, The Well and the Lighthouse (acoustic) from Neon Bible. Trust me, if you haven't heard it yet, Neon Bible is AMAZING.

Feb 10, 2007

My Top 50 Records; Or How I'd Forgotten How Much I Love Pavement

Whilst compiling my list of favourite records in my previous post, it made me reflect even more on my musical history. Also I started playing Pavement again and realised something, but more about that in a moment. I guess I have a vinyl and a CD history. I honestly can't remember my first record bought, but I cherish my vinyl collection. I think it started becoming serious with a Joy Division record or maybe a Talking Heads record. Then I became a sixties nut, buying every Beatles record and every Rolling Stones one as well. Then it was Dylan, The Who, The Byrds, The Kinks and so on. Then Paul Weller entered my life, The Jam were it for me, Setting Sons, Sound Effects, All Mod Cons. My vinyl collection grew, R.E.M, New Order, Ride, Husker Du, Buffalo Tom, Billy Bragg, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Go Betweens, Public Enemy, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr, Superchunk and many, many more.

Well eventually I started buying CDs, the first was "Automatic for the People". Sebadoh followed, then something happened I bought "Slanted and Enchanted" and I knew Pavement were the perfect band for me. They presented a Slacker ethos, but they knew how to write a perfectly formed song. Then I saw them live, firstly at Max's at Petersham, followed by The Lansdowne (yes it used to be the best venue in Sydney). Gary Young selling tickets outside the venue, doing handstands during the set, Bob Nastanovich yelling and bashing drums, Mark Ibold quietly cool, Spiral vibrantly cool and Malkmus, oh Malkmus, what genius he was. "Lies and Betrayals, Fruit Covered Nails, Electricty and Lust" I would sing with him. They returned to play Summersault in 1996, along with Beck, Sonic Youth and Beastie Boys. First time I heard "Fight this Generation", I would jump up and down when they played "Unfair", "Down to Santa Rosa and over the bay, across the grapevine to LA. We got deserts we got trees, we got the hills of Beverly. Let's burn the hills of Beverly" we all screamed. They came, they saw, they conquered, without a false step.

Anyway, sorry to ramble on about Pavement, but they are genius to me. Soon after they had a contender. I bought "There is Nothing Wrong with Love", I heard "Car" and I think Built to Spill were vying for my affections. They didn't have Pavement's sheer cool, but they had enough heart to keep a small country pumping. Again Doug and his band would up the ante with future records. So to this day, my choice of favourite band essentially comes down to my mood on a given day. And I finally got to see them live, 3 times in 2003 in New York and New Orleans and once in Austin in 2005. Doug Martsch's fingers should be enshrined in whatever Hall of Fame is going these days.

So I thought would make a more definitive list, my favourite 50 records of all time. And in order, which is ridiculous but I'm going to do it anyway. Don't worry I'm not going to write incoherently about each one, a simple list will do, plus I will mention my favourite song off each one.

A few more thoughts before I start-
This is entirely personal so its only what comes from my heart and mind.
I own each of these records and because I'm not Bill Gates there are probably many great records I have missed in time.
I used to like Rap and Hip Hop (Public Enemy, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest) but I really haven't heard anything great in that genre for ages.
I will always choose melody over rhythm.
I never thought I would listen to country, but I am listening to more of that genre each passing year.
Will England ever produce a great band again? I'm not hearing anything new that is truly great coming out of that country at the moment.
Will Canada ever stop producing great bands or are we in some sort of twilight zone?
Conor Oberst is my Bob Dylan, there I said it.
Can Australia produce another Go Betweens, I know there are a lot of good bands here at the moment, but can anyone seriously tell me there is a truly great band here right now.
I don't like Metal, Heavy Metal, Techno or any other forms of music where
melody is sacrificed for pure repetition.
Is all top 40 radio pure crap?
Are Nickelback the devil incarnate?
Is Madonna the greatest fraud in the history of music?
While I am at it I never really got The Doors for that matter.
I love the violin and a REAL piano.
I don't like the Saxophone, but I like other Horn instruments.
Neko Case has the greatest voice I have ever heard.
Jim James has the greatest male voice I have ever heard.
I don't like people who are cynical and try to be so ultra cool about music, as if
they don't care, there is nothing wrong with expressing your love.
I like classical music, but some people still think music started and finished
with Mozart, although he was a genius.
I agree with Will Sheff, rock music doesn't have to be dumb, its lyrics don't have to be though of as 'poor man's poetry', it can be more beautiful.
Why doesn't Europe produce any good rock bands, I know, I know
Sweden, but really they are great at melody and pop I believe.
Living in a English speaking land, I know there is probably plenty
of great music from Africa and South America, etc. But you are
a product of your culture and I have enough trouble keeping
up with our small section of the world.
I don't know if this will interest you but I enjoyed doing it.
The future excites me more then the past, soon we will have a new Arcade Fire
and Spoon and Wilco and Wolf Parade, its all good!!!!!
FINALLY, I didn't include Sunset Rubdown in my initial top 20. Who am
I kidding?, Spencer belongs and he is going in.

My definitive list, unless it changes of course (favourite song in brackets)

1-In The Aeroplane Over The Sea-Neutral Milk Hotel (Two-Headed Boy Part 2)
2-The Glow Pt. 2-The Microphones (I Want Wind To Blow)
3-Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain-Pavement (Fillmore Jive)
4-Perfect From Now On-Built To Spill (Made-Up Dreams)
5-The Tennessee Fire-My Morning Jacket (The Bear)
6-Funeral-The Arcade Fire (Wake Up)
7-The Lonesome Crowded West-Modest Mouse (Bankrupt On Selling)
8-Meadowlands-The Wrens (Boys, You Won't)
9-Bee Thousand-Guided by Voices (Echos Myron)
10-This Night-Destroyer (Makin' Angels)
11-Surfer Rosa-Pixies (Gigantic)
12-Shut Up I Am Dreaming-Sunset Rubdown (Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings)
13-Apologies To The Queen Mary-Wolf Parade (I'll Believe in Anything)
14-Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever-Explosions in the Sky (A Poor Man's Memory)
15-You Forgot It In People-Broken Social Scene (Cause = Time)
16-F# A# (Infinity)-Godspeed You! Black Emperor (The Dead Flag Blues)
17-Gimme Fiction-Spoon (Sister Jack)
18-Blueberry Boat-The Fiery Furnaces (Mason City)
19-I See A Darkness-Bonnie "Prince" Billy (I See A Darkness)
20-Reckoning-R.E.M. (So. Central Rain)
21-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-Wilco (Ashes Of American Flags)
22-Slanted & Enchanted-Pavement (Zurich Is Stained)
23-There's Nothing Wrong With Love-Built To Spill (Car)
24-Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground-Bright Eyes (Waste of Paint)
25-Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?-The Unicorns (Les Os)
26-The Sophtware Slump-Grandaddy (Jed The Humanoid)
27-Viva Last Blues-Palace Music (New Partner)
28-Keep It Like A Secret-Built To Spill (You Were Right)
29-Horse Stories-Dirty Three (Sue's Last Ride)
30-Girls Can Tell-Spoon (Lines In The Suit)
31-Doolittle-Pixies (Debaser)
32-It Still Moves-My Morning Jacket (Mahgeetah)
33-The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place-Explosions in The Sky (Memorial)
34-Brighten The Corners-Pavement (Shady Lane)
35-Highway 61 Revisited-Bob Dylan (Desolation Row)
36-Come On Feel The Illinoise!-Sufjan Stevens (Chicago)
37-Feels-Animal Collective (Banshee Beat)
38-Bandwagonesue-Teenage Fanclub (The Concept)
39-Daydream Nation-Sonic Youth (Teen Age Riot)
40-Come On Die Young-Mogwai (Ex-Cowboy)
41-Fevers & Mirrors-Bright Eyes (The Center Of The World)
42-The Moon And Antarctica-Modest Mouse (Lives)
43-Before Hollywood-The Go Betweens (Cattle And Cane)
44-The Bends-Radiohead (Fake Plastic Trees)
45-All Mod Cons-The Jam (Down In The Tube Station At Midnight)
46-Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See-Okkervil River (Westfall)
47-Life's Rich Pageant-R.E.M (Cuyahoga)
48-Nevermind-Nirvana (Smells Like Teen Spirit)
49-Time (The Revelator)-Gillian Welch (Revelator)
50-Meat is Murder- The Smiths (How Soon Is Now?)

Feb 7, 2007

My 20 Favourite Records; or How Neutral Milk Hotel Pierced a Hole In My Heart

We all have a history of music, some long, some short. Some of us only listen to one style of music or one era. We all have starting points and different ears for music. I have listened to music for a long time and it has been a comfort and pure joy for most of my life. I thought I would indulge myself and write a post about my 20 favourite records of all time. Of course this is almost an impossible task. I found it was also dictated by what I currently listen to in my musical journey. In other words if my humble abode was on fire and I only had time to grab 20 CD's which ones would I reach for first. Which ones are dear to my heart and mind. Of course one doesn't reach that point in life without meeting various cornerstones along the way. So before I reach the gold mine that fills my ears, here are some records that shaped, influenced, informed my musical tastes. They are all obviously important tracts of music that helped my development-

Highway 61 Revisited-Bob Dylan
Revolver-The Beatles
Beggars Banquet-The Rolling Stones
The Band-The Band
All Mod Cons-The Jam
Closer-Joy Division
Remain in Light-Talking Heads
Let It Be-The Replacements
Daydream Nation-Sonic Youth
Warehouse: Songs and Stories-Husker Du
Meat is Murder-The Smiths
Nevermind-Nirvana
Spiderland-Slint
The Bends-Radiohead

Just a few more observations-
I didn't include any 2006 releases, I think more time is needed to make full judgments, although Sunset Rubdown is odds on to make any future list.
I decided not to give any sort of full critical analysis, just instead convey a more personal, emotional reaction to each one selected.
Also I decided not to double up on an artist, otherwise Built to Spill could have made this list twice.
Before you ask why there are no Australian selections, I am the least parochial person you would meet and I am not concerned where it was made, just how much it moved me. However a few classics I love but had to leave out are-
Sound As Ever-You Am I
Horse Stories-Dirty Three
Before Hollywood-The Go Betweens
Since I Left You-The Avalanches
Born Sandy Devotional-The Triffids
Kitten Licks-Screamfeeder

So I welcome any comments, do any of these hold a firm place in your heart?
In no particular order (except NMH, its perfect)

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea-Neutral Milk Hotel
Not only is every song perfect but every second on every song is perfect. No wonder this was their last recorded output. No amount of words can do justice I believe. Except to say it has everything I want from music. Emotional power that would flatten tall buildings, lyrical depth of extraordinary reach and sweeping, moving, music that is not defined by any era. By Two Headed Boy Part 2 I am just trying to regain my breath.
Key Lyric:
In my dreams you're alive and you're crying, as your mouth moves in mine soft and sweet, rings of flowers around your eyes and I'll love you for the rest of your life...

The Glow Pt. 2-The Microphones
Whatever you do, you must listen to this aural masterpiece with headphones. The time and care taken with this dense, complex record is to be admired. There is so much going on I still get goosebumps when I listen to it. The tonal effects do something to my inner being and Phil Elvrum's emotional peaks make me feel like crying. Totally and utterly insanely original.
Key Lyric:
I could not get through september without a battle
I faced death
I went in with my arms swinging
but I heard my own breath
I had to face that I'm still living

The Tennessee Fire-My Morning Jacket
Ahhhh, My Morning Jacket, THIS is the greatest rock band on earth. I love all their stuff and they have changed and progressed over time. But I always come back to this record when I just want to feel serene, happy and have a warm inner glow. This is music at its apex of authenticity, stacks of reverb, dollops of heart breaking moments and that voice, oh that voice. Jim James hugs the mountain of greatness and doesn't let go. You can play Nashville to Kentucky any time of day and I will hug you as well.
Key Lyric:
There will be bigotry and there will be open minds
There will be days of peace you'll never have the time
As long as you keep a straight face,
I will be there when you die

Perfect From Now On-Built to Spill
This should be renamed Perfect till the end of Time, my favourite record (a very hard choice) by my favourite band. A perfect concoction of Indie Rock. Guitars riffs that some how weep and Doug's voice floats across at such a pitch that it socks me in the guts every time I listen to him. Each song is an epic construction that builds it own drama. If you don't like this in some way then perhaps our friendship has come to an end.
Key Lyric:
Every thousand years this metal sphere ten times the size of Jupiter floats just a few yards past the earth you climb on your roof and take a swipe at it with a single feather

The Lonesome Crowded West-Modest Mouse
Built to Spill's bastard child, this record is perfect driving music. Expansive, angry, ambitious. Music stripped of all artifice, pure, unambivalent, gut wrenching. This epic ain't stopping for no one. Some of the best guitar playing you will ever hear, put this one on and I just need to start moving. Also has sublime moments of introspection, Isaac won't ever top this.
Key Lyric:
And it took a long time, but I came clean with myself
I come clean out of love with my lover
I still love her, loved her more when she used to be sober and I was kinder

Meadowlands-The Wrens
Can one record ever have been this well sequenced? It starts with a whisper, then builds and builds with intelligent, blissful pop rock gems. I think blissful is the right word, it can only put you in some sunny sort of mood. Fierecly intelligent, more hooks then is humanly possible. The very defintion of a grower, The Wrens just know how to deliver epic build ups.
Key Lyric:
You don't know what you got into
Until you know when it's all gone wrong
And I don't feel the need to try and explain

Funeral-The Arcade Fire
Has there ever been a better debut? Anthems for the modern age, this uplifts everything. Your soul, your mind, your heart, your body. Play Wake Up once and it becomes your song. Hard to add anymore to what has already been said, other then to say if you feel jaded this will restore your faith in music and human endeavour.
Key Lyric:
Alice died in the night,
I've been learning to drive.
My whole life, I've been learning.

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain-Pavement
At some point during every year, I give thanks that Pavement came into my life. They had a profound effect on me. I always felt they were my personal band, so smart, so original, so wonderfully perfect. Some of my treasured moments were seeing them live. This record encapsulated my musical taste and it sounds as vibrant today as when it was released. My antidote to thoughtless corporate rock.
Key Lyric:
Well your greed for tokens and stamps
Underneath the fake oil burning lamps
In the city we forgot to name
The concourse is a four wheel shame
And the courthouse is double breast

Surfer Rosa-Pixies
Pixies were my companion piece to Pavement, their angry cousins if you like. The band that influenced thousands of others, who sung what they were singing about? Every song was a dynamo in itself, thunderous drumming, throbbing bass lines, soaring guitars. Makes you feel dirty and guilty, harmonies to die for. Truly a seminal band.
Key Lyric:
Sitting here wishing on a cement floor
Just wishing that I had just something you wore

Gimme Fiction-Spoon
This was a very hard choice, Spoon just do it for me. There is nothing massively complex about their music and yet it is very hard to do what they do. That is write insanely catchy rock tunes. I finally settled on Gimme Fiction because the first 8 songs are as good as rock music is entitled to be. Britt Daniel's husky voice always pierces my heart and he has the knack for writing tunes that just float by while always containing a perfect climax.
Key Lyric:
I was sold for suspect drawings
Underneath a makeshift awning
Now I'm yours Know I'm here
Read it all front and back
But I can't relax
With my knees on the ground and a stick in my back

Bee Thousand-Guided by Voices
Can you write 20 perfect pop songs where a 3 minute song seems like an epic?
Most bands would kill to write any songs as good as these and I think Robert Pollard threw away five a day. Lo-fi but not in composition, no wonder they garnered a cult following, cryptic titles and lyrics just added to the mystique.
Key Lyric:
Men of wisdom
And men of compromise
Men of weak flesh in an armored disguise
All fall down

Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever-Explosions in the Sky
Take me to Austin, eat breakfast at Whole Foods, shop for music in Waterloo Records, take in a Longhorns game and go to Zilker Park as the sun is setting. I lie down and put this record on. My life is complete.
The 4.48 moment of "A Poor Man's Memory" always melts my mind.
Key Lyric:
Sorry nothing to report here

This Night-Destroyer
A late discovery for me, I am now totally immersed in the musical genius of Dan Bejar. This is his most rewarding, complex work. His use of lyrics always impresses me, they are intelligent with out being cynical, cryptic without being wilfully obscure. And his guitar work just adds to the pleasure, intricate, pulsating it often doesn't get the credit it deserves.
Key Lyric:
OK, and for a start there was a craft sale of the heart
Where things are made and things are sold
And returned into the gold from whence they came
And I said I would come And you said you'd come too
Hey, rock n roll's not through yet. I'm sewing wings on this thing

You Forgot It In People-Broken Social Scene
A bolt from the blue, joyous vibrant music, as good a use of the musical collective as is possible. Huge range on display here, from rocking out moments to chamber pop to complex instrumentals. Satisfies in always possible. Oh and if you haven't seen them live, write it down as a must in your life time.
Key Lyric:
Take me down, down through this
Kill the white within the bliss
Here is a waiting room
That wants to save your life

Apologies To The Queen Mary-Wolf Parade
I knew Indie rock could one day come to this. Thank you Canada, an amazing blend of heart pounding anthems and emotion charged singalongs. I feel myself gasping for breath when I listen to a lot of this. As hugely enjoyable as it is emotionally satisfying. Just containing "I'll Believe in Anything" is enough.
Key Lyric:
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Your blood, your bones
Your voice, and your ghost

Blueberry Boat-The Fiery Furnaces
See, this is what the Friedbergers are capable of, a towering achievement of
sounds, lyrics and ideas out of control. Pulling sounds from all genres, it manages to grab them all together in some sort of magical soup. You won't get this after one listen, or twenty, but it will hit you eventually.
Key Lyric:
Catamaran Man, you’re my cousin, you’re my blood, you’re ten feet tall

F# A# (Infinity)- Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Please play this at my funeral. Epic is an understatement for this music.
Simply this is music at its most devastating, jaw droppingly good, its as far
away from background music as you could find.
Key Lyric: (a cheat here)
The Car's on fire and there is no driver at the wheel
And the sewers are all muddied with a thousand lonely suicides and a dark wind blows
The Government is corrupt and we're all so many drugs with the radio on and the curtains drawn
We're trapped in the belly of this horrible machine and the machine is bleeding to death
The sun has fallen down and the billboards are all leering
And the flags are all dead at the top of their poles
It went like this
The buildings toppled in on themselves, mothers clutching babies, pick through the rubble
and pulled out their hair
The skyline was beautiful on fire, all twisted metals stretching upwards, everything washed in a thin orange haze
I said 'kiss me you're beautiful'
These are truly the last days
You grabbed my hand and we fell into it like a daydream or a fever

I See A Darkness-Bonnie "Prince" Billy
My voyage into Gothic folk. Will Oldham is a blessed genius, he reaches deep into your heart and makes dark, sombre music that makes you feel better. If you like his music you will know what I mean. This could never, ever be manufactured in the corporate music world. To say this touches a nerve, quite an understatement.
Key Lyric:
And did you know how much I love you
is a hope that somehow you
can save me from this darkness

Reckoning-REM
I grew up with a poster of this on my wall and every day I would look
at it and try to imagine the world where music this beautiful was created. There was just this feeling of mystery. What the hell was Michael Stipe singing about? How did they manage to create a perfect bridge in every song? For many years So. Central Rain was my favourite song.
Key Lyric:
Eastern to Mountain, third party call, the lines are down
The wise man built his words upon the rocks
But I'm not bound to follow suit
The trees will bend, the conversation's dimmed
Go build yourself another home, this choice isn't mine

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-Wilco
We all know the story of how their record company couldn't see the marketing
angle behind this monumental record, which says something about the
corporate music industry. Well this is a band in full stride, combining all elements of the musical spectrum. Jeff Tweedy's plaintive voice just weeps and the band never sounded better. It would be hard to find to find a more complete album, has all the elements of pathos, joy and pure heart.
Key Lyric:
I'm down on my hands and knees every time the doorbell rings
I shake like a toothache when I hear myself sing
All my lies are always wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new

A few choice cuts from some of these albums-
MP3: In The Aeroplane Over the Sea (live)-Neutral Milk Hotel
MP3: The Bear-My Morning Jacket
MP3: I Would Hurt A Fly-Built to Spill
MP3: Sister Jack-Spoon
MP3: Almost Crimes (live)-Broken Social Scene
MP3: Shine a Light-Wolf Parade
MP3: Quay Cur-The Fiery Furnaces
MP3: Trembling Peacock-Destroyer

Feb 6, 2007

The Woods

I don't know where to start this post. The band in question really defies any easy categorisation. Although that is a good thing I believe. The easiest thing to do when writing about a band is to use other bands as references. Perhaps its a bit lazy, but when you want to convey the sound in words a comparison will do the job for you. Well The Woods don't make it easy. I only heard about this band a couple of weeks ago and I recently took into my hands their just released album "At Rear House". To set the scene, the band are essentially Jeremy Earl and Christian DeRoeck and they hail from New York. "At Rear House" is primarily their first easily buyable recorded output. The sounds on this record are a combination of softly strummed folk with a gothic edge, eerie background noises, sparse drumming and high pitched vocals. Its the sort of record to listen to late at night with the headphones on. The interesting mix of sounds should be given the chance to wash over you. OK, I will try a comparison, its like a lo-fi version of Grandaddy and Akron/Family jamming together. Highly original and recommended.

Listen to some tunes at their Myspace.
Best place to purchase is at Midheaven.
MP3: Bone Tapper
Menomena - Wet And Rusting (Live)

This band has me so excited. I have been listening to their new album, which is currently streaming at Barsuk. These lads are making amazing sounds, why isn't Friend and Foe getting a local release?

Feb 4, 2007

Stranger Than Fiction

I had high hopes of enjoying Stranger Than Fiction. Because of these hopes I probably felt a bit of a let down after viewing the film. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it but it just didn't hit the heights I was hoping for. My expectations were high for a couple of reasons. One was the director Marc Foster, whose first two films, "Monster's Ball" and "Finding Neverland" I thoroughly enjoyed. Secondly I guess I hoped for some sort of existential comedy like the masterpiece "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", you know famous Comedian plays dramatic and wins acclaim. Now I realise that although I don't find Jim Carrey funny I think he is a better actor then Will Ferrell. Funnily enough I think Will Ferrell is funny, Saturday Night Live that is, his movies stink, but although he is adequate in this movie I don't think he has the acting chops to be a major dramatic actor. Ferrell plays Harold Crick, a button downed IRS agent who has no life other then the routine of his humdrum work. One day he starts hearing a voice (Emma Thompson) narrating his every move. It starts to send him crazy, but when she says "imminent death" he understandably starts to unravel totally. Two major characters then enter his life, a baker (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who he is sent to audit but instead falls in love with and a literary professor (Dustin Hoffman) who tries to find the writer narrating his life. Emma Thompson is later revealed as Karen Eiffel, the author supposedly mapping out his life. Although it sounds confusing, it plays fairly straight and I think that is the weakness. There are few moments of magic, rather just spots of sweetness and the comedy doesn't always sparkle. In the end the film reveals itself as a slightly above average tale of 'what if?'. What if you thought you had a limited amount of time on Earth, what would you do? As said I thought Ferrell was adequate but not great and Emma Thompson I just find to be an annoying presence on screen. However Gyllenhaal and Hoffman shine as they normally do and bring their great acting qualities to the film. So I think this is a worth film seeing and probably better then most of the dross produced in Hollywood, just not a film that hits great heights.

Also, as you might be aware the music for the film was written by Spoon's Britt Daniel and he has done a fine job. I counted 5 previously released Spoon songs during the film including "The Way We Get By" and "Small Stakes", although it was only the music on display, with the vocals removed. A classic song featured that I love is "That's Entertainment" by The Jam. Also stay for the credits because you will hear "The Book I Write", a new Spoon tune.
Listen to the soundtrack here.

Feb 3, 2007

Pan's Labyrinth

If you want to see a film that will knock you sideways on so many levels then I can highly recommend Pan's Labyrinth. This film (El Laberinto del Fauno in Spanish) is full of such vivid imagery, heart and beauty that it will stay in your mind for days. Directed by Guillermo del Toro (what is it with Mexican directors, Cuaron, Inarritu, now this man) the film is set in 1944 Spain. The fascist Franco government has just won the Civil War and a captain has brought troops and his family to northern Spain to fight the last remaining insurgents. The centrepiece of the film is Ofelia (pictured) played by Ivana Baquero. Her passive mother is about to give birth and the father is now her despised step-father, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez) who is easily a contender for one of the most vile cinema creations in recent memory. Arriving at their outpost in the country she stumbles across a Labyrinth inhabited by a Faun (Pan) and various dark creatures and angels. Now I normally would stay away from any kind of 'fantasy' film but the combination in this film of the real life battle between troops and insurgents and the child's dark fantasy world just makes a perfect blend. I won't go into anymore depth about the plot or Ofelia's encounters with the Underground, suffice to say that this film engages you throughout. Rarely do I see a movie of such rich characters, stunning cinematography and jaw dropping intensity. The film seems to me to be a story not only of human resistance but the struggle to find beauty in a sometimes dark world. It has been nominated for 6 Academy Awards, although NOT Best film. Also this is definitely not for children, Harry Potter it ain't.
Voxtrot update and other stuff

An update to my recent post about Voxtrot. It has now been revealed on Pitchfork that the pop geniuses from Austin HAVE finished recording their debut album. It hasn't been given a title yet but it will be given a release on Playlouder on May 22. The record will have 12 or 13 brand new Voxtrot tunes (no rerecordings) and was produced by Victor Van Vugt in Austin in December and January. To quote Ramesh Srivastava about the delay "I think, basically, we were waiting for enough support to do it right. To be able to really just [work on the album] all day every day, and to be able to afford to have string players come in and play on ten songs, and stuff like that...I'm really proud of those EPs, but I really wanted the album to be a step up sonically, and I knew if we had done that by ourselves, we couldn't have made it sound the way that we wanted it to." So for all Voxtrot fans this is great news indeed.

Go to Twelve Major Chords for a story about the new Kings of Leon album "Because of the Times" due for release in early April. I love my southern rock and KOL do it as well as anyone. The new single "On Call" sounds excellent and it is playing on Myspace now.

For those lucky enough to see the great Bill Callahan recently on tour, well he has a new record due in March. "Woke On a Whaleheart" is the name and You Ain't No Picasso has a new track from the record to listen to. Hurry up now and head over to hear it before it goes.

"Vagabonds and Hooligans" is the new release from Chicago outfit Backyard Tire Fire (love the name). I have heard a couple of tracks and like what I hear so far. The entire album is streaming at their site now. If you like a mix of country, folk and rock that sounds a little like Neil Young or Wilco this might be for you.
MP3: Vagabonds and Hooligans
Wake Up - The Arcade Fire


The incredible Arcade Fire performing an acoustic Wake Up at Porchester Hall, London yesterday. I never listen to leaked albums, but a friend in Chicago gave me a copy and Neon Bible is, I believe as great as we all hoped.

Feb 1, 2007

Voxtrot

This post has nothing really new to report on Voxtrot other then to say how wonderful they are. Like a lot of things that come out of Texas these days they are just good at making great music. I recently received their third EP released in the US in November. "Your Biggest Fan", only contains 3 songs but again Voxtrot have come up with the goods. You know how every once in a while you find an artist that just seems to never disappoint you in everything they do, well these young lads do it for me. It starts with Ramesh Srivastava's warm and lovely voice as he out does any Brit pop equivalent. The five piece band back him up with sweet melodies, providing irrepressible rhythms and hook after countless hook. I think if you listen to any Voxtrot tune you will be definitely filled with a warm inner glow, whilst the band never veers into sentimentality. Also band member Jared Van Fleet has is own project going in Sparrow House which is impressive in its own right. Voxtrot are currently in the studio, preparing their debut full length. For their growing legion of fans lets hope it sees the light of day in 2007.

You can buy any Voxtrot EP here.
Voxtrot Myspace and Sparrow House Myspace.
Here are some songs from each EP plus a bonus demo. All highly recommended.
MP3: The Start of Something
MP3: Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives
MP3: Trouble
MP3: Sway (demo)
MP3: Rise Up in the Dirt