Kestrels – There All the Time Without You
November 4, 2011 § Leave a comment
Single out now.
Free download via bandcamp.
Kestrels Facebook here.
Stan says: #Friday. Initial inspection suggests the new single by Nova Scotian trio Kestrels contains at least 15% MBV, 25% Dinosaur Jnr and 20% Ash. It’s also been argued that there may be a sprinkling of ‘Dakota’ era Stereophonics hiding in the compositional gene pool. That said there’s a constituent part far more major than any of these elements that’s hanging out on the tip of our collective brain, but unfortunately our recall facilities seem to be denying us full access this morning. We will update this post with any eureka moment should it occur but in the meantime email suggestions for unaccounted fuzzrock DNA here.
Dad Rocks! – Take Care
November 2, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Mount Modern’
Released on 8/11/11 by Paper Garden Records (US)
& 7/11/11 Scary Monsters Records (UK)
Buy from Paper Garden/ Buy from BSM.
Dad Rocks! Bandcamp here.
Stan says: #Wednesday. There’s been much love in these parts for Snævar Albertsson’s Dad Rocks! side project since his ‘Digital Age EP’ reared it’s head in 2010 (and from which ‘Kids’ is available as a free download here). We heard new tracks ‘Take Care’ and ‘Weapons’ via Paper Garden a few months ago and have found ourselves living in quiet but growing anticipation of the full length ever since. As it transpires ‘Mount Modern’ is almost everything we hoped it might be – a warm blanket of a record that betrays it’s Danish/Icelandic roots in all the right ways. Listening to it may prove to be one of this winters best weapons against those “why is it dark already, it’s only 4pm?” demons that can increasingly be found lurking in the mid week shadows at this time of year. So if you’re feeling seasonally susceptible then check out the full album stream that’s just gone live courtesy of The 405 here and see what happens. It might just beat the caffeine and lemon based alternatives.
Jookabox – You Cried Me
October 31, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Dead Zone Boys’
Released on Asthmatic Kitty Records. (Buy here).
Stan says: #Halloween. One of our all time top ten videograms, (whether viewed on All Hallows’ Eve or not). Still never managed to watch/listen to this and not break into a smile in the aftermath – in a vampiric and extremely evil way of course. But enough of this misplaced joviality, time for us to get back down to the dungeon and check on the piccalilli and newt soup.
Afghan Whigs – Crazy
October 28, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘1965’
Buy on iTunes here
Stan says: #Friday. #Songsthatcouldhavebeenhits. There’s been a long held view around these parts that if music consumption were half way to logical then this Afghan Whigs tune could have been half way to a classic by now and not just another for Greg Dulli enthusiasts to enjoy in their private time.
Unruly Dogs – Freaky Weather
October 26, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Unruly Dogs’
Released 11/11/11 on Grandpa Stan Records
Tumblr here / Bandcamp here
Stan says: #Wednesday. There will be more on the soon to be released Unruly Dogs record in a week or so, but after we got soaked to the bone and then baked on the bus within the space of 5 minutes earlier today it seemed like the perfect moment if ever there was one for us to post album excerpt ‘Freaky Weather’. Who knew Unruly Dogs could be so thoughtful?
Peter Broderick + Nils Frahm – Harmonics (Efterklang Cover)
October 24, 2011 § Leave a comment
Available on ‘Raincoats’ (single) by Efterklang / Out now on Rumraket + 4AD / iTunes \\ Available on ‘Wonders’ by Oliveray / Released 9/12/2011 on Cote Labo here.
Free download of ‘Harmonics’ & ‘Growing Waterwings’ from ‘Wonders’ via Peter Broderick’s website here.
Stan says: #Monday. While listening to the new Nils Frahm album ‘Felt’ this morning, talk turned to Frahm’s sometime Producer and Efterklang live member Peter Broderick and the cover version the two recorded together last year for an Efterklang b-side (and what has now become side project Oliveray). We were lucky enough to catch one of the Bella Union Birthday gigs at Bush Hall a couple of years ago with a line up that featured all three of the above mentioned artists. Initially going along to see Broderick, in the end it was special guests Efterklang who blew our minds that night. Despite some impressive turns however, to our ears Efterklang have not yet managed to capture the full scale or majesty on record that they are capable of delivering on stage. We’ll keep on waiting hopefully for that particular recorded moment to occur, but in the meantime this stripped down ‘Harmonics’ cover still does a near perfect job of letting Efterklang’s musical charms cut through in an altogether more understated (but no less affecting) manner than the sometime colossi we fell in love with on stage.
The Auteurs + Luke Haines
October 19, 2011 § Leave a comment
Stan says: #Wednesday. Distraction struck when listening to the new album by Luke Haines this morning (available now on iTunes, ltd edition digipak out 7/11 on Fantastic Plastic here), and we found ourselves absentmindedly sticking on ‘New Wave’ by The Auteurs instead. Perfectly autumnal, ‘Junk Shop Clothes’ was always our favourite tune on an often bizarre record that was littered with standouts and quite unlike any of its Britpop bedfellows at the time. It’s just such a shame Haines has decided to become so conventional in his writing these days. Now, where exactly did we get up to with ‘Nine And A Half Psychedelic Meditations On British Wrestling Of The 1970s And Early ’80s’ …
M83 – Midnight City
October 18, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Hurry Up We’re Dreaming’
Out now on Mute/Naive
Buy here
Stan says: When played at volume the synth riff in ‘Midnight City’ seems to have the ability to scramble our brainwaves, shutting down all higher level ponderings roughly five seconds after it starts coming out of the speakers. Not so great for getting work done perhaps but often enjoyable if the time window is available and you feel the need to disengage for 4 minutes or so. That the new video for ‘Midnight City’ takes place in a school for kids with extra-curricular weight lifting skills leaves us even more inclined towards its discombobulating charms.
Sidi Touré – Ir Kagay Alada (Live)
October 17, 2011 § Leave a comment
‘Ir Kagay Alada’ (Live at Old Town School of Folk Music)
‘Sahel Folk'(album) by Sidi Touré
Out now on Thrilljockey (buy link)
Stan says: #Monday. At least twice a year we find ourselves getting a little bit distressed about all of the music that we haven’t listened to in the preceding months. It’s hard to predict when the distress will come but it always does. Our decidedly un-encyclopedic knowledge of the genre known as ‘World Music’ (though we’ve never been too sure about the aptness of the title) is a particular area that we have underlying concerns about. We used to have a plan to go on a solitary highland retreat and go on an intensive listening course but alas that particular dream has not yet come to pass.
In the meantime here’s a live recording from last month of a track by Malian guitarist Sidi Touré whose 2011 album ‘Sahel Folk’ we did manage to hear … and whose warm relaxed acoustics we love.
GRANDPA STAN 