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.
Crystal Fighters + College
October 14, 2011 § Leave a comment
‘Champion Sound’ (Clubfeet Resleeve) by Crystal Fighters
‘A Real Hero’ by College (feat. Electric Youth)
Stan says: #Friday. Join the ’80s dots between the Clubfeet remix of ‘Crystal Fighters’ single ‘Champion Sound’ (out 24th October & definitely one of our favourites by CF so far), and that track by French DJ type College that has gained so much traction (yes we know) on the back of the OST for some flick about automobiles. We suspect that both shall continue to make not infrequent guest appearances in our Friday night playlists for some time to come …
Megafaun + Bon Iver
October 12, 2011 § Leave a comment
‘These Words’ by Megafaun
Taken from the album ‘Megafaun’
Out now on Hometapes/Crammed Discs
Purchase from Hometapes here
Stan says: #Wednesday. We’ve been as excited as ever to revisit some of Peter Gabriel’s back catalogue and that incredible voice (still one of our favourites) via his ‘New Blood’ project this week. It’s also been a great relief to see that Mandy Moore persuaded her husband to sit down and write some decent songs before releasing another record (if only she could work the same trick on Prince). Plenty more music buzzing away in our brains of late but the new Megafaun album is proving one of the most repeatable listens. And this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact they they used to be in a band with Justin Vernon in his pre Bon Iver days. Despite being the first single lifted from the album, the Beta Band meets TV On The Radio-isms of ‘These Words’ are probably not the best introduction to the sound of the record as a whole, but if you like a bit of Alt Country + Folk Gospel + Prog with your breakfast cereal then it’s well worth investigating the new Megafaun release further if you haven’t already done so. Visit the Megafaun blog here
+ …
A new Karma Kid Remix of Bon Iver for handy comparison:
‘Towers’ (Karma Kid Redub) by Bon Iver
Dan Lyth – Pascal
October 10, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the ‘Some Of My Friends Songs’ EP
Out now as a free download via bandcamp here
Stan says: #Monday. A reworking of an original by The Scottish Enlightenment. We only stumbled across this last week (despite being released just over a year ago), but have been bewitched by its subtle charms ever since.
Portugal. The Man – Head Is A Flame (Cool With It)
October 7, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘In The Mountain In The Cloud’
Out now on Atlantic. Buy on itunes
Stan says: #Friday. The MGMT meets Scissor Sisters meets Mott The Hoople thoughts that bounced around our brain when first listening to Portugal.The Man a few years ago started bouncing around once again when we sat down to listen to their new full length recently. But whatever and whoever they sound like, there’s no questioning the bands ambition, work ethic or willingness to go for the big hook/chorus, (no matter how ‘uncool’ that proposition might be to some), and even for those reasons alone we salute them with both hands. So if you have not yet familiarized yourself with this record and feel in need of a roadtrip, then here is your excuse … insert ‘In The Mountain In The Cloud’ into your 8 track, set the satnav destination for Palo Alto (by way of Vegas) … and engage. And no we are not sure why we said Palo Alto exactly, but stop asking questions and go there already.
Forest Fire – The News
October 5, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Staring At The X’
Released 17/10/11 on Fatcat Records
Stan says: #Wednesday. Though we weren’t quite as enamored with Forest Fire’s 2008 debut ‘Survival’ as some, it still appealed to our ears more than many other records we heard that year. Following a pattern set by recent free download track ‘Future Shadows’, ‘The News’ (the first single to be lifted from their sophomore release), only emphasizes the major steps the band have chosen to take away from the style of their debut, … but does so in such a slacker/’Let It Be’ era Replacements/we don’t give a f*!? kind of way that we can’t help but enjoy the changes. Love the ‘off the edge of the cliff’ ending too. Buy/Pre-order the album from Fatcat here
Good Sport – Pushover
October 3, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from ‘And Now We Are Talking’ EP
Free download via Bandcamp here
Stan says: #Monday. This track from the new EP by Pittsburgh electronic outfit Good Sport aka Ryan Hizer (ex Librarian) is working well in Stan Central this morning and has the right combination of Jim Reid-y vocals and electro poppings to keep the creative part of our brain engaged before the next cup of caffeine is consumed. This is our favourite track of the bunch, but it’s worth checking out the full (free to download) EP via the link above.
The Cure – Six Different Ways
September 30, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘The Head On The Door’ (Fiction).
Stan says: #Friday. As much as we like the odd track on albums like ’17 Seconds’ and ‘Faith’, it was always The Cure’s ability to throw some light into the darkness that first drew us to band. Even at our most depressed the ’17 Seconds’/’Faith’/’Pornography’ records just never seemed like truly enjoyable listening experiences, no matter how many times we tried to let them win us over. As a result (but to the surprise of many of our musical friends this morning), news that The Cure were bringing their Reflections show to the Royal Albert Hall in November ( in which they play their first three albums back to back), has not had us hunting for tickets on gumtree. We enjoy indulging in a spot of teenage misery and listening to tracks like ‘One More Time’ or ‘Homesick’ just as much as the next Stan, but we remain as likely as ever to follow them up with a dose of the unbridled pop at which The Cure have often excelled. ‘Six Different Ways’ is, in our opinion, one of The Cure’s very best pop moments.
St Vincent – Cheerleader (Live In Session)
September 28, 2011 § Leave a comment
Original version taken from the album ‘Strange Mercy’
Out now on 4AD
Stan says: #Wednesday. PC seems to be in love with Annie Clark – and with good reason. This version was recorded live in session on WNYC’s Soundcheck earlier this month and is one of the standout tracks from her new album. Buy it direct from 4AD here.
GRANDPA STAN 