The Embassy - Stage Persona Smid

Back in 2008, a lot of heads turned to clock Crystal Stilts' Alight Of Night, their first album after a string of here-today-gone-tomorrow singles and EPs. It wasn't exactly a surprise - Crystal Stilts felt like part of a new age dawning, of underground collectives and random, crazy groups who'd rediscovered the joys of noise-pop and set about creating their own Creations - but there was something unique about Crystal Stilts, something hermetic yet gorgeous about the world they created. With their new album, "In Love With Oblivion," they stretch things further still, honing their songcraft, indulging their more strung-out sides, full of elliptical verses and perfectly chiming guitars, cranky pop organs and the punkest of rhythms. It's a perfect blend of pop smarts and beguiling experiment.

"In Love With Oblivion" is out April 12 on Slumberland Records in the US and April 11 on Fortuna Pop! in the UK.

Crystal Stilts - Through The Floor

Xaphoon Jones - The Jackson Pit

Asobi Seksu - Thursday (Friendly Fire Recordings)

Inspired by post-punk fervor and the spiky pop of C86 and early Flying Nun / Creation label output, San Francisco’s Brilliant Colors stake out a unique spot in the indie music landscape. Their 2009 album, Introducing, is one of the finest debuts in recent memory, and they followed it with 7-inches on Slumberland and Make a Mess and a European tour with La La Vasquez that led to the release of another great single on Germs of Youth. Most recently, they teamed up with Belfast’s brilliant Girls Names to release a split 7-inch in Fall 2010. All of these singles were recorded with Oakland garage phenom Ty Segall, who spiked the ladies’ punk-pop swirl with his own special grit.

Now Brilliant Colors have teamed up again with The Pool's Alex Yusimov (who recorded their first album as well as Grass Widow and many of Portland's finest indie bands) to create "Again And Again," an album that represents a great next step for the band. The song-writing is still as infectious as ever, but the tunes are now more carefully arranged pushing the band far beyond their punk roots to something as elemental as pop gets. Songs like opener "Hey Dan," the sprightly "Value Lines" and "Hitting Traffic" combine guitarist/singer Jess' catchy-as-hell riffs with Diane's steady, rolling beats and Michelle's dense baselines to fashion songs that are deceptively simple -- straightforwardly rocking but also richly layered, revealing new twists on each listen.

The mood is confessional and late-night dreamy; Jess' unadorned vocals and eloquent lyrics are personal, direct and atmospherically deployed, mixed in with the songs like another instrument. They can be heard to great effect on tougher songs like "Back To The Tricks" and "Painting Truths," tempering those tunes' punchy punk dynamics with their melodic sensibility. Add in classic-sounding stormers like "Cult Face" and "How Much Younger" and you have all the makings of another great Brilliant Colors album, one that shows how finely they've honed their own unique brand punk-informed crash-pop.


Brilliant Colors - How Much Younger

This was the song that started playing today after I squeaked through a crazy 3-car accident moving 35 mph - unhurt and the car unscratched. Just had to upload. "Hey, Snow White" appears on the must-own Dark Was The Night various artist compilation. It goes on my desert island list... and accordingly, RSL named it 2009 Album of the Year. (And it was.) http://www.rslblog.com/2010/01/best-albums-of-2009.html

Ryan


* accident unfolded at around :12/:14 during the long intro. All done by :21 when the piano enters. the reality that I had passed through it was about :30 and what you have is a profound moment in music... surreal

The New Pornagraphers - Hey, Snow White

Big Troubles were formed by a group of kids who had been friends since high school, playing in bands, listening to records and coming of musical age together. As children of the 00's they're lucky enough to have a vast history of pop and indie rock to draw upon. Like the best of their peers they're omnivorous musical consumers, as enamored of classic Brit Pop gems as they are of 90s slacker indie rock. Led by two very gifted singer/song-writers in Alex Craig and Ian Drennan, Big Troubles are that rare beast: a band with two distinctive musical voices that smoothly mesh to create one integrated personality.

Early recordings by the pair were of the lo-fi home recorded variety, but over time they've grown (with the addition of drummer Sam Franklin and bassist Luka Usmiani) into a full four piece band to more fully realize their tunes. Their first album Worry (2010) and its attendant singles were excellent fuzz pop records in their own right, but to make their new record the band has taken the step of bringing in help in the form of the legendary Mitch Easter, whose resume includes stone cold classics from the likes of REM, Pavement and his own Let's Active. With Mr. Easter's expert engineering help, Big Troubles' excellent new album "Romantic Comedy" is a masterpiece of modern pop; a perfect balance of grit and polish, gorgeous guitar sounds and angelic vocals, underpinned by a set of superb songs.

"Romantic Comedy" kicks off with "She Smiles For Pictures," a brilliant slice of jangle-pop marked by an ear-tugging guitar lead and gorgeous choirboy vocals. "Misery" is a perfect 2:23 of teen angst, fired by a huge bassline and echoed, chorused riffs that are as much 90s Brit Pop as they are 00s indie rock. First single "Sad Girls" is a lovely slice of updated power-pop based on a catchy stop-start verse that gives way to an indelible, spiraling chorus; this tune is as big and bright as they come. "You'll Be Laughing" gears down for a nuanced meditation on suburban ennui, showing that this band had more up its collective sleeve than just kicking out pop anthems.

And so the record continues, through sure-fire entries into the noise-pop canon like the Boo Radleys-esque "Minor Keys," the lovely rush of "Softer Than Science" and the glam-tinged feedback-fest that is "Time Bomb." "Romantic Comedy" wraps up with the dreamy "Engine" and the driving "Never Mine," adding two more gems to this excellent album. Big Troubles have that very rare combination of taste, skill and talent, and aided by Mr. Easter's recording acumen they've created a virtually perfect modern pop album -- one that tips its hat to choice bits of pop past and present, but at the same time creates something totally fresh.


Big Troubles - Misery

After spending the bulk of the past year on the road in support of last November's excellent "Sports" LP on Slumberland Records, Weekend have also been hard at work on their followup record. Prior to their European tour in July, the band spent three weeks in the studio with producer Monte Vallier crafting their new EP, simply titled "Red." Prepare yourself for yet another gorgeous, violent sonic assault, because this EP packs a serious punch.

Opener "Sweet Sixteen" is mesmerizing grind, stately bass and drums underpinned by soaring vocals and echoed shards of guitar feedback and plucked notes. This leads directly into the noise-pop gem that is "Hazel" -- 3:50 of cascading bass chords, guitar clangor and a melody and chorus most pop bands would kill for. Amazing. "Your Own Nothing" is clattering piece of post-punk, spiked with layers of guitar noise and a dubbed-out atmosphere. 

"The One You Want" is a rather more straight-forward tune in the manner of "Hazel" and further proof that Weekend can craft melodies just as well as they can innovate with guitar textures and dazzle with sonic overload. The EP concludes with "Golfers," a song that downshifts into an extended minimal intro before building to a gorgeous crescendo of rumbling drums, chiming/fizzing guitars and as always that unerring sense of melody that Weekend always have in even the most noise-laden tunes.

"Red" is an excellent EP that packs more ideas into 5 songs than a lot of bands do into a whole record, and points the way forward towards Weekend's next long-player, due in 2012. Be sure to catch them on tour throughout September with Talk Normal.


Weekend - Hazel

Bruno FM - Sexy Barbie girl (Radio Edit) 
www.brunofm.es 
Todos los derechos reservados. 
Safe creative (Código: 1109100036205)

Bruno FM - Sexy Barbie girl (Radio edit)

Hi all, 

I'm not good with words. But somehow since Tuesday I couldn't think right and something needed to get out. Music being the only medium I know how to use, here it is. 

It's called " Big Boys Don't Cry " 


Once again, my thoughts go out to all my friends who are going through hard times right now. 






Aeroplane - Big Boys Don't Cry

Lush - Light from a Dead Star (Cookbook Edit)

Light From A Dead Star (Cookbook Edit)

Your Eyes (& Your Heavenly Smile)

From the album 'The Colors in the Wheel'.

Pink Champagne

"Revelations" is the latest single from Devon Williams' excellent "Euphoria" album. A gorgeous piece of summertime soft pop, "Revelations" brings to mind a studio meeting of Brian Wilson and Curt Boettcher, with it's soaring harmonies, strings and woodwinds. Pure audio perfection, and all in the service of a brilliant, timeless tune.

Photo by Hayden Shiebler.

Devon Williams - Revelations

www.facebook.com/baauer
www.twitter.com/baauer

First Aid Kit - Winter Is All Over You (Baauer Remix)

Black Tambourine are thrilled to be playing their first live shows in 21 years, as part of Chickfactor magazine's 20th birthday celebrations. In addition, they've recorded a new EP of covers of one of their favorite bands, Ramones. Some very cool friends have offered to do some remixes and this is the first -- Violens' excellent junglist take on "I Remember You."

About the shows:
They'll be joined on stage by old friends like Lilys, Lorelei, Small Factory and Rose Melberg. Just announced today: due to the rapid sell-out of the April 10 show in Brooklyn and the high demand for tickets, Chickfactor and Black Tambourine have added another NY-area show, at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ on April 9th.


April 7
w/Lilys, Lorelei & Fan Modine
at Artisphere, Arlington VA (tickets: http://goo.gl/GbYxk)


April 9
w/ Fan Modine & Rose Melberg
at Maxwell's, Hoboken NJ (TICKETS ON SALE: http://goo.gl/NHaEx)


April 10
w/Small Factory, Versus, The Lois Plus
at Bell House, Brooklyn NY (SOLD OUT)


For more information about the Chickfactor shows:
http://chickfactor.com/2012/01/cf-2012-for-the-love-of-pop/




About the record:
It took a pretty special occasion to bring Black Tambourine out of retirement, even temporarily, and the 20th birthday of BT singer Pam Berry's Chickfactor magazine is definitely such an occasion. When the band were discussing the rather complicated logistics (members scattered across two continents) for the reunion shows, the thought of maybe doing some new recordings came to mind. The band quickly agreed that a tribute to one their favorite bands would be a fun project, and of course Ramones jumped to the top of the list.

After choosing which songs to work on, the band recorded using the same methodology as they did for the bonus tracks on their self-titled 2010 compilation LP. The gentlemen in the band convened in Maryland to lay down the music, the rough mixes were sent to Pam in London so she could add her inimitable vocals, and then the resulting recordings were sent back to Maryland for Archie to mix.

The final result is "OneTwoThreeFour," a double 7" and download EP featuring Black Tambourine's versions of four of their most-loved Ramones tunes. "I Want You Around" kicks off the EP in storming fashion, a whirlwind blur of rushing guitars and frantic drums with Pam's vocals just riding on top. On "What's Your Game" Pam is joined on background vocals by The 'Rinettes, a one-time only virtual meeting of some of the band's favorite singers: Linda Smith, Rose Melberg, Dee Dee from Dum Dum Girls and Jenny Robbins from Honeymoon Diary. The 'Rinettes provide heavenly backing to this soaring, feedback-laced treat of a tune.

The second disc of the EP starts with a crunching version of "I Remember You," powered by layers of rocking guitars and Archie's tumbling, mod-ish drumming. It's all over in a brief 2:15, a succinct blast of pop-art punk. The record wraps up with a lovely version of "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." Tremelo guitars and gentle feedback carry the tune along, while Pam and Jenny Robbins provide ethereal vocal harmonies. It's a perfect way to end the EP and a neat summation of what Black Tambourine are all about: melody and noise in equal measure, and above all the songs.


Credits:
Pam Berry: vocals
Archie Moore: guitars, bass, drums, clave, melodica
Brian Nelson: guitars, bass, drums, stylophone
Mike Schulman: guitars, drums

with Jenny Robbins: backing vocals on "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"
and special guests The 'Rinettes providing backing vocals on "What's Your Game": Linda Smith, Rose Melberg, Dee Dee, and Jenny Robbins



Black Tambourine - I Remember You (Violens Remix)

Aufgenommen von Daniel Scheer am 01.05.2010 im Babylon Theater in Berlin. 

Evelyn Evelyn - Have you seen my sister Evelyn (Live in Berlin)

Mother mother simply simple

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart had quite a run over the last eighteen months. They released their self-titled debut last February to universal acclaim, racking up features in magazines like Spin, Rolling Stone and NME, earning Best New Music status from Pitchfork, and touring the US and Europe non-stop. They began 2010 with a month-long tour of Japan, New Zealand and Australia, and are wrapping it up with a series of west coast dates with labelmates Weekend and a sure-to-be-triumphant return to England.

All the while they've been working on new songs, releasing the excellent single Say No To Love in June and beginning work on their eagerly-anticipated second album. To help bring this new batch of tunes to life they've enlisted the help of producer Flood (Smashing Pumpkins, U2, PJ Harvey) and ace mixer Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Arctic Monkeys). The result is a massive sounding album, sonically ambitious but still grounded in the peerless song-craft that The Pains are known for.

"Heart In Your Heartbreak" is the first preview from the new album, and it's a perfect snapshot of where the Pains are headed in 2011. An infectious slice of chunky power-pop with a great beat, sweeping synths and well-placed guitar jangle, it's immediately obvious that the new production team has brought out the best in the band. It's pure Pains all the way, but bolder, louder and more confident.


tt

pschnake