Summer 2017

Catherine: You said, "I love you," I said, "Wait." I was going to say, "Take me," you said, "Go away." 
Incipit of François Truffaut's "Jules and Jim" (1962)
In loving memory of the iconic and charming French actress Jeanne Moreau  [January 23rd 1928 - July 31st 2017]

Le Tourbillon de la Vie - JULY 2017 \\ Dreampop / Shoegaze / Psychedelic / Indie Pop

Juillet 2017

Photo by Bodhi Bailey // Instagram @bodhz

RipeMusic.com.au

Ripe Guide: Australia's Best New Music (13/7/17)

TOPHITS!

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

Released: Sep 27, 2011 ℗ 2011 Ark Recordings under exclusive license to ATO Records, LLC

Songs of Patience

Ramblin' Home

Seize The Carpet

HORRORSCOPE

FAKE PRETEND (feat. Marissa Nadler)

Party Talk

2017 single / lim ed. 7" vinyl (BBI 0297)http://bbislandmusic.com/shop/she-keeps-bees-our-bodies-7inch-vinyl-limited
performed, recorded by She Keeps Bees, 
written by Jessica Larrabee

::: Our Bodies :::
Basic Right
we must defend
choose whether and when
without being demonized
cause what control
can we have with 
no control
her body knows
need no chaperone
mother crow
help us mother crone
crow out it’s not your choice
we dare to practice  
medicine 4000 years old
but what’s important now
is that I mind my body and you mind your own
underside
for those who can afford the right 
risk sickness, death or cast aside
to the hell with a woman's life
mother crow
help us mother crone
crow out it’s not your choice
lie to control me? 
we demand autonomy
your fear is sickness not hereditary 
let me liberate me
our bodies  our own
our bodies are our own
our own body  our own choice
don’t control me
we demand autonomy
your fear is sickness not hereditary
let me liberate me

Jessica Larrabee about the song:

"I wrote this song last year, during the election, as I watched my mother's fight become my own. It’s a response to the calls from various politicians to strip women’s healthcare rights away in many states.

While writing, I tried to evoke the voices of my ancestors to help me say: we will not be punished or denied healthcare, and we will not be silenced.

In the lyrics, “Mother Crow” represents watchfulness. They have been known to alert prey to hunters, warning dear and other birds of coming danger. In fairytales and myths, crows are the keepers of the narrative and speak to us directly. 

The song summons energy to break the cycle of control, calls on our ancestors and wise animal guides, to crow-out for all spirited, liberated women: “Our own body, our own choice.”

(c)&(p) 2017, BB*Island, under exclusive license from She Keeps Bees

https://twitter.com/shekeepsbees
https://www.instagram.com/shekeepsbees/
https://www.facebook.com/shekeepsbees/

Our Bodies / Head Of Steak

Our Bodies

She Keeps Bees - Our Bodies

Song from Debbie Downer's debut EP 'You Know You're Wrong'

Why Are You So Mad At Me

Electronic duo Warm Digits have announced details of their third album. Wireless World will be released 4th August on Memphis Industries, and features guest appearances from Peter Brewis of Field Music, Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne and Mia La Metta of Beards.
To celebrate, the Newcastle duo (AKA Andrew Hodson and Steve Jefferis) have today shared standout track "The Rumble and The Tremor." Guest vocalist Devon Sproule articulates the ambivalence of a power station which provides employment for a deprived area but at what cost? “The future is paid for by the rumble and the tremor."
Wireless World is loosely themed around a present-day that teeters between progress and collapse. The band explain: “Our experience of the world and our states of mind are shaped and thrilled by unimaginably exciting leaps in technology, and yet that world will only last for a few moments as we fail to find a way to act collectively on rising temperatures, the failures of democracy and the unstoppable hunger for exploitation of the ground under our feet. This record is our attempt to make music from our experience of this present that teeters between celebration and devastation.”
The band will be performing at Green Man Festival 17th-20th August.

Preorder Wireless World: http://smarturl.it/wirelessworld

Wireless World

Warm Digits - The Rumble and the Tremor (feat. Devon Sproule)

iTunes pre-order: http://smarturl.it/cagetropical
Bandcamp pre-order: https://frankierose.bandcamp.com/album/cage-tropical

After spending years as a major presence in Brooklyn’s thriving music scene, Frankie Rose relocated to her familial home of Los Angeles for 18 months with the intention of establishing yet another moment in her storied indie rock métier. Gradually, she found herself short on sleep, funds and optimism. "I moved to LA, drama ensued and I ended up on a catering truck. I was like, how can this be my life after being a touring musician and living off of music. I had really lost my way and I thought I was totally done."

Through sleepless nights of listening to broadcaster Art Bell’s paranormal-themed archives, Frankie’s thoughts had turned to "who am I, I’m not cut out for this business, it’s not for me." She continues, "I was literally in my room in L.A., not knowing how I was going to get out. But out of it all, I just decided to keep making music, because it is what I love and what I do – regardless of the outcome."

Towards the end of her time spent in Los Angeles, Frankie reached out to Jorge Elbrecht (Tamaryn, Gang Gang Dance, Violens) and began sketching what became the basic outline of what felt like a new album. Then, rather fortuitously, Frankie ended up back in Brooklyn with the realization that "in the end, I’m on my own. I have to do these things on my own."

The months that ensued meant basically working with no budget and finding ways to record in-between days. This time enabled Frankie to experiment musically with a variety of people that ultimately changed the way she worked. "I got a lot of input from people like Dave Harrington (Darkside), who was helpful reconstructing the songs, adding dynamics and changing up the rhythms."

The result of this existential odyssey is Cage Tropical, Frankie’s 4th album. It is awash with vintage synths, painterly effects pedals, upside down atmosphere and reverberating vocals. It evokes a new wave paranormality of sorts that drifts beyond the songs themselves. "My references aren’t just music," says Frankie, "I love old sci-fi. They Live is one of my favorite movies ever, same with Suspiria. 80’s sci-fi movies with a John Carpenter soundtrack, with silly synths – that makes it into my file, to the point that I’ll write lyrics incorporating that kind of stuff. It’s in there."

Beginning with the shimmery, cinematic and percussive sparkling of the album’s opening track "Love in Rockets," the song’s refrain of "a wheel, a wheel of wasting my life: a wheel, a wheel of wasting my time" immediately alludes to those darker circumstances that led to the creative origins of Cage Tropical."It’s all essentially based on what happened to me in Los Angeles and then a return to Brooklyn," says Frankie. "Misery turned into something good. The whole record to me is a redemption record and it is the most positive one I’ve made"

 "I feel like I am finally free from worrying about an outcome. I don’t care. I already lost everything. I already had the worst-case scenario. When that happens, you do become free. In the end, it’s about me rescuing myself via having this record."

Cage Tropical

Buy LP/CD

Frankie Rose - Trouble

„ NEW from Kristy And The Kraks „Snakes On The Phone“ 4 Tracks EP on Fettkakao. Kristy And The Kraks, affectionately known as the two-headed love child of Kate Kristal and Ana Threat, are wreaking havoc on the sensibilities of unsuspecting analog lovers, club kids, and vinyl freaks from Vienna to Chicago. Bristling with handfuls of vipers, ripped-out telephone cords, haywire guitar strings, strangulated utterances, and femme fatale crash & flash, KATK have elevated CAVE-GIRL garage anthems to a new level of sleek ULTRA TRASH AuGoGo. If you are not listening to „SNAKES On The Phone“, you’re wasting your time.“
- Tav Falco, 2017

Snakes On The Phone

Kristy And The Kraks - Ready

'Light Information' (Release date: September 8, 2017) 

Order Now - Sub Pop Mega Mart*  http://www.megamart.subpop.com/releases/chad_vangaalen/light_information

*

All customers who pre-order the LP version of 'Light Information' from the Sub Pop Mega Mart will receive the album on Loser Edition colored vinyl, while supplies last.

Chad VanGaalen: http://www.subpop.com/artists/chad_vangaalen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChadVangaalen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chadvangaalen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadvangaalen/?hl=en
On Tour: https://www.subpop.com/artists/chad_vangaalen/tours


Sub Pop Records: http://www.subpop.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/subpop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/subpoprecords
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/subpop
MegaMart: https://megamart.subpop.com/
Podcast: http://subpop.fm/

Chad VanGaalen - Old Heads

The new single from Honey Joy's debut album, out June 30 on Infinity Cat (US)/Everything Sucks(UK)!

Honey Joy

Floreana - Honey Joy

Cats Of Transnistria: Love

Soliti is delighted to share with you the brand new single from Cats of Transnistria 'Love', the first fruits from their forthcoming sophomore album release.

Cats of Transnistria tell us: "It's the first single from our forthcoming second album which will be released Winter 2017. 
Violist Sanna Komi has joined us for the album, adding extra beauty to the sound. The single 'Love' is exceptionally delicate, aerial and light for us. But the love talked about is, obviously, not real or healthy."

Guitars, Composition, Arrangement: Tuomas Alatalo
Vocals, Keys, Lyrics, Arrangement: Henna Hietamäki
Violins, Arrangement: Sanna Komi
Recording, Mixing: Tuomas Alatalo
Mastering: Paltsa-Kai Salama
Cover Art: Sofia Okkonen

Upcoming shows:
7.7. O'Connell's, Tampere
8.7. Grillin' Fest, Tampere
18.8. Soliti Slaughterhouse, Teurastamo, Helsinki

https://www.facebook.com/catsoftransnistria/

Love

Cats Of Transnistria : Love

‘Someone' is the second single taken from debut album Lovers, released 8th Sept. Pre-order the album here: http://found.ee/lovers

Someone

'Cry Cry Cry' (Release date: October 6th, 2017) 

Order now 
https://megamart.subpop.com/releases/wolf_parade/cry_cry_cry

Wolf Parade  http://www.wolfparade.com/
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/WolfParadeMusic
Twitter  https://twitter.com/WolfParade
Instagram   https://www.instagram.com/wolfparade/

Sub Pop Records  http://www.subpop.com
Twitter  https://twitter.com/subpop
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/subpoprecords
SoundCloud  http://soundcloud.com/subpop
MegaMart https://megamart.subpop.com/
Podcast http://subpop.fm/

Wolf Parade - Valley Boy

Cin Cin is pleased to present its 8th instalment and it’s a down under double header ! First up is Melbourne's Statue who give us a pair of percussive workouts engineered for maximum hip wiggling.  Statue is a mysterious percussion-based structure erected by Tom Gould. Whilst laying down the foundations in cult Melbourne bands NO ZU and World’s End Press, the release of two EPs under the moniker Statue has solidified it’s presence within Melbourne’s dance music culture. Base and Face are site-specific structures created for the club. The Base and Face are fundamental elements of a Statue whilst also referring to the facial contortions that occur in the club during the early hours of the morning. Commissioned by Cin Cin, Statue casts a peculiar shadow on the dance floor. Come visit.
On the flip fellow Melburnians Ara Koufax take us for a swim with two prime time cuts of pseudo-psychedelic acid nouveau. Another dope one on Cin Cin ! Preorder here : http://www.phonicarecords.com/product/statue-ara-koufax-base-test-dream-pre-ord-cin-cin/145676

LISTEN ON YOUTUBE

PREMIERE : Statue - Face

Daybreak tends to creep up on you. Emerging from starry darkness, the sun wobbles at first but proceeds on its scheduled arc. You can’t help but wonder if it ever looks back in disbelief, or regret.  This feeling of self-reflection—of looking back to see how far you’ve come—is precisely the sentiment of Thawing Dawn, the first solo record from A. Savage, released on Dull Tools.

The songs on Thawing Dawn form a guided tour through the romantic environs of A. Savage’s mirrored mind. While some were written recently, other tunes were penned over the past decade. For one reason or another, these compositions didn’t land with any of Savage’s other groups, and instead are presented now as a distinct collection. Reflecting back, Savage says, “Once I realized I had a small body of work that didn’t fit anywhere else, I started to examine the commonalities: What’s the common denominator of all this and how I can expand on it?”

Savage is best known as the frontman for Parquet Court, a duty split with fellow Texan Austin Brown. Their last record, Human Performance, delved into the emotional wreckage of a broken heart, to critical acclaim.  But with Thawing Dawn, it’s clear that Savage has matured. While assembling the record, he fell in love. Now, for the first time, we hear songs about being on the inside of love. Rather than lamenting the end of a relationship, we hear a voice trying, in the moment, to make sense of love’s mysteries. “Part of this maturity,” he says, “is reflecting on something when it’s happening, not just when it’s gone.” 

Thawing Dawn gives us honesty: We see the artist at home in bed, more singer-songwriter portrait than esoteric statement. Throughout his discography Savage has long abbreviated his first name as a kind of writerly gesture. He says, of the move, “I am an uncivilized member of modern civilization--I’m just a savage.” Like Duchamp’s R. Mutt signature on a urinal, the shortening embodies a mischievous directness, enabling this savage to introduce his slanted honesty into the universe.

“I always like it when records are good representations of communities,” Savage says, and this one succeeds in this regard. These ten songs were recorded between December 2016 and June 2017 by a cast of friends in Jarvis Taveniere’s Thump Studios in Brooklyn. Members of Woods, Ultimate Painting, PC Worship, EZTV, and Psychic TV all lend their talents.  Savage’s voice, once shouted into mosh pits, now glides confidently above its backing band. Thawing Dawn marks the arrival point for Savage as a sensitive and skilled vocalist.  A strain of rural inquiry tinges the soundscape, an ongoing trope in Savage’s writing most powerfully felt on Parkay Quart’s ballad “Uncast Shadow of a Southern Myth.” On this record it is stronger, with a healthy helping of pedal steel guitar, a chorus of female back-up vocals, four familiar chords, and maybe the truth, all layered throughout these songs. Their titles also steer us this way, but don’t fully convey the hidden intricacies. “Buffalo Calf Road Woman” opens the record in a burst of C&W energy.  The staccato pop piano of “Eyeballs” lays crisply beneath a refrain of heartbreak. “Wild Wild Horses” finds him confessing inside a Talk Talk bubble of guitar static and organ. The build-up of “What Do I Do” yields a guitar freak out that Parquet Courts fans will recognize. You could two-step to the swing of “Phantom Limbo.” “Ladies from Houston” is a Leonard Cohen-like ramble through a party scene. Finally, the title track is a suite of three interwoven songs that closes the record in a beautifully cinematic style. 

Throughout, A. Savage delivers one-off lines of razor-sharp observation that will stick in your brain, only to surface when you’re least prepared to handle their insights. When you put your copy of Thawing Dawn on your turntable and drop the needle, you’ll learn what A. Savage has to say about romance in our modern world. Keep your ears open--it’s worth hearing.

- Jack Murphy

A. Savage - Winter In The South

"More to Run" is taken from the Ocean Party's 7th album "Beauty Point" out August 18th via Spunk Records (AUS/NZ) & Emotional Response (US)

The Ocean Party - More To Run

The Ocean Party