Keep an eye on: Will White - Cold Heart New
Will White is the singer of Talk Taxis whom I have featured here before (their debut single Liverless is now scheduled for July 2nd release).
Will has a couple of songs up on myspace. Now I have no idea if he has any intention of releasing some of his own recordings outside of Talk Taxis or if he is just using myspace as an outlet for some more experimental stuff.
Top tune with a nice slow ska-beat!
Keep an eye on: The Low Miffs - Earl Grey
Thanks to Tiger I got to listen to this lot from Glasgow. Now it would be too easy to compare them to famous Scottish countrymen like Josef K, Orange Juice or Franz Ferdinand so I am not going to do that.
The Low Miffs are unsigned but have had two singles released so far by different small labels. This is their second single and is out on the art/goes/pop label.
I really like this track and its tempo variations. However I'm not too keen on the saxophone that they have on some of their tracks. But luckily this track is saxophone-free!
A band to watch...
Update: Oh, and it actually turns out that Malcolm Ross from the original line-up of Orange Juice has been playing with the band on their tour supporting the Horrors.
/dry II/
/dry I/
...simple videos. Here are a couple:
#1: Ian Brown - F.E.A.R
Hats to whoever got the idea of letting ex-Stone Roses singer Ian Brown drive around Soho in central London on an exotic bike and then play the whole thing backwards. This is from his 3rd solo album Music Of The Spheres from 2001.
I just love this one...
A brave choice of video for their debut single (actually it was their second single after the self-released Fake Tales Of San Francisco 7"). Shot in the style of the Old Grey Whistle Test music show which had its prime time in the UK in the seventies.
Now, you don't get away with this kind of video unless you have a very strong song. And this is by the way live and not miming...
Sadly, Liverpool band The Stands decided to call it a day after releasing two albums. This is from their debut album All Years Leaving released in 2004.
And I enjoy videos of band performances in ridiculously small rooms! The singer Howie Payne is now performing as a solo artist. His sister is by the way Candie Payne who is releasing her debut album now in May.
The Maccabees are based in Brighton and have just released their debut album Colour Me In as a digital download. The CD release is to follow in May.
I have been hearing good things about the band but it has taken me quite some time to really get into them. Mainly because of the rather peculiar vibrato voice of the singer.
But the album is actually very good - like most great records it grows after repeated listenings.
The First Love single released last year is also found on the album.
Also check out the rather introverted acoustic version lifted from UK TV.
Now, that Arctic Monkeys has made it big, the media (read: the NME music tabloid) is trying to convince everyone that there is a Sheffield scene.
Little Man Tate is one of those Sheffield bands belonging to the supposedly scene. Other bands among others being Milburn, Reverend And The Makers, Harrisons and of course Arctic Monkeys.
I'm still undecided about this lot. But at least the lyrics of the single Man I Hate Your Band is very tongue in cheek and is a fitting commentary on the 'thriving' Sheffield scene.
This song can also be found on their debut album About What You Know released earlier this year.
Nico's debut album Chelsea Girl from 1967 is one of those little gems that everyone should have the opportunity of hearing at least once in their lifetime.
Not that it is a groundbreaking record but it has this unrivaled intimate atmosphere that makes it nice to listen to when you're sad. Not because it cheers you up, but because it is relieving to every now and then embrace and indulge in sadness.
I've been out walking
I don't do too much talking
These days, these days.
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had the chance to.
I've stopped my rambling,
I don't do too much gambling
These days, these days.
These days I seem to think about
How all the changes came about my ways
And I wonder if I'll see another highway.
I had a lover,
I don't think I'll risk another
These days, these days.
And if I seem to be afraid
To live the life that I have made in song
It's just that I've been losing so long.
La la la la la, la la.
I've stopped my dreaming,
I won't do too much scheming
These days, these days.
These days I sit on corner stones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten.
Please don't confront me with my failures,
I had not forgotten them.
Keep an eye on: The Dirge - Cold Pie
I accidentally heard these on a podcast while looking for music by Talk Taxis.
They are an unsigned London band who released their self-titled debut album DIY-style in December 2006. So the only way to get your hands on the album is to email the band in order to sort out the payment/shipping details - a reasonable £5 + p&p is all they ask.
I'm hoping that they will release the album as a digital download also as this is how I buy music these days - hence the 'keep an eye on' tag.
I particularly like the rawness of their songs and how the production captures/maintains that rawness very well. The (funny) video here is for their debut single Cold Pie which I believe is also included on the album. Check out the cool badges somewhere in the middle of the video!
Now, here's a funny lot.
They are The Victorian English Gentlemens Club and hail from Wales. This is the opening track, The Tales Of Hermit Mark, from their self-titled debut album released last year.
They are two girls and one guy. That is all I know...
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