Song #99: Foals - "Spanish Sahara"

With two songs to go, I’ve decided to shut the fuck up for this one. Because, really…how the hell do you describe something that left you speechless on first listen?


Foals are back. And I’m so glad they are

FINAL RATING (/10): 9.5

PLEASE watch this video. It’s insane amounts of goodness.



x
David

Song #85: Sunny Day Real Estate - "Nine"

 

It's not everyday you get to be "Oh hey dude, what you get up to last night? Cool. Oh, me? I just saw SUNNY DAY FUCKING REAL ESTATE, that's all." I feel like so much more of a man having the ability to say that.

Anyway, this was a track that I didn't know out of their set. I later found out it was a track that was added to the re-issue of Diary. If I didn't already own the CD, I'd definitely get the re-issue for this number (woo pun!!). It has all the strained, scratchy emotional work you'd expect from SDRE, with some great moments on guitar and vintage Jeremy Enigk vocals. It was great during this part of the set watching at least two or three members from every other band on the bill (Jimmy Eat World, Motion City Soundtrack, RX Bandits and Glassjaw) watching from the upstairs balcony, all being schooled in how to put on a mesmerising, intense performance. Fuck yeah.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

x

David

Song #80: Kate Nash - "I Just Love You More"

 In this week's installment of "what the fuck just happened", former skirt-twirling indie pop darling Kate Nash has gone all artsy-punk on her new track, I Just Love You More, which is the first track to be lifted from her long-awaited second album called Crayon Full of Colour.

Gone is the summery, cutesy pop that's prevalent on her debut, Made of Bricks. Instead, we get a snarling, single-string riff, a tight drum beat and Nash's creepy speak-sing of the title of the song. She doesn't say a lot more apart from this, except when she starts primal screams and shrills in the vein of Karen O or Yoko Ono. It's completely left of centre, but it's a real treat to watch her trying out something so different. The song is a little hollow overall, though, with the same parts reoccurring continuously. Maybe this is just a taste of what's to come? Oh boy oh boy oh boy, this is going to be awesome. Hopefully.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Crayon is set for an April release.

x
David

Song #78: Art VS. Science - "Magic Fountain"

I got to see the Gossip last night. That was incredible, they put on a fantastic show and I got to meet them all as well. Such a thrill, I nearly started bawling. Before all that pussy crap happened, though, these boys came on.

No doubt you will have heard this lot via one of their hit singles like Flippers or Parles Vous Francais? It's big, dumb, fun music that's easy to get into and very well made. Magic Fountain was the first track of the set, and t appears to be a part of a batch of new material that will be on their debut album. The song is pretty crazy, with lead singer Dan going on a bit of a David Byrne/Robert Forster trip with eccentric spoken-word vocals and some crazy whispers. I can barely remember the story that was being told, but it was all very mystical - almost Bowie-esque. Another very silly song, but probably another hit for these kids.

FINAL RATING (/10): 7

Jolly good, AvS.

x
David

Song #59: OKGO - "Needing/Getting"

Got another interview coming up tomorrow - this time with Tim Norwind, bassist for American rock band OKGO (he's the first one on the left in the picture). I figured, thus, I should probably check out the band's new record. It's called Of the Blue Colour of the Sky - and if you think you have any idea what it's going to sound like, you're wrong.

From dirty funk to vocoder, this is easily the band's weirdest album. I think that's why I like it so much, though - in the five years since Oh No (which features the hit Here It Goes Again), they've really progressed as a band, and in a way they're more OKGO now than ever before.

This particular track, one of the longer ones on the record, is definitely of interest. From the wailing guitar that introduces it to the monstrous, thick bassline that follows it, the band really explore the minor aspects of their sound that were previously untouched or not properly expanded on. It's exciting, funky and really worth checking out - regardless of whether you liked the band previously or not.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The new album is out now and you can see the band when they visit next month.

x

David

Song #56: A Place to Bury Strangers - "It Is Nothing"

I write for a site called The AU Review, who have a pretty good relationship with a cool little venue called the Oxford Art Factory on Oxford St. in Sydney. Out of a list of upcoming shows they are promoting, this one in particular took my interest. I have continuously heard the name A Place To Bury Strangers thrown around, but I had no idea what to expect. Nevertheless, I put my name down and I downloaded their latest album, Exploding Head.

It is Nothing is the first track on the record, and it's a fairly good indication of what Strangers are all about. It's quick, trashy, messy and loud as fuck. You'll feel the need to wear earplugs just listening to this fucking record. If Dave Davies from The Kinks ripped a hole in his amp speaker and put a pin in, guitarist Oliver Ackermann may as well have sliced his entire amp in half. This take-no-prisoners affair is soaked in reverb, distortion and pure noise. It will throw you off guard on the first few listens, but it ultimately proves to be one of the best tracks on the entire album.

FINAL RATING (/10): 8

The band are in Australia next month. Get on it.

x

David

Song #55: Rogue Wave - "Good Morning"

Rogue Wave is one band that I've always been interested in, but never really considered myself a major fan of. With the release of this new single, however, I've definitely been converted - I now plan to get everything I possibly can of this very cool little band.

Good Morning is the first single from the band's forthcoming...umm...fourth...album. It's called Permalight and it's due out in March. The track bodes well for Permalight's future: it's a very danceable, incessantly catchy number. Interestingly for an indie rock band like RW, the main instrumental focus is the synthesizer - the guitar appears distantly, if at all. The low-end choppily blurts in time with the brisk beat, whilst the higher pitches shoot arpeggios throughout the song that give an upbeat, slightly-tiwsted sense of joy. It's a really well-written tune, and one (I'm almost certain) that is going to win them a lot of new fans. Bring on Permalight!

FINAL RATING (/10): 9

Have a listen to the track here!

Cheers :D

x
David