» On Repeat

Dominant Legs – Clawing Out The Walls

nick — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:08:01 +0000

Dominant Legs is the new band of ex-Girls guitarist Ryan Lynch and fellow San-Franciscan Hannah Hunt. Lynch steps up to the mic with a voice that’s been kept to himself for too long and the music combines the sun kissed guitar tones that serve Girls so well with some nice keys presumably courtesy of Hunt and a generally light vibe. Summer in a song.

For Fans Of: Girls, Kisses, Belle & Sebastian.

‘Clawing Out The Walls’ is taken from the band’s debut EP ‘Young At Love And Life’ out through Lefse Records, Aug 17th.

Tracklisting as follows:

1. Young at Love and Life
2. Clawing Out at the Walls
3. About My Girls
4. Run Like Hell for Leather

Mind Cinema – Sun Beat EP

nick — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:08:02 +0000

Mind Cinema are a three piece originating from Monterrey, Mexico. Formed when founding members Gerardo Gamez and Javier Elizondo were studying and working in San Diego California. Elizondo then uprooted once more to Vancouver, Canada while Gamez returned home to Mexico. The band continued digitally and in Dec 2009 Priscila Orfanos (vocals) joined and Mind Cinema self-recorded their debut EP ‘Sun Beat’ which you can get for FREE.

For Fans Of: Spiritualized, Cocteau Twins, Still Corners.

The gorgeous woozy jam that is ‘Icy Roads’ (above) and the original version of ‘Lovesick High’ (acoustic below) can both be found on the EP.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WCSJKgj2Uw

Villagers – Becoming A Jackal

nick — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:37:14 +0000

So the Mercury Music Prize 2010 was announced last week I’m sure you’ve heard. Well scrapping it out against favourites Dizzee Rascal and The XX (winners?!) are two superb Domino Records released albums. Namely Wild Beasts’ superb ‘Two Dancers’ (worth an outside bet on) and the less familiar, less likely to win but no less moving ‘Becoming A Jackal’ by new Dublin youngster Villagers aka Conor J. O’Brien.

For Fans Of: Bright Eyes, Neil Young, Rufus Wainright.

buy: Villagers -- Becoming A Jackal cd/lpx2 / mp3 / iTunes

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg0UsO5SFb8

Band Of Horses – Evening Kitchen

nick — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:00:03 +0000

Prior to its release in May Band Of Horses‘ third album Infinite Arms, their first for major record label Columbia, was being hailed as their crack at the big time that would see the band make a Kings Of Leon-esque step into the arena world. Due largely to its country tinged style the album doesn’t seem to bear the same commercial clout as the Followill brothers’ last two efforts but there are some beautiful moments like ‘Evening Kitchen’ where those ever impressive harmonies verge on Fleet Foxes greatness.

For Fans Of: Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Neil Young.

buy: Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms cd / lp / mp3 / iTunes

Chad Valley – Portugese Solid Summer

nick — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:26:43 +0000

Chad Valley is the solo project of one Hugo Garnet David Manuel. He’s impressed us before as the big voiced front-man of one of Foals’ favourite fellow Oxford bands Jonquil. The love extends with Chad Valley recently serving up yet another beautiful remix (below) of Foals’ awesome ‘Spanish Sahara’ song. But first we concentrate on the man’s own work with one of his demo tracks ‘Portugese Solid Summer’ that he was kind enough to send over.

For Fans Of: Tanlines, Get People, MillionYoung.

Chad Valley has two upcoming London support slots penned in, the first with El Guincho at the Lexington, Aug 5th and the second with The Mountain Goats at Koko, Sep 9th.

MillionYoung – Desperate Maeasures

nick — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:13:53 +0000

Back in March Florida’s Mike Diaz aka MillionYoung kindly gave us an exclusive track to offer up to you when we saw him dazzle at SXSW 2010. Since then he’s announced that his debut full length will come out in January 2011 via US label Arcade Sound. ‘Desperate Measures’ is a glimpse of things to come with the vocals turned down to haze and the production levels bumped up to HOUSE. Plenty more to come from this talent.

For Fans Of: Memory Tapes, Washed Out, Neon Indian.

You can also grab some more free material including MillionYoung’s ‘The Sunndreamm EP’ over from the man’s website.

Harlem – Hippies

nick — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:02:06 +0000

Harlem are an unashamedly ramshackle, heart on sleeve garage rock’n'roll band from Texas. We’ve been enamoured with them since seeing them tear it up in their hometown Austin at SXSW 2009 and leaving the show with their self-released debut Free Drugs. The band have now signed to Matador who released their second album Hippies a few months back. With even more hooks than it’s predecessor, welcome to the funnest record of the year.

For Fans Of: Pixies, Smith Westerns, Nuggets.

The forty minutes of the playfully titled ‘Hippies’ fly by amidst a sea of gorgeously catchy guitar jams courtesy of co-founding members Michael Coomers and Curtis O’Mara who switch between guitar/drums/lead vocals and song-writing duties on the album. ‘Someday Soon’ is a Coomers number and showcases his dark but pretty hysterical humour at refusing to help put out a friend on fire. ‘Torture Me’ meanwhile is Harlem at their self deprecating best with the line ‘My friends think I’m a fool and that my head’s full of shit’.

O’Mara steps up on lead single ‘Friendly Ghost’, the gloriously bouncy ‘Faces’ to add some more playfulness to proceedings. It’s back to Coomers though for ‘Gay Human Bones’ which pips ‘Psychedelic Tits’ on their last album as Harlem’s most bizarre song title.

The music is largely upbeat Pixies influenced surf guitar with a little nod of the head to the likes of The Kinks and the poppy parts of Nirvana even. New(ish) bassist Jose Boyer fleshes out the tracks nicely, adding all important groove to Harlem’s songs. What shines through most though, alongside the band’s sense of humour of course, is their prolific ear for a melody. Even the slower numbers, slightly new territory for Harlem, ‘Three Legged Dog’ and ‘Cloud Pleaser’ hit home and do so hard.

If you’re that side of the Atlantic then go see Harlem supporting The Dead Weather on their North American tour. A must see live for a good drunken night out we might add!

Toro Y Moi – Leave Everywhere / London Debut

nick — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:14:45 +0000

Before you all call it a night for the weekend, here’s a timely reminder that Chaz Bundick aka Toro Y Moi is playing his debut UK Headline show at London’s Camp Basement this Monday July 19th. We really can’t speak highly enough of the 23 year old Colombian whizz kid. Along with washed out he spearheaded the whole chillwave movement and his new single ‘Leave Everywhere’ proves he can turn his hand to pretty much any sound.

For Fans Of: Washed Out, Neon Indian, Girls.

There are still a few tickets left but HURRY!!!

Toro Y Moi – Leave Everywhere is out Monday July 19th – grab the 7″ from Rough Trade Records.

Local Natives – Wide Eyes (Teen Daze Remix)

nick — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:56:30 +0000

Vancouver’s Teen Daze is the latest addition to the glo-fi/chillwave world and what we’ve heard of his own material sounds good but a little indistinguishable from the mighty Washed Out. Here though Mr Daze remixes one of the best tracks from Local Natives excellent Gorilla Manor album and against the odds turns it into the perfect Friday summer eve dance track. Amazing!

For Fans Of: Memory Tapes, Local Natives, Washed Out.

Crocodiles – Sleep Forever

nick — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:40:06 +0000

We were pretty impressed by Crocodiles‘ 2009 debut ‘Summer Of Hate’ which we posted on in our Lo-Fi on My Hi-Fi feature last year. The LA two piece of Brandon Welchez (Dee Dee Dum Dum’s other half) and Charles Rowell have recorded a new album entitled ‘Sleep Forever’ with James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco on the knobs and he seems to have brought them out of their lo-fi shells a little. The result is intoxicating.

For Fans Of: BRMC, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Jesus and Mary Chain.

‘Sleep Forever’ is out through Fat Possum on Sept 15th and Crocodiles tour the UK around then, hitting London’s Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, Oct 5th.