Gardens & Villa // Black Hills

Secretly Canadian just don't sign up bad bands. They don't even consider bands without artistic verve and un-checked ideals. And so it is with Gardens & Villa, the label's newest roster addition and a band preparing for its debut album release in July.

The video for freely downloadable single Black Hills recalls ET or The Goonies as much as 50s noir, while the song itself brings to mind an amped up Cat Power over pulsing Germanic synths.

Gardens & Villa Black Hills by INDIGENOUSPromotions

Black Hills by Gardens & Villa from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti // Koko

A varied selection of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti snaps from their show at Koko, taken for The Fugitive Motel.

Friendly Fires // Pala

We posted about the brilliant and bold Live Those Days Tonight back in March, and here now is the full record for you to stream (and then go out and buy) in full.

The band have also discussed their 80s rave, Aldous Huxley and ham sandwich related inspirations with Dummy which you can check out here.

Twin Shadow // Scala

Twin Shadow were pop perfection at Scala last week. Here's what I thought in so many words for The Fugitive Motel, followed by more Jamie Harley magic.

Twin Shadow w/ Chad Valley
Scala, London
May 11 2011

The 80s synth-pop revival path is in serious need of a break. The saturation of copyists and bandwagon limpets, filling our ears with ‘new’ music run through an Instagrammatic filter, is beginning to grow mind-numbingly tiresome. Twin Shadow, however, the project of the New York via Dominican Republic raised George Lewis Jr, is defying this trend. Their 2010 debut Forget, a work George describes as “a future lived in past tense”, managed to be both referential and ambitious and led to the band deservedly selling out the Lexington back in January and Scala tonight.

From the punk funk get-go of opener Shooting Holes, it’s clear why the band have quickly built a fervent following, as their live show is immeasurably more raucous than the record. Through the slow burning Tyrant Destroyer into the love-blushed, Orange Juice-d riffs of When We’re Dancing, George lets his inner rock icon loose with stadium sized shreds reminiscent of Prince in their intricate grandeur. Such comparisons are not loosely made: while there’s value in the boisterously macho front man of your Gallagher, the introverted mystery of your Smith, or the sinewy arrogance of Morrison or Gillespie, there’s something even more absorbing in the elegantly composed and sartorially refined presence of a front man at home on stage, and there’s no doubting George is that man tonight.

What’s perhaps most impressive is, far from hiding his vocal under swathes of feedback and reverb, it’s way up in the mix throughout tonight, with new song Circus Is Gone and the R&B touched album highlight Castles in the Snow showcasing George’s David Byrne-like range. After drawing a choral backing out of the crowd on Slow and describing Scala as sounding like it’s full of Americans (“that’s a compliment”, he says), the band sign off with mini-epic album closer Forget, before being hounded back on (George having swapped his blazer for rock mode denim jacket) for a blistering version of At My Heels, the single even Phoenix couldn’t match for pop infectiousness. All in all it’s a pristine return to London, sending me off to book festival tickets based solely on whether Twin Shadow will be there. I suggest you do the same.

Twin Shadow - Castles In The Snow Directed by Jamie Harley from Twin Shadow on Vimeo.

Two Bicycles // Moon Colors

Two Bicycles : 'Moon Colors' from Jamie Harley on Vimeo.

When Teen Daze isn't being Teen Daze he's being Two Bicycles and making angelic, evocative concept albums about a night spent at sea, the approach of darkness and the loneliness and fear it brings.

Recorded in his bedroom in Chilliwack, British Columbia, you can listen to and download the full record here. In the meantime, above is Moon Colors, beautifully accented by Jamie Harley's vivid collage video.

When Teen Daze is being Teen Daze, he's producing dreamy yet propulsive chillwave gems like this new track, The Bluest Water I'd Ever Seen, below.


MP3 (Bandcamp): Teen Daze - The Bluest Water I’d Ever Seen

Teen Daze - The Bluest Water I'd Ever Seen from teen daze on Vimeo.

Wild Beasts // Smother

Having caught Wild Beasts at Rough Trade East for Record Store Day a few weeks back, anticipation of Smother has been feverish round these parts.

On first listen, there's an experimental, electronic edge which sees the boys branching beyond their art-folk staples, while the lush production only enhances the ever pitch-perfect vocals, particularly on pulsing, Kate Bush-like Bed of Nails; a definite next single contender. Let us know what you think.

Warm Brains // Old Volcanoes

Warm Brains, Rory Brattwell's latest project and the focus of his energies whilst not producing the cream of London's lo-fi, is ready to release its debut single alongside a suitably psychedelic video. There are definite hints of the urgent punk of Test-Icicles in here, while the lopping guitar riff would play happily amid early Weezer and MBV tracks. There's even a special treat in the shape and sound of Veronica Falls' Roxanne Clifford on the B-side.


'Old Volcanoes' by Warm Brains from warm brains on Vimeo.

The Wave Pictures // Little Surprise

On the eve eve of its release, here's the first single off the latest Wave Pictures record Beer In The Breakers, released May 2nd.

What it certainly isn't is a surprise, featuring Dave's rolling East Midlands drawl, Alan Bennett observations and kitchen sink witticisms, Jonny's sparse snares and Franic's rumblings all coming together for another classic Wave Pictures offering. Terminally underrated, here's hoping their forthcoming tour and record result in some much deserved adulation in the coming months.

The Wave Pictures - Little Surprise by moshi moshi music

Here this live at these fine establishments in May:

Sun 1st - Manchester (UK) @ Peel Hall
Mon 2nd - Preston (UK) @ tbc
Tue 3rd - Nottingham (UK) @ The Chameleon
Wed 4th - Liverpool (UK) @ Mojo
Thu 5th - Newcastle (UK) @ The Ccluny
Fri 6th - Glasgow (UK) @ Nice & Sleazy's
Sat 7th - Edinburgh (UK) @ Cabaret Voltaire
Sun 8th - Aberdeen (UK) @ The Lemon Tree
Tue 10th - York (UK) @ The Duchess
Thu 12th - Cardiff (UK) @ Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri 13th - Brighton (UK) @ Moshi Moshi night at Life, The Great Escape Festival
Sat 14th - Bristol (UK) @ Start The Bus
Sun 22nd - Southampton (UK) @ The Joiners
Mon 23rd - Cambridge (UK) @ The Haymakers
Tue 24th - Oxford (UK) @ Jericho Tavern
Thu 26th - London (UK) @ The Scala

Arctic Monkeys // Don't Sit Down ('Cause I've Moved Your Chair)

The tepid at best response to Brick by Brick, the first hint at what's coming next from cheeky quippers turned brooding rockers Arctic Monkeys, must have left the band questionning the new direction.

But on they crack and, overwhelmingly, Don't Sit Down ('Cause I've Moved Your Chair) is an ear-crushing return to form, leaning closer to heavy metal than the proggy riffs of Humbug but maintaining the cryptic lyrical witticisms that have been their bag from the outset. Oh, and Jamie Cook's Jim Morrison beard in the photo is something to behold.

Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair by arcticmonkeys

LCD Soundsystem // Madison Square Garden

Arguably the band with the consistently strongest and most inventive output of the last decade, including perhaps the best song in All My Friends, LCD Soundsystem bid a tearful farewell at Madison Square Garden. Joined by Arcade Fire, Reggie Watts and Shit Robot at various points, this 3 hour plus film is just incredible.

Setlist

2:10 Dance Yrself Clean (with “I’m Not In Love” by 10cc intro)
12:40 Drunk Girls
17:09 I Can Change
23:45 Time To Get Away
28:16 Get Innocuous!
35:18 Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
41:45 Too Much Love
46:53 All My Friends
55:30 Tired (with “Heart of the Sunrise” by Yes snippet)
—
Set 2:
45:33 Part One
45:33 Part Two (w/ Reggie Watts)
Sound of Silver
45:33 Part Four
45:33 Part Five (w/ Shit Robot)
45:33 Part Six
Freak Out/Starry Eyes
—
Set 3:
1:54:39 Us v Them
2:04:00 North American Scum (with Arcade Fire)
2:11:45 Bye Bye Bayou (Alan Vega cover)
2:16:30 You Wanted A Hit
2:24:07 Tribulations
2:29:15 Movement
2:33:48 Yeah (Crass Version)
—
Set 4:
2:45:30 Someone Great
2:53:06 Losing My Edge (With “Da Funk” by Daft Punk snippet)
3:03:36 Home
—
Set 5:
3:15:53 All I Want
3:22:18 Jump Into the Fire (Harry Nilsson Cover)
3:30:30 New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down (with “Twin Peaks Theme” by Angelo Badalamenti intro)

via Abeano

Oupa + Porcelain Raft + A Grace With No Name // Red Light Sessions

A quite beautiful, haunting selection of recordings here, the product of three inventive minds, bottles of wine and a video camera. There'll be a full edited session to come, and these teasers are evidence that greatness may have been achieved one night at Daniel's London flat.


Forget - Oupa (live in Daniel's home) from Oupa on Vimeo.




Balloons - A Grave With No Name (live in Daniel's home) from Oupa on Vimeo.

Local favourites // Fanzine

Fanzine have not been gigging long, but what they have done has been of the highest calibre of bill. London shows with Spectrals, Cymbals Eat Guitars and French Kissing have helped draw a deserved amount of attention to a band with a discerning collective ear for a melody.

While heavily influenced by late 80s / early 90s American indie, there's a gleaming poppiness to the vocals on early track Susan, which draws on Pacific coast surf and, somehow, Pink Floyd, while Run is akin to a sprawling, Smashing Pumpkins re-edit of Graham Coxon. With the band currently recording new material, there should be much, much more to enjoy from Fanzine this year.

Run by Fanzine