Spanish Indie 30: suggesting the best national acts

A veteran combo and two of the most promising bands coming from the south of Spain today in our latest trio of national bands. Pop gems!

Kiev Cuando Nieva. Behind the freezing cold name lies one of the most idiosyncratic, unique bands of the country. Hailing from Huesca, Aragón, the band origins can be traced around the end the 90s in a college radio program at Facultad de Bellas Artes de Cuenca. From there on, Antxon Corcuera and brothers Javier and Carlos Aquilué have built an almost flawless career. A lost debut EP, aptly titled 'First EP' in 2000, followed by three albums, 'S/T' (2006), 'Todos los Ademanes' (2009, year in which they also released the EP 'Edición Artesana'), 'De Tarima' (2013), plus the covers record 'Parece Doble' (2012), including versions of Daniel Johnston, Nick Drake, Beach Boys, Big Star, Ramones...). A refreshing music path that in March of 2016 saw their latest output with 'Los Bienes', out via Repetidor Discos. Risky, brave indiepop blended with folk and slices of psychedelia, strangely warm and familiar despite their experimental instrumentation and aloof first impressions. Persevere, and you'll quickly find yourself drowning into a peculiar universe of music and experience. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Apartamentos Acapulco. Hailing from Granada, Angelina Herrera and Ismael Cámara started making music together in Spring of 2015 without many expectations, the main being having fun with the process. But as tunes the duo decided to share them, debuting with a 'S/T' EP that September, first released with Discos Imaginarios. By December arrived the follow-up 'Siete', which fostered the buzz around them, making the homemade project to expand into a quintet live, playing an increasing number of shows and music contests (Planeta Demos, Contempopránea, SOS, PulPop). Now they are back with third EP 'Justo y Necesario' out since this September, anticipated by the shimmery single 'Scarlett'. Somewhere between shoegaze and dreampop, here's the Slowdive hazy, hypnotic spirit, or the quietest moments (some urgent tunes too), noisy yet deeply melodic and affecting, of The Jesus and Mary Chain. A band to fall for...

Terry vs. Tori. Close move to Seville to meet Manuel Jiménez and Erica Pender, who began this exciting project around March of 2016, quickly recruiting José Prieto on bass and, more recently, Rosa on drums, becoming a full band while rehearsals and demos began. And the first, most promising results, can be listened now, as since June we can enjoy their 'S/T' EP (name your price at their bandcamp). Mixed and mastered by our dear Cris Romero at Cherry Studios, this is infectious guitar-driven indiepop, making their own, summery run towards surf-pop, or adding the life-affirming, eternal Southern light to that trademark "English melancholy". Dreaming with eyes wide open, hoping for more very soon!

Discoverer 148: new indie findings

Last Sunday of July, we have time for another round of new proposals in our discoverer series before holiday's break! We go quite psychedelic & ethereal today, get ready for the trip!

Zen Mantra. We begin in Christchurch, NZ, to introduce you to the music of Sam Perry's solo project, that he began around 2012, when he was just 17 years old. Perry, who is also member of pop band Yumi Zouma debuted in January 2013 with album 'How Many Padmes Hum', and now has a self-titled follow-up, created and recorded mostly by himself around the world whilst on tour, out since this April via mighty Flying Nun Records. A record that sees Perry going deep into that psychedelic pop territory that no one does as New Zealanders groups but widening the sonic palette to add all forms of pop music: from shoegaze bursts to reverb attacks, from atmospheric landscapes and occasional darker tones to blissful, immediate tunes full of hooks. Oh! The "warped" pop from down under is here again to haunt you...

Eerie Wanda. And let's move to Amsterdam, The Netherlands (first time?) to meet this indie pop quartet led by Croatian/Dutch singer-songwriter Marina Tadic. While she was the guitarist of local band Earth Mk. II after graduating from art school she decided to embark herself in writing her own material, citing Beat Happening,You Marble Giants and Daniel Johnston as influences. Early circulating demos reached Jacco Gardner’s bassist Jasper Verhulst, who agreed to help her assemble a band and produce its music. Bram Vervaet on lead guitar and Nic Niggebrugge (also in Jacco Gardner) on drums joined the then duo and, in 2015, they began rehearsing and recording debut LP, 'Hum', out since this February via Beyond Beyond Is Beyond Records. And what a record this is! Summery, evocative, gentle, extremely melodic, subtle yet elaborate, with Tadic's vocals recalling you the quiet powers of Angel Olsen doing joyful indiepop with hints of psych-folk. Look for Wanda at the best records of the year list! 

Manon Meurt. Very happy to feature a band from the Czech Republic at the Blog (sure it's the first time!). Hailing from Rakovnik, just outside of Prague, this quartet formed in 2010 but until 2013 they were known as Katie & The Accessories. With the adoption of their current, literary name, also came a solid status of "band to follow", playing alongside consecrated bands like The Raveonettes or the legendary My Bloody Valentine. In the fall of 2014 they self-released debut 12" mini-album, self-titled, which sold out shortly, becoming almost a collectors item. Now upstart Canadian imprint Label Obscura has reissued the vinyl this April. An unmissable chance to discover the highly melodic yet moody, sparse and dreamy sounds of the combo, clearly recalling Lush and Slowdive, combining with their full throttle shoegaze moments. Best of both worlds.

These Go to 11: interviewing The Birkins

This week we are extremely happy at the Blog, because we recover the interview series after another hiatus and, to do the comeback in a proper way, we have one of our favourite national bands answering the questionnaire (can't deny we have a soft spot with them). We are referring to The Birkins! One of the funniest and sincerest interviews we have had, something logical considering how charming and good-natured are this folks, as nicer as their music. Thanks for your time and honesty, we laughed a lot! These Go to 11!

Canarias' finest: The Birkins, islanders of pop 

The Birkins

Daniel Machín, Sergio Miró, Alby Ramírez and Cristina Santana formed The Birkins in 2008 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. They quickly started to make some noise, as a year later they won the nationwide Heineken Greenspace contest, signing with our beloved label El Genio Equivocado in 2011. Then came their self titled debut album and instantly, we fell in love with their mix of British pop, French chanson, Americana and an intriguing experimental side. Two years later, in February 2013, they released 'Châteaux en Espagne' a new example of classy, diverse and colourful indie pop. Finally, this last September they have launched 'Souvenirs', another gem on a flawless career so far, one where each song shows their care, taste and scope of their idiosincratic way of understanding pop, something you can also see if you have the wisdom of watching them live. Here we go!

 Scarier than Nostradamus's profecies

1. First record that you bought (be honest)
Alby: The first one I got with my own money (I saved for weeks!) was a vinyl of 'The Final Countdown', by Europe, I was 7. You asked me to be honest! (laughs).

Daniel: I was more or less the same age as Alby when I bought my first tapes (yes, I am that old). I bought 6 tapes by The Beatles looking for ‘Yesterday’ because I didn’t know its name at the time.
Cris: I believe I was eleven years old and my mother gave me some money… and I bought a copy of 'Nevermind' by Nirvana. I was in love with Kurt Cobain.
Sergio: My first recollection of a proofed purchase with my own Money is for a VHS, 'The synchronicity concert' by The Police. My player had a poor quality copy of it at home that had already made me decide that I wanted to play drums.

We had to choose the pic, but we'll keep the secret...  

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)
Alby: The first concert I recall attending to was Miguel Rios (big Spanish act back in the 80s) during his Rock ‘n’ Rios Tour, although I may have attended way more before that time and I just don’t remember them. My parents used to take me to concerts from a very early age. The last ones were U2 in Barcelona and Dave Matthews Band in Madrid, both during the same weekend.
Daniel: The first concert I attended to was Suede. The concert started at midnight but we were there by seven p.m. And the last one was Patti Smith, it was a great concert.
Cris: Dani is lying because I know that his first concert was Emilio Aragón, near his house (laughs). I don’t remember my first concert… maybe a concert by Los Sabandeños at Teatro Pérez Galdos’, here in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The last was one was a week ago: Japoneses Dos here in Las Palmas too.
Sergio: The first one was Luz Casal, and the last one was Asian Dub Foundation at WOMAD Fuerteventura. 

Ejem, ejem better not to comment!

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)
Alby: I guess I have quite a few guilty pleasures, such as Abba, The Bee Gees or ELO. Or maybe I shouldn’t feel that guilty about it, should I? (laughs).
Daniel: I’ve always wanted to make a tribute in one of my songs to the opening credits of “Deep throat”
Cris: I really couldn’t tell.
Sergio: Like Alby, I have plenty of time for Abba and the ELO; I´m also willing to defend a couple of songs by Lady Gaga, but only if you force me to.

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
Alby: I’m really proud -being a record collector- to have our last album 'Souvenirs' on vinyl as a part of my collection. But collector mode on it could be a copy of Queen’s 'A Night at the Opera' dedicated by Brian May or the box set reissue of Peter Gabriel’s 'So' also by the man himself.
Daniel: A 1966 Lp by The Beatles.
Sergio: I grew up as a proud member of the CD generation, so I don´t think that any of the ítems from my Collection has an Amazing value other than the music that it contains. The whole mono recordings by the Beatles are something to hold on tight to, and also the beautiful editions of  'The complete Motown Singles', of which I own seven volumes (now, if I were to find the long out of print Volume six, that would certainly be a valuable item)

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)
Alby: 'Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see'. You just can’t fail with The Beatles, right?
Daniel: 'La cobardía es asunto de los hombres no de los amantes' by Silvio Rodriguez, which means 'Being coward is a matter of men, not lovers'. And another one is 'who wants to live forever, when love must die?', by Queen.

Yes indeed, everybody knows...

Cris: ‘True love will find you in the end, you'll find out just who was your friend, don’t be sad, I know you will, but don’t give up until, true love finds you in the end’ by Daniel Johnston. Easy and clear.
Sergio: 'Everybody knows that you've been faithful / give or take a night or two / Everybody knows you've been discreet / But there were so many people you just had to meet / Without your clothes / And everybody knows', by Leonard Cohen; in Spanish I could pick this one by Josele Santiago, from Los Enemigos: 'He debido llegar ya, he debido de llegar. Sí, porque al abrir la puerta allí estaba yo viendo la tele con mi mujer, conmigo y con mi mujer'.

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
Alby: I’d love to have the chance to speak to Nels Cline, guitarist of Wilco, because I’m a great fan of his playing and his approach to the instrument. But I’d love to have a nice conversation with Dave Grohl too. I think that guy has one of the most brilliant minds in music nowadays and he has such wide knowledge of music that it has to be awesome to share a coffee or something with him while chatting.
Daniel: I would like to have met Serge Gainsbourg and Lucio Battisti. I think they were very good song writers and I think we are like-minded.
Cris: I’d like to know Serge Gainsbourg, drink some whisky and smoke some Gitanes with him.
Sergio: I can´t think of anyone more huggable and interesting than Leonard Cohen.

Saints the great Aramburu painted 

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
Alby: Spinal Tap’s 'Smell The Glove' (laughs) Nah, just kidding. I really loved Blur’s artwork for their last record. So cool! I don’t have a favorite though.
Daniel: 'Between the Buttons' by The Rolling Stones.
Cris: I really like the artworks of Javier Aramburu, especially the ones for Los Planetas: ‘Unidad de desplazamiento’ and ‘Encuentro con entidades’.
Sergio: I wouldn´t be able to pick a single favourite one. The one I´ve appreciated the most this year is 'Why make sense', by Hot Chip, and for some reason, while I was writing this I thought of 'Abbatoir blues/The lyre of Orpheus', by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

May the 'original' force be with you

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
Alby: If books, the Game of Thrones saga (so much fun in those pages), if movies, Star Wars (the original one, aka Episode IV). I saw that movie on VHS when I was 5 and I’m still shocked!
Daniel: 'One hundred years of solitude', 'Cien años de soledad' by Gabriel García Márquez. It’s a book you should read at least eight times.
Cris: Books and movies!!! It’s very difficult to choose! A book: ‘Ensayo sobre la ceguera’ by José Saramago. A film: ‘Les 400 coups’ by François Truffaut.

9. Song (of yours) you are most proud of
Alby: Probably 'Toute cette lumière', from our second album. To me that’s the best example of co-writing we’ve had in the band so far.
Daniel: 'De profundis Clamavi'. I wrote it in 30 seconds.
Cris: 'Chloè'. A sound impact with three chords.
Sergio: In terms of how they ended up being arranged and recorded, all of the above, plus 'Chloè' and 'Arabian nights'.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
Alby: This is not mine, I am copying from Sergio here, but to me it means “asking for favours”.
Daniel: It means creative freedom whichever the style is.
Cris: We do what we want, when we want, where we want… without conditions.
Sergio: There you go, Alby said it for me. To quote the great Kermit the frog, it´s not easy being green, and being indie is not much easier. It´s also good fun, though.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
Alby: I’d love to be touring the world with The Birkins, still making records and hopefully reaching a wider audience with our music.

Daniel: if I knew it, I’d become a fortune teller and make millions. But I hope we will get better and better, time will tell.
Cris: Touring with The Birkins!!!!

                                                                                                                      Zillion thanks The Birkins!

Primavera Sound 2013: my draft schedule

3rd attempt. Not even two weeks before Primavera Sound 2013 begins, and now we have (virtually) all the information needed to try to design our schedule for the Festival. Here it is!

Wednesday, May 22nd, Parc del Fòrum/Apolo
18:00 Aliment (Ray-Ban stage)
19:00 The Bots (Ray-Ban)
20:00 Guards (Ray-Ban)
21.00 The Vaccines (Ray-Ban)
22.10 Evans the Death (Salón Smint Myspace)
00.00 Cheatahs (La [2] de Apolo)
01.00 Veronica Falls (La [2] de Apolo)

Thursday, May 23rd, Parc del Fòrum
18:25 Wild Nothing (Heineken stage)
19:30 Savages (Pitchfork)
20:30 Tame Impala (Heineken)
21:45 Dinosaur Jr. (Primavera)
22:55 The Postal Service (Heineken)
00:15 Grizzly Bear (Primavera)
01:40 Phoenix (Heineken)
Possible changes of Evans the Death at 20.45 at Adidas Originals stage instead of Tame Impala and Menomena at 00.30 at Vice stage instead Grizzly Bear.

Friday, May 24th, Parc del Fòrum
16:00 Ethan Johns (Auditori Rockdelux)
18:10 Kurt Vile & The Violators (Heineken)
19:30 Daniel Johnston (Auditori)
21:30 The Breeders performing Last Splash (Primavera)
22:45 Local Natives (Pitchfork)
23:50 Daughter (Vice)
01:30 Blur (Heineken)
03.15 Titus Andronicus (Primavera)
The organizations has made some changes on the schedule... that didn't help one bit. The Auditori will be so full with Daniel Johnston that maybe watching Peace at the same time at the Primavera stage might be a good option. Plus several empty hours with no clear option to attend...

Saturday, May 25th, Parc del Fòrum
18:35 Adam Green & Binki Shapiro (Heineken stage)
19:45 Rodríguez (Primavera stage)
20:55 Band of Horses (Heineken)
23.30 Camera Obscura (Ray-Ban)
01:05 Los Planetas (Primavera)
No changes on this day, very unfortunate with the schedule. Missing Bored Spies, The Babies, Sr. Chinarro, Grushenka... and to make it worse, there are several moments when nothing really interests me, in particular in between Band of Horses and Camera Obscura. We'll see...

Sunday, May 26th, Apolo/Sala BARTS
19:30 The Orchids (Sala BARTS)
20:30 Julie Doiron (BARTS)
21:30 Sr.Chinarro (BARTS)
22.30 Come (BARTS)
Easy and, on paper, comfortable last day. Still missing for the Primavera als Parcs schedule, where there are a couple of bands I would like to see. Even despite some disappointments and several decissions to be made, it's a busy & exciting schedule, don't you think?

Primavera Sound 2013: Timetables, 1st attempt

Here it is, the timetables for the Primavera Sound 2013 are arriving... slowly, one per day. Something a bit questionable, if you ask me, that way of showing them, but well, that's the organization choice after all. Still pending on several things, but for the first attempt, this is what my PS 2013 looks like:

Wednesday, May 22nd, Parc del Fòrum
18:00 Aliment (Ray-Ban stage)
19:00 The Bots (Ray-Ban)
20:00 Guards (Ray-Ban)
21.00 The Vaccines (Ray-Ban)
Pending on the Salón Myspace Mint timetables on Wednesday, because Evans the Death will be a must. And also wishing to know what time will the shows at Apolo begin, hoping to arrive to see Veronica Falls.

Thursday, May 23rd, Parc del Fòrum
18:30 Wild Nothing (Heineken stage)
19:30 Savages (Pitchfork)
20:40 Tame Impala (Heineken)
21:50 Dinosaur Jr. (Primavera)
23:00 The Postal Service (Heineken)
00:10 Grizzly Bear (Primavera)
01:40 Phoenix (Heineken)
On paper, a terrible terrible day, not because of the bands, of course, but for the bad luck regarding mobility between stages. Going back and forth to Heineken-Primavera stages is a nightmare, the worst option. So I'm more than convinced that some bands will be sacrificed just to reduce the numbers of "processions/pilgrimages"...

Friday, May 24th, Parc del Fòrum
16:00 Ethan Johns (Auditori)
17:40 Pony Bravo (Primavera)
19:10 Peace (Primavera)
21:00 Daniel Johnston (Auditori)
22:45 Local Natives (Pitchfork)
23:50 Daughter (Vice)
01:30 Blur (Heineken)
A thousand doubts. Unclear in the early afternoon, undecided by 20:00, things get better at night. Clash between Johnston and The Breeders. Local Natives or Jesus and Mary Chain? And Titus Andronicus after Blur?

What will be the schedule for Saturday and Sunday? More tomorrow or when the organization decides, who knows!

Primavera Sound 2013 is getting closer...

Just a little more than a month before the Primavera Sound 2013 arrives. Interesting names like Fiona Apple or Foxygen have cancelled their gigs, being replaced by some other (not so interesting to me) names. After many days of research, here's what our agenda looks like, right now. Looking forward for the timetables, the real reference to know what are we going to see this year at the Festival. Plus many names that I'm sure we will add (Primavera als Bars, previous showcases...) Counting down the days!

CONFIRMED ARTISTS FOR PRIMAVERA SOUND 2013

22nd-26th May

ADAM GREEN & BINKI SHAPIRO • ALIMENT • ANIMAL COLLECTIVE• ANTONIA FONT

APPARAT plays Krieg and Frieden • THE BABIES • BAND OF HORSES • BARRY HOGAN DJ

BETUNIZER • BLUE WILLA • BLUR • BOB MOULD • BORED SPIES • THE BOTS

THE BREEDERS performing Last Splash • CAMERA OBSCURA • CAYUCAS • CHRIS COHEN

CHRISTOPHER OWENS • DJ COCO • CRYSTAL CASTLES• DAN DEACON • DANIEL JOHNSTON • DAPHNI • DAUGHN GIBSON • DAUGHTER

DEAD CAN DANCE • DEAD SKELETONS • DEATH GRIPS • DEERHUNTER • DEGREASER

DELOREAN • DEXYS • DIIV • DINOSAUR JR. • DISCLOSURE • DJANGO DJANGO• DO MAKE SAY THINK• DOPE BODY • THE DRONES• EL INQUILINO COMUNISTA • ETHAN JOHNS • EXTRAPERLO • FOUR TET • FRED I SON • THE FREE FALL BAND

FUCK BUTTONS • FUCKED UP • GHOSTIGITAL • GLASS CANDY • GOAT • GRIZZLY BEAR

GUADALUPE PLATA • GUARDIAN ALIEN • GUARDS • HAL FLAVIN • HEADBIRDS• HIDROGENESSE• HONEYBIRD & THE BIRDIES • HOT CHIP • HOT SNAKES • HOW TO DRESS WELL• JACKMASTER presents Tweak-A-Holic • JAMES BLAKE• JESSIE WARE

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN • JOHN TALABOT • JOZEF VAN WISSEM & JIM JARMUSCH• KIEV CUANDO NIEVA• KILLER MIKE • KING TUFF • THE KNIFE • DJ KOZE• KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS • L'HEREU ESCAMPA• LA BIEN QUERIDA • LA BRIGADA • LIARS • LOCAL NATIVES• LOS PLANETAS tocan Una semana en el motor de un autobus 

MAC DEMARCO • THE MAGICIAN

MANEL • MATTHEW E. WHITE • MEAT PUPPETS • MELODY'S ECHO CHAMBER

MENOMENA • MERCHANDISE • METZ • MOUNT EERIE • MULATU ASTATKE

MY BLOODY VALENTINE • NEKO CASE • NEUROSIS • NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

NICK WATERHOUSE• NILS FRAHM• NURSE WITH WOUND• OM• OMAR SOULEYMAN

ORCHESTRE POLY RYTHMO DE COTONOU • PANTHA DU PRINCE & THE BELL• PAUS • PEACE • PHOENIX • PONY BRAVO• POOLSIDE • THE POSTAL SERVICE • RODRIGUEZ • ROLL THE DICE • SAVAGES• SCUBA

THE SEA AND CAKE • SEAN NICHOLAS SAVAGE • SHELLAC • SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO

SOLANGE • THE SUICIDE OF WESTERN CULTURE • SWANS • TAME IMPALA • TARANTULA•THEE OH SEES • TINARIWEN • TITUS ANDRONICUS • TOUNDRA • THE VACCINES• WHITE FENCE • WILD NOTHING • WOODS • WU-TANG CLAN 

Green- Definetely seeing them. Absolute must
Orange- If there are no overlaps (in particular with the green ones), I'll be there for sure
Yellow- Curious about it/"on research mode"

Primavera Sound 2013: first impressions

#BestFestivalEver? Not for me, sorry. It makes no sense to criticise such a fantastic line-up, full of some of the most prestigious (some would add cool) indie artists from the past, the present and (maybe?) the future. I understand how proud the organization has to be, and how happy many people must be right now. But it is simply not my dreamed line-up, and considering the amount of my "favourite/have to see" artists that could have potentially (touring in the forthcoming months, releasing new works) is somewhat of a deception, with few "indispensable" acts for me (Camera Obscura and Phoenix only).

This is, of course, just my first impression. Some promising bands have to be checked, and others will depend on the overlaps during the Festival. Here's how PS13 would look for us today! 

On a final comment, thanks to the Organization for such a nice event. Loved the detail of the poster.

 CONFIRMED ARTISTS FOR PRIMAVERA SOUND 2013

22nd-26th May

ADAM GREEN & BINKI SHAPIRO • ALIMENT • ANIMAL COLLECTIVE ANTONIA FONT

APPARAT plays Krieg and Frieden • THE BABIES • BAND OF HORSES • BARRY HOGAN DJ

BETUNIZER • BLUE WILLA • BLUR • BOB MOULD • BORED SPIES • THE BOTS

THE BREEDERS performing Last Splash • CAMERA OBSCURA • CAYUCAS • CHRIS COHEN

CHRISTOPHER OWENS • DJ COCO CRIME & THE CITY SOLUTION • CRYSTAL CASTLES

DAN DEACON • DANIEL JOHNSTON • DAPHNI • DAUGHN GIBSON • DAUGHTER

DEAD CAN DANCE • DEAD SKELETONS • DEATH GRIPS • DEERHUNTER • DEGREASER

DELOREAN • DEXYS • DIIV • DINOSAUR JR. • DISCLOSURE • DO MAKE SAY THINK

DOPE BODY • EL INQUILINO COMUNISTA • ETHAN JOHNS • EXTRAPERLO • FIDLAR

FIONA APPLE • FOUR TET • FOXYGEN • FRED I SON • THE FREE FALL BAND

FUCK BUTTONS • FUCKED UP • GHOSTIGITAL • GLASS CANDY • GOAT • GRIZZLY BEAR

GUADALUPE PLATA • GUARDIAN ALIEN • GUARDS • HAL FLAVIN • HIDROGENESSE

HONEYBIRD & THE BIRDIES • HOT CHIP • HOT SNAKES • HOW TO DRESS WELL

JACKMASTER presents Tweak-A-Holic • JAMES BLAKE JESSIE WARE

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN • JOHN TALABOT • JOZEF VAN WISSEM & JIM JARMUSCH

KILLER MIKE • KING TUFF • THE KNIFE • KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS • L'HEREU ESCAMPA

LA BIEN QUERIDA • LA BRIGADA • LIARS • LOCAL NATIVES

LOS PLANETAS tocan Una semana en el motor de un autobus 

MAC DEMARCO • THE MAGICIAN

MANEL • MATTHEW E. WHITE • MEAT PUPPETS • MELODY'S ECHO CHAMBER

MENOMENA • MERCHANDISE • METZ • MOUNT EERIE • MULATU ASTATKE

MY BLOODY VALENTINE • NEKO CASE • NEUROSIS • NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

NICK WATERHOUSE NILS FRAHM NURSE WITH WOUND OM OMAR SOULEYMAN

ORCHESTRE POLY RYTHMO DE COTONOU • PAUS • PEACE • PHOENIX • PONY BRAVO

POOLSIDE • THE POSTAL SERVICE • RODRIGUEZ • ROLL THE DICE • SAVAGES

THE SEA AND CAKE • SEAN NICHOLAS SAVAGE • SHELLAC • SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO

SOLANGE • THE SUICIDE OF WESTERN CULTURE • SWANS • TAME IMPALA • TARANTULA

THEE OH SEES • TINARIWEN • TITUS ANDRONICUS • TOUNDRA • THE VACCINES

WHITE FENCE • WILD NOTHING • WOODS • WU-TANG CLAN 

Green- Definetely seeing them. Absolute must
Orange- If there are no overlaps (in particular with the green ones), I'll be there for sure
Yellow- Curious about it/"on research mode"

"All Tomorrow's Parties", an alternative holiday

All Tomorrow's Parties

What a difficult movie to review! I thought I was going to watch a proper rockumentary celebrating the then 10th Anniversary of the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival (ATPs), arguably the best one in what regards to indie music (I repeat, arguably), and the expression of one of my music dreams: curating a Festival line-up. But I found something quite different instead...

"All Tomorrow's Parties" is not a director's work... but an editor's work. Nick Fenton collected more than 600 hours of footage from the fans and the bands themselves. Video cameras, mobile phones, super 8s and a few archive footage of the holiday camps in East Sussex and Somerset, where ATPs takes place, compared with what it used to be in the 50s and 60s. Can you make a film with that material?

The answer is yes and no. If the goal was capturing a vibe, and show that the Festival is unique, sort of a holiday break full of music, like the familiar activity it was on the 60s, but full of beards, "hipsters", drunk and stoned people, and of course, great musicians and loads of fun, then this film should be considered a masterpiece. But if you're looking for a documentary on the motivations, general aims, difficulties and evolution of the Festival, opinions of the musicians taking part on it, or just a film about music performances... well, then "All Tomorrow's Parties" is not what you're looking for. 

In my opinion, it's lack of coherence (it's disjointed) and/or structure (of course, there's no plot whatsoever) harms it, because at the end there's no real point on the development of the film. It could go on forever, it could end any second and it wouldn't make any difference. But in terms of visual experience is quite an intriguing one. Even if you don't care that much about the line-up proposed by Explosions In the Sky or Portishead, the film provides a fascinating take on young adults genuinely "abducted" by music. Among them, a bunch of the coolest musicians on Earth, capable of making music almost everywhere (the other biggest impact of the film). The scenes with Daniel Johnston, Grizzly Bear or Lighting Bolt are pretty mesmerizing, regardless whether their music appeals you.

To summarize my impressions: Is "All Tomorrow's Parties" a great documentary? Honestly, I couldn't really say. But would I like to go to one of the ATP's Festival? No doubt about it. Will definitely love to. 

SCORE: 6,25/10

Discoverer 47: new indie findings

Elections day this Sunday, but there's always time for great new bands to discover!

Guards. DNA matters. This trio formed in NY City in 2010 by Richie James Follin, brother of our beloved Madeline Follin of Cults. Initially wrote some tunes for her, but ended keeping them for himself, with the help of friends like Chairlift's Caroline Polachek, MGMT's James Richardson and Madeline, of course. Then came a series of 7" to keep the buzz going until the release of "In Guards We Trust", debut album expected for February 2013. Sure comparisons and expectations will be recurrent, because they certainly sound like Cults and that joyful bunch of retro-pop bands. But hey, while they deliver perfect indiepop pills like "Coming True" or "Silver Lining" who cares? Fated for big things, believe me.    
Guards - Coming True by Guards
Guards - Silver Lining by Guards

Cameras. Down to Sidney to meet this quartet (previously trio). Formed in 2008 by Eleanor Dunlop and Fraser Harvey due to their “mutual love for layering darker dirtier sounds with warmer delicate melodies”, on 2011 they released "In Your Room", very successful debut that now arrives the rest of the world. A bipolar band, when Dunlop sings they sound like the missed Broadcast or Chan Marshall on an M83 tune, while when Harvey leads its like discovering forgotten tunes from Interpol's "Turn On the Bright Lights". Atmospheric or aggressive, the album shares a haunting mood, a bleak vibe that gives it a unusual coherence. Fascinating music.
Bored Nothing. Still in Australia, we move to Melbourne to meet Fergus Miller, who under this pseudonym has just packed some of his best tunes, added a bunch of new ones and have released three weeks ago on a self-titled debut album that has to be seriously highlighted. Stylistically diverse, Fergus can make you think on Daniel Johnston, Sebadoh, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart or Real Estate from one song to another. You can say this is DIY lo-fi indierock very much devoted to the 90's. But to hell with labelling music. This is the sort of magic you can create with an electric guitar, good taste and tones of talent.
Bored Nothing

"The Devil and Daniel Johnston", artist, sick man, myth

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Love when a film leaves you wondering and asking questions yourself. If these questions are about music, its even better. "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" is that sort of movie.

The story of Daniel Johnston is fascinating. "Thanks" to his "special" behaviour, filming and taping everything, we witness his entire and incredible life. What we see is intriguing and moving. In that sense the documentary is not about a musician, but about someone who suffers, and tries to deal with his manic depression/bipolar disorder. Daniel's life captivates the viewer because the mixture between his artistic creativity and his madness. Moments of astonishing craziness (the NY affair, the plane, seeing the Devil everywhere) followed by bits of his music is a combination that speaks and impacts for itself.

But as the film develops it reveals how difficult it is to separate the musician from the seriously ill person. Johnston's is not, like many artists in history, an eccentric or a slightly weird outsider. He's a fragile and highly sensitive human being with a really and very serious mental problem, that brings him to moments of profound depression, delirium and rage accesses, affecting the people that surrounds him, parents (a special note to them, as they have a couple of scenes where emotion just reduce them to tears), family, friends (including his quite peculiar manager), musicians, etc. The film doesn't hide any bit of him acting oddly, or just falling apart, going in and out of mental hospitals while he tries to keep his prolific work. But his mental condition permeates (it couldn't be any other way) everything he creates. And that brings me to a double question.

So while the portrayal of his life is fascinating and touching, I have some concerns/doubts about the musician itself. I know about Daniel's cult music status, and that his songs have been covered by hundreds of artists, but after seeing the film, I wonder to which extent that fame and prestige has to do with his complex, troubled character, and not just his music talents. It's obvious director Jeff Feuerzeig loves Johnston work, both music and drawings. But in my opinion, the film doesn't care much about we, the ones that don't know a lot about Daniel, or that simply are not their fans.  

Because for the "regular" viewer, "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" offers a strange musician portrayal. About someone tortured inside that creates music... and becomes a star... without knowing the reasons why. Feuerzeig explains us his music career with brush strokes, so for me at least is a bit hard to believe how Daniel gets his shot at MTV, how he is capable of working with Jad Fair and Sonic Youth, or how he manages to gather 3.000 people in an auditorium after a forced hiatus because his illness. Moreover, what we see in that gig is someone singing really out of tune, suffering on stage and offering songs that cannot we qualified as extraordinary (I'm not saying his music is bad by no means, I'm just saying that what we see/hear at the documentary doesn't justify his cult status). So, what's up with their fans? They were all converted just because Kurt Cobain wore a shirt of him for a while? Why we don't have more interviews and thoughts of fans about his music, and why we don't get more information about how their career evolved and it is considered? It left me wondering the same sort of questions that "Exit Through the Gift Shop" did. Who decides what's art, in this case with music, who elevated Johnston's to a myth category?

It is a complex movie about an equally complex person, so it's kind of logical the review has to be a bit "tricky" too. As a film about a human being with serious issues that tries to deal with them while offers the world his talents, this movie is outstanding and absorbing. But as a music portray, to me, its incomplete or just for die-hard fans. Having said that, is a must-see oddity

SCORE: 7/10