The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 150

Here we are, suffering the first heat wave of the season (yes, we are still in June, but as the dumbest POTUS ever and his parade of evil, professional ass-suckers say, there's no climate change, right?), and also suffering a crazier than ever political week here (where the dangerous people are the ones that try to kick out a criminal organisation from power instead of that corrupt party)... but here comes a much deserved time out in the form of our new  TOP TEN Jukebox! We have reached the 150 playlists mark and we are doing with something that is intrinsic to this Blog: lots of new discoveries, plus the mandatory inclusion of the collaboration of two Blog favourites, Lee Ranaldo joining forces with our beloved Sharon Van Etten. Enjoy, be careful with high temperatures and remember, all songs are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!)

Direct links to 2017 Jukebox playlists

Week 126  Week 127  Week 128  Week 129  Week 130  Week 131 Week 132  Week 133
Week 134  Week 135  Week 136  Week 137  Week 138  Week 139 Week 140  Week 141
Week 142  Week 143  Week 144  Week 145  Week 146  Week 147  Week 148 Week 149

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 115

Here we are, ready to unveil the second TOP TEN Jukebox of the month, full of "familiar suspects" of the Blog like Pale Spectres, Night Flowers or The Ocean Party, helping us to make the "adjustment" (don't laugh) to our regular schedules & routines, aside of not letting us succumb to boredom. As Nietzsche said "without music, life would be a mistake". And remember, all songs are listed at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2016 Jukebox playlists

Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89 Week 90   Week 91   Week 92  
Week 93  Week 94  Week 95  Week 96   Week 97  Week 98  Week 99   Week 100 Week 101 
Week 102   Week 103  Week 104  Week 105   Week 106  Week 107    Week 108  Week 109
Week 110  Week 111   Week 112   Week 113  Week 114

These Go to 11: interviewing Pale Spectres

More interviews! After closing April with The Treasures of Mexico, today we have the pleasure to fuel the section with more pluperfect janglepop, thanks to Thomas Guilcher from Pale Spectres (among other projects) answering our questionnaire. Enlightening pop from the 'City of Light'. Lots of familiar names on his answers. These Go to 11!

Pale Spectres, delicatessen at pop's supermarket

Thomas Guilcher, Pale Spectres
Hailing from Paris, they are Jean-François, Rafael, Stéphane and Thomas. and we met them in 2012, thanks to the song 'Better than Love', included on a compilation record from Cloudberry Records. One year later, they released debut EP 'Helen of Troy', four slices of hipnotic janglepop, via our beloved label Little Treasure Records. Now, after three years of waiting, during which Thomas got involved in several projects, like his one-man-band Tomiji, or collaborating with Blog dear friends Jeremy 'The Very Most' Jensen and Adriano 'Postal Blue' Ribeiro (wishing Les Coquelicots keep writing music together), our favourite ghosts are back with their "magic touch" intact, judging from the double A side amazing single 'Your Boyfriend's Girlfriend / Time to move on', out just now. Unmissable. Here we go! 

1.First record that you bought (be honest)
The very first record I bought might be 'Missing' by Everything But The Girl. I was probably 10 and it was a CD single. I remember cutting the cardboad cover to turn it into a sleeve for a jewel case. That was stupid, wasn't it ?

Brother in Law: La Famiglia shoegaze 

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)
The first concert I attended was actually a big festival nearby my parents' called Les Terres Neuvas. It doesn't exist anymore. I mostly remember seeing a French rap band called Saian Supa Crew. The last one was Brothers In Law a few days ago in Paris. It really was a great show. They're from Italy and their music could be described as 'shoegazy pop'.

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

My latest guilty pleasure was probably Lana Del Rey. I even created my own best of compilation of her songs to listen to in the metro on my way to and back from work. I just love her music and I can't really explain why.

Gainsbourg meets Verlaine: a poets affaire

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)

It probably is my Sarah Records vinyl collection. I own around 50 releases of the label and they're all very precious to me.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

To be honest, I don't pay that much -or enough- attention to lyrics. I'm more sensitive to people's vocals and the way they use them. It's music after all. However, Serge Gainsbourg's lyrics for 'Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M'En Vais', for example, are excellent. They're a fantastic tribute to one of Paul Verlaine's most famous poems.

Adriano Ribeiro: glorious indiepop goes transnational

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
I would certainly love to meet Adriano from Postal Blue; not only because he's a wonderful musician but also because he's become a great friend. As he lives in Brasilia and me in Paris, we both know it would be complicated but you never know...

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
It may sound obvious but I'd say it's hard to top artworks such as Andy Warhol's banana for The Velvet Underground & Nico's self titled album or Peter Saville's waves for Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures'... They're both so beautiful and iconic.

A Belgian film! Recommendation taken

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 
One of my many problems is I don't read enough. I would therefore have to say movies. If I had to recommend you one, I'd choose 'C'est Arrivé Près de Chez Vous'. The film is a Belgian masterpiece of extremely dark humor.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
This is a trick question and proud is a big word. As far as I'm concerned, I noticed that the latest things you've created tend to be the ones you usually like the most. At the moment, my answer would then be a brand new song called 'The End' that we composed altogether from total scratch during a band practice. I really like collaborative compositions and I hope there will be more of them in Pale Spectres' future.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
I feel like indie has just become a random word for a broad kind of pop or even music. I would sadly tend to think it no longer has anything to do with independance. It now relies more on a type of aesthetics.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
I have absolutely no idea... I certainly have dreams but I'm mostly focusing on enjoying life day by day. To be honest, as I'm an optimistic person, I don't really care or think about that.    

 Zillion thanks Thomas!

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 93

We are in the middle of a very intense weekend with books presentations, a most promising new edition of our dear Minifestival today and another book related event tomorrow. No time to waste indeed. But we couldn't miss the chance to offer you our TOP TEN Jukebox, as its full of new, exciting discoveries, and the return of Bleached and our beloved Pale Spectres with a shimmering tune. See you around and remember all songs are listed at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2015 Jukebox playlists

Week 36  Week 37  Week 38   Week 39  Week 40  Week 41  Week 42 Week 43   Week 44  

Week 45  Week 46  Week 47   Week 48  Week 49   Week 50  Week 51   Week 52  Week 53   

Week 54   Week 55  Week 56   Week 57  Week 58  Week 59   Week 60 Week 61  Week 62 

Week 63  Week 64  Week 65  Week 66   Week 67   Week 68  Week 69   Week 70  Week 71  

Week 72   Week 73  Week 74   Week 75 Week 76   Week 77   Week 78  Week 79   Week 80

Week 81   Week 82   Week 83  Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89

Week 90   Week 91   Week 92

Best EPs of the Year 2013

After the books and concerts, is time to review 2013 in what regards to music releases. And we begin with the EPs  (no singles, 3 to 6 songs), a format that is giving me so many joyful moments it deserves a list of their own. Needless to say, this is very personal (comments on each band clicking on their links). Hope you enjoy it!

15. Eurostar, the Musical- The French Pop Dream
14. Songs My Mother Never Sang to Me- Seven Tin Stars
13. The Memory of a Smile- Skittle Alley
12. Days I’ve Spent with You- Souvenir Stand
11. I Choo-choo-choose You- The Choo Choo Trains

10. Helen of Troy- Pale Spectres

9. Bananafish- Franny & Zoey

8. Just a Pup- The Very Most

7. Somos Puzzles y Dragones- Puzzles y Dragones

6. My Middle Names- Northern Spies

5. Parade- Chalk and Numbers

4. Bone & Arrow- Big Summer

3. Future Vanishes- Rose Elinor Dougall

2. Small Sound- Tennis

1. Heart Slice- Go Violets

Want to check the best EPs of 2012? Click here

The "Records List" coming shortly!

Best Records and EPs of the year 2013... so far

It's June, and like we did on previous years, it's time to take a look to what the year has offered so far in terms of music. Traditionally, I just make a list of the best songs. That will be ready within the next days, but for 2013 I have thought to "make it bigger" and also include a small list* with my favourite records and EPs of the year so far (all 2013' releases already available). Listed in alphabetical order (the proper best-of list will come at the end of the year). Just trying to recognize a bunch of great works!

Records and EPs of the year so far
A Farewell to Youth- When Nalda Became Punk
Bone & Arrow- Big Summer
Calendar Days- Dick Diver
Days I’ve Spent with You- Souvenir Stand
Early Fragments- Fear of Men
El Mundo Se Va a Acabar- Pauline en la Playa
For Those Who Wish to See the Glass Half Full- Slowness
Hard Times for Dreamers- Brothers in Law
Helen of Troy- Pale Spectres
Hummingbird- Local Natives
I Choo-choo-choose You- The Choo Choo Trains
If You Leave- Daughter
In Guards We Trust- Guards
La Guerra Mundial- Wiggum
My Middle Names- Northern Spies
Pretty Decent Swimmers- Northern Portrait
Ride Your Heart- Bleached
She Beats- Beaches
Silence Yourself- Savages
Silmi Island- Pia Fraus
Torres- Torres
Trouble Will Find Me- The National
True Hallucinations- Ex Cops
Waiting for Something to Happen- Veronica Falls
When You and I Were Very Young- Silver Screen

* Note: Still not listed properly Camera Obscura's "Desire Lines", The Pastels' "Slow Summits", Just Handshakes' "Say It", and The Very Most's "Just a Pup", unveiled yesterday.

Discoverer 55: new indie findings

If facebook allows me (what a couple of weeks in that sense), here's another dose of new music proposals for you!

Daughter. This London-based trio began their career in 2010 as the solo project of Elena Tonra. After recording a ‘Demos EP’, she joined forces with guitarist & music classmate Igor Haefeli. A self-released four-track EP, "His Young Heart", came out in April 2011, with drummer Remi Aguilella completing the band soon after. Later this year "The Wild Youth" EP was released, transforming the buzz into an unstoppable "band on ascent". Something that "If You Leave", Daughter’s debut album out now, is going to confirm. Atmospheric, depth folk-rock with a fire-powered rhythm section that embraces Elena's fragile voice, Daughter is cathartic music fated for greatness.

Slowness. Formed in San Francisco in 2008 by Julie Lynn and Geoffrey Scott, the band had their first proper release in late 2010, with the EP "Hopeless but Otherwise". After touring the States, the duo became a trio with Scott Putnam on drums. Then the three gathered on studio to compose their debut album, "For Those Who Wish to See the Glass Half Full", out now on Blue Aurora Audio. Eight tunes that resist labelling. Indiepop with knock-out melodies infused on drones, shoegaze always aiming for the light, atmospheres full of harmonies... Mind-blowing music.   

Pale Spectres. Thanks to the wonderful from Little Treasure Records I have had the pleasure to find this indiepop band from Paris. The quartet became known on the blogosphere past year with their song  "Better Than Love" included on a compilation record from Cloudberry Records. Now they are ready to confirm the blasting impression with their debut EP "Helen Of Troy", just out now. What a little collection of gems, four jangle pop wonders with crystalline guitars and delicious melodies. Among the best heard so far on this 2013.