Discoverer 164: new indie findings

No, this Blog is not taking holidays! Instead, we are eager to propose you another trio of music wonders in our discoverer series. Our "Easter eggs"are just ready for your listening pleasure!

Hurry. We begin or music trip in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with this trio composed by Matt Scottoline (vocals, guitar) and cousins Joe and Rob DeCarolis (bass & drums respectively). Formed in 2012, Hurry began as Scottoline's, member of Everyone Everywhere, solo project, writing the first homemade material under that moniker later on released on Bandcamp. But the need of assembling a band to perform the songs live alongside the sort of "hibernation" of Everyone Everywhere helped the proper birth of Hurry. After signing to Hot Green Records the trio announced first (or second, depends on how we count) album 'Everything/Nothing', out in October 2014, which was followed by LP 'Guided Meditation' in Spring 2016 via Lame-O Records. Now, after the EP 'Casual Feelings' out in October 2016, the band is back with their third/fourth record, 'Every Little Thought', out since this February. Somewhere in between Teenage Fanclub and Yo La Tengo, with traces of noise-pop and 90s alternative rock, Hurry's tunes are a jangly and melodic delight, instant love affair for the listener. Don't waste your time and check them out! 

Chemtrails. We move to London, UK, where this quintet is based. Lead by founders and main composers Mia Lust and Laura Orlova, the group started to make noise in 2016, signing with the great nordic label PNKSLM and debuting that September with EP 'Love in Toxic Wasteland'. A second EP, 'Headless Pin Up Girl' (one of the Blog favourites last year) appeared in Spring of 2017 and now, we can enjoy their first album, 'Calf of the Sacred Cow', out since this February. A very personal, idiosyncratic crossover between garage rock, power-pop and lo-fi psychedelia, think on Shrag meeting Blondie. Raw, bouncy, exciting music.

CCFX. And we end in Olympia, Washington, to meet this quartet discovered at the very end of past year (but they had to be featured at the Blog), formed by Chris McDonnell, Mirče Popovic, Mary Jane Dunphe and David Jaques, the result of local cult bands CC Dust and Trans FX (hence the mysterious moniker) merge. Self-titled debut EP appeared in late October 2017 via DFA Records, and is a very special one. Dream-pop unafraid of contemplating the waves at the cliff's edge, strangely warm and nostalgic, cinematic and disarmingly melodic, with the vocals of Dunphe knocking you out. There's magic here, a real gem awaiting to be discovered. More soon, please, please, please. 

Best Records of the Decade So Far

As promised, and following the Best Spanish Records, here are our Best Records of the Decade So Far, with our 60th favourite albums released within the first five years of the decade (2010-2014). As you can imagine, it has been a tough one to make, leaving out many records we love is SO painful. Anyway, just enjoy it & stay tuned. We are working on a spectacular list with our Best Songs of the Decade So Far (we love playlists too!)

60, Say Yes!- The Hi-Life Companion
59. You Love It Here- I Was a King
58. Sugaring Season- Beth Orton
57. Tall Tall Shadow- Basia Bulat
56. Build a Rocket Boys!- Elbow
55. Siesta- The Zebras

54. Sky at Night- I Am Kloot
53. The Luxembourg Signal- The Luxembourg Signal

52. Colour of the Trap- Miles Kane
51. Cold- Be Forest
50. Release Me- The Like
49. The Fool - Warpaint
48. The Soft City- The Soft City
47. Bang Goes the Knighthood - The Divine Comedy
46. Torres- Torres
45. Desire Lines- Camera Obscura
44. Cape Dory- Tennis
43. The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years- The Wild Swans
42. Are We There Yet?- Sharon Van Etten
41. Sealed with a Kiss- Alpaca Sports
40. Evans the Death- Evans the Death
39. Atlas- Real Estate
38. Only in Dreams- Dum Dum Girls
37. The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas - Courtney Barnett
36. Canines- Shrag
35. Veronica Falls- Veronica Falls
34. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light- Spiritualized
33. Alps - Motorama
32. Moth- ExLovers
31. Over the Bluffs- The Holiday Crowd
30. Loveless Unbeliever- The School
29. Collapse Into Now- R.E.M.
28. Ride Your Heart- Bleached
27. Kill My Blues- The Corin Tucker Band
26. Oshin- DIIV
25. Without Why - Rose Elinor Dougall
24. Heart of My Own- Basia Bulat
23. A Year with the Very Most - The Very Most
22. Trouble Will Find Me- The National
21. What we lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood - The Mynabirds
20. Choose Your Own Adventure- Arts & Leisure
19. Europe- Allo Darlin'
18. The Suburbs - Arcade Fire
17. Always- Alvvays
16. Hospitality- Hospitality
15. Between the Times and the Tides- Lee Ranaldo
14. Heaven- The Walkmen
13. The King is Dead- The Decemberists
12. Suck It and See- Arctic Monkeys
11. Personal Record- Eleanor Friedberger
10. Silence Yourself- Savages
9. Loom- Fear of Men
8. Honeyblood- Honeyblood
7. Wild Flag- Wild Flag
6. Teen Dream - Beach House
5. Rips- Ex Hex
4. Days- Real Estate
3. Let England Shake- PJ Harvey
2. Tramp- Sharon Van Etten
1. High Violet - The National

Best Songs of the Year 2012: 50-26

Hope you are enjoying the Bloodbuzzed Songs of the Year 2012 so far. After the previous two chapters now it's time for the tunes ranked between positions 50 to 26, with the mandatory grooveshark playlist to listen them included. The final part, with the top 25 songs of 2012 will be online tomorrow. Have your say! 

50. Slow Trains- Anaesthetics
49. Our Old Centre Back- Cats On Fire
48. Alférez Provisional- Los Punsetes
47. Teenage Icon- The Vaccines
46. No Sleep- Fountains
45. Sing Up for the Boys in Green- The Very Most
44. Revelation Blues- The Tallest Man On Earth
43. Tightrope-Fanfarlo
42. I Was Running- Alpaca Sports
41. Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings- Father John Misty
40. Eighth Avenue- Hospitality
39. The Letter - Allo Darlin'
38. Only You- Big Wave
37. I’ve Always Known- Rose Elinor Dougall
36. Even the Blind- Echo Lake
35. Genevieve- Stealing Sheep
34. Train from King's Cross Station- Tender Trap
33. Tendons in the Night- Shrag
32. All Your Gold- Bat for Lashes
31. Afraid of Summer- Lost Lander
30. Never Speak of it Again- The Holiday Crowd
29. Catch Your Cold- Evans the Death
28. Dawn Chorus- Beth Orton
27. Simple Song- The Shins
26. Serpents- Sharon Van Etten

Best Songs of the Year 2012: 75-51

Second chapter of the Bloodbuzzed Songs of the Year 2012, with the tunes comprised from positions 75 to 51, with the grooveshark playlist to listen them and have your say. Third part coming tomorrow, so stay tuned and enjoy the music! 

75. Nothing Means Nothing- Peter Buck
74. I Don’t Care- Summer Twins
73. Gone Tomorrow- Lambchop
72. Don’t Believe Ayn Rand- Novella
71. First of My Kind- Miles Kane
70. Found You- The Belljars
69. Sweetness In Her Spark- Lightships
68. Cherokee- Cat Power
67. Breathe Deep- Echo Lake
66. Europe – Allo Darlin’
65. Wanting More- September Girls
64. Kill My Blues- Corin Tucker Band
63. Astronomy- Nat Johnson and The Figureheads
62. We Were Meant to Meet- Baffin Island
61. All Day Today – Hospitality
60. Stop, Look and Listen- Strawberry Whiplash
59. Waiting On a Dream- Lee Ranaldo
58. This Love Will You Lead You On- ExLovers
57. Deconstruction- Fanfarlo
56. Season in Hell- Dum Dum Girls
55. Electric- TEEN
54. Magic Chords- Sharon Van Etten
53. Show Us Your Canines- Shrag
52. Painted Like A Forest- The Holiday Crowd
51. State of Grace- Beth Orton

Best Songs of the Year 2012: 100-76

And finally, after gigs, books, EPs and records, the time to reveal the 2nd edition of the Bloodbuzzed Best Songs of the Year has arrived. The most impressive 100 tunes (in our opinion of course) being released during this 2012. As we did on 2011, we will split the list in fourth posts of 25 songs each. So here's the first one, comprising from number 100 to 76. The songs that weren't available on grooveshark for the playlist have alternative direct links below its title. Stay tuned for the rest of the songs. Have your say and enjoy the music!

100. Fool for Your Love- Baby Grand
99. Vertical Walk- Dunes
98. Taste It- Jake Bugg
97. Brains- Lower Dens
96. Do It Wrong- The History of Apple Pie

95. Siberia- La Habitación Roja
94. Santa Fe- The Pear Traps
93. Saratoga- The Soft Pack
92. La Nueva Reconquista de Graná- Grupo de Expertos Solynieve
91. Fred- Sweater Girls
90. Moles- Cape Canaveral
89. Chapel Hill- StarTropics
88. Trainspotting- All We Are

87. One-Sided- Arc In Round
86. Shadow- Wild Nothing
85. Coming True- Guards
84. Cameraman-The Spook School
83. Tribeca- South of France
82. You Will Know- The Belljars
81. Open Arms- The Garlands
80. Cold Feet- Lost Lander
79. My Sense of Pride- Cats On Fire
78. This Ladder is Ours- The Joy Formidable
77. Chasing Consummations- Shrag
76. Groundhog Day- Corin Tucker Band

Best Records of the Year 2012

As promised yesterday, after the EPs' list, here's the review of the year in what regards to the best records of 2012. In my humble opinion of course. Compared with 2011 I have reduced the number of albums because I wanted to be completely honest. Just records that I have listened and enjoyed fully.

The digital age is a blessing for music lovers, as the amount of music you can discover is virtually  unlimited. But it has a negative side: there's a compulsion, a dramatic acceleration on the way we listen to it. How many spins you give a record before moving to another artist? How many records you have stored in your computer of which you could only name 2-3 songs?

Don't know if the LP idea as we know is fated to disappear, but personally it makes me sad. Anyway, this sort of thoughts should go on a different post. But it serves my purpose to tell you why the records from Lightships, BMX Bandits, This Many Boyfriends, Corin Tucker or Motorama didn't make the list. They sound terrific on a first listen, or from what I have heard by now, and that's exactly why they deserve to be listened properly and not to be included on a list just for the sake of mentioning more albums. Having said that, here's the list!

25. Arts & Leisure- Baby Grand
24. Leaving All Behind- Partido
23. Falling- Seapony
22. Nocturne- Wild Nothing
21. Reading Too Much Into Things Like Everything- The School 
20. Sun- Cat Power
19. Rooms Filled With Light- Fanfarlo
18. Mr. E- Lambchop
17. Wild Peace- Echo Lake
16. Hits In The Car- Strawberry Whiplash
15. All Blackshirts To Me- Cats On Fire
14. Una Montaña Es Una Montaña- Los Punsetes
13. Over the Bluffs- The Holiday Crowd
12. Moth- ExLovers
11. Toy- Toy
10. Bloom- Beach House
9. Canines- Shrag
8. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light- Spiritualized
7. Sugaring Season- Beth Orton
6. Evans the Death- Evans the Death
5. Heaven- The Walkmen
4. Between the Times and the Tides- Lee Ranaldo
3. Europe- Allo Darlin'
2. Hospitality- Hospitality
1. Tramp- Sharon Van Etten

Want to check last year's albums list? Just click here

Primavera Club 2012: my wish list

Swans, a quality and prestigious name but very far from my tastes was filtered a couple of days ago. Today, Gabi Ruiz tweeted the full line-up of the Primavera Club 2012 (December 5 to 9) will be announced  next Tuesday12th. So, as I did with Primavera Sound last spring, here's how my wish list would like... aside from my impossible and recurring dreams (I guess) of bringing The Very Most, The Hermit Crabs, Nat Johnson or Electrelane to Barcelona, I just made the list from bands that could be possible seeing their agendas so far... so here's hope!

Alpaca Sports. Well, they are simply one of the most delicious acts that have appeared this year.
Corin Tucker Band, The. The album is just arriving, so they should present it, so why not Barcelona? Or maybe for Primavera Sound 2013. Another amazing option (would love to have both) is to include Wild Flag, still have to come here!
Echo Lake. Touring UK in October....
Evans the Death. Similar case to Echo Lake.
ExLovers. No dates means options? Hope so.
Fonda. They release a new album very soon, so the time is right....
Fountains. The best new band of the year?
Hospitality. My Nº1 choice of the list. They end their American tour in November so...
Motorama. Finally, finally, finally, please...
School, The. Another must-see.
Shrag. "Canines" deserves a stop in Barcelona!
Softies, The. The Chickfactor celebrations gathered them for some gigs. Needless to say that would be a dream come true...
Stealing Sheep. Recently discovered, and completely haunted. How will they sound live?
Strawberry Wiplash. Wouldn't it be nice if Matinée Recordings had a special section at Primavera each year?
Toy. Similar case to Stealing Sheep. Counting the days for the record to arrive...
Wild Nothing. Their calendar dates seems to fit nicely...
Young Romance. Favourites from the blog, Claire and Paolo are an absolute must.

Discoverer 35: new indie findings

It's been a long long while since the last chapter of our "Discoverer" series, but here we are, with three new fantastic proposals. Hope you enjoy!

Shrag. Checking the indispensable Fortuna Pop! website I found "Tendons in the Night", blistering song included on a split 7" with Tunabunny. I quickly searched for more. Since 2003, two albums (currently under the spell of "Life! Death! Prizes!") and nine singles, a stunning combination of indiepop and post-punk, that immediately recalls to Comet Gain. And the best is yet to come, as the London/Brighton band is releasing their third album, "Canines", in a couple of weeks. Judge by yourself (single "Show Your Canines", video below, is ridiculously addictive) but I'm already counting down the days for the release!
Shrag - Chasing Consummations by Shrag
  Rabbit Kids by Shrag

The Belljars. Not much info on this quintet from Umeå, Sweden, that describe themselves as a band inspired by the "two great decades of pop, the '60's and the '90's", that after "being around for a few years, finally managed to get a decent recording". But this four songs, "The Belljars EP", available for free at their bandcamp, are not just "decent". This are gold indiepop tunes, in particular "You Will Know", with the gorgeous female-male vocals and the violins, and "Found You", summoning the spirit of early (and missed) The Cardigans or Acid House Kings. Sweden again, fellows. Yes!

Evans the Death. This was recommended by our friend Jeremy Jensen (The Very Most), so it was granted we were going to discover a great band. There's no letdown here, not even time for it!. "Bo Diddley", "Catch Your Cold", "Telling Lies", "Threads", "I'm So Unclean" (superb)... a collection of upbeat hits, guitar-driven indiepop-punk, in which singer Katherine Whitaker stands out, propelling the tunes with her vocals, shining also in the exquisite mellower numbers. The more I listen their s/t debut album (out through Slumberland and Fortuna Pop!, another plus) the more I'm haunted. You were right dear Jeremy, the only bad thing about Evans the Death is their name.