Spanish Indie 20: suggesting the best national acts

Our section devoted to national discoveries gets fuelled by guitars with this trio of bands. Not to miss!

Univers. I knew I was going to write about this band again. Coming from Barcelona, the quartet formed in 2011 and in January 2012 they came out with their first digital single, 'Paral·lel', but the first turning point arrived with EP ‘La Pedregada’, released that December on Famèlic. The 7" single ‘Cavall Daurat’, followed in October 2013 and finally, since past March we can enjoy their debut full length, 'L'Estat Natural'. Dreamy shoegaze and dark pop, on a band where noise sounds embraceable and lyrics hidden, infectious music without evidences. This universe awaits you with their unique & irresistible dance...

Linda Guilala. Born from the ashes of Juniper Moon in 2005, Iván y Eva began their new adventure with electricity and their freaky love for Japanese sci-fi movies from the 60-70s (Guilala is a giant odd bird arriving to the Earth from Mars in the film 'The X from Outer Space') as mandatory references. In 2006, band comes out with first self-produced demos and the buzz on Spanish radios begins. In 2009 arrived their debut album 'Bucles Infinitos' on Elefant Records, followed in 2011 with EP 'Paranormal', again with movies as motivation. Transformed into a trio, the group is now back with another EP, 'Xeristar', out since March. 6 tunes where the noisy, no-boundaries, shoegazing formula, is perfected to a mind-blowing extreme. Los Planetas, My Bloody Valentine, Pale Saints, the Reid Brothers... you can add your favourite names to the list... Linda Guilala soon will be among them.  
Boutade. Friends even before music's devil poisoned their bloods, Charlie, Aitor and Uri, have a shared path of glory roads & dusty, lonely avenues. The three musicians from Barcelona have been involved in local bands like Stormyclouds, The Rabo, Sexy Remake, Deus le Volt, Perennial Coventry... since 2003, but in the meantime, Charlie slowly shaped his own collection of songs, creating an album awaiting to be recorded. Finally, all the experiences along the way crystallised in 2011, with the trio reuniting again. Boutade was born, and the pieces Charlie penned finally saw the light of day through 2013. Still unsigned, we now have 'The Best Hunter', conceptual debut LP full of bursting alternative rock where passion roars in deep, introspective vocals, while demons are summoned into swirling guitars. Get ready. The haunt is about to begin.

Discoverer 52: new indie findings

Back with our regular dose of new proposals, enjoy!

Born Ruffians. We begin our discoveries with this Canadian band from Midland, Ontario, but based in Toronto since 2004, when after some local gigs they signed to the UK electronic label Warp Records. Their self-titled debut EP came in 2006, followed by the successful single "Hummingbird", in anticipation of the LP, Red, Yellow & Blue. The second album, "Say It", arrived in 2010. Now they have announced their comeback with "With Her Shadow" and "Needle" both included on the forthcoming album "Birthmarks" out in April. Quirky, joyful and smoothly anthemic indierock. Very special.

Pins. We move to Manchester, UK to meet an all-female quartet with  a very short story behind them, as they've only been a full band since summer 2012. A double A-side, "Eleventh Hour/Shoot You" and the live EP "LuvU4Lyf" are the only releases so far, but are more than enough to get us excited. Like the missing link between Warpaint (these tribal cymbals) and the Dum Dum Girls, this is hyper addictive indierock with one foot on the C-86 style and the other on Phil Spector and the "droning 70s". Irresistible combination of fuzz, echoes, reverbs and pop melodies. Band to watch.

Khushi. Our third proposal comes thanks to the good indiespot website, who at the beginning of the week discovered this mysterious artist/band. After tracing the few information available thanks to social networks, it seems that behind Khushi (which means happiness in Hindi) there's an unsigned guy from Hackney, London with four spectacular tunes on his soundcloud. As indiespot says, you can hear the echoes of Bon Iver, The National, Local Natives or The Antlers. Impressive references for this amazing little collection of slow burning songs, full of intensity, delicacy and fire that captures real emotion. Judge yourself and let's expect for more.

The Indie Anthology 20: essential songs

After some hiatus, here's the next tune of our very personal Anthology. A song too infuse you some energy, some hope, some courage, some comfort (I believe) as you will realise there's still people willing to fight. This is also a modest homage to them.

Song: French Disko
Artist: Stereolab
Year: 1993

These are confusing, frustrating and exhausting times. Times when you think, in many occasions on a single day, "I want to quit", "I want to give up". When I discovered this (for me) Stereolab's timeless classic I was a Political Science university student seeing how President Bush II decided to go to war on Iraq being followed by our equally repulsive president Aznar, seeking for his 15 minutes of fame. "French Disko", with its vibrant structure, its inner tension, and Laetitia Sadier's lyrics (below the video, please read them) calling to arms on that unforgettable chorus "La Resistance!", was the perfect (personal) soundtrack for those days of protest and (modest) rebellion. Ironically, almost a decade after, the song is still perfectly suitable considering how the world is completely insane today. But now it has another, unexpected lecture, personally. Its a song of hope, one to stick with on days/periods like the ones many are living right now, in which we would like to hide/disappear/give up. Don't do it. Keep fighting.

Though this world's essentially an absurd place to be living in
It doesn't call for total withdrawal

I've been told it's a fact of life
Men have to kill one another
Well I say there are still things worth fighting for

La Resistance!

Though this world's essentially an absurd place to be living in
It doesn't call for (bubble withdrawal)

It said human existence is pointless
As acts of rebellious solidarity
Can bring sense in this world

La Resistance!

"End of Daze", Dum Dum Girls at their best

End of Daze EP

On "Mine Tonight", our beloved Dum Dum Girls needs a little more than a minute before showing "the hand" the tune has: all aces. An epic, inner fire that bursts alongside with the desperate and deeper lyrics about loss, loneliness and being lost, without missing their trademark sounding, but reinvigorated and enriched. Its a mesmerizing opener for "End of Daze", an EP that only has winning cards, and a perfect summary of what easily ranks among the best of their career so far.

The driving and irresistibly catchy melodic guitar pop that devotes so much to their garage origins is still there, in particular on "I Got Nothing", but even in that tune, Dum Dum Girls sound "heavier" than ever. Not in the sense of having moved to hard-rock (thanks God), but into adding much more depth on each song. It's on Dee Dee's voice, on the guitars sonic palette, and the emotions each composition reaches.

Third song "Tress and Flowers", a cover of Scottish duo's Strawberry Switchblade is another fine example of these Dum Dum Girls 2.0. An aching and echoing ballad, its strikingly powerful and allows Dee reaching a new climax of emotion with her voice. An coupled with "Lord Knows", which is even better, a slow burning juggernaut in which everything, voice (these fading backing vocals), vibe, guitars, drums, lyrics, has "classic" written all over, proves the band is probably at their peak as musicians. When the combination of simplicity and conviction produce such irresistible results, its undeniable: you have it.

After such a pair of shocking tunes, "Season in Hell" might sound like a more predictable number, but this first judgement quickly turns to be wrong. Again the echoes and the recognisable beat characteristic of the band, but also the new post-punk pulse, the slight riff distortion and the impressive chorus line "Doesn't dawn look divine?", propels the tune into a new direction, closing the EP on a refreshing, extremely satisfying note.  

Not even 20 minutes of stunning indie pop-rock. "End of Daze" is absolutely unmissable. The Dum Dum Girls at their best.

SCORE: 8,25/10

Discoverer 41: new indie findings

Here we go! New band proposals for your listening pleasure!

The Soft Pack. Formed in San Diego in 2007 but based in L.A., they began as a duo, becoming the current quartet a year after. Initially named The Muslims, their debut EP arrived in 2009, but due to "being disgusted and exhausted by the ignorant, often racist, bullshit that came out of people's mouths" they changed their name, releasing another EP and self-titled debut album in 2010. A lot of touring and studio work followed, with the result being "Strapped", second LP out in two weeks on Mexican Summer. Without leaving their indie rock's fuzz, with a garage and vital spirit, music has now evolved into a more richer and diverse territory. Looking forward to The Soft Pack comeback!
The Soft Pack - Saratoga 
Arc in Round. We move to Philadelphia to meet Jeff Ziegler, producer of The War on Drugs or Kurt Vile, and leader of this very particular combo. Formerly known as shoegazers Relay (2005-2010), Arc in Round became alive in 2010, when they released their EP "Diagonal Fields", followed past year with "II". Now the transition is completed with their self-titled album, out now on La Société Expéditionnaire. A sound as hard to describe as not falling for, think on Joy Division meeting Stereolab (hear singer Mikele Edwards amidst loops and effects), or Sonic Youth experimenting with dreampop. Music as vibrant as haunting.

StarTropics. And we finally end in Chicago with a band discovered thanks to the indie wisdom of skatterbrain's website. Not much information to explain about this unsigned foursome, so I'll focus on the music, so far just a four tune collection you can grab freely, which seems to aim for capturing the essences of post-punk gloom and blend it with the twee-pop warmness of Sarah Records. From the jangling delicacy and sweetness of “Into The Night” (these whispering boy/girl voices) to the 80's sounding bleakness of "Chapel Hill", there's a lot of promise in this band. Hoping for more very soon!
spring 2012 demo by StarTropics 

Fountains, amazing new band to follow

Double review of the so far fantastic releases from Fountains, one of the most celebrated discoveries of 2012 on Bloodbuzzed!

No Sleep EP

Discovered them on March, and their debut EP has been on repeat mode since then at home and on my Mp3, being also featured on the playlist of best songs of the year so far. All this praise is well deserved, as the London group is capable of doing something really remarkable, and quite unusual nowadays: they really blow you out.

The EP opens with the slow-burner title track "No Sleep", that from the very first second carries you away to a very special place. It's a cold & grey place, but there are still glimpses of hope (careful listen to the wonderful backing vocals from Bex). The music soars, guitars and drums find their way to scatter the clouds and Jonathan voice rises like a mantra. Epic five minutes. I remember writing that it sounded to me like The Wild Swans meeting Joy Division. What an opener.

"Insecure" offers a different side: an uptempo melody, in which guitars take more prominence, delivering raw lines that share the anger and desperation of Jonathan's tone and lyrics. And explodes, and leaves the listener longing for more.

And it does come. "You're Not Welcome" begins like "No Sleep", the guitar intro suggesting a rumbling number that turns into an abrasive mist of sound. Jonathan spokes among celestial guitar and drum melodies. The tempo accelerates, the lyrics hurt. But Fountains decide to hide their final ace with a radical change in the melody, before the concluding, relentless assault to your ears. And you don't want the song to end. 

You can download the EP right now for FREE via bandcamp. RUN and do it!!!! Amazing debut.
SCORE: 8,25/10

Easy Led
If that isn't enough, since the end of July Fountains have a new single for you to enjoy. And what a single (you can order it here)! "Easily Led" is mesmerizing. It sounds like a proper companion of the "No Sleep EP": cascades of guitars, a majestic wall of sound, gloom and light. But the combination of Jonathan and Bex singing propels the tune to another dimension. I have to hear this song live, in particular it's last minute.

Second song of the single is "Repetition". Quite a slow intro that radically drifts into a song that recalls vividly to Interpol (from the good times) or another beloved band of this blog, Motorama. Atmospheric, opressive... Another impressive tune.
Fountains - Easily Led by Beautiful Strange

SCORE: 8,5/10

5 songs so far, 5 masterpieces. Needles to say, Fountains are a band to follow closely.

Spanish indie 2: suggesting the best national acts

I enjoyed doing the first round, so new suggestions of Spanish indie bands!

Odio París. This new band from Barcelona must be the most hyped Spanish (indie) group in many years. Aside the comparisons with Los Planetas (early times) and The Pains of Being Pure at the Heart, both pretty obvious, what we have is a debut album (out very soon) without a single bad track on it, and that's what matters. Melodies infected in feedback and reverb, gold indierock, C-86 style, but in Spanish. Fame awaits the Spanishgazers!
Odio París - Cuando nadie pone un disco
Odio París - 1 de Noviembre

Russian Red. Lourdes Hernández broke indie Spanish standards with her first album, "I Love Your Glasses", on 2008, selling more than 40.000 copies (an impressive mark for a debuting singer / songwriter here). Tomorrow she will publish her second record, "Fuerteventura", produced by Tony Doogan (B&S, David Byrne, Teenage Fanclub, The Delgados) in Glasgow and with the help of Belle & Sebastian musicians. Impressive names for a highly awaited album, that promises changes while she keeps her natural talent for writing indiepop gems.



The Bright. Classic, acoustic folk-rock from León? Yes sir, you're right. Miryam Gutiérrez and Aníbal Sánchez are the duo behind "Soundtrack for a Winter's Tale", their first album, already released, a stunning collection of tunes that seem to converge somewhere between the American tradition and a more diverse ambition, with the (be careful with her warm voice, you might get addicted) presence of Myriam dominating a record as pleasant as exciting to hear. Sorry for the easy joke, but the future looks bright for them.

New video from The National: "Think You Can Wait"

We already showed you the new wonderful song from The National, "Think You Can Wait", their contribution to the independent film "Win Win", directed by Tom McCarthy and with Paul Giamatti in the lead role. And now we announce you the song has an official video, where you can see them playing with guest collaborator Sharon Van Etten. And although the behind-the-scenes clips from the movie are always a bad idea, the cannot distract you enough from the greatness of the music.  The track is available now, but just as a digital download by now (damn it, I want the song and the album cover!!).

The Strokes, the "Angles" of disappointment

Angles- The Strokes

There were some warnings in advance. The ugly cover, to start with. And some revealing comments on the article by Jonathan Garret on Pitchfork:

"I won't do the next album we make like this. No way. It was awful...just awful".
"We're all learning to work on each other's songs and learning how to deal with emotional issues in relation to the songs..  I feel we have a better album in us, and it's going to come out soon". Guitarrist Nick Valensi.

"I mean...yes....It's a tough question because I think the whole point was that I was going to let things go so there's a bunch of stuff on the record I wouldn't have done". Singer Julian Casablancas, asked if he likes the finished album.

So what are we going to find in "Angles"? In my opinion, a band trying striving to find themselves, but without knowing if they are still a band, resulting on a pastiche of styles trying too hard to fit together in the mix. Sadly, it clearly shows the lack of direction on the recording. The start is strong, though. "Machu Picchu" is addictive with its peculiar groove, and "Under Cover of Darkness" is a fine single, despite the irony of Casablancas singing "Everybody singing the same song for 10 years" when the tune qualifies as a polished auto homage of their first album.

"Two Kind of Happiness" and "You're so Right" are so-so tunes, but the guitar work saves them. And "Taken for a Fool" is the other highlight from "Angles". But if  this was just an EP ending here, it would have been a fine comeback for The Strokes. Because there's little to be saved from the second half of the album.

The subdued electropop of "Games" is remarkable only if we compare it with the following song, "Call Me Back", a serious contender for The Strokes worst song. "Gratisfaction" is catchy and happier, but come on, that would have been discarded and used as b-side years ago. And "Metabolism" is The Strokes doing Muse. Hell no. At least the album ends on a positive note with the pleasant "Life is Simple in The Moonlight", but that's not enough to avoid the feeling of huge disappointment from the expectations created after so many years of hiatus.

 SCORE: 4/10

"Think You Can Wait", the amazing new song from The National

Ok, an unexpected gift for all of you, music lovers.

Following the post announced just a few days ago, now you can listen "Think You Can Wait", the new song The National has written for the movie "Win Win". What can I say. It's another gem, full of emotion (Matt's singing as his best again) and beautiful arrangements. Enjoy.
The National, "Think You Can Wait" by foxsearchlight

Update: Oops! Seems the song is not available on soundcloud anymore. Try this link instead: http://themusicninja.net/newsongs/Think-You-Can-Wait.mp3

"Recharge & Revolt", on the road with The Raveonettes

The week starts with the first complete listen of "Angles", The Strokes comeback (if you allow me the euphemism, not very impressed), having doubts about "Belong", the sophomore effort from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and the confirmation The Vaccines deserved all the hype (their album is officially released today, don't miss it). But among them...."Recharge & Revolt", mesmerizing new tune (plus a beautiful and classy video) from The Raveonettes, included in the forthcoming "Raven in the Grave".

Several music reviews to come in the next days... so stay tuned!