Discoverer 38: new indie findings

New trio of wonderful bands discovered for you. Enjoy!

Echo Lake. Some hypes deserve the buzz. Formed in London only two years ago, Thom Hill and Linda Jarvis are the duo (amplified to a five piece live) responsible of the praised debut "Young Silence EP", drawing comparisons to indie totems My Bloody Valentine. Now they return with "Wild Peace", debut album out on Slumberland/No Pain in Pop since June, bound to be included among the best-of-year-lists. More polished and diverse, sometimes closer to guitar indiepop, others to Beach House's ethereal dreampop, always with Jarvis voice shining among the layers and the wall of sound Hill builds around her. The result: "Wild Peace" is a gift for the listener, moody, sonically rich, atmospheric and captivating.
  'Wild Peace' LP (No Pain In Pop/Slumberland, 2012) by Echo Lake

Anaesthetics. I usually ask for more than a couple of songs before including a band on the Discoverer series. But there are times the songs are so great that you need to share them with the world immediately. "Slow Trains/Pulse" is the debut A side single from this Mancunian quartet and both are irresistible indiepop gems. "Slow Trains" being an ultra-catchy tune full of lovely guitar lines and one chorus to die for, all with the A+++ of the boy/girl vocals, while "Pulse" is a more uptempo and rockier number, with the nice addition of an organ beat, and a knock-out closure. Already in love with the band. Want more, more, more!

slow trains by Anaesthetics pulse by Anaesthetics
The History of Apple Pie. Fuzzy, hyper-vitaminated and highly addictive noise pop is what this very young band from London offers us. Two wonderful double sided singles released on 2011, "You're So Cool" and "Mallory" plus the stunning new release of "Do It Wrong/Long Way To Go", out now, are enough to show the promise of band that could blend the best from the American college rock and the C86's spirit: crunching guitars with dazzling pop vocals (careful with the combination of  Stephanie Min and Kelly Lee Owens voices, creates addiction). Eagerly awaiting their next step.

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.

Premiere: Town Hall's first official video!

A Bloodbuzzed premiere today, from our 2012 kindest discovery, beloved friends and superb folk-pop trio Town Hall. Here's their first official video, "Good Boy", a week in advance of the arrival of  "Roots and Bells", long-awaited debut album, due out on April 15th, and hours before it "hits the blogosphere". After the release of the video (this afternoon) they will be also posting a free download of the tune on their Bandcamp. Quite an adventurous sonic drive for the band, letting aside their folk intimacy for a while, with a very fitting video. Have your say and enjoy Town Hall!


Want more? I bet you do. Here's "Swim Team" the first song we heard from the upcoming "Roots & Bell". Gorgeous indie-folk.

Side note: After watching the video and downloading the tune, DON'T FORGET to listen/grab their wonderful "Sticky Notes & Paper Scraps EP". Satisfaction guaranteed!

Discoverer 25: new indie findings

Cinema Red and Blue. Always have the same feeling with Comet Gain. No matter tone or lyrics, its always played with a joyful, passionate rawness, so it's almost mathematic: I fall for their music once and again. So when I discovered Dave Feick and co. embarked themselves in a new adventure, a collaboration with members of Crystal Stilts with guest appearances of Gary Olson from The Ladybug Transistor, I knew I would love it too. The eponymous record, released in November of 2010 is followed by "Butterbean Crypt EP", out next week. As great as Comet Gain. Enough said. 
Cinema Red and Blue - Same Mistakes
Cinema Red And Blue - Walkin' To The Cemetery

To Kill a King. A Shakespearean name for this five-piece Brit band leaded by intriguing songwriter Ralph Pellymounter, who after several attempts (started his musical career in 2004 solo), in early 2010 finally ensembled the current band's line-up, releasing heir first single "Fictional State", which is now followed by "My Crooked Saint" EP. A powerful and diverse blend between pop-rock and folk, that sometimes evoke a more restrained Arcade Fire, and others the straightness and euphoric side of Mumford And Sons' tunes. Keep and eye on them.
To Kill A King - "Bloody Shirt"
To Kill a King - "Wrecking Crew" (Acoustic Version)
To Kill a King - "Cold Skin"

2:54. Behind this curious name (their favourite moment in a Melvins song), you'll find sisters Hannah and Colette Thurlow. Hailing from London, they emerged past May with their song "Creeping". A couple of tunes followed soon, and after signing with Fiction Records, they now offer their first release, "Scarlet" EP. Many names come to mind when listening, from Garbage (that sensual voice recalls Shirley Manson's) to Warpaint or Mazzy Star. A cinematic and atmospheric affair, where guitars stride relentlessly and cymbals seems to splash, like waves, against imaginary rocks.
2:54 - Scarlet
Cold Front 7"

Discoverer 22: new indie findings

New bands to recommend you!

French Films. You wouldn't associate the music with where they're from, beautiful Finland (Espoo and Järvenpää, close to Helsinki). Because this band, formed in 2010, with an EP, "Golden Sea", and an LP, "Imaginary Future", out now, will initially recall you to sunny places and bands like The Vaccines or The Drums. Humming songs, catchy as hell, full of hooks and irresistible urgency. Maybe is the scent to catch an unforgettable melody, the keyboards, the New Wave hints, or the unusual cohesion during the whole album. This is one of the most enjoyable albums of the year so far.
Imaginary Future (2011) by French Films

Laura K. My EardrumsPop friends did it again. Their ePop 18, completely free and available on their website, is another sample of the best indiepop, besides introducing us new artists to follow, this time a ridiculously young artist, Laura K, between Brisbane and London, where she is now based, with an amazing talent to create sweet gems that seem very simple on the surface. Impossibly cute and mellow, "Saboteur" and the short "This Happens Every Time" are followed by "Beach Comber" a beautiful (handclapping!) rendition of Real Estate, another band to check. Download!!
Laura K - ePop018 - digital single by EardrumsPop

Young Romance. And the third proposal comes from London, in the form of a charming duo, Paolo and Claire. This inseparable couple makes delicate and stunningly gorgeous indiepop tunes, with an intensity that suggests a real emotion and passion in what they do. These few available songs seems really a slowly-built work of art. I'm still blown away by "Swollen Hearts, Bitter Tongues", "She, Me, Him and You" and the candle-fire "Six Sides". Pure pop perfection, as immediate as lasting. From now on, count me as a fan and follower of the adventures of this couple.