Discoverer 27: new indie findings

After a long while, we are back with Sunday band proposals for you!

Still Corners. I recently discovered "Creatures of an Hour", debut album from this Londoners. But after their gig at Primavera Club, now I count myself among their fans. Cinematic, movie influenced chamber retro-cool pop, lush and atmospheric dream-pop recalling Beach House or Broadcast, delicate shoegaze with glimpses of synth-pop, are all perfect but incomplete definitions. This is music with a haunting, eerily beauty, condensed in Tessa Murray's breathy voice, that propels you to a melancholic and sensual imaginary place. Immerse yourself  in the nicest of dreams. A must.
Still Corners - Creatures of an Hour

Braids. The second band discovered at Primavera Club is a Canadian four-piece that has gathered comparisons with Animal Collective and Panda Bear with their debut, "Native Speaker". True, their experimental, psychedelic songs connect them with these names, but Braids offer a unique amalgam of atmospheres and feelings, from strange, dreamy passages, to celestial and placid moments, in which the voices, in particular Raphaelle Standell-Preston's  hypnotic tone emerge as recurrent waves among the sea of sounds. Curious? Listen to the mesmerizing "Lemonade" and enjoy the ride.
BRAIDS 'Lemonade'
Plath Heart by Braids
Braids - Glass Deers

The Andersen Tapes. Let's move to the infallible Sweden to meet Amanda Aldervall, previously at the Free Loan Investments and The Busy Band. Her last project, The Andersen Tapes, began with the single "Smartypants" on Cloudberry in 2008, and early this 2011 she released  "As I Write 'Today' Ten Times", her first album. This collection of tunes shows where are in front of a woman with an unusual talent to offer perfect indiepop gems. Diverse, playful and unquestionably addictive, this album is a little precious treasure.
The Andersen Tapes - Visual Explanations
The Andersen Tapes - Cross Country

"Captain America", the patriot, retro and shallow hero

Captain America: The First Avenger

Even as a kid, I found Captain America's comics quite boring. And as teenager, the superhero became evidently ridiculous, then something even worse when I learnt, like "Casablanca", the creation of the hero had only a political purpose, to increase the number of US recruitments for the II World War.

Of course, you grow and things can be approached in a different way, so the good reviews of the film, the references to Michael Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", one of the best books of the last 15 years, and the praise of the film in terms of aesthetics and fun made me curious about it. Hey!, a few reviews even pointed out there was much more than action and blockbuster 3-D special effects. It must be me then, 'cause I feel I watched a different "Captain America".

Because this film is nothing more than a blockbuster in the same vein of "Thor". The same amount of silliness and absurd situations that makes you wonder if director Joe Johnston really wanted to do a comedy, or a mockery on superheroes. Yes, I got the whole point is not taking the story so seriously, go for a pulp style and recreate that period of time, when a superhero was born as a propaganda tool, allowing some ironic distance with it. There are some scenes, when Captain America (Chris Evans) is used to make some advertisement across the country to help raising funds for the war, when the movie achieves that goal. But they are few in a two-hours long film.

Instead there's a general indigestible mixture of not very well made special effects (in some fighting scenes you can easily see the computer design), a carefully made retro looks in the costumes, characterizations and filming, but at the same time anachronistic machines and guns, and a lame use of secondary roles, in particular Peggy Carter (gorgeous but dumb character played by Hayley Atwell) and Colonel Chester Philips (Tommy Lee Jones). The villains, Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) and Dr. Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), are just caricatures that, again, work fine at the aesthetics level, but are pretty lame aside from that. If they, at least, served for the purpose of having a good action film that would have been something, but I can't recall any remarkable scene except maybe the one in the train.   

Well, if you are looking for a superhero movie where the good guys are patriots, extra-pure good guys (one can also say that not very far away from Johnny Rambo's stupidity) and, of course, winners, where the bad guys are the incarnation of evil, where the girl can kick some ass without ruffling her hair, where the pivotal pre-action scene or the final fight has always time for the "memorable" joke (perhaps the most recognisable trademark of American mainstream cinema), you'll probably enjoy "Captain America" a lot. For the rest, at least the film is enjoyable, gets going with fluidity, entertains, and it doesn't annoy... but if you want something more, you might consider look somewhere else.

SCORE: 4,5/10

Primavera Sound 2012, still hoping

Right after the Primavera Club 2011 ends, the organization announces new names for the forthcoming festival, and in a double round. So the line-up in Barcelona has now 27 names... and I'm still looking for at least one to make me eager for the Festival to begin.

Don't get me wrong, the additions of Veronica Falls and Beach House (especially if the latest have new record) are great, but they aren't exactly exciting, in the sense I saw both bands recently (at the aforementioned Primavera Club and at the Fly Me to the Moon). And the rest of confirmations... with all due respect of course, and admitting there are some great names... the majority of them are simply not "my cup of tea". And it pisses me off that The Walkmen, a band that I don't mind "repeating" as many times as possible (two times this 2011), are only going to Oporto.

Really hoping (I'm sure it will) the line-up shapes into something more similar to my "PS12 sweepstake" (only two hits by now) or my "wish-list"!

CONFIRMED ARTISTS FOR SAN MIGUEL PRIMAVERA SOUND 2012

30th May – 3rd June, Barcelona

Archers Of Loaf, Beach House, Björk, Codeine, Death Cab For Cutie, Death In Vegas, The Dirty Three, The Drums, Godflesh, Guided By Voices, Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel), Josh T. Pearson, Lisabö, Mudhoney, Neon Indian, Numbers Showcase (Jackmaster, Redinho, Spencer, Oneman, Deadboy), The Olivia Tremor Control, Other Lives, SBTRKT, Shellac, Siskiyou, Spiritualized, Veronica Falls, Washed Out, Wilco, The xx, Yo La Tengo.

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"

"A Special Providence", the wars of Richard Yates

A Special Providence- Richard Yates

I believe Richard Yates is one of the best writers the world has had. So it’s no surprise “A Special Providence” is a very good book. But there’s a problem: it’s written by Richard Yates. With an author like him, you don’t expect just a very good book. You expect greatness. And in that sense, this work is a minor piece.

Of course, a minor piece from Yates is still better than 75-80% of the books you’ll read on a year. His masterful prose, always focused and powerful, flows without any superficiality or unnecessary ornament while it touches you deeply (Yates is, in my opinion, one of a handful writers able to destroy you completely when you immerse yourself in his prose without forcing any dramatic spring). But with “A Special Providence” he only achieves on less than half of the book.

What Yates attempts with this book is intertwining two stories that are depending on each other, on what it seems a quite autobiographical work (and poignant, very personal demons). One is Robert Prentice’s life as a soldier in the II World War, drafted after being graduated from high school. Yates runs from any of the usual heroic portraits of the soldier, the camaraderie or any supposed value the army has. Instead he draws a grey picture of logical incompetence, confusion (he aims to be an illustrated, smarter than average soldier), and growing frustration as the desired glory or honour he seeks never arrives, with a final turn towards a sort of despondent resignation.

The other is Alice Prentice’s, his mother, tale of misery, impossible dreams to fulfill and the need to keep cheating herself. The clash between social and artistic aspirations and the depressing reality is (Yates’ trademark) merciless and absorbing. We suffer her economic burdens, we hurt with Alice’s idealisation of plans that are pending of a very thin line, and we feel devastated when they finally crumble. In a way the two stories are pretty similar, their aspirations and their place in the world is equally elusive and cruel for them. But there’s no balance between the two. I found Alice’s part much more absorbing and compelling. Maybe is because the army and war have been used as a topic too many times in literature, and despite Yates unheroic approach it is not very original. Or maybe, the blurred character Robert is makes it too distant for the reader to emphasize with.

As anything coming from Richard Yates, I will definitely recommend you to read “A Special Providence”. Just don’t expect to find another “Revolutionary Road” or “The Easter Parade”.

SCORE: 6,5/10

The Bright, great music against all odds

The Bright. Sala Sidecar, Barcelona, November 26th

The Bright at Sidecar
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

My second time seeing The Bright live was full of circumstances against this lovely duo of Spanish musicians from León. First, their concert was scheduled at the height of the Primavera Club 2011 week that I've been covering daily (you can check it here, posts on the blog will follow this week), so the risk of being too tired to add another concert was obvious. Second, they didn't bring a full band with them, so the gig could have been too similar to the one that I enjoyed on that rainy day of May at FNAC. And third, part of the audience at Sala Sidecar didn't give a damn for the concert, talking all the time and showing no respect for the artists and the public that were there to hear them. But Myriam Gutiérrez and Aníbal Sánchez were capable of beating all this challenges, offering another needed dose of their bright (sorry for the easy joke again) and warm music.

Myriam at BCN. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

The start wasn't easy. The noisy and disrespectful crowd dominated the small venue, and despite Myriam and Aníbal efforts to offer sure-fire winners from their lovely "Soundtrack for a Winter's Tale" it was clear there was an obvious disconnection with the audience, also from the very first row from where we were. Luckily, the couple had enough munition with them to slowly conquer the public. "Rocking Chair", "Soundtrack", "Your Private Garden", "Waving Flag", the wonderful "Odd Towns" and "Coffee & Wine", etc. In total, nine of the twelve tunes that compose their debut album were played at Sidecar. And as the momentum was growing, they took the occasion to introduce three new tunes, a couple of them sounding astonishingly amazing, easily among their best. And aside the tunes played there's another factor that allows the couple downing all barriers: a natural, unforced attitude and charm. They played with confidence and honesty, being capable of captivating the Barcelona audience in a very similar way that their music does. With serenity and a haunting grace.

The great duo in action
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

There was also time for three versions, from Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash and Led Zeppelin, the latest being one of the highlights and turning point of the night. Plus, of course, the inclusion on the setlist of the excellent "Cowgirl in the Sand" from Neil Young, that serves as a superb closer of their album, and that they chose to end the gig on a very high note. By that time The Bright had already overcome all the obstacles, and proved they are a duo with genuine talents. Hoping for a new gig soon (with a full band) in which I'll be able to stay longer next time to chat a bit with them and get a picture with the two!

Back from Primavera Club 2011's playlist

After PC2011. Stuff & fIRA fEM's setlist
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Back to the blog after being abducted for the last 5 days, thanks to the Primavera Club 2011 (PC2011). I'll be posting quite a few about the Festival in the next days (you can already check the chronicles I already wrote in Spanish) of it , but for now, here's a playlist of songs from the bands I watched during the previous week. Majority of them are the best ones I heard (in my opinion, of course) during their gigs, but Tigercats' tune and Villarroel's and Capitán's additions were the only ones I was able to find on the web. Enjoy!

1. Slack Motherfucker- Superchunk
2. Shredder- JEFF The Brotherhood
3. Cubata de Fairy- Las Ruinas
4. Deer- Autumn Comets
5. Lemonade- Braids
6. Love Like a River- Girls
7. Endless Summer- Still Corners
8. The Party- St.Vincent
9. Ladies, Claps, (and Gentlemen)- fIRA fEM
10. She is Beyond Good and Evil- The Pop Group
11. Konny Huck- Tigercats
12. Peppermint- Spectrals
13. Slivers of You- Puro Instinct
14. Starry Eyes- Veronica Falls

plus Capitán's song "Portugal"
Capitán "Portugal"
and Villarroel's "Pesca de la Langosta"

"Snow Covered", Christmas with The Very Most

Snow Covered

I've decided to start a new section of the blod devoted to EP reviews, so I was looking for a quite special record to start with. The great occasion appeared this week, courtesy of the gentle Jeremy Jensen, leader of blog's favourite The Very Most. The Boise indie-pop masters are back with a very special release, a four-song Christmas EP, out in December 3rd, something quite usual in US, a tradition, but rare to find outside the States.

When Jeremy invited me to hear it, I was a bit reluctant. Hey, unlike him (it's not the first time The Very Most do that sort of seasonal songs), I'm not big on Christmas, even less in Christmas music, which in my opinion tends to be really predictable, shamefully sappy and bland. So I didn't want to hear something I knew I thought I wouldn't like in advance from a band I really love. Silly me, soon I was going to realise I was completely wrong. Four reasons prove it.

First, and as the title says, because this EP is a collection of covers. But not the usual ones that have been endlessly covered just for the sake of Christmas. The Beach Boys, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Vashti Bunyan and Twice as Much and The Wombles. Cool line-up of bands, isn't it? Even the fake, furry creatures of the Wombles are lovely.

Second, because these songs feature guest appearances by Duglas T. Stewart of Scottish band BMX Bandits (did I need to say he is a pop genius?) and Mel Whittle (also on Baffin Island) from the great Glaswegian band The Hermit Crabs  (who really have to make a new album soon, we miss them so much) among other names that will make me surf the internet in the next days to know more about. 

Third, of course, because of the music. EP's opener "Wombling Merry Christmas" (original by The Wombles) is, plain simple, a fantastic indie-pop gem. The more I listen it, the more it makes me think on Belle and Sebastian lushness meeting The Very Most gift to create something wonderful. "Little Saint Nick" (The Beach Boys) of course devotes its sound to the legendary band, but despite being the more predictable of the lot, and if you allow me the sacrilege, I prefer this version, thanks to Rachael Jensen's charming voice. The third track, "The Coldest Night of the Year" (Vashti Bunyan and Twice as Much), was already a fine tune (always Vashti's amazing voice), but adapted to the male-female duet acquires a new, refreshing and warm dimension. And finally, "Christmas Eve" (Gorky's Zygotic Mynci), is an enchanting, rich and atmospheric tune, with its constrained epic sound resonating in your ears long after the track has ended.  

Need a four reason? Half of the proceeds of the EP (they collected the funds through a Kickstarter campaign)  goes to the Idaho Foodbank. So, now that you know the reasons, you should be running to grab your copy of "Snow Covered".

Thanks Jeremy! Thanks The Very Most!

SCORE: 7,5/10