Discoverer 56: new indie findings

New dose of great discoveries for your listening pleasure!

PUPS. Had several options among to choose from, but friend TVM's Jeremy Jensen just let me know that Rose Melberg has a new band! So first goes first. The indiepop heroine (Tiger Trap, The Softies, Go Sailor, Brave Irene, solo, etc) has started a Vancouver based trio called PUPS (or it's Puppies?). Their first release is a split tape with Movieland on Green Burrito Records, released just two days ago (name your price on their bandcamp). Six tunes that sound like a slightly edgier version of Melberg's usual magic compositions, but equally shiny and addictive. A must, of course!

Wonky Doll and the Echo. First Greek band that reaches my inbox? Hailing from Athens, this oddly-named quartet, formed in 2010, then recorded their first promo that December. Many local and national performances followed, crystallised with the arrival of "Pleasant Thoughts" on September 2012. Nine hypnotic and flawless songs bringing us back to the 80's. A solid blend of post-punk, new wave and indie rock that flirts with synths and retro electronica as well as goth sounds. Think on The Cult meeting Echo and the Bunnymen. Icy atmospheres, ethereal guitars, gloomy vocals... and a lot of talent and promise.

 
The Choo Choo Trains. Meet Emma, Catherine and Veronica, my latest music crush. Active since 2010, they come from London, UK and their first release, a 17 tracks tape, came out in April of 2012, making them achieve some sounding reviews. Now it has a follow-up in the 7" EP entitled "I Choo-Choo-Choose You!" out this February on Manic Pop! Records, with some hints on a forthcoming album. They define themselves as "girl-guide shoegaze" from the heart and soul. But this is a twee-pop delight mixed with some lo-fi attitude. Irresistible charm coming from the fragile vocals, the whispered stories of the lyrics and the colourful melodies that shape their sound. Band to love.

"Hitchcock", zero suspense, dull biopic

Hitchcock

Biopics can be a real torture or, when memorable, a fantastic excuse to discover or re-connect with the film's subject. But there's a third "category", which is usually the most common: a movie that leaves you completely indifferent. Not annoying, but really insipid. "Hitchcock" could be the perfect example. Reminded me to "My Week with Marilyn". Take a cultural myth/icon and put it on an unsubstantial movie.

In this sort of films, it doesn't really matter if you are a fan or a hater, because there's not a real attempt of offering any insight of the biopic's character. That is the case of "Hitchcock". Worse, this film doesn't want to talk about the way Sir Alfred Hitchcock approached cinema, being labelled as the "Master of Suspense" (not me). Doesn't aim to show his peculiar relations with her cast (particularly women), wife, or studios. Doesn't pretend to offer any real tension or obsessions. It's just a expensive tv movie, suitable to anyone. Entertaining enough to keep you going, but nothing else.

"Hitchcock" biggest failure is the lame plot. The whole movie is focused on the director's battle to make "Psycho". Yep, director Sacha Gervasi probably believed that having such a movie classic (not for me) as the plot's subject he didn't have to care about the screenplay. Wrong. From the very beginning we are in front of a game of incoherencies, plotholes. Gervasi chooses a supposedly very dramatic scene that should justify why Hictchcock needed to do "Psycho"... forgetting that before that moment all we had was a triumphant director presuming of their latest success, "North by Northwest". Gervasi gives Vera Miles a shot, on which we assume there was a very "special" issue regarding her relation with the director, then her character gets almost abandoned. I could go on. And the nightmarish scenes on which Alfred "lives" inside the novel that inspired the film are ridiculous.  

With such an empty script, what keeps the movie alive is the marital/work tension between Alfred and his wife Alma. Not because it has any particular strength, but at least it does have coherency and a very solid actress, Helen Mirren, carrying the weight of the film on her reliable shoulders. The rest of the impressive cast does what they can. Good actors on secondary roles like Toni Collette or Michael Wincott have very unrewarding lines. Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh and Jessica Biel as Vera Miles have barely no space to be more than mannequins. On a side note, its a crime that two of the most beautiful actresses look that unattractive on screen. 

And of course, Anthony Hopkins as the "great man himself". Well, he looks like a perfect caricature of the man. You can put all the prosthetics you can, gain weight, and perfect voice and mannerisms as much as you can. That will only mean a fantastic recreation of the person's aesthetics. But you still need a direction, a purpose, a turmoil to get the character alive. Hopkins tries, and as the gifted actor he is, he saves dozens of scenes... but it's still an artifice. He is the epitome of the whole movie, pointless, weak, lifeless. Doesn't harm, but save it just for killing time.  

SCORE: 5/10

"Village Green", as gorgeous as indiepop can be

Village Green 

Let me introduce you to the Village Ten Collective, a trio of wonderful bands: blog favourites The Very Most, recently discovered intimate pop geniuses Adam and Darcie, and new amazing finding Canoe. Released just a couple of weeks ago, the album is composed by six songs, with each band covering one tune from the other two. The result is a little indiepop delight. Each cover sounds unforced, completely natural, the result being extremely cohesive, coherent, honest, and what's more important, haunting.  

First song is Adam and Darcie's "Take Them All Away" covered by our beloved The Very Most. If you read this blog (thanks) you should know what Jeremy Jensen is capable of doing if he dreams a melody. Now think what he can do with a gentle paced, charming melody made by craftmanships Adam and Darcie's. Wonders that is. A cheerful, expansive, joyful tune that could fit perfectly on any TVM release.

Then is Adam and Darcie who covers Canoe's "Drip, Drip, Drop", turning the mellow and intimate folk-pop affair the tune seems to be on an unexpected epic voyage. Warm guitar lines and Darcie's voice rising above. If you don't get moved you're deaf, sorry.

And the first round of covers closes with Canoe's covering The Very Most's "Dodged Ev'ry Bullet Pt. 1" (what a cool title). Subtle and delicate, the song is transformed into a pastoral number that slowly grabs you.

Our imaginary side B opens with TVM again, now adapting Canoe's "The Caspian Sea". Right now might be my favourite of the lot, with these vocal twists, the simple but flamboyant chorus, and the irresistible upbeat rhythm once the guitars arise. Tune its followed by Canoe's take on "Never Been a Pilot" from Adam and Darcie, which is definitely a grower, with a mind-blowing guitar shimmering in the middle of it.

And closing the mini-album we have Adam and Darcie version of TVM's "You're in Love with the Sun". The original is already magnificent, but the lovely couple from Provo makes the tune their own. Intensity, that feeling of closeness with the listener, that rare feeling of being invited to a very private party. It's the ideal finale for an album that seems a celebration of three bands that share friendship and a genuine love for the music they play. Everything fits, even the beautiful artwork by Marta Tortajada is perfect. As gorgeous indiepop can be.

SCORE: 7,5/10  

Listen below and grab it while you can!

Spanish Indie 12: suggesting the best national acts

More Spanish "alternative sounds" for your listening pleasure!

The Birkins. Can you mix British pop with French chanson, Americana and some experimentation and not being indigestible? Can you recall bands like The Beautiful South and Stereolab at the same time? This impressive quartet hailing from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria can, gracefully. Formed in 2008, after winning, in 2009, the nationwide Heineken Greenspace contest, they signed with our recurrent friends from El Genio Equivocado and released their S/T debut album in 2011. Now they are back with their sophomore release, "Châteaux en Espagne", out since Feburary. Classy and diverse indiepop. One final advice: don't miss the chance of seeing them live if you can.

Niño y Pistola. Veteran band from Baiona, Galizia, for our second proposal. After two demos (2003 & 2004) they released "Como un Maldito Guisante" in 2006, recorded fully live. Hailed by critics as the "Galizian from Liverpool", they returned with "Culebra" in 2008. Then came their band reinvention, releasing under a new alter ego "Niño y Pistola as Arthur & The Writers" in 2010. And out now we have "There's a Man With a Gun Over There" as Niño y Pistola again. A conceptual album that is a superb homage to all the American music heroes: Neil Young, The Band, Dylan, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield... FOLK-ROCK in big capital letters.

Les Atxes. Discovered at the Minifestival de Música Independent, this band from Barcelona was born in 2008, first as the shared project of guitarists and singers Marc A. and Marc M., and then as a powerful full group after recruiting three more members. After many gigs and rehearsing, in 2011 they came out with a self-titled mini-album, when they combine their passion for the 70s' NYC scene with the more primitive elements of garage, as well of little hints of post-punk and traces of Spanish folk-rock. An eclectic combination that turns out to be incredibly fun, particularly live.

"Independientes", 20 years of Spanish indie

Independientes

Are indie lovers and endangered species in Spain? With my deepest regret, I believe so. But despite being few and struggling, we are not alone, and we had a history behind us. That's what Independientes (Independents) shows. And I would add offers, because this documentary, directed by Jose A. Rueda and produced by La Fabriquilla De Creación Audiovisual is available to watch for free on youtube (see below). Excellent idea and proposal to start with, don't you think?

And Independientes has many attractions for the viewer. As an attempt to dissect how the national indie scene was created is clear and up to the point. There's not a lot of digressing and Rueda let the musicians and relevant actors do all the talking, answering his sort of fundamental and broad questions: is there a Spanish indie scene? how it was created? what does it mean being indie today?, etc. It's always a pleasure to hear and see people like Julio Ruiz (Radio 3 will never be thanked enough), Antonio Arias (Lagartija Nick), Nacho Vegas or Antonio Luque (Sr.Chinarro), among others (including half of Los Planetas, Lori Meyers, Maga, etc). Down-to-earth and really wise people. 

Some of the questions, in particular the latest ones that refer on what means being indie are the most controversial and interesting, showing also the singularity of the Spanish case. Take the example of Los Planetas, the most famous and pivotal alternative group in Spain. They signed with a major virtually since the very beginning of their career, but did that affect their music? Or take a more recent case, also used on the film: Vetusta Morla. Their music is (ok, arguably) on the mainstream side, but they opted for self-producing/releasing mechanisms, achieving one of the biggest successes in recent history of Spanish music.

But the modesty of the rockumentary is also a bit of a curse. With barely one hour of film it can't help but feel incomplete. It's all about alternative pop-rock sounds, missing many styles and bands who would have been relevant for the documentary. Some very important labels are also excluded from the film footage when talking about the first steps and the evolution of the independent scene. The same appeals to the present times. Independientes just poses the debate on the Internet and new channels for reaching fans. But there's so much that could have been added on that: small and emerging labels, the music venues, new bands, live music versus selling records, Festivals... Aww, the documentary should/could last seven hours!

Anyway, that sort of last criticism is quite unfair for Independientes, a movie that has to be praised just because of its mere existence. But we do want a second, third and fourth chapter!

SCORE: 6,75/10

Watch the documentary here! (it's in Spanish, sorry)

The Indie Anthology 27: essential songs

Back from a short mini-vacation and what's better than returning to posting that recovering our Anthology? The rescued song today was an attempt to prove I can also write about cheerful songs, and a band that has just comeback and deserves its fair share of vindication.

Song: Tonight I Have to Leave It
Artist: Shout Out Louds
Year: 2007

Folks, that's what I call a hit! Imagine a world where people wants to enjoy really good music and not the awful amount of shit that saturates tv, commercials and radios. In that ideal world, Tonight I Have to Leave It, would have been the soundtrack of 2007's summer, and a mandatory tune to dance on every single disco with some taste. The indiepop "Swedish factory" did it again. Think on The Cure (that voice, that melody) hitting the dance floor unabashedly. Think on that rhythm and that drumming finale. In an ideal world, Shout Out Louds just offered the quintessential joyful, vital tune ready to make you smile and shake you.

Trouble Will Find Me.. with The National

Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is almost over!

The National have just announced their sixth album will be out on May 20th and its called Trouble Will Find Me. Here's the tracklist:

Trouble Will Find Me
01 I Should Live in Salt
02 Demons
03 Don't Swallow the Cap
04 Fireproof
05 Sea of Love
06 Heavenfaced
07 This is the Last Time
08 Graceless
09 Slipped
10 I Need My Girl
11 Humiliation
12 Pink Rabbits
13 Hard to Find

Not too amazed by the cover (a bit too distressing for me) although it somewhats suits the intriguing and Nationary title. Way more excited by Matt's comments on the album:
“For the past 10 years we'd been chasing something, wanting to prove something. And this chase was about trying to disprove our own insecurities. After touring High Violet, I think we felt like we'd finally gotten there. Now we could relax-- not in terms of our own expectations but we didn't have to prove our identity any longer."

So yes, a very special day for Bloodbuzzed, the countdown has begun! Here are two videos to keep the buzz going...

Lola = I Should Live in Salt (rumour says)
Prime = Graceless (rumour says)