THE HISTORY OF APPLE PIE. Out of view

The History of Apple Pie són cinc jovenets anglesos que practiquen un noise pop amb un cert regust a grunge però amb unes veus suaus i càlides. Alguna cosa semblant a My Bloody Valentine però sense tanta distorsió. L'any passat varen anar avançant temes del que, a la fi, ha estat el seu primer treball de llarga durada. Tot i la "tendresa" de les seves veus podem trobar detalls de "mala llet" en les seves composicions que fan de tot un artefacte contagiós que t'enganxa a la primera.


Earlier this month, PopMatters tapped the up-and-coming UK act the History of Apple Pie on our list of“The Best Hopes to Break Out in 2013”, so it goes without saying that we are excited to share the U.S. premiere of the group’s first album, Out of View. Out 1/29/2013 on Marshall Teller, Out of View offers a lot of what you hope for in a debut record, a precocious, vibrant effort by a band with a vital perspective that’s worth pursuing. As Music Editor Arnold Pan described the group’s bubble-grunge sound, the History of Apple Pie puts its own spin one twee indie-rock by “making its fuzzy, buzzy melodies fuzzier and buzzier at the same time the confectionary pop elements come off even sweeter and fluffier, especially the vocals. Of its contemporaries, Yuck would be the best analogue for THOAP, considering the way the newbie group is able to get heavier and grungier without sacrificing any of its sugar-rush pop charms.” We touched base with guitarist Jerome Watson to learn more about the band’s approach, whether the ‘90s count as ancient history, and—of course—where the enigmatic name came from.

COLOURED CLOCKS

Des de Melbourne ens arriba aquesta nova proposta musical fabricada per Coloured Clocks. Passat el shock que va representar el darrer treball de Tame Impala aquests al·lotets pretenen seguir una mica mica el cami iniciat per aquells i el resultat, tot i no arribar al nivell dels seus "guies espirituals" sí que ens fa passar una estona agradable. Moltes influències del beat i de músiques dels 60s van apareixent mentres es van desenvolupant les pistes. Amb una mica més de personalitat pròpia arribaran a fer un gran treball. Deixem trancórrer el temps i aprofitem ara de forma totalment gratuïta de peces com "Maze" i "Nobody's Watching".

The four-piece from Melbourne, Australia released their sophomore album Nectarine on December 18 completely free on Bandcamp.

The first single “Maze” is a fine indie pop song, traditionally structured and with a airy guitar riff that eventually gets filled in with accompanying drums, sweet, gargled melodies and smudgy vocals. With a voice resembling an Aussie Brian Aubert (singer from the Silversun Pickups) vocalist James Wallace seems to be attempting to reinterpret a dance through the dream state in musical form.

The track is a 4 minute and 30 second opening glimpse into the places Coloured Clocks can go; “Maze” works as a fitting rabbit-hole into the warren of psych-swells, echoes and noise experiments Nectarine features. “Maze” is much better technically and musically than much of what comes across the more listened-to airwaves these days and the melody will probably squirm its way into the heads of many listeners.(inyourspeakers.com)

THE GRADIENTS

Des de Nova York The Gradients practiquen un new wave punk rock força vigorós i interessant. "Trapped" és un Ep que publicaren el setembre passat amb tres cançons molt recomanables.

"Brooklyn’s littered with rock bands. Each one bringing their own thing, but some far more polished than others. When I originally heard the Gradients demo recording, I knew there was something compositionally apt that was hardly communicated by the harsh aesthetic. Here, they present their formal debut, a self-titled EP release that ranges in emotive style and puts a proper sheen on the entire project". - Dingus blog

JUST LIONS

Des de Portland arriben a aquesta entrada els Just Lions, una banda que ells mateixos califiquen com indie rock, pop, jazz trio i la veritat és que característiques d'aquests tipus de bandes les troban a aquest Ep "Monsters". Recomanable sobretot la peça que dóna nom al treball.

“Tonight, Portland band Just Lions welcomes Monsters into the world, a three-song EP that was a long time coming, due to what singer/guitarist Chandler Strutz calls “some truly shitty health issues that I’ve been dealing with.” As it turns out, three songs are plenty, as every track on Monsters is adventurous, melodic, inventive rock that doesn’t leave you wanting. The centerpiece, “Othello,” is thunderous, ponderous, and tinged with tragedy—it sounds like a much bigger band than the mere three-piece of Strutz, his brother Brady Strutz, and drummer Andrew Shepherd. (Chandler adds, “Andrew and I have been in bands together for over a decade. Brady and I have been in petty fights about nothing for over two decades.”) The tracks on Monsters were initially part of a full-length, but when Chandler fell sick, they decided to release these tracks now rather than wait. Fortunately, Chandler is doing well and Just Lions sounds great, with the solid Monsters to show for it.” NED LANNAMANN

CASSETTES ON TAPE

Cassettes on Tape és un grup de Chicago que practiquen un tipus de música que podríem anomenar com postpunk i en algunes peces, directament composicions de rock o rock melòdic. És una formació que va començar el seu camí el 2011 i aquest és el se primer treball.

HONDURAS

Noise rock des de Brooklyn recomanable a més no poder.

Honduras’s Cahokia is a perfect morsel of well-crafted punk music. Dark and scuzzy, polished but not without its rough edges, the EP spins its own brand of danceable disenchantment.  Taking cues from surf and desert rock alike, the songs are at times ambient, even spooky, but without ever forgetting the band’s punk roots. They remain grimy, in the best way possible, with riffs insistent enough to burn holes through even the best laid carpets. Ideally Cahokiashould be listened to at around two in the morning, blaring loudly out of your Chevy’s stereo as you barrel down some highway, but let’s be honest, none of us own cars. [Free Download] @EmilioHerce

THE ECHO AND THE SOUND

Feia estona que no publicava cap treball de rock contundent, per tant ja era hora.


Do you hear that? Its the sound of dark and broody rock and roll. The Echo and The Sound’s six-track EP is full of hip shaking, foot stomping, good old fashioned R & R. It’s a dark, Tarantino-esque collection that is impossible to resist. Try. You’ll get pinned to the ground before you try to block out the sound waves. Time to give in to the gothy calls of The Echo and The Sound. [Free Download] @LeahLovecat

THE JEAN JACKETS

'The Myth os Sisyphus’ is a song I’ve listened to countless times; for nearly a year it defined New Jersey based band, The Jean Jackets.  It was a beacon of hope, an demonstration of power.  There isn’t anything deliberately fancy about Jean Jacques, just good old fashion song writing, dynamic and amorphous.  As soon as you get to ‘Speed Trap’ it becomes clear that The Jean Jackets are putting their best foot forward and with the short lived reverb sigh that leads to ‘Bridge and Tunnel People’ you feel comfortable calling the group unique. [Free Download] @Dingusonmusic

DALTON

Estan considerats la millor banda d'Indie Rock de NYC per la pàgina The Deli. Voltros mateixos decidireu, personalment he sentit coses millors al llarg de l'any passat de grups de la mateixa ciutat.
"Dalton is the scrappy and energetic indie rock of Brooklyn’s Nate Harar who seems determined to convince us that indie rock isn’t dead just yet... [b]ut what really gets me with Dalton is how effortless it all seems which makes it all that effortless to listen to." - I Guess I'm Floating 

BEACH FOSSILS. Clash the truth

El futur de Beach Fossils es veia bastant incert, el seu baixista original, John Peña, deixava fa uns mesos la banda per dedicar-se en exclusiva al seu projecte paral·lel, Heavenly Beat, el seu guitarrista, Zachary Col·le Smith, també provava sort en solitari i ens regalava un dels àlbums de debut més interessants de l'any passat juntament amb el seu nou grup DIIV. Tot feia presagiar que el grup de Dustin Payseur, ànima máter de Beach Fossils, s'anava a enfonsar.

Així i tot han tornat amb el seu nou àlbum, Clash The Truth, previst per editar-se el proper 19 de febrer via Captured Tracks . Han tornat amb energies renovades, tot un brillant exercici d'indie pop i jangle pop per enamorar. Cançons directes, sense fissures, amb baixos prou marcats i guitarres cristal·lines que creixen, que teixeixen capes i capes sobreposades de melodies a manera de teranyina que t'atrapa i no et deixa escapar. Des de la primera cançó, la que dóna títol al seu nou àlbum, tot un homenatge a una de les més grans i injustament oblidades bandes dels vuitanta, The Church, fins a l'última. Estem sens dubte davant un dels discos, en majúscules, del proper any.

Beach Fossils tornen per la porta gran per seguir essent un dels pilars de Captured Tracks, aquest segell que s'està convertint en una autèntica llegenda malgrat la seva curta longevitat. Una discogràfica referent actual que conjumina la qualitat amb la creativitat i la independència més absoluta. Vos deix l'enllaç a dues de les cançons de l'álbum, una d'elles, "Careless" de descàrrega gratuïta.

 

YO LA TENGO. Fade

Trobar-te davant un nou disc de Yo la Tengo és sempre una experiència enriquidora. El seu esperit inquiet, en constant evolució, ens presenta un nou producte, “Fade” gravat als estudis Soma de Chicago sota la producció de John McEntire ( Tortoise ). A “Fade” hi trobam peces de caire diferenciat entre composicions d'altres èpoques però sense oblidar elements de pop clàssic que han estat molt presents a les seves darreres obres. Hi ha una mescla homogènia de les diverses direccions que han transitat durant aquests darrers vint anys, es mostren renouers i hipnòtics a peces com “Ohm”, “Paddle forward” o “Stupid things”; alegres a “Is that enough” o “Well you better” o cercar una calma acústica total a “I'll be around”.

Les peces de mig ritme són la nota dominant i encara que la segona meitat del disc és la més calmada, en cap moment arriben a avorrir. Des d'aquest moment està a la meva llista de discs per aquest 2013.

PLANE TICKET. Blank Map

Aquesta formació portuguesa, concretament de Torres Vedras va editar aquest desembre passat un single per commemorar haver arribat als mil fans a la seva pàgina de facebook. Vos deix aquest single per davallar gratuïtament i el seu Ep que editaren el passat abril, Under the quiet sky, que trobareu a un preu més que assequible. La seva música es un indie rock de baixa intensitat per escoltar a moments d'aquells especials en què t'agradaria pendre es vol i mirar les coses des d'una altra perpectiva. Tal com diuen al seu facebook: "uma banda com a cabeça nas nuvens.".


Dessas mesmas demos, mantém-se o indie-rock e o post-punk/new wave atmosférico e de quarto escuro com janela entreaberta a lembrar muito bem bandas como os Joy Division, os Sonic Youth e, mais recentemente, os The Twilight Sad ou iLiKeTrAiNs. Guitarras bem afiadas soando tão leves como se fossem harpas e linhas de baixo que escorrem como moedas a entrar numa jukebox hipnotizante onde a divagação são três 7’s e um jackpot.

Um dos pontos discutivelmente positivos para alguns ouvintes é o facto de o EP não destoar muito desta tónica, podendo afastar quem espera encontrar outras histórias que não histórias dignas de subúrbios do rei “smog”. Por outro lado – o que mais parece saltar à vista – a efectividade com que a mensagem passa, a rapidez com que os temas se ouvem e a coesão de tudo isto conta em muito para o valor deste EP.(bandcompt.blogspot.pt)

RECOPILATORI. GENER 2003

FUGISSER A

FUGISSER B

NORTHERN PORTRAIT. Pretty Decent Swimmers Ep

The band debuted in 2008 with two very well received EPs—‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ and ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’—both of which sold out almost instantly upon release. The band’s consummate debut album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ enjoyed widespread international acclaim in 2010 including numerous appearances on year-end favorite lists, and the ‘Life Returns To Normal’ 7” single on elegant clear vinyl was released later that same year.
Northern Portrait has charmed live audiences in Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and USA over the years, including performances at the prestigious Indietracks Festival and popfests in Copenhagen, Limoges, Madrid and San Francisco.The fantastic new ‘Pretty Decent Swimmers’ EP is available on deluxe 10” color vinyl and digital formats, and features the first new recordings from the band in over two years.Lead track ‘Happy Nice Day’ is three and a half minutes of straightforward power pop inspired by Swedish pop idols The Wannadies. It is an ode to the joys of traveling and casual meetings in hotels, airports and pen friend sections from Tokyo to Stockholm to Hamburg to Nice and beyond.Meanwhile, ‘Greetings From Paris’ explores the difficulty in admitting when reality doesn’t exactly match expectations and ambitions. It’s a superb slice of Nordic guitar pop that builds to an especially melodic conclusion.Side two opens with the playful and jaunty ‘Bon Voyage!’, a song about short term holiday attractions gone wrong … but with a slight twist. Musically sunny and shimmering, the song is a guitar driven sunbath and pool dive all in one. Bon voyage indeed!Powerful and jangly, closing track ‘I Feel Even Better’ is an escapist’s dream come true. Lyrical elements from the Cheers theme song in reverse accentuate the desire to get away, while autoharp and 12-string guitar add a bright sparkle to the general bounciness of the song.‘Pretty Decent Swimmers’ is pressed on transparent swimming pool blue vinyl and limited to 1000 hand-numbered copies in a luxurious sleeve featuring fashionable Los Angeles water ballet troupe Aqualillies on the cover.

A very welcome return for one of the most esteemed bands in indie music today” (Matinée Recordings)

KID WAVE. All I Want / Brimstone

Angelets!!!

Basically, 1990s brought us two rock n’ roll queens: PJ Harvey and Courtney Love. Both were quite different and took seperate ways when the end of the nineties came around. But they had a rage and an energy that, unfortunately, no one can find in any of female current rock artists. I guess I prefer honest crazy witches like a totally fucked up Courtney Love -even if she has turned pathetic those last ten years- than the much too smart and thoughtfull Lady Gaga attitude.

Zau Glück is a band I mentionned several times in Absolut Noise. They have never played it smart. They are just kids who do simple melodic grungy verse/chorus/verse rock music. Lea Koch-Emmery played in it (her sister Linn is actually the singer of Zau Glück) and just launched a new project called Kid Wave, based in the UK. It is brand brand new: her two debut songs have been out today, available for streaming on Bandcamp. Do not expect any clever stuff. No will to reinvent the wheel. Just plain rock music, with simple lyrics and a sound half way between the first PJ Harvey noises and the Courtney Love stuff.

I am pretty sure most of smart ass bloggers would not pay any interest in those tunes. Pitchfork would hate them too. Coz yeah, this is “just” regular rock music. But, I cannot help liking it, getting into the sound righ away, playing the tunes all over and over again… well, you know what, I am much more into that than in any boring Animal Collective or mister you-are-so-fucking-calm-and-depressed Bon Iver. (absolutnoise.com)

GREEN WALLS. Prince Moondog

Green Walls is the first single from Prince Moondog. Expect a full length album in early 2013. (Bandcamp)

THE VANITIES. 1 + 1 = 26 Ep

Procedents de Tochigi (Japó) ens arriben avui aquestes al·lotetes que practiquen una mescla entre pop i shoegaze molt interessant. És un dels grups que formaven part del recopilatori del segell Ano(t)raks i que ja varem penjar la setmana passada. No vos perdeu la peça 3, L.H.O.O.Q, adrenalina pura.


The Vanities is indie rock unit of Tochigi. 
Formed in 2009 by the marina and kota. 
The Vanities favourite poet is William Blake. (Bandcamp)

DAVID THOMAS JONES. Comfort Creatures Ep

Our Lives, for example, is the opening track. A World-flavored, David Byrne-ish tune, with disco-danceable percs and a marimba-lead melody, then sealed tight with Jones' easy-to-sing-along-with chorused vox. It's a viral-inducing, irresistible piece of work, and a pretty far piece from your typical lofi stuff. This opening is followed up by the easy-in alt-rock "Diced Gold"; a vaguely familiar rock-pop number with definitely unfamiliar breaks and bridges. Then, the loveable straight-up rock of "Butcher In The Sky" enters as a moody & somber, yet easy-to-air-guitar-and-bellow-along-with rock anthem. Next, the cinematically-familiar "Perfect Knots" gives us a softer, jazzy, piano & drum & bass number, with Jones' vox gently luring us close before skewering us with a dramatic piano arpeggio - Surprisingly subtle stuff from a guy known for lofi. 

The next track though, "The Deaf Words", obliterates the previous gentle touch with thick rock-steady guitar thrash, and then kills it with an almost-too-abrupt fake ending. "Alibi" brings intimacy as Jones' picks the acoustic guitar along folksy chord progressions, but not dipping into folk art. And the last track, "Coffin Electricity", seals and delivers the package with a more familiar driving-rock theme.

And when you look back over this collection, the alt rock and jazz and folk and thrashing-rock, the hard and soft motifs, the subtle and not-so-subtle, you see a variety of influences and sounds; none of which overpower, and all of which comprise a masterful whole. Stepping up his production game, Jones has deftly navigated past the Charybdis of indie releases - No track sounds like another. And all shine with the happy confluence of professionally-handled tech meeting masterfully-generated art. For a first step into a brave new studio-clean world, it's off-the-charts good, and one of the best Austin-based releases this year. -Scott Osborn

THE VLIETS. God's drug Ep

Chicago/Dallas duo The Vliets may not be breaking down genre barriers, but the music making up their first two EPs goes beyond the psychedelic, synth rock, art rock labels they put themselves in and "God's Drug" is a prevailing example of such. The surreal five-minute catharsis is presented in a self-aware tone with lyrics proving that the man behind them is nothing of the nature. The criminally underappreciated act's proficiency in delivering subtle, yet memorable hooks is also a winning trait that should soon enough earn the guys a way bigger audience than the present has afforded them.(fakewalls.com)

BALUE. 2012

Balue és un grup de Denver que practica un gènere que en aquest bloc ens interessa molt. Es tracta del surf-pop. Sembla paradoxal venint com ve d'un grup d'Arizona però les influències no entenen de fronteres. Vos deix aquí amb la seva producció al llarg del passat 2012. Es tracta d'un Ep, un llarga durada i una darrera peça que acaben d'editar el passat desembre. Preparau-vos per passejar per platges californianes i lliscar sobre les ones. Let's go surfing!

When I went over to Balue’s BandCamp page, I noticed that they had a song titled ‘The Pool Honeys’. Being a major movie freak, I immediately thought of The Sandlot but thought “No, no way is this a song about that”. Oh, I was wrong. It’s a song dedicated to THE Wendy Peffercorn and the rest of the Pool Honeys. I couldn’t believe my ears, I immediately smiled from ear to ear. Not only was there this reference but Paradoxical Intention is a hell of an album. It’s something you listen to when you just need to relax, an album to chill out to. It’s beautiful bedroom pop for sunny, rainy, lazy afternoons. Blast this through your apartment, your roommates will thank you. @LeahLovecat

Balue came to us as a suggestion from a friend who has great taste. Eli Thomas is a bedroom artist whose music is a lo-fi amalgam surf rock, psych pop, and electronica that vaguely recalls Bear Hands or the more obscure, Bronze, but as bedroom pop. Thomas calls it a headphone album, but it’s been on constant play in my car. So if you have decent set of speakers, turn up the volume. It’s not going to rock out, it’s more subtle than that, but it’s dynamic. The only flaw in the album is a cover of Baltimora’s “Tarzan Boy.” It does not fit the dynamic of the album (which would end nicely on the track, “STDT”), and it’s a stark contrast compared to the original–just a bit too abrasive and out of place. The rest of the album is enjoyable, and at times, flippin’ great. Smart, funny, and a pleasure to discover. (thedadada.com)

SESSIÓ DJ

Encetam un nou tipus d'entrada, una sessió de música indie apropiada per moure els ossos. Mirarem que això tengui continuïtat.

Damià Boscana Socias's Cloudcasts on Mixcloud

LIMERENT DANCE MACHINE. Dream a reason why

 The Limerent Dance Machine és un artefacte sonor conduït per Joseph Moore i que ve ne NY. Les seves ressenyes identitàries les podem emmarcar dins el shoegaze, el dream-pop o el surf-pop. Podeu descarregar el disc des del seu bandcamp al preu que vulgueu.

Joseph Moore started the Limerent Dance Machine as neither a dance outfit, nor a functional machine. Expanding to a full band lineup after a move to the west coast, LDM has been ceremoniously kicking California's ass. Using stream-of-consciousness lyrical imagery and alternate tunings, the band draws from post-punk, shoegaze, and noisepop.(Facebook)

VACATION SPIRIT: A HEARING GOLD COMPILATION

Vos deix avui un recopilatori del segell discogràfic Hearing Gold ple de cançons estiuenques ara que el fred sembla perdre sa por... hi trobareu peces de pop, de surfpop, lo-fi i d'altres gèneres de fàcil digestió.   Sun shines another time.


Hearing Gold is excited to be back with another brand new compilation titledVacation Spirit for everyone this summer. Curated with love, we present to you 15 exclusive songs documenting the sounds of a blissful summer as personally expressed by their respective artists. Thanks to all the contributing artists for all their hard work, we couldn’t have asked a better group of people to make up this compilation.(hearinggold.com)

WOODEN AMBULANCE. Intersection

Wooden Ambulance és una banda de Subotica (Sèrbia) i els podríem confondre perfectament amb una banda dels EUA i més concretament amb una banda del desert d'Arizona. Practiquen el gènere americana com si fossin nascuts allà mateix. La veu de Goran Grubisic estaria entre la d'Stuart Staples i la de Tom Waits i les seves composicions podrien estar signades perfectament pels mateixos Tindersticks, els Giant Sand o qualsevol altre grup enmarcat dins aquest gènere. En podeu gaudir amb descàrrega gratuïta des del seu bandcamp.

Wooden Ambulance is a singer-songwriter alter ego of a Goran Grubisic, who is a drummer in a post rock band Ana Never (Subotica, RS). For his musical expression colloquially you could say that this is sphere of alternative folk-rock of Subotica's Sands. That is the kind of epigonic Americana, music of acoustic guitar and ineffectual voice.
In recent past, with Goran on concerts performed various friends - musicians.
Until recently, permanent Wooden Ambulance Band is comprised of:
Čegar Boris (keyboards)
Davor Basic Palković (bass guitar)
Srdjan Terzin (electric guitar, keys, accordion)
Goran Grubisic (voice, acoustic guitar, banjo, guitar, harmonica...)
Rudolf Kovács (drums)
Dína Brestyánszki (violin) 
Bernadett Brestyánszki (cello) 
(freemusicarchive.org)