BEST FRIENDS. Happy Anniversary​/​Nosebleeds

Tal com diuen els Best Friends, "Happy Anniversary" and Happy New Year. Que el 2014 us sigui molt més profitós que aquest puta 2013. Un single meravellós per acabar quest any tan desastrós.

UN MOLT VENTURÓS ANY 2014 A TOTS ELS SEGUIDORS D'AQUEST HUMIL BLOG

Ens tornam a llegir i escoltar l'any que ve!!

SIRS. Sirs Ep

I per acabar les entrades d'avui, un poc de punk pop que siempre ve bé. Des de Purchase NY, Justin Jurgens, Kyle Seely, Hart Seely i Mike Caridi ens passen aquesta píndola antidepressiva apta per a tots els públics.

A cursory statement suggests the band’s final release falls a bit short of last year’s self-titled album. This six-track EP features a fair amount of exploration for Sirs in a fairly short amount of time, but this exploration also means you get less of the desired harshness that sets them apart.

‘Argumentative’ sees the band take a more tame approach to their familiar sound and has a low-fi finish. It is as if Sirs are trying to mediate between the sounds of both self-titled releases, and this works in their favour, assisting with a smooth transition.

‘Imposter’, differs in sound from anything the band has done before. The song has an older feeling rock sound, and almost feels a bit similar to Brit rock. The guitars are higher and cleaner, and the vocal approach is less harsh. ‘To Each His Own’ also gives off a similar vibe.

‘Shellshock’ is definitely a song to look out for. It shows the band at their best, combining both catchy vocals and guitar lines while maintaining the group's signature harshness. The song also seems to be the perfect length among some of the other, rather short, tracks.

The band drifts furthest away from their roots on ‘Coming to Kill Me’. It begins with wavering vocals that have real and honest pain in them. The song is pretty slow and has minimal instrumentation but shows the great diversity Sirs are capable of.

This EP is both a solid and exploratory final release from a great band. It’s a shame Sirs will not be making music together anymore. However, there is no doubt that Sirs have ended things on a good note.(Killyourstereo.com)

PORCHES. Slow Dance in the Cosmos

Una perfecta obra de folk rock és la que anam a presentar. Aquest és el primer treball dels Porches. Un disc molt ben aconseguit el miris per on el miris. Temes intensos i amb una veu molt personal que impregna cada cançó d'una expressivitat única.



by Tom Johnson

What some music is really, really good at is embracing the shittier moments of life and laughing in the face of them. It doesn’t work for everyone, of course, but there are certain artists who seem primed to tread that line; running as fast as they can down the thinnest of balance beams, trouble on one side, contentment on the other, constantly falling off on either side, but always getting back up and never, ever slowing down.

Over the last six years Aaron Maine has released eight records, under various different guises. His latest project is Porches and next week the band releases their debut full-length, the wonderfully spirited Slow Dance In The Cosmos. Unflinchingly honest and beautifully wry, it’s the kind of record that seems to have been dropped in from another era, finding itself wide-eyed and slightly lost in an age it never really feels at ease in. “I thought I saw your face in the fog, but it was just the fog” Maine sings on album centre-piece Fog Dog and that’s a somewhat fitting summation for a record that often feels slightly awry and confused but, at it’s core, is always searching and pining for something more.

A wonderfully downbeat collection of songs, Slow Dance In The Cosmos is a marvelous achievement and an album to truly lose yourself in – just don’t expect the journey back from it to be a straightforward one.

TENDER HIPS. City Ep

Só de Seattle i actuen com a tals, per tant que poca cosa a dir. Cançons potents i no obstant això sempre sonen melòdiques. Si t'agraden els Japandroids no dubtis d'escoltar aquest primer i prometedor treball dels Tender Hips.


It’s a little disconcerting how much time I’ve spent on the website of The Pioneer, the student weekly of Walla Walla’s Whitman College, but the output of their alumni continues to bring me back in search of more information about my favorite Seattle bands. We’ve already talked to you about Chastity Belt and Dude York, but Tender Hip's debut, City EP, is more than enough justification to keep an eye out for the threesome of Todd Wallenius, Alex Miller, and Matt Bachmann as well.


On the surface their sound is relatively simple, consisting of wild, guitar-centric rock-and-roll with infectiously danceable shout-choruses; however, Tender Hips also have an aura of bright-eyed, unbridled conviction that, to me, makes them as akin to Vancouver’s Japandroids as to Dude York.


Personally, I can’t remember the last time I heard a more impassioned statement-of-purpose than the record's title track, “City”, which contains all of the above nuances plus a killer sax solo by Levi Gillis. Lines like, “I’m coming to your city, so batten down the hatches/Aint got no fire but a pocket full of matches” and “I can’t tell you my future, but right now that don’t matter” are both a credo and a warning from the young band and the message comes across loud and clear: Tender Hips have arrived.

HELLA COMET. Wild Honey

Els podríem definir com els Sonic Youth austríacs. El seu estil musical està inspirat en els mateixos plantejaments musicals que el grup de NYC. Evidentment la seva personalitat fa que el resultat no sigui idèntic tot i partir de les mateixes premises. Una bona mostra que l'escena musical del centre d'Europa es mantén viva i permanent ebullició. "Mind Owl", és la meva preferida, i la teva?

With their 2010 debut, “Celebrate Your Loss”, Hella Comet already impressively proved that indie rock does not always have to be what you would usually expect to hear. Listening to the recently released album “Wild Honey” (Noise Appeal Records), the Styrian band presents their own version of this style with a lot more musical facets than you are normally used to. From the overall sound to the songwriting, from the melodies to the arrangements, everything is a tad more sophisticated, thoughtful and lively, and shows that the four musicians definitely know how to serve up their ideas with an extra boost of energy and an exceptionally high degree of variety.

Although one can not quite deny the band’s affinity to the indie rock sound of the 90′s in the style of bands like Smashing Pumpkins or Sonic Youth, Hella Comet have a lot more to offer in terms of innovative songwriting, without the need to reproduce already known quotes of rock history. The four band members know how to charge a song with a certain mood and their own unique touch, creating an atmospheric tension over breaks, clever progressions and longer instrumental interjections. In this respect, Franz “Frente” Gurt, Jürgen “Jure” Hochsam, Markus “Maex” Sworcik and Lea Sonnek also sometimes convert to more post-rock climes, giving their tracks all the time needed to reach their fullest potential.

This certain “extra” that enhances the really bold, but also refreshingly edgy produced songs of the Styrian band is also evident in the fact that they often leave well-known indie-rock structures to let the individual songs develop a life of its own. At the point where other formations are content with bringing their songs to an end in simple verse-chorus forms after two to three minutes, Frente, Jure, Maex and Lea seem to just get started with gaining momentum. The songs begin rather quietly and slowly, but soon pile up with huge guitar walls and then switch back to a rather reduced, but steadily increasing middle part, which is then finished off with several minutes of a beautiful noisy finale. This convoluted style is repeated in modified form in almost every song, which ultimately turns the whole album into a very varied and exceptional sound journey.

With “Wild Honey” Hella Comet definitely demonstrate that new creative visions and ideas in the field of indie rock are still possible, as long as you follow your own path.

SÚPER GEGANT. Camina i oblida

Encara que no sigui la norma en aquest blog, donarem veu avui a Súper Gegant, en Claudi, en Miquel i en Marcel que han publicat aquest disc gran després de polir-lo durant hores i hores de tasca a l'estudi de gravació. Un treball difícil d'etiquetar, a moments sona shoegazer, a moments, pop a moments, rock... però sempre mantenint un nivell de composició per sobre de la mitjana. Per ser la primera entrada d'un disc en català us ben assegur que val la pena.

, el primer disc de Súper Gegant, ha costat 33 anys de fer. Almenys això és el que li agrada dir al Claudi, cantant i guitarrista. És el treball d'una vida. Hores i hores de polir cançons en un local d'assaig. De no estar mai prou convençuts que el que feien era prou bo o prou definitiu com perquè pogués veure la llum. De no escoltar les súpliques insistents d'amics i coneguts perquè decidissin que el món no només havia de tenir el dret a escoltar-los, sinó el privilegi. També us puc dir el que no sé. Perquè jo no en sé de música. I no tinc necessitat de donar-me-les d'entés. Però ho puc provar. “Camina i oblida” sona a My Bloody Valentine, a Yo La Tengo, a Los Planetas i a The Jesus and Mary Chain. Sona a ràbia adolescent madurada. I a crits d'angoixa que s'obren pas entre capes de guitarres, i moments de llum. Perquè hi ha llum entre les ombres. Perquè sense llum no hi ha ombres. I per fi el disc ha vist la llum i ens permet perseguir a tots la seva ombra.> [Pau Escribano] 

VENERA 4. Deaf Hearts Ep + Winter sessions

El meu regal de nadal, l'Ep que varen publicar a l'octubre els Venera 4 i el nou treball (gratuït) que m'acaba d'arribar al correu amb quasi les mateixes cançons que a l'Ep però en format acústic. Els Venera 4 són quatre jovenets de París que practiquen una espècie de shoegazer dream melòdic. Ja ho sé, una mica recercat el terme, però que defineix bastant bé el seu estil musical. Ha estat un treball dels que més m'han impactat en aquest darrer trimestre de l'any i per aquest motiu el vull publicar just avui, dia de festa i regals.


You know that feeling you get when you discover a great new band and can barely wait for them to release their new record? Receiving the vast amount of music we get here at The Sound Of Confusion that feeling is increasingly rare, and that's in part due to a lot of it being substandard, and in part due to there being so much that we find new favourite bands on a regular basis. For me personally, Parisian quartet Verera 4brought back all those feelings of excitement that pre-date the internet (in common use anyway) and took me back to the days of listening to the alternative shows on late-night radio, waiting to see if the song I liked would be played, and then saving my pennies to buy a copy (if I could get one, being a fan of less well-known music in a remote location meant a lot of phone calls and then waiting for the postman...).

It was lead-track 'Deaf Heartbeats' that sealed it. A stunning shoegaze/pop-rush of melodic wonder. It was like someone firing liquid gold out of the speakers. Now the EP is here, if any of the rest lives up to that song then euphoria will kick in. Second track 'Home' creeps up and then bursts forth with a beat from the height of baggy and affected guitar to match. It's a little slower but it gives proof that the opener is no one-off; this is also dripping in melody and sprinkled with gold dust. It's what half of the British indie bands have been trying to do this year, only better. Talking of better, Venera 4 step it up a gear again on 'Blood', another tune that uses sounds from the same era; the treated guitar, the lively beats, the synths, the pure tune that people would sell their souls for. 'Deaf Hearts' it turns out, isn't a let-down at all, and they're not done yet. 'Ash & Gray' is more of the same with a slight alteration that sees screeching, tortured instruments do battle with the female vocal and the pace of the song that breathes life while the instruments slowly die. They finish-up with the track that acted as our introduction to the band, the epic dreamgaze of 'Haunted Summer'. Consider euphoria reached.(The Sound of Confusion)

GINGERLYS. Summer Cramps

Presentam avui aquest nou single dels Gingerlys que es diu Summer Cramps i dues cares b. És un exercici perfecte de pop melòdic que us captivarà a la primera amb l'harmoniosa veu de na Maria.




Great music can cause both wanted and unwanted effects. When the inevitable earworm is playing in your head after hearing a brilliantly catchy song, it’s kind of wonderful. When it persists, and you find yourself sleeplessly wandering through madness at 2am, it’s not as wonderful.

Such is the issue with the new Gingerlys single “Summer Cramps,” and its two B-sides. It has been almost a full day now that I’ve had the ambient melodies and wordless refrains playing on repeat in my head. These are not songs teeming with complexity. These are songs stripped down to their purest intentions. Every instrument is played with a refined purpose, and an incredibly simple hook is constantly coming through either a synth line or understated lyrics.

The elements in the songs come together in a way that almost places them in juxtaposition; the calm, alluring vocals are complemented by the driving, energetic drums that propels them. The airy synth is put in place by the constant and crisp guitars. It’s a mash of ideas that come together in amazing coherence.

I feel a certain disclaimer should be issued with these two songs. If you like synth driven indie rock with nods to shoegaze and pop-punk, check it out. If you are afraid of music so catchy and well crafted that you will listen to it repeatedly and possibly have it stuck in your head for weeks, proceed with caution. But you’ll probably be doing yourself a favor by listening to it.
-Josh Aubin (Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen)

CHURRUS. Transcontinental

Des de Brasil ens arriba aquest regalet de nadal en forma de larga durada. Ells es diuen Churrus i aquest és el seu tercer treball. Podeu ben creure que després de sentir-los per primera vegada vaig córrer a cercar els seus treballs anteriors. Un treball senzill farcit de detalls de músiques dels 60s i 70s. Un power-pop gens accelerat unes veus encisadores i una convicció plena en allò que són les sedes arrels. Tot un autèntic regal per aquestes dates.

"The songs favor power-pop and shoegazer influences with British (Teenage Fanclub, Ride) and North American flavours (Guided by Voices, Pernice Brothers). Upholding tradition in this genre, melodies jump to the ear, simple, round, but never obvious." (Bandcamp)

HERMETIC DELIGHT. To The Grave To The Rave​!​!​!

Una bona cançó amb tons garatgístics i dues versions de suficient. Aquest és el primer treball d'Hermetic Delight.

Postpunk? Shoegaze? Pop? Hermetic Delight aren't afraid to play with aesthetics, embracing a singularidentity.
The band has been delivering a harsh and mesmerizing noise for two years now.
Led by a relentless rythm, their luminous voice builds an electrifying atmosphere.
Live, they warn the audience : sensory trauma is standing close.. (Bandcamp)

DIGITAL NOISE ACADEMY. Synemy

Una mescla un tant heterogènia entre electrònica i power-pop amb moments inspirats i altres una mica pesadets. Se mereixen al manco una oportunitat.


The Digital Noise Academy, also known as DNA, is a collaborative project between six musicians and producers including Ken Andrews and Jordon Zadorozny formerly of 90’s alternative bands Failure and Blinker The Star, along with Sharky Laguana of Creeper Lagoon, singer-songwriter Charlotte Martin, Fernando Sanchez, and former Beck bassist and M83 producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Together, they combine electronica and power-pop leaning alt-rock along with their collective experiences into a nostalgia-laced yet unique and modern sound that is experimental while also holding true to each musician’s distinct musical "DNA".
“Stop Running” opens the album with churning, early Smashing Pumpkins-like swirls of guitars and a propulsive rhythm. Charlotte Martin, who has lent her voice to electronica tracks by The Crystal Method and Tiesto is put to great use on the slinky, synth-driven standout single, “Melting Inside”, with its danceable beat and bubbly vocal melodies. The title track, “Synemy” opens with soft, cascading guitars before launching into a soaring chorus with cosmic synths and sci-fi imagery. Two other standout tracks on the ten-song album are “Thursday Night Party”, reminiscent of cult favorites Failure with its chugging guitar rhythm; and Zadorozy’s sparkling vocals and the squelching electronics of “Circulation”, that recalls Andrew’s electronica-inspired solo project, ON.
After perfectly combining all of their collective experiences and influences into one cohesive and captivating sound, the six musicians of The Digital Noise Academy have hit the right notes once again on their new album, Synemy. (Atlas and the Anchor)

RECOPILATORI DESEMBRE 2013

REVOLUCIONARI

THE FOGGY NOTIONS. Sussed

Publiquen a Flying Nun però no són de Nova Zelanda, sinó de Canadà. El seu estil musical sí que concorda perfectamente amb les directrius del mític segell. Pop d'una qualitat més que contrastada. Petites joies que podrien signar uns capdavanters d'aquest estil com van ser els The Chills. Mereixen que els dediquis una bona estona i, de segur, no te'n penediràs. Això sí, no te fixis en la caràtula, HORROROSA!





My life is going through some major changes, and consequently have been neglecting this Tumblr. I meant to post so many things, but don’t have time/energy to do so. Just right now I can write a nice review ofSussed by The Foggy Notions. I’ve been very vocal in the past about my love for this Saskatoon band. Plus, they are SUPER NICE people, and sent me a copy of this wonderful album even before it was available online, so THANK YOU GUYS! Actually, I was gone to LA during the time that they had their album release show in Saskatoon and I was going to post about it (had it written and everything) but the connection failed me. I was kind of hoping that they would come to Edmonton around this time and wanted to praise the album then, but I don’t think it’s happening any time soon. So now it’s the time!

Compared to their previous record, “Beginning to see”, “Sussed" has a fresher sound, with very distinct catchy and sweet dream pop songs. You can tell its shoegaze and early 90s Brit bands influences (e.g., Stone Roses), but still creating their unique sound. Anyhow, just listening to it, makes you feel in a better mood. I find myself sometimes humming their songs while doing dishes, or walking around, and believe me the same thing will happen to you after you listen to it!

The album opens with “One comes out alive”, which is an upbeat song, and has some awesome 90s-like keyboards, perfect to open the album and a personal favourite. Once the song is over, there’s a crescendo into “Shimmer”. In this song, Janice’s soothing vocals are more prominent, transporting you into a softer world. “Won’t take long” has more of psychedelic vibe, and the keyboards in this song are perfect! “What’s the difference” follows, this song was the teaser of the album and I already reviewed it in the past and said “This tune is like being in the middle of a sunflower field turning and sunbathing under a beautiful clear sky.”- I still think the same. “Love theme” is a simple but whimsical pop song sung entirely by beautiful Janice (I think I have a girl crush on her). Then, “Happiness” gets more upbeat, another catchy power pop song. “Nastro Elettrico”, an instrumental trippy song, leads the way to “Into the ocean”, another spot-on dream pop hit for me. Last, but definitively not least, one of my favourite songs of the album (I think I have too many favourites but whatever) and the perfect way to end this awesome project, “Sgt. Cribbs”.

I don’t know how much thought they put into the order of the songs, but the album flows seamlessly. I was already a fan of this band, and “Sussed" only reinforced my feelings. I just can’t wait to hear them playing live, because they sound amazing. Just take a listen to it, all the hard copies are sold out I believe, but you can get the download for $7. It’s nothing, and you’d be supporting one of the best Canadian bands. If don’t believe me, just listen to their songs. (Lovelessounds)

SHY NATURE. Shy Nature Ep

Moltes vegades quan top amb un treball que està molt ben produit ja tenc sa mosca darrere s'orella. La primera vegada que vaig escoltar aquest treball em va passar això, però ha sobreviscut a diverses "escoltades" i per això els vos present avui. El primer Ep d'una nova banda de Londres que segur que vos agradarà. Indie rock d'alta graduació.

Shy Nature are everything we’ve come to know (and love) about indie-rock bands. Guitar-driven catchy tunes created by four guys who recorded their Shy Nature EP before they’d even done any shows together. Luckily the music they’ve created can’t fail to translate well when playing live.

The first thing that hits you when you listen to opening track Sinking Ship is how confident Shy Nature already are in their sound. Clearly influenced by the likes of the Mystery Jets, the music is breezy, upbeat and features strong guitar hooks too. Combine this with strong beat drops and a catchy keyboard riff and you soon start to see that Shy Nature and doing indie-rock right. It’s not all that light-hearted though – lead singer William‘s voice has a distinctive twang which perfectly communicate the introspective nature of their lyrics. “You’re standing by my sinking ship, watching me as the tide appears, sinking further in” – not only do these guys have something to say, but they’ve found a pleasing way to say it.

The second track, Fine, is slightly less jangly, but confidently continues to cement their sound andWashout sees Will singing about the pressures of succeeding in school. Certainly, there’s a theme: according to the band their music is “centered lyrically around themes of growing up” – and this EP goes a long way to get across that sense of nostalgia. Check out the video for Washout below to see what we mean.

A Thousand Minds is the final track on the EP and it has more of a wandering vibe than the other tracks, but don’t you think that it has no direction. Shy Nature use music breaks to their advantage and the track, as well as the entire EP, is a joy to experience. Not only have they got their sound nailed but the arrangement of the tracks makes it feel like you’re listening to a band who have been around the block rather than relative newcomers to the scene. Everything just feels right: driving drums and catchy riffs are complimented perfectly by Will’s vocals. Our opinion? Great indie-rock which, not that it needs to, can only get better.

FESTA ELS MONS DIMINUTS

Aquest divendres, dia 20 de desembre tenim tots una cita a La Penya Artística de Sa Pobla per fer un repàs del més interessant aparegut per aquest blog durant el 2013. Hi haurà algunes sorpreses i la presentació d'una videosessió on he tengut el plaer de participar. Ens trobam allà,  orelles esmolades i netes.

RADICAL DADS. Creature Dads

Sota aquesta caràtula horrorosa ens arriba el darrer artefacte sonor dels Radical Dads, un trio resident a Brooklyn. Es tracta d'un single d'avançament del seu proper llarga durada. Segueixen en la línia d'anteriors treballs del grup, un rock amb melodia que no arriba a cansar mai. La veu femenina s'encarrega de donar aquest toc de suavitat que ho impregna tot. Esperam impacients el treball sencer.

As I’ve expressed before, we’re in a desperate need of more bands like Radical Dads. They are fun, unpredictable and a welcomed contrast to the dreamy/shoegaze-y state of current indie rock. Earlier this year, the band released their sophomore album Rapid Reality, a relentless, no-bullshit album filled with clever, straight-to-the point melodies. Their new single, “Creature Out” follows in a similar vein as the punchier, adrenaline-pumping tracks of Rapid Reality. Lindsay Baker sounds increasingly self-assured as the leadvocalist and the production sounds cleaner and fuller than anything they’ve released hitherto. For those of you who’ve been following the Brooklyn trio’s career, than let me assure you; this one-off single rank amongst their very best, and the same goes for the lovely B-side ,“Slammer”.(ifm)

POPE. Known weed smoker

Pope és un projecte que ens arriba des de New Orleans i que representa el treball d'un grups d'amics que no es veien des de l'institut i que es podria emmarcar dins de l'indie rock. És el tipus de música que sonaria a qualsevol cadena indie de les radios universitàries dels EUA, música que se deixa escoltar d'una manera tranquila tot i els seus moments intensos. Recomanable.


Been meaning to get to these guys for a couple weeks now. Whatever! Been busy! Anyways, they gave me permission to refer to them as a Donovan Wolfington side project, but they only really share one member so in my eyes Pope really stand on their own. Taking some cues from Dinosaur Jr. and Weezer, Pope play a grunged-out brand of pop rock that, in spurts, reminds me a bit of what LVL UP and Spook Housesare doing. And that’s not bad at all.

The band is taking to the road for an interesting mini tour that hopes to merge music with visual art. Here I’ll just let band member Alex explain it to you:


We are doing a special sort of EP release where we are taking our buddy’s photography on the road to Houston, Nashville, and New Orleans. The idea is that music and photography go hand in hand and hopefully it will provide a more engaging and interesting music release experience.We are doing 50 unique prints for each city, and a selection of those will be up online as well. The first release is in Nashville on November 15th and we are trying to get some write ups and listeners before then to give the shows a little more impact and get more checking out the photos and the music.

Cool, right? Anyways, grab the guys’ EP Known Weed Smoker and then catch them on the road if you can.(Cactus-Mouth)