Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘alternative’

Mar 19

fun.


fun.

Fun is a New York based band, consisting of Nate Ruess (the Format), Andrew Dost (Anathallo) and Jack Antonoff (Steel Train). The band was formed in 2008, when the the bands they originally was members of broke up.

The debut album was recorded in 2008/2009 and produced by Roger Joseph Manning, Jr, and released in August 2009.

This music is fun, just like the name says. It’s a straightforward a power pop band, with some nice influences from The Jellyfish, (former member Manning produced the album) and some ska and violin pop.

Fun also have some guest appearances from singer Anna Waronker, (in the song “Be Calm”). Something that ironically doesn’t really calm the whole power pop image down. The opening track gives a good first impression from the “new band”.

“Light a Roman candle with me” is the closest you can come to romantic melody from Fun. The nice little mix of piano rock/pop and, some 70 soft rock makes this to a stand out, while it still the keep the typical Fun style.

All The Pretty Girls

Feb 25

1 Comment

Fictionist


Fictionist

Fictionist is a band from Salt Lake City, and are made up by Stuart Maxfield (lead vocals, guitar), Robbie Connolly (backing vocals, guitar), Jacob Jones (keys), Brandon Kitterman (backing vocals, guitar, toys), Spencer Harrison (backing vocals, bass) and Aaron Anderson (drums).

Fictionist was originally called Maxfield, after band leader/creator Stuart Maxfield. But changed the name to Good Morning Maxfield when they found another band with the same name.

The name Fictionist was born in the autumn of 2008, as the band changed their style to what Fictionist is today – a sparkling sound of epicness!

The debut album “Invisible Hand” was released in early 2009, followed by “Lasting Echo” in January of 2010.

This music is just wonderful! It has a laid back rock style you rarely hear in these days. And it give you a very good feeling of peace.
They mix soft psychedelic, piano rock, art pop, and powerful, and a mixed pop historic interaction of 70′s pop/rock and that kind of rock you most likely will hear in about 5 years.

Still, there is just something about this music; it’s moody, emotional – without being sensitive, and, it’s somehow still a mystery.

Blue Eyed Universe

Feb 12

ART vs SCIENCE

ART vs SCIENCE

Art vs. Science are one of those bands that most likely can be famous for being so damn original. The music is like a mix of electronic pop, alternative pop, new rave and outer space pop.

They are Jim Finn, Dan McNamee and Dan Williams. They come from Sydney, and have played together quite a lot.

And have so far released a five-track self-titled EP (2009). All the tracks were written over a 48 hrs intensive writing session in 2008.

This music is virtual insanity. It’s intensive, experimental and crazy music that is “crafted carefully according to principles abstracted from the study of human responses to music.”

Parlez vous francais? is that kind of track that you can’t stop humming on when you first listen to it (and the music video doesn’t make it any better.) This is a rhythmic and electronic type of thing.

Parlez vous francais?

Feb 12

Findo Gask

Findo Gask

Findo Gask are Gerard Black (vocals & synths), Michael Marshall (guitar, grums, synths & programming), Gregory Williams (bass, vocals, synths & guitar) and Gavin Thomson (synths, vocals, programming, guitar, gass). And they are a electro synth pop band from Glasgow.

This music is quite 80′s. And it’s like hearing a crossing of the synth to Boy George and Simple Minds, with a Scottish accent. The result is nostalgic electro new wave and energetic synth pop.

They have releases so far; One Eight Zero, Va Va Va and Findo Gask/Errors split 7″.

Va Va Va is a typical inventive electro pop track. The elements of some computer animated sounds mixed with a steady drum machine and a whole bunch of other elements makes this music futuristic and at the same time a modern early 80′s inspired new wave track.

One Eight Zero

Feb 12

Dinosaur Pile-up

Dinosaur Pile-up

In a bedroom, not so very far away (he can be closer than you think) is a one man band of Matt. Dinosaur Pile-Up is the name of the band. And he can often be found writing songs and playing  them on his 8-track recorder.

The walls can be blue or maybe even green, and when he’s on tour he’s in good company with two other human beings, they are Tom and Steve.

Dinosaur Pile-Up are one of those bands (read: the band) that most likely can be known for having such a low lo-fi sound it’s almost fascinating.

Their self-released single ‘My Rock N’Roll’ was a ‘single of the week’ on the Zane Lowe show on Radio 1. And they have so far released Traynor, My rock ‘n’ roll and The Most Powerful EP in the Universe!!! (yes, that’s the name of the EP.) And it’s totally smashing!

The sound of Dinosaur Pile-up is a mix of rock, punk, alternative rock and some grunge (actually a lot of grunge) and an unpredictable touch of garage punk.
Despite the lo-fi style, this music is quite good. And the things that keeps this music alive, and makes it as good as it is, is the steady guitar riffs and powerful drums.

Jan 29

La Shark

La Shark

La Shark is a band from London, and they are so far from a average band you can ever get. They are Samuel Geronimo Deschamps, N.H.A Buxton, Love Maynard, Benjamin Francis Markham and Sami El-Enany, and they have played together for about two years.

La Shark are known for their original and spectacle live shows in underground London. And they’ve been described as a “stunning new force in popular music, a band to actually get excited about, something that doesn’t come along too often these days.”

They’ve been tipped as one of the hot new bands in 2010 by Drowned in Sound boss Sean Adams, and are going on a tour with Paloma Faith in March.

The typical sound of La Shark is a mix of new wave almost alternative pfnk, meet the glory sound of a good old 50’s rhythm. The music is guilty pleasure. It’s wonderfully weird and incredible fascinating.

La Shark’s cover of Always on Time

Jan 9

The Hundreds and Thousands

The Hundreds and Thousands

The Hundreds and Thousands sounds like “three solid musicians who have played together a lot.”

They are Ian LeFeuvre, Peter von Althen and Maury Lafoy, all former members of power-pop outfit Starling. And they are based in Toronto, Canada.

The self-titled debut album was released last year, and consists of everything you can ever think of from the world of new wave and pop rock. And they do sound a bit like a rocked up version of Muse, and a modern Supergrass.

This music is extremely energetic, upbeat and has an indescribable mix of power rock, alternative rock and a type of rock ‘n’ roll that would make an old gramophone explode. And cry for sugar.

Nov 13

If it doesn’t rhyme on epic..

..it should sound epic!

Three brilliant bands I’ve had the pleasure of listen to lately is exactly what you can call epic. They are 5 Cent Theatre, The Black Dove Experiment and Audioalysis.

5 Cent Theatre

This music got me immediately to think of Elbow. A newer and violin version of Elbow. And it’s lovely, emotional and sensitive music on its very best.

5 Cent Theatre is a new band, formed in London in 2009.  Some of the members of the band are previously known as Story One. The total line up is Thomas Evans (lead vocals, violin, keyboard), Barny Barratt (lead guitarist), Jess Barratt (bass guitarist, backing vocals), Pete Simon (cello) and Mike Woolf (drums).

Two songs has been released so far, which is Curtain Call and Shifting Sands.

Curtain Call gives you goosebumps. It’s a soulful ballade with violin, deep lyrics and the irresistible mix of alternative folk and folk-rock-punk.

5 Cent Theatre on MySpace and Last.fm.

The Black Dove Experiment

Another band hailing from London is a four piece consisting of Dodger, Daz, Ric and Stevie.

They play the genius mix of shoe gaze, alternative rock and progressive electronic, something that makes them sound huge.

One self titled EP has been released to far, and the next one are soon ready to be released.

The Black Dove Experiment  on MySpace and Last.fm.

Audioalysis

The sound of Audioalysis is lovely epicness.

Audioalysis are a four piece electronica shoe gaze band from Glasgow, and consisting of Michael Oakley (vocals, keyboard), Stuart Scott (guitar), Colin Mackintosh (bass/guitar) and Steven McLay (drums).

They started up in 2006, and have so far released one EP Audioalysis 1. The next EP will be released in late 2009.

There are six strong tracks on Audioalysis 1, each and one of them have a special theme. The first track Take Me Away is a new wave  – alternative rock piece of work. A good track that keep you hooked. I’m Losing You is a new romantic – piano rock track. It’s pure quality and have a very well arrangement through the song.

Audioalysis on MySpace and Last.fm.

Sep 22

Music from a Bedroom : Microfiches & Capulets

m

Microfiches

Microfiches are Siddie (vocals/guitar), Sloth (bass), Rad (drums) and Surd (guitar/vocals/sampling). And they are an alternative/shoegaze band from Pune, India.

This is Indian madness, and spiritual noise of another dimension.

They make noise, systematic noise. Combined with some vocals that suits the music perfectly. They have some indescribable outburst from time to time, but still, it’s brilliant.
Although, it can be difficult to really get this music. But if you get it – it’s stuck. And can probably be good music to have as a background noise while you daydream.

Microfiches on MySpace.
Microfiches on Last.fm.

c

Capulets

Capulets are a two-piece experimental rock band from the north of London, and they are Luke Hebblethwaite (vocals, guitar) and Pietro DeSantis (keyboards, backing vocals).

The best thing about this music is how good the music is all over. The lyrics are very well written, and the way the music is mixed and produced makes it sounds like inventive and good psychedelic cowboy rock from the 80′s.

The music doesn’t get boring, as it is has a genius mix of psychedelic and alternative rock, mixed with some good  experimental rock.

Capulets on MySpace.
Capulets on Last.fm.

Aug 16

Floors and Walls

fw

Floors and Walls

Floors and Walls is another band from the prestigious BIMM (Brighton Institute of Modern Music) – the first band was Way Tangent.

Floors and Walls are Alex Adams (vocals), Dom Mcnulty (guitar/BV’S), Ian Booth (bass) and Adam Shamp (drums). They have played together since 2006, and released the debut album “What can we do today” from South Coast Records (BIMM) in 2007.

The musical skills are irreproachable and give you a rare and original combination of rock/punk/pop/funk, mixed with the typical sound of what you hear when the devil children of Mike Skinner and Kate Nash go together to make some music.

Uplifting and urban creativity can easily be some good tags to describe this music.

This; mixed up (or down) with some lyrics. Mostly about nightlife, one-night-stands, sluts, ex-girlfriends, and other notable happenings they’ve experience in their lives.

The Stand

Aug 9

Album Recommendation : Wave Machines – ‘Wave If You’re Really There’

CDcover_Wave_Machi_1144227c

Album Recommendation : Wave Machines – ‘Wave If You’re Really There’

Not every band can pride themselves with the glory of saying that they’ve recorded their debut album in a church. Wave Machines can. They spent one year in an old church in Liverpool, recording something that has to be one of the strongest debuts so far in 2009.

The whole “Wave if you’re really there” concept is pure genius: the opening line in the first song “You Say the Stupidest Things” is a nice introduction on how the lyrics normally go on this album; they’re quirky and they don’t make so much sense. And if they do; they give you some useless information you don’t need to know, and at the same time makes you wonder.

There are some highlights on this album, like “Punk Spirit”, “The Greatest Escape We Ever Made” and “Carry Me Back to My Home”.
They all show you those elements that are typical for Wave Machines; a combination of some clapping, quirky lyrics, echo and the unrhymed rhythm. They’ve 3-4 different rhythms at the same time in  an average song – without making it sound like a total mess.
This is also how Wave Machines makes a strong appearance in the new trend of so-called systematic chaos music. The typical Wave Machines elements combined with some strange vocals should really turn out to be something quite interesting.

This is the opposite – this is proper perfection, in a strange way.