DATE ARCHIVES : September 2011

Two Wounded Birds – Together Forever

There’s an abundance of chirpy surf-inspired indie doing the rounds at the moment but Two Wounded Birds remain one of the most impressive.

Over the past 12 months they’ve been wooing folk with a splendid mix of catchy sunny, fast paced surf rock and now the Margate band are set to release a new single through Moshi Moshi. This latest number captures what they are all about; a cheery contagious surf pop sound which at 2:15, doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. 

No word on an album yet but ‘Together Forever’ is released on  October 31st via Moshi Moshi. You can listen to it and a few others below.

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Two Wounded Birds – All We Wanna Do via PLSRMSC

 Two Wounded Birds – Night Patrol 

Noisia – Tommy’s Theme

Inimitable Dutch trio Noisia are gearing up for the release of new track ‘Tommy’s Theme’ on October 24th.

Fans of Noisia’s stunning 2010 album Split the Atom will not be disappointed by the absolutely stunning ‘Tommy’s Theme. It is a morphing many-headed dubstep beast that reinforces their revered reputation for thumping electronic beats.

‘Tommy’s Theme’ is out on October 24th via Mau5trap.

 Noisia – Tommy’s Theme

New Gruff Rhys Single and iPhone game: ‘Whale Trail’

Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys has announced a new double a-side single, comprised of ‘Space Dust #2’ and ‘Whale Trail’.

The former comes from his superb album, Hotel Shampoo while the later, ‘Whale Trail’, is accompanied by an iPhone game of the same name with Gruff also providing the voiceover, in Welsh. The track is a delicate number, opening with softly strummed guitars before a mixture of playful synths and computer game noises whisk you away. Rhys continues to astound with his output and eccentricity, long may he continue.

The double a-side single and Whale Trail game will be released on October 20th and you can catch Gruff live when he plays The Academy, Dublin this Monday October 3rd.

 Gruff Rhys – Whale Trail

Free Music: Happy People – HP EP

Happy People EP is the self-titled debut release from New Jersey duo, Stephen Ortega and Jeff Widner, called, yeah you guessed it, Happy People. 

The two friends floated around some early demos but with no one biting they decided to take care business themselves creating this wonderfully seductive debut. There is an air of familiarity to their sound but manages to remain fresh. This is such a strong debut filled with full, lush and irresistible indie with a real meandering carefree hazy feel, as it undoubtedly sinks its claws into your psyche.

Happy People have announced their arrival with a proverbial bang and you can download the whole EP entirely for FREE from their website.

Download: Happy People – Dance For Fools

Download: Happy People – Brooklyn

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Miles Kane – Come Closer EP

Miles Kane has been one of the finest talents to emerge in 2011. Standing alone for the first time his debut solo album Colour of the Trap is sublime, as it swaggers through a whirlwind of ’60s psych-soul swathed in twangs and spooky feedback and pulse-raising rock’n’roll riffs.

Things have been going so well lately he’s decided to re-release ‘Come Closer’, this time as an EP. It includes two new original songs ‘Do I Want You’ and the hell-raising ‘KaKa Boom’, as well as a great cover of Jacques Dutronc’s ‘The Responsible’.

Miles Kane’s Come Closer EP is out now.

Miles Kane – Come Closer

Mp3: Miles Kane – KaKa Boom [audio http://dl.soundowl.com/1rmc.mp3] via Attmusic

Download: Milan Jay – Robot Revenge

Galway-based Milan Jay are currently putting the finishing touches to the final EP, in a trilogy of EPs, released inside of 12 months. Their new single ‘Robot Revenge’ is a super catchy guitar-driven number, I can’t get enough of this one right now.

‘Robot Revenge’ is launched this Friday September 30th at Citog in Galway and you can download the track below.

Download: Milan Jay – Robot Revenge

dB Band – Stranger In The Alps

In the months following the break-up of Supergrass, bassist Mick Quinn with Paul Wilson and Mikey Dean-Smith formed dB band. Fronted by Quinn under the pseudonym of ‘Barry McQueen’, the trio have just released their debut EP, Stranger In The Alps.

dB Band’s sound elicits memories of Supergrass’s earlier, harder edged and punkier songs with a touch of catchy and melodic pop sensibilities; especially ‘Stranger In The Alps’, Five A Day’ and ‘Bus Stop Shuffle’.  Over four tracks Stranger In The Alps is an absolute treasure trove of dazzling tunes.

Hopefully this is just the beginning and this EP is quickly followed by an equally great album. Fingers crossed.

Stranger In The Alps is out now and can be picked up via their website.

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 dB Band – Stranger In The Alps

dB Band – Dreams 

The band in Heaven – Seven Minutes in Heaven

The last time we checked in with The band in Heaven they had teamed up with Weird Wives ( 3/5 of Surfer Blood) for a split release EP.

They are back, this time on their own to release a brand new cassette, Seven Minutes in Heaven.

It’s as you were really. ‘Sleazy Dreams’ is the sort of snarling, high energy rock that would make Black Rebel Motorcycle Club proud and the second track ‘If You Only Knew’ is a much slower shoegazey affair with a touch of middle eastern flair.

Two great tracks and the band are generously giving the later away as a free download.

 The band in Heaven – Sleazy Dreams

Download: The band in Heaven – If You Only Knew

Jamiroquai – Cosmic Girl (Allure Remix)

Remember Parisian whizz kid Allure who was responsible for the sensational remix of The Beatles classic ‘And I Love Her’? Well, he’s gone and done it once again.

This time he’s returned with a brand new remix of Jamiroquai’s ‘Cosmic Girl’ and it has been given a glossy lick of paint. It is smooth, elegant and sounds quintessentially french with added urgency and thumping beats.

Allure’s debut album French Kiss is out now and can be streamed on Soundcloud. You can stream his ‘Cosmic Girl’ remix below or download it here.

 Jamiroquai – Cosmic Girl (Allure Remix)

Echo & The Bunnymen :: The Olympia Theatre :: Sept 23

It’s been a while since Echo & the Bunnymen were in Dublin. On Friday (September 23rd ) they returned to The Olympia Theatre to perform1984 album Ocean Rain in it’s entirety, with an orchestra and in style.

Backlighted for effect and engulfed by dry ice, the band appeared silhouetted on stage, the perfect setting for both them and their songs. It is quite unusual to be at a seated show but this was quickly forgotten as sheer atmosphere in The Olympia took over as they launched into an opening set which included ‘Pride’, ‘Stormy Weather’, ‘Bedbugs & Ballyhoo’, ‘Never Stop’, ‘Dancing Horses’ and ‘Rescue’. One of the Bunnymen’s biggest assets is lead singer Ian McCulloch, who in his signature sunglasses and long, dark coat and in full swagger his vocals are immaculate as he croons and wails through the classics. That’s not to mention some sharp witty scouse banter between songs.

Following a short break for a ‘bevie’ McCulloch & Co. returned for the centre piece of the night, aided by a superb orchestra performing Ocean Rain in full and how. Renditions of ‘Crystal Days’, ‘The Yo-Yo Man’, ‘Seven Seas’ and ‘Ocean Rain’ were unforgettable and the opening notes from ‘The Killing Moon’ alone send a shiver down the spine. It was magnificent! 

All of this would have been perfectly fine but they then returned to the stage and to finish with a final encore of ‘Nothing Last Forever’, ‘Lips Like Sugar’ and ‘The Cutter’, heralding a scene akin to a rowdy classroom with punters clamoring over now long vacant seats. It was a triumphant return to Dublin for The Bunnymen and with a show clocking at around two and half hours, no one can feel shortchanged. Lads just don’t leave it so long next time.

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