So, May’s coming to a close and I have to say there hasn’t been a tonne of new records flooding in, but all the bands that we thought would be on everyone’s lips are seemingly keeping their end of the bargain. MGMT, No Age, Yeasayer, Bon Iver and Fuck Buttons are proving to be massive favourites on the current summer circuit. I heard 60s garage pioneers The Sonics are back together and playing Primavera Festival in Spain. Holy S**t. If I could catch them playing “Have Love, Will Travel” live I could die on the spot.
Speaking of harking back in time, Weezer’s Red album is leaking out slowly, reminding us all of the Blue album of the late 90s. It’ll probably never scale the heights of “say It Ain’t So” et al, but how could it? A not so new band (well still really new I guess – ha) that is intriguing is Fleet Foxes, from Seattle. They’re this basement brooding, indie-folk bunch of fellas who have a debut out. It’s kinda like Midlake in parts, plus they draw from the traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, baroque psychedelic, sacred harp singing, traditional music from Ireland and Japan, and film scores. Awesome stuff.
#1 Festival Envy We’ve definitely a bunch of cracking festivals here, no doubt. In fact, it has to be said, Australia’s long recovered from being an untrodden tour path for internationals. For instance, I was totally chuffed to see Bjork and Arcade Fire at this year’s Big Day Out and BRMC at Falls. Splendour, too, always manages to attract some top shelf acts (Devo, anybody? Ha!).Yet, upon receiving the tidal wave of newsletters from all the coming overseas, summer soirees, I can’t help but express some infant like jealousy at the calibre of the North’s festivals; despite Shakespeare’s warnings, what was it? “Beware my lord of the green eyed monster that doth mock the meat it feeds upon”. Erm, sorry about that...Of course it all makes sense, given most of the acts are born and bred in that locale, but it doesn’t make it any easier to digest. Now, let’s leave out Glastonbury this year, because it kinda bites, but to name just a few, we’ve got All Tomorrow’s Parties in NYC http://www.atpfestival.com/events/atp-ny/ My Bloody Valentine are the curators, and if that wasn’t blessing enough, they’ve only gone and picked Thurston Moore, Fuck Buttons, Mogwai and Shellac to play with them, among others. Looks set to be a pure noise love-fest! Latitude http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/ in the UK not only has British Sea Power and Foals but, hell’s teeth, also gracing the bill is the legendary Blondie, celebrating their 30th anniversary of the seminal album Parallel Lines. And Coachella recently wound up, too, featuring his lordship, Prince, plus Swervedriver, Santogold and Black Lips setting fire to their guitars. Actually, truth be told, it’s getting too painful to go through the whole list. Without picking them apart further, I’ll just roll call some to give you a sense of my woe. Sonar, Benacassim, Roskilde, Isle of Wight, Primavera, Summersonic, even Reading and Leeds, bless their chav-full, cotton socks. Might be time to check out those frequent flyer points me thinks....
#2 Is World Music taking over the, ah, World?....Once the province of WOMAD attending, yoga fanatics and lonely Anthropologists, “World” music and its Enya-like tribal roots has made a huge leap into the realm of indie music. Reviving the spectres of past musicians like 1980s icons Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Paul Simon http://www.paulsimon.com/, current acts like Vampire Weekend, The Ruby Suns, http://www.myspace.com/ryanmcphunandtherubysuns MGMT, Yeasayer http://www.myspace.com/yeasayer and El Guincho have joined in the fun. Much like the Animal Collectives, MIAs and Beiruts who’ve also been mining a wealth of ethnic musical strains. Everything from Afro-Beat to Bhangra is up for grabs. And how good is it! This vanguard of artists are not only illustrating a modern age of accessibility – for never have nascent bands and musicians drawn from such a wide range of sonic inspirations - but in dredging the seas of sounds for some point of difference, they’ve successfully, and most of all, refreshingly, ranged from the traditional formula of straight-up, genre specificity. Bless the music blogs, file sharing and the incessant curiosity of youth that have opened the flood gates to a rich tapestry of world history, sounds, beats, flavours and rhythms!!
#3 Video Heaven At A TouchOh internet, shall I compare thee to a summers day? Jeez, enough Shakespeare. Sorry, I’m stuck in the 16th Century this week! But TV, you’re out!Current favourites - This Bjork clip made with Spike Jonze. Holy smokes, how tough is it!? http://media.ghostrobot.net/7020_wanderlust.htmlSnuff Box – Comedy gold from the UK, Mighty Boosh fans keep an eye out for Bob Fossil and Bainbridge -
& I also just discovered this old Raconteurs video for “Steady As She Goes” - Jack White enjoying the fruits of his labours it seems.
And last but not least – The Jonathan Ross show. This guy is totally hilarious, such a fresh and easy interviewing style, and what an amazing list of guests. Check out the Brit-King Morrissey to cut your teeth. Classic.
Well, for my first Levity blog I thought maybe a quick rundown of my current musical favourites would suffice to introduce myself and my sonic aesthetic.So, in no particular order, here goes...
The tall, deep-south muso Bradford Cox of Deerhunter has recently made this amazing album under the nom de plume of Atlas Sound. http://www.myspace.com/bradfordcox Ethereal, atmospheric and downright moving, it’s giving me that heady, sought after kick, the spine shiver.
MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular is also rocking my world. This record is totally infectious. Freakishly good. Now, normally that sort of immediacy and the contemporaneous boat load of hype about a band usually causes some hesitation and the ringing of alarm bells (not to mention sunglasses on during indoor interviews dudes!), but I have to say I’m at their mercy...The Youth (the third song) has me all wrapped up in some powerful web, it’s like an anthem for an age that has so few...
When I want to blow my brains out with a squall of homemade pedals that re-wire the possibilities of six copper-wound strings and a warm valve amp A Place To Bury Strangers is sheer awesomeness. But for lighter moments, Vashti Bunyan and her lovable ‘60s sound has been a favourite in the car coming back from the beach and on Sunday mornings, as has the spaghetti western, LA bandits Spindrift , these guys are killer. http://www.myspace.com/thewest
Then there’s this band from San Diego called Dodos. Kinda bluesy- psych stuff. They are s**t hot and are definitely on the highest of rotation.
Other new things I’m enjoying include Sleeping States’ new EP and the New Zealand post-rockers HDU’s new album Methamatics. (art attached for this claire) It’s tough as. And I can’t leave out the sultry, rumbling rock of The Duke Spirit. Their new album Neptune is mind-blowing.
