Sigur Ros - Kveikur

Icelandic post-rock veterans Sigur Ros have released their2 7th LP this week, which sees the band returning to their earlier sound, much to the delight of their fans. Their last album, Valtari, was a bit of a disappointment for many fans. Although Sigur Ros is known for their floating, atmospheric sound, Valtari brought that to an extreme many found hard to appreciate.

The band recovered quickly though, and are back only a year later with a return-to-form album. Singer Jonsi's vocals are back in the spotlight, after fading to inaudible cries in Valtari. Songs sound more like songs and not just ambient strings scores and whispers. The album is darker altogether than the groups previous few works, showcasing a haunting sound fans are more familiar with from Sigur Ros' earlier albums Von and Agaetis Byrjun.

A catalyst for the changes in the group's sound is the the departure of founding member and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. As a result, Kveikur is much more percussion focused than previous LPs. Songs are shorter, most only lasting 5 minutes instead of the regular 9 or 10 that Sigur Ros fans are used to. Despite these changes, the album still sounds like Sigur Ros, more so arguably than their last few records have.

Valtari felt as though Sigur Ros had become lost in the dense mists of the barren Icelandic wilderness. Kveikur sees them finding their way home. Thanks Sigur Ros for a great album and resurrecting my love for weird, ambient and unintelligible Icelandic music!

Said The Whale - I Love You EP

The new EP from the British Columbian band Said the Whale is an upbeat nine minutes that might brighten your day. Fresh off the success of the band's 2012 album Little Mountain comes this release, the first new material released from the band in a year. Seeing Said the Whale last year was one of my favourite concert experiences to date. Great Canadian music! Listen to the whole EP here:

Fun. - Aim and Ignite

Almost everyone is familiar with the chart topping songs We Are Young and Some Nights. Fun.'s success since the release of its 2nd LP last February has been astonishing. Despite the band's success, many music critics found the album to be overplayed to exhaustion. I found that after a few months, hearing We Are Young coming on made me cringe a little bit. This type of reaction seems strange, especially seeing how the band put out one of my favourite albums ever only a few years ago.

Fun.'s first album Aim and Ignite is a sing-along album by nature. Every time I listen to it I can't help but belt out rousing choruses of "All the pretty girls on a saturday night!" or "Take your time  coming home". The album isn't said to be a concept album, but it feels like one. The fusion of pop-rock with a broadway musical style, presents a collection of songs with themes relating to growth and maturity. Personal identity, love and loss and learning are all themes that are woven into the lyrics of the songs on Aim and Ignite. Its an amazing road trip album, belting out songs along the long stretches of open highway is a fond memory I have associated it. For anyone who has taken an anti-fun. stance, based solely on their impressions of Some Nights, I recommend listening this album.

The Detroit Cobras - Life, Love and Leaving

Great band I learned about at work last week, the garage rock and cover band The Detroit Cobras. Their 2001 album Life, Love and Leaving has made me an instant fan of the group. Led by their badass female singer Rachel Nagy, The Detroit Cobras cover rhythm and blues songs from 50’s and 60’s. The songs all relate to the themes of album’s title, ranging from melancholy songs of loss, like the Irma Thomas song “Cry On”, to get-up-and-dance numbers like “Right Around The Corner” by The “5” Royals.

Nagy is able to covey a remarkable amount of feeling into each song, forcing the emotion of the song onto the listener. Nagy sounds like a more soulful version of Best Coast singer Bethany Cosentino, with a rockier supporting cast as well. The two guitarists on this album, Mary Ramirez and Dante Aliano are another big reason I enjoy this album so much. They maintain the bluesy style of the songs originals, while still spicing them up with heavier garage rock effects.

This is a really cool album because it provides a fresh and exciting take on older music, which is often neglected today. With badass female musicians, tons of soul and emotion as well as playing classic R & B songs, what isn’t there to like on Life, Love and Leaving.

You can listen to the whole album by following the Grooveshark link below:

http://grooveshark.com/#!/thedetroitcobras

The Vaccines

Hey people,
Today's artist is a great indie-rock band from London called THE VACCINES. I'm seeing these guys in August, which I'm very excited about. They have a couple great albums out with their last one, COME OF AGE, coming out last September. With a sound somewhere between THE SMITHS and NOAH AND THE WHALE, they're a fun band to listen to. I'd suggest their albums, or taking a glance at their soundcloud page!

Toy Horses

http://www.themusicninja.com/

Hi guys,

Got a cool indie-rock band from Cardiff, Whales for you today. They have one self-titled album out from 2011 that has a collection of cheerful tracks, mixed in with some British humor. Their song BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE includes a bunch of silly British references that children of English parents will be sure to enjoy! Check out their soundcloud below and or this MUSIC NINJA link with some other great tracks.

Noah and the Whale - Heart of Nowhere

http://www.hivemag.com/

Hey guys,

Just found out that a new NOAH AND THE WHALE album is imminent! The album is called Heart of Nowhere and it should be coming out May 6th. I've loved this band since their first LP and loved their other two just as much. It's been really cool to see this band develop and change over time. Their first album was vary indie-folk and upbeat, their second was a heartbreaking account of lead singer Charlie Fink's break up with ex-band member Laura Marling and their third was back to the upbeat nature of the band but a little more electronic and 'pop-y'. Their new album sounds like the band is fusing the styles from all their previous works. They are also releasing a film in tandem with the album, like they did for FIRST DAY OF SPRING. At the bottom is a song from the new album and a sweet remix of an older song for kicks.

WAVVES - Afraid of Heights

Hi everyone,

Exciting new music for you from California band WAAVES. These guys are a fantastic surf pop/punk/rock band with two amazing albums already out and a new one, AFRAID OF HEIGHTS, coming out March 26th! NPR Music has a early stream of the album (which is located at the bottom of this post), where you can hear the new album in full! WAVVES are getting a fuller sound, moving into actual studios and improving the quality of their recordings without compromising the iconic WAVVES sound. BEST COAST, another surf pop band that are close friends with WAVVES had a similar motion to a more refined sound, but in my opinion, lost the sound which made them unique. WAVVES have been able have their sound evolve and still feel honest and true to what the music is about. Check out the new album below!

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/17/174236696/first-listen-wavves-afraid-of-heights?&refresh=true

Greyscale 03/16/13

Good morning everybody, very excited to show you this, my very first attempt at broadcasting! My friends Steve, Danny and I are involved at the Queens radio station, CFRC. We are working towards getting our own weekly show, which will show indie and electronic music in a progression between the two, highlighting the blending of genres and supporting local artists. This is our demo show, which Steve and I recorded this weekend (Danny will join soon). I hope you find this interesting or at least humorous!

cheers,

tim

Whale Tooth

http://exclaim.ca/

I was at CFRC today for a few hours and have subsequently been on a Canadian inde-music mood. Later, I emailed my philosophy teacher from last year, which reminded me this band he showed me, WHALE TOOTH. These guys have an EP that I flippin loved! But for some reason I havent listened to it in ages!  Since rectifying that mistake, remembered how much I love these guys!

A Toronto band, Whale Tooth have put out a lone EP and a handful of other songs via sound-cloud and a new single called WOLVES. I have yet to see them perform which, has been eating me up, but I hope to rectify that mistake as soon as possible. Anyway, I'll shut up and give you the link to the EP and a video for the new single.

Two Hours Traffic

http://www.thecoast.ca/

Hey Guys,

Got another Canadian gem for you today, the Prince Edward Island band TWO HOURS TRAFFIC. I've loved these guys since their 2008 album LITTLE JABS which was nominated for a Polaris Prize! They put out another album, TERRITORIES, in 2009 and have a brand new album out called FOOLISH BLOOD.

LITTLE JABS still makes it into my listening circulation, a little two hours traffic always brightens up my day! The song STUCK FOR THE SUMMER never ceases to make me dance in public like an idiot.A really upbeat, dancy indie-rock band, TWO HOURS TRAFFIC is a great example of Canada's east coast indie-scene. I was really excited for FOOLISH BLOOD to be released and it didn't fail to impress. AMOR THE FRIENDS is an awesome tune with some relatable lyrics for any awkward Canadian teen...(not me obviously, I'm to cool). I personally liked LITTLE JABS better, but I implore you to listen to both and decide for yourself!

Generationals

The Generationals are an indie-rock band out of New Orleans who are recently making waves across music blogs. My friend Alex showed me them two days ago, and the next day they had the number one song on HYPE MACHINE. Since 2009 they have put out two LP's and two EP's and have opened for BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE and TWO DOOR CINIMA CLUB. They  have a very upbeat, sound, with rolling base riffs, clapping percussions and chorus styled vocals. I would suggest starting with their 2010 EP TRUST and moving on from there!

A Taste of the Beatles

http://www.interestingtopics.net/beatles-world-best-known-band-id-321

Good morning everybody! So as many of you know, I'm a bit of a Beatles fan. Okay a really really really really really big one. So I thought I would try and do something new, I collected one song from each album (the standard British releases) and picked a song that I think people either don't know or could benefit from another listen. I did my best to find full songs on soundcloud but some are just samples. The Beatles released over 200 songs in their decade of activity and its a shame people don't know more because every song on every album is an experience in itself. I'll let you listen to the playlist because I could go on about these guys forever!

Belle and Sebastian

http://www.muzikdizcovery.com/2012/10/album-retrospective-belle-sebastian-if.html

Ola! This post is about a serious favourite of mine, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN. Glasgow natives, they got their start mid 90's and have released eight awesome studio albums since. They have a unique sound, focusing on the personal and often out-of-the-ordinary lyrics of leader singer STUART MURDOCH. There is a distinct perspective of being an outsider looking in, MURDOCH's lyrics often describe his confused attempts to understand everyday life. One of the most topics in BELLE AND SEBASTIAN songs are long bus rids, office relationships and romantic strife. PITCHFORK TV recently put out an hour long documentary about the band and the recoding of IF YOUR FEELING SINISTER, definitely worth checking out (below).

BELLE AND SEBASTIAN are the kind of band that I can put on at any time and instantly be completely involved in the music. What makes them amazing is the weird and wonderful ways of looking at life and love. Sometimes it makes you cry, other times life, but I always find myself completely and utterly emotionally invested in every song. I've had many days where I've put on one song and found myself listening to three of four albums in a row. I really recommend listening to these guys album by album, because each one is a piece of art in itself. You can listen to a song below or get their whole discography (I love every album!).

If you find yourself caught in love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de8OlR7G1xU

Discography: http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/7482943/belle_and_sebastian_discography___singles

Pitchfork TV documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4de-RHHLCBA

Powderfinger - Odyssey Number Five

http://fanart.tv/artist/e9ce3f55-b35c-4f8d-8304-be24f381587e/powderfinger/

POWDERFINGER is an Rock band from Brisbane, Australia. They've been together since 1989 and put out seven studio albums in that time. My friend from high-school Sammy Bertram showed me them, who discovered them though his larger than life Tasmanian step-dad. ODYSSEY NUMBER FIVE is an awesome album from 2000 which really exemplifies their sound. The track LIKE A DOG always reminds me of OASIS' FUCKIN IN THE BUSHES off of STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS, also from the year 2000. With a dirty guitar riff and gruff vocals it is sure to get you bippin and a boppin. MY HAPPINESS is the single off the album, another great OASIS-like track and MY KIND OF SCENE is a slower, emotion-packed track. POWDERFINGER is a great early 2000's Pop-rock band, grouped in with the OASIS, MATCHBOX 20 and OUR LADY PEACE kinda vibe. I always get excited when these guys show up on my itunes, definitely worth a listen.


My Happiness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM_eb0vVo0k

Like a Dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lepXhIr74WA

My Kind of Scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7KIRikU5JY

You can get the whole album here:

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/6839275/Powderfinger_Odyssey_Number_5_[AAC_320kbps_VBR]

Apples in stereo - GO

https://soundcloud.com/the-apples-in-stereo/go

One of my favourite bands in the last decade, part of the ELEPHANT 6 COLLECTIVE, amazing 60's pysch revival band, lots of energy and depth to their sound. Whenever I'm listening to the apples, I am alway aware of how intentionally weird and cool they are. They always seem to be trying to screw your head! The lead singer, Robert Schneider, is actually a mathematician also and came up with his own musical scale, which you can hear on tracks on their album NEW MAGNETIC WONDER called non-Pythagorean compositions. The Apples in Stereo are similar to TAME IMPALA, PASSION PIT, FOXYGEN and other bands in the ELEPHANT 6, in their awesome ability to revive the 60's psychedelic sound and style, while still being new and innovative by incorporating newer instruments and sounds into the music as well.

They have 7 studio albums, all great but THE DISCOVERY OF A WORLD INSIDE THE MOON is a great one to start with.