Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

A double whammy of pedestrian, forlorn reflection in the form of

I Was A Cub Scout - Echoes

“Echoes” is being released as a double a-side with “Pink Squares” and we already reviewed “Pink Squares” some time ago so for this release we will focus on the “Echoes.” This is the final single before the bands debut album “I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope.” After, hearing the album “Echoes” is a nice song but you can see why it was released with another song as it doesn’t have enough meat to stand on its own. It starts off with a sweet little set of effects and then those sweet emotion emo vocals kick in. The best part of this song is in the last minute or so when some horns coming in and the drums sound like a horse kicking up and it adds for this really hyperactive moment. “Echoes” is a fine song and it works well backing up the beautiful “Pink Squares.”

By John Siwicki

LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum

“North American Scum” is lifted off the bands second album “Sound of Silver.” After, that little Nike forty-five minute album, I was not sure of what to think going into the new LCD record. Their first album will go down as a classic. “North American” is a cheeky little take on the fact that many people thought they were British. It does not blow you away at first but slowly it gets into your mind. It’s silly, catchy and will get people dancing around.

By John Siwicki

Kylie Minogue - Wow

I had a awful day more like a miserable day. But, when I came home to see the new Kylie single on the desk I knew something fun was on it. Kylie is always good for some feel good pop/dance hybrid stuff. It is the latest single lifted off her comeback album “X.” It is not the most original song ever as it has a rather generic beat to it but the little “wah-wah’ effect on the hook is really cool. Lyrically, its another standard issue affair with Kylie telling us about how she likes how you move and your Wow. The song is also primed for some great dance floor reworks or remixes what normal people call them. The MSKRT remix is a banger of a tune is also worth seeking out .

By John Siwicki

Saturday Looks Good To Me

Hi, Hope you are doing well today?
Hi there. I am doing fantastic. Working a lot these days for a dayjob, but also working hard always on new sounds and ideas.

Just to get it out of the way. The band name Saturday Looks Good To Me how did that happen? How did SLGTM get started?

A lot of people are curious about the name, and a lot of people have pretty polarized reactions to it. The concise version is that my friend Dion Fischer from the Detroit band the TranZistors made a joke about this two day music festival I threw back in 1998. Everyone was talking about what day would be better, and kept saying “Saturday looks good to me.” “Yeah, Saturday looks good to me, too.” “Totally Saturday. Looks good.” And Dion said “That’s totally gotta be someone’s new acid-folk band.” And I stole the idea and ran with it.

The band started, and has remained in a lot of ways, a recording project. At first I was really stoked on working with loops of old Motown and Phil Spector songs, just breaking down a four second section of a Ronette’s song or whatever and building a whole new song off of it from the ground up. Then I started thinking about making songs that sounded old and beautiful like that without the loops. Then it just kinda grew and evolved from there, but the band has always been two distinctly separate entities of studio experimentation and live show representation of the recorded songs. And sometimes the two meet and meld in the middle.

How do you go about writing your songs?

There’s so many different approaches, but the best ones come to materialize really softly and naturally. I’ll be humming something absent-mindedly then I’ll realize it sounds like a song, then I’ll get excited and start trying to piece together music or words for this nebulous melody or fragmented idea, and the next thing I know it’s a fully formed, instantaneous song. I try not to work on anything for too long.

Your new record “Fill Up The Room” was released on K Records. How has it been so far releasing your music on the legendary label?

K is amazing to work with. It’s really one of the first and one of the most steadfastly independent record labels. I’m honored and overjoyed to have made friends with the people there and be able to work together on my sounds. I have been a follower of K since my young teens when Beat Happening played at my friend Brad’s basement, and I’m sure that excitement and fandom has informed a lot of my music as I got older. It’s a really great thing to give back and be part of something I’ve cared about for so long.

You produced many of the bands albums. Have you ever produced for another band or would ever consider it?

Yeah, I love to record and produce music and have done a lot. Warren DeFever has been co-producer/engineer on all of the slgtm records, and since there were no production credits on the last record, I want to stress that none of the sounds would have happened without him. But yeah, I am constantly recording music and producing for people, including some Ypsilanti area acts like Patrick Elkins, Actual Birds, Aleise Barnette, Eliza Godfrey, Kelly Jean Caldwell and most recently some New York bands like Carclutch. I did some stuff in Portland, too. Eventually I imagine i’ll concentrate on producing.

I noticed you play pretty much every instrument is there anything that you don’t play?

I’m awful at keyboards, though I play them sometimes. Scott Sellwood has been the main man for keyboards in the band since 2004, and he puts me to shame at most instruments. I play no strings or brass instruments, either. But I can dick around on most staple rock instruments.

What is the next move for the band? Touring? Recording?

We’re always recording for something or another, if only to have some ideas and keep things fresh. In June there’ll be a new 7″ on K with a song from our upcoming record and a couple remixes by High Places and BARR off of our last record. We just finished a long tour for Fill Up The Room that was amazing and fun, and we’re doing some east coast dates in early March, but since everyone is living all over the place, we’re not as into the hectic months at a time touring schedule we used to be all about.

Any bands we should be listening to ?

High Places, who did a remix for us are seriously fantastic. One of the more inventive bands i’ve seen for years, and very charismatic. We were really lucky to do some touring with them this fall. Also Atlas Sound is Bradford from Deerhunter’s solo act, and all the stuff i’ve heard from him is really great, spaced out and stoned in a Jesus & Mary Chain kinda way. Very exciting new spectral music. But if the question is “Are there any bands at all we should be listening to?” the answer is “Yes, you should be listening to Love all the time.”

By John Siwicki

Morrissey - Greatest Hits

Lets break down what songs we get here on Morrissey’s new Greatest Hits compliation. So, we what we have here are tracks are taken from “Ringleader Of The Tormentors,” four from “You Are The Quarry,” two from “Viva Hate,” two new tracks, one from “Bona Drag,” one from “Vauxhall and I” and one from “Live at Earls Court” and finally two brand new songs. As many of you can see this is very heavy into Mozza’s recent albums. The new songs are “Thats How People Grow Up” and “All You Need Is Me.” All the songs on the album are great singles and deserve to be in peoples collection. This hits collection just seems so incompletely and empty.

If you don’t own “Ringleader Of The Tormentors” and “You Are The Quarry” is an excellent pick up. But, for those completely new to Morrissey it is an incomplete collection of his work. It misses on a lot of his early work. He has release other Greatest Hits compilation CDs which are better representative of his work. Save your money and go through his back catalog and find out why he is one of the greatest artists of our time. For the completest just try to find a download of the two new tracks as they are worth getting.

By John Siwicki

Kerli

Hi, thanks for talking with us today.

Thank you guys for talking to me

So, tell us a bit about gowning up in Estonia? What was it like?

Green forest, Fairies, Magic, Snowy, Cold, Depression, Loneliness, Fear

Who are some of your main influences musically?

I wouldn’t say “who”. I would say “what”. Every human emotion is my influence.

You have a cover of “She’s In Parties” by Bauhaus. Was this a band you were always into the band and how did the cover come about?

A friend of mine had an idea about covering it. I haven’t listened to much music in my life because where I’m from; nobody did when I was little. So I didn’t find out about Bauhaus until a year ago. I think they are absolutely amazing.

Tell us a bit about your new album Love Is Dead and what we can expect on the record?

Love is Dead is about being a human being. Going through depression and painful growth and finding the light. Death is rebirth. I hope this seven-year period of making this album is over and the new period can begin. That’s why I think it’s the perfect name for the album.

How do you feel about music downloading/ leaking of unreleased material via the Internet?

I love it and I hate it. I have been surprised to find out that many people don’t even know that downloading music for free is illegal. It’s stealing. You are not going to steal someone’s painting. Why are you stealing a musician’s art? That’s what pays our rent. And then there’s this other part of me that is so happy that all the people who want to listen to music can get it easy and free. Music is the light that should be shared… I hate when my demos or unreleased material leaks though. Having people listening to your demos is the same as people looking at you while you’re not wearing any clothes…

Like, let me make myself pretty and put some eyeliner on and some accessories!!!!

Which other artists are you listening to these days?

Oh, my favorite thing is to be in silence, but there are many artists I love. My absolute
favorite band is Sigur Ros.

What can we expect to see from you in the rest of 2008?
Everything I’ll go through, I will share. I don’t want to expect anything, Life is too
interesting. I just want to be surprised.

By John Siwicki

A Hawk And A Hacksaw with support from Miracle Fortress (12/06/07)

In order to retain his mysterious edge, Graham Van Pelt lead man of the Montreal based quintet, Miracle Fortress, letting his roving guitarist and Sister Jessie S fill in the blanks. The guitarist entertains with her dry humour and friendly comments, whilst technical formalities are sorted out. Early gatherers think nothing of treading onto the hallowed wooden floor that represents the front area upon her requests. Already they are congratulating themselves on the move, upon hearing the bending Four Tet spirited intro to the Stone Roses drum march featuring, “This Thing About You”. Simple lyrics are pitched with mumbling poise by Van Pelt. The acoustics hold out in this rugged basement of a venue and the extra guitar fuzz and two drummers create a friendly, hooky and slightly murky vibe.

It is this dual percussion drive that adds buoyancy and vim, to The Magic Numbers infiltrated by The Sonic Youth soiree of “Have You Seen in Your Dreams”. This Sparks off some gentle swaying from an audience that is contentedly soaking up the feel-good vibe. A move away from material on their engaging debut album “Five Roses”, in the form of “Hanky Panky” adds a dose of cheeky provocation to bring smiles to faces. A natural conclusion to a brisk and melodically potent set is Byrds fused and disco flavoured gee up “Maybe Lately”. Rough Trade Records may yet again be justified in casting their net in wider, less navigated waters in order to maintain a fresh roster.

A great deal has changed since New Mexicans, A Hawk And Hacksaw (AHAAH) frequented these shores in 2006 in order to promote their violin and harmonica brandishing album, “The Way The Wind Blows”. For a start, ex Neutral Milk Hotel drummer and firmly the face of AHAAH, Jeremy Barnes has lost the percussion yielding fun hat now that he’s passed thirty. Also, two accomplished Hungarian musicians keep him and violinist, Heather Trost company onstage. Latest release “And The Hunger Ensemble”, represents a bolder take on their largely instrumental foraging through blues to skirt classical music with stop off at gypsy-folk, en route. Heather Trost delivers a noire led violin kick and a feisty violin march early in, illuminating the range of these accomplished musicians on display.

A one hour and forty minutes set passes by and the deft range sends gatherers into a comfort zone. Jeremy Barnes makes you question why the accordion hasn’t taken over from the keyboard in this day and age. Given the robust thrust and aching strut he conjures from his instrument that is. A highlight is reached when he spends the encore in the middle of the crowd, drawing everybody in with his focused serenading of Trost. Then the mysterious and focused femme moves to the front of the stage, to give the romantic, classic tinged encore more heart and personality. With vocals being sparse to say the least, during this set, Barnes and Trost show a rare, continuing boldness. They continue stretch their instruments beyond conventional boundaries, to mesmerizing effect.

By Dave Adair

Adamson, Barry - Back To Cat

Barry is the man behind a lot of great music that we all love today. Barry was in Magazine, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Visage. The man has had his hands in a lot of the great music over the past 20 plus years. After, his run in those bands Barry broke out into a solo career and his latest effort is “Back To Cat.” The album trumps genres by jumping from folk, soul, jazz and dub styles. The album on a whole reminds me a lot of the recent work of Richard Hawley. The songs are really elegant pieces of orchestral pop. Barry Adamson’s croon is very special and unique and with this level of pop music On the track “Shadow of Death Hotel” it sounds like a funked up version of the Batman theme song. Then on “People” Barry does not let anything get in his way by saying “People they are dumb, they whisper that they love you then detonate a bomb.”

“Back To Cat” is a “cool” record is there ever was one. At times, I made me feel like I was in some gangster movie. It just has that level of sophistication and class in the songs. Barry has vocal has a certain jive and groove that you don’t anymore in todays vocalist. The record is a fast ten tracks and is highly recommended.

By John Siwicki

Kick In The Eye - Midnight Sleigh Ride

At first, I was very apprehensive about this record. But, after one listen, I wish more bands would release Christmas Songs. Kick In The Eye always seemed like a group of old souls. But, this mini album of all original Christmas songs is very delightful. “Reason For The Season” is a quirky and bouncy little Christmas ditty and its hard to hear exactly what the lyric is but it sounds like “for Jesus gets botox.” “Forty Degress Below” is a the gem of the record and one of the finer non-traditional Christmas songs you may ever hear. It has got that fun groove and a great story is going on and along with a jangly guitar. “Christmas Is Coming” is exactly what makes Christmas great, it is fast, perky and fun.

By John Siwicki

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