Australian band British India crank up the angst in love and loss with their energetic Control album. After one quick listen, I was completely hooked and had to hit repeat. The lyrics are almost too earnest at times. Their two big singles "Summer Forgive Me" and "I Can Make You Love Me" from this album alone have more love angst to go toe to toe with Pretty Hate Machine (still my favorite breakup album of all time). The songs are a eulogy from a love lorn stalker painted masterfully by lead singer Declan Melia. And the energy the band brings to the game reminds me a lot of Modest Mouse from The Lonesome Crowded West album.
"I Can Make You Love Me" kicked off the new album back in August of 2012. It really gave us a taste of what was to come. A none relenting barrage of dark emotions built into melodic chaos. Yeah folks, I really dig this album. I'm not gonna lie. It's a 2013 must own. This song reminds me of the band Brand New at their best.
"Summer Forgive Me" is their new single from Control and it's got just as much punch as their previous single. "I'm always rushing and never settle down, always inventing different ways to let you down" screams Melia over an energetic track. This is how it should be done. Lyrics that can't leave your head with a beat that makes you want to see the band live. Hope they make their way to the US to promote this album.
Because I mentioned Brand New and it's Easter weekend, I thought it was only fitting to link their song "Jesus Christ." My Passover jam is "Creeping Death" by Metallica and my Easter song is this "Jesus Chris" by Brand New. Enjoy. Happy Easter.
Not only does the film Trance remind me a lot of his earlier work like Shallow Grave but so does the film score. The energy of the film is well translated by Danny Boyle's musical choices. He's by far one of my favorite directors working today in film and he knows how to go from Oscar worthy to fun cinema. Trance definitely leans more on the fun cinema and the soundtrack represents it. And no the film is not light and fun. It's actually really dark and at times nasty but it's a classic genre blender that Danny Boyle has become known for like Shallow Grave, A Life Less Ordinary and Millions.
Anyhow, here are a few songs from the Trance soundtrack. I like to focus more on the more traditional songs he chooses to put in this film than the actual score. Much like Tarantino, he's one of those filmmakers that has an ear for a pop song really fitting into his aesthetic style.
"The Day" by Moby, which was actually put out a few years back, is one of the more memorable songs used on Trance. It was actually one of my favorite songs from his album Destroyed that was released in 2011.
And how can we have an English caper film made in modern times without a song from UNKLE? "Hold My Hand" is a new track that I was happy to see on the Trance soundtrack. Not sure I was expecting the video that's posted below for this song. Nonetheless, it's a pretty solid track and works really well in the film. Yes, the video below is not for kids. Not sure it's office appropriate. Just a warning.
Rick Smith composed the music score for Trance and really managed to blend his music seamlessly with the songs Danny Boyle chose to put in the film for emotional impact. Rick Smith also collaborated with Emeli Sande on the song "Here It Comes" made exclusively for the film. It's become pretty traditional these days for a composer to team up with a pop vocalist to create an original track for a film. Just recently you had Mariah Carey's "Almost Home" for the film Oz The Great And Powerful. And most times, they come out as bland and disappointing as that song by Mariah. Smith and Sande actually made a decent song here in my opinion. Shocking, I know. It's uplifting without being overbearing.
First of all, I'm a Depeche Mode fan from the first time I heard "People Are People" back when I was wee young lad. And as a fan, I've been waiting for them to put together complete album that's as good as their music from the 80's and early 90's. I really think on Delta Machine they come really close. Other than the song "Wrong" from their previous LP Sounds of The Universe, I couldn't name a track or even remember one.
Anyhow, to my full thoughts on this album. I think you should shell out a few dollars more if you're a fan of DM and pick up the deluxe edition. The tracks "Always" and "Long Time Lie" really stand out from that bonus disk. "Always" is a classic Martin Gore track in my opinion. It's always fun to hear him sing a track on a DM LP.
OK, the rest of Delta Machine. Just one complete album. I feel like the last few albums the band put out were really disjointed. The songs didn't all fit together well. Playing The Angels was probably the most tightly knit grouping of tracks and that was in 2005. "Goodbye" reminds me of a classic track that was lost from Violator.
The ballad "Heaven" which is their first big single is probably my least favorite song from the album. Not sure why the picked that as their first big single. I remember hearing that few months back and was thinking, "this album my just suck." Thankfully, I was wrong. Not a bad song. Just not my favorite from this great album.
The track "My Little Universe" might just be my favorite track from this album. It's like a modernized song from Music For The Masses. It's a stripped down track and really carried by David Gahan's voice.
"Soft Touch/Raw Nerve," Soothe My Soil" and "Secret To The End" are probably Delta Machine's more upbeat tracks. The album in general is pretty somber and introspective. I left off a few of the other tracks on the album. If you like DM like I do, this album is a must have. Here's DM performing "Soothe My Soul" on Letterman. They still can rock it live after all these years.
I've been a fan of Bastille for two years now. They released one track at a time over a span of two years. Finally, the new full album Bad Blood has gone and collected those songs plus a few new tracks. I'm a bit jaded when talking about this album because most of it is not new to my ears. But for any new listener, this is one great pop album. Dan Smith might be one of the best pop producers I've heard in a long time. These tracks are infectious and deserve to be heard by the masses.
"Things We Lost In The Fire" sounds like a cover of Florence And the Machine song. It has that layered anthem sound with bombastic energy. This song really booms and grabs your ears. Again, this is not a new track but the first time in one place for fans of Bastille. Plus, for all those unfamiliar with them, this is your chance to jump on board. I think the new mix on Bad Blood sounds bigger and louder than this YouTube version.
"Icarus" was a track that I didn't own but only listened to through YouTube. I'm pretty excited to finally have a good clean version of the song to listen to. Another flawless pop song from Bastille. This one gives you a little lesson in mythology.
First of all, the name Hearts of Black Science makes me think of either a thrash metal band or an industrial outfit from Germany. Their music couldn't be further from the feeling the name invokes. And after combing through their three albums, I'm pretty floored by how good they are. Sweden must just be jam packed with catchy synth bands to let these guys get lost in the fold. Their music is melodic and emotional.
Each song on their new EP We Saw The Moon balances strong hooky melodies with catchy lyrics. This EP really has little fat on it folks. Almost all their music is available for a damn good price on iTunes. You can't go wrong for 5 bucks and their previous LP "The Star On The Lake" is really exceptional too if you like alternative synth pop. Damn you Sweden for constantly pushing the ear crack.
"College Dreams" is probably We Saw The Moon's most upbeat song. It's hard to nail down what their sound reminds me of. At times during this song, I can hear influences from New Order but at the same time so much more. Great track.
"Icon" is probably my favorite track from this EP. I feel like I hit a timewarp and fell into the height of the synth pop movement of the mid 80's. It's a blend of New Order and Real Life for me on this track.
Ah, Real Life with their one hit "Send Me An Angel." I had to link this once I talked about it. Brings back fond memories of the film "Rad" from the 80's. This song was on the soundtrack and I think it's the first place I heard it. Not sure why, but the cheese back then went down more easy.
So, NIN just put out a free to view documentary about their "Self Destruct" tour that took place between 1994-1996. The footage is raw and so is the editing. I wouldn't expect anything else from NIN and I enjoyed it's lack of gloss. Music like this needs to be seen in it's most raw form. The concert footage is like putting your mind and eyes through a musical blender.
The music that Reznor and the band created in the mid 90's was much more personal. Nothing like listening to any of the songs from Pretty Hate Machine after a breakup. Listening to Reznor sing them live on stage is just as personal and emotional even in front of thousands of screaming fans.
I really dig how Trent Reznor has a way of communicating with his fans. The great app he helped create and his website. All just fantastic. I've been on board since day one. While most musicians of his status are trying to make more money and squeeze as much as they can out of their fans, Reznor just gives and gives for the art. Awesome. I salute that spirit. And what a talented human being.
If you like NIN like I do, this is worth your 74 minutes of time. And hell, it's free. Also, there are some fun cameos with musicians like Lou Reed and David Bowie sprinkled through out. David Bowie sings "Hurt" at 55:30 into the doc. If anything, fast forward to that bit.
Just a last thought on NIN's muisc. Everyone gives all the credit to Nirvana for breaking the monotony of hair metal back in early 90's but seem to forget NIN. Reznor put out Pretty Hate Machine in 1989. There was definitely something brewing in the air because that's the same time Nirvana put out Bleach. Just want to give some credit to NIN for being part of the new rock revolution back in the late 80's. Here's my favorite track from Pretty Hate Machine that someone found a live video version from Woodstock 1994.
It's a bummer that Clive Burr died this week. I really loved the Iron Maiden songs he played on from the early 80's. Who can forget the opening to "Run To the Hills?" He played drums for Maiden from 1979 to 1982 for those that didn't know.
If you're a music snob and think Iron Maiden is beneath you, then you are really missing out on a great band. Their music in the 1980's was a blast of energy and my introduction to world history. As a kid, their music made me want to find out more about each song's subject matter. While other metal bands were talking about girls and drinking, these guys were teaching us history. Not that there's anything wrong with girls and drinking. Just saying.
Here's Clive Burr at his best playing "Run To The Hills."
On a happier note, awesome news to hear Maiden is rolling out "Trooper" beer for us all to enjoy. If Bruce Dickinson endorses this product, we know it's going to be good. Go to the Trooper website for more information.
Here's a live version of "The Trooper" with Bruce waving the Union Jack. They really are one of the world's best live acts. Bruce never tires on stage. It's pretty amazing.
One of the new bands I'm sure that will come out of SXSW pile and ahead of the curve is On an On. Their new LP Give In is a fantastic introduction to this band. Their sound is very wide and will attract a big audience. They could be the new Fun. Although, I think they're music has way more depth than that band and possibly a touch less commercial. Same kind of pop-alternative sound but with a bit more edge.
"The Hunter" is their latest single from the album Give In which came out in late January of this year. The video looks like lost footage from a Skid Row video. The fuzzed out melody and the pounding percussion really make this song standout.
"Ghosts" was the first track of theirs I came across. People on YouTube thank Grey's Anatomy for the first introduction to this song. I don't watch the show and can't verify that one. But hey, however good music can reach the public that is shamelessly being manipulated by big music labels, then cheers folks. Really like the chorus to this song. It kind of vibrates in your head after you finish listening to it.
Again, a band has slipped right from under my nose but maybe it's because I don't live in their home country of Australia. I really just heard one of their songs "Heartbreak" a few months back and thought they were decent hipster pop. But then came their new extra catchy single and video "Everything You Wanted" and I suddenly wanted to hear more.
Is "Everything You Wanted" a great song? Probably not. But those don't come around that often. What it does accomplish is create a nice balance between lyrics and synth driven melody. Anytime I have a chorus stuck in my head hours later, I know the song did it's job. It caught me. The clever video doesn't hurt you in remembering them.
"Heartbreak" was the first track I heard from these guys. The song might be a little too sweet for my taste but it's still a solid pop song. Better than most of the things you are forced to listen to on the radio. I just really think that "Everything You Wanted" is the song the band should use for their introduction. The video is seriously subpar though. Not sure I need to see hipsters with flares running around with pants that I know must cut off circulation. Good to know the hipster virus has spread overseas.
I was going through some old CDs and came across Now It's Overhead. This Georgia based band had a sound that was lost in the early 2000's emo craze. Fellow label mates like Cursive and Bright Eyes got most of the attention on Saddle Creek Records. Not to say those bands didn't deserve all the attention but it's unfortunate Now It's Overhead was a little lost in the heap. They really made original music that was hard to define in any genre. And yes kids, we didn't have as many sub-genres back then as we do today.
"Wait In Line" was one of the band's last singles released in 2006. I think they got better and better. It's such a huge bummer to see a band grow and just vanish too early. This is a great starting point for anyone that hasn't heard of them.
"Blackout Curtain" is from Now It's Overhead selftitled debut album. I was listening to this CD on repeat for weeks. I remember this track fondly. Can't believe this is 12 years old. I honestly think they hold up better with time than Cursive and Bright Eyes.
I recently came across Ace Reporter and their new album Yearling. I had missed this Brookyln, New York based band's EP releases the past two years. Yearling is an album best listened to in full. I really enjoy sitting back and listening to an album and seeing how all the songs fit together. This isn't one of those LP's you want to mine for singles. The atmospheric synth organically mixes in with the guitars really losing the listener in the music. They remind me a lot of that New York boom in alternative that happened in the early to mid 2000's.
"Bronze" seems to be the bands first single from Yearling. It might be one of the bands most moody songs. It's a bit more stark than the rest of the LP. It's perfect music for a rainy day.
One of my personal favorites from Yearling is "Guilttrip." It's has a stripped down dark-wave sound that I really like. This album really goes through all the emotions. I enjoy a band that can really be versatile and take you on a mood driven journey.
I recently came across The Wild Honey Pie recording sessions and have been hooked. They get some amazing performances from some of music's coolest new bands. Watching Kishi Bashi playing "Manchester" is seriously inspiring. Washes your soul from all the homogenous garbage drilled into your ear by the music industry.
Anyhow, the most recent buzzsession recording on the site was from the Swedish band Urban Cone. If you haven't heard their music before, well then you are missing out on some seriously catchy ear-crack. Like I say over and over again on this blog, Sweden knows how to crank out catchy bands. It's in their DNA to make pop grooves.
Here's "We Could Go To France" from Urban Cone. This sounds as good if not better recorded raw and live.
"Freak" was their standout track from their album "Our Youth." The track really comes alive when the guitar cuts in around 40 seconds in. Nice blending of the sparse guitar playing within the layered synths. Pick up this album if you have a pulse and like catchy music with heart. Perfect music to start the weekend.
