I guess it's a summertime press blitz - I keep getting solicited about new songs from old favourites. "The Night Starts Here" revisits some Stars of old, mixing in some more electro-pop elements and even a little bit of white crunk. Dunno where that crunchy synth came from, but it's here and it works! I have now made 3 consecutive posts following the "side" projects of the ladies of Broken Social Scene. I rule!
In Our Bedroom After The War drops September 25, 2007. Also check out a Final Fantasy remix of "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"...
Stars - The Night Starts Here
Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead (Final Fantasy Remix)
Stars official site
Stars on MySpace
Aussie synth-pop rockers Van She give Feist the remix treatment. What a popular lady...keeping with the theme of the picture, happy iPhone day! I'm hosting on my own server now, http://www.letssexyfighting.com. Yes!
Feist - 1234 (Vanshe Technologic Remix)
Feist official site
Feist on MySpace
Labels: DANCE, ELECTRONIC, FEIST, REMIX, VAN SHE
After a brief flirtation with a solo project (which I am sure she will revisit), Emily Haines is back with Metric and releasing a new album! However, this is not it. Grow Up and Blow Away came out yesterday and is their previously unreleased (and unheard) first album. On "Hardwire" we can hear a prototype Metric playing to their strengths - gloomy synth-driven disco chamber-pop. Check this:
Metric - Hardwire
Metric official site
Metric on MySpace
Labels: INDIE POP, INDIE ROCK, METRIC
Denmark's favorite Pacific Northwest style indie rock band is back! "Hey, Girl" is the first single from their new album, and doesn't seem to venture too far from Figurines of old. However, a little bit of Grandaddy seems to manifest itself in the song, particularly the sing-songy quality of the verses. Let's see what the rest of the album brings!
When The Deer Wore Blue lands on US shores September 11th.
Figurines - Hey, Girl
Figurines - The Wonder
Figurines official site
Figurines on MySpace
Labels: FIGURINES, INDIE POP, INDIE ROCK
The Hood Internet's got some pretty sweet and relevant mash-ups over here. Some highlights below:
DJ Khalid vs. Junior Boys - Takin' Over In The Morning
Ghostface Killah vs Spoon - The Ghostface Of You Lingers
The Hood Internet
Still have to figure out a solution to my hosting problem...
Labels: DJ KHALID, GHOSTFACE KILLAH, JUNIOR BOYS, MASHUP, SPOON
Whoops, exceeded bandwidth...we'll be back shortly. Enjoy the video in the meantime.
Labels: ANNOUNCEMENT, VIDEO
Interpol album opener retrospective:
"Untitled" introduced us to Interpol and their dour yet cautiously optimistic rock. "I will surprise you sometime," Paul Banks repeats for emphasis, chillingly aware of their impending footprint on the indie rock world.
"Next Exit" starts out slow and icy but quickly develops, evoking mental images of thawing glaciers and impending spring.
"Pioneer To The Falls" does an about-face and heads firmly back into the ice age. A curious clarinet wanders into the mix which leads us to wonder, is Interpol headed down the fully fleshed out orchestral rock path next?
Interpol - Pioneer To The Falls
Interpol official site
Interpol on MySpace
Labels: INDIE ROCK, INTERPOL
This video made me laugh the hardest I have in a long time.
UPDATE:
Legion Of Rock Stars - Jump (Van Halen Cover)
Labels: VIDEO
Long before Spoon gained the undivided attention of the indie rock world, they were a scrappy post-punk band living in the shadow of the Pixies. After a disastrous flirtation with major label Elektra (A Series Of Sneaks), they took some time out and developed a new sound on Girls Can Tell. They took a "Kid A" type step on Kill The Moonlight and haven't looked back since!
As a long time Spoon fan, I am proud to unearth a couple of B-sides from their early Matador and Elektra days. "I Could Be Underground" retains the weirdness of their early works but hints at their future sound, and "Telamon Bridge" is a scrappy Pixies-esque number ripe for revisiting.
Spoon - I Could Be Underground
Spoon - Telamon Bridge
Spoon official site
Spoon on MySpace
Labels: INDIE POP, INDIE ROCK, SPOON
Yip! The new Bottom Of The Hudson LP, Fantastic Hawk drops July 17th on Absolutely Kosher. The boys spent nearly a year holed up in various studios, playing with new textures and instruments. Sounds like the Bottom Of The Hudson of old, but slightly more optimistic/anthemic. And with the cleanest production I've ever heard from them!
Bottom Of The Hudson - Handwriting
Bottom Of The Hudson - Bee Hive
Bottom Of The Hudson official site
Bottom Of The Hudson on MySpace
Labels: BOTTOM OF THE HUDSON, INDIE ROCK
Minus The Bear is back! After an almost 2 year recording hiatus, their new album, Planet of Ice is dropping August 21st. "Throwin' Shapes" gives us the Minus The Bear we've all grown to love - busy guitar interplay, cold soundscapes, and emotive singing. Can't wait to catch these guys again next time they come to town. Also check out a remix from their "interpretation" album, Interpretationes Del Oso that dropped earlier this year.
Minus The Bear - Throwin' Shapes
Minus The Bear - Fulfill The Dream (Old Italy Remix)
Minus The Bear official site
Minus The Bear on MySpace
Labels: INDIE ROCK, MINUS THE BEAR, REMIX
The Republic Tigers are an experimental indie pop band from Kansas City, Missouri. Mixing electronic sounds and 70's style vocal harmonies, one could easily mistake them for America meets the Helio Sequence (or maybe Engineers meets the Postal Service?) They are unsigned as of yet, but keep an eye out for these guys - they're only a couple breaks away from getting huge!
The Republic Tigers - Made Concrete
The Republic Tigers official site
The Republic Tigers on MySpace
Labels: EXPERIMENTAL, INDIE POP, THE REPUBLIC TIGERS
The Vice blog has been taken over by Justice this week, and has been featuring Justice remixes and remixes of Justice songs by other artists...ready for too cool for you electro? I'm really looking forward to Justice's proper debut, + (that should be a cross) out on July 10 in the US. Swing over to the Vice blog for more remixes...
Regular updates to resume this weekend, finally getting back from my trip!
Daft Punk - Human After All (Justice Remix)
Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (Paste Black Remix)
Justice on MySpace
Vice Records Blog
Brooklyn's The Forms have been getting a little bit of attention recently. With a singer that resembles Rob Crow, and a sound not unlike a combination of Pinback, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Built To Spill, it's hard to image why these guys haven't gotten huge already. The guitars are busy and jangy, the songs are short and sweet, and the rhythm section is rock solid. Taking this all into account, their next show is opening for The National and Takka Takka at South Street Seaport on 8/17!
The Forms - Stravinsky
The Forms - Stel The Resurrection
The Forms official site
The Forms on MySpace
Labels: INDIE POP, INDIE ROCK, THE FORMS
