MML Update: Twiggy Frostbite

Twiggy Frostbite is primarily the trio of Elin Lindfors (vocals), AnnaKarin Berglund (keys) and Emma Sjöberg (bass) from Gävle, Sweden who we first featured in December 2008 with a single from their upcoming debut titled Through Fire. Thanks to the kind folks at Stockholm-based label Despotz Records (Despotz MySpace) we are fortunate enough to have a second single from the recently-released album to share. Although this lovely track just barely times in at over two minutes in duration, contained within is yet again some of the most warm and well-measured pop music we have experienced in quite a while... beautiful, in fact. After a series of live performance dates at the Stockholm theater Dramalabbet earlier this month, Twiggy Frostbite is now preparing for their next engagement which happens to be the well-established event in Småland known as Hultsfred Festival. If you have the chance to attend this music extravaganza, a lucky sausage you are indeed. The second single for your ears...

MP3: Thrown In Two

Kite in the Air

Just over two and a half years ago, in August 2006, we featured the lovely duo of Jed & Lucia from northern California. Since that time, there have been no updates or communication of which to speak, so it was a complete surprise when opening our email to find an impressive new side-project that deserved our immediate attention. Kite In The Air is the beautiful vocals of Stockholm, Sweden native/San Francisco transplant Emma Lucia wrapped in an aerobic, yet thoughtful, backdrop of electronic accompaniment and production provided by Mark Reveley as well as Mike Genius of east/west coast-hopping outfit WZRDZ. The song featured today is one of five tracks that belong to the new self-titled EP that is available for download by visiting the Kite In The Air website. After rattling the windows of our little computer office with this new release for the better part of the past 48 hours, it only seemed fair to share the love...

MP3: Stinger

Dreamdate

How could we possibly end a gorgeous, sun-drenched weekend of gardening, beer consumption and sweat dripping off the nose without giving you a taste of the soundtrack? Admittedly, most of our listening centered around some old GBV and the new Bob Mould album (can you blame us?), but we also found the time to re-visit a band that was originally featured back in May 2007. For those not familiar, Dreamdate is the duo of Anna Hillburg (bass, vocals) and Yea-Ming Chen (guitar, vocals) from Oakland, California. As a follow-up to their debut album Come Over Now, these two upstanding young tryst-hunters, along with friends, have a brand new full-length offering, titled Patience, which is set to be released through Chocolate Covered Records (CCR Myspace) as well as Skywriting Records (Skywriting Myspace) in just a few short days. To celebrate this collection of new songs, there will be a Dreamdate CD release party on May 9 at local San Francisco venue The Knockout. If you happen to hold the glory days of 80s label Homestead Records close to your heart and could use a reminiscent yet new fix, this band will not disappoint. Two lovely previews from Patience for you...

MP3: Have I Told You
MP3: 8 Sleeves

Sex Jams

Glancing at the subject line for today's artist might have some wondering if a collection of sultry remixes suited for an evening of hot fornication awaits the ears. We mistakenly expected the same when originally checking out our featured band, but were pleasantly caught off-guard once the music took it's raucous shape. Sex Jams is a stirring indie rock four piece consisting of musicians Lukas (guitar), Katie (vocals), Christoph (drums) and Flo (bass) from Vienna, Austria. The band's debut 7-inch single is set to be released next month through Austrian label Fettkakao Records (Fettkakao MySpace) and then again later this year on Noise Appeal Records. To coincide with the new single, Sex Jams will be performing live for a handful of regional dates beginning May 8 at local Vienna venue Tüwi. One of the first things you might notice with the sound is the overwhelming influence of Sonic Youth in both instrumentation and song structure. If you are a hardcore, or even casual fan of SY, Sex Jams is an absolute must-listen. Enjoy the following preview of the new single.

MP3: On Our Way Home Is Nowhere

The Love Story

It's been well over two years since our original review of today's featured three-piece in December of 2006, but after squirreling our way through the post and excitedly retrieving a bright blue bubble-pack envelope with a familiar address label, we now have an impressive new collection of songs to report. The Love Story is a New York City trio consisting of musicians Molly Donahue (vocals, guitars), Renn Cheadle (guitars) and Jason Trammell (percussion, vocals, additional noise) who have a pair of previous releases and a brief bio that is well worth reading. The latest offering is a full-length album, titled Mink, which was made available through NYC label Blonde Records in recent weeks. With slow-burning intensity and a raw sound that captures what could easily be the recording process of a single microphone placed on a cold basement floor, TLS once again delivers a true lo-fi gem. The next live performance will take place this Friday, April 24 at local Brooklyn venue Dead Herring House. Lovely.

MP3: Puerta Rica

Groom

Our compliments on the Black Flag t-shirt

Many of the artists we feature on MML present a warm take on the phenomenon of love, while others seem to wrap themselves completely in the much darker and certain subject of death. Admittedly, our morbid curiosity is piqued on each end of the spectrum, however, it's not so often we find a band that is capable of blending the two together in such a cheerful manner. Introductions are well in order... Groom is the five-piece of Michael Stevens (guitar, vocals, synths), Jeroen Saegeman (guitar, melodica, keyboards), Wil McDermott (bass, synths), Brian O’Higgins (drums) and Ruan Van Vliet (drums, percussion, synth, autoharp) from Dublin, Ireland. Since 2004, these musicians have been writing and performing music and now have a mini-album to share titled At The Natural History Museum which is set for release next week, on April 24. To coincide with this release date, a live performance will take place that very same night in the upstairs portion of a fairly legendary local Dublin venue Whelan's.

Upon listening to At The Natural History Museum we found an impressive collection of catch-driven, guitar based pop songs, guided by the underlying wit and teetering vocals of Michael Stevens. The basic yet effective instrumentation and setup are solid enough for the band to avoid many of the peripheral bells and whistles commonly overused by similar guitar pop artists, which is refreshing to say the least. Have a listen to the following pair of tracks that belong to the brand new album from Groom.

MP3: Mythical Creatures
MP3: Let's Die Together

Screen Vinyl Image

Good bands always seem to know other good bands and such would be the case for today's featured trio. We originally found them well over a year ago as a result of snooping/stalking the social networking page of another duo we happen to love. Unfortunately, the track that was downloaded at the time (before MySpace committed suicide/disabled downloading) was never re-named on our computer desktop and we eventually forgot about that lovely song known only to us as "rtz57mx8que573ks.mp3". Now, after all of this time, there is a chance to redeem ourselves as a result of an email message received from long-time favourite label Safranin Sound. The band is Screen Vinyl Image and they are an experimental/psychedelic three piece consisting of Jake Reid (vocals, guitar, beat, synths, bass), Kim Reid (synths, programming, guitar, vocals) and Nathan Jurgenson (drums, programming, sampling) from Washington D.C. Although they have only been around since 2007, SVI boasts a pair of EPs, an impressive history of live performance dates and most recently their full-length debut album, titled Interceptors, which was released in January 2009. Have a listen to one of the latest tracks...

MP3: Fever



Yes, it really is that good. With influences ranging from the obvious in JAMC and, to a lesser extent, My Bloody Valentine, Screen Vinyl Image maintains the unusual balance of paying homage to the past while forging their own unique sound path that defies genre classification. Upon further listening, we found ourselves imagining these songs haunting the empty, damaged interior of a 70s era abandoned discotheque or boarded-up rollerskating rink (video concept?) At that very moment, those lovely chills up the spine returned to remind us why music is so very important. For additional information on purchasing a copy of the debut LP Interceptors and to preview more music, we suggest a visit to the Screen Vinyl Image website as well as the compulsory Screen Vinyl Image MySpace page. The next live performance will happen this evening as SVI takes the stage at a recently established venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania known as M-Room. Another preview from the new album for you:

MP3: Asteroid Exile

If our previous reviews of bands belonging to the Safranin Sound lineup were somehow overlooked, the links below will bring you up to speed and provide some outstanding music.

The Vandells
The Antiques
The Vera Violets

Charlotte & Magon

It's not often we find a couple who end up meeting one another on the internet while surrounded by music, but today we share a lovely story that mirrors our very own with two like-minded people from different countries who have taken a chance and that extra step forward. Charlotte, from Paris, France, and Magon, a resident of Tel-Aviv, Israel met online and communicated for two years before finally deciding that music, airplanes and eventually love were available options. Together, these two musicians have a recently self-released collection of 9 songs to share, aptly titled Love Happens, as a result of their international relationship and we can easily recommend an extended listen to their musical labors. More of a detailed bio can be found by visiting the Charlotte & Magon website and a handful of incredibly warm new songs are waiting to be taken in at the Charlotte & Magon MySpace page. A few music websites, blogs and zines have focused on the songs that could serve well enough as a love-anthem for this duo, but leave it to MML to find the fuzz-tastic guitar track... a hidden gem.

MP3: Howard

MML Update: Punch and Judy

We have a full schedule of music coming up this week for the first time in quite a while and intend on getting to all of the audio treats that have graced our mailbox/email inbox in recent days. To kick things off we bring you an indie rock quintet who were originally featured here in October 2006, with a follow up review almost exactly one year later in October 2007. Punch And Judy is a raucous five piece consisting of musicians Olof Astrom (vocals), Bjorn Vestlund (guitar), Daniel Straneus (guitar/noise), Edvin Thorbjornsson (bass) and Jonas Abrahamsson (drums) from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band just recently unleashed a pair of new tracks, one of which can be found below, and have a limited European tour on their hands later this month with the first announced live performance taking place April 17 at local Gothenburg venue Fängelset. For additional information, social networking links and another outstanding track in Casualty, be sure to visit the Punch And Judy MySpace page. The song we received will serve as an introduction as the first full two minutes are a tension-building instrumental base for the heavily punk-threaded sound we have fallen for once again. Here you go.

MP3: KDG

As an added bonus, and/or for those who need that little extra nudge, please check out these two previously released songs featured on MML and prepare for the hair to stand up on the back of your neck. Enjoy.

MP3: Kids On Meth (2007)
MP3: A Punch-Up (2007)
MP3: You Better Know It's Coming Back (2006)