Just over a year ago, we featured the music of a female artist from Sweden who, besides the project name, simply went by her first name Ella. [May 6 2006 review + download]. When we recently noticed a brand new collaboration and that Ella had since moved to Berlin, Germany, we couldn't wait to listen. The musician I am referring to is Ella Blixt and the last time we visited her music, it was presented under the name Bobby Baby. While Ella's music continues with this name, you can visit the Bobby Baby website for downloadable songs she has been making available since 2005. Also, stop in to check out the Bobby Baby MySpace page for updated information and more music.
Robert (or Robot) is a musician from Germany who is half of the duo Lady Boy along with a wonderful new discovery for us in guitarist/vocalist Kitty. While there is not much in the way of detailed information on this music project, you can visit the Lady Boy website as well as the Lady Boy MySpace page for a plenty of really good tracks for a listen. They supported Bobby Baby on a 2006 tour in Germany and are currently signed to Berlin based Solaris Empire Records (Solaris Empire MySpace). We must add... Robert looks quite charming in his bear suit.
Sometime after meeting during the 2006 live performance schedule in Germany, Ella Blixt (organ, keyboard, vocals) and Robert/Robot (drums, vibraphone, vocals) formed It's a Musical! The latest addition to the new group happened in May when they enlisted the assistance of Marcel (broken bass, mini keyboard) to complete the lineup. The It's a Musical! MySpace page is new and needs to be visited for a compulsory "friend request" in support. There is also an It's a Musical! website that has the balance of new music for you to download. All of the links above are very much worth your time. Very nice.
We hadn't planned on posting music today and were looking forward to a night away from our computers. As is often the case, I just had to log in to my magic button machine and listen to one new band after work... and they turned out to be exceptionally good. From what little information is available, The Happy Few are an indie rock quartet from Utrecht Netherlands consisting of musicians Joep Geevers (vocals, guitar), Joris van Grunsven (guitar), Merel Koning (bass) and Linda de Glee (drums). The energetic indie guitar rock tracks you are hopefully listening to right now are actually part of a demo if you can believe it. To listen to the rest of these new songs and find a link to download the entire demo release free of charge, you only need to visit The Happy Few MySpace page. I'm not sure they have an official website just yet and the band is also currently unsigned. The lead track Red and Blue is probably our pick as stand out, while the following song Mister Man presents more than a healthy amount of peripheral dysfunction for your enjoyment. Check them out for sure.
So we leave town on holiday for a few days and look what happens?? We miss a new release from one of our favorite Swedish indie pop musicians. It should have been a big clue when we returned to find plenty of page hits from today's featured artist's website, but it was only after we found a MySpace comment regarding the brand new Valentine Vacancy EP that the news was realized. We originally featured Bedroom Eyes Last November 15, 2006 [original review + download] and, according to a very reliable source, were the first music blog to do so. As a follow up, we are now posting some of the best jangly indie pop we've heard yet this year. After listening to the new 4 song release from Östersund, Sweden musician Jonas Jonsson and his cast of supporting friends that make up Bedroom Eyes, we are once again blown away. You can probably place a safe bet that our year end Best of 2007 roundup will include the music featured today. For the balance of downloadable tracks and links to upcoming live performance dates, visit the Bedroom Eyes website. There is also a Bedroom Eyes MySpace page you might want to check out for a more information and streaming music. All of the new songs are an excellent listen and the two available below deserve a ridiculously high recommendation from both of us at MML. Take a listen...!!
Have we visited the wonderful city of Athens, Greece for music lately? I hardly think so, and it seems we have been missing out on a very large scale as a result. Gravitysays_i was originally featured as part of an experimental music set [03/30/07 review + download] we posted here on the blog, and quickly became part of our daily listening regimen. When we received a message from the band while they were in France recording last week, a new song (plus an actual picture we could use) were part of the email promo-package they sent and I could hardly wait to feature them again. For news and plenty of good music stop into the Gravitysays_i MySpace page. Lovely music!!
Ok, ok... please don't wet your collective knickers. The numerous Bob Mould fans/bloggers who are connected to our blog are probably getting the good news as we post the new link.. This is absolutely amazing and I can't believe Jason Narducy posted a preview via MySpace bulletin this evening. The upcoming live DVD from the Bob Mould Band titled Circle Of Friends is set for release October 2007 and we've been waiting for some time to see it. This preview consists of a local Washington, D.C. performance at 9:30 Club that concluded the 2005 tour supporting the incredible LP Body Of Song.
A Good Idea is a favorite song of ours from the Sugar days, and here it is live... To say this is classic "Bob" is an understatement.
Welcome to yet another installment of Le Rug here on MML. If you missed the previous posts regarding this band, and specifically NYC musician Ray Weiss, we have cataloged the entries for your review. Over the past year, Ray has become a very good friend and continues to share his music with you through our little blog. We seriously recommend you take a listen to some of the previous tracks and check out the homemade videos... His material is all very impressive.
Today's featured track, Buffalo, belongs to the upcoming self-released full length CD C.R.E.E.P. It was recorded almost entirely in analog with the drums on only one microphone. It should be available by month end and there will be a local New York City release party to support it. For more information, future live dates, a consistently updated supply of new streaming songs and to buy stuff, stop into the Le Rug MySpace page. While there, add on as a friend but be prepared for both MySpace bulletins and blogs that will give you an interesting look into the madness that revolves around this great music. Before I forget the big news, Le Rug will be also be featured as part of a UK documentary on global local music scenes. The project is called GLOCAL and a video trailer is available there at the link for you to watch. Check it out for sure.
Just over a week ago, a certain NYC band sent us a passing message in regards to one of our favorite artists of the 1980s (Salem 66.) We then found it mandatory to listen to them closely, and after taking in a couple of tracks they sent via email press-thingy, we were won over quickly. It was only yesterday that our postbox was opened to find a package from the band, after which we took the time to have a few beers and a proper listen. The new self released CD, Blanket Ice, is outstanding (as you have probably noticed) and the date it will be available is this very day, June 15, 2007. Check the links below to get your hands on it.
Luff is a Brooklyn, New York 4 piece that started out in 2002 consisting of founding member Sheila Sobolewski (guitar, vocals), Tara Smith (bass), Liz Bustamante (drums) and more recent addition Robin Pickering (guitar.) If you are already listening to the tracks provided, you will hopefully catch both the dreamy and beautifully dreary qualities of these low key guitar rock songs. Sheila's warm vocals complete this sound and are easily the reason we are highly recommending the brand new release Blanket Ice. Since the Luff website is currently being updated, you will need to visit the Luff MySpace page for more information and music. If you would like to pick up a copy of the new 10 song album (and you do because my eyes are bright red and shooting lasers at you) stop by this CD Baby link. Can you tell we like this band a bunch?
Last night, we had the opportunity to walk across our street to a local rock venue for a band we featured almost a year ago. If you missed the original post on June 16, 2006, here ya go. [original review + download]. As some sort of consolation prize package for those who couldn't make it to the show, we found ourselves involved in this wonderfully dreamy little rock set and took a few photos to share. Before we start in with the pictures, please check The High Violets MySpace page for more music and info on the balance of live dates for the current tour. The High Violets website is currently being updated. We've added various MP3 tracks from the band's most recent Reverb Records release To Where You Are. so take a listen. Recording is already underway for a new album and we can't wait to get our hands on it!
We immediately spotted frontwoman/guitarist Kaitlyn ni Donovan and lead guitarist Clint Sargent having a beer as we walked into the bar. After a brief introduction and a round of beers with them, they took to the stage. These pictures are dark, as usual, and a bit blurry where Kaitlyn is concerned since she was fairly active on stage. Click the pictures for a full view and just know... this band was excellent live.
This would most definitely be our favorite picture of the evening. After the set, another round of beers and drummer Luke Strahota decides to take the weight off his feet for a photo with us. The High Violets & Milk Milk Lemonade... Great stuff.
If you live west of us and get the chance, check out a live show before they make their way back home to Portland, Oregon.
At last count, there were 14 bands we have lined up to feature here on the blog. Michelle and I were married a few weeks ago and have been attempting to stay away from computers for a spell. To be honest, we've been traveling quite a bit. This weekend we visited one of the coolest towns we've been to yet, Louisville, Kentucky. While checking out the countless pubs, shops and restaurants on Bardstown Road, we happened upon a really good little record shop with a nice used CD selection. I picked up a copy of Husker Du's Flip Your Wig and another classic in A Wizard/A True Star (Todd is God), but today's feature is the highlight of that stop in our travels. On our way back home to Cincinnati, I almost spit a mouthful of Red Bull through my nose at the windshield as the below mentioned Judas Priest cover song took shape. Just in case you are not familiar with them... Pansy Division is a classic indie rock band from San Francisco, California consisting of primary members Jon Ginoli, Chris Freeman and Luis Illades, with additional guitarist Joel Reader. They have been creating this particular brand of what has often been referred to as queer-core since 1991. If you would like to check out more of this big gay rock sound, all you have to do is visit the Pansy Division MySpace page. One of the first songs I ever had an opportunity to experience from the band, Dick Of Death, is streaming there. For a ton of excellent downloads and more information, stop by the Pansy Division website. Their next live performance will take place June 24 at the San Francisco Pride Festival.
From the 1997 Lookout Records collection of singles, rarities and live tracks, More Lovin' From Our Oven:
Since we have been on a classic indie kick as of late, it only made perfect sense to post a new, energetic rock band that just so happened to stumble across our little music blog. After receiving a very nice message from today's featured artists, we had a listen to some of their tracks. Besides an obvious comparison to some of our own favorite British rock classics, there also exists an ever-so-slight Chicago post hardcore sound I was not expecting. For some strange reason, the late 80s material of Naked Raygun comes to mind and that is not a bad thing at all. These songs are quick, intelligent and and an excellent listen for those who can appreciate extremely tight presentation with a sense of humor. Oh and.. did I mention these tracks are only demos?
Goodbye Sergeants are a four piece from London (and thereabouts), UK, consisting of Employee Of The Month award winners... Special K (vocals, guitars, customer service), Mr. Norris (guitar, litigation), Mr. Trill (bass, sales) and John "Chopper" Shortt (drums, business development.) The music we've featured here for your review will eventually become a part of the band's upcoming EP. Check the Goodbye Sergeants website for updated info on this debut release and a few live videos. To see a monkey ride a pig rodeo style, buy a t-shirt and listen to more music from the band, you need only visit the Goodbye Sergeants MySpace page. The next live performance will take place 6 July at Oxford Street venue The Metro. Enjoy the following...
We've hardly had a chance to sit down and post anything here lately. When the odd chance happens to present itself, I usually end up checking other blogs to see what is happening. This time, we visit one of our more recent favorites around the blogosphere. In case you hadn't checked the links on the right side of our page, NEVVER is an excellent stop on your daily travels. Instead of the prolonged ramble you endure on most sites (including our own), there is simply one song and a single picture submitted...per day. I checked in last week and was blown away to find a regional favorite from my college days many years ago. That's How I Feel is from the 1994 LP Get Our Way which was released on guitarist/backing vocalist Gregg Kostelich's own label Get Hip Recordings (Get Hip MySpace.) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania artists The Cynics have been around since the early 80s, but I only first experienced their sound 10 years later while shopping at a thrift/record store in Athens, Ohio. I purchased a then brand new copy of their 1993 album Learn To Lose that same day and still love it. The Cynics called it quits sometime during the end of the 90s but have since returned with an appearance at SXSW 2007 and an upcoming release in Living Is The Best Revenge. To hear more outstanding garage rock, get additional info and view a few videos, check out The Cynics MySpace.
Hopefully, a few of you had a chance to check out our first indie classics post (1985 - 1986) in March [original feature + downloads]. For those who did and were wondering, we will most definitely be following up, however random and sporadic the updates may seem. Today we jump all over the time line, but at least were able to stay within the same city to do so. The now famous Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota music scene of the 1980s was one of the first I was fortunate enough to discover as a teen and continues to influence my own taste as well as the music of indie/garage bands all over the world. It always surprises me to find that many people are not aware of post 80s music from this city, so we thought it compulsory to add subsequent projects of artists from the early to mid 1990s who were a part of the original scene. Don't expect much in the way of historical blather this time... There are links below for your own investigation. Enjoy the music and YouTube videos. Oh yes, and also please give MML a heads up on new music from the Twin Cities. We would love to listen.
Soul Asylum
Yes... I still have my original cassette tape of Time's Incinerator from 1986, but after repairing it with nail polish multiple times over the past 20 years, I am afraid to report that it might finally be toast. It was an amazing compilation of b-sides and gems that really should be re-released, if only for my own benefit. That same year, the band that once called themselves Loud Fast Rules released two full length albums in Made To Be Broken (produced by Bob Mould) and While You Were Out. These two records were a staple of my late teenage music experience and remain an excellent listen to this day. The last cassette I can remember owning, as part of my collection, was the 1988 release Hang Time which is also a must-have. The unfortunate media blitz (depending on whose bank balance you check) started with MTV somewhere between the 1990 breakthrough ...And The Horse They Rode in On and a follow up you are probably far too familiar with. After a revolving cast of percussionists and the tragic cancer death of bassist Karl Mueller in 2005, plenty of folks might have written Soul Asylum into the books, but there is a current lineup for the band and the links are listed below. Just do yourself a huge favor and listen to the early stuff first.
From the January 1986 release Made To Be Broken: MP3: Tied To The Tracks
I'm not sure that there has ever been a more over-looked or under-appreciated Minneapolis band than The Magnolias. Ok ok, that might be quite an overstatement, but when I listen to these songs again, I have to wonder why this band never really stumbled to ridiculous heights as did some of the other acts (see above) from the area. Maybe that's a good thing? I originally heard the first featured track on an NPR affiliate station in a car on the way to my first year of college in Athens, Ohio. It was 1992 and the album Off The Hook had just been released. The band had been in existence since 1984 but this was my first exposure to them. After a few years of this album on my stereo blasting as neighbors and college party going guests inspected the inner sleeve, I finally left it to rest. It wasn't until a few years later that I would be horrified by a major television advertisement campaign with the song Complicated Fun as its theme jingle. All this aside, John Freeman (guitar, vocals) and his constant rotation of band mates continue, with their latest performance I am aware of being SXSW 2006. Off The Hook remains one of my favorite gems of the early 90s... take a listen.
From the 1992 release Off The Hook: MP3: When I'm Not
From the 1996 release Street Date Tuesday: MP3: Even Without You
Last year we posted a brief review of another Minneapolis favorite [original feature + download]. As a follow up, we wanted to post what I think is a fairly unnoticed YouTube video of two songs performed live in 1981. The video is an absolute must-view and the songs just so happen to be a couple of the best I can remember from the early 80s catalogue of The Replacements. As a bonus, I've added a track from the 1992 solo release Horseshoes & Hand Grenades from ex-Mats drummer Chris Mars.
An extended weekend of traveling and a few recent events have not been conducive to posting on a regular basis here, but we will try to get back into the swing of things. New music files are beginning to back up on my computer desktop and today's featured track is one I've been meaning to post for a week or so. Bahnhof is an indie rock quartet consisting of Janus Kortermann Jauch (guitar, keys, vocals), Ulf Benzon Soll (bass, backing vocals), Jesper Hother (guitar, backing vocals, keys) and Anders Urbak (drums) from Århus, Denmark. The song featured here belongs to the band's debut full length album Reverse which was released on Strange Ears Recordings (Strange Ears MySpace) just over a week ago. I'm not sure who the female vocal contributor is, but her voice lends a really nice opening and closing element to the song. To listen to a few more tracks from the album, visit the Bahnhof MySpace. There are also 3 more songs on the Bahnhof website but the site is mostly a work in progress. Also, from the new album Reverse, here is a YouTube video of the first single, Speed...
As update on one of our favorite musicians of the early 90s, we need to give a "heads up" on the latest project of legendary Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin. Our original post this past April featured the classic Swervedriver track Never Lose That Feeling [original review + download] and received plenty of attention for our little blog. If you continue to adore the Creation Records era music of artists including Swervedriver, Bob Mould and MBV, you will definitely appreciate this latest music from Adam Franklin. The new 13 track album titled Bolts Of Melody will be released through San Diego, CA. based Hi-Speed Soul Records (HSSR MySpace) June 26th and you can pre-order it now. The lead track of this new release, Seize the Day (if I'm not completely mistaken) is a song that was originally a part of the 2001 album Everyday, Rock n' Roll Is Saving My Life by Adam's first solo project Toshack Highway (Toshack Highway MySpace). If this is so, it would make perfect sense since another track, The Hitcher, from that same release is an old Swervedriver B-side. Past/present/future blending...you get the picture. Adam Franklin's new music submission seems to combine the more organic post-Swervedriver sound of Toshack with the sound we are all too happy to remember and embrace once again. This is a must-purchase and a high recommendation from MML.
Last August we featured Salty Pirates, an excellent indie pop five piece from Halmstad, Sweden [original review + download]. I've seen a few postings regarding the new EP Back With A Vengeance over the past couple of weeks and finally got a chance to listen for myself. If you've heard any previous music from Salty Pirates, it won't be a surprise when I tell you that the new material is extra fun and catchy. The 4 song EP, as well as a few older tracks are available for free on the band's download page. For more info and music, also visit the Salty Pirates MySpace page. The band's next live performance will take place tomorrow night 5/16 at Gothenburg venue Jazzhuset with additional artists Powerblade and Utah Rangers. Great new stuff... take a listen.
It honestly came as a complete surprise when we found our blog listed on several other websites as being shoegaze-related. Don't get me wrong, it is very much appreciated. It just got us thinking that it might be a good idea to go back and sort through our posts and figure out how we earned this particular distinction. After spending some time listening and falling in love all over again, it became obvious we needed to do something about it. To be clear, some of these songs are not pure shoegaze by classic or even nouveau standards, but there is enough of an influence involved to include them. In any case, this will serve as a quick reference and entertaining way to waste a few moments of your time... These are some of our favorites.
Last week I spent some time poking around the blogosphere and found an excellent song posted over at Swedesplease. After Michelle and I listened to the track a few times, we found ourselves scrambling to try and figure out exactly which classic by The Clash this song kept bringing to mind (it was driving us mental). I just wanted to get that out of the way first, in case you thought you were the only one having trouble putting you finger on it. Regardless of influence(s), Vårby Gård is a great song and a fun way to kick off the weekend. If you hadn't guessed by now, the lyrics are Swedish language, but that really makes no difference with something this catchy.
From what little information I could find in English, Florence Valentin is a numerous member Swedish pop outfit and ongoing music project of Love Antell (guitar,vocals) along with primary musicians August Berg (drums), Sebastian Ross (bass), Daniel Sundström (organ), Mats-Peter Krantz (saxophone), Cezary Tomaszewski (trombone) and Magnus Jonsson (Trumpet). To hear another new track, check on upcoming live dates and add the band as a friend, stop by the Florence Valentin MySpace page. There is also a Florence Valentin Website with basic information but not much else. The next live performance will be held June 13 at Stockholm venue Kafé 44. I also found a couple of YouTube videos for the band. The first one is for today's featured song Vårby Gård, while the second is a television performance from 2003. Enjoy.
I hardly feature enough ambient electronica on MML, so when I finally stumbled upon an artist who combines this music style with her exceptional vocal talent, posting it here was not a difficult decision to make. Damero is the music project of Marit Posch of Berlin, Germany. Her extensive vocal training began in East Germany and, if you read her bio, is truly international in scope. The song featured today, Mope, is the lead track from Damero's debut full length CD Happy In Grey. This March 2007 11 track release is available through Ellen Allien's Berlin based BPitch Control record label (they have a currency converter for international purchases.) There is also a BPitch Control MySpace page to check out. Since the Damero website is currently a work in progress, you will need to visit the Damero Myspace page to hear a few additional songs from Happy In Grey. Although the backing music stands well enough on its own, the beautiful vocals of Marit Posch are what make this a recommended listen.
One of the obvious benefits of keeping a music weblog would be the CDs I receive in the mail. It's nice to open the post to find padded envelopes from around the world, but it also serves a purpose. It really does help to hear the music away from the computer and as a complete package instead of just a song or two. That's exactly what I had the opportunity to do with the music of today's featured artist. This time our mail was from California and my preferred place for listening ended up being the car. The first thing I noticed while listening, is that the sound quality is without many common bells and whistles similar bands tend to overuse. Not really lo-fi but close enough to keep this music out of the pop category and in the garage where it belongs. It must have only been around 2 or 3 songs into my listen when I started thinking that Dreamdate could easily have fit into the old Homestead Records lineup. A specific comparison can be made to mid 80s female trio Salem 66. Anyone familiar with the 1980s Boston music scene would most likely consider that comparison a high compliment.
Dreamdate is the all-female garage rock trio of Emily (drums, vocals), Anna (bass, vocals) and Yea-Ming (guitar, vocals) from Oakland, California. The two tracks featured today belong to the band's brand new full length debut release Come Over Now which is available through Chocolate Covered Records (CCR Myspace). For more music, including a cover of the song Monster Mash, stop by the Dreamdate MySpace page. Also visit the Dreamdate website for further info and upcoming performance dates. The next live show will be held in San Francisco May 29 @ The Make Out Room (fitting venue ah?) I'm really liking this CD and will keep it playing in the car for some time.
We left last week with an excellent Norwegian pop group, and will stay in the same country to kick off this week on MML. I was almost certain this was going to be another pop song after listening to the beginning of today's featured track, but soon the guitars kicked in and the song developed into solid indie rock that most definitely deserves repeated listens. The first clue this band was going to be good should have hit me when I realized their name is taken from a Guided By Voices song title. Bright Paper Werewolves are a five piece consisting of Silje Salomonsen (vocals, violin), Espen Bjerga (vocals, guitar), Knut Ingvar Nilsen (vocals, guitar), Eirik Lye (bass) and Chris Hansen (drums) from Stavanger, Norway. The song "We Will Not Take A Dive" is from the brand new EP titled Hope To Join The Fun which was released and is available through Out Of Tune(s) Records. To listen to more good music, visit the Bright Paper Werewolves NRK Urørt page or the BPW Myspace page. Also check out the BPW Website for videos and additional information on related artists. More great music from Norway.
