Best Coast dropped a new music video for “Crazy For You” exclusively on I Can Has Cheezburger. It features Snacks The Cat and other friends directing the bands video. Watch it below:
Archive for January, 2011
I don’t know where I’d be without my readers. I love finding new music. I’m far from perfect, though. Plenty of stuff may go under my radar. So when my readers offer recommendations, I listen, because they’re almost always spot on. Such was the case when WAWSTSF reader Riaad van der Merwe tweeted me about a new artist from Los Angelas named Nostalghia. It’s a duo consisting of Ciscandra Nostalghia and Roy Gnan, who make some magical music.
He linked me to an article written by aricwithana who is very proud/exciting to introduce us to Nostalghia, who he strongly believes is going to be “the next big thing”. Immediately I took a listen to a song by them called “Golden Horse” that he had streaming. Immediately, I was impressed.
In the article he interviews the band after each track, giving us time to be introduced to the band and their music.
“MechANICal” was my first taste, and boy, did it hit me hard. This girl can sing beautifully. Her voice is really unique and pure, which is saying a lot these days. I think I have my new indie female crush.
The third song, “You and I”, is just the right amount of dramatic. Her voice paired with that orchestration stirs up feelings of love and passion. It’s crazy that Ciscandra didn’t know she could sing until three years ago. Try not to get goosebumps while listening to “I Am Robot”. Try.
The best part of the interview is when Ciscandra says “I want to wake people up, and I want to tell them that it’s okay to feel.” After listening to your music, I can safely say that your music is doing more than that, Ciscandra. This is stuff that is bound to impact a lot of people in more ways than you can imagine. This music is very human. It has a pure quality that is unmatched by other artists.
They self released their debut album I Am Robot, Hear Me Glitch last October. I immediately bought it after hearing the songs. It’s only a matter of time until these guys are snagged up by a record label who will eagerly re-release this beautiful album to the masses. I’m listening to the album as we speak, and I’m amazed at what I’m hearing.
Stream two cuts from the album below. If you like what you hear, please support the band and buy their album at CD Baby. Trust me, it’s worth the $10. Thank you for this amazing discovery Riaad van der Merwe and aricwithana
Nostalghia – I Am Robot Hear Me Glitch by weallwantsome1
Nostalghia – Golden Horse by weallwantsome1
Check on this hard hitting new song from …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. Sounds like they got the weight of the world on their back, and this song is their way of unloading it.
It’s from their new album Tao of the Dead which comes out on February 8th. The band will be playing a NYC record release show at Littlefield that day.
[mp3]: …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead – Weight Of The Sun
Peter Bjorn & John are giving away “Breaker, Breaker” for free download. It’s a new song from their upcoming album Gimme Some. The song is only a minute and a half long, with all kinds of pop goodness packed inside. PB&J went a simpiler route, and I’m all for this.
[mp3]: Peter Bjorn & John – Breaker, Breaker
Watch the band get sped up in the music video:
Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde | 2011 | Fat Possum
Smith Westerns self titled debut was a great first effort. Even with though it was extremely lo-fi, they showed great promise, leaving fans eager to see what good production would be able to do for the Chicago gang.
You can stop imagining, because Smith Westerns new album, Dye It Blonde is that dream put into reality. The unstoppable record label Fat Possum took the Chicago band under their wing with producer Chris Coady and produced a stellar effort.
On this 10 song album, the bands sound is taken to incredible new heights. “Weekend” was our first taste of cleaner sounding Smith Westerns, and its the perfect album opener. It bleeds of youthful exuberance and romantic hope. The combination of Cullen Omori’s light vocals and the glimmering guitar riffs will leave you in awe.
“Imagine Pt. 3″ shines with bright energy, even if it’s penned with sad lyrics like “The look in your eyes makes me wanna die. You’re not the girl I used to know”. Just like everyone else, Smith Westerns are growing up and experiencing everything that life has planned for them on the way. Craving love is a huge theme on this album, but they never take it too seriously.
“All Die You”, the standout of the album, is an emotional ride through the tribulations of life. It’s a dramatic song that nearly causes time to stop when played. The boys change the tempo towards the end, transitioning into a playful reprise of “All die young, when love is love, and when you are young”. It’s their way of playing it all off. Their too young to get totally consumed by adulthood.
The thing that’s so great about these songs is their instant appeal. “Smile” has all the ambition of an early 90s brit-pop classic that would make the Gallaghers proud. It’s one of the many songs that will win you over. Ultimately it’s up to you to choose which songs are your favorite, because they’re all top notch.
Each song is packed to the brim with hooks and jangly guitars that you will fall in love with. These guys know how to create killer harmonies that have the perfect balance of catchy pop and emotional sincerity. They’re incredibly talented for their age, and they make it all seem so effortless. It’s almost criminal.
As a whole, Dye It Blonde stands incredibly tall. The most honest way to describe it is polished indie anthems with lots of heart. The scariest part is that these guys are only getting started. Imagine what they will be capable a few years from now?
Dye It Blonde’s arrival is perfect timing for me. I’m about the same age as these guys, and am still experiencing all that life has to offer. I have a feeling that I’ll be alright as long as I have these songs accompanying me on my journey.
Rating: 8.8/10
Smith Westerns – All Die Young
Smith Westerns – Imagine, Pt. 3
I wasn’t even aware that Glasvegas were coming out with a new album until today. They even took a page out of M.I.A.’s handbook for annoying album titles, calling their new album EUPHORIC /// HEARTBREAK \\\. Take that in. Pretty, isn’t it?
The band’s lead singer James Allan told XFM that the album is really beautiful, and that it’s the biggest record that he’s ever heard. He even admitted that there may have been some arrogance somewhere in between.
Today the band released new song “The World Is Yours” as a free download. It’s really big and epic in scope. If you liked their debut album, you’ll love this:
[new] Glasvegas – The World Is Yours
The album was written in Santa Monica and recorded in London with producer Flood. It will be released on April 4th.
Here’s the album’s tracklisting:
1. “Pain Pain, Never Again”
2. “The World Is Yours”
3. “You”
4. “Shine Like Stars”
5. “Whatever Hurts You Through The Night”
6. “Stronger Than Dirt (homosexuality pt.2)”
7. “Dream Dream Dreaming”
8. “I Feel Wrong (homosexuality pt.1)”
9. “Euphoria, Take My Hand”
10. “Lots Sometimes”
11. “Change”
Watch an official album preview below:
Cut Copy’s new album Zonoscope leaked this weekend, and I’m loving it. Right now all eyes are on the band, so it’s a smart move that they announced new North American Tour Dates for this spring today. The band is going to be playing Terminal 5 on April 5th, and I will do everything in my power to make it so I can dance with the rest of ya’ll. I saw Cut Copy’s last summer, and let me tell you, they’re the real deal live.
Full dates are posted below. Note that on 4/15 it says “Take A Wild Guess”. A wise man would guess that they’re playing Coachella that day, since that’s the very first day of Coachella.
3/26, Miami, FL (Ultra Music Festival / Bicentennial Park)
3/28, Atlanta, GA (Masquerade – Heaven Stage) 3/28, Washington DC (9:30 Club)
3/31, Philadelphia, PA (The Trocadero)
4/2, New York, NY (Terminal 5)
4/4, Boston, MA (House of Blues)
4/5, Montreal, QC (Club Soda)
4/7, Toronto, ON (Sound Academy)
4/8, Chicago, IL (Riviera)
4/9, Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
4/12, Seattle, WA (Showbox Sodo)
4/15, “Take a Wild Guess”
4/16, San Francisco, CA (The Grand Ballroom @ Regency)
4/20, Dallas, TX (Granada Theater)
4/22, Austin, TX (Stubbs BBQ)
4/23, New Orleans, LA (Republic
After the jump, watch “Visions of Cloud Neck”, the final chapter in the making of documentary:
Mister Heavenly brought the rock to Bowery Ballroom tonight. The band tours live with Michael Cera on bass duties, bringing truth to their reputation as a indie rock super-group. George Michael got a lot of the attention when they first came on, as expected. A good chunk of the people there were aware that he played with them, but there were also plenty of awe struck fans caught by surprise.
The band started with their self titled song and right away you were aware that these guys were the real deal. With a lineup as stacked as theirs, what else could you expect? They were extremely tight, playing a great set of songs that we can probably expect to hear on their debut album.
Honus Honus and Nick Thorburn shared vocal duties, creating a unique blend of sounds. The juxtaposition of their very different vocals is totally to their advantage. That is the same type of thing that makes Wolf Parade work so well. The songs had a lot of energy and bite on stage, and hopefully the energy doesn’t get lost on the album. They seemed to be loose and having fun on stage, sipping Makers Mark and joking with the crowd. Cera played a great bass, even if his back was turned away from the crowd most of time. He seemed to shy away from the attention, which one can understand. Even with his celebrity status he was an integral component of the band that fit in well.
Considering I only knew two songs prior to the show, I left impressed with their set. You can call me a loyal supporter of Mister Heavenly from now on. Bring on LP #1.
Sun Airway was the 2nd opener, and they sounded great live. Their set was full of dark, dense, songs that sounded like an outer body experience. Really cool stuff. The first opener was Little Shalimar, who said it was only their 2nd show, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell. They were pretty cool as well.
Check out more photos, and the setlist, after the jump:
Been digging deeper into Chapel Club, and I got to say, I am really impressed with these guys. Saw an incredible performance of their single “Surfacing” on Jools Holland and have been addicted to the song for the last half hour of show. This is as powerful and authentic of a song as they come. This hits you emotionally on all different kinds of levels. Exactly what I want from music.
Found a stream of the song for you guys to check out:
Chapel Club – ‘Surfacing’ by east city records
Here’s the Jools Holland performance as well:
While I was in London on New Years my friends and I contemplated plans for the night, unsure of what to do. While walking down a street we passed by a venue with a band called Chapel Club playing. I think the tickets were like 20 pounds or so, and that was a lot to pay for a band we didn’t know (at the time). When we got back to our place we looked them up and liked them a great deal.
Right now I’m spinning the hell out of their song “All The Eastern Girls”. They have this warm genuine British sound to them that is highly enjoyable. I can’t quite point my finger at why, but I find them very different to a lot of recent British bands.
Their debut album, Palace, will be released on January 31st. I’m excited to see if the whole albums showcases this sound. Wish I went to that show now.
For now check out this video and see what I’m talking about:
