Thread: What Are You Listening To?

listened online



Brit alt rock band formed in 2006 with their 2nd release. First album was influenced by Wu-Tang Clan says co-founder Jack Barnett, who also claims The Smurfs as inspirational. Also described as PIL inspired electronic/dance. Some orchestra insertions were interesting but once again I guess the electronic side burnt me, which I guess is where indie music is at these days. Eventually at this pace I may have to change my profile to another type of favorite music. Then once again I'll have to face that continuing question, did I leave indie music or did it leave me. First single is We Want War.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Canticle

Best Track - Three Thousand

1) Time Xone - 1.0
2) We Want War - 1.0 - video
YouTube - These New Puritans - We Want War
3) Three Thousand - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - These New Puritans - Three Thousand
4) Hologram - 1.0 - audio
YouTube - These New Puritans - Hologram
5) Attack Music - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - These New Puritans - Attack Music
6) Fire-Power - 1.0
7) Orion - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - THESE ?EW PU?IT?NS // O?ION
8) Canticle - 1.0
9) Drum Courts-Where Corals Lie - 1.0 - audio
YouTube - These New Puritans - Drum Courts - Where Corals Lie
10) White Chords - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - These New Puritans - White Chords
11) 5 - 1.0 - audio
YouTube - These New Puritans - 5

Average Rating - 1.3

listened online



Texas band formed in 2001. This is their sixth album. Midlake or Besnard Lakes, both of which I recently listened to seem similar to this. Midlake was pretty good and I think that's the one Tiggi liked, so he may like this. Besnard Lakes I didn't care for and that is where this falls also, with Castaways being the only track that struck me. I think it's the monotone vocals of Jonathan Meiberg that just never kicked in for me. Most of the music is quite interesting. Hidden Lakes is the first single.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Corridors

Best Track - Castaways

By shadowing
all the darkened fields
of forgotten words
and civilian lives
through violence
through the changing guards
through the grinding away
and the furious marching
by gathering/the holy light
and weathering
a cast away life
and the rising fear

The hollowness
of the flags and gods
that are raised in the air
in the wake of their raging

Your skinny arms
hold a lantern up
on the brightest array
of the stars in their moorings
and summoning
the holy light
on their citadels
the blackening sky
the collapsing sun, the burning wall
that approaches our eyes
you live again
in the shuddering light
of these images
this valediction
you are running from a rising tide
you are castaways


1) Meridian - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater - Meridian
2) Black Eyes - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater-Black Eyes
3) Landscape At Speed - 1.0 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater-Landscape At Speed
4) Hidden Lakes - 1.5 - video
YouTube - Shearwater - "Hidden Lakes" (official video)
5) Corridors - 1.0
6) God Made Me - 1.5
7) Runners Of The Sun - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - SHEARWATER-runners of the sun (2010).wmv
8) Castaways - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater - Castaways (new song)
9) An Insular Life - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater - An insular life
10) Uniforms - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater - Uniforms
11) Missing Islands - 1.0 - audio
YouTube - Shearwater - Missing Islands

Average Rating - 1.4

Gonjasufi - A Sufi & A Killer (2010)

Awesome album. Like Stephen Jones (Babybird) at his wackiest. A real gem.

A Sufi and a Killer: Gonjasufi: Amazon.co.uk: Music

listened online



Oregon band consisting of husband and wife team (ex). There seems to be a lot of those. Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss. Bass player Joanna Bolme was added to round out the touring element. All of these clips but 1 are from the same live performance at some club in Oregon. The video is very good, but I do not think the audio is very representative of the recording.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Howler

Best Track - Black Dogs & Bubbles

black dogs and bubbles always grasping at some straw
eyes always fixed on some strange shore
always reaching out for what just can't be had
always fall in love with what makes you sad

we chase the moon across the night; across the stars
wake up in the morning tired and cold
don't you know that she is already yours
to love but not to have and hold

A thousand silver tongues will tell you who you are
and they'll take you for a ride
set you softly in their white plastic world
and your stuck inside

I tried to tell you where i'd been and what i saw
but i found you too far gone
even now i hear your voice all over town
droning on and on and on and on and on and on


1) Repulsion - 2.0 - live
YouTube - Quasi - Live at Disjecta - Repulsion
2) Little White Horse - 1.5 - live
YouTube - Quasi - Live at Disjecta - Little White Horse
3) Everything & Nothing At All - 1.5
4) Bye Bye Blackbird - 2.0 - live
YouTube - Quasi - Live at Disjecta - Bye Bye Blackbird
5) The Jig Is Up - 2.0
6) Black Dogs & Bubbles - 2.5 - live
YouTube - Quasi - Live at Disjecta - Black Dogs and Bubbles
7) Death Is Not The End - 1.5
8) Rockabilly Party - 2.5 - live
YouTube - Quasi - Live at Disjecta - Rockabilly Party
9) Now What - 2.0 - live
YouTube - Quasi - Live at Disjecta - Now What
10) Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Laisser les bon temps rouler, Quasi
11) Howler - 1.0

Average Rating - 1.9

listened online



Swedish band formed in 2003 consisting of guitarist/songwriter Joachim Lackberg, vocalist/guitarist Anna Persson, guitarist/vocalist Daniel Permbo and bassist Daniel Tolergard. Shows a 5 piece in the live clips, so maybe the drummer is a robot. This is their third release. This is a tad poppy but that's not always bad to me. Once again, not many clips available. First single is Days.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - A Remote View

Best Track - Days

1) Stranded - 2.0 - live
YouTube - sambassadeur stranded
2) Days - 2.5 - audio
YouTube - Sambassadeur - Days
3) I Can Try - 2.5 - audio
YouTube - SAMBASSADEUR - I can try
4) Forward Is All - 2.0
5) Albatross - 2.5
6) High And Low - 2.0
7) A Remote View - 1.0
8) Sandy Dunes - 2.0
9) Small Parade - 1.5

Average Rating - 2.0

listened online



Founded by Q And Not U and Georgie James (I don't know either) member John Davis, this is his project backed by Andrew Black (drums), Michael Cotterman (bass) and Merideth Munoz (organ/guitar/vox), all friends from the D.C. music scene. The single of Every Little Bit Hurts came out last summer, but I guess this album is just now surfacing. A good mixture of rockers and ballads. Don't care for covers, but the two of Springsteens Tougher Than The Rest and the Byrds She Don't Care About Time were done ok.


I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst track - At Fifteen

Best Track - Black Bubblegum

1) Every Little Bit Hurts - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Every little bit hurts- Title Tracks
2) No Girl - 2.0
3) Black Bubblegum - 2.5 - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIK1sRIs1Vo
4) Piles Of Paper - 1.5 - live
YouTube - Title Tracks--Piles of Paper
5) Hello There - 1.0
6) Tougher Than The Rest - 1.5
7) Steady Love - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Title Tracks - Steady Love
8) It Was Easy - 2.0 - live
YouTube - Title Tracks--It Was Easy
9) At Fifteen - 1.0
10) Found Out - 1.5 - live
YouTube - Title Tracks--Found Out
11) She Don't Care About Time - 1.5 - live
YouTube - Title Tracks--She Don't Care About Time (Gene Clark cover)

Average Rating - 1.5

from my library (vinyl)



Started as an English folkie, but by this point had moved on to a broader audience with this 6th release, his 2nd major label (A&M) effort. His first solo album came in 1981 after fronting the Soft Boys for a stint. At some point in here, The Egyptians were formed. Sort of reminds me of Syd Barretts solo work, with a little more sanity.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Freeze

Best Track - One Long Pair Of Eyes

In the tower the lover sighs
"Good Sir Knight, please take my eyes-I've used them."
"Doctor, doctor, I'm on fire!"
"Oh, I'm sad to hear that, squire-we're closing."
She snuffs you out like silk
and pours you out like milk
But just before the dawn appears, draining all the blue away
And just before all your perspectives change
Isn't it strange?

On the black Fellini sails
Tattered rags that hangs on nails reminds me
You the mistress of your chair
I the sergeant of your hair you blind me
You turn me on like light
A silver liquid light
That emanates inside of you, decorates the room around and
Just before the curtains part for dawn
And everything's gone

She had one long pair of eyes
One long pair of eyes between her
One long pair of eyes
So she could see you

On the lone Norwegian shore
Lovers weep for evermore in evening
With the clouds above their heads
Go back to their lonesome beds and leave them
She falls on you like rain
When will she fall again?
Oh just before the dawn appears, draining all the blue away and
Just before all your perspectives change
Isn't it strange?

She had one long pair of eyes
One long pair of eyes between her
One long pair of eyes
So she could see you


1) Madonna Of The Wasps - ** - live
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Madonna Of The Wasps
2) The Devils Coachman - ** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - The devil's coachman
3) Wax Doll - *** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Wax doll
4) Knife - * - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Knife
5) Swirling - ** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Swirling
6) One Long Pair Of Eyes - *** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - One long pair of eyes
7) Veins Of The Queen - ** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Veins of the queen
8) Freeze - * - live
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - "Freeze"
9) Autumn Sea - ** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Autumn sea
10) Superman - ** - audio
YouTube - Robyn Hitchcock - Superman

3's - 2
2's - 6
1's - 2

Rating - 2.0

listened online



I guess there are some metal bands with this name, but this is not them. This is a Canadian indie band leaning more towards pop than metal. Mike O'Brien and Carlin Nicholson, members of backing band of Broken Social Scene member Jason Collett did some recording of their own during their down time and realized they had some potential. They hired drummer Rob Drake and multi-instrumentalist Neil Quin to round out what would become Zeus. After an EP that gained attention they were signed by Arts and Crafts label and this is the debut LP. A lot of versatility here with members switching instruments and vocals. Nice Beatles sounding harmonies also.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Greater Times On The Wayside

Best Track - The River By The Garden

1) How Does It Feel - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - How Does It Feel (2009 Nissan Sentra Commercial)
2) Fever Of The Time - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - Fever Of The Time
3) Kindergarten - 2.5 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - Kindergarten
4) The Renegade - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - The Renegade
5) Greater Times On The Wayside - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - Greater Times On The Wayside
6) The River By The Garden - 3.0 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - The River By The Garden
7) You Gotta Teller - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - You Gotta Teller
8) I Know - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - I Know
9) Marching Through Your Head - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - Marching Through Your Head
10) The Sound Of You - 2.5 - live
YouTube - Zeus Live on CBC Radio One's GO - The Sound of You
11) Heavy On Me - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - Heavy On Me
12) At The Risk Of Repeating - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Zeus - At The Risk Of Repeating

Average Rating - 2.0

listened online



New York band formed in 2001 out with their 5th release. Described as alt-punk, the current lineup is Kristian Hallbert (vocals), Alex Dunne (guitar, vocals), Scotty Giffin (drums), Gary Cioni (bass) and Eric Kuster (guitar). The lineup has changed over the years. Currently signed to hardcore label Bridge Nine Records, this is the second release for them. This is my first listen of the band and it's not for me. There are some live clips off this album but the audio is terrible.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Dark Island City

Best Track - I Am Everything I Am Not

Forget the lesser parts of me
You and I are everything I am not
She says oh god don't walk away
All I am increasingly I am not
This gets me here
This takes me home
We know all the ways that death cant see
We go all the places death wont be
We know what it takes to keep his sleep at bay
So I pray to god for day
This takes me home


1) Queue Modems - 1.0 - audio
Crime in Stereo ? Queue Moderns ? Free listening at Last.fm
2) Drugwolf - 1.5 - audio
Crime in Stereo ? Drugwolf ? Free listening at Last.fm
3) Exit Halo - 1.0 - audio
Crime in Stereo ? Exit Halo ? Free listening at Last.fm
4) Not Dead - 1.5
5) Odalisque - 1.5 - audio
Crime in Stereo ? Odalisque ? Free listening at Last.fm
6) Young - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Crime In Stereo - Young
7) Type One - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Crime In Stereo - Type One
8) Republica - 1.5 - audio
Crime in Stereo ? Republica ? Free listening at Last.fm
9) I Am Everything I Am Not - 2.0 - audio
Crime in Stereo ? I Am Everything I Am Not ? Free listening at Last.fm
10) Dark Island City - 1.0
YouTube - Crime In Stereo - Dark Island City
11) I Cannot Answer You Tonight - 1.0 - audio
YouTube - Crime In Stereo - I Cannot Answer You Tonight

Average Rating - 1.4

listened online



Swedish band formed in 2001, consisting of Adam Olenius (vocals, guitar), Ted Malmros (bass, percussion, backing vocals), Carl von Arbin (guitar, backing vocals), Eric Edman (drums), Bebban Stenborg (keyboards, accordion, glockenspiel, moog, backing vocals). This is their third album, this time hooking up with Shins producer Phil Ek. Not sure if it's good or bad, but this one is described as stripped down compared to the last release. My first time hearing them and it comes close to buy material for me, as there is nothing on here I thought was bad, which is a rarity of late.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Paper Moon

Best Track - Walls

1) 1999 - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - 1999
2) Fall Hard - 2.0 - video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZPSyI4Zybo
3) Play The Game - 2.5 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Play The Game
4) Walls - 2.5 - video
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Walls
5) Candle Burned Out - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - The Candle Burned Out
6) Throwing Stones - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Throwing Stones
7) Four By Four - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Four By Four
8) Paper Moon - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Paper Moon
9) Show Me Something New - 2.0 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Show Me Something New
10) Too Late, Too Slow - 1.5 - audio
YouTube - Shout Out Louds - Too Late, Too Slow

Average Rating - 2.0