July 2011
66 posts
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CANT: Answer
While the rest of the world waits for a follow-up to ‘Veckatimest’, Chris Taylor has plenty of other ideas up his sleeve. He’s gone solo for his latest musical adventure as CANT, and there’s an album on the way as well, called ‘Dreams Come True’, a collaboration with Twin Shadow (yes, seriously) and due out on September 12th. The first taste of the collection...
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Polarsets: Morning
I doubt it was intentional or anything, but Polarsets have decided to be slightly mischievous on their new single, ‘Morning’, released on August 8th. There is a sense of anticipation running through the entire song that suggests that a massive chorus should erupt at any moment, but instead these four minutes are given over to a steadily-building soundscape that plays havoc with the...
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Zulu Winter: Silver Tongue
Something tells me that Zulu Winter are going to be very, very big. Perhaps on a par with where Friendly Fires are at about now; playing out intelligent, guitar-based music to a crowd who’d also switch their radio on to Jessie J. There’s mass appeal in ‘Silver Tongue’, which scraps the falsetto of ‘Let’s Move Back To Front’ and instead nods its head with...
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MFM016 - Music Fan's Mic Podcast - 27-07-2011
I seem to be spending more and more time infront of a microphone, these days. Whether it’s on the new This is Fake DIY Radio show, ‘Into the Blogosphere’, or when I’m fronting my tweenxwave band (forget I said this), I’m gradually becoming more confident with speaking about music…
These podcasts nevertheless continue, and show no signs of stopping. After a...
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CHECK OUT: Stereogum's Tribute to the Strokes' 'Is... →
In the space of the last ten years, The Strokes’ 2001 debut Is This It has cemented itself as something of a game-changer, altering guitar music for the better and defining the rest of the decade. The scope of the band’s appeal is for all to see within this Stereogum compilation, where the likes of Owen Pallett and Austra provide covers of songs on the record.
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Benjamin Shaw: When I Fell Over In The City
Something tells us that Benjamin Shaw’s proper debut won’t be the easiest of listens. This here is what has been described by his PR as ‘his only pop song’. ‘When I Fell Over In The City’, taken from the 2009 EP, ‘I Got the Pox, The Pox is What I Got’, is being given away as a free download to start building momentum towards the release of...
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Theme Park: Wax (Halls remix)
Halls, a young London-based electronic artist who we’ve just about fallen in love with over the past few months, has joined hands with another act in a similar love affair with this site, Theme Park. It’s difficult to pinpoint any UK act more fresh and with as much potential as these two, so it’s with genuine intrigue to see a brilliantly jolting, sweet pop song turned on its...
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Jef Barbara & Danniel Radall: On Mirror
The ‘Cocaine Love’ EP takes us to some distant, moonlit disco room in a future metropolis, where you’ll see me busting a few moves without the slightest bit of embarassment. That might seem a far cry from today’s clubbing scene, but Jef Barbara’s ‘On Mirror’ sets a suitable precedent and we all ought to take note: Slap bass, ear-splitting synths and a...
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New Animal: Lift You Up
I love it when odd time signatures are used in songs. I’m a drummer, so I’m more qualified than most to say that. They often lend music a distinct feel, and the sense is sometimes that a certain song wouldn’t work in a different time signature. Take the new song from Roswell-based ‘lo-fi folk-pop’ act New Animal, for instance. ‘Lift You Up’ is in 5/4...
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Novella: The Things You Do
Sometimes shrouding a song in noise can be the best possible think for a band to do. Just ask London’s newest addition to its burgeoning noise-pop scene, all-girl trio Novella, whose new single doesn’t let up at any stage and is all the better for it. The oddly discordant opening riff of ‘The Things You Do’ is misleading because it gives way to a song whose melody is...
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The Cyclist: Bending Brass
Sometimes, in the midst of the 100+ emails we receive on an average day, there is a gem or two hidden away, and we have to work to find it. Then, other times it just gets dropped into our lap with absolutely no fanfare, as is the case with this stunning track from 18-year-old Derry-based musician The Cyclist, whose ‘Bending Brass’ has made one hell of an impact on us. A simple...
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Girls: Vomit
Ah, we love the sound of lo-fi in the morning. Well, er, early afternoon at this stage, but the fact remains that a new track from Girls is a damn fine way to start (or indeed, kick-start) your day. It just so happens that the first song from their second album (but third ‘record’) has popped up. ‘Vomit’ is the lead single from ‘Father, Son, Holy Ghost’, which...
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Gross Magic: We're Awake Tonight
OK, it can’t be just me who feels like this, but here goes: does Gross Magic’s new song sound seriously like the Electric Light Orchestra at times, or what? I thought he was about to get his ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ on as the song faded in. This does not in fact turn out to be the case, but what we get instead is a song that could very well become his own calling-card. The...
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MFM015 - Music Fan's Mic Podcast - 20/07/2011
This week’s podcast includes a couple of moans, so be warned. I’m still a happy bunny, boundlessly leaping on the beautiful golden hills with a beaming smile across my face…But fuck it, Murdoch’s still in power, Gold Panda didn’t get a Mercury nomination and the sun hasn’t shown its face for bloody weeks.
What helps - and I mean this - is a bit of new music....
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Dum Dum Girls: Coming Down
When you consider the ferocity and raucousness often associated with the Dum Dum Girls, it was a brave move on their part to choose a seven-minute leap forward in maturity as the lead single of a new LP, Only in Dreams. No more of that strapping, hazy pop sound; Dee Dee and co. are now far more preoccupied with blasting out grand, ambitious, emotional juggernauts. They won’t come much...
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Fixers: Swimmhaus Johannesburg (Beat Connection...
You see it in the Hawaiian shirts they sport and the tropical brand of pop they wrap their songs up in: Fixers go to clubs and lose their shit to house music. Beat Connection only has to quietly re-inforce this with a remix of ‘Swimmhaus Johannesburg’, creating five-and-a-half-minutes of unadulterated, serotonin-releasing rush. [JM]
Fixers - Swimmhaus Johannesburg (Beat Connection...
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M83: Midnight City
We’ve known this was coming for a while, but finally the anticipation can begin in earnest: M83 is back. Anthony Gonzalez is flying solo for his new record, called ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ and the latest addition to a positively mouthwatering October release schedule, due out on the 17th of that month. ‘Midnight City’ hints at the ambitious nature of...
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The Dead Fronts: You and Me
A vibrant mix of surf-rock and indie-pop, ‘You and Me’ is the debut single from North London quintet The Dead Fronts, and it’s a delightful listen. There aren’t very many new bands in this vein that can get away with displaying their influences so clearly, but the group don’t wear them on their collective sleeve, and should be pleased with their efforts, because...
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Opinion: Barclaycard Mercury Prize 2011
Every year, the Mercury Prize throws up discussion points left, right and centre, and 2011’s list is no different. Something that is immediately noticeable, is that one of these nominees definitely does not need the exposure. We all know who I’m talking about: Adele. The album that has helped her assume megastar status has received a Mercury nod.
What’s wrong with this...
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July Album Pick: Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital
One could argue that the thing that’s most immediate about the new Handsome Furs record is the NSFW artwork. It’s eye-catching, certainly, and gives clues to the kind of album contained therein; one of the rare cases where an album could be accurately judged by its cover. ‘Sound Kapital’ is the third album from husband-and-wife duo Dan Boeckner (formerly of Wolf Parade)...
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The War On Drugs: Baby Missiles
Making a music video to accompany a song as ecstatic and life-affirming as this is a fairly tricky task. But above you’ll be see the technicolour 64xspeed acid trip ‘Baby Missiles’ is worthy of. [JM] The War On Drugs return on August 16 with Slave Ambient, out on Secretly Canadian.
The War On Drugs - Baby Missiles by The Line Of Best Fit
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Runaround Kids: Can't Lose Lover
Runaround Kids are a Wakefield-based trio. There is a rather large elephant in the room already, yes: I know what you’re thinking, and for a moment I thought the same thing, but no, for better or worse this lot don’t sound very much, if anything, like The Cribs. They’re much more into fuzzy indie-pop, and today they release the lead single from forthcoming debut ‘Linked...
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July Album Pick: The Horrors - Skying
What a decidedly odd career path The Horrors have had over the last six years. From self-styled ‘horror-goth’ on ‘Strange House’ to ambitious krautrock on ‘Primary Colours’ - the most stunning re-invention of the past few years. I’m sure it’s not just me who can scarcely stand to listen to the debut anymore, not when it was so completely blown out...
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Tubelord announce 'Romance'.
Up above is the striking artwork for the new Tubelord record, entitled ‘Romance’ and arriving on October 10th. There’s more: rather than just reveal the artwork, the band have also announced the tracklisting, which reads as follows;
1. Over in Brooklyn 2. Never Washboard 3. 4T3 4. Charms 5. Here is Nothing 6. Go Old 7. My First Castle 8. Ignatz 9. Waterworld 10. In Greenland...
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MFM Premiere: The Fanclub - A Real Horror (Part...
MFM is pleased to bring you the video for one side of The Fanclub’s new single, ‘A Real Horror (Part II)’. The up-tempo indie pop song is accompanied by a clip in which a man tries to escape from the oppressive atmosphere of the city and spend some time in the countryside; said clip isn’t what one might expect from such a concept, that’s all we’ll say!
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America + Spotify = MFM Playlist Time
Hello, America. It seems us Brits have decided to let you in to our little secret. Of course, by now you’ve heard our various complaints about streaming service, the volume of ads or the lack of Grizzly Bear (up until recently) but in our opinion, Spotify was a genuine game-changer and still remains a wonderful music service. During the time of its existence, where you Americans were...
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Katie Malco: For Just One Minute There
It would appear Alcopop! Records have struck gold again. Let it never be said that the label doesn’t have a diverse roster, but it seems things have gotten even more interesting. They’ve just picked up Katie Malco (and made me want to suggest that the label be renamed Malcopop! Records for a short while to commemorate this!), and while her brand of folk-pop isn’t the kind of...
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INCOMING: St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
4AD 1 – Chloe in the Afternoon 2 – Cruel 3 – Cheerleader 4 – Surgeon 5 – Northern Lights 6 – Strange Mercy 7 – Neutered Fruit 8 – Champagne Year 9 – Dilettante 10 – Hysterical Strength 11 – Year of the Tiger
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The Drums announce 'Portamento', stream new single...
One had to wonder how The Drums were going to regroup once Adam Kessler had left the band. They managed to hold the band together, but it turned out that there were other speed-bumps ahead. The band’s second album ‘Portamento’ (artwork and details below) arrives on September 12th, but the truth is it very nearly didn’t see the light of day. The old ‘stylistic...
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Honour Before Glory announce album, available now.
Ex-¡Forward, Russia! man Whiskas Nicholls has been busy. Not only has he been working with quite a few bands in the Leeds scene over the last few years, producing EPs and so forth (he worked with Johnny Foreigner last year), he’d spent the guts of the last two years working on an album with his new project, Honour Before Glory. The album has been done for a few weeks, but he’s...
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Warm Speakers: The World Around You
A step back into 2009, when chillwave first broke, when fans made their own video to ‘Feel It All Around’, when the word “hazy” became a compulsory term for every music journo on the planet. Warm Speakers isn’t a lazy kop-out kid, mimicing Washed Out and the subsequent movement - this seems just as genuine as the original stuff. Plaintive vocals, a warm glow -...
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MFM014 - Music Fan's Mic Podcast - 13-07-2011
The barren two-week break must have been difficult for you all. Sometimes when something I love fails to show up for a week, I break into local shop windows, steal supplies, hide in my garden and pray to Buddah. I hope you didn’t have to resort to this whilst the MFM Podcast went hideaway for a week.
We’re making up for our absence by UPPING THE QUALITY OF THE PODCAST in so many...
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Big Deal: Chair
You could put this song under any kind of production - 60s pop; R’n’B; 80s synth - it’d always work. As it is, Alice Costelloe and Kacey Underwood continue to offer their frank, exposed take on pop music, with some seriously impressive results. The first offering from a debut album - Lights Out, out August 29 - Chair is as perfect an introduction as any to the fascinating duo....
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Real Estate: It's Real
A simple song will always meet the ear before a complex putting together of several ideas. Real Estate have their ethos set in stone: Making saccharine, guitar pop songs that melt in your mouth with the slightest of touch. Taken from the forthcoming Days LP, It’s Real is as genuine an effort as you’re ever likely to find from any guitar band around at the moment. [JM]
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FOE: Deep Water Heartbreaker
Things are moving incredibly fast for FOE. She’s been getting major-label attention as of late, and up above is the video for her new single, ‘Deep Water Heart Breaker’ released via Stella Mortos/Vertigo on August 8th, backed with a new song called ‘The Fox’. It’s as dark-sounding as anything else she’s written, but now the choruses and hooks are bigger....
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HOODLUMS: Landmarks
The trouble with piano-led indie-pop songs is that they get lazily compared to bands (and we don’t need to name names here) that they really don’t have very much in common with. The debut single from HOODLUMS occupies familiar territory to what’s gone before, but what makes ‘Landmarks’ stand out is the sense of anxiety hat permeates the song, just waiting to be...
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Spanish Prisoners - Know No Violence
Spirited, late-night by the fireplace kind of music… Brooklyn-hailing Spanish Prisoners sound like a close-knit bunch. Sweeping guitar lines join hands with tight, tap-tap percussion and vocals swim on top of the surface; half Avey Tare, half Pomegranates. Taken from a forthcoming debut album, ‘Gold Fools’, it’s one of most flexible, daring and downright beautiful pop...
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INCOMING: Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
EMI / September 2011
01 The Muse 02 I Was Just a Card 03 Don’t Ask Me Why 04 Salinas 05 The Beast 06 Night After Night 07 My Friends 08 Rest in the Bed 09 Sophia 10 All My Rage
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We Were Promised Jetpacks announce new album,...
It seems the metamorphosis of We Were Promised Jetpacks is complete, or in its final stages at the very least. The band have announced that their long-awaited second album is due out on October 3rd. It’s called ‘In the Pit of the Stomach’, and the artwork can be seen above. The first song to be taken from the record is perhaps the most ambitious song they have written to date:...
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REID: Genesis EP
The debut EP from 22-year-old Cork producer Eoghan Reid is rather appropriately named, because it’s, well, biblical. His brand of atmospheric electronica is made doubly impressive by the fact that he’s remembered to pack his songs full of hooks. There aren’t any vocals to be found anywhere; the music does the talking, and it’s on the title track and ‘The...
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July Album Pick: Goodluck Jonathan - This Is Our...
Bands’ debut albums are more often than not ‘a collection of songs put on a record’ rather than a fully cohesive listen. The first full-length from Goodluck Jonathan is exactly that: ‘This Is Our Way Out’ is in fact three EPs (similarly named) collected as-is. This flippant approach to sequencing would suggest that the album is all over the place. Not even close. It...
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Our Lost Infantry: My God, It's Full of Stars
A video consisting of visual realisations of a song’s lyrics isn’t a new idea, but it takes skill to pull it off well - and when the song itself is one of the singles of the year, the pressure is all the greater. Our Lost Infantry’s idea fortunately goes off without a hitch. ‘My God, It’s Full of Stars’ comes on like a power-pop Johnny Foreigner (at least...
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The Fanclub return, announce new single, prep...
Things are definitely starting to pick up for MFM favourites The Fanclub. Their Greg Haver-produced debut album is almost ready to go (here’s hoping it surfaces before year’s end), and here is the first material from it. We were lucky enough to be passed along an album sampler earlier this year, and can already say that this double A-side single is fantastic. ‘A Real Horror...