Video Vacuum - Wooden Shjips, Ghost Wave, Balkans, United Fruit

Ah, it's Friday. I was subjected to Staind's 'It's Been A While' when I got to work. Just needed to steel wool my brain. These four clips did the trick...

Can't get enough of Wooden Shjips - their West album really killed it, best of its kind this year I reckon (which is a big call, I know...) Yet another video coming from it, this time for the track 'Crossing'. Check it out below.

Wooden Shjips - Crossing from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Now here is a band I didn't know a lick about until last month. New Zealand's Ghost Wave are linked to Arch Hill Records, have put out their self-titled EP, and here is a taste off it. Pretty tasty...



This one is a wee bit NSFW... Daring slackers Balkans have launched into rebel mode here with their video for 'Let You Have It'. These guys are just simmering away on the hotplate, ready to boil over at any minute - be on the bandwagon with your bowl when it does, ready to lap up some more.

BALKANS - Let You Have It from Frank Broyles on Vimeo.

Finally we have United Fruit's video for 'Go Away Don't Leave Me Alone', one of the grander cuts off their great LP of earlier this year Fault Lines.



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!!

Video Vacuum - Balkans, Family Portrait, Three Trapped Tigers

Well its supposedly winter here in Australia, not that you'd know it. I tried to wear a sweater yesterday for the entire day - lost five pounds. Ah well, there are benefits to living in Brisbane... That doesn't mean that work doesn't suck. It does, righteously. So here are some moving images and loud sounds to get us by for at least 10 more minutes...

We gave a bit of a back slap to the new self-titled album by New Jersey's Family Portrait recently (check it out here). Well, here is a pretty nice video for 'Interlude 1/Never Should've Been There'...

Family Portrait - Interlude I // Never Should've Been There from Behind the Walk-in on Vimeo.

Balkans have been on a serious ride since their self-titled album dropped just a few weeks ago via Atlanta label, Double Phantom Records. Most recently, Spin Magazine chose them as one of their 5 Best New Artists for June and Impose Magazine debuted their new video for "Flowers Everywhere". So those bastarderos beat us to the punch, but so be it?

BALKANS - Flowers Everywhere from Frank Broyles on Vimeo.

Three Trapped Tigers have also had a bit of a run on lately. Now, I wouldn't say this track is their finest, but it's still good, and the video is a cross between 'Money For Nothing' style "breakthrough" animation and Starfox on the Nintendo polygon style "breakthrough" animation - anyway, I liked it... (Plus its worth noting that their album Route One Or Die has just come out - you can buy it here!)



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!

Video Vacuum - Battles, Balkans, White Fence, Iceage

So its Friday. Im not sure about you, but for me its been pretty damn hectic. Lots of great things happened, but Im reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeealy looking forward to the weekend - its gonna get messy... So here are four killer tracks from four great bands, and some varying degree of awesome videos to accompany them!

I scream, you scream, we all scream, for...BATTLES!



Atlantans Balkans, whose self titled debut album is going great guns, have released a video for track 'Troubled & Done'. Its not the most picaresque of film clips - in fact, its kinda boring. But I do really like these guys, so any coverage is good coverage. Balkans, consider yourself covered.

BALKANS- 'Troubled and Done' from Frank Broyles on Vimeo.

I was unsure of Tim Presely AKA White Fence. He has clout - as lead of Darker My Love and a player in the past few Fall albums - but wasnt sure if his contribution to scuzzy lo fi garage pop was anything to write home about. then I heard Is Growing Faith (out on Woodsist), and have been converted. Listen/watch below and see if you agree...

White Fence - Get That Heart from Behind the Walk-in on Vimeo.

Finally, Denmark's ace angry kids iceage have a vid for 'New Brigade' - watch it and go kick some heads in...

Iceage - New Brigade from iceage on Vimeo

Now get back to work!

Those Balkans Are Still Troubled

Im really looking forward to this release...

On May 10th, Balkans will release their new debut self-titled album on Double Phantom Records(Carnivores, Roman Photos, Mood Rings). Counting Bradford "The Deerhunter" Cox amongst their local fans, the Atlanta based band quickly impressed themselves on the local scene before releasing several 7″ singles that showed off their palette of musical influences including pop, punk, garage, 60s surf rock and shoegaze.

We have already sampled from the album with 'Edita V' here - 'Troubled and Done' is the second single. There is enough energy and invention fizzing off these guys to set fire to your stained Y-fronts.

Balkans - Troubled And Done

Men Walking Over The Balkans

Edita V/Cave is one helluva energetic 7" from Atlanta dudes Balkans. The A-side reminds me of the energised side of The Walkmen, mostly due to the vocals, but the razor sharp guitar lines is reminiscent of 'The Rat' if you wrench the speed up to breakneck. Balkans are slamming their punk infused guitar pop into the barrier, hurtling their ramshackle vehicle over the edge and into the ravine, gleefully waving as they go down. 'Cave' takes it down a notch - a more meditative, metronomic bounce, like the repercussions of their actions from the previous tracks are just now sinking in. Its an electric introduction, and with their album coming out in May on Double Phantom Records, its enough to have me salivating. They have a couple gigs in their home town supporting the likes of Sic Alps and The Clap before then, so get along and get acquainted, before they enthusiastically tear the world asunder.

Balkans - Edita V

BALKANS - CAVE by Tony Summerlin from Frank Broyles on Vimeo.