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!

Getting Into The Family Portrait

Paul mentioned waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the first couple months of Sonic Masala's inception the New Jersey band Family Portrait, naming them an act to keep an eye on. Well he wasn't half fucking wrong! They have brought out their self titled album about a month or so ago on Underwater Peoples (Real Estate, Julian Lynch), and its a heady slice of genres headed by a lead singer that is having a whale of a time. I know that I was most likely going to like this album - Paul was right when he said that 'Mega Secret' was an ace track - but I wasn't expecting to like it so much! 'Wait' reminds me of another small band I like, Rare Grooves, yet more accomplished and warm. That is the innate factor here - its so warm and fuzzy! I want to down a few cans of beer, get my buzz on and just float around with the goofiest grin on my face! Seriously, listen to this! As if you can get away Scott free from its salubrious charms! Its not afraid to step outside the fuzz quadrant! Its fully of watery, shimmering hooks! The lead singer is laconic! The band have a rich seam of fun that only they know how to tap into! I need to lie down!

Family Portrait is out now on Underwater Peoples - buy it here.

Family Portrait - Glide Pt 1
Family Portrait - Wait
Family Portrait - Other Side

Family secrets

I've been meaning to post about Washington DC's Family Portrait for a few months, no Honest Abe with kids and missus, but the band. Sorry shit joke... Anyway... Family Portrait combine soaring vocals with smooth, driving bass and a clattering, echo ridden guitar - vintage, yet somehow newer than freshly drawn blood.
I adore their track Mega Secrets, its priceless. One to keep an eye on.

Taste, and check the vid below:
Family Portrait - Mega Secret


Family Portrait - On The Floor from Chocolate Bobka on Vimeo.