What a week! Ive had time off as I sit in between contracts, so have spent the vast majority of that listening to music, culminating in seein the legendary double act of Sebadoh and Smudge. Couldn't make the secret Sink Shit Naked On The Vague boat cruise on Friday, which sucked (me missing it, not the show, Im sure it killed), but managed to make Ben Salter's launch late Friday night. Then a wedding on Saturday - wore a proper suit (as in not found in the street) for only the second time in my life. And now Im in Biggenden, a town of less than 1000 people about an hour south-west of Bundaberg. At my parents' newsagency, listening to old people grumble about the weather, or the price of newspapers, or children not working the salt mines or some other gripe. So that means in between selling a plethora of Golden Casket tickets to the dreamers, wizened and disenfranchised, I can write this, the 35th Hits From The Box...
Differo are a duo frpm New Haven, Connecticut who interweave acoustic and electronic elements in order to craft eclectic indie pop melodies. The only track I have heard from Differo is 'Rain', and there is a lot of potential here. They are recording new material at the moment, so we'll keep an eye out for news about that as it comes to hand...
Differo - Rain
Netherlands are a Southampton born–London based five piece with the ability to craft stunningly beautiful pop songs. And just like their LP Places To Haunt suggests, their brand of folk seeps into your marrow. There is a real charm to these tracks that evokes grandiose notions that they will learnt to harness as their reputation and relationships grow and expand.
Netherlands - Something Or Nothing
Deluxe is another duo out of the New Haven area (weird, huh?), Jayson Munro (vocals) and Dave Brook. Their sound involves multiple instruments including a couple of analog synths and software that uses granular synthesis, alongside more "tradition" notional tools such as guitars and bass. An EP is in the mix, with a release date in the next few months. Here is their main offering...
Deluxe - Plastic Glass
New Orleans-based Sun Hotel have a strange amalgam of sunny pastoral folk, more traditional Americana and some darker psychedelic flourishes rolled up into their sound that makes them a somewhat familiar yet altogether different listen, which throws up a little bit of comfort and discomfort simultaneously. Whether these conflicting notions are intended or an accidental byproduct Im not sure, but it works. Tyler Scurlock's vocals (a mixture between Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock and Menomena's Brent Knopf) really tie the whole thing down, ensuring that this aural tug-of-war doesn't become too disorienting. Their latest release is Gifts and is pretty special. Talks is the first taste off it, although 'Alchemy' is where the true indicator of what this band is capable lies.
THe band has a release party coming up for it - check out the details here.
Sun Hotel - Talks
Sun Hotel - Alchemy
Lefse Records will be releasing the debut EP Wasted Youth Blues on October 11th from Denver's The Morning Clouds. The Morning Clouds consists of Josh Wambeke, who has created a sound that emulates the bedroom pop dreamscapes that have become poipular in the current musical climate whilst infusing it with enough cosmic chemistry that the pop/gospel elements at play here are cast in an otherworldly light.
The Morning Clouds - The Wrong Things
“The Reminding Ideas are brought about by the use of pressure, command, and authorization. There are good ideas and bad ideas. There are rules, and there are animals. Some vegetables can bring you happiness. Others, give you just one final remaining idea. This is where we all take a deep breath and wait for August to appear. Understand?”
Not really, but this is the illustration that Michael Magnum and Matt Soule, co-creators of last HFTB band The Reminding Ideas, has set in front of us with their House of Weather recording. The Reminding Ideas incorporates electronic and classical elements, adding reverb, playing through pedals, mixing programmed and live drums, and orchestrating, most of the songs written spur of the moment, built up, destroyed and rebuilt. And for the most part, as 'Vegetables' attests, they largely succeed. At what, Im not sure - but they have succeeded...
The Reminding Ideas - Vegetables
Happy Sunday!
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