Cymbals Eat Guitars Eat Aliens' Lenses

I have a love/hate relationship with Staten Island's Cymbals Eat Guitars. Well, not love/hate, maybe love/dislike. You see, back in 2009 my mate Dan gave me a whole bunch of new albums, including Cymbals...'s Why There Are MountainsLP. I thought that album was pretty killer - and Im still a big fan. When I heard they were hitting London back in 09, down at the Brixton Windmill, Paul and I winged our way down there. They were...disappointing. Maybe they were still getting their live shtick together - maybe the crowd or venue was flat - I don't know. Ill I can safely say is that I got shitfaced watching the Tour de France...

Still, the new album is upon us. Lenses Alien. And I don't hate it - always a good thing - but it is a bit more of the same. I guess I was hoping for something a bit more "infectious" you know - something that would latch on and refuse to let go. It's still a great album - they have cut some of the fat on this release, streamlining it if you will - and I have only listened to it a couple of times. Im much more likely to see how this grows than, say, The King Of Limbs (and I am a massive Radiohead fan - but come on! Letdown of the century - apart from a couple tracks, its incredibly shit and throwaway).

NB - I look forward to some TKOL support in the comments - even if it isn't warranted.

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Rifle Eyesight
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Another Tunguska

Encounter Fans On the Hori-zine

On Tuesday we told you about the supports for Male Bonding (which was a great show BTW - straight to the point, appropriately aggressive, and can be heard via Xfm). Well, tonight we have Cymbals Eat Guitars gracing Camden's Barfly stage, and I thought Id introduce you to 'em.

1st and foremost - Fanzine, a London fourtet that are straddling the distorted guitar/thumping drums aesthetics of 90s indie rock with a smattering of lo-fi garage - all with a sense of tongues firmly in cheek. Their songs (there arent many so far) are catchy as all get out, and is just another band that will benefit from that inexplicable communal happiness that overcomes London when the sun graces us with its presence. (check out track 'Susan' below for a taste).

Also supporting are Encounters, who I know next to nothing about other than their name and myspace page. So check that out I guess.

Make sure to catch these guys before Staten Island's own blow you all away. Fin.

Fanzine - Susan

Cymbals in the Willows

It seems to be all about bands Ive already posted about today, which means this big ol wheel keeps turnin round, offering new pieces of treasure in the process.

Cymbals Eat Guitars are touring again this month, playing the Barfly in Camden on 24th June. If their song 'Wind Phoenix' is anything to go by, they are going from strength to strength since their great album of last year Why There Are Mountains. And based on this Daytrotter session, they have put in the hard yards to bring the heft ino the live arena. Should be a cracker...

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix (Daytrotter Session)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Cold Spring (Daytrotter Session)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana (Daytrotter Session)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Turguska (Daytrotter Session)