Island Fears Forever

It's been a while, but Brighton band Fear Of Men have finally resurfaced, announcing sophomore record Fall Forever (pre-order it through Kanine Records in gold vinyl with a extra cassette here). The new taste of it, 'Island', is a sonorous, cavernous pop bliss bomb, Jessica Weiss' vocals soaring over the shimmering wash and kinetic pattering drums, a song of comfort amidst loneliness, an epiphany of needing the embrace and lead of another to take control in a relationship, or indeed of one's own life. It is over so quickly, a fleeting yet warming re-introduction. It's been a while since I embraced music of this ilk (maybe Globelamp? Or the less melancholic moments of Veronica Falls?), yet 'Island' hits home.

Video Vacuum - Future Of The Left, King Khan & The Shrines, Regents, Fear Of Men

It's been a shitty week to be on holidays. But all I've been up to is writing, editing, watching movies (Win Win and The Revenant were two pretty ace films) and TV shows (The Walking Dead, Being Human - the UK one, Boardwalk Empire), interviewing and (surprisingly) exercising, so it hasn't been too bad. But Im heading out into the last semblance of sunshine we may have for a while, and I want to give you drones at work something to hold onto. So here are four great vids for four great tracks. Enjoy!

It's sad to say that I'm not yet sold on the new Future Of The Left album The Plot Against Common Sense, although I have only heard it once so need to give it more time. Nevertheless, I always enjoy some Falco nonsense, and it goes without saying that his explanation of the video for single 'I Am The Least Of Your Problems' is full of it:

"[The video] is about a dual or split personality. We wanted something claustrophobic and full of movement, but most specifically, something that would weed out the epileptics in the audience. In all seriousness, I have an undue fascination with strobe lighting, much to my bandmates' extreme displeasure. When I was in college I bought a small one for 'personal use' and used to sit in my room writing songs to its largely similar patterns. They were great, if slightly disorientating, days."



Another dude up for a laugh is King Khan, here backed by the Shrines for 'Bite My Tongue', and this film clip is one of the funniest I've seen in ages. A bizarre homage to the 60s Batman television show and wholly religiously irreverent, it's worth watching just for the jogger in the park.



Now to get gritty. Washington's Regents have finally got a video for their great track 'Cinder Machine' (which you can still buy via Lovitt Records here), directed by the band’s singer/guitarist Drew Ringo, showcasing photographs that he had taken of 350 boarded up residences in Baltimore. The concept speaks to the housing crisis in the US.



Finally we have this ultra low budget offering for Brighton band Fear Of Men's 'Green Sea', the 7" of which came out on Sexbeat Records last week. It was made for 15 quid in one of the band members' flat. It's a woozy VHS effort, and I love it.



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!

Men Fear The Green Sea

London via Brighton collective Fear Of Men should a helluva lot of potential last year due to their Alice Munro release (read/listen here). Next step in their march towards global submission (after changing their entire rhythm section!) is 'Green Sea', a track that has expanded their aesthetics in every conceivable direction - glossier production, more ambition, dexterous instrumentation (especially love the backwards guitar - a backwards guitar solo get me every time). There is more beauty in this track than whole albums from many of their contemporaries. I really hope these kids keep pushing this - it feels like they are building up to something quite special.


The Green Sea 7" will be out in June through Sexbeat - pre-order it here.

Fear Of Alice Munro

First turned onto this London via Brighton band through Art Is Hard Records, Fear Of Men recently recorded a set of songs in anticipation of their forthcoming tour with another SM "One To Watch" (I have never said that about another band, at least not given a definitive label - but it's kinda true, we are fans here) Bos Angeles. The avid experimenting with mic placement and an eight-track tape recorder produced some gems, called the Alice Munro demos (to be released December 12), and the best of which is 'Doldrums'. Suitably gloomy and jangly, akin to Brisbane's own Keep On Dancin's that we showcased yesterday, or even another Brissy band Feathers, the track shows a gloss that we haven't associated with the group in the past, and may be a slight glimpse into their beautifully morbid future...

Fear Of Men - Doldrums

These Men Fear Disgusting Sex (ewww...)

Those reprobates over at Sex Is Disgusting Records have pumped out 50 copies of this, a little tape from the guys in Fear Of Men (You can grab it here). Its their debut release - and a solid one at that. The Brighton four-piece waver between the sunny shimmy of Best Coast and the darker psychedelic groove of Warpaint, and manage to hold that balance without falling into the pit of inanity, mediocrity or pretension. In fact, its still steeped in reverb and echo, the basics of the guitar lines harking back to simpler times - yet there is a heightened sense of amiable pop knowledge coupled with a distinct lack of Self in these tracks that denotes the distinct possibility that these guys will break free of any name tags (which I have inadvertently done here, haven't I?) to be able to stand on their own. Definitely ones to watch.

You can travel down to Brighton to see Fear Of Men support Former Ghosts this Friday at The Green Door Store. Expect them to sneak into London on occasion as the year progresses, picking up some sweet support slots on their way...

Fear Of Men - Phantom Limb