Dreaming Of A Holy Name

Ive been a fan of Brooklyn punks Mr Dream ever since hearing their No Girls Allowed EP last year (check out how we championed them here and here). And its been a while coming, but today marks the release of the new LP, Trash Hit (originally titled Never Elaborate), on God Mode Records. The trio have mastered the art of ripping apart a song, flaying it to the bone, offering up the entrails, and making it giddily palatable - all within the space of a couple of minutes. It promises to be all the thrashy goodness these guys have been spitting up since last year, and they arent resting on any sized laurels, doing a few shows supporting Sleigh Bells and CSS around the US, starting at Grasslands in NY this Friday. With this kind of exposure, these boys could be entering everyone's dreams - hopefully without knives for fingers and a thirst for blood...

Mr Dream - Holy Name

Sleigh Bells Tells Us

Ive mentioned my attraction to the band Sleigh Bells already. However due to unforseen circumstances I failed to catch them as they toured the London traps last March. Nevertheless, there isnt much time fo chagrin and tears, as their new single that precedes upcoming album Treats, which is out on Monday. Its what we've already come to expect from these Brooklyn disco punk terrorists - therefore it cannot disappoint!

And as for those missed gigs, no fear! They are back this month for the Great Escape festival, and before they blow away crowds at Primavera they are playing stand alone gigs at The George IV on the 16th and The Macbeth on the 18th. Woo!

Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em

Christmas comes early

Here's something I havent been able to get out of my head this week. The Sleigh Bells are essentially a boy/girl two piece outfit from Brooklyn who have recently brought out their self titled debut album. It opens with 2HELLWU, a simply orchestrated piece of mostly snare, soft jangling guitar and angelic vocals. Oh, and handclaps. And finger clicks. The human percussion continues throughout the album, but the simplicity does not, as the 3rd and 5th tracks Crown On The Ground and Infinity Guitars attest - the former holding a Yeah Yeah Yeah's style riff before cascading in a cymballic bombtrack highlighted with a synth assault; the latter holding a gritty Kinks All Day and All Of the Night riff, thick bass drums, some ah ah ah's, actual sleigh bells and catcalling with attitude. A/B Machines feels like a bizarre mix of Joan Jett, Peaches and MIA, whilst Ring Ring has a distinctively Beta Band circa 3 E.P.s feel to it, with Alexis' sweet voice melding with the looping acoustic guitar and clicking fingers. Yep - did I hear 2010's Tilly and the Wall? It sounds like a catastrophic clusterfuck of a faux cool disaster. I think its mega rad of death - but will they stand the test of time? Hmmm...who cares, Alexis is fucking hot...

The Sleigh Bells are playing a series of dates in London in March, so make sure you don't miss them...

23 March - White Heat @ Madame JoJos
24 March - Cargo (supporting Islands)
25 March - Notting Hill Arts Club (supported by Widower)
26 March - Koko (supporting fun.)

Sleigh Bells - Crown on the Ground
Sleigh Bells - Guitars Infinity