Over the past week or so I have received some great submissions for our song of the week feature here on The Futurist from our faithful (and very knowledgeable) listeners. I am going to highlight two of the listeners here today on due to their excellent choices. If you would like to be considered for a future SOTW Listener Edition, please send me your choice, following the rules laid out in this post.
Enjoy these choices, and feel free to leave some comments telling them how you think they did…..
Katybeth (Falling Leaves on our WOXY.com message boards) - Beirut - Cliquot from the CD The Flying Clup Cup
The story goes that Beirut appeared on the new Final Fantasy album in exchange for the use of the Arcade Fire’s Masonic church recording studio and their never-ending toy box of instruments. Whether that’s the case or not, Owen Pallet (aka Final Fantasy) contributes string arrangements to many of the tracks on the new Beirut album, “The Flying Club Cup.” On his sophomore effort, Zach Condon and his crew of gypsies give their take on French chanson and folk, rich with accordions, mandolins, and the aforementioned orchestrations. The end result is a thoroughly charming album that’s a slice of European yesteryear and certainly one of the best mood pieces of 2007.
The folks behind La Blogotheque’s Take Away Shows hit on a great concept that’s a perfect companion piece to the album, recording each of the songs on The Flying Club Cup for a full-album series of performances, available at. While Owen Pallet provides vocals for the album version of the show-stopping “Cliquot,” Ed Droste from Grizzly Bear takes the lead part in the video version here,
beautifully filmed inside a Brooklyn apartment.
Piers - Sambassadeur - Subtle Changes from the CD Migration
Okay, I’m a sucker for pretty girl voices, slick, nearly-syrup orchestration, sleazy saxophone middle eights and pizzicato string fade outs, and “Subtle Changes,” the first single from Sambassadeur’s Migration album, delivers all of these in all the right proportions. I had hopes that some enterprising soul would remix “Kate,” from last year’s “Coastal Affairs” EP, into a dance-floor sensation, drawing the attention it deserves to the song’s AWESOME bass hook, but sadly, it was not to be (though the song DID feature prominently in a Payless Shoe commercial…)
The bass-line in “Subtle Changes” is toned down a bit, and the orchestration is more prominent, with the disco turned up to 11, but the overall effect is the same, mature yet naive, compelling, luxurious and subtly dramatic. And that saxophone solo!
I’m still hoping and waiting for Sambassadeur to explode the way those other Swedes have done, and this new release could easily do it.
After a bit of a hiatus, Song Of The Week returns to The Futurist this week, even though Mike is absent and out of town. Take a peek at a choice by Shiv and Joe and please feel free to leave your choices in the comments……
Even though I was never what you could call a hardcore fan of GBV, I’ve always had an affinity for the music of Robert Pollard. I think that part of it comes from growing up in Dayton, but mostly it is because the man knows how to write some well-crafted tunes. Sometimes you have to wade through 6 songs that don’t even hit 2 minutes in length to get to them, but they are always in there somewhere.
This week, Bob released two separate albums on the same day from Merge Records. If you manage to somehow keep up with his musical output, you’ll know that this doesn’t even reflect half of the material that Bob will have recorded and released through various means before the year ends. I’ve never paid much attention to the myriad of smaller releases he embarks on, but I must admit to being pleasantly surprised after getting through Coast To Coast Carpet Of Love.
His song titles still appear like they’re plucked randomly out of a hat or a hazy late night game of Mad Libs, but ‘Coast’ contains some terrific little gems like this.
This song from WFANFC is actually from their debut album, but it never saw a release here in the states back then. It is however a part of the double disc US debut from the band, Businessmen & Ghosts. The set takes tunes from their debut full length, the Rocket EP and includes a bunch of new songs as well for what is one of the best debut’s this year. The band combine strong dance beats with distorted vocals that in the end, simply rock. I can easily say that if you enjoy this song, the album is something you should look into.
Take a look and listen to this song, Troubled Son, which can be found on the Businessmen disc of the 2 CD set from the band, the video also was the runner up at the Manchester Film Festival in 2005.
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I was pleasantly surprised by the new Liars disc which, in addition to their debut, is miles more accessible than either of their last two releases, Drum’s Not Dead and They Were Wrong, So We Drowned. For their new one, it seems as if they dug back through the annals of rock history and spent some time listening to dark underground classics like Sonic Youth’s EVOL and Public Image Limited’s The Flowers Of Romance. There are a few balls-out rockers here, a few noisy experimental tracks and a song, “Houseclouds”, which almost begs for a dance remix. Still, this is heady stuff. It’s overbearingly clad in black and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but isn’t nearly as caustic as they’ve been on previous releases.
This week’s selection, “Freak Out”, sounds as if could have been pulled straight from The Jesus And Mary Chain’s Psychocandy, marrying a pop melody with a wall of feedback. If any of Liars previous output has put you off, I invite you to give this new one a chance. They definitely went to school before recording it, and the result is a more palatable disc destined to reach a wider audience.
This 5-piece electro-pop outfit from London was recently nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize award in the U.K. You’ve probably already fallen in love with the band’s first single “Ice Cream”, even if you don’t know it’s them! The track was widely used in an Intel commercial campaign earlier this year.
Their debut album “Fantastic Playroom” is overflowing with infectious beats and lead singer Tahita Bulmer reminds me of a young Debbie Harry (although at times she almost sounds spot-on like Shirley Manson). On the second proper single from their debut, I’m not entirely sure what Tahita is going on about when she sings “Don’t speak ’cause your mind is amazing”, but it hardly matters. Who has time to think about the lyrics when you can’t stop shakin’ your ass?
I have always been an on again / off again fan of the Fiery Furnaces. I know that the Friedbergers get a kick out of being odd and offbeat most of the time, but I certainly dig their more accessible stuff the most. I think that is why I have always loved the straightforward punch of a song like Single Again, from thier EP a couple years ago. I feel the same way about this new song from the band, Ex-Guru.
Once again it is pretty straightforward, for FF I guess and it is really upbeat, fun and over the top catchy. And I should not leave out the fact that there is a synthesizer storm of sorts midway through the tune, highly recommended indeed. Admittedly, Eleanor does not have to do too much to win me over, but this song makes me hungry for the new album. The new disc, Widow City arrives on October 9th, the same day Matt & Eleanor will be here in town at the Southgate House for a show, count me in!
When Ra Ra Riot were in town recently and played with Mason Proper over at Alchemize, I was DJing there after the show wrapped up. It sort of turned into a late night dance-off and I can tell you that members of both bands know how to bust a move. The RRR crew asked for a mix cd of some of the tracks I was playing at the bar for their drive out of town.
Flash forward to the other day when I got an e-mail that said “After we heard all of those great remixes you played we had to start getting some of our own!” This track, originally from their self-titled EP, is given the remix treatment by RAC (the Remix Artist Collective) who have also recently put their own spin on songs from The Shins, Bloc Party, and Tokyo Police Club.
Joe Long - Jose Gonzalez “Down The Line” from the CD In Our Nature.
The first time I heard this new song, I commented that it was exactally what I expected from Jose Gonzalez. And honestly, that is just perfect for me. I was a big fan of the last album from Gonzalez so naturally I am excited to hear what this new one, In Our Nature, will bring. If this first song is any indication, it will be bringing more smooth acoustic guitar with Gonzalez’s soft haunting vocals overlapping.
Take a peek at the video for the song, “Down The Line.” The video is a bit odd to say the least, but after finding out that it is based on the story “Manhog Beyond The Face” by Jim Woodring, it at least made some sense.
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The Go! Team’s debut, 2004’s Thunder, Lightning, Strike was one of those records that came out of left field and caught everyone by pleasant surprise. However, the very nature of the band’s foundation – a cheerleading squad fronting a cut-and-paste “band” - begged questions about their sustainability. Favorably received live dates quieted some critics, but how ‘bout that difficult next record? How long can the same format remain interesting, short of repeating the debut?
Well, I’m here to report that the band has cleared the sophomore slump hurdle, albeit not as gracefully as an artist progressing in full stride. Yes – it’s not too far removed from the funky cheers of their debut but it does appear that the Double Dutch Divas are called on a bit more to, you know, actually sing. That in and of itself sets Proof Of Youth apart from Thunder, Lightning, Strike. There’s nothing here to convert those not already tuned into the band and it should satisfy existing fans, I feel secure in the belief that Proof Of Youth will have far less staying power and impact than their debut basically because it’s not going to sneak up on anyone this time around. There’s probably a good 6 tracks that got my toe tapping and had enough new wrinkles for me to give the disc a mild recommendation.
A surprise on the disc that did sneak up on me, though, was the appearance of Chuck D on “Flashlight Fight”. Nearly buried as the 10th track on the disc, the Public Enemy MC seamlessly falls into place fronting the band. It really works well. My advice, though, is not to skip to the track when listening to the CD. Let it sneak up on you, a surprise highlight so deep into the CD.
The best thing about my job is the discovery aspect. We get a lot of new music at the station every week. There are some releases that come in and they are from established artists or it’s something that I have at least heard about in advance and know I want to check out. Sometimes, you just get gobsmacked by a band that you know nothing about and those often turn up to be some of my favorite releases. In the case of Pash, a comparison to Velocity Girl caught my eye and made me investigate the album a bit further. A lot of times, the comparisons brought on by promoters and bands are way off base. This one was accurate enough to keep me listening.
This is a cut from The Best Gun, the upcoming album from the Virginia-based band. They worked with Jason Caddell from The Dismemberment Plan on the disc which is in stores August 28th.
Count me in for a nice gimmick every now and then. At least I thought this was just a gimmick. Of course I am referring to the fact that the brother and sister duo known as Tiny Masters Of Today are only 11 and 13 years old respectively. So, what makes this nothing more than the biggest kid rockers since Smoosh? Well, for one, Russell Simins of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion thinks so much of these kids that he not only produced their upcoming album, but also plays drums behind them.
Also of note is that the band are new signees to Mute Records overseas and have their debut slated to be released next month here in the states. As for this song, Hey Mr. DJ, it is a simple tune, that well, it really rocks. I am not only impressed with the percussion skills of Simmins, but also of the guitar skills of one of the Tiny Masters. Check out this video of some live footage of the song. And head on over to their myspace page for another tune they do with Karen-O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
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If there’s one song that has perhaps made a band’s career to this point in 2007, it might be “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John. A super catchy tune, but the rest of their Writer’s Block disc seems fairly pedestrian to these ears. Along the way, the band’s Bjorn Ytlling found time to produce the second disc for fellow countrymen Shout Out Louds, Our Ill Wills, and I dare say that this the better record of the two. In fact, it kind of seems like they’ve taken the same template as P B and J’s disc and have merely done them one better.
Full of sunny pop tunes yet still very much within the realm of indie rock, the Shout Out Louds, a quintet from Stockholm, have the ability to tug slightly at your heartstrings with precious tales of yearning on “Your Parents Living Room” and “Suit Yourself”, which features a very “Young Folks”-like interplay between band members Adam Olenius and Bebban Stenborg. This is actually a very deep record that represents a huge leap forward from their debut Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, which was not much more than a collection of previously released EP’s spanning a few years time.
My pick here is the 7 minute plus “Hard Rain” which, as the closing track, stands apart from the rest of the record due to it’s more expansive guitar work, allowing the band to break out of a more traditional song structure that fills up the rest of the disc. Hitting the shelves domestically on September 11th via Merge Records, Our Ill Wills is highly recommended for Peter Bjorn and John fans and lovers of indie pop everywhere.
It’s been 5 years since we last heard from Imperial Teen. The band have all been keeping busy with their own lives and the title of their new album kind of catches us up on what they’ve been doing. With “The Hair The TV The Baby and The Band” we learn that Jone has been working as a hair dresser, Roddy has been doing music supervision for television, Lynn has been having babies (she just had her 2nd), and Will has been focused on his other band, Hey Willpower! After a triumphant return at this year’s SXSW festival, Imperial Teen are ready to bring us their 4th album in a few weeks on Merge Records and rock out through these last dog days of summer.
This is a band that can take even the silliest words and craft them into the catchiest damn song you’ve ever heard. They did it on 1999’s “Yoo Hoo” and they’ve done it again with their new single “Shim Sham”, which has been on constant repeat for me over the last two weeks. Whether you’ve been waiting for them to return or this is your introduction to the band, this song will not disappoint.
Joe Long - - Maritime, “Guns Of Navarone” from the CD Heresy And The Hotel Choir.
Every now and then, a simple pop song does the trick for me. I was always a casual fan of Maritime and their previous albums, but this new song is really making me look forward to the new one from these guys, which is due out in October. This song, Guns of Navarone is simple, as I stated before, and really seems to have a positive pick me up feel to it.
Despite how cheesy that may sound, it is a tune you should check out and tell me it doesn’t brighten your day a bit.
Most of you know that I’ve been with the station, in some capacity, for a long time. Hired as a part-timer in 1989, to be exact, just a few months out of college and a new Cincinnati resident. After a few years, though, I decided to quit. I really don’t know why but I do know that I didn’t stay that way for long. I still listened faithfully, still really dug new music and would pretty regularly hear a song which would nearly have me reaching for the phone to ask for my part-time gig back. Then, I heard a song that did it. It was a scuzzy, garagey number called “Love Your Money” by Daisy Chainsaw, a female fronted British band. It was just one of those tunes that made me think “My God, what a great tune. Where else would I ever hear this?”. With that, I picked up the phone and said I wanted back in.
Fast forward 15 years, and I’ve run across another band that reminds me a lot of Daisy Chainsaw, The Neutrinos. Released next week on the Wet Nurse label in the UK, their debut full-length is garage rock that’s a bit rough around the edges. None of this pretty-boy Strokes stuff here. Featuring the pretty Karen Reilly on vocals and guitar, The Neutrinos will recall edgier Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the brattier L7. They first hit North American soil at NXNE in Toronto earlier this summer to nearly unanimous raves. No need to wait for the import, sample the title track here and see if that doesn’t leave you wanting more.
Download the song here.
For whatever reason, I resisted sitting down and spending time with Tegan & Sara’s latest record “The Con.” I’ve enjoyed them enough in the past, but it still took me about a week of carrying this cd around with me before I finally gave it a shot.
The twin sisters worked with Death Cab’s Chris Walla this time around and, turns out, it really sounds great. I fell in love with several tracks on the full-length, but keep going back to the first single. This could be their best cut yet, even eclipsing “Walking With A Ghost” for me. The quirky video features what appears to be a room full of choreographed, color changing mummies. You can’t press play fast enough, can you?
Joe Long - - Aesop Rock, “None Shall Pass” from the CD None Shall Pass.
I bet you didn’t expect to get some hip-hop from my entry this week did you? But I have to say, that after seeing Aesop’s live show this summer and then hearing the crispness of this first song, I was won over. The tune, None Shall Pass, not only showcases Aesop as one of the most talented lyricists in hip hop and has a sound that is as good as I have heard from a rap song this year, but, it also has an amazing playback quality. What I mean by that is it sounds better each time I listen, and I do not usually feel that way about hip hop.
Take a listen to the title cut from Aesop’s upcoming album which is being released on EL-P’s label, Definitive Jux.
Formed a decade ago, this Chicago quartet’s debut full-length arrives on August 21st. Recalling more guitar-heavy shoegazers of days past such as Swervedriver, Ride and contemporaries Serena-Maneesh, the band had primarily been playing shows around the Midwest for years, save an occasional jaunt to either coast. As a run-up to the release of The Battle Of Sealand, they just concluded their longest trip to date out west before heading east for a string of dates starting August 10th in New York. If you, like me, are a fan of reverb, distortion, feedback and having a good look at your shoetops, Airiel should be one band you seek out.
During my college years, I was a big fan of damn near everything that the Beastie Boys released on Grand Royal. Before long, Luscious Jackson had become one of my favorites on the label. Even though the band has been defunct for several years now, both Jill Cunniff and Gabby Glaser have released their own solo albums within the last few months. Jill’s album had some nice downtempo grooves, but Gabby shows that she is still ready to rock out.
On her album “Gimme Splash”, she works with former Rival Schools members Ian Love and Sammy Siegler. There are some real gems on this record, but I’m partial to this little barnstormer that gets in and out within 2 minutes.
Joe Long - Iron & Wine - “Boy With A Coin”, from the CD The Shepherds Dog.
I had to check back at our previous songs of the week to make sure I had not already chosen this gem from Iron & Wine. Boy With A Coin is an excellent tune that will be on the next Iron & Wine album, The Shepards Dog, due out in September from Subpop. The song takes the hushed vocals of Sam Beam and pairs them with some excellent pickin and hand clapping to make what could be not only my song of the week, but my favorite song so far this summer.
While Beam is better known for his softer side, this one is nice and upbeat and I am hoping that there are some similar cuts on the new album.
I’m reaching back a few weeks here - it’s still the dead of summer and not many tunes on the short list of new releases are rocking my world at the moment. Boris (or, at times, BORIS depending on the type of release. It’s a long story…) is a long-running Japanese trio best known for loud, occasionally ear-splitting variations of heavy metal, or so I’ve read. Normally, not my thing. So, it was with no small amount of reservation that I popped their new disc into the player.
Song 1 rolled by - ears still intact, no problem. Then I got to song 2, the title cut “Rainbow”. This…this I dug. More like a lost track from the early 90’s shoegazing era, “Rainbow” plods along with hushed vocals over a vaguely psychedelic backing guitar leading up to a searing lead guitar lick from Kurihara, presumably a well known guitar whiz in Japan. Works for me!
So while I may not be ready to rush out and add the whole Boris catalogue to my collection, here’s proof that you can still dip your toes into uncertain waters and not have to jump right out.
I’m a sucker for old soul, funk, and R&B music. Back in the 60’s, you had an in-house crew of musicians who created most of the amazing sounds we heard on all those classic Motown singles. In the 70’s, you had guys like the
J.B.’s backing up the legendary James Brown. Today, that kind of musicianship almost seems to be forgotten…but not at Daptone Records. This is a label that specializes in keeping the funk alive!
The Budos Band are an 11-piece collective from Staten Island, New York who are releasing their 2nd album on Daptone next month. The musicianship on display in this band is nothing short of mind-blowing. These guys come are more than just authentically recreating what has come before them — they seem to truly be living and breathing this music. The record hosts 10 original instrumental tracks and this is the song that begins the new album. If you aren’t yet acquainted with The Budos Band, I can’t think of a better introduction.
Joe Long - Fionn Regan - “Be Good Or Be Gone”, from the CD End Of History.
I had heard my fair share of buzz about Fionn Regan in the past month or so, and had been meaning to check him out, but didn’t. Then this week Shiv had a few songs from the album put into our playlist and he mentioned that it was right up my alley. Only a couple days later I totally agree. Regan’s album, End Of History has been out and about overseas for almost a year now, but just got a stateside release this week via Lost Highway Records. I know the phrase, “very Nick Drake” is tossed around these days almost as much as Paris Hilton jokes, but I actually feel it applies as much to Regan as anyone I have heard. And it certainly does not hurt that his album was just announced as a finalist for the Mercury Music Prize.
This song, “Be Good Or Be Gone” is a great example. It is simple and quiet, with Regan on acoustic guitar and not a whole lot more, just what I need to ease into the weekend.
