The new wavves of noise punk.

Los Angeles based duo No Age had a more profound effect on the noise punk scene that i think they realised. Certainly at the time, their presence on best of 2008 lists of hundreds was a shock to most, complacent with the subtelties of Fleet Foxes, Tv On The Radio, Bon Iver and the rest of 2008's album of the year candidates. What No Age did was revive a genre quiet in the mainstream blogosphere, into something acceptable, which has subsequently been found in much more abundance than anyone would have realised 2 years ago.

These projects come in the form of firstly Nathan Williams or 'Wavves' who released his eponymous debut 'Wavves' in 2008. In terms of sound, picture lo-fi driven beach boys songs, coated in crackling guitar (you know that too loud for the speakers sound Neutral Milk Hotel pulled off so well?) under high pitched harmonies and loud punk rock chord sequences. The songs don't pretend to be revolutionary, in fact most are quite simple, but put together as an LP they can undoubtedly tick that very box. Williams takes that chord banging, melody scratching approach we saw on No Age's Nouns, takes it to the beach, coats it in a 'wavve' of distorted, overdriven choral psychedelia, and sends it right back where it came from. Second album 'Wavvves' is out now, and waiting for you to buy it.

The second noteworthy project, again has formed since the start of 2008, and goes by the name of vivian girls. This is closer to post-punk and shoegaze than the distorted beach melodies of wavves however retains the noise and distortion element and punk rock charm. Vivian Girls are in fact very close to the female equivalent of Wavves, comprising of four women touring straight out of high school and collecting a large following pretty quickly in New York since their formation. Their sound also incorporates a definite 60s to 70s girl group harmony style vocal, which over the shoegazy lo-fi punk instrumentals makes for an interesting listen.

Vivian Girls - Where Do You Run To? (mp3)
Wavves - No Hope Kids (mp3)

Errors.

Errors call themselves post-electro, and they certainly wouldn't be making any errors whatsoever in doing so. They mix clean, concise post-rock with bassy post-punk and a new rave electro sound not too far from Crystal Castles or The Whip. The result is a chrome finish of atmospheric electropop music, rattled with complex build-ups, Holy Fuck glitch drumming and electro-drones reminiscent of fellow Scots Meursault (original posts). The music is instrumental (as with a lot of post-rock), and clearcut, with every melody distinct and full.

Errors only formed off the back of a three-track demo recorded in member Simon Ward's bedroom in 2004, but were quickly taken under the wing of huge post-rock act Mogwai, and signed to the Rock Action label alongside Part Chimp.

You can check out their Live at Last.fm sets here.

I have to say their date at the Talking Heads Southampton (15/4) is looking tempting, if i had the money..

Mr. Milk (mp3)
Salut! France (mp3)
Errors (Amazon)

The Twilight Sad, Scottish singers and some epic newgazing.

I was sifting through my Itunes again recently, and came across a band which i used to listen to back in November, called the Twilight Sad. I believe i discovered them late summer 2008 after investigating further the top last.fm similar artist to a then favourite Frightened Rabbit. The main similarity they possess is the desperate Scottish accent which shines through their honest and emotion filled singing, although they depart from Frightened Rabbit, the unconventional folk pop band in a number of ways.
Ultimately, despite certain stereotypical, but not necessarily bad scottish indie rock (scottish music has always been one of my favourites) overtones, they are a shoegazing band. Supposedly The Twilight Sad spent two years perfecting their loud, semi-ambient effect encompassed by their combination of deep, swirling noise and raw folk psychedelia. They begin often in a catchy but reflective light, before either at a distinct point, or up a gradual slope, descending into loud folk shoegaze with a wide range of crashing folk percussion.
I own the album Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters, which with its rather pessimistic name, sums up well the kind of effect this album had on me. Rather than being an album i simply discarded and never heard again, as i'm sad to say I end up doing with many, the collection of tracks hit me hard enough that when i listened again i was vividly taken back in time to my first listen, and the profound effect opener 'Cold Days From The Birdhouse' dealt me. This track is the highlight, it's distant depression and openness, and it's stunning ambient outro is one of the best Scottish rock sections in music. I can't talk this track up enough.
Recently, the band have a new album, which i am yet to purchase called 'Killed My Parents And Hit The Road' and are spending their April in support of the brilliant and widely respected Mogwai. 2009 could potentially see bigger things for a band who, have spent 2006-7 and 8 building up to what should be a progression in terms of sound and composition.

Cold Days From The Birdhouse (mp3)

The Twilight Sad (Amazon)

Lykke Li + Laura Marling. They Ended Up Sharing This Post. Equally.

It's been far too long since my last post. I thought i'd make a return on the subject of some of the female vocalists/singer songwriters i've been deeply into recently. Firstly, Swedish indie pop doesn't come in a much better form than Lykke Li. Her album Youth Novels (2008) was produced by Bjorn Yttling from Peter Bjorn and John and released in June in the UK last year. She mixes soul, indie folk and swedish pop together with ecletic results. Subtle drumming and creeping synthesizers behind sleek, raw sounding vocals and folk influenced piano and brass lines make for a very unique sounding approach to contemporary pop music. This is an album which retains enough musical, personal and lyrical depth to gain respect, without sacrificing in any way the catchiness of swedish pop music. Youth Novels is a musical journal of relaxed, folk-induced synthpop.

Laura Marling is more of the folk and less of the pop. The Reading based 19 year old produces intelligent folk music in fitting with the London folk scene comprising of similar sounds to Florence & The Machine and Emmy The Great. Her sound doesn't venture too far from a female version of emerging bluegrass band Mumford & Sons. The songs are varied but share a common atmosphere of urgency, emotion and sudden, abrupt, helpless endings. The album is soul searching and has an aged depth of a singer vastly beyond the age of Marling.
'Alas, I Cannot Swim' is in no way similar to her featuring collaboration on Noah and The Whale's 'Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down'. The latter is just about all the unashamed bliss Marling has released. Her solo effort is far more introvertive, pessimistic and elaborate than the London four piece collaboration. Songs like 'Hours' with their intensely emotional 3 minute build ups beg to be placed on repeat (despite my usual policy), as does the song 'Captain and Hourglass'.
Parts of the recording of Marling's acoustic guitars is not far from that of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, with whom she has already toured with last year.


Laura Marling - Ghosts (mp3)
'Alas, I Cannot Swim' (Amazon)

Lykke Li - Little Bit (mp3)
'Youth Novels' (Amazon)

New Fever Ray Video (That's half of The Knife yes?)

Fever Ray (Original Post) are back with a new video for the latest single 'When I Grow Up'. The self-titled debut album is out March 2009. Before you watch the video, I should warn you, the song is awesome. I'm mesmerized.


When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.