Dystopic, spirraling, and about as close as “hardcore/ experimental/ folk” could get to indie-pop. No teasing: the drums ride up front, whilst electronics and bleeps keep everyone awake all through the night. Foxes has chapters you race through, fluidity that unsettles you, a rhythmic anger powered through the proper channels and god-damned interestingness (an elusive beast).
So if you are new here, or you just aren’t sure, these musicians - this music - represents the direction I wander down on Nothing But Green Lights :: The mp3 blog dedicated to new British music.
Fat Cat Records have given me a couple of copies of Frightened Rabbit’s “The Midnight Organ Fight” to give away. I’d recommend checking them out on their U.K tour which starts tonight in Manchester, before hitting 16 more towns and cities during April.
To win, leave a comment specifying your location in the world and let me known how the weather is where you are. I’ll send one album to a lucky UK reader, and one further abroad. If you really like or really don’t like any of the tracks on the tape, let me know that too.
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I’ve spent the last few days looking at few hundred of myspace pages. Seriously. Hundreds. There’s lots of good stuff to come in the next few weeks…
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Update: Thinking about it, I’d love my favourite — andhighlyrecommended — musicandmp3blogs to define the direction they take and the sort of music they write about through a 12 track mixtape. In fact, all blogs should do this. It’s too easy to get lost in the mp3 blog world, a mixtape might help those you are guiding understand.
Apparently a certain guitarist currently enjoying being “In Rainbows” reads my blog, or at least someone gave him my email address. That certain someone want me to share a new extended, and absolutely huge version of Wierd Fishes/ Arpeggi (version VI!!!) in promotion of a hush-hush appearance at Glastonbury with The LSO later this year. Keep it under your hat… for now.
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Yes you guessed it: that was an April Fools prank. Apologies. To make up for it here’s a remix of Radiohead’s Nude by the superb “Holy Fuck!”. Canada’s Holy Fuck are currently touring the U.K.
A funky-dance-off from the South coast, abridged. The wings of this riffed tale are clipped, but the ankles twist a little faster to make up for it. Choruses and story change shape every second in this blur of guitar, colour, noise and drum.
“Unknown” is little faster, sharply focused, and more direct. A song suitable for that fast-editted lo-fi Drag-Race film that Quentin Taratino plotted on the back of a beer-mat. The Sticks are impressive in their range, and frightening in their simplicity.
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See this page for gigs by bands I’ve written about in the last few months, playing dates all round the U.K.
Picks of the week:
1st April:Fanfarlo — White Heat w/ El Guincho [Spain] and Munch Munch — London, London and South East
Experimental (and occasionally droning (= good)) sounds of the landscape waking rather abruptly after an Ice-Age, getting to it’s feet and stumbling lazily to the sea. The Hamilton Yarns sing a harmony over the event and they sound like they are singing a story of the land. All of their pastoral music is like the soundtrack to the film before it has even been dreamed up: It’s subtle, beautiful and minimal in that sort of way.
Villains and endings isn’t what Brighton’s The Hamiliton Yarns need, although they definitely like stories. Bess drifts, but just like seasonal drift it’s not something you need to make a big deal out of, just something worth a little of your appreciation, understanding and time.
Thank you for the suggestion Jane. Play some folky music in Sheffield some time again soon, Ja?
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If liked that, you might like these:
16nd February: Held By Hands: “electric-guitar feedback shreds the stars and moon and scatters a light…a disconnected lofi-shape that is too infectious to not get excited about.”
2nd February: The Matinee Orchestra: “big sounds and samples delivered this morning through a soaking shower of lost, organic and journeying acoustic instruments”
NEW: Bands reviewed on Nothing But Green Lights who are playing shows in the next few days….
In the future this information will have a dedicated page. It’ll also cover the next few weeks/months: not days. So: those of you not fortunate enough to live in the U.K will not have to be subjected to a great list of dates every time I post. But the time is nigh! Go see some bands and buy yourself a t-shirt.
29th March: Frightened Rabbit: Barfly : Glasgow Johnny Foreigner: Cockpit w/Blood Red Shoes: Leeds Jonquil: Matadero Viejo w/ Matt Elliott: Huesca, Spain Puzzle: Pilgrim with Super Tennis: Liverpool Slow Club: Thekla w/ Duke Spirit: Bristol The Accidental: Cecil Sharp House: London Elle SAppelle: @ Joseph Well: Leeds, Northwest
30th March: Slow Club: G UNITs night: sheffield The Wave Pictures: The Luminaire w/ Darren Hayman: London Jonquil: Sala Zero: Tarragona, Spain
31st March: Slow Club: The Enterprise w/ The Wave Pictures: London The Wave Pictures: The Enterprise supporting Slow Club: London Jonquil: Cafe la Palma: Madrid, Spain
1st April: Frightened Rabbit: Bodega w/ Make Model: Nottingham Johnny Foreigner: Cavern Club: FREE entry: Exeter Jonquil: Radio3 / La2 TV: Madrid, Spain Nancy Elizabeth: The Ruby Lounge, supporting Efterklang: Manchester Owen Duff: The Goldhawk Sessions@The Goldhawk: London Mathew Sawyer: 93 feet east: London Fanfarlo: White Heat w/ El Guincho [Spain] and Munch Munch: London, London and South East
"Is this what dubstep did to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys’ legacy? Dragged the summer out so that it lasts seven seasons? All the plants will die! Lofi-pop from that seventh season." [6th Aug: more]
