A B & The Sea

So much music, so little time. We hear new music everyday, but a new band worthy to be blogged about is not easy to come by. But we just stumbled across one in a most unexpected way and it's all good.

The boys from A B & The Sea moved from Wisconsin to California to make thier music heard, and it's the most apt destination that they could have been, since their music is described as fun-breezy-beachy kind of surf rock, like that of the Beach Boys and the early Beatles. The first listen of A B & The Sea reminds me of the morning benders before they caught on the scene with Big Echo, then I found out it was no coincidence, as Chris Chu, the lead vocal from the morning benders, has been playing co-producer with Eric Frederic for the band's new songs.

The band has been releasing free music over abandthesea.net. This is how it works: 5 singles are to be released for free, each is unlocked as people spread the good music to their friends, more are aware of this band and join their mailing list for the free downloads. So far 3 tracks have been unlocked, so you people go do me a favor and sign up for the downloads, so that I can lay my hands on the remaining two free downloads.

A B & The Sea - Yellow Haired Girl

Summertime!

The footstep of summer is near, and what better way to welcome it with the release of "Summertime!" by The Drums. Hailed from Florida, The Drums - Jonathan Pierce and Jacob Graham combine the sunny sounds of American surf pop with whistling, handclaps, simple drum beats and a hint of synth to create irresistibly, easygoing pop tunes.

The EP, containing six tracks of bubblegum pop, is massively likable, not to mention danceable. Most tracks are about surfing, friends, love, and wholesome summer partying. Lead single "Let's Go Surfing" is a perfect example of The Drums' style. It is filled with catchy jangly riffs and has more hooks than a fisherman's hat. "Saddest Summer' is a three and a half minutes of pop gem. It is so insanely upbeat that it contradicts with the track title.

Another fine three-and-a-half-minutes comes in at the climax - "Down By The Water". 60's pop with Glasvegas-like bass line and soft thumps and hi-claps on the percussion, the tracks shows that The Drums is no one trick pony.

Instant classic. Highly recommended.

The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
The Drums - Saddest Summer
The Drums - Down By The Water

The Big Pink

I finally caught on The Big Pink, albeit a tad too late. How I could have overlooked this British electro-rock duo which was included in BBC's sound of 2009 earlier this year still baffled me. I remembered hearing the band's first single 'Too Young To Love' awhile ago, but it did nothing to me, and it went straight to the long list of songs that I heard once or twice and never revisit again, at least up until I was impressed by the atmospheric 'Velvet' and the band name struck familiarity. The abstract effects and dreamy vocals in 'Velvet' creates a soundscape that is tuneful and evokes sensational emotions.

The Big Pink was instantly tagged indie cool with its members that practically breathe rock and roll. Milo Cordell is son of 1960s pop producer Denny and runs the Merok label, which has released cutting-edge dance acts Klaxons and Crystal Castles. Robbie Furze is a former guitarist with electro-punk singer Alec Empire. 'A Brief History Of Love', the band's debut album is set to be released on September 14th. Th album title was apt as described by Cordell that every song is a love song, the album encompasses different aspects of love, the good, the bad, the boring, the exciting, the dreams, the nightmares, the whole thing etc. Monstrous wall of sound and distorted feedback drenched anthems are the perfect terms to typify the tracks in the album, but each has a graspable melody and sensitive lyrics lying underneath those thick layered noise and crooning vocals. This is an album that will draw the listeners in further with each listen.

The Big Pink - Velvet
The Big Pink - A Brief History Of Love
The Big Pink - Love Song (The Cure cover)

Harlem Shakes

Hailed from Brooklyn, Harlem Shakes combine an eclectic pop sensibility with a literary touch, making sound of guitar jangle and flawless pop, just like the time when The OC still matters. Formed in 2006, the band has moved on to release one of this year’s notable pop records, "Technicolor Health".

Album opener ‘Nothing But Change Part II’ definitely sets the ball bouncing. A upbeat track it is, there is no lack of modern pop necessities of horn, backup vocals and handclaps that bolster Lead singer Lexy Benaim's Neutral Milk Hotel-like vocal. And the joyousness continues with "Strictly Game", a strictly Afro-veat singalong that comes with encouraging lyric of “This will be a better year".

Other tracks like ‘TFO’, ‘Niagara Falls’ and ‘Sunlight’ are all about sheer catchiness of potential summer tunes. This first half of the album is really full of great tracks, but the downsides may be that the second half is a bit of a mixed bag of fillers that I have hard time recalling them. Maybe a couple more of listens could have done the trick.

Technicolor Health is nothing new or revolutionary, but it is definitely a bright spot of pure pop medicine that will help us get through the day. Harlem Shakes in indeed a solid pop mastermind. And why not add in a Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover by keyboardist Kendrick Strauch, which is brilliant in its own way.

Harlem Shakes - Nothing But Change Part II
Harlem Shakes - Strictly Game
Harlem Shakes - Y Control (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover)

Miike Snow

Despite Miike Snow's poppy past of writing and producing for the likes of Britney Spears and Kelis, I took no hesitation to listen to this Swedish indie-dance trio's self-titled debut after hearing the brilliant first single 'Animal' that could very well be playing on my playlists all summer long. With its happy pop sound and very catchy chorus, it could be easily mistaken as a song by the equally amazing but better known Passion Pit.

Miike Snow is made up of Andrew Wyatt, an in-house producer for Downtown Records, and Bloodshy & Avant's Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg. The debut was released on May 12th, I have not done a very good job for only hearing about the band about a week ago. Another powerful sad pop track 'Burial' follows up nicely after 'Animal' opens the album. Then it winds into the love ballad 'Silvia' with scattering synths and soaring vocals before 'Song For No One' touches us with uplifting electro sound and contrasting emotional lyrics.

This is an album that should be listened to as a whole as it goes down and it comes back up with a combination of melancholy ballads and upbeat dance tracks, but all in the veins of Miike Snow's unique brand of pop music. 'Cult Logic' vows us with complex drum rhythms and sprightly synthesizers while the poppy 'Plastic Jungle' could very well be a radio's top 40 material if the pitched-down vocals are replaced with those of a current pop diva. 'In Search Of ' is a dark-hearted track with its swirling synths over the banging drumline that can be a dancefloor killer.

With each track sounding so distinct and charming in its own flavor, I didn't get lost in the winding road. I find something new with every listen, no track sounds like it did the time before as my mood and the time change. Miike Snow's indie electro debut certainly outweight Manners in my opinion. Give it a couple of months for the hype to build, everyone will be jumping on the bandwagon.

Miike Snow - Animal
Miike Snow - Silvia
Miike Snow - Song For No One

Two Door Cinema Club

Talk about fantastic pop that is short, sharp and brilliantly mellifluous to the tone, Two Door Cinema Club has done it with ease. Hailing from Bagnor, Nothern Ireland, the seaside-based boys are all summery guitar riffs and electronic melodies with a tropical shine.

Apart from that, one of the most impressive things about Two Door Cinema Club is how they appear to craft such infectious melody with the aid of just a laptop-based percussion. Lead singer Alex Trimble is classified as the beat-maker with his percussive chops, and coupled with bassist Kevin Baird's hooky bass lines and guitarist Sam Halliday's jangly guitar riffs, the absence of percussion has little effect and the trio ends up sounding just as infectious with more hooks than a fisherman's hat.

Every now and then a song comes along and it just stuck in your mind, and "Something Good Can Work", leading off the upcoming Kitsuné Maison 7 compilation is one of those tunes. A quirky combination of jubilant indie-pop and electro, the subtle melodic additives and harmonical vocals makes the track amazingly danceable. Brilliant work and it will definitely end up somewhere in my top played list by the end of the year. "Hands Off My Cash, Monty" reminds me of The Wombats, which is all pop lovin' cheek fun.

Without a doubt, these lovely lovechild of Phoenix and Vampire Weekend are about to make a proper splash. Watch out for the full-length debut around late 2009 or early 2010.


Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
Two Door Cinema Club - Hands Off My Cash, Monty

Wave Machines

Art rock disco made on a Cash Converter keyboard and start up drum kit, that's how Wave Machines describe themselves. Hailed from Liverpool, Wave Machines create a fragile pop, built on glitchy bass lines and falsetto vocals. Think of the love child of Hot Chip, with a little essence of Architecture In Helsinki.

Lead single "Keep The Lights On" from debut "Wave If You're Really There" is a slow motion lo-fi nu disco which is reminiscent of Scissor Sisters. Synth-charged vibe and groovy basslines, coupled with amazing falsetto, is certainly catchy and nothing short of incredible. A perfect breezy disco tune which is bound to be on repeat on anyone's playlist.

Meanwhile, the sweet and sweaty “I Go I Go I Go” is all bouncy guitars, funky basslines and catchy vocals, all converging to create the perfect summer single. The joyful optimism is bound to make everyone hooked and bounce in the moshpit. The track has been out since last year but it did not get enough exposure or recognition it truly deserved.

There is certainly excitement for the debut album from these scousers, which is set to be released in May or June.


Wave Machines - Keep The Lights On
Wave Machines - I Go I Go I Go

Tesla Boy

Looking through my archive, it has been awhile since I last wrote on young upcoming artists. Work has been eating me up, but it hasn't stopped me from discovering good new music. Since I have been listening to a little too much electronic music lately, I ought to share my excitement over this Russian electro trio that has been favoured by the Valerie collective and making the blog rounds.

Tesla Boy consists of Anton Sevidov (vocals and keyboards), Dima Midborn (bass and background vocals), and Boris Lifshits (drums). Artists like M83 and Cut Copy have evoked pure pop 80s nostalgia with their brilliant releases back in last year, Tesla Boy's 2009 self-titled EP is offering a throw-back sound that is not unsimilar. I was instantly hooked upon listening to tracks on the EP, the take on 80s synth-charged vibe and melodramatic vocals combined with a hint of today stylistic sounds is catchy and nothing short of incredible.

I may be too young to feel nostalgic on the glam disco era, but these top-notch pop delights just steal my heart away. Currently unsigned, the hype on this terrific band is just getting started, hop on before everyone starts claiming them their own!

Tesla Boy - Fire
Tesla Boy - Neon Love

Nickel Eye - The Times of The Assasins

I seriously wonder just how talented those five New Yorkers are? Just like most of the rest of the band, Nikolai Fraiture, always seen as the "quiet one' in The Strokes, has embarked upon a side-project release valve for songs he’s been accumulating. Known as Nickel Eye, Nikolai creates The Times of The Assasins, a mid-‘70s funk, country, blues and rock record, which sounds different from any Strokes' material.

In general the album uses an acoustic approach, giving it a shuffling, laid-back country vibe. Only a Stroke could combine ethnic folk and American Country and pull it off. The true highlight of the album has to be the ska-influenced "Brandy of the Damned” which its groovy basslines have more hooks than a fisherman's hat. However, it’s definitely not all about the bass. Nikolai jumps from the whistle-led "This Is The End" to "Another Sunny Afternoon"with cheerful harmonicas and an folksy upbeat guitar riff, as well as a beautiful moment of piano ballad "Where the Cold Wind Blows”, with special apperance from Regina Spector. Each song in the album is a unique gem.

Although The Time of the Assassins is definitely not a substitute for The Strokes' fourth record, it is an interesting insight into the creative mind of another member of the band. If songwriting was to become more of a democracy in the Strokes, maybe the creative possibilites of their next album could see them once again upping the bar. Can't hardly wait!

Nickel Eye - Another Sunny Afternoon
Nickel Eye - This Is The End
Nickel Eye - Where The Cold Wind Blows

More Than Little Joy

We need a little updates on The Strokes, don't we? While Julian Casablancas has became a restaurateur with the likes of Mark Ronson, Steve Aoki and Gerard Butler, Fabrizio Moretti keeps himself busy with a new musical project. Little Joy is a Brazilian/American rock band which consists of Los Hermanos's Rodrigo Amarante and the ever cool Fab with his girlfriend Binki Shapiro. Their debut is due to be released by Rough Trade on 4th November 2008. A first listen to Little Joy's Brand New Start, you won't be blamed for thinking this is a full The Strokes band in action for Rodrigo's crooning that sound ridiculously similar to Jules. This is a stripped down, quieter version of The Strokes with a little Latin vibe which I absolutely have no complaints about. What an appropriate band name, it definitely bring joys, but more than little to us.

Little Joy - Brand New Start

Little Joy - Keep Me In Mind

Nights Out with Metronomy

Amidst a sea of electro-pop releases, Night Outs is a breath of freah air. We need no introduction on Metronomy as an accomplished mixer, the album is probably a brainchild of the main man behind Metronomy, Joseph Mount after spending more time than healthy in front of a laptop. The genesis for the album was as 'a half-arsed concept album about going out and having a crap time'.

The first two tracks Nights Intro and The End Of You Too are roused by eccentric Middle-Eastern tints clashes with wonky avant rock. Then the first single Radio Ladio is an infectious blend of layers with zesty guitar, funky bass and psycho synths. Came next are another two singles My Heart Rate Rapid and Heartbreaker, both reveal Joseph Mount's vocal capabilities alongside various instrumental elements which hold together into lo-fi electro-pop catchiness. The rest of the album delivers to a similarly high standard, be it the synthetic Tetris tinged On The Motorway, the funky euphoric Holiday or the quirky catchy A Thing For Me.

There is not a filler in Nights Out, every track complements each other to channels the ultimate sensation for this soundtrack of a night out.

Metronomy - A Thing For Me

Metronomy - Radio Ladio

the morning benders

After two lovely EPs 'Loose Change' and 'Boarded Doors', the morning benders (it's always small caps) is finally getting down to the business of releasing debut full-length 'Talking Through Tin Cans'. This young Berkeley indie pop quartet is set to go places with their catchy rock that channels classic sound like The Beatles with melodies that linger in one's mind for an indefinite period.

The debut will be mixture of re-recorded EP songs and new ones for which so far we have heard the breezy Crosseyed and the jangly Waiting For A War. Currently touring with The Kooks, it is not hard to suspect the morning benders will grab the ears of those who appreciate some catchy youthful pop. I can imagine the teenage girls going to see The Kooks tapping their feet to the morning benders. No doubt we will hear more about Chris Chu and boys, and see the love for the band spread in the near future.

the morning benders - Waiting for a War
the morning benders - Crying (Roy Orbison cover)

-Sim-

The Dirty Secrets

One month ago, “When is the debut album being released?” I asked Jarrah McCleary, vocalist/keyboardist of The Dirty Secrets when they were playing in my university. I emerged a fan after having the opportunities to see them played twice. Their performance is always pumped up with confidence and energy that leaves the crowd in thrills and anticipation for a full release. March 22, 2008, the self titled debut album finally released in Australia via the bands own Vagabond Records.

It seems every provincial capital in Australia has its best kept secret. The Dirty Secrets is a four-piece new wave/indie rock outfit from Perth. Many must think new wave, synth rock isn’t new anymore, but the band does it brilliantly by combining dirty bass riffs, quivering guitar with chest pounding beats and uniquely deep quirky vocals. Engineered and mixed by the UK's highly respected Nick Terry, who also produced Mercury Prize winner Klaxons, The Libertines, Ian Brown, Franz Ferdinand, etc, the self titled debut album is sure to create buzz and receive strong airplay worldwide. The three singles lifted from the debut album “Five Feet Of Snow”, “My Heart Is On Fire” and “Lighthouse” has been added to Triple J’s high rotation over the last six months due to their fast-paced catchiness with a pinch of electro.

The Dirty Secrets is definitely one of the most promising new acts from down under. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Perth boys!

The Dirty Secrets - Lighthouse
The Dirty Secrets - My Heart Is On Fire
The Dirty Secrets - White Lies

MGMT

Four years of commerce study in college, I hated doing management. A band named The Management would not have intrigued me, it sounds just like one of those bands emerged from the garage rock ashes in early 2000s. But MGMT is cool, like the new breed of band names without vowels. Being named band to watch in 2008 by both Rolling Stone and BBC, it is hard to overlook this electro-psychedelic duo from Brooklyn, New York.
Signed to major label Columbia/Sony, MGMT's debut Oracular Spectacular shouts nothing but the indie sound that is bandied about in mainstream media. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden are ambitious to mix so many volatile elements in this record, from disco, synth pop, glam rock to blues, but the result is suprisingly impressive.
Opener 'Time To Pretend' began with hints of Queen with some squiggly keys in which they sing about the expectancy of stereotypical stardom with lines like 'Let's make some music make some money find some models for wives/I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin and fuck with the stars'. 'Weekend Wars' recalls The Stones, then maneuvers to a Scissor Sister's b-side material. 'Electric Feels' flashes Bee Gees falsetto to a nolstagia disco funk with playful lyrics like 'I said, ooh girl/shock me like an electric eel'. Meanwhile 'Kids' is a catchy pop that revolves a more-updated synth lines. The sound of kids playing reminds me of Guillemots's 'Trains to Brazil', both are quality songs. 'Pieces Of What' see MGMT attempts a gritty acoustic piece, and they unexpectedly pull it off so well.
This is a young and fun record. Every single song stands on its own, none outshine another. Oracular Spectacular is simply spectacular.

MGMT - Weekend Wars
MGMT - Electric Feel
MGMT - Pieces Of What

-Sim-

Foals

There's so much buzz about Foals, appearing on most of the next-big-thing list that that I knew i ought to get round to check them out very soon. After a few listens, I was mighty impressed and pretty much hooked. They're very much awesome despite the hype. Hailed from Oxford, Foals mixed the quirky intelligence of Klaxons, and the whole dance-punk element of The Rapture into one brilliant form of energy. With their energetic and hooky sound, we are bound to dance and bounce to their songs.

I was first introduced to the track 'Hummer', which was immediately stucked in my head. Driven by heavy bass line and futuristic electro-buzz, this made-for-disco-action tune is nothing short of incredible. More interestingly, with lyrics like 'we are everywhere', on this evidence, they almost certainly will be in the near future. 'Balloons' is another start-stop, dance floor anthem supported by saxophone, with a a groove-centric piece 'Brazil is Here' as B-side.

If the few demos and singles that I have listened are anything to go by, their upcoming debut, 'Antidotes', is definitely worth checking out. The first full album is set to be released on March 24th.

Foals - Hummer
Foals - Balloons
Foals - Brazil is Here

Operator Please

They look barely out of teen, and are already creating buzz in Australia with their teenage-angst indie ala Be Your Own Pet style music. For the past couple weeks, I see/hear Operator Please everywhere I go in town. Back when I was in Malaysia, I tried to check them out when I found out they were going to open for Kaiser Chiefs. I listened to few songs, and I thought hey, some good stuff. Considering their juvenility, the band pretty much has nothing to say but Ping Pong and random things they want. The band captures their listeners with their spunkiness and energy which translate into some catchy tunes.

Once I touched the Aussie ground, I just could not escape the Operator Please. I hear 'Just a Song about Ping Pong' on the radio, and I see the miserably colourful video on TV. I read story about how the band was formed and blah blah blah...on dozens of articles. Then came the Virgin Blue advertisement which was played zillion times a day on TV, guess whose song was on it? 'Get What You Want' by Operator Please indeed. Everything comes in a package, so the final course is surely a live show by the band itself, I saw them perform at Kaiser Chiefs and I even met the drummer Tim whose look fits well like an awkward middle-school kid.

Are there enough of Operator Please? The band is signed to Virgin/EMI, and their debut album, titled ‘Yes, Yes! Vindictive!’ is planned for release in November, so they will stick a little while more. Also, here I am giving you more of Operator Please,

Just a Song about Ping Pong
Get What You Want

[sim]

British? Indian? Aussie?

British India, a four piece indie rock band from Melbourne is definitely Australia’s hottest new band at present. The band consists of Declan Melia (Vocals), Nic Wilson (Guitar), Will Drummond (Bass) and Matt O'Gorman (Drums).

British India sounds just like one of the bunch of English outfits that emerge in flock of late, some even dub them as Australia’s version of Arctic Monkeys. Of course it’s a formula we’ve heard countless times before, but British India’s wonderful energy and admirable talent makes the band stands out from the rest.

The band’s debut album ‘Guillotine’ is already out in Australia. With a little help by Triple j, the band’s latest single ‘Tie Up My Hands’ has garnered a lot of attention and is heard on the radio all the time. The song is a perfect indie rock single with lively chorus and playful melody…. 'Tie 'em up, tie 'em up!'

Tie Up My Hand
Black & White Radio
Automatic Pulse

Reverend & The Makers

Ascribe to dengue fever for the long abscence here. It's now back to the daily routine of exploring new music. It's always a treat for me to discover up and rising bands that are infectiously catchy, lyrically clever, annoyingly danceable and in fact completely impossible not to like. Jon 'Reverend' McClure has long been making himself famous around Sheffield selling out his Reverend Soundsystem club nights, and now, with his band, Reverend And The Makers. Hailed from home of many well-known musicians, Reverend And The Makers' sound comprises elements of disco, indie and electro, with funky bassline and striking deep vocal in a notable Yorkshire accent. Those catchy beats are gonna keep me stomping my feet for a long time.

Heavyweight Champion Of The World
The Machine (feat Alex Turner)

Motocade

I've been listening to too much British guitar-led indie rock, I need some fresh sound. Then I received an email from Motocade asking me to check out their EP 'Into The Fall', I thought the New Zealand band dropped just right in time. I got to admit I know little about New Zealand music scene, I only heard of bands like Crowded House, Evermore, The Veils and most recently Cut Off Your Hands. I gave the EP a go and was very much impressed, since then it has been on heavy rotation on my playlist.

Motocade hails from Auckland, North Island of New Zealand and the quartet have quickly got their hometown talking about their brand of post-punk indie rock. Eden Mulholland (guitar/vocals), Will Mulholland (drums), Scott Sutherland (bass), and Geordie McCallum (guitar) formed Motocade in 2005 and just released their second EP ' Into The Fall '. It's just a matter of time before they break out from their native indie scene and move on to bigger things in Australia or even UK.

The first track I heard off the band's EP was 'Bomb Squad', and I thought they sound pretty much like Bloc Party. But after several spins, I have been brought out of that very immediate impression. I am immensely hooked by the engaging riffs and driving beats. Eden Mulholland's fragile falsetto vocal is another addictive element that drive me to play Motocade on repeat mode. The unique vocal is again perfectly showcased in the dancey 'My Friends', a song in which I heard a resemblance of The Strokes minus Casablancas’ hazy vocal. Lyrics are inspired by personal events as noted in 'Bomb Squad' which laments about a jealous girlfriend and 'My Friends' which pours scorn at scenesters.

Notwithstanding the comparison to other established bands, Motocade can pretty much stand on their own. Their music might not be groundbreaking, but ‘Into The Fall’ is a solid seven-track EP that provides down right audible pleasure. I have no doubt this will not be the last time I hear from them and I certainly do not mind at all.

Bomb Squad
Goodnight Boy

Rising Stars 2007 Part III

We are definitely spoilt for choice these days when it comes to guitar-led young British indie bands, and with NME filling our brains with all those wacky band names, I really don't know which one to pick up anymore. But it is impossible for me to overlook The Pigeon Detectives, a five-piece from Leeds. With their energetic and hooky sound, it's hard not to nod and bounce a little to their songs. I was introduced to the track 'Don't Know How To Say Goodbye', then I gained interest to look out for more. 'I Found Out', with its punchy guitar and engaging tune, is one of my favourite tracks, also happens to be the band's first charted single. If the few demos and singles that I have listened are anything to go by, their yet-released debut is definitely worth checking out. Their first full album will be out soon, probably before second half of the year.

The Pigeon Detectives - Don't Know How To Say Goodbye
The Pigeon Detectives - I Found Out