Tag Archive for 'not electroindie!'

Chorus of Birdmen Grow Brutal Fins

Published
by
rylan
on July 19, 2008
in MP3, new music and rock
. 0 Comments

The Brute ChorusSpontaneity rocks. I read a blog post, featuring a shop, featuring a band, went to the shop, watched the band then wasted money on CDs. Damn! It costs too.

At least it doesn’t waste my time. The Brute Chorus were worth it. Well worth it.

These East London blues punk rockers are on the verge of a  brutal worldwide conquest of headphones.

Maroon 5 - who are shit - were supposed to herald a new era of blues rock. Then The Brute Chorus showed up and the new era dawned, bringing with them a great balance of grit and glee, crunch and fluff and madness and sanity.

Reading fantasy is a guilty pleasure of mine, but tells me two things: I want to be taken some place else and that I love all things epic. And despite The Brute Chorus‘ tight musical confines, their sounds are unworldly and their lyrics most certainly epic. Babylonian kings, Biblical saints and Greek heroes are even older than Margaret Thatcher, but the front man, James Steel, sings about them in a way that would even make the Iron Lady attractive.

James Steel says “St. Vitus himself taught me to dance“, so beware, you may get infected with Saint Vitus Dance Disease listening to this holeytonal exclusive:

The Brute Chorus - Birdman

More tracks, including their new single Grow Fins, are available to download from iTunes or order the Singed  7″ Vinyl from Pure Groove - I bought one and I don’t even have an LP player.

Be sure to join me at their gig at 93 Feet East in London on 14 August.

Moths hate Camphor. I don’t.

Published
by
rylan
on June 12, 2008
in MP3, alternative, new music and rock
. 1 Comment

CamphorMy family use this substance not only as a moth repellent, but also as a way to ward evil spirits. Its powerful stuff. So is the band with the same name, Camphor.

I’m becoming a sucker for epic popular music, but is there anything wrong with that? The front man of Camphor, Max Avery Lichtenstein, is already known as a film music composer. More recently he decided to step back from his incidental musings, and instead made an album inspired by Wabi Sabi. Thats epic in my book.

Listening to Camphor reminds me of the great Eels, with their American folk influences alongside Lichtenstein’s gravelly vocals. There are also Moriccone style gun slinging lead guitars. Epic orchestration features too.

Camphor’s debut LP, Drawn to Dust, has been receiving plaudits from the likes of Obscure Sound. The record is only available on import to the UK, but you can still buy it for under a fiver. My copy is in the post. Eight days, grrr.

Whilst you wait for yours to arrive, here’s a snippet; look out for the string’s uber harmonies at the end:

Camphor - The Sweetest Tooth

Confederation of Undead Rock

Published
by
rylan
on June 10, 2008
in MP3, new music and rock
. 4 Comments

Dead confederate, Dead SeriousIs it weird that a fresh sound can be back to basics rock? Probably not. We’re all getting bored of electroindie. I certainly am. Well a little bit at least.

There are no synths to be seen around Dead Confederate. Just bloody great songs. Dead Confederate recently wowed many at SXSW (South by South West) in Austin, Texas. They opened for R.E.M. They’re going to be huge if they’re not careful.

Sadly, Dead Confederate are apparently best heard live. Sad because they’re not currently scheduled to tour the UK. I have to see this band. Otherwise I’ll end up a member of their confederation.

They’ve just been in the studio to record a debut album, but if you can’t wait, an EP is available on import. I don’t think I can get any more excited by this track from the EP:

Dead Confederate - The Rat (mp3)