Daily Randomness

A look at what's happening right now:



NYC's Vampire Weekend grace our sunny shores on October 26, all thanks to the lovely people at Greenhorn Productions. If you want a taste of 'Upper West Side Soweto', don't forget to get your tickets via Sistic. Tickets are at $68, $88, $108, $128 & $148 (excluding Sistic fees). Public booking will be launched on August 28, but as always, you can get priority booking if you are a fan of Greenhorn's on Facebook.

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Yeasayer's video for "Madder Red" is out, and Guardian has got the exclusive scoop. Helmed by Andreas Nilsson (The Knife, Fever Ray, MGMT), the video features American actress Kristen Bell and a blob of some disfigured being that passes off as her pet. Bizarre, but the actors make it extremely believable.

Read about the director's inspiration behind the video [link].

Album Review: See Green - Violet EP

On the cover of the Violet EP, See Green frontwoman Courtenay Green is lying in a bathtub, her modesty covered with flowers and foliage. I wonder if the image is a play on the band's name, or if they are trying to prove a point. Either way, it intrigues. And for some reason, Courtenay reminds me of flame-haired indie songstress Neko Case (Middle Cyclone, anyone?).

Inside though, the 5 track EP has a boatload of references and fun nods to the 80s. In Courtenay's own words, this is "vibrant alternative pop is grounded in the past, but very much of the present" and it features "catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and quirky interludes". She wrote and arranged almost every song and co-produced all of her recordings as a drummer, guitarist and pianist. Talk about multiple talents.

Expect short but punchy songs. "Think Twice" is one of those perky ones -- it sounds like a cartoon soundtrack! As a kid of the 80s, it certainly brings back good memories. However, if you are looking for a standout track, I would recommend "Get What I Want". Rollicking fun tune.

The guitar takes center stage on album closer "Fade away". While vaguely different from the rest of the album, it is a neat way to wrap up the album.

See Green sure knows how to create a pompous affair. Their first full-length album is still in the works, but in the meantime you can indulge yourself in this EP. Go ahead and purchase Violet from the iTunes store.

Download:
See Green - Think Twice [MP3]

Bonus:
See Green - I Can Change (LCD Soundsystem Cover) [MP3]

Album Review: Sheila Nicholls - Songs from the Bardo

Life is full of surprises. Sometimes it throws up unexpected little gems, like Sheila Nicholls.

Essex-born Sheila Nicholls has come a long way. After moving to the US in the 90s, she performed with NY-based group Sheila Nicholls and the Splendid Frock, recorded 3 solo albums and started her own label, Essex Girl Records. Songs from the Bardo, her third and latest album, arrives 7 years after her last.

On this record, Sheila weaves together an interesting mix of genres, ranging from pop, folk to trip-hop. The versatile singer-songwriter proves that she can handle almost any kind of music.

The album kicks off with "Where None Are Afraid". It is a gorgeous, dreamy piano-driven song which endears itself to the listener from the get-go. Comparisons have been drawn with Ani DiFranco, and there are also shades of Fires-era Nerina Pallot here.

The album’s general mood is breezy and chill, especially on songs like "Bardo" and "Old Friend". The former, with its rousing 'liberate liberate liberate' refrain, is a discourse on the liberation from relationships which have now soured. On the other hand, the latter brings to mind Emily Haines with its calming and pleasant vibe.

Elsewhere, Sheila tackles heavier stuff like political and social commentary on "Natural Law", and matters of the heart on the trip-hop tune "Celery Bay".

Anyone who appreciates a good sound should find Songs from the Bardo a worthwhile investment. While it doesn’t exactly break new ground, it still makes for a pretty compelling listen. You'll see there's plenty of oil left in her engine yet, even after 7 long years.

Songs from the Bardo is available from iTunes.

Download:
Sheila Nicholls - Bardo
Sheila Nicholls - Natural Law

Bonus:
Sheila Nicholls - Mighty Love (Live at The Hotel Cafe) [All MP3s Removed]

Album Review: Snow & Voices - Anything That Moves

I finally got the chance to listen to Snow & Voices' Anything That Moves over the weekend. In case you weren't aware, Snow & Voices is a collaboration between LA-based singer-songwriter Lauri Kranz and multi-instrumentalist Jebin Bruni. Anything That Moves is the band's third record to date.

Before I listened to the CD in its entirety, I only had a taste of 2 songs off the record (go here to read my review). It piqued my interest.

Kranz and Bruni roped in a number of musicians including Joey Waronker (Thom Yorke, Beck, REM), Joshua Grange (KD Lang, Dwight Yokaum), Chris Bruce (Michelle Ndegeocello, Joe Henry), Jennifer Condos (Ray Lamontagne, Ryan Adams), Blair Sinta (Damien Rice, My Brightest Diamond), Cedric LeMoyne (O+S), Gregory Slay (Remy Zero), Jeffrey Cain (Dead Snares), Vanessa Freebairn-Smith (Gnarls Barkley) and Brian MacLeod (Paul Westerberg, Sheryl Crow) to contribute to this album.

The subject matter revolves around love and breakups. It is a good soundtrack to put on when you are nursing a broken heart or when you need to take a breather. That said, it is a good record -- but not exceedingly so.

One of my favourite songs is the opener "Maybe Finland", which puts me at ease with its gentle and soothing sound. "Blue", slow and soft, reminds me of Canadian songstress Sarah McLachlan.

The emotionally-charged "I Am A Storm" pushes the boundaries a little. In the chorus, Kranz repeatedly announces that she is the storm, perhaps as a parting shot to an ex-lover. The album flows along, closing with "Please Be My Lover", which sounds like a heartfelt plea for love after all that heartbreaking mess.

Bruni has crafted a brilliantly textured aural landscape while Kranz's vocals have been described as 'ethereal'. There is no doubt that this is a quiet and contemplative album to listen to. However, while the record is cohesive and has a clear theme, the band probably needs to step out of their conventional adult-contemporary cum dream-pop mould and push the envelope to ensure they etch themselves into the minds of listeners.

Daily Randomness

A look at what's happening right now:



High Violet, the new studio album from The National, is out this week.

Download:
The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio [buy High Violet]

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Lookie at who's on the The Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack [link]!

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A Song called "XXXO", and now we hear that M.I.A.'s New Album Is Called /\/\/\Y/\ [link]?

Club 8: "Western Hospitality" Video

Club 8 have been making dreamy melodic pop music for a while, so it's refreshing to see them pick up a brand new sound for a change. Their latest album The People's Record is out today on Labrador (incidentally run by Johan Angergård, one half of Club 8) and here we have "Western Hospitality" for your listening pleasure. It's a nice blend of Swedish pop and African rhythms, and I would love to dance unabashedly like that cute girl in the video, except I'm not too sure if they'd allow it at my workplace.

Download:
Club 8 - Western Hospitality

The Mary Onettes: "The Night Before The Funeral" Video

The Mary Onettes have released a video for their latest song, "The Night Before The Funeral". Apparently they now sound "a bit like a descendant of The Go Betweens and The Stone Roses high on Swedish mountains mixed with A-ha in a gothic church". Go figure.

The "The Night Before The Funeral" is Philip of The Mary Onettes' debut as a director. The video connects very strongly to him and bandmate/brother Henrik who plays the main character in the video.

All the places you see in the video have strong ties to his and his brother Henrik's childhood. The forest that you see is the forest where Philip hung out with the association "Friluftsfrämjandet" every Saturday for eight years. The football pitch is located just around the corner from the house where they grew up in. The beach was where they used to go in the summer when they were kids. The apartment where Henrik picks up a guitar is their grandmother's old apartment.

"The Night Before The Funeral" single has been released on digital format and you can purchase it through iTunes.

Download:
The Mary Onettes - The Night Before The Funeral

Snow & Voices - Anything That Moves

When I first heard Snow & Voices' new single "Maybe Finland", I instantly assumed the band hailed from the Nordic country, as the song evoked notions of ethereal landscapes and bleak winters. In reality, the dream pop duo of singer-songwriter Lauri Kranz and multi-instrumentalist Jebin Bruni are based in sunny Los Angeles, nevertheless they know a thing or two about adequately capturing the feeling of melancholy. Their image is reminiscent of fellow dream pop artists Beach House, but Kranz's soothing voice holds its own weight.

Come May 25, Snow & Voices will release their third CD Anything That Moves on their own independent Elastic Ruby Records and it will distributed by Junketboy/Coalition of Independent Music Stores. You can preview "Maybe Finland" and "I Am A Storm" (another interesting teaser for the new album) below.

Download:
Snow & Voices - Maybe Finland
Snow & Voices - I Am A Storm [All MP3s Removed]

PEACE by Buffetlibre and Amnesty International Catalunya

Barcelona's Buffetlibre DJs have combined efforts with Amnesty International to launch a new charitable project called PEACE. For a donation, you can gain access to 180 exclusive new songs by artists such as Ra Ra Riot and Micah P Hinson. Additional details below.

PEACE, a unique initiative co-produced by Buffetlibre and Amnesty International Catalunya, is finally available, including more than 180 exclusive and unreleased songs by artists from more than 50 countries. The compilation is digitally available worldwide here and can be downloaded after making a donation to Amnesty International Catalunya. The collected money will be used for AI’s investigation and action campaigns aimed at preventing cases of Human Rights abuses around the world.

Among the artists participating in this project there are acclaimed musicians and exciting up-and-coming talents from countries such as USA, England, France, Spain, China, Mali, Japan, Venezuela, Cuba, Israel, New Zealand, Tibet, Palestine, Turkey or Thailand. PEACE line up includes Ryuichi Sakamoto, Marc Almond, Patrick Wolf, 4hero, Dubstar, Tahiti 80, Dan Deacon, Micah P Hinson, Steve Wynn, The Antlers, Mogwai, Mexican Institute Of Sound, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Toxic Avenger, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Stereo Total, Vive La Fète and Bart Davenport, to name only a few. Complete list of artists involved is available in PEACE website.

All the songs included in PEACE are available for streaming at http://www.buffetlibredjs.net/peace.html as well as information on all artists participating in the project. The full compilation, downloadable through a donation to Amnesty International Catalunya, includes all the songs in 320Kbps mp3 format.

Download:
Ra Ra Riot - Ghost Under Rocks (Bluebrain Remix)
Patrick Wolf - Army Dreamers (Kate Bush cover)
Bart Davenport - Only A Shadow
Plushgun - Mixtapes
Crocodiles - Nothing To Be Done (The Pastels cover)
The Antlers - Two (Buffetlibre Remix)

Bonus:
Cartridge - Black Roads [All MP3s Removed]

First Listen: Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

5 long years after releasing their self-titled award-winning album, Canada's finest indie collective Broken Social Scene return on May 4 with Forgiveness Rock Record, arguably their most accessible and cohesive LP to date. They have perennially set the bar high for themselves and their indie rock contemporaries, which is perhaps why some naysayers have lamented that Forgiveness does not quite match up to the splendor of their back catalogue. Only, how do you expect them to remain in situ with changing dynamics, a rotating line-up and a constant need to reinvent themselves with each new record that they dole out?

With the exception of album closer "Me And My Hand", Forgiveness is a stellar record from start to finish. Having played it in its entirety for maybe 10 times now, I think it is a hell of a grower. You discover something fresh with each repeated listen. The music ebbs and flows as you move from song to song, while the musical pedigrees -- such as core members Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, and contributors like Amy Millan, Emily Haines and Leslie Feist -- inject a little dose of their personalities into each tune.

BSS do mellow pretty well, which is why the Lisa Lobsinger-fronted "All to All" was my initial standout pick, its downtempo arrangement and wispy vocals throwing me into a lovely slumber.

The collective have John McEntire to thank for their updated polished sound. McEntire bundles an assortment of 14 tracks into this neat, sweet-sounding package. Lead single "World Sick" and "Forced to Love" have gorgeous refrains, "Texico Bitches" is upbeat and lively, and "Sweetest Kill" continues in the same intimate vein as "All to All". Elsewhere, "Meet Me in the Basement" swirls with instrumentals. The lo-fi song "Sentimental X's", interestingly enough, sees the three ladies (Amy, Emily and Feist) singing for the first time on the same track.

Though Forgiveness was, as Drew puts it, ultimately written to be played at live shows, it still makes for an enthralling listen on record. Spin it a couple of times to unravel all its hidden secrets and you will eventually find yourself with a winner.

Download:
Exchange your email for a free download of "World Sick" [link]

Heineken Presents Peaches Live In Singapore

© Angel Ceballos

Peaches returns to Singapore on April 28 for a one night only show at Zirca. Pre-sale tickets at $45 are available at TDC, Zirca and Home Club. Otherwise, you can purchase them on the day of the show at $55. The event starts at 9.30pm. Zirca is located at The Cannery, Clarke Quay 3C River Valley Road.

From Australiaʼs Big Day Out to the US of Aʼs Coachella, Peaches has stomped her way around the globe and turned all heads along the way with her cutting-edge music and her outrageously fierce sense of style. As todayʼs definitive icon of innovation, the Canadian-born dance electro punk musician has unabashedly brought sex and sexuality to her art (Fatherfucker, anyone?) and reinvented fashion, bringing individualism to a level beyond. Peachesʼ brand of the original dirty classic has gone live from Japan to Europe and infiltrated the soundtracks of films like Love Actually and TV shows like The L Word. This April, HOME and John Robinson are proud to bring you the freshest sound of Peaches Live in Singapore!

Download:
Peaches - Talk to Me [buy I Feel Cream]

Lady Gaga feat Sesame Street: "Telephone" Video

Today is a bit of a slow day. Along comes this perk-me-up of a video, marrying Gaga's "Telephone" with some Sesame Street characters like the Yip Yips and Grover. Weird but absolutely fun to watch [via Buzzfeed].

Two Door Cinema Club: "Something Good Can Work" Video

The video for Two Door Cinema Club's single "Something Good Can Work" debuted earlier today. I love the Irish boys for putting out such a charming and unforgettable pop tune that keeps on playing over and over in my head. Yeah, it is really addictive. Definitely makes the cut for the perfect summer soundtrack.

Download:
Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work [Removed]

Laura Marling: "Rambling Man" Video

It comes as no surprise that Laura Marling's second album, I Speak Because I Can, has been roundly applauded by pundits and casual listeners alike since it was released a few days ago. A precocious talent at 20, her new album has been heralded as her coming-of-age record, with songs that feature more mature lyrics and portray a darker, more sophisticated side. As a fan of her debut record, I Speak was, honestly speaking, slow burner for me. But I love it now.

Laura Marling debuts her "Rambling Man" video this week. As a bonus, I have a live recording of "Rambling Man" from Laura Marling's gig at the Royal Festival Hall for your listening pleasure. My heartfelt gratitude to the original uploader.

Download:
Laura Marling - Rambling Man (11 August, 2009, Royal Festival Hall, London) [Removed]

Arctic Monkeys: "My Propeller" Video + Single

The video for "My Propeller", which is the third single off the Arctic Monkeys' album Humbug, has just been made public today. The single will be released on March 22, and is available on 7" and 10". You can preorder via the Arctic Monkeys' store.

My Propeller Tracklist

7"
A: My Propeller
B: Joining The Dots

10"
A1: My Propeller
A2: Joining The Dots
B1: The Afternoon's Hat
B2: Don't Forget Whose Legs You're On

She & Him: "In The Sun" Video

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward return on March 23 with their follow up album, the aptly titled Volume Two. "In The Sun", which is the first single off the album, is so delightfully twee and cute and reminds me of 500 Days of Summer (great movie, by the way). I hope the rest of the record will be as sugary-sweet as this song.

Download:
She & Him - In The Sun [buy Volume Two]
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? [buy Volume One]

Daily Randomness

A look at what's happening right now:



Get up close and personal with Zee Avi on Friday, March 19 at Stereolab. Signed to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, Zee Avi counts among her influences Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Jolie Holland, Daniel Johnston and Chris Garneau, to jazz greats Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, to classics like Velvet Underground and Led Zeppelin.

Tickets are $28 nett and can be purchased from Stereolab. The event starts at 8.30pm.

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Bright Light Bright Light's single "A New Word To Say", produced with Boom Bip of Neon Neon, is available as a free download single via www.brightlightx2.com

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MGMT's "Flash Delirium" is also available for download via their official website. This track is from the duo's forthcoming new album, Congratulations.

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To raise money for the relief efforts in Haiti, Little Joy's Binki Shapiro has rallied a bunch of artists to contribute custom-made artwork for the Crafts For A Cause auction. You can bid for items auctioned by artists such as Vampire Weekend, Natalie Portman, Regina Spektor, Adam Green, The Strokes, Bright Eyes, Fleet Foxes, and Jenny Lewis. All proceeds will go to Artists for Peace and Justice.

Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé: "Telephone" Video

Lady Gaga has outdone herself yet again! "Telephone", which just premiered yesterday, is a provocative and wickedly insane 9½ minute long spectacle starring Gaga and a very diva-licious Beyoncé. Bordering on campy, the video features blatant product placement (Virgin Mobile, Chanel and Polaroid just to name a few) and the Pussy Wagon from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. Truly epic.

Download:
Lady Gaga - Telephone (Doctor Rosen Rosen Rx)

Guest Post: Bright Light Bright Light and his favourite songs

This is a guest post by Bright Light Bright Light, otherwise known as Rod Thomas, a Welsh songwriter, producer, remixer and multi-instrumentalist. He is recording his album with Andy Chatterley, Boom Bip and Friendly which is due later this year. Rod has also been running his own record label, Self Raising Records, since 2006. He recently put out a remix of Ellie Goulding's "Under The Sheets" which can be downloaded below.

Download:
Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets (Bright Light Bright Light Boys Remix)




Bright Light Bright Light talks about his favourite music at the moment:


Muchuu - "Somebody Tell Me"
www.myspace.com/muchuumusic

My friend Sam played me their track "Somebody Tell Me" after a gig and a few beers at his place, and I fell in love with it. They're super young, super talented in terms of production and melody, and have this wonderful ethereal/fairytale sound to their music. I've only heard their first few tracks but if they are the benchmark they could be a band that makes a big impression very soon.


Final Fantasy/Owen Pallett - "Keep The Dog Quiet"

My German friend took to me to a show of his in London and it was only the 2nd time I'd seen someone use a loop pedal (which I was learning how to do to), and he really gave me a kick start. I'd never seen someone so proficient, inventive and confident in their craft. His melodies just soar, and tracks like "This Is The Dream Of Win & Regine". I think are some of the most beautiful of recent times. Something about the tone of his voice just gets me. Heartland is a fantastic album and is spinning in my house all the time.


Post War Years - "That's All"
www.myspace.com/postwaryears

Post War Years are literally one of the greatest live bands I've ever seen. I lived in their home town for university but never knew them, and stumbled across them through a friend, and could not believe how tight they were on stage, how intricate their parts are, and how instantly memorable their songs are. Such a fantastic sight to behold on stage, and such an essential album, especially closer "That's All" which just brings down the house.


The Venus Stare - "Close To You"
www.myspace.com/venusstare

This band messaged me on MySpace as I run a little label called Self Raising Records. They're a 4 piece who make big 80s sounding power-ballads that could easily feature in films like Pretty In Pink or Mannequin. I'm putting out their debut single "Close To You" on 22 March and can't stop listening to this Fear Of Tigers remix. He's just made his album available for free on the internet (and it's fantastic by the way) and delivered this killer pop remix for us. It makes me want to dance walking to the studio every morning!

Download:
The Venus Stare - Close To You (Fear Of Tigers Remix) [Removed]


Mansfield.tya - "Pour Oublier Je Dors"
www.myspace.com/mansfieldtya

I found this track on a blog a few years ago and it absolutely blew me away. It's so simple, so sparse, but all the parts in it are killer. The string line is devastating and the piano part so amazingly delicate. It's a really dark tale - in French - about someone murdering their lover and hiding their teeth so they don't get caught (or so my French would have me believe). It's so dark, so intense, but so beautiful. My favourite ever internet find.


James Yuill - "This Sweet Love [Bright Light Bright Light Remix]"
www.myspace.com/jamesyuill

James has been one of my best friends since we played a show together in March 2008. And he's such a talented musician. I've seen his career snowball in the last year and it's been so great to see someone with genuine talent get the recognition they deserve. We've remixed each other and gigged together, and I've listened to his debut album Turning Down Water For Air to death. It's SO good. This is a remix of his signature tune "This Sweet Love" that I did.

Download:
James Yuill - This Sweet Love (Bright Light Bright Light Remix) [Removed]

Concert Review: Florence and The Machine + The xx

2 weeks ago, Florence and The Machine and The xx played at the Esplanade Theatre. It was fantastic to enjoy a double bill by two critically-lauded British acts, though I suspected that, judging from the cheers, a greater portion of the audience was there to see the latter. Having enjoyed their albums in recent times, I was elated that for the price of a single ticket, I could savour the beauty of both bands. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

They were, however, as different as chalk and cheese. The xx kicked off the show with nary a shout or an attempt to engage the audience, but they immediately swept their devotees up in a vortex of sound.



When you see The xx play, you must know that they sound exactly as they do on record, the same understated chic and the same coolness amplified. The booming speakers send shivers running down your spine and they give you goosebumps, but of the good kind. That night, the trio played most of the songs in their repertoire. Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft let their music speak for itself, and Jamie Smith -- one hand on the synthesizers, the other on drums -- constantly worked his magic throughout their short set, sending their fans into overdrive. These youngsters, clad in black, were so dedicated to their craft. Before the end of their set, Oliver urged the crowd to keep an eye out for Florence and The Machine. They obliged.



For Florence's set, the stage was decked with drums, keyboards, and most ostensibly a harp. The orchestration was lush, though at certain times the sound was a let down: I couldn't hear Florence Welch enunciate her words distinctly. Nonetheless, Florence bantered endlessly with the audience. She got the concertgoers to clap, sing, dance and jump, among other things. She even borrowed a Polaroid camera from an audience member to take snapshots of the event. The 23 year old was deeply entranced several times and fan-girly in others, and it was rather amusing to watch. Florence and The Machine put on an emotional and enthralling show. At one point, the sold-out crowd even stood up to give her a standing ovation, which she and her band graciously acknowledged.

10 Favourite Albums of 2009

(Very late, I know.)

No Merriweather Post Pavilion, Bitte Orca nor Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix here. Just 10 albums that were on constant rotation in 2009 (and check out the end for my favourite EP). Not necessarily critics' picks. Enjoy.


10. Jenny Owen Youngs - Transmitter Failure

Transmitter Failure is by no means the perfect pop record, but it is certainly one of the better ones that I have heard in a while. Jenny Owen Youngs preserves much of her lyrical wit and emotional depth on her sophomore album, but she amps up and delivers more delectable and accessible tunes that touch people at an emotional level and gets them to boogie at the same time.

Download:
Jenny Owen Youngs - Led to the Sea [MP3]






9. A Fine Frenzy - Bomb in a Birdcage

Like Youngs, Alison Sudol also upped the tempo from her debut to create a chirpier and feistier follow-up. Upbeat harmonies and arrangements are audible here, but Bomb in a Birdcage still retains some of that poignancy and fragility that Sudol is known for.











8. Little Boots - Hands

Hands is a collection of dance-floor friendly electropop hits like the oft-heard "New in Town" and "Remedy". "Mathematics" is particularly memorable for its lyrics, since matters of the heart are broken down into mathematical formulas and equations. Some occasional misses but on the whole a delightful record for dancing to. Kudos to the talented Ms. Hesketh for writing and playing her own material.

Download:
Little Boots - Meddle





7. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

With Humbug, Alex Turner and his friends threw the headiness of their previous records out the door. Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme helped them churn out a set of wryly dark rock anthems, which grows on you after repeated listens.











6. Passion Pit - Manners

Cambridge, Massachusetts natives Passion Pit crafted this catchy indie dance-pop album. Manners sounds extremely coherent and solid when you listen to the entire album in one sitting.

Download:
Passion Pit - Moth’s Wings [MP3]









5. Miike Snow - Miike Snow

Swedish group Miike Snow consists of Andrew Wyatt and producers Chris Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (aka Bloodshy & Avant, co-writers of Britney Spears' "Toxic"). With this type of pedigree, you would think their self-titled debut is loaded with commercial pop. However, nothing here is shrouded in excessive gloss. Injecting a dollop of Scandinavian twee-ness into the mix, this makes for a highly engaging indie-electro pop record indeed.








4. Metric - Fantasies

Fantasies was not one of those LPs that I loved right from the start because I was accustomed to their older material. However, after a couple of plays, I was sold. It is consistently good from start to end. Lead singer Emily Haines' debonair personality and vocals shine through in most of the tracks, especially singles "Help I'm Alive" and "Gimme Sympathy".

Download:
Metric - Help, I'm Alive






3. The xx - xx

The London quartet's (now trio) self-titled eponymous album is probably one of the best debuts of 2009. xx is minimalist chic, chill music. The underrated instrumental opener "Intro" sucked me in when I first heard the album, and I knew I had to have more. Best to listen to when alone: this is contemplative stuff.










2. Florence and The Machine - Lungs

Florence Welch makes it all look so effortless. Lungs, the stunning debut from the London songstress and her band, features Welch's powerful voice and a medley of quirky yet intriguing songs.

Download:
Florence and The Machine - You've Got The Love









1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

Though the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have moved away from their original garage rock sound and embraced electro rock, It's Blitz! still lives up to its hype, buoyed by the collective talents of frontwoman Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase. Synthesizers make this album extremely energetic and appealing. Not to mention the album cover is pretty kick-ass too.

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...and my favourite EP:


Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP

Fans of Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago will love this follow-up EP. Justin Vernon is the same tortured soul here, deeply introspective, but the 4th and last track on the album, "Woods", surprises everyone with the presence of the vocoder.

Download:
Bon Iver - Blood Bank

Concert Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live! in Singapore 2010

Fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs know they are in for an exceedingly good time whenever they attend one of the trio's gigs. Their maiden concert in Singapore last Tuesday was no exception. The Esplanade Concert Hall morphed into a giant party where people let their hair down and danced with wild abandon.

Karen O, possibly the most charismatic and prolific frontwoman of any rock band today, tore the house down. The sold-out crowd worshipped her like a goddess, lapping up all her antics -- swallowing the microphone, spewing water, doing her spitfire act -- eagerly. Axe man Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase played their instruments with finesse. The three of them, as different as chalk and cheese, worked magically well together.

The band preferred to let their music speak for itself. From the get-go, they raced through the catalogue of songs from their studio albums and EPs, with O peppering her speeches with the occasional "Singapore!" and "I wanna see some clapping!" There was barely any time to breathe.

Giant eyeball balloons floated into the crowd midway during "Zero".

"Cheated Hearts" saw Karen O happily sharing her microphone with the first row of adoring fans, who cooed the refrain 'whoo-ooo-ooo-ooh' joyously.

The acoustic version of "Maps" was the show stealer of the night. When she sang "Wait / They don't love you like I love you", the hearts in the crowd melted.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live!
Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore
Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Setlist:
1. Runaway
2. Phenomena
3. Pin
4. Black Tongue
5. Dull Life
6. Zero
7. Miles Away
8. Heads Will Roll
9. Skeletons
10. Hysteric
11. Gold Lion
12. Cheated Hearts
13. Y Control

Encore:
14. Maps (Acoustic)
15. Turn Into
16. Date With The Night