THE GIRLS ARE POST: Hot Feet - Wooden House (Single Review)

‘Wood House’ is the beautifully delicate lead single from quietly, upbeat folk act Hot Feet. Taken from the group’s debut EP, ‘Wood House’ is a modern folk tale, with marvelously quirky, country-blues undertones.

Originating from Stroud in Gloucester, Hot Feet are a band who quite simply live and breathe the countryside. Not only are their day jobs fairly outdoorsy (one band member is actually a shepherd!), but ‘Wood House’ was written in a remote cabin in rural Sweden and the track was recorded in a studio in the Scottish highlands, accessible only by boat. These origins are apparent throughout this single – its sounds seem inspired by simplicity, nature, and windswept, organic beauty.


Guitars lead  ‘Wood House’ and, indeed, each track on this EP, with a distinct, intricate finger-picking style. Pretty, enigmatic melodies are interwoven throughout ‘Wood House’, creating a precise tapestry of acoustic guitar timbres. The beauty of these guitars is rivaled, however by vocals from lead singer Marianne Parrish whose delicate peal is crisp and beguiling, feisty and fragile. The “sing-songy” style of Parrish’s vocals beautifully fuse English folk and US country vocal styles and is at times quite reminiscent of the likes of Laura Marling and Lucy Rose. All this is backed by subtle rhythm and percussion, often tender and occasionally raucous.

‘Wood House” is available now to download as an independent self-release. Hot Feet have a number of live dates scheduled throughout December and into the New Year.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/12/03/review-hot-feet/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing The White Album

No, not that one. The White Album are instead a fab new alt folk trio from Denmark. These heavily bearded young men offer a sumptuous, unassuming and serene sound full of a cool Scandinavian melancholy. Think along the lines of Troll Hunter or The Killing to sort of capture the vibe, minus the gruesomeness, of course.

The White Album recently released their second EP Conquistador, following on from the group’s debut EP The Album in 2011. Conquistador, released in September, offers listeners six tracks of delicate, soothing timbres and melodies, recorded in a cabin in the depths of the Danish wilderness. Throughout this recent EP, The White Album create typically sparse tracks, often with just guitars and vocals. Drums are thrown in occasionally for good measure, however, and although acoustic guitars are the order of the day, electric guitars with haunting chorus and reverb sections occasionally stir it up.

Contemporaries of The White Album could include Alt-J, The Magnetic North and Peter Wolfe Crier, who all share a love of intricate harmonies and haunting a cappella vocals. There is also a gentle, tender humour to their lyrics, alongside touching raw emotion.

The White Album are multi-instrumentalists with a diverse live show, which will hopefully visit our shores soon. We should also hope for a debut album in 2013.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/new-music-the-white-album/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Dum Dum Girls - End of Daze EP

End of Daze is the first release we have seen from the Dum Dum Girls this year, following a prolific number of releases from the girls in 2010 and 2011 (the Dum Dum Girls offered two LPs and three EPS over a two-year period). This tight and well-composed EP offers more of the Dum Dum Girl’s trademark lo-fi garage rock, but with this release the girls have offered listeners a more varied sound, proving to their critics that they have turned into a far more capable, versatile band than they perhaps were two years ago.

Throughout End of Daze there are subtle shifts in vibe and instrumental technique, from the subtly upbeat and almost peppy I Got Nothing to the melancholic, grave and sparse Trees and Flowers. There are catchy lyrics and vocal hooks too, noticeably more so than previous efforts.

The classic Dum Dum Girls vibe still shines through on this release however. The sonic atmosphere is moody, dark and mellow, with lashings of reverb, and gorgeously thick, heavy bass tones place deep into the mix. Vocals are once again heavily saturated, sultry and breathy, with that slightly flat delivery still ever so reminiscent of the Shangri Las, or contemporaries such as Best Coast and Friends.

With End of Daze, the Dum Dum Girls have once again offer their trademark non-clichéd guitar driven style. Stylish, heavy, but never overpowering or gratuitous. End of Daze is out now.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/album-reviews/dum-dum-girls-end-of-daze-ep/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: My Tiger My Timing Single Review

My Tiger My Timing, ‘Let Me Go’, Snakes and Ladders

Taken from the group’s debut album Celeste released earlier in the year, ‘Let Me Go’ is the latest single from alt-pop pretenders My Tiger My Timing.  The single welcomes the listener with a rich tapestry of guitar timbres, sourced from a selection of new wave reference points, from Johnny Marr to The Cure, to Echo and the Bunny Men. The vibe is mellow with a syrupy smoothness, but enriched with a dark, brooding quality deep with the track’s subconscious. As is typical with My Tiger My Timing, this is definitively a pop track, but with a twisted, diverse edge and a decidedly cool character.


The south London five-piece have certainly come a long way from their emergence at the tail end of nu-rave. As with much of the group’s debut album ‘Let Me Go’ is complex and considered. New wave is certainly a strong influence on the group’s work, but they have also infused tribal pop, electro, post-punk and alternative indie to create a cultured yet accessible sound. The lyrics throughout ‘Let Me Go’ are also impressive – intelligent and considered throughout, yet maintaining a simple chorus hook that should be accessible to most audiences.

‘Let Me Go” is available now to download on the group’s own Snakes and Ladders label. My Tiger My Timing have one show left this year at Paradiso in Amsterdam, but are sure to commence live dates once again in 2013.

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Ursa Minor (Little Bear) - Shell EP

Shell is the debut EP from London quartet Ursa Minor (Little Bear) and follows on from the group’s debut single Droplet Affection, which received praise from the likes of BBC 6Music and Clash magazine. Offering listeners a selection of four completely new tracks and one remix in the group’s noteworthy style, where dream-pop meets house beats.

Ursa Minor describe themselves as “house-inspired glitter pop”, but in reality their music is far more intelligent and subtle than this. This is intelligent house, aesthetically orientated and charged, not unintelligible, smashed-out house toonz. This is music for chill out clubs or early morning after parties in Ibiza, and you are more likely to see pictures of Damien Hirst’s work and nostalgic hipstermatic pictures of old Korg synths rather than any endorsement from traditional Clubland.
Each track on Shell offers a subtle fusion of house inspired beats with low-key, tuned down, restrained and muted timbres. The interplay between each timbre is sophisticated and diverse, with evident roots in post dubstep, trip hop and IDM. Occasionally however, punchy, thick synth timbres also occur, inducing a heavier, dancier vibe particularly apparent on the track Ha!.

Vocals from front woman Little Bear occur on each track, heavily saturated as they are with various effects, including reverb, chorus and enveloping. Such effects make the already fairly soft and ethereal vocals appear all the more haunting, so much so that at times the vocals sound almost alien. Unfortunately, Little Bear’s vocal style – her enunciation and expression is at times ever so slightly Eurotrash, which does partially compromise the sophisticated instrumentation on each track. This however is a minor issue – the voice is mostly quite lovely, especially on Wild Flowers, where it sours delicately over saw toothed waves.

Shell is perhaps ultimately a mixed debut EP, with plenty of positive attribute alongside a few minor issues. It is a good start, however, and a sign of greater potential to come.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/album-reviews/ursa-minor-shell-ep/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: In The Woods 2012

After an arduous cross-country journey guided by a questionable sat-nav, we arrive at 2012’s In The Woods festival, this year housed in a secret wooded glade accessed only via an Old Paper Mill, on the aptly named Foxhole Lane. Now in its seventh year, a major draw of In The Woods is the taciturn nature of the event, housed as it is in a secret location known only to festival goers, completely hidden away from the outside world. Its discrete, remote location, along with the limited number of tickets, makes In The Woods feel simultaneously like a retreat, a tryst, and a secret adventure.

This vibe continues as we enter the festival itself. A path leads us into the woods, lit subtly by lights and lanterns. Every now and then pieces of art work reveal themselves from the trees; ready-made flower gardens, mirrored silhouettes and statues reminiscent of Maurice Sendak’s work are the first things to catch my eye. And then in front of us emerges the main stage area. Dubbed The Quarry Stage, this reverberating natural amphitheatre is large enough to house the full festival crowd, and offers a dance floor, or an excellent view for those who just want to sit listen.

Immediately we start to scavenge for some musical treats. First we watch Fiction offer a cracking set at The Quarry Stage, and then we head over to the other stage at the festival entitled The Laurel Lounge – a tiny set up housed in a thicket of laurel trees so tightly packed you can barely see the sky. Here we are entertained by Sivu, a new psyche-folk artist who offers soothing melodies and beautiful lyrics accompanied by cello, violin and melodeon. We then nip back to catch some of Peter and Kerry, and then stop of a bite and explore the site a bit more.

After selecting some sumptuous (and reasonably priced) homemade burgers and freshly blended smoothies, we take part in some of the active (and completely free) installations dotted about the place. We have our photos taken by a pinhole photo booth, watch some short independent flicks at the silent cinema (housed in a yurt no less!), and head down to the spoken word area for a short time. As we soak in all these activities, a major presence at the festival is made clear – the importance of creativity and art, and how everybody here wants to be a part of that world. Everything that is happening here – music, art, film-making, poetry and even the food is not here for the sake of money or politics or self-justification but because being creative is a fun, vital and important part of life. And In The Woods offers a marvellous vehicle for that.

Another major thing that strikes you at In The Woods is the complete lack of commerciality or bureaucracy typical in larger music festival. There are no shops or merch stands – the only thing you have to pay for is food and drink. There is security and St. John’s Ambulance people and everything that is sensible for a music festival to have, but otherwise, positive intentions are presumed. Camping and parking is free, and if you want to bring your own booze, that’s ok. This approach by the organisers is reflected by the punters and the artists alike, to the point where there is a decidedly mellow, happy vibe to the place. There are plenty of teenagers and students, yes, but there are also families with babies, retired couples, and even a few dogs dotted about. It really does feel like a collective decision to create a temporary sanctuary from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.

Throughout the evening and into the night, we continue to enjoy the marvellous vibe of the place, along with the excellent selection of music on offer. Tanya Auclair provides a vibrant performance with her complex and diverse instrumentation, fully catered for by the festival. We also catch the marvellous Stealing Sheep (who have audience members climbing trees just to catch a glimpse of them), festival curators The Laurel Collective, and a special guest performance from Man Like
Me, whose stomping beats and humorous choreography are very well received by the crowd. The evening is rounded off by Alt-J, whose calming, melodious sounds wrap us all up nicely in time for bed.

It must be said that every act we have had the privilege to witness performance at the year’s In The Woods festival are fantastic. A wide range of styles have been offered to us, but the key thread tying each performance together is that every act here is creating clever, interesting, dynamic and accomplished music. These delightfully vibrant sonic adventures each feel like marvellous little discoveries, hidden as they are in softly lit glades. The line-up has been expertly curated, with each act offering great music that also fits in with the vibe of the audience, of the venue, and of the festival itself as a whole. In The Woods has offered a fully composed concept for its punters, and has delivered in every way possible, with marvellously heart-warming results.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/festival-reviews/in-the-woods-2012/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Stealing Sheep - Into the Diamond Light

Into the Diamond Sun is the first full-length release from all-girl Liverpudlian three-piece Stealing Sheep. This debut effort features lashing of lo-fi psyche folk, with an intriguing tinge of drone-ridden, olde worlde counterpoint, rhythm and harmonies. The album follows on from their debut EP I am the Rain, released in 2011, along with a growing degree of well-deserved media attention.

This album, like all of Stealing Sheep’s work, is very vocal heavy. Beautifully inter-laced harmonies, fixed in ancient musical modes drift through each track in a way that is hypnotic, ethereal, and at times even haunting. Each individual voice has its own personality and opportunity to shine through, but the collectivism of the trio’s voices, creating complex, otherworldly harmonies, is where the real strength of Stealing Sheep’s music lies. Polyphonic madrigals cross the ears, making Into the Diamond Sun feel ancient, strange, eerie and captivating. Think Au Revoir Simone meets the Medieval Babes and you are perhaps getting some way towards Stealing Sheep’s mysterious vocal style.

Nowhere in the album is this vocal style more evident than in the recent single Shut Eye, which was so famously used in a recent advert for Hollyoaks. The tracks placement in the advert will certainly help the girls on their way to fame and fortune, but it must be said that the advert itself astutely enhanced the qualities of Stealing Sheep’s music. Certainly, this is music well suited to wooded glades, billowing white dresses and fairy lights.

Into the Diamond Sun is not simply about beautiful voices, however. The entire soundscape these ladies create – the collective layers of sound offered throughout this album are both evocative and intriguing. Stealing Sheep have clear musical intentions, using interesting, apt and quirky timbres to create a wistful and intelligent backdrop to the girl’s vocals. Organic and electronic sounds mix to make this album fresh and vibrant; tabers, bodhrans and frame drums create thick rhythms alongside effervescent synths. These girls are clearly very clever, musically intuitive, and instrumentally competent.

Into the Diamond Light offers both accessible and eccentric psyche-folk, which is charismatic, hazy and evocative – the perfect soundtrack to late summer.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/album-reviews/stealing-sheep-into-the-diamond-sun/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: The Hundred In The Hands - Red Night

When The Hundred in the Hands emerged in 2010 with the release of their debut EP (This Desert) and eponymous first album, the group were at the front of the emerging dream-pop scene in Brooklyn, NY. They created clever, exciting, innovative music that was rousingly fresh and different. The group’s style of soft synth-pop was delicate, diverse, and subtly exotic in its quiet brilliance.
Now, in 2012, it is safe to say that Brooklyn’s fires of innovation are slowly dying down – and it is perhaps not quite the stupendous and unique creative hub that it once was. This second full-length effort from The Hundred in the Hands reflects this geographical/temporal artistic shift, and as such it is not as innovative a body of work as their debut EP and album. There is less dynamism and innovation at play here, which with the passing of time is perhaps to be expected.

With Red Night, The Hundred in the Hands  have certainly offered a competent and enjoyable album however, which is full of the same atmosphere and whimsy that the group fostered in their earlier releases. There is also a darker, cinematic vibe to the music, which is an interesting development from the group’s work. More diverse, grandiose timbres are offered such as deep brass and horn hits mixed with crashing cymbals, and fat synths that would sound at home in any 1980s’ film from TRON to Ladyhawke.

There is also a wistful distance to this album, even more so than what was present in earlier releases. Many tracks feature incredibly low-key mixes with barely audible atmospheric drones, distant guitars are fed through lashings of echo and chorus, and as in earlier work, vocals are dripping in heavy, almost ethereal reverb. The overall effect of these methods makes Red Night quietly melancholic. Many of the tracks, such as the title track and Empty Stations are very toned down, and almost appear to be unfolding in slow-motion.

Red Night is not a one trick pony, however. There is more rhythmic diversity here than in The Hundred in the Hands’ previous work, with complex poly-rhythms at play in some tracks. The level of saturation and overdubs is varied too, with timbres coming like sporadic waves. The combination of live and synth sounds is also more apparent, with crunchy, distorted guitars occurring alongside live percussion and drums.

There is some genuine beauty with each track on Red Night, and once again, The Hundred in the Hands have proved themselves to be the masters of layering timbres and fusing sounds to make an intrinsic, yet complete whole. This is still clever and enjoyable music, even if it is beginning to sound a tad familiar.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/album-reviews/the-hundred-in-the-hands-red-night/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Marina and the Diamonds - Power and Control (Remix)

Marina and the Diamonds, ‘Power and Control’ [Eliphino Remix], 679 Recordings

Created by London-based producer Eliphino, this is a relaxed, low-key remix of Marina and the Diamonds’ new single ‘Power and Control’. This chill-out house style remix of ‘Power and Control’ offers a fairly mellow mix of the original track presenting an interesting take on what is one of the more punchy tracks from Marina’s sophomore album, Electra Heart.


The Eliphino mix has captured and contorted the more delicate timbres in the original recording and elaborated and extended upon them in some interesting and intriguing ways. The first section especially offers a very engaging pattern of sounds, with a post-dub step slant that is common in Eliphino’s work. The subtleness of the first third of the track does get somewhat overtaken though when a strong house beat kicks in after only 50 seconds or so, slightly jarring the vibe at times and jeopardising the integrity of the remix and other timbres at play.

Additionally, as often happens with remixes, the vocal and lyrical content of the track is somewhat lost here. This is a shame, as with this track (as with much of Marina’s work), the vocal abilities and lyric content are of a very high calibre and, therefore, disappointing to loose. What we are left with is more of an impression of ‘Power and Control’ and, as such, this remix is a only shadow of the original track.

The Eliphino remix of ‘Power and Control’ is available now via download separately or on the special remix bundle, which includes various re-versionings of the track, also to download. Marina is currently on the US leg of her Lonely Hearts Club world tour; the UK leg is set to commence this autumn.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/07/26/review-marina-and-the-diamonds-4/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC PIECE: Introducing Yellow Fever

Lets cut to the chase here – Yellow Fever are perhaps the best new band I have encountered this year. As new music editor, I receive floods of emails daily on new bands supposedly worthy of attention, but these guys are the real deal. This band is talent, musical ability, commitment and creativity, in one very young, Oxford-based package.

I came across Yellow Fever recently in an unassuming country pub, offering a modest audience their sonic wares. They gave an enrapturing performance. It was energetic, competent, dynamic, and fully committed to the moment. The group were also quietly charismatic, and young enough to not know quite how very good they are, which of course makes them all the more appealing.

Yellow Fever’s music is guitar centric per se, but it fuses such a diverse array of styles, genres and influences. Tropical, math, surf and hi-life influences are obvious, along with poly-rhythms, and excellent usage of effects units and cowbells. The music is upbeat yet clever, multi-layered and complex, and sonically speaking incredibly clever. Think Bloc Party meets Vampire Weekend and you’re perhaps some of the way there.

Lyrically, Yellow Fever’s work is also strong, tackling a range of issues with a subtle poetry, astuteness and sensitivity that is uncommon in musicians generally, yet alone ones so young. The lyrics are perhaps a little earnest at times, but they are full of clever assonance and alliteration, and are delivered with quiet passion.

Yellow Fever are next set to play the main stage at Truck Festival this coming weekend, and can be seen gigging around Oxford regularly. The band are not currently signed, but this writer certainly expects big things from Yellow Fever in the near future.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/introducing-yellow-fever/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Kool Thing (Single)

Kool Thing, ‘Plan. Life. Go.’, Laser Guided Melodies

This debut single from Berlin-based duo Kool Thing is a compelling, slow-burning tune, composed with elements of electro, techno and rock. Guitars penetrate this track entirely for the first three full minutes, offering a blues fuelled, cosmic-rock sound. Repetitive and persistent, the single slowly build with the eventual input of live percussion and post-modern drum machine patterns. Finally, atmospheric, effect-heavy vocals join the fray. Synth timbres too get involved. All these sonic ingredients lead to a pounding electro-rock track – deep, heavy and very danceable.

The track eventually reaches an almost cinematic climax, full of rush and adrenalin, retaining a meditative, warped vibe alongside a direct and physical rhythm. This is certainly a promising and complex debut effort from Jon Dark and Julie Chance.

‘Plan.Life.Go’ is available now via download or on 12” vinyl, as all good releases are. The single package also includes two remixes by Toby Kaar and REID.

See this at TGA at http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/07/09/review-kool-thing/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Saint Motel

The weather this summer might be utterly atrocious, but fear not – for there is a hansom new band from the shores of sunny California sending some summery musical vibes our way.

Saint Motel are an new all-male outfit with real charisma, creating indie rock with lashings of bosa nova, Latin, funk and tropical. Their sound has a mellow, smooth, south-of-the-border feel, distinctly retro without being throwback or pastiche. This band is the soundtrack to Daiquiris and Margaritas, cigar smoke, and lazing around because it’s just too damn hot.

This band create genuinely exciting, dynamic music with commercial factor. Saint Motel equal amiable, clever music, with a fresh yet classic appeal. Their music also has witty, cynical edge lyrically that should appeal well to our wry British humour.

Saint Motel’s debut album is set for release on July 10^th, and will be available on i-tunes, CD and 12”. They also have their fantastic track ‘Benny Goodman’ available on free download, like right now. They are sadly focusing on touring in the US at the moment, but hopefully they will approach our shores soon. Their raucous, rhythm-heavy live shows are sure please and entertain.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/music-saint-motel/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Ms Mr

At first Ms Mr appear to be yet another Brooklyn hipster band, making good music but not really making waves outside of the indie scene. They certainly have all the hallmarks of a hip alt band – a tumblr site full of quirky pictures and stop-motion graphics (and nothing else); promo videos made purely with recycled, post-modern, pop-culture clips of old horror films, musicals and adverts; and a sense of mystery, including a lack of photos, names or other personal information on the band’s members avail online or otherwise.

Ms Mr are not simply another alt-indie band however. These guys will not be staying on the low-down. For Ms Mr are surprisingly… commercial. They are in fact possibly the first truly commercial alternative band to have emerged from the Brooklyn chillwave/glitch-pop/gloom rock scene. They have even signed to Sony in the US – that is how likely success for this band is.

This is are still making good music however; it is interesting, subtle, layered and curious. Instrumentally the music focuses on the more accessible, pop side of glitch, but it has interesting timbres and intelligent composition, which is always lovely to hear. It is the vocals, however, supplied by Ms, that will really sell this band to wider audience. Ms has a high calibre vocal style that has been compared to the likes of Adele and Florence Welsh respectfully. Hers is a voice that is commercial and accessible, but not so much that musical integrity is compromised. The collective result of Ms’ vocals and Mr’s music is a kind of trip-hop and glitch inspired gloom pop, which will surely be popular with fans of Florence + the Machine, Lana Del Rey and Ellie Goulding.

Ms Mr have been active for around a year, and currently have three tracks available online, including their first official single Hurricane. They are lined up to support Marina and the Diamonds in the US next month on her Lonely Hearts Club tour. They also had a couple of UK dates scheduled for this month, but they have unfortunately been cancelled due to illness. We can only hope they approach our shores for the first time soon.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/introducing-ms/

THE GIRLS ARE POST (Single Review): tUnE-yArDs - 'Lady'

tUnE-yArDs feat.  Angélique Kidjo, ?uestlove and Akua Naru, ‘Lady’, Knitting Factory Records

Part of the (RED) Rush to Zero AIDS campaign, ‘Lady’ is the new effort from tUnE-yArDs, designed to raise funds and awareness for an AIDS free generation by 2015. The single, which sees tUnE-yArDs’ Merrill Garbus combine her efforts with Angélique Kidjo, ?uestlove and Akua Naru, is one of ten ways the Red Hot Organisation and (RED) charities are spreading AIDS awareness over June 2012.
‘Lady’ is a reworking of an original track by renowned afrobeat artist Fela Kuti. The new track attempts to recontextualises Kuti’s original song; as Garbus, (who also produced this new release) states:  “I wanted to reclaim ‘Lady’ for women in the world today, particularly African women, who will have an important role in ending the AIDS epidemic there.”

This new version of ‘Lady’ was recorded live in two takes, with minimal use of overdubs. The track has the same energy and flavour of typical tUnE-yArDs fare, and has far more pep and urgency than the original Kuti version. The track remains true to its roots, however, maintaining a mellow vibe with laidback high-life rhythms. The vocals to this track are the ultimate focus for the listener, however. Garbus’ robust voice takes a back seat, instead making way for the feisty, alluring vocals of Angelique Kidjo, and the dauntless and artful rapping of Akua Naru. Combined with backing vocals from Garbus, this single offers some interesting and enjoyable vocal harmonies.

‘Lady’ is available to download from i-tunes now, with all the proceeds going to the Rush to Zero initiative. The track will also be available on the charity album (RED) Hot + Fela, also on Knitting Factory Records, which is set for release later in the year.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/06/13/review-tune-yards-5/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Monarchy Themed Playlist

Popular music is not traditionally monarchy friendly. Lyrical or contextual content related to pomp and circumstance, the royal family, jubilees and the like are not a common occurrence in pop and rock, unless of course your name is Gary Barlow. The reason for this is arguably because all forms of popular music are effectively rooted in disenfranchisement and escapism, from rock and roll, to hip-hop to punk or R&B. Origins such as these do not really go hand-in-hand with the hyper-privileged lifestyle that the Queen, the monarchy and the jubilee represent.

So how exactly should a monarchy themed mixtape be approached? An obvious way to tackle the theme would be to focus on a punk inspired playlist, with tunes circling around anti-monarchy sentiments, ala 1977 and the Silver Jubilee. But this of course has already been done, and mostly by men at that (while punk certainly had feminist undertones, the key players, especially in 1977, were all-male acts).

Instead, therefore, the girls are have chosen to focus our Monarchy themed mixtape around idyllic, metaphorical concepts linked to aspects of the monarchy – of crowns, diamonds, knights and ladies and princesses. Such abstractions are figuratively employed throughout music to symbolise all types love and idealism – ways us commoners can feel like royalty – special and priceless. Whether you are a ‘Dancing Queen’ or your partner’s knight in shinning armour, we can all feel like royalty when the mood takes us.

the girls are | Monarchy (Spotify)

1. Regina Spector – ‘Lady’
2. Fucked Up – ‘Queen of Hearts’
3. ABBA – ‘Dancing Queen’
4. Lady Lazarus – ‘Took in My Diamond Heart’
5. Au Revoir Simone – ‘Knight of Wands’
6. Ida Maria – ‘Queen of the World’
7. Bat For Lashes – ‘Seal Jubilee’
8. Marina and the Diamonds – ‘Shampain’
9. Princess Chelsea – ‘Machines of Loving Grace’
10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Dragon Queen’

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/06/10/mixtape-monarchy/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Polly and the BIllets Doux - Hold Fast

Polly and the Billets Doux, Hold Fast, Self Release

Following on from the group’s debut album Fiction, Half-Truths and Downright Lies, this new limited edition release sees the band once again fuse jazz, blues, English and American folk, with a fairly relaxed, mellifluous and chilled vibe.

The lead track, also entitled ‘Hold Fast’, focuses on the group’s Americana influences and has a pleasant and mellow yet upbeat vibe ideal for summer. Polly Perry demonstrates deliciously sultry, raspy and soulful vocals here and, indeed, throughout this whole EP. On the more mellow ‘Hymn Song’ and ‘Fortune of War’, she additionally generates some fabulous vocal harmonies, with low-key instrumentation to really show off her voice.


This EP twists through influences nicely, from Lisa Hannigan to The Byrds, with an equal balance of country and folk, upbeat and mellow.

The group are touring the EP throughout May and June, and have scheduled their sophomore album for release in 2013.


See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/05/26/review-polly-and-the-billets-doux/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Transformations in Pop

Transformations in both image and style are a common occurrence in the realm of the woman pop star. While male musicians may change musical direction, or morph styles in the course of their career, the concept of an “image change” in this industry is almost solely the preserve of women.

The reasons for this in essence are fairly obvious – women musicians and singers are still primarily noted for the way the present themselves, with musical style or ability often coming second. While most male musicians, at least in contemporary music culture, dress in everyday clothing (from t-shirts and jeans right through to matching tailored suits), the woman musician, especially in pop is still about image, looks, and if applicable sex appeal first and content second.

Women’s transformations in pop music can therefore often be complex and even negative when there is a demand for women to conform to fit a certain ideal. The need to lose weight, show more boob, have plastic surgery or just generally be more sexual is very problematic, but sadly it would seem, fairly typical. Examples such as Kylie Minogue, who went from wholesome girl next door to gold hot pants and a bum cleavage, or Katy Perry – cheeky pop star to a woman literally squeezing cream from her tits complex the issue further. Where is the power here? Are these women, and by proxy their impressionable fans, being exploited, or are they being empowered through overt displays of sexuality?

Without knowing where the creative force behind these transformations is placed, it is difficult to judge. For true empowerment through transformation, it would seem to be necessary to remove this questionable power struggle (typically in pop between male producers and women stars) and place creative control in the hands of the artists. This top 5 transformations in pop therefore features women artists who are clearly in charge of their image changes, and have boosted their career significantly through their own wry and savvy metamorphosis. They have altered and parodied concepts of conformity and pop’s obsession with the female form, enhancing it, mocking it, parodying it, and using it for their own ends.

5. Amy Winehouse
When Amy Winehouse released her excellent first LP Frank in 2003, she was a curvy, bonny lass, seemingly chirpy and devoid of much make-up. Beautiful though she was, the initial focus for Winehouse’s career was based mainly on her competent, soulful tunes. Zip forward to 2006, and with a new album out burst a reinvented Amy Winehouse punctuated by “heroin chic”. Displaying a monstrous beehive, sailor tattoos and those trademark cat eyeliner flicks, Winehouse fostered a memorable, eye-catching look, with bare bones, bruised, scabs and all, that mirrored the harsher turn both her music and her life had taken.

Ultimately this change was too authentic and too close to a tragic reality. But her transformation was undoubtedly successful, and marked the major turning point in her career, turning her into a commercially successful, worldwide star.


4. Lana Del Rey 
The transformation from coy and toned down Lizzie Grant to Lana Del Rey, the so-called “gangster Nancy Sinatra” that we know today has been highly contentious and well documented. Whether or not the floundered musical career of Grant was fabricated as a deliberate precursor to Lana Del Rey is inconsequential – the fact is the transformation worked. The severe reworking from Grant as a fairly drab and ordinary artist into Del Rey – the intoxicating dirty hipster has caught our collective imaginations and boosted the artist, 2.0, to fame of dizzying heights in a very short space of time. Is it authentic? Perhaps not. But Lana Del Rey certainly seems to have been a significant creative driving force for this transformation, which has benefitted her career greatly.


3. Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj’s transformation in pop is more convoluted than a simple image change, with the singer instead adopting a variety of outlandish alter egos to apply at will. These transformations are what make Minaj such as dynamic and noteworthy pop star. Certainly, she is a quality MC with a quirky, idiosyncratic vocal style. But with a more toned down, atypical R&B image, it unlikely that Minaj would have reached the same height as she has with her multi-coloured hair in ludicrous styles, her bizarre facial expressions, her giant boobs and tiny waist, enrobed in outfits which have in the past included doctor’s masks, pink wellies and stitched on cuddly toys. Minaj as herself, “Roman Zolanski”, “Rrrrosa” or “Harajuku Barbie” work to highlight and compliment this artist’s genuine talent and intriguing style of rap, which may have gone unnoticed alongside a more toned down visual style.


2. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s early career image change has to be the most dramatic of all the artists listed here. Many will have seen the YouTube clips of Gaga performing as Stefani Germanotta, who by comparison is a fairly plain, dark haired lady producing subdued tracks accompanied only by her own piano playing. Although Germanotta clearly had excellent vocal abilities, along with being intelligent and a competent songwriter, the singer had relatively little success, struggling for years to gain professional recognition.

Until of course, Germanotta reinvented herself as Lady Gaga. Once the Gaga character was born, success followed. From ‘Just Dance’ onward, Lady Gaga’s personal style and artistic direction have become ever-increasingly outlandish, and as her looks got more bizarre, so her success grew. Undoubtedly her music is very catchy – but ultimately it is her unique and supremely eye-catching style that have set her apart and boosted her to huge fame. And best of all – she is the driving force behind her transformation – and through her own eccentric imagination and creativity, pop music has far more colour and curiosity once again.


1. Madonna 
Ah Madonna, the queen of reinvention. It can be of little doubt that Madonna’s enduring popularity, spanning nearly 30 years is in no small part down to her seemingly natural ability to transform herself and her music. From virgin to whore, goth to cowboy, disco queen to 50s’ pin-up, Madonna has done it all, and continues to reinvent herself into areas we have yet even thought of. Cleverly, Madonna matches her music to her look, making the transformations seem effortless and natural. As well as mastering physical transformations, she has mastered sounds from IDM with William Orbit to playing a Les Paul completely competently at live earth.

Madge embodies transformations in pop. Not every revamp has been wholly successful (at least from a critical perspective), but she is always the driving force behind each reversioning on herself. She is in control of each image with all the power and success completely of her own making.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/05/25/top-5-transformations-in-pop/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Fixers - We'll Be the Moon

The debut offering from Fixers focuses on laptop-based musical creation in the realms of psychedelic pop, post-pop and electronic dance. Full of lively, upbeat tunes, We’ll Be the Moon offers vibrant pop ideal for summer, without much cloying, saccharine aftertaste. Most tracks on the album have a spaced out, hazy and mellow vibe not dissimilar to Darwin Deez – indeed, one could easily see key tracks from We’ll Be the Moon providing musical backing to adverts for New Look et al., with images of sun-drenched, tanned beauties, melting ice lollies, sprinklers and swimming pools providing a perfect visual accompaniment to Fixers’ music.

Fixers’ sound is fairly close to Oxford contemporaries such as a Foals and Blessing Force, but the group also have clear similarly with the likes of Animal Collective and MGMT. Instrumentation therefore is as you might expect, typically over saturated with samples and synthesizers alongside the traditional guitar-bass-drums set-up. Like their contemporaries, the Fixers’ sound is also well produced, with good musicianship, alongside an array of panning and effects techniques.

This is a diverse album instrumentally, but synth does effectively rule Fixers’ sound. Unfortunately, at times many of these synth timbres are very laboured, and far too retrogressive. The tracks Alexandra and Swimmhaus Johannesberg are particularly guilty of this, at times sounding weirdly like Hurts (doing Pet Shop Boys doing Tears For Fears). There are better tracks available for the listener, however. Iron Deer Dream, the album’s lead single has a degree of conviction and presence with more noteworthy instrumentation and very catchy vocal harmonies. Unfortunately however, this track is probably the only item on We’ll Be the Moon that shows genuine brilliance and commercial viability.

I expected to like this album a great deal – the group’s collective influences and contemporaries should equal an interesting album full of vibrant and exciting music. Regrettably however, We’ll Be the Moon left me a bit cold. Perhaps this reaction amounts to a degree of jadedness on my part – I have after all enjoyed previous artist’s forays into the enchanting realm that is psyche inspired post-pop. It must be said though that the curiosity of the genre – the intelligence, capability and creativity that radiated from music past is perhaps now becoming so typical that it no longer seems dazzling or impressive. In this context my negative reaction to We’ll Be the Moon makes perfect sense – what was interesting and dynamic in 2009 will not necessarily remain so three years later.

There in lies the only major problem with this album, and indeed it is a critic’s problem: We’ll Be the Moon is of a genre that was once very compelling, but is now becoming stagnant. This album is certainly pleasant to listen to, but it makes no attempts to move the direction of the genre forward, or add anything of further merit. It is ultimately an alt/indie/pop album that is going through the motions, albeit in a way that is outwardly fairly enjoyable.

See this post at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/album-reviews/fixers-well-be-the-moon/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Zulu

Zulu are an emerging London based underground act with a intense and authentic old school punk vibe. Fusing a galvanising mix of garage rock, English punk, ska and hardcore, this group create short, ballsy tracks that sound simultaneous nostalgic and fresh in equal measure. The group’s sound, which they themselves describe as “tribal punk”, is definitely surly and antagonistic – not precisely aggressive or nihilistic, but very intense, persistent and genuine. Each track is rough around the edges, with whisky soaked vocals and choppy, distorted guitars. Zulu create music that is visceral, fun, urgent and physical.

With plenty of dirty Instagram style promo pics and a significant number of pork pie hats, this group look like they have emerged fresh out 1980’s Camden or Coventry. Visually Zulu have taken clear influence from the likes of The Specials, but in reality the group have more of an aural influence from hardcore American acts such as Cerebral Ballzy, Dead Kennedys and The Misfits. The punk vibe follows through to the group’s marketing too, with the production of their first EP limited exclusively to tape format. This DiY approach is purposely grassroots and niche, and is applied whole-heartedly to each way the group market themselves, from promo posters to t-shirts. This could be arguably considered to be slightly pretentious – but limited production lines and secret launch parties are a sure fire way to create intrigue, exclusivity and buzz.

This exciting new punk act may have only been active on the music scene for a few months, but they have already been labelled by NME Radar’s band of the day – a sign perhaps of exciting things to come. Their self-released debut EP Way of the Zulu was released in March on a limited 500 copy tape run, but it is also currently available to stream on the group’s website.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/introducing-zulu/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: April News Pieces

Jesca Hoop - New Album Release:

Moodily melodic solo artist Jesca Hoop is set to return this year with her third album The House That Jack Built, due for release on her own label on June 25.

The House That Jack Built follows on from 2009’s critically- acclaimed album Hunting My Dress; an album which earned her high-profile fans including Peter Gabriel, Jools Holland and Elbow’s Guy Garvey. Hoop’s new offering is set to offer the same haunting intimacy as her previous work, complete with eerie soundscapes and perspective-warping lyrics.

Jessie J - New Video:

Feisty popstar and The Voice coach Jessie J has unveiled the video to her new track ‘LaserLight’.

Taken from the Platinum Edition of her debut album Who You Are, ‘LaserLight’ is a electro-house ballad which perfectly exhibits Jessie’s powerhouse vocals. Featuring David Guetta, the master of all things dance, this track is set to be the soundtrack to club summer in 2012, and it now has a slick new video to match.
The single is set for release on May 13, via Island and Universal.

Marina and the Diamonds - Free Track:

Gorgeous songstress Marina And The Diamonds has released an acoustic rendition of her track ‘Homewrecker’.

Showcasing the singer’s accomplished vocal talents, ‘Homewrecker’ appears straight off Marina’s new album Electra Heart, set for release on 679/Atlantic on April 30. Witty, eccentric and ravishingly tongue-in-cheek, ‘Homewrecker’ focuses on identity, love and doomed romance.
This distinguished acoustic version of the track is currently available for free download on Marina’s website.

Paloma Faith - New Video:

Quirky, uber-glam popstar Paloma Faith has released the video to her brand new single ‘Picking Up The Pieces’, scheduled for release on May 20.

This cinematic video, dripping with wealth and drama, is just what you would expect from Ms Faith, with the visuals complementing her powerful voice marvellously. This lead single precedes the release of her second album Fall To Grace, out on May 28.

2:54 - New Video:

Grunge-punk duo 2:54 have offered up the video to their new single ‘You’re Early’.

This atmospheric video and adjoining single, out now on Fiction, demonstrates the Thurlow sisters’ cool brand of desert rock perfectly.
The girls, fresh from their highly successful US tour, will now be playing a couple of London shows at Rough Trade East on May 31 and Scala on June 7, in support of their forthcoming self-titled debut LP, released May 28. Tickets are on sale now.

See this at TGA at:
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/04/16/read-all-about-it-jesca-hoop/
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/04/16/video-jessie-j-5/
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/04/16/read-all-about-it-marina-and-the-diamonds-2/
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/04/23/video-paloma-faith/
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/04/24/video-254-2/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Record Store Day Piece

Arguably, Rough Trade East is not a truly independent music shop, as there is currently a sister site at Notting Hill and a third site rumoured to be opening in York in the summer. For me, however, Rough Trade East is the perfect music shop experience and the best indie record store bar none. This 5000 square foot haven of independent sounds has quite literally everything any music lover could ask for and more. The store has a marvellous vibe that encourages you to graze and unearth new things. This is a more personal, more idiosyncratic form of organic musical experience, with obscure imports and innovative new concepts, such as the album badge (a badge based picture of the album cover, with a chip inside that contains the whole album to listen to in MP3 form). There is also a plethora of services to nurture and encourage musical exploration, (and a pleasant general in-store experience), including a fair-trade café, a snug seating area, a tech booth and electronics store, a book and magazine section and an old fashioned photo booth which gives you four unique pictures for only £3. They even have in-store gigs on a regular basis, with a well set-up stage and a dedicated techie. This store, simply put, is pure muso bliss.

See this post at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/features/musings-on-music/record-store-day-2012/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Pinkunoizu - Free Time

Free Time is the first full-length release by Berlin’s ultra-cool lo-fi fiends Pinkunoizu. This vibrant debut, released on Full Time Hobby in March, follows on from the group’s November EP Peep, with plenty of intelligent, harmonious math-pop featuring a subtle edge.

Lead track Time is Like a Melody kicks off this varied album with sweeping soundscapes, plenty of reverb, and haunting, saturated vocals. There are clear elements of Arcade Fire’s sound throughout this track (and indeed sporadically throughout the album as a whole), which is evocative and beautiful. The album is not focused on such calm sonic events however; the second track on Free Time - Myriad Pyramid immediately changes the music’s direction. Still present are the saturated samples and vague, distorted vocals, but these are placed within disjointed, syncopated rhythms and a curious flattened key signature. The track is very evocative of Middle-Eastern music styles, but also mirrors very cleverly the strange, exotic place pyramids and Egypt in general hold in Western culture.

Tracks vary further throughout Free Time, and each musical escapade is equally successful, original and interesting. One reason for such diversity throughout this debut is the huge selection of influences present. One minute the listener is subject to surf and country style guitars a la Cyborb Manifesto, the next, oppressive, futuristic synth timbres reverberate around the ears. The album is not a mess however. Yes, there are a huge amount of very different musical influences present, including Bjork, The Beatles, Matmos, The Avalanches, The Drums, Stereolab and The Grateful Dead, who are all audible at various points. There are also examples of other musical culture present, from folk bazoukis to Indonesian Gamelan, African tuned percussion and aboriginal music. Tracks are very varied, but each is under-pinned by subtle stylistic elements, such as the lo-fi production, the reverb-saturated vocals, and the harmonious interplay between the live recordings, the synth parts and the samples. The album is well produced throughout, without over usage of panning techniques, which can become disorientating when there is so much sound to listen to.

Free Time is a very good example of the new direction alt-indie music is heading the early part of this new decade. Tracks are complex, varied, with innumerate influences, instruments and techniques. This is everything at once, information age, highly post-modern music, and Pinkunoizu produce it very well. Every sound is well co-ordinated to create experimental music that is great fun to listen to.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/album-reviews/pinkunoizu-free-time/ 

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Focus on Festivals - Field Day 2012

Field Day is an independent, one day music festival now in its sixth year. Organised by a variety of blogs and collectives (including Eat Your Own Ears and Bugged Out!), the major focus for this festival has always been music, and once again, Field Day intends to be a celebration of bold, innovative and imaginative alternative sounds. This year’s line-up already looks pretty exciting, with some of the world’s most pioneering new and established acts due to perform. Major acts including Metronomy, The Vaccines, Beirut and Franz Ferdinand are due to appear, as well as excellent budding artists such as Blood Orange, Summer Camp, Errors and Friends. 

Field Day has plenty else to offer putters however. Apart from their fantastic line-up, the festival should have an amazing array of food available, provided by the stalls of Venn Street Market, including Creole fishcakes, artisan sweets, and an award-winning hog roast. There are also plenty of additional activities to involve yourselves in when taking a break from the music. There is a quirky selection of “village green mentality” activities in celebration of the Jubilee year, including a tug of war competition, themed coconut shys, and even winkle picking contests.

This year’s Field Day festival is being held once again at Victoria Park in the East End of London, snuggled between Hackney, Homerton and Mile End. The date is scheduled for Saturday 2^nd June, with gates opening at 11:30am. Tickets are currently priced at £45, although some early bird tickets may still be available for £39.50. Tickets can be purchased online, or at a number of hip venues across the North/North-East of London, including Rough Trade East and The Lock Tavern in Camden. This festival is for over 18s only.

See this at MTTM: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/features/focus-on-festivals/focus-on-festivals-field-day-2012/

THE GIRLS ARE POST (ALBUM REVIEW): Internet Forever - Internet Forever

Its fair to say that Internet Forever’s debut album has been hotly anticipated. The group have had rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, the NME and Drowned in Sound for previously released singles, and praise is now starting to pour in for their eponymous debut too. The appeal is obvious. Internet Forever create short, upbeat, catchy songs with lashings of alt-indie credentials, all wrapped up in a totally accessible yet credible pop-based package.

The album is stuffed full of short, sweet songs, with few tracks on the album topping three minutes. Offerings are scuzzy and obtrusive – a diverse katzenjammer of matted lo-fi drums, synth timbres and guitars. Immediate impressions of the album are of messy pop fuel joy, with influences from psychedelic dream pop, to surf rock and noise pop. Best Coast are probably the group’s closest contemporaries, but there are also subtle influences from 1990s’ acts such as Shampoo and Kinickie. Indeed, Internet Forever’s lead vocals are quite reminiscent of a young Lauren Lavern.

The album is mixed very well, with each track blending seamlessly into the next, effectively creating a 30 minute sonic montage. What is particularly interesting, however, is the prominence of the percussion throughout the album. Hand claps and bass drums are as high in the mix as the vocals, which give the album yet more punch and energy.

The general demeanour of the band’s music is very light, joyful and bright, and in many ways quite simple. There is almost a schoolyard feel to Internet Forever’s music – a youthful joie de vivre and simplicity within the melody progression and lyrical content. Cute, teenage sensibilities is the most significant, over-arching sentiment of the album, with gorgeously youthful, optimistic lyric on adolescent mundanities being the predominant lyrical focus. This is all simply executed with such enthusiasm and honesty that is completely un-sickly. Topics are covered in simple polarities – love/not love, happy/sad, good/bad.

Internet Forever has such simple and sweet approach both lyrically and musically, that is in no way stupid or shallow. Indeed, the lyrics very insightfully and accurately represent the mindset of youth, which ultimately makes this album pleasurable for anyone who is, or who was once young.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/03/27/review-internet-forever/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: February News Pieces

Rebecca Ferguson Video Release:

Soulful X Factor darling Rebecca Ferguson has unveiled the video to her new track ‘Too Good to Lose’.
Following on from the release of her debut, self-penned album Heaven in early December, ‘Too Good to Lose’ once again demonstrates her excellent vocal abilities, which have clearly matured past the boundaries of the show that spawned her.
The single is out on on March 4 and is a combined release through Syco and Epic. The track is currently available for pre-order on iTunes.
Ferguson also begins her first ever UK tour tonight, continuing throughout February and March.

Charlene Soraia Live Session:

Following on from the release of her critically-acclaimed debut album Moonchild, singer-songwriter Charlene Soraia has recorded a live session of a new track entitled ‘Animal’.
This entirely new song does not feature on Soraia’s debut, but it does include the musician’s genuinely unique guitar skills on her much beloved baritone guitar (affectionately named Barry). Known to many as the girl who sang ‘Wherever You Will Go’ on the Twinings advert, this new track once again showcases her talent beautifully.
Soraia’s first headline UK tour kicked off on Sunday – unfortunately, all shows are now sold out, but she has announced further dates in bigger venues across the UK and Ireland in April, this time with a full band.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Remix EP:

Hip Brooklyn-based indie-pop quartet The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have announced details of a new remix EP in support of Record Store Day 2012.
The remixes have been lifted from the group’s critically-acclaimed sophomore album Belong, released in March 2011. This new EP, entitled Acid Reflex, is set for release on Play It Again Sam, and will be available on limited edition coloured vinyl and digital download from Record Store Day onwards, which will be held this year on April 21.
The tracklisting for Acid Reflex is as follows:
1. Heart In Your Heartbreak (Twin Shadow Remix)
2. The Body (Violens Remix)
3. Too Tough (Saint Etienne Remix)
4. My Terrible Friend (Washed Out Remix)
The band are also playing a one-off UK show at O2 Academy Islington on March 8 – tickets are on sale now.

Jodie Marie Additional Tour Dates:

Youthful pop-soul singer Jodie Marie has announced a new string of live dates for the next few months, including a low-key album launch show for her debut album Mountain Echo.
After successfully appearing at a number of key London venues, including XOYO, The Barfly and the Jazz Café, Marie will be performing at the Women of Peace fundraising night, hosted at Chelsea’s intimate Pheasantry Club. She also has a couple of homecoming dates planned for her native Wales.
Current dates are listed below; tickets are extremely limited. More dates are to be announced shortly.

See these at TGA:
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/02/20/video-rebecca-ferguson/ 
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/02/21/read-all-about-it-charlene-soraia/
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/02/28/read-all-about-it-the-pains-of-being-pure-at-heart-4/
http://www.thegirlsare.com/2012/02/28/read-all-about-it-jodie-marie-2/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Favourite Album Covers

Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables

A true punk album cover in every sense of the word. At first glance it simply has a vague, sense of cold, oppressive, unknown violence – lots of black, a little white, and a huge plume of smoke is the preliminary impression. Ultimately the image is *only* a row of cars burning out, but the air of tolerance and even an understanding of such acts of mindless nihilistic aggression on behalf of the artist (and by proxy the band themselves), is rather unnerving – a vibe that every genuine punk act should surely aspire to.

The Pogues – Rum, Sodomy and the Lash

This is such an iconic album cover – incredibly atmospheric, dirty and romantic, just like The Pogues themselves. Released in 1985, the cover to Rum, Sodomy and the Lash is based on the painting The Raft of the Medusa by Theodore Gericault, with each band member’s face subtly daubed over the original. The Gericault painting was based on real-life survivors of a shipwreck in the 19^th centaury, who had to ensure starvation, dehydration and eventual madness and cannibalism before being finally rescued. Another marvellously overdramatic metaphor for the band’s collective consciousness.

Roisin Murphy – Overpowered

A fantastically witty, subtly humorous album cover that exudes aesthetic intuition. The juxtaposition of your average greasy spoon café against Murphy’s outlandishly creative and gratuitous outfit is simply marvellous.

See this is MTTM: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/features/musings-on-music/favourite-album-covers/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Katzenjammer

Katzenjammer have been floating around on the radar for a while, with a number of well-received UK gigs completed last year, along with plenty of good press and airplay. I was surprised therefore to discover that the group, who are from Oslo in Norway, have yet to release any music in the UK. That is set to change very soon however.

Katzenjammer are an all-female band who formed in 2005. They have released two albums in their native Norway to both critical and commercial success. Throughout 2011 though the girl’s have been developing a following throughout the UK, with a solid festival schedule introducing audiences to their riotous folk-pop cum gypsy-punk sound.

The name Katzenjammer itself is a German word, literally meaning a cat howling, or a discordant sound. In many ways this is an accurate metaphor for the group’s sound, which is incredibly varied, with a whole mess of influences and styles exampled. Katzenjammer’s music is mostly folk inspired, with Scottish and Irish folk being sourced in particular. There is also plenty of Balkan folk influences, country pop, swing, and bar room jazz in their music as well, so much so that the music sweeps in focus from track to track. One minute the group sounds like Golgo Bordello, then on the next track they sound like The Puppini Sisters, then the next they sound like Dolly Parton. It is a total mess at times, but very enjoyable with it.

Katzenjammer’s music is not only stuffed with genres and influences, but it is also chock full of instruments too. The four girls are all multi-instrumentalists, and can play over 25 different instruments between them, including accordion, melodica, balalaika and zither. They also have some lovely voices too, switching easily from pretty, soft vox to a more punchy, attitude-ridden style seamlessly.

Katzenjammer’s debut album A Kiss Before You Go is set for release in May 2012, and their debut UK single I Will Dance (When I Walk Away) is scheduled for March.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/introducing-katzenjammer/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: New Music - Internet Forever

On the surface, Internet Forever appear to be just another cool alt-indie act, ideal for hipsters, but not necessarily on anybody else’s radar. The band have toured with Johnny Foreigner and Los Campesinos!, and have their impending album launch party set for The Old Blue Last in Hoxton. Their debut was produced by the likes of James Rutledge and Dreamtrak, a duo that have worked with some of the coolest bands from the past fives years, and the group’s lead track Break Bones had rave reviews on Pitchfork.

Internet Forever are not a band reserved for hipsters and scene kids, however. Their music has got plenty of indie credentials – lo-fi production, pretty female vocals and a DIY vibe is all evident – but there is also a strong pop vibe to the group’s work. The general demeanour of the band’s music is very light, joyful and bright, and in many ways quite simple. Indeed, there is almost a schoolyard feel to Internet Forever’s music - a youthful joie de vivre and simplicity within the melody progression and lyrical content is mixed with a hint of teenage melancholy.

Internet Forever have their eponymous debut due for release on 18^th February 2012 on Tape Alarm Records. This album is currently available through a fantastic pre-order package includes t-shirts, a photography zine and an extra CD with demo tracks and rarities.

See this post at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/new-music-internet-forever/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST (ALBUM REVIEW): First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar

Listening to First Aid Kit is always a slightly bizarre experience. Music by the Soderberg sisters is so irrevocably of another era that it is very easy to forget this is music by two very young Swedish girls. Like the group’s previous releases, The Lion’s Roar is awash with country folk influences from Gram Parsons to Fleetwood Mac, and each track (and indeed the girl’s whole vibe, within artwork, videos etc.) is saturated with 70s references; of kaftans, analogue film, and Technicolor suns suffuse with golden light. Among contemporaries the girl’s work could be filed next to the likes of Best Coast and The Pierces.


This album is the girls’ first be recorded in America – the clear spiritual home for their music. Produced by Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, The Lion’s Roar features impeccably good production, incredibly evocative of the desired era. The sound of the album is far richer and stronger than First Aid Kit’s previous self-produced efforts, and sounds much more professional. The organisation of each instrument, and especially the way Mogis has mixed the vocals offers a more heightened sense of mystical, wistful melancholy that boosts the girls’ desire for bittersweet sentimentality within their music.


The girls’ voices are obviously the key focus for the album, with beautiful, haunting harmonies and an acute fragility. These vocals however do sound like cuts from the crypt, stylised exactly like a 1970s country folk track. They are slathered with reverb, peaking highs and a strange enunciation that is incredibly American and very, very far away from Stockholm. The instrumentation too offers a swamp of 1970s references, with positively prehistoric pedal steel guitars and vaguely honky-tonk pianos occurring frequently.


In many ways this is a very nice album, featuring some touching harmonies where vocals and instruments intertwine perfectly. When strings are involved especially, there is a souring, almost transcendental quality to the music, especially within tracks like "To a Poet", and there are some enjoyable little ditties too, like "King of the World".


Ultimately though this music is pure heritage. There is very little added to the great musical spectrum with The Lion’s Roar, other than pretty tracks. First Aid Kit are once again treading over ground that has been covered many times before. In purely visceral terms, this is a fine album, as is the girls’ work generally. But from a critical perspective the album is rather stale. There is nothing new here, indeed the main focus of the album is the over laboured 70s vibe, which The Lion’s Roar pushes almost to the point of exhaustion at times. As a new release, from girls so young it is all a bit surreal, and slightly disappointing.

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Next Best Things - Predictions for 2012

Here is a selection of new artists that will be really hot in 2012.

Friends
Excellent, excellent band. Not exactly a new band (these guys have been knocking around for nearly a year now releasing free singles), Friends make very hip lo-fi indie. They may be very Brooklyn and very dream-pop, but they are in no way tiresome or aged. Instead, they are fresh, raw and immediate, with a curious light-heart urgency. Very much a new Tom Tom Club, with quirky hints of The Waitresses.
http://www.myspace.com/friends

Ursa Minor (Little Bear)
These guys make very interesting electronica with hints of dubstep, metal and emo. Deep, dark and complex, this is truly intelligent dance music, already hyped by the likes of Dazed and Confused.
http://www.facebook.com/ursaminorlittlebear?sk=app_2405167945

Professor Penguin 
Bad band name? Maybe. But my god, this group’s music is pretty top notch. Beautiful and melancholy with lovely hints of whimsy, this band creates work that is very enjoyable and musically progressive. The group’s sound effectively stands out as contemplative indie pop, with gentle brass licks and harmonious vocals, but there are also subtle references to glitch, post-dubstep and bosa nova, making their music a truly interesting sonic step forward.
http://www.professorpenguin.co.uk/

Jethro Fox
Liverpudian solo artist Jethro Fox’s music is polished, upbeat and quietly joyous. Very pleasant (and especially industrious for a solo artist), Fox treads the fine line between thoughtful production and traditional indie instrumentation perfectly. Think Passion Pit meets Fleet Foxes.
http://www.facebook.com/jethrofox?sk=info

The Ghosts 
Cool and collected, yet vaguely hopeful electro indie, The Ghosts have emerged out of the ashes of promising band Ou Est le Swimming Pool after their lead singer tragically committed suicide last year. The Ghosts, perhaps expectedly perform music tinged with melancholy, but electro is the key theme in each track, taking influences from OMD and the Pet Shop Boys to Empire of the Sun.
http://www.facebook.com/wearetheghosts

Zemmy Momoh
This sassy, soulful lady is creating something slightly out of the ordinary in today’s musical landscape. With a distinctly 80s vibe, this lady has a jazzy, cosmopolitan vibe with elements of electro and rock smattered throughout her sound. Vocals are very much Lauryn Hill meets Sade.
http://www.myspace.com/zemmym

2:54
Sibling duo 2:54 create a heavy, dark style of desert rock with cold hints of the deeper side of punk. Sounding like an amalgamation of Mazzy Star and The XX, these girls are sultry and feisty, with an eerie, close sound.
http://www.twofiftyfour.net/

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/next-best-things-new-music-predictions-for-2012/