LYKKE LI - 'WOUNDED RHYMES'...

So, I've spent my morning attempting to write some more of my dissertation (what a cunt of a task) whilst listening to the new Lykke Li album 'Wounded Rhymes', & I'm surprised to admit that it's prevented me from throwing my laptop through the window. It's a good listen.

It has a perfect balance of slow tempo ballads like 'I Know Places' & the folky 'Unrequited Love' which sounds like it could be straight from a First Aid Kit record, & up-tempo catchy pop songs such as 'Youth Knows No Pain' & 'Get Some', which features the lyric, "I'm your prostitute, you gonna get some". Yum. 'Wounded Rhymes' also triumphs on the production front, successfully veering between & also combining different retro, lo-fi styles as well as clean, polished folk ballads.

Overall, I think this album could propel this Swedish lovely into the pop mainstream, & rightly so, this is a refreshing pop album which would trample over 90% of the tripe that currently occupies the pop charts.

DOG IS DEAD. ONES TO WATCH...

I'm slightly ashamed of myself that I've never heard of this band until I opened the pages of this week's NME. Dog is Dead are right up my street. There's a sound slightly reminiscent of early Mystery Jets. The harmonies are TIGHT!

RADIOHEAD - 'LOTUS FLOWER' VIDEO...

With the new album 'King of Limbs' being released digitally tomorrow, Radiohead have put out this video for 'Lotus Flower'. Nice dancing Thom.

FLASHGUNS - 'PASSIONS OF A DIFFERENT KIND'...

'Passions of a Different Kind' is the first single to be taken from their debut album which should be released this summer.

NEW MOGWAI ALBUM...

Just finished listening to the new Mogwai album 'Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will'. This is a fine example of a great modern rock album. The band have kindly placed the whole album available to stream. Have a listen & then go buy the CD.




Stream the album HERE

DUTCH UNCLES ALBUM...

The album titled 'Cadenza' will be released on 25th April on Memphis Industries. Cannae wait. Tracklisting at FACEBOOK.COM/DUTCHUNCLES

WYE OAK - 'CIVILIAN'...

My good friend Mark just bought this band to my attention. Cracking. Wye Oak is made of Jenn Wasner & Andy Stack & stems from Baltimore. The album title track, 'Civilian' is so tender & folk like at the beginning, transforming into swirling electric epicness towards the end. The album is due for a European release 7th March on City Slang. There is a free download HERE for 3 songs - 'Civilian' from the forthcoming album, & 'My Neighbor' & 'My Creator' from their June 2010 EP.

ALESSI'S ARK - 'WIRE'...

I just can't help myself from adoring Alessi's Ark. No gimmicks, heart warming melodies & vocals, & delivered with the utmost sincerity. Here's the video for her latest single 'Wire', taken from her 2nd album 'Time Travel' due for release on 25th April on Bella Union.

NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM THIS SATURDAY...

Out of the blue Radiohead announce that their 8th studio album will be titled 'The King of Limbs' & will be released this saturday (19th Feb). They don't fuck about do they! Head over to radiohead.com to pre-order the digital download or the "world's first Newspaper album". Only in the world of Radiohead.

THE STROKES - 'ANGLES' COVER...

Bright.

GROUPLOVE. ZANE LOWE. ON THE ROOF...

I hope that post title raises some eyebrows on google searches.

Grouplove perform an acoustic version of 'Colours' for a Rooftop Session with Zane Lowe.

LITTLE SCREAM...

Nothing more to say apart from this is beautiful...& it looks stupidly cold.

THE STROKES - 'UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS'...

So, The Strokes are back, & the first track from their new album 'Angles' has been made available for free download at thestrokes.com. 'Under Cover of Darkness' starts very promisingly. As soon as the intro began I actually thought, "this could be The Strokes back on top form", but the second the vocals kicked in & the verse began, that thought was quickly shot down. Maybe I'm being slightly harsh. I'm just a big Strokes fan & this song is pretty disappointing for me. It does pick up slightly for the chorus. Go download it for yourselves & see what you think.

THE HISTORY OF APPLE PIE...

Although it's slightly unoriginal, it's good to see an English band getting involved in the whole lo-fi, stoners in the sun, "Best Coast" scene. The band name is an absolute winner.

www.myspace.com/thehistoryofapplepie

THERAPIES SON...

All I know about Therapies Son is that they are from California & make chilled, easy listening music. 'Yellow Mama' is a relaxed, summery track, with a Wild Beasts-like vocal. Just heard it & thought I'd share. x

LOCAL NATIVES. LIVE. PARIS. VIDEO...

'Gorilla Manor' is possibly my favourite album of 2010. From the moment it opens with the beautifully picked guitar in the 'Wide Eyes' intro, you know you're listening to something special. Watching them perform at Glastonbury last year heightened my love for them as they were one of the best live bands I've ever seen. Excellent musicians & vocalists. They've recently recorded a live 'Take Away Show' for La Blogotheque of 'Who Knows Who Cares'. Enjoy.

SLEIGH BELLS - 'RILL RILL' VIDEO...

THE STROKES. NEW FREE DOWNLOAD...

7.35pm (precise) tomorrow night (9th Feb), The Strokes will be giving away their new single "Under Cover of Darkness" on their website www.thestrokes.com. Looking forward to it. The new album "Angles" is out in the UK on March 21st

MORE MONKEY NEWS...

They've just announced that they will be doing 2 hometown shows at the Don Valley Bowl in Sheffield on 10th & 11th June. Support over the weekend comes in the form of The Vaccines, Miles Kane, Anna Calvi, & 2 local bands, Dead Sons & Mabel Love. With the new album supposedly being delivered before the festival period, I can see this selling out quickly with fans eager to hear the new songs.

ARCTIC MONKEYS FANS...

Richad Ayoade of IT Crowd fame has directed his first film titled 'Submarine', set for a UK cinema release on 18th March. Richard is a friend of the Arctic Monkeys (directing their 2008 'Arctic Monkeys at the Apollo' live DVD), & has drafted in frontman Alex Turner to compose the score for the film. The soundtrack is being released on Domino on 14th March & features 6 new tracks from Turner.

DUTCH UNCLES - "FACE IN" VIDEO...

Bizarre video. Interesting.....but bizarre. Cracking song though. Released 28th February.

R.I.P. WHITE STRIPES...

It's hardly unexpected & has been regularly rumoured over the past few years, but it's now official, the White Stripes have split in order to "preserve what is beautiful and special about the band". Probably a good idea in all honesty. R.I.P. to a band that really proved how to make a catchy rock song with only drums & guitar.

NEW SOUND FOR CAGE THE ELEPHANT...

I'm slightly late on this one, but here's the video for Cage The Elephants new single "Shake Me Down". Such a different sound from their self-titled debut. There's a nice contrast of stripped down, Born Ruffian like segments & heavier, atmospheric U.S. rock. Their second album "Thank You Happy Birthday" will be released in the UK on 21st March. March is set to be a great month for music. Not for my wallet though.

WILD PALMS INTERVIEW...

March needs to hurry itself up. Clucking to get my grubby little hands on the Wild Palms debut. HERE's an interview they did recently for the Ireland based AU Magazine in which they go into detail about the new record.

THE COMPUTERS...

Not normally keen on any band with screaming/shouty vocals, but I actually quite like The Computers. I think it's the heavy guitar riffs that have turned my ears on. Signed to One Little Indian. Here's the video for their new single "Group Identity"...