Youthless come of age

After a hugely succesful whistle stop tour of the UK in October including an appearance at Manchesters In the City festival and picking up fans such as Jon Hilcock and John Kennedy, Youthless were kind enough to answer a few questions for wecantmixandwedontcare! about themselves and their take on their garagey-math-rock sound. So here's what they had to say.....

Who are you and where are you from?

We are Sebastiano Ferranti (from UK but raised in Lisbon) and Alex Klimovitsky (from NYC but moved to Lisbon as a teenager). We both currently live in Lisbon, Portugal.


Describe Youthless’s sound in three words:

Barbarian Pop Genius


Where does your band name originate from?

It’s a cross between Big Youth (a Jamaican Reggae artist from the 70s) and Payless Shoes (a cheap shoe store outlet).


The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

Best: Pink Floyd

Worst: Lady Gaga


The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

"Golden Age ...is two minutes and nineteen seconds of pure larks " (Drowned in Sound) ... we really like that write up. it's strange and also the perfect summation of what we thinks songs should be: "Larks" = "carefree or spirited adventures"

What’s next for Youthless?

One more interview question and then we're watching a movie. Music wise: we're also putting out another single with One Bird and an EP hopefully very soon after that.


Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Youthless for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

Animal from the muppets as a guest drummer. He's like Bonham, Moon and Grohl all in one...plus he's got the best unibrow of all time and can outdrink Serge Gainsbourg!


OBR 001: Youthless - 'Golden Age by onebirdrecords

You can hear more from Youthless on their myspace
and keep checking in for some potential UK dates in the new year.

Soda Pop in the Soda Shop

America in the 1950's looked liked quite a cool place to be with it's pep rally's, making out at the drive-in (also known as 'passion pits') and high schools where people sung instead of talking right?!

It also saw the rise of Rock 'n' Roll with the likes of Eddie Cochrane, Buddy Holly and that chap who died on the toilet. It was an incredible time for Jazz; saw the revival of American folk music and some artist called Jackson Pollock with the early beginnings of pop art. I haven't even touched on cinema with Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, James Dean and Montgomery Clift....crikey what a decade. Anyway back to the music....

So yeah anyway this band from Brooklyn called Soda Shop made up of Maria from Selebrities, along with Drew from Horse Shoes sound like America in the 1950's summed up in song. Imagine you are in a diner ordering a coke float and a cheese burger with a side of fries and track 'Farewell' comes on the juke box. It's not something you would hand jive to but it has fey indie pop guitar riffs and glockenspiels striking right through it with dreamy doo-wop vocals making this first and hopefully not the last offering from Soda Shop something to keep on repeat. I wait in anticipation for further tracks from this band.

Apparently a famous pass time in the 50's was crushing as many people as you can into a telephone booth....so I'm off to do that now! sounds well fun.

Becoming Real

Becoming Real

Having gone to check out Becoming Real last night at the Old Blue Last I went straight home and listened to it again and my initial thoughts were confirmed that this might just be one of the most exciting things in music at the moment.

I wasn’t overly sure what to expect in terms of set up; a live band, perhaps someone mixing live but the idea of two Macs, numerous samplers and a drum pad hadn’t really ever entered my mind. It was refreshing to see someone so into their own sound and truly enjoying the set. With tracks like ‘The Thing’ and ‘Ghost Step’ showcasing a diverse sound and mix of beats, vocals and bleeps it remains unconventional in the best possible way. It doesn’t come across as contrived or too try hard it just looks and sounds natural which makes it incredibly enjoyable. I can’t emphasise enough how much you need to check this guy out.

Becoming Real also turns his hand to remixing and has worked excellent remixes for the likes of Teeth and Banjo or Freakout.

Having already released a very limited pressing with Tough Love, Becoming Real has now deservedly been signed to Moshi Moshi’s new subsidiary Not Even which is about putting out great music created by anyone, from anywhere by whichever means. Thanks to future releases on Not Even and having one the best radio pluggers in the business, Peer Group Music working on the record more people are going to be exposed to this incredible young artist.

Head over to his myspace http://www.myspace.com/becomingrealmusic to find a host of live dates both in and out of London.

Pure Gold......Blood

So you only have to go check out the bands myspace to see the hype surrounding them coming from everyone including the likes of Vice, Mixmag, Artrocker to Dazed and Confused who have all been very complimentary about the band. It’s a unique blend of synths, punk and noise really makes them stand out for the right reasons and the live show is the perfect complement to this.

Have a little read about what they had to say when I interviewed them......

Who are you and where are you from?

Gold Blood from West London.

Describe Gold Blood sound in three words:

Life hurts love.

Where does your band name originate from?

My imagination. But that word is John Llewelyn’s.

The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

The worst is not a band but people sometimes think we are on some 80’s retro trip. Not. At. All. And as far as best bands, well we aren’t normally compared to one band, reviewers normally list three or four and then say something like: if they all drank turpentine and punched a policeman.

The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

A Dutchman once thought we were really good grime music.

What’s next for Gold Blood?

Got a 7” coming out with ‘Get’s You Laid’ and ‘The Intruder’ on it in November. Then some shows and more releases - check http://www.myspace.com/goldbloodband for more info.

Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Gold Blood for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

I was actually thinking about this today. I’d really like to do something with Amodali from Mother Destruction. Of course she’d do whatever she wanted.

So now you have been introduced to the band you can go and be all social mediary (not sure that’s a word....) and become their biggest fan on myspace where you can also grab some tracks by the band and also pop over to facebook and ‘like’ them. Both pages have some live dates that you should definitely go to in October!!

Let's get dirty at the weekend whether you are at Bestival or not!!

Well it's the weekend and it's also Bestival weekend, probably the best weekend of the year. I'm waiting for all my friends to finish work so we can jump in the car and drive down the A3 at an illegal speed to catch the ferry over to the Island where the fun can begin!

For those who aren't going to Bestival and are either staying in or just going out this weekend here are three amazing tracks to warm you up for a huge weekend of fun!!! they invovle three of my favourite bands around at the moment as well which makes this post even better!

Dog is Dead - Glockenspiel Song (Saulya mix) This remix takes the excellent original from this wicked new band to a much darker deeper place using the original vocals that lend themselves so well to this mix. This is exactly the kind of remix that can bring this band to a new audience.

Look out for the remix soon......

Runners - Starting Line. I know I have blogged about this band before but after they played one of my club nights (Deep South Club) they were kind enough to send me through their newest mastered track. It's a 6 minute epic journey that keeps you engaged through it's use of bouncey sounds (have a listen and you'll understand what I mean) that keep building on top of the driving bass line that will get any dance floor moving then comes the Gerald Casale vocals that just elevate the track to an even better level.

Get it Here - Runners - Starting Line

The final offering comes from one of the more popular bands of the moment Chapel Club whose latest single 'All the Eastern Girls' has been given a d-i-r-t-y makeover courtesy of Breton. This isn't quite the filthy bass lines we are used to from Breton but is still a hot re-work. It is going to be released on 11th October as part of Chapel Clubs EP which will hopefully get Breton some well deserved press. If you like this remix, go and buy Bretons Sharing Notes EP which will blow you away.

Get it here - Chapel Club - All the Eastern Girls (Breton Remix)

Right have good weekends and hopefully I will survive Bestival....whether it's muddy or not and I won't tell you my hot picks as everyone playing Bestival is wicked as always but I will be watching Mount Kimbie and Neon Indian for sure....!!

Interview with Hind Ear

Hind Ear are a very exciting prospect with their jerky beats and calming vocals – I can’t and don’t want to liken them to anyone or place them in a genre as there just simply isn’t any need, you can make your own mind up. Listening to them, especially track ‘Rain Man’ can be placed anywhere between first thing in the morning and last thing at night where it sits very comfortably creating the atmosphere you want whether it’s during a gentle morning stroll or a dance floor moment.

Here is what the band had to say when wecantmixandwedontcare! interviewed them......


Who are you and where are you from?

hind ear. From Brighton and London – although one is basically a suburb of the other at this point.


Describe Hind Ear sound in three words:

Not too dense.


Where does your band name originate from?

From band name discussions that went on so long as to lapse into complete abstraction. None of us can remember the exact train of ideas that led to hind ear – although I feel it might have something to do with Broken Ear Record by Black Dice. It works well for us though – organic but also technical, like a G.M. experiment gone wrong.


The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

The worst are the boring and obvious ones. Best –when it’s something that makes no sense, but in a good way. Someone once said we sounded like the Bhundu Boys. Generally, we like it when people pick up on the deeper traces of the things that influence us – house music, r&b, Fleetwood Mac.


The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

From the Bhundu Boys to Black Dice: as a collective summation that’s pretty strange.


What’s next for Hind Ear?

We just released our first 7” on a new label called Nouns. Another one should be following in the next couple of months, on Maman Records of France. After that – lining up more records and shows. We’ve been working on a bunch of recordings and new songs that we’re pretty excited about. Some sweet shows coming up too. On the whole a fair bit of exciting stuff.


Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Hind Ear for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

David Byrne – dancing. He could do variations of the lamp dance from Stop Making Sense all night long.


You can purchase Hind Ear’s debut double A-side ‘Coconut/Origami’ released on the London label Nouns here and you can catch them playing live throughout September with the likes of Cold Pumas and Future Islands.

Evryone should be listinening to this!

Evryone
When I write and read blogs I’m pretty sure as most people do they express their feelings about a band or a sound by saying ‘this is the next big thing’, ‘this is going to be massive’, ‘catch it before anyone else’....you get what I mean right? Well I’m about to do this as this is just incredible.

This is definitely one of my favourite new things around at the moment. Evryone is quite unique in terms of music on offer at the present where everyday a new scene is being created which usually has some reference to something ending in ‘-Fi’. I’m not a huge fan of comparisons so I suggest you just listen to Evryone and hear the amazing sounding vocals and keys that if you wanted to could be likened to Wild Beasts in terms of the incredible vocal reach and Cold War Kids for the atmospheric and impactful keys. I am so excited about this new find and I literally have it on repeat which is making my week a lot more enjoyable.

Catch Evryone in Reading, London and Bristol in the coming weeks. Head over to their myspace to find exact dates and to hear three beautifully big sounding tracks in the form of ‘Falmingos’, ‘do you understand’ and ‘most of the time, i’.

I’m off to find or create a new night to book this band for.

The cochlea is dedicated to hearing

Labyrinth Ear are a very exciting duo playing synth induced electro with enchanting female vocals perfectly placed on top. The obvious comparison would be say Crystal Castles but this simply wouldn’t be fair, not because it’s an insult but because they are doing their own thing and sounding very good for it. It’s still very early for this band and I am very excited to see them play live in October and to watch them only get better with time.

This is what the band had to say about themselves.......


Who are you and where are you from?

Labyrinth Ear from New Cross. One of us is from West London and the other from South East London.


Describe Labyrinth Ear sound in three words:

Peach, Plum and Damson


Where does your band name originate from?

One of us had a labyrinth ear infection, it makes you dizzy and the whole world starts spinning around you. It’s not very pleasant actually.


The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

Hmm…. No comment.


The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

A website in Portuguese wrote about us saying “stoke the skeleton in a calmer climate”. It probably made sense in Portuguese but google translator added it’s own poetic spin.


What’s next for Labyrinth Ear?

A cup of tea


Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Labyrinth Ear for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

We’d have Vincent Price on stage reading ghost stories over our music. Are we allowed dead people? If not then Quentin Wilson doing the same.


Head over to the bands myspace http://www.myspace.com/labyrinthear to hear six great tracks from them and you can also head over to their soundcloud page and download the tracks for free. Alternatively, get a taste for them here and get the remaining tracks on the soundcloud page.

Labyrinth Ear – Snow White

Labyrinth Ear – Wild Flowers

Oxford, Oxford, Oxford & Oxford

Oxford is notorious for a couple of things known to the common man like me; a University, the Oxford Comma, something to do with Harry Potter (apparently) and this ‘Shark House’ - a house with a 25-foot long headless shark protruding from the roof. Yeah I know but it’s all true. Anyway, after Foals made Oxford something of a place to watch for music there appears to be somewhat of a ‘scene’ rising up. There are four bands that have caught wecantmixandwedontcare!’s attention that hopefully you might enjoy as well. Unsurprisingly, Foals are taking two of these bands on tour with them in on tour throughout October and November and it’s nice to see them doing there bit to nurture these promising new bands and giving them some well deserved exposure.

Trophy Wife play angular mathematical music that is sure to make them stand out and draw unsurprising comparisons to Foals. It’s so much more than though with its delicate chimes, harmonising vocals and beautifully understated guitar riffs. The support slot they have secured on Foals up and coming tour will hopefully give Trophy Wife the perfect launch pad for a successful future. They are a very exciting prospect.


Chad Valley is Hugo Manuel, also a member of the band Jonquil. Chad Valleys sound is gentle yet big, almost verging on the epic scale of noise. Part of me wants to reference New Order for some reason but I’m going to resist. Track ‘Up and Down’ is one that you could imagine hearing whilst watching the sun go down from anywhere in Ibiza to the Isle of Wight. This is truly big sounding but manages to overwhelm you in a minimalist way. Oh and he has also done an awesome remix of Spanish Sahara by Foals.

Chad Valley - Up & Down
Foals - Spanish Sahara Chad Valley remix


Fixers Only one offering from this band at present in the form of ‘Iron Deer Dream’ taking on a more guitar driven sound in comparison to their fellow Oxford counterparts featured on this blog. Don’t underestimate this track though as its chorus is packed full of keys, guitars and drums with an equally commanding vocal that perfectly compliments. Waiting full of anticipation for Fixers next offering....


Pet Moon is the new project from the former Youth Movies frontman. I think this sound is summed up rather nicely by a comment made on their myspace page by the band ‘Friendship’ that reads ‘SICK AS FUCK MATE’. Slo-Fi beat bop with echoing vocals over woozy beats on track ‘Hold the Divide’. Put me in a dark room with lots of flashing lights and I’ll be at home slowly trying to body jerk in time with the stammered beats. This is very different from fellow Oxford blog friends featured here but standing out for the all right reasons. Pet Moon will also be touring with Foals throughout October.


I am genuinely excited by all four of these bands and if I don’t get to see them soon, I think I will just have to be selfish and book them all for one of my club nights.....


Right I’m off too see my distant cousin in Oxford and find these four bands on the same bill...........well I can dream cant I....?!

Still Corners

Still Corners

The latest interview for wecantmixandwedontcare! comes courtesy of London based 'Still Corners’. They play haunting dream-gaze pop that will demand and command your attention from the first note. Track ‘Wish’ may just be one of the most encapsulating and beautiful songs I have ever heard. I can’t emphasise enough how good this band are now and that they will only get better.

Who are you and where are you from?

Still Corners from England, America, and Australia


Describe Still Corners sound in three words:

Reflective, eerie, lush


Where does your band name originate from?

A Robert Frost poem


The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

We’ve been compared to My Bloody Valentine as well as Broadcast and Stereolab which couldn’t be better compliments really. Worst band? We don’t believe in worst bands.


The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

Floating antique lace.


What’s next for Still Corners?

We’re playing out quite a bit which we really like. We’re also working on a new record due for release later this year.


Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Still Corners for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

Most definitely film director Dario Argento. Have you seen Suspiria? I imagine he would switch instruments quite a bit or maybe he could run the projections for us, lots of muted dark colors and some odd Horror scenes. We’d like that. We’d like that very much.



Still Corners are releasing a double-A-side featuring Don't Fall in Love/Wish through Great Pop Supplement later in the year. It's bound to sell out very fast so pre-order it here soon......

You can hear more from the band and find out about their up and coming shows through their myspace here http://www.myspace.com/stillcorners

Something new for Field Day - Runners

If you find yourself at Field Day tomorrow at 12:30 and can’t decide who to go and watch - Is Tropical, Hounds of Hate, Erland and the Carnival well how about giving them all a miss and checking out a new band from Leeds called ‘Runners’ on the Quietus Village Mentality Stage.

Electro bleeps and effects with drumming that wouldn’t be out of place on a Liars track and a psychedelic vocal to top this little gem off.

You can download the excellent new track ‘Stay Frosty’ here

Check out the video produced by Katherine Westley for track Stay Frosty here......

YOU! yes YOU!

You! – To Disappear

Parisian duo YOU! newly-signed to Kuskus/Discograph, consist of Romuald Boivin and José Reis Fontao. New track ‘To Disappear’ opens with an eerily angular guitar with a change in tempo courtesy of the introduction of drums and vocals to match this dark story of lapsing into nothingness.

The accompanying video produced by band member José Reis Fontao tells a dark tale to match that of the lyrics. The character in the video is a victim of clear disintegration of the process of thinking, of contact with reality, and of emotional responsiveness. The video is the perfect visual compliment to the story told in the lyrics.

Putting aside my completely unqualified pop psychology, this is a really strong track and has the potential to become an irresistible break through track.

You! release their eponymously titled debut album on Kuskus / Discograph this summer.

Check out the video http://www.vimeo.com/12945711 with hopefully some UK dates coming soon.........

YOU! " To Disappear" from KUSKUS on Vimeo.

Two Wounded Birds

A refreshing breath of sea air comes in the form of this trio from Margate who go by the name ‘Two Wounded Birds’. The bands blend of delightfully dreamy surf pop with a 50’s rock n roll edge has earned them a support slot on The Drums next UK wide tour throughout November and December.

You are going to be seeing and hearing a lot from this band so catch them here first before anyone else.

You can head over to the excellent Holiday Records to grab two free downloads by the band in the form of ‘My Lonesome’ and ‘Keep Dreaming Baby’.

If you want you can just download the tracks here...
Two Wounded Birds - My Lonesome
Two Wounded Birds - Keep Dreaming Baby


And check out the somewhat psychedelic video for ‘My Lonesome’ here



Head over to the bands myspace here http://www.myspace.com/twowoundedbirdsofficial to hear more from the band and to find out those live dates....

The Proper Ornaments

This band I stumbled across and became drawn in by their bittersweet 60’s west coast influenced sound. The band have been kind enough to provide wecantmixandwedontcare! with an interview. Make sure you catch them at 1234 Festival this weekend playing alongside the likes of Hind Ear, Still Corners and the list goes on of great bands.

Who are you and where are you from?

Maximo Claps and James Henri Hoare, from Buenos Aires and Dartington Hall, Devon. We now both live in north London (and our drummer lives in a disused pub in oval)

Describe The Proper Ornaments sound in three words:

Middle of the road

Where does your band name originate from?

1960's soft psyche band, the free design

The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

We recently got compared to Felt which we were very happy about. One of our friends said we sounded a bit like two princes but then we realised that was a compliment too.

The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

err?

What’s next for The Proper Ornaments?

We’re releasing a 7" on west coast label Make a Mess. We’re also looking at doing a full a length LP with them.

Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of The Proper Ornaments for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

Paul McCartney. As we feel he'd be a good member of the team. On bass/synth/backing vocals.

The bands debut single is being released on Make a Mess Records which is the same label as the excellent Brilliant Colors from San Fransisco.

Check out more from the band on their myspace here http://www.myspace.com/theproperornaments and find some songs by them here and here.

Official Prizes often involve monetary rewards as well as the fame that comes with them.

Prizes (formerly known as Treasure) are another band that I have been waiting for what seems like an eternity to see live and wecantmixandwedontcare! have been lucky enough to get an exclusive interview before Prizes embark on a series of debut UK shows supporting the likes of Memoryhouse and Million Young followed by performances at 1234 and Field Day festivals.

Who are you and where are you from?

I am Hari Ashurst and I’m from Devon.


Describe Prizes sound in three words:

Hauntological slow jams.


Where does your band name originate from?

Pop music makes you feel like a winner sometimes. If only for three minutes.


The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

The best is Hall and Oates. Somebody said one of my first songs sounded like a gay barbershop quartet. That was probably the worst.


The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

An Italian blogger wrote that our sound was like the movie ‘300’ but with less people. Make your own sense of that.


What’s next for Prizes?

I’m going to continue writing songs about current affairs, places I haven’t been and foodstuffs that I enjoy to eat.


Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Prizes for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

I want Heston Blumenthal to curate our live show. I want to play a guitar made from egg. I want vodka dry ice to slowly get us drunk as we go on stage. I want my samples to become chocolate.


To hear Prizes excellent slo-fi melodical pop head over to http://www.myspace.com/treasuretheband and enjoy tracks in the form of ‘Teenage Myth’ and ‘Canada’. Hopefully it won’t be long before we hear more from Prizes......

You can also enjoy the video for track 'Canada' below.

PRIZES (formerly known as Treasure) - "Canada" from Jamie Harley on Vimeo.

Darwin Deez - dancing Up in the Clouds

Darwin Deez remixed by Jake Bullit

So by now I don’t think there is anyone who either hasn’t already fallen for Darwin Deez’s summer sound or at least heard of him and his bands unique sets featuring perfectly choreographed dancing between songs. His self titled debut album is one of the stand outs of the year so far and is perfectly placed to provide numerous memorable moments at festivals throughout the summer.

New single ‘Up in the Clouds’ has been given the remix treatment by Lucky Number label mate Jake Bullit. It’s always a challenge when remixing a track to give it that something extra and having remixed the likes of Sebastien Tellier and MSTRKRFT, Jake Bullit is perfectly placed and more than qualified to take Darwins original and give it a new exciting angle. By upping the tempo, adding to the baseline and subtly tweaking the range this has transformed the track in to an indie disco floor filler. It’s certainly in my record collection as one for the dance floor and no doubt in the collection of numerous others and I’m sure this will be a staple track for this summer. It's a great dilemma to be faced with when you have to pick from any number of tracks to play by one artist and Jake Bullits' remix has made this decision even tougher when choosing a Darwin track to drop. This is a welcomed dilemma though!!

Download the Jake Bullit remix of Darwins ‘Up in the Clouds’ for free from the Lucky Number homepage.

Also check out the official video for the track below....

TEETH!!!!!

Teeth


About 18 months ago I stumbled across this band and became encapsulated by their raw sounding DIY noise that was so distorted you couldn’t really make it out. What I could make out was that it sounded immense but I couldn’t figure out why. I kept listening to it and talking to people about this band I had heard but couldn’t really describe apart from to say ‘listen to this as if you were at a warehouse party at 4 in the morning’ which at 9am on a Tuesday morning sat at your desk is quite hard to do. I’ve wanted to book this band ever since I first heard them for one of my club nights, FLIC CLUB and the new Deep South series but have always been unsure if both myself, the crowd and the venue would survive the experience.....

Having now heard the bands new music (and a huge thank you to the band for sending me a copy of new single ‘See Spaces’ to be released on Moshi Moshi Singles Club on 16/08/2010) this band have come such a long way in terms of sound and now are not only audible but amazing to listen to. They still haven’t lost any of their raw party sound and have managed to capture it on new tracks that are now more ear- friendly – by this I mean you can actually hear the songs. They are still a very exciting prospect and now releasing music through the excellent Moshi Moshi Singles Club it’s the perfect platform for this band to hit the music industry like a tornado destroying everything in their path.

Track 'See Spaces' is going straight into my dj box as is the awesome remix by Doldy Anol that you can get here courtesy of RCDLBL

Also keep an eye out for more from Teeth at Deathbomb Digital Singles Club from September.


Check out more songs and live dates from the band here http://www.myspace.com/teethdance

Download Teeth – See Spaces MP3

A full moon tonight so expect to hear the howl of VVOLVES

VVOLVES

One of the most exciting new young bands to come out of Wales in a long time – VVOLVES (written with a double V pronounced WOLVES) with their mix of electro-garage noise and stand out vocals for all the right reasons have been kind enough to provide us with an insight in to them and their sound in an interview for wecantmixandwedontcare! Here’s what they had to say.

Who are you and where are you from?

We are Rhydian, Thomas, Rhys and Tomos. We come from different areas around Cardiff. Three of us are leaving school this year and Tomos is a 1st year art student in Cardiff.

Describe VVOLVES sound in three words:

Noisy electronic youth

Where does your band name originate from?

NO IDEA! We just picked a name and stuck with it. We were unsure about the double V at the start to make the 'W', but we ran with it.

The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

We always hate being compared with Super Furry Animals, I mean they're a good band, but we just get put in that category because we're from Wales.
Tomos' voice has been compared to Morrissey's. The Smiths is a pretty fucking big one!

What’s next for VVOLVES?

We're in the studio the second week of July recording a new track which will be release on 7" (hopefully) under the Cardiff based label peski.

Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of VVOLVES for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

Ian Curtis. We'd sample his voice so we could use it forever, either that or we'd have bez to show us a bloody good time!

The band have also been very generous and supplied us with an excellent free download in the form of 'Birds In Berlin’ EP which you can get from their bandcamp site.

Head over to their myspace to check out more songs and live dates hopefully to be announced soon http://www.myspace.com/vvolves

In light of that fact it's Wimbledon I guess there is no more fitting band than TENNIS.

Tennis

A perfectly welcomed and executed throw back to 60’s American pop courtesy of husband and wife duo from Denver ‘Tennis’. Track ‘Marathon’ is a catchy sing along pop gem that will firmly put Tennis on the transatlantic musical map.

Due to release debut single South Carolina on 27th July through Fire Talk records in the US hopefully some UK dates aren’t too far away.

Download track Marathon here

Listen to more music by Tennis here http://www.myspace.com/tennisinc

Finally! we GET PEOPLE!!

GET PEOPLE

This trio from London are definitely one of my favourite bands at the moment and have a certain air of mystique about them. I have been listening to their songs on myspace and have been waiting in anticipation for some live shows for quite sometime now but having spoken with the band they are playing things quite close to their chest at present.

They have however, been kind enough to offer new track ‘Deity’ to keep us all entertained and showcasing their ability further through providing accompanying visuals.

Head over to their myspace to check out three more excellent tracks in the form of ‘Light’ showcasing a more electronic sound and the lo-fi disco influenced ‘Odyssey’ and ‘These days'.

The band also lend themselves to remixing and have recently remixed New Islands track ‘Cold’ and also moonlight as DJ’s offering a mix of house, dub and techno. This further shows the bands transferable sound and influences making them a very exciting live prospect.

Check out the new track ‘Deity ’ and the accompanying visuals here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H56AJgXHl00

Keep checking their myspace http://www.myspace.com/getpeople for new tracks, Live and DJ dates.

FLASHLIGHTS!!!!

Flashlights

Head over to bandcamp http://flashlights.bandcamp.com/ and download this free 3 track EP for a perfect summer soundtrack of electro-disco-pop. This is definitely making the virtual record box for my next dj outing! So so good!

Safari

Think along the lines of The Rapture if a little more polished. Early recordings show they certainly appear to have the ability to break through and be less disposable than some of their counterparts who are stuck on a cycle of re-releases. If they can find a balance between releasing music with consistency and range that retains an early fan base while claiming the ears of new listeners by pushing the boundaries of their musical ability, I think Safari have a chance. If they are picked up by the right kind of label that has real belief in and passion for them and don’t see them as a dispensable singles band they should have a bright future ahead of them.

New single Quicksand is out now and can be bought from Pure Groove, Rough Trade, I-tunes and Play.com and you can hear more from the band here http://www.myspace.com/thisissafari

Is Tropical Remix TDCC

I just stumbled across this excellent Is Tropical remix of Two Door Cinema Clubs track Come Back Home.

I always think a remix should take the original, break it down and start again using the essential elements that made the original track and this is done excellently here!!

Have a listen.....

Two Door Cinema Clubs - Come Back Home (Is Tropical Remix)

Blue on Blue

Simple, minimal and exceedingly dream struck without being twee is the best way to describe excellent track Summer Daze provided by East London three piece Blue on Blue. Fronted by Dee from an Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump this is a sound that is perfect for an indecisive summer evening.

Check them out here http://www.myspace.com/blueonbluepop

Man Without Country

I'm not sure if you have been aimlessly stumbling around in the music stratosphere of myspace recently but if you have, the chances are you might have or actually probably not have come across a Welsh three piece called Man Without Country. If you are like me, you will become instantly hooked by their sound - all be it the one song on their myspace player in the form of Closest Addicts Anonymous.

It would be easy to listen to them and instantly think along the lines of referencing a band like Delphic but that wouldn't be doing this trio justice. Trying to find a way to describe this sound is hard as I keep getting distracted by the song but with it's roots firmly in the world of electronica and synth soaked pop, and vocals on the edge of shoegaze it delivers a huge sounding and somewhat anthemic sound that will be in your ears constantly as soon as they are snapped up. I have a feeling you won't be able to escape this band this summer.

I'm really excited to see what else this band have to offer and can only hope it is as strong as this track.

Check them out here: http://www.myspace.com/manwithoutcountry

A taste of the WEEKEND whenever you want!!

One of WCM&WDCs’ favourite bands of the moment ‘Weekend’ have been kind enough to provide us with further insight into themselves and their sound.

Who are you and where are you from?

We are Weekend and we're from San Francisco. Shaun sings and plays bass/baritone guitar, Kevin plays guitar and Taylor plays drums. We all grew up in the same town a little north of SF called Novato.

Describe Weekend’s sound in three words:

Raw Cave Punk

Where does your band name originate from?

The name doesn't really have any relevance, or make any logical sense unless you listen to the music and the lyrics along with it. To be honest it's a bit of a sick joke. The word weekend typically conjures ideas of relief and freedom and relaxation. People look forward to weekends but in all honesty it's just this period of suspended reality for most people. And when paired with the darker and more melodramatic content of our songs, it creates a strange sort of paradox which is what our songs are about. That turmoil. The middle grey.

We also appreciate the ambiguity of it.

The best and worst band you have ever been compared to?

I grew up listening to Joy Division so anytime that pops up I'm pretty thrilled - but I think it's also an easy tag to throw on us. The JAMC reference is also pretty misleading. I think we reference them tonally, but as far as songwriting goes I think we're closer to JD, or Sonic Youth or My Bloody Valentine.

I can't really say we that I've heard a bad comparison - I think the worst part of comparisons especially with blog culture is the circular referencing. In general, bloggers can be pretty lazy and it's easy to just quote what another blog has compared us to or some scene they've lumped us in.

The strangest summation of your band and or songs?

"Sounds like being trapped in a tin can with a wolverine."

What’s next for Weekend?

We're thrilled to announce that we're working with Slumberland Records on our debut full length which will hopefully see the light of day this summer.

We also have a split 7" with Young Prisms being released in May on Transparent Records. And hopefully touring the US and a few dates in Europe near the end of Summer.

Finally, who would you choose to be an honorary member of Weekend for one night only? Tell us why and what would they do?

Kevin Shields as soundman while we play as house band at a funeral.

You can enjoy recorded sounds through their myspace profile in the form of three excellent tracks Youth Haunts, All-American and Tiara with an amazing amount of audible noise, its build up of guitars, rolling drums and vocals sitting low in the mix providing you with an almost nail biting edge of your seat experience. We all love the weekend and it won't be long before we can all have a taste of this form of WEEKEND whenever we want!!

Find out more about the band at http://www.myspace.com/weekendmusic and hopefully some UK dates will follow soon.....

You can purchase new split 7" single - WEEKEND / YOUNG PRISMS - SPLIT SINGLE 7" Limited to 300 Copies through Transparent from May 24th 2010.

Put A Spring in Yor Ears

Avi Buffalo
http://www.myspace.com/avibuffalo

Hailing from Long Beach, California and signed to the ever incredible label, Sub Pop, you can purchase current 7” single "What's In It For?" on import now. It would be safe to put this band between the Beach Boys and Grizzly Bear in your collection and for it to feel completely comfortable here, it will undoubtedly stand its own ground. I read this great quote about Avi Buffalo stating that the great thing about them is that they manage to sound OLD but remain NEW. I think that summarises the sound perfectly. On single "What's In It For?" there are swelling romanticised choruses echoing 60’s beachside guitars that may just be your soundtrack this Spring.

Avi Buffalo – Where’s Your Dirty Mind

1,2,3
http://www.myspace.com/1comma2comma3

Having one of the hardest band names to find on the internet, not sure if this is good or bad.... makes 1,2,3 even more exciting when you finally manage to track them down. The American invasion continues with this duo from Pittsburgh delivering more old sounding new musical treats . The three tracks on their myspace, 'Confetti', 'Can't Bribe God' and 'Going Away Party' showcase this bands diverse and encapsulating sound from the dreamy choral choruses of 'Confetti' to 'Going Away Party' with it's surfy twinged funk guitar riffs. A UK release for this band can't be far off....

1,2,3 – Confetti

A New Generation of New

Surfer Blood
http://www.myspace.com/surferblood

Surfer Blood following in the footsteps of fellow Americans The Drums are yet another band who have been subject to serious hype of late and yet again deservedly so. Coming out of the white squall, Surfer blood divulge in power chords with hints of Weezer about them, sing-along pop harmonies and guitar sounds that are simultaneously and diversely fuzzy are most evident on 'Swim'. The vocals stretch but sound very comfortable in doing so and the songs are rife with guitar stops and drops that allow each song to re-launch and reinvigorate itself taking everyone with it. Having heard 'Swim' it would be easy to write this hyped band off as a one track band but with other tracks such as 'Floating Vibes' and 'Take it Easy' you would be foolish to brand them with this label. They have substance and a great depth of tracks that will make up their debut album 'Astro Coast' which is already set to be one not too miss for 2010. Having seen them live three times in the last week it's evident that this band have huge potential to be a seriously great band.

Surfer Blood - Swim (to reach the end)

Hyacinth Girls
http://www.myspace.com/hyacinthgirls

A band whose name is derived from T.S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land' might be an easy one to brandish as contrived in a poetic abundance of youth. However, Hyacinth Girl give you audio with influences drawn from early 90's lo-fi bands such as Pavement and Sonic Youth. This band are a refreshingly loud and noisey addition to the somewhat dare I say it 'buzzy' Manchester Scene that is subject to bands who won't be here in a years time. I can't help but feel that Hyacinth Girl will evade this fate and make a name for themselves even if it is in a similar vain of cult-esque following the likes of Fugazis DIY ethic have enjoyed with great success. Hopefully someone can coax this band out of Manchester very soon and a single release will follow.

Hyacinth Girl - No Brainer

Girls Names
http://www.myspace.com/girlsnames

Northern Irelands newest export caught my attention by citing bands such as Orange Juice, Black Tambourine and The Pastels as influences and upon hearing tracks such as 'Blood River' they instantly caught my ear and got me very excited about this band. Being inspired to listen to bands based solely on their influences often leaves me left disappointed, however, in the case of Girls Names who after only two weeks of forming a band supported Wavves and survived definitely got me interested. Short noisey pop songs with a deluge of vocal reverb is going to see Girls Names become one of Northern Irelands best new bands. I was amazed to find the band were in fact a duo. Duos are often such a hit and miss concept but Girls Names really deliver and create such a powerful and exciting sound. They tick every current and future trend, lo-fi, shoe-gaze and surf pop without being contrived and accused of following such trends. They are about to embark on a UK tour supporting La La Vasquez so catch them if you can.

Girls Names - Blood River