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Rock

The Collectable Few – Model Behaviour

thecollectablefew

London-based quartet The Collectable Few prep a strong release in second single “Model Behaviour”. The track will sound like things you’ve certainly heard before (Maccabees, Friendly Fires, HAPPY MONDAYS) but TCF standout from their Brit guitar rock peers with their great pop songwriting ability. “Model Behaviour” toe-taps, jangles, spits and starts for most of its 2:49 duration but what makes the song of particular note are its great melodies (we’ve had that verse melody in our heads going on four days now.) Listen.

The Collectable Few – Model Behaviour

The Collectable Few england (Facebook) (Twitter)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
11-21-11

Male Bonding – Seems to Notice

Contributed by Trevor Meyer

male-bonding

English punk rockers, Male Bonding, are a recent trio hailing from London. If you’re on the fence, or a die hard punk rocker, MB certainly brings the heat, but their melodies and guitar hooks are infectious as well. I know that I am defenseless to the allure of melodic garage punk and these guys do it tremendously. Their debut album Nothing Hurts is excellent. “Seems to Notice” is my favorite track, but the album is loaded with catchy and blasting tunes throughout. Their second album, Endless Now came out earlier this year and trust me, if you haven’t already, this one you need to pick up.

Male Bonding- Seems to Notice

Male Bondingengland (Sub Pop)

Rating 8.47

brown8

reviewed by
11-19-11

Grabbel and the Final Cut – The Finest Thing

grabbelandthefinalcut

When we first heard “The Finest Thing”, we thought, whoa, here’s a neo-shoegaze band that sounds un-neo-shoegaze, like they sound like actual good shoegaze, like good classic shoegaze. And then we did a little research….and turns out Grabbel and the Final cut are a German(!) band from the early 90’s, “The Finest Thing” was recorded in 1991, and the release of the song is part of a reissue series of classic shoegaze 7-inches by Captured Tracks. Sweet. And we wondering where they got that sweet analog distortion pad for Garageband! Good work on unearthing this one, chaps.

Grabbel and the Final Cut – The Finest Thing

Grabbel and The Final Cut germany (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-11

Coasts – Drum Song (demo)

Contributed by Chris Gedos

coasts

Opinion is split here at base camp re: the effect of Facebook on new music. Zuckerberg’s super-corporation has officially supplanted Myspace as the destination spot for new music discovery; however, popularity is still unfairly and inaccurately measured by the number of “likes” as opposed to “friends”. I’ll admit that I do love the ability to simultaneously connect to a band’s Wiki, Bandcamp, website etc through Facebook. As Myspace was always limited by its interface, it’s Facebook’s intuitive design which allows the listener to scroll through a band’s pertinent info with speed and facility.

I also fall prey to those fleeting advertisements which knock but once, for they often disappear when you refresh the page. Tonight I saw an ad which read (I’m paraphrasing), “Wu Lyf fan? Check out UK’s Coasts.” Since I consider myself an effin’ Wu Lyf historian by this point, I feel obliged to click through, even though I’m under the influence of the Richard Brautigan novella I just inhaled. But Brautigan or not, Brighton’s Coasts sound a lot like Wu Lyf. Here we are late-2011, and there’s this sub-genre of extremely intelligent English rock which looks to America for influence and has vocalists that sound a lot like Tom Waits. Stranger things have happened.

“Drum Song” is a demo which clocks in at 1:59. A fuzzed out radio broadcast in what sounds like Argentine Spanish (Castellano) leads into the performance. The song’s brevity reads like a reluctant invitation from a band which I imagine, like Wu Lyf, is highly protective of their talents. The release date is set for 2013, so Coasts will have over a year to distinguish themselves from the Mancunians’ shadow. But until then, enjoy “Drum Song”. Kinda reminds me of the first time I heard “Tulips”.

Coasts – Drum Song (demo)

Coastsengland (Facebook)

Rating 8.47

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-11

Saint Motel – At Least I Have Nothing

saint-motel

So we’re fans of LA collective Saint Motel, but we never saw a track like this coming. “At Least I Have Nothing” is the band’s new self-released single expected November 28. With a memorable chorus hook that draws you in and gets you moving, you’ve likely just found a new jam for your next mix. (Rolling Stone)

Saint Motel – At Least I Have Nothing

Saint Motel california (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-11

TRAILS AND WAYS – No Wisdom

Contributed by Chris Gedos

trails-and-ways

Oakland’s Trails And Ways seems like a fusion band which hasn’t fully fused yet, but there’s so much talent here they get a free pass for any genre-picking they may be guilty of. Their new EP, Temporal, has some of the grooviest album art I’ve seen in a while— a true homage to art deco with the abstract lettering and Mayan color palette. “Chills” descends into muzak for a few seconds, but they more than make up for it with the Joao Gilberto inspired “One Note” and a lushly produced cover of M83’s “Midnight City”. However, “No Wisdom” is the star of this EP, featuring one of the most thoughtful arrangments I’ve heard in awhile. And the syncopated vocal is totally boss. A little more time in the kiln and these cats will be a band to watch for in 2k12.

TRAILS AND WAYS – No Wisdom

TRAILS AND WAYS california (Bandcamp)

Rating 7.9

brown71

reviewed by
11-17-11

RAVE’S FAVES: Goldsboro – Great White Buffalo

Contributed by Bruce Rave

goldsboro

Here’s what Wolfmother’s second album should have sounded like. Goldsboro is an LA 3-piece, and this smoker was brought onto my Moheak Radio Music Meeting show by bassist Scott Ford of the Twilight Singers. It got a unanimous thumbs-up. We loved the energy, and you can never go wrong with killer guitar hooks.

Goldsboro – Great White Buffalo

Goldsboro california (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
11-17-11

Red Kites – Montreal

redkites

Red Kites are a four piece rock band from Guildford, Surrey UK and their sharply melodic single for “Montreal” is really really good. Trust us. Don’t sleep on this one.

Red Kites – Montreal

Red Kites england (Facebook) (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
11-16-11

Troumaca – Sanctify

Contributed by Trevor Meyer

troumaca

Birmingham natives, Troumaca have just released their ep The Gems. Sanctify has a nice blend of tropical and soul. The first verse should hook you right into the song.

Troumaca england (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
11-16-11

Damien Jurado – Nothing is the News

jane.11183

The awesome “Nothing is the News” is new from Damien Jurado’s upcoming Maraqopa LP. Produced by Richard Swift, the record promises to be a sprawling, melodic expanse of the best sort of desert-infused blues. Do not miss.

Damien Jurado – Nothing is the News

Damien Jurado washington(Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
11-16-11

The Maccabees – Pelican

themaccabees

Oh hi. So The Maccabees, owners of b3sci’s #4 track of 2009 returned today with “Pelican”. For starters, “Pelican” is noticeably more upbeat, uptempo, lighter, than much of the material on The Maccabees last LP Wall of Arms. Is “Pelican” is a sign of what’s to come on LP #3? We like the darker Maccabees; but if the quality on a potentially more “keyed up” new LP is at a level with “Pelican” consider us, at the very least, interested to hear more.

The Maccabees – Pelican

The Maccabees england (Official) (Myspace)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
11-15-11

Dan Sartain – Fuck Friday

dan-sartain

“Fuck Friday” lives on for Dan Sartain’s forthcoming Too Tough to Live LP. With 13 tracks delivered in less than 19 minutes don’t blink or you might miss a feature by Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s. Go!

Dan Sartain – Fuck Friday

Dan Sartain alabama (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

too-tough-to-live

reviewed by
11-14-11