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Track Reviews

Giraffage – Elysian

giraffagecomfort

SF dream pop producer Giraffage’s Comfort LP has the blogoverse a-talk. Deriving influence from a diverse palette of sounds and ideas and creating for a unique, excellent, cooled out blend, the 11 track set is one of the best beatronica LPs of the year. Sample “Elysian” from Comfort.

Giraffage – Elysian

Giraffage california (Official) (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
11-21-11

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

REVIEW: Mike Higbee – Secret Life [LP]

Contributed by Trevor Meyer

mike-higbee-secret-life

Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to Mike Higbee’s new album, Secret Life. The New York native released the album last month. This album is refreshing, not to mention, incredibly diverse. Higbee’s sincere, emotive writing and ability to facilitate different moods and themes are ever-present in this collection. Some of Higbee’s ballads such as “All I Should Have Told You” and “Hotel Lights” remind me of the Moody Blues and Elliot Smith. His vocal work on “Love Letter” (another gorgeous ballad) is beautiful and restrained – providing hanging notes over an extended range of pitches. Secret Life infuses folk, post rock, soul, waltz music, and pop weaved together with stunning dissonant harmonies and thought-provoking lyrics. My favorite track is the slow burner “The Waltz of Dead Love.” Well done, Mr. Higbee, I applaud you.

Mike Higbee – All I Should Have Told You

Mike Higbee – Love Letter

Mike Higbee newyork (Facebook) (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.6

brown8

reviewed by
11-19-11

Young Jeezy – I Do (Feat. Jay-Z & Andre 3000)

youngjeezytm103

Yessssss. Hearing 3 Stacks take home a buttery soulful beat like Jeezy’s “I Do” is the sort of experience akin to meeting the love of your life, winning the lottery, or being able to have pizza anytime (Bagel Bites anyone?). Obviously there are three big names on this track, so with that comes expectations; to whom much is given, much is tested. But I think after a couple spins, you’ll be as into this track as we are. Don’t sleep, it’s the Snowman. FREE TM:103. FREE JEEZY.

Young Jeezy – I Do (Feat. Jay-Z & Andre 3000)

Young Jeezy georgia (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-11

Radiohead – Bloom (Jamie xx Remix Pt. 3)

radiohead3

Fellow b3sci fam Erin and I were talking this newest version of Jamie xx’s “Bloom” remix earlier today and we were both like whoa (no Black Robb) “When did all music start sounding like this?” It’s kind of true, when did all music (at least on the internet) start sounding like Jamie’s new “Bloom” remix? So, great. Souped up British garage-influenced space R&B is now ON TOP. WHERE IS THE BACKLASH? Come on indie music press don’t sleep on that backlash. We know y’all love a good backlash. p.s. We really love this remix.


Radiohead – Bloom (Jamie xx Remix Pt. 3)

Jamie xx england (Facebook) (Myspace)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-11

Orelha Negra – M.I.R.I.A.M.

orelhanegra

Portuguese collective Orehla Negra put down this stunning flip of Betty LaVette’s 1973 tune “Your Turn to Cry”. Listen.

Orelhla Negra – M.I.R.I.A.M.

Orelha Negra portugal (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-11

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

Florence + The Machine – No Light, No Light (Breakage Remix)

nolight

Our girl Florence is prepping the release of Ceremonials single #3 which will be the soaring “No Light, No Light” and backing the release will be brand new remixes from TVOTR’s Dave Sitek and this mix from Breakage. Get a sample below.

Florence + The Machine – No Light, No Light (Breakage Remix)

Florence + The Machine england (Official and Purchase)

Rating 8.3

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