Music Backlog
Got plenty to write up about here, so get pumped.
Is it just me or does it seem increasingly rare for a band to come from the Boston area? Back in the day, the Modern Lovers, Mission of Burma, They Might Be Giants (right?) all were Boston-lads, but the city doesn't seem to be producing big name indie bands anymore. Aberdeen City is a pretty good Boston-based band, though, for all of you who were gtting depressed about the city's lack of output.
They've got a new album, The Freezing Atlantic, out ... listen to God Is Going to Get Sick of Me and In Combat to get a dose of their serious (just read their bio!) thinking man's post-punk style. Get the record at Amazon.
So I am really loving this band, Ponies In the Surf. The sister duo crafts beautiful folksongs that aren't freaky at all, and that's a welcome change for me. Romantic folk, art folk, dream folk ... those are all good two-word style descriptions. Listen to See You Happy, Ventricle, Government Brand, and Little Lost Boy. Buy a bit of their stuff at Asaurus Records.
Woo! Some new Best Fwends stuff. This somewhere-in-the-UK-based duo is goofy beyond all belief. Sort of like if Junior Senior was comprised of two men who had the intelligence of a 4th grader. Sorry - that was harsh. I do like Best Fwends' music. Listen to Untitled for a good idea of their style. They are also featured on a comp, Music For Joggers, on Zurich's Micromusic label. They also have released a 7" split through Moshi Moshi Records.
Going now to a completely different part of the world: Austin. I cannot seem to get into Texas-based bands. They all seem too professional and serious for me. Their music is some sort of bizarre freak of nature, as it is not expected for Texans to usually produce bands of intelligence. They are supposed to produce the next Ashlee Simpsons. Sorry -- I'm being a big stereotyper here. Anyway, the SOUND Team is a very good six-piece Austin band. They're rather experimental, using tons of instruments, effects, and unique orchestration techniques, but they're pretty accesible, too. Liten to Don't Turn Away and It's Obvious What's Happening Here.
Lastly, I have been listening to plenty of old groups, but I find the Dentists to be one of the more intriguing. They were a British band, active from 1984 - 1995. Their sound was loosely based off of post-punk legends such as Echo and Joy Division, but the group sought to create a poppier sound from these roots, and so their music ended up sounding like some bizarre post-punk/Orange Juice/Velvet Underground hybrid. Very good, however. The band is re-releasing Some People Are on the Pitch They Think, but you can also listen to a bit of their music here.
Is it just me or does it seem increasingly rare for a band to come from the Boston area? Back in the day, the Modern Lovers, Mission of Burma, They Might Be Giants (right?) all were Boston-lads, but the city doesn't seem to be producing big name indie bands anymore. Aberdeen City is a pretty good Boston-based band, though, for all of you who were gtting depressed about the city's lack of output.They've got a new album, The Freezing Atlantic, out ... listen to God Is Going to Get Sick of Me and In Combat to get a dose of their serious (just read their bio!) thinking man's post-punk style. Get the record at Amazon.
So I am really loving this band, Ponies In the Surf. The sister duo crafts beautiful folksongs that aren't freaky at all, and that's a welcome change for me. Romantic folk, art folk, dream folk ... those are all good two-word style descriptions. Listen to See You Happy, Ventricle, Government Brand, and Little Lost Boy. Buy a bit of their stuff at Asaurus Records.Woo! Some new Best Fwends stuff. This somewhere-in-the-UK-based duo is goofy beyond all belief. Sort of like if Junior Senior was comprised of two men who had the intelligence of a 4th grader. Sorry - that was harsh. I do like Best Fwends' music. Listen to Untitled for a good idea of their style. They are also featured on a comp, Music For Joggers, on Zurich's Micromusic label. They also have released a 7" split through Moshi Moshi Records.
Going now to a completely different part of the world: Austin. I cannot seem to get into Texas-based bands. They all seem too professional and serious for me. Their music is some sort of bizarre freak of nature, as it is not expected for Texans to usually produce bands of intelligence. They are supposed to produce the next Ashlee Simpsons. Sorry -- I'm being a big stereotyper here. Anyway, the SOUND Team is a very good six-piece Austin band. They're rather experimental, using tons of instruments, effects, and unique orchestration techniques, but they're pretty accesible, too. Liten to Don't Turn Away and It's Obvious What's Happening Here.Lastly, I have been listening to plenty of old groups, but I find the Dentists to be one of the more intriguing. They were a British band, active from 1984 - 1995. Their sound was loosely based off of post-punk legends such as Echo and Joy Division, but the group sought to create a poppier sound from these roots, and so their music ended up sounding like some bizarre post-punk/Orange Juice/Velvet Underground hybrid. Very good, however. The band is re-releasing Some People Are on the Pitch They Think, but you can also listen to a bit of their music here.