no hope kids - wavves

This video premiered last night on Rolling Stone online:

Then today, on Pete Ohs' website, he wrote the following:

In February, I traveled around Europe with Wavves. I filmed everything that happened. Then I edited down the 30+ hours of footage into this 2+ minute music video. Then Rolling Stone premiered it and didn’t credit me. Then I cried a single salty tear.

Aww Pete!

This Wavves video is super simple and I love it! It's really well shot and wonderfully edited (particularly considering he had over 30 hours of footage!)

I also loved his Ghosthunter video from 2007. Watch it below if you've never seen it - super fun!

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Every time I listen to 'My Heart' by Wildbirds & Peacedrums I am captivated, enchanted, invigorated.

"Don't run. You see, I'm lost without your rhythm"

Its so simple. We've all found ourselves at some stage or another without that one special person who had always helped us keep time. Helped us decide where to go next, what our next move should me. It's such a simple but also such a sad idea - that you can so easily lose momentum and fall off course without someone acting as your guide; your shining light.

But. The way Mariam cries and swoops around notes generates an excited energy, and rather than wallow she urges you to get up, shake it off, and clap. Clap along, cry out, stamp your feet and shake every part of your body. Her tremulous husky shouts are hypnotic.

The Snake is their second album (the Sweedish twosome Mariam Wallentin and Andreas Werliin), and is typically Swedish - a pop record splattered with the unexpected, emphasising quirks rather than smoothing them over, with heavy percussive jazz improvisation. It has been out around a month or two, and you can get a copy online from the Leaf Label website.

'There Is No Light' Wildbirds & Peacedrums. Video by Andreas Nilsson.




I've talked about Andreas Nilssion before on Grey Gardens - I love his work and adored his clip for Fever Ray earlier this year. Here, just another example of the Swedes doing great things together.

radge's winter tale

My friend Radge just finished the last in his seasons series: winter

I saw Radge on the weekend at our friend Elke's birthday dinner after a long period of not spending time together. I had the flu and felt terrible, but was trying hard to be 'social' - my will wasn't nearly strong enough though, and after sinking into elke's couch post dinner and pre party Kevina told me to go home to bed, which I did. The reason I've not seen Radge in a while is because I've been working heaps and going to see bands, and he's been working heaps and going to see DJs. He also likes hanging out with people who are all fashion and cool, which isnt really my scene.

But it was really nice to see him. Which I was reminded of today when he announced his new mix was ready.

A collection of downtempo and at times melencholic electronica peppered with old classics, electric guitar and some wondeful gentle melodies. Prefectly curated for cooking soups and sitting with friends, or for long walks on cold mornings.

a winters tale - radge mixtape mp3 download [direct link]

Now I have to go get my chestnuts out of the oven.

party time!

Oh dear I sound so serious (and mean) in that last post!

Let's lift the mood!!



Bradford Cox solo tomorrow at Black & Blue. Early show - 6:00 start no supports - $15 (door sales only) and all proceeds go to FBi's current fundraising campaign.

Party!!!

My gorgeous friend Kevina is having an exhibition at Black & Blue at the moment. After the launch last week the show wraps up this Sunday, so you can check it out on tomorrow night and then go back for a better look before the weekend is out. She's wonderfully talented and has spent the last three months knitting, weaving, braiding, knotting, drawing, painting, carving, machine sewing and hand sewing.

the girls at dawn

A girl I went to high school with is releasing a single on Friday. She was never interested in singing when we were at school, but seems to have found her calling in pop (or so her myspace will have you believe.) I know this because she added me on twitter and curiosity got the better of me and I followed her links to her website. I wish I hadn't. There are too many people who put their name to music just because they can, for the 'glamour' of it. Her's is honestly the most poorly executed single I have heard in as long as I can remember - bland, vacuous and indulged, and demonstrative of the glossed over mediocrity of the mainstream. What the fuck is the point?!

Women with talent:



Blank Dogs' Captured Tracks label is releasing a heap of wonderful stuff at the moment. The Little Girls 7" , Dum Dum Girls 7", his own stuff with Dee Dee as The Mayfair Set, the fucked up noise of Kid Romance...

With their childish harmonies, lazy meandering melodies and jangling country tambourine, The Girls At Dawn are, next to Dum Dum Girls, my favourites of the current Captured Tracks roster. Like Those Darlins, their sound is a thick, bubbling stew of country ballads, flat post punk vocals , skuzzy Brooklyn garage and 60s Shangri-Las pop.

'its the only way' The Girls At Dawn Mp3 [z share]

There is a Girls At Dawn 7" scheduled for release on Hozac in the latter half of this year. The demos on their myspace page now are promising, and after some time and live shows I'm hoping they'll have put together something pretty great.

To finish - a female powerhouse. I really love her. Her new album is out August 25 - titled 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'. Straight up.

Late addition: Speaking of hot female powerhouses:

twinsistermoon

Recorded to tape in 1965 as Andrew Oldham and the Stones lounge beside on couches. Or so it sounds.

'Bride of the Spirits' Twinsistermoon Mp3 [z share]

I really love to discover artists who've been releasing material for years - I like playing catchups with their back catalogue. My current fascination is Natural Snow Buildings' Mehdi Ameziane - a Frenchman performing magestic hippy folk belonging to another world in another time.

The unfortunate thing about finding him late though, is that the Dull Knife 7" and the album (a micropressing with a silkscreened chipboard sleeve and art booklet limited to 100 copies) are both sold out.

Hear more similar sounds at the Natural Snow Buildings myspace, and Ameziane also has this

Ghoul

Ghoul released their debut EP A Mouthful Of Gold in January - hosting a free download on their Myspace. I remember for the first few listens, Ivan's vocals really annoyed me - muted falsetto cries with grunt, or something. Like Antony Hegarty, who I find really irritating if I'm not in the right mood for him.

I've been listening to the EP again this past month. Namely because people kept telling me about them and I finally caved and revisited the release. I don't usually do that. Most of the time i'll decide if I like something or not and then my mind is firmly made up. But this time. Who knows. People were persuasive. I am glad though, because I've been really enjoying it. Then I saw them live a month or so ago and they were really engaging!

What I like most is their un-sydney'ness. Sydney's music community is very focused on DJs and dance production, and while Ghoul have a heavily produced Atlas Sound vibe, they're still trying to keep things a little different. Theirs is a cluttered, abstracted sound sometimes jarring math rock and sometimes floaty and ambient. Every time I go out to a place that isn't my local pub (poached pears and cider = perfect post friday night family dinner), I hear bad disco remixes and way too many 10 min long Emperor Machine edits. Dear Sydney, please get a grip. So while I'm still not sold 100% on the vocal lines, I think Ghoul write good songs and have real potential to build themselves into one of the rare Aussie bands with international appeal - alongside their DIY peers My Disco, Seekae, Bearhug etc. Someone has to fill Wolfmother's boots.

'Swimming Pool' Ghoul Mp3 [z share]

(Download EP and additional tracks here)

Come see them on Monday if you can.

If you can't make it then, my amazing flatmate Katherine (she of Greedy Hen) is showing her new film at the MCA while they perform a live soundtrack as part of Vivid and Creative Sydney. The show is called low-fi & loving it and is free from 8pm on June 11th and it will be amazing.