Thursday, April 28, 2011

Explorer 15, April 28th

New tracks you all should listen to: J Mascis, a brilliant new Death Cab for Cutie song and new work by Arctic Monkeys and Strokes


Here's the link to the playlist

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Papercuts - Fading Parade

Dream pop keeps producing new fine records and Papercuts latest disc ‘Fading Parade’ is another keeper. Beach House set the standard last year with the excellent ‘Teen Dream’ and Papercuts adds another to the list.

From the opener “Do You Really Wanna Know” (a slowed down Drums song) on we can hear the soft, almost muffled production and the double tracked hazy vocals. “I’ll See You Later I Guess” starts off as a baroque 60s song fitting the Zombies and Procul Harum mold before melding into more Beach Housy stuff. When we mention Beach House we have to point out the great track “Wait Till I’m Dead”.

The voice, though weak, is perfect for the music but it is a good thing the album is as long as it is. More would become too boring and bring the album down. His voice is in the high range and sometimes sounds like Nico.

‘Fading Parade’ is a good example for a Dream Pop album. It doesn’t break any musical boundaries and is too similar to other, and better, bands in the genre, but ‘Fading Parade’ might nevertheless end up on some end-of-the-year lists.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Explorer 15, April 10th 2011

Time doesn't permit me anymore to make lists, so from now on every time I find 15 new tracks worth sharing I will post it here.

Airborne Toxic Event – Numb
Music: Oh how we late them.
Video: WEE favorites ATE with their latest video, Negative shots with cut frames in color.

Braids – Plath Heart
Music: Grizzly Bear with a female voice
Video: eeuh, are they following a snake or a mole or something?

DEV – Bass Down Low
Music: OK, definitely not a Wide Explorer Song at first listen, but I can’t resist the bassline…
Video: People we will never meet at a party we will never be invited to

Dodos – Black Night
Music: Dodos, if you don’t know them by now check out all their music. People can still be inventive drummers these days
Video: Black & White, artful play on Fight Club maybe

Emma’s Imagination – Brighter Greener
Music: This is going to be some 14 year old girl’s first song she knows how to play on the guitar.
Video: Who wouldn’t want to spend an afternoon on a bed in a pond?

Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks
Music: Don’t pass them off too fast as a slower Drums clone, though they actually might be.
Video: Band playing, road trip shots.

Happy Camper – Born With A Bothered Mind
Music: Soulful, Jazzy, Laidback, Jack Johnson stuff. Another great track released by Holland’s Premier indie label Excelsio
Video: A Cartoon about camping, showing once more that cartoon videos usually work.

Kraak & Smaak – Dynamite
Music: Excellent Dutch Dance Track
Video: Holland seems to be giving us the best videos this week. Spinning turntable graphics.

Okkervil River – Wake And Be Fine
Music: Smart song again, maybe their most accessible song with which I hope they reacher a bigger audience.
Video: Band playing, but with some nice color schemes, background video and effects.

Papercuts – Do You Really Wanna Know
Music: Another Sub Pop gem. Reverb high on all instruments and strum away. Atmospheric vocals make for a brilliant pop track.
Video: Just them playing.

Pete and the Pirates – Come to the Bar
Music: Going the Horror’s way it seems, chorus is pure Pete and the Pirates.
Video: A singing fish!

Primitives – Rattle My Cage
Music: They’ve been around for a while. Primal Scream stomping beat with a slightly disappointing chorus.
Video: Let’s see what video effects I can do with my pc! Also, singers who point at the audience while singing about ‘you’ should usually be automatically dq’ed, but I’m in a good mood.

PS I Love You – Get Over
Music: Choppy, distorted Canadian awesomeness by a bearded spectacled guy.
Song: At a party, watching hockey, doing karaoke with their own songs. Frat party stuff including the puking.
The Vaccines – If You Wanna
Music: 2011 is Vaccines year! They didn’t even reinvent the wheel but oh what fun!
Video: Band playing

Young Knives - Love My Name
Music: Choppy chord changes by boring Englishmen who make excellent songs, classic song in the making.
Video: Band playing