Tuesday, February 28, 2017

"Even Love" (video) by CHINAH

We have been following the Danish dreampop/electronic/R&B trio CHINAH for some time now.  We have learned that their 7-track EP Hints will be released on March 10, following their appearance at SxSW in Austin, Texas.  New track "Even Love" perfectly showcases their smooth but sincere style.

CHINAH is Fine Glindvad (vocals), Simon Kjaer (guitar) and Simon Andersson (piano/synths).  The band was formed in 2014.





The Ocean Party - US Tour Tape (and US Tour dates)

With multiple songwriters and vocalists, Melbourne's The Ocean Party produces some of the most consistently interesting and excellent indie pop on the scene today.  The boys have brought their party to the Unites States, and to highlight the goods on offer they have released their US Tour Tape as a $4 digital release via Emotional Response Records.  It is good stuff, and we highly recommend grabbing a copy.  Of course, we also suggest checking out the tour dates listed below to see if you are fortunate enough to be in the path of The Ocean Party.  When You Motor Away intends to be at the Seattle Show, which we understand also includes local standouts Zebra Hunt.

The Ocean Party are Jordan Thompson, Liam Halliwell, Curtis Wakeling, Lachlan Denton, Zac Denton and Crowman.



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TOUR DATES 
FEBRUARY 
22TH - LONG BEACH, CA – PIKE BAR 
23TH - TUCSON, AZ – SKY BAR 
25TH – PHOENIX, AZ – LOST LEAF 
28TH – AUSTIN, TX – CHEER UP CHARLIE 
MARCH 
2ND – NEW ORLEANS, LA – GASA GASA 
3RD – NASHVILLE, TN – TBA 
4TH – LEXINGTON, KT – BEST FRIEND BAR 
5TH – MEMPHS, TN – THE HI TONE 
9TH – MANHATTAN, NY – SHRINE 
10TH – BROOKLYN, NY – BAR MATCHLESS 
12TH – PROVIDENCE, RI – MACHINES WITH MAGNETS 
14TH – CLEVELAND, OH – HAPPY DOG, EUCLID 
15TH – CHICAGO, IL - SCHUBAS 
19TH – FLAGSTAFF, AZ – FIRECREEK COFFEE 
21ST – SEATTLE, WA – VICTORY LOUNGE 
22ND – BOISE, ID – TREE FORT FESTIVAL 
23RD – TACOMA, WA – KUPS 
24TH – PORTLAND, OR – TURN TURN TURN 
25TH – DAVIS, CA – ARMADILLO MUSIC 
26TH – OAKLAND, CA – THE WHITE HORSE

Monday, February 27, 2017

Beloved Elk - Distractions

It seems to us that Distractions, the new album from Melbourne's Beloved Elk comes to us from the inside to the outside.  By that we mean that the duo takes their internalized feeling of dislocation from society, anxiety, uncertainty and alienation and then present it too those of us on the outside.  Their approach is direct, unapologetic an undisguised.  The result is bold, yet intimate.  It also is breathtakingly good.

One of the hallmarks of Beloved Elk is balance.  For every moment of dissonance there is a sweet hook, riff or vocal,  for every hushed or spare moment, there is a swelling sound or thunderous crash, for every moment of abandon there is a withdrawn sob.  But like life, lines get blurred.  Veins of darkness shoot through the light, and spots of sunshine brighten dark anxieties.  The band takes you on their sonic and psychological journey, and your only job is to relax, learn, and enjoy.

Beloved Elk is Amy Wright (lyrics/vocals/guitars/keys/bass) and Tina Nguyen (drums/bass/keys/guitar/vocals).  Distractions is out now via Listen Records in digital and limited CD/cassette formats.







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"Don't Ask Many Questions" by Former Bullies, new LP Stranger out now

Former Bullies, the Manchester, UK project headed by Nick Ainsworth, aren't prolific in the recording studio, but their music always is welcome.  Their sweet spot is warm, accessible guitar pop with a touch of melancholy -- simple but affecting.  They remind me a bit of Liverpool's The La's and San Francisco's The Mantles, both of whom are in regular rotation in my collection.  The band's new single is "Don't Ask Many Questions", which also appears on Stranger, their latest album.  The single is available now, and you can take it for a test listen on the sweet video below.  The album is out now in digital and vinyl formats via CF Records and Towed By The Ghost Records.  See the Bandcamp links below.  I highly recommend the single and the album.  Stream along, and I think you'll agree.

In addition to Ainsworth (guitar/vocals), Former Bullies are Matthew Taylor (bass) and Tom Settle (drums/guitar/vocals).




Former Bullies on Tumblr
Former Bullies on Twitter
CF Records' Bandcamp for Stranger
Towed By The Ghost's Bandcamp for Stranger

Friday, February 24, 2017

Dag - Benefits of Solitude

Benefits Of Solitude, the debut album from Melbourne's Dag, offers dusty, shaggy, economically expressed guitar pop that the Australians do so well.  But what makes this album so special to us is the emotional depth and intensity that the songwriter and band manage to pack into these melodic gems, while not appearing to break a sweat.  The themes of love, loss, loneliness, death and isolation are weighty, indeed.  But in the hands of Dusty McCord-Anastassiou and his pals we are served a plentiful dose of jangling entertainment, with some strings, keys and sax for added detail,  with the more serious observations.

The band and label have chosen a few of the tracks for single treatment, and we offer them below for your pleasure.  However, a few spins through Benefits Of Solitude and you are likely to conclude that you like several of the others as much as one or more of the excellent singles.  For my money, I offer "Not Fine Mind" and, especially, "Know Where To Go".  A good album is more than the sum of its parts, and this certainly is a very good album.  But you'll find those individual parts to be pretty irresistible on their own.

For Benefits Of Solitude, Dag is Dusty McCord-Anastassiou (vocals, guitars/keys, percussion, songwriting), Josh Watson (bass, violin, percussion), Matthew Ford (drums), and Skye McNicol (violin), with assistance of Heidi Cutlack (backing vocals) and Henry Mills (sax).  The album is out today via Bedroom Suck Records (and Omnian Music Group in the US).








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Bandcamp for Benefits Of Solitude
Bedroom Suck Records
Bedroom Suck Records page for Benefits of Solitude
Omnian Music Group page for Benefits Of Solitude

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Donovan Blanc - The Color Of Hearts

Lush pop, hooky disco, sweet love painted in gentle pastel tones and soft rainfall, some spot-on '60s Brill Building stylings, a touch of funk  -- that's The Color Of Hearts by New Jersey duo Donovan Blanc.  It is the band's second album, and suggests that despite the high standards achieved in their first outing, which are nevertheless exceeded with this album, we probably haven't yet heard 'peak Donovan Blanc' yet.  A couple of gems are included for your evaluation below, but you can stream the entire album at the Bandcamp link (where the more alert readers will discover that a ten-song download is only five dollars).  By the way, the title track isn't a Bee Gees cover, but you could be forgiven thinking that it was.  I don't think it insults anyone to suggest a favorable comparison to the Brothers Gibb.

This album will put a smile on your face for a good long time.






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Bandcamp for The Color Of Hearts


Cakefight - Cakefight 7" EP

Conceived in Melbourne, Australia, and recorded in Austin, Texas, here is Cakefight.  The members are Andrew Porter and Vanessa Morris and they play garage rock designed to make your beer glass jump around on the table.  So press play below and enjoy Cakefight 7" EP.  I radiates summer vibes shot through with gooey hooks and excited yelps.  And if you don't have a glass with beer in it, get one.  It is that kind of music.  And for that matter, 2017 is going to be that kind of year.



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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Campfires In Winter - Ischaemia

Ischaemia is the first album from Scotland's Campfires In Winter, and it is the perfect debut long-player from one of the finest post punk bands of which you may never have heard.  Over the course of a few shorter recordings the band proved that it could pack a weighty punch with epic rocking tunes as well as quiet and intimate songs.  What Ischaemia proves is that Campfires In Winter is more than capable of maintaining consistently superb songwriting and performances over the course of an album, with intense, fully detailed songs of grace, intelligence and power.

Lead track "Kopfkino" deserves showcase status, and with the following "Free Me From the Howl" I was in love with the album after two songs.  But for me the beating heart of Ischaemia is the run of "Greeted By The Storm", "Eating All The Bodies", "Twelve Thousand Drops", "The Sky Is Taking On Light", and "With A Ragged Diamond".  It is a five-song streak that will rival any such run on any album released this year.  Can a debut album be a greatest hits album?  Maybe so ...

Campfires In Winter are Robert Canavan (lead vocals/lead guitar), Wullie Crainey (bass), Scott McArthur (keys/guitar), and Ewan Denny (drums).  Ischaemia is out on Friday, February 24, in vinyl, CD and digital formats via Glasgow's Olive Grove Records.








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"I'm So Scared" by Ruth Carp and the Fish Heads

Ruth Carp And The Fish Heads deliver the lo-fi, jangling slacker pop that we really like around WYMA world headquarters.  With a US tour beginning in early March, and an upcoming LP titled Can Men Like Us Go To Heaven, it seems like a good time to introduce the Sydney band to our readers.  And the boys have cooperated by releasing album track "I'm So Scared" as a free Bandcamp download and the subject of the video below.  Enjoy the song, enjoy the video, and note the tour dates and venues at the bottom of the post.  Ruth Carp And The Fish Heads - doesn't that name just scream "breakfast time" to you?  We're headed to the staff lounge to see what's available.





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TOUR DATES
3/5 - Los Angeles, CA - The Mint
3/7 - Los Angeles, CA - Silverlake Lounge
3/9 - Austin, TX - Dozen Street
3/11 - San Antonio, TX - k23
3/12 - Houston, TX - Super Happy Fun Land
3/13 - New Orleans, LA - Rare Form
3/16 - Nashville, TN - The Springwater Supper Club and Lounge
3/19 - Black Mountain, NC - Town Pump
3/21 - Raleigh, NC - Slims Downtown
3/22 - Philadelphia - Kung Fu Necktie
3/24 - Brooklyn, NY - Alphaville
3/30 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class
4/5 - Chicago, IL - Township
4/9 - Los Angeles, CA - The Trip




Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Goddam Nobody - Dead Beat

We like to style ourselves as the champions of the undersigned, unsigned, little knowns, unknowns, just-getting-started and even a Goddam Nobody.  In fact, this post isn't even our first attempt at promoting Goddam Nobody.  Avid readers and shut-ins with no television may remember our October 2015 introduction to Goddam Nobody (here), which included some free downloads.  Happily, Matthew Oliver, who is the primary Goddam Nobody (although he has help from Ben Woods, Daniel Morris, Matt Cleave, and Dan E. Brown), has crafted an EP that will be available via Super Fan 99 this Friday, February 24.  The man has a knack for hooks and melodies in which to place them, and his lo-fi fuzzy guitar style hits our sweet spot.  For this outing Oliver's songs have a bit less of the '60s retro style and a bit more '90s alt rock style.  You won't hear any complaints from us, and if you are a fan of the Brian Jonestown Massacre you may be particularly pleased.  Check out showcase title tune "Dead Beat", and if you want more, stream it below.







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Monday, February 20, 2017

Middle Kids - Middle Kids


Sydney's Middle Kids are hitting 2017 at a full run.  Less than a year out from their first single, the trio has just released a remarkably self-assured and satisfying six-song self-titled EP.  Their scope embraces big pop hooks, sweet alt-country, chunky rock, and smokey ballads, highlighted by frontwoman Hannah Joy's powerful and nuanced vocals -- ringing in the rafters or cooing in your ear, depending on the moment -- and solid songwriting and performances from all.  "Edge Of Town" generally gets the nod as the showcase tune, but you aren't going to find a weak song in the set and there probably would by votes for "Your Love", "Never Start" or one of the others if you put it to a fan vote.  But why choose - you can enjoy them all.

Note that the band is touring North America now.  We've included the dates and locations down below.

Middle Kids are Hannah Joy (vocals/guitar), Tim Fitz (producer/multi-instrumentalist), and Harry Day (drums).  The Middle Kids EP is out now via Domino.  See the Bandcamp link below for streaming and digital downloads.












February 21 || Seattle, WA || Barboza 
February 22 || Portland, OR || The Fremont Theater 
February 25 || Los Angeles, CA || The Echo 
February 28 || Denver, CO || Lost Lake Lounge 
March 1 || Kansas City, MO || The Tank Room 
March 3 || Nashville, TN || The Basement 
March 4 || Charleston, SC || The Music Farm * 
March 5 || Charlotte, NC || The Fillmore * 
March 6 || Saxapahaw, NC || Haw River Ballroom * 
March 7 || Atlanta, GA || The Tabernacle * 
March 10 || Baton Rouge, LA || Varisty Theatre * 
March 11 || Fayetteville, AR || George's Majestic Lounge * 
March 12 || Omaha, NE || Sokol Auditorium * 
March 14 || Madison, WI || Majestic Theatre * 
March 15-16 || Austin, TX || SXSW 
March 18 || Chicago, IL || Riviera Theater * 
March 19 || Indianapolis, IN || Egyptian * 
March 21 || Detroit, IL || St. Andrews Hall * 
March 22 || Toronto, ON || Danforth Music Hall * 
March 23 || Pittsburgh, PA || Stage AE * 
March 24 || Covington, KY || Madison Theater * 
March 29 || Philadelphia, PA || Boot & Saddle 
March 30 || Washington, DC || DC9 
April 1 || Brooklyn, NY || Baby's All Right 

 * with Cold War Kids

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"Elevator" by PONCÉ

Perhaps shockingly, When You Motor Away is starting out the week with some elevator music.  Yes, the first post of the week is "Elevator" by Nashville-based duo PONCÉ.  The band is comprised of identical twins Michael and Carson Ponce, and we think they have a sound that will carry them far.  Enjoy the "Elevator" ride, and we'll bring you more PONCÉ when their Afterglow EP is released in early May.



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Friday, February 17, 2017

"Loneliness Is The Hardest Drug" by Lord Willing

We can't give you much background on the LA musician who calls himself Lord Willing.  The dude writes that he's had some professional and personal setbacks, but he also has written and recorded a very fine song titled "Loneliness Is The Hardest Drug".  While the title suggests a downer track, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the up-tempo R&B vibe.  We wouldn't mind hearing more from Lord Willing.



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Thursday, February 16, 2017

The Courtneys - II

There are few albums I've heard in the last six months that have produced as many smiles as II, the new album from Vancouver, British Columbia's The Courtneys.  No, it is nothing the trio has said; nor is it attributable to goofy antics.  Quite simply, these ladies hit the ground with ten songs that have enough grit to remind you of the garage and enough polish to take their present and future in music dead seriously.  The harmonies are like a direct infusion of sunshine to your bloodstream, and the pace and energy are like three double espressos in a row.  Hooks, riffs, muscle, attitude -- it's all here and all sincere.  And the performances are piano-wire tight.  If you want a few references before streaming the selections below, consider The Clean, early Teenage Fanclub and Guided By Voices to be honored spiritual uncles to The Courtneys.  Good bloodlines are important in music.

One can wonder whether the fact that II is being released by iconic New Zealand label Flying Nun means that Vancouver is now the northern-most city in New Zealand.  On the other hand, it just may mean that Flying Nun has decided to conquer the world.  If conquest means putting out more music like II, sign us up for the effort.

The Courtneys are Jen Twynn Payne (drums/lead vocals), Sydney Koke (bass/vocals), and Courtney Loove (guitar/vocals).







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Flying Nun pre-order page

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Noveller - A Pink Sunset For No One

That Sarah Lipstate is an extraordinary electric guitarist is amply demonstrated by her work with the bands of which she has been a member, including Cold Cave, Parts and Labor and One Umbrella, and her collaborations with JG Thirlwell, Carla Bozulich, David Sims, and Lee Ranaldo.  But full appreciation of her talents is best achieved by experiencing her work as Noveller.  In this guise, she creates expansive, cinematic soundscapes, devoid of vocals but richly detailed nonetheless.  Her latest album as Noveller is A Pink Sunset For No One.  Layering sound on sound, with drone elements holding the lower end while Sarah's inspirations take flight in delightfully directions.  Her guitar, pedals and fingers conjure and entire assembly of synths, pianos, bass, woodwinds and other instruments.  One moment you can close your eyes and visualize fairies, another you sense an ominous presence or anticipate a revealed mystery.  You luxuriate in warm chimes, or shiver at the approach of thunder.  The detail is breathtaking, the timing is impeccable.   If you don't think you like instrumental music, you probably haven't given Noveller a chance.

A Pink Sunset For No One is out now on vinyl, digital and CD formats via Fire Records.  See the Bandcamp link below for details.









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Fire Records page for Noveller

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

"I Won't Blame You" by Zebra Hunt

Zebra Hunt is one of our favorite local Seattle bands.  They will release a new album later this year on the tasteful little Spanish label, Tenorio Cotobade.  And just to remind us all why we should care, they have provided album track "I Won't Blame You".  And we appreciate the sentiment guys -- with all the bad stuff that has happened the last few months, I don't want anyone blaming me.  For anything.

And speaking of avoiding blame, no zebras were hunted or otherwise harmed in the recording of his song.




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"Just Don't Care Anymore" by Calm Fiasco

These guys may or may not actually be calm, but listening to their new single "Just Don't Care Anymore", I certainly wouldn't describe Calm Fiasco as any sort of fiasco.  But if they really don't care anymore, they may indeed be calm.  They have an new EP titled The Fear coming soon, and we're eager to hear it.

Calm Fiasco are Del Morin (lead vocals & guitar), Harry Fleming (vocals, bass, & keys), Andy McInnes (vocals & drums), and Greg Totten (lead guitar).




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Monday, February 13, 2017

Young Romance - Another's Blood

I expect that everyone, romantically inclined or not, defines 'young romance' in their own way.  But for us here at When You Motor Away, songs of heartbreak voiced by a female vocalist over a backdrop of ten-ton drums and guitars recalling The Jesus and Mary Chain is about as good a working definition as anything else.  "But where would we find that?", you ask.  Well, Young Romance, of course.  The London-based duo consisting of Claire Haywood and Paolo Ruiu formed in 2013, and has been gaining momentum with each show and record, and releasing their debut LP Another's Blood a few months ago.  Their music will invoke favorable references to The Kills, Cults, and to some extent Sonic Youth.  The melodies are excellent, the performances energetic and professional and the entire package is fresh and exciting.  We think Another's Blood is a very strong debut, and suggest you get a copy and keep an eye on this band.

Of course, it probably would have been more professional to have published this post last fall when the record was released, but we don't claim to be professionals, and we certainly aren't paid like professionals.  And we'll claim timeliness based on (1) the vinyl version of the album now being available, and (2) it is Valentines Day this week, which is a perfect time to celebrate Young Romance.







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Thursday, February 9, 2017

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Alexander Devotion EP

Formed in LA and residing in Austin, Texas, Mike Lee's Letting Up Despite Great Faults never fails to deliver hoods and melody.  There is a touch of the New Order vibe, but not so much that the material appears dated.  Other touchstones would be Scandinavian indie poppers The Radio Dept. and the Mary Onettes, which is a tribute to LUDGF's ability to creates pristine music. Their latest work is the four-song Alexander Devotion EP, which arrives in advance of their Japan tour and March dates at SxSW.  The defining brilliance of this band is their ability to weave various textures into a song that feels substantial and important while listening, but leaves a pleasant aftertaste.  That sounds simple, but we assure you that it is not, and it is the definition of a good musical guest in our home.

Alexander Devotion EP is out February 10 via Shelflife Records.




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Shelflife Records page for EP

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

The Ghosts of Johnson City - The Devil's Gold

Make some room in your life for The Devil's Gold.  This isn't the kind of gold that will pay for the new Bentley, the kitchen remodel, or even the bottle of Jim Beam you covet to make it less painful when you realize that you won't have the Bentley or the remodeled kitchen.  So just what is The Devil's Gold?  It is the second album from The Ghosts of Johnson City.  The band is based in Portland, Maine, but spiritually live in Appalachia and the deep South of long past decades.

The Ghosts of Johnson City are songwriter Amos Libby (vocals/guitar/banjo), Douglas Porter (banjo/guitar/vocals), Erik Neilson (baritone Ukulele/vocals), Erik Winter (pump organ), Ian Riley (upright bass), Sarah Mueller (violin), and Bethany Winter (vocals).  Am I Born To Die?, their first album, consisted of fresh interpretations of dark Americana songs from the past.  For The Devil's Gold the band composed new songs in a similar style.  And it is a credit to their talent that to my ears the new songs are better than those on the debut album.  We still hear about murder, mine disasters, terminal illness, drowning, suicide, love and loss, but it all sounds so damn good that you enjoy the stories and congratulate yourself that none of them bear your name.  The quality is so uniform that I struggled mightily to choose some representative tracks for this feature, only consoling myself that I couldn't fail to represent the record well with any selection.  Four gems are below, but you can stream them all at the Soundcloud link.  You can find purchase details at the band's website.

This is unlike most any other album you will hear, and your life will have a void if you take a pass.  And besides, the kitchen is fine and the Bentley is a pain in the ass to maintain.  Get the album, put on your headphones, stay home and order a pizza.  Oh, and you can still drink the Jim Beam -- in fact you probably should.









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Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The Ocean Party - B-Grade Material

Almost every band will tell you that their latest album is top quality stuff, and their best work ever.  Almost every band.  And then there is Melbourne's The Ocean Party, who tells us that the material on their latest offering consists of leftovers from the recording sessions from the previous album, as well as the album yet to be released, and that it varies in style and recording quality.  And in case those comments failed to register, they titled the album B-Grade Material.  So there is the unvarnished truth, right?  Well, not really.

Since "alternative facts" are all the rage in a certain part of the world, we'll give you some alternative facts which, in our professional view, actually are true.  One fact is that The Ocean Party is a really, really good band, and their "B-grade" material is better than many band's A-grade material.  Second, in an fit of professional responsibility, we have listened to this album several times, and think it is a delight.  Indulge us and devote 11 minutes to run through the first four tracks below, and I expect you will agree.  I'm especially fond of "Love", with the talented Ashley Bundang (Ciggie Witch, Totally Mild, Zone Out) guesting, and "Goldman Sachs".  Third, the variety of styles reflects one of the band's strong points -- with multiple talented songwriters and singers, the musical scenery always stays interesting over the course of an album.  Finally, consider the potential psychology at play here, The Ocean Party calls the album B-Grade Material, but they thought it good enough to see the light of day, and it is their reputation on the line.  My guess is they think there is some good stuff here, and we agree.

B-Grade Material is available digitally and on a limited number of cassettes via the Bandcamp link below.




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Bandcamp for B-Grade Material

Monday, February 6, 2017

Camera Obsurca - Teenager & Keep It Clean

Very few indie pop band can come close to Glasgow's Camera Obscura when it comes to achingly bittersweet pop.  It has been a couple of years since their most recent album, and more recently the band suffered the loss of member Carey Lander to cancer.  But while we don't have any new music from the band to announce, we can share the happy news that UK label Elefant Records is issuing a special re-release of two early Camera Obscura singles.  The date of the release is March 3, and typically we wouldn't be writing about it a month in advance.  However, the vinyl versions have a limited run, and I expect that they will be spoken for in the pre-order period.  And since that period begins right about now, we suggest you consider planning for the future, if you know what I mean.  But if you miss out on the vinyl, you can buy both singles digitally at Elefant Records' Bandcamp page and other usual digital outlets.

Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't have a few words about the two singles, Teenager and Keep It Clean.  Each of them originally was released as a CD single, and includes four songs.  The tracklist for Teenager is "Teenager", "I Don't Want To See You", "A Sister's Social Agony", and "Footloose And Fancy Free".  Keep It Clean includes the title track, as well as "Amigo Mio, "Suspended From Class", and "San Francisco Song.  We have included the album are and two songs from each single for you to sample below.  You can stream each single in its entirety at the Bandcamp link at the bottom of the page.







************









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Elefant Records
Pre-order link for Teenager
Pre-order link for Keep It Clean
Elefant Records' Bandcamp


Friday, February 3, 2017

Allison Crutchfield - Tourist In This Town

Welcome to Allison Crutchfield's coming out party.  Oh, sure, she has been around in Swearin', Bad Banana, and P.S. Eliot, but Tourist In This Town marks the beginning of her new solo career.  And what a beginning -- mature and assured without being glossy, loaded with pop smarts while retaining the passion and attitude of her indie rock efforts.  The melodies are interesting and varied, and Crutchfield's vocals are note-perfect.  Yeah, it is a bit of a breakup album, but the adept songwriting and superb delivery keep the listeners focused on the song, not the background.  And at the end of the day, there is promise and hope rather than despair.  And speaking of promise and hope, we think we're going to enjoy the new Allison Crutchfield for a long time.

Tourist In This Town is out now via Merge Records.






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Merge Records page for Tourist In This Town

"Numb" by Joakim

I had trouble getting going today, but "Numb" from French producer Joakim saved the day.  I'm upright with a spring in my step.  So the least I can do is share the goods with the rest of it.  And note that Joakim's new album Samurai will be out on March 17 via Tigersushi.




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Thursday, February 2, 2017

"Lucky Girl" by Fazerdaze

Have we not discussed Fazerdaze before?  Our apologies, we must have been keeping it as our little secret, and it isn't nice to have secrets.  But this is a good time to change tack, because Auckland, New Zealand's Amelia Murray is about to make some lovely noise, and earn some well-deserved praise, for her upcoming album Morningside.  The album will be released in early May via Flying Nun, and we'll have more on that at a later date.  For now, have an introduction with the sparkling album track "Lucky Girl".


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Flying Nun Records

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

"It Doesn't Matter" by Secret Cameras

"It Doesn't Matter" is your introduction to London band Secret Cameras.  It is the second single from their upcoming debut EP.  The tune has an ambitious scope and reveals a band with talent and confidence.




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Bandcamp for "It Doesn't Matter"