W♥M (Archive)

Rachel Car

DISCOGRAPHY Undercurrent EP (Mar 2006) Rachel Car (Aug 2006) Behave (Apr 2007) Remix (To be Released in 2007)

Video: Undercurrent - Night and Day

From what I've pieced together, Rachel Car is in a band with George Wabisca called Undercurrent since 2003. The band seems to be an eclectic mix of people: Car (Los Angeles), Wabisca (British Columbia), J.L (Stillwater, Oklahoma) and Fabio (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).  Their music also reflect their different background as heard in this video for "Night and Day".

They've released an EP and their website is promising a full length sometime this year (since they're already at the mixing & mastering stage).

In the meantime, Rachel Car released some solo material, which sounds very similar to Undercurrent, but focused more on that electroclash/synth-based sound. I thought I heard some Ladytron influence (and my suspicion have been confirmed after checking out her myspace.com page to see that Ladytron is her top #1 friend), but it's not as poppy (but to be fair, she is self-described as "dark synthpop").

Car wrote, plays, arranged, mixed everything on her record. There is the occasional additional guitars and bass by Wabisca (which is really evident on "In My Mind"), but the whole album was mostly crafted by Car.

Rachel Car - Movin On

The track that really stood out for me on her debut album is called "Movin On", which I'll include here. It starts off like Steve Miller's "Fly Like An Eagle", but then there is this beat that follows it. The beat almost sounds disco-y.

Rachel Car - Love Love Baby

The cool thing about the Behave EP is that it comes with these trading card with pictures of Rachel Car on one side and lyrics on the other side. I was going to go with "Behave", but after listening to the four tracks, I believe that "Love Love Baby" is my favorite. This sounds like an 80s song.

Finally, she has a remix EP coming out featuring mixes by Ukrainian-borned Playdoughboy, Germany's DJ Propaganda, and others. I've heard some of it, and they all sound very unique and very different to the original mix.  In some cases, you wouldn't think they were the same song.

If you're interested in hearing more Rachel Car, check out her blog section on rachelcar.com to hear the latest demos she's put out.

 July 23, 2007 8:48 PM  vu my♥posts [email protected] rachelcar.com undercurrentla.com

Joanna Newsom - Inflammatory Writ

Tour 2007

Aug 17 Brecon Beacons, UK - Green Man Festival
Sept 9 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia
Sept 11 Hamburg, Germany - Kampnagel
Sept 12 Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso
Sept 13 Frankfurt, Germany - Dreikoenigs-Kirche
Sept 14 Prague, Czech Republic - Archa Theatre
Sept 16 Vienna, Austria - WUK
Sept 18 Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
Sept 19 Zurich, Switzerland - Rote Fabrik
Sept 26 Fribourg, Switzerland - Fri-Son
Sept 28 London, UK - Royal Albert Hall

 

 

Joanna Newsom - Inflammatory Writ

This article is dedicated to Ryan♥M because he has limited internet access and I know he loves Joanna Newsom. I believe he will be covering the Green Man Festival (unlike the excellent Glastonbury 2007 Coverage, he will actually physically be at the Green Man).

So, what makes Newsom stands out in her contemporary musicians is that she has a gigantic Lyon & Healy style 15 harp.

You can probably guess that, although she's a harpist, her style is not traditional harp music.

Anyway, I will include the first song I've heard from her called "Inflammatory Writ", which has a dash of a Dolly Parton-esque vocals with some very strange lyrics over piano notes.

She has a fourth album called Ys (pronounced 'ees') which was released last year, but I don't have. From the samples that I've heard here and there, Ys  sounds pretty good.

If you're wondering, "fourth album?", that's because she's self-released two full lengths prior to signing to Drag City.

Here are more audio from other voxers:

The book of right on

As you can see, she's quite famous. Looking at her tour dates for 2007, it seems she's only appearing in the European countries :/

 July 22, 2007 4:58 PM  vu my♥posts [email protected] dragcity.com/bands/newsom

Tupelo Honeys

Oh What a Day

Tupelo Honeys are an indie-pop duo that create wonderful, catchy, pop tunes that please the ears. They're twins, Joel and Linn Edin, and hail from Sweden, the same home of great musicians such as The Concretes, I'm From Barcelona, Acid House Kings, El Perro Del Mar and others. They released their debut album in April of this year (July in Japan + bonus tracks) and have a video for "Boy You're All Right" which has a Michel Gondry-esque feel to it. I think it was the cellophane and tissue paper water that made me think it (from The Science of Sleep). They're album is available for digital download from iTunes or Klicktrack and on CD from A West Side Fabrication, CDON (Europe), or HMV (Japan).

Tupelo Honeys "Boy You're All Right"

Jason | My Posts // MySpace | PureVolume | iTunes | Klicktrack | A West Side Fabrication

Absolute Garbage to be released July 24th

Garbage - I Think I'm Paranoid http://weheartmus... Garbage's album Version 2.0 was perhaps the first real record I've ever owned. It wasn't my first... Angelfish - Suffocate Me http://weheartmus... Shirley Manson's music career started off in the band, Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie, as backing vocals a...

 

 

Garbage - Tell Me Where it Hurts

Garbage has a new 'best of' album called Absolute Garbage to be released next Tuesday, July 24th, 2007.

The leading single, is "Tell Me Where It Hurts", and according to press release and from their official website, that it's unknown if Garbage will continue as a band. Shirley Manson, in the meantime, is releasing her first solo album soon.

Garbage fans should rejoice for these new releases because, well, they haven't been active since 2005's Bleed Like Me.

Absolute Garbage comes in three formats: a regular CD, a limited edition (2-discs), and a DVD version featuring all of Garbage's video.

The Limited Edition includes a second CD with remixes by such renowned DJs like U.N.K.L.E., Massive Attack [W♥M], and Felix Da Housecat.

For more information on Shirley Manson and Garbage, please refer to our previous posts.

 July 21, 2007 10:37 PM  vu my♥posts [email protected] www.garbage.com

Yann Tiersen - Les Jours Tristes

Yann Tiersen - Les Jours Tristes

Yann Tiersen - Les Jours Tristes

Trivia

"The Travelling Gnome" is a popular prank, originating in Australia in the 1980s. It involves stealing a gnome and taking it on a trip around the world and photographing it in front of famous landmarks (the photos are then sent to the owner).

Amélie (Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain), is currently my favorite movie of all time. I've long loved Jean-Pierre Jeunet's previous movies (Alien: Resurrection, The City of Lost Children, and Delicatessen), so going into the movie theater, I was expecting to like Amélie. I didn't expect to go out of the theater in love with this movie.

The whole movie, story, music, direction, it was so wonderful (I also suspect it also has a lot of it has to do with Audrey Tautou incredibly cuteness too).

If you haven't seen this movie, wow, where have you been? You must get the DVD (it's cheap) and you must absolutely watch it in French.

So anyway, Jeunet discovered Yann Tiersen through one of his production assistant who was driving him around. They were basically listening to Tiersen's accordion and piano music in car. Jeunet went out and bought every Tiersen CD and commissioned him to write the soundtrack for Amélie.

The soundtrack features a few pieces from Tiersen's four albums, including L'Absente (2001) which he was already working on.

One of the track, "Les Jours Tristes", appears on the soundtrack as an instrumental, but appeared on L'Absente with vocals by Neil Hannon (of The Divine Comedy fame), who co-wrote the song with Tiersen.

If you're interested in hearing more Tiersen, check out: Maggie♥Music: La Chute, Summer 78 (Instrumental) | Jesse: Le Train | lovelornloser: Comptine D'un Autre Été_ L'après Mid | Yo-Yo: Les Deux Pianos LLes Deux Pianos | Mikey: La Valse D'Amelie.

 July 20, 2007 9:23 PM  vu my♥posts [email protected] yanntiersen.com

News: S*M*A*S*H Concert Review, plus links

S*M*A*S*H - (I Want to) Kill Somebody (Topper Mix)

Here is a S*M*A*S*H concert review from a very recent concert.

From amazingforums.com

Hitchin 14/07/07
Russ posted 7/19/07 8:52 PM

I managed to make it up there. And very good it was too. Last year at the Rhythms of the World Festival the boys headlined Fringe venue Shortys Sports bar, this year they got promoted to the Corn Exchange and after a tentative start rocked the place to its foundations much to the bemusement of clubbers walking in expecting the latest cheesy Eurocrap. How I laughed..... Basically they played all the old favourites and some new ones into the mix. Starting with LLYC ["Lady Love Your Cunt"] and ending with "I Want to Kill Somebody" with the new line "Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, it just ain't fucking fair!" I will send Vu some pics if I remember tomorrow.

PHOTOS S*M*A*S*H (Hitchin, 14 Jul 2007) S*M*A*S*H (Hitchin, 14 Jul 2007) S*M*A*S*H (Hitchin, 14 Jul 2007) S*M*A*S*H (Hitchin, 14 Jul 2007) S*M*A*S*H (Hitchin, 14 Jul 2007) S*M*A*S*H (Hitchin, 14 Jul 2007)

Here are some roundup of links:

Digg: Say "Cock Rock" Like You Mean It
Submitter: kg123

Fun post about pop music's evolution from "cock rock" to rock that's actually about cock! Rob Halford, Turbo Negro, and Pink Steel all get name-checked. From the always-enjoyable"We heart music" blog.

From www.drawerb.com

Riot Grrrls roundup at WeHeartMusic
July 15th, 2007

We *heart* Music has a nice little write up on the Riot Grrrls of yore. (though, as VU mentions “Let’s be clear about this, this is not a definitive guide to all things Riot Grrrl, but just some selections of music that I have and liked.”) Just a nice stroll down memory lane (with mp3s!) for those early ’90s college radio kids. enjoy.

 July 20, 2007 9:05 AM  vu my♥posts [email protected] s-m-a-s-h.net

Cedar Avenue - Running Home

Cedar Avenue - Running Home

Cedar Avenue

Cedar Avenue

So the first thing  that comes to my mind when I hear  all four songs on  Cedar Avenue’s “Running Home” EP  is that  they’re so damn good they belong in Zach Braff’s movies.    If you’ve ever seen any of his movies, you know Zach personally chooses the songs for the soundtracks.  I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you love non-intrusive, emotionally sung  beautiful music , you’ll really dig Cedar Avenue.   Doesn’t hurt that their EP was produced by Brian Johnson ( Coldplay, Lifehouse, John Mayer)

 

Named after a historic Twin City street in Minnesota, where  singer/guitarist Jesse Matthews and bassist Kyle Wachter grew up near,  this band of four talented musicians  show that  their simple look and melodic collaboration  takes on a natural goodness , and for being this good,  it’s pleasant easy listening to the ears.   The songs on the EP easily flow together, nice if you’re into acoustics,  but “Running Home” is one of the stronger tunes.  In their bio, Cedar Avenue notes their similarities to Goo Goo Dolls, Switchfoot, and Damien Rice, and to be honest, it took me a handful of listens til I  actually did realize the comparisons because even with, they have a strong natural sound of their own. Jesse Matthews can carry a tune nicely ( a man with a beautiful voice is always a good thing) and his band are playing some shows in their home state that would be worth checking out.  Go to their myspace page for tour info and to hear their other songs as well.    I wouldn’t be surprised  if they became really successful in the near future. They seem to have a good thing going, and know how to express it. 

 

www.myspace.com/cedaravenuemusic

 

“I'm coming home today
To a place I've never been
And if I find my way
Will you greet me with a kiss?

You cry like a child but you kiss like a sinner
I'm coming home to you either way
And when these wings begin to weather
I'm running home to you like a child”

 

--kristine sleepblur

The Loose Salute - Turn the Radio Up

The Loose Salute

The Loose Salute - Turn the Radio Up

The Loose Salute

The Loose Salute, looks like are from England, but they are signed to Chicago's Graveface Records (who also signed The Appleseed Cast [W♥M Review] and Monster Movie). I believe this is their first album, Tuned to Love, and it's fantastic!

The band started a few years ago when the drummer, Ian McCutcheon, from Mojave 3, heard Lisa Billson singing to a Bob Dylan song while she was cooking at the Fortress Rehearsal Studios' cafe.

I checked their myspace page, because the official site is just a placeholder, and it seems they're only touring a few dates in the UK. I'll let you know if they're looking to tour the US, because I'm interested in seeing them live.

There are some strong tracks on this album: "Photographs and Tickets", "From Head to Sandy Toes" (catchy), "Through the Stratosphere to the Bars" (the bass sounds like T.Rex), and "Turn The Radio Up" (the best track). I think all these songs can be heard on their e-cards.

By the way, Ian also sings on this album, but he only appears in a few songs.

Trivia: All the artwork and drawings that appears on the Tuned to Love album is by Daryl Waller. I couldn't really find a lot of information on his website, other than that he graduated out of Royal College of Art and currently lives in London.

 July 19, 2007 6:51 PM  vu my♥posts [email protected] theloosesalute.com myspace.com

Saint Etienne - He's on the Phone

He's On The Phone

Saint Etienne

The first Saint Etienne song I ever heard was 'He's On the Phone'-- I think it was on Rodney Bingenheimer's radio show. Prior to that I'd been curious about them because I kept seeing ads for their Too Young to Die compilation in magazines like Select and Vox, and I thought their name sounded cool (I was 16, okay?). I'm terrible when it comes to identifying genres but for me there's no other way to describe this song than: dance-pop. Pure, triumphant, sparkling, fabulous dance-pop. Every time I've seen them live this song turns the floor into a madhouse. Saint Etienne have loads of good songs but there's just something about this song. I like their final version the best but there are several different incarnations of this song.

It was first written by French singer Etienne Daho back in 1984, and was a pretty big hit off his album La Notte La Notte. Back then the title was 'Week-end à Rome' and it sounds somewhat dated now but I still think it's way catchy and great to sing along to (even though I don't speak a word of French!). Then in 1995, Daho and Saint Etienne collaborated on the Reserection EP, which includes 'Accident' which is basically the first English version of 'He's on the Phone.' The lyrics contain an extra couplet in the second verse (and hers is lilac and gold/ the things she has/ she's feeling sad/ she's feeling old). Then they turned up the piano, mixed it up and re-released it as 'He's on the Phone,' which is included in several compilation albums (Too Young to Die, Continental, Smash the System, Travel Edition).

Incidentally, Saint Etienne got their name from a French football team, and I'm not sure how they first got together with Daho, but they've collaborated on several songs, the most (relatively) recent being 'Le Premier Jour' which was a song that first showed up on Sarah Cracknell's solo CD as 'Ready or Not.'

Week-end à Rome

Accident

Le Premier Jour

Ready or Not

Supercar and Miki Furukawa

Supercar - Justice Black

Fans of J-Rock will probably have heard of Supercar, one of the most famous and easily accessible Japanese band (since all their lyric titles were in English and some of their songs alternate English with Japanese).

In 1995, at the age of sixteen, Miki Furukawa placed an ad in a local Aomori Prefecture magazine and met Junji Ishiwatari, who was eighteen at the time. They seem to hit it on pretty well and soon convinced their friends to join their band and in 1997 landed a deal with Sony Japan.

They broke up in 2005, by this point, they had evolved into an electronica-rock band.

Miki Furukawa - Coffee & SingingGirl!!!

Post-Supercar, Miki Furukawa released her solo album, Mirrors (Jul 2006), with the leading single Coffee & SingingGirl!!! (Jun 2006). In March 2007, she released her new single Psycho America (not available on her album). Both singles comes in regular format and deluxe format, which includes a bonus DVD music video of the song.

A video for "7Stars" was made, but it was never released as a single.

Koji Nakamura, the drummer?, released albums under the name Nyantora and iLL, and his albums are all instrumentals.

This video for "Lucky" in really, really, really big (198mb), so I suggest if you want to watch it without interruptions, let it download for a while or save the movie file to your computer (you'll need a DIVX codec to play it later).

You can easily find some more really high quality music videos on Stage6.

�July 18, 2007 10:03 AM� vu my♥posts [email protected] supercar.gr.jp furukawamiki.jp