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Here's a single from young London folk-pop fellow Alan Pownall. It's called 'Clara' and skiffles along like sunshine falling on a prancing kitten.
Alan has an expressive voice giving 'Clara' and B side 'The Others' a cozy depth that pulls you along with the trick free tunage. It's classic song writing, especially on 'Clara,' with a familiarity that immediately strikes a chord. />...
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How’s My Pop is a four-piece outfit from Lancaster, UK who have just released their debut, “On the Hop” on Barnbox Records. Andrew Raven (vocals/guitar), Tom Diffenthal (keyboards), Matt Canty (bass), and Chris McNeil (drums) spin a variety of grooves but create a sound that lands somewhere between Sondre Lerche and The Arctic Monkeys.
The song-writing displays a maturity one />...
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86% Fat Cat Records 
Brakes are a band known for their loud, ramshackle live shows (their superb live album 'Live is Dodelijk' pays testament to this) but here they show that they are just as adept at the kind of melodic pop-rock Pixies used to be able to churn out in their sleep. 'Why Tell The Truth' is a brisk, hook laden ditty with a striking structure which sees an atmospheric, acoustically tinged verse off-set />...
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If Mika camped it down JUST a little bit he'd probably arrive at a sound not dissimilar to London born Singer-Songwriter Julian Perretta. What we have here is a polished pomp-pop glitter-ball that ticks as many boxes as humanly possible in the space of 4 minutes.
Beginning with a kazoo hook (you heard that right ) which sounds like the grange hill theme given a Mark Ronson />...
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80% FatCat Records - Released 30th November
Having already released what is arguably one of the best debut albums of 2009 "These Four Walls," We Were Promised Jetpacks are ending the year with the release of Double A-Side 'It's Thunder And It's Lightning/Ships With Holes Will Sink,' two tracks that really open up what We Were Promised Jetpacks are about, showing their growing potential and the undeniable passion and ferocity with which />...
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79% One Little Indian - Out Now
A beguiling one this little bunch as it's not really an album you could associate with a bunch of young'uns such as Kill It Kid as it really sounds like some kind of mid 70's cross between Fleetwood Mac, in all their Stevie Nicks glorious poppiness; The Smiths, with their Morrissey croonery, and a bluegrass tribute band. Which as you can see is going to produce something that's both beguiling />...
Last chatter by jack s | 16 Comments ![16 People are talking about Kill It Kid - Kill It Kid [Album]. Come voice your opinion!](images/buttons/lastpost.gif "16 People are talking about Kill It Kid - Kill It Kid [Album]. Come voice your opinion!")
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Now I know that vinyl is pretty much irrelevant to today’s music-guzzlers, and isn’t as high-fidelity as trusty WAV or even MP3 files, blah blah, blah – but yes, I’m one of those people (considerably under the age of 45) who thinks there’s a bit of romance in getting a vinyl record. For a start, it’s bigger than a CD, and bigger is obviously always better. That means it’s got lots to look at; />...
Last chatter by jack s | 6 Comments
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Of Fate and Chance made a name for themselves when they released “A Liars Monologue” in 2006. In 2009 they have released a new album, “An Atlas to Solutions.” These New Jersey natives have gained popularity because of their radio-ready sound and tight musicianship.
Of Fate and Chance is a four-piece band of lifelong friends. Three of the members, Sean Massaro (vocals/guitar), />...
Last chatter by jack s | 2 Comments
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81% Fat Cat Records
Selkirk's Frightened Rabbit are an outfit who have been touring the indie circuit for a few years now, making the most of their friendship with fellow scots Biffy Clyro and their second album's widespread critical acclaim. Taken from their forthcoming album "The Winter of Mixed Drinks," 'Swim Until You Can't See Land' rests a lilting guitar line over subtle percussion and a gorgeous melody. />...
Last chatter by Matt D | 4 Comments
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Taking Rock Noir to London
There are so many bands out there nowadays: good and bad bands, underground and commercial bands, one hit wonders and evergreens, classic and trendy. But how many do you know who actually INVENTED a new genre?
Belladonna, the “pyromantic” creators of what is now known as Rock Noir, did just that. Actually, not “just” that. They promoted themselves, released their own albums, />...
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In previous episodes of this historical tale we’ve talked about Junk Culture the ‘early days,’ in fact the days were so early they were before Junk Culture formed. We examined the motivation behind a young lad with the world ahead of him, a head of fluffy blonde hair and a keen interest in female anatomy (studied in mail order catalogues) throwing his life away playing in bands. So now we’re />...
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Assuming that Paramore were out of the picture totally Sonic Boom Six could well take their place in the industry as female fronted rock bands that never seem to go un-missed. As it stands though there is already a better female fronted band of this exact ilk out there which might see Sonic Boom Six getting left by the wayside. I had the chance of checking out the harder, Ska punk sound of />...
Last chatter by jack s | 2 Comments
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They do always say "never judge a book by it's cover" - and that is definitely the case with The A Train. A completely unexpected sound seemed to hum through the air as expectancies of death metal where to be soley shunted by tree melody forest pop. It's almost as if Fleet Foxes embedded themselves onto 'Don't Have Far To Go.' A layed back warm approach to vocal delivery - although at times it />...
Last chatter by jack s | 2 Comments
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It's extremely rare that a band like Be Humour release a single with a B-side that is stronger on every level than it's A-side. Genuinely this is hard to believe, but then again after a few listens you can see what they are after.
They need a pop template to get the followers in then they start making good music. As with a lot of acts you need a couple of pop easy to listen to />...
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Now here's a lady who likes keeping things simple and to the point. There's only one song on this EP that strays over three minutes - and that's a remix - so there's no waffle, no guitar solos and no grandstanding. There aren't many instruments on show either. Catriona (nice name) manages just fine with a finger picked acoustic guitar, her velvet voice and not a lot else.
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This debut release from the Peterborough duo The Candle Thieves could either infectiously get your toes tapping - or painfully make your toes curl. One person’s heart-warming, is another’s stomach-churning. Cutesy song titles on this four track EP include ‘My Love Will Clap Its Hands For You’ and ‘Lonely Lonely Lonely.’ The opening lines of lead song ‘The Sunshine Song’ are “I would buy you a />...
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83% Xtra Mile Recordings - Out Now
Frank Turner's latest release has just recently been lauded by this very site and rightly so as it's a captivating album that serves to enhance the growing reputation of the troubadour-esque Turner. The single release of the same name 'Poetry Of The Deed' channels the spirit of Robert Smith and The Cure at their poppy finest into a track that overflows with Turner's eloquence "Life is to short to />...
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83% 10th November 2009
Right from the start let me say that this was a fantastic gig. On a rainy Tuesday night in North London, Ray Raposa and the rest of his band brought West Coast alternative to life. Alternative is hard to define, somewhere between garage rock and experimental country music, but that no way does justice to the delicacy of sound over which drawly affecting lyrics are draped like the vines on the />...
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81% 4AD
Tune-Yards (or to be precise tUnE-yArDs) is the moniker of New England resident Merrill Garbus. Her debut album “Bird-Brains” is an astonishingly animated experimental pop record that is soothing and unsettling in equal measure. Opening track ‘For You’ starts as a lo-fi folk guitar-strum with sweet, faux-naif vocals which abruptly veers into dialogue (mother talking to son about fresh />...
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76% True Panther Sounds / Matador
Calling your band ‘Girls’ suggests someone seeking anonymity (try putting that name in Google). Given the singer/lyricist escaped from a childhood spent with hippy cult The Children of God, this is quite believable. Along with calling your debut record ‘Album,’ suggests that the San Francisco duo of Christopher Owens and JR White may assume they are churning out generic product. The latter is />...
Last chatter by Burt | 15 Comments
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"I'd draw pictures of me in a band, though I think the name of my imaginary band in 1986 was "Bad Dudes" or something equally horrible
[Altsounds.com] What does Christmas mean to you?
[Jeremy] To me, Christmas means some time off to spend more time with family. For me, it's also a time to reflect on the role that Jesus Christ plays in my life.
Are you buying your band mates presents this year?
Probably not. I don't really buy Christmas presents for anyone outside my family. That's bad, />...
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86% Xtra Mile - Out Now
The best thing about going to festivals, is the excitement of discovering a new band or artist, who you had no intention of seeing or liking, and who end up completely blowing you away. Thus enter Leeds Festival 2009, the NME stage and the first time that this scribe had heard Mr. Frank Turner play. With absolutely no idea what to expect and with a certain scepticism about folk music in />...
Last chatter by Burt | 5 Comments
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![Alan Pownall - Clara [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/7/5/5/9/313823l.jpg "Alan Pownall - Clara [Single]")
![How's My Pop - On the Hop [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/2/hmp.jpg "How's My Pop - On the Hop [Album]")
![Brakes - Why Tell The Truth (When It's Easier To Lie) [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/2/brakes2.jpg "Brakes - Why Tell The Truth (When It's Easier To Lie) [Single]")
![Julian Perretta - Wonder Why [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/6/6/4/8/wonder-why-400x348.jpg "Julian Perretta - Wonder Why [Single]")
![We Were Promised Jetpacks - It's Thunder And It's Lightning [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/9/7/310_571.jpg "We Were Promised Jetpacks - It's Thunder And It's Lightning [Single]")
![Kill It Kid - Kill It Kid [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/9/7/2kill_it_kid.jpg "Kill It Kid - Kill It Kid [Album]")
![Oh Minnows - Might [Vinyl EP]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/8/0/2release50.jpg "Oh Minnows - Might [Vinyl EP]")
![Of Fate And Chance - An Atlas To Solutions [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/9/6/6/2/of_fate_and_chance.jpg "Of Fate And Chance - An Atlas To Solutions [Album]")
![Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/6/6/4/8/308_568.jpg "Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land [Single]")
![Sonic Boom Six - Back 2 Skool [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/8/5/343altsoundsdjuuf.jpg "Sonic Boom Six - Back 2 Skool [Single]")
![The A Train - Don't Have Far To Go [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/8/5/313altsoundsdjuuf.jpg "The A Train - Don't Have Far To Go [Single]")
![Be Humour - One More Drink [Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/8/5/333altsoundsdjuuf.jpg "Be Humour - One More Drink [Single]")
![Catriona Irving - Sitting On The Shelf [EP]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/7/5/5/9/needno006.jpg "Catriona Irving - Sitting On The Shelf [EP]")
![The Candle Thieves - The Sunshine Song [EP]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/5/3/0/0/candle_thieves.jpg "The Candle Thieves - The Sunshine Song [EP]")
![Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed [ Single]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/9/7/frankturnerpoetryofthedeedw.jpg "Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed [ Single]")
![Castanets - The Garage, Highbury, London [Live]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/8/6/3/1/300cast1.jpg "Castanets - The Garage, Highbury, London [Live]")
![Tune-Yards - Bird-Brains [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/8/5/603altsoundsdjuf.jpg "Tune-Yards - Bird-Brains [Album]")
![Girls - Album [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/8/5/623altsoundsdjuf.jpg "Girls - Album [Album]")
![Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed [Album]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/3/9/9/7/10486447x.jpg "Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed [Album]")
