The Altsounds Concentrate | Thursday 5th February 2009
Altsounds has shaken things up a bit once again! The original content coming from our staff has been flooding in and now it's on full display. The main section of Altsounds is now 'The Showcase' section, where you can get all of the artist interviews, album, single, EP and gear reviews and special features exclusive to Altsounds. Since the site has also become the #1 source for music news, we've moved it to the right so you can check out the headlines as they stream in. We're also working on a new color coding system that will make it even easier to find what you're looking for and browse similar content.
WAHOO!!!
There are more site updates in the works, but have no fear... we're one of the only music sites that don't have to completely shut down to get things done. You'll be able to get your news and hear about all the latest happenings in the music world while Chris overhauls the site like a ninja in the night.
We Want You!
Come Intern at Altsounds.com! We are on the lookout for talented individuals to write and blog for us. Read below to check if you got the skills needed. NOTE: The Role is unpaid.
As a user of Altsounds.com you are already an avid musical lover. So you're already perfect for the job. If you could take that passion and turn it into a nice review of a CD or a live review then your perfect for the job. If you can turn that passion into snapping some amazing live photos of a band in a venue then you're perfect for the job. If you own and run a label or any music related business then you're perfect for the job. If you're in a band you're perfect for the job. If you need an outlet to vent your love or hate of a band then you are perfect for the job.
READ MORE
Music That's Hot
With a plethora of music to sieve through below is the cream of this weeks ever abundant musical crop.
Relentless, Out 2nd March 09
February 28, 2009, 11:14 PM
Buy Le Corps Mince De Francoise - Bitch Of The Bitches [Single] From Amazon.com
Gentle pop to soothe the soul. Le Corps Mince De Francoise are uber cool, infact they wreak of cool, you can smell them from a mile off. The three scandinavian sisters have something very special here, a cloud of punkability synth pop underlined with a fresh ambiance that we definitely need in new music.
The single 'Bitch Of The Bitches' grows on you so quickly it's untrue. You will be clicking that repeat button like nobodies business. The track features haunting vocals delivered with a pop attitude. This is helped along with some quality synth riff's and jungle style big beats. It kind of sounds like a Bjork remix musically layered alongside CSS and The Knife in a vocal battle. It does have an eccentric Europe feel to it, much like any artist to come from these strange countries (Bjork, Sigur Ros, CSS, The Knife). "Of Course I'd Like, To Play With You" is tantalizingly sexual, it draws you in, but keeps you on the edge of your seat ready to dance like a fruity loop. The whole track has an ambient reverb to it that works so well, especially during busy multilayered periods on the song.
READ MORE
Chances are you haven’t heard or heard of Jonezetta. This needs to change ASAP! Their second album Cruel to be Young is incredible. Put down Kings of Leon and go out and buy this album. I can assure you it will not disappoint.
The CD opens strong with the track Wide Awake – some synths, a driven bass line, a haunting verse and a catchy chorus. Actually, to an extent that describes the whole album. The band has used an awesome mix of reverb, effects, harmonies, bass and creativity to produce this masterpiece. The album was recorded in Seattle earlier this year and you can tell they had fun experimenting with their own style along the way (Wide Awake ends with a delightfully messy “da da da” but the whole album is beautifully polished).
READ MORE
So have you heard The Joy Formidable? Yes? Well done you have been proved worthy, you will be anointed with a sword made from glow-in-the-dark jelly babies and given a cape to wear made from the skins of indie kids complete with skinny jeans. No? No! You will be made to suffer in the simplest of manners then, (yes that's right) locked in a room and made to watch endless re-runs of Lily Allen's TV show... oh yes, suffer you shall. For The Joy Formidable must be heard and must be heard by all; hell, they are giving it to you for free at least have the decency to listen and become enamoured. It's not too much to ask.
OK, OK, maybe I've been a little harsh (I stress the maybe!) but seriously The Joy Formidable are an intriguing prospect on record, live they are a bit ropey (it has been alleged, I'm reserving judgement) but then The Stone Roses were cack live but made one of the greatest albums of our times (The Second Coming... I'm kidding, the other one). Now I'm certainly not saying The Joy Formidable are The Stone Roses merely making a point about record and capabilities at playing live. Who cares if they don't quite cut it live (I'm yet to find out if it's just grapevine talk, though whoever talks to grapevines has issues). Their debut album 'A Balloon Called Moaning' is a fine piece of art, and art it is people, from conception, to the artwork, to the mode of delivery to our ears, and of course it's content - this is art.
READ MORE
Mickael Jorgensen is maybe better known for his work with Wilco but if the songs on this debut album 'All Is Golden' under the moniker Pronto is anything to go by then there will soon come a time when Wilco will be a secondary recognition as 'All Is Golden' is bright shining star of a pop album that melds together the tuneful melodious-ness of the finest pop tracks with a subtle blend of jazz, funk, and various other musical incarnations that are hard to pin down.
For a little bit of background on Pronto click here as I'm just going to tuck into 'All Is Golden' and lay it out a little for you.
Opening with 'Listen Lover' coming across like My Morning Jacket jamming with Graham Coxon as the guitar scratches it's way across a two-and-a-half minute jaunt through Californian pop. Title track 'All Is Golden' welcomes in the more jazzy moments with horns blasting over a funky almost Stevie Wonder-esque groove yet the whole thing is incredibly laid back as Jorgensen delivers a vocal that's almost spoken but with a little more emphasis "Well once we were so beautiful, and the cracks were very small/Now things aren't as clean as we hoped they would be".
The piano-led 'Good Friends Are Gone' is as close in comparison to 'The Weight' by The Band that I have previously heard, 'When I'm On The Rocks' again aims straight for that 70's sound that was so successful for The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac it's that almost solely American of sounds despite midway turning into some sort of Robin Hood era chime but generally this is 70's pop/rock and it's quite refreshing somehow.
READ MORE
Music That Is NOT!
If you like shit and you like toast then you will LOVE the utterly shit covered toast that is demonstrated below.
Can bands be that shit and persuade the world that they are good? You know when you hear something new for the first time and think, "That is absolutely wank, yet somehow it works". This is the case with Leathermouth's debut album release. All ten tracks are an assault of murderous distortion and dirty guitar riffs. If you could get two or three cats into a room, throw in some cat nip and a chainsaw, stick a mic in amongst all the carnage then you would eventually discover the sounds of Leathermouth. The tracks are very short, the longest being 3min 5secs. For a band with this sort of style this is very credible and frankly i[in this instance] a saviour. There doesn't seem to be any clarity at all, they are messy, scrappy, shouty and trying a bit too hard. Their punk attitude just enhances their inability to make quality tunes.
READ MORE
Altsounds Exclusive Features
Packed full of shit you just can't see, hear or read anywhere else, the Altsounds.com Features section is packed to the brim. Here's a nugget of the best features from the week.
On the phone with Dameon Aranda, of the band Aranda.
Dameon, there isn't a lot of info out there about you guys, so let's start with some questions that Wikipedia SHOULD HAVE been able to answer, but couldn't. Then we'll get into some actual questions.
[laughs] Sounds good.
Where are you from?
Oklahoma City
How long has Aranda existed as a band?
5 years
When did you learn to play?
I was about 12 or 13 when I first picked up the guitar. I just learned from a lot of classics like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, artists like that.
READ MORE
ALTSOUNDS: I'm not usually a fan of this question, but your name is rather intriguing and seems to divide opinion. So why Women?
PF: No huge idea, Matt came into my apartment and said 'Hey, Women." Then we said " Okay. " In retrospect I think we liked that it was stupid and generic. Band names are generally stupid so we figured we'd pick a really common word and move on with it. Tiger Sex Tiger Neon and the Sean Maxey Blues Explosion were also in contention.
ALTSOUNDS: Your album cover is also intriguing. The link with your name, and that of the album is clear, but can you explain that particular choice of cover?
PF:There's no huge concept behind the art or the name. We're definitely not trying to blow anyone's minds. I cut that photo out of a chinese medicine textbook that I got from the library and photocopied it several times. I had them up in a row on my wall for a long time and never got tired of looking at it. It's one of the best photo's to look at in the world so it made sense. For whatever reason it reminded me of 'More Songs About Buildings And Food' and that's my favourite album cover.
READ MORE
2009 promises to be a big year for our little bands/artists from the UK.
The big wigs over at UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the major trade organizations AIM (Association of Independent Music) and rights collecting societies PRS for Music have very kindly chucked a load of money into showcasing our UK acts at SXSW 2009. The International presense for the festival this year is unbelievable, good on those big wigs for pulling their fingers out.
All the big names are there this year, the likes of: Gallows, Laura Marling, The Whip, Rolo Tomassi, Aqualung, We Have Band, You Me At Six, Bring Me To The Horizin & sooooo many more.
Our brilliant team here @ Altsounds is dedicated to bringing you the beste music you could ever imagine, so keep on the look out for these Bands/Artists popping up in our News and Reviews sections.
If your not lucky enough to attend this years MASSIVE music event then here is the run down of the best UK Bands/Artists set to play, have a listen to their Myspace, you know you want to!
The News Wire
Have your finger on the musical pulse every week by checking out the Top Ten biggest news of the past week
Don't forget to sign up for the email alerts and be sure to check out Altsounds Mobile! The site looks damn good on a cell phone. You can get all of the latest Altsounds content and music news first...and from anywhere at any time. Amazing, eh?
WAHOO!!!
There are more site updates in the works, but have no fear... we're one of the only music sites that don't have to completely shut down to get things done. You'll be able to get your news and hear about all the latest happenings in the music world while Chris overhauls the site like a ninja in the night.
We Want You!
Come Intern at Altsounds.com! We are on the lookout for talented individuals to write and blog for us. Read below to check if you got the skills needed. NOTE: The Role is unpaid.
As a user of Altsounds.com you are already an avid musical lover. So you're already perfect for the job. If you could take that passion and turn it into a nice review of a CD or a live review then your perfect for the job. If you can turn that passion into snapping some amazing live photos of a band in a venue then you're perfect for the job. If you own and run a label or any music related business then you're perfect for the job. If you're in a band you're perfect for the job. If you need an outlet to vent your love or hate of a band then you are perfect for the job.
READ MORE
Music That's Hot
With a plethora of music to sieve through below is the cream of this weeks ever abundant musical crop.
Relentless, Out 2nd March 09
February 28, 2009, 11:14 PM
Buy Le Corps Mince De Francoise - Bitch Of The Bitches [Single] From Amazon.com
Gentle pop to soothe the soul. Le Corps Mince De Francoise are uber cool, infact they wreak of cool, you can smell them from a mile off. The three scandinavian sisters have something very special here, a cloud of punkability synth pop underlined with a fresh ambiance that we definitely need in new music.
The single 'Bitch Of The Bitches' grows on you so quickly it's untrue. You will be clicking that repeat button like nobodies business. The track features haunting vocals delivered with a pop attitude. This is helped along with some quality synth riff's and jungle style big beats. It kind of sounds like a Bjork remix musically layered alongside CSS and The Knife in a vocal battle. It does have an eccentric Europe feel to it, much like any artist to come from these strange countries (Bjork, Sigur Ros, CSS, The Knife). "Of Course I'd Like, To Play With You" is tantalizingly sexual, it draws you in, but keeps you on the edge of your seat ready to dance like a fruity loop. The whole track has an ambient reverb to it that works so well, especially during busy multilayered periods on the song.
READ MORE
Jonezetta - Cruel to be Young [Album]
Tooth & Nail
February 25, 2009, 10:13 PM
Buy Jonezetta - Cruel to be Young [Album] From Amazon.com
Buy this album! It is amazing.
Tooth & Nail
February 25, 2009, 10:13 PM
Buy Jonezetta - Cruel to be Young [Album] From Amazon.com
Buy this album! It is amazing. Chances are you haven’t heard or heard of Jonezetta. This needs to change ASAP! Their second album Cruel to be Young is incredible. Put down Kings of Leon and go out and buy this album. I can assure you it will not disappoint.
The CD opens strong with the track Wide Awake – some synths, a driven bass line, a haunting verse and a catchy chorus. Actually, to an extent that describes the whole album. The band has used an awesome mix of reverb, effects, harmonies, bass and creativity to produce this masterpiece. The album was recorded in Seattle earlier this year and you can tell they had fun experimenting with their own style along the way (Wide Awake ends with a delightfully messy “da da da” but the whole album is beautifully polished).
READ MORE
Pure Groove
February 26, 2009, 06:55 PM
Buy The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning [Album] From Amazon.com
February 26, 2009, 06:55 PM
Buy The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning [Album] From Amazon.com
So have you heard The Joy Formidable? Yes? Well done you have been proved worthy, you will be anointed with a sword made from glow-in-the-dark jelly babies and given a cape to wear made from the skins of indie kids complete with skinny jeans. No? No! You will be made to suffer in the simplest of manners then, (yes that's right) locked in a room and made to watch endless re-runs of Lily Allen's TV show... oh yes, suffer you shall. For The Joy Formidable must be heard and must be heard by all; hell, they are giving it to you for free at least have the decency to listen and become enamoured. It's not too much to ask.
OK, OK, maybe I've been a little harsh (I stress the maybe!) but seriously The Joy Formidable are an intriguing prospect on record, live they are a bit ropey (it has been alleged, I'm reserving judgement) but then The Stone Roses were cack live but made one of the greatest albums of our times (The Second Coming... I'm kidding, the other one). Now I'm certainly not saying The Joy Formidable are The Stone Roses merely making a point about record and capabilities at playing live. Who cares if they don't quite cut it live (I'm yet to find out if it's just grapevine talk, though whoever talks to grapevines has issues). Their debut album 'A Balloon Called Moaning' is a fine piece of art, and art it is people, from conception, to the artwork, to the mode of delivery to our ears, and of course it's content - this is art.
READ MORE
Contraphonic - Out March 10th
February 25, 2009, 02:05 PM
February 25, 2009, 02:05 PM
Mickael Jorgensen is maybe better known for his work with Wilco but if the songs on this debut album 'All Is Golden' under the moniker Pronto is anything to go by then there will soon come a time when Wilco will be a secondary recognition as 'All Is Golden' is bright shining star of a pop album that melds together the tuneful melodious-ness of the finest pop tracks with a subtle blend of jazz, funk, and various other musical incarnations that are hard to pin down.
For a little bit of background on Pronto click here as I'm just going to tuck into 'All Is Golden' and lay it out a little for you.
Opening with 'Listen Lover' coming across like My Morning Jacket jamming with Graham Coxon as the guitar scratches it's way across a two-and-a-half minute jaunt through Californian pop. Title track 'All Is Golden' welcomes in the more jazzy moments with horns blasting over a funky almost Stevie Wonder-esque groove yet the whole thing is incredibly laid back as Jorgensen delivers a vocal that's almost spoken but with a little more emphasis "Well once we were so beautiful, and the cracks were very small/Now things aren't as clean as we hoped they would be".
The piano-led 'Good Friends Are Gone' is as close in comparison to 'The Weight' by The Band that I have previously heard, 'When I'm On The Rocks' again aims straight for that 70's sound that was so successful for The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac it's that almost solely American of sounds despite midway turning into some sort of Robin Hood era chime but generally this is 70's pop/rock and it's quite refreshing somehow.
READ MORE
Music That Is NOT!
If you like shit and you like toast then you will LOVE the utterly shit covered toast that is demonstrated below.
Can bands be that shit and persuade the world that they are good? You know when you hear something new for the first time and think, "That is absolutely wank, yet somehow it works". This is the case with Leathermouth's debut album release. All ten tracks are an assault of murderous distortion and dirty guitar riffs. If you could get two or three cats into a room, throw in some cat nip and a chainsaw, stick a mic in amongst all the carnage then you would eventually discover the sounds of Leathermouth. The tracks are very short, the longest being 3min 5secs. For a band with this sort of style this is very credible and frankly i[in this instance] a saviour. There doesn't seem to be any clarity at all, they are messy, scrappy, shouty and trying a bit too hard. Their punk attitude just enhances their inability to make quality tunes.
READ MORE
Altsounds Exclusive Features
Packed full of shit you just can't see, hear or read anywhere else, the Altsounds.com Features section is packed to the brim. Here's a nugget of the best features from the week.
"half of the A&R don't know what they're talking about. You can quote me on that."
February 22, 2009, 03:50 AM
February 22, 2009, 03:50 AM
On the phone with Dameon Aranda, of the band Aranda.
Dameon, there isn't a lot of info out there about you guys, so let's start with some questions that Wikipedia SHOULD HAVE been able to answer, but couldn't. Then we'll get into some actual questions.
[laughs] Sounds good.
Where are you from?
Oklahoma City
How long has Aranda existed as a band?
5 years
When did you learn to play?
I was about 12 or 13 when I first picked up the guitar. I just learned from a lot of classics like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, artists like that.
READ MORE
"I'll die trying to write something like Expecting To Fly."
February 26, 2009, 11:24 PM
February 26, 2009, 11:24 PM
ALTSOUNDS: I'm not usually a fan of this question, but your name is rather intriguing and seems to divide opinion. So why Women?
PF: No huge idea, Matt came into my apartment and said 'Hey, Women." Then we said " Okay. " In retrospect I think we liked that it was stupid and generic. Band names are generally stupid so we figured we'd pick a really common word and move on with it. Tiger Sex Tiger Neon and the Sean Maxey Blues Explosion were also in contention.
ALTSOUNDS: Your album cover is also intriguing. The link with your name, and that of the album is clear, but can you explain that particular choice of cover?
PF:There's no huge concept behind the art or the name. We're definitely not trying to blow anyone's minds. I cut that photo out of a chinese medicine textbook that I got from the library and photocopied it several times. I had them up in a row on my wall for a long time and never got tired of looking at it. It's one of the best photo's to look at in the world so it made sense. For whatever reason it reminded me of 'More Songs About Buildings And Food' and that's my favourite album cover.
READ MORE
The Finest UK Bands & Artists Playing @ SXSW 2009
March 1, 2009, 10:18 AM
March 1, 2009, 10:18 AM
2009 promises to be a big year for our little bands/artists from the UK.
The big wigs over at UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the major trade organizations AIM (Association of Independent Music) and rights collecting societies PRS for Music have very kindly chucked a load of money into showcasing our UK acts at SXSW 2009. The International presense for the festival this year is unbelievable, good on those big wigs for pulling their fingers out.
All the big names are there this year, the likes of: Gallows, Laura Marling, The Whip, Rolo Tomassi, Aqualung, We Have Band, You Me At Six, Bring Me To The Horizin & sooooo many more.
Our brilliant team here @ Altsounds is dedicated to bringing you the beste music you could ever imagine, so keep on the look out for these Bands/Artists popping up in our News and Reviews sections.
If your not lucky enough to attend this years MASSIVE music event then here is the run down of the best UK Bands/Artists set to play, have a listen to their Myspace, you know you want to!
HOT HOT HOT!
These are the big names to hit SXSW this year, watch this space
These are the big names to hit SXSW this year, watch this space
The News Wire
Have your finger on the musical pulse every week by checking out the Top Ten biggest news of the past week
- CAPITOL/EMI TO RELEASE EXPANDED 'COLLECTORS EDITIONS' OF RADIOHEAD'S FIRST 3 ALBUMS
- Mumford & Sons reveal new single details
- ATTACK! ATTACK! announce inclusion of 'You and Me' on forthcoming Guitar Hero
- MSTRKRFT to play select North American dates
- METRIC RETURNS WITH FANTASIES
- Pure Reason Revolution - NEW ALBUM AND FULL UK TOUR
- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart announce US Tour Dates
- Spinal Tap: Unwigged and Unplugged
- Frank Turner - New Album and UK Tour
- New Found Glory release album ‘Not Without A Fight’ - March 9th
Don't forget to sign up for the email alerts and be sure to check out Altsounds Mobile! The site looks damn good on a cell phone. You can get all of the latest Altsounds content and music news first...and from anywhere at any time. Amazing, eh?
