Panda Bear - Tomboy

Tomboy, listened to it once. I have to say, I haven't written about Panda Bear's Person Pitch, which I should really because that's a great album. But I listened to this today and was just blown away by the amount of production into the sound. Another great piece by the one and only Panda himself.

From the first track 'You can count on me', I was sort of prepared, ready or however you want to describe it. It was introducing this new path that Panda Bear was inspired to take for this album and I absolutely love it. It also feels as though he took a new approach to his song writing aswell. Instead of shifting from one sample to the other like he did in Person Pitch, he constructs his verses, his melodies, quite orderly which is a good change from his slightly messy 'person pitch' but I still like the messyness of 'person pitch' anyway.

My favorite track on the album so far is 'Last Night At the Jetty'. Great beat. Great melodies, harmonies, samples. It's epic. Beautiful and nostalgic for me. It sparks memories about old experiences I had where I truly enjoyed parts of my life. The structure of this song is quite amazing, it turns at points where you wouldn't normally find in a pop song or other music. Very unconventional but still top notch.

PB = My inspiration

The Heshoo Beshoo Group - Armitage (1970)

South African Jazz

The Heshoo Beshoo Group I don't know much about, all I could find was this album. Although if you do end up listening to this, you will inherit what these musicians experienced in their day to day life. To me, it's about growing up in South Africa. That is my feeling from the soloing. Get it!

Notice that the album cover might seem very similar to you.

The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme

The Radio Dept. come from Lund in Sweden, a dream pop band with beautiful bass licks that feel inside your head. Interesting guitar/piano harmonies, alongside the great production in getting great tones and effects. Hypnotic drum beats which keep you bogged inside the music trance and a voice as hollow as my soul.

This is an album that you breathe in the winter morning air with, that you listen to after having a good chat with an old friend or you take on long car trips. I've picked it up at an odd moment but I don't care, its great anyway. I've been putting it on repeat, if that is saying something.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley. A man driven to be a God, a womanizer, and an excellent musician for his time, also escalated into huge popularity in the 50's for his romantic voice and the perfect rhythm section for his kind of music. Looks and All, this man was a star.

His vocals were unique, and still is in his recordings. There is not a voice out there that sounds like his. This is abit of a cliche, but I was only born in the 90's, a great decade of musicians, yet still it has taken me a while to explore the past for music and for it to really connect. I've always known Elvis Presley, even from an early age. Songs such as "Jailhouse Rock" and "Hound Dog" we had to learn and perform in front of the school. I guess I thought Elvis Presley was abit of a classy act and not much of a musician. Hearing Elvis, these past few months have been a real eye opener, I can definitely hear the talent now and I'm thankful for it now.

!!! - Myth Takes

I started listening to this artist because I realized that they were playing at a festival I'll be attending a week from now. They are really good in their own right, very punchy and when they have a groove going they really stick with it and it enhances their sound. Also its very simple to build on. The singer has a voice like Avey tare's (from Animal Collective), kind of nasal, yet not afraid to use everything his voice has potential for.

Myth Takes is an album that I would say is going to build on me. I feel it. At the moment, I'm loving the bass and the chunkiness of it all but there are parts to it that I feel could be improved with building on melody/harmony. At moments, it feels very borderline average but maybe that's just me. Anywho! Yadnus sticks to my soul like sticky tape to my fingers.

Break a leg, Musicians and all!

Woods - Songs of Shame

Devendra Banhart, a very well-known freak folk artist to the current day has not been the only one to stand forward in this day to be amazing in this time of our lives. Woods formed in 2005, they have made 5 albums so far. 'Songs of Shame' was made in 2009 with their lo fi freak folk sound, they explore and experiment and drift off in weird directions. The vocals especially intrigue me because they aren't clear. Its really dispersed, crackly, echoic and was more than likely home recorded. Never the less, it works very well with the band and this album. Some vocal parts make you wonder whether Neil Young features on this album.

They have a new album that came out last year 'At Echo Lake' and I haven't heard it yet.. look forward to when I do listen to it though.

Top Album, this one!

Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy

Hi there again,

Found an artist that really is just brimming with emotion and this is what makes the album so listenable. You'll want to come back for more after your first listen because his voice touches something within you that says 'Wow this guy.. he knows me' I had that feeling, other people have that feeling I'm sure with other artists. This roots combination with modern technology shows diversity within the album. He is bringing old rock into a new way of producing music and pulls it off very well.

His new album comes out in march.. "Smoke Ring for my Halo"