Concons albums of 2011// OTW 2012

LISTENS: Concons 2011 tracks

I've been really frustrated with the music from 2011, I don't know whether there was just too much good stuff around the same level or not enough standout albums. Anyway, this top 10 list was hard to do. Some of my old favourites' (Feist//Bon Iver//Radiohead) new offerings failed to hit that sweet spot which was not ideal, thanks guys... A lot of albums with a few nice singles but just a bit meh; with the exception of 1 and 2 on this list, few have managed to hold my attention through the whole album. But maybe I'm just ADD or some shit.

10. Seekae - +DOME
2009 album 'The Sound of Trees falling on People' was fantastisch and it's great to see these Aussies getting some well-deserved attention this side of the pond. New album shows some interesting progression, it's that ever-difficult mid-tempo album that you listen to for specific events: transportation (best with window seat), introspection, background work music, taking drugs and exploring the corners of your face in the mirror, that kind of shit. Basically, they're my new Gold Panda. Try: Blood Bank.

9. Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind of Fix
'I Had The Blues...' is a pretty hard album to follow up on and as pretty as 'Flaws' was, it was seen more a flirtation of Jack's folk side than the true follow up effort. So there was a lot of anticipation riding on the BBC to produce the goods and they certainly gave it a good bash. Perhaps a little more saccharine and poppy than was expected, they've still proven their mastery at crafting indie anthems. Some genius songwriting and interesting new composing angles along with Jack Steadman's unforgettable vocals make this a great little album and leaves you keen to hear what they'll come up with next.Try: Shuffle.

8. Beyonce - 4
If only for the videos this album brought us and the genius that are the lyrics to Countdown. LOVEYOU-B XXXX

7. Battles - Gloss Drop
I very like. Came out earlier this year but only started listening to it when my ipod did a bye-bye and it was this or Arcade Fire. It's brillo! Ice Cream is an absolute work of genius and obvious stand out. The rest of the album is good - really well-structured and interesting but without Ice Cream it would fall on its arse a bit.

6. Tune-yards - whokill
AWESOME. Bat-shit crazy lady makes aural delight. It sort of sounds like going to the zoo in musical form. She has the best vocal looping in the bizness (wink) I say. Try: My Country, Powa, Bizness

5. Jamie XX & Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
Incredible rework of an incredible album, one of the few that have genuinely excited me. Almost unrecognizable from the original save some soundbites, this is completely Jamie XX's album but you can tell he has a great respect for S-H. A really brave album on his part. Try: I'm New Here, NY Is Killing Me, I'll Take Care of U

4. Metronomy - English Riviera.
I always liked Metrozzers, good to see them doing well. This album is solid and dependable like a good jumper. Could this be called a dinner party album? Probably, but it's still bonzer. Try: Everything Goes My Way, The Look, The Bay

3. SBTRKT
Little Dragon collaboration Wildfire is THE song of 2011. It's just perfect. And he wears a mask - awesome. Always trust a man in a mask.

2. Laura Marling - A Creature I don't Know.
I am not normally a Laura Marling fan. How she ends up in the NME cool list every year I will never know (well maybe for doing the diddle with Johnny Flynn but then she ruined it with Noah and the Whale boring and Marcus Mumford bleurgh). BUT this is an absolute masterpiece, I haven't been able to stop listening to it. Beautifully twisted, dark lyrics, exquisite vocals and guitar that trickles through the ears like an ear-hug. High praise but this is modern day Joni Mitchell territory. Stunning. Try: Night after Night, Salinas.

1. Antlers - Burst Apart
Without doubt the album of the year. I don't actually know what to say about it, it's just fucking brilliant. Started off loving No Widows, then Parentheses, I Don't Want Love and Putting the Dog to Sleep. Even if you aren't a fan of his voice you've got to love the music, absolutely cracking, I can't really do it justice with words so just listen!

TOP 10 TRACKS 2011

In no particular order w/o tracks from the above albums, listen HERE: Concons 2011 tracks
or watch videos of those not on Spotify below..

Friends - I'm his girl
Tyler the Creator - Yonkers
Lana del Rey - Video Games
Jai Paul -BTSTU
M83 - Midnight city

Gotye - Somebody that i used to know

Das Racist - You Oughta Know

Ducktails - Killin the Vibe

Penny & The Quarters - You & Me

ONES TO WATCH 2012

alt-j

Breton

Lianne La Havas

Azealia Banks

King Krule

Stuff what I like

I haven't done this in ages, festivals innit. Here are some things I've seen or 'erd that are pretty decent.

Lana Del Rey - Video Games


Theme Park - A Mountain We Love


Star Slinger - Mornin'


Antlers - Parentheses


Real Estate - It's Real


Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know


Bombay Bicycle Club - Shuffle (but this video is gay)


Kanye West - Runaway (because this video is class)

Latitude and Longitude

I don't quite know what to make of Latitude. On the one hand it's bloody expensive, full of kids and their middle class parents queuing up for Costa coffee... But then it's also nestled in the heart of Suffolk's forests and lakes, the perfect backdrop for the fairies to come out to play. Regardless, Latitude 2011 put on a damn good show, a nice little music line up and tonnes of great comedy and poetry acts. Night time unleashed a host of weird and wonderful parties to stumble across including an entire Winter Wonderland with burlesque tree dancers, a ramshackle Electric Hotel and fat men in nipple tassles can-can kicking to Guilty Pleasures. Standard.

Anyway back to the musical highlights:

Deerhunter played a great set, first time I've seen them live and they didn't disappoint. I always respect a man who smokes on stage whilst strumming away, yeahhhh fuck society.


Crocodiles were awesome, they swaggered on stage oozing New York cool (they aren't even from NY), the sleazy guitars teasing the audience's hips from side to side. Brandon Welchez is one of the most enigmatic frontmen I've seen in ages, twisting his snake hips to the hazy noise with pure confidence.


Cloud Control played another blinder, I have yet to see them put a foot wrong live. Replacement bassist Conrad is fitting in well with the live set up and Heidi and Alister grow in confidence and charisma with every show.


My favourite of the bigger bands was definitely The Cribs. I fucking love The Cribs. Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club played really well and it was impressive to see them draw the bigger crowds they deserve but you can't beat Ryan Jarman in a pink wig really. He was the spitting image of Kurt Cobain when he trundled on for his infamous Reading appearance wearing a wig. They won't let me embed Be Safe the shitters but oh well.


Best of the newer bands had to be Dog is Dead, the Nottingham-ers drew a respectable crowd to the Sunrise stage and they definitely won the 'best three-part harmonies' competition that seemed to be occurring on each stage (will it ever die?). Some cracking sax playing was on display as well. On some tracks they can be quite Mumford-y in sound but their enthusiasm and non-arrogant behaviour make them a million times more likeable.


London band 'Fiction' also deserve a mention, their keys-infused electro funky beats got the hipsters to their feet on Saturday.

Here Comes the Summer Sun

It's officially official, Summer has arrived... I had my first day wearing bare legs yesterday, even into the night it was fine. Wow. 

Here are some Summery tracks that have been buzzing around my ears recently, some old, some new. They aren't all on Spotify but here's what is there which I will add to when I find more good shit: yes

Sufjan Stevens- Casimir Pulaski Day



Braids- Lemonade


Wavves- King of the Beach


Foster the People- Pumped up Kicks


Vondelpark- Jetlag Blue Version


Outkast- SpottieOttieDopaliscious


Gold Panda- You


Generationals- Greenleaf


Team Me- Dear Sister ***this is VERY catchy, not my usual thing but can't get it out me 'ead
Listen here

Crowded aboard the New Music Express

This year I seem to be constantly saying 'I need some more new music' despite the fact that I probably listen to, at the very least, 4 or 5 new bands every day... Each week, I'll scan through NME and the Guardian music's latest findings and I'll click around my favourite blogs as well as pitchfork and hype machine daily. And today it finally came to me- there's TOO MUCH bloody new music. Music is so accessible now, I'll often give a recommended track one or two listens before deciding if its worth a download when some of my favourite old albums took a good few listens to work their way into my heart. With scores of bands being lauded the 'hottest new thing' each week it becomes increasingly difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Anyway, enough ranting. Here is a treat for you, the rare treasure that is a track that sticks out instantly, I haven't stopped listening to it all week. Loving the morphiage into an almost entirely different (and equally great) track at around 3:30....

Enjoy!

Young Man- Up So Fast

Aural Pleasure

Here's what's been titillating my ears recently. Titillate. Some old, some new, all ace. I've put the banging beats to start with because it's FRIDAY and some more mellow tracks are at the bottom. Enjoy! x

Conner Youngblood- Monsters. Whomph whomph whomphawhomph. Nice contrast in subdued vocals and geetar and big old bassline. Taps into the whole James Blake ting going on at the minute.
Monsters by Conner Youngblood

Jai Paul- BTSTU. Sweet vocals, you don't notice the menace of the lyrics 'don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me'. Again with the laidback vocals and dub/electro influence. I like this a lottie because there are some retro videogame noises thrown in as well.
BTSTU by j.wilson

Suuns- Arena. Deliciously dark. I think it sounds like people in grave danger running away from peril but the singer/guitarist said this: "Arena is a romantic song that encourages dancing and love-making."
Suuns - Arena by Lunta_sen

Ladytron- Seventeen. I had forgotten about this pretty little ditty. It sounds like something you would find in a gay club in Germany. Which is great.
Ladytron - Seventeen [2002] by nettwerkmusicgroup



Here are some more laidback choons that I can't stop listening to at the minute.

Diamond messages- Liquid Summer. This is nice. Songs with naive belly/xylophoney noises= good.
Diamond Messages - Liquid Summer by Szabom

The Eastern Sea- The Snow. Stumbled across this as one of the acts at SXSW this year, you can't beat a bit of acoustic guitar with a nice boy singing about sad things.

Book of Right On- Joanna Newsom. Yes Joanna. Harps and guitars and that inimitable voice. I prefer 'The Milk-Eyed Mender' to the 'Have One On Me' album.


Banshee Beat- Animal Collective. My shuffle loves this song, I would be annoyed if it wasn't so awesome. Shimmering guitars and vocals that build and build but never quite break, some songs deserve to be over 8mins. A really long, slow aurgasm of a song.


The Beatles- Got to Get You Into My Life. I'm going through a Beatles phase again, seriously how good were the Beatles? Go and listen back to Please, Please Me, Revolver and Abbey Road. Actually all of the albums, absolute quality.


Taper Jean Girl- Kings of Leon. Really enjoying the vintage KOL at the minute, none of that new bollocks. Pulsing drums and guitars and that unmistakable Kings Of Leon drawl. Aha Sha-ake. He says 'cunts' in it, THATS how badass they used to be.
Kings Of Leon - Taper Jean Girl by djh88

The Cure-Close to Me. Do you love the Cure? I love The Cure. Lets all love the Cure.
The Cure - Close to Me by Martijn Prak

Blue Monday

The most depressing day of the year is upon us and about bloody time too. The one day of the year where it is acceptable, nay encouraged, to whine and moan and cry and complain. Great stuff.
I personally intend to skip dinner (to heightens sadness receptors), turn off all the lights, pull up the duvet and cry for hours. I might even crack out old love letters and diaries.
If you would like to join me,  here's a Spotify playlist to soundtrack our delicious despair, feel free to add your own odes to sadness: Blue

Well this is nice

Man and wife sell up 9 to 5 life to meander around the coast on a sailboat and write songs. That's nice. Other people's lives are nice. Should we just all jack it in? I'm pretty adept with a tambourine and I can stay in tune most of the time, who's with me? But I am quite sleepy and warm. Maybe later.

These guys have been floating around the bloggies/onestowatch columns for a while now but didn't seem to take off in a big way despite their first track 'Marathon' being lauded by everyone from Pitchfork to the Guardian. (It's absolutely ace by the way- listen below). Maybe it's because they are annoyingly hard to google search. But NEVER FEAR. After releasing 'Take Me Somewhere' into the blogosphere a few weeks ago they are currently most blogged on hypem.com and have just announced a European tour in January, hooray!

Listen here: 
Marathon - Tennis by arrhythmiamusic

Tennis - Take Me Somewhere by forcefieldpr

Tennis play:

7 Jan– Lexington, London
8 Jan – Paradiso, Amsterdam
10 Jan– Emporium Galorium, Rouen
11 Jan – Les Bouffles du Nord, Paris
13 Jan– ISC Club, Berne
14 Jan– Ampere, Munich
15 Jan– Bang Bang, Berlin
16 Jan– Beatlemania, Hamburg
19 Jan– Cockpit 3, Leeds
20 Jan– Captain’s Rest, Glasgow
21 Jan– The Deaf Institute, Manchester

Top 10 Albums of 2010 so far

It's that time of year where everyone is thinking ahead to end of year lists, frantically rifling through Spotify playlists and itunes purchases to come up with a list of not-too-obvious-ace-albums-cuz-ya-know-i'm-a-bit-left-of-centre-and-shit. AND HERE'S MINE. I've pretty much raved about all of these at some point on here so they need no introduction. I've stuck a few tracks I can find off soundcloud below for your aural pleasure or here's a spotify playlist. Enjoynowbye x

1. Warpaint- The Fool (obvs). Couldn't find Undertow or Shadows but this is a sweet song.

Warpaint - Baby by quietculturemed

 
2. Surfer Blood- Astro Coast. Take it easssy. Just take it easy.

surfer blood by eldiabloyelritmo

3. The Black Keys- Brothers. Dare I say it their best yet? Perfect bluesy rock'n'roll. An all-weather album.

Black Keys - Brothers by cooperativemusicuk

 
4. LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening. Talking like a jerk, except you are an actual jerk...
Dance Yrself Clean by r0cketman22

 
5. Sleigh Bells- Treats. Loud headfuck of an album, likey like.
Sleigh Bells-Rill Rill by HSUGreen

 
6. Foals- Total Life Forever. Pretty darn decent change of direction for Foals. Spanish Sahara makes it.
Foals - Spanish Sahara by subpop

 
7. Caribou- Swim. Sun, sun, sun, sun, sun, sun, sun.
Caribou - Sun by radúz

 
8. Four Tet- There is Love in You. Good man, excellent cover.
Four Tet - Love Cry by pansen

 
9. Bombay Bicycle Club- Flaws. Yes.

10. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs. Still getting into this more nostalgia-based album from the Fire. I think it's going to be a keeper. We Used to Wait, Rococo, Sprawl II all aces. Nice strings with interesting, more mature lyrics.
Arcade Fire - Rococo by Scenedamage

THE TEMPER TRAP REMIX ALBUM STREAM

Conditions
Remixed by The Temper
Trap

GOLD PANDA ALBUM, LOOKY LOOKY

 

Things of Late

Hey diddle diddle,

Here is some good music make feel nice that's been knocking around my noodle. Enjoysers:Listen here

First Aid Kit 'When I grow up'. This is a really nice cover of the Fever Ray track, check out the video for the original below, also aces. Those crazy Swedes.



Warpaint 'Ashes to Ashes'. I think it's been established Warpaint can do no wrong in my eyes. Maybe they are Veelas. Their cover of Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes' is as beguiling as to be expected, with delicious bendy bass, good girls.

***SPECIAL TREATZ*** The man himself working the popular 80's 'paedo-in-leather' look, ooooh!



Babeshadow 'Sea Serpents', 'Darling'. I like them because they look like this:

Lefty is an inspiring cross between Art Garfunkel and Michael Hutchence and righty is channeling the perfect amount of old school Kings of Leon (before the unpleasantness...)
I like them #2 because they sound a bit like Larrikin Love and Clap your hands say Yeah (in a good way...

Morning Benders 'Mason Jar', 'Excuses', 'Promises'. Phwoar. Saw them at the Borderline last week and they were incredible. One of those pleasant surprises that are five million times better live than on record (even though the new album is an absolute banger), I nearly died. If you get a chance, go and see them live, you won't be disappointed. Until then, here's their new song


Neon Indian 'Deadbeat Summer'. I like it, I have it. Wasn't blown away by Psychic Chasms but this nostalgia-laden track is bonzer.

I've also thrown on some oldies that have kicked their way back onto my playlist...

The Cribs 'Be Safe'. I can't stop playing this song. 'Lets take life and slow it down incredibly slow, frame by frame with two minutes that take ten years to live out. Yeah, lets do that.'

Arab Strap 'Cherubs'. Some like it scotch...

Foals 'Spanish Sahara'. This is incredible. Check out the video, very Into the Wild...

Giving Shoegaze the Boot

I'm not sure shoegaze is exactly what I mean with these bands but they are perfect for staring at things wistfully, k? Anyway, have a listen to the spotify playlist and you'll know what I mean. I have always been a fan of zone-out music when working or having those groundbreaking thoughts when you are walking in the rain and immediately forget when you take your earphones out... But goddarned it, along with old favourites Atlas Sound, Deerhunter and Blonde Redhead, with each passing day the Pitchfork and Hypemachine brigade are championing a new batch of sleepy-eyed, sluggish-melodied ditties with wistful, teen angst lyrics and it's getting a little old frankly...

I've rounded up the best of the bunch recently getting props to save yourself the embarrassment of falling for the Clarks of the shoegaze world and it's contemporaries ;)

Spotify Link: Shoegaze


BEST COAST

An overrated album by a bunch of stoners? There are some shining star tracks though; Boyfriend and The End are great schmoozy, sixties-inspired lullabies but the album can get a little repetitive as a whole. They have done a load of interviews where they just come across as Stoner Central and pretty dull really.

Watch this now:






REAL ESTATE

Beach Comber is a banging track, not on Spotify but worth a buysies. I like this. It even has one of those shaker things that looks like an egg, fucking love those. The guitar on Basement sounds like it's trying to snog itself. Surf poppy shoe gaze.


WASHED OUT

Ok so 'Feel It All Around' has pretty much been the soundtrack to my Summer. The bass is straight out of Human League- Don't You Want Me, smothered in glittery tinklings and a hazy finish. Delicious. The rest of the Life of Leisure EP ain't half bad either but no other song touches this one.


TORO Y MOI

An Eton Mess of sound. Whip 500ml of distorted, bendy guitar with a handful of mixed voices, top with a sprinkling of beepy things. Serve on drums.

CARIBOU

This is the livelier end of shoegaze, more like shoeshuffle, but I call the shots on this blog so it's going in also. Odessa is a stroke of pure genius and Swim is a phenomenal album.... Yeah, slightly off the shoegaze track but there are elements in there and it is FANTASTIC. Czech it out. 





GOLD PANDA

Lonely Owl is just beautiful...perfect wind down material. Just some flecks of shoegaze in here, lets call this one wallstare. Again a bit more trancey/ambience but a great wee EP on spotify, listen yes.

Arcade Fire- The Suburbs First Listen

Once again NPR come up trumps with their First Listen feature. New Arcade Fire album, getting some rave press reviews and a few lukewarm word-of-mouth ones.... Jury's out.

The Suburbs- First Listen

Local Natives on Blogotheque

Surfer Blood LIVE

Surfer Blood LIVE @ The Garage, Islington 12/05/2010

I managed to catch Surfer Blood earlier this year at Camden Crawl and was completely blown away. With drunken revellers packed tightly into the den of inequity that is The Underworld, their shambolic, energetic set captured the anarchic atmosphere of the setting perfectly. The gig ended fittingly with lead singer John Paul Pitts crowd surfing across the room and scrawling 'WE'RE ALL GAY' in permanent marker on the Gaymers sponsor wall.

And so with a smile of expectant anticipation, I entered the Garage in Islington. Everything seemed in good order, the crowd consisting of a healthy mix of buzz-followers and more seasoned music fans. The lights dimmed and the band walked on to Motley Crue's 'Girls, Girls, Girls' blasting with spotlights searching the crowd... Evidently they were as expectant of a 'to-be-remembered' show as I was.

They opened with Fast Jabroni, a good introduction to their sound: surf guitars with LOUD bass and wistful, slightly dark lyrics enhanced by Pitts' Casablancas-esque vocals; in all their songs there is a smooth fusion of Pavement and The Drums with a bit of a sixties surfer vibe thrown in for good measure. The highlights were 'Harmonix' where the bass reached out and slapped you round the ears and 'Anchorage' which escalated slowly into punky joy. They also treated us to an extended version of 'Swim' which dissolved into beautiful guitars reminiscent of the Chili Peppers.

Their stage presence is equally as confident, buzzing with the fizz of youth they joke comfortably with the crowd and each other. It's good to see a new band surrounded by so much hype still having fun instead of taking themselves too seriously too soon.

This show would have been perfect save one thing- the crowd. Despite the raw energy of the songs and enthusiasm of the band , the crowd were embarrassingly subdued. The Blood had obviously planned to do an encore but the lukewarm reception had them asking 'Should we even come back out?'. I think it's a classic example of a band riding on hype without taking the time to build a loyal fan base (this gig had to be downgraded from Heaven). It's a real shame because these boys can really put on a show!

Glastonbury 2010

Trudging onto site last Friday for my fourth Glastonbury with the sun beating down on my back, a wall of cider-clutching Rolf Harris fans blocking my rucksack-laden way, I couldn't have been happier. (Well... at least I was an hour later sat in the Jazzworld area with a good ole strawberry cider).

What ensued in those 3 days was magical (like every Glasto); a secret gig by Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, tartiflette and toulouse sausage, meeting a lion by a roaring firelog, the xx at nightfall, local natives and hypnotic brass ensemble in the sunshine, morris dancing, kangaroos, a covers band starting a Neighbours theme song singalong, the weird and wonderful Shrangri-La, back stage pints, the stone circle, freezing tents morphing into sweaty tents in an instant (horrible), lebanese mezze, the Pyramid crowd singing Lola with Ray Davies, radical poetry, watching The Middle East beside Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling, elderflower champagne, shit trapezists putting on a full scale pirate show.... agggggh!

On top of the beautiful weather, this year the Eavis' pulled out a stonking lineup to celebrate the festivals' 40th birthday. A far cry from where it all began with tickets selling at £1 (including a pint of milk, obvs) and T-Rex heading proceedings. The Park stage took the rosette for best new music this year, the line up was fantastic; highlights included Beach House, Villagers, Local Natives, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, the XX, Thom and Jonny's secret gig (setlist included versions of Street Spirit, Pyramid Song, Karma Police, Wierd Fishes and Idioteque)... and I'm sure Dirty Projectors, Broken Bells and Midlake would have been awesome as well, unfortunately I missed them.

Have a listen to the best of The Park acts on Spotify:The Park

My new bestest favourite thing in the world

Right now all I ever want to do is watch Warpaint videos.

These sirens are spellbinding... will-o-the-wisp, grungey guardians that make me feel safe and warm. If you imagine crossing Kurt Cobain with Susheela Raman and Cocorosie you've got half the story. Without their ethereal wails and sashaying hips the real world is a cold and dangerous place, so be warned before you get sucked into their delicious bass-y trippy trap. I think I love them...

Below is the video for 'Elephants', it's all wind and hair and lace accompanied by a hypnotic bass line interlaced with harp-like guitars and vocals to rival Cat Power that slowly works itself into a frenzy. Couldn't be more up my street. 




And for an even more trippy video look no further: backwards fireworks + little Warpaint nymphs running through woods and kissing and having sand fights = WIN




And if like me you still can't get enough, check out this fantastic song 'Billy Holiday' featuring lyrics from 'My Guy' by the Supremes. YES.

New stuff me likey

Here are some recent stonking albums that have been doing the rounds on my ipod, go get 'em!

The National- High Violet... please listen to this, it's eatable. Matt Berninger's lyrics are as smooth and deep as a great chocolate mousse. 'Sorrow' is achingly beautiful.

The Black Keys- Brothers.... I love the Black Keys, funky bluesy guitars and hankering after girls. I'll take it.

Surfer Blood- Astro Coast... Great wee album by the Floridians. You would struggle to put a decade on it, sounds like Pavement to The Drums via the Beach Boys whilst discovering punk. Nice. 'Anchorage' is fantastic.

Sleigh Bells- Treats... I saw them live at Brighton last week and they were pretty terrible but it's a great record. Sounds like a bit of an assault on the ears at first but give it a chance and you'll be wiggling your touche around your desk before you know it.

Foals- Total Life Forever... didn't think I would enjoy this as I wasn't mad on their last effort but the boys have done good, a lot poppier but definitely not the worse for it...Math rock is dead.

LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening. Great album, I need to listen to it more but love the aggressive break down (it's more of a break up) on Dance Yrself Clean.

Broken Social Scene- Forgiveness Rock Record. Need to listen to this more too but 'All to All' and 'Highway Slipper Jam' are fucking great. Saw them at Great Escape last week and they tore it up. 

A couple of other yummy things worth a looksie...

Middle East- Blood
http://www.myspace.com/visitthemiddleeast

Cults- The Curse
http://cults.bandcamp.com/

Warpaint
http://www.myspace.com/worldwartour

The Besnard Lakes LIVE @ Cargo

photo taken from Brooklyn Vegan

Cargo is a funny one for gigs, it's a beautiful bar under a tunnel so a bit of an acoustics nightmare but at the same time really intimate- you can basically stroke the band while they play if you want.

Luckily I positioned myself right in front of the smoke machine which The Besnard's are not shy of using... A sense of dread crept over me with every atmospheric build up, shortly followed by a gobful of carbon dioxide. Nice. The overall effect was great though, dream-like vocals with grungey bass and fuzzy guitars enveloped in smoke is a winning combo. The set was pretty trippy and very distortiony, the lead singer has an alter boys range, hitting notes I didn't think were even possible. They totally rocked out at the end, with Hendrix-inspired guitar solos. There was also an awesome song which belonged on a Tarantino soundtrack, I can't remember the song names hot dang but both albums are up on Spotify.

The crowd was packed tight with hardcore TBL fans, I've never seen a more devoted following... hanging on every note and baying for more. It was kind of fitting that the lead singer looked like a demented Jesus- he had long flowing golden hair, Brian Jonestown Massacre sunglasses, a cowboy shirt, regulation black M&S worker style trousers and sensible black shoes. The trousers were the most unsettling... His wife, who sings and plays guitar, looked like Alanis Morrissette/Mary (mother of God) with long black hair to her navel and a wrappy dress thing and the drummer had this immense beard (it was very impressive, definitely in the top 3  beards I've ever seen).

As it was the last date of the tour, they had a pretty odd picture moment where they brought the support band up (Wolf People- don't look them up they're not great...) and got the audience to take pictures and then gave their email address to send them to. Then the singer referred to himself as a child molester. Very odd.

All in all a great gig though. Go check them out if you get a chance.