Some call him the love child of Kate Bush and Morissey.

...

Patrick Wolf.

Often described as an avant-garde musician, Patrick Wolf plays many an instrument, and to a high standard at that matter; they include the harp, clavinet, harpsichord, guitar, piano, autoharp, organ, mountain dulcimer, clavichord, harmonium, accordion, theremin, ukulele, spoons, harmonica, mandolin, and violin. With this collection Patrick Wolf conjures up all kinds of magical genres of music. He is allusive and vague; popping up now and again to return insults from Perez Hilton, declare his pure love theories and play all-age gigs. This pretty much sums him up: "In the same way I don’t know if my sixth album is going to be a death-metal record or children's pop, I don’t know whether I’m destined to live my life with a horse, a woman or a man. It makes life easier." Patrick Wolf is simply just himself; His androgyny was evident in the Burberry advert campaigns, which he did with Agyness Deyn. It might well have been a factor in his budding friendship with another well-known androgyn (that should so be a word), Tilda Swinton, who has lent her voice to a song on his new album. 

Which brings me on to The Bachelor, due out 1st June. Originally a two part album entitled Battle, Patrick Wolf has delayed the second part, The Conqueror, until 2010, stating that he doesn't wish to overload his audience - how considerate. All the same, The Bachelor is a true eclectic Patrick Wolf mass of captivating noise that could only vaguely resemble other artists, at a stretch. Hard Times is set to be the next release:

Patrick Wolf - Hard Times(mp3)

He split from Universal Records and funded The Bachelor through Bandstocks.com, and he still needs money to produce The Conqueror so clicky-clicky. 

Patrick Wolf's playing at the Electric Ballroom on the release date of his album, June 1st. I foresee leather, feather and glitter. 

.x.

OSCAR-1.

photo by Vanessa Leissring, check her out here.

Tonight was our penultimate show on OSCAR Radio. It went...alright! hmmm. I was flustered, Mulac was revolting and we had an intrusive guest, Barri Turner. nice. NOTHING DISASTROUS HAPPENED THOUGH (I've had people asking what went wrong).

Our playlist was as follows:

1. She Came Along - Sharam ft. Kid Cudi (& Patsy Cline) 
2. Cheerleader - Grizzly Bear
3. How We Exit - Gentleman Reg
4. Stillness Is The Move - Dirty Projectors
5. Spritle - Deastro
6. I'll Be With You - The Black Lips
7. Black Wax - Dananananaykroyd
8. Tunnelvision - Here We Go Magic
9. Avila - Nuuro
10. Rain On - Woods
11. Starry Eyed - Ellie Goulding
12. Can You Keep a Secret - The Bitters
13. Animal - Miike Snow
14. Listen To The Vacuum - Memory Cassette
15. Obsessions (Body Language Remix) - Marina & The Diamonds

You can download some of the songs (the ones that are highlighted) by right-clicking and saving. If there's a particular song you liked and it's not up, shout at me.

As usual, we played "music tennis" where we alternate in each picking a song to play. It's not our most exciting mix ever but I hope you like some of the songs...feel free to comment.

photo by me.

Until next time, Monday 4th May 9-10.30pm 96.3FM, when we'll be saying good-bye in style. hopefully. We'll be playing an exclusive single by the band above, The Wild Mercury Sound. I've also been offered a clip of Benji (lead singer) singing in the bath...we'll see.

.x.

I have a sexual soft spot for Mike Skinner.

...

It's been a gradual thing. I've nurtured it, subconsciously watering and pruning it, but I can no longer ignore the fact that I have a "thing" for Mike Skinner. Yes, The Streets' Mike Skinner, adidas-loving Mike Skinner, Mike Skinner who sing-says lyrics that could be profound or just introspective waffle. You might just know him as the geezer - (definite geezer?) - with Fit But You Know It, well, he's changed, he's lost the baseball cap and permanent adidas. Now he's more London, less Birmingham.

I think it's the beard that I like; the mole-look. 

There we go:

I know.

Recently, he's been handing out some of his new material via twitter, I guess I kind of feel they're a personal present, crazy, I know. 

Here's a sample:

The Streets - Trust Me (y.s.i.)

.x.

On air.

...

For the past year or so, my beloved pet, Mulac, and I have hosted The Newfangled Music Show, (Mondays 9-10.30pm, 96.3FM) where we've been able to spout out random facets about a hand-picked selection of new artists and play a song or two of theirs. Sadly, this is all to come to a close in less than a week when we must say farewell to our listeners. It's been great; we've had phone calls, on occasion, guest appearances, sometimes unwanted ones (Seb?), unwittingly explicit songs and a few barrels of laughs. We even managed to showcase some artists before the likes of Radio 1 got their mainstream hands on them, a few of our more astute choices were: WHITE LIES, SANTIGOLD,

 LADYHAWKE, BON IVER, LA ROUX, FLORENCE & THE MACHINE, THE TEMPER TRAP, FLEET FOXES, IDA MARIA, LYKKE LI, EMPIRE OF THE SUN & FRIENDLY FIRES. We haven't done too badly then. Not that it was a competition to beat Radio 1 or anything. I might have been pedantic at times (verging on competing) and not allowed Mulac to play a song because it wasn't really "new", but I didn't want to con people. 

In order to celebrate the end, go out in a vague air of style, we organised a competition for the poster for our show. The response has been a little overwhelming, maybe someone has actually been listening all this time? The competition closes on Thursday. Do get in contact if you want a healthy prize in exchange for a gonzo poster. Here's the best so far:

by Andrew Campbell Black

If you're one of the fortunate (debatable) few who live outside the fifteen mile radius from the radio station, and you wanted to listen in to our last ever OSCAR radio shows, you can do so online here. 

Tonight at 9, next Monday at 9 also. 

 .x.

The music Midas.

Ellie Goulding.

If you're a wisened, old sage of a Newfangled Music blog reader then you'll have noticed that in fact I've already blogged about Ellie Goulding, but c'mon, I never really said much, did I?

Ellie Goulding is a rose among roses, contending with some of the coolest female singers to come onto the scene in a while - La Roux's Elly Jackson, Florence Welch from Florence & The Machine, Marina Diamondis from Marina & The Diamonds and Victoria Hesketh's Little Boots. Ellie's voice is cheerful and haunting, in the more unique of ways, and, having teamed up with Starsmith, has fostered a bit of an 80s sound. Less of her guitar-playing to that of Wish I Stayed - featuring and produced by FrankMusik - but the same amount of finger clicking and hand clapping is needed. Together they've amalgamated to create Goldsmith, hence the really really bad pun of the title, and are soon to release (I hope.)

Goldsmith/Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed

.x.

this is Mulac,

he's my friend.

The Great Danton is great.

The Great Danton.

Although they're not specifically to my taste, The Great Danton are actually quite a tight band. They formed just over two years ago at Uppingham School, alma mater to Fightstar and Elliot Minor, where they're in their last year. It's pretty apparent that they are influenced by them when you listen to their music - rock ballads that verge on metal- the vocalist, Nick Davies, is in fact the brother of Alex Davies of Elliot Minor. 

.x.

For Harriet, Forever Ago. REPOSTED.

...

There is a lovely The Cure covers album out called Pictures of You. My favourite revamp is that of In Between Days covered by the mighty Mystery Jets and the eminent Esser.

Mystery Jets & Esser - In Between Days

I've been pining for a new song by the Mystery Jets. mmmmm.

There is however Esser's debut album Braveface out through Transgressive on 4th May or his single Work It Out, available from all good record stores folks! oh lord.

Next. Nuuro. I tried to make friends with this guy called Alejandro Ghersi (Venezuelan), an 18 year old DJ/Producer from NY who makes beautiful soft electronic music (he originally wrote a poem and then put it to music), but it never really took off... gutted. However, I did get some good music from him:

Nuuro - Cotacachi!

Nuuro - Six Vespers

A drum machine + synthesisers = magic.

Sophomore album out now called Reddest Ruby. It's kind of a mash-up between The Cure and Postal Service.

lovely jubbly.

Literally just found this and it's thuper. Emil and friends - The Shrine

Soft, folky dance.

p.s. Harriet, shame on you for getting to it over a month late. A MONTH. Shame, shame, shame. One more song for you though: The Shins - Plenty Is Never Enough 

.x.

(originally posted 18/03/2009)

They're going uphill.

The Jack and Jills.

Formerly known as The Bash Street Kids, The Jack and Jills are an acoustic setup of four boys from Oxford/London whose strummings are twee but whose vocals are anything but. They're not the type to be stuffed into a genre since they note Chopin to The Libertines as they're influences. mental. The songs are roughly recorded, which gives a nice homely edge to them, like they're just busking in the corner of your room. 

This is my favourite song:

But they've given me another one to give to you:

The Jack and Jills - Someday They'll Change (y.s.i.)

They're playing two gigs in London this very weekend. 

Saturday @ 8.30 pm @ The Ivy House, Holborn. 

Sunday @ 7 pm @ The Good Ship, Kilburn 

.x.

Synth Superhero.

Deastro.

A 22 year old called Randy from Michigan who lives at home with his parents? ah, but this is no ordinary mummy's boy, among one of his biggest influences is Jesus...yes, but there's also Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys), and I think he's probably his greater (musical) saviour. Their similar existential views on music is apparent, without Deastro going as far as being introspective. 

With what is now a quartet, Deastro create synth-rich hyperactive dream pop that's a sweet mess to the ears. Look carefully and you'll find superheroes, galaxies and lost souls in the songs.

Deastro - Spritle (y.s.i.)

Deastro are in London 9th-12th May. The live show is the stuff of dreams, his hyperactivity flows through the keys. You can't and won't be able to stay still. Promise.

.x.

diary dates. (UPDATED)

A few album dates for your diary:

• Regina Spektor is back after a two year hiatus with an album out June 23rd called Far, the first single is "Laughing With".
  
• Dirty Projectors' new album Bitte Orca comes out June 9th but you can sample the first single: Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move
• Art Brut, those LA dwelling sharp-mouthed Londoners, have a new album out 24th May called Art Brut vs. Satan.
• Grizzly Bear's already pre-leaked Veckatimest officially comes out May 26th.
• Florence & The Machine have an EP coming out called "A Lot of Love A Lot of Blood" on 28th April.
• Amazing Baby are touring in the UK next month and have a few dates supporting The Virgins, their debut album comes out June 23rd. 
• La Roux's self titled debut album is available June 29th, but their single "In For the Kill" comes out tomorrow.
• Deerhunter are bringing out an EP titled 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange' on May 18 to download. 

Easter Sunday.

So, I went along to the Open All Hours gig at Camden Barfly to take some photies of The Wild Mercury Sound (see above) who were as tight as I'd heard. Their performance was frenetic, engaging and just damn good. They even tried out some sheep love:

Here's Johnny!:

The Wild Mercury Sound - Goldilocks (y.s.i.)

Then, out of nowhere, I started chatting with "James", who at the time was just a very open, love-able drunk guy but it turns out he has a band and they're not half bad. Bruised Beauties is made up of James and his sister on vocals, two other blokes and another girl. The result is a nice mixture of a kind of Libertines/Long Blondes mash. 

.x.

Scottish Pagans.

The Spolkestra.

They're a punk-art-pop orchestra made up of 15 multi-instrumentalists from Edinburgh.

I know very little about the group itself because they're hard to "pigeon hole", according to the Shetland Times...their music is just as hard to pigeon hole when it comes to a genre. It's classical music with a dollop of rock, gypsy-punk with sweeping vocals, a complex mess of indie colour. 

Comparisons can be drawn with Beirut, Arcade Fire, Guillemots and Architecture in Helsinki.

The Spolkestra - Open Arms (follow the link)

Anyone for Chester French?

Whether or not you are, this is a pretty good deal. 

Chester French. 

The band that were fought over by Pharell and Kanye West, the band who married Peaches Geldof (well, one half did: Maxwell Drummey), the band who had a condom wrapper for their first EP...I could go on. If you don't know them now, then MTV and Radio 1 are going to hand them to you on a platter pretty soon.

Anyway. They released today a mixtape with Clinton Sparks, which they've entitled Jacques Jams Vol 1: Endurance. Get it HERE.

On it, they collaborate with stars such as Wale, Janelle Monae, Pharell, Diddy & Kardinal Offishall. It apparently tells the tale of their "rise" to fame, right back from the early days while they were freshman at Harvard. Cute. They're already bringing out their autobiography and they haven't even released their debut album; April 21st is the official release date. 

She Loves Everybody is hooky as larry:

.X.

Monotonous Joy/Joyous Monotony.

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.

Owen Ashworth is either really depressed or he focuses all his negative energy onto his songs, which seems a very odd thing to do. His voice is monotonous, the beat the same and the lyrics are usually about something mundane, but that’s the beauty of it. If this hasn’t appealed to you then watch the video and change your mind:

 

 

(This is not him singing though. Duh, it’s a girl.)

 

This is, however: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone – Natural Light (y.s.i.) 

He’s playing Luminaire, London, on 26^th & 27^th April.

Cftpa’s album Vs. Children is out now.

.x.

Put your headphones on and sway.

Telepathe.

The Brooklynite troika isn't to everyone's taste, in fact, they weren't immediately to mine. Last year I came across them while I was on a FrankMusik blitzkrieg and bombed a song called Chrome's On It remixed by the man himself; it was decidedly a hauntingly sweet mess.

Then, with the release of Dance Mother (LP), their sinister lyrics, foreboding voices and mixture of clumsy yet poppy dance beats and synths all kind of came together and now I really, really like them.

Telepathe - So Fine

As another described them: "One part Ladytron, one part The Blow, and BOOM - Telepathe!"

Along with School of Seven Bells, they're playing our way May time.

.x

The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade.

The Joy Formidable.

The Times once described their music as being "dreamy indie pop", but, unless you want to come away with the possibility of having a headache, I'd stay clear of this band while you daydream.

But their songs are so full of raw passion and energy that they're quite therapeutic to listen to...and it is similar to the shoe-gaze music of M83, which I think was what The Times were trying to get at.

The video to their next single, Whirring:

 

The 3-piece band, comprising of girlfriend Ritzy and boyfriend Rhydian, as well as a third-wheeling drummer called Matt, were originally from Wales but since 2008 they've been mesmerising Londoners. So if you're a Londoner in need of mesmerising then you can catch them either at The Camden Crawl or at Borderline on 8th June.

You can buy their album, A Balloon Called Moaning, at Puregroove Records and on their myspace, but here is my favourite:

 The Joy Formidable - Austere

It is more of a pop song, with a hook, and less of a wall of sound.

.x.

Got my big boots on.

These boots are made for walking, but that's not what I'm doing in them.

I think I'll use this post to blog about some artists so under the radar that this post will be revolutionary of sorts.

Gianluca Brisigotti.

You can hear his music at http://www.myspace.com/gianlucabris

igotti but he's recording "less superficial" stuff soon. He's playing at Bar Fly on 22nd April for OXJAM, which should be a very good show.

The Youths.

A band still in development but you can hear what they did a while ago with the magic of an Imac. They're going to be recording again in June. http://www.myspace.com/theyouthsuk

Anna Blacky Savage. (A Certain Smile)

She's going to do karaoke now but she's too good for it...http://www.myspace.com/blackysavage

Julian Perretta.

Powerpop?! seriously, he's supporting Girls Aloud.  http://www.myspace.com/julianperrettamusic

Swanton Bombs.

A possible Mystery Jets/White Stripes mash: http://www.myspace.com/swantonbombs

The Wild Mercury Sound.

They've been on Radio 1!! It was mental. I inadvertently had the guitarist over to my house once, his name's Johnny and he's really nice. http://www.myspace.com/thewildmercurysound

They're playing next Sunday at Bar Fly.

.x.

p.s. 'thats like saying to a grasshopper lets do something hoppy' Flora.

It was his birthday today.

Bonjour.

Au Revoir Simone.

They're not French, no. They're Brooklynites. All three girls. 

They've been around since late 2003, things started to pick up in 2007 with the release of The Bird of Music and 2009's album Still Night, Still Light in May should bring them an even wider fan base.

The 4th track off the album, Knight of Wands, is the first to be exposed, and it looks promising people!

Au Revoir Simone - Knight of Wands

Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song (Pacific Remix) - from the 2007 album The Bird of Music, remixed and released on the album Reverse Migration in 2008.

They're playing on 6th May at Bush Hall, Shepherd's Bush funnily enough. 

.x.

(I have no idea why this photo's appropriate...maybe it isn't!)

eek.

Just had my first post removal for copyright infringement. eek! It was for that Just Jack song I posted then kind of ripped apart. I really should have known better. I do now.

Anyway, also on that post was some details about another artist and I think it's important that that stuff gets reposted.

King Charles.

I'll give a full run-down on his music after I've seen him live on Monday.

For now, here's one of his youtube videos:

.x.

A steal.

One of my favourite blogs, TLOBF, has compiled an EP, featuring Loney Dear, The Leisure Society and Snowbird, to coincide with a forthcoming gig at Scala, London, on April 14th.

You can download it in its entirety here - The Ill Fit EP (zip)

AND, you can get your tickets here.

.x.

p.s. I love Lily.

guilty pleasure?

Passion, sure, but can it last?

Passion Pit. ah. Passion Pit.

Things were a bit mad when Sleepyhead was first released on the EP Chunk of Change last year, indeed a "frenzy" did occur. Not many people know that it was a valentines gift from Michael Angelakos to his girlfriend, which got out of hand! I'm not denying that it's a good record, it is and the sheer amount of remixes that arose only bettered the credit of the song-my favourite's this one...I don't like the cat though.

Now with the release of their album Manners, set for the 26th May, is it going to live up to the hype? And can it?

hmmm. The song I've heard doesn't quite: Passion Pit - The Reeling. But it's good all the same, just NOT the same kind of "frenzy" that Chunk of Change displayed.

However, I think it's safe to say that if everything goes tits up for Passion Pit (which I don't actually see happening because they've got a good momentum going) then Nate Donmoyer, from the band and aka Shuttle, will be one positive result. His track Rotten Guts features the vocals of Cadence Weapon and is out now on an EP titled Tunnel. It's a bit of "a stonker"!

Shuttle - Rotten Guts (ft.  Cadence Weapon) (y.s.i.)

.x.

xxtra good.

The xx.

I think it was the bass on their songs that got me first and then the gloomy yet tuneful vocals. The xx’s debut track is Crystallised and it’s out on 27^th April. However, I already have it here for you to sample: The xx – Crystallised

Thirsty for more? Well their album doesn’t come out until September but, go on, have a bit more, quench that thirst: The xx – Stars

Camden Crawl here they come...

Free love?

Boom Festival (a real festival) '08

It's ticket-buying time for this summer's music festivals and, although I'm not going to any of the big ones because I'm travelling, I somehow managed to get a little caught up in the frustration, despair and over-zealous gloating that is the process of buying a ticket. It's horrible. It really makes you question how we value our music when people are willing to tout spare tickets for a huge profit meaning that many genuine fans are then unable to go. Where's the free love of the 70s gone? I'm not saying that festivals should be free, it is after all "the music business", but the emphasis should be on the music and not the business part. Am I an idealist? Probably.
Although I don't have the ability to give away free tickets to this summer's top festivals I can maybe make your day a bit better by revealing some music to you...

Röyksopp's album Junior is a bit of a corker and this track, with vocals by last year's Scandinavian indie darling, Lykke Li, is quite a mechanical song but enchanting all the same.Röyksopp -Miss It So Much (featuring Lykke Li)
Local Natives were many people's "find" of SXSW '09 and I concur that there is something very special about their music. It's along the line of a more up-tempo Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear.Local Natives - World News

Pete Yorn's songs burst with so much emotion that you can't help to feel nostalgic for something or other when you listen because it's penned so beautifully and sung so heart-breaking-ly. Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry

I'm afraid the links have since been removed. However, ask and you shall receive and I've put links to relevant sites.
.x.