posted by Loren on February 2, 2012
London is not known for blues-rock, a sound tailor-made for Nashville and Austin accents. But every now and again music requires an adoptive transplant of British sounds to American soil. This explains the Scoundrels, a London blues-rock infused quartet born in Notting Hill who refined their sound along the murky waters of Louisiana. Sensing their music was deserved of legends amidst the blues-rock scene, Scoundrels were signed and instantly relocated to Henderson, Louisiana to catalyze an album and a chance to augment upon an external London sound and seemingly make it their internal occupations. With ricocheting vocals imposing the incredibly misconceived notion that the uphill battle to be known as a band is simple fun, the Scoundrels convince us in the message but deceive us in the method. Their songs are fun and peak interests of the soul to move and glide along; there are no London tattoos or swamp legends but tasteful stories of love and hopelessness. You begin to enjoy how music from any place and any background can make you feel to a certain degree indifferent and more so important and existing, lively. At times you feel the Black Keys are jamming with Lynryd Skynyrd, with Jonny Lang on vocals to read anti-fairytales of love gone wrong. Blues and rock ‘n’ roll have transformed into malleable drunk backseat drivers for the past decade, staying content but never letting their presence escape the public. Rock has seemed like it’s on holiday. And as mentioned before, the Scoundrels convince you otherwise. Their self-titled album is out now.
Scoundrels – Arrogance Blues (Downloaded 126 times)
Scoundrels – Sniff It Up (Downloaded 112 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Anthemic • Bluesy • Male vocal • Soulful
(5 votes)
Loading ...posted by Patrick on September 26, 2011
Philadelphia’s The War on Drugs is nothing like what you’d expect. I, at least, would expect something edgy and indie, twee psychadelia or Austin hip-hop. Instead, the band channels Bruce Springsteen at his poppy, rockabilly best. Or maybe it’s U2 they’re occupying, or Tom Petty, or any of a half-dozen other of the best acts of the 70′s and 80′s. Of course, mimicry doesn’t make for greatness, and the obvious question is what The War on Drugs adds to the equation. One answer is simple fusion: they aren’t just one band, but all of them. The War on Drugs is a Whitman’s Sampler blow torched into a liquid mess, then reformed and steel-reinforced with heavy beats and jangling vocals. But “Slave Ambient,” the band’s newest album, also brings some new elements to the mix, including a voice that can range from pop-sweet to a Tom Waits growl, and, appropriately some more ethereal, ambient moments than you find in most straight-ahead rock. Ultimately, though, The War On Drugs isn’t pushing many envelopes. But they know their craft and can spin a tune with the best of them. There isn’t a bad track on “Slave Ambient,” and many will be on repeat for weeks to come. Only the best of their influences can say the same.
The War on Drugs – Baby Missiles (Downloaded 221 times)
The War on Drugs – Taking the Farm (Downloaded 199 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Anthemic • Catchy • Fuzzy • Poppy • Rollicking
(7 votes) Loading ...posted by Alex on August 24, 2011
Serenade me with your beautiful Scottish accent, Scott Hutchinson. I don’t care what you say, I will still love you. After purchasing last year’s The Winter of Mixed Drinks, I quickly fell into a Conrad Birdie-like crush for Hutchinson. The Scotland native band, Frightened Rabbit, has been charming audiences since 2004. They have released a total of three studio albums, but from what I suspect, they are working on a new one as we speak.
Being a total loser with no life, I sat for hours searching the web for new music. I stumbled upon a beautiful song by the name of “Fuck This Place.” Such a lovely title. Not only was it a Frightened Rabbit song that I had never heard, but it featured Tracyanne Campbell from Camera Obscura. Scottish buddies!! I dug deeper and found another catchy catchy tune called “Scottish Winds” (they sure love their homeland). Sadly, I could not find any information on a full-fledged upcoming album.
Frightened Rabbit is currently touring with Death Cab for Cutie through the end of August, and these songs are featured on the Tour-only three track EP. I’m a strange breed of human: I have never been a fan of Death Cab. But the two bands combined must make an excellent show. So, go and purchase the magic!!
Frightened Rabbit – Fuck This Place (Downloaded 406 times)
Frightened Rabbit – Scottish Winds (Downloaded 333 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Amazing Voice • Anthemic • Beautiful Lyrics • Female vocal • Male vocal
(17 votes) Loading ...posted by Patrick on March 24, 2011
ty·phoon [tahy-foon] – a violent storm or tempest of India.
I caught Typhoon in the middle of my last show on my last day of South by Southwest, playing in a church and wedged in between two groups I really wanted to see. The band was an unknown to me but not to Austin, apparently; they had recorded an NPR “Tiny SXSW Concert” at the Driskill Hotel earlier in the day, and were performing for the eleventh time in four days. For a few minutes, the band seemed oddly named; despite having thirteen members on stage (I kept spotting new ones well into their set), their sound was plaintive, haunting, and calm. But midway through an epic ten-minute opener, the band erupted with a groundswell of noise. Two horns, two violins, three guitars, two drummers, a keyboardist, a cellist and more I’m forgetting managed to combine their disparate sounds into one surging harmony. Despite sad, often tragic lyrics, Typhoon produced an amazingly uplifting energy.
To me, Typhoon exemplified the best part about SXSW – the opportunity to hear a band you’d never experience otherwise and to be completely and utterly blown away. The Portland collective has largely toured close to home so far, no doubt due to a combination of their sheer size and relative newness, but I expect the buzz from Austin will take them to a city near you (and hopefully me) soon. Don’t miss them.
Typhoon – CPR / Claws Pt. 2 (Downloaded 685 times)
Typhoon – The Honest Truth (Downloaded 307 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Anthemic • Big Sound • Folk • Harmonic • Orchestral
(14 votes) Loading ...Thanks guys….and chloe,He will be dpeley missed.I may well get another one chloe, but it will never be a replacement.It may be a while though.
August 24th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Frightened Rabbit puts on an amazing live show–try to catch them headlining if you can.
August 26th, 2011 at 3:25 am
Very interesting points. Thanks!
August 31st, 2011 at 11:04 pm
having just seen them with dcfc, i can attest to your belief the show was magic! but as much as i love dcfc, i’m a bigger frabbit fan, and any time i can, i try to catch them live. amazing band.