New version...

The beautiful band that it AU are set to release a new limited edition 10"EP entitled 'Versions'. It should be released in the US in early October, but there are only 500 copies, so you better get in quick. Dana Valatka and Luke Wyland tag team on a few songs, some new and some we know, to re-enact how they reproduce their work on the live circuit. They've just announced a load of tour dates on their myspace too, so you can catch the real thing. After hearing the new track 'Ida Walked Away' it promises to be a great EP. They've kept the epic echoed Grizzly Bear-esque guitars and filled them with light and air. A little beauty. Check out an older post I did to hear the best from their previous release 'Verbs'.

AU – Ida Walked Away
/myspace

Let's talk about it...

Speak And The Spells are a great new band from old London town. They make ace sixties sci-fi garage rock type stuff, with a bit of seventies punk thrown in from time to time. They're working on new songs right now and hope to have an EP out soon. I'm hopeful about what the three young whippersnappers are going to come out with. I really like the track below. It's slag rock sci-fi charm gets better as it plays through. Reminds me a bit of early Vincent Vincent and The Villains, I think it's your man's voice. There's also a little preview that's just popped up on their myspace which sounds double good too. Check it out. They're playing at Buffalo Bar with Let's Wrestle, so it should be a cracking night out. you can also catch them at Offset Festival next weekend. What a treat.

Speak And The Spells – She's Dead
/myspace

Not so strange

Saw the Strange Boys do a little acoustic set at Rough Trade East on Sunday. It was alright. I prefer it when they're more electric though. I'm not normally one for covers, but I really like the boys version of Big Joe Williams' 'Baby Please Don't Go'. The four Austin lads are back off Stateside now to finish up the last few of their live dates. They're debut album 'And Girls Club' is out now on In The Red Records. There's a track of it below too.

The Strange Boys – Baby Please Don't Go
The Strange Boys – Poem Party
/myspace

Here Comes Trouble

The ever impressive Parlour Records have run out a great new video for Ill Ease, directed by 'George Wu'. Check out Mr Peg and his efforts to get his dream house. The song is great too, into the creeping bass-line. It's out as a limited edition 7" called 'The Whole Sha-Bang' right now along with the track 'What Makes Your Heart Go Boom' as a double single and is available on iToooons. The one woman Brooklynite is off on tour around some US spots in September too.

Buy 'The Whole Sha-Bang'
/myspace

Rock-a-bye-Billy

Sick of all the niceness? Vinny And The Curse will drag you by your ankles back to where you belong. The duo from Birmingham have risen The Gories garage rockabilly rawness from the relics and thrown out some crackin demos. 'Never Say Never Again' posted below is the more subdue of the selection, but hit up their Myspace for some more. 'The Change In Me' is a belter. They are doing a few live dates in the near future. After seeing them a couple of weeks back, I would definitely say you should get to see them.

Vinny And The Curse – Never Say Never Again
/myspace

Man-at-arms

Magic Arm supported the disgustingly brilliant Grizzly Bear last night. The one man Mancunian maestro, looped guitar, organ and beats together that remind me a bit of the Beta Band, with a bit of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci's sweetness and Kid Carpet bass lines. I thought the crowd were pretty poor at recognising his talents, but I walked away impressed. I grabbed a copy of his debut album 'Make Lists Do Something' which was releases earlier this year. It's a great album - a delight of upbeat electro folk from beginning to end. Here's one from the top...

Magic Arm – Widths and Heights
/myspace

New Girls Video...

Here's the follow up single from Girls' 'Album'. 'Lust For Life' is released as a single on September 7th, and 'Album' is released on the 22nd. It's going to be rather popular me thinks. Great video, all shot on super-duper-eight. Click the Girls link at the bottom of the post to hear previous songs I've posted. Also there's shed loads of tour dates on their myspace too, so go see them.

/myspace

Christmas come early

Christmas Island from San Diego are cramming some of their lo-fi garage efforts into an LP called 'Blackout Summer' in September. Your man from Wavves was rating 'Doin' Swell' as one of his favourite tracks (also my favourite). Their other stuff on Myspace is just as impressive. On top of the forthcoming album, they've got a 12" entitled Haunted House, a 7" and a split 7" with Meth Teeth on the way too. They've already set off on a west coast tour right now, so if you want to catch the duo on the live circuit, check out their myspace linked below.

Christmas Island – Bed Island
Christmas Island – Doin Swell
/myspace

Upstaged

Check out this ace new vid from Stages Of Dan for their ace track 'Gary'. The cheek of the lovely London lads indie punk driven pop tunes will be infectiously take over your brain. Go see them play if you're about town, they're a good watch. If you're not about, check out their Myspace for more videos and tracks. The band are working on a self released EP right now, which Gary will be on. So watch this space for more info.

/myspace

Golden flowing locks

One of the most wonderful stumble upons I've had in recent times was when I discovered Braids. Their experimental arrangements of delicate piano, guitar and singer are quite something else indeed. The closest musicians I could associate their sound with would be AU in terms of their beautiful instrumental sections, and Arcade Fire's Regine Chassagne in terms of vocals. They had an EP 'Set Pieces' out last year which had an undeserved lack of coverage. The great news is that they are currently working on an album due for release around March/April next year. I expect it will a truly spectacular listen. They are embarking on a tour around their native Canada with another talent Knots, who is also worth checking out. Will keep you posted on future developments. Simply beautiful.

Braids – Lemonade
Braids – Liver and Tan
/myspace

The Beasts are back

I just bought the new Wild Beasts album 'Two Dancers'. Not as theatrical as it's predecessor 'Limbo Panto' the Kendel four have still created an eerily ethereal listen. Hayden Thorpe's vocals are mesmerising and beautiful, accompanied with a more modest arrangement from the rest of the band. If your expecting more tracks like 'Devils Crayon' and 'Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants' then you might not like the album on first listen, but the less catchy approach is a grower, so give it some time. I think it's a little charmer of an album. Wrap your ears around my two favourites and check out their myspace to see tour dates. 'Two Dancers' is out now in the UK and set for US release on September 8th, including their New York City debut on September 8th at Joe's Pub.

Wild Beasts – All The King's Men
Wild Beasts – Empty Nest
/myspace

Old gold

I've recently been enlightened by the wonderfully weird world of R Stevie Moore. A strong influence and friend of Ariel Pink, his early recordings in the seventies are quite amazing. Humorous, sensitive, strange, perceptive, naive and more. You can read what you like into his work, deranged could be noted at points, but amazing none-the-less. Some stuff is post punk, some sounds like it could be on the Bugsy malone soundtrack. No musical tag seems suitable than that of 'special'. I rate him. If you haven't got his stuff already, you should treat yourself.

R. Stevie Moore – I Want You In My Life
/myspace