Come Warm Your Cold Bones...New Music #6

Wow!  It's been more than six months since I last did a new music post!!  Here's what I am listening to right now:

The Flatliners - Dead Language
About a week ago, Jason was scrolling through one of those end of year music lists and The Flatliners popped up.  From the preview I could tell it might be something I'd like so I tracked down their latest album, Dead Language.  The Flatliners are a canadian punk band that have been around since 2002.  I'm not really sure who to compare them to but if you enjoy Alexisonfire they are probably worth a listen.  My favourite track so far is Tail Feathers:



Japandroids - Celebration Rock
I basically had this album on repeat for my last few weeks of work in 2013.  Initially I thought it sounded a bit samey but the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me.  Celebration Rock only has 9 tracks and sometimes feels a bit short but I think that's my only complaint!! My favourite track is The House that Heaven Built followed closely by Younger Us and Fire's Highway:



Middle Class Rut - Pick Up Your Head
This band is probably Jason's best music find in 2013, at least in my opinion.  Middle Class Rut only has two members which is pretty amazing considering how huge they sound.  This is another band that reminds me of Alexisonfire although in a completely different way.  My favourite track on the album is Pick Up Your Head. I find it particularly good for early morning traffic:



Violent Soho - Hungry Ghost
Violent Soho is an Australian band that reminds me  A LOT of Hundred Reasons.  I'm still deciding which track is my favourite so I'll leave you with the strongest contender so far, Dope Calypso:



Been listening to anything new and interesting?  Let me know in the comments:)

The Hurry and The Harm....New Music #5

I can't get over how much good new music there is lately.  Here's is whats new on my horizons:

Alkaline Trio - My Shame is True

My Shame is True is Alkaline Trio's eight studio album and was released in April already.  I was very slow to get a copy of it though because, well, life and stuff.  Anyway, Alkaline Trio are one of those bands I just keep going back to.  Even when I think I might have outgrown them.  I was lucky enough to see them in Durban in 2011 and got a signed shirt for my troubles...yay me!  Anyhoo, I'm a big fan of the single from this album I Wanna Be A Warhol but the song I really like is I, Pessimist.  It features Tim McIlrath from Rise Against so it's basically AWESOME. Take a listen:

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

I think that the two things I like the most about The National are the lyrics (they are strange) and Matt Berninger's vocals.  Trouble Will Find Me is not my favourite album but I do think that I need to listen to it a few more times before I make a final pronunciations.  So far the jury is still out on which song is my favourite but in the meantime, here is the single, Demons:

City and Colour - The Hurry and The Harm

Oh Dallas Green, how do you do it??  The Hurry and The Harm (I LOVE this name) is Dallas Green's new album from his solo venture City and Colour.  I suppose that since Alexisonfire is no more, calling City and Colour his solo venture may be a bit misleading because it's his only venture?  I don't know.  Anyway, while City and Colour is wildly different from Alexisonfire, it is still the same amazing voice just with a much more mellow, stripped down kind of sound.  My favourite track on the album is undoubtly The Hurry and The Harm both for the music and the sentiment



Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

Words cannot describe how cool the album is!!  ...Like Clockwork is Queens of the Stone Age's sixth studio album and my favourite since Songs for the Deaf.  The imagery surrounding this album is very cool...almost post-apocalyptic and there is a rumour that the animation might be turned into a full-length movie.  My favourite track on the album is If I Had A Tail.  I also like Fairweather Friend which features Elton John who apparently volunteered as an "actual queen."  Fabulous!!  Anyway, the clip below is basically a taster of the whole album and includes the above-mentioned animations:



If you listen to or have listened to any of the albums let me know what you think:)

Scatter What Remains...New Music #4

It's been a little while since I last shared what I've been listening to.  Between the Rise Against concert and the break-up of MCR, my iPod was kind of monopolized.  Now that I've moved on, here's what I'm listening to at the moment:

Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal

So, if you followed any of my RAMfest posts, you’d know that I have been pretty ambivalent about Bring Me The Horizon.  It wasn’t until I saw them live that I realised they are pretty much everything I am looking for in a heavy band right now.  I kept playing Sleepwalking in my head after the show, even though I didn’t know half the words!  I decided to give Sempiternal a try and I can honestly say that it’s owned my iPod since!  I know they are considered light-weight metal and trend jumpers but neither of those criticisms make me like the album less.  Their songs are catchy, melodic and I like Oli Sykes' scream.   My favourite tracks are Shadow Moses and Sleepwalking.  Also you can’t beat Antivist for straight-up angriness.

Metric – Synthetica

Metric are an indie band from Canada which we found in the FIFA 13 soundtrack.  They are really easy to listen to though and unusual enough not to be boring.  The first track I heard was Speed the Collapse which kind of reminded me of Muse but with female vocals and less drama…so actually not like Muse at all!  Bad comparison Monique!!  Anyway, it’s still my favourite track followed closely by Youth Without Youth.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs – Mosquito

This album has had to grow on me and I suspect it might still have some work to do.  Unlike Show Your Bones, I didn’t love on my first listen, or even my third.  Now, as I write this and listen again, I am definitely starting to love it.  Maybe it’s a mood thing?  Anyway, while I decided on my favourite track, I will leave you with Sacrilege which I rather like.

Also on my iPod:

All my old-school emo!  Think Thursday, Thrice, Taking Back Sunday and The Juliana Theory.  I think the break up of so many of my old favourites (including MCR) has made me a bit nostalgic.  Also, listening to BMTH has meant a revival for Every Time I Die, Underoath and Norma Jean.  Nothing like heavy music to improve a bad day. 

What are you guys listening to?

This Ladder is Ours...New Music #3

So many new things to listen to!!  Here are some of my new favourites:

The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Laws

Yet another band with a female vocalist.  What's going on here??  The Joy Formidable are a three-piece alternative band from Wales that  I've fallen in love with.  I'm not sure how to describe their sound expect to say that they are totally worth listening to.  Be warned though, these guys are not shy of long songs.  Most of the tracks on the album are around 4 to 5 minutes long.  Not that I'm complaining.  My favourite track is a toss up between This Ladder is Ours and The Leopard & The Lung.   

Benjamin Gibbard - Former Lives

Ben Gibbard is the vocalist from Death Cab For Cutie.  We caught an interview with him on The Cobert Report and he played Bigger Than Love which features Aimee Mann.  It's by far my favourite song on the album.  Apparently he plays most of the instruments on most of the tracks himself...impressive!  The rest of the album is pretty good...the songs are not that far off from Death Cab for Cutie if you ask me.  Quirky and easy to listen to.

Biffy Clyro - Opposites

The long awaited new Biffy Clyro album, Opposite, is a double album.  The two albums are supposed to be lyrical opposites of each other, hence the name.  One half of the album, The Sand at the Core of Our Bones is about the past.  The other half, The Land at the End of Our Toes is about the future and moving forward.  A lot of people have been really critical about this album and I am not sure why.  Sure it's not Only Revolutions but its awesome in it's own way.  The lyrics are perfectly quirky and there is a good mix of heavy and unusual tracks.  Right now my favourite tracks are Stingin' Bell and Little Hospitals.

Also on my playlist at the moment:  The Distillers, New Order and Union of Knives.  What's are you listening to?

Even On a Cloudy Day...New Music #2

I don't know about you guys but I always appreciate new music suggestions.  I find it's just too easy to get stuck in a same-old, same-old rut where I listen to the same artists over and over again.  So, to rescue you all from the plight of musical boredom, I present my current favourites:

Matt Skiba and the Sekrets - Babylon

This is Matt Skiba's (Alkaline Trio) second side-project after Heavens in 2006.  The band also includes My Chemical Romance's touring drummer Jared Alexander and AFI bassist Hunter Burgan.   It's the combination of musicians that made me get hold of this album in the first place.  Alkaline Trio, My Chemical Romance and AFI are all bands that I have had a love affair with at some point or another.  Although to be honest, the love affair has never really ended.  I'd be lying if I said that Babylon doesn't sounds a lot like Alkaline Trio because it does.  That said, it's still a really great album.  I love Matt Skiba's voice and his darker lyrics.  Despite the lyrics, the songs have a fun, punk sound which makes them really easy to listen to.  My favourite tracks are Voices and You.

Cage the Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday

Cage the Elephant are a rock band from Kentucky and Thank You Happy Birthday is their second album.  This isn't exactly a new album because it was released in 2011 but it is new to me.  Jason came across them while reading an article on the Grunge Report.  These guys are loud and awesome and at times sound a little like The Pixies.  Especially on Aberdeen.  My favourite tracks are Shake Me Down (which lends a lyric to this post title) and Sell Yourself.

Deftones - Koi No Yokan

It must sound like I have A LOT of favourite bands which I guess is kind of true but Deftones are a perennial favourite.  I never get bored of them and while I didn't love the last album, I am pretty smitten by this one.  If smitten is even a word you can use in relation to Deftones.  My favourite tracks are Leathers and Swerve City.

MUSE - The 2nd Law

This is a surprise addition to my list.  MUSE was my band of choice at varsity.  I loved all their albums and I knew the lyrics to several songs off by heart.  I also may or may not have had a slight crush on Matt Bellamy.  Moving along, I didn't like their last album The Resistance at all.  In fact, I had pretty much given up on them because I wasn't a fan of the direction they were heading.  Then I heard the official Olympics song, Survival, which is amazing and so much heavier than I expected.  After listening to the album several times, I can safely say that they have my attention again.  My favourite tracks are Survival, Supremacy and one of the bonus tracks called Unsustainable.

Also on my iPod at the moment?  At The Drive In, The National, The xx and The Ravonettes.  You can see my first New Music post here.  I am thinking about making this a semi-regular occurence.  Anyway, if you get a chance to listen to any of the bands/albums then let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions of your own, add them to the comments.

New Music #1

I’ve been listening to a lot of new music just recently so I thought I would share some of my favourites.  First up is the awesome Lark.  They are a South African electronica band from Cape Town.  I have always enjoyed their music but it had long ago fallen to the bottom of the pile.  Then, we went to the Durban leg of their album launch.  It was amazing!  Watching them live is half the joy of this band I think.  Inge Beckmann has such a powerful voice with so much range.  When she walked out on the stage in a black outfit complete with a baboon skull on each shoulder I was sold!  You can kind of see them in this photo Jason took with his phone:

Anyway, the new album Gong is Struck has been on repeat in my car and at work for the last little while.  I am torn between Afflatus and Two Wolves when it comes to choosing a favourite.  I couldn’t find either of those to share with you but here is the video for an equally cool track called Stole The Moon:

Another band I have really been enjoying is The Ravonettes.  I guess you could class them as Indie?  They are from Denmark and there are just two of them.  Jason gave me an album called In and Out of Control to listen to and although I was sceptical on first pass, it’s absolutely grown on me!  My favourite track off the album is Bang!  I couldn't find a video for that one but here's a video for a song called Aly, Walk With Me from the album Lust Lust Lust:

And lastly, there is Florence + the Machine.  I know they have been around for awhile but I never really got around to listening to them.  Then we came across the song Dog Days Are Over as part of an independently put together Marie Antoinette soundtrack and I loved it:

I decided to give the new album Ceremonials a listen and although it can be a bit slow for my particular tastes, I rather enjoyed it.  My favourite track is a toss up between What the Water Gave Me and No Light, No Light.  

If you know me well, you’ll know that when it comes to music, I prefer male vocals.  Preferably screamy or a bit unusual and preferably attached to Gerard Way!  So, the fact that all three of the bands mentioned here actually have female vocals is no small feat:)

Have you been listening to anything new?