Scottish alt rockers Primal Scream recently dropped their tenth studio album More Light on their own label, First International. Their song "Invisible City" shows that the band has regained an energy that we've been missing from the band since 20062s Riot City Blues . Primal Scream will perform a much anticipated set at this year's Glastonbury festival. Don't miss it. By Bruce Rave Primal Scream - Invisible City Primal Screen ( Facebook ) [...]
Daft Punk's new single "Get Lucky" has gone top twenty in the US and topped the digital charts in 55 different countries. Their album Random Access Memories is full of lush sounds and throwback nods to disco. Probably a good thing. "Give Life Back to Music" opens the album, and the song title indicates that these guys feel something has been lacking in music today. Don't expect glow sticks or intensity on this track. It will settle into a nice mid-tempo groove and leave you wanting more. By Bruce Rave Daft [...]
This second emerging track from Beady Eye's June album is arguably better than the first strong song, "Flick of the Finger". This song also has horns, with an interesting groove underneath. Meanwhile Liam Gallagher is doing his best to fan the flames, stating he'll retire if this album doesn't do well. Based on these first two tracks, I don't think that will be a concern. He also remarked on a photo of brother Noel hugging Blur's Damon Albarn, saying that pic marks "the end of Britpop." By Bruce Rave Beady Eye – [...]
Thee Oh Sees haven't wasted any creative time with a quick return for their latest Floating Coffin album. "Toe Cutter-Thumb Buster" works as a fuzzy mid-tempo tune with melodic hooks all over, including the bass line and guitar work. Over sixteen years, this is the twelfth full-length for the various incarnations of this band (not including various EPs). Thee Of Sees retain a youthful vibe that is obviously serving them well. By Bruce Rave Thee Oh Sees - Toe Cutter Thumb Buster ( Facebook [...]
Their Thr!!!er album dropped on Tuesday of this week, and this track shows a new side of the !!! guys. It's got another fine !!! groove but is less-funky and more melodic than most of their work. See Chk Chik Chick live if you can this year. Their shows definitely bring the goods. By Bruce Rave !!! - Thr!!!er ( Official ) * Links and playlists from Rave's weekly new music show can be found on his blog [...]
VW's second pre-release offering is slow, soft, and sweet. It's probably the prettiest song we've heard from these guys. Their full-length Modern Vampires of the City will be upon us May 14. From what the band has said, we can expect this album from Vampire Weekend to be darker. Judging from some re-arrangements of older songs featured during the band's set during SXSW, the album might be slower as well. By Bruce Rave Vampire Weekend - Step Vampire Weekend [...]
Liam Gallagher's Beady Eye is back, and "Flick Of the Finger" is our first taste. It's got that Liam intensity, augmented with a consistently present and bold horn section along with some spoken word parts. It's a winner for me, and hopefully for you as well. We'll hopefully hear the entire album in June. Liam is saying it will be "pretty druggy". Beady Eye – Flick of the Finger Beady Eye ( Official ) ( Facebook ) * [...]
Here's the title track from what just might turn out to be one of 20132s landmark albums, which Karen O. calls YYYs most lighthearted yet. "Mosquito" is an intense, straight ahead rock song with a huge sound; a hooky, driving rhythm section that showcases guitarist Nick Zinner in fine form. The dark and dirty bassline of this track will get under your skin and who better to sing the line "He'll suck your blood" than Karen O? The album drops April 16 and you can peep the band's recent performance of "Sacrilege" on Letterman below. By Bruce Rave [...]
Django Django successfully ended their American tour at the Fonda on Saturday night, March 23. It's been a quick rise for this refreshingly unique band, who was a Mercury Prize finalist and who made many year-end lists for 2012. A year ago, they were earnestly playing smaller SXSW venues as relative unknowns the the US. They sold out The Echo last fall, with several hundred onlookers and fans packed in and vibing to a show that was relentlessly electric. Saturday night, the guys expressed several times, their delight in playing on the Fonda stage. The venue holds about 1200, and [...]
The new single from Portugal. The Man is, for me, a pleasant surprise. "Evil Friends" has a quirky, melodic bounce that stands out very nicely, and my ears can't resist. While PTM have a sturdy following, I've since felt the band needed an extra boost to rise above the upper middle. This just might be the track. By Bruce Rave Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends Portugal. The Man ( Facebook ) * Links and [...]
It's been awhile since we've heard from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Luckily enough, their new Spector At the Feast album drops March 19 and just as our SXSW recoveries are underway. It's a typical strong album for the BRMC crew, sometimes fast and hard, sometimes more mellow and on the slow side. Fans appreciate both styles from the band. "Hate the Taste" from the album is emerging for me as an early fave, and I know they'll kill this one live as well. By Bruce Rave BRMC - Hate The Taste [...]
Photo By Debi Del Grande Review By Bruce Rave Over the past year, Australia's Gold Fields have proven themselves to be one of the most compelling new bands on the touring circuit. On Thursday, February 28th, the night following their TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel, and a new album release for Black Sun , The Troubadour in West Hollywood was sold out for a blazing set from the band. The performance that night was solid. Lead singer Mark Robert Fuller and his bandmates blended [...]
![Rave’s Fave: David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight) [Video]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/4802707_lg.jpg)
Here is the first official single from Bowie's return album, The Next Day due March 12th. The single follows up the slow-moving track "Where Are We Now", which some loved and and some didn't. "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" sounds more like what you'd expect from a mid-tempo Bowie song, and the title is of course appropriate for a single that dropped on the night following the Oscars. By Bruce Rave David Bowie ( Facebook ) * Links and [...]
Johnny Marr's The Messenger album is out Tuesday and it's an early 2013 highlight for me. The signature stamp of his guitar style is unmistakable just as you'd expect, and it dominates throughout just as you'd want it to. Marr's vocal style often reminds of Morrissey, leading me to ponder how their many years together might have made an impact. Much of the album is upbeat, but there is a more melancholy track that will please many Smiths fans. That is "New Town Velocity". It is easy going with a beautiful flow. Marr will embark on an 18-date [...]
If you like The Vaccines... even a little bit, then you should make a point to see them live. It's surprising that the band haven't gotten much US radio support, and like so many other succesful acts in the UK, their stateside ascendency hasn't happened nearly at the same rate. The Vaccines' recently performed for a sold-out crowd of 1,200 excited fans at the Henry Fonda Musicbox in Los Angeles on Thursday night this past Valentines Day. What the band has lacked in airplay, they clearly make up for with fans and sizzling live shows. The Vaccines [...]
Foals' Holy Fire album came out last week and this third album of theirs rocks. Since dropping their single "Inhaler" the lead up to the release of the entire album has seemed nothing but strong, and Holy Fire delivers the goods. The guitar-oriented dance dudes in Foals explore oft different directions in their compositions, and they do so nicely with "Providence". After a strange, dark lead-in vocal, the song kicks into one of the finest grooves I've heard in recent memory as momentum increases into a climax that is perfectly over the top. It will be [...]
Tribes' second album Wish To Scream won't drop until May, but the single "How the Other Half Live" has just hit airwaves in the UK, minted Zane Lowe's Hottest Record In The World on Radio 1. Tribes is one of the best bands at combining older rock influences with a thoroughly modern feel. The new single not only continues in that tradition, and showcases growth on the pop side. Wish To Scream was recorded at the legendary Sound City in LA and the band stayed at a pad in Malibu with an ocean view. Talk about [...]
The first time I heard "Station Approach" from Elbow, I fell in love with the track and the band. The same holds true for Everything Everything's "Duet". It's an absolute beauty of a track and the vocal harmonies seem to parallel Elbow at times. Everything Everything's newest album Arc just hit the UK charts at #5, and it sees release here in the US next Tuesday. It's way too early to start thinking about year-end lists for 2013, but "Duet" is a strong bet to land amongst my top contenders. I haven't yet gotten my arms and ears [...]
I recently caught Brooklyn-based, and punk-influenced, Parquet Courts as they stopped by The Echo in Los Angeles last Tuesday night. The band were on the west coast leg of their first national tour in support of their debut album Light Up Gold . That night PC exuded a noteworthy and raw energy, fitting nicely with the likes of Cloud Nothings and Metz. While the set began somewhat on the ragged side with an instrumental jam, things kicked-in full force by the time the band launched into their single "Borrowed Time". From that point on the show was tight and [...]
If this were an random choice for a cover of The Call, it would be awesome enough. Not only does Black Rebel Motorcycle Club totally nail this version of "Let The Day Begin", but leader Robert Bean was the son of Michael Bean, who fronted The Call in the 802s. Father Michael was on the road with BRMC in Europe, doing sound for the band, when he suddenly passed away in his early 502s. Specter At The Feast is the new album from BRMC that drops in March, and this is the first single. What a great choice! [...]
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Disclosure - 'When A Fire Starts To Burn' [Listen]
The sweet gospel joy of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros...
Virginia Wing: Red Sails
