Indie Music Finds » Rock

Mitchell Museum – The Peters Port Memorial Service

Sophie Stratford — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:34:26 +0000

Mitchell Museum are Scotland’s most exciting new band. They splash the more instantaneous moments of Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse and Animal Collective onto a technicolor canvas, and capped by a healthy dose of edge and hyperactivity.

The album’s title derives from the town on the Isle of Benebecula in Scotland where vocalist Cammy MacFarlane was shipped out to live as a kid by his parents, where he was treated for “losing his mind”. Although close friends, he and his brother Raindeer (drums and vocals) count those lost years as monumental in bonding their relationship, and the band has become an extension of that bond.

Single Warning Bells is a frenzied klaxon call of an introduction into MM. Take The Tongue Out and Tiger Heartbeat are sizzling sunshine pop songs, with their own distinct British twist of lyricism, which is present throughout the whole record. This debut album is the perfect summer soundtrack.

Released 12th July 2010

By Sophie Stratford

Ryan Paul & THE ARDENT – Cute Souvenirs EP

Sophie Stratford — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:40:39 +0000

Ryan Paul & THE ARDENT are known for their personal and unpretentious songwriting, satiating performances, and acclaimed musician assembly. They are a unique mix of dusty-folk indie pop, brimming with raw spirit. Lead vocalist and guitarist Ryan Paul gathered expert Minneapolis musicians, including his own father on guitar and mandolin, and acclaimed drummer Steve Goold. The band was initially a one-time project, however the band emerged as a vehicle for Ryan Paul’s sincere songwriting – a genre bending brand of Americana rooted in Paul’s personal struggles and story.

One year since the release of their first record, the five some release Cute Souvenirs, a digital EP recorded in just one ten-hour session. The EP exhibits an impressive development in craftsmanship, as well as a much darker character that has acquired comparisons of such opposing artists; The Cure, The Smiths and Arcade Fire.

Released 10th June 2010.

Photograph by Elli Rader

By Sophie Stratford

The Frequency

Sophie Stratford — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:30:41 +0000

The Frequency are an independent rock band from Los Angeles, CA, they are relatively unknown psychedelic techno pop. Marc Cazorla and Alex Stiff are the core songwriting and recording duo behind the music and use an array of analogue and vintage instruments in creating sounds that have been described by NME as “stripped back music strengthened by simplicity as much as beauty”.

Track Love Is One is a soft techno rock anthem. The Frequency’s music is totally unique to anything you’ve heard before. Inspired by music from Pink Floyd, Can, and Spiritualized, their live show adds another level of intensity to the music. Their show has been described as an audio/visual feast for your senses.

By Sophie Stratford

Wolfmother – White Feather

Sophie Stratford — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:54:33 +0000

Wolfmother are back and definitely on form. Single ‘White Feather’ is the band’s latest anthem and one of the highlights from latest album Cosmic Egg. With its bluesy lead licks, AC/DC-esque thump and stadium sized chorus, expect it to be sung with a force.

The song combines stylishly shimmying vocal hooks and screechy guitars; hitching and awkwardly-shaped riffs; with lead vocalist Andrew James Stockdale’s impossibly cool, indie-rock drawl.

Out now.

By Sophie Stratford

New Young Pony Club – The Optimist

Sophie Stratford — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:48:13 +0000

The Optimist finds New Young Pony Club at their poppiest with this melodic sexy record. The album is self produced and more importantly self funded and self released, it is the sound of a band taking full control of their present and future. Opening with incredibly catchy Lost A Girl, it provides an excellent anticipation for the rest of the album. It combines cutting disco vibes, dance ethic with pop ethic, all set in a dark, mysterious tone. Stone and The Architect Of Love are stripped back, post punk indebted break-up records that heighten to an explosion of synth. NYPC are definitely on top.

Released 15th March.

By Sophie Stratford

Children and Corpse Playing in the Street – Come Home (Music Video)

Indie Music Finds — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:54:17 +0000

Music video to ‘Come Home’ from Children and Corpse Playing in the Street’s debut album ‘Honey I’m Home!’. Directed and animated by David Mahler.

Mumford & Sons – The Cave

Sophie Stratford — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:59:41 +0000

Mumford & Sons have begun this decade much as they ended the last, with word-of-mouth recommendations and a fearsome live reputation helping them to become one of the most significant British success stories in recent years. The band has already received enormous radio airplay, even including a place on the Radio 1 A-list.

Single The Cave is a pounding tale of hope and defiance, starting with gently picked acoustic and this gradually escalates into a huge wall of sound with a myriad of strange and traditional instruments. 2010 is definitely shaping up to be Mumford & Sons year.

Released 1^st March 2010.

By Sophie Stratford

Race Horses – Goodbye Falkenburg

Charlie O'Shea — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:38:41 +0000

Race Horses first full length release Goodbye Falkenburg was out mid-January. Thirteen tracks long and with around a quarter of the songs in welsh, this album features a comfortable blend between a modern indie rock vibe and a distinctly 60s feel. There’s clear musical influence from The Beatles with double tracked vocal harmonies and analogue effects like phasing but in my mind Race Horses are more reminiscent of Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd.

Goodbye Falkenburg was recorded over the space of nine months and the band took an unorthodox approach to this debut. “We felt bored with all modern music,” says singer Meilyr Jones. “We wanted to make our fifth album first, if you know what I mean.”

Cake – Race Horses

Race Horses also brought out a 4 track concept EP ‘Man In My Mind’ in December 2009. Although it was an incredibly short release at just under 9 minutes in length, it’s depth made it clear that Race Horses are a band that have the means to last.

Man In My Mind – Race Horses

Released 18th January 2010.

Mars Argo – Updates

Charlie O'Shea — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:02:21 +0000

_1 / Technology is a Dead Bird is now available as an instrumental version with a minimum price of just $5. Mars Argo and Titanic Sinclair have given you explicit permission to use their songs in your YouTube videos. They only ask that you link to them in the sidebar of the video and it’s non-commercial use only. You can download the instrumental version of Technology is a Dead Bird here.

_2 / Technology is a Dead Bird is to be released on CD and vinyl formats. Mars Argo have said they are “on the way”.

_3 / Mars Argo now have a merchandise store with districtlines. There are two rather dashing T-Shirts on there for sale at the moment.

Autumn Gray – The Diary of a Falling Man

Charlie O'Shea — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:35:34 +0000

Autumn Gray formed in 2005 and released an E.P ‘As of Now, No Guarantees for Later’ shortly after. Based in Melbourne, they’ve been gigging in the surrounding area ever since.

The band are getting ready to release their debut album ‘The Diary of a Falling Man’ and are giving away three free tracks from it via their website if you promise to share them around to everyone else.

They’ve been working on ‘The Diary of a Falling Man’ for two years now and have kept the recording process truly independent with no budget, building the recording studio in a ramshackle sharehouse and commandeering a Steinway piano for a guerilla recording session.

Diary of a Falling Man Pt 1 – Autumn Gray