(Not-So-New) Song On Sunday

 

At the end of last year Nick & June released their last album New Year's Fear which I only became aware of last week. Released after Nick Wolf and Suzie-Lou Kraft had ended their long-term relationship but still working as a band. Both are from Nuremberg, Germany, and currently live in Berlin. It’s worth noting that her songs aren’t solely about the pain of heartbreak. Despite this, her sound has a melancholic, contemplative undertone that is most reminiscent of Bon Iver and Mazzy Star. You could describe it as indie folk that captivates with reverb-soaked guitars, gently pulsating beats, and harmonized vocals. It’s an album I’ll be listening to a lot more.

Take Me To The Grave

 

There are still artists out there who couldn't care less about which musical genre is currently in vogue. One of them is Fay Fife, who has just released her new album under the moniker Countess Of Five. On this album, she clearly pays homage to her love of country music, but she also really lets the guitars rip. It’s in a league of its own compared to when she left her mark on The Rezillos/Revillos’ songs with her voice decades ago. Her duet with Kirsten Adamson (yes, Stuart’s daughter) alone makes this album worth checking out. An unexpected but compelling comeback by an almost forgotten singer. Thanks to the folks at Last Night From Glasgow for this.

She Did It Again

 

Last autumn Hollie Cook released her last album Shy Girl, another fine reggae-pop album in the tradition of the so called 'Lover's Rock' sound. An album full of wonderful melodies carried by Hollie's clear voice.

Just as she has done in the past, she’s once again taken the entire album to a whole new level with plenty of dub, just in time for Record Store Day. Just as she has done in the past, she’s once again taken the entire album to a whole new level with plenty of dub, just in time for Record Store Day. She gives the songs a deeper, darker quality that’s much more rooted in soundsystem culture. An album that’s perfect for summer days like the ones we’re already enjoying.

Harmonica Day

 

The harmonica is typically associated with blues and folk music as a key instrument alongside the acoustic guitar. This makes it all the more surprising when musicians from the indie and electronic scenes use it.The harmonica is typically associated with blues and folk music as a key instrument alongside the acoustic guitar. This makes it all the more surprising when musicians from the indie and electronic scenes use it.

Matt Johnson released what is perhaps his best album, Dusk, as The The in 1993. Its success is largely due to Johnny Marr, who, in addition to playing tasteful guitar parts, also plays the harmonica, which carries nearly the entire album.

The French electronic duo Air has regularly expanded their sound by collaborating with guest musicians. This was also the case in 2001, when they worked with Beck on their album 10,000 Hz Legend in addition to vocals, Beck also contributed harmonica.

Camper Van Beethoven, who helped pioneer indie rock in California in the early 1980s alongside bands like Black Flag and Sonic Youth, released their final album in 1989 before disbanding. As on their earlier albums, they remained true to their surrealistic, humorous folk rock.

More Yeah Yeah

 

In the comments section of my post from yesterday, Ernie mentioned another band with a similar name that he likes better. Yeah Yeah Noh was an indie band formed in Leicester in 1983. They were jangly and lo-fi, with a singer sporting a distinctive bald spot who spoke rather than sang. They sound like a mellow Midlands version of The Fall. Their lyrics were ironic, sardonic, and silly, and they had the audacity to embrace psychedelia, which wasn’t particularly in vogue (with all due respect to  Televison Personalities). A good but sadly forgotten band.

Yeah Yeah Noh - Another Side To Mrs. Quill

As I was typing these lines, I was reminded of the Yé-Yé music of the early 1960s in France. This genre is said to be named after the “yeah” often heard in British pop music. I wouldn’t go that far, but would rather call them chansons interspersed with pop references. The best example is Michel Polnareff, who combined these elements in his songs.

Yé-Yé is, however, primarily associated with female singers, as the French in continental Europe were more willing to accept pop music in their native language. This allowed artists such as Françoise Hardy, France Gall, Sylvie Vartan establish themselves in the charts during those times. Much like Rita Pavone did in Italy at the same time.

That's How It Sounded In Their Beginnings

 

The new century was barely two years old when a band emerged from the United States that took garage rock to a whole new level. With Karen O., they had a wild front woman whose vocals, in the broadest sense, were reminiscent of PJ Harvey, but who could also strike a softer note. Nick Zinner contributes impressive guitar passages to the songs, which, taken as a whole, no longer have much in common with the punk attitude of the debut EP. The fact that YYYs manages without a bass is thanks to Brian Chase’s accentuated drums. 

In addition to the upbeat tracks like “Rich” and “Man,” it’s the longer songs that really stand out—thanks to Karen’s voice and the breaks and tempo changes that would suit Sonic Youth just fine. The fact that they pay homage to their roots at the end makes them all the more endearing. “Modern Romance” could easily be an outtake from Velvet’s debut album.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Pin

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Modern Romance

Monday's Long Song

 

In 1973 Roxy Music released their second album For Your Pleasure after causing a sensation in the glam rock scene with their debut. A few songs on this album Editions Of You and Do The Strand lived up to expectations for further chart success. Much more interesting, however, were the songs in which they took an experimental approach. The Bogus Man is about a mentally deranged sex offender. Ferry delivers the vocals with a similarly deranged intensity. For ten minutes, Roxy Music turns it into a playground of madness. The saxophone oscillates between delirium and free jazz, shifting from the left to the right channel. Eno uses the then-novel idea of looping to create his effects. Manzanera’s guitar weaves in psychedelic sounds, and the drums, symbolizing the stalker’s restlessness, echo the motoric beats of Can and Neu! A masterpiece far ahead of their time.

Roxy Music - The Bogus Man