tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1662610270551147412012-01-24T03:31:18.373-05:00Music Reviews, Gig Reviews, Singing Unsung HeroesSlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.comBlogger4351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-76858533087316237012012-01-23T20:39:00.007-05:002012-01-23T20:55:07.934-05:00

Late in December I reviewed The Silent Numbers’ “Calculator” (link), an alluringly dark brooding breed of shoegaze. Now, I make no pretense, I am big fan of shoegaze, always on the lookout for something new, that helps to evolve the genre further, and that is what I found in The Silent Numbers. It was a no-brainer; I reached out to the band and asked them to answer a few of my questions. So I

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-68113816741415881712012-01-22T18:51:00.012-05:002012-01-22T19:15:41.586-05:00

Not to be cliché, SlowdiveMusic Blog has been and continues to be a labor of love. From as far back as I can remember, I have spent hours listening to music; not just the kind of listening that we all do as background noise, but quite literally playing an album in the dark and just listening. Starting the blog, though I had a bit of internal resistance, was one of my best decisions, because it

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-22557012143503269312012-01-21T18:16:00.012-05:002012-01-21T18:32:51.819-05:00

Paul Coltofeanu, the man behind The Android Angel moniker, has in these past months simultaneously produced music behind another moniker, Free Swim. Now, the first thing I have to admit is that most of this post should have been up last year, but life continued to get in the way. However, as I sat back this morning, listening to the first two releases and the brand new one, I instantly

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-998498242691243022012-01-17T19:46:00.005-05:002012-01-17T20:01:46.044-05:00

Despite my head cold, I sat down and listened to The Big Pink’s “Future This” (16 January 2012 in the UK, 17 January 2012 in the USA); it played through – the first thing that I struggled with was the idea of expectations. In the wake of their debut album, “A Brief History of Love,” and the slight success of the single “Dominos,” would The Big Pink avoid a sophomore slump and record an album

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-79739458763580383712012-01-16T20:15:00.006-05:002012-01-16T21:41:32.150-05:00

My thanks to Independent Music Promotions for keeping me in the loop. (Check out their link on the side bar under “Other Stuff.”)As I have said countless of times before, I was raised (dragged!) on an overdose of post-punk and just about everything associated with it – from dream pop to shoegaze, industrial to dark wave. That is the root of the stereotype that I only listen to dark, brooding (

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-89408937378449488042012-01-16T19:49:00.003-05:002012-01-16T20:05:42.672-05:00

It was a Thursday night; I had spent a stressful day at the good ole 9-5, then drove my niece to the airport, and finally headed to my mother’s house for a late dinner. When I finally reached my home, and I inched to the door, I immediately discovered something out of the ordinary – to make a long story short, to my chagrin I walked in on a burglary. Nothing quite prepares you for knowing that

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-84634166044374308262012-01-03T17:49:00.004-05:002012-01-03T18:10:32.769-05:00

These are not just collections of random songs; these are albums in the traditional sense that we lost ourselves in hour after hour. (Just a note, all of the albums are in alphabetical order according to album title, but we decided for the first time to single out our top pick at the bottom of the list.) Enjoy!Golden Gardens’ “Between the Amulet and The Siren” [Video: “Ghostwood” from the

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-62975107719353073402012-01-02T16:34:00.004-05:002012-01-02T16:47:54.492-05:00

For one reason or another, whether they touched us personally or they simply blew our minds away, these are the individual tracks we could not stop listening to. (Just a note, all of the songs are in alphabetical order according to song title, but we decided for the first time to single out our top pick at the bottom of the list.) Enjoy!The Chapman Family’s “Anxiety” (from thechapmanfamilytv

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-63746184225059585032012-01-01T22:19:00.002-05:002012-01-01T22:28:01.327-05:00

What follows are ten videos we could not stop viewing and pondering over again and again. (Just a note, all of the songs are in alphabetical order according to song title, but we decided for the first time to single out our top pick at the bottom of the list.) Enjoy!The Chapman Family’s “Anxiety” from thechapmanfamilytv YouTube Channel.IAMX’s “Bernadette” from the iamx YouTube Channel.Villagers

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-11002152943250733782012-01-01T17:56:00.006-05:002012-01-01T18:36:10.881-05:00

This post starts the first of four (covers, videos, tracks, and albums) that will rank the Top of 2011. Below are the album and EP covers that we found ourselves staring at over and over again for one reason or another. (Just a note, all of the covers are in alphabetical order according to album title, but we decided for the first time to single out our top pick at the bottom of the list.)

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-23157803417357590032011-12-27T22:41:00.005-05:002011-12-27T22:50:09.432-05:00

This is dedicated to the fans of Mutineers…Last Christmas, I posted a review of Mutineer’s “Friends, Lovers, Rivals” (link to review) and one month later had the opportunity to interview band member Michael Reed (link to interview). One of the questions I asked was if the band had any plans on coming to America; of course, the reality of this has more to do with the business aspect of the music

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-21013080745334982492011-12-27T22:10:00.004-05:002011-12-27T22:23:47.319-05:00

I am not going to play hypocrite – I listen to tons of music that is produced by major labels and have more corporate sponsorship than it deserves. And I am not going to be naïve – most self-recorded and self-produced music is quite often horrible. So I think any savvy fanatic of music is going to listen to a wide range of not just music, but a wide range of how music is produced. And again

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-6330698920380689022011-12-24T16:01:00.008-05:002011-12-24T16:40:10.065-05:00

As I warned earlier this year, here is the second bundled review for 2011. And though it has been a hectic year, we did not want to start closing out the year without mentioning the following five albums – so Mirage and I put together these brief reviews. Brief, because even though at this point we think many people may have heard them and been overwhelmed with some hype, we still felt the need

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-65685322319766202632011-12-17T18:59:00.006-05:002011-12-17T19:15:27.814-05:00

I could not let the year close out without writing about the last two releases by Golden Gardens. The first is a split four-track EP with songs by both Golden Gardens and The Living Arches. When I heard that they collaborated on an EP, I immediately remembered the phrase “the scene that celebrates itself.” Though the phrase was originally intended to be insulting, the reality is that it

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-41761667158535522582011-12-15T20:00:00.005-05:002011-12-15T20:17:08.562-05:00

I am looking forward to the holidays, partially because I will finally be able to finish off this year – a few posts must go up (which have been written), and then we will argue amongst ourselves about our yearly rankings of albums, tracks, videos, and album cover art. But I wanted to put a few more videos before the close of the year.Though I typically place the videos in alphabetical order

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-39396222679246228872011-11-23T20:51:00.007-05:002011-11-23T21:25:59.717-05:00

I have this propensity to listen to a lot of dark, brooding music that lets me drift into deep contemplation and ruminations; it was that quality that instantly attracted me to Widowspeak. From my very first listen to the band, the combination of sultry vocals and sensually dark music had me stuck like a dullard on a wire, waiting for more. With the release of their eponymous debut album (9

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-40724905993512098222011-11-21T21:11:00.004-05:002011-11-21T21:35:03.131-05:00

In an age of visual superficiality, where else should we start with SebastiAn’s debut album, “Total” (30 May 2011 in the Europe; 7 June 2011 in the USA), than with the cover? Seemingly, it is a black and white cover of two men kissing themselves; however, it is the image of Sebastian Akchoté (the man behind the moniker SebastiAn) kissing himself. Photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino (known for

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-48410306640571907822011-11-19T23:02:00.002-05:002011-11-19T23:10:24.497-05:00

I wrote this review sometime back, but had not sat down to edit and post … as I read through what I had written, listening to Kobayashi’s “Everything to Everyone” (17 June 2011) again, I was struck by something that I had not originally written: when you listen to all four songs in one sitting (as any collection of music deservers to be listened to!), there is a sense of cacophony, in a good way.

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-50521320338182018722011-11-14T21:43:00.006-05:002011-11-14T21:54:43.872-05:00

2011 has been, personally, a rough year; my apologies for having been away for two weeks – my thanks to those who have been patient and the good wishes and prayers for my family during a crisis. But I have been writing (quite a bit) and I will start that arduous process of editing and posting very shortly (though the actual posts may come via a collaborator).A few months back I reviewed Kevin

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-67385317544913415962011-11-02T20:48:00.003-04:002011-11-02T22:11:39.751-04:00

Through a rare October snowstorm, three friends and I crept towards Atlantic City, NJ to see Duran Duran live … and one of those friends, whom we shall call The Candyman (where do we get these nicknames from?), is one of those people I turn to often when it comes to questions about music. Furthermore, he is one of the people that I have the utmost respect for as a person, so it is no surprise

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-42271004340062432322011-10-18T19:16:00.007-04:002011-10-19T16:47:52.368-04:00

Many years ago I fell in love with (The London) Suede; while most of the people around me were obsessed with grunge, I was devouring every bit of Britpop (and shoegaze) I could get a hold of. And during those formative years, when I first heard “The Drowners,” I might not have known it then, but I fell in love with Suede for all the right reasons. Musically, with or without Bernard Butler, they

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-42121703764367495322011-10-18T18:55:00.007-04:002011-10-18T19:08:27.090-04:00

My thanks to the AETC team for keeping me in the loop.At the end of the day, great songwriting, in terms of putting an album together, is about vision; though a project may start with a few stabs in the dark, stumbling through chords and words until something clicks, it is when that something clicks that the vision is generated and carried through fruition. Amazing Electronic Talking Cave’s new

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-81539069339607296932011-10-11T20:34:00.006-04:002011-10-12T18:00:17.229-04:00

I dedicate this review to the biggest Erasure fan in North Carolina, Mia.I admit that Erasure is one of my favorite acts of all time … this is something that seems peculiar to some of my friends and acquaintances, considering all of the other artists that I rank amongst my favorites. From the very first single, “Who Needs Love Like That?,” I was a fan. And throughout my adolescence the duo of

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-79053083544337608982011-10-10T22:13:00.009-04:002011-10-10T22:57:33.418-04:00

Mesmerizing and enchanting is initially the first thing I would like to say about Iori’s Eyes’ second EP, “Matter of Time EP” (October 27, 2010). I first encountered Iori’s Eyes several months ago while I was ciphering through the random suggestions of YouTube’s sidebar; once clicked I found myself in love, both utterly and endlessly. The very first song I heard from Iori’s Eyes was “The Boat,”

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-34951424041619924562011-10-10T20:47:00.005-04:002011-10-10T20:55:53.535-04:00

Going to spend the next two weeks catching up on some reviews that I have not gotten too, but two veterans acts have or will be releasing new material over the next few days: Erasure and Brett Anderson [of (The London) Suede fame]. In the meantime, enjoy the videos!Junior Boys’ “Banana Ripple” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.Villagers’ “Cecelia & Her Selfhood” from the DominoRecords

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-37334601758313945262011-10-08T23:41:00.005-04:002011-10-09T23:04:00.450-04:00

My many thanks for being kept in the loop!About two years ago, I got to review and interview the legendary Steven Severin (of Siouxsie and the Banshees) and Michael Nova (of X: THC). The one common link between them was the use of film as part of the medium for music; they both made me reconsider how music can be used not simply to enhance or accompany a visual experience, but also to become

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-66863290677513360192011-10-08T23:16:00.005-04:002011-10-09T23:53:30.006-04:00

Zola Jesus’s third album, “Conatus” (26 September 2011 in the UK, 4 October 2011 in the USA), is the kind of album that I have an inclination towards: an album in the traditional sense, not easily definable in terms of genre, full of passionate conviction, and infectiously alluring. The namesake of the act is the moniker employed by Nika Roza Danilova, who hails from the great state of Wisconsin

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-4381596300022545732011-10-05T20:47:00.004-04:002011-10-05T21:09:01.892-04:00

I’ve been in a really trashy mood lately, leaving my hair in tatters and wearing clothes that don’t quite coincide with one another. And with this newly acquired mood I’ve found myself listening to a lot of grunge-esque and post-punk bands here and there: filtering though my Orgasmic-Music-Generator (my iPod), I felt myself become completely enthralled while blasting The Cure in my ears or The

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-12528158373006452312011-10-03T20:04:00.005-04:002011-10-03T20:23:49.981-04:00

I think it is only musicians (especially prior to the mid-90s) that swear musical purity, as they swaggered about swearing they were in one genre or other, this scene or that, and treaded around criticisms if they ever deviated from their self-imposed labels. Music fans, on the other hand, rarely have these hang-ups. From electropop to goth and anything in between, the archetypical music fan

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-33895760236691204662011-10-01T20:37:00.019-04:002011-10-01T21:25:07.538-04:00

My thanks to my brother for introducing me to The Loft.It is fitting that the Dutch would be the first Europeans to colonize Hoboken, considering that the bulk of this one-mile square town is under sea level. Practically an extension of Manhattan, Hoboken is typically known for once having been part of the textile center of the northeastern United States, now a mecca of young urban professionals

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-1575147257147996902011-09-29T20:31:00.005-04:002011-09-29T20:46:58.395-04:00

So, you are on the verge of international success, go into the studio to record your fourth album, what do you do? Do more of the same, the expected? Take your music in a different direction? Let the hype-machine dictate what your next move should be? What I can say is that Kasabian has always impressed me, and considering that they have a heavy dose of (neo-)psychedelia (which I typically

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-31633064639671794992011-09-27T18:45:00.005-04:002011-09-27T19:44:28.585-04:00

My many thanks to Golden Gardens for keeping SDM Blog in the loop!Quite often, I use music as the ultimate escape from the wear and tear of everyday life. I usually opt for music that creates a netherworld of sounds, where the expected is rarely realized and beauty, in so many forms, abounds. So it is no surprise that recently, as I so often do, I turned to dream pop and shoegaze to suspend

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-90801290156021661732011-09-21T20:40:00.009-04:002011-09-27T18:41:06.741-04:00

“Life on the outside of a fantasy, the more I bleed, the longer we breathe; and I could have sworn my heart was broken since we’re having fun, now you’re the one, alone with me…” words that kept swimming in my head as I was sitting back at the dentist office yesterday. As the dentist drilled away, and I was more in the mood to be at home blogging, I was smitten by “Desert Island,” the lead track

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-87099124006026695232011-09-17T22:18:00.010-04:002011-09-17T22:46:37.990-04:00

With a career spanning twenty-six years, Erasure sits comfortably as icons in the world of synthpop and new wave. From the quirky “Who Needs Love Like That?” to the socially critical “A Little Respect,” from the all out tongue-in-cheek of “Love to Hate You” to the sentimental “In My Arms,” Erasure is one of those veterans that have stood the test time in spite of being ignored by the vast

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-68824392229818933362011-09-17T13:00:00.002-04:002011-09-17T13:19:19.733-04:00

So I grind my teeth at night as I sleep. Perhaps it is a nervous quirk, or perhaps it is done out of frustration that I can’t strangle a few people, but I actually cracked a tooth earlier this week with my grinding. So though it did not deter me from seeing Erasure, with Frankmusik, live (review to follow soon!), it has kept me from wanting to post – this kind of pain never feels good! Enjoy

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-85139080147497136372011-09-10T11:04:00.002-04:002011-09-10T11:21:53.691-04:00

History lesson!September 1941, The United Kingdom and The Soviet Union forced the Shah of Iran, Reza Shah, to abdicate and hand his power over to his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, since it was thought that his father would ally himself with Nazi Germany. Nearly four decades later, when Mohammad Reza Palhavi, the handpicked sovereign by Western powers, was overthrown, the hostage crisis that would

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-65039410059170298632011-09-10T09:28:00.005-04:002011-09-10T10:20:15.913-04:00

Another interview I have sat on for too long – taking a very easy July and August, doing little in way of posting, the summer ended with Hurricane Irene. We, in the New York City area (and the northeast of the USA in general), are not accustomed to hurricanes; so of course there were some that thought this event was an inch away from the Armageddon. Other than causing me to have some

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-82195956824722002672011-09-04T23:35:00.006-04:002011-09-04T23:56:00.561-04:00

Here is the first of two rounds of videos that have caught my eye over the last four weeks or so … Enjoy! Tom Vek’s “Aroused” from the TomVekVEVO YouTube Channel. IAMX’s “Bernadette” (English version) from the iamx YouTube Channel. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s “The Body” from thepainsofbeing YouTube Channel. The Chapman Family’s “Burn Your Town” from thechapmanfamilytv YouTube

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-29643613670663571032011-09-01T21:02:00.003-04:002011-09-01T21:07:07.176-04:00

Continuing the advice of my friend, I really took a summer holiday from blogging – after over two years without an extended break it was very welcomed. The reality is that it is difficult to dedicate time to writing when the weather is so beautiful; conversely, during a hurricane, it is just as difficult to want to write. But one thing I am always doing is listening to (new) music. Listening

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-27231009108363857862011-08-07T07:30:00.012-04:002011-08-07T12:13:30.345-04:00

My original intention back in June was to post a week's worth of interviews, but those plans fell through, and I have been sitting on this one interview for quite some time. Then came summer, holidays, writer’s block, and putting things off one week after the other. For that I want to apologize to the members of Viva Stereo, who responded quite some time ago to my questions promptly and in

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-75121825108511966342011-08-04T08:38:00.008-04:002011-08-05T11:46:20.863-04:00

“Move inside my daydream, like fingers in a glove, twisting round and round and round…” ["Perfect Murder"] No single line describes The Glove’s “Blue Sunshine” (August 1983) better than this one. It is one of those lines that have haunted me for many, many years, so I knew I had to write about The Glove eventually. When I told a friend that I wanted to write this retrospective about The Glove,

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-32452956270108085982011-08-04T07:55:00.006-04:002011-08-05T11:30:42.456-04:00

On the subtle advice of a friend, I decided to enjoy my summer holiday, instead of trying to write; the advice was spot on, with days at the beach, catching up with friends, and finally having the time to listen to some old music, I finally feel relaxed and receptive. Totally recharged for the first time in weeks, I sat down yesterday to write, looking at the ever-mounting list of new albums I

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-17377393698704112112011-07-12T19:11:00.010-04:002011-07-12T21:46:30.551-04:00

Electronica is one of those genres that you either like or don’t; my own relationship with it has developed over the last few years from passive listener to ecstatic fan. Having released their sophomore album, “Controlling Your Allegiance” (9 March 2011 in the UK, 21 June 2011 in the USA), The Japanese Popstars are serving up house oriented electronic music that is accessible enough for anyone

Miragehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13759323088676404570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-74367136733344235422011-07-12T08:55:00.009-04:002011-07-12T21:30:52.876-04:00

So I took a trip out to Reading, Pennsylvania, and garnered the attention of a few people as I pulled up to park my car while blasting music. A conversation ensued with a small group (mainly in their early twenties) that revolved around music (they even gave me a list of bands I “had” to check out). Now these were music lovers, who were really informed about what they were talking about and

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-12112066960044309012011-07-09T21:10:00.002-04:002011-07-09T21:19:18.379-04:00

Enjoy the videos!Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend” from the RobynVEVO YouTube Channel.Anna Calvi’s “Desire” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.Ronika’s “Forget Yourself” from the ronikamusic YouTube Channel.Art vs. Science’s “Higher” from the ARTVSSCIENCE YouTube Channel.White Lies’ “Holy Ghost” from the WhiteLiesVEVO YouTube Channel.Young Knives’ “Human Again” from the YoungKnives YouTube

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-62413190432800150232011-07-09T20:22:00.012-04:002011-07-10T21:32:36.154-04:00

Though Second has been blipping on the outskirts of my radar, it was not until a few weeks ago that this veteran band consumed my complete attention. I knew them as a Spanish band (from Murcia, España) that sung in English. However, by the time they recorded their third album, Spanish songs started to seep into their repertoire. Their fourth album and now their fifth, “Demasiado Soñadores” [“

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-82115594063119667722011-07-09T19:50:00.002-04:002011-07-09T19:57:50.884-04:00

My thanks to Microfilm for keeping SDM Blog in the loop.Posted below is a remix of Sarah Nixey’s upcoming single, “The Homecoming” (18 July 2011), by Microfilm. Microfilm’s remix to the song takes this acoustic number into the world of deep house, and of course they were more than happy than to share this track with us.“The Homecoming” (Microfilm Remix) from their Soundcloud page: microfilmmusic

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-20714836377564544642011-07-07T16:17:00.003-04:002011-07-07T23:24:10.489-04:00

My many thanks to Kevin Pearce for keeping SDM Blog in the loop.A few months back, I reviewed Skywatchers’ “The Skywatchers Handbook” (link), and among many things that really got me about the album were Kevin Pearce’s chops as a vocalist. Does he sing with passion and conviction? Check. Is he emotive while singing? Check. Does his voice have a distinctive quality to it? Check. At the end

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-45306794735279701872011-07-07T16:07:00.004-04:002011-07-07T16:56:35.661-04:00

This one has been long in coming … Playing with the name of two of their influences (Joy Division and New Order), The New Division, a Los Angeles quartet, released their debut EP earlier this year: “The Rookie” (11 January 2011 in the USA). Again, listening to this EP was the second time in recent months I was transported back to the late 80s, early 90s, when a slew of great bands were releasing

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-9435986499442653772011-07-01T20:26:00.003-04:002011-07-01T20:59:27.815-04:00

If given the choice between the 80s or the 90s, there is no thinking in that for me – give me the 80s. I will argue till the last breath that it was truly a decade of change, a decade that continues to influence people directly, and the one with the most diversity and (tacit) acceptance. But the 90s were not depleted of talent and incredible gems. So I collected a few of these to share with

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-28258579066462944482011-07-01T20:19:00.005-04:002011-07-01T20:47:54.695-04:00

It is time for me (and my collaborators) to buckle down and really work on posting, and where better for us to start than with Matthew Searles’ “Methodism” (25 May 2011). Independent artist and lead singer of Kobayashi, “Methodism” is a solo release, which Searles boasts as “old-skool beat-led electronica.” With that phrase, I think most people would immediately start thinking new wave,

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-58449264349984436322011-06-17T21:03:00.003-04:002011-06-17T22:41:11.220-04:00

Okay so it's definitely not too often that I find myself doing my hair in the mirror while dancing and making a fool of myself. Recently I was watching an old TV show online when a French Garnier Fructis commercial came up. At first I was admiring the idea of the commercial itself until I opened my ears to listen to the really catchy song in the background. I think I might have replayed the

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-66859464125780486062011-06-17T19:47:00.005-04:002011-06-17T19:56:23.734-04:00

My thanks to Tatu Halonen for reaching out to me and sharing his band’s amazing music.Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, All Will Be Quiet is producing its own take of post-rock. What really caught my ear right away is the apparent attention paid to receptivity by a listener; this is not rare in post-rock, but this young band has the songwriting chops of some veterans. This is a big statement, I

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-64798442558403519012011-06-08T21:30:00.002-04:002011-06-08T21:54:53.092-04:00

SDM’s (Roman’s) friend, Pym, shared some video links with him, and I got to shift through the videos. So I decided it would be a great idea to share some of these with everyone. Our thanks to Pym! Enjoy the videos. Rubin Steiner’s “Another Record Story” from the IamRubinSteiner YouTube Channel. Andromakers’ “Apple Crush” from the YomghY YouTube Channel.The Popopopops’ “Grenade” from

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-72559821335864091532011-06-08T21:04:00.003-04:002011-06-08T21:15:54.396-04:00

My thanks to Daisy Chains for keep me in the loop.Graham Greene wrote in “The End of the Affair”: “A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.” That one line lends itself to the title of Daisy Chains' sophomore album, “A Story Has No Beginning or End” (5 April 2011). In this post-broadband revolutionized

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-27253683613096967162011-06-05T23:06:00.005-04:002011-06-05T23:48:40.633-04:00

My thanks to Scott Taylor for keeping me in the loop.The best kind of reviews, the ones I enjoy the most, are the ones that are truly blind, in the sense of my knowing little to nothing about my subject. Truck, Canadian metal band, is a completely new world to me. Though a friend of mine made a joke that this blog would eventually become the voice of Canadian metal and French electropop, the

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-67917930556173496012011-06-04T21:17:00.009-04:002011-06-04T21:57:08.274-04:00

Well first I’d like to start off by saying good riddance to a very busy week, and now let’s get down to business: hopefully Mirrors isn’t an overlooked band because quite frankly they’re extremely entertaining.When in transition to solely an auditory state, one is indefinitely encased in a room with four soundproof walls. A short time ago, it crossed my mind to review Mirrors’ “Lights and

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-4232580795165324502011-06-01T20:16:00.003-04:002011-06-01T20:48:24.269-04:00

My thanks to Paul Colto for keeping me in the loop. In my time writing this blog, really getting in the trenches and researching music and a wide range of artists, the artists that I have really come to admire the most are the truly independent artists. These artists, who do not have the support (or the corporate fedders) that comes with the support of a major label, continue to produce music

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-2143359603514591962011-05-28T09:20:00.002-04:002011-05-28T09:26:46.822-04:00

My schedule is finally freeing up once again that I can start writing, and I have finally dealt with all my hardware issues with failing external hard drives. I am going to spend some time this holiday weekend on finishing my review of “Marble Sun” by The Android Angel, and I know that Painted Bird is working on a few things. (While Mirage is causing havoc in London!) Enjoy the videos! Sons &

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-13766608273433537362011-05-17T21:27:00.006-04:002011-05-17T22:19:58.929-04:00

Our many thanks to Marc Ostermeier for keeping SDM Blog in the loop.April showers bring May flowers. “Like a Fire without Sound” (26 April 2011); personally I think those two fit together as snuggly as a sock on a foot. Where am I going with this? Well I’m trying to convey a sort of therapeutic imagery. Recently, I sat down with SDM and listened to Should’s new album “Like a Fire without Sound”;

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-5970327175200969402011-05-10T22:38:00.004-04:002011-05-10T22:48:08.525-04:00

My thanks to Matt Errington, of Medina Music, for keeping me in the loop.I have been sitting on Kites for too long … but I have heard these tracks over and over again, and it has reminded me of what made the 80s incredible. Stop for a second and consider why 80s pop has survived now three decades removed. Unlike the decade that followed, that frowned upon obvious gimmicks (though its

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-37168046544229151682011-05-07T23:57:00.007-04:002011-05-08T00:25:06.342-04:00

My thanks to Stuart for keeping me in the loop.The first time that Viva Stereo entered my radar was when I received an e-mail back in December; unfortunately it was in the midst of all the holiday shuffle and I was not able to give the music the attention it deserved. Then I received another e-mail, about the imminent release of “Endure the Dark to See the Stars” (9 May 2011). Again, time

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-56007496674976614732011-05-03T21:21:00.005-04:002011-05-03T21:39:44.208-04:00

My thanks to Jeff Zeigler for keeping me in the loop.Between hardware issues and the daily grind, consistency has been more than difficult. This, however, does not mean that I have stopped listening to music. To the contrary, I have been immersed in a world of sonic euphoria, which Philadelphia’s Arc in the Round has been part of. Recently, the “Diagonal Fields EP” (25 January 2011) has come

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-53721108462337844632011-04-27T21:37:00.005-04:002011-04-27T21:44:18.148-04:00

Okay … trying to settle into a smooth schedule of writing some reviews; up coming soon will be Arc in Round and Viva Stereo. Below are some videos, but first a bit about a horror film and festival. Unbeknownst to me one of my colleagues and friend is an aspiring filmmaker. Now, I am a fan of horror movies, so of course I was immediately interested in his film, “Talon,” The film will be

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-4935276054540157322011-04-26T19:46:00.005-04:002011-04-26T19:54:45.333-04:00

Our thanks to the band France for keeping us in the loop.So I’ve always imagined myself being somewhere on a bright sunny day, wearing a pair of 3-D glasses and riding a bike while listening to something catchy and retro on my walkman (yes, I’m so bringing out the walkman for this one) as I see the palm trees float by in the skies above. Now imagine yourself being arrested by a Pig in huge

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-41291109242524616232011-04-22T21:58:00.007-04:002011-04-22T22:41:05.593-04:00

I am finally back from a much needed holiday and escape from reality. When I finally sat down to start writing again, what I became seriously conscious about was that there were albums I never got to. I have tried to avoid doing reviews with multiple artists, but for the sake of expediency, that is what I’m going to do now. This is not a reflection on any of these artists or their work – it is

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-79895482350099604772011-04-08T19:32:00.005-04:002011-12-11T17:58:15.512-05:00

As promised, here is the second installment of videos for the half of the month. Enjoy the videos and the weekend!Wild Beasts’ “Albatros” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.Matt and Kim’s “Camera” from their YouTube Channel: mattandkim.The Salmon Fishers’ “From Ocean To Land” from the imetrages YouTube Channel.Thirteen Senses’ “Home” from their YouTube Channel: ThirteenSensesTV.Metronomy’s “

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-92165715366296594132011-04-07T18:41:00.002-04:002011-04-07T18:48:37.484-04:00

So I have a bunch of videos to post over two days. Among the videos today is the return of the veterans The Human League (and of course I must get in touch with my sixth grade teacher again!) and PJ Harvey. Also, it is the return of Mexican indie band Hello Seahorse! Enjoy and see you tomorrow! Art vs. Science’s “A.I.M. FIRE!” from their YouTube Channel: ARTVSSCIENCE.Anna Calvi’s “Blackout”

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-88284508180098565212011-04-05T22:12:00.006-04:002011-04-05T22:22:44.711-04:00

Can I start by saying that 80s synthpop revival is not restricted to the UK and Western Europe? Cold Cave, however, do not have their roots in the poppy synthpop tradition, are much closer allied to the cold wave branch of synthpop / new wave, and have tinges of punk rock and electronic body music. The second thing I should say is that “Cherish the Light Years” (4 April 2011 in the UK and USA

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-44891177652002106382011-03-29T21:24:00.004-04:002011-03-29T21:31:52.858-04:00

My thanks to Jarrod Gosling for keeping me in the loop.Have you ever been a starwatcher, gazing at the stars in the night sky for hours on in? As you see the stars shining and flickering down, you are hardly conscious of the time and space traveled by the light for you to contemplate on. And this is the appropriate metaphor for me to start on “The Skywatchers Handbook” (13 September 2010 in the

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-92167781113920885912011-03-28T22:01:00.006-04:002011-03-28T22:24:33.431-04:00

I reviewed the eponymous debut by The Hope Slide back in December (link). If you are half as obsessed with the world of dream pop / shoegaze as I am, this is a band that you need to listen to; conversely, if you know little about this world, this band is infectious enough to make you a fan. So with an apology to the band for this not going up sooner, I would like to thank both John and Michaela

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-20399969447255141172011-03-26T20:39:00.005-04:002011-03-26T20:55:07.410-04:00

Shoegazing is really gaining more and more traction in the USA, and The Internet (band’s real name, imagine trying to Google them!) are trying to put their own spin on the genre. The Internet came across the blog’s radar via Twitter, when the band started to follow us there. Hailing from Santa Barbara, California (USA), we thought we would cover the release of their debut EP, “The Internet” EP

Miragehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13759323088676404570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-8976081198201596762011-03-26T19:26:00.004-04:002011-03-26T20:17:34.475-04:00

Our thanks to Renaud from La Bulle Sonore for keeping us in the loop.Mentally, I’ve surfed the seven seas dozens of times in search of a dream, a dream whose concoction is made from imagination, high-spirits, and things that are borderline fantasy. To find music such as this there is usually a journey that is involved; pop music is found to be rather exciting, there is an essence of freedom

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-44951016028427264112011-03-26T16:12:00.009-04:002011-03-26T16:28:16.575-04:00

Hailing from The City of Brotherly Love, Ports of Call’s “Fractals” EP blew my mind away back February (link to review). Trust me, being so close to Philadelphia, on my list of things to do is to check out the band live, because as you listen to their songs, you are can only imagine how powerful they can be live. A few e-mails later, and too much time elapsing on my behalf, I am really excited

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-85861476542270247432011-03-22T21:22:00.004-04:002011-03-22T21:27:37.019-04:00

When I first heard Cult of Youth’s eponymous full-length debut (22 February 2011), I was not sure what to make of it. Actually, to be completely honest, I originally decided not to review the album. Not because I did not like it, but rather because it perplexed me, and I could not figure out exactly why. Folky but as aggressive as punk, energizing but broodingly dark as goth … I was simply not

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-54666037595211385452011-03-22T19:20:00.010-04:002011-03-22T19:42:51.753-04:00

Anyone who mentions Velvet Underground in an interview gets extra bonus points from me! Back in February, I reviewed Femme Fatale’s EP, “Fading Night Sounds” (link) and of course got curious about the Italian music scene. A few e-mails later (and an apology for taking a bit long to post this interview), I would like to thank the members of Femme Fatale – Mick, Rox, Dave, and Nick – for allowing

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-54227516279989503152011-03-16T20:08:00.004-04:002011-03-16T20:16:03.230-04:00

Every time I hear someone mention The Joy Formidable, there is never a consensus as to what to call them; some refer to them as art rock, others as noise rock/pop, others as generic indie (rock), but there is never any agreement to where exactly to place them. This, in fact, is one of the attractions to this Welsh trio: you cannot commodify them by any single label. I learnt that myself when I

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-3999551529191618002011-03-16T19:22:00.016-04:002011-03-19T18:20:03.304-04:00

With the modernization of all the worlds’ music, it is nice to take a step back and take a breath. There is a strange anamorphic vision that seems to float through the mind when listening to music that flows like a quiet stream on a spring afternoon with the birds relaying their songs to one another. Nice imagery huh? Sometimes it is hard to come by bands that convey this type of expressionistic

Painted Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09150251180519712896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-53088925282802076482011-03-15T22:15:00.005-04:002011-03-15T22:30:29.035-04:00

Happy Ides of March … hope that no one got stabbed twenty-three times! First off, I apologize that we have been busy … or as my saying goes, life, life, life… But over the next few days expect to see quite a few posts. Posts will include Brothertiger, Cult of Youth, Femme Fatale, The Internet, The Joy Formidable, Pendntif, Ports of Call, The Skywatchers, and Streak and the Raven. In the

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-44577146272134331022011-03-10T21:34:00.003-05:002011-03-10T21:48:34.227-05:00

Art vs. Science are not the dance-punk you are accustom to listening to when you listen to bands like Metric or Head Automatica, but what Art vs. Science have done is take it to a new level. Hailing from Australia (and of course I am really into the Aussies music scenes lately), their debut album, “The Experiment” (25 February 2011 in the USA), is not an album you want to pass up.Art vs. Science

Miragehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13759323088676404570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-54800430051721606932011-03-09T18:08:00.004-05:002011-03-09T18:20:49.684-05:00

Stockholm … five young women, between the ages of twenty and twenty-two … savvy indie pop … perfect production ... Of course I am talking about Those Dancing Days’ sophomore album, “Daydream & Nightmares” (1 March 2011). Sophomore albums are usually a tricky thing to compose and record; from the moment of the debut release, critics and fans start to speculate what direction the band should

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-40224065398700610192011-03-04T18:12:00.005-05:002011-03-04T18:24:53.049-05:00

Thought I would sneak on and post some videos. Enjoy!Glasvegas’ “Euphoria, Take My Hand” from the glasvegasVEVO YouTube Channel.Kyte’s “Fear from Death” from their YouTube Channel: kytetheband.Senses Fail’s “The Fire” from the vagrantrecords YouTube Channel.IAMX’s “Ghosts of Utopia” from their YouTube Channel: iamx.Lykke Li’s “I Follow Rivers” from her YouTube Channel: lykkelivideos.Beth Ditto’s

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-28649538179564046942011-03-01T21:11:00.010-05:002011-03-01T21:30:38.992-05:00

My thanks to Stu Klinger and Yianni Naslas for keeping me in the loop.Imagine for a moment a band that had no shtick – just solid, no frills, music. It is not a rarity, but it is not commonplace in a music industry that is content with selling image and attitude, that is content on using celebrity and the personality of artists to sell an album. However, in reality, what makes a good album is

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-90076783231404141242011-02-27T18:47:00.005-05:002011-04-05T18:51:57.887-04:00

I remember watching “Kyle XY,” about a boy who appeared out of nowhere. An interesting show, and not to get into it too much, I remember how Kyle always had a hard time adjusting to living in a house of people who took him in. But i was watching the show that I first stumbled across Thirteen Senses, which had a song featured on the show: “Home”. It was lyrically profound (“And they walk an open

Miragehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13759323088676404570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-35477726847179433922011-02-26T21:23:00.007-05:002011-04-05T18:52:30.342-04:00

PJ Harvey is part of the soundtrack of my life. Years ago, songs like “Victory” sung to my very soul, and I swore that she must have written “Rid of Me” (1993) just for me to ponder over! When I finally got a hold of “Let England Shake” (14 February 2011 in the UK, 15 February 2011 in the USA), I had to listen to it quite a few times before I even thought of writing. I put nothing pass PJ

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-49060497386891045032011-02-25T17:18:00.007-05:002011-04-05T18:52:15.384-04:00

First off, let me say that knowing that shoegaze has spread beyond the Anglo-American and continental European music scenes warms my heart. Hailing from Karachi, Pakistan, //orangenoise swirling shoegaze is infectious and top grade, and … well to borrow some British slang … simply ace! Their EP, “//veracious” (link to review) has been on heavy rotation on my iTunes. A few e-mails back and

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-67901083745837226982011-02-24T19:10:00.011-05:002011-04-05T18:52:40.762-04:00

Over the past month and a half, I have done my best to really spend sometime writing about truly independent musicians, such as Luke Scott-Hinkle, a.k.a. Alphafalls. Currently Scott-Hinkle is working on Alphafalls second album, “Umbrellas Over Rain Clouds,” due to be released in late April this year. And there are two things I need to thank him for; the first for wanting the blog to share his

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-41847681928322241112011-02-23T21:40:00.010-05:002011-04-05T18:52:47.489-04:00

My thanks to Steve “Reno” Johnson for keeping me in the loop.If you had the (mis)fortune of visiting my house lately, you would be treated to the blasting compressed, distorted guitars and vocal harmonies of shoegaze. But then I received an e-mail from Cranial Collide. In full disclosure, the e-mail only stated that the band received my contact information from Steve Moore (of The Unravelling

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-51057266002046752102011-02-22T22:24:00.006-05:002011-04-05T18:52:52.645-04:00

Been slumped with work … but back with a few posts and plans of arranging a few on camera interviews again in the near future. Thanks to all our readers for the constant support and hope all is well.I remember when I first heard Cut Copy’s sophomore album, “In Ghost Colour” (2008), in the days before this blog. Hailing for Australia, Cut Copy’s take on electropop was distinct from the

Miragehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13759323088676404570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-42970336825121538762011-02-21T17:27:00.007-05:002011-04-05T18:52:57.889-04:00

After listening to Golden Gardens’ EP “Somnambulist” (link), I immediately thought of the heydays of when then nascent bands like Cranes and Curve were coming into their own. And as any release that intrigues me, the process of setting up an interview was to follow. Let me just say that after Aubrey Rachel Violet Bramble mentioned The Cure, Nabokov, Marie Antionette, and Salvador Dali in one

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-44402786046953661322011-02-19T22:40:00.013-05:002011-04-05T18:53:03.680-04:00

I know, even my eyes are rolling at the title of the post, but I am continuously asked by some of my friends as to why I have not written about Madonna and why I am not into Lady Gaga – so, being the pragmatist that I am, I decided to do both in one fell swoop. So, as I was folding my laundry, in my boxer briefs, dancing to Microfilm blasting in the background, this post started to formulate in

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-14665625906505317452011-02-18T18:54:00.005-05:002011-04-05T18:53:08.862-04:00

Everyday I become more and more of a fan of Matthew Mercer; from his work with Microfilm to his solo material, there is always a thoughtful artistry to all that he produces. Nothing is gratuitous: every sound, every beat, every note has a purpose. Reviewing his latest solo release, “Pianissimo Possibile” (link), was a welcomed departure to the music that has been featured on this blog thus far.

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-76550991732191669542011-02-17T18:31:00.003-05:002011-04-05T18:53:14.235-04:00

Thought I would pop on to post the second round of videos for the month, as I start to look forward to a long weekend and some writing. Hope everyone is well. Enjoy!Alpines’ “Drive” from their YouTube Channel: AlpinesMusic.Frankie & The Heartstrings’ “Hunger” from their YouTube Channel: frankieheartstrings.David’s Lyre’s “In Arms” from their Youtube Channel: ThisIsDavidsLyre.The Unravelling’s

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-18677106934359226052011-02-15T21:12:00.004-05:002011-04-05T18:53:18.880-04:00

I have been a bit remiss about not writing this one up already! One listen to I Was A King’s “Old Friends” (25 January 2011) and you really feel as if you have found an old, familiar friend … or that proverbial old pair of jeans that slip on so nicely and comfortably. This is the third release by the band (and I am ashamed to say that we have not written about them till now), and, as you listen

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-74482850323400748922011-02-12T19:56:00.006-05:002011-04-05T18:53:23.990-04:00

My thanks to Thomas Mosher, of Ports of Call, for keeping me in the loop.What is a fractal? In a nutshell it is a geometric design that can be split into smaller parts and those parts should some how reflect / mimic the original, or, conversely, build up by using the same part to create something that reflects / mimics the original somehow. So if we go back to February 2008, the days before

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-10695532439522042902011-02-12T19:02:00.005-05:002011-04-05T18:53:29.476-04:00

I remember a time when if you wanted great music, you had to turn to EPs and mini-albums. Whether it was My Bloody Valentine’s “Ecstasy” (1987), Cranes’ “Self-Non-Self” (1989), Ride’s “Ride” (1990), Curve’s “Cherry” (1991), it was these nascent, underground bands that were defining the upcoming music scenes and carrying on musical traditions (from post-punk to noise pop) that were completely

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-66043229244076474452011-02-09T18:39:00.011-05:002011-04-05T18:53:34.902-04:00

I am a sucker for good shoegaze, and I remember the heydays of shoegaze, when it was overshadowed by grunge in the USA and Britpop in the UK. I remember when “shoegaze” as a label was thought of as an acerbic dirty word, but I never thought of it that way; actually, I thought of it as a red badge of courage or a scarlet A, proof that musicians out there were working on music of artistic

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-14464625922632055972011-02-08T18:14:00.005-05:002011-04-05T18:53:40.154-04:00

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, a friend of mine – an artist and fellow blogger – reached out to me about the imminent release of Esben and The Witch’s “Violet Cries” (31 January 2011 in the UK, 8 February 2011 in the USA). She asked (no, she demanded!) that she review the album; of course I said yes. For those that do not know Esben and The Witch, the band takes their name from a Danish folk

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-66721193111231213062011-02-03T18:35:00.006-05:002011-04-05T18:53:45.619-04:00

I remember when I first discovered music I loved; I locked myself in my room, listening to same records over and over again. And till this day, years later, I know just how much I love certain music by my compulsive need to dim down the lights and place iTunes on continual repeat. That is exactly what happened when I came across the music of Clara Engel. Circumstances conspired to delay my

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166261027055114741.post-21549999079032858002011-02-02T19:38:00.004-05:002011-04-05T18:53:50.468-04:00

Many thanks to Jarrod Gosling for keeping me in the loop.Skywatchers are releasing their new single, “Serves Me Right,” on 21 February 2011 … but we have a preview for your listening pleasure right now.Skywatchers is the new project by I Monster’s Dean Honer and Jarrod Gosling; the single is lifted from their album, “Skywatchers Handbook” (13 September 2010 in the UK and USA). What can we say

SlowdiveMusichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13972493532633025650noreply@blogger.com0