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’ “Cecelia and Her Selfhood” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
Mojo Fury’s “Colour of the Bear” from the mojoFURYvisual YouTube Channel.
Creep’s “Day” from the youngturksrecords YouTube Channel.
David’s Lyre’s “In Arms” from the ThisIsDavidsLyre YouTube Channel.
Thirteen Senses’ “The Loneliest Star” from the ThirteenSensesTV YouTube Channel.
Erland and the Carnival’s “Map of an English Man” from the FullTimeHobbyRecords YouTube Channel.
Those Dancing Days’ “Reaching Forward” from the UniversalMusicSweden YouTube Channel.
Video of the Year: Duran Duran’s “Girl Panic” from the DuranDuranVEVO YouTube Channel.
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Showing posts with label Those Dancing Days. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Those Dancing Days. Show all posts
01 January 2012
28 May 2011
Back ... with Videos
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 & Daughters’ “Breaking Fun” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
Those Dancing Days’ “Can’t Find Entrance” from the UniversalMusicSweden YouTube Channel.
Friendly Fires’ “Live Those Days Tonight” live at The Lightbox, from the XLRecordings YouTube Channel.
Austra’s “Lose It” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
Art Brut’s “Lost Weekend” from the video directors’, Alex de Campi, YouTube Channel: alexdecampi.
Blondie’s “Mother” from the ElevenSevenMusic YouTube Channel.
Cut Copy’s “Need You Now” from the modularpeople YouTube Channel.
Villagers’ “The Pact (I’ll Be Your Fever)” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
She’s A Tease’s “Why?” from the Nacionalrecords YouTube Channel.
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Sons & Daughters’ “Breaking Fun” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
Those Dancing Days’ “Can’t Find Entrance” from the UniversalMusicSweden YouTube Channel.
Friendly Fires’ “Live Those Days Tonight” live at The Lightbox, from the XLRecordings YouTube Channel.
Austra’s “Lose It” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
Art Brut’s “Lost Weekend” from the video directors’, Alex de Campi, YouTube Channel: alexdecampi.
Blondie’s “Mother” from the ElevenSevenMusic YouTube Channel.
Cut Copy’s “Need You Now” from the modularpeople YouTube Channel.
Villagers’ “The Pact (I’ll Be Your Fever)” from the DominoRecords YouTube Channel.
She’s A Tease’s “Why?” from the Nacionalrecords YouTube Channel.
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09 March 2011
Those Dancing Days: "Daydreams & Nightmares"
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 venture down. The kiss of death, more often than not, is a sophomore slump; these slumps destroy any hope for momentum and usually have people reevaluating what their initial feelings about artists were. Of course, Those Dancing Days have nothing to worry about; without a doubt, “Daydreams & Nightmares” far surpasses the debut album, “In Our Space Hero Suits” (2008), and offers up what indie pop is really supposed to be about: inviting, radio-ready music that is not boggled down with clichés or production gimmicks.
Musically, though not a great departure from the debut, the album sees Those Dancing Days refining their sound, at the same displaying a wide range of styles. Opening with a very synthpop rift before the beat drops, “Reaching Forward” explodes into an infectious guitar arrangement that plays off the beat and synth, in much the same way as the guitar in the chorus of the Tears For Fears’ classic “Pale Shelter” did. The feel of the music shifts to the carefree, but dreamy, “I’ll Be Yours.” “Dream About Me” plays a little with the style of percussion arrangements the band uses, closer to classic post-punk experimental beats than the obvious new wave influences. So three songs in, and you cannot help but notice that the each song that follows slightly shifts and expands on what the band is sporting out.
The album includes the (indie) rocking “Fuckarias” (video below). I loved this song from the first moment I heard it back in December. What I love about this song is that it does exactly what a lead single is supposed to do: get you curious enough to listen to the rest of the album. Not the obvious single on the album, as musically it is a bit distinct from the other tracks, but then again there is no obvious single on “Daydreams & Nightmares.” Reality, just about any of these songs could have been the first single, but the band gets two-thumbs up for realizing the one the track with the sketchy title and the most rocking beat.
But gems are all over the album. Something that the band has mastered is how to arrange the music to work in tandem with the vocals; on this sophomore album, the vocals are not as focal as they were on the debut. Though the vocals and lyrics are better than the first time around, you immediately are aware of the fact that this band is finally working as well-oiled machine. So why play with this winning combination for the closing track, “One Day Forever”? Orlando Weeks, of The Maccabees, duets on this song. Now, I love Weeks’ singing, but I just could not see this working, but oh how I like to be proven wrong! Linnea Jönsson’s voice may not merge with Weeks in perfect unison, but they do converge to generate an allure that I have not heard since Jarvis Cocker and Miki Berenyi [Lush] sung “Ciao!” (one of my favorite duets of all time). The chaotic, disarray of the music as the song comes to an end just adds to the allure of the song.
Simply put: Those Dancing Days’ “Daydreams & Nightmares” is no sophomore slump. This is an amazing indie pop album for anyone interested in listening to pop that breaks the clichés and molds of what it means to be radio-friendly. And for those that consider “indie pop” such a dirty phrase, I assure you dirty never sounded better!
Track Listing:
1. Reaching Forward
2. I’ll Be Yours
3. Dream About Me
4. Help Me Close My Eyes
5. Can’t Find Entrance
6. Fuckarias
7. Forest Of Love
8. When We Fade Away
9. Keep Me In Your Pocket
10. I Know Where You Live, Pt. 2
11. One Day Forever
Keep up with Those Dancing Days at their homepage, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.
Here are the videos for “Fuckarias” (from the wichitarecordings YouTube Channel) and “Reaching Forward” (from the UniversalMusicSweden YouTube Channel).
Read more ...
Musically, though not a great departure from the debut, the album sees Those Dancing Days refining their sound, at the same displaying a wide range of styles. Opening with a very synthpop rift before the beat drops, “Reaching Forward” explodes into an infectious guitar arrangement that plays off the beat and synth, in much the same way as the guitar in the chorus of the Tears For Fears’ classic “Pale Shelter” did. The feel of the music shifts to the carefree, but dreamy, “I’ll Be Yours.” “Dream About Me” plays a little with the style of percussion arrangements the band uses, closer to classic post-punk experimental beats than the obvious new wave influences. So three songs in, and you cannot help but notice that the each song that follows slightly shifts and expands on what the band is sporting out.
The album includes the (indie) rocking “Fuckarias” (video below). I loved this song from the first moment I heard it back in December. What I love about this song is that it does exactly what a lead single is supposed to do: get you curious enough to listen to the rest of the album. Not the obvious single on the album, as musically it is a bit distinct from the other tracks, but then again there is no obvious single on “Daydreams & Nightmares.” Reality, just about any of these songs could have been the first single, but the band gets two-thumbs up for realizing the one the track with the sketchy title and the most rocking beat.
But gems are all over the album. Something that the band has mastered is how to arrange the music to work in tandem with the vocals; on this sophomore album, the vocals are not as focal as they were on the debut. Though the vocals and lyrics are better than the first time around, you immediately are aware of the fact that this band is finally working as well-oiled machine. So why play with this winning combination for the closing track, “One Day Forever”? Orlando Weeks, of The Maccabees, duets on this song. Now, I love Weeks’ singing, but I just could not see this working, but oh how I like to be proven wrong! Linnea Jönsson’s voice may not merge with Weeks in perfect unison, but they do converge to generate an allure that I have not heard since Jarvis Cocker and Miki Berenyi [Lush] sung “Ciao!” (one of my favorite duets of all time). The chaotic, disarray of the music as the song comes to an end just adds to the allure of the song.
Simply put: Those Dancing Days’ “Daydreams & Nightmares” is no sophomore slump. This is an amazing indie pop album for anyone interested in listening to pop that breaks the clichés and molds of what it means to be radio-friendly. And for those that consider “indie pop” such a dirty phrase, I assure you dirty never sounded better!
Track Listing:
1. Reaching Forward
2. I’ll Be Yours
3. Dream About Me
4. Help Me Close My Eyes
5. Can’t Find Entrance
6. Fuckarias
7. Forest Of Love
8. When We Fade Away
9. Keep Me In Your Pocket
10. I Know Where You Live, Pt. 2
11. One Day Forever
Keep up with Those Dancing Days at their homepage, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.
Here are the videos for “Fuckarias” (from the wichitarecordings YouTube Channel) and “Reaching Forward” (from the UniversalMusicSweden YouTube Channel).
Read more ...
19 January 2011
Videos
Second round of videos for the month … earlier this week, someone told me that I best not review Esben and The Witch’s upcoming album, “Violet Cries.” She was adamant that she would review it; so I am happy to say that we will have a guest writer sometime next month. (And of course Alphafalls, Van Diamond, and Femme Fatale posts on their way.) Furthermore, earlier this month I was reunited with my sixth grade teacher; I partook in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day program that she arranged at my old grammar school. To believe that all these years later, it is a song that inspired both of us – so I had to include it right off the bat. So enjoy The Human League’s live rendition of “The Things That Dreams Are Made Of” and the other videos.
The Human League performing “The Things That Dreams Are Made Of” from the Electronic Beats Viemo Channel.
Those Dancing Days’ “Fukarias” from the wichitarecordings YouTube Channel.
Esben and the Witch’s “Marching Song” from the matadorrecs YouTube Channel.
The Radio Dept.’s “Never Follow Suit” from the labradorrecords YouTube Channel.
Pecker’s “Paris, Tokyo, New York” from their YouTube Channel: peckerpop.
Gorillaz’s “Phoner to Arizona” from their YouTube Channel: gorillaz.
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The Human League performing “The Things That Dreams Are Made Of” from the Electronic Beats Viemo Channel.
The Human League - The Things That Dreams Are Made Of (live) from Electronic Beats on Vimeo.
Those Dancing Days’ “Fukarias” from the wichitarecordings YouTube Channel.
Esben and the Witch’s “Marching Song” from the matadorrecs YouTube Channel.
The Radio Dept.’s “Never Follow Suit” from the labradorrecords YouTube Channel.
Pecker’s “Paris, Tokyo, New York” from their YouTube Channel: peckerpop.
Gorillaz’s “Phoner to Arizona” from their YouTube Channel: gorillaz.
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