Soundtrack2

Archive for June, 2009

Eskimohunter, Catherine Wheel, Engineers, Model Morning, Viva Voce & more

Michael Jackson died today. And not to repeat others, but – say what you will about him, he produced some unbelievable music that defined his era.

This mix was actually completed last night, so I can’t say that the Gloved One had any musical influence here. Nevertheless, hope you can dig in and enjoy.

ALSO – Apologies there aren’t the usual funky images or tags. Since upgrading to WordPress 2.8, I found that those features aren’t working! That’s a pretty glaring thing to leave out of a new version, dontcha think?

Check out Soundtrack2 Audiocast15 here.

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1.   Model Morning – We Go All Night

Considered one of the most promising bands leading the nu-gaze charge. The biggest challenge here was choosing which song to include in this audiocast.

2.   Eerie – In The Twinkle of an Eye

A true grower. Unremarkable at first, it’s subdued atmosphere gets you under its spell. I won’t be lazy and say their sound stems from coming out of the remote UK Channel Islands. Oops!

3.   Say Hi – Northwestern Girls

From the monstrously huge (and legal) SXSW torrent, I picked out this lovely, slow-building indie rock track.

4.   It Hugs Back – I Don’t Know

Off April’s Inside Your Guitar, this synth-y pop number combines Stereolab with some nice rock and roll.

5.   Daysleepers – Mesmerize

Thought this was going to be a Chapterhouse cover but alas, it’s about as close as one can get to a Slowdive tribute without actually calling it one.

6.   Sweet Jesus – Sindy Makes Believe

Sitting somewhere in between label mates The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Crystal Stilts.

7.   Eskimohunter – Walking Tour of Space

Very fitting title. Fronted by a guy with a number in his name (Jason71), Eskimohunter is going to command a lot of my listening time this week. Check out Surfing at 32F.

8.   Engineers – Sometimes I Realise

Does using the word “Realise” in a song title automatically make it shoegaze? No. But nearly early song I’ve heard off Three Fact Finder is amazing – and more importantly, different.

9.   Catherine Wheel – Indigo Is Blue

Released a whopping 17 years ago but still holds up. Anyone know where Dave Hawes (the man behind this giant wall of guitar) ended up?

10.  Foreign Born – In The Shape

LA band brings a poppy, majestic track off On The Wing Now.

11.   Viva Voce – Devotion

Starting with a backwards riff, the pounding drums and psychedelic guitars keep things humming to the end.

12.  The Very Hush Hush – Love Like Love

The sore thumb track from Mourir C’est Facile. Ultra washed out, unintelligible vocals and all the other hallmarks of a shoegaze gem.

13.  Joy Zipper – Out Of The Sun

Does the word “Sun” in a title automatically make a track psych? Probably not. But this cool drone-y track off American Whip seems to cross The Velvet Underground with The Beach Boys.

14.  Dandy Warhols – The Coffee and Tea Wrecks

I’d love to include something more recent from this band, but this smooth psych track off Dandys Rule Ok really does it for me. And speaking of Portland bands…

15.  Saturna – Pop Rocks

Saturna just wrapped up a stint on the road with Bob Mould. Not sure how to take these guys just yet. Lots of Dandy Warhols (minus the whole Welcome To the Monkey House and Odditorium mistakes). A grower perhaps? Time will tell.

Just a quick update – the last theme I had for Soundtrack2 was borked. So I’ve thrown this one up in the meantime.

Comments, suggestions, tomatoes?

Radio Dept., Sciflyer, Archers of Loaf, A Place to Bury Strangers, Memory Cassette & more

New Radio Dept.! New Radio Dept.! New Radio Dept.!

In other news, lots of other great bands putting out good stuff that is rocking my ‘phones. Liked the way this one came together, but I’m pretty biased.

Check out Soundtrack2 Audiocast14 here.

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1.   Averkiou – Give ‘Em What He Wants

Light shoegaze pop kicks things off with great guitar and a bit of Death Cab influence on the vocal. This one’s off the Floridians’ Throwing Sparks album.

Sciflyer

2.  Apostle of Hustle – How To Defeat A More Powerful Enemy
Off their new Eats Darkness album, AOH continues to fly the flag for Broken Social Scene‘s skewed take on indie rock.

3.   Sciflyer - Like An Ion

Droney slice of downtempo rock and roll from San Francisco changes things up a bit.

4.   Maribel – Ecstatic

Love the bright multi-tracked vocal with ringing guitars. “Ecstatic” indeed – turn it up! Off the Norweigan band’s Aesthetics album.

5.   Archers of Loaf – Toast

Re-discovered Icky Mettle and realized that their righteous wallop was perfect for Soundtrack2. This near-instrumental’s a bit weirder than their usual stuff, but I dig it.

6.   Autohaze – Shadowproof

Is that John Cale on the mic? Probably not, but this is a cool one off the Australian band’s Mild Steel Flat album.

7.   Collapse Under The Empire – Quiet Dimension

Off Systembreakdown, some Halloween-style piano builds towards a full-on finale.

8.   A Place To Bury Strangers – To Fix The Gash In Your Head (Peter Holmstrom Remix)

Love Holmstrom’s – of the Dandy Warhols no less – ultraviolent industrial funk for APTBS from a few months back.

9.   Ceremony – Dull Life

Off Disappear, this one’s been passed over for past audiocasts, but no longer. Very, very good. Props to Built On A Weak Spot.

10.  Abe Vigoda - Don’t Lie

Peculiar track but a real grower. Plus any band with a member who sports a Phantom of the Opera t-shirt on their MySpace page is sure to offer a unique perspective.

11.  Ride – All I Can See

Classic cut of hazy psych pop from Smile.

12.  Radio Dept. – David

Intriguing new single from a great band. Can’t wait for this record to drop.

13.  Windy & Carl – Snow Covers Everything

ST2 goes all post rock with this track off Songs For the Broken Hearted. Too mellow?

14.  Guitar – Just Like Honey

Holy crap is this an amazing mash of noise, rock & roll and beats. Why didn’t I discover this until now?

15.  Memory Cassette – Surfin

A bit of Cocteau blended into this nice dreamy track. Swedish? No – from Joisey.

16.  Basement Apartment - Vegas Streets

Indie pop goodness for driving on a sunny day. Don’t see the Vegas bit though…feels more like Chicago.

17.  Cut City – My Hands Are Bloody

From February’s fantastically-named Nacissus Can Wait 12″, Cut City rains all over the parade with some noisy, moody guitars.

18.  DulceSky – White Fields

Going out in style with this veteran band. Don’t know much about ‘em – other stuff good too?