Soundtrack2

Posts Tagged ‘The Horrors’

Killer 2011 tunes from Veronica Falls, Damien Jurado, The War On Drugs, I Break Horses, M83 & more

Photo by Phil Askew luminouslives.com

Every week or so, we feature a hot mix of brand new tracks with classic gems. But this week, we decided to look back at some of 2011′s best bands. Though we’ve featured some of them on previous podcasts, now we’re dropping other great tracks from their albums.

Of course, once we started we couldn’t stop – so enjoy your 90 minute journey deep into shoegaze, psych and electronic territory.

Tell us – is there anyone we missed?

Soundtrack2 Ep. 91 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

1.   The Black Tambourines – White Album
UK band kick things off with some incendiary psych garage. Pick it up on the Chica EP.

2.   Cloud Nothings – Understand At All
This lo-fi popper bore its way into my head.

3.   Doctors – Heaven’s Gate
Imagine A Fistfull of Dollars crossed with Easy Rider.

4.   The Raveonettes – Recharge & Revolt
Raven In The Grave didn’t grab me at first listen, but this wistful pop number owes as much to The Radio Dept. as it does their other rock and roll influences. In other Raveonettes news, they released a rarities album that I’ve yet to dig into.

5.   His Clancyness/ Shimmering Stars – Not Growing Up
More great garage lo-fi, mixed with some Phil Spector beats.

6.   Real Estate – Younger Than Yesterday
The best bands often make music that sounds simple. If you don’t own Days,  you’re missing some of the simplest pop perfection out there.

7.   Veronica Falls – The Fountain
Another great 60s-indebted harmonizing band. Love the sadness and menace put to music as love goes wrong.

8.   Damien Jurado – Nothing Is The News
Wow. I didn’t know Mr. Jurado, so I expected to hear a mellow singer-songwriter or something. But this track conjures up images of a groovy band jamming in a cellar while a hurricane rages outside.

9.   //orangenoise – Rabblerouser
This heavy melter from Karachi’s finest just squeaked onto the list due to its early January release date.

10.  Wooden Shjips – Rising
West tune busts out the smoke machines for more than five minutes of disorienting drone.

11.  Odonis Odonis – Seedgazer
Another off-kilter rock and roll tune from the Toronto crew’s Hollandaze album.

12.  Ringo Deathstarr – Down On You
Re-discovering the heavy, dark shoegaze of Sparkler.

13.  The Horrors – I Can See Through You
Another gem from Skying that reminds me yet again that lead singer Faris Badwan is a cross between Killing Joke‘s Jaz Coleman and Simple Minds‘ Jim Kerr.

14.  Tammar – The Last Line
The track of the week  comes from a band that seemingly came out of nowhere. Soaring rock and roll with krautrock textures. File this song in the “Never want this song to end” category.

15.  The Joy Formidable – Whirring
The Big Roar had a lot of great tracks on it, and this one’s just huge. Looking forward to more from this band in 2012.

16.  I Break Horses – Load Your Eyes
Beautiful glacial electronic shoegaze from Hearts. Vocals here remind me a bit of Emm Gryner. Is that Anthony Gonzalez adding synth texture?

17.  The War On Drugs – It’s Your Destiny
Slave Ambient  had a great downhome electronic vibe, kind of like Grandaddy. But what makes it really special are all the unique, memorable tunes on it like this.

18.  Bachelorette – Not Entertainment
Her latest self-titled album didn’t get a lot of fanfare this year, but I suspect there’s a hardcore bunch of people like me who drool over her exquisite ethereal electronica.

19.  Tycho – Hours
Chillwave anthem from earlier this year.

20.  Washed Out – Amor Fati
Another big chillwave track that I’m glad I dusted off for this. Profound and passionate.

21.  M83 – New Map
Speaking of which, here’s some glorious electronic shoegaze from what many consider one of 2011′s best albums.

The Horrors, Los Planetas, Elika, Lab Partners, Brian Jonestown Massacre & more

Photo by Phil Askew, Luminouslives.com

Break out the beads and kaftans! We’re kicking things off with a journey into psych, followed by shoegaze classics and whatnot. Enjoy!

Soundtrack2 Ep. 80 [ 1:11:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

1.   Lab Partners – Magnify

Dayton crew starts us off with some driving overloaded psych riffage.

2.   The Tamborines – Black And Blue

Ringing indie pop outta London.

3.   The Warlocks – The Dope Feels Good

Soundtrack to a “drug party scene” in a bad 60s movie shot in an LA flophouse.

4.   Sleepmask – Black Depression Blues

Love and Rockets via Simple Minds. Okay, that was a lazy comparison.

5.   The Red Plastic Buddha – Daisy Love

Chicago band strums some sunny sunshine psych-pop that brings BJM to mind. See below…

6.   The Volta Sound – The Ride

Ohio band channelling some sweet Velvet Underground.

7.   The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Illuminomi

A hippy gem off their latest compilation. Complete, with flutes, vibes, and- is Anton singing in French?

8.   The Horrors – Endless Blue

And now for something different from the brilliant Skying album. Just wait for the killer dark shoegaze assault at 1:40.

9.   The Voices – West Coast Turnaround

I live for murky extended jams like this one from their excellent Death Of A Lover’s Song.

10.  Los Planetas – La Caja Del Diablo

Head trip from Granada, Spain.

11.  Fleeting Joys – You Are The Darkness

Classic recent-wave shoegaze from this band’s great Occult Radiance.

12.  Philip James – Nostalgia

Local boy mixes waves of guitar noise with lots of vocal reverb. Gets in your head, this one.

13.  Chapterhouse – Pearl

One of the all-time shoegaze classics, and we wait 80 episodes to play it! Had to be done.

14.  Slowdive – Good Day Sunshine

A mysterious, drifting tune very ahead of its time when it came out in ’93.

15.  Elika – You’re Not Safe At All

Beautiful ballad with washes of guitar noise over gently insistent vocals.

16.  Nowhere Again – Hardman Square

Any band with a name that brings to mind both The Secret Machines and Ride will get a listen from me. Vibe is Portishead with Beth Orton-style vox.

Neon Indian, Ume, Frankie Rose, The Horrors, Morpheme & more

Photo by Phil Askew, luminouslives.com

Soundtrack2 Ep. 77 [ 1:04:51 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

1.   This Poison - Poised Over The Pause Button

Off the coveted CD86 compilation, this is the missing link between Josef K and The Wedding Present: “With a pen in my hand a glint in my eye, I wrote that stupid note…” Brilliant drumming too.

2.   The Bedflowers - Madly In Love With 25 People

Great 80s riff with sweet vocal melodies.

3.   Selebrities - Can’t Make Up My Mind

Don’t be fooled by the Cindi Lauper opening. This Delusions track has some icy dark undertones and a lovely Peter Hook-style bass at the chorus.

4.   Cut Off Your Hands - Hollowed Out

New track that recalls Echo & the Bunnymen or even Simple Minds. Off their album Hollow, this track also has a huge chorus fit for a John Hughes movie.

5.   The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Steel Daughter

More rocking tune from the Japanese edition of Belong.

6.   Secret Shine - Way Too High

Cue the buzzing guitars, punchy bass, and Splenda choruses.

7.   This Scarlet Train - Picture Frame

Love this shoegaze power pop ballad, very much in the style of…

8.   Ride - Something’s Burning

Do you get a huge smile across your face every time a Ride song kicks in? I do. Especially with this rare track’s  catchy, hopeful vibe.

9.   Pale Saints - Throwing Back The Apple

A shoegaze rock and roll classic from In Ribbons.

10.  Ume - Captive

Austin band’s latest track is post punk with a bit of Metric thrown in. Check their site for a link to the free download.

11.  Frankie Rose - Soma

My fave cover from Stereogum’s very good Stroked covers album. Fits quite nicely here, if I must say.

12.  Cave - Adam Roberts

Chicago band drops some driving psych motorik electronica. Is that a Farfisa I hear? Looking forward to Neverendless dropping Sept. 20.

13.  The Horrors - Moving Further Away

They return with 8 minutes of Neu!-inspired loveliness. Another curveball from the ever-changing band, but works for me.

14.  Morpheme - Red Dog

Dean Garcia’s latest dose of dark, dense and crunching electronic shoegaze. If you like Curve and SPC ECO, check this out right away.

15.  Teenage Sin Taste - Some Girls Are Darker Than Others

Music fit for wearing a trenchcoat and sunglasses, preferably at night. Cheers to WTSH for the tip.

16.  Neon Indian - Fallout

Slowing it waaay down now. Preview of the dreamy chillwave coming out on next album Era Extraña.

17.  Youth Lagoon - July

We’re continuing our tradition of ending with a massive tune, so prepare to be stirred with this one.

Crocodiles, Sister Vanilla, Foxes In Fiction, The Horrors, Sway & more

Happy 2011! Looking backwards a bit as we kick off 2010.

Here’s to another great year of music discovery.

Soundtrack2 Ep. 54 [ 55:18 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

1.   The Asteroid #4 – Ignition Slated For Eight

Clandestine psych off of the band’s forthcoming Hail To The Clear Figurines, due next month.

2.   The Horrors – Do You Remember

Dug this one up after reading an article that they’re in the studio working on their next album. Glad to hear they’re continuing their “ongoing pursuit of all things psychedelic.”

3.   Burrrn – Song Without Words

Japanese band bring some great noise pop.

4.   Morpheme – Infection

This has a bit of a Garbage feel to it with way more haze.

5.   Velveteen – L.S.P. Wars

German band that really likes Death Cab For Cutie vocals with a dash of MBV music.

6.   Smith Westerns – Weekend

Catchy indie power pop that I just had to put on.

7.   David Cloyd – Come Out Wherever You Are

Not sure how to describe this one, but I love the vibe here.

8.   Sunshine Factory – Hey Spaceman

I discovered this LA band’s full-blown shoegaze in 2010. Here’s another great cut off Vintage Revolution, which you can name your price for here.

9.   Sway – What I Know

Typically tracks with autotune don’t get played here. But I made an exception for this shoegaze number. Love the compression on the drums.

10.  Averkiou – Sudden Death, Over Time

Surprised this band isn’t better known. Love this killer rock and roll off Throwing Sparks.

11.  Crocodiles – Sleep Forever

Reverb and drone! A gem released last year and not played here yet. Hopefully this is the last mix to be influenced by ’2010 Best Of’ posts.

12.  Sister Vanilla – Jamcolas

Brilliant dark rock and roll from Linda Reid, youngest sister of Jim and William from Jesus and Mary Chain. Addictive with ridiculous lyrics, plus I love the way it drops out then comes back in.

13.  Echo Lake – Sunday Morning

Just lovely, distant dream pop off the great Young Silence record.

14.  Tomihira – Flutterbie

Cool folk-ish track out of San Francisco. Love the way this builds towards the end.

15.  Foxes In Fiction – School Night

Toronto’s Warren Hildebrand dropped the excellent Alberto EP at the end of December, which you can pick up free on his site. This is a sludgy dream pop marvel.

House Of Love, Lush, Bear In Heaven, The Horrors, M83 & more

A bit late with this one. Dusting off a few classics and dropping some new-ish stuff.

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1. House of Love – Destroy The Heart

Banging, glorious 1988 single.

2.   A.R. Kane – Insect Love

Noisy 1989 pop number from the band behind Pump Up The volume.

3. Lush – Superblast (Remix)

Washed out rock and roll by seminal shoegaze band. Remixed courtesy of Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins.

4. The Jennifers – Danny’s Song

Baggy pop from band that went on to become Supergrass.

5. Madder Rose – Drop A Bomb

American band provide noisy power pop, featured on the My So-Called Life soundtrack.

6. Rraaiillss – The Peeling

Distorted and dreamy rock and roll out of LA. Check out their bandcamp.

7. Nervous Systems – Sometimes I Am A Verb

Great band with a great album in Needs Medicines. This song popped for me. Could it be the GBV sound?

8. M83 – Don’t Save Us From The Flames

Fabulous dreamy electronic rock melodrama from Before The Dawn Heals Us.

9. The Horrors – Who Can Say

Re-discovering this fuzzy gem off Primary Colours.

10. Mugstar – Today Is The Wrong Shape

“Rock/Experimental/Psychedelic.” Check.

11. Blind Shake – St. Paul Creamery

Garage rock and roll from the Twin Cities. Never has a song about the dairy industry sounded so menacing.

12. Soft Moon – Breathe the Fire

Tense post punk drenched in reverb.

13. Snowden – No Words No More (EP version)

4 a.m. bombed out blues. Check it out on their new EP, available free from their website.

14. Lab Partners – We’ve Been Burned

Ohio band that brings to mind the epicness of The Verve. Refreshing.

15. Panda Riot – 16 Seconds

Very excited to play some new stuff from this band. Lovely harmony-heavy pop shoegaze. Far & Near comes out May 11.

16. Bear In Heaven – Dust Cloud

This band is a grower. Their Beast Rest Forth Mouth has been with me for some time. The music (and the compelling cover art) has slowly bewitched me. Recommend repeated listens to Dust Cloud. Uncategorizable.

17. Bad Veins – Go Home

Dreamy electronic torch song with horns! Love the mood on this track.

Soundtrack2 Audiocast35 [ 1:00:43 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download