After a triumphant 2010, that included the release of their acclaimed debut LP, Weathervanes, Queen‘s popular indie band, The Freelance Whales, are keeping fans engaged into the waning months of 2010 with a new song, “Enzymes.” At first, it doesn’t really sound like the FW; the sound is more heavily infused with an indie pop sound coupled with a bit of darkness found in the nearly opposing lyrics. Good tune. What do you think?
“Enzymes” – The Freelance Whales, new single, released 10/15/2010
New Musical Project of Phil Kay and Idrisse Kehlifi
The next two tracks are from a new musical project that we’d never heard of until getting an email from the “band”. And now we’re hooked. Motorifik is a side project of Phil Kay, songwriter/producer of indie band, Working For A Nuclear Free City, and French songwriter Idrisse Khelifi.
The pair met in Manchester, England in 2006 during the recording of WFANFC’s second album. Kay was drawn to Khelifi’s direct style and pop aesthetic. Before long, Kay and Khelifi began writing and recording the music for Motorifik’s debut, Secret Things, due to drop next month.
According to Kay, “At the time of compiling the album, I was revisiting one of my favorite records, Nas‘ Illmatic. I was struck by how concise it was. So I forced myself to cut the album right down to the essence of what we were trying to achieve – a sort of twisted cinematic pop record.”
“Secret Things” – Motorifik from Secret Things – Nov. 9th
Also check out “Sleep Forever” via Spinner
New York’s The Postelles Debut Out Now; Co-Produced by Albert Hammond Jr.
New York’s The Postelles Debut Out Now; Co-Produced by Albert Hammond Jr.The Postelles are a garage rock-pop band from New York City which has made a lot of buzz this year with their Strokes-sounding, guitar-riffing style. The catchy post-punk track, “White Night,” a lead single from their debut, got a good number of comments on IRC Facebook. Sean said the track ” has good 50’s-60’s rock sound with a modern retro feel”; Joshua said it reminds him of The Kooks and Amy said it’s a “super sellable single.”
Not surprisingly, The Strokes‘ band member, Albert Hammond Jr., “discovered” The Postelles, and co-produced their debut.
“White Night” – The Postelles from The Postelles – Oct. 12th
Austin’s Oh No Oh My Set to Release Sophomore LP
Four years after their widely praised debut album, Austin band Oh No Oh My, has completed recording for their sophomore album, People Problems, set for release in January on Koenig Records. Oh No Oh My collaborated with sound engineers Jeff Byrd (Spoon, John Vanderslice) and Brad Bell (Spoon, Meat Puppets) in recording People Problems, the follow-up to 2008’s Dmitrji Dmitrji EP.
The album was recorded in the studio of Spoon drummer Jim Eno and at Hoxmeier’s Sugarcube studio (named after the Yo La Tengo song). ONOM kick off a two-month U.S. tour on Thursday in Shreveport.
“Walking Into Me” – Oh No Oh My from People Problems – Jan. 11th
Pink Floyd Engineer Co-Produces LP
The band Scalding Lucy worked with Pink Floyd‘s legendary engineer of 27 years, Andy Jackson (left), to produce its new album, In The Sky With Diamonds. Despite the corny title of the album, there’s a couple good tracks in there.
“Kerplat” – Scalding Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Poison Tree Announce March Debut; New Single
The King of France‘s frontman Steve Salett will release a self-titled debut in March 2011 under the moniker The Poison Tree.
As a singer-songwriter, Salett has a feel that is apparently influenced by Leonard Cohen and Fred Neil. The album was recorded with a number of collaborators culled from the Elephant 6 styled Saltlands music collective Salett co-founded, including musicians Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) and Dawn Landes.
“Come On Come On” – The Poison Tree from The Poison Tree
Unsolved Mysteries Officially on the Radar
Unsolved Mysteries, who have opened for artists like Dan Deacon and Matt & Kim, have a new full-length album, Tragic Trouble, The album is a collection of warped pop songs with tints of The Radio Dept’s hazy electro, New Order’s synth-rock and the Cocteau Twin’s dream pop.
“Pen 15” – Unsolved Mysteries from Tragic Trouble
SeafarerBy Katy Betz
“Noise Floor” – Seafarer
New Songs from The Ascetic Junkies, Elizabeth Catapult, La Sera and Others
This next set of sweet new songs include tracks from The Ascetic Junkies, Elizabeth Catapult, Cock and Swan, La Sera and Backwards Quilt. Let us know in the Comments, on Twitter or Facebook what songs you like the most from this mix; your comment/review might just be included in our year-end lists.
“Get What You Want, Get What You Need” – The Ascetic Junkies from This Cage Has No Bottom – Nov. 16th
“Water From Wine” – The Ascetic Junkies from This Cage Has No Bottom
“Stash” – Cock and Swan from Unrecognize
“Georiga” – Yuck from band’s forth-coming 2011 debut
“Never Come Around” – La Sera from 7″
“You and Me” – Elizabeth Catapult
“Quarters” – Mystery band – do you know?
“Quilt and Then Sigh” – Backwords Quilt