SnC 230 – Wed 28 July 2010

Podcast: Play in new window

Some particularly interesting tunes for you this week (yeah, I know, they always are!) from San Francisco, Brooklyn, Las Vegas, Niger, the UK, France and Nashville. Also news of some offers, a competition and an artist who could do with your feedback.
In need of fresh air and photographs headed over to Aldeburgh this morning for an hour of total break. Beautiful.
 
Moving On – The Famous (San Francisco, CA, USA)
Take the ‘50s-era country of Hank Williams, Sr. and filter it through ‘70s punk rock, ‘80s psychobilly, and ‘90s post-punk. You’ll find yourself staring eye-to-eye with San Francisco’s own “Pixies in a cowboy hat.”
“You can pound your fist on my front door / But it’s been too long, I don’t need you anymore.” Laurence Scott sings the opening line of “Better Things,” from the Famous’ 2005 debut Light, Sweet Crude, like he really means it. He might be singing about an old lover, an old friend — heck, even an old car — but the line could just as well be a kiss-off to the staid country and Americana his band seems all too happy to leave behind in a cloud of dust.
www.thefamous.net/
www.facebook.com/TheFamousMusic
@thefamous
 
Cage Against the Machine
Could we be on for a “silent night” on Radio 1 at Christmas?
www.glasswerk.co.uk/news/national/9491/Cage+Against+The+Machine
 
I Can’t Feel – Matthew Dear (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
A track from the consistently excellent Ghostly International label.
After meeting Ghostly founder Sam Valenti IV at a house party in the late 90s, Dear eventually produced the A-Side for the label’s first 12” release, Hands Up for Detroit. Since then, Dear issued his pop-infused debut album Leave Luck to Heaven and its counterpart Backstroke, which caught mainstream attention, as well as myriad releases under his club-oriented pseudonyms 
Matthew Dear’s Black City can’t be found on any map. It’s a composite, an imaginary metropolis peopled by desperate cases, lovelorn souls, and amoral motives. Like most literary Gothams, ‘Black City’ is a place to love and hate.
Make a note that Street Release is scheduled for Aug 17 but Digital Release happens on Aug 03
Matthew Dear “I Can’t Feel” (mp3) from “Black City” (Ghostly International) More On This Album
 
www.myspace.com/matthewdear
www.matthewdear.com/
 
Selene – Imagine Dragons (Las Vegas, NV, USA)
Combining synth-laden rock and infectious dance grooves, Imagine Dragons comes off both anthemic and eccentric. By way of Vegas, the quintet brings the restless energy of “the city that never sleeps” to the masses with its 2010 sophomore EP “Hell and Silence.” A short, yet impressive history includes sharing the stage with indie notables Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Nico Vega and The Envy Corps and opening for mainstream acts such as Blue October, Jet, and Kelly Clarkson.
www.myspace.com/imaginedragons
@Imaginedragons
 
Justin Wayne – congratulations

The Justin Wayne Show | Indie Radio, Podcast, Downloads, Free MP3s

Join Justin Wayne and his colleagues every Monday live at 12pm PST, 3pm EST and 8pm GMT as they uncover the underground and independent music scene, showcasing independent punk, rock, hip hop, pop, and acoustic. Joined by voice and musical talent spanning the globe, it’s a fresh, new indie music show each week.

 
Yes! I’m French – Gypsy Nomads (New York)
Video contest
In support of their ‘HAPPY MADNESS’ album release as well as the French national holiday Bastille Day (July 14th), The Gypsy Nomads launched the “Yes! I’m French” Video Competition on Animoto.com, challenging fans and French culture enthusiasts to create their own videos, using the Animoto service, set to their song of the same title. Fans can visit this custom Animoto.com link to grab the song and work on their own “Yes! I’m French” video: http://bit.ly/bZXKKQ.  Full details about the contest can be found here: http://ow.ly/2dvp6
 
Subajo – Etran Finatawa (Niger)
From a Rough Guide Music compilation album Desert Blues.
Etran Finatawa’s musicians come from Niger which is one of the three poorest countries in the world, it is a landlocked country in West Africa bordered by Mali, Algeria, Libya, Chad and Nigeria. Niger has a very rich cultural heritage and sits at a desert crossroads between the Berber and Arab cultures of the North and the many sub-Saharan cultures of the South. In Niger there are eleven different ethnic groups most of whom are farmers or pastoralists, both sedentary and nomadic. Amongst them are the Tuareg and Wodaabe, many of whom are still nomadic. They move with their camels, long-horned cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys seeking pastures along the Sahelian savannah at the fringes of the South Sahara.
New album Tarkat Tajje-Let´s go! was released in March 2010.
The band have been in the US for a couple of weeks and have one remaining date at the Lincoln Center Festival Outdoors in New York City on 1st August.
Etran Finatawa “Subajo” (mp3) from “The Rough Guide To Desert Blues” (Rough Guides/World Music Network) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Album
 
www.etranfinatawa.com/
 
Skully Said – Jesta (Lancashire, UK)
Jesta is taking part in the Cyber PR blogging challenge and could really use some listener feedback. He has a very short questionnaire set up on his site at http://jestamusic.com/help-us and is offering copies of the new CD (just as soon as it is finished) as random prizes for folks who help him out with the feedback.

Jesta | awesome alternative power pop artist

Want to stay fit while you listen to my songs? You need episode #118 of the JogTunes Indie Podcast – a great setlist of music to help you with your daily run and including “Back Chat” by Jesta. Read on for the link… This is a marvellous way to listen to awesome…

Music Success in Nine Weeks – Ariel Hyatt
http://vimeo.com/7365725

Cyber PR – Music Industry, Musician Marketing, Workshops, PR Agency

Cyber PR music is known across the industry and worldwide for musician marketing, musician PR services, musician workshops, and musician promotion.

 
Charming Grass – Hymas (Spycker, France)
From the Jamendo album Hymas 2, the follow up to Hymas. I can tell you nothing more but commend you to download both albums. Big fat in-your-face beats with loads of beautifully played bass and some great drumming whilst also weaving in some really subtle little touches which just keep you listening.
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/HiGhMaS 
 
Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir – ‘Lux Aurumque’
185 voices from 12 countries
Composed and conducted by Eric Whitacre, produced and managed by Scott Haines. Please get over and take a look. Amazing.

No Title

Love this? Watch Virtual Choir 2.0 with 2052 people singing “Sleep” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhWDCw3Mng&hd=1 COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY: Eric Whitacre PRODUCED BY: Scott Haines TEXT BY: Charles Anthony Silvestri Representing 12 Countries: Austria Argentina Canada England Germany Ireland New Zealand The Philippines Singapore Spain Sweden United States of America

 
Certains adultes errent – Kapadnoms (France)
Translates as “Some adults roam”. Preceded by a rather fun little intro(version Brigitte Piaf) from the album “Un Point C’est Tout”.
Les kapadnoms developpent le concept de musique en patchwork liant l electro swing au hiphop en passant par des chansons a texte plus intimes ,le tout releve d’une plume hiphop engagee,parfois enragee…la pluspart des enregistrements sont fait en autoproduction dans un homestudio et sont composees et arrangees par informatique,les musiciens travaillent les adaptations pour les lives…
Download a whole load of their excellent materials from Jamendo
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/kapadnoms
 
Adnams Broadside in Mini Casks
Yay. Adnams Broadside Mini Casks now available online (virtual order … real flavour!
http://ow.ly/2hFAt
 
New Cluck Old Hen – Paul Burch & WPA Ballclub (Nashville, TN, USA)
I played some of Paul Burch’s music on previous shows and, if you heard them, you may remember that he is releasing two tracks a month. This track is one of this month’s pair. 
Paul has been over in the UK in the past few days playing a tight schedule of shows in the north east and London. But it just hasn’t been possible to hook up, perhaps next time.
http://paulburch.com/fr_recordclub.cfm