Most Disconcerting Trend: Great bands that are younger than I am
I'll be turning 25 in February, and for the first time this year, I really noticed that there are (a) plenty of bands who are way younger than me, and (b) many of them are actually really great.
From the United States, there are two bands of Kids (Black and Cool), from Jacksonville and Chicago respectively, who are pretty good and show promise for the future. Cool Kids, particularly, have the balls to name a song 'I Rock' and it's entirely accurate. Beirut put out a great second album that sounds like a travelling carnival. I'm sure there's other American whippersnappers that I'm forgetting.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the water, London gave us Cajun Dance Party, whose single 'Amylase' is one of those summer singles that grabs your attention and stamps on your attention and then leaves your attention bleeding on the pavement. Their mate Fryars put out an EP that I talked about here before Stereogum and GWFA (small victories!) and Ben sent me a nice message over myspace, so I've nothing but time for him. Los Campesinos! have received all the attention in the world, and good luck to them with the album due very soon. My birthday party had a facebook event entitled 'You! Me! Dancing!' in fact.
The year's MVPs for me, though, were The Strange Death of Liberal England, a band whose debut album 'Forward March!' brought out the best parts of dearly beloved Hope of the States, plus a bloke whose voice is like Efrim's from A Silver Mt. Zion. For me, at least, it's been a match made in vocal post-rock heaven. Check 'em out.
[download Cajun Dance Party - Amylase]
[download The Strange Death of Liberal England - I Saw Evil]
Bonus: 'I Rock' (live) from the Cool Kids video:
[Black Kids myspace / official site]
[Cool Kids myspace / official site]
[Beirut myspace / official site]
[Cajun Dance Party myspace / official site]
[Fryars myspace / official site]
[Los Campesinos! myspace / official site]
[The Strange Death of Liberal England myspace / official site]
This is all we care about
Summer gave us sweets
This is rather embarrassing, but when I posted about The Strange Death of Liberal England recently, I neglected to mention that they had an album coming out literally days later. Well, they do. Sorry about that, TSDOLE, although on the plus side, now you get a second post on AYGH?
The record's called 'Forward March!' and it's dead good. Some moments sound like A Silver Mt Zion - the sharp, often indecipherable vocals and epic building of noise, and the other reference point is Arcade Fire. Hooray, them. There's a part in 'Oh Solitude' where all the instruments cut out, and it always reminds me of the "Between the click of the light and the start of the dream" part in 'No Cars Go'. And it's lovely to have a version of their debut 'A Day Another Day' that's not a rip from the vinyl, although those warm crackles at the start certainly have some charm. As a lifelong subscriber to "the big music", I really like what TSDOLE are doing. Long may they prosper. I just wish the lyrics function on their myspace was working, I'd love to know what the fuck he's saying.
[download The Strange Death of Liberal England - An Old Fashioned War]
[Buy 'Forward March' (UK)]
Paint my dreams upon the wall
Here's the latest single from The Strange Death of Liberal England [myspace], a band from the south coast of England who make the big music. They like to crescendo, lots of grandeur, but with a singer who's borderline incomprehensible. The sacred words "arcade" and "fire" may come up as a reference point. 'Oh Solitude' is not quite as immense as previous one 'A Day, Another Day', but begins fast and doesn't let up. It's a really short song, and that's a pity because they're really good at building and building, but that's not to say you shouldn't dig this, or its cool animated video. TSDOLE haven't put out very much yet, but it's all been great so far so I've high hopes for them.
[download The Strange Death of Liberal England - Oh Solitude]
[Go to their site to buy their music]
