old waver: 2011.02

2/28/2011

download: old waver february mix tape

Welcome to month two of the old waver mix tape experiment. A fair number of you wasted bandwidth to download the january mix tape, so we'll carry on.

(via)

Distilling the past month of the blog into one mp3 is a fun project for me. As mentioned before — Audacity may be easier than an old-school crossfade with a two-channel mixer, but it's a rewarding creative exercise all the same.

Please listen and purchase what you like.. this mix is a single track intended for sampling purposes only. Hope you enjoy it — find the link and tracklist below:

old waver february 2011 mix tape (135MB file)

UPDATE:
Lower quality streaming version

2/25/2011

love and rockets friday triple shot

Blasphemy. That's what I'm about to utter. I've always enjoyed Peter Murphy's solo work and Love and Rockets more than Bauhaus. There, I said it.

Certainly Bauhaus is more important. No argument there. But if I'm going to throw something on, I'm reaching for Deep or Earth, Sun, Moon before "Bela Lugosi's Dead."

Therefore — and just because — here's a triple shot of Love and Rockets to push you through to the weekend. We'll tackle Peter Murphy another day.

Enjoy:

2/25/2011

catching up with the cloud nothings

Cleveland 20-year-old Dylan Baldi famously dropped out of college to play his first show as Cloud Nothings, opening up for indie stalwarts Woods and Real Estate in Brooklyn. Since that day in December '09, he's been touring non-stop and building a steady internet buzz for his pubescent power pop.

Recorded entirely by Baldi, Cloud Nothings self-titled full length debut was released last month on Carpark Records. It shares an appreciation for the college rock of the 90's with the likes Yuck and Wavves, but with more wide-eyed innocence.

Think of Baldi as an ADD J. Mascis or a long lost nephew of Superchunk.

His most precise power pop composition is "Should Have." The accompanying video seems to wonder what it would be like if indie teens held their pleasure centers in their braids — like a really low budget Avatar:

Album opener "Understand It All" is crammed full of hooks — and has a video full of nonsense — too:

Less frenetic and more contemplative is the downright pretty "Forget You All The Time":

Currently on tour in the UK, Cloud Nothings will be back in the states soon for a showcase at South By Southwest and several dates with labelmates Toro Y Moi. Buy the kid a beer, won't you?

2/24/2011

chapel club wants to be your new favorite band

London youngsters Chapel Club just released their debut album Palace last month and are preparing for a jaunt to Austin for South By Southwest next month.

Their press kit throws out references aplenty: Joy Division, Mercury Rev, Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine. They certainly cull elements from all of them, but none are entirely accurate.

Chapel Club probably have more in common with fellow arena-ready Englishmen White Lies. While their influences are admirable, the end product is a bit too polished and self-important — like when Travis gets political or Glee covers U2.

Okay, so maybe that's not quite fair. They do have songs to fall back on, like the lazily shoegaze "The Shore":

Download "The Shore" here for the price of an email address. "Surfacing" is equally stirring, if irritating for its cheeky use of the standard "Dream A Little Dream Of Me":

"All The Eastern Girls" probably sums up their Coldplay-sized aspirations best:

We'll see if Chapel Club can back up their bluster. Last year's Wintering EP showed much promise, but Palace seems to be the work of a band getting a little too carried away.

2/24/2011

daydreaming with youngteam

Youngteam are a Swedish shoegaze outfit signed to English psychedelia label Northern Star and named after the first album by Scottish face-melters Mogwai. If that piques your interest, then you'll be happy to know that Youngteam's first full-length, Daydreamer, is even greater than the sum of those enticing parts.

Released earlier this month, and championed by the When The Sun Hits blog, it's an accomplished debut that eschews the conventions of contemporary nu-gaze.

There are certainly nods to shoegaze touchstones Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine, but Youngteam also aren't afraid to venture into the more melodic wake of bands like Ride and The Boo Radleys.

Take the album's title track, which begins with the obligatory shimmery hum of feedback but quickly establishes a brighter-than-expected tone:

"Summertime" keeps the tempo high and adds some woozy Swervedriver style neck bending guitar:

But Daydreamer isn't a one-note album, evidenced by the rather soulful "Northern Star":

"Black Lodge" is another Swervedriver inspired tune that recalls Adam Franklin's great guitar symphonies:

Before Daydreamer was even released, Youngteam began laying the groundwork for LP number two. This video for non-album cut "Adrift" indicates this is a band just hitting their stride:

Apologies for the audio overkill, but when you find good shoegaze you just have to share.

2/23/2011

sloan turns twenty

Canadian power pop quartet Sloan are prepping their 10th LP, The Double Cross — or The XX, not to be confused with the xx. It's so named because, believe it or not, they've been kicking around as a band for twenty years now.

In anticipation of the May 10th release, Sloan have floated the single "Follow The Leader" — thanks Stereogum. It's more aligned with Sloan's affinity for the Fab Four, as opposed to their obsession with Kiss. If you like it, feel free to download with the arrow tab on the right:

Guitarist Jay Ferguson told Much Music Canada "I personally feel it’s up there with my favourites of ours such as One Chord To Another and Never Hear The End Of It. Short and sweet with unexpected turns down different paths. Not bad for a 10th LP.”

Hard to imagine these are the same precocious shoegazers from Halifax:

2/23/2011

ready or not, it's new foos

With the exception of Dave Grohl's self-titled Foos debut, and perhaps The Colour And The Shape, the Foo Fighters don't generally make the old waver's rotation.

But there is a new album due for release April 12, entitled Wasting Light, and some entertaining glimpses into its back-to-basics ethos.

Single "Rope" will be issued next week. It's got a nice hook and strident shuffle that eventually gives way to a rather bland chorus:

More engrossing is the video for "White Limo." Featuring the great Lemmy as the soused limo driver, it's a lo-tech throwback video for an old school metal jam:

Whether you're into the Foos or not, you've got to admit — that Dave Grohl is one funny s-o-b.

2/23/2011

meet the minks by the hedge

Minks are another Brooklyn collective; fronted by multi-instrumentalist Sean Kilfoyle, backed by a rotating cast, and joined by Chanel model turned singer Amalie Bruun.

As the story goes, Kilfoyle liked an early release from Wild Nothing on New York label Captured Tracks so much that he immediately wrote some songs, shared them with the label and got signed. A couple of 7" singles, some sold-out shows, and suddenly they're on the road opening up for Dum Dum Girls.

Listening to debut album By The Hedge, released last month, the obvious influence of The Cure leaps out first. The hollow, distant mix and prominent bass guitar give the album the sound and texture of a long lost demo from 1983.

When Kilfoyle handles the singing, it's dissonant and reverb drenched — a stark contrast to the breathy, shoegaze vocals of Bruun.

The tune that got them noticed, and is still their calling card, is the instantly nostalgic "Funeral Song":

"Ophelia" shows an Echo And The Bunnymen style gift for melody:

Add a little early My Bloody Valentine to the mix and you get "Cemetary Rain":

Are the Minks derivative? Absolutely. But Kilfoyle and company do it in a way that's genuine and respectful. Check out this in-studio version of "Funeral Song" from Newtown Radio and you'll see there's no hipster posturing — just a common love of the music we love:

2/22/2011

strangeloved: friendly fires and bat for lashes cover depeche mode

So Gucci has come up with a new fragrance, Gucci Guilty. Who cares, right?

Well, for some reason, some marketer convinced Gucci to release a pair of Depeche Mode covers to commemorate the event. England's Friendly Fires and Bat For Lashes have both offered up reinterpretations of the Music For The Masses classic "Strangelove."

The Friendly Fires version is an amusing, loungey take with plenty of reverb on the vocals and a mesmerizing swirl of keys:

Goth songstress Bat For Lashes provides a more faithful version, with cool organic sounds and haunting harmonies:

Of course, it's really quite impossible to improve on perfection:

2/22/2011

listen to lykke li's wounded rhymes in full

Swedish siren Lykke Li drops her second album, Wounded Rhymes, next week. Her 2008 debut, Youth Novels, was a relatively straightforward singer-songwriter affair, with the occasional nod to electropop like the infectious "Complaint Department."

With this release, she fully embraces her pop side, while also layering confident sensuality and Nordic mysticism.

"Get Some", released back in November — and since given the remix treatment from both Beck and Mike D of the Beastie Boys — sets an unmistakable tone the refrain "I'm your prostitute, you gonna get some":

Less brazen and more haunting is the single "I Follow Rivers", issued just a few weeks back:

If you like what you've heard so far, check out this exclusive stream of the whole album. It gets maudlin at times, but be sure to try "Rich Kid Blues" and "Jerome":

Lykke Li will be on tour in the states beginning in May. With the release of Wounded Rhymes, you can expect a wave of anticipation and a string of sold out shows to follow.

2/22/2011

bad lieutenant gets new order remix treatment

Bernard Sumner has managed to stay busy since New Order's demise. He released and toured in support of his new band Bad Lieutenant's debut album, Never Cry Another Tear. And he collaborated with Hot Chip on a throbbing throwback track for Converse.

Now he's taken one of the more danceable Bad Lieutenant tunes and given it a proper remix release, complete with the same extensive treatment given so many New Order singles back in the day.

You can purchase the "Twist Of Fate" remix package on iTunes for less than 5 bucks. It comes with 4 versions of the title track and a bonus James Bright remix of "Poisonous Intent."

The video for the Koishii & Hush Remix is equal parts Doctor Who and Team America:

(via Slicing Up Eyeballs)

One remix was held back and is being offered as a free download. Stream the Reeder's No Fate Radio Remix below and click the arrow link in the toolbar to download:

Nice one, Barney.

2/18/2011

radiohead: the king of limbs comes early

That Radiohead, always keeping us guessing. If you haven't already listened to the 8-song album The King Of Limbs about 5 times through, you should know it was digitally released this morning — a day ahead of the date announced earlier this week.

On the Radiohead continuum, album number eight seems to slide in somewhere between Kid A and Amnesiac. Those of us hoping for a companion piece to In Rainbows will be downloading disappointment.

The experimental vibe, brief run time and relative haste in which it was released suggest it's a stopgap — perhaps a glorified EP. But then Radiohead are no longer bound by record company convention, evidenced by the elaborate "Newspaper Album" package to come May 19th.

So what of The King Of Limbs? A video for the song "Lotus Flower" was also released today, featuring Thom alone in an industrial basement pantomiming and pop-n-locking his little heart out:

That tune kicks off the B-side of the album, as you can see below:

Bloom
Morning Mr. Magpie
Little By Little
Feral
Lotus Flower
Codex
Give Up The Ghost
Separator

"Bloom" is a train wreck of an opener, with chopped drum samples and incessant loops. The rest of side A is quite satisfying, however, beginning the with the herky jerky "Morning Mr. Magpie":

"Little By Little" is a classic Radiohead acoustic jam:

And "Feral" is an appropriately named return to weirdness:

The other track worth noting is the album closer, "Separator." Probably the closest Thom has ever come to writing a ballad:

So what do you think? Probably worth the 9 bucks for an MP3 download. It is Radiohead after all.

UPDATE — Stream the entire album here to fully try before you buy:

2/17/2011

omd enola gay flashback

As I was purchasing my trenta iced coffee (don't judge) at Starbucks this morning, a familiar keyboard line hung in the air. It took a moment and then I realized, that's "Enola Gay"!

I'd like to personally shake the hand of the music director at Starbucks for taking a break from James Blunt and Colbie Caillat long enough to share the OMD classic with the morning drive masses.

To pay it forward, I'd like to share it with you. There's a fine live version out there, but I'll stick with the studio track. Boy Andy McCluskey looks young:

As a bonus, here's McCluskey and Paul Humphreys from the wonderful BBC documentary "Synth Britannia." At 1:33 you'll see the original mail-order Korg on which "Enola Gay" was written:

You may now carry on with your day enriched and informed.

2/17/2011

cut copy, need you now and sports confusion

If you haven't yet picked up Cut Copy's third full length, Zonoscope, it's well worth your trouble. A slow burn compared to the often euphoric In Ghost Colours, it's a headphones album that invites exploration of the many layers and textures woven throughout. Check out our assessment here.

Today, Stereogum premiered the video for Zonoscope's opener, "Need You Now." I never thought of Cut Copy as a Jock Jams contender, but this video ponders the possibility of athletes of all stripes charging into competition to the sweet strains of synthpop.

As the video progresses, sports confusion adds to the absurdity: a baseball pitcher with a bowling ball, a hockey player with a tennis racket, etc. Finally, these figurative warriors take the term literally and a melee breaks out.

A limp ending somewhat spoils the fun, but it's amusing enough. Oh, and speaking of limp.. watch out for flying junk at :36.

2/16/2011

toro y moi chills underneath the pine

24-year-old Chazwick Bundick wasn't blessed with a marquee-ready name, so he chose to perform under the stage name Toro y Moi. Not even two years removed from graduating from the University of South Carolina — Bundick, Gamecocks, coincidence? — he's about to release his second Toro y Moi album, Underneath The Pine.

Lumped in with chillwave, Bundick is a friend and contemporary of one of the movement's founding fathers, Ernest Greene, aka Washed Out. However, Toro y Moi's take on fuzzy synth nostalgia is considerably more upbeat.

Take "Still Sound", which owes a debt to 70's funk as much as 80's synthpop:

On a song like "How I Know", you can even detect harmonies and throwback rhythms that echo the psychedelic folk of Ariel Pink:

On "Go With You", Bundick chills out the tempo and turns up the reverb:

Occasionally, it does get to be a little much. The cheeky keyboard lead in "New Beat" pushes an otherwise fine track completely over the top:

Taken as a whole, Underneath The Pine is an appealing diversion. It's the kind of sugary pop you can enjoy out in the open, instead of shamefully behind closed doors.

2/15/2011

dum dum girls cover the smiths

Kristin Gundred, otherwise known as Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls, has a new EP coming out March 1st on Sub Pop.

He Gets Me High, like debut album I Will Be, was produced by Richard Gottehrer — best known for writing the girl pop classics "I Want Candy" and "My Boyfriend's Back." This time around, Sune Rose Wagner of the Raveonettes hung around for a producer's credit as well.

The four-song EP features three new originals and a faithful rendition of The Smiths classic "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out." It's a heartfelt cover that's obviously more fuzzed out than The Queen Is Dead version, but still has some Marr-esque fretwork:

The EP's title track has a tougher veneer that bodes well for the direction Dee Dee and the Dum Dums are headed:

If you missed out on last year's I Will Be, here's the single "Bhang, Bhang, I'm A Burnout." Enjoy — it's chock full of grrrl power:

Oh yeah, and if you liked "He Gets Me High", register via the link below for a free MP3:

2/14/2011

radiohead returns with the king of limbs

So this is what I miss while I'm in status meetings. This morning, the interweb is abuzz — not only with Arcade Fire's improbable Grammy victory — but also with the sudden announcement of Radiohead's 8th studio album.

The King Of Limbs will get a digital release this Saturday, with an elaborate physical package to follow May 9th. No tracklist yet, but The Amplifier blog takes a crack at some unreleased Radiohead tunes that could make the cut.

The album's title evidently comes from a 3,000 year old oak tree in Savernake Forest — the largest privately owned forest in Britain. Have a look at the craggy old man below:

You can preorder the digital album now for Saturday delivery. No name your own price this time.. it's 9 bucks for MP3 files and 14 for WAV.

The physical release will cost you $48 or $53, depending on your digital file preference. You'll also get what Radiohead are calling a "Newspaper Album" featuring two clear 10" vinyl records in a custom sleeve, a CD and many exclusive pieces of artwork.

Here's hoping they pick up where the outstanding In Rainbows left off. Doesn't get much better than "Reckoner":

2/11/2011

watch mogwai's mexican grand prix

Here at Old Waver, we've been all over Mogwai's upcoming 7th full length Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will. From the genius short film featuring "How To Be A Werewolf" to the obligatory album leak, we've been looking forward to next Tuesday's release — Mogwai's best since 2001's Rock Action.

Now until the album hits stores, you can stream the whole thing courtesy of Rolling Stone. You might also want to check out the new video for "Mexican Grand Prix" — a track we liked so much we put it on our January mix tape.

The video itself is a disorienting, rapid-fire look at Mogwai's hometown of Glasgow and the many friendly faces you'll find there:

Can't get enough of those post-rocking Scots? They'll be touring the states in support of the new album beginning in mid-April.

Until then, enjoy an insightful look at the formative influences of Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite in Pitchfork's excellent 5-10-15-20 feature. Glad we can all agree that Star Wars kicks ass.

2/10/2011

babylon zoo in mom jeans from outer space!

Way back in 1995, there was a massive blip on the radar over in the UK. No, it wasn't a UFO sighting — it was the explosive debut of "Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo.

The single from newcomer Jas Mann was bought before it was sold, tapped for a Levi's commercial in Britain. Watching this 1995 version of the future is about as ridiculous as a "home of tomorrow" from the World's Fair:

Propelled by that alien minx in her mom jeans, "Spaceman" rocketed to #1 on the UK singles chart — and followed suit in 23 other countries.

The ad is decieving, as it only borrows from the song's intro. The actual track is considerably more glammed out:

Subsequent album The Boy With The X-Ray Eyes went platinum in the UK, but sadly "Spaceman" was a one-hit wonder. Follow up King Kong Groover failed to chart. With a title like that, it's hard to believe.

Still, I always wanted to go into space, man. Even if it is super gay.

2/09/2011

the strokes return under cover of darkness

It's been more than five years since The Strokes issued First Impressions Of Earth to decidedly mixed reviews. It was the work of a band who desperately wanted to distance from their "sound" but weren't exactly sure how.

In the aftermath of the album's relative failure, Julian, Albert, Fab and the fellas went their separate ways for what was termed a "much needed break." Now enough time has passed for fans to become restless for new material, and for The Strokes to be comfortable being themselves.

Today — and for the next 48 hours — The Strokes are offering "Under The Cover Of Darkness" as a free download. It's the first single from fourth album Angles, due out March 22.

It's a calculated return to form, with the classic Strokes time signatures, angular guitars and Julian's croon. Everything they do best, approached with the freshness of an extended layoff:

(via SKOA)

Angles will feature 10 songs, each a collaboration of five distinct viewpoints shaped by five years apart.

Machu Picchu
Under Cover of Darkness
Two Kinds of Happiness
You’re So Right
Taken For A Fool
Games
Call Me Back
Gratisfaction
Metabolism
Life Is Simple In The Moonlight

If they can recapture even half of the enthusiasm and immediacy of Is This It, it will be a resounding victory.

2/08/2011

the wombats proudly present.. this modern glitch

Back in 2008, The Wombats were Liverpool's answer to Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys. Bookish indie kids with an affinity for The Strokes and sarcasm. Now in 2011, The Wombats are ready to return with second album, This Modern Glitch, due out April 25.

For album number two, frontman Matthew Murphy has done what so many seem to be doing nowadays — traded his axe for a keyboard. The result isn't as jarring as you might think. The dynamic basslines and bright percussion are still there; The Wombats just sound a little more grown up.

Take the single "Jump Into The Fog", currently available on a 4-song EP only in the UK:

"Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)" was released as a single back in October. It suggests an even further embrace of synthpop:

For frame of reference, here's where The Wombats have been. This is "Let's Dance To Joy Division" from debut A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation:

Precocious little Brits, eh?