old waver: 2011.06

6/30/2011

class actress 'keep you' interested

Brooklyn's Elizabeth Harper and her synthpop project Class Actress will issue their full length debut October 18 on Carpark Records.

Rapprocher, “to come closer” in French, looks to continue Harper's sultry take on 80's new wave. Imagine a supergroup of Bernard Sumner and Martin Gore with Siouxsie Sioux on vocals. Or just check out lead single, "Keep You," for a more accurate idea:

Class Actress first turned heads last year with the Journal of Ardency EP. Quite sophisticated for an initial release, it had several standouts. Here we'll share the title track because the video is so damn hot. Enjoy:

6/29/2011

download: old waver june mix tape

It's that time of the month again.. the Old Waver blog cycle has produced another mix tape. Our April mix tape is still going strong, but May hasn't fared quite as well. Such are the whims of the interwebs I suppose.

This month we come back strong with brand new Radiohead, the return of The Rapture, and Vince Clarke remixing his old buds in Depeche Mode, among others. Download or stream it below — and check out January, February and March if you've got the time to kill.

Please listen and purchase what you like.. this mix is a single track intended for sampling purposes only.

download:
old waver june 2011 mix tape (93MB file)

tracklist:

streaming version:

6/29/2011

download new zola jesus 'vessel'

L.A. songstress Nika Roza Danilova, aka Zola Jesus, has a full length album on the way to follow up last year's dual EPs, Stridulum and Valusia.

Conatus will arrive October 4th via Sacred Bones, and as you can see in the cover art above, she's traded in her goth garb for shimmering white. But as teaser single "Vessel" demonstrates, her sound is no less sparse, dark or foreboding:

It takes a bit to get going, but there's no denying Danilova has some serious pipes. She wrote and performed Conatus entirely on her own.. check out the full track list here:

Swords
Avalanche
Vessel
Hikikomori
Ixode
Seekir
In Your Nature
Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake
Shivers
Skin
Collapse

6/28/2011

new pictureplane single 'post physical'

Travis Edegy, the Denver electropop composer otherwise known as Pictureplane, has a new album set for release July 19.

Thee Physical is earnest dance music, if there is such a thing. There's no wink or nod in Edegy's work, it's just rump shaking, window rattling pop that spans a broad range of electronic styles.

For an idea of how seriously he takes his craft, here's what he had to say about single "Post Physical":

"Our world is under a great transformation physically, mentally, psychically and spiritually. What better time for my new single... listen with open ears and an open body."

So relax, and see how your body reacts to this:

6/27/2011

glastonbury 2011 video highlights

Of all the festivals in the world, Glastonbury has a certain cache that puts it above the rest. Maybe it's the mud, or the pyramid stage, or the massive lineups, but it's a music mecca I hope to pilgrimage to one day.

Plenty of attention will be paid to the sets of Coldplay and Beyonce today, but we'll leave that for others. Here, we'll start our video recap of the Glasto weekend with one of the all time greats.

Morrissey greeted the crowd with "funny seeing me here," but he seemed to relish the opportunity to perform before such an adoring crowd. In the first clip, check out "First Of The Gang To Die," and enjoy a doubleheader of greatness with "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and "Alma Matters" in the second clip:

Radiohead played a surprise set Friday at the Park Stage, performing much of The King Of Limbs, plus new track "Staircase" and a handful of classics. Here's a great quality clip of "Bloom":

You can watch seven more of the 14-song set via CoS.

Another favorite, The Horrors, played the John Peel Tent on Saturday. Here's "Still Life" from the forthcoming Skying LP:

Primal Scream brought their Screamadelica Live show to Glasto... here's an epic rendition of "Come Together":

Perfect for a summer festival, Friendly Fires brought a tropical vibe with the Pala standout "Hawaiian Air":

I think you get a true sense of Glastonbury in this next clip, The Chemical Brothers "Don't Think." From the land that invented rave culture, this is as close as you can get in 2011:

And finally, U2 was the big headliner Friday night at the Pyramid Stage. Even though they for some reason did a cover of Coldplay's "Yellow," thankfully they rolled out classics like "I Will Follow":

If you like that live version, download it here:

Thanks to the BBC for most of the video — hopefully they don't yank it from the US region. Check out the BBC Glastonbury site for more live performances.

6/24/2011

'head for the country' video, free john maus mp3s

Austin, Minnesota native John Maus releases his third album next week, brazenly titled We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves.

Often associated with the Ariel Pink DIY scene, Maus has his own throwback sound going. His heavily reverbed baritone drone may recall Ian Curtis a bit, and his hollow electronic sound is reminiscent of early industrial pioneers Cabaret Voltaire.

The video for current single "Head For The Country" has plenty of appropriately spacey imagery, and a nod to Robocop:

(via gvsb)

If you want some kickass handclaps and a killer bassline, check out "Quantum Leap":

More deliberate and epic is the anthemic "Believer":

You can download the previous two tracks if you like. Here's the full We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves track list:

Streetlight
Quantum Leap
...And the Rain
Hey Moon
Keep Pushing On
The Crucifix
Head For the Country
Cop Killer
Matter of Fact
We Can Breakthrough
Believer

6/24/2011

coldplay 'major minus' and 'moving to mars'

Sunday is a big day for fans of Coldplay. The "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" EP will be released on iTunes, featuring the title track, "Major Minus" and "Moving To Mars."

The first b-side has the sensitive Coldplay lads stripping off their shirts, flexing their pecs and pulling on their U2 pants:

Coldplay - Major Minus

"Moving To Mars" begins like a standard Chris Martin piano ballad, then gets all proggy about halfway through:

And if you didn't catch "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall," and the bizarre song it rips off, a few weeks ago — here it is in all its weepy glory:

6/23/2011

new video and ep from the joy formidable

Welsh trio The Joy Formidable have a new video and EP to offer today.

"A Heavy Abacus" is the latest single from the band's full length debut The Big Roar. It's a midtempo jam with minimal shredding. The clip is mostly live footage with some behind the scenes video, and everything is treated with color saturation and psychedelic effects:

As for the EP, Roarities features what the title suggests — a few previously unreleased remixes and live tracks. It'll be released July 12, but you can hear The Naked And Famous remix of "Austere" right here:

Roarities EP track list:

Whirring (Innerparty System Remix)
A Heavy Abacus (Live at Koko)
Llaw = Wall (Live at Koko)
Austere (Naked And Famous Remix)
The Greatest Light is The Greatest Shade (Live at Koko)

6/23/2011

japanese popstars remix depeche mode's 'peace'

The Japanese Popstars remix of Depeche Mode Sounds Of The Universe single "Peace" has finally gotten a 12" vinyl pressing. This may not mean much to you, but it will make the Depeche Mode superfans who get one of these limited editions very happy.

Released today, there were only 1,000 copies made, which also feature Japanese Popstars remixes of Kylie Minogue and 30 Seconds to Mars. We'll skip those and just listen to the a-side:

Don't forget, The Japanese Popstars just released their second album, including a guest vocal from The Cure's Robert Smith, and Depeche Mode just dropped Remixes 2: 81-11 with a truckload of other great remixes.

If you don't quite remember what the original version of "Peace" even sounded like — here you go:

6/23/2011

liam and beady eye 'live on letterman'

Liam Gallagher and everyone else in Oasis not named Gallagher, Beady Eye, made their US network television debut on Letterman last night.

Different Gear, Still Speeding hasn't quite become the equal of Definitely Maybe as Liam predicted, but you can't fault his determination. Courtesy of theaudioperv, here's the broadcast performance of "The Roller":

Beady Eye also did the Live On Letterman webcast thing that's become pretty standard for the show's bigger musical guests. Originally streamed yesterday evening, you can watch the whole set here:

And if that wasn't enough, here's a bonus bit of Beady Eye... a cover of The Beatles "Across The Universe" the band recorded a few months back for Japan Tsunami relief:

6/22/2011

bobby gillespie celebrates his 49th, jams with css

Lead singer of Primal Scream, Bobby Gillespie, turns 49 today. Still out on the road celebrating the 25th anniversary of Screamadelica, he also just turned up in the latest track from Brazil's CSS.

Taken from the band's new album La Liberación, due out August 29th, "Hits Me Like A Rock" features Gillespie's guest vocals. It's a make good of sorts after CSS singer Lovefoxx appeared on Beautiful Future track "I Love To Hurt (You Love To Be Hurt)."

The song's got CSS' trademark fun loving spirit and cheap synths, with a bridge that sounds like it could be Primal Scream. Check it out or download here:

6/21/2011

download new washed out 'amor fati'

The full length debut from chillwavers Washed Out, Within And Without, arrives July 12 on Sub Pop.

As of today, four of the album's nine tracks are out there for the listening. "Amor Fati" was just offered up as a free mp3 — click the arrow on the right to download this chill-yet-thumping summertime track:

Previously, "Echoes" was aired on Domino Radio over in the UK. Here's a decent radio rip from listenbeforeyoubuy:

For a further taste of what will surely be my go-to album of the summer, below are "Eyes Be Closed" and "You and I":

If you're one of the first 500 to pre-order Within and Without, you’ll receive a limited edition 7" featuring “Belong” and “Phone Call” originally on the 2009 High Times EP.

6/21/2011

new radiohead song 'staircase' from the basement

So what have Radiohead been up to since the release of The King Of Limbs? There was that record store day 12", but other than that they've been relatively quiet.

Today, we get a peek at a live performance from the band for an upcoming BBC broadcast. In the latest edition of producer Nigel Godrich's From The Basement series due to air July 1st, Radiohead will perform The King Of Limbs in its entirety — plus the following previously unreleased song.

This clip of "Staircase" shows the band has been busy growing their hair out, with the exception of drummer Phil Selway who is joined by Portishead drummer Clive Deamer. The keyboard laced track is a little one-note, but it does have a nice groove that's accentuated by the dual percussion:

Will the blogosphere be satisfied by this offering?

6/20/2011

yuck nsfw 'shook down' video

London college rock revivalists Yuck have a "double a-side" single coming out July 11th, featuring "Shook Down" and non-album track "Milkshake."

Their self titled debut has been one of 2011's pleasant surprises, and it's also produced a number of nsfw videos. "Get Away," "Holing Out" and "Rubber" all had a smattering of female nudity, but the video for "Shook Down" takes things to a new level.

In it, black and white video collages of nude men and women are patched together to create an at times horrifying whole. It's a cool technique, and a mesmerizing — if uncomfortable — watch:

In case you're interested, here's the other a-side "Milkshake" with more Yuck-style harmonies and earnest guitars:

6/17/2011

echo and the bunnymen live album free mp3s

Echo and the Bunnymen recently did the dust off the old albums tour, playing Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here in their entirety, something they're doing again this fall with Ocean Rain.

Now they've packaged it all up with Do It Clean — a live album recorded at sold out shows in Liverpool. If you've not seen EATB in concert, it's a much more visceral experience than you might expect. Will Sergeant shreds and Ian McCulloch broods, making for a true "rock" show.

For an example of what I mean, right click or have a listen to "Crocodiles":

Echo and the Bunnymen — "Crocodiles"

Last week, the band offered up a couple other free mp3s . Here's "Pride" from Crocodiles:

Echo and the Bunnymen — "Pride"

And Heaven Up Here album opener "Show of Strength":

Echo and the Bunnymen — "Show of Strength"

Do It Clean is a limited edition that's only available through the band's website. Check out the full track list below:

6/17/2011

belle and sebastian 'I didn't see it coming' video

Glasgow twee pop stars Belle and Sebastian have given a couple of tracks from last year's Write About Love the remix treatment.

A colored vinyl 12" will be released July 26 on Matador in the US with reworks of "I Didn't See It Coming" and "Come On Sister."

A video for the former was debuted today, featuring animation by Glasgow artist Lesley Barnes. It accompanies the "Richard X" remix of the track, which is described as "what B&S would sound like if Limahl was their biggest influence." Nice:

Last week, B&S released a video for the remix of "Come On Sister" that shows the grim existence of the band when they're not living the rock 'n roll dream:

Like the fresh takes on the B&S sound. And Stuart looks so butch in a hard hat.

Here's the full Come On Sister 12” Track Listing:

Come On Sister (Tony Doogan mix)
I Didn’t See It Coming (Richard X mix)
I Didn’t See It Coming (Cold Cave mix)
Blue Eyes of a Millionaire (Album version)

6/16/2011

join friendly fires on holiday in 'hawaiian air' video

Friendly Fires' Pala is a contender for album of the summer, in my humble estimation. It's as tropical and colorful as the artwork suggests, with plenty of tribal beats to keep the party going.

Today, they unveiled the video for "Hawaiian Air." The first half of the clip puts frontman Ed Macfarlane in claustrophobic, stereotypical "are we there yet?" situations, which builds to the euphoric rush of actually getting there.

If you've ever been to Hawaii, this will make you want to book a flight tomorrow:

6/15/2011

moz debuts three unreleased songs on bbc radio

Our favorite miserable wretch, Morrissey, once again finds himself without a record label. As he posted on a fan site several weeks ago, "The follow-up to Years Of Refusal is ready and fluttering wildly against the bars. There is still no record label and the years shuffle like cards."

Today, he debuted three new songs — presumably from the unreleased record — on the BBC Radio 2 Janice Long show. The songs are live studio versions that were recorded for the program last week.

First is a traditional Morrissey lament about death entitled "Action Is My Middle Name":

Next is a muscular rocker in the mold of much of his later work that deals with more typical Moz subject matter — why is everyone else so terrible? Here's "People Are The Same Everywhere":

Finally, "The Kid's A Looker" is a Morrissey narrative that takes obvious shots at the X-Factoring of the music industry:

In all, pretty good and shows he's still vital. Here's hoping someone is willing to put up with him enough to get this record out. Until then, pick up these mp3s at youaintnopicasso.

6/15/2011

metronomy 'the bay' channels duran duran

English electropop act Metromony just released their third album, The English Riviera, back in April. It's gained some positive notice for its quirky mix of 80's soft rock and new wave, a combination that works far better than it sounds.

For a taste of their sly wit and period influences, check out the new video for single "The Bay." The tune's funk bassline gets your neck moving, while the imagery recalls equal parts Duran Duran's "Rio" and Miami Vice:

That's a fine way to start the day.

6/14/2011

more new brian eno from 'drums between the bells'

The great Brian Eno will release a double album, Drums Between The Bells, July 5 on Warp Records. Featuring the words of poet Rick Holland and Eno's electronic compositions, it's Eno's 42nd full length solo release. Unreal.

Two new tracks were previewed on Eno's website today. "Bless This Space" is drum heavy in a spoken word, jazz fusion style:

"Pour It Out" is more of an atmospheric piece with heavily reverbed guitar, strings and a disembodied female narrator. Quite beautiful in Eno's own bizarre way:

Seems the album will have a wide spectrum of electronic textures, as you can tell from the more aggressive initial 'single' entitled "Glitch":

Here's the full Drums Between The Bells tracklist:

Bless This Space
Glitch
Dreambirds
Pour It Out
Seedpods
The Real
The Airman
Fierce Aisles of Light
As if your eyes were partly closed as if you honed the swirl within them and offered me... the world
A Title
Sounds Alien
Dow
Multimedia
Cloud 4

Silence
Breath of Crows

6/13/2011

download future islands 'before the bridge'

Baltimore's Future Islands have a limited edition 7" coming out on Thrill Jockey July 19. At least for now, you can download the a-side, "Before The Bridge," free.

It's got a lovely new romantic vibe with some of the Peter Hook bass licks we've come to expect from Future Islands. And of course, you can't miss Samuel T. Herring's arresting vocals:

Use the download arrow on the right of the player if you'd like. The b-side, "Find Love," is described as a "dancefloor-ready jam brimming with song-of-the-summer potential" — so look out for that.

And if you haven't already checked out last year's excellent In Evening Air, please do so. Here's "Tin Man" to further entice:

6/10/2011

sun airway 'wild palms' unofficial video — starring christopher walken

Philadephia's Sun Airway have a vinyl 7" coming out July 19 on Dead Oceans. The a-side is "Wild Palms" and "Symphony In White, No. 2" is on the b-side. It's the band's first release since last year's promising debut Nocturne Of Exploded Crystal Chandelier, and features more of their blissful 80's romanticism.

There's an unofficial video for "Wild Palms" that's worth a look. It uses the 1983 sci-fi thriller Brainstorm as source material, which stars a young Christopher Walken as the bespectacled inventor of a mind reading device:

Random bit of Hollywood trivia, Brainstorm was the last screen appearance of Natalie Wood, who drowned off the coast of Catalina Island before the film was complete. Netflix, anyone?

6/10/2011

make sense of 'holy ghost' video from white lies

White Lies are back with another thoroughly daft video in support of their latest album Ritual.

This time rather than a preteen encased in chocolate, the video for "Holy Ghost" features some slo-mo video of high divers and a gang fight, a heat vision makeout session, and the band standing in for Jesus at the sermon on the mount. Among other things: