This is a 2007 single - from Grovesnor a solo project of former Hot Chip drummer Rob Smoughton. "Drive Your Car" is a sutiably mellow low-key Sunday afternoon dance tune.
Soncially Grovesnor is really similar to Hot Chips first album "Coming on Strong" with its soulful vocals, minimal sonic background and RnB influence , indeed one of their songs was titled 'Down with Prince".
Smoughton certainly has it 'down' on this tracking echoing his apparent mentor with this soulful crooning little number. His project's laid back pop vibe swoons in the listener casually, seducing entry into your memory and vocal chords before you even know it...
Life In One Chord
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Grayson Gilmour
My favourable verdict on the new Grayson Gilmour album - cheers for the free copy Craccum/Flying Nun...
http://craccum.co.nz/?p=2929
http://craccum.co.nz/?p=2929
THE Prince
When you have a back catalogue like Prince picking his 'best' track is simpy futile. But needless to say this cut is brillant. Its opening keys are simply delirous and danceable, swaying into the chorus, where Prince uses his guitar and vocal sheen to launch bubblegum pop gem of a hook. The hook is so infectious that it allows you to dance and yearn in heartbreak at the same time..Its sorta what he does when he wants to..
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Team Dynamite!!
Yesterday I had to go to the Red Bull Sessions in Freemans Bay to write an article for a friends Magazine (Presence - check it out online - on my about me section). The group playing where 'Team Dynamite" who I had never heard of. But what a pleasent surprise. The hip-hop quartet where a pleasure to listen to. While its often easy to rave on about the 'unheard' indie rock bands in Auckland's, underground, its often easy to forget the good hop hip groups out there who are doing it solely for the music, and doing it well. Lets just say Midnight Youth are to Die! Die! Die! what Young Sid is to David Dallas, or Homebrew. Now add Team Dynamite to the list.
As they stated on Myspace they liken themselves to “what Milo and Ottis would sound like if they could flow.” This comes out in the group’s work which don’t sound deliberately created, but rather stumbled upon whilst pursuing some daily adventure. Their laid back jazzy beats, and MC delivery has reminiscent of early ‘A Tribe Called Quest’, if ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ came from Mount Albert with a mischievous sense of fun.
Check out Pe-Knuckle - or download their demo album available free via their website - I dare you not to rap along!
As they stated on Myspace they liken themselves to “what Milo and Ottis would sound like if they could flow.” This comes out in the group’s work which don’t sound deliberately created, but rather stumbled upon whilst pursuing some daily adventure. Their laid back jazzy beats, and MC delivery has reminiscent of early ‘A Tribe Called Quest’, if ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ came from Mount Albert with a mischievous sense of fun.
Check out Pe-Knuckle - or download their demo album available free via their website - I dare you not to rap along!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
PAVEMENT
I've been to a few good live gigs this year, but by far the best was Pavement. At the Auckland Town Hall, they simply stripped back the years, and charmed the damm pants of simply every person in attendance. Being able to see the band reform for their first show in ten years, was beyond a pleasure.
The clip is a great quality clip of their opening, and one of my favourite tracks of all time - "In the Mouth of a Desert". Pavement are simply the kings of low-fi guitar pop.
The begins with a guitar meldy which opens up the can of lo-fi pop brilliance (intro not in this clip). Then Stephen Malkmus opens up the songs brilliant abstract lyrical adventure. His delivery is so effective as it retains tenderness despite its often detached and sarcastic lyrics and vocals. The rhythm complements this perfectly with the drum beat sounds like a 4 year old in control, while the bass simply thumps its way into your chest, before it all builds up into a glorious mess of a chorus.
The other two clips are attached simply because one Pavement song is never never enough - when your in the mood (like im in today) they simply snatch your attention and demand to be admired. Consider 'Box Elder" whose cutey scratchy guitar simply tugs you in - before refraining 'Cause I've decide to make a stand, And I'm not gonna take your hand, I`m taking the next bus outta here, I`m gonna head for Box Elder, M.O" which becomes impossible not to sing along on repetitious listening.
Next up is Frontwards which cascades between the bands trademark tenderness and low-fi guitar screeches. Suitably it sums up the band who really do "own style for miles and miles".
No one has summed up the power of Pavement better than esteemed journalist Everett True who said: "If this section of the book was like an early Pavement song , there would be precious few tangible points of reference. Everything would be a fog of confusion. There would be plenty of strange and intriguing interruptions, a handful of tangents and quotes that might or might not reveal something, and a little humour. If this section was like Pavement, it would be self-effacing yet quietly confident. It would rock. There would be plenty of mystery, much seriousness and not a little intelligence. The words would flow not for the sake of meaning, but for the sake of sound. Tunes would be at a premium, noise levels too. It would roll and sway and rumble along merrily under its own steam. But writing about Pavement is like skiing with marshmallows" - Oh well least I tried...
The clip is a great quality clip of their opening, and one of my favourite tracks of all time - "In the Mouth of a Desert". Pavement are simply the kings of low-fi guitar pop.
The begins with a guitar meldy which opens up the can of lo-fi pop brilliance (intro not in this clip). Then Stephen Malkmus opens up the songs brilliant abstract lyrical adventure. His delivery is so effective as it retains tenderness despite its often detached and sarcastic lyrics and vocals. The rhythm complements this perfectly with the drum beat sounds like a 4 year old in control, while the bass simply thumps its way into your chest, before it all builds up into a glorious mess of a chorus.
The other two clips are attached simply because one Pavement song is never never enough - when your in the mood (like im in today) they simply snatch your attention and demand to be admired. Consider 'Box Elder" whose cutey scratchy guitar simply tugs you in - before refraining 'Cause I've decide to make a stand, And I'm not gonna take your hand, I`m taking the next bus outta here, I`m gonna head for Box Elder, M.O" which becomes impossible not to sing along on repetitious listening.
Next up is Frontwards which cascades between the bands trademark tenderness and low-fi guitar screeches. Suitably it sums up the band who really do "own style for miles and miles".
No one has summed up the power of Pavement better than esteemed journalist Everett True who said: "If this section of the book was like an early Pavement song , there would be precious few tangible points of reference. Everything would be a fog of confusion. There would be plenty of strange and intriguing interruptions, a handful of tangents and quotes that might or might not reveal something, and a little humour. If this section was like Pavement, it would be self-effacing yet quietly confident. It would rock. There would be plenty of mystery, much seriousness and not a little intelligence. The words would flow not for the sake of meaning, but for the sake of sound. Tunes would be at a premium, noise levels too. It would roll and sway and rumble along merrily under its own steam. But writing about Pavement is like skiing with marshmallows" - Oh well least I tried...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The National
With High Violent The National have cemented their spot on the throne of the 00's indie rock scene. This clips is off their debut self-titled album, which although inconsistent does contain some of my favorites of the band. In particular is "Pay for Me" which is one of my favourite travelling songs - just for the verse "bottle from the duty-free, I'll drink it all across the sea, lay me down business class,
headphones and a sleeping mask" which is just brilliant.
Compared to their later work, Pay for Me is minimal in arrangement, relying on sharp guitar riffs, and Matt Berninger's emotive vocals. This level of simplicity makes the delivery so urgent and gripping. Personally I've always enjoyed the National at their gritty, desperate straightforward best...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Alex Chilton
By the age of 17 Chilton had already conquorued the art of pop song writing - writing numerous hits including "The Letter" for the group the Box Tops. Next up was Big Star, who virtually invented the genre of janley gutiar pop. After reaching the heights of pop rock guitar writing - Chilton did the only thing that was natural to him - creating pop songs, whlist simultatnely trying to destroy them - all in the same song.
My favoutire cut of Chiltons's solo career has to be this suberb cover of the Seeds "Can't Seem to Make You Mine". Hearing Chilons , Elvis like yelps at the end of each line, strangely fits in with the desperatness of his vocals. As per usual Chiltons vocals manages to overshadow everything, even the clangy garage guitars, which finally work enough steam overtake his vocals to end the song.
Chiltons delivery of this classic hit represents a Chiltons classic strut of unstablility and desperation. His spits out the classic lines "Flying around likes a bee, hurtin everything you see", before yelping out the classic chorus "Can't you see what you're doin to me, You fill my heart with misery, In every breath and step I take, I'm more in love with you" Before another redition of the chorus to end, Chiltons vocal in the breakdown drop to a whisper "girl I wanna love you tonight"
What this song demonstrates is the importance of danger and unstability to vocal delivery. This song has been covered by many (including the Ramones) but Chilton simply owns it. As someone once said “When Paul Westerberg stands behind the mike there’s danger. And when Tom Petty stands behind the mike, you’re safe". Westerberg (from the brillant band the Replacements) a self confessed Chilton follower - can easily be swapped for Chilton in the above statement...
My favoutire cut of Chiltons's solo career has to be this suberb cover of the Seeds "Can't Seem to Make You Mine". Hearing Chilons , Elvis like yelps at the end of each line, strangely fits in with the desperatness of his vocals. As per usual Chiltons vocals manages to overshadow everything, even the clangy garage guitars, which finally work enough steam overtake his vocals to end the song.
Chiltons delivery of this classic hit represents a Chiltons classic strut of unstablility and desperation. His spits out the classic lines "Flying around likes a bee, hurtin everything you see", before yelping out the classic chorus "Can't you see what you're doin to me, You fill my heart with misery, In every breath and step I take, I'm more in love with you" Before another redition of the chorus to end, Chiltons vocal in the breakdown drop to a whisper "girl I wanna love you tonight"
What this song demonstrates is the importance of danger and unstability to vocal delivery. This song has been covered by many (including the Ramones) but Chilton simply owns it. As someone once said “When Paul Westerberg stands behind the mike there’s danger. And when Tom Petty stands behind the mike, you’re safe". Westerberg (from the brillant band the Replacements) a self confessed Chilton follower - can easily be swapped for Chilton in the above statement...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Going Home - Jakob Nice Day for an Earthquake
I decided to go back home to Hastings for a few days. For me on band always truly reminds me of home - Jakob.
A post-rock band ala Mogwai, but much much more consistent in quality, Jakob have always been a huge influence on me. For such an experimental and quality to come from a place where most bands usually sound like a mix between Blink 182 teen punk and the Bleeders, or bad Ben Harper/John Mayer folk rip-offs is extraordinary.
Secondly Jakob's memorising soundscapes, also manage to do what seldom few bands can, actually capture the feeling of a region. Like Kyuss capture the Desert rock of Califonrornia, or Joy Division capture the gloominess of industrial Manchester, Jakobs sounds immerse themselves in isolated, natural beauty of the Bay.
NO better representation of this than is "Nice Day for an Earthquake" probably my favourite song ever a times. The comforting basslines eases, in while guitars swirl overhead, creating weirdly comforting tension, before a huge violent breakdown.
The video is also something special, showcasing the wonderful Te Mata Peak, outside Hastings, really close to where i went to school. Contrasting this with the person sitting up and then ultimately destructing (in true Bay fashion - with an axe) is something really cool. I couldn't sum it up better than Kuechenkraft's comment on youtube:
"Look at the beauty around the person sitting on the chair. It's overwhelming. He doesn't recognize the beauty of life in general though but is literally absorbed by the TV, which may stand for anything that abstracts us from life's "true purpose"... When he smashes it, he's relieved from the distraction. The camera pans to the sky. You see it's simple beauty that's to be seen around the world. Anyone may do the same. Beauty's everywhere!"
A post-rock band ala Mogwai, but much much more consistent in quality, Jakob have always been a huge influence on me. For such an experimental and quality to come from a place where most bands usually sound like a mix between Blink 182 teen punk and the Bleeders, or bad Ben Harper/John Mayer folk rip-offs is extraordinary.
Secondly Jakob's memorising soundscapes, also manage to do what seldom few bands can, actually capture the feeling of a region. Like Kyuss capture the Desert rock of Califonrornia, or Joy Division capture the gloominess of industrial Manchester, Jakobs sounds immerse themselves in isolated, natural beauty of the Bay.
NO better representation of this than is "Nice Day for an Earthquake" probably my favourite song ever a times. The comforting basslines eases, in while guitars swirl overhead, creating weirdly comforting tension, before a huge violent breakdown.
The video is also something special, showcasing the wonderful Te Mata Peak, outside Hastings, really close to where i went to school. Contrasting this with the person sitting up and then ultimately destructing (in true Bay fashion - with an axe) is something really cool. I couldn't sum it up better than Kuechenkraft's comment on youtube:
"Look at the beauty around the person sitting on the chair. It's overwhelming. He doesn't recognize the beauty of life in general though but is literally absorbed by the TV, which may stand for anything that abstracts us from life's "true purpose"... When he smashes it, he's relieved from the distraction. The camera pans to the sky. You see it's simple beauty that's to be seen around the world. Anyone may do the same. Beauty's everywhere!"
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