Allah-Las: all you need to know in one minute…

Who are they: Spencer Dunham – Bass | Pedrum Siadatian – Lead Guitar | Miles Michaud – Vocals, Guitar | Matt Correia – Drummer

From where: Southern California

In the ballpark with: The Zombies, The Byrds, The Yardbirds, The 13th Floor Elevators

Describing words: Surf, Sun, Sand, Scuzz and Vans (The transportation type, not the nice pumps!)

Wanna see: The Shacklewell Arms (London) – 10.12.2012

How can I consume: CD / LP out today

Where can I be their friend: Facebook

Footnote: Everything is shit in the UK, in the winter – this album is quite obviously a better place to be.

Police Teeth

Seattle’s best kept secret, Police Teeth ( James Burns: vocals/guitar – Chris Rasmussen: vocals/bass – Richy Boyer: drums), have just released their sophomore, self titled album on Latest Flame Records. This noisy (and by their own admission), sweaty, mustache wearing 3 piece who been compared with Les Savy Fav and The Thermals are in the middle of a mini tour of the USA.

Halls – Ark: all you need to know in one minute

Who are Halls: Halls is Sam Howard

From where: South London

Sound like: The XX, Radiohead, Bon Iver, Aphex Twin, Sigur Ross

Describing words: Sad, Swelling, Peaceful, Open, Eerie

Where be they: Rough Trade East (26th October)

One sentence: If you like minimal-schminimal and are either sad or happy then you are confused – and therefore you’ll like the gloriously warm organ and dullish but perfect vocal that is interpretable in so many ways.

How can I consume: Digital, CD, LP

Where do they live: Facebook

Footnote: Out today on glorious vinyl.

 
Author: Laurence Smith 

Who Are Triptides?

Channeling the spirit of the beach from long forgotten radio waves echoing throughout space, Triptides create swells of surfy bliss breaking on the shores of fuzz-drenched psychedelia. Starting out as the bedroom project of Glenn Brigman (guitar/vocals) and Josh Menashe (bass/vocals) in late 2010, the band quickly carved out a spot for themselves in the American underground scene. Despite hailing from landlocked Bloomington, Indiana and coping with the time constraints of attending college, Triptides have thrived.

From packed basements to festival stages, Triptides deliver earth-shattering performances and create organised chaos wherever they play – transforming once docile crowds into a multitude of hip shakin’, hair wavin’ fanatics. The melting tones of Brigman’s vocal coupled with the smooth lines of Menashe’s precision bass, and dynamic explosion that is Josh Morrow’s drumming saturate the spectrum completely, unleashing a kind of energy that could melt magnetic tape.

Having released two online EPs and one full length, Triptides have also toured across America over the past year, gaining fans all over. They are now set to release their debut album after linking with Stroll On Records. The release will see them take their sound to a greater audience.

 
Author: Laurence Smith Google+

Cavan Moran: Five Simple Crimes

I recently did a Q&A for The Vinyl District with a very talented Singer Songwriter from Moston in the UK called Cavan Moran. Previously he’d sent in a demo of his track “Five Simple Crimes” (embedded here) that I really liked, and it made me want to find out more about him. I think the track – only a demo, is excellent  and I hope you do to. Please share if you feel inclined. Enjoy.

Can you tell us where you are from and give us a feel for Cavan Moran the artist?

Sure. I’m from one time number one most deprived place to live in Great Britain, which is the Lower Blackley, Harpurhey, Moston area. Lived in around 8 houses here over the years. Had about 15 different groups of friends and a few million tree houses. Never saw it as being that deprived when I was growing up ’cause there wasn’t much to buy.

http://soundcloud.com/360degreemusic/cavan-moran-five-simple-crimes

It was only when I was old enough to start walking into town and hanging out with other kids from other areas that I realised I didn’t have as much money as the other kids and that was only ’cause they were all drinkin’ Southern Comfort and smokin’ Marlboro lights. I’d drink Bells whisky and Napoleon brandy. This one girl had a TV that came up out of a bed. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen! That was until some kids put cigarette burns all over her trampoline.

As an “artist,” I started writing songs, and general writing at around 13 when I got my first guitar after listening to some Stiff Little Fingers and Sham 69 albums that one of my uncles taped for me. I started going backwards and forwards at the same time, listening to different types of music and at that age I couldn’t think of anything else that allowed you to do that so I stayed in the abyss.

I didn’t play my guitar much though. I used to fake phone calls from the school toilet, pretending to be a parent so I could go to my grandad’s house and play the drums. He’s a jazz drummer, only lived round the corner from the school, so that’d give me around an hour for the niccotine patches to make me green and the Vicks in my eyes to start to water, then another 3 to play drums! I played drums in a few punk bands while always writing and stressing over the word “revolution” which each band I played with sang, had a breakdown, then went at it by myself.

The full interview is on TVDUK

Billy & Dolly… Did anyone mention Simon & Garfunkel?

Billy & Dolly (Bill Rousseau and Dahlia Gallin Ramirez), are due to self-release their excellent new album, Dally Bon Idyll on May 15th. Recorded in partnership with producer/musician Jason Quever (Papercuts), The San Franciscan pair have produced an album of well crafted tunes that manages to combine some really beautiful pop melodies with delightful hooks and catchy riffs. On first listen to the album it’s impressive, on further plays it reveals itself as great.

All hail Billy & Dolly, they have produced a collection of songs that sits very comfortable alongside some of the greats…

Black Manila announce free download ‘Fiasco/England’

South London’s Black Manila are a three piece Garage/Psych band who have just released their new single “Fiasco” backed with the eight minute acoustic-grinder “England” as a free digital download.

http://soundcloud.com/blackmanila/sets/fiasco-england/

Formed in 2010, the band released their debut 10″ “Reno Rush”/”Happiness” in January last year, via Big Dirty Engine Records. Since then, they have toured France and Italy and have been busy in the studio writing and recording new material. The first fruits of their endeavours is this two track single produced by Selfish C*nt’s Patrick Constable.

First up is “Fiasco” a skuzzed out guitar-driven psychedelic tune powered by an abused vocal and some mighty gritty intent. As the track enters its latter stages, signified by a screech of feedback, it’s all hands to the deck as the whirlwind of distorted guitar fuses and entwines with the rhythm section to the bitter denouement.

Thankfully, the B-side, “England” gives you time to breathe, starting relatively easily and sounding like a Ferry/Jagger stand off, but don’t let that fool you.

It’s an epic tale of Englishness in 2012 told from the perspective of an upstart band vying to be heard in a crowded musical landscape. Black Manila certainly sound and feel like a great British rock band in the making, but you can make your own mind up on that…

Author: Laurence Smith 

Band of the week: Ghost Pal

This track is a bittersweet tune from Ghost Pal and is a wonderfully twisted pop song that shows real respect for pop music, and the way it is supposed to be played. The track continually builds with the use of many different instruments giving the track great depth.The songs subject matter is a sweet tale of a wildebeest which is tragic, funny and beautiful.

—James

Introducing: Binary

London four piece Binary released their debut single ‘Prisoner’ at the end of last year and have since been busy writing and recording new material, the first of which is ‘Modern Man’ released through their own 7” label imprint Echoplex on 4th June.

Collaborating with Sean Beavan (NIN/Marilyn Manson) ‘Modern Man’ is Binary’s heaviest and angst driven material to date. Of the single, front man David Troster says, “we wanted to do something that was a lot more angry. I wanted to just rail against all the bullshit and vapid pop that seems to be prevalent in music these days.”

Take the time, stick in a dime and give it a whirl…

Author: Laurence Smith Email

Who the hell is: Logikparty?

Who are you, where are you from, and how did you become Logikparty?

We are Stevie, Daniel, Gib, and Benni and we are a 21st century post-punk band from Dublin, Ireland. We got together just over 2 years ago. Initially it was on a fairly casual basis as four people who, in a round- about kind of way, knew of each other and just wanted to make some music.  We were all really into the stuff that we were coming out with and decided to focus the whole thing a little bit more.

Tell us about your track “Anti Omerta?”

“Anti Omerta” is the first track on our debut album Oh Cult! which just came out on White Plague Records. We like playing this one live a lot.

In this age of blatantly crafted bland radio tunes it’s great to hear a band with the spirit of punk. Who would you say has been your major musical influence?

We’ve a whole bunch of influences, both individual and shared. Lots of people, scenes for lots of different reasons and from so many different genres. I guess in the grand scheme of things, anyone who has or is getting out there and doing things themselves, making things happen, and creating something that’s genuine is something we find really influential and inspiring.

What is the first piece of life changing music you heard?

That will be very different for everyone in the band of course! But for me things took a huge turn when I heard “She’s Lost Control” by Joy Division. I was about 12 and a full on purist metaller due to my older brother and sister’s influence… when I heard that tune everything changed.

Where do you sit in the MP3/vinyl debate?

We prefer vinyl as a format and it’s very important to us that our releases are on vinyl as well as digital. As regards to sound, vinyl records ultimately sounds better than MP3s. It’s also a more tangible format that increases in value with time. The other side of the coin is that generally speaking the vast majority of people listen to music digitally and most new music is discovered by hearing MP3s online, through blogs etc. That in itself means that MP3s are of value too! To us though, vinyl is a collectable thing of beauty. MP3s are just a series of 1s and 0s.

If people want to see you or buy your stuff where should they go?

Check out your local record store, depending on where you are you might find us there! We’re stocked in Rough Trade, Norman Records, and a few other places too. You can check out our stuff and keep up with us on our website – you can buy stuff directly from there too.

What are your plans and hopes for this year?

Well since the album came out a few weeks ago, that’s a pretty big plan that we’ve already completed. Gigging more is on our list also, including getting back over to the UK and into Europe. Hopefully play a few festivals and ultimately get working on some new tunes.

Name one thing no one knows about the band?

We have no secrets. I’m pretty sure no one knew that until now…

Author: Laurence Smith Email