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“Late Of The Pier” are a four-piece indie rock band from Castle Donington, London. Late Of The Pier are Samuel Eastgate (Vocals, Guitar and Synthesizers), Andrew Faley (Bass and Synthesizers), Sam Potter (Sampler) and Ross Dawson (Drums). All of them have pseudonyms and known as Samuel Dust, Francis Dudley Dance, Jack Paradise and Red Dog Consuela respectively. Late Of The Pier are very much into electronica and their music genres cover indie rock, electronica, synth pop and dance-punk.

Late Of The Pier’s Fantasy Black Channel opens with roaring guitar instrumental “Hot Tent Blues”. It seems that Late Of The Pier have been using a sampler to make this track. The guitar on this track revives the 80s rock scene where it’s filled with pitching and echoic guitar. The bass and drums provide cushion in the background as the guitar plays on. Once it reaches the remaining 13 seconds, the track gallops again but this time, with some start/stop guitar riffs. It’ll gradually bring you to the next track. Very energetic opening!

Once entering “Broken”, oh my god the guitar just brings you on. You couldn’t help it but to move your body to this crazy filler track. Very awesome guitar work i would say. Shortly after that, it’s followed by a series of music created by synthesizers and sampler. Only by the time Samuel enters with his vocals, Broken seems to slow down a bit to allow him to express himself. Broken is filled with various guitar playing, you can’t help but to love this track. Just my first listen, Broken already got me wanting for more. Very addictive!

“Space And The Woods” comes in right after Broken. If i’m not mistaken, it sounds like Late Of The Pier are playing keyboards here. Catchy keyboards playing by them. Samuel has a robotic voice-like as he sings on. When it comes to the part which i assume is the chorus, the guitar just comes in, without affecting the earlier keyboards that we first heard. In the bridge, Samuel sings in a very ignorant voice that goes, “I’m shit hot so say what you think about me, i’m not gonna cry because I don’t care…” It sounds kind of cool here. The music on Space And The Woods definitely matches the previous track. Love the keyboards!

“The Bears Are Coming” has a very cool opening. African-influenced percussion belting with the synthesizers. Once Samuel comes in, it just adds extra weight to the already really good music. After each paragraph of his singing, the music just plays on. And it’s not just some ordinary music, it’s the type of music which is going to at least make you nod your heard. The Bears Are Coming also vibrates some disco-feel to it. In the bridge, Late Of The Pier just takes a short break with the slow tempo and Samuel enters with his yell-like vocals layered with heavy-heart elements, “I saw you wading in the water, i saw you ride along the sea, shine on a nightmare, shine through the trees…” Once after that, the music again kills me on the spot. With some voice in the background, it’s like a party track in the making. Before ending, it seems that Late Of The Pier are not done with the track yet, they just play around with their synthesizers and sampler. Amazing feeling!

On “Random Firl”, the music in the beginning is just way too cute. The synthesizers-influenced guitar are very cheeky as well. If you pay attention, you would notice a slight sound of exclaimation (Like a woman’s gasp) in the background when the music are just warming up to get to the verse. It just sounds so funny to me. Slowly, Late Of The Pier seem to be adding more instruments to this track, making it sounds much better gradually. The cheeky and catchy guitar just work its way throughout the track, very sweet feeling.

“Heartbeat” begins with some 80s-like music before the real deal comes in where Late Of The Pier enter with loud guitar riffs. When it gets to the chorus, Heartbeat seems to get into another level, it gets rougher and groovier here with Samuel going, “A heartbeat, a flicker, a line…. It’s just a line…” in repetition. The best moment on Heartbeat definitely. Entering the second verse, the bass also gets groovier and louder. It just never fails to pump up my blood and the volume. It’s not a line, it’s the music!

“White Snake” has a somewhat slow beginning. But it suddenly bursts with the loud guitar of Late Of The Pier. Samuel also seems to be gasping for air when singing as it’s fast and loud here. The guitar also plays at a speedy rate. When it gets to the chorus, the whole track just loosen up slightly. Piano can be heard playing in a repetition of notes rapidly as the track goes on from here. In the bridge, Late Of The Pier add some creepy music to White Snake, it comes in as a surprise, really. But it’s still good as the track is so fast until it gets you rocking as well. Even Samuel sings and yells like a true rock star!

“VW” continues with some clever music playing. Horn can be heard here as the music goes fast and slow throughout the track. When it’s fast, the horn seems to be louder and the music sounds kind of eerie, as if something bad is bound to happen. When it gets to the slower part, Later Of The Pier seem to be getting ready for the next speedy break. Listening to VW makes you think that you’re running out of time and something bad is about to happen. Dangerously fast!

“Focker” has a very strong electronic influences to it. On the verse, Samuel sings very fast as if he’s gulping down the lyrics. However in the chorus, things get a different approach. Samuel just sings and drags on, “I wanna be you friend… Oh yeah…” With the heavy electronic music in the background, sometimes it just drowns out the voice of Samuel. Focker can be said one of the wildest tracks on Fantasy Black Channel. Even the remaining 30 seconds are filled loud guitar and synthesizers, looping and echoing to the end.

“The Enemy Are the Future” has a cute beginning. You would know what i mean after listening to it. It seems that this time Samuel share his vocals part with other members of Late Of The Pier. It has a deep and playful voice once it comes in. As the chorus comes, the whole track as i never expect, sounds very good with the bass going on. With Samuel going catchily in repetition, “Easy life, is it an easy life?…”, i feel obliged to sing along as well. I just don’t know why, the way Late Of The Pier play and sing is really good! Needless to say, the music is just great on The Enemy Are The Future. Deeper into the track, it just turns into another track totally. The sampler and synthesizers just hit the invisible magic button as it’s no longer a rock track, it’s a dance track. Very, very highly evolved.

“Mad Dogs and Englishmen” starts with a bell chiming from afar. Sooner than later, the bass comes in and eventually it gets louder with a certain rhythm to it. The guitar and the bass on this track seems to be working together here, layering and covering one another. When the bass goes, the guitar waits; when the guitar goes, the bass waits. The bass especially, makes me smile as it possesses some funny elements in it. In the bridge and until the end, Late Of The Pier just play their stuffs which resulting in some playful and great music. It makes you want to play…

“Bathroom Gurgle” opens with steady drum beats (That resembles “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis) and soon joined by synthesizers. The music itself is already catchy enough to make me want to get up and dance. It’s infectiously groovy! In the chorus, Samuel yells, “Find yourself a new boy…” with the music adding in some xylophone-like sound. I really enjoyed myself listening to that particular moment. Other than that, Late Of The Pier’s Samuel also plays around with his vocals on Bathroom Gurgle as he imitates the voice of females at some points of the track. Few seconds after the chorus, Bathroom Gurgle surprises us with a cheering part that goes, “So put your hands on your waistline, and move you body to the bassline, and get your hands on some cheap wine…” Late Of The Pier really show everything they have on this track. One track that covers a variety of singing and playful music.

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“The Do” are a French two-piece or duo indie band based in Paris. The Do were formed in 2007 and they are Dan Levy (Musician) and Olivia Merilahti (Vocals). Their music covers a wide variety of genres that include indie rock, indie pop, folk rock and a bit of electronic stuffs.

A Mouthful has an album appetizer that everyone of us will definitely give at least a thumb-up to it. In “Playground Hustle”, a group of children cover most of the singing part while Olivia just adds in some extra weights here and there. The music in this track is exceptional as well. The flute on Playground Hustle reminds me of my younger days when i had to learn flute-playing in school. The music which is mainly contributed by synthesizers also creates a very good opener impression here. Love the cheeky part where it almost sounds like the movie “Jaw” theme.

“At Last!” is groovy indie pop tune which showcases the Olivia’s vocals. She seems to be singing breathlessly and without taking a jiffy just to inhale. The tempo on this track is very consistent and The Do/Dø also bring in some extra sound or note to make it much fuller. But just by listening to Olivia’s angelic voice, it’s more than sufficient to fall in love with this track. After the second chorus, “Made up my mind now it’s time settle down, but don’t hold this against me I gotta run now…” The short bridge contains some clever guitar playing and country-like harmonica layered with Olivia’s melodic voice. It’s just beautiful! At Last!

“On My Shoulders” continues the amazing rhythm and sound of The Do/Dø. On My Shoulders has quite a long opening before emerging with Olivia’s beautiful voice. As Olivia sings on in the verse, it sort of drags me along and thus creating a tendency for me to sing. “Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders? Why do I always help you carry your boulders? You wonder why I carry such a weight on my shoulders?…” Although On My Shoulders is sung in a repetition of musical note and tone, but The Do/Dø make it really unforgettable. The rhythm just keeps playing in my head now, and it’s stuck in my head!

“Song For Lovers” is an acoustic track with only Olivia’s voice can be heard and in the background, guitar plays along before another string instrument violin appears. In the end, Olivia sings with emotion, “Here’s a song for lovers who don’t care if they bleed…” An honest and heartfelt track by The Do/Dø!

“The Bridge Is Broken” has little guitar steps in the beginning. Once Olivia enters, it sets the right tone and rhythm that follow suit. After the verse, Olivia just repeats “The bridge is broken…” and while she is singing the chorus, the deep guitar plucking never stops. It just weights in after the Olivia’s voice. Very, very nice to hear! At times, the music shows some Jazzy side of it. In the bridge, the music comes in with more variety. The mixing of The Bridge Is Broken really good, and the use of synthesizers and other equipments just prove to be amazing! I don’t care whether the bridge is broken or whatever, as long as The Do/Dø are here to sing, the bridge is always fixed.

“Stay (Just A Little Bit More)” is cheeky and catchy. Just the perfect song for couples anywhere in the world. You have to check out the guitar once it starts, it is on a constant plucking mode and never fails to create an atmosphere that one would expect when picnicking at the beach. Once the chorus comes, Olivia just goes, “Stay just a little bit more, don’t let my heart turn sore…” and with each phrase, there would be howlings in the background that just complement this track so much! Entering the second verse, the whole track seems to be venturing into a new zone and it sounds cuter than ever. During the bridge, violin is heard and joins the fun with The Do/Dø. Stay (Just A Little Bit More) just sounds good from start to finish!

On “Unissasi Laulelet”, if i’m not mistaken, it’s a track sung in Finnish by Olivia. As Olivia sings on, it seems that there are some background vocals that sing simultaneously with Olivia. Further into the track, the music just get fuller and louder. Even the vocals got louder and slightly subside before ending. Quite funny when listening to a foreign language. But it’s still good.

“Tammie” starts off with harmonica and some distant shout in the background. Once the right tempo is reached, a number of instruments just come in. Guitar, bass, drums and handclaps can be heard as Olivia sings. In each phrase of the verse, Olivia sings and drags the last word until she reaches a part where she loops, “Oh i know you won’t…” The bass in this track is very groovy and some might have it catchy as well. At some points, the word “Tammie” can be heard in the background, shouted by a number of guys. Saxaphone can also be found here as the song draws to a close. Cool stuff by The Do/Dø!

“Queen Dot Kong” features a heavy usage of synthesizers. It also has saxophone and trumpet at some parts of the track. After a few listens, this song sounds like a theme song for a cartoon show. It’s very cute yet weird with those sudden change of music notes and tones. Even the vocals vary as well, sometimes it’s fast, sometimes it’s slow. Olivia also raps at times, which i find kind of cute to imagine her doing so. The Do/Dø are definitely loosing themselves here.

“Coda” is an instrumental track and it continues from Queen Dot Kong. It sort of acts as the final part of the song and helps the song to end. The Do/Dø can be heard playing with the synthesizer and mixer here. A break for The Do/Dø perhaps.

“Searching Gold” is the longest track on A Mouthful and it spins over 5 minutes long. It has some dark and evil elements to it as Olivia sings in a way that doesn’t reflect her usual voice that we first heard. Take it from the title, everyone has himself or herself on mind when it comes to gold and will do whatever it takes to get their hands on gold. Maybe it’s one of the clues that we have that might helps us explain Olivia’s voice here. The music in Searching Gold is pretty flat here and i like the ending lyrics that goes, “As the horizon cleared, we let go of our hands, each one hurried to be the first where gold flows out, oh silent rejoicing when one of us stumbled, oh silent rejoicing when one of us failed…” Sort of sarcastic by The Do/Dø here!

“When Was I Last Home?” is a slow track that has piano as its main instrument. Olivia just sings with her heart and let it taken away by the music. This time around, Olivia is proving how versatile she is by showcasing her beautiful voice on this somewhat sad track. Deeper into the track, there are some background vocals and violin also can be heard helping Olivia out. The Do/Dø are showing an emotional side of them. Great effort anyway!

“Travel Light” starts off with some lazy and draggy vocals by Olivia. Even the music sounds the same here, it just feels lazily good. However when it comes to the chorus, Olivia sounds lighter in her voice and goes, “Lately I’ve been walking away, floating like a song in the air… Lately, I’ve been trailing away, I’ve been walking my way…” And when back into the verse, everything is back to what we first heard in the first verse. Another slow track here, which i think The Do/Dø are not that good at doing this. The Do/Dø are way much better when doing a fast track. They’re born to do that!

“Aha” definitely brings the tempo back here. Once the music starts, i know this song is going to rev up the album again. As Olivia sings, “It came up on a day I was having a nap, it came up on a day I was catching the gnats, it was a trap…. Aha, Aha, Aha….” You can hear a group of guys in the background helping Olivia out. Slowly when it gets to the chorus, the guitar sounds like a plucking from a James Bond theme. The bass throughout this track is outstanding as well, it just has the groove to liven up the track. The bridge also has its moment, where a group of female vocals can be heard belting it out with Olivia. The bottomline is that Olivia is back with her angelic vocals! Love it!

“In My Box” is an instrumental track that has a steady beginning before picking up the tempo and hitting it high as the song draws to an end. It sounds like an African-influenced music at first and then when the bass line comes in, it just gets groovy. Olivia is not calling it a day yet as she also contributes a bit with her voice. She sort of yells here though. Pretty cool ending by The Do/Dø!

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“Blitzen Trapper” are a six-piece indie rock band based in Portland, Oregon. They are Eric Earley (Vocals and Guitar), Erik Menteer (Guitar and Keyboard/Piano), Brian Adrian Koch (Drums and Vocals), Michael VanPelt (Bass), Drew Laughery (Keyboards/Piano) and Marty Marquis (Guitars, Keyboard and Vocals). Blitzen Trapper was formed in year 2000 and to date, they have released four full length albums. Their music genres are mainly experimental, indie rock, and folk rock.

I really had a good time with Furr. Blitzen Trapper just made themselves sound so unique. Think of modern country combined with rock ‘n’ roll, i bet you’ll have a good time. And a little bit of cowboy influence.

Furr opened with the rather unforgettable “Sleepytime In The Western World”. This song doesn’t really have a chorus, the only thing that made it so special is Eric’s singing and the music that follows through, especially the piano and the percussions. “Your eyelids are made of lead, you can’t keep them up, because it’s sleepytime, and that’s no crime in the western world…” Blitzen Trapper already showed what they’re capable of.

I like the guitar hooks of “Gold For Bread”, especially in the verse where it has the rock ‘n’ roll and good-time quality. Eric also did a good job here with his singing, though i find the chorus slightly funny, “Because i’m running from the end, yeah and it’s inside of my head, on my bed with a lead for the leg, we’re trading gold for bread…” The break also contains some cute sounds which you would normally find on arcade games. But hey, Gold For Bread is really good! Way to go Blitzen Trapper.

“Furr” is like a lovely summer track, where it tells the story of a boy turning into a wolf (Based on the lyrics). It sounds fairy-tale like if you listen to the song. I can even imagine Eric strumming his guitar and singing to Furr. This track is more like those where you would hear in an unplugged jam session. And throughout Furr, Eric sings effortlessly and full of emotion. No wonder Blitzen Trapper decided to name this album, “Furr”.

“God & Suicide” is like a slower tempo version of Gold For Bread. And i have to say, it might even be better than Gold For Bread. The music in this track just got it together, and after every verse, Blitzen Trapper will do the howlings together, “Whoo…”. The bass stands out the most here where it’s very consistent and most of all, simple and memorable.

“Fire & Fast Bullets” sounds promising once it opened. The verse is for tempo-building and when the chorus comes, Blitzen Trapper will do their stuffs. Half singing along with Eric, the other harmonized it with their voices. I just like it when they go, “Oh, oh oh…”. Nonetheless, Fire & Fast Bullets is firing me up.

“Saturday Nite” crazily good! I don’t really know how to describe it, but it’s really good. If you’re having a down weekend or bad saturday, stop everything and listen to Saturday Nite now! You’ll thank me later. The whole track feels so light, the piano just get on with it, the drums follow, the vocals comes on and off just like that… Awesome stuff here!

“Black River Killer” is more like a modern country rap rock track. Can’t help but imagine Blitzen Trapper on stage moving their bodies and do the things a rapper would do. Just so hilarious! On this track, Eric can be heard singing as if he’s speaking. And the “squeaking” music that comes on after each paragraph of verse, fits in perfectly.

Blitzen Trapper takes a different note on ballad “Not Your Lover”. The main instrument here is piano and Blitzen Trapper make sure that they do well even if without guitars and drums. From the lyrics, this song carries a sad aspect with it. “In my sleep, i’m not your lover anymore, when i wake, i have to remind myself, that i’m lying on your shore…” Anyway, it’s a good effort!

“Love U” is a loud draggy rock track! Besides those loud draggy music, Eric is also having a hard time adjusting his voice in this track and at some points, he screeches heavily. As this track goes, it gets softer near the end. Honestly, i don’t think Blitzen Trapper is comfortable singing Love U.

“War On Machines” brings the whole album back to normal and Blitzen Trapper is again doing what they’re best at, having fun and rock ‘n’ rolling. The guitar on this track has some explosive quality with it. During the verse, it keeps looping until i find it resembles “Hair Don’t Grow” by Annuals. Blitzen Trapper managed to rock this song out and still keep the country element in it.

It’s funny how “Stolen Shoes & A Rifle” sounds like ”Good Arms vs. Bad Arms” by Scottish band Frightened Rabbit at the beginning. It started off with a few instruments at a steady pace before sounding fuller after the first chorus. Later into this track, Blitzen Trapper can be heard choiring. It may not be their best, but it’s still a great effort by them.

“Echo/Always On/EZ Con” has three different parts. Normally a track like this should have been the closing track of an album. The first part of this song is a melodic piano ballad where i love the flute that is being played at some points. The second part sounds like a malfunctioned photocopying machine, which i think is quite weird. Lastly, it’s the dance-like instrumental which showcases the sound of a flute and how good it can be. I find the last part very good, and i always fast-forward this track to this part. Enjoy!

The final track on Furr is the acoustic “Lady On The Water”. It has some really nice melody but what i like the most is the piano that comes after each verse. Since Eric is busy playing the guitar and singing, the piano sort of let Eric take a short rest before continuing singing. Just a nice and warm finish to Furr! Lovely!

Rating: Furr continues from Wild Mountain Nation like a successor. Both albums fare really good and contain some good music for their fans and even new listeners who just starting to explore their music. Fans of country rock are really recommended to add Blitzen Trapper to their music shelves as the music written and composed by them are a new era of country rock where you could hear it clearly in Furr, and even Wild Mountain Nation. Until today, i don’t fancy country music, but Blitzen Trapper has made some really good music here. A very, very good job of modernizing country music so that younger generation like me enjoy it. There was no regret at all for trying Furr, it instantly became one of my favourite albums in 2008. I really like Furr, therefore i’m giving it 7.6 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Sleepytime In The Western World, Gold For Bread, Furr, God & Suicide, Saturday Nite, Black River Killer, War On Machines and Echo/Always On/EZ Con.

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“Tokyo Police Club” are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band from Newmarket, Ontario. Tokyo Police Club were formed in 2005 and they are Dave Monks (Vocals and Bass), Josh Hook (Guitar), Graham Wright (Keyboards) and Greg Alsop (Drums). Their musical genres are mainly indie rock, garage rock and post-punk revival. 

Elephant Shell has a good opening with “Centennial”. In the few seconds upon opening, you can hear the sound of a malfunctioned robot. The robot might be stuck or jammed somewhere, i thought to myself. Shortly, the draggy keyboard and Dave Monks just come in. Centennial is not a fast tempo track, but the guitar and bass seem to be able to work this track out. In the bridge, handclaps joining by keyboard, just come in for a brief second. And that might be one of the best moments on Centennial. At the end, i like Dave Monks goes, “I’m only wishing well, though you won’t believe me, this coming Thursday evening, is our centennial…” and succeeded by wedding-like keyboard. A short opening, but i’m convinced to find out more about Tokyo Police Club. 

“In A Cave” starts with guitar that comes in from afar before joining by In A Cave’s core bassline. Before Dave comes in, the music is already really good. When it comes to the chorus where Dave again goes, “All my hair grows in, wrinkles leave my skin, but still, don’t fade… I’ll be back again when the tide is in some day…”, the keyboard suddenly enters and the rest of Tokyo Police Club can be heard helping Dave out in the background. The second verse gets even fiercer with the guitar and bass, but somehow it’s not loud. It still manages to sound light and effortless. The best bet on In A Cave is definitely the remaining 1 minute after the second chorus. Dave just struts his stuff, “Elephant shell, you’re my cave and I’ve been hiding out, will you tell me a little bit about, a bit about yourself?” and joining him are the guitar, bass, drums and keyboard which play in notes that we first heard in the beginning. Only this time, Tokyo Police Club add some magic to it! Impressive stuff by Tokyo Police Club here! 

From the lyrics of “Graves”, it sounds like a script of a horror movie. “Pack your ashes pack a watch, change of clothes and a face cloth, meet me where your mother lies, we’ll dig graves on both her sides…” The guitar keeps playing in a loop once Graves opens before the drums, bass and keyboard come in all together. A sudden adrenaline rush! Graves is one of those tracks that don’t really have a chorus and relies on the music to drag it or make it a longer track. After Dave’s vocals on the second verse, it feels like Tokyo Police Club are having a short break by playing the music. They really do have a strong liking for keyboards. Nearing the end, Dave just sing to the end accompanied by a howl-like sound that comes on and off. 

“Juno” has some drum beats going on. As Dave sings in the chorus, it looks like there’s a sound in the background which i think is produced by the instrument Xylophone, adding some Christmas feel to it. Reaching the chorus, Juno seems to be turning to keyboard to go along with Dave’s vocals, “You and your soapy eyes, called it off so late at night, but your hand’s on your heart, because your head’s always right…” The Xylophone also plays its part here on a few notes that really complement the chorus. As Juno goes on, it ends on a sudden and tired note, “Juno, you’re tired…” But i’m just getting started to know Tokyo Police Club. 

“Tessellate” has some high and sharp pitched guitar in the beginning. Just as Dave sings each phrase of the verse, the keyboards which possess some catchy ingredients just come in at the right time to make sure we as listeners are having a good time listening to Tessellate. In the chorus, Dave sings with his already-known voice, “… Dead lovers salivate, broken hearts tessellate tonight…” Tokyo Police Club show some effort here by adding hand claps along side to Dave’s voice. The real deal on Tessellate is definitely the sound of the keyboard which always never fails to capture my attention as it’s too good. And at times, it sounds like a piano. Now i just can’t get the sound of it off my head. 

“Sixties Remake” kicks off with some crunchy guitar opening that reminds me of those motorcycles engine on the highway. As this song goes and reaches a point where an exclaimation of “Hey” can be heard, i already knew Sixties Remake is one of the tracks that is going to be my favourite on Elephant Shell. The crunchy guitar is one of the factors that keeps Sixties Remake so good. In the chorus, Dave just goes, “Hey! Bat your lips, shut your eyes… Hey! Swing those chains, and start a fight, because you’ve got nerve, but we’ve got tapped…” This has got to be one of the loudest and crunchiest tracks on the album. 

“The Harrowing Adventures Of…” has me thinking that this is one of the tracks that might be suitable for babies. The xylophone just plays in notes that will make all babies in the world smile upon listening to it. It’s not long before Dave enters the bay twilight zone, “The harrowing adventures of, you and I when we were captains of, submarines made of steel…” When it got to the point that sounds like a chorus, acoustic guitar can be heard playing in a way that blend in so well with the vocals of Dave and xylophone. Two string instruments which sounded like a cello and a violin can also be heard here. I really didn’t expect that to come, but Tokyo Police Club surprise me here. The Harrowing Adventures Of… is undefiantly cute and cheeky in its own way. It will gulp you down slowly. 

“Nursery, Academy” is a short rock track that i find Dave sings on different notes in a few minutes. In the beginning, Dave can be heard singing, “I would’ve gone back home, i would’ve gone back home, it’s bad enough you’re here and it’s worse that you’ve come along…” Smart lyrics i thought. This song begins to pick up in a short while once the bass comes in. Keyboardist Graham must have worked very hard here as the keyboard is all over the place with different notes. Tokyo Police Club are trying very hard on this track to make it sounds as good as possible. I can feel that they work very hard on this track. 

“Your English Is Good” has Tokyo Police Club choiring, “Oh, give us your vote, give us your vote, if you know what’s good for you…” before the whole track sounds very full as the music comes in all together. Your English Is Good is cheeky and cute with the keyboard playing in repetition in the same notes throughout the track. Everytime the keyboard enters, a smile appears on my face. Tokyo Police Club also go together with, “Because your English is good, we can see it in your bones, in this neighborhood, we ain’t driving you home…” With such title, Your English Is Good will definitely catch everyone’s attention in the tracklist section. Plus another good thing is the cute keyboard and choir that are in this track. Sweet and cute! 

“Listen To The Math” has a slow opening where Dave’s voice seems to be the music here. The keyboards and bass add some weight to Dave’s singing as he’s into the second part of the first verse. Once it gets to the chorus, it feels light with the guitar. “It’s a ruse, it’s a laugh, experts they’d agree, listen to the math…” Shortly after the chorus, the guitar switches to a chrunchier note that seems to be able to add some extra effects and weights to Listen To The Math. Another mention is the deep background voice that comes in during the chorus. It just follows Dave’s singing in the background. Listen To The Math can regarded as a ballad that will stick to you like a fungus after a few listenes. 

As the last track on Elephant Shell, “The Baskervilles” has some moments on it that stands out. The choiring moments by Tokyo Police Club is worth mentioning and appear on some parts of the song and never fail to create an impact on the listeners. They would go, “Alright, we tried to help…” As we get further into The Baskervilles, the track starts to pick up and the music just sounds as lively as ever. The guitar and keyboards work their way out here. Even nearing the end, Dave increases his singing tone and yell, “A toast to the last of a dying breed, they’re crawling back to bed, they’re falling back to sleep” to the end. A very strong finish by Tokyo Police Club. 

Cheers! 
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“Albert Hammond, Jr.” is an indie pop/rock artist from Los Angeles, California. He plays the guitar and his favourite guitar instruments are Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul. He is also a guitarist of indie rock band, The Strokes. When he’s with The Strokes, he often plays the rhythm guitar. As he ventures into his side project solo career, he still plays the similar musical soundscape as The Strokes, a bit of garage and indie pop rock. 

Como Te Llama opens with a very guitar-oriented “Bargain Of A Century”. The beginning few seconds, i can hear the bass as if it’s running on a open field. Once the music catches on, you can hear the banjo beginning to play. When Albert Hammond, Jr. takes the stage, he sings in an energy-less voice. The guitar did a very good job in helping out this track. Well, this is how Albert Hammod, Jr. sings right? Very similar to the style of Julian Casablancas.  

“In My Room” is a more lively track. The beginning guitar shows some rocking sense. Albert Hammond, Jr. will sing, and the guitar will follow, complementing each other. From here, the music rhythm also shows some similarities to the music of The Strokes. When the chorus comes, Albert goes, “I miss you already…” The second verse of In My Room carries a more lively and energetic approach, and then the whole track just follow through. The ending 30 seconds you can also hear some sounds of organ jamming with the sounds of guitars. A great way to end!  

“Lisa” has a steady beginning where you can hear the music getting fuller as the seconds go by. It starts off with drums, and then followed by a groovy bass line, next is the guitar which sounds like it’s playing in an overlapping loop. A few seconds after Albert Hammond, Jr. enters for the verse, the piano just come with a four-note sound that blends in very well with Lisa. It’s very cute to hear the piano keeps doing that throughout the track. Lisa has its moments where the guitars and piano sound really catchy. During the break, violin comes in and sort of transforms Lisa from a catchy tune to an emotional tune. I would say this track is like eating you slowly… Really sweet and cute here!  

“GfC” sounds very cute at the beginning with the trademark guitar work by Albert Hammond, Jr. And when the chorus comes, i like the bass that is going on in the background as Albert keeps singing. The verse of GfC builds the tempo and the pace, and only shows Albert’s shouts and screams in the chorus. After the second chorus, the guitar solo can be heard before GfC ends in a similar way as it opens. This is really good!  

“The Boss Americana” begins with heavy and slow guitar work before Albert Hammond, Jr. comes in at the verse. This song is kind of loud compared to the previous four songs. The guitar riff in the verse has some 90s elements in it which recalls me of rock songs from the 90s. The chorus in contrast, is softer where Albert goes, “I won’t know, if i won’t ask you to stay, would you let me go, and i will have your way….” The rhythm guitar in the background really resembles to those of The Strokes, you would accidentally think that this track is performed by The Strokes if you didn’t look at the artist behind this track.  

The first few seconds of “Rocket” will have you think that this is going to be an explosive track. When the march-like drums come in, Albert Hammond, Jr. just goes on repeating, “Oh my rocket…” At some points throughout this track, some howls can be heard here and there. Before the second verse, the guitar pluckings that come in is really good. It stands out from the rhythm and music. This song is sort of draggy and slow, like a slow rock track.  

“Victory At Monterey” has a very groovy bassline accompanied by some space-like soundscape. When the chorus comes, the guitar and bass work like bread and butter. It just gives an impression that Victory At Monterey is shifting into another gear and at a different speed level. The bass in this track is sexy as well, after a while, you would think that you’re listening to some dance/electronic track in a club. It makes you want to get up and dance. Victory At Monterey is a track that deems not to be missed, Albert Hammond, Jr. just hit you with this music piece. Wish i can have more of this…  

“You Won’t Be Fooled By This” is a track that has clear guitar riffs. The singing of Albert Hammond, Jr. is often than not, drown out by the sound of the guitar. The echoic guitar is very consistent from start to finish. Only in the chorus, where Albert goes on a repetitive mode, “You won’t be fooled by this…”, the music changes slightly where the guitar strums into another note which sounds much lighter. Violin also creates a special appearance in the second chorus and in the last 30 seconds, the group howling is really something that stands out in You Won’t Be Fooled By This. Love the ending!  

“Spooky Couch” is an over seven minutes long instrumental track. It has a dreamland soundscape that would make you think as if you’re in a dream world. The guitar in this track just comes in on and off as the track flows through. Spooky Couch doesn’t sound like what the title suggest, for me it’s just plain gorgeous. Sean Lennon is a featured guest on this track where he plays the piano. All together, they make Spooky Couch one of the most beautiful tracks on the album. The remaining 1:30 minutes will just blow you away, so be really indulged with Spooky Couch. A surprise by Albert Hammond, Jr. Soothingly beautiful!  

“Borrowed Time” is a reggae-ish track, bringing you the atmosphere and feeling of the beautiful Hawaiian island. The keyboards in this track just work closely with the guitar, creating a unique sound between them. When the chorus comes, the track just turn up the tempo and Albert Hammond, Jr. just howls and moans. Without much singing, Borrowed Time is just another fine track.  

“G Up” has it going on with the guitar work that really resembles The Strokes’. Even the way Albert Hammond, Jr. sings just keeps reminding me of The Strokes. The guitar in this track hardly stops and rests, it just keeps playing in a very consistent manner. I pay more attention to the music and rhythm of this track rather than the singing of Albert. If you listen carefully, the guitar on this track sounds like a fast version of a reggae guitar. Fierce yet soft.  

“Miss Myrtle” has really good guitar sound. It lets you chill to the music itself. As Albert Hammond, Jr. sings, the guitar just helps Albert out with the repetitive strum of the guitar. The process of it is really good. As the chorus comes, the whole track just gets louder and the guitar riff that you first hear in the beginning just comes back and follows Albert’s singing. It’s simple, but really good. A happy track for anyone wanting to brighten up their day.  

“Feed Me Jack Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Peter Sellers” is the last track on Como Te Llama. Albert Hammond, Jr. decideds to have a ballad to close the album. This track starts off with piano and soon joined by violin as Albert sings on. Perhaps this is the track that we see Albert sings with his heart and passionately. As it gets nearer to the end, Albert screams as the music plays on and fades. Just another way to end the night.  

Cheers! 
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“The Futureheads” are a four-piece English post-punk revival band from Sunderland. Their unique band name, “The Futureheads” comes from one of The Flaming Lips record called “Hit To Death In The Future Head”. The Futureheads consist of Barry Hyde (Vocals and Guitar), David Craig (Bass and Backing Vocals, also known as Jaff), Ross Millard (Guitar and Backing Vocals) and Dave Hyde (Drums and Backing Vocals, younger brother of Dave and also replaced former member of The Futureheads, Peter Brewis). And according to Channel 4’s 4 Music, Barry Hyde revealed that Dave was given a guitar as a gift by their parents when they were young. However, Barry took the guitar away from Dave to learn his first strum on the guitar. As a result, Dave was left with nothing, he had to take up the drums.

This Is Not The World is really an album that keeps the tempo going, never in a second This Is Not The World slow the tempo down. It’s full of energy, handclaps, guitar, drums and everything that keeps you going and rocking to This Is Not The World. It’s very hype!

This Is Not The World by The Futureheads launched its opening with the groovy and anthemic “The Beginning of The Twist”. Barry goes, “It’s time to wake up, it’s time to change, let’s get it started… I can feel it, i conceal it, i can feel it coming, the beginning of the twist…” From the lyrics, i can tell that The Futureheads are ready for a new chapter in their life, a new beginning, a new year and a wholelot of new troubles to overcome. There’s no space to breath in The Beginning of The Twist, only space to groove along with it and to enjoy it! Crazy opener!

“Walking Backwards” is another anthemic indie rock song. “Walking backwards, with nothing to say, walking backwards, so get out of the way…” As if The Futureheads wish they could turn back the times and undo the things that they did. Similarly to the first track, this song is full of non-stop guitar riffing, drums pounding, bass playing. Two rockable songs in a row that will definitely get you up and rock along. No doubt, if you’re going to a gig, you are looking forward to have a good time. Well, you can rock, dance, groove and sing with Walking Backwards.

The third track off This Is Not The World is called “Think Tonight”. Yet again, it doesn’t slow the tempo down, it builds your tempo further up and keep yours momentum going. “You will never find anyone, to come along and take you by surprise, because you’ve had too much to think tonight”, Barry yells and sings at the chorus. Think Tonight is more of a complicated yet romantic indie punk rock song. If you pay attention to the lyrics, you’ll know what The Futureheads are trying to express. This song is all about a girl…

Wow, “Radio Heart” starts with some infectious drum beats that you already knew at the moment, this song is going to be brilliant! And voila, it gets better at the chorus. The verses are catchy in a way, guitar and bass playing at the same times. When Barry sings, “Go with the radio heart…” A faint distance of “wooo wooo” can be heard. It sounds like some special instrument, or is it the rest of The Futureheads are making that voices or sound? One thing is for sure, the vocals are harmonized in Radio Heart! Brilliant!

“This Is Not the World” has a non-stop guitar plucking and bass playing sound to it, reminding me of Blink 182. It can be clearly heard during the verses, as if The Futureheads are not tired of playing it. Which is a good thing, as i don’t want the tempo to be slowed down, i’m enjoying it. So far so good! “This is not the world, this is not the end, this is not a crime…” Great Anthem!

Another amazing track called “Sale of the Century”. From the beginning, the guitar already impressed me. So what do i do? I just sit back, relax and let Sale of the Century rock me in my rocked chair. Up till the sixth track of the album, This Is Not The World shows no signs of slowing down. It just keeps on rocking us, the listeners and the audience. Barry’s voice in this track sounds sarcastic, especially during the verses. When it comes to the chorus, the rest of The Futureheads backed Barry up with, “ah ah ah…” Sale of the Century is full of loud guitars, drums and bass. I find loud is The Futureheads’ cup of tea.

“Hard to Bear” is another anthemic track from The Futureheads. The starting with the drums rolling, it sounds like a song used in a march. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a very good song. “Hard to bear… Difficult to watch… Hard not to care… When it means so much…” It’s about a guy who has just broken up with his girlfriend, therefore it’s hard to bear. However, I can imagine a group of armies marching together and singing to this track. Hm, it can even be edited, and re-composed to a patriotic anthem. Just a suggestion..

I like how “Work Is Never Done” begins. The bass is kind of cute, and the guitar keeps playing. From start to finish, the music is brilliant! It’s about the stress and pressure of working in the city, by the end of the day, whatever stress and pressure we have gone through, our work has yet to be done. And this time, it’s Ross who takes the lead. What a turn, perhaps Barry needs a break after all of the yelling and screaming. “The city’s getting bigger, but everybody slowly moves away, your accent gets thicker, the blood is getting thinner everyday…” Sounds scary?

“Broke Up the Time” starts off with a bang. This track sounds like it has two parts. The verse and the chorus, everytime The Futureheads reaches the chorus, the music changes, great playing by them. They make it looks so easy. “We broke up the time and put the pieces in a different order…” Whenever in chorus, Barry sounds as if he has no time to breath. It’s such a long sentence to sing out, but the music made him. And we all enjoy it.

“Everything’s Changing Today” is catchy in its own way. When it comes to the chorus, “Everything’s changing today, getting further and further away…” You can hear the background voices, where they go like the sounds of crows. Really! It’s not a bad thing, it’s something great if you can have some varieties to your music. What to expect from this track? It’s telling the story about a girl who always does the same things everyday, who never wants to change… Until today… The lyrics are hard to understand, but the music is still great.

“Sleet” is another track that reminds me of Blink 182 at the beginning. With some little but non-stop pluck-playing of the guitar throughout the track. It’s kinda cute whenever The Futureheads do that. When the chorus comes, the guitar plays a big role in making this a catchy song. “Let’s go to sleep, but let’s not go to bed..” Hm, some hidden meaning behind it. This song is cute, at times, you will enjoy its start stop playing of music.

“See What You Want” is the last track on This Is Not The World. It’s not a bad way and song to end the album as well. After a few listens, this song has the potential to be a hit and an anthem. We can go, “See what you want to see, but don’t reflect what you can’t see in me..” I like the way The Futureheads played the guitar throughour this whole, especially the one that really stands out, you know what i mean when you listen to See What You Want. It’s like plucking just a single string of a guitar. It goes, “doiiinnngg..”. It’s funny yet so good to listen to.

Rating: If i can only choose one good thing to say about This Is Not The World by The Futureheads, i would definitely say the energy. You see from start to finish, there wasn’t a chance for me to rest and close my eyes. As soon as one track is finished, the track that follows next kept me up again. If you found yourself sleepy but aren’t able to go to bed due to work or other reasons, please listen to This Is Not The World. You’d be glad that you have made a wise decision. Compared to The Futureheads’ last album, News and Tributes. This Is Not The World showcased The Futureheads at their best, playing raw post-punk revival and writing some really catchy songs along the way. You will not find varieties in This Is Not The World, it’s a very consistent album that will please fans of The Futureheads. No doubt about that! I would be stupid if i were to say i’m not enjoying This Is Not The World. It’s truly loud and groovy and anthemic! What else more! I truly rate it 7.3 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Radio Heart, Work Is Never Done, See What You Want, Sale of the Century and Walking Backwards.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

“Snow Patrol” are a five-piece Irish/Scottish indie/alternative rock band from Dundee. Snow Patrol were formed way back in 1994 and currently the band consists of Gary Lightbody (Vocals and Guitar), Nathan Connolly (Guitar and Backing Vocals), Paul Wilson (Bass), Jonny Quinn (Drums) and Tom Simpson (Keyboards). Snow Patrol were originally known as in indie rock band but have moved to a more alternative rock and power pop sound. 

A Hundred Million Suns opens with “If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It”. It starts off in the distance with the help of synthesizers and gradually sounds louder and gets into the track when the correct momentum hits on. When the guitar comes on, it sounds really good before Gary comes on with his trademark husky yet soft vocals. As Gary sings, the background music carries on and hit a high when Gary goes, “A fire a fire, you can only take what you can carry… A pulse your pulse, it’s the only thing I can remember…” Snow Patrol also gear up the tempo in this part. The remaining 1 minute, If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It just gets louder and Snow Patrol add some background howls as Gary sings to the end… Great appetizer here… 

“Crack The Shutters” begins with delicate piano-playing. Gary’s voice just works so fine with the piano in the verse. In the chorus,the drums just pound on and Gary goes, “Crack the shutters open wide, i want to bathe you in the light of day… And just watch you as the rays, tangle around your face and body…” The guitar also joins in here and the whole track opens to a new tempo and it sounds more lively. It’s not a fast track overall, but it will work on anybody, including you. Believe me. 

Once “Take Back The City” starts, the guitar just makes me think that this track could be big. I was instantly connected to Take Back The City. The guitar of Snow Patrol just knows how to blend in so well into this track. With the style they’re playing, Take Back The City should have sounded loud and fierce. But Snow Patrol know what we like about them, and they did it again with this track. They never fail to rock and at the same time, remain as soft and lovely as ever. In the chorus where Gary goes, “It’s a mess, it’s a start, it’s a flawed work of art, your city, your call…”, you would be treated with a repetition of rocking guitar riffs that complement its way to Gary’s vocals. Snow Patrol are having a rocking good time with this track, i can definitely feel it. 

“Lifeboats” has some steady guitars going on in the beginning. As the guitar is playing, Gary just comes in and starts singing with his lovely husky voice. No doubt, i like the rhythm of Lifeboats here. Very good stuff! The music just joined by a bass when it comes to certain point that we find Gary goes, “Flashed up in my wildest dreams, like red blood streams, stretch up like vast skies… The veins of you, the veins of me, like gold forest trees… Pushing through and on and in…” Shortly after that, i like the violin-like sound that comes on and off as Gary sings on. If just feels so great listening to it. Lifeboats is one of the tracks that will impress after a few listens. It’s slow and catchy in a way that might give you a wake up call and get you to hit the replay button when the song is nearing the end. And what an ending as well! 

“The Golden Floor” has some hand claps going on in the beginning as the guitar plays on in the background. Gary just enters with his vocals not long after The Golden Floor has started. Throughout this track, the hand claps give an impression that they’re replacing the drums even though the drums are being played on this track, but can hardly be heard as the hand claps overwhelmed it by miles. Snow Patrol are very consistent in The Golden Floor, some may find it dull, and some might like it. Still you just have to try The Golden Floor in order to find out. 

“Please Just Take These Photos from My Hands” brings the tempo back again. The non-stop guitar strumming seem to be the core element that keeps this song going on as Gary just sings his usual stuffs. In the chorus, the guitar takes on a different riff with high tweak as Gary let it out with, “When all this actual life played out? Where the hell on Earth was I? I rack my brains but it won’t come…” It seems that Snow Patrol already got their trademark guitar sound as i always catch them playing in the same guitar style in almost every fast track. As the song is ending, Gary just sings in repetition, “Please just take these photos from my hands…” One of those tracks that reminds me of “Spitting Games” from the album Final Straw. 

“Set Down Your Glass” is a track that brings Snow Patrol from a fast tempo track to a slower tempo track. There are not many instruments being used in Set Down Your Glass, the most obvious sounds are the guitar’s and the vocals of Gary Lightbody. He just possesses the voice of a beautiful ballad and love song singer. I bet Gary would also do incredibly fine if this song were an acapella version. Set Down Your Glass just shows his vocals strength here. Pretty lovely! 

“The Planets Bend Between Us” to me is a beautiful love song ballad. And the lyrics itself contain the album title, “A hundred million suns…” Gary makes an impact with his voice here in the vocals, “I will race you to the waterside, and from the edge of Ireland shout out loud, so they could hear it in America, it’s all for you…” The part where Gary sings, “It’s all for you…” is the best part of all. I just love the way Gary extend his vocals on the word, “You…” Beautiful and love ballad over here, shows Snow Patrol are capable of writing such meaningful and thought-provoking song that manages to capture every person’s heart. This song will melt you, pamper you and the best of all, touch you. 

“Engines” has some howls going on in the beginning before joined by high-pitching guitar riff. After each phrase of singing by Gary, the high pitch guitar riff can be heard in a way that’s almost similar to a dessert after a sumptuous main course. In the chorus, a second guitar can be heard and it possesses fairy tale-like element as it plays on in the chorus along side with Gary’s vocals. One more thing that’s worth mentioning is the cleverly written lyrics, “You say you love me like the silence of the turning earth, you say you love me like the endless roar of modern of life, you say you love me like the laughter and the kissed back tears, you say you love me like the past the now the coming years…” No other word can describe this lyrics except beautiful, unless you can find a better word. 

“Disaster Button” has a fast-paced little guitar in the opening. It sounds like it’s getting up the stairs in small steps. Gary just sings as if he were speaking. When it reaches the right momentum, the whole track seems to be taking off in a loud and fast mode and still, Gary just sings on without using much strength, “Throw forward to later, you look light on your feet, when you whirled in the room, i was nailed to my seat…” The guitars of Snow Patrol seems to be enjoying their part by playing it loud most of the time on Disaster Button. Instead of Disaster Button, this song should be called “Explosion Button” due to its loudness and energy in this track. 

“The Lightning Strike” ends A Hundred Million Suns with a track that contains three different tracks and it’s over 16 minutes long all together. First track is called “What If This Storm Ends?”. It starts with some steady piano playing for a while before Gary enters with this vocals. As he sings, the music seems to get enriched with instruments like horn and trombone. It doesn’t really have a chorus, just a line of words where Gary sings through. Not a bad first track of a three-track song. Entering the second track, it’s called “Sunlight Through the Flags”. As it continues from “What If This Storm Ends?”, it has a faster-paced piano in the beginning. The deal here is when it comes to a point where the guitar just comes in with a slow looping guitar riff in the background as Gary goes, “Worry not everything is sound, this is the safest place you’ve found, the only noise beating out is ours, lacing our tea from honey jars…” In the end, this track just ends with the piano it first played in the beginning. Come to the third track of “The Lightning Strike”, “Daybreak” leverages on synthesizers for its opening. As Gary enters the verse here, each phrase of the verse is sung with an extending and pulling vocals. The music suddenly takes a different turn with the bass coming in with a more obvious sound after the first verse. As it gets further into this track, Snow Patrol just focus more on the music and the most obvious sound is the guitar where again it can be heard playing in a way that Snow Patrol are always known for. A very ambitious ending by Snow Patrol! 

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“Vampire Weekend” are an American four-piece indie band from New York that was formed in 2006. There are four members in Vampire Weekend, which include Ezra Koenig (Lead Vocal and Guitar), Rostam Batmanglij (Guitar, Keyboard and Backing Vocal), Chris Tomson (Drums and Backing Vocal) and Chris Baio (Bass and Backing Vocal). Vampire Weekend’s music genre are mostly indie pop and a little bit of African music influence, which is called Afro-pop. It’s very obvious in their music that they don’t belong to any rock genre. Many people would have wondered how they have decided on their band being called Vampire Weekend, it’s a question to be answered. According to LimeWire Music Blog, Vampire Weekend was derived from one of Ezra’s amateur films, which was also of the same name. You’ve guessed it.

Vampire Weekend is something you don’t hear everyday. If you’re looking for something fresh, something friendly to the ears, something cute, then you’re at the right place. You’ll love Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend is really cute at “Mansard Roof”. Some non-stop drum beats, clever percussion, catchy and cute guitar hooks. There were some moments that their guitar playing styles reminded me of The Strokes. Mansard Roof is a very short song, but it will definitely haunt you in a good way. After listening it for the first time, i always i always hit “previous” button. Reason? Mansard Roof is suitable for anyone at anytime.

“Oxford Comma” has a catchy and steady drum beats to it. It’s a song that will surely but slowly grow into you. And what i found out was that, this song is actually a very good song to sing along. Imagine you’re having a karaoke session with your friend, Oxford Comma would definitely be a darling for anyone to sing. It’s not a fast track where anyone couldn’t catch their breath when singing, and it’s not those tracks that require high pitching voices. During the break of this song, the guitar solo was cute yet great. I found myself smiling whenever that part comes along. “Lil’ Jon, he always tells the truth..” I’m having Vampire Weekend Comma.

“A-Punk” is a fast track. The guitar on this track is fast and definitely piercing. I can’t really imagine myself playing guitar on A-Punk. It’s like you couldn’t stop even for a second! There was an instrument that sounded like a flute, or even organ, or even some DJ equipments everytime Ezra went, “Look outside at the raincoats coming, say OH…” in a repetition manner. And it’s really good. From the lyrics, i’m guessing that Vampire Weekend are singing about a girl whose lover is no longer around. A cute and fast track which can’t be missed.

“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” is somewhat similar to Oxford Comma. It started off slow and soft, later on when it picked up the tempo. It’s not loud, just that it sounds much fuller in its music. If you listen carefully, you’d realize the numerous instruments being played in this song. But Vampire Weekend just made it sound so simple, and so good to listen too. Being not so familiar with the African sound and don’t really know how it sounds like. Somehow, i can feel that this song has the African influence mixed with the Western Modern music, making it one of the memorable tracks on Vampire Weekend. Oh you know the part that i like? It’s when Ezra sang in the chorus, “But this feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel too..” I love it even more when Ezra did it twice. And oh ya, the cello in Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa would sound better even if compared to a bass. Yet again, everyone would definitely love this track, from young to old, girls to boys. Magnificent! The ending part where you’d find the whole Vampire Weekend moaning in a melody-like voices and howls, it’s simply too good!

“M79″ got me thinking that this would be a really great rock tune. However i was proved wrong, not only it was not a rock song. It was a track with really cute music that leveraged on the instruments like violin and violin, which would normally be seen or heard in an orchestra performance. But this time, you have it in Vampire Weekend. It’s really amazing to see a four-piece indie band from New York capable of writing and producing such instant hit and classic. Just imagine playing this track in a prom, i think the crowd would appreciate that the fact M79 is neither a rock song nor love song. It’s just a fun song with really good music for everyone to enjoy. I can’t help myself but imagining what would it be like to have M79 included in The Sound of The Music or even Mary Poppin. Definitely a song that will be remembered for a long long time. Oh ya, even my parents find M79 gorgeous!

“Campus” is another really catchy song with some clever lyrics. The bass keeps repeating in the verses and when it comes to the chorus, “How am I supposed to pretend, i never want to see you again, how am I supposed to pretend, i never want to see you again…” The guitar playing style which really resembles The Strokes’, was on again. But this time is louder than those of Mansard Root. Not only that, it has some electronic elements to it which made it stand out as well. The fact that i like this song is that i find it really has some good music going on and it really blend in well with the singing.

“Bryn” started off with some really high pitched guitar sounds accompanied with steady drum beats. The longer i got into Bryn, the more i love Bryn. Throughout the whole track, the guitar can only be heard after both verses. And there were some instruments being played in the background in a constant note and key, my guess would be an organ. Somehow, i don’t know why, but it keeps bugging me to think that the sound of the guitar found in Bryn is similar to the sound of a Bagpipe.

Vampire Weekend continued with “One (Blake’s Got a New Face)”. This track has some disco/club feel with it. The drum beats on this track is somewhat like those you’d hear in a march. Sound kind of patriotic. The real thing is that when listening to this song, my mind tells me as if i were in a club or disco, just chilling and dancing. The rest of the Vampire Weekend did a good job as well where they did a backup vocal whenever Ezra sings at the chorus, “Blake’s got a new face..” But hey, at times i really do sing “Blake’s got a new face” in the shower, in my bedroom or even driving. Such a powerful phrase!

“I Stand Corrected” has a fairy tale feel-like at the beginning and it started slow. And honestly, it sounded like “Little House of Savages” by The Walkmen. The beginning of these both songs are so similar. Overall, it sounded like a sad song. The tempo began to pick up when the chorus came in, “I stand corrected..” The break has a really sad sound to it when Ezra went, “Lord knows I haven’t tried, i’ll take my stand, one last time, forget the protocol, i’ll take your hand, right in mine.” Accompanied by the violin, i can feel the sadness in this this song. One of the songs that let me feel in.

Before the last track, “Walcott” has some really strong and fast piano going on. And no, this is not the player of the football club, Arsenal. It has got nothing to do with Theo Walcott. It’s just a song named Walcott. From the lyrics, i can tell that Ezra is singing about a desperate boy named Walcott who is desperately wanting to get out of Cape Cod, or rather, hoping to get out of Cape Cod. There are some evil lyrics to be found in Walcott, “The Lobster’s Claw is sharp as knives, evil feasts on human lives, the Holy Roman Empire roots for you.” Sound evil enough? One of Vampire Weekend’s strengths is definitely their creativity!

The normal Vampire Weekend album ends with “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance”. It’s a rather slow and catchy track and you can hear the drums echo here and there throughout the whole track, as mentioned earlier. It’s really not that bad, and most people would not have noticed it. The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance has a slow but catchy bass at the beginning. I like the guitar, it sounded sloppy and lazy. Just nicely suit the tempo of this track. Organ and violin can also be heard here and there, making this song more than just great. The last 1:48 minutes was pure instrumental, and need i say more? It’s perfectly played and arranged! Especially the violin.

Rating: Vamipre Weekend is definitely a band to watch out for in the years to come. They are one of the few bands that created and added new sound to their music. Compared to those being played on the radio and even TV, Vampire Weeked stand out in miles. Everything sounded fresh on Vampire Weekend. From start to finish, they were just having fun and playing some really awesome and amazing tunes. Before this, i thought they were just another indie band with nothing new to offer, but they proved me wrong, big time. It’s really very seldom that we stumble upon such band. As musicians, they really have awed me from head to toe. And as listener myself, it’s really an once in a blue moon occasion where i listened to something that i have never listened to before in my circle of genre. However, the only thing that is preventing Vampire Weekend from being a perfect album is that they lack a hit anthem. Franz Ferdinand had their hit anthem when they released their debut, it was called “Take Me Out. Arctic Monkey’s very own anthem from their debut was “A Certain Romance”. But that’s not going to stop me from looking forward to listen to Vampire Weekend every morning upon waking up from my bed. You might say that i’m crazy, but i’d still listen to Vampire Weekend no matter what, everyday. An amazing band that added new music influence from other continent to their music, definitely one of the best album in 2008. 8.5 out of 10 may be too high of a rating, but honestly, they deserve more.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Mansard Roof, Oxford Comma, A-Punk, Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, M79, Campus, Bryn, One (Blake’s Got A New Face), Walcott and The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

“Franz Ferdinand” are a four-piece Scottish indie rock band hailed from Glasgow, Scotland. They are frontman Alex Kapranos (Vocals and Guitar), Nick McCarthy (Guitar, Keyboards and Backing Vocals), Bob Hardy (Bass) and Paul Thomson (Drums). Their music genres include indie rock, post-punk revival and dance rock. Franz Ferdinand derived their name from historical figure Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Franz Ferdinand are back after a four-year wait. With their third full-length Tonight, i would say this album is worth the wait! They’re back with broader musical scope, they’re experimenting music and they’re having fun! Franz Ferdinand is back to rock us!

Delicious Tonight kicks off with the ever sexy “Ulysses”. Alex’s voice is sexy in a steady pace. The opening drum beats is very catchy, you would fall in love with this track once the music starts. Franz Ferdinand started off taking little steps with Alex’s improved vocals. I have never heard Alex singing in such way, Ulysses is sexy and sweaty. The music itself has shown Franz Ferdinand’s desire to add in some new aspects into their sound. “Come on let’s get high, come on let’s get high…” Franz Ferdinand has got to be the sexiest band on the dance floor!

“Turn It On” is another track that continues to make the ladies on the dance floor asking for more. The bass and guitar on this track are too irresistible. In the chorus, the backing vocals really complement Alex’s singing. Alex will go, “Although I know you turn it on yeah…” The rest of Franz Ferdinand will go “Turn it on…” Just amazing to hear Franz Ferdinand do that! Turn It On is like a dance club anthem where it never fails to get the crowd moving their body in a sense of appreciation of the music by Franz Ferdinand. Turn it on now with Franz Ferdinand!

“No You Girls” has some repetitive catchy guitar and bass hooks. The music throughout No You Girls is just simply awesome. The lyrics are smartly crafted as well, “Kiss me where your eye won’t meet me, meet me where your mind won’t kiss me…” The chorus also brings us another mesmerizing moment. It’s anthemic, sexy and catchy. The handclaps, guitar, organ and team-vocals are the climax here. “You girls never know, oh no, you girls’ll never know, no you girls never know, how you make a boy feel…” It’s loud and danceable! Dancing to a rock tune really requires lot of energy!

“Send Him Away” is soft danceable rock track where you would see Alex takes on a softer vocals approach. On every album of Franz Ferdinand, there would be songs that slow the tempo down, in other words, let our ears take a short rest from all the hype going on throughout the album. Send Him Away managed to do just that. I find it sweet and cute with the guitar that has a slight country element in it. In the last 1:12 minutes, Alex just sings, “Oh, can’t you let me stay tonight…” until it fades while the guitar just does the opposite as it gets louder near the end.

“Twilight Omens” starts off with scary-like string instrument that sounds like a banjo. It sort of brings back the atmosphere of those classical horror movies. Overall Twilight Omens brings you back to the 60s/70s. The way Franz Ferdinand sing throughout this track reflect the old days as well. A journey back to the past perhaps. Only this time, they do it with the influence of electronic music. Rocking old times!

“Bite Hard” begins slowly with the piano-playing and Alex’s breathy vocals. Once it reaches the right pace, the guitar, bass and drums just come in and it would surely wake you up instantly! In between, i like the organ that plays along, it just happens to be at the right place at the right time to make Bite Hard sounds more complete. The music also has a very heavy bass line that is so suitable on the dance floor. Nearing the end, Franz Ferdinand just keep getting louder, “Well I never, well I never, well I never know… I just had to taste their honey…” I think i’m getting up and dance!

“What She Came For” is also another track that contains heavy bass line, but this time is on mid-tempo pace. There are also some electronic elements in this track which Franz Ferdinand use throughout Tonight. At times, without the vocals of Alex, i find What She Came For cute and cheeky. The chorus hits a high with the group vocals of “Wow, look out, know what she came for. Know what she came for. No question, no doubt. Wow, look out, know what she came for…” And the background music, if you listen carefully, there’s a faint organ-playing. What She Came For also features Rosie Wilson on the vocals contribution part. Towards the end, Franz Ferdinand just go for the maximum volume and rock it hard with the guitars. I absolutely fancy this crazily cheeky yet rockable track.

“Live Alone” sort of reminds me of “You’re The Reason I’m Leaving” from “You Could Have It So Much Better”. At times, Gwen Stefani’s “What You’re Waiting For” just crosses my mind. Franz Ferdinand’s usage of synthesizers is very significant in this track as well. The guitar just comes in on and off as to follow the beat and rhythm of this track. And again, Live Alone is being sung in a way that’ll bring you back to the 60s/70s. The good old days are just getting popular nowadays. “You know that i’ll be here, i’ll be here wishing i could be there…” Nice paradox.

“Can’t Stop Feeling” is funnily good! The music in this track is really catchy, especially the instrument that sounds like a bass or maybe a synthesizers, and the beats that sound like a djembe’s which creates an atmosphere of African music. The music is funnily catchy and the moment you hear it, you can’t help but smile faintly. The singing of Can’t Stop Feeling is similarly catchy too. I like the part where Alex goes, “And you leave me here on my own, yeah you leave me here on the floor, you can’t feel it, and you can’t feel it… Anymore…” Just can’t stop listening to Can’t Stop Feeling.

“Lucid Dreams” sounds like a pure electronic track, which differs greatly from the non-album version. Franz Ferdinand are creating a new sound for themselves with Lucid Dreams here and it clocks in at over seven minutes long. From what i listen here, it’s clearly a remixed version of the non-album version. It goes directly to the chorus and climax without the normal build-up. The second half is pure music with heavy electronic elements and some guitar-playing. Franz Ferdinand are reborn again here.

In “Dream Again”, is a ballad that sees Franz Ferdinand have it soft and slow. At times, Alex can be heard singing in a robotic and echoic voice, “I live to dream again…” If you listen carefully, there’s no guitar in this track, just some beats created by synthesizers. Dream Again will take some time for you to grow into it, even if you’re not into it, you’d still appreciate Dream Again. Sweet and lovely track here.

Franz Ferdinand end Tonight with the acoustic “Katherine Kiss Me”. Alex sings with his heart here. He can be heard singing and strumming his guitar away. During the break, the piano comes in at the perfect time to complement Katherine Kiss Me. This track has the story-telling quality where you can clearly hear the voice of Alex as he sings and then you can figure out the meaning of this song. Franz Ferdinand present it with style and manage to close the chapter of Tonight on a soft note.

Rating: Tonight proved that Franz Ferdinand are exploring new musical elements rather than sticking back to their normal indie rock and post-punk revival. This time, Franz Ferdinand added electronic and slight african influences into their third full-length album. It’s always good to know that one of your favourite indie artists/bands are trying or creating something new and fresh. Franz Ferdinand have this ability to make new sound and at the same time, sounding the same. When it comes to creating catchy and danceable melody, Franz Ferdinand are always a force to be reckoned with. They are evolving with every album, and yet still manage to maintain their catchy trademark. If you’re a fan of Franz Ferdinand, you’ll be glad that you have included the right band into your all time favourite bands list. If not, you better be one now! Another achievement by Franz Ferdinand, 7.8 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Ulysses, Turn It On, No You Girls, Send Him Away, Bite Hard, What She Came For, Can’t Stop Feeling and Katherine Kiss Me.

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

“Weezer” are a four-piece American indie/alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California and they were formed way back in 1992. As to date, Weezer comprise Rivers Cuomo (Vocals and Guitar), Patrick Wilson (Drums and Vocals), Brian Bell (Guitar and Vocals) and Scott Shriner (Bass and Vocals). 

Weezer (The Red Album) has a crunchy opening with “Troublemaker”. The opening guitar strumming sounds like “The Good Life” from Pinkerton. Rivers just sings in a fast pace to catch up with the guitar and drum beat. While singing the verse, the bass will come in at certain beats and produces sounds as if the thunder is going to strike. It’s very catchy how Rivers’ vocals and the guitar work together. When it gets to the chorus, Weezer will just go, “I’m a troublemaker, never been a faker, doing things my own way, and never giving up, i’m a troublemaker, not a doubletaker, i don’t have the patience to keep it on the up…” It has this vibe that makes you want to sing along. Simple but amazing opener, just sets the right mood on! 

“The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)” is a track that has a variety of musical composition. Suddenly it’s this, and suddenly it’s that. It’s like listening to a few tracks which have been re-composed and re-produced to a single track. It has the Weezer rapping, singing, choiring and yelling at different parts of the song. Although with the varieties going on, The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn) just sounds good. It’s a wild yet smooth ride throughout a track that’s over 5 minutes long. Weezer are really beyond where they normally are. 

“Pork And Beans” opens with really cute and catchy guitar hook. I just like the squeaky sound that sounds like a pig’s squeak during the verses. It works very well with the guitar as well. The second verse contain a piece of lyrics that caught my eyes, “Everyone likes to dance to a happy song, with a catchy chorus and beat so they can sing along, Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts, maybe if i work with him i can perfect the art…” The chorus on Pork And Beans is totally different from the verse. It has Rivers singing on a heavier tone and the music just explodes and gets louder. And brings the normal and old Weezer back. To me, Weezer always sound good no matter how new and old they are. 

Weezer has it slow and soft with “Heart Songs”. Once Rivers breaks the silence and enters the verse. The whole song just comes together. As he sings the verse he mentioned a number of popular artists whom he grew up listening to that have influenced his musical style. Before the bridge comes, Weezer are so soft, so smooth and so friendly to our ear. The music and everything else just floats on like clouds. When the bridge comes, they just take on a stronger tone and violin can be heard playing as well, lifting Heart Songs onto a powerful finish. Otherwise, it’s all smooth and “These are the songs… They never feel wrong, and when I wake for goodness sake… These are the songs I keep singing…” Lovely and lovely! 

“Everybody Get Dangerous” is a really dangerous track! With the guitar work that is going at the same speed with Rivers’ vocal. It’s very catchy to just listen to the vocals. The chorus just gets better with “Everybody get dangerous… (Boo yah)” It’d drag you to sing along with Weezer. In the background of the verses, you can listen to the sounds created by samplers and synthesizers. It features the fast guitar riffs that if you listen on earphones, the sound would keep circling from left to right. Cool effect! The last 30 seconds which features some yelling and drums are all that needed to end this energy-pumped track. 

“Dreamin’” features vocals from Brian. Dreamin’ is a simple rock track that will bring you back to the old successful days of Weezer when they just got started into making and playing music. The guitar and bass sound somewhat lazy just as Rivers breaks into the verse. When the bridge comes, Weezer just shift into a lower gear and have it slow. Brian can be heard here where he would sing after Rivers on every phrase. The ending guitar plays in a slower version of the guitar that we have heard in the beginning. Just right before the end, Weezer surprise us with a short break, “I don’t want to get, with your program… Take back the love…” The good old days. 

In “Thought I Knew”, Brian takes the vocals. At the beginning, the synthesizers can be heard clearly before the guitar just strums the way in so tastefully. The guitar also has a pop-like element in it. As Brian sings, the guitar just know how to add the extra effect to Brian’s singing, especially the part “Thought I knew, but I didn’t have, a clue…” Great piece here. Throughout Though I Knew, the music itself was great, with the help of synthesizers and the great playing of guitars, even listening to the music is good enough to get you tapping you feet. I’m impressed here by Weezer. 

“Cold Dark World” has a dark element to it. And this time, it’s Scott to take the stage. Just as the title suggests, it’s really a cold dark world when you listen to this track. From the lyrics, this song would make you think it’s a happy track. “Angel girl in a cold dark world, i’m gonna be your man, angel girl in a cold dark world, i’ll make you understand…” But after listening to the music, you would think twice. The last 23 seconds where Scott can be heard yelling, we can hear that his voice shares subtle similarities with Rivers. Could be a good thing for Weezer though. 

On “Automatic”, it’s Patrick’s turn to take the vocals. With the piano in the beginning, Patrick sounds really soft and lay it low in the verse. When it comes to the chorus, Patrick just belt it out like a rock and roll star, “Hey! It’s automatic when you know it… Hey! It’s automatic when you feel it…” During the bridge, a short guitar solo can be heard and as it draws closer to the end, Patrick just howls as the piano and synthesizer play in the background. Great fading by Weezer. 

“The Angel And The One” is a slow ballad and Rivers is back on the vocals. It starts off slow and gradually picks up the note while the tempo remains the same. It reaches a point where Rivers really raises his singing tone, “I’ll take you there my friend, i’m reaching out my hand, so take it… We are the angels and we are the ones that are praying… Peace, shalom…” The word “Shalom” means peace in English and it’s a Hebrew word. While the rest of Weezer is singing, “Peace…” Rivers just howls until the song fades. In the remaining 1:30 minutes, the synthesizers and guitar can be heard playing as to complement how the song is going to end. The Angel And The One is like a hike toward a mountain top and upon reaching the top, one just takes a good rest and falls asleep. Great ending by Weezer! 

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com