fifty: Jonas Alaska

Norwegian boy based in Liverpool, Jonas Alaska creates music that'll have you up to your ears in archaic tales that retain a modern twist in their lyrics. Take Dracula for example, it recounts Alaska's meeting with the infamous vamp and will have you crooning "Draculaaaaaa!" within seconds of hearing it.

Jonas ain't really up to much at the moment. But keep your ears pinned back for news, he's certainly worth seeing live.

Listen to Amanda Johnson's Song here.

fourty nine:

Hello, time for my month's obsessions...so far...

Blue Roses. Once again Laura Groves makes a big impression, even with some demos.

I received a 5 track promo type thingymajig, which includes previous "I am Machin" infatuations "Doubtful Comforts" and "Does Anyone...", two spruced up tracks from the Laura Groves days, "I Am Leaving" and "I Wish I..." and a newbie, "Rebecca".

I'll eat my hat if Blue Roses isn't the name on everyone's lips by the end of Festival season. Catch Laura at Bestival and Camp Bestival with Bat For Lashes, Peggy Sue and Fleet Foxes etc.

Listen to "I Wish I..." here.

Telekinesis. Michael Lerner of Seattle who creates fun, loved up music for a living. The songs are individual and creative, and brilliant variants of the American "indie" you get around parts, reminding of Modest Mouse. Stream his album from here.

And listen to "Coast of Carolina" here.

Gaoler's Daughter. A london four piece consisting of Alfie, Ben, Alex and John. Together they create jumpy, upstarting music, bound to get you in the mood for a fight on the tiles. Self described as New wave/Indie/Jazz, your hear the members bringing in ther respective influences amongst the melodies of the tracks.

John Sterry for example, has a hint of Paddingtons to his voice, straining it in a rebellious fashion on songs such as "In A While Crocodile". There's also hints of old Reggae roots scattered here and there, contrasted with contemporary lyrics.Listen to "Without Rhyme or Treason" here.

Alan Pownall. That's right, it's another ka-pow from Pownall. Alan brought 4 sublime songs to listeners ears recently, that span from sleepy slumberers to summer shiners. It's hard to pick a favourite, so be sure to check out all the songs (and a K.West cover) through the above link to his myspace.

I was thoroughly excited about seeing Mr Pownall again next Monday, but the tour's been re-scheduled to May. See you there!

Listen to "You Know" here.


Bat For Lashes. Natasha Khan is officially back with a megabite or two with her new album, "Two Suns". Crafted around the concept of relationships and double personas, Khan's second album soars to dizzying heights and swoops within grazing distance to the Earth's surface. I can't describe how essential this record is, and will be, to the impending year.

Listen to the one of the album's sombre moments, "Good Love" here.

fourty eight: Passion Pit

Carrying on with my recent infatuation with plinky plonky pop music, I bring you Passion Pit of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Not as dirty as they sound, PP create songs about love out of huge soundscapes and excitable, yelping vocals.
The love element of their music primarily comes from brain of PP, Michael Angelakos, who made the Chunk of Change EP as a Valentine's Day present to his Girlfriend. It features shoulder shakers such as I've Got Your Number, Cuddle Fuddle and Sleepyhead.
Get that smile smeared on your face now, it's irresistable.

Listen to Sleepyhead here.

fourty seven: Two Door Cinema Club

Two Door Cinema Club are three bright lads from Nothern Ireland brimming with quirky ideas, reflected in their incredible music, that's kind of like flinging open your curtains in the morning to find an azure blue sky and sunlight streaming through the window.

They'll be releasing, the huuuge shaft of light, Something Good Can Work, on XL in early March '09. It's inevitable that this track is set for stardom, with melodies as tight knit as Two Door's, featuring catchy shouts and sheeny guitar riffs, guaranteed to chase away any blues.

TDCC are playing support slot to La Roux for Kitsune later this month before playing a trio of shows (in London, Manchester and Glasgow) with The Wombats for the NME's live awards tour show hype mule thingy.

Listen to Something Good Can Work here.

fourty six: Your Twenties

Fans of fine dining and 45s, Your Twenties, aren't the missing link to a long line of contemporary artists, nor the missing piece of the puzzle.
The five piece from London are the anomaly in the science experiment, the misfit amongst the school children, who claim that, personally, their music doesn't reference to any contemporaries they can think of.

On listening to Caught Wheel, their most recent release, it's hard to decide what makes the track so darn good, you only know that the components of the bump and bleep of the background synths, well practiced backing vocals and the infectious Metronomy-esque guitars make something addictive that needs to be shared.

But don't get tetchy, Your Twenties aren't aducting Metronomy and shamelessly ripping off their characteristics. Lead singer, Gabriel happens to venn diagram it over to Metronomy in the form of one third of those dance moves and their fabulous bassist. And to add to the share and care atmosphere, front man of Metronomy, Joe Mount acts as Producer to YT when he's not off on synth's cloud 9 dreaming up new songs, without there being a pinch of tension between the two outfits.

Caught Wheel can be bought here.
And listened to here.

fourty five: Francis & The Lights

Granted, Francis & The Lights may not be the most imaginative title in the stratosphere, but Francis Farewell Starlite's hitting those high notes in other places.

Hailing from New York, New York, Francis has soaked up a city full of fantastic influences, that seem to range from Prince to the Naked Cowboy. Starlite has a total of two mini albums & single LIME/WYN out that will dig their catchy nails into your skin and cling away. And boy, can he dance.

Listen to LIME here.

fourty four: Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes (Or White Antelope I suppose you could say)? I know, you've heard. I just thought that I'd share a track that not many people seem to know, or talk about if they do. The latter I do not understand because in my opinion, it's incredible.

Listen to Katie Cruel (cover of Karen Dalton), recorded for Backstage Sessions here.