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Into the Dark

In a fortnight's time you will be able to buy something beautiful. I am speaking of course, of Cherbourg's second back of the net EP, "Into the Dark".

The EP fleets between the ethereal prowess of "Man" and the sombre, thought-provoking "Shine", the tracks finding a common ground in their vocal harmonies and built up melodies. Rather deceptively, the beginning of opener "Man" lulls you into believeing that this track will be nothing of consequence, an unchallenging "hello" from the band. This is before Davie asks "...So I'm a man am I?". This questioning nature is something of desperation, demanding an answer from the listener, and in the final minutes of the track the music conspires in a sweltering peak of sounds, making you wish you could address such overt emotion with more than reverant silence.

"Goldmine" eases off the darkening tension in an anthemic culmination of the aforementioned harmonies and a charging momentum drives the song to a choral climax that weaves itself about the listener's ears, leaving them in a no doubt contented state.

The third track, "Let Yourself Love" reverts back to the depths of the soul, the lyrics this time stumbling upon home truths you yourself may not even have thought about. The lyrical stamina of the EP is quite astonishing and "Let Yourself Love" marks a high point amongst the four tracks with its beautiful chorus line "...Let Yourself Love/Let Yourself Be Loved/I'm Trying To Give My Life To You". It's hard not to get a little weak listening to this song. There's a relentless force behind this music that can only be the band's inner conciousness, an element that gives the music a real edge.

Unlike "The Last Chapter of Dreaming", the finale of "Into the Dark" is more intimate than intense. "Shine" strolls through witticisms such as "I'll swallow my pride if you swallow yours/Please don't lose your appetite", and lines such as "My love it'll just shine on...into the dark" give the track an oddly addictive atmosphere, added to by the whimsical fiddle and guitar melodies that linger in the distance.

"Into the Dark" is a beautiful collection of thought and feeling that is easy to relate to in this harsh and unwavering world. It's available on 10" vinyl here and can be downloaded from rawrip.com as of the 1st of June.

fifty three: Tinashé

On a reccomendation from Fucking Dance's Jamila, I listened to Tinashé last night as I was preparing for bed. Spreading over a variety of genres, Tinashé (remember that accent!) isn't ashamed to admit he loves pop music. This becomes apparent in his songs that instantly burst with versatilty and will put a smile on anyone's face.
The slightly more melancholy Hugo may be the anomaly in this equation, however. The story of a boy's strife at the fact his mother does not love him, it tugs at the heartstrings with harmonies and puppy dog lyrics. It affects the listener much more deeply than the run-of-the-mill boy loses girl songs you hear.

Personal favourite (I think, it's kind of hard to decide) Saved takes the listener into the subversive story of an angel, striving to convert the heathens of the world. I tell you, you'll be clicking your heels within seconds of the "oo"-ing intro.

fifty two: Post War Years

London's Post War Years are another one of my Chess Club infatuations. Based more around electronic instruments than label-mates Cherbourg and Mumford and Sons, they've begun building a highly catchy empire of tracks that will stand them in good stead alongside any flashes in the pan they may come up against in the future.

Their most recent single "Whole World on its Head" presents not only an infuriating reoccurent lack in grammar in some reviews I've read, but also an enigmatic track that will have the lines "Lights on!/Lights on!/It's Time to forget about it!/Time to forget about it" as permament residents in your head. The song is partially dark at the same time as being accessible to its audience, so I am glad to report, the only way is up for the quartet.

Listen to False Starts here.

fifty one: The Agitator

The Agitator are half prospective poet-Laureate, Derek Meins, half human drum machine Robert Dylan Thomas. The duo want people to know they are not happy and are here to agitate, and agitate they shall.
Aided (so far) solely on drums by Dylan Thomas, the vocals are attention demanding and unique. And even those with the best of attention spans will find it hard to run from this music, the ridiculously fast and skilled drumming will have you blasting this music on the bus and not giving a toss.
I know I didn't.

Listen to All That You Got here.

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.

fourty three:

I'm going to keep this post short and very, very sweet. I've got a little bit of writer's block and a very unreliable gateway to tinternet at the moment, but still really want to share some real finds (Happy New-ish year by the way readers):

Bruce Peninsula- Toronto.

This sound is big, big, BIG. Think hitching up the volume on Arcade Fire's vocals x100 + some "we mean business" drums, an equation that equals some AMAZING music you'd be dumb, stupid and everything inbetween to ignore.

Listen to the mammoth Inside/Outside here and stream their album, A Mountain Is A Mouth, here.

Madi Diaz- Nashville.

Girl/Boy duo, Madi Diaz...no scrap that, Madi Diaz and her "cohort" Kyle Ryan make super sweet, croony lullabies and courage builders with glock to boot. Just in time for summer too.

Listen to The I I I Song here.

Auld Lang Syne- New York.

Brotherly Roots and soul fall effortlessly from this band, and amid all the Ray Lamontagne-like vocals, you find yourself feeling like the city can't contain this big country band.

Listen to Where my Fortune Lies here.