Camera 2 - Just About Made It. (And More!)

I am not a big fan of electronica in music but every now and then a band comes along and shift the boundaries of my perception in this genre and Camera 2 are one of those bands, I really like this, every aspect of this bands music lifts me and makes me smile and that is what music should be about, right?

The bands music isn't strictly electronica, there is the usual instruments included as well and I happen to think that it sounds pretty damn neat, as always, let's let the music do the talking!

Brooklyn foursome Camera2 is made up of producer-songwriter-vocalist – Andy Chase (Tahiti 80/Juliana Hatfield/Smashing Pumpkins), guitarist – Michael Jurin (Stellastarr*), bassist – Aric Gillis (Teenage Kick) and drummer – Mike Williams (Teddybears). The band came together in mid-2012 and soon after completed an album Andy wrote and produced in his home studio with co-production by Blondfire’s Bruce Driscoll. Camera2 is a decidedly new direction and a departure from the sounds of the previous projects for all the members who have now stepped into a harder hitting, darker, upbeat and more electronically driven indie-universe.

The music quickly caught the attention of former Morning Becomes Eclectic host, Nic Harcourt, who took the new band under his wing as a mentor and has begun championing them at his new radio home, KCSN in Los Angeles. Over the past 6 months Camera2 has been making music videos for every song on the album, in locations as broad and diverse as rural Pennsylvania, Martha’s Vineyard, San Francisco, and their hometown. In each video the band takes a back seat to a striking nine-year-old boy who walks, (or runs), the music through a series of twists, turns and interweaving themes.

The bands videos are part of a nine part project so there are more to come so keep 'em peeled and keep up to speed with this band, I think they have a refreshing sound that will appeal to many and will hopefully go on to make more breezy, delightful pieces of music like the three songs included here.

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Camera2 here: Facebook

Official website here: Camera2

Listen to more here: Soundcloud

Buy the songs here: itunes

The Most - Auto Destructive Art. OUT MAY 17th.

The Most hail from Umeå in the north of Sweden.  Umeå is a centre of education, technical and medical research, they also produce some pretty fine musicians too as The Most testify with their debut long player "Auto-Destructive Art."

The band are not your typical Mod revival band as they have their music rooted in the 50's and 60's, predominantly, Jazz Soul, black R'n'B, Bluegrass, Rock and Delta Blues, which gives them a feeling of the original British invasion bands with a touch of the American garage bands added for good measure, which when blended together by the 5 members of the band produces something achingly brilliant.

The Most - Spiderman

"Auto-Destructive Art" was recorded using anologue technique which really gives the band a great vintage sound and captures the live experience on record that so many bands try to attain but often fail to do so, this album hits where it counts on all 12 tracks with no fillers or fodder in sight, which is a rare occurrence these days.

Sweden has produced some excellent bands over the years but I can whole heartedly say that The Most are one of my very favourite bands to come from these shores. I am absolutely positive that when they play Liverpool's famous Cavern Club as part of the International Pop Overthrow next week, they are going to win the hearts and ears of many new fans.  The band will be playing many dates across Europe this year to promote the album and I would strongly advise that you go along and see them if they come to a venue near you.

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love (very much) The Most here: Facebook

Find out more about The Most here: Wikipedia

Buy the album here: Copasetic Available May 17th.

Singles round up, featuring: Tree House Society, The World Service, Weird Mob and The See No Evils.

A really lovely jangly 3 track EP from Italian Power Poppers "Tree House Society" currently hanging out on "Melody Hill" and having a party as the songs on this single confirm.

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Tree House Society here: Facebook

Stream and buy the single here: Bandcamp

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The World Service are from Camden in London and offer up music in a similar vein to Interpol and The National, but in my opinion, much better.  Generation is the first single from the bands 2nd EP "Hideaway."

Generation from The World Service on Vimeo.

Listen to more tracks from World Service here: Soundcloud

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The World Service here: Facebook

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Is this a mini album or an Extended Play single?  Not really sure but I am sure that it is a really great piece of synth driven pop from married librarians Dave Gibson and Renee Reighart, music with a twist of 60's pop melodies and cool 80's New Wave, we like this, we like it alot!!!!

Sweet songs and stories from the warehouse.......

Stream and buy the album/EP here: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Weird Mob here: Facebook

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Now, I don't know if these guys have a record out, but, they are just too good to ignore.  Hailing from Leeds, the band have only been together for a year and aprt from churning out some excellent songs, they have had support slots with The Pretty Things and The Fleshtones to name a few.  The bands blend of 60's garage tunes is absolutely awesome, take a listen and hopefully the band will keep me informed of any future releases.

Stream more here: Soundcloud

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The See No Evils here: Facebook

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Labradors - Growing Back. OUT NOW!

From Milano, Italy, Labradors are a power pop band with an enviable immediacy about them, their music sweeps you off your feet like you just stepped out into a hurricane, got swept off your feet and taken for a whirlwind ride!

Labradors fall on the rockier/punkier side of the power pop fence, not so much the jangly side of proceedings but the driven, edgier side, as per usual, take a listen and let the music do the talking!

ALBUM TEASER

Photo by Catarina Colombo.

Stream the complete album here: Rolling Stone

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Labradors here: Facebook

Listen to more from the band here: Soundcloud Labradors

Buy the download here: itunes

The Great Affairs - 4" EP

After a brief hiatus from the blog due to affairs back home in blighty, I am finally getting back on track with the blog, and, what better way to start getting into the swing again than a feature on Nashvilles "The Great Affairs."

With an eclectic mix of influences ranging from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to Oasis, you know you are in for something special and this quartet don't fail to deliver and what they deliver is some very tasty, bouncy, driven power pop.

Sell Music online at ReverbNation.com

After 3 releases in as many years, 2009's "The Great Affairs", 2010's "Ricky took the wheels..", and 2011's "Happy Ender", The Great Affairs have recently completed work on the aptly-titled "4" EP, seven more tunes in the patented Tom Petty & Cheap Trick-inspired, rootsy pop-rock vein that has become their calling card.

In early 2012, having taken a brief hiatus in order to complete a long-gestating sophomore release, "The Kids Deserve Cable", from their power-pop side project fORMER, frontman Denny Smith, and lead guitarist Patrick Miller reconvened The Great Affairs, with a new rhythm section featuring Henry Go(Mink) on bass, and Kenny Wright(Bonepony) on drums and co-lead vocals.

With this shift in lineup, and fORMER now defunct, the decision was made to incorporate material from both bands into The Great Affairs' repertoire. In short order, the guitars got a little dirtier, the drums acquired some additional swing, and the band began to display a spring in its step that may not have been quite so evident in an earlier incarnation.

With "4", the band have set aside some of the acoustic-driven tendencies of their previous outings, relying instead on a slightly heavier guitar sound, with splashes of Hammond organ, piano, and percussion throughout to assist in the further realization this new sonic ambition. The introduction of Wright's bluesier vocal stylings on several tracks serves as a perfect counterpoint to Smith's breathier rasp, giving the band some new firepower in that department as well.

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Great Affairs here: Facebook

More info here:

http://www.thegreataffairs.com/

and here:

http://www.dennysmithmusic.com/

Grant Lindberg - The Narrows. OUT NOW - FREE DOWNLOAD

Another one of our very favourite artists, Grant Lindberg, has a new album out and as expected, it is an absolute corker!

This one man band produces some of the finest power pop out there.  Citing his influences as Cheap Trick, Nirvana, Brendan Benson and Ash, without hearing his music you can come to the assumption that his music is both melodic and noisy and you would be correct, the tunes are there, the guitars, the pounding drums and driving bass lines and after listening to "I Would" from this album, I would add Dinosaur Jr to that list of influences too as it has that bitter sweet quality to it that J Mascis has in his music.

Grant is a keen angler and spends a large part of the year fishing Muskies in the lakes around Minnesota, fortunately for us, the fishing season only last for 6 months and then Grant gets back into the studio and fills his time making great music for our absolute delight.  

This album is certainly one of my favourites so far this year and will surely be many other peoples favourite album too and to think that Grant is giving it away FREE is absolutely mind blowing, but that is the way he rolls.....when he isn't fishing!

This is a totally FREE download and I can't recommend it enough, go get it!!!!!!!!

Downlod "The Narrows" FREE here: Bandcamp

(Check out the back catologue too which is not only great but FREE as well!)

Find more music from Grant Lindberg here: Reverbnation

The Reply - Downtown Soul

After my feature of "Quitty and The Don't,"(Who "The Reply" will be playing with in Toronto soon) I received a rather nice e-mail from James Bond, no, not that one but it did leave me shaken and stirred!

James plays Keyboards and sings in Toronto based  Mod/Soul outfit The Reply who have a fantastic sound, like a mash up of The Turtles, Them, early Manfred Mann and Arthur Connoly on speed!

They very kindly sent me a copy of "Downtown Soul" their Debut EP which is fantastic, encompassing the feeling of 60's America and beyond, anyway, I am not going to teach you lot to suck eggs, you know what's great, have a listen and see if I m wrong.....I don't think so!!!!!

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

In a musical landscape where almost everything is referential it's hard to acknowledge a deep musical heritage without becoming nostalgic or appropriative. Trying to copy a sound misses the point: great soul is not a guitar sound, an organ sound, or a bassline. Great soul was, is, and will be as innovative and varied as any genre, growing and changing through every artist. And so great soul just *is*... if you love soul music, you know when you're hearing something soulful. It doesn't have to have horns; it doesn't have to not have a guitar solo. It's a feeling. It lifts you. It speaks to your heart and moves your body.

The Reply are about this idea of music, and have the pedigree to do it. Each member has 10+ years of performing, recording, and touring under their belts. The Reply knows how to play and they know how to be a band.

Carl Nanders (bass, vocals)
James Bond (keys, vocals)
Freek Ace (guitar, vocals)
Dr. Twist (drums)

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Reply here: Facebook

(Also some free tracks here to download)

More info here: Reverbnation