This week our Album of the Week came from Emily Arin, the gorgeous voiced singer songwriter whose new album Patch of Land has been a favourite of ours since we heard early demo's last year. Listen again the show here.
Nicky Minaj - Moment For Life (Star Slinger remix) La Sera - Devils Hearts Grow Cold Joan As Police Woman - Flash
ALBUM OF THE WEEK Emily Arin - Hidden Flame (Patch of Land)
Tecla - Rollarcoasters in Woods (Brother tiger remix) Anna Calvi - Love Won’t Be Leaving Kiersten Holine - God Only Knows
ALBUM OF THE WEEK Emily Arin - Say
PJ Harvey - Written on the Forehead Laura Veirs - I Can See Your Tracks Laura Marling - New Romantic
ALBUM OF THE WEEK Emily Arin - By The Fiery Glow
White Hinterland - Thunderbird Mushy - Child of Light Will Grow
Juliette Jackson is the singer fronting this three-piece who say that, whilst being inspired by These New Puritans, early Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Queens of the Stone, Outkast, DOOM and the like, they're also adhere to the principles of Theo Van Doesburg and the De Stijl movement.
Hmmm, for us plebs at TOW we needed more information on that last one! Juliette says: "The DeStijl thing is mainly to do with minimalism and cutting out flab. We try to cut the flab out of our songs."
"We liked Theo Van Doesburg's idea of deconstruction, where he would paint something like a cow again and again, each time reducing the features more and more, until all that was left was what he considered were it's essential elements."
Gotcha. And, well, that's exactly what this band do. Juliette is backed by Sean Fennelly and Joss Lindey and the band's new track Dress Yourself As Someone Dead is a no nonsense, slightly creepy, rip-roaring rock tune - complete with a kind of rap by one of the boys, completely dead pan.
We'll be keeping an eye on this young London band!
Not usually a fan of bands described as "jerky, girly post-punk" by the NME, Call The Doctor have gone and surprised us. Take It Out is their new single out on the 21st March 2011 on Glasstone Records.
It's lead vocalist Patti Aberhart's crystal clear, distinctive and melodic vocals that draw you in. It's not the voice you'd expect to hear on a track like this, and we're sold.
Patti is 23 and from New Zealand and is an eyeful live, or so we believe. The band are looking to inject a whole lotta love back into the live music scene - they're setting out to make gigs fun again. Considering the last gig TOW went too was crammed full of people nodding furiously along to the music... we're up for that!
Essie Jain has one of those voices that grips you by the throat and demands attention. A couple of albums down the line now with the brilliant esoteric Leaf Label, she's turned her attention to the world of music for children. Releasing Until The Light Of Morning on her own label Light Of Morning records this week (Feb 21) is just the first step she says, it could become an evil empire! Listen to the interview below. Also, details of her third studio album, look out - she's gone all hippy on us...
Essie says: '...my family and friends back home had started to have kids. It became apparent to me that they were always looking for new music to soothe their babies at nap and bedtime, and as a result of hearing the same CD for the hundredth time, they were quietly going crazy listening to songs that were working for their little ones, but certainly didn’t do it for them.
It was then I realised what my next project would be.'
Rayographs have announced the release of the debut self-titled album - FINALLY! For all you Rayographs fans, the wait is over. It's out on 25th April via French label desire.
As a taster they are allowing us to feature a free downloadand the 'Twin Peaks-inspired' video for one of the tracks from the record, 'Space Of The Halls'.
The album has been a long time in coming, well for us it feels like it has. There was the first single Hidden Doors in 2008 and then the second Francis in 2009, both equally captivating and brilliant, both receiving radio play on various alternative radio stations (can't think of which ones those would be just now, they're few and far between these days - but we played it on 6 Music!) and rave reviews in all the important indie press (Artrocker and Stool Pigeon) and on all the most-read and trusted blogs (Stereogum and Rockfeedback)... and Rolling Stone no less.
Sheesh. Not bad going at all for these three London gals -Astrud Steehouder (guitar/ vocals), Jessamine Tierney (bass/ vocals) and Amy Hurst (drums/ occasional vocals). They say: "The band was born one ultra hot summer in Amy’s bedroom, amidst the bare bones of a handful of blues-inflected songs written on an acoustic guitar."
The result is haunting, space-rock with Astrud's vocals floating over her 60's-inspired guitar riffs (she has a pink glittery guitar too), Jess's bass line providing the undercurrent of urgency and Amy's pounding drums keeping it altogether. All hail Rayographs!
Shunda K's album The Most Wanted was our album of the week on French Radio London this week, because it ROCKS. You can listen again to the show here.
TOW's Ruth Barnes met up with the lady herself whilst she was in London in summer 2010 - read all about it here:
“Now I know some of you heard the world is going to end in 2012... I want you all to know you don’t have to panic... it’s under control!” So raps ex-Yo! Majesty high priestessShunda Kon Here I am to Save The World from her debut solo album The Most Wanted, just released onFanatic Records.
Shunda K is a tour de force. Sound-checking on stage with a beer can in hand, spitting out her lyrics she’s formidable and a tad scary. But all that evaporates as soon as she gives me a mammoth bear hug and says: “Thanks for the love sister”.
Yo! Majesty burst onto the scene as outspoken Christian lesbian rappers in 2006 with their ‘Yo’ EP. However, after positive press and tours with likes of The Gossip and CSS, the group split after the release of their second album for Domino Records in 2008, following a bust up between group leader Shunda K and singer Jwl B. It was a pretty nasty time, with both parties slamming the other in the press. Now, backstage at Madame Jojo’s in Soho, Shunda K ponders how it all fell apart: “I was like, Shunda maybe you was a little too much, you tried to put all the blame on Jwl B. What part did you play? Did you make things hard? I was outta control. It was probably ego, honestly I didn’t mean any harm I just wanted the best for my group.”
The superhero stance of Here I Am To Save The World was inspired by Pixar super-family The Incredibles, after watching it a few years ago, the rapper says something clicked: “I’m Shunda K the untouchable! I thought, I’m gonna spread the love of god, be there for the people, be real, be the one person to tell the truth and stand up for what’s right and what’s just.” After having removed herself from the Yo! Majesty drama and aftermath, Shunda K says the collaboration with Cindy Wonderful (of Berlin electro-poppers Scream Club) happened easily online: “I’m convinced that everything I wanna do, I can make it happen.” Hell yeah.
Shunda K’s solo material touches on everything - rock, drum ‘n bass, dancehall, reggaeton and dubstep. When I put this to her she simply says: “My desire is to reach the people. Everybody don’t like everything. With me, when I hear music I can’t tell you what genre the music is, don’t put titles on me - I’m trying to reach everybody.”
Shunda K and Yo! Majesty always wore their beliefs on their sleeve, but she is quick to correct me when I ask her about religion: “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual. Religion is a modern day slavery. The record industry is a modern day slavery too, it binds people, it holds you down while they suck everything outta you.” “God is all the way across the sky!” A conversation with Shunda K is punctuated with this kind of rhetoric, but she’s not pushy: “No matter what religion you serve, you’re still serving the same god” she says. “Religion brings separation, that’s not god, god intended us to be one. Love yourself first and then you can serve other people.”
Shunda K talks passionately about her upbringing and her sexuality. The way she talks is reminiscent of how she raps, there isn’t a pause or a hesitation - infact it’s difficult to get a word in edgewise. She came out when she was 18, but has known since she was a child that she is gay. “When we were playing house I was the Daddy!” she jokes. Then goes on to talk about her mother being gay and having witnessed first hand the prejudice she underwent, Shunda K was reluctant to tell the truth about herself: “My grandparents came up in slavery, they never seen any love. Our religion says, ‘gay people you’re an abomination’, all your life you have this desire to be with one sex, but they say it ain’t right. You’re forced to be with a man, it ain’t like I ever enjoyed hoppin’ on the dick - it’s just somethin’ you do when you’re in a relationship!”
After two more relationships with religious men (one a married Muslim, the other a pastor - she admits to have been vulnerable to religious men who told her homosexuality is wrong) and plenty more drama, Shunda K says it was Jwl B who made her see sense and realise who she is: “I know we got our beef, but she wrote me a latter from jail and she gave me a lotta support. She said god is there for you, god already knows who you are, it was really encouraging.”
Having recently toured with Peaches (she raps on Peaches’ track Billionaire) Shunda K is feeling focused and inspired about flying solo: “I’m inspired by her live shows, she’s got this big ol’ long dick (laughs) she is really comical and brings the song out. I’m like, I wanna do that... Peaches is a role model to me, ‘the teaches of Peaches!’” Shunda K’s debut album The Most Wanted is out now and available to buy on Amazon and iTunes.
This week on The Other Woman on French Radio London we featured Shunda K's fantastic new album The Most Wanted as our album of the week, read our interview with the lady herself here.
Marissa Nadler - Rosary Piney Gir - Dog ‘n Bone Peaking Lights - Tiger Eyes (Laid Back) ALBUM OF THE WEEK Shunda K - I Am Yo! Majesty Best Coast - Our Deal Braids - Plath Heart Kiersten Holine - God Only Knows
ALBUM OF THE WEEK Shunda K - Dancing (Deekline & Pure SX remix
Islet - Powys Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (Dave Sitek) Visions of Trees - Sometimes it Kills ALBUM OF THE WEEK Shunda K - Here I Am To Save The World Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High Vialka - Footage of an Uproar
This is the title track from Madrid-based Spanish indiepoppers Mittens' debut album released in May of last year. Gotta love that Spanish lilt when they sing in English - so so lovely. Thanks again to Francisco Javier (our portal into everything cool, indie and Spanish - he promises his own blog soon) who sent them over to TOW as a tip. For Spanish indie pop geeks Guillermo Farre is the man behind this project, also known as Wild Honey.
Again our thanks go out to Francisco. And then we had a look around saw that Wears The Trousers featured her a while back too. Sheesh, it's hard keeping up with the cool kids! Andalucian native Marina is two album's in and last year released Some Monsters Die And Others Return on Barcelona label Foehn Records. At only a minute and twenty seconds in length, Climbing The Walls is a gentle, mournful lament, which would send even the most tortured insomniac off to sleep.
New Jersey native Sharon Van Etten's album Epic was one of TOW's albums of the year in 2010. Every song as sad and as powerful and as heartbroken as the one before, with a strength and gutsiness that makes the hairs on your neck all-prickly. Sharon says her songs are sad, because she is happy - it's a cathartic process. Now we know if she ever releases an album of Happy House Hardcore remixes, it's a cry for help!
Ahead of a London date on 13 February and a two week tour with The National we caught up with SVE:
Upstyleris revolutionising the way we dress and the way we shop - we here at TOW love it's ethos, and we love our Missy Elliot Adidas trainers they sent over.
The Upstyler team (made up of fashion industry insiders) comb the best vintage and charity shops, and car boot sales, up and down the country hunting out classic, original, unappreciated pieces - and deliver them to you, no mess, no fuss, no dust!
It's anti-high street, all that Primark-led disposable fashion bull sh*t and that's why we love it. You'll find unique pieces that will last a life-time (not a spin cycle) and the best part is 20% of the price goes BACK to chari-deee!
The team is expanding and are always on the look out for new fashion focused peeps to help with design, photography etc - sign up, subscribe and read all about it -here.
This week TOW is indebted to Francisco Javier, who emailed over a list of Spanish bands fronted by women that are floating his boat. Mittens, Marina Gallardo and he hand delivered Mursego's new album, what more could we ask for from a reader of this blog?! Mursego is from Basque Country in Northern Spain and does amazing things with her cello and a loop pedal, it's something to behold.
Jesca Hoop's album Hunting My Dress was a stunner, so we're psyched that her mini-album Snowglobe will be out on April the 4th... if new track (and free download) City Bird is anything to go by the new material will be just as jaw-droppingly awesome as always:
And here's a session she recorded with us a few years ago...
A new Daughter video In The Shallows is released to fans today. Elena Tonra released her beautiful Demo's EP earlier this year and we've been loving every bit of it. This is the second in a series of stripped down videos she's made, the Tales From Shop series... lovely:
The Other Woman's Ruth Barnes speaks to Watford singer-songwriter Kyla La Grange about her upcoming debut single Walk Through Walls/ Courage. From open mic nights at university to connecting with a generous producer through Myspace, it's a modern musical success story. However, the weight of the world hangs heavy on her shoulders: "My default mode is a bit sad, I think..." she says, but, "writing music has enabled me to cope with that."
Walk Through Walls/ Courage is out on Noir on March 1st.
TOW has to thank Francisco Javier for emailing over some fantastic new artists hailing from his home country of Spain. Linda Mirada was one of them, she's from Madrid and was doing the hazy, shoegaze thing way before the latest wave from the US west coast! And DIG that funky bass line... Label Discoteca Oceano will release a remixes EP soon, which will include a remix by Ruby Sun’s Ryan McPhun.
In her email to TOW, RID's Sue Denim assures us there's new material imminent - so we thought we'd play Wake Up on 6 Music to remind us all why we loved them the first time around. You might recognise them from The Mighty Boosh or heard one of their tracks on Ugly Betty. It seems though that a sharp image, catchy, cheeky, well-crafted electro-pop tunes wasn't enough to nab them much mainstream radio play. Let's hope album number 4 sends them stratospheric as they promise it to be 'just as exhilarating and zealous as ever!' Bring it on...
Mega fans click here to head to Pledge Music to help Robot's In Disguise finish the album.
This week on the show we are joined by John and Jehn for a sneak preview of their new album Costa Brava - we talk making music in the UK (why it's better than making music in France) and being a couple and a band (no issues there). Also new music from Fists, The Lovely Eggs and an album of the week from Julianna Barwick!
Alice Gun releases her first full length album on March 18th, Blood and Bones, on Ambiguous Records. TOW has been watching and listening to Alice for a few years now, from early singles The Swimmer and Blanket And A Box, a session on TOW on Resonance FM, a brilliant gig for Tom Robinson's Fresh On The Net festival to now... where we meet Alice poised to unleash her 'witch-rock' on the music industry. Spooky, beautifully rendered songs, a soundtrack to a rain-lashed moor in Bronte country and truly in a class of it's own.
Sohini Alam was introduced to TOW by the South Asian Women's Creative Collective (SAWCC) along with some other fantastic singers we will be sprinkling on the blog over the coming months. Sohini sings Bangla music with an emphasis on Nazrul Sangeet - literally "music of Nazrul," which refer to the works of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh. Can you tell we just Wiki'd that? More on this subject soon as we intend to try and pin Sohini down for an interview one of these days!
TOW loves this band - She Keeps Bees have a new album 'Dig On' on the horizon and will be over here playing live at the end of the month. Andy LaPlant and she-of-the-massive-voice Jess Larrabee release 'Saturn Return' as a taster and it's suitably scratched our we-need-more-from-She-Keeps-Bees itch...
The Brooklyn based couple self-recorded 'Dig On' in November last year, in a log home set in New York's Catskill Mountains. Sitting in a cramped east London flat that sounds like HEAVEN right now!
