6 Music: Timberlee and Victoria Falls

Every week TOW is lucky enough to pick two songs for Tom Robinson's brilliant BBC 6 Music show, the spot goes out every Monday morning at around 2:30am.


Pick 1 - Timberlee - Fashionista
 

TOW has been meaning to play some dancehall for Tom for ages. We've brought in Polish dubstep, twee American folk, Japanese electro and much more, we figured it was about time.

Timberlee is getting close to giving current 'First Lady of Dancehall' Lady Saw a run for her money. Although I don't think either of them would get very far in the mega heels they trot around in. In fact one of Timberlee's big hits from the last few years is a homage to those very 'Heels' that will give her varicose veins from hell in later life. But who cares! All in the name of a good record.

Produced by the mega-team of young dancehall warriors at Ward 21 in Kingston, Jamaica, she can't go wrong - Fashionista is our favourite, listen to it here on her myspace.

Pick 2 - Veronica Falls - Stephen

                                                                              

This band are such that makes TOW feel like we really don't know what we're talking about at all. They've come together from a number of other wee indie bands we've never come across *sigh* so much good music out there, so little time. You're probably more plugged in than we are - Sexy Kids, The Royal We and Your Twenties ring any bells?

Anyway, Patrick, Roxanne, James and Marion have come together to make some of the finest indie pop-rock we've heard in ages. It sounds like they grew up listening to the best of the shoe-gazers and The Smiths and are now giving us their own very fine take on it all.

Stephen is the B side to Found Love In A Graveyard which is out on Trouble Records on 1 March.

You'll have to listen again to Tom's show to hear it as it's not on their myspace page.

6 Music: Jenny Bjorkqvist and Twin Sister

Every week TOW is lucky enough to pick two songs for Tom Robinson's brilliant BBC 6 Music show, the spot goes out every Monday morning at around 2:30am.

Pick 1 - Jenny Bjorkqvist - To Heal Your Wounds

Jenny Bjorkqvist is from Sweden. If, like me, you are constantly astounded at the quality of pop music that comes out of that country then have a listen to To Heal Your Wounds, it's simply stunning. 


Jenny only has two friends in her 'top friends' on myspace, Nick Drake and Bjork - I'll say no more. There's very little around online about this Swede with the glorious voice, but many thanks to brilliant new music uber-blogger Swedesplease for putting me onto her.

Pick 2: Twin Sister - I Want A House

Twin Sister are a five piece from Brooklyn, who've given me a track for my best songs of 2010 round up already. 


Andrea Estella provides the vocals and I wonder where she's from, as there's an accent which I can't place. The band's blog is full of great stuff, and most of all FREE music. 


Everything they've done so far, including noodlings and experiments are posted to be downloaded by you for free.


The band invite their fans to witness the growth of their songs, watch and hear them go from musings to full blown ideas. 


This track is from their EP Vampires with Dreaming Kids, it's been around for a while. Thanks to Wears The Trousers (again) for pointing me in the direction of this band just in time to be first on the list for their first official release, Color Your Life, which is out soon on Infinite Best Recordings. 


Hunter Giles, who runs this indie label based in Brooklyn, has told me to 'get excited', oh I am Hunter, I am!

6 Music: Trash Kit and White Hinterland

Every week TOW is lucky enough to pick two songs for Tom Robinson's brilliant BBC 6 Music show, the spot goes out every Monday morning at around 2:30am.


Pick 1: Trash Kit - Cadets

Pet hate: Music journalists using the phrase 'spikey guitar'. Why? Because it's usually referring to some two-bit indie skinny jeans boy band who are desperately trying to channel their inner Franz Ferdinand. Listen to Cadets here... aaargh! I've tried in vain to come up with something more creative and thoughtful but 'spikey guitar' is rattling round my head along with that oh-so-damn-catchy riff. 


I had to blog about this band because they are poised to be the 'it' band of the not so distant future. Ros Murray from Electrelane/Lesbo Pig is joined by Rachel A and Rachel H - who were massive fans of Ros's and one thing led to another. Rachel A and Rachel H also play in The Madrigals and Columbus and Crusoe and with Ros in Ray Rumours and the No-Eyed Deers. Keep up!


Tonight they play with MEN in Soho, featuring the awesome JD Samson from Le Tigre... and in a couple of weeks catch them at the east end's Cargo with Tune Yards, with whom TOW is obsessed. So many great 'DIY' bands out there and so little time.


When the thoroughly LOUD queer-punk duo Drunk Granny came and played live on TOW they couldn't stop raving about TK, and TK are name-checking them in interviews too. It's a very loyal scene. You can see DG play live at our myspace page.


Trash Kit are live in session on TOW on February 3rd - yippee!


Pick 2: White Hinterland - Bow & Arrow

TOW can't take any credit for coming across Casey Dienel, or White Hinterland as she is now known. The Portland, Oregon-based singer was brought to our attention by Alan Pedder who runs the excellent Wears The Trousers magazine. 


Alan's been onto her since she was making less psychey and more folky music as just Casey Dienel. All we can say is this track Bow & Arrow, which you can only hear if you listen back to Tom's show, really blew us away. Otherwise check out Icarus on her myspace page, Stereogum are giving it away free.