The Generationals - Actor Caster

So this album has been out a few months and I snapped it up on its US release date. After going crazy over the Trust EP and then getting hold of Con Law and praising it, I had high expectations. A truly stellar album has been produced, but unfortunately, after Con Law, they set the bar too high to match it. Their first single Ten-Twenty-Ten is an absolute winner though, with massive plays going on day and night. Other notable tracks are You Say it Too and Greenleaf. This band has become an absolute favourite since they first blipped on my radar last year October and I have been screaming their name to mostly deaf ears. The few who have picked up on it are screaming it back. Get into it, get hold of it. If there is one band I can recommend that won't disappoint it's this New Orleans duo. Get your hands on Ten-Twenty-Ten here.

And tell me that doesn't make you happy...

Bon Iver - Come Talk To Me

Speaking of Bon Iver, I've also had this song on repeat for ages. Justin turns Peter Gabriel's Come Talk to Me in to something quite beautiful. The guitar has a bit of Eddie Vedder in it but as soon as Vernon's vocal chords grace the track, there's no looking back.

Check it out here...

The video is a nice explanation with interviews of Peter Gabriel and Justin Vernon talking about their covering of each others songs.

Bon Iver - Calgary

Bon Iver just released Calgary, the first single from their new LP Bon Iver due out in just under a month, on June 21st. People are expecting great things, but at the same time nervous that no follow-up to For Emma, Forever Ago could ever match the eery and harrowing emotion from the groups debut album. However, if Calgary is anything to go by, fans will not be in for disappointment. I've got it on repeat with a constant smile. The track has all the makings of a great song, and Vernon's voice is nothing short of its usual goosebumps standard. Sean Carey's percussion is also a lot more noticeable than in the first album.

Or get it here

What Did You Expect From the Vaccines - A lot more...

People have been talking. About the Vaccines. A lot. The band claimed they weren't phased about being hyped after being featured on the cover of NME earlier this year with the subtitle "The Return of the Great British Guitar Band". They've been booked out at every summer festival from Glastonbury to T in the Park. Rumour has it that months before they were put on the radar, music industry people were talking about the next greatest thing to happen to indie-rock. They were being playlisted on iPod's with the artist name removed. The Vaccines were poised to make the biggest entrance into the UK music scene since the Arctic Monkeys.

Perhaps if  there hadn't been so much big talk I would enjoy the album more, but I really don't think that much of it. Granted, it is good, but amazing, not so much. I struggle to see what separates it from the hundreds of other indie outfits who are doing exactly what The Vaccines are, unsigned, in a garage. I still advocate the listening of it, because it is like-able, but if it doesn't blow you away, then you can keep the play count stagnant and know that one other person feels the same. See what you think...

Check out their website here and give them a listen below.

Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) by The Vaccines

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Golden Age

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour are a Danish band whose success on a global scale is largely thanks to Heineken. The brand incorporated one of the bands songs The Golden Age in their latest viral advert "The Entrance". The group is made up of vocalist Mette Lindberg and producer Lars Iversen but when performing live are accompanied by a six piece horn group. After hearing The Golden Age on the Heineken ad, I downloaded their debut album Fruit, released in the last quarter of 2009. Turns out to be a great album. It's a set of cherry-pop tracks glistened by Mette's voice in a foot tapping package. Well worth getting hold of. Take The Golden Age as a standard on which the rest of the album equals.

U.S. Royalty - MIЯRORS

Plenty of time for U.S. Royalty's new album Mirrors. It started with a listen to Monte Carlo, which is an ace track and so I hunted for the album. Like quite a few other singles I've recently enjoyed, when I've downloaded the album, it has been a disappointment. But this was the exception. I love this album. Firstly, Equestrian the most similar sounding song to Monte Carlo can be acquired here. Hollywood Hollows is a bit more upbeat and rock-like, reminding me a lot of Band of Skulls. You also have to listen to Giving Up the Ghost, which has a distinct Creedence Clearwater Revival Fortunate Son feel to it - love it. Vacation Vacation is also a great track with enough stick on stick percussion to get you well into the beat, while still holding a mellow "Whooohooo hoo hoo" quality. Those are just the songs sticking out to me now, but I could go through every song with noted praise. If you like the two songs available for download on this post, then the whole album is a must.

As an afterthought, just for background info, the band is from Washington DC and was formed in 2008. They are still unsigned and Mirrors was released on January 25th of this year. The band is made of singer John Thornley, guitarist Paul Thornley, bassist Jacob Michael, and drummer Luke Adams. Is it just me or are family bands a trend... Consider the all-family Kings of Leon and yesterdays post on Phoenix...



U.S. Royalty - Monte Carlo

U.S. Royalty - Equestrian

Phoenix - 1901

Yeah boi! This song is a vibe. I first knew it from The Hood Internet's mash up of the 2000's: Decalogue (an all-time favourite track <--- right click and save-as if you don't know it. Anyway, YouTube surfing the other day I heard the original and got hold of it straight away. It's from their 2009 album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the groups critically adored, first commercial success. Speaking of the music makers themselves, it seems right to mention that they are a Paris based group of four who were completed in 1995 by the addition of guitarist Christian Mazzalai's brother Branco. Vocals are courtesy of Thomas Mars and it would be rude to not mention bassist Deck d'Arcy. I'm currently getting my paws on the album and perhaps more is to follow.
Download the track here...

Lykke Li feat. Bon Iver - Dance Dance Dance

I was downloading all the unreleased Justin Vernon tracks when this came up. Don't think they even recorded a proper studio version, but I love the rough around the edges sound and collective musical input from two artists whose sounds I enjoy. Can't get enough of that hand drumming and tambourine. Makes you wana jump around a bon fire...


Lykke Li & Bon Iver doing 'Dance Dance Dance' in...

Rubik - Laws of Gravity

Rubik is a five man indie band from Finland. They formed in 2003. They've released a bunch of older LP's and their sound has really changed a lot. Laws of Gravity was released as a single before their album "Solar" was released last month. I have listened to this track pushing 50 times and am still digging it. Haven't listened to the album, but if this is anything to go buy, it'll be great.


Rubik - Laws Of Gravity