Kings Of Leon
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Kings of Leon are one of those bands that grasp your attention, it may be their distinct sound or their genes of good looks. They have a way of oozing their sense of style into their music, creating some amazing country and blues influenced rock. April 2 they'll be releasing their much anticipated third album titled "Because of the Times", which comes from the saying that if an album does well it's "Because of the Times" or if it bombs, it's "Because of the Times." They've extended their roots and have gone for a bigger sound as Caleb screams in the second track "Charmer", yet they still maintain their smooth bass lines and rhythmic guitars. This album is another Kings Of Leon classic, a reminder of why they're a great band with that touch of appeal. As drummer Nathan explains "I don't care what you write, just make sure you make us sound sexy". Here's some new stuff below including the latest single "On Call".
Kings Of Leon On Call
Kings Of Leon Charmer
Kings Of Leon My Party
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Some Good Watchin'
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens John Wayne Gracy, Jr.
Sufjan Stevens Adlai Stevenson
Sufjan Stevens For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
Sufjan Stevens We Wont Need Legs To Stand
Sufjan Stevens Abraham
Sufjan Stevens Flint (For The Unemployed And Underpaid)
Sufjan Stevens The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!
God, Make Up Your Mind
I purchased the next installment of the Leave It All Behind compilations Modular Records are releasing yearly. Volume 2 came out two days ago and much like Volume 1, it contains some of the best Indie-Dance tracks you'll ever come across. Some of the tracks are rare, some of them are recent, and some are from last year. Either way, it's a well structured cd and I'm loving every minute of it.
The Go! Team Ladyflash (Simian Mobile Disco Remix)
Hot Chip And I Was A Boy From School (Erol Alkan's Extended Re-work Remix)
Jenny Wilson Let My Shoes Lead Me Forward (The Knife Remix)
Cut Copy Going Nowhere (Sebastian Remix)
Mystery Jets The Boy Who Ran Away (Riton Re-Rub)
Klaxons Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cheated Hearts (Peaches Remix)
Dan Kelly And The Alpha Males are possibly the most cleverest band around. Everything Dan does is just genius, but thats to be expected for he's uncle is none other than Australia's finest singer/song-writer Paul Kelly. I've saw Dan Kelly perform at this years Big Day Out festival and i must say, he is one hell of a character, especially when he told all the Trivium fans to "f**k off!". Classic.
Dan Kelly And The Alpha Males Drowning In The Fountain Of Youth
Dan Kelly And The Alpha Males Drunk On Election Night
This band was a major surprise for me. I hadn't heard any of Blood Meridian's stuff previous before getting a hold of their new cd, Kick Up The Dust. Folk-Rock at it's finest people.
Blood Meridian Work Hard, For What
Blood Meridian Your Boyfriends' Blues
Everybody has heard enough of The Decemberists. But heres a song i like off the new album, The Crane Wife.
The Decemberists O Valencia!
The Bird And The Bee
When Greg Kurstin and Inara George came together, they didn't exactly form what we now call The Bird And The Bee. Greg (bird) helped Inara (bee and daughter of the late Lowell George) with her solo project and album "All Rise", he's also produced some stuff for the likes of Lily Allen, The Flaming Lips, Beck, Jenny Lewis and the list goes on really. It was over the shared love jazz they decided to work together and create songs such as Fucking Boyfriend and Again & Again (also remixed by Peaches) on their debut EP. Just last month they released their first full length album self titled. Filled with 60's jazz influences, bossa nova and electronica with similar charming vocals to those of Imogen Heap and Emily Haines fronting music from The Blow and Mates of States. The talented L.A. duo create wistful dreamy pop, subtle harmonies submersed in the art of love.
The Bird And The Bee La La La
The Bird And The Bee Because
For more, listen at myspace
Speaking of other things in art. Tomorrow the annual Tropfest is happening in all states of Australia. It's a short film festival showcasing well...anything and everything. For details check out the website. I went last year only for a while since it was ruined by heavy rains. Tomorrow should be completely fine, I hope.
Operator Please
I wouldn't be surprised if the collective age of Gold Coast, Australia's Operator Please is lower than mine, but hey, as that Aaliyah song goes, age ain't nothing but a number right? Having won a Battle of the Bands competiton held in their high school, these kids play a refreshingly adorable brand of guilt-free indie pop and, led by singer Amandah, contains enough spunk to keep them from being annoyingly cutesy. As stated on their MySpace profile, "We'll bring the chips and fizzy drink, you bring the PARTY TIME!" Enough said, let's dance.
Operator Please Get What You Want
Operator Please Just A Song About Ping Pong
A Quickie With...Albert Hammond, Jr.
Albert Hammond, Jr. Quickie
Alana Skyring (The Grates) Quickie
Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) Quickie
Jesse F. Keeler (MSTRKRFT and Death From Above 1979) Quickie
Ruben Neilson (The Mint Chicks) Quickie
Ryan Allen (Thunderbirds Are Now!) Quickie
Emma Gaze (Electrelane) Quickie
Mark Gorsch (Love Is All) Quickie
Ash St Ives (Young And Restless) Quickie
A Show Of Hands
One band that has really grabbed me lately is Cold War Kids. I don't know what it is about them that has my attention, but they've got something. Theres no doubting their indie rock, but they have twist and turns in their songs that almost makes it feel foreign. A delightful band indeed. These guys will be the next Strokes or Kings Of Leon or Bloc Party.
Cold War Kids We Used To Vacation
Cold War Kids Hang Me Up To Dry
I have extremely jumped on late with the Camera Obscura bandwagon. I don't know why I have left it until let to get on board, perhaps it was the fact that their cd's are expensive in Australia. But, I gave into temptation and have quickly realised just how talented these guys are. Lead singer Tracyanne brings that something extra to the band that makes them so much sweeter.
Camera Obscura Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
Camera Obscura If Looks Could Kill
Only half way through her current tour, Sarah Blasko has announced more dates in April after she showcases her stuff at SXSW. Playing pretty much everywhere in Australia, she will be once again on the road for a long period of time promoting her newest release What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have. Dates can be found here.
Sarah Blasko The Gardens End
Sarah Blasko Showstopper
Possibly the biggest thing to ever rock the hip-hop world, Uffie has dropped yet another track upon us to get everyone warmed up for her album release sometime in the year. The new song is titled Dismissed and much like every other Uffie song, it contains attitude, bad mouthing and same fine funky beats.
Uffie Dismissed
M.I.A. is soon to drop her new album Bird Is The Word (title most likely to change). The follow up to Arular sounds really really good, I know thats not very discriptive, but it seriously is. I'm highly anticipating this release. I can see this album pushing M.I.A. further up in credibility and popularity. If you haven't enjoyed her music yet, please! do yourself a favor and listen to these songs!
M.I.A. XR 2
M.I.A. Bird Flu
Also, to readers of the blog, I pose a question. Which way of posting do you rather more, mixed band posts (like today's) or the usual way of just one band? Please do leave a comment on which you prefer. Thanks.
Expatriate Want To Play A Part
It was late 2005, Sydney band Expatriate (now a quartet) released their debut "Lovers Le Strange" EP with a album cover based on the artwork "The Lovers" by René Magritte. Favourite the track The Spaces Between; I found myself going on a two hour road trip with a bunch of friends up the coast just to see them play. If I can clearly remember the night was intense, full of energy. Everyone was dancing in the midst of moist sweat in a summer heat small venue in Newcastle. I can't really see much of that happening now but their shows are still great, the last I saw being at Big Day Out. Yesterday they dropped their second EP "Play A Part" (no fancy album art this time though), with the first two tracks "Only Wanna Love Ya" and "Play A Part" already receiving loads of radio play. I think of The Killers when I listen to this record, vocals alike and a few chords and riffs. The song writing itself has developed and added a sense of romanticism (which I assumed the first EP to be, due to the title). I'm undecided on this record. I like it, yet to love it.
You can listen to the EP on myspace, and check out some dates since they're currently on a national tour, then playing at some major festivals including SXSW. Also look out for their first full length album later this year.
Come To This
I'm sure all of us here at Off The Record are incredibly sorry for the lack of updates as of recently, I know I'm sorry. We're all back at school now and things have gotten harder, thus meaning we have had hardly anytime at all to update this site. We try our best to post as often as we can. So to make it up to everyone who might be getting a little worried, heres a post with some song's I have been digging as of late.
Angus And Julia Stone have just released their second EP "Heart Full Of Wine" and have already been touring like hell in support of this release. The pair write some of most beautifully pop-driven acoustic songs you'll ever hear. They are incredible talented and just hopefully they might make it big overseas.
Angus And Julia Stone Sadder Than You
Angus And Julia Stone What You Wanted
Yet another reasonably new band, Oh Mercy are yet to release another official, but they always seem to be uploading new tracks all the time on their Myspace. Here's the newest of the lot, which was uploaded last night in fact, and it see's the band sticking to their soft acoustic rock with driving vocals and soothing beats. Definitely a band to keep your eyes on, theres guys are my favorite local band, so make sure to give them some support.
Oh Mercy That's The Point
Ah Bloc Party, you always seem to amaze me. Not happy with the new album? Been wondering what happened to their sound that was "Silent Alarm"? Ponder no more people! It seems the band has been hiding at least 12 tracks from us all, but as per usual, tracks always seem to get leaked on the net. The tracks are very similar to "Silent Alarm" and I'm a little disappointed that these didn't even make the final cut for "A Weekend In The City". Nevertheless they have been leaked and people are going for gold! Here are my three favorites which didn't make it. Heres a link to Hype Machine to download some more of these hidden tracks.
Bloc Party The Once And Future King
Bloc Party We Were Lovers
Bloc Party Version 2.0
Klaxons are a band that grabbed my attention late in the game. I noticed everyone jumping on board with these guys, claiming them as the best new thing, but I wasn't too sure about them. That is until i listened to Golden Skans, which is just a brilliant track. Background vocals in this song have been playing over and over in my head all week and the film clip is quite funny too. Also the band has released a cover of Justin Timberlake's My Love, which is very similar to the original, but still good.
Klaxons Golden Skans
Klaxons My Love
A Quickie With...Electrelane
Getting ready for the release of their album, No Shouts, No Calls, in April this is quite an anxious time for Electrelane. So what better for the band to relive a bit of stress than to take A Quickie With me. Keep an eye out for Electrelane for they will be playing a few selected shows here and there to warm up for the release of the album.
Emma Gaze Quickie
Psapp
I only realised yesterday that the Psapp song Cosy in the Rocket from their 2006 release The Only Thing I Ever Wanted, is actually the song that plays over the opening credits of the TV show Grey's Anatomy! This English duo has been hitting me with their incredibly hypnotic tunes brimming with simple creativity and blissful electronic beats. Do include the unusual samples which are, surprisingly, used well in such situations. Galia Durant's voice is also quite charming, rich with sultriness. What you can also revel in is the great songwriting over quirky instrumentation. Psapp develop songs with such beautiful melodies and tasteful noise that it's impossible not to find the duo and their musical genius a delight to listen to.
Psapp Hi
Psapp Cosy in the Rocket
Psapp The Words
Bloc Party
I can honestly say that I have been a fan of Bloc Party since the very beginning. A lot of people would claim it to and yeah they're probably telling the truth, but your not truly there number 1 fan unless you become one of their Myspace friends right from the start (I was their 21st friend, haha). Anyway, A Weekend In The City is their newest release, very anticipated and incredibly over hyped. And what's this I'm hearing about Kele being gay!? I've given the album a few listens now and well, it's nothing special. They've changed their style a bit, still got the same guitar licks that people love and the funky beats to keep you dancing, but it's a little boring. I was a huge fan of Silent Alarm and I always had that on rotation, it hardly ever left the stereo, but after a couple of listens to the new cd, I was more then happy to take it out and put something else on.
Bloc Party The Prayer
Bloc Party Positive Tension
Bloc Party Positive Tension (The Go! Team Remix)
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