FUTURE SOUNDS 22: FINALLY READY FOR RELEASE I know you are all thinking that you were removed from the subscriber list - because you haven't received a copy in forever - but I finally completed the latest
FUTURE SOUNDS compilation and it's on it's way to your mailbox.
After 2+ years of putting this out, I took a vacation. I moved (twice). I closed some deals, and I worked on some tours. Now, it's back to business.....
1. ROGUE WAVE – 10:1You should know all about this band by now and if you don’t, you must not know me very well. This San Francisco act is set to let go of their second effort, Descended Like Vultures, on Sub Pop. THE SHINS had better get another record out soon before these guys take their fanbase. Zach Rogue and his band have delivered a powerfully strong record, AGAIN.
ROGUE WAVE – Descended Like Vultures – Sub Pop Records.2. MILBURN – Let Me GoComing out of the lively Sheffield music scene (think ARTIC MONKEYS), here comes the fury of
MILBURN. Classic rock guitar mixed with LIBERTINES dirtiness, with roots planted in THE JAM, this track is a blaze of rock and roll. These kids average 17 years old - remember how you could jump around and tear things up when you were that age?
MILBURN – EP – Free Construction.3. SCISSORS FOR LEFTY – Next To ArgyleThis band has appeared on a previous FUTURE SOUNDS, but I was just handed the latest demo songs from the San Francisco band,
SCISSORS FOR LEFTY, and I think they’ve only gotten better! Honestly, the 4 new tracks I’ve heard are their strongest to date, and it’s good timing for them, with the industry beginning to check them out. Management: Joyce Williams MIN Entertainment. Legal: Robert Reynolds. Needs: Booking.
SCISSORS FOR LEFTY – Demos – No label.4. HARLEM SHAKES – EighteenI know, the first thing you think is “damn, I could just listen to my BEATLES’ records”, which may be true, but that never stopped OASIS, MANDO DIAO, or JET from ripping things off so perfectly that you feel like it is an outtake. More under-age, heavy drinkers here from Manhattan, not actually Harlem, are playing a brand of music they call “NYC scruff-rock”. This demo was produced by Sam Farrar and mixed by Britt Myers of BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE. Management: Sarah Hopper – Gigantic Music. Legal: Robert Reynolds. Needs: Booking.
HARLEM SHAKES – Demos – No label.5. JAMIE LIDELL – MultiplyThrowback? Intentional, or just soulful? Lots of debate going on about this man,
JAMIE LIDELL, who sounds like OTIS REDDING mixed with AL GREEN. I say, “who cares”, just groove to it, as this joint sounds like it was ripped in Memphis. Multiply has that hook that should catch everyone that understands soul music and doesn’t have a big stick in their ass that stops them from dancing. This guy’s heading upwards quickly on the RAY LAMONTAGUE tip.
JAMIE LIDELL – Multiply – Warp Records.6. SILJIE – Kiss Your MamaWhile we are dipping into sounds from the past, let’s focus on SILJIE, a Swedish knockout that sounds like PHIL SPECTOR and his crazy afro jumped back into the studio and laid down this funk. This is fresh and new and will land on your radio soon enough (she’s inking a major deal)- the nine tracks I’ve heard from her are ready for release now!
SILJIE – Demos – No label.7. KENNEDY – Your MamaThis Hollywood rising star,
KENNEDY, has two very different personalities - 1) the pimp, 2) the rocker (think THE DARKNESS). Here the golden boy shows us his P.I.M.P. side, and I guarantee if you play this thing more than once, you’ll be singing it for days later. You can’t stop it, it’s too rich, and you have to visit his website (goldentowel.com)
and see this video – they haven’t looked this good since VAN HALEN’s Hot For Teacher. Management: Gregg Demammos - MCT Bold. Needs: Legal, booking.
KENNEDY – Your Mama 7” - No label.8. WHITE ROSE MOVEMENT – AlsationThis single hit the streets on Halloween, appropriately enough, as it’s dark, clawing force makes for great night driving and doin’ music. This fire has been burning in the UK already, having just finished a 100 gig headlining tour throughout England and Europe. My people over there tell me they blister live, now I wanna get them over here. Will land soon enough.
Booking: Ian Huffum - X-ray Touring
WHITE ROSE MOVEMENT – Alsation Single– No label.9. SILVERSUN PICKUPS – Kissing FamiliesHere’s an LA band that you should all already know about;
SILVERSUN PICKUPS. This Silverlake band, (named after the liquor store at the corner of Sunset and Silver Lake) and this song in particular, have been showing up on everyone’s lists. Cool tune that builds until vocalist Aubert Nikki pays homage to THE PIXIES by songs end. This EP, pronounced 'pie-kull', was produced and mixed by Rod Cevera (WEEZER, WARLOCKS). Management: Megan West - Invisible Inc. Legal: Tamara Milagros-Woeckner.
SILVERSUN PICKUPS – Pikul EP – Dangerbird Records.10. THE AUDRYE SESSIONS – No One Is ListeningThat’s right, another Bay Area band (Livermore) cranking out big sounding rock, doing their best to cut the difference between RADIOHEAD and COLDPLAY, if that can be done (?).
THE AUDRYE SESSIONS are starting to get looks from cool indies, this voice could grow into something even bigger. Hero Booking. Needs: Management, legal.
THE AUDRYE SESSIONS – Demos – No label.11. BOY KILL BOY – SuzieEast London’s
BOY KILL BOY were one of the few bands I had on my CMJ hit list, and I never made it over to catch them live; now I’m bummed. Not only did they hook up with talent hawk, Simon Williams at
Fierce Panda, but since have won over big guys like Zane Lowe at Radio 1 and are getting lots of ink in NME after appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. If the ‘80’s sound sun is setting in the post FRANZ-KILLERS-BLOC PARTY genre, let’s ride out enjoying it and BOY KILL BOY. Management: Grand Union Group.
BOY KILL BOY – Suzie - Fierce Panda Records.12. 100 BULLETS BACK – DBM100BB are actually two guys from deepest Oxfordshire that could also be said to have that ‘80’s sound. At first I almost immediately cast it aside, but it kept popping up in the Ipod, and DBM made me groove each and every time it played. Rodney B at KROQ in LA has been on this for some time, and the full length on Velocity Recordings is strong throughout. Needs: Management, legal, booking.
100 BULLETS BACK – 100 Bullets Back - Velocity Recordings.
13. CALLA – It Dawned On MeBrooklyn’s
CALLA have been taking the Field Of Dreams approach to their career; “if you build it, they will come”. Having moved up from Young God, to Arena Rock Recordings, they’ve now found a perfect home at Beggars Banquet and with it their fan base has remained rock solid.
An amazing vibe band with big sounds, nothing poppy here, rather rock for musicians. Management: Keith Wood. Legal: Gillian Malken.
CALLA – Collisions – Beggars Banquet.14. THE DOUBLE – IdiocyHey, another Brooklyn band on a Beggars label, Matador? You’ll like these guys if you buy anything by MODEST MOUSE, UNICORNS, or THE FIERY FURNANCES. The band obviously adores the most famous Matador act, PAVEMENT. Their debut full length is a great listen, I dig it! Management: Christian Schaal. US booking: Jim Romeo – Ground Control. UK booking: James Whiting – The CODA Agency.
THE DOUBLE – Lose In The Air – Matador Records.15. THE PRIDS – ShakeFormed in 1998, Portland’s,
THE PRIDS, have paid their dues and are looking to bust out. I hear a love of JOY DIVISION, and they fully admit their loyalty to the dark influences of bands from that time period (BAUHAUS, CURE) while associating themselves with contemporary bands like THE FAINT. I was sent a strong set of new demos that could be shaped into something large!
Needs: Management, legal, booking.
THE PRIDS – Demos – No label.16. GET HIM EAT HIM – Mumble MumbleSo what is
GET HIM EAT HIM anyway? Who would guess that it’s a bunch of Brown University students from Providence, Rhode Island that sound like ELO. At first I was tempted to write a Pitchfork type review of singer Matt Lemay's band (he writes for them), as countless bands have gotten trashed there for sounding every bit this good, but I’ll generally give credit where it’s due, and he’s done it here. Booking: Ryan Craven - The Kork Agency. Self-managed.
GET HIM EAT HIM – Geography Cones – Absolutely Kosher.17. ORANGER – New Comes And GoesSan Francisco’s
ORANGER are not new kids on the block, having released some amazing records on their own label, Amazing Grease for years. This time, they combined with
Eenie Meenie and brought back a Bay Area indie legend, Bob Reid (OVERWHELMING COLORFAST) and turned in a record as strong as any release out now. They just finished their US tour while college radio is responding. Needs: Management, booking.
ORANGER – New Comes And Goes – Eenie Meenie Records.18. WOLF PARADE – Shine A LightMontreal’s
WOLF PARADE are the latest darlings of the indie world. In this attempt to find the next ARCADE FIRE to latch onto, people everywhere are eager to pin ‘the next big thing’ tag onto these guys or anyone that Pitchfork says is great (and they are from Canada after all). That calls for broad shoulders, and they have them, as this record on Sub Pop deserves all the attention it’s getting.
WOLF PARADE - Apologies to the Queen Mary – Sub Pop Records.19. DIEFENBACH - GloriousWhat the hell is the name of this band? I was told it came from the movie ‘Fargo’ strangely enough. On tour with ELBOW at the moment overseas, this Danish five-piece fit right in with that crowd and should do well with the ladies. Come on, we all wish we could say that!
DIEFENBACK – Set And Drift – Wall Of Sound.20. THE BRONZE EPISODE – The BodyNew Jersey’s
THE BRONZE EPISODE aren’t really playing by everyone’s else rules, something evident with ‘
The Body’. It’s almost like Brandon Flowers going in a prog rock direction. Orchestrated, strained, yet having this drum-n-bass sound bed going on, it stands out to me. Very early days on this band, not many shows under the belt, but a sound of it’s own. Needs: Management, legal, booking.
THE BRONZE EPISODE – Demos – No label.21. JENNA NICHOLLS – All The WhileSweet
JENNA NICHOLLS doesn’t sound like someone hailing from New York City, but rather somewhere softer, gentler. This song has been on steady repeat in my house, just gorgeous. Played with acts like NOUVELLE VAGUE and CHRIS WHITLEY and has performed on NPR, this is a rising young talent on the scale of a MINDY SMITH. Needs: Management, legal, booking.
JENNA NICHOLLS – Demos- No label.****************************************************
NEWS FROM THE FUTURE…THE POSIES – Having just finished 47 dates in North America, the bands are back to Europe through the end of the year for headlining dates and a string of shows with TEENAGE FANCLUB. Look for the first video, ‘
Conversations’ to show up soon backed by a push at radio for this single. While out on the road, Ken Stringfellow & Jon Auer’s side project,
BIG STAR, released their first album in decades, In Space (Rykodisc), and should have shows lined up in 2006.
FILM SCHOOL – The ‘
On & On’ single has dropped in the UK and in the US. The band has just returned from a UK tour with THE ROGERS SISTERS and are gearing up to do 29 dates with THE NATIONAL in Europe in November and December. Players like Steve Lamacq have already vowed support for the forthcoming full-length, Film School, which is set to arrive everywhere in January on Beggars Banquet.
THE DRAMA – More major label showcases, more heat around this band, things are about to explode for THE DRAMA, although they’ve had to escape Florida for a spell to ride out these hurricanes. Joe Gregory and company are off writing new songs and putting together an album that will change the alternative radio format once we are able to announce our deal signing very soon. Bottom line is, we’ve inked a deal.
DAVID HOPKINS – David’s full length,
Amber & Green (Reekus Records) is out now and since the last Future Sounds, he’s been on tour in Ireland and is back again now doing more promo. In between, he performed at CMJ, NEMO and is completing a month long residency at The Red Lion in New York, where he recently had JOSS STONE & GAVIN DEGRAW drop in on his set. Brimming with new songs, David began recording a new record in Ireland in November, and is working on a Christmas single to be released on Reekus this winter.
HABITFORMING – The young band that is quickly making a name for themselves. Their blinding live show has got people looking at them, with offers coming in from the UK, and US indies watching closely, how much longer will it be before they take over? They recently crushed the house opening for STELLASTARR, and tore down the set at The Bottom Of The Hill; they look to hit the road in the Northwest in November and December.
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FINAL THOUGHTS… ROLL CALL: Some former FUTURE SOUNDS acts that have closed deals recently:
LOVEDRUG – Columbia Records (FS05)
EVERY MOVE A PICTURE – V2 Records (FS16)
LA ROCCA – Dangerbird Records - Warner Bros (FS17)
MOHAIR – Q Prime (FS21)
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GIANTS – Island Def Jam (FS21)
NEW STUFF: Finally, some quality releases for us to buy after a long draught of boring stuff. It seems like this chilling affect was felt at CMJ this year, as it was a big snore. Here’s an overview of some new stuff that caught my ear and should crack a
FUTURE SOUNDS before long:
THE GATES OF BERLIN-
Mercurius (Self released)- A really great listen from top to bottom, and lots of heads are thinking of getting involved with these guys from Atlanta, Ga. Needs: Management, legal, booking. ****
MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO & SO’S – another band with eyes all over them, majors and indies alike are trying to figure out if these guys are the new THE SHINS or DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE. Needs: Management, booking. ****
BRIAN LACKEY- Now this one is interesting, very interesting. Like NINE INCH NAILS connecting with SUICIDE, very dark and effect-filled and disturbing in a good way. I feel like I need to shower after hearing the demos. Needs: Management, legal, booking. ****
ELEPHONE – New demos by this San Francisco act show that they’ve harnessed their wild hairs just enough to put them in the right place for something good to happen to them. They’ve released a solid effort on Three Ring Records earlier in the year. Needs: Management, legal, booking.
ALREADY THERE….As a fan, I’ve been personally blessed with some new releases by some of my current favorite bands in the world like
MY MORNING JACKET,
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, and CONSTANTINES. Here are three top tier bands that I think will stand up over time, broad shoulders and brimming with creativity and that extra ‘it’ that makes me buy each and every release. Another common thread; they are all great live acts. Even though it’s been out for some time now,
THE MAGIC NUMBERS record,
The Magic Numbers, is one of the best records I’ve heard all year! Brilliant!
Other great new releases I’ve enjoyed are
FRANZ FERDINAND –
You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino/Epic),
JOHN VANDERSLICE –
Pixel Revolt (Barsuk),
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS –
Lovecraft (XL/Beggars), SUPERGRASS -
Road to Rouen (Parlophone), and
BROADCAST –
Tender Buttons (Warp Records). **** I can’t forget to mention the new and luscious
SIGOR ROS album,
Takk… (Geffen) or the new
NADA SURF record,
The Weight Is A Gift. I also LOVE the new
DEPECHE MODE single, ‘
Precious’, and from streaming the album on their Myspace page, it sounds like their best effort since Violator, but more like Black Celebration. I’m looking forward to hearing the new records by
DIOS (MALOS) (Startime Intl),
RICHARD HAWLEY -
Coles Corner (Mute), and
Children Of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era 1976-1995, featuring THE SOFT BOYS, TEENAGE FANCLUB and
THE POSIES. **** One album that was released a little while back that I just caught up with is
KEREN ANN –
Nolita (Blue Note). Gorgeous! - One of my favorite morning records - coffee and Keren Ann.
**** Other names to watch: GOOD SHOES, MASON PROPER, THE ARROGANTS,
BIRDMONSTER, SNOW WHITE, YOUNG OFFENDERS INSTITUTE, SHINEY TOY GUNS, THE PARKAS, PANDA & ANGEL, THE FETALES, WHAT ABOUT FRANK, THE BOY LEAST LIKEY TO, BEARSUIT, SABROSA PURR and FELL CITY GIRL.
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***** A special thanks goes out to Sara for all of her help on FS22.
*** Please remember to buy music when you can - support the arts.
