Category Archives: music

[on the rise] The Vaccines

The Vaccines are a London-based atl-rock band that just recently formed in 2010, but has quite a bit of buzz heading into 2011.

The band released their demo If You Wanna in the Summer of 2010, which received high praise from the BBC’s Zane Low (he named it as his “Hottest Record In The World” on 18 August 2010).  Their debut single, Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra), was released back in November and reached number 157 on the UK Singles Chart and was named “Track of the Day” by Q Magazine (pretty impressive, considering the track is a mere 1 minute and 24 seconds long).  And earlier this year, the band placed third in the BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll.

They’ve been compared to the likes of the Ramones, Jesus and Mary Chain, and The Strokes (I think it was Spin magazine that described them as the ‘British Strokes’).  The band describes their influences as “50s rock ‘n’ roll, ’60s garage and girl groups, ’70s punk, ’80s American hardcore, C86 and good pop music”.

Their debut album, What Did You Expect From the Vaccines?, is set for release March 21st (grab it here) and they’re heading out on tour later this month (dates and info here).

The Vaccines – If You Wanna
The Vaccines – Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)

Mid-Week Mixtape: 2/23/11

Here are the tunes making my work week that much more enjoyable.

Enjoy!

Fever Ray – Seven (The Twelves Remix)
More Fever Ray here.  More Twelves here.

Hoodie Allen – Dreams Up
More Hoodie Allen here.

Pepper Rabbit – Older Brother
More Pepper Rabbit here.

Radiohead – Codex
More Radiohead here.

Theophilus London – Pyromiltia
More Theophilus here.

[on the road] The Luyas

Canadian indie rock outfit, The Luyas, are hitting the road this month for a North American and European tour.  They’ll kick things off in Montreal on February 24 and finish things up in London on May 19.  Along the way, they’ll be joined by Ra Ra Riot, Liam Finn, the Dodos, and GIVERS (check dates below to see who plays when).

The Luyas are touring in support of their latest release, Too Beautiful to Work, available now courtesy of Dead Oceans.

The Luyas – Too Beautiful to Work
The Luyas – Motion City Soundtrack (Radiohead Cover)

02/24 Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa
02/26 Quebec City, Quebec – Le Cercle
03/04 Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theatre (w/ Ra Ra Riot)
03/06 Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits (w/ Ra Ra Riot)
03/07 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room (w/ Ra Ra Riot)
03/08 Orlando, FL – The Social (w/ Ra Ra Riot)
03/09 Tampa, FL – Crowbar (w/ Ra Ra Riot)
03/11 New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks (w/ Ra Ra Riot & the Givers)
03/12 Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon (w/ Ra Ra Riot)
03/14-20 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/23 Los Angeles, CA – The Autry National Center (w/ Liam Finn)
03/24 San Francisco, CA – The Independent (w/ Liam Finn)
03/28 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge (w/ Liam Finn)
03/29 Seattle, WA – Crocodile Cafe (w/ Liam Finn)
03/30 Vancouver, British Columbia- Venue (w/ Liam Finn)
04/01 Calgary, Alberta – Palomino
04/02 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – 302
04/04 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
04/05 Chicago, IL – The Hideout (w/ Liam Finn)
04/06 Cleveland, OH – The Spot (w/ Liam Finn)
04/07 Toronto, Ontario – Lee’s Palace (w/ Liam Finn)
04/08 Montreal, Quebec – Il Motore (w/ Liam Finn)
04/09 Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House (w/ Liam Finn)
04/11 Cambridge, MA – T.T. The Bear’s (w/ Liam Finn)
04/13 Washington DC – Red Palace (w/ Liam Finn)
04/14 Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe (w/ Liam Finn)
04/23 Groningen, Netherlands – Vera
04/24 Utrecht, Netherlands – Ekko
04/26 Paris, France – Mains d’Oevre
04/27 Bordeaux, France – Heretic
04/28 Naples, France – Pannonica
04/30 Cherbourg, France – La Terra Trema
05/02 Grenoble, France – Le Ciel (w/ the Dodos)
05/06 Aarau, Switzerland – Kiff
05/07 Munchen, Germany – 59 to 1 (w/ the Dodos)
05/08 Offenbach, Germany – Hafen 2 (w/ the Dodos)
05/09 Berlin, Germany – Magnet (w/ the Dodos)
05/10 Hamburg, Germany – Prinzenbar (w/ the Dodos)
05/11 Cologne, Germany – Blue Shell (w/ the Dodos)
05/12 Nijmegen, Germany – Doornroosje (w/ the Dodos)
05/13 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg (w/ the Dodos)
05/14 Brussels, Belgium – Botanique (w/ the Dodos)
05/15 Middleburg, Netherlands – De Spot
05/16 Blois, France – Chato’do, Vendome (w/ the Dodos)
05/17 Strassbourg, France – La Laiterie (w/ the Dodos)
05/18 Paris, France – Point Ephemere (w/ the Dodos)
05/19 London, England – Scala (w/ the Dodos)

[on repeat] Zola Jesus

Zola Jesus is the stage name of Russian American singer/songwriter, and Former Ghosts member, Nika Roza Danilova.  Over the past 2 years or so, she’s released 7 records (4 albums, 3 EPs) and last year she supported Fever Ray on her 2010 European tour.  Needless to say, this rising goth-pop siren has been busy.

I really dig her sound.  It’s easy to compare her to Fever Ray, but just as easy to differentiate.  There is a determination in her music that really shows, and probably stems from her musical background.  She trained as a opera singer from a young age and applied to Juliard at 10 years old.  Even though she wasn’t accepted, she was still able to complete high school in three years and is set to graduate from university with a double major in French and philosophy in the same amount of time…no easy task.

My favorite tracks include Lightsick, Night, I Can’t Stand, Poor Animal, and Sea Talk, but I really haven’t heard a song be her that’s not worth a listen.  If you want more Zola Jesus, purchase some of her tunes (via iTunes) and/or catch a live show (dates below).

Zola Jesus – Lightsick
Zola Jesus – Night

02/26 Los Angeles, CA – Skybar @ Mondrian
03/12 Mexico City, Mexico – Indie-O Festival
04/14 St. Louis, MO – Billiken Club (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/15 Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/18 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/19 Buffalo, NY – Mohawk (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/20 Toronto, Ontario – The Garrison (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/21 Montreal, Quebec – Il Motore (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/22 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall (w/ Cult of Youth)
04/23 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom (w/ Cult of Youth & Naked on the Vague)
04/25 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brendas (w/ Naked on the Vague)
04/26 Washington, DC – Red Palace (w/ Naked on the Vague)
04/27 Grantham, PA – Messiah College (w/ Naked on the Vague)
04/29 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon (w/ Naked on the Vague)
04/30 Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry (w/ Naked on the Vague)
05/03 Vancouver, British Columbia – Biltmore (w/ Naked on the Vague)
05/04 Seattle, WA – Crocodile Lounge (w/ Naked on the Vague)
05/05 Portland, OR – Holocene (w/ Naked on the Vague)
05/06 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw (w/ Naked on the Vague)
05/07 Los Angeles, CA – The Satellite (w/ Naked on the Vague)

[on the rise] Yellow Ostrich

I was first introduced to the NY based, Yellow Ostrich, by one of my favorite music blogs/daily reads, A Heart Is A Spade.  Since that first introduction (read that first post here), I keep running into this solo project/sometimes duo/rumor has it now trio, all over the blogosphere and music media outlets.  This really shouldn’t surprise me though, considering how much I like the band…it only makes sense that a lot of people would feel the same way.

Yellow Ostrich is the brain child of former Chairs frontman, Alex Schaaf, along with frequent collaborator and Bishop Allen drummer, Michael Tapper, as well as the recent addition of Jon Natchez (another Bishop Allen alum) on bass and horns.

Schaaf recently relocated from Wisconsin to NY and in a very short time has released a series of EPs, a 7 inch, and the latest full-length, The Mistress, which are all available at his bandcamp page.  If that wasn’t enough, Yellow Ostrich is also out and about  playing shows all over NA, including SXSW (dates and info here).

For more Yellow Ostrich: here and here.

Yellow Ostrich – Hold On
Yellow Ostrich – Happy Birthday