Video: Metronomy - She Wants

Electronic quartet Metronomy are due to return this year with a brand new studio album The English Riviera, but first they have served up a small bite of what's to come with She Wants, a delicious dark and funky synth pop tune with a creepy video to boot.  

The English Riviera is Metronomy's third album and is the follow up to 2009's very awesome Nights Out.

She Wants is released on January 28th in Ireland and January 31st in the UK.

METRONOMY - She Wants - By JUL & MAT from JUL & MAT on Vimeo.

Must See Field Day Artist: Beth Jeans Houghton

The first act I am thrilled to be catching at Field Day in London's Victoria Park next week is Beth Jeans Houghton. Her brand of kooky and serene folk is one that has been done in some context before but few can pull it off so well.
Her comparisons to Laura Marling are undoubtedly obvious, but her vocal is has a slightly more fragile air that would remind me more of Hope Sandoval and even François Hardy at times.
Beth who is only 19, hails from Newcastle and has graced stages in support to some fantastic artists including Tinariwen, Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons and St. Vincent. She released a 5 track EP last year called Hot Toast Vol. 1 and if this is anything to go by then her debut album should be quite superb.


I Will Return is the opening track on her EP and it's pretty blinding and you can view the video below.



Field Day Festival takes place in Victoria Park, London on July 31st. See www.fielddayfestivals.com for more details

New Mystery Jets song "Flash A Hungry Smile".

Mystery Jets return with some brand new music for you to salivate over with Flash A Hungry Smile. This is the first track taken from their third studio album Serotonin due out on July 2nd in Ireland and 5th in the UK on Rough Trade Records. The more I listen, the more I love Flash A Hungry Smile, it's wonderfully happy with a nice vintage pop sound.

Serotonin was produced by Chris Thomas whose works include Different Class from Pulp and Anarchy In The UK from the Sex Pistols.

Listen & download your free copy of to Flash A Hungry Smile HERE.

Florence & The Machine-You've Got The Love video

The wonderful Florence Welch (of And The Machine) is set to release her excellent version of Candi Staton's, You've Got The Love on November 13th. A crowd favourite when performed live, Flo's version gives this soul classic a wonderfully modern twist. The video for this is shot with Florence perched on a glittery, silver quarter moon dressed in feathers and sequinns, whipping her red mane into shape with the music. It's pretty girly so I am not gonna complain.



Florence and The Machine | MySpace Music Videos

Talulah Does The Hula-Bad Boyfriend Video

Dublin ladies (and man) Talulah Does The Hula have just released their first video to the wonderfully poppy Bad Boyfriend. It was shot over the summer by band member Jesse and it is uber slick!
The track itself reflects the summery feel good factor of the video and I love it.
If you like what you hear then you can them live next Friday in the Twisted Pepper as part of the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival.

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Florence and The Machine-Drumming Song Video

So here is Florence Welch aka Florence And The Machine getting her groove on with some funky choreography in the video to her new single Drumming Song. With mystical costumes at the ready Florence and co swoon about a church elegantly to the anthemic chorus of the track. This shall probably help inject more sales from her Mercury nominated album Lungs as day time radio will swarm over this like hysterical wasps.

Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus: Album Review

The pop band that teeter on the edge of getting it completely wrong. Having discussed Phoenix with various comrades over the last month, it was eventually agreed the French band perfect the right mix of pop and indie to avoid overkill on either genre.

This Friday May 22nd sees Phoenix release their 4th studio album,Wolfgang Amadeus. In short it's faultless pop, speckled wonderfully with indie rock. The opening track and first official single from the album, Liztomania, is purely anthemic and reminds me of how The Strokes classic Last Night tore up many a dance floor when it was first released. This is swiftly followed by 1901, a track the band released as a free download on their website back in February, which is also cleverly paced and well delivered indie pop.
Love Like a Sunset takes a break from the hi velocity that kicks off the album and this creates a variety of soundscapes from funk to atmospheric shoe gaze which allow it to elevate subtly with perfect mixing from Philippe Zdar who also mixed the bands debut United.
Zdar's influence is pretty obvious through out, with louder beats and a smooth transition between tracks enabling the album to fuse faultlessly. It's pretty hard to pick a favourite song on this record as it's quite excellent as a whole, but the stand out for me has to be Fences. Thomas Mars' vocal and the arrangement of the track as a whole brings it back to the quality and verve of previous Phoenix releases reminding me, without much prompting just how great a band they are.

So is Wolfgang Amadeus the album to finally break through to the oblivious musos of the world? Well I would like to think so. With the year that's in it, for albums in 2009 it is certainly up there for me and when I eventually wrench it from the stereo I will gladly let you know if that opinion still stands. Expect to see it on many an end of year album list.
Phoenix-1901 video

Phoenix-Lisztomania: Video

One of the most addictive songs of the year so far has to be Lisztomania from French indie popstars Phoenix. It's in keeping with what we are used to when we put on a Phoenix album, perfect 3 minute pop songs with the sing-a-long factor.
Lisztomania is no different and is the first single from their excellent 4th studio album Wolfgang Amadeus which is out here on May 22nd.

Phoenix - Lisztomania on Vimeo.