• Music

    Dirty Three – Whatever You Love, You Are

    The Dirty Three are Mick Turner, Jm White and Warren Ellis, and between them, they have worked with a who’s who of alternative music like P.J. Harvey, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Nick Cave among others.  What’s most impressive about their sound, however, is that they can sew together angular post-rock with a charming, nearly folkish sound.  This is the band’s best album in my estimation, and that’s saying a lot considering the quality of their work, but please do give it a listen and enjoy one of Australia’s finest instrumental bands.

  • Music

    The Secret Society of the Sonic Six – Out Of The Past EP

    A decade or two ago, there were only four bands who I would bother to make the trek out from the suburbs to the ‘great’ metropolis that is Los Angeles: Farflung, Tunnelmental, The Flash Express and The Secret Society of the Sonic Six.  Each were brilliant in their way, and in the end, The SSotSS won out for me because no one was able to weld together 50’s horror movie soundtracks, cold wave à la Americana, avant-funk, weirdo pop in the vein of Yello or other Ralph Records bands, and a stage show that kept you far away from gawking…

  • Music

    Steve Kilbey – Of Skins and Heart (Acoustic Sessions Vol.1)

    I don’t think Steve Kilbey of The Church needs much of an introduction, but it’s been awhile since I’ve heart what he’s been up to.  This album shows him playing an acoustic set based on The Church’s second-finest album, and the recordings are of sparse, but warm and stunning quality.  It’s nice to hear the songs in a more stripped-down setting.

  • Music

    MAiKA – Balkannibalism

    In a land of amazing bands and ensembles, MAiKA have managed to forcefully grab my attention.  While they call themselves an alternative dance-punk band, there’s so much more to the music.  The energy is amazing, the voices cut right through you in a way that most indie music can’t, and the fact that they combine brass band music with punk gives the music an authentic, punchy feel. From their Bandcamp site: “From the perspective (both musical and visual) of MAiKA, Balkan is an absurd mix of contrasts: religion and tradition combined with modern technology, natural beauty with destructive politics, mud with…

  • Music - Youtube

    [Video] New Order – Substance

    As today is my 52nd birthday, I thought I would take a walk down memory lane.  Today is also the 35th anniversary of New Order’s first major collection album called Substance, which was released on this day in 1987.  As it turns out, it was the first compact disc I ever bought, and though I don’t own it anymore, I have my digital copy to remind me of how excited I was (and still am) hearing this album.

  • Music

    Baložu Pilni Pagalmi – Māris Šverns – Būt ceļā

    Baložu Pilni Pagalmi are a Latvian post-rock/folk band out of the capita city of Riga.  What’s most interesting about this 37 minute-plus track is that it covers not only the genres mentioned, but it would be comfortable listed as an alternative/indie release.  I like the fact that there is a story embedded in this album, even if I am unable to understand Latvian.  I look forward to learning more about the band.

  • Music

    417.3 – 47

    417.3 appeared on my radar about 7-8 years ago when I was trying to explore more about Russian post-rock.  They are a heavy instrumental band, but not overly “mathy” or anything like this. 47 is a one-track single with the sort of shimmering guitar playing that one would expect from post-rock bands, as it seems to be the calling card of the non-metal end of the genre’s spectrum.

  • Music

    Various Artists – La Souterraine: Vallée du Don

    La Souterraine are one of France’s coolest indie labels.  They frequently release compilations of alternative music influenced by chanson, bedroom pop and post-punk.  Some of the ditties on offer are almost Beatlesque in their pop perfection.  Vallée du Don is one I stumbled upon, but the whole catalog is worth exploring.

  • Music

    Vtoroy Etazh Porazhayet – Kraynosty

    Vtoroy Etazh Porazhayet (2nd Floor is Striking) are a Moscow post-punk outfit, and it seems both Russia and Belarus are producing a lot of these days.  They are released by the French record label Belka Records.  Their sound will appeal strongly to those who are into the post-punk renaissance of the past five years or so.  

  • Music

    Luna Abu Nassar – I’ll Tell You [أحكيلِك] [ספר לך]

    Israeli singer Luna Abu Nassar produces a darkly mellow sound, singing in both Hebrew and Arabic, and her lilting voice fits well with such heavy instrumentation.  The only problem with this gem is that I don’t understand either Hebrew or Arabic, and from what I understand, the lyrics are quite profound.  Still, this is so sonically pleasant that it was worth sharing with you, my friends.