VA – The Best Songs of 2011 ( A Take The Pills Mix)
11/12/11
TOP 15 of the Best Albums of 2011
1. Beach Fossils – What A Pleasure EP (Captured Tracks)
2. Yuck – Yuck (Fat Possum)
3. Real Estate – Days (Domino)
4. Gold-Bears – Are You Falling In Love? (Slumberland)
5. Minks – By The Hedge (Captured Tracks)
6. Lê Almeida – Mono Maçã (Transfusão Noise Records)
7. Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls (Slumberland)
8. Male Bonding – Endless Now (Sub Pop)
9. Big Troubles – Romantic Comedy (Slumberland)
10. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Mirror Traffic (Matador)
11. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong (Slumberland)
12. Brown Recluse – Evening Tapestry (Slumberland)
13. Fanzine – Low EP (Self-Released)
14. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum)
15. Ringo Deathstarr – Colour Trip (Sonic Unyon)
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Tracklist:
01. Beach Fossils – Fall Right In
02. Babe Florida – Gigante Vermelha
03. Gold-Bears – East Station Attendant
04. Lê Almeida – Transporpirações
05. Wavves – Bug
06. Kids On A Crime Spree – I Don’t Want To Call You Baby, Baby
07. Fanzine – Low
08. Comet Gain – The Weekend Dreams
09. Cretina – Doçura
10. Yuck – Sunday
11. Crystal Stilts – Silver Sun
12. Beach Fossils – Plastic Flowers
13. Real Estate – Green Aisles
14. Smith Westerns – Imagine, Pt. 3
15. Ringo DeathStarr – So High
16. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Heart In Your Heartbreak
17. Big Troubles – Sad Girls
18. Veronica Falls – Bad Feeling
19. Vetiver – Wonder Why
20. Woods – Hand It Out
21. Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks – Tigers
22. Spectrals – Get A Grip
23. Brown Recluse – Statue Garden
24. Iron & Wine – Tree By The River
25. Dream Diary – Bird in My Garden
26. The Bats – Free All The Monsters
27. J Mascis – Not Enough
28. David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights – Steel Arrow
29. Times New Viking – California Roll
30. Cat’s Eyes – Not A Friend
31. The Horrors – Still Life
32. Girls – Vomit
33. Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
34. Devon Williams – Slight Pain
35. Seapony – Dreaming
36. Dum Dum Girls – Bedroom Eyes
37. Black Lips – New Direction
38. Male Bonding – Tame the Sun
39. Top Surprise – I Shoot The Devil
40. Minks – Juniper
41. Wallace Costa – Mary
Badhoneys – Harder EP (TNR, 2011)
03/12/11
Harder é o segundo EP da Badhoneys, que sai logo após uma série de shows na Região Sul e em São Paulo que a banda fez este ano. O disco foi gravado no Estúdio LKR, um promissor estúdio de Porto Alegre e já conhecido pela Badhoneys e bandas locais. O trabalho é imprevisível e único. E vem ainda mais pesado e melancólico. São cinco músicas, todas escritas pela vocalista Giana Cognato. Lançado em março de 2010, “Restart to Fail Again”, é o primeiro EP do power trio Badhoneys. Vinda de Porto Alegre, a banda é formada por Giana Cognato (Guitarra, Vocal e Letras), Rodrigo Souto (Baixo) e Stefano Fell (Bateria e Backing Vocal). Nesta trajetória, a Badhoneys conquistou belas vitórias. A banda foi aclamada pelo público no Festival Grito Rock 2011 de Sorocaba, o que rendeu uma participação no Programa Revista de Sábado, da TV TEM, filial da Rede Globo na cidade paulista. Em julho deste ano, o trio foi convidado para tocar no Festival GIG ROCK, produzido pelo músico Frank Jorge, importante ícone do rock gaúcho. O show aconteceu no Bar BECO, em Porto Alegre, e foi gravado e transmitido pelo Programa Radar da TVE, uma emissora local da TV Brasil.
E para dezembro, a banda prepara três shows de lançamento do EP Harder. O primeiro deles acontece no Garagem Hermética, no dia 01, uma tradicional casa rock de Porto Alegre. Para dividir a noite, o trio convidou a banda Single Parents, de São Paulo, e a gaúcha Loomer. Além disso, a Badhoneys prepara o lançamento de um single com duas músicas na Argentina através do selo Misil Discos e uma série de shows na terra dos hermanos. ~ Transfusão Noise Records
Áudio de “Motherf*****”
Babe Florida – Depois Eu Te Explico Melhor EP (TNR, 2011)
18/11/11
“Depois eu te explico melhor” é o segundo EP da Babe Florida, um coletivo de amigos (e possíveis melhores amigos) para gravações de pequenos roques. Além das canções curtíssimas e guitarras barulhentas já encontradas no EP de estréia “Vol. 1”, do ano passado, o novo trabalho conta com maiores variações nas vozes principais, e um coral de backing vocals em todas as faixas.
Formada em meados de 2009 por Lê Almeida e a nata da Transfusão Noise Records, a Babe Florida tinha como propósito inicial fazer algumas gravações, editar uns EPs e no futuro compilar tudo em um grande disco cheio. Agora o projeto também faz shows — uma zona de guitarras em roques que raramente passam de dois minutos. Do 1º EP, “Pé de Amoras” rendeu um videoclipe baseado em um despretensioso role de skate.
Babe Florida é Lê Almeida, Evandro Fernandez, Wallace Costa, João Casaes, Leticia Cristina, Joab Régis, Bigú Medine, Marina Marchesan, Felipe, Thiago Werlang, Leticia Lopes, André Medeiros, Matheus Lopes e Paulo Casaes. ~ Transfusão Noise Records
Áudio de “Gigante Vermelha”
Blouse – Blouse (Captured Tracks, 2011)
15/11/11
On their self-titled Captured Tracks debut, Portland’s Blouse serve up electronic pop that’s equally sparkling and dark, yet considerably lighter-feeling than the label’s usual fare. However, this distinction doesn’t make their music distinctive; Blouse‘s mix of dreamy-then-abrasive electronics and detached female vocals has been mastered by forebears and contemporaries like Broadcast, Beach House, and To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie. This isn’t to say that the trio has nothing to offer; “Firestarter” opens Blouse with shimmeringly aloof pop that showcases Charlie Hilton‘s chilled coo to perfection, while “Into Black” adds a strange intimacy and depth to its nostalgia that makes it all the more compelling. Too often, though, Blouse sounds subdued, as though the band is still figuring out how all of its sounds and ideas should work together. Songs such as “They Always Fly Away” and “White” feel like they should be just a touch darker to really make an impact, and Hilton occasionally swallows potentially dramatic lyrics like “you could learn to love the controller.” When Blouse make a decisive statement, they shine: “Videotapes” boasts woozy synths that sound like they’re set at the wrong tracking speed, the perfect flourish to set off Hilton‘s hazy recollections; and “Roses” finds Blouse crafting their version of a power ballad complete with anthemic choruses. Taken as a whole, Blouse is a more promising debut than a satisfying one, but its standout moments leave listeners wanting more. ~ by Heather Phares, AMG
Vídeo de “Videotapes”
Velocity Girl – 6 Song Compilation (Slumberland, 1992)
15/11/11
Velocity Girl’s eponymous debut EP compiles six highlights from a series of singles and contributions to various-artists collections from the early ’90s. Half of the record is weighed down by waves of hazy guitars, but the other half is engaging indie-pop, highlighted by “Always,” “I Don’t Care If You Go” and the wonderful “Forgotten Favorite,” which combines a sunny melody with layers of feedback reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine. ~ by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG
Vídeo de “My Forgotten Favorite” (audio only)
Amanda Applewood – I Love Boys (Too Young To Die, 2011)
09/10/11
Amanda Applewood sounds like the heroine of an Enid Blyton series, the commoner who wins over the haughty aristocratic girls at her boarding school, uncovers the thief in the dormitory and wins the lacrosse cup. Likewise her debut initially feels retro. “We’ll travel in the time machine that you invented” she sings and her romantically nostalgic album then transports you to a fantasy world from before she was born, that probably only existed in the pages of Bunty or Judy, of ponies, books (“everything Jane Austen wrote is true”!), boy-crushes and rockpooling on Kentish beaches. It sounds slightly Joyce Grenfell, in her beautifully modulated voice, but the saving grace is that AA writes with such passionate enthusiasm for these subjects and such a feel for melody that it’s hard to dismiss her.
Her songs (a number have been written with Pete Hobbs) share some of the same characteristics as those of The Boy Least Likely To, her other musical project: frothy pop with a semi-submerged sharpness. ‘Daybreak, Heartache City’ sounds quite like Take That while the synth-poppy ‘Pretend (We’re In Love)’ has a chorus prettier than an 8-year-old’s party dress and ‘1983’, for all its melancholy mood of “always looking back”, is a lovely piano-led tune. The spritely ‘Song for Kent’ ought to be the anthem of our garden county, although it’s clear that she’s been to the tourist traps rather than Dartford or Erith.
This record makes me want to tease Amanda (gently) and pull her pigtails, especially for the “I Love Boys” rosette which comes with the album and the reading from Diana Pullein-Thompson’s equestrian-obsessed ‘I Wanted A Pony’ book, but it’s just too fucking nice to mock – Amanda’s idealised world of love, poetry and gymkhanas races is convincing for about 34 minutes, until the CD ends and the greyer, grimmer reality returns to break the spell. ~ By Ged M, SoundsXP
Áudio de “Pretend (We’re In Love)”
The Rileys – The World And His Wife (A Turntable Friend, 1993)
09/10/11
The Rileys were a superb band formed in 89 with four members of the indiepop heroes Feverfew. The World And His Wife was their only full-length release and it’s a collection of great melodic-jangle-catchy pop songs. Highly recommended!
Tracklist:
1. Keep Smiling
2. Skies to Blue
3. Crimson and Blue
4. Finders Keepers
5. Rings in Your Mind
6. Time Will Pass
7. Stupid
8. You Can’t Be Loved Forever
Vídeo de “You Can’t Be Loved Forever” (audio only)
Gold-Bears – Are You Falling In Love? (Slumberland, 2011)
08/10/11
Gold-Bears formed in 2010 when Jeremy Underwood recruited a few friends to play songs he’d stockpiled since the demise of his former band, Plastic Mastery (555 Recordings / Magic Marker Records). The group quickly released a smashing 7-inch on Magic Marker, recalling the immediacy and urgency of Boyracer or The Wedding Present melded with the pop sensibilities of Slumberland contemporaries like Summer Cats and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. They branched out a bit on their next release (a four-song 7-inch on Miami-based indie pop imprint Cloudberry Records) by stripping away some of the fuzz on one song, and adding drone elements à la the Microphones to another, while still maintaining their indie punk roots.
After hibernating in their home studio for the winter, Gold-Bears have emerged with Are You Falling in Love?, a further expansion of the band’s sound. This eleven-song collection of frenzied crash-pop, strummy ballads and syncopated dirges is one of the most dynamic indie pop records of recent memory. In just over 33 minutes, Gold-Bears funnel jangle-noise-pop soundscapes through the energy of Titus Andronicus’ punk anthems, and even offer a few reprieves on slower tunes that showcase Underwood’s more sincere vocals.
The album kicks off with “Record Store,” a track so full of infectious spirit that it seems as though the rhythm section can hardly keep up. “Record Store” segues into “All Those Years,” one of the catchiest, poppiest songs in their repertoire. From the initial “ba ba ba” through to the sugary sweet harmonies provided by Kristine Capua (Very Truly Yours), this song will stick in your head for days. Smack dab in the middle of the album is the shoegazey title track, replete with a thumping bass line, calculated drumming, guitars that sound like airplanes and bees and lush violins. Toward the end of the album is “Xmas Song,” a track about the insecurities of love set to the tune of a pop classic, rife with feedback and fuzz that’ll fit nicely on a mixtape following This Poison! or Neutral Milk Hotel, depending on who you’re trying to impress.
These eleven songs are brimming with gentle majesty and fervent energy. Whether you follow the stories in the lyrics of the songs or bop around your room to the jangly guitars, this album will surely remain on your turntable for months. Because after all, you have, indeed, fallen in love… with Gold-Bears. ~ Midheaven Mailorder
Vídeo de “All Those Years”
The Autumn Leaves – Treats and Treasures (Grimsey, 1997)
08/10/11
Um disco pop incrível.
Leader David Beckey has been in an extensive portfolio of Minneapolis bands, including stints with the Sedgwicks and Glow, who released one single via Susstones records. Soon after that, he formed the Autumn Leaves and has since released two singles and a debut CD. The cast on the album includes Keith Patterson (The Funseekers, The Spectors) on bass, Matt Gerzema (Dearly, The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group) on guitars and extra vocals and Steve Kent on the sticks. Local Minneapolis producer Bryan Hanna lent his able hand to the production duties, and the album rings with a crisp, clean sound classically influenced by greats like the Beatles, Hollies, and Byrds. A quintessential collection of vital pop songs – Sixties influenced paisley pop with a sterling melodic sensibility tinged with just the right dose of psychedelia. ~ Grimsey
Áudio de “Everynight”
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