terça-feira, 27 de fevereiro de 2018

A Slice of Life with Neon Lights - An Interview


Os espanhóis do Neon Lights  depois de longos cinco anos de sua estreia com o belo e melancólico debute, "Late", retornam com seu segundo trabalho, ainda mais atmosférico e onírico, assim é "A Slice of Life".

Entre eles, a banda lançou em meados de 2015 o EP "The Blue Rider", mas é com o novo trabalho que a banda parece ter atingido seu estado "nirvana", as canções, apesar do tom de lamento, soam iluminadas, um ar blasé hipnótico guia o trabalho sem haver altos ou baixos, "A Slice of Life" flui linearmente desde "Take Me", a abertura em tons acinzentados até a derradeira "Idle", que em tom de despedida fecha elegantemente o disco.

Pós punk gazer sonhador para ninguém colocar defeitos.

***** Interview with Neon Lights *****


Q. When did Neon Lights begin? Tell us about the history: 
We started in 2008 but didn't release anything until 2010 with the Summer Sky EP. After all these years now we see that EP more as a trial and error collection of songs than a proper release. On the other hand, we feel prouder of our first LP, "LATE" (2013).

Q: Who are your influences?
Lots of bands, but maybe some of the more obvious in our sound could be Slowdive, Cure or Joy Division.

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time: difficult question but I will try:
1.The Cure: Disintegration
2.Slowdive: Souvlaki
3.Depeche Mode: Violator
4.David Bowie: Low
5.Bunnymen: Ocean Rain

This could be changed tomorrow!!

Q. How do you feel playing live?
It seems weird sometimes.

Q. How do you describe Neon Lights sounds?
Atmospheric, nostalgic.


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
We usually do demos at home, I mean, individual demos, we don't jam or anything like that. After that we practise them at the rehearsing room and when we have enough for an album or EP, we go to the studio and record them. Pretty straighforward way of doing it, I am afraid.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
For sure our brothers here in our home town: The Lawyers, Consejo and Noise Box (not exactly new this last one but amazing anyway)

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
Sometimes we did "Under the Milky Way" by The Church and "Just Like Honey" by The Jesus and Mary Chain during the last tour. I am happy with those two!

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Try to promote our new album, A Slice of Life, as much as possible.

Q: Any parting words?
Thanks.
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Thanks

https://www.facebook.com/neonlightsgroup/
https://neonlightsgroup.bandcamp.com/

Silver Dollar Movement with The Orielles - An Interview


Duas irmãs e um camarada se juntaram para fazer um som em Halifax, Nova Escócia, e o resultado tornou-se uma das mais gratas surpresas da atualidade.

O The Orielles, como são mais conhecidos, debutou recentemente com o deliciosamente viciante, "Silver Dollar Movement", um disco que não esconde suas influências, todas absolutamente retros, desde o dance kraut experimental herdado do Stereolab, passando pelo bubblegum noise pop da C86, pela dance funk new wave, leia-se A Certain Ratio, Tom Tom Club e afins, e com tudo isso no menu, o disco é um verdadeiro doce grudento, um marshmallow sonoro suculentíssimo.

Stephen Pastel, Laetitia Sadier, Tina Weymouth e Chris Frantz quando ouvirem "Silver Dollar Movement" saberão que tudo que fizeram valeu muito a pena.

***** Interview with The Orielles *****


Q. When did The Orielles begin? Tell us about the history...
1. We started playing together absolutely ages ago, after meeting at a party. We never took it seriously at the time, and would just cover our favourite songs in our basement and write a few of our own little ditties. Three years ago however, we decided we were actually pretty alright at what we were doing and so decided to take it more seriously. At our first Manchester gig, we gained interest from our now manager and it's pretty much spiralled upwards from there.

Q: Who are your influences?
2. Our influences are so wide, we find small things in a lot of different genres that we are inspired by. For example, we are influenced a lot by post-punk/dance-punk/new-wave bands from the late 70s such as Bush Tetras, ESG and Tom Tom Club. Rhythmically, we are also influenced by a lot of world music as well as hip-hop. We also take influence from more modern bands and bands that are killing it right now!

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
3. Pixies - Doolittle,
Money Mark - Push The Button,
A Certain Ratio - I'd Like To See You Again,
Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup,
The Pastels - Truckload of Trouble.

Q. How do you feel playing live?
4. We used to get pretty nervous when we were starting out, particularly as Esme or Sidonie had never even played their instruments before, let alone played them live! Now we just get super excited, there is no feeling comparable to the buzz you get from playing live.

Q. How do you describe The Orielles sounds?
5. We describe our sound as post-dance punk.


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
6. The process was so much fun. We spent a few weeks in the studio in Stockport, Manchester and we'll never forget our time there. We would generally do bass and drum live takes first, then overdub all guitar parts and then do vocals, percussion and keys last. This was often the most fun part of the day as we'd be pretty drunk by this point and just having a laugh and coming up with wacky ideas.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
7. We recommend you check out Trudy & The Romance, Party Hardly, Chest Pains, Beachtape, Lylo, Kaputt and Hatchie!

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
8. We have actually recently started doing a cover of Khala My Friend by Amanaz. We don't play it live, but it's fun to jam in soundcheck. Plus it's a very chill song so it's just nice and easy to play.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
9. Aside from releasing our debut album, our plans are to hit as many festivals as we can this summer. We already have a few confirmed and it's looking busy busy! After summer I guess we'll be back in the studio demoing some new tracks.

Q: Any parting words?
10. Thanks a lot for speaking to us! Peace out! x o x
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Thanks

https://soundcloud.com/theorielles
https://www.facebook.com/theorielles/

segunda-feira, 26 de fevereiro de 2018

Première Vague with La Houle - An Interview


A cena francesa subterrânea tem sido amplamente abordada por aqui, alguns coletivos movem-se incessantemente em busca de espalhar ao máximo o que acontece por lá. Um desses coletivos é o "La Souterraine", por onde o quarteto La Houle lançou seu segundo EP.

Outro ponto a abordar, é a gravadora Beko Disques, responsável basicamente pelo que de melhor acontece nos submundo dos bons sons franceses, sejam eles, shoegaze, post punk, dreampop ou o rótulo que você pensar, a Beko tem um catalogo riquíssimo a ser degustado e principalmente desvendado sem pressa.

E é justamente pela Beko, que o La Houle lançou seu debute, o hipnótico "Première Vague". Sedutor, cerebralmente dançante, banhado por sonhos o disco simplesmente flui pela mente, intensificando seus poderes viciante conforme o desfile da canções vão passando.

Ecos de Stereolab, Broadcast são sentidos mas não somente, a impressão real que se tem, é que as experiências ambient do mestre Brian Eno foram assimiladas e expurgadas via sonhos dissonantes.

Um trabalho absolutamente exuberante cometeu o La Houle, simples assim.

***** Interview with La Houle *****


Q. When did La Houle begin? Tell us about the history...
The project started in France, in Angers on summer 2016. We know each other from our previous bands and we decided to start to write some songs together. Jeff comes from jazz and indie rock music, and me, I come from psychedelic rock, post-punk, noise rock music. We are kind of opposite and complementary at the same time. Jeff suggested me to write the lyrics in french, that what i've never did before. It was quite a challenge to mix all those sounds and features, and La Houle appeared in a kind of wavy noisy pop / vaporgaze sound with the vocals put in the front for poetry reasons. For private reasons, we decided to move to London and launch the band there. It was really interesting to start a band who sing in french in UK ahaha. So Clementine and John have joined us for the live and we started to play in the north east london venues during 6 months before the release of our first EP and our first tour overseas.

Q: Who are your influences?
Our influences are plentiful. About the sounds, I would say the 80°S and 90°s shoegaze bands, and 90°S indie pop bands like Stereolab or Broadcast. Yet, we love post-punk or noise band who work on alternative sounds, tunings, harmonies and dissonances, like Sonic Youth, Bailter Space and recently Ulrika Spacek, Corridor.

About the lyrics influences, we love french monuments of poetry like Raimbaud, Beaudelaire... but also darker poet like René Daumal or all these classical and epic greek poet who are Homer or Sophocle or more recently and in a German way Hölderlin. About singers influences, Simon love on one hand the dark and controversials singer like Alain Kan, Lou Reed, Jim Morrison, Daniel Darc and on the other hand the french pop love singer like Françoise Hardy, Etienne Daho, Flavien Berger.

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg
Music from Airport - Brian Eno
Faust IV - Faust
Messe pour le temps présent - Pierre Henry & Michel Colombier

Q. How do you feel playing live?
La Houle in live is a sonic and dreamy experience at the same time. In the studio, there is no limit to the arrangements. In live, we try to keep the essential to offer a more raw and efficient experience to the audience. We try to adapt our sound according to the constraints of the stage and our two countries (France and England), but we always find ourselves playing very hard. The difficulty is to keep the lyrics understandable while this wave of noise that characterise us is on the way ... And wins every time ! ahaha

Q. How do you describe La Houle sounds?
I think Clementine described this quite well a few month ago : There are many ways to bring the sound of the swell into our music, from the maximum volume of our Jazz Chorus, the seagulls of Brighton, the 45 preset of our Midiverb reverb… it’s all about feeling the waves and the constant moves of the tide you know !


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
For our last ep's, we just recorded in the Jeff's home studio (his bedroom actually), just me and Jeff, and clementine for the vocals. It's totally DIY for the moment, with our own gears, with no money (the same for the music videos as well) ! We are working on our next album and, this time, we would like to record in a proper studio, we will see !..

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
There are too many bands in France and in UK which are totally amazing ! You should listen to the french shoegaze collectives with some cool bands like Tapeworms, Des Roses or T/O . We are also in the french underground collective called "La Souterraine" which release our second EP, with friends bands like Rémi Parson, LuneApache or Requin Chagrin. We recommend to have a look on the releases of our record label "Beko Disques" with a lot of great bands too, like Djokovic, Lesneu, Tropique Noir from Brittany. We love also bands from our hometown with a very active music scene, like San Carol, Vedett, Big Wool, The Blind Suns, Sheraf. Jeff is a big fan of the brighton psych band Strange Cages, the uncategorizable GANG from Margate and Snapped Ankles from East London !!

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
There are too many bands we love and we would like to covered. The covering it's a difficult exercise and dangereous, because you have to surprise, more than your own song... We talked about doing a cover of Françoise Hardy, or I would like a french cover of Street Hassle of Lou Reed... that's could be amazing, innit ? Or a french cover of Parquet Courts, I really love their lyrics, so protesting ! It's all depend if we love the lyrics, you know.

We already made a cover of the Donovan song "Colours". It's like your lying on your bed with your love the morning after an acid party ! ahaha

Q: What are your plans for the future?
We've just released our first album called "Première Vague" on Beko Disques (https://beko.bandcamp.com/album/beko-237-la-houle-premi-re-vague), and finished a tour in UK with Julien Gasc (Aquaserges, Stereolab). So we will keep touring with this album during this year and at the same time writing/recording the second one !

Q: Any parting words?
Keep on rockin in the free world kids !
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Thanks

https://beko.bandcamp.com/album/beko-237-la-houle-premi-re-vague
https://lahouleesttonsalut.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/LaHouleesttonsalut/

quinta-feira, 22 de fevereiro de 2018

Lake Ruth, "Birds of America" - Track by Track


Para quem acompanha o TBTCI, o trio de NY, Lake Ruth é nome mais do que conhecido. Hewson Chen, Allison Brice e Matt Schulz são mentes absolutamente iluminadas.

Desde o debute "Actual Entity" de 2016, tornaram-se prediletos aqui da casa, pelo hipnótico e sofisticado mix de psicodelia agridoce, traços sinuosos de kraut e um requinte muito além do que costuma-se ouvir.

E há questão de menos de 10 dias atrás, o Lake Ruth lançou seu segundo disco, ainda mais excepcional que o anterior, "Birds of America" é uma verdadeira odisseia com toques ainda maiores de sofisticação. Uma conexão deve ser considerada, o Lake Ruth é o sucessor imediato do Stereolab, não há como negar, a pomposidade dos arranjos, a exuberância melódica, são atributos que devem ser exaltados a todo momento.

Uma obra grandiosamente eloquente, que deve ser saboreada lenta e calmamente, afim de digerir todos os elementos.

Sei que estamos apenas no início deste ano, mas aposto que "Birds of America" deverá ser um dos melhores discos do ano, ao menos aqui no TBTCI.

E para obras como "Birds of America" se faz necessário entendê-la em sua essência, para isso ninguém melhor do que seus criadores, senhoras e senhores, Allison Brice e Hewson Chen, dissecam esta pequena obra prima a pedido do TBTCI.

Boa viagem.

***** Lake Ruth, "Birds of America" - Track by Track *****



VV
HC: The narrative of the song follows a protagonist whose minor youthful transgression ironically affords the freedom to flee atrocities in his homeland, and seek redress abroad as a stateless refugee. We attempted to give the listener a sense of displacement by throwing all these different time signatures at the song: starting out in the familiar 4/4, moving onto 6/8, 5/4, almost free time, and then to back 6/8.

AB: Some listeners may recognize this character from our song, Pictures From Home, which we released as a digital single last year for the Bandcamp ACLU fundraiser. The first half of VV occurs before the Pictures From Home story, the second half afterwards.

Julia's CallAB: Probably my favorite tune on the album as it was the only track I could persuade Hewson to sing on. The character of Julia made a strong impression on me - so much that she also informed the lyrics of One Of Your Own, The Cross Of Lorraine and Westway. I imagine her as a girl of about sixteen, a sort of hybrid composite of Sydney Bristow from Alias and Girl Eleven from Stranger Things. She has, for want of a better word - abilities. She's been raised in isolation from greater society, in the understanding that she was to serve a noble purpose. But as she matures and the outside world creeps in, she discovers that she's been deceived. She is, in fact, a weapon - a tool of an oppressive and violent regime. This realisation shatters her. She defects. She wants to disappear, begin a new anonymous life somewhere, be a normal girl - but she's compelled toward engagement. It's a fight or flight moment. She chooses to fight.

HC: When George Mattson built my modular synth, he made the foolish decision to trust me to select and wire in an appropriate power supply. Somehow, after I clumsily did so, I found that the synth was prone to minute voltage fluctuations that would find their way into the tuning of the oscillators. Anything from LEDs lighting, gates opening or envelopes firing would find their way into the pitch CV. We found a way around it, but most of the time I prefer the sort of organic, mournful tuning that results - and I feel like you can just slightly hear that in the synth melody that weaves in and out of this song.

One Of Your Own
AB: This song is set in a forest at sunset - Julia has fled her compound, and her handler is attempting to locate her via psychic means. He cannot - she is gone. There is nothing but the trees and the encroaching darkness. He is alone. He feels rage and betrayal at what she has done - at what she will do. Too cowardly to return without her, he kills time in the woods - chain smoking to keep warm as the temperature drops and the long night sets in.

The Cross Of Lorraine
AB: Julia has become an agent of the resistance, and is tasked with committing an act of violence against someone formerly very close to her, someone from her childhood. Her act will save the lives of many, only she can do it, but even so - she struggles. I hear the repetitive chorus in this song as both her orders and her internal monologue. She has to keep telling herself this. The verses are a journey by night, we follow her as she spirals inward - from the outskirts of her former village, into the empty streets, the exterior of her childhood home, right up to the threshold of the door - then darkness. Does she go through with it? We will never know.

HC: I have a friend who attended a military-style academy for university, and he occasionally has to go back to take classes for his accreditation. As he draws closer to the campus, the site of all of these old traumas endured, he gets more and more physically ill - heart racing and stomach turning. I thought of him forcing himself to return to this dreaded place, and found that the relentless progression of the song - combined with the distorted melody that persists throughout - reflected that.

Radiant City
HC: At the University of Chicago, there was a band called Toulouse who released this album, "New Points New Lines". All these songs about urban planning. I was totally obsessed with them - going so far as to start a project called The New Lines. Anyway, the guitarist, Jamison Duffield, had this really strummy Josef K crossed with ESG sort of sound - playing a neck pickup only Gretsch Rambler. I had always wanted to try a nod in that direction, both the sound and the subject matter. I was super thrilled when it turned out that Allison and Matt were fellow nerds up for creating a song inspired by Le Corbusier!

AB: Yes, the title is of course from Le Corbusier's blueprint of social reform, Ville Radieuse. In the song, an unnamed architect - trapped in an ugly dystopia of bloated, gilded excess - dreams of building a more just, beautiful and sustainable world.

Birds Of America:
HC: This song started off with a demo from Allison. When I heard her close the song out with "i fear i fear i fear i fear i fear i fear i fear i fear.... you'll sing no more", I figured the tune was intense enough that it could probably do with an ominous, big and relentless synth bass line. To try and add to the disquieting feel, I became fixated on the idea of microtones. I thought that a pattern of the same notes, played alongside each other on two different strings, would result in minute pitch variances and create a sort of microtonal pattern. So that's what you hear in the upper guitar part.

AB: I think the lyrics and vocal melody date back 10 years or so. I remember writing this after watching a BBC nature documentary narrated by David Attenborough - I think it was from the Planet Earth series? It features this wonderful clip of a male Bird of Paradise building his display area and performing his courtship ritual. But in the post-script "behind the scenes" segment, it's revealed that in order to obtain this footage, two ornithologist filmmakers had to stake their elusive target out for well over a month. They slowly went mad in the rainforest of New Guinea, isolated in their bird hide, peering through the lens in long, tiring shifts, day in, day out. Such patience.

Audubon, the painter and naturalist, worked differently of course. He shot his birds not with a camera but with a rifle, then shaped them into lifelike poses with wire. He had to paint them fairly quickly, before they decomposed in the southern heat. To me, Hewson's intense arrangement and Matt's insistent drumming conjures real feelings of dread and panic - bringing to mind images of drone warfare, which lends a sinister dimension to the title.

HC: In our early discussions I was struck by this idea of trying to preserve beauty through death. The hunting of birds to collect and catalog their corpses. The grief-stricken mourner who tries to cope with loss by hanging onto the corpse of their beloved - desperately fighting off decay. It's a theme we've visited before in one of our earlier songs, "Through the Lychgates".



Under The Waning MoonAB: A surreal, dream-like song in which the real monster is not at all who it might, outwardly, appear to be.

HC: Generally, the song relates to how people can feel horribly threatened by the realization of their deepest ideals or fantasies. How people might experience a kind of shadenfreude from hearing about pop-idols meeting with misfortune or despair. Do people enjoy those stories, in part, because they feel threatened by the celebrity in some way? Is it a distancing mechanism? Many people who aren't threatened by a commodified figurine of Ardhanarishvara at a home decor store still can't handle the idea of a trans person using the bathroom of their choice.

AB: The waning moon is a revelator, a truth-teller.

Walter And The Taxi
HC: We had this narrative about the late philosopher Walter Benjamin sensing the fascistic walls closing in on him, and weighing his options. We wanted to give it a sort of Western high-noon vibe. Tension before the showdown: that sense of a fateful event coming down the pike. Making everyone pull the curtains, batten down the hatches, and walk stiffly and hurriedly on the street. I had been watching a lot of Westworld during the making of this song, ergo this sort of weird spaghetti-western-crossed-with-synth-arpeggio thing.

AB: Probably the saddest tune on the album, in spite of its jaunty, swingy 5/4 meter. Just in that it's about a genuine, human tragedy - rather than a character of our own invention. I hope we did right by him and his memory.

White Wall
HC: The idea here - in broad strokes - was to start with something small, airy and fragile sounding, then expand it into something stark, concrete and electronic. To relate that sort of strange clarity that happens after a catastrophic occurrence - like you get into an accident and suddenly time slows and every minute detail is getting seared into your memory…

AB: It's inspired by the opening chapter of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Keeps with our avian theme.

Westway
AB: The car crash / motorway motif is inspired by J.G. Ballard's Concrete Island - but re-imagined as the setting for another chapter in Julia's story. It's a violent ending, but hopeful. The song's narrator is an older woman, a decoy, who values Julia's life above her own. She is preparing to sacrifice herself, so that Julia may escape her pursuers and attain freedom. There is a protective, maternal instinct running through her decision. She never wavers.

The liminal areas below the Westway are very haunted places. My friend, the author David Southwell (creator of Hookland and Actual Entity cover photographer), lived for many years in Little Venice, west London. He has photographed the strange, brutalist geometry of the Westway extensively - and it was while looking at his work that I was inspired to set a song there. He used to tell me stories of disappeared gangsters buried within its concrete pylons. I challenge anyone to walk underneath it and not feel intensely disturbed.
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Thanks

https://lakeruth.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/lakeruthmusic/

Silent Killer with Peace on Earth - An Interview


É engraçado quando se lê entrevistas, principalmente quando a banda dá um direcionamento em suas respostas citando influências que em um primeiro momento não são notadas, mas ai retomando a audição por outra perspectiva é sim, possível, identificar esses inusitados elementos.

O trio sueco, Peace on Earth, por exemplo, recém debutou com seu primeiro trabalho, "Silent Killer", que num primeiro momento, soa como uma enxurrada de distorções por entre sonhos psicodélicos, mas que gradativamente vai insinuante alguns elementos que se escutados atentamente aparecem gritando, no caso deles, a presença do Queen, sim, do Queen, aparece já na abertura, uma quase serenata clássica, que logo em seguida dá espaço pra um catarse de esporros distorcidos.

Certamente poucos terão acesso ao Peace on Earth, mas estes vão se divertir pra cacete, seja um deles.

***** Interview with Peace on Earth *****



Q: Who are your influences?
Thee oh sees, Queen, the ide of shoegaze,Mom and dad and Flying lotus!

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
Amnesiac, Radiohead
A day at the races, Queen
2, Mac demarco
Kate Bush, Hounds of love
Purple Rain, Prince

Q. How do you feel playing live?
We haven't done it yet! But we have our first show in 2 weeks and i really think it gonna feel AmAzing!

Q. How do you describe Peace On Earth sounds?
I think would describe it as a classic rock trio sound with alot of reverb to cover up the fact that im a really bad guitar player :) I mean its aLOT of reverb!

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
I ( Axel ) go to my friends parents basement, where we rehearse and i play guitar and sing nonsense until i kinda find a song and then we try it out and usually its pretty wizard!

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
Holy now, Svankropp, Mutant gredeline, Bone machine, I grow paper wings, Annelie and Wildhart

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
Somebody to love with Queen!

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Were in the process to record a new album (nr2) and hopefully release it before summer and were rehearsing for our first show!

Q: Any parting words?
I really love Freddie Mercury
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Thanks

https://soundcloud.com/peaceonearthband
https://www.facebook.com/Peaceonearthhappyhappyhappy/

quarta-feira, 21 de fevereiro de 2018

Factions with Mannequin - An Interview


Já comentei por diversas vezes aqui no TBTCI, que a Califórnia estranhamento tem se tornado numa meca dos novos sons feitos sob encomenda para os notívagos, não somente o pós punk, o gótico, mas a darkwave tem sido objeto de fetiche do pessoal de lá.

Inúmeras bandas de lá já passaram pelas páginas do TBTCI, e agora novamente outro representante dos seres noturnos aporta por aqui.

O Mannequin, capricha numa ode soturna, porém esqueça os baluartes, as conexões dos caras, evocam beats rápidos e dançantes, tal qual gente do calibre de Das Kabinette Iron Curtain, Asylum Party entre outros.

Uma coletânea retratando os três primeiros singles dos caras saiu recentemente via Sentimental Records, gravadora belga especializada em cassettes e sons trevosos.

Feito sob encomenda para dançar contra as paredes em qualquer inferninho mundo afora.



***** Interview with Mannequin *****


Q. When did Mannequin begin? Tell us about the history...
(Taylor) Mannequin started in April as a drunken idea between David and I at our local drinking joint. I’m pretty sure the next day we recorded and released Melissa.

(David) And the rest is history and a future we’re trying to toy with.

Q: Who are your influences?
(Taylor) As a band id say our biggest influences are Iron Curtain, Das Kabinette, Lives of Angels, Clan of Xymox, and Sisters of Mercy

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
- (David) Pornography by The Cure, Hole in the Sky by Lives of Angels, First and Last and Always by Sisters of Mercy,
Playing the Angel by Depeche Mode, Still by Joy Division

   - (Taylor) Hell Songs by Daughters, Plague Soundscapes by The Locust, Pornography by The Cure,
Black Celebration by Depeche Mode, Lazy Karaoke by Human Leather


Q. How do you feel playing live?
- (David) Usually... I don’t know... I guess I usually don’t feel much but I like it.

   - (Taylor) Sick. Very sick. But I usually don’t end up throwing up which is nice. I also feel really nice after which is probably why I keep doing it.

Q. How do you describe Mannequin sounds?
-(David) Glossy, sharp, decadent. Kinda like a soundtrack you could laze around with or celebrate yourself.

   -(Taylor) I like to use the term “pop-goth”

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
(Taylor) One of us usually brings an idea to the table and we kind of just branch off from there. All the music we’ve released thus far has been recorded in my bedroom. We eat a lot of Taco Bell during the process.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
-(David) Sean Nicholas Savage and Choir Boy

-(Taylor) Choir Boy and Human Leather.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
-(David) Madonna but not as bright. So Darkdonna. And all of her lyrics would be in Latin

-(Taylor) Probably something fun like maybe Tears for Fears or Hall and Oats.


Q: What are your plans for the future?
-(David) Hopefully release a full length this year.

-(Taylor) We have lots of songs written and kind of recorded. So yea, i guess our big plan is to release an album. I would really like to do a small tour during the summer as well.

Q: Any parting words?
-(David) Farewell! If any one would like to stay up to date with what we’re doing follow us on Instagram @mannequin.wave

-(Taylor) Thank you for interviewing us! It’s been a pleasure!
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Thanks

https://sentimentalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/singles-factions
https://mannequinwave.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/mannequinwave/

Slacker with Outside Air - An Interview


Quando a melancolia colide de frente com a angustia e a raiva, é sabido que sonoramente tem tudo para ser promissor, certo? Eu mesmo, respondo, certíssimo.

Assim, com esses sentimentos confusos, nascem bandas e mais bandas mundo afora, e nesta esteira, onde o pós punk se alia ao barulho noventista, que o trio de Michigan, Outside Air, se situa.

Uma linha tênue onde se encavalam Pixies, The Cure e o shoegaze. Obviamente que os caras são novatos, e tem um long caminho a percorrer, mas pelo single "Slacker" nota-se o tamanho do potencial, sem contar as raivosas tracks ao vivo, disponíveis no Soundcloud deles.

Quer ter aquele prazer de acompanhar um banda altamente promissora desde os primórdios? O TBTCI te sugere ficar atento aos próximos passos do Outside Air.


***** Interview with Outside Air *****


Q. When did Outside Air begin? Tell us about the history...
A: Uh Outside Air is kind of the child of two dead bands. The bassist and I played in a shoegaze band together and after that fell apart we formed a band with the drummer of his old band. We went through a couple name changes (genius party, charlemagne, danube danube) over a period of two weeks and settled on outside air.

Q: Who are your influences?
A: Each one of has different influences that we bring to the table. We can all pretty much agree that Pixies, New Order, Slowdive, The Cure, and The Smiths are great bands. Pretty much everything from 4AD haha.

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
A: Our top five albums would probably be
- Disintegration by the Cure
- Souvlaki by Slowdive
- Doolittle by Pixies
- Brotherhood by New Order
- Stratosphere by Duster


Q. How do you feel playing live?
A: We're all pretty introverted and none of us has a huge amount of stage presence but we love playing shows. It just feels great when you look up from your pedals and people are actually having a good time and jelling with what you're playing.

Q. How do you describe Outside Air sounds?
A: We've been called grunge-gaze and we really like that but we kind of combine post-punk bass and slacker rock guitar with fuzz, reverb, and a driving motorik beat.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
A: Recording has not been something that we take very seriously or do excel at. We like the DIY lofi attitude but there are a lot of recordings that were made with one microphone or taken on an iPhone ha. We finally found a studio that we like though so we hope to release more stuff this spring.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
A: Definitely Protomartyr, they're also from Michigan but much, much better.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
A: We'd love to cover the Sound. They're a very underrated post-punk band in our opinion. We just don't have a keyboard player. I think we'd love to take a shot at a shoegaze rendition of Eisbar by Grauzone.


Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: We just want to keep booking local shows, and recording material. It would be cool to have some merch too haha. We're all looking forward to writing new material as well.

Q: Any parting words?
A: Thank you for your time and thought. Bloggers, and writers are a huge and underrated part of the music scene. Everyone loves music but writers take it to the next level. It takes dedication but I think introducing people to new music is worth it.

Oh and our stuff is available for download and steaming on bandcamp, soundcloud, and soon spotify.
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Thanks

https://outsideair.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/outsideairband
https://www.facebook.com/outsideairband/

terça-feira, 20 de fevereiro de 2018

Chapter 8 with The Battle of Lights - An Interview


Quando se ouve uma estreia como "Chapter 8" do The Battle of Lights, logo se imagina uma intensa produção, músicos, produtores, enfim, uma vasta gama de ingredientes para conceber o intrínseco resultado do álbum.

Mas, não neste caso. o The Battle of Lights é Chris Taylor, e o cara logo no primeiro contato com o TBTCI soltou a seguinte frase: "I'm not really trying to have a career in music. I'm doing this purely for the fun of it. If you would still like to do an interview, just let me know. If not, I understand completely."

Bem, talvez para qualquer outro site, a conversa teria parado por aí, mas não por aqui, muito porque Chris ou, The Battle of Lights, criou sim, um disco, que de tão despretensioso, torna-se viciante a cada audição, seja pelas rápidas e rasteiras vinhetas entre as canções, ou claro, pelas canções, onde décadas de música de qualidade foram absorvidas.

Ah, quanto a rótulos, bem, o The Battle of Lights engloba todos os subgêneros do indie rock, por pura diversão.

Resta-nos torcer para que a diversão continue.

***** Interview with The Battle of Lights *****


Q. When did The Battle of Lights begin? Tell us about the history...
I started making the Battle of Lights recordings a few years ago. I’d previously been in bands that played gigs regularly and recorded songs pretty much the way they sounded live. With the Battle of Lights I want to do something a bit different in terms of sound and approach. It's been fun to experiment with instruments, sounds and textures I hadn't really used before.

I don't have a band so I don't really worry about whether the songs can be played live or not.

Q: What are your influences?
Lots of different things, including: shoegaze, psychedelia, post-punk, ska, electronic, Motown. Some non-rock/pop stuff too. I like things that are melodic and adventurous.

Also really influenced by certain music writers and journalists. Sometimes they can change the way you think about music and open you up to new ideas.

I'm always impressed by bands or artists who are really unique and are able to create things that are completely unlike anything that came before them. Morrissey is a great example - a total one-off!

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
In no particular order:

The Teardrop Explodes - Wilder
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
Stereolab - Switched On
The Church - Heyday
The Fall - The Wonderful and Frightening World of... (had to put that one in...)

Q. How do you describe The Battle of Lights sound?
I'm not sure what you'd call it...

The sound is a mix of guitars, distorted electronics, "found" sounds, minimal beats and vocal harmonies. I've been trying to create songs that don't really sound like anyone else - I don't think I've acheived that yet.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
I usually write the songs on an acoustic guitar. Melodies come first - lyrics are always a struggle. The recording is completely DIY. I play and sing all the parts, record, mix and master everything in my basement set up. I'm not a great musician or producer so nothing ever sounds too professional. I'm sure the end result would be much better with input from other people, but I kind of like the challenge of seeing what I'm capable of achieving on my own.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
Gentlemen of the Woods.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
Paul Revere and the Raiders - I Hear a Voice.
or
Straitjacket Fits - Down in Splendour

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Just to record more songs for anyone who might want to hear them.

Q: Any parting words?
Thank you for giving me the chance to be on your blog!
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https://thebattleoflights.bandcamp.com/releases

segunda-feira, 19 de fevereiro de 2018

Space Transmissions with Anajunno - An Interview


Um EP de estreia que mais parece ter sido concebido por uma banda com anos de atividade, assim me soa o debute dos argentinos do Anajunno.

Conduzido por synths e guitarras sonhadoras, onde infinitas camadas sobrepostas criam uma massa sonora absolutamente intensa e hipnótica, por vezes me lembrando do Toy.

Toques de shoegaze, toques de experimentações krautianas e claro, tudo embalsamado por sonhos.

Como coloquei lá no início, para novatos o Anajunno criou uma estréia gigante.

Para ficar de olhos e ouvidos atentos.

***** Interview with Anajunno *****


Q. When did Anajunno begin? Tell us about the history...
Anajunno is a bedroom project based in Santa Fe, Argentina, that I (Alexis Hohnstein) started in 2016, after to spend some time learning about audio recording and composing with synths and midi drums. I was playing guitar for a while and I tried to create something like a Dream Pop songs project with some instrumentals tracks too. The idea was to make a first EP and them go out to find some musicians for play the songs and keep creating new music. At this day we are four members: Alejandro Unrrein – Drums; Victoria Rittiner Basaez - Synths, voice; Ignacio Alvarez – Bass; and Alexis Hohnstein – Guitar, voice.

Q: Who are your influences?
The influences are many bands or artists that maybe doesn’t sound specifically like us. But just for saying we can list bands like The Cure, the 60’s Krautrock wave, Sonic Youth, Yo la tengo, The Smiths, Tame impala, Fun people, etc., also the whole underground scene over here, that always it’s like a great school for exchange about new sounds or new ways to make some music.

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
1-The cure - Disintegration
2-Slowdive – souvlaki
3-The smiths – Hatful of Hollow
4-Sonic youth – Dirt
5-Neu! – Neu!

Q. How do you describe Anajunno sounds?
It’s like a shining chaos inside a little box full of reverb! It sounds like a mix of different textures that sometimes becomes on calm and sometimes it makes you feel breaking everything, because the dynamics on drums are like a strong point on composition and structure of the songs. We try to make visible the development of the FXs on strings (guitar and bass), using the synths to hold some harmony between all the instruments. And the voices are pretty ethereal too on that way.



Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
All the songs were basically jams at the first time, I mean, like small fragments that after a few weeks were acquiring “song structure” for this album. After many recordings I selected the ones that fit with a certain aesthetic to work them more deeply. The result was 7 songs that make up

The album. The mix and mastering were in charge of Juan Nanio, at the “Bichos” studio recording on Buenos Aires.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
There is a beautiful band which are friends of us called “Fervors”, they are from Buenos Aires, and we have a very extensive scene and full of beautiful bands here on Santa Fe and our neighboring city Rosario, like “Queridas”, “Mi primer año Sabático”, “Projekto Sendecida”, “Mi nave”, “Fauna”, etc.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
We definitely could play a Smiths cover, but isn’t in our plans.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Now we are rehearsing to play on the next shows and planning other future concerts, also we are making new songs for a second album that maybe will be finished this year, we are so excited to go out and play and meet new bands and people, to share the music.

Q: Any parting words?
You can listen Anajunno on Spotify and youtube, etc etc…also we have a Bandcamp where you can download our first EP for free or if you want to make a donation we appreciate it!

Thanks for the interview and the possibility of generate some kind of diffusion. We love The blog that celebrates itself, we met about a lot of bands in here and we appreciate the fact that there is some people out there writing about the different scenes and we hope that you keep doing it in the same way! Cheers!
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domingo, 18 de fevereiro de 2018

In Pieces with Expelled From Space - An Interview


Lublin, Poland, Janeiro de 2018, e uma nova aventura sonora começava sua jornada, Expelled From Space, é um one man band, onde o nome diz muito sobre a sonoridade, uma cândida e tenra viagem evocando o espaço, em uma solitária e melancólica odisseia sendo conduzida por reverbs.

Um mês basicamente se passou e o Expelled From Space, com três singles, aponta para uma intensa viagem.

A música do Expelled From Space é um exercício de isolamento.


***** Interview with Expelled From Space *****


Q. When did Expelled From Space begin? Tell us about the history...
To be honest, It began couple weeks ago. I finally found some time to work on my ideas of songs. So staying alone at home with my guitars and other gear = Expelled From Space.

Q: Who are your influences?
So many! but if you will put a gun to my head i would say Slowdive, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Interpol, Tame Impala,The Raveonettes, The Smiths and of course The Beatles - because i love them so very much since i was a little kid.

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
The Beatles - White Album
Interpol - Turn on the bright lights
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On, On Your Own
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Q. How do you feel playing live?
Never done that. Well, im on my own - there is nobody except me in the band, so playing live is quite impossible right now. But maybe someday...

Q. How do you describe Expelled From Space sounds?
Dreamy, shoegazy with little addition of rock and roll. And a lot of reverb. Because it's all about it.Reverb!


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
So i got my guitar (Epiphone Dot), i got my bass (some no name bass), lousy microphone, automatic percussion from fruity loops app and the greatest app to make music which is called Audacity (joke). Then im just recording track by track, and then some more. Putting it all together, looking for good sound. Lyrics are provided by my cousin (and i'm very thankfull for that - thanks Matthaus!).

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
Dont know if it's that new but i will say Pinkshinyultrablast - very cool shoegaze band. L.A. Witch - three cool, rocking girls. The Fruitcakes - from Poland (like I am!) - they have great 60' style. If you love The Beatles you will like their tunes. And of course Expelled From Space - very promissing!

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
I would say The Smiths, but they are so unique and making covers of their song is pointless!

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Just making more songs (another one was released on 22th January), having fun with music and see what happens.

Q: Any parting words?
I wish everybody good year with a lot of good new music. And check out my fanpage on Facebook for another songs. Soon. (www.facebook.com/expelledfromspace)
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Thanks

https://expelledfromspace.bandcamp.com

sexta-feira, 16 de fevereiro de 2018

Lost At The Party with Terry Malts - An Interview


Para quem cresceu e aprendeu ensinamentos preciosos de mestres como Fernando Naporano, Kid Vinil, John Peel, onde bandas emergentes ali na segunda metade dos 80´s, que, de certa forma criaram todo o conceito do indie rock britânico que viria na década seguinte, leia-se Class of 86, inclua rapidamente na lista, The Bodines, The Wolfhounds, Bifff Bang Pow!, The Weather Prophets, The Wedding Present, dentre uma imensidão de outras tantas, menos ou mais conhecidas, o fato é que naquele momento, foi plantada uma semente que germinaria do outro lado do oceano, e logicamente nos quatro cantos do mundo com o passar de outras décadas, mas na mente de Mike Schulman, estadunidense de Washington D.C., estava tudo desenhado, e por conta dessas bandas nasceu a Slumberland, que depois fincaria raízes na Califórnia e apresentaria ao mundo beldades como Black Tambourine, The Aislers Set, Henry´s Dress, Velocity Girl, e, tantos e tantos outros que beberam na mesma fonte.

Todo esse enredo na realidade, serve para introduzir, isso caso você desconheça, outros pequenos heróis desse indie rock clássico, o quarteto Terry Malts, que obviamente alimenta-se das matrizes citadas, principalmente segundo eles mesmos, a cult Henry´s Dress, mas, inclua-se ai elementos anteriores a C86, melodiosos tal qual o Go-Betweeens, sensíveis tal qual o The Chills, o Terry Malts, é aquele caso clássico de adoração desde a primeira audição.

Qualquer um dos seus primorosos três álbuns, obviamente que tem o selo Slumberland de qualidade ai no meio, mas faça uma imersão começando talvez pelo último, "Lost At Th Party" de 2016, e faça sua regressão até "Killing Time" de 2012 que mais parece os Ramones junto com os Buzzcocks adicionando a ingenuidade do Undertones com uma guitarra a´la J&MC.

Meu caro, faça o seguinte, tire as crianças da sala, os móveis também e aproveite a vida, o Terry Malts é sua melhor companhia.

***** Interview with Terry Malts *****


Q. When did Terry Malts begin? Tell us about the history...
Well, Terry Malts started as a side project back in 2009 when the three of us were playing in Magic Bullets. A lot of our friends at the time (Weekend, Young Prisms) were doing loud, fun music and we wanted to do an indie-pop/punk version.

Q: Who are your influences?
Our primary influence is Henry’s Dress but we also liked the Shop Assistants, Jesus & Mary Chain, Black Tambourine.

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
For me personally I’d say:
Big Dipper - Heavens
Julian Cope - Head
Go Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane
The Smiths - Hatful Of Hollow
Judee Sill - Judee Sill

Q. How do you feel playing live?
It’s fun! Everything turns off around me and I go into my own little zone, free from anxiety and depression.


Q. How do you describe Terry Malts sounds?
Well I’d say we’re a Power Indie Pop group now but a lot of the early stuff was much gnarlier.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
Nowadays I co-write with Phil (our singer/bassist) then I sit down with a journal and begin the process of pre-producing the album and compiling references to give the engineer once we’re ready to record. Then we go in and lay down the basic tracks, I’ll overdub guitars and keyboards, and finally Phil will do the vocals.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
I like French Vanilla, Seablite, Marbled Eye, So Many Wizards, and Sob Stories

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
I’d love to cover a Comsat Angels song called “It’s History”

Q: What are your plans for the future?
We’re going to do more writing this year and hopefully so some recording with BART Thurber.

Q: Any parting words?
Seize the means of production!
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Thanks

https://terrymalts.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/terrymalts/

quinta-feira, 15 de fevereiro de 2018

Falling Man with Vienna Youth - An Interview


Deliciosamente hipnótica é a estreia dos ingleses de South Devon, Vienna Youth.

"Falling Man", primeiro single deles, é uma odisseia melancólica por guiada por um tênue fio condutor unindo The Cure, Slowdive e The XX.

Climática e sedutora, "Falling Man" vai envolvendo gradativamente até seu ápice épico.

A considerar pelo debute, o Vienna Youth torna-se daquelas bandas a serem acompanhadas com muita tenção.

***** Interview with Vienna Youth *****


Q: When did Vienna Youth begin? Tell us about the history... 

A: Back in 2016, guitarist Dan Sturt and punk poet Tom (T.S. Idiot) started meeting in a garage owned by a guy who recently toured with The Ruts. The pair were soon joined by Vienna James who bought her song writing talents and haunting vocals, Harri (the happiest drummer in the world) and Max (who laid down the bass you hear in 'Falling Man'). Tom stepped in as manager and, after some local gigs, the potential of the quartet was soon spotted. Shoegaze is pretty rare round here (The English Riviera) and I think people were pretty surprised. In the last year we've been invited up to London, supported psych-rockers Syd Arthur and had our praises sung by the BBC.

Q: Who are your influences?
One song we always used to listen to on the way to rehearsals was 'Immigrant Song' by Led Zeppelin haha. But I don't think that's an influence. Old school 'gazers like Slowdive, Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins have got to be in there, but we all bring different stuff to the table. Dan's into his modern fuzzed out stuff like DIIV and TRAAMS, which you can hear when he plays. Vienna really channels bands like Cigarettes After Sex I think, that big sweeping sound and tender lyricism. Like all decent bands, a mix of influences is important to get a unique sound that gets you noticed. Our bassist is into heavy metal and our drummer loves smooth indie stuff like Nothing But Thieves and The 1975. So yeah, quite eclectic.

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
DIIV - Oshin
The xx - xx
Joy Division - Closer
Slowdive - Souvlaki
The Cure - Disintegration

We’re also super excited for when Pale Waves release their album later this year. Gus Dapperton and Boy Pablo are cool too.

Q. How do you feel playing live?
Nervous. Some of us usually have to be stoned haha. But like anything it gets better the more we do it. We've done so many different gigs in the last year, from tiny pubs to big festival stages. Recently we played at Torquay Museum which is probably the weirdest gig we've done. But I think most people get into it when we build the songs into massive crescendos that fill the room. Some people have never heard that before.


Q. How do you describe Vienna Youth sounds?
My Bloody Valentine for the Millennial generation! A bit more tender with some Noughties indie influences. The BBC called our sound 'A dream within a dream'.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
We were lucky enough to meet a local producer/sound engineer Jaz Crossman. He did a brilliant job on the single and really understood our sound. Before that we just pissed about in rehearsals or at college. So it's getting more professional I guess, which is good because it's a big sound to capture.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
One of our favourite bands this year were Too Tangled, a Belgian duo we played with in the UK. Shoegaze-influenced synth-pop, really cool. Penelope Isles are really cool as well, a Brighton-based indie band who work really hard and have made some amazing music. And, locally, we've played with Tin Soldiers a few times - the lead singer plays a transparent electric violin, it's fucking great.

Q: Which band would you love to make a cover version of?
Last year we did a rowdy cover of 'Last Christmas' by Wham! with our manager wearing a turkey on his head, but I don't think we'd do that again haha. Probably a crowd pleasing indie anthem like Pictures of You by The Cure. Or just get a pop song and really f**k it up, make it loud and shoegazey.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Keep in touch with our roots in the South West (UK) but start to get our name out further. Bristol and Brighton have really cool scenes right now. We'd love to get picked up by an independent label with our upcoming EP, and eventually go on tour.

Q: Any parting words?
I think what we've realised is that you don't have to compromise - We come from a small town that's filled with f**king cover bands but there's some amazing acts breaking out. Sometimes people are too scared to let the influence of 'difficult' genres like shoegaze come out in their music, but it's worth it.

Vienna Youth are represented by Uncollective Records (www.uncrecords.bandcamp.com) and release their debut EP later this year.

Website: www.viennayouth.weebly.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/viennayouth
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/viennayouth
Twitter/Instagram: @viennayouth
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quarta-feira, 14 de fevereiro de 2018

V'Ger with Mt. Wilson Repeater - An Interview


Mac McCaughan e Laura Ballance montaram a Merge Records lá no distante 1989, como forma de lançar os discos do Superchunk, e depois disso, bem a história toda vocês já devem saber, e não cabe ao TBTCI repeti-la, com exceção ao fato de que no cast dela, dentre várias preciosidades existe o Radar Brothers, banda cultuada no submundo dos bons sons, capitaneada por Jim Putnam, mas que infelizmente esta em um hiato de tempo indeterminado desde 2013, e, aproveitando esta ociosidade, Jim, depois de dez anos, emergiu novamente em seu projeto solo, Mt. Wilson Repeater, e no dia 23 de Janeiro, "V´Ger" veio ao mundo.

O disco é um caleidoscópio psicodelicamente lo fi, evocando Arthur Lee envolto a experimentos freaks a´la Flaming Lips. Conduzido especialmente pela guitarra de Jim, o MT. Wilson Repeater é daquela experiências que devem ser degustadas sem pressa, com o intuito de apreciar cada detalhe.

Psicodelismos delirantes em estado bruto, assim o Mt. Wilson Repeater chega em sua nova passagem pela Terra.

Boa viagem.
***** Interview with Mt. Wilson Repeater *****











Q. When did Mt. Wilson Repeater begin? Tell us about the history...
I've been recording music by myself since I was a teenager in the 1980's, I got a hold of my father's 4 track reel to reel tape machine and learned how to use it. I went to college at CalArts as a visual artist, most of us in the art school wanted to play music so we would set up in hallways and stairwells at the school and make a lot of crazy guitar noise. Although I prefered recording by myself, I was always in bands. I started my own band called Radar Brothers in 1991, and we made records and toured up until a few years ago when I decided to put the band on hiatus.

Q: Who are your influences?
the beatles
pink floyd
leonard cohen
can
kate and anna mcgarrigle
caetano veloso
a c jobim
elis regina
gal costa
gabby pahinui
radiohead
elo
beach boys
dennis wilson
joe walsh
neil young
wire
the cure
the stranglers
the damned

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
beatles-revolver
dennis wilson-pacific ocean blue
beach boys-friends
can-future days
gabby pahinui hawaiian band vol. 1

Q. How do you describe Mt. Wilson Repeater sounds?
Cinematic sonic scapes


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
Some songs start with a drum machine or i will play drums then build on that, or i will write a song on my cassette 4-track and then record it later for real. I have my own studio. I record and play everything myself.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
I honestly don't know a lot of new bands!

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
Flock of seagulls

Q: What are your plans for the future?
I'm currently working on another record, and touring as a live sound engineer

Q: Any parting words?
Thanks for the opportunity to answer the questions and be on TBTCI!!!
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https://www.facebook.com/mtwilsonrepeater/
https://mtwilsonrptr.bandcamp.com/releases

terça-feira, 13 de fevereiro de 2018

Same Hell with La Rose - An Interview


Contemplativo, sonhador e deveras intimista, são os predicados que devem ser atribuídos à obra do canadense Daniel Wilson, ou La Rose para os íntimos.

"Same Hell", primeiro trabalho do cara, nasceu há poucos dias atrás, mais precisamente em no dia 9 de Fevereiro. Todo o disco foi gravado em seu quarto, criando um certo ar lo fi, mas que torna-se apenas mais um das possíveis categorizações que o La Rose pode sofrer, mas muito além dos quesitos de baixa qualidade conhecidos por aí, o trabalho flui por entre fumaças cinzentas e sonhos borrados, muito por conta do fantasma de Robert Smith, que paira sobre as canções.

Se você precisa de um refúgio, o La Rose é sua propensa companhia.

***** Interview with La Rose *****


Q. When did La Rose begin? Tell us about the history...
When i was in university, one of my best friends talked me into buying an electric guitar. i'd never really played before, i don't come from a musical background. he taught me some interpol songs, and eventually, we formed a band called called prom. we put out a couple of eps and played shows around toronto. around the same time, i started writing music on my own, stuff i didn't think would work for prom. more 80s-influenced, dream pop stuff. been working on it ever since.

Q: Who are your influences?
I love music from the 80's. whether that's cocteau twins, the cure, gang of four, kate bush, new order, chameleons, you name it. yo la tengo really did a number on me too, they basically raised me. it's weird though, i grew up listening to rap music. as a true lame-o torontonian, drake will forever hold a place in my heart. oh! slowdive! can't forget them. i saw them twice last year and that made me so happy. i also love ambient music, maybe, a little too much.

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
Oh jesus, this is the kind of pressure that i don't manage well. off the top of my head?

yo la tengo: everything turns itself inside out
cocteau twins: heaven or las vegas
stars of the lid: and their refinement of the decline
brian eno: another green world
the cure: disintegration

Q. How do you feel playing live?
I...truly despise it. i've never made peace with it. for a long time i'd just drink myself into a stupor and hope things worked out up there. they usually don't. i guess i'm too shy. i don't like people looking at me. my birthday is like, the worst time of the year for me. i've actively not played shows for a while now. people ask and i'm always like "ugh."

Q. How do you describe La Rose sounds?
Um, i'd say it's guitar driven dream pop. i love reverb. i like not knowing what a singer is saying, haha. so there's a lot of that.


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
All the songs on my new record were recorded in two weeks last summer. i was in a horrible depression, i could barely go outside. so every day i'd just play with this neat drum machine i got years ago and never figured out how to use. when i had something i liked i'd grab my guitar and start layering stuff- bass, synths, etc. i always do vocals last. writing lyrics just takes me ages, they never really come out the way i want them to.

Q: Which new bands do you recommend?
There is so much good stuff out right now, it's crazy. especially in toronto. vallens is real good.

Outside of Toronto, trippie redd is pretty great. i like how every song is basically him moping over a trap beat. sza had one of the best albums last year, hands down. she's amazing.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
I always wanted to cover a yo la tengo song but i never really figured out how to make it work. they have a ton of instrumental stuff that is just wonderful. their original music for the "adventureland" soundtrack is so good, no one talks about it. they also scored this documentary about ocean creatures, maybe i could do that, but with synths. actually, never mind, that's a horrible idea.

Oh! whenever my friends and i go to karaoke, inevitably, someone throws me a bone and puts on "lovefool" by the cardigans. i can't even sing it. at this point, they're just putting it on 'cause i'll pout if i don't get to. i'd love to do that one. it's a classic.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
My record "same hell" comes out on february 9th on pale blue records. i got a bunch of new stuff i'm working on. i tend to overthink everything so i'm sure the next little while will just be me sitting and doing that.

Q: Any parting words?
Um, did you see twin peaks: the return? if not, i really think you should.
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Thanks

https://la-rose.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/larosetoronto/

segunda-feira, 12 de fevereiro de 2018

Equals with Uniforms - An Interview


Uma verdadeira delicia é o debute das meninas de Andalusia, Espanha, Uniforms.

Grudento, pop, sexy e barulhento na medida certa, "Equals", o EP, pega referências das girl groups dos 60´s, tem pitadas de Blondie, passa inevitavelmente por conexões com The Primitives e Lush, mas, com uma roupagem moderna, se aproximando por vezes das meninas do No Joy.

Viciante é o melhor adjetivo para resumir as quatro pérolas de noise pop que as meninas do Uniforms fizeram, só tem um problema, quando acaba a vontade de saborear mais é avassaladora, por isso fica aqui o pedido do TBTCI para as garotas: precisamos de mais!!!!

***** Interview with Uniforms *****


Q. When did Uniforms begin? Tell us about the history...
Natalia - 'It was only about two years algo. My drummer friend Pan and myself as a beginner guitarrist (Natalia) started to play songs just for fan. We didn't plan to start a band but we had a lot of bands that we loved in common, I dunno exactly why we both started to take lessons of our instruments and taking music a little bit more seriously. After we met Laura who joined immediately and gave us another big push to keep going. Finally, Annie joined the band as she has an amazing voice very suitable for what we were doing plus plays shynts.

Q: Who are your influences?
Natalia- So many of course. But mainly we can say the masters of shoegaze. The bands that we admire so much and had inspired so many bands then and nowadays... Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, Ride, Pale Saints, MBV, Lush, Cranes...

Panchi- Well, and many other 90s bands, like for example The Breeders, The Smashing Pumpkins, Spiritualized, Swirlies, Swell, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth...

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
The Beatles - Revolver
The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
The Jesus and Mary Chain -Psycho Candy
The Velvet Underground & Nico (Andy Warhol's cover)
Sonic Youth- Dirty
....

Q. How do you feel playing live?
Laura- Well, we actually haven't played yet! Ever!

Annie- I did. I've been in other proyects before but mainly as "solo" and in my opinion is such a good fun. It's pure excitement!

Panchi- We can't wait to play lives! At the moment we are booking some concerts for this year in our country (Spain).

Q. How do you describe Uniforms´sounds?
Panchi- I thing it's something like smoothy rock... haha


6. Tell us about the process of recording songs?
Annie- Is was pretty exciting and a challenge for us: it was our first time of studio recording, and we are demanding and perfectionists with our work.

So that took us months to get the sound that we were looking for, but it was worth it.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
Natalia- I really love many new bands and I must admit that it's what I listen to the most of the time. Specially women bands for example L.A. Witch, Novella, No Joy, Tamaryn, Las Kellies, Helen, Anna Von Hausswolff, Chelsea Wolfe, Jenny Hval, and others like Beliefs, Ponds, Heaters...

Q. Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
Laura- My Bloody Valentine, which is one of our many references, for example. And actually we can confess that we are trying to do it currently.

Q. What are your plans for the future?
Annie-We would like to share our first EP in many cities (Andalucía...Madrid, Barcelona...) and connect with the listeners through our music. Also, we want to open a new path within the branch shoegaze in spanish music, because this style of music is, unfortunately, pretty unknown here.

Q. 10. Any parting words?
Laura- We wanted to thank Will Castellano as a producer and director, Kike Gutierrez in the process of recording, and Jorge Alcalde, in charge of photography, for supporting us and giving us the pushed that we needed; and all that people that enjoy our work as much as we do.

Annie-This is only the beginning of a journey that we hope continues for many years.

Natalia- Thanks Renato! We love what you do! <3 br="">*
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Thanks

https://uniformsband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/UNIFORMSband/