Happy New Year!?!?!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Happy New Year
Einstein is going on holiday....but don't worry, Nick and Sarah will be back writing in just over a weeks time. In the meantime we would like to wish everyone a happy new year. Thanks for all your support in 2007, and we hope you will continue to enjoy the blog in 2008. Hopefully we've managed to open your ears to some great music.
Here's a short play list for your new years eve party. Bye for now!
1990's - You Made Me Like It: MP3
I Heart Hiroshima- Lungs: MP3
CSS- I Wanna Be Your J-Lo: MP3
Babyshambles- Stone Me: MP3
Batrider- Toilet Song: MP3
Connan and the Mockasins- Scarlett Johansson: MP3
Bastard Sons of Grey Power- Good Skin: MP3
The Hungry Caterpillar- Song for Procrastination: MP3
Brand New Math
Monday, December 24, 2007
Peanut Butter Soup, Etc.
Cooking time: 15 Mins. Preparation time: 15 Mins. Main cooking utensils: saucepan, frying pan
For 4 people you need: 1 oz butter, 1 oz flour, 1/2 pint milk, bay leaf, 2-3 oz peanut butter, 1 pint chicken stock OR water and stock cubes, seasoning.
Brand New Math's EP arrived in my mail box a few weeks ago wrapped in a whole bunch of recipe cards, copyright 1967. Among the bunch were classic dishes like Cheese Boats, Glazed Cherry Bread and Baked Fish with Normandy Source. In the middle of all the recipes was a CD with soon-to-be-Kiwi-classics Weapon of Parnell, Asthma Kids & Allergies and Love & Rockets.
1 Heat butter in pan, then stir in flour and cook for several minutes, stirring well.
As Auckland's answer to everything rad (Wellington has D-Rad), BNM have been described as a "super group" by several un-named sources. Einstein could say that too, but we like to think of BNM having its own personality. Sure Teenwolf and Phony Bone are great in their own right, but why the need to compare?
2 Remove from heat, stir in milk then bring to boil. Cook until smooth and thick, stirring well. Add the bay leaf.
All songs are written and practiced in a flat on Upper Queen St, close to K-Road and a stone's throw from St Kevin's Arcade. The music runs a sci-fi tight rope, balancing keys and guitar to the tune of a beyond-2000 science fiction novel.
3 Put the peanut butter into a basin, gradually blend in the warm sauce, then return to the pan, adding stock and seasoning.
Brand New Math have revealed they will be playing at Camp A Low Hum in 2008. They will join Little Pictures and Bang! Bang! Eche! who have also prematurely announced their attendance. Einstein has it from the most reliable source possible that five Australian bands will be attending and there will be a special overseas guest that Blink will only reveal minutes before they take the stage.
4 To serve, pour into cups or soup bowls.
Brand New Math- Weapon of Parnell: MP3
Brand New Math- Asthma Kids & Allergies: MP3
Brand New Math- Myspace
Cowtown
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Tom Cruise's Favourite Band
On November 5 Cowtown's debut record
Pine Cone Express was delivered to Jon Nash's house. You can buy it from the band's myspace page using Paypal.
From Leeds in the British North, Cowtown have come crashing into us with chaotic post punk, electro grunge that's crazy enough to bend street signs and loud enough to bring noise control knocking. Bleeps and squeals from electrified guitars and keyboards strike a dominant force, and stand tall as the focal point to Cowtown's sporadic, psychosomatic sound.
Reading other reviews of
Pine Cone Express, it's worth mentioning the positive vibes the band is giving off.
Subba Cultcha wrote "26 minutes of the most energetic sonic splurge squeezed into 12 songs, fantastic!".
Drowned in Sound writes "a relentlessly refreshing sugar-soaked high."
While Cowtown's spiky, angular sound has been compared to Devo and Deerhoof, I can't help but think that when the Mint Chicks become a three piece they may produce something similar. We greatly anticipate more than '2010'.
Cowtown- Part Man, Part Machine, All Cop: MP3
Cowtown- Curtis Tigers!: MP3
Cowtown- Myspace
Moron Says What?!?!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
www.awesome.com/moronsayswhat
Neither moron.com or en.wikipedia.org/moron is home to Moron Says What?!?!, Auckland's hottest new band. Judging by their repertoire of stupifyingly awesome songs, they'll have all manner of addresses sooner or later, but how important is that anyway? Somewhat relevant when their songs are about the internet, Japanamania and literary disfunctions.
Auckland's most exciting new band come out of the classroom to invade our imaginations and hearts with their songs seemingly deploring and celebrating the menial everyday, concurrently. MSW prove themselves worthy of the premature hype they've received.
The most badassingly awesome band build epically awesome pop songs on Le Tigre sass, Eddie Bo rhythmic shouts and new wave pop influences, shown in their use of "melody horn" and hand claps. Bursting onto the scene no earlier than a couple of months ago as both not-so-fragile youths and incredibly aware, talented and uniquely individual kids, MSW put the soul back into live performance and the grin back onto everyone's faces.
Mapping the stage with energy and chaos and even one of their mums (they were hurried home after a recent set at the Real Groove/Groove Guide Christmas party because they had final NCEA exams the next day), MSW are all attitude, and not in the least the bad kind. Watch their myspace for a gig in the near future, and somebody make them a Wikipedia page!!
NEW SONG!
White Arrows
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Let the shakers EXPLODE in a popadelic frenzy!
New Yorkers by way of LA, White Arrows are a little-known but catchy, fun, exciting group. Their riffing on new wave, dusty lo-fi exemplified on 'City Boy' may leave something to be desired at first, but by around verse 3/chorus 2 they'll have you in a grasp of excitement as tight as their sweet pop hooks.
I got wind of these guys on Nylon magazine's blog,
Spacey Tracy; their oddly-angled portraits and wavy quiffed hair caught my eye. Soon after I was drawn to their MySpace (such are the wonderful ways of the internet!) and my ears were summoned to their songs.
Lo and behold, the band really delivered! Tasteful, haunting riffs bend and twist through 'The Voyeur', as Mickey Schiff's angst-ridden, thinly disguised vocals give a hint of despair, howling "There you go/ walkin' round with your boyfriend". But this bittersweet sound is masked gloriously by Evan Koga's catchy, sweet guitars and their cute, impeccable drums, all mounting up to quite-possibly-perfect alt-pop music!
There are also echoes of Devendra Banhart in '80 50', but the bass is too tight and too conventionally root-note based in classic 4/4 pop structure for Banhart's possé. The Strokes-esque guitar picking and Rooney-ish organ/keyboard stabs on the same song also probe further familiar ground, but White Arrows' is a fresh take.
A fun, interesting and pleasant listen, White Arrows is also a challenging one at that. Trying to spot the influences while listening to the teaser songs for their upcoming album on MySpace is nigh on impossible! I, for one, can't wait to hear a full length offering from this savvy trio. The breakdown in '80 50' is particularly fun.
From the upcoming EP Hearts and Lungs,
Top 15- Number 2
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
2: LCD Soundsystem- Sound of silverLCD Soundsystem- All My Friends: MP3
Voted by: Libra Accord, Tommy Ill and Batrider
Top 15- Number 3
3: Disasteradio- VisionsVoted by: Heat Like Me, Ragamuffin Children and Little Pictures
Top 15 Albums of 2007- Part 1
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Over the past month Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood has been collecting votes from New Zealand's best indie bands and solo musicians. Each band/artist was asked to provide a list of their top 5 albums released in 2007. We have counted the votes and are proud to bring you this year's list. We'd like to send a big thank you to all the people who voted. Here's Part 1
TOP 15 ALBUMS OF 2007
Voted by New Zealand's finest Indie Musicians
15: The Whipping Cats- The Last Ditch Dance
14: Justice- Cross
13: Modest Mouse- We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
12: Panda Bear- Person Pitch
Voted by: Brand New Math and Charlie Ash
11: Feist- The Reminder
Feist- Sea Lion Women: MP3
The Lisps
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Can you please repeat that?
The Lisps were the first band I fell in love with in 2007. Their quirky playfulness and lyrical conjunctivitis forced me to explore the Brooklyn music scene (on Myspace), and led to the discovery of so many great bands. I've been so inspired by the music that I'm now making plans to move to Brooklyn for a short stint next year. Before I write anymore; THANK YOU Lisps!
Just last week I found out The Lisps have their debut album set, polished, and ready for release. I then found an exclusive release of four new tracks on Pop Tarts Suck Toasted. The official release date is January 5, so these tracks are super early and only help to add to the excitement of an already super hyped band. The band's debut EP, The Vain, the Modest and the Dead is so good it was included in my top 10 releases of 2007 which I submitted to Grove Guide magazine this week.
Titled Country Doctor Museum, the upcoming album sounds likely to carry on from where The Vain, the Modest and the Dead left off. Sammy Tunis and César Alvarez bounce vocals back and forward in typical conversational fashion, contradicting and complementing each other with a loose but uncontrived wit. 'Chaos' and 'The Familiar Drunk' sound like festive improvised sing-alongs and contrast perfectly with the boundless melody of 'Brackish Water' and 'I'm Sorry'.
The Lisps are a performance band of due quality and endless cute smiles. When I move to Brooklyn I'm going to frequent Joe's Pub and take my girlfriend to all of The Lisps' gigs. Oh Lisps, you are so dreamy, look what you have made me write.
The Lisps- Brackish Water: MP3
The Lisps- I'm Sorry: MP3
The Lisps- Chaos: MP3
The Lisps- Myspace
