Cloud Nothings

So I finally got round to checking out this band properly. Having had their new/soon to-be-released album for quite a while now. (It's available from the band themselves, but is yet to be officially released, or summink)

It's called Turning On and is quite simply, superb. Less than 30 minutes of lo-fi pop gems complete with cassette quality vocals, harking back to a simpler time, when the indie "biz" was no more than some spotty teens sending their mixtapes through something called the "postal service" (I've no idea either), for only the kudos of their fellow acne-ridden penpal and the hope that you receive something equally amazing in return. At least according to some books I read.

If I were to receive Turning On in the post, on a C90 with a handwritten label and (maybe) a tracklisting, I'd have been pleased. If I were to hear this on vinyl, the medium it was clearly recorded for, I'd be in love.

They tap into the warmth and sound of contemporaries such as Black Lips without attracting the controversy and the wankiness. This is some guys having fun, and it sounds amazing.

Far from fashionable Brooklyn or the Bohemiam Bay area in Cali, this Ohio 4-piece (or just Dylan Baldi on a four track recorded) are worth a look.

Myspace

Forthcoming Albums of 2009

Here are some albums that I'm looking forward to in the first quarter of 2009. This is really just for me, so you can stop reading this now. Unless this is me reading, in which case, read on.

Firstly, Franz Ferdinand's third album, titled Tonight: Franz Ferdinand is due for release January 26th. "Ulysses", the only track I've heard, is a prime example of a track which I've only liked every other time I've heard it.

Black Lips release their follow up to 2007's Good, Bad, Not Evil called 200 Million Thousand, on February 24th, reportedly named after the cost of Amy Winehouse's next album. Only joking. Britney's album.

Kings Of Convenience side project The Whitest Boy Alive release their new album Rules on March 3rd, and Royksopp release Junior on March 23rd.

Monday Mixtape 05/01/09

This is brand new feature for 2009 (ahamagad) whereby I create a mixtape every Monday (that I can be bothered) of what I've been listening to and/or what I think you should be listening to to appear cool to all of your friends.

Occassionally there will be various themes, but this will all depend on the amount of effort I can muster.

Also, the mixtape will only be 10 songs or 45 minutes, whichever comes first, to ensure minimum effort on my part.

DATE: 05/01/09
THEME: none
LENGTH: 10 tracks, 35:29

1. CRYSTAL CASTLES - Untrust Us (3:06) (Crystal Castles, Lies/Last Gang 2008)
2. GORILLAZ feat. BOOTIE BROWN - Dirty Harry (3:45) (Demon Days, Parlophone 2005)
3. DJ SHADOW - Mashin' On The Motorway (2:58) (The Private Press, MCA 2002)
4. BEASTIE BOYS - Shazam! (2:26) (To The 5 Boroughs, Capitol 2004)
5. FRIENDLY FIRES - Paris (4:00) (Friendly Fires, XL 2008)
   
6. BLACK LIPS - Veni Vidi Vici (2:26) (Good, Bad, Not Evil, Vice 2007)
7. BORN RUFFIANS - Hummingbird (3:08) (Red, Yellow & Blue, Warp 2008)
8. WEEZER - Pork & Beans (3:09) (Weezer [Red Album], Geffen 2008)
9. GRANDADDY - Jeez Louise (3:41) (Just Like The Fambly Cat, V2 2006)
10. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - Fireworks (6:50) (Strawberry Jam, Domino 2007)

Next weeks mixtape will be on the theme of early 90s North American Indie Rock. Maybe.