The Middle East - The Recordings Of The Middle East

This Australian band already broke up once after their first album was released in 2008. Soon they started to play together again and some songs from the debut were released as an EP called The Recordings Of Middle East last year.

All six songs are carefully crafted folk songs. It took several listenings for the EP to leave a mark on me, but persistent listening payed off. The songs are rich in melody, structure and dynamics. "Blood" is the definitive highlight growing almost in a post-rockish manner from the softest and most intimate folk song to an Arcade Fire -like orchestrated celebration.

The Recordings Of The Middle East @ Spotify
themiddleeastmusic.com
The Middle East @ Myspace

Castle Rock Session: The National - Terrible Love

Only a week to go until the release of High Violet. While waiting, watch The National play the opening track in an abandoned castle on Pitchfork TV.


EDIT: There are also two other songs from the same session behind this link: http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/episode/2354-the-national/1.

Sounds of summer

For a few weeks already, I’ve been woken by the rising sun. As I’ve watched and smelled the sand and grass being revealed from under the snow, I’ve had at least one clear theme song for spring, Yona’s “Kevätfiilis”. It has the best spring lyrics I know and a real feel of spring, just like the name suggests. I’ve also dug out some albums that always seem to appear on my playlist in spring and summer. The two most important of these are Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not by Arctic Monkeys and Kaksi Mannerta by Emma Salokoski Ensemble.

In addition to the general sunshine records, every summer gets its own soundtrack. What I mean are those songs and albums that you sing along with your friends in the park, jam along to while walking on the street, and the ones which bring you back to the best moments of that summer still years after. My last summer’s soundtrack based strongly on Fantasies by Metric, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix, Manners by Passion Pit, the self-titled debut of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

Naturally, I need to speculate next summer a bit. During the fall, winter and spring there has been a bunch of new releases that have been waiting for the summer to give them the right listening environment. These include Summertime EP by The Drums, Surfer Blood’s Astro Coast, Gorilla Manor by Local Natives and the self-titled new albums of Fang Island and Yukon Blonde. New Vampire Weekend and Delorean albums will probably be playing in my speakers as well. There are also several highly anticipated new releases coming during the following months. The Drums are releasing their first full-length album and Wolf Parade, Ratatat and LCD Soundsystem will all be releasing new albums. Even more important will most certainly be the new albums by The National and Band of Horses. They don’t have the most summer-suiting sound but you need something for the long nights and rainy days, too, especially if you happen to live in Finland.

The best thing about this kind of speculations is the fact that they’re seldom right. It’s great to have something to expect but even better to find surprises, new artists and songs which unexpectedly happen to be playing over and over on the stereo, mp3 player or someone’s guitar while you sink your feet in the soft sand and watch the waves break on the shore.

The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme

Comparison to other artists is often the easiest way to describe a new music. However, when I try to do this, I usually end up feeling that I’ve mislead the other person. As with most records, I hear a lot of familiar sounds in this new Radio Dept. album, but like all modern artists, they have such a vast number of influences behind their music, that separating individual similarities to others becomes useless. Thus, I could pick out some sounds and song parts reminding me of The Avalanches or Phoenix, but that would give an entirely wrong impression.

Another widely used way of describing a new album is comparing it to earlier recordings of the artist. The Radio Dept. is, however, yet another band whose name I’ve read and heard dozens of times but haven’t had the time and interest to dig in to their music.

Then of course there’s for example the possibility of going through individual songs and analyze them but that’s something everyone should have the right to do themselves instead of reading about the structure of a song they haven’t yet heard.

Sticking to easy ways of writing about music instead of doing analyzes that reflect the overall state of music industry or whatever, I’m left with an album cover and a couple of abstract remarks like: “perfect rainy summer day music” or “chilly Scandinavian indie meets electronic summer grooves”. No matter how I put it, what I’m actually trying to say is: I’ve been listening to this album on repeat for a week. Listen and see if it has the same effect on you.

Clinging to a Scheme @ Spotify
The Radio Dept. @ Myspace

Go Flow!

Flow Festival turns Suvilahti in Helsinki into a indie and rhythm music fanatic's paradise once again next August. Most of the line-up was released today and it looks more current than ever. LCD Soundsystem has it's first appearance in Finland on the separate opening concert on Wednesday August 11th along with other yet to be announced artists. The actual festival takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th with headliners such as M.I.A, the xx, Air and Jónsi. I myself am very excited to see the US indie bands The Drums, Beach House, Surfer Blood and Girls on the list. Clubs in the festival area will feature among others Four Tet and Diplo both solo and with Major Lazer. There are also plenty of rhythm and world music artists and Finnish indie bands performing. More artists will be added to the line-up later and if I recall correctly from previous years, some of the biggest names are announced last.

More info at flowfestival.com.

The Tallest Man On Earth - Wild Hunt

The Tallest Man On Earth is a Swedish folk singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson. Having seen him live twice I can tell you that the pseudonym is rather ironic. I can also tell you he is one of the most capturing and original folk performers I've seen. His magnificent gruff voice and innovative guitar playing along with a strong stage presence make impressive live performances. His music takes clear influences from American folk tradition and he has drawn a lot of comparisons to Bob Dylan.

The Wild Hunt is Matsson's second album. Its atmosphere and song material is quite similar to the debut Shallow Grave. On The Wild Hunt, he explores a bit further the extremes of his music. There are more aggressive songs such as "You're Going Back" and "King Of Spain" as well as softer pieces like "Love Is All" and the record-ending piano ballad "Kids On The Run". Throughout the album he's personal voice and impressive lyrical delivery create haunting, bigger-than-life songs. Songs that, just like the songs on his debut, after persistent listening come close to being as personal and important to the listener as they are to the man behind the mic.

The Wild Hunt @ Luisterpaal
The Tallest Man On Earth @ Myspace

Fang Island - S/T

Fang Island’s own description of the band’s music is “everyone high-fiving everyone” which well describes their self-titled new album full of positive energy. That positive energy isn’t, however, given as sugarcoated pop hooks but instead as grand, unstoppable guitar rock.

The album is a solid entity and not least because of the clear intro and outro tracks. Between the fireworks (!) of the opening and ending tracks it’s all about combining rhythmically interesting punk rock with fanfare-type guitar melodies and vocal harmonies. Vocals are used extremely rarely and often without actual lyrics.

Despite of their huge energy, Fang Island has a sense of structure and dynamics, which is perhaps best shown in the five-minute crescendo of “Davey Crockett”. Other top moments include the concise first single “Daisy” and the simply marvelous second half of “Sideswiper”. Their live performance must be quite a therapy session.

Fang Island @ Spotify
fangisland.com