Wolf Gang – Dancing with the Devil
 |
| (Max in Nottingham's Bodega at Dot to Dot Fetsival 2010, my have they all grown up) |
Wolf Gang is an incredible band that I have been avidly following for the past two years. I also feel that I have quite a personal connection with them as I first met them in Bodega at Dot to Dot Festival in Nottingham 2010. Not only were their performance out of this world, but I and a few others had the pleasure of drinking with them afterwards for an hour or so chatting about all the things under the sun. They are a great bunch who are fun, down to earth people and they really showed me that all bands are made up of normal people, but they are just exceptionally talented everyday people. I’m not sure if they will remember us, but my fond memory is laughing with the band at my other half’s chanting ‘Matt, Matt’ all the way through their gig, not knowing his name is in fact ‘Max’.
Their new song Dancing with the Devil is a great autumnal anthem; with its nice rifts and great vocals from ‘Matt’ this is clearly Wolf Gang's year.
Arrogant Rating – 4.2/5
Yellow Ostrich – Whale
Yellow Ostrich’s Whale is the clear victor for tune of the week in my books. I can’t get enough of it and will use any excuse to replay it. I’m not sure what kind of voodoo Yellow Ostrich have been messing about with in Brooklyn but I am hooked, maybe I am a whale. The minimalistic beats from the drum, a nice tinkle from a triangle and the wonderfully delivered chanting makes an excellent addition to the ‘constantly listen to’ Playlist on anyone’s IPod. I very much appreciate the authentic whale calls in the background. Fucking Awesome!
Yellow Ostrich - "WHALE" by Afternoon Records Arrogant Rating – 4.3/5
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Tigers
A toe-tapping number with summery up-beat guitar rifts; I love the chorus but am at a loss as to why tigers need separate rooms, perhaps to subtle for me.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Tigers by artsandcraftsmx Arrogant Rating – 3.6/5
Izabo - Summer Shade
Arrogant Rating – 3.7/5
Chairlift – Amanaemonesia
Second song from Chairlift to feature on The Arrogant Critique it is a lot different than Bruises and has a lot more of a pop vibe. I have been perplexed by the actual definition and am also perplexed at the songs incredible composition of a smooth and funky intro an 80s electro-pop mid-section with a dark spoken-word climax resembling Siouxsie and the Banshees and still manage to blend effortlessly. Furthermore Caroline Polachek’s vocals can only be worshipped as her warbling reaches new and unknown parts of the vocal stratosphere as well as defying the odds and repeatedly singing the tongue twister that is Amanaemonesia. What a goddess!!
Amanaemonesia by Chairlift Arrogant Rating – 3.8/5
Joan as Police Woman – The Magic, Chemmie
The two next songs come from Joan Wasser’s latest album The Deep Field which came out in the UK 25 January of this year. Best known, at least in my case for the incorrectly spelt single Christobel Joan’s two new singles are set to also become a major part in the fabric of everyday life. The Magic has in my opinion a special quality about it, and naturally as always Joan Wasser’s spine tingling voice creates an incredible track. You’ve got the Magic Joan, if you don’t agree then arrest me.
Joan As Police Woman - The Magic by PIASBELGIUM Arrogant Rating – 4/5
Arrogant Rating – 3.5/5
City and Colour – Fragile Bird
Dallas Green’s somewhat husky and searching voice definitely is the star of Fragile Bird. I suppose in some ways City and Colour’s style is to give you a sense of joy and hope.
Fragile Bird by cityandcolour
Arrogant Rating – 3.8/5
Lana Del Ray – Video Games
If you haven’t heard much about Lana Del Ray already, be prepared to. One of the future stars that have slightly broken through this year, Lana Del Ray’s voice leaves you paralysed and speechless, whilst her lyrics are thought provoking and subtle. Could you say she is the next Florence and the Machines? No she deserves more credit than that.
Lana Del Rey - Video Games by PurplePR
Arrogant Rating – 4/5
The Wind – Oh Hadihu
The Wind is what one would most associate as a gentle and selfless lover. Oh Hadihu is a beautiful song that whisks you to Hawaii from the very first sound and drops you smoothly back at the end.
The Wind - Oh, Hadihu by ObscureSound
Arrogant Rating – 3.8/5
Cut off Your Hands – You Should do Better
Cut Off Your Hands - You Should Do Better by Goltzman*
Arrogant Rating – 3.7/5
Atlas Genius - Trojans
Trojans by Atlas Genius
Arrogant Rating – 3.8/5
The Stanley Blacks - Everest
Everest by thestanleyblacks
Arrogant Rating – 4/5
Hanni El Khatib – Build-Destroy-Rebuild
Build-Destroy -Rebuild is the second of the Palestinian/Filipino Hanni El Khatib’s singles to feature on my Weekly Catch-Up; the previous being the incredibly Rock’n’Roll Dead Wrong. This single shows Hanni’s incredible mastery of blending both the old and the new together. The guitar rift, rocking drums and Hanni’s voice makes the foundations of his familiar Rock’n’Roll style but there is a clear gritty Indie vein flowing through the song. Salamat Hanni El Khatib for blending my childhood genre preference with my modern day genre preference, please keep going!
Hanni El Khatib - "Build-Destroy-Rebuild" by brooklynvegan
Arrogant Rating – 3.7/5
The Jim Jones Revue – High Horse
The Jim Jones Revue - High Horse by JimJonesRevue
Arrogant Rating – 3.9/5
Mister Heavenly – Bronx Sniper
Mister Heavenly - Bronx Sniper by subpop
Arrogant Rating – 3.8/5
Fabian – Last Flight
Fabian - Last Flight by iamFabian
Arrogant Rating – 3.9/5
New Found Land - Holes
Another great export from Sweden, the other being The Amplifetes, New Found Land’s Holes is taken from their second album The Bell. It has a great youthful and vibrant quality and Anna Roxenholt’s vocals overpower what in fact should be something sad and melancholic, judging by the lyrics, and transforms Holes into something uplifting and quite sweet.
Arrogant Rating – 3.8/5
The Israeli band Izabo have decided to concentrate the essence of Summer, bottle it and throw it head first at the music scene. With hot guitar licks and a sleepy vocals makes you want to drift off and slowly melt like an ice cream under a tree. And if you are thinking, how is summer over already? Izabo can help you to carry on pretending.
