Entries Tagged 'Pop/Alternative' ↓

Britta Phillips and Jason Quever of Papercuts

Britta Phillips’s recommendation: “Papercuts are from San Francisco and will be opening for us in L.A. & SF next week! (Nov. 11th & 13th – tour details here). They have a gorgeous, lo-fi retro sound that is both beautiful and sad. There is an edgy melancholy to it that is bittersweet in the way Galaxie 500 is, but they sound like themselves, like they’re transmitting from their own far-away planet. I wasn’t sure if it was a boy or girl singing at first which was cool.”

If you are new to Papercuts, Britta recommends you start with the You Can Have What You Want album.

MP3: John Brown by Papercuts

About our guest author, Britta Phillips: Britta Phillips is the beautiful female half of Dean and Britta. Both Britta and her band partner, Dean Wareham, were members of critic fave Luna and the duo has been doing very cool things since they formed in 2005. Most recently, the band was commissioned by the Andy Warhol museum to perform while Andy’s silent screen tests were projected. The songs from that record are now available as a double CD titled 13 Most Beautiful. Equally cool is the duo’s appearance on Nick Jr.’s Yo Gabba Gabba! (awesome video below). Be sure to check the Dean and Britta web site for tour dates and know that on some of the dates, the band will be doing exclusive sets of Galaxie 500 tunes or the Warhol inspired tunes. AMAZING.

About our guest author, Steven Page: After co-leading The Barenaked Ladies for 20 years, Steven Page set off on his own and has since been quite prolific as he composed the score for three productions at Canada’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Before the amicable split with BNL he released his first solo album, Vanity Project. Five years and several collaboration records later, Steven Page recently released an album of cover songs, A Singer Must Die (we love his take on Elvis Costello’s I Want You) and another solo recording, Page One, both which are available on http://www.stevenpage.com/. Be sure to check that link for a list of tour dates. Don’t miss the chance to see one of the great pop vocalists of our time.

About our guest author, Matt Bishop: Matt is the lead singer and guitar player for Hey Marseilles, the Seattle based 7 piece ensemble that has been aptly labeled as the ‘Lil’ Decemberists’ by Seattle Weekly. The band’s 2008 release To Travels & Trunks caught the attention of Sound Magazine as they named them one of the “Top 10 Bands to Watch for 2008.” The band most recently re-mastered and re-released their rookie record, performed at Bumbershoot and landed a spot on the Starbucks Sweethearts compilation. Be sure to check their website for news and tour dates.

MP3: Rio by Hey Marseilles

Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl of The Ghost of a Saber Toothed Tiger and Marco Tonincelli of Joujoux d'Antan

Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl’s recommendation: “Joujoux d’Antan is our favorite undiscovered band. The lead singer Marco just moved to London from Italy, so people in the UK should look out for what he does next. They have two albums, Live á Le Grand Mix and Mi Voglio Bene Come Un Figlio. They also have an EP called Nel Mio Armadio. Their live shows are always insane, you never know who will be in the band or what instruments they will be playing. Everything he does sounds like the beautiful nightmare child of Nino Rota and Thurston Moore.”

New to Joujoux d’Antan? Sean and Charlotte’s suggest you start here: Mi Voglio Bene Come Un Figlio (which you can purchase here)

About our guest authors, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl: He’s the multi-instrumentalist son of Beatle John and artist/musician/painter/activist Yoko who and has released solo records and performed with Cibo Mato. She is the Atlanta born supermodel that is quickly mastering pop music arts, blending dreamy vocal delivery with curious lyrics and catchy melodies. The two have formed The Ghost Of A Saber Toothed Tiger and released a single Jardin du Luxembourg, produced by mix master Mark Ronson. Charlotte and Sean have also been busy launching a music label, Chimera Music (music sampler link below) and finishing their full length album, which will be released in October.

* The GOASTT Website
* The GOASTT Tour Dates
* Jardin du Luxembourg single: Digital | Vinyl
* Chimera Sampler: Digital | CD

Brian Briggs and Teenage Fanclub

Brian Briggss’ recommendation: {Q: What band moves you and why?} “If you mean physically it would probably be early B52s – Rock Lobster era. If you mean emotionally, well Teenage Fanclub make some of the warmest, most unaffected pop songs about unashamedly heartfelt emotions. With their close harmonies and gently distorted chiming electric guitars they instantly transport me to the highlands in the sunshine everytime.”

New to Teenage Fanclub? Brian Briggs suggests you start here: “Songs From Northern Britain is their finest, and most joyful and accessible in my opinion.”

MP3: It’s All In My Mind by Teenage Fanclub from their album, Man Made

About the guest author, Brian Briggs and Stornoway: Stornoway’s latest release, Beachcomber’s Windowsill is the blast of digital sunshine that you’ll be craving during the coming cold months. Heck, if you are into harmony filled, joyous pop, you’d do well by picking the album up right now. Led by our guest author, Brian Briggs, Stornoway first released the glorious ‘Zorbing’ single (video below) in 2009. Shortly after, the band appeared on Later… with Jools Holland along with Sting, Norah Jones, Jay-Z, and The Foo Fighters and were quickly signed to 4AD. Beachcomber’s Windowsill, which was released in May, peaked at number 14 in the UK and is getting traction stateside now. A New York date in December on their MySpace page hints at an extended US tour later in the year. Seeing and hearing Stornoway’s sunshine sound live in the the dead of winter is certainly something to look forward to.

MP3: On the Rocks by Stornoway from their album, Beachcomber’s Windowsill