Buke and Gass - Riposte (2010)

 

Before listening to Buke and Gass' debut album Riposte, someone needs to warn you how incredibly catchy it is. If you don't want their songs stuck in your heard for days let alone weeks, you probably shouldn't listen to it. But if you're able to make peace with that then you're in for an interesting experience. The Brooklyn duo certainly don't hold back, with frantically paced album opener "Medulla Oblongata", it's the listener's introduction to the homemade instruments, crash-bang foot percussion, stratospheric vocals, and jumbled but strangely sensible lyrics that are used thorough the whole album. "Medicina" with its deceptive slow start tricks you into thinking that the album will wind down before launching into a frenetic rock groove. Riposte is a splendid introduction to a band that's doing something new and inventive. It's not everyday a band crafts it's own instruments, let alone plays them to such a startlingly catchy degree. Each song on Riposte is memorable and infectious, energetic and bold in its delivery. Their somewhat disjointed style works well for them, like someone so excited they have difficult getting their thoughts out fully. And yet, Buke and Gass with it's genre-defying minimalism no doubt has its ideas fully formed to be able to switch between them so effortless. Riposte is definitely a must have, unrivaled in its flair, that's sure to become a much-listened-to favorite.

Hello MTN preview album with new track

Hello MTN have been hard at work recording their first album for the past month and a half and today fans can finally hear the band's progress. The track is an early mix of what they plan to be the album's opening track and even though it's a reference mix, there's an awful lot going on in this somber track like goose-bump inducing harmonies and the surprising inclusion of instrument after instrument. Enjoy this early mix of "State Lines": State Lines (early version) by hellomtn

Hello MTN are currently in Europe, touring with Cat Odell's other band Horse Feathers but here's hoping there's more from them in the immediate future cause the new track has got me hooked.

Fleet Foxes release new video for "Grown Ocean"

It's been nearly 3 years since Fleet Foxes' self-titled debut album hit music store shelves and almost equally as long since the band's released any sort of music video. Now with the album release so close you can almost taste it (or hear it - since a new track seems to be springing up pretty much weekly), the band offer up a new video for previously unreleased song "Grown Ocean". The video was filmed and edited by bandleader Robin Pecknold's brother Sean and features a bunch of old style documentary clips of the band recording set to the music with various splashes home life, nature, and the occasional cartoon clip. It follows in the fast-paced energy of previously released track "Battery Kinzie" and just proves beyond reasonable doubt that Helplessness Blues is going to be an amazing album.

Speaking of which, you can now pre-order the album here.

Enjoy the video for "Grown Ocean" filmed by Sean Pecknold:

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean from Fleet Foxes on Vimeo.

Pitstop: Buke & Gass

photo by Grant Cornett

 Normally I ignore when Amazon recommends something to me (Sorry, Amazon). Not anymore. For countless weeks, Amazon recommended Buke & Gass to me because I bought music from Ivan & Alyosha, The Heligoats, Maps & Atlases, First Aid Kit, GOASST, Surfer Blood, Midlake, and GAYNGS. I'm not exactly sure how any of these are linked to Buke & Gass aside from being equally as awesome. Which leads me to explaining who exactly Buke & Gass are. Buke & Gass are a Brooklyn based duo who create oddly catchy minimalistic songs on homemade instruments: the buke - a modified six string baritone ukulele and the gass - a guitar/bass hybrid peppered with some foot percussion and lilting vocals provided by Arone Dyer. It sounds kind of new age-y and gimmicky until you actually hear their songs. Then you realize that this band isn't just your run of the mill New York area experimentalists. As if there music wasn't awesome enough, the duo are also involved with The Blue Man Group. Aron Sanchez builds instruments for the Blue Man Group and Dyer sang on "What Is Rock" on The Complex. Suddenly everything makes sense. Get a taste of Buke & Gass with this video for "Page Break" off their debut album Riposte released last fall.

 

If you like what you hear, you can check out more of their tunes on their MySpace, their Bandcamp, or buy their album wherever you prefer to buy your music.

Fleet Foxes release another new track, offer up vinyl for charity

Earlier this week, fans were graced with a another preview of Fleet Foxes sophomore album Helplessness Blues, a humdinger of a diddy by the name of "Battery Kinzie" and while the album was leaked earlier today (much to the dismay of the band), another track has resurfaced for all those that like Fleet Foxes subtle, slow seduction, a new track "Bedouin Dress" has surfaced. It's a mid-tempo jam which rocks for all the right reasons and has something not heard in many Fleet Foxes songs: fiddle. But just enough to pique your interest and catch your ear before it blends in among the more common guitar and drums. Listen to "Bedouin Dress":
Bedouin Dress by SloaneRanger

And in case you didn't know, Fleet Foxes is auctioning off their test pressing of Helpnessness Blues and donating the proceeds to Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. The band has also announced that they intend to match the donations of the final bid. Which certain is a doozy as it's already reached $3,000. If you're at all interested you can bid on the vinyl test pressing here.

The Dodos release video for "Black Night"

The Dodos' new video for "Black Night", directed by Ariel Danziger, combines Hitchcock suspense with the slow-pacing prevalent in western films. It's rare that you can take a scenario like a secret underground boxing ring and have so very little happen in it but they manage to do so that you don't even notice. The bandmembers make cameos in the video with Logan Kroeber as the speakeasy era bartender and Meric Long as a mystical cloaked referee. You never quite understand what's happening in the video as it's infused supernatural elements that's blended seamlessly with the reality of the plot. Enjoy the video for "Black Night":

tUnE-yArDs release new video

tUnE-yArDs kind of set the bar pretty high after the thoroughly enjoyable video for "Real Live Flesh" and with her latest video for "Bizness", Garbus certainly outdoes herself. For starters, the video has some semblance of a story but not enough to bog down the video with meaningless details. The video starts in a classroom with a young Garbus-look-a-like rallying her other students into a kind of pseudo dance rebellion. Then there's this awesome light in the mouth scene, followed by Garbus herself leading a bunch of dancers in a forest made of cardboard trees. There's lifts, choreographed writhing on the floor, funny faces, all held together by bright colors and Garbus proving herself to possess another talent (like she needed one). Enjoy the video for "Bizness":