Delphic – Acolyte

Track listing:

1. Clarion Call
2. Doubt
3. This Momentary
4. Red Lights
5. Acolyte
6. Halcyon
7. Submission
8. Counterpoint
9. Ephemera
10. Remain

Recycling and reimagining the best of New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Bloc Party and Klaxons, the debut Acolyte sees Delphic present their take on merging club-floor filler music and indie. Placed in the Top 5 of the BBC Sound of 2010 list, it’s not difficult to see why the band did well and why they should continue to do so. They seem to capture a certain mood that reflects the current pop music zeitgeist.

Reviewed at:

Scotsman – http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Album-review-Delphic–Acolyte.5969910.jp

musicOHM – http://www.musicomh.com/albums/delphic_0110.htm

The Guardian – http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jan/07/delphic-acolyte-cd-review

The Independent – http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-delphic-acolyte-polydor-1856721.html

Bands To Watch 2010: Calories

 

Info:

• Three piece rock band from Birmingham, UK.
• Genre(s): Alternative, Indie, Lo-Fi, Noise, Pop, Rock.
• Ex-Distophia members.
• Line-up:
  • John Biggs – Guitar/Vocals
  • Pete Dixon – Bass/Vocals
  • Tom Whitfield – Drums/Vocals
• First live shows in June 2008
• Next gig: 5 Feb 2010 The Victoria – Birmingham (Split 7" Launch)

 

Releases:

• Debut album Adventuring released 09/03/2009.
  1. A Bear A Bison
  2. Caught In The In-Between To Encounter A Deer
  3. Adventuring
  4. Fragile Numbers
  5. Oh K.S.S.T.
  6. Drugged
  7. Same Ideals
  8. (See You On The Expedition)
  9. Forests Of Varg

 

• Let’s Pretend That We’re Older EP released 09/11/2009
  1. Let’s Pretend That We’re Older
  2. Arm A Leg
  3. Expect The Language
  4. Hands Off

 

 

 

Upcoming Releases

• Split 7” with William in early February 2010
• Habitation album due early 2010

 

Links:

• Calories MySpace page – http://www.myspace.com/caloriesband
• Smalltown America – http://www.smalltownamerica.co.uk/artists.php/193/Calories
• Drowned In Sound – http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/3835441-discover-monthly–august-2008
• Clash Magazine – http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/calories-adventuring

Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms

Track listing:

1. (AM)
2. Deadbeat Summer
3. Laughing Gas
4. Terminally Chill
5. (If I Knew, I’d Tell You)
6. 6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know)
7. Should Have Taken Acid with You
8. Mind, Drips
9. Psychic Chasms
10. Local Joke
11. Ephemeral Artery
12. 7000 (Reprise)

Neon Indian’s Psychic Chasms manages to still sound distinct while drawing from a wide variety of sounds. I hear a whole number of similarities to other things vying in the tracks, like  M83, MGMT, Maps, Daft Punk, 80’s Synthpop, 70’s glam, 8-bit Nintendo sounds, and disco all wrapped up in a trippy psychedelic haze. To sound both retro and futuristic at the same is a pretty amazing achievement. Say, are you boys on drugs?

Reviewed at:

Allmusic – http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wxfwxzwaldke

Drowned In Sound – http://drownedinsound.com/releases/14886/reviews/4138421

Pitchfork – http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13510-psychic-chasms/

Spin – http://www.spin.com/reviews/neon-indian-psychic-chasms-lefse

The Onion – http://www.avclub.com/articles/neon-indian-psychic-chasms,36707/

Prefix Magazine – http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/neon-indian/psychic-chasms/33465/

PopMatters – http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/115054-neon-indian-psychic-chasms/

cokemachineglow – http://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/4992/neonindian-psychicchasms-2009

Brett Anderson – Slow Attack

Track listing:

1. Hymn
2. Wheatfields
3. The Hunted
4. Frozen Roads
5. Summer
6. Pretty Widows
7. The Swans
8. Ashes of Us
9. Scarecrows and Lilacs
10. Julian’s Eyes
11. Leave Me Sleeping

On Slow Attack you can hear that Brett Anderson has been heavily influenced by film soundtracks. The use of piano, cello, hurdy-gurdy and woodwind combine beautifully with Anderson’s pastoral musings and his strong rich vocal tone. With the relaxed style inherent in the compositions I think the title, Slow Attack, says it all.

Reviewed at:

BBC – http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/cpm5

The Independent – http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-brett-anderson-slow-attack-ba-songs-1815515.html

Pop Matters – http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/116753-brett-anderson-slow-attack/

Virgin Media – http://www.virginmedia.com/music/reviews/albumreviews/brettanderson-slowattack.php

Pitchfork – http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13761-slow-attack/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PitchforkAlbumReviews+%28Pitchfork%3A+Album+Reviews%29&utm_content=Google+UK