Coach Bombay is the best thing out of Melbourne's indie scene this year. It's a mix between Darwin Deez and MGMT but hold's a unique flavour of it's own.
Catchy song's and poppy synth makes for a cute album to throw on for a quick pick me up.
Beamer:
Download the EP off bandcamp, it's cheap, it's about 5 dollars, and it's going to support local music! DO IT!
The Andrew Jackson Jihad are the best folk punk band out right now.
Reminiscent of The Mountain Goats (another band you really should listen to) Andrew Jackson Jihad write songs full of whit and charm about politics and love which will at times crack you up or have you in tears.
Every song of their songs has at least one of those "oh... thats a clever lyric" moment in them.
Eg. Personal Space Invader's
How can you put that stuff up your nose When you know how coke is manufactured, It's made by children for the immature, It's made by babies who've been captured.
Therefore i really recommend downloading the album's Can't Maintain and People That Eat People are the Luckiest People in the World this instant as i can only find the live versions of their songs on youtube and such. However, the live versions are still brilliant.
A Song Dedicated to the Memory of Stormy the Rabbit:
Here is Personal Space Invader:
People:
So there you go. Have a good listen to these albums, they will keep you consumed for a few weeks. I assure it!
Right Away, Great Captain is as good as indie folk gets to be honest.
So have a listen to both albums.
It will take a few listen's to completely appreciate, the melodies are subtle and yet addictive. Brilliant lyrics saturate both albums, The Bitter End and The Eventually Home.
If you need convincing, here are the three most accessible songs IMO. Look up Right Ahead, Young Sailor, Devil Dressed in Blue and Oh No, I Tried.
But you're probably lazy like me, so here are the links.
There is a massive amount of hype surrounding the indie rock/pop band Foster The People, and for once i think it is well deserved. Their songs are extremely catchy and the lyrics are both deep and clever.
Who would have thought that after cutting through the poppy chorus of Pumped up Kicks that the lyrics would reveal a story about a student going on a high school shooting spree?
"all the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun.
all the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet"
Pumped up Kicks:
Definitely have a listen to the rest of their EP and a new album will be coming out shortly. This band seems to have potential. Hopefully it will fill the void of MGMT and do so without having to mimic their sound.
As a side note, i haven't posted in a few weeks mainly because i have been flat out with exams and such, but i shall be getting back into it again. Thanks for reading!
My next picks for the best of folk series are a few bands i have really been enjoying after a recent discovery.
Blind Pilot are an indie folk/ pop band originating from Portland, Oregon.
At first listen most of the songs are immediately catchy, some although being original sound familiar, almost as if you had dreamed of the hooks and progressions previously.
Admittedly, Blind Pilots album 3 Rounds and a Sound could easily fall into the trap of becoming a non-offensive album to be played in the background of a store, however there is enough distinction in some outstanding songs which pulls the album through any mediocrity.
Some of these great tracks are The Story I Heard, The Bitter End and the title track 3 Rounds and a Sound.
3 Rattles and a Sound:
The Story I Heard (very good live):
Cast Spells is my next best of folk pick. A band which has a simple and honest sound, beautiful harmonies and make full use of acoustic instrumentation. You have to give major props to artists who can sit in a little room and just make such good music. Outstanding tracks are A Badge, Letters, Water Story Hellos.
A Badge (live):
Their Ep is only $3.99 from the following website:
Cast Spells also work closely with another band named Good Old War, i highly recommend listening to them and they have a similar sound. They have made a split Ep with Cast Spells and its a really nice piece of work.
My Own Sinking Ship (live):
That's Some Dream:
You can also download it cheap from their band camp website here:
I've decided i might do a 4 part series on the best of folk out at the moment.
So if you don't like folk you should read this anyway as you probably have the wrong impression about it!
Horse Feathers:
How i have waited for a band to capture an American Colonial sound like Horse Feather's have accomplished. The album House With No Home is drenched with beautiful violins, guitar and heart wrenching boy/girl vocal harmonies.
I will do a full review of Horse Feathers at a later date because i really love their new album. Until then enjoy the following.
Stand out track is Curs of Weed's:
The Weepies
What a great band! Simple and to the point with lovely boy girl harmonies, The Weepies have produced some really catchy pop/folk songs. Have a listen to:
Ok. So i only stumbled across them by accident. I was listening to a joint cover by them and Neutral Milk Hotel and was absolutely blown away by the song writing.
Really you have to have a listen this band! The song Glue off the Album Are You Sleepy? is extremely good both lyrically, musically and the chorus builds to a point where i get shivers when i hear it.
"And I will scream, she hears me I will tell myself she loves me And all the lies and fears Will stick to me like glue"
Here is the Original:
Neutral Milk Hotel/The Gerbils Cover:
The Rest of the album is in a similar lo-fi folk style. If you are into Neutral Milk Hotel then you will absolutely love this band.
