The people's key - Bright Eyes mp3

In the spring 2011 Bright Eyes is back with a new album. Here is a little teaser from the forthcoming album by Bright Eyes entitled The people's key. It's promising, but I'll refrain from making any judgement yet - because I'm still sceptic.
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(If you) keep me in your heart - Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat

The first single from Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells really stunned me when first listening to it.

Bill Wells always tickled a place in my heart, when I now and again were to stumple upon some of his unconventional jazz founded music. And I've always been a fan of Arab Strap.

On the other hand. Aidan Moffats projects since Arab Strap have been of a minor quality. Well, at least in my opinion. They've not been bad, just average.

That might be changing now. The change began with the concept album Ten short songs for modern lovers from 2010, where Mr. Moffat seemed to have found a grain of something great within his creative abilities towards dark humour and social sensibility. And now, with the collaboration with Bill Wells, it is not just a growing - it seems like the coming of a blooming.

The video below is the first single from Bill Wells and Aidan Moffats collaborative album Everything's getting older, entitled (If you) keep my in your heart. Brilliant

Hercules and Love Affair - "Blue songs" for free (well, almost)

In a review on BBC Music Ian Wade is almost over the moon by Hercules and Love Affairs follow up to their 2008 self titled debut. Wade sums up the review as follows:

"Blue Songs has the ability to sound great whether you’re cleaning the flat, swinging in a hammock or heading down the rave-up. Smashing stuff."

So it is definitely worth a mention, that right now the new album by Hercules and Love Affair entitled Blue Songs is streaming for free at The Guardian. So go on, go to The Guardian and listen to this great new album by clicking here.

The weekend cover #2 - Transmission

In no. 2 of The weekend cover series we're getting Hot Chips take on the post-punk icons Joy Divisions Transmissions. In itself a really unique trace from the post-punk era. The cover was done on a request from the former members of New Order in 2008 (which, as you all know, includes the former members of Joy Division). I've heard that it to some people brings reminiscenes to Pink Floyd.

The cover: Hot Chip - Transmission


The original: Joy Division - Transmission

Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

As a dad of two lovely daughters I'm fascinated and weired out by Sam Beam of Iron & Wine. How can that dude grow such a strong beard, be only 36 years old and have a family of five (5!) daughters and a wife? At the same time he has released four albums, produced a flood of songs, a lot of EP's and been touring consistently since 2002? He has definitely earned his beard!

Sam Beam is back on the road with his new album Kiss Each Other Clean, his first album for Warner Bros. after leaving Sub Pop.

Since releasing The Creek Drank the Craddle - which were a stunning debut - in 2002 Sam Beam has taken Iron & Wine step-by-step away from the lo-fi, one-dude-in-a-bedroom, towards a broader sound with a larger cast of musicians. That goes for Kiss Each Other Clean.

On his 2007 album Sheperd's Dog he toyed around with African pop music and dub production. And this new stuff is even fuller and friskier than before. Almost funky?

I'm not sure how much I love this new path he is taking, but somehow it still sounds as if his not far from home. Home is of course the storytelling quality of his music. Check it out.

Interview with Sam Beam and producer Brian Deck - click.

You can listen to the entire new album (with a full backing band) below. Recorded for NPR’s “Music First Listen” series.


Sam Beam performs Tree By The River acoustic guitar

Shouting at wildlife - an absolute joy

Mentioned as indie-pop at its purest and seen as a modern form of powerpop. No doubt pop, but precisely so much more. Musically similar to an unmentionable number of indie-pop bands, but still quite unique - a romantic sphere that only sets naturally in the grey and windy parts of western Scotland. And absolute joy. What are you talking about? Oh, sorry, I thought it was obvious. It's Kid Canaveral.

The weekend cover #1 - Hotelounge (be the death of me)

This is the first in our new series "The weekend cover". The series will be featured here regularly, but not necessarily every weekend. This week we have Adem making a beautiful cover of Deus' Hotellounge (be the death of me).

The cover: Adem - Hotellounge (be the death of me)


The original: Deus - Hotellounge (be the death of me)

RM Hubbert to support Mogwai

On our Facebook we mentioned that Mogwai were going on tour in the spring of 2011. For their european leg of the tour they will be supported by the mighty talented RM Hubbert.

RM Hubbert is drawing a lot on flamenco guitar (toque), but is still a whole lot different than flamenco. In a combination with other elements of folk and jazz he creates a very interesting univers of guitar playing. It is not a univers that is in your face and happy go lucky. And it is not necessarily easy to get around at first. But it grows on you. And if you can't get enough, then you might even be able to get him to play in your living room.

The Mynabirds - Let the record go

The new year begun. New on Indie Laundry: The Mynabirds. Our judgement: Like, a lot.