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.

Hardcore will never die, but you will. New Mogwai album

On february 14.-15. 2011 the new Mogwai album Hardcore will never die, but you will is released. This is their first single Rano Pano

Rano Pano - Mogwai


In august 2010 they released a live film Burning directed by the by hyped Vincent Moon. And ... Vincent Moon is hyped for a reason.

I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead - Mogwai

Happy new year, 2010 is ending. What is the good song or video for ending times?

2010 is ending and new years eve is just a day away.

On a general scale I tend to follow Slovenian philosopher and cultural theorist Slavoj Žižek thoughts on western societies living in end times. I might be stretching it a bit if I use these thoughts as a metaphor for the celebration of new years eve and the music to go with it (if so, I'm preparing a celebration with quite a dystopian starting point).

On the other hand, ending is seldom definitive (set a side your own definitive ending by biological decomposition). Most of the time ending is setting new perspectives. And new perspectives are always (!) good. The new perspectives might be positive or negative, depending on the view point, but they are non the less new perspectives - ranging on a scale from radical creativity to revitalisation.

I'm not sure if I am killing the party not yet begun. So give us your perspective on the perfect song for ending times. It could be a good old classic or brand new - even avantgarde. I, or some one else, might play it tomorrow (or when we are getting fired from our jobs - you know, perspective)

New years eve or not, happy or not, here is a starting point to get your imagination crawling. But Happy New Year and let your party begin!

There is no ending - Arab Strap


Happy New Year - Abba


End times - Eels


It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine) R.E.M.


Every party has a winner and a loser - Erland Oye


There is an end - Ronnie Spector


The new year - Azure Ray


Dance me to the end of love - Leonard Cohen

The 20 Worst Songs of 2010

I don't wanna write to much about the 20 worst songs of 2010, because they already did @ the blog section on Village Voice. It's honestly brilliant. List-stuff on blogs usually just are links and no effort. This is not. This is ranting at its finest. You can agree or disagree on the compilation, but one thing is for certain. The Village Voice guy hates these songs.

I can only spoil that Train - Hey, Soul Sister is THE worst song of 2010. Why? Listen to it! Numerous of reasons. One of them: It's pretty much the whitest song to ever have the word "soul" in it, and that includes Death Cab's "Soul Meets Body. Another: Train, you owe us 20 seconds of our lives back, and we owe All-American Rejects a cut of our vast F2K10 riches. And the ukulele. The fuck?

Read the piece on Train and the other 19 worst songs. It's worth it. What are yours?

Lone Pigeons Time Capsule

We are some that deeply miss The Beta Band. But luckily members of The Beta Band have released things on their own or in new constellations (fx The Aliens). One Beta Band member, Mr Lone Pigeon, released quite a lot. And thankfully Domino Records made his complete recordings available in a box with the title Time Capsule. And what a capsule.



A bit of Beta Band


And Pictish Trail doing a Lone Pigeon cover

Azure Ray will be touring Europe and promoting new record

Dream pop duo Azure Ray have abandoned their retirement and released Drawing down the moon. And in the beginning of 2011 they will be touring Europe. Recommended.

Still the best Christmas song

Just so we don't forget those of you who isn't following us on Facebook yet. Please do. But here it is, the best Christmas song. Well, I think is.

Timber Timbre - Timber Timbre

This is an album nothing short of great! I wasn't released in Europe until 2010. So for that reason it is neither on our 2009 or our 2010 Best of year-list. But it should have been on the 2009-list! Definitely! But then again in 2009 I didn't know Timber Timbre. Luckily I do now. So while waiting for my order of the self titled album by Timber Timbre I'll be enjoying these few videos. You should do the same.

Merry Christmas part 1

Christmas-songs is maybe one of the worst genres around. But heres the first of my few favorites!

The Official Indie Laundry Top Ten Albums of the Year 2010!

Finally it´s here.

1. The National - High Violet
2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
3. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
4. Beach House -Teen Dreams
5. The Black Keys – Brothers
6. Robyn – Body Talk Trilogy
7. David Karsten Daniels & Fight The Big Bull - I mean to live here still
8. Silver Columns - Yes And Dance
9. The Scottish Enlightenment - St. Thomas
10. Broken Bells - Broken Bells

All Indie Laundry bloggers had The National on their list as the only album appearing on all lists. We should also mention Gorillaz, John Grant and Sufjan Stevens as artists that came close to the top ten. Last mentioned didn't make it because both the album 'The Age of Antz' and the EP 'All Delighted People' was nominated. And finally it shoud be mentioned that Malcolm Middleton was nominated for at live album, which is rare (Live in Zürich / Long, dark night)!
So this is what we can agree on liking at Indie Laundry!!!




The last one must be the number one music video without discussion!