New Waves.. Peace - 'Follow Baby'

Well, 'not-so-new' would be more appropriate, seeing as the band first released this song sometime last year, but with the run up to Peace's debut album, In Love (pre-order it guys, you know that it's gonna be great!) getting ever shorter, it seems somewhat apt to remind interweb denizens what sparked people's curiosity in the first place.

'Follow Baby' is being re-released almost a year from its original release date, having had a bit of a brush up - cleaner vocals are apparent - however, it doesn't really seem to warrant much of the altering that its been subject to at all. As before, there's some niggling facet of the song that makes you feel like you've heard it before (you have, but I'm not talking about last April!). The flow of the lyrics recalls 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', especially in the original version, whilst the music itself brings to mind The Horrors' 'Do You Remember' at certain points, however, I find myself in a total state of 'not caring!', as 'Follow Baby' is such a great song in its own right that having their influences so obviously displayed doesn't matter at all.

It is easily Peace's 'heaviest' song, with grungy guitars and a somewhat whiny vocal before the jubilant chorus swoops in with all its glittering glory, with lyrics so repetitively simple that they swirl around your cranium, Looney Tunes style. Personally, I still prefer the original version, but if this cleaner version gets Peace more mainstream recognition - which it no doubt will - they will blow up the year of 2013 in a more extravagant way than any music busybody could have predicted.

'Follow Baby' is released March 24th.

http://peaceforeverever.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/peaceforeverever
https://soundcloud.com/p-e-a-c-e

Flashback Friday.. Ladyhawke - 'My Delirium'

I adore Ladyhawke. This Kiwi goddess drew from the Earth delicious retro inspired rock/pop songs that were then neatly tucked inside the treasure trove that was her 2008 self-titled debut.

For Ladyhawke was a brilliant album. Consistent from start to finish, it never wavered, only flirting with the repetitive, and to me, it feels like Ladyhawke could do with a tad more recognition, as one Pip Brown solely managed to resurrect a genre of music and float with it, unmatched, in her own little noughties bubble. The album is literally hit after hit, from my personal favourite, 'Magic', the love-struck 'Back of the Van' and dance-floor stomper 'Dusk Til Dawn', however it is the song of choice for this week's Flashback Friday that is perhaps most outstanding.

'My Delirium  is the album's iconic song. If you asked someone if they knew of Ladyhawke, the first song to be plucked from the air would be this one. As with the majority of Ladyhawke songs, in 'My Delerium' Pip  sings of her dilemmas in love, and her confusion whilst yearning for another. The chorus is a killer; simple enough for you to sing along to after hearing it twice yet carrying the longevity to prevent it from getting stale, the song is a rumbling roller-coaster of bubbling tension laced with '80's inspired dance-floor synths that are summoned to life in that euphoric chorus. The animation weaved into the video is a treat too, done by Brown's artist friend and collaborator, Sarah Larnach, whose watercolour artwork decorates both the aforementioned Ladyhawke album, and its successor, Anxiety.

http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Ladyhawke

New Waves.. Austra - 'Trip'

OK, so not new at all, but I've only just ran across this band, randomly, via YouTube (off a MS MR video), and I was bewitched.

It was that warm, fuzzy, excited feeling that you get when you discover some amazingly fresh and intriguing new music, something that appears to be getting more and more rare these days. Austra are not a band that sounds like everyone else, indeed they are one of the most unique bands that I've came across in a while and I'm more than glad that I've stumbled across them. At the time of a-tap-tap-tapping away at this post, I have only listened to one song by them - namely 'Trip' - and that song itself, only once. That's how hard it hit me.

My quality of writing also seems to be going out the door in my haste to get it out, but all I have to say is that Austra are witchy and haunting, in a manner that recalls one of my favourite bands of last year, 2:54, though far more eerie  atmospheric and haunting, brushed with a gothic and near industrial edge which makes me recall some of IAMX's darker songs. The voice of singer *uber speedy Google search* Katie Stelmanis is reminiscent of Florence Welch, minus the quiver, full of strength and tone that only compliments the creepy aura.

Their latest album, Feel It Break is available now.

http://www.austramusic.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Austra/124441027607242
http://austramusic.tumblr.com/

Flashback Friday.. Hurts - 'Better Than Love'

You may, or may not, have heard of Hurts. You should have heard of Hurts, as their brand of neo-New Romantic synthpop was applauded by many a music critic after the atmospheric single, 'Wonderful Life' was thrown around cyberspace circa 2009.

If you haven't heard of the Manchester band, I'll resist from spanking you; I've never heard them played on radio and only sporadically on music channels. Despite this almost hot and cold response from Brit music press, the band have practically blasted through the charts on the continent, with their debut album, Happiness charting in the Top 10 in twelve European countries. Their second album, Exile, is to be released on March 11th and the band have recently (and somewhat surprisingly, in my eyes) graced the front cover of NME. To give you a taster of what they are about, take a listen to my favourite Hurts song, 'Better Than Love'.

'Better Than Love' is, in my opinion, the most immediate Hurts song, slowly building with a forebodingly pounding beat juxtaposed with glittering synth riffs at the chorus before exploding in a euphoric crescendo, 'Better Than Love' is an ode to fear of loving but failing to live, and uncertainty and denial in a relationship. In short, it's a terrific song, a genuinely rare gem!

Hurts' second album, Exile is released March 11th.
The first single from Exile, 'Miracle' is released March 10th.

2013 European tour dates are as follows:

March 14 - Cologne, Essigfabrik 
March 15 - Munich, Theaterfabrik 
March 16 - Hamburg, Uebel & Gefaehrlich 
March 18 - Stockholm, Strand 
March 20 - Warsaw, Palladium 
March 23 - Zurich, Kaufleuten 
March 25 - Milan, Magazzini Generali 
March 27 - Vienna, Arena 
March 28 - Prague, Lucerna Music Bar 
March 30 - Amsterdam, Melkweg 
April 1 - Manchester, Academy 2 
April 2 - Glasgow, Garage

http://www.informationhurts.com/
http://www.facebook.com/hurts