Formed in late 2008 by singer and song writer Peter Scott, Exlovers have a gorgeous wistful indie-pop sound full of boy-girl harmonies that combine sweetly sombre lyrical musings with lo-fi guitars. Reminiscent of artists such as Teenage Fanclub, The Cure, The Dandy Warhols and Belle and Sebastian, Exlovers have a deliciously nostalgic 90s indie sound that is instantly warming. New single ‘Blowing Kisses’ is a Valentines Day friendly two minute rollercoaster ride of glorious melodic pop with delightful vocal harmonies. With lyrics such as ‘Blowing kisses, telling tales, I know you’re waiting for someone else’ the song has romantic yet solemn lyrics that despite sounding joyous, have quite a dark undertone. What better day to fall back in love with Exlovers than Valentines Day? You know it makes sense.
When I saw the Clifford Village Band's name on the Glastonbury ETC list under the folk genre with a song called The Fisherman and I my heart sank. I was, quite understandably I think, expecting a finger in the ear arran sweater enclad homage to the early albums of Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span . Well that's taught me to never prejudge a band by it's name. This is a band who obviously like to defy expectations. With a singer who sounds like Edwyn Collins after a Morrissey tonsil transplant The Darkness In The Corner of Your Eye is a revelation while Attica sounds like a bucolic Belle & Sebastian.
If all folk music was made this way the world would be a better place. This judging lark doesn't get any easier!
Lloyd, better known as the brains behind the influential Scottish blog Peenko has joined forces with Halina from the Glasgow Podcart, to form their a new DIY label called Olive Grove Records. Their first release is the stunning Battle Ships & Kettle Chips EPfrom Randolph's Leap a Scottish indie folk band who sound like the bastard sons of ballboy and Aberfeldy with added arran and beards. Their's is a lo-fi world of wit and wonderment. A world of humour laced with copious amounts of pathos. Check out the witty Undergod with it's trenchant lyrics and contagious lalalas and you'll understand why it's the Devil's favourite track. Just don't mention the Belle word!
Take a leap of faith and clasp Randolph's Leap to your bosom before the big boys come knocking on their door.
Back in July the Devil featured the Violet Pets a band that I wasn't sure were still alive (Pet Sounds). I've since found out that they are an ex band, that they have indeed ceased to be. But their spirit lives on in the form of London troupe Brontosaurus Chorus who include ex Violet Petter Dom Language in their numbers. The multi membered collective have their second album Owls on it's way soon and it's a corker. An album of ghostly autumnal twee pop that sounds like it's been surgically removed from the heart of Belle & Sebastian. Dinosaur rock never sounds so good! Go Try
MP3 - Brontosaurus Chorus - Louisiana This track is linked direct from PopArtLondon.co.uk and is therefore already freely available so please don't claim breach of copyright
UK harmonic alt folkies Marthas & Arthurs have taken sometime out from searching for an Arthur to talk to the Devil about their love of the Mamas & the Papas, performing in care homes and wearing knitwear!
The Devil:
Why did you opt for the name Marthas & Arthurs? What other names did you consider before finally deciding it had to be Marthas & Arthurs?
Marthas & Arthurs:
We love the Mamas & Papas so it's kind of homage to them, with a knitwear-wearing twist. For our first gig we were After School Singing Club For Squares (I can see why you changed it - The Devil). We can't tell you the other name we discarded as it's the best bandname in the history of bandnames and it's dying to be used at some point, but it didn't really suit the music we're making at the moment.
The Devil:
Who are your biggest influences?
Marthas & Arthurs:
All four of us listen to lots of different types of music but probably in terms of Marthas & Arthurs we're most influenced by Mamas & Papas, Belle & Sebastian, and Beach Boys when they're out-Spectoring Spector. But if we listened to songs like 'Don't Worry Baby' too often we'd probably just give up. We love any kind of pop with vocal harmonies that's produced and played like it's really meant. There's a bit of folk in there too, but not much. We love Anne Briggs for her simple, unadorned voice. But you've got to be careful with folk...
The Devil:
What was the first record you owned and what was the first record you ever bought?
Marthas & Arthurs:
Well, the others have already sloped off to get a cup of tea, so I'll answer just for me. Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits, double album on vinyl. I was so enthralled with the crackle and the rasp of the guitar that I didn't really notice or mind that all the songs started with the exact same riff.
The Devil:
Name three pieces of music that rattle up your spine and shake your body like a hurricane?
Marthas & Arthurs:
We've already mentioned 'Don't Worry Baby' by the Beach Boys, but it's so good that we'll say it again. 'Needle In A Haystack' by the Velvelettes. If that doesn't get a party started nothing's going to and you should leave.'Ragged Wood' by Fleet Foxes. or most of the songs off that album. Beautiful songs, beautifully sung, beautifully played, beautifully recorded.
The Devil:
What's the strangest place you've played and would you go back there?
Marthas & Arthurs
For a band that's not been going that long we've played in some rum places. We started out playing in care homes, which was an interesting way to spend an afternoon. And we also played a central London homeless drop-in centre at their Christmas staff party, which was in April for some reason. the PA was about the size of an iPod and nobody paid us the slightest bit of notice. We're booked for next year. And we took part in an organised busk in Bury St Edmunds as part of their town festival. but they forgot to organise it. we actually got moved on at one point.
The Devil:
Other than Marthas & Arthurs who are the most exciting bands on the current music
scene?
Marthas & Arthurs
We played at Standon Calling and Joe Gideon and the Shark were (a lot) further up the bill... they were just the real deal. She's great to watch, never mind listen to, on the drums... quite acrobatic, and he's sort of a David Crosby figure with aggressive love for his bass. (We like the way you said in your question "other than Marthas & Arthurs" in case we went, well actually WE are the most exciting band on the current music scene at the moment...)
The Devil:
If you weren't in Marthas & Arthurs how would you keep yourself occupied?
Marthas & Arthurs:
To be truthful, we are already quite occupied with other things. the band doesn't take up that much time. Mary is a student and also works for a children's charity. Esther makes AMAZING bags, handbags etc out of environmentally-friendly materials, Tom pretends he makes chairs and Vlad is soon to be a world-famous Ukranian record producer.
The Devil:
If you were interviewing yourself what would your killer question be and how would you answer it?
Martha & Arthurs
Question: Hi Marthas & Arthurs, would you like £10 million?
Answer: Yes please
The Devil:
Is there anything else you'd like to say to the Devil's readers?
Marthas & Arthurs
We're giving our first EP away for free on bandcamp, so please go and have a listen (check it out at Marthas & Arthurs Bandcamp). We're starting some more recording soon, so hopefully that will turn into an album by the end of the year... And also... we might lose Vlad back to the Ukraine soon because of visa issues, so if any Arthur thinks they could replace him in bass playing and harmony singing, then get in touch.
It's the World Cup final today and, according to FIFA at least, over the past month the world has gone football crazy. However the reality has been a little dull and the 2010 World Cup finals have never really taken off. Hopefully today's final between Holland and Spain will lift the spirits with an exhibition of exciting football that'll live long in the memory.
The Devil hopes that it's third time lucky for the Dutch with the winning goal coming from the boot of Dirk Kuyt. The futures bright the futures orange!
To celebrate the final today's post has a football theme, well sort of.
Pog is a minimalistic twee punk band from Brighton formed in 2000 by Paul Stapleton from the disgustingly yet humorously named Anal Beard. They sound like a laid back, English comic version Scottish indie meisters Ballboy or a lo-fi Belle & Sebastian (yes it is possible folks) who don't take themselves too seriously.
Check out their World Cup party pooping song 'Because It's Football'. It's frivolous, it's frothy and it cuts through all the crap and the hype surrounding the beautiful game. It's just over three minutes long and it'll leave you with a smile on your face which is more than the England team managed to achieve in 360 torturous minutes of World Cup action.
Repeat after me 'it's just a fucking game'.
Go Try
MP3 -Pog - Because It's Football This track is linked direct from the Pog Last.FM site and is therefore already freely available so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright
Pog It's The End Of The World As We Know It (REM Cover)
For those who have not yet sampled the delights of ballboy check these out...
MP3 - Ballboy - Sex Is Boring MP3 - Ballboy - Olympic Cyclist These tracks are linked direct from the Ballboy website and are therefore already freely available so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright
If you own California lo-fi sextet Antarctica Takes It!'s first album, then you'll know that songwriter Dylan McKeever is an incurable romantic. The band's debut was awash with magical songs that conjure up the ghosts of late 60s pioneers like Love and Nick Drake, 80s visionaries like Martin Stephenson & The Daintees and Aztec Camera and more recent arch romantics such as Sufjan Stevens, The Decemberists and Belle & Sebastian.
The band's debut, a clattering, charming lo-fi masterpiece, was recorded directly into the internal mic of Dylan's laptop. This clearly sold enough copies for him to be able to afford a microphone and some time in a proper studio, because the band's new album Constellations takes the lo-fi spirit of their debut and introduces it to all the clarity, beauty and sparkling perfection that the modern recording process can offer without losing any of it's charm. The album also broadens the palette with the lo-fi indie being expanded to include soaring Aislers Set-style pop, gorgeous Beach Boys-esque harmonising, the kind of stumbling, good-hearted folk that Bright Eyes might have produced in recent years, and a joyous, wild-eyed, creatively-ablaze energy that has you wondering what the hell he's going to do next.
Go Try
MP3 - Antarctica Takes It! - Constellations This track is published with the permission of How Does It Feel To Be Loved Records so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright. MP3 - Antarctica Takes It! - I'm No Lover MP3 - Antarctica Takes It! - Antarctica These tracks are linked direct from the Antarctica Takes It! Last.FM site and are therefore already freely available so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.
What better way to celebrate Valentines Day than getting back in touch with...
