Genre Bending

Fists
From: Nottingham, Midlands, United Kingdom

Fists were featured back in March last year (Fist Fighting) when I described them as rockabilly rebels with a fine line in noisy, ramshackle rock that fizzes like a mouthful of refreshers. Well they've come a long way in 12 short months. They're still noisy and they still have the odd ramshackle rockabilly gem like Skit in their armoury but today they're taking genre bending to a whole new level. This is one band that won't be falling into any of the usual pigeon holes.

Devil's favourite Ascending sounds like a rough edged Catatonia after a night on the town while the simply astounding Stag sounds like The Black Angels opening The Doors of perception. Then just when you think you've got them sussed they throw in a curve ball like the folky Groundman where they go all Moldy Peaches on us or the insane Squirl Squeek which sound like The Talking Heads doing unmentionable things with The Cramps back catalogue. They're a one band John Peel show.

There's nothing the poor old blogger can do but roll with Fists' punches and enjoy the fight.

Go Try

Stag by Fists

Ascending by Fists

Go Visit

Fists - Myspace : Website : Last.FM

Go View

Fists
Ascending

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back InThe Water

Halloween Swim Team
From: Los Angeles / Inland Empire, United States

God knows what I'll do when Halloween comes around because like Fetch The Witches before them tonight's featured band Halloween Swim Team is another I was going to bring you as part of a Halloween themed special who are too good to keep under wraps until then.

The LA based synth trio have their feet firmly on terra firma but their sound is beamed direct from another planet. Slotting the band into a neat little category is almost impossible. While they clearly have a foot in the electronic camp with more than a nod to OMD, Dalek I Love You, Kraftwerk and Hot Chip they're not afraid to absorb influences as diverse as Devo, The Flaming Lips and The Beastie Boys. The brilliant Country First is a frightening, dystopean mix of Kraftwerk on steroids and The Beastie Boys. It's stormed onto the shortlist for Devil tracks of the year. The almost as brilliant Pitch Black sounds like the Doors played on a stylophone.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water here come the Halloween Swim Team.

Go Try

MP3 - Halloween Swim Team - Pitch Black
MP3 - Halloween Swim Team - Science Fiction
These tracks are published with the permission of Art of Broadcast so please don't claim breach of copyright.

MP3 - Halloween Swim Team - Country First
This track is linked direct from the Halloween Swim Team Last.FM site and is therefore already freely available so please don't claim breach of copyright.

Go Visit

Halloween Swim Team - Myspace : Website : Last.FM

Go View

Halloween Swim Team
Thin Airlines