Category Archives: Concerts

Hearing voices – Blood Red Shoes

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It’s been a while since I last saw Brighton-based duo Blood Red Shoes, but I sure haven’t forgotten them. Blood Red Shoes is one of those bands that, live, exude a raw energy and dynamism that is pretty unforgettable. Not that their albums aren’t compelling, mind, it’s just that they are a really tight, impressive live band that have a perfect mix of rock, pop melodicism and just a touch of shouty punk.

Now with the release of their masterful third album, In Time To Voices, 2012′s follow-up to 2010′s Fire Like This, they are back on the road (did they ever leave it? This is one hard-working rock band!) and hitting my little home town of Zurich – yay! Don’t miss ‘em as they rock the lovely environs of the Plaza (one of my fave Zurich venues) in the best, brightest and loudest way.

Here’s a taste of things to come – ‘Lost Kids’, from In Time To Voices:

Blood Red Shoes play @ Plaza, ZH, 30.05.12. Tix here.

In Time To Voices, Blood Red Shoes’ third album is out now on V2/Cooperative.

Day-glo: Neon Indian

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I’ve just spent the past few minutes browsing the Neon Indian website, and my eyes are literally bleeding from the visual assault of SO MANY FLASHING FLUORESCENT LIGHTS. Ow. Luckily, Neon Indian’s chillwave-y art pop is a good deal more fun than the the headache-inducing website visuals.

Neon Indian (Texan Alan Polomo) released 2009′s Psychic Chasms just as chillwave took hold, mixing the party anthem fun of MGMT and Passion Pit with the experimental art pop of Yeasayer. His current album, 2011′s Era Extraña, sees him with a slightly darker, more polished sound, with pitch-perfect synth-pop and a distinct 80s nostalgia.

‘Polish Girl’, from Era Extraña:

Now if you’ll excuse me a minute, I’m going to lie down in a dark room and rest my eyes from ALL THE FLUORESCENTS before the gig on Wednesday night…

Neon Indian plays @ Mascotte, ZH, Wednesday 23.05.12. Tix here. 

Era Extraña is out now on Mom + Pop Records.

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Erland and the Carnival – 2×2 free tix

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This just in – supergroup Erland and the Carnival (Simon Tong (The Verve, The Good, The Bad And The Queen), Paul McCartney-collaborator David Nock (The Orb, The Cult, The Fireman) and singer Erland Cooper) are playing at the Gare de Lion, Wil, this Saturday 19.05.12, and some free tix have miraculoulsy fallen into my lap to be distributed to some deserving punters. Oh, lucky day!

Erland and the Carnival‘s latest album Nightingale mixes folk rock with some hearty Americana, psychedelic rock, pop and garage, which sounds pretty damn good to me. Check out their live action here:

Mail, tweet, or Facebook me, or just leave a plain ol’ fashioned comment below, and, fingers crossed, the tix are yours!

Erland and the Carnival play @ Gare de Lion, Wil, Saturday 19.05 12. Tix here.

Nightingale is out now on Full Time Hobby.

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Susanne Sundfør – 2×2 free tix

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Since the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 2007, Norwegian singer-songwriter/pianist Susanne Sundfør has done nothing but collect awards and praise. The follow-up to Susanne Sundfør, 2010′s darkly folkloric and forboding The Brothel, went platinum in Norway and was nominated for the 2011 Nordic Music Prize. Phew! That’s quite a series of a achievements for a 26-year old.

Now she has released The Silicon Veil, a further exploration of, as she says, ‘Apocalypse, death, love, and snow’. Sounds intriguing (and possibly, very cold). The video for ‘White Foxes’, from The Silicon Veil, certainly seems to explore these themes, juxtaposed with a more modern technological landscape:

I’ve got 2×2 tix to give away for the Susanne Sundfør gig at Papiersaal, ZH, Saturday 19.05.12. Just answer me this:

What is the title of Susanne’s current album?

Mail, tweet, or Facebook me with the answer, or just leave a plain ol’ fashioned comment below, and, fingers crossed, the tix are yours!

Susanne Sundfør‘s latest album, The Silicon Veil, is out now on Grönland Records.

Susanne Sundfør plays @ Papiersaal, ZH, Saturday 19.05.12. Tix here.

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20th anniversary of The Lemonheads ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’

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Cripes! I can’t believe it  – It’s A Shame About Ray, The Lemonheads‘ seminal album of 90s slacker pop with a side of grunge, is soon to be 20 years old. That’s right *20* years old. I can REMEMBER 1992.

Back in 1992, The Lemonheads had released four albums of punky pop rock before the release of Ray broke them well and truly into the collective pop culture psyche. Nirvana had released Nevermind in 1991, and alt-rock and grunge had taken a melodic turn. The Lemonheads’ move into more accessible alt rock pop secured their place in the 90s Pantheon of Alt-Rock/Grunge Gods, helped along by the fact that Evan Dando was superbly photogenic (at one time being voted as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People).

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ray, The Lemonheads have headed out on tour and will be playing the album in its entirety. Now go and relive some of the past glories of Ray by watching Evan Dando in all his long-haired 90s prettiness, plus bonus floppy-haired Johnny Depp:

‘It’s A Shame About Ray’:

The Lemonheads play It’s A Shame About Ray in its entirety at Abart, ZH, Wednesday 16.05.12. Tix here.

All The Way To The Cleaners, a career retrospective, is available now on Music Club Deluxe.

A ghostly presence – Choir of Young Believers

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A few Saturday evenings ago I was sacked out on the sofa (as is my wont), idly flipping through channels. I came across the latest Scandinavian TV export, Bron/Broen (The Bridge). Now I love me a Scandinavian crime show (who doesn’t – The Killing and Borgen had me in raptures, takk!), so I settled down to watch. Ok, maybe Bron/Broen isn’t quite as gripping as its other Scandi compatriots, but I was very taken by the beautiful opening sequence, and the song used throughout, ‘Hollow Talk’ by Danish orchestral indie pop band Choir of Young Believers.

Ex-Lake Placid member Jannis Noya Makrigiannis formed Choir of Young Believers with six friends, releasing their debut album This Is For The White In Your Eyes 2008 (on which ‘Hollow Talk’ is the first track), and their second album, Rhine Gold, earlier this year. And hey, guess what? In a happy coincidence, it turns out that Choir of Young Believers is gracing us with their presence in support of their current album, Rhine Gold, at Papiersaal, ZH, this week.

The title intro to Bron/Broen is worth seeing just for the gorgeously cinematic and atmospheric time lapse shots of the bridge that links Sweden and Denmark and surrounding areas:

Here’s a live version of the same:

Choir of Young Believers + Junes play @ Papiersaal, ZH, Wednesday 16.05.12. Tix here.

Rhine Gold is out now on Ghostly International.