Track of the day: The Head and the Heart, ‘Down In The Valley’

Posted on June 23, 2011 by CM

Sometimes I come across a song and it wraps its fingers around my heart and doesn’t let go.

This morning I was on the tram in Zurich town, it was grey and rainy, and as I am wont to do on public transport journeys I was listening to some Daytrotter sessions. I randomly played the session of Seattle band The Head and the Heart …and then this song came on and I couldn’t bear to listen to anything else all day. That’s my obsessive side rearing its (compulsive) head. Something in the tender fragility of the song resonated with me today – maybe it was the sum total of the weather, the subdued beauty of the music and vocal harmonies, my state of mind, the alignment of the planets or even just the fact that I had a few hours breathing space in the midst of a busy week. But I’ll go to sleep listening to it and I’ll put it on first thing in the morning.

Seeing as The Head and the Heart aren’t playing in Zurich anytime soon, I guess this is about as close I will get to seeing this song live for a while:

Download the free The Head and the Heart Daytrotter session here or get a free download of ‘Down In The Valley’, here.

The Head and the Heart are doing a few shows in Europe before they head back to the USA in mid-July. Their self-titled debut album is out now on Sub Pop.

Download the life-changing Daytrotter app here, or go straight to the motherlode here.

Track of the day: ‘My love forever more’ – The Hillbilly Moon Explosion (ft. Mark ‘Sparky’ Phillips)

Posted on June 8, 2011 by CM

On the way to see DJ Shadow on Saturday night, on one of the rare occasions that I actually listen to the radio* - I happened to hear Emanuela Hutter and the wonderfully raspy Mark ‘Sparky’ Phillips (from Demented Are Go) dueting away on this track full of psychobilly (and possibly psychotic) love, murder and betrayal:

Those cars! Wow. And a rather spiffing leopard print jacket (his).

The Hillbilly Moon Explosion are a Swiss/English roots rock revival band from Zurich (yay for home-grown), liberally seasoned with a large dusting of rockabilly. They’ve been around for a while, why have I not heard them before? Guess I should listen to the radio more often.

I have to admit it was Welshman Sparky’s gritted teeth croaking that got my attention. And now I can’t get ol’ Sparky growling ‘I held your hand in mine’ out of my head…

‘My love forever more’ is the first single from The Hillbilly Moon Explosion‘s fourth studio album, Buy, Beg or Steal, out now on Jungle Records.

After a lucky near-miss with this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, The Hillbilly Moon Explosion are on tour now across Europe. See here for details.

* I detest all that annoying chit chat, I have enough voices in my head already, thanks.

Review: Blood Red Shoes @ Abart, Zurich 29.11.10

Posted on December 2, 2010 by CM

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I don’t have much patience with bands who sound great on record and then fail to bring it home live. Luckily, having earnt their chops by playing hundreds of gigs before they even made their first record, Brighton-based dynamic duo Blood Red Shoes are in no danger of that. Returning to Zurich for the second time this year on Monday evening, they rocked out hard, loud and fabulously.

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Rodrigo y Gabriela

Posted on November 10, 2010 by CM

Finally, I will get the chance to see Rodrigo y Gabriela in action here in my hometown – cool. I’ve been waiting to see them for ages – missed their Zurich gig in April and cursed my bad timing, and wondered whether I would get to see them this year at all considering that problems with Gabriela Quintero’s joints and muscles forced them to cancel their October US tour. But she seems to be recovered, and so they roll into town on Monday 06 December 2010 @ X-Tra in support of their latest album 11:11, five weeks later than the original date of Sunday 31st October due to some passport hassles experienced by Rodrigo Sánchez.

The pair met in Mexico City while playing in hardcore metal bands (this explains their fondness for heavy metal covers, then). They busked their way to fame and fortune after becoming disillusioned with the metal scene in Mexico and setting off for European shores. They ended up in Dublin, Ireland, and got their break after busking on Grafton St. and playing the pub circuit. A support slot for Damien Rice followed, then increasing acclaim. They released their sixth album 11:11 in 2009.

Actually, my first introduction to Rodrigo y Gabriela was this short snippet from French TV show Taratata featuring Brian and Stef from Placebo:

I’m looking forward to the show – expectations are high for an entertaining evening. Stay tuned for a review.

11:11 is out now on Rubyworks. Rodrigo y Gabriela play @ X-Tra 06.12.10, presented by Abart.

Listen to new Wintersleep album ‘New Inheritors’

Posted on May 4, 2010 by CM

The new Wintersleep album 'New Inheritors' is released on 4th May 2010. Image by Dustin Rabin.

Wintersleep are streaming their new album ‘New Inheritors‘ in full on their website – go listen! Also available is a free download of the title track.

CD presales start May 4th in the Wintersleep.com store or through iTunes. European customers can pre-order the CD from the OneFourSeven store or buy the new album at gigs.

The band are currently on tour around Europe (Tuesday 11th May @ Abart, Zurich) – catch them if you can.

Placebo tour the ancient world, 2010-style

Posted on May 3, 2010 by CM

The Placebo boys and girl are currently enjoying a well-earned breather for a month or so before embarking on their second summer festival season touring their most recent album, Battle For The Sun. The band have been very busy bees, meeting presidents, donating money, recording secret sessions (more on that later) and playing around South America, all following their heat stroke-inducing Australasian tour.

They have a bumper crop of shows coming up this summer (Israel, Lebanon, Spain, Greece, and the rest of Europe), including quite a few shows that are being held in wonderful locations such as a baroque Italian villa, an ancient Roman monastery, an ancient bull-fighting ring and a medieval town. Are the members of Placebo secret history buffs? Maybe! (I’m sure I saw a copy of Edward Gibbons’ The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire peeking out of Brian Molko’s manbag). It would be hard to resist the temptation of playing in such beautiful surrounds, with the echoes of history all around you – surely better than a soulless stadium in the middle of nowhere.

For US fans – still no word on when or even if the US tour that was cancelled last year due to Mr Molko’s illness will be rescheduled…

Check below the jump for the full Placebo 2010 tour schedule, current as of now. I’m sure they will squeeze more shows in somewhere, however.