New Music Recommendations

Okay, I realize I haven't done this in a really long time, but I've been a tad busy. It happens sometimes. ;)

Hello Goodbye - Heart Attack (RacingJunior Records)
A band comprised of Swedes and Norwegians, Hello Goodbye gives me hope for new music yet. They kind of remind me of a new indie-rock Bow Wow Wow. I realize people don't always like to draw comparisons, but sometimes you have to in order to sort of figure out why you like something so much.

Longwave - There's A Fire (LongwaveTheBand.com)
Mellow at times, but rockin' at others. I can hear a definite influence of New Wave music coupled with a bit of acoustic guitar and vocals reminiscent of Michael Penn meets Radiohead. Good stuff! Favorite tracks: There's A Fire, River (Depot Song)

Hurdy Gurdy - Prototyp (NoSide.com)
Bizarre instrumentals developed with the use of an old string instrument called a Hurdy Gurdy. Hurdy Gurdies were fabled in Germany to be used by dirty old men to lure children out so they could kidnap them or somesuch nonsense, it also was connected to folklore that suggested it was used to convince parents to sell their daughters into prostitution/slavery. There is some haunting sounding stuff that I hope to find a way to incorporate into the show somehow, if only a couple of times. This duo consists of two swedish Hurdy Gurdy masters: Brisland-Ferner of a band called Garmarna and Totte Mattsson of Hedningarna (two swedish bands, I presume, since I've heard of neither). All this time I wondered what Donvan was singing about in "Hurdy Gurdy Man."

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (SubPop Records)
Canadian band Wolf Parade have given me hope with this latest release. I hear piano, acoustic guitar and vocals that bring have a sort of Hot Hot Heat and Gary Numan soul. I definitely hear some Bowie influence as well. Nice. I like the following: Grounds For Divorce, Dear Sons & Daughters of Hungry Ghosts

Music NOT recommended:
I hate to bash people's bands and stuff, but sometimes you get something that you just expected so much more out of. I'm sorry, but I was disappointed in the following CDs that I received recently.

The Birthday Massacre --- bad 80s influenced band. They've taken an 80s sound and tried to make it into pop-punk, but not in a good way. What's worse is their image tries so hard to be a dark, ragdoll version of new wave. I think that's what they thought their sound would be like. They failed. If someone tries to recommend them to you, please reconsider checking them out.

Ghost In The Machine --- Likewise, except more like taking bad arena rock and marrying it to wannabe Trent Reznor stylings.

If you're going to create a band that's influenced by an era that I many people hold so dear, at least please have some respect. Sheesh.

More later...

~Sunshine