[Album Stream] Dead Sons - 'The Hollers & The Hymns'

Every now and again I get a real bit of excitement for some new music that gets me a little warm in the loins. Over the new year period, that happened while I was on holiday in New York with the SKoA family. The band that got me all hot under the collar was Dead Sons, a band humbling from Sheffield who I've mentioned previously via their track "Hangman". Next week they'll release their debut album The Hollers & The Hymns via Bereyt Records next Monday, February 18. Today Artrocker has got a hold of that album, the album that soundtracked 10 days in Brooklyn for me, strolling the streets, drinking far too much and eating myself silly.

It's dirty, heavy, fuzzy beast of an album from start to finish with hints of Queens of the Stone Age and just desert rock vibes in general. I feel people will make a comparison to Arctic Monkeys which is fair enough. They come from the same city. They all started making music at a similar time back when members of Dead Sons were in Milburn so that's bound to happen, but damn this is a great debut album. I've had it playing regularly for over a month and I hope you guys will give it some love too. If you like what you hear, the band will be on tour in March hitting up numerous venues including my old hometown of Chesterfield. Dates after the jump and the glorious album is below too. Bathe in its glory and pick up a copy from Monday.

Dead Sons UK Tour 2013:

February 16 - Sheffield, The Library Theatre 
March
02 - Chesterfield, Real Time Live 
08 - Bedford, Esquires 
09 - Milton keynes, The Craufurd Arms 
14 - Manchester, Trof Fallowfield 
15 - Stockton, Ku Bar 
21 - Bristol, Start the Bus 
22 - London, Sebright Arms 
23 - Southampton, Lennons 
26 - York, The Duchess 
27 - Leeds, A Nation of Shopkeepers 
28 - Middlesbrough, Doctor Browns 
29 - Coventry, Taylor Johns 
30 - Stoke, The Sugarmill 
April

05 - Preston, Mad Ferret

[Watch] Fall Out Boy - "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark" Live on Kimmel

After returning to the world last week (almost) completely out of the blue, Fall Out Boy last night returned to the late night TV circuit with a performance of their new track "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark". Donned head to tow in UV skeleton outfits, complete with Patrick's trademark hat, the band performed the track with the energy they used to be renowned for. I wasn't completely sold on this track when I first heard it, me and Mark have talked about it a fair bit this past week and it's definitely a grower. It seems that the band is as tight as ever in a live situation but see if you agree up at the top. 

The band is also set to return with an album titled Save Rock And Roll is now coming out on April 15th rather than the previously announced May 6th.

[Listen] Jessie Ware - "Diamonds" (Rihanna Cover) in Radio One's Live Lounge

Today during the weeks ongoing Best Breakthrough act Live Lounge sessions Radio One has been holding all week, the wonderful Jessie Ware stepped up to perform. Now as we know by this point the Live Lounge can result in some rather odd songs being covered by artists, but today, Jessie covered something which fitted her voice beautifully. It was what she says is her "...favourite pop song of last/this year" and it originally came from Rihanna's 2012 album, Unapologetic. She covered "Diamonds" and the results were breath taking from start to finish. We've given Jessie a lot of love over the past year, and I think this just goes to show how great of a live performer she is. Listen again below and for some more pics and video check out the official BBC website here.

[Watch] Foals - "Milk & Black Spiders" (Official Video)

Foals shift away from the danceability and slick visuals of "My Number", changing their focus to the moody CCTV footage of "Milk & Black Spiders". With our eyes fixed solely on the band rehearsing the song, the execution is simple but effective, forcing us to pay attention to the intricacies of the gloomy track. Catch the replay above.

Holy Fire, Foals' newest album, is out now.

[Watch] The Weeknd - "Twenty Eight" (NSFW)

The Weeknd has hinted at a big year, and to get things started he has unveiled the video for his Trilogy bonus track "Twenty Eight". Overwhelmed by a sense of bleak nihilism, the visuals center around an interview with an absent-minded Tesfaye with footage of strippers, dancers, and naked women of all kinds interspersed. Watch the NSFW clip below.

[Listen] The Strokes - "All The Time"

This past weekend, The Strokes teased fans with a 30 second preview of "All The Time", the lead single from their upcoming album Comedown Machine. That changed earlier today when they let loose the full three-minute track. It's classic Is This It/Room On Fire-era Strokes, with an upbeat, grungy sound and no falsetto from Mr. Casablancas (if you haven't yet heard "One Way Trigger", check it out here). Stream "All The Time" below.

The Strokes' fifth album, Comedown Machine, is out on March 26th.

[News] Final headliners for End of the Road Festival announced

Well isn't this a delightful turn up for the books. End of the Road Festival have just announced their final headliners and it's a bit of a good'un. Gracing the stage with the likes of the already announced Sigur Ros and Belle and Sebastian at the Dorset festival, which takes place from the 30th of August until the 1st of September, will be the spell-binding St. Vincent and David Byrne. Watch the video above for the announcement from organisers and for more info on who else will be playing the fest, head to the official website.

End of the Road won Best Small Festival at the 2011 UK Festival Awards, and rightly so, I've never heard a bad word spoken about it. So why not join in the fun and go see what all the fuss is about by jumping over here for some tickets which are available right now. 

[Album Review] Toro Y Moi - 'Anything In Return'

Behind the veil of Toro Y Moi is Chazwick Bundick, a twenty-something who many associate with the rise of chillwave. Perhaps it is this chillwave affiliation that does Bundick a disservice, as his progression as an artist reveals someone with unique inspiration and defined goals. His latest work, Anything In Return, expands beyond chillwave, beyond his first two albums, as Chaz takes off the veil and lets his personality seep through.

Before Anything In Return was released, Bundick stated that it was his intention to make a more straightforward pop album. He aimed to steer away from his usual laid back, experimental style and more towards catchy Top 40 hits. To his credit, he has in a sense achieved this, with an album where not a single terrible track can be found. While thankfully not venturing into cliché, the album is Toro Y Moi’s most straightforward work yet. It is in this that Anything In Return finds an honest yet nostalgic identity.

Anything In Return starts on a remarkably high note, with “Harm In Change”, “Say That”, “So Many Details” and “Rose Quartz” leading the charge. Each of the songs bring hypnotizing vibrancy to the album, instilling an urge to really listen and embrace the soundscapes that Bundick creates. “Harm In Change” has a charming mystery about it, a jazzy aural landscape with finesse. It demands attention, deservedly so. The three tracks that follow it achieve something similar, injecting a personality into the album through distinctive instrumentation. Anything In Return arouses personality with its jazz nostalgia, its disco-pop influences and its catchy melodies. Every minute brings you deeper into the music itself.

“Rose Quartz” is the key to this personality, exuding a beautiful atmosphere. Swaths of synthesizers wrap around a driven groovy beat, pacing along wonderfully. It charms in its simplicity, in its honesty, as Bundick calmly delivers: “Don’t let me go / Because I feel weak”. Hate on the lyrics all you want, but they fit perfectly well into the Toro Y Moi style and approach. While laughable lyrics can often ruin a song, the gushy mainstream words voiced by Bundick are never cause for concern. He keeps himself under control and allows for the instruments to be the voice of his album.

With such importance placed on the instruments, many of the songs on Anything In Return fall flat. For instance, “Touch” comes across as lacking direction, not really aware of what it wants to be. It’s good, but it plays like ambient filler, more welcome on a Nicolas Jaar LP than Toro Y Moi. “Cake” is one case where Bundick knew what he wanted it to be, that being a mainstream pop track. Bordering on radio friendliness Bundick sings, “Imma be her boy forever”, while glittering synthesizers guide the beat along.  It’s poppy, it’s cheesy, and, save for the redeeming beat, it seems disingenuous.

Much of the middle portion of Toro Y Moi’s third effort plays this way, exhibiting weak direction amidst interesting instrumental concepts. None of the songs are downright terrible, but there is nothing outwardly special or captivating about “Studies” or “Day One” or “High Living”. It’s not until the final two songs on the album, “Never Matter” and “How’s It Wrong”, that the pace quickens again and Anything In Return revitalizes itself. “Never Matter” bounds along with energetic, distorted bass and crisp piano chords, swirling through your eardrums with moments of spacey grandeur. “How’s It Wrong” plays the piano chords even better, immediately boasting a soulful atmosphere and swagger met with abstract synthesizers sweeping throughout.

“How It’s Wrong” is sexy, well paced, and it has charm, something that many songs on this album achieve. Unfortunately, Anything In Return’s stellar sounds are slightly marred by inconsistent ones. But, these inconsistencies can be overlooked, and are overshadowed by the personality roused over the course of its thirteen songs. Some of the songs fall short of evoking a worthwhile presence, but many, such as “Rose Quartz” or “Harm In Change”, bring Toro Y Moi’s hardships and experiences and love and loss to the forefront.

Anything In Return is our descent into Bundick’s mind and, for the most part, it’s an enjoyable and diverse musical journey. One thing that is definitely clear, Toro Y Moi has moved beyond chillwave. He now inhabits a musical space where jazz can fuse with electropop or pop can accentuate a hip-hop vibe. Chazwick Bundick has found his personality.

Words by Adrian McCavour, originally published on LYFSTYL Music Blog.

SCORE: 4.0