New Music Thursday

Couple of interesting new bands .

Miracle Fortress: Five Roses (Rough Trade)
I heard them first on the Radio and was so impressed I went to their site to have listen, their CD landed shortly after on my mat (sorry pile of pizza takeaway menus and unopened credit card ads).

“They” are actually “him” (mostly) Montreal based singer Graham Van Pelt. They remind me of several bands, they have the ragaish intensity of Elbow or Earlies, with lots of keyboard and electronic effects mixed with intricate guitars. They also reminded me funnily enough of recent faves Epic 45. They also have touches of Sufjan Stevens, the Delays, the flaming lips and also Baba O’reily era V’Who and perhaps even Mercury Rev. All the tracks are great but particular stand out tracks are:

“Have your seen in your dreams”, “Next Train” (which mentions a tax collector which I thought was rare in pop until I remembered the Beatles and the kink doh!)

“Maybe lately” is beach boys/Phil Spectorish, “Hold your secrets to your heart” is simply excellent but perhaps my favourite track is blasphemy which has an insanely catchy (fake) pipe organ hook (?).

I don’t usual post new bands stuff as they need you to buy their music but you can listen/download stuff here. Well worth a listen.


Subliminal Girls: “Hungry like a Wolf” 7” Single (Weekender records)

Next up are very new band the Subliminal Girls (I must declare an interest here in that I make tea in the same office kitchen as the drummer!) that aside I was taken with the AA side of their new glossy 7 inch. The A side is a cover of “Hungry like a wolf” by the Duranies, appreciation of which I think depends on you liking the original.
The AA “Self obsession is an art form” is groovesome indie tale of drunken nights out and has nice plangent quality and of cause excellent drumming.
You can hear them here.