Cold War Kids - Love Is Mystical

1.    What’s up? 

Cold War Kids are a popular indie rock band from Long Beach, California. Their last single First (2015) was number one the American Alternative Charts. Love Mystical (Feb’17) is the lead single from Cold Wars Kids' sixth album L.A. Divine (April’17). 

2. What have they got? 

Love Is Mystical is fire and brimstone singing and jaunty keys. A soulful, funky, indie rock foot-tapper that, while catchy, in the end is mostly dreamy and ephemeral. 

3. Who do Cold War Kids sound like?

The Killers, Cage The Elephant and Modest Mouse.

4. What have the gutter trash said about Love Mystical?

“An upbeat lead single punctuated by stomping piano” – Consequence Of Sound.

“Rousing and soulful anthemics” – NME. 

“Stomping single” – Exclaim!

5. Which bands influenced Cold War Kids? 

Some of their main influences are The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, U2, Jeff Buckley and The Smiths. 

6. Why should I give Love Is Mystical a listen? 

Because you love a song exhorting the gods for redemption on earth. 


7. What are Cold War Kids' best songs? 

First is their best, and the best song of 2015. No fucking doubt. All This Could Be Yours and Miracle Mile are top-class bangers. 


8. Any more words? 

Not today.

“Give you the power to believe again”

Coyote (formerly XING) are an indie folk duo from London and Los Angeles. Jack Moore is one half (son of Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy) and Andrew Smith is the other. Apparently George Harrison’s son (Dhani) did back-up vocals on this tune too. The duo are big fans of MGMT and sound a bit like The Avett Brothers meets The Traveling Wilburys. Fate (2014) was the lead single from the E.P of the same name. Fate is an insanely catchy campfire singalong song with a fat touch of Tom Petty.

“Take my body, take my soul”

Kings Of Leon - Waste A Moment

1.    Who are these rock legends? 

Kings Of Leon are a popular indie rock band from Nashville, Tennessee.  They have seven long players on their roll of honor, have sold over seventeen million albums worldwide and topped the album charts around the world. Waste A Moment (Sept’16) is the lead single from the new album Walls (Oct’16).

2. What kind of tune is Waste A Moment?

Waste A Moment is classic Kings Of Leon; helter skelter rock'n'roll with brooding vocals and sweet release in the redemptive chorus. The tune doesn't overstay it's welcome either, clocking in at the magic three. 

3. Who do Kings Of Leon sound like?

IndieShuffle compared Waste A Moment to U2, The Killers and The Strokes. 

4. What have the lazy bastards in the press said about Waste A Moment? 

“Crisp guitars, anthemic vocals and a slight ragged touch” – Clash Music. 

“Embodies the anthemic, from the heart feeling” – Paste Magazine. 

“Stadium ready rock” – Much. 

5. Which bands lent their majesty to Kings Of Leon?

Some of the Kings Of Leon main influences are The Strokes, The Pixies, The Rolling Stones, The Clash and Wilco. 


6. Why should I give Waste A Moment a lash?

Waste A Moment is the kind of song that takes the feeling of ennui and stands it on it's head. Satisfying in the extreme. It is also proof one of indies biggest bands remain on point.


7. What are the other Kings Of Leon biggies?

Sex On Fire is massive and good for it. Use Somebody is just the same and Radioactive rounds out an outstanding triumvirate. 


8. Any more words peanut?

Walls is produced by Markus Dravs who has been at the controls for The Maccabees, Mumford & Sons, Arcade Fire and Coldplay.

“She’s a little burner, burner, gonna throw you to the flame”

Piano Club are an indie electro-pop band from Belgium. Started in 2007 they have one album, an E.P. and a single to their names. Piano Club are influenced by bands like E.L.O. Blondie, Yeasayer, MGMT and Metronomy. Ain't No Mountain High (2012) is from the E.P. of the same name and is not a Marvin Gaye cover. Ain't No Mountain High brings Californian sunshine indie, like The Mowglis, to space synths in a marriage of extreme convenience. Special. 

“Walking alone, playing my role,

Wind in my hair, but you’re not there”

The Best Indie Tunes of 2014 - The New Pornographers

 

 

 

 

The New Pornographer’s Dancehall Domine (Oct'14) has a rolly chorus to make you bop along. Keyboards reminiscent of The Doors and indie guitar of The Killers. It’s contradictory, both an eclectic and by the numbers indie rocker and a song Slant Magazine called an "unabashedly classic-rock sound rave up."

 

The New Pornographers and been mixing it up since 1999 and  Dancehall Domine is from their sixth haymaker Brill Bruisers (Aug’14). The New Pornographers fight out of Vancouver, Canada.

The New Pornographers are influenced by ELO and wanted this album to emulate the comic greatness of Sigue Sigue Sputnik.

The New Pornographers greatest victories are War On The East Coast, My Slow Descent Into Alcoholism, Twin Cinema, Sing Me Spanish Techno and Your Daddy Don’t Know. All orgasmic tracks.
 

Sloppy seconds goes to British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Rocket Miss USA from their debut album, and only album that matters, Flaunt It (1986). Sigue Sigue Sputnik were famous for their cypber punk fashion, synth inspired techno beats and punk riffs. 

Flaunt It is an album New Noise Magazine said is "a groundbreaking release that anticipated the rise of sampling and the eventual marriage of rock and high tech." But I have included it here because it's funny as a facial and they inspired the latest New Pornographers album.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen,

There are seven wonders in the world,

You are about to witness the eight one"