Tom's Tips from Under The Radar...
I've been researching UK and International acts coming to SxSW this week for my show 麻豆社 INTRODUCING: FRESH ON THE NET this coming Saturday. And after much listening and MySpacing here are your uncle Tom's top tips from Under The Radar at SxSW this week. All the tunes mentioned can be heard by following the URLs...
THE THIRST - Sail Away
Brothers MENSAH and KWAME grew up in Brixton, south London and teamed u with school friend MARK LENIHAN, and cheeky drummer MARCUS HARRIS to form THE THIRST. RONNIE WOOD saw them playing a gig in Putney and signed them to his new label, WOODEN RECORDS. They play Hope Not Hate" at the BRIXTON ACADEMY celebrating 30 years of ROCK AGAINST RACISM with MISTY IN ROOTS and ALABAMA THREE - and Sail Away is their new single.
BEARSUIT - Foxy Boxer
Described as a "Stop-start boy-girl cutie-killer six-piece from Norwich" Peel favourites BEARSUIT are making their first transatlantic trip, playing seven shows in total, ahead of the US release of their album 'OH:IO' on March 25th
THE HOMOSEXUALS - Let's Celebrate
History tells us that THE HOMOSEXUALS were a British punk band formed in 1972 as THE REJECTS by BRUNO WIZARD, ANTON HAYMAN, and JIM WELTON (also known by the names of L.VOAG, AMOS, and XENTOS). Their entire body of work was collected as a three CD set called ASTRAL GLAMOUR - and THE HOMOSEXUALS are appearing live at SPIRO'S AMPHITHEATRE and THE BEAUTY BAR in Austin this week.
ELLA ANDALL - Homage To Shango
Great blurb in the SxSW programme: "ELLA ANDALL has been making her own unique contribution to culture and entertainment from TRINIDAD and TOBAGO for over thirty years. This is the voice and the energy of the Caribbean, incorporating the rhythms of Africa into a performance which is energetic, visually exciting and dynamic and which cleanses, heals and transforms..."
Says it all, really.
THE BLACKOUT - Prepare for a Wound
Merthyr Tydfil's THE BLACKOUT feature IAN WATKINS of LOSTPROPHETS and their most recent single (released last month) is called "Its High Tide Baby". My absolute favourite track of theirs "I鈥檓 a Riot, You鈥檙e an effing Riot" is alas unbroadcastable, but this track gives a pretty good idea of their sound.
LIZ GREEN - Bad Medicine
The debut single by ELIZABETH JANE GREEN who plays WHITE-GIRL-WIRRAL-PENINSULA-BLUES and has been touring the UK with wordsmith GEORGE THOMAS and NEW YORK FOLKSONG interpretor SAM AMIDON who is teaching her how to count in binary code on her fingers. She had just one laundry day before flying out to Texas and will release her debut album later this Summer.
PEOPLE'S REVOLUTIONARY CHOIR - Do You Feel Like I Do
The UK psychedelic scene (we're told) is exploding and THE PEOPLE'S REVOLUTIONARY CHOIR are one of its better-connected exponents. Having been helped on their early demos by the JAMC, their first single 鈥淓levate鈥, was produced by PRIMAL SCREAM collaborator BRENDAN LYNCH
This is their latest single
WHITE SHOES & THE COUPLES COMPANY - Aksi Kucing
https://www.myspace.com/whiteshoesandthecouplescompany
"A small band influenced by 70s Indonesian movie soundtracks and inspired by the spirit of classic jazz musicians from the past. Updated with string arrangements, retro disco beats and 1970鈥檚 keyboard toys. The music they are bringing to SxSW is a swirl of Indonesian retro pop and charming, distinct melodies." I couldn't have put it better myself.
GIN PALACE - Kicking on
GIN PALACE are a three-piece from London (by way of Australia, America and
Spain) with MEAGHAN WILKIE on vocals, STUART BELL on drums and ex-PENTHOUSE guitarist JON FREE. This is the title track of their debut album and their followup 'AMUSIA' comes out next month on Blast First Petite records.
NEW YORK FUND - The Guns of Camden
Heartache, lechery, Jack Daniel鈥檚, Good sex, bad sex, guitars, selfpity and dirty, chugging country tunes are among the ingredients proclaimed by
the misleadingly named LONDON combo THE NEW YORK FUND. Alongside the obligatory rock pastimes of drinking, bowling and beard-growing, the band been touring with the likes of ED HARCOURT, M.WARD, MODEST MOUSE, OK GO, and CAPTAIN"
MONA DE BO - Kreesli Un Kreeslas
Mona De Bo from RIGA in Latvia comprises EDGARS EIHMANIS on drums and EDGARS RUBENIS on guitar & vocals - and were formed in 2005. They've toured with various LITHUANIAN and ESTONIAN indie bands as part of the GO SEE YOUR NEIGHBOUR! tour in the BALTICS, and participated in the significant indie festival PLINK PLONK in ESTONIA. After they return from SxSW they'll start recording a debut album
PHANTOM LIMB - Good Fortune
BRISTOL outfit originally formed in 2005, but the project had to go on hold due to illness. Last month they wrote on their blog "We have finished the album (hhhurrahhhh!) and will be playing at BOURBON ROCKS in Austin. If you are in the area, come see us, we would love to see you. Thankyou for you patients" (sic)
POPUP - Chinese Burn
Last year NME listed GLASGOW's "POPUP" as "a must see band for 2007" during which time since when they've played with KING CREOSOTE, MALCOLM MIDDLETON, RUMBLESTRIPS, MY LATEST NOVEL and HOT CLUB DE PARIS among others playing over 200 shows in the course of the year. Warmly endorsed by HUW STEPHENS on RADIO ONE they've just completed their self-financed debut album, which they're supporting with a full UK tour this spring.
127 - Man Kiam
This is Iranian band 127's 2nd visit to SxSW - "Man Kiam" means "Who Am I". An email from mainman SOHRAB said: "I am kind of nervous right now because we are still waiting for our visa clearance and we've already missed our first show in HOUSTON..." At the time of writing the US visa department had only just finally granted them permission to enter the USA and they had finally left DUBAI for AUSTIN. This is a saga that may continue, methinks. The music, and especially the vocals, are great on this track.
MAKE MODEL - The Was
Glasgow's MAKE MODEL self-released their debut single 鈥楾he LSB鈥 in the summer of 2007 and followed it up in November with this track on EMI in November. "And so" they tell us "beckons the long dark piss-up of the soul that is THE STUDIO - to start work on a debut album that is due this spring.
SON OF DAVE - Old times Were Good Times
SON OF DAVE grew up in a shed in MANITOBA, where his daddy (whose name you can guess) gave him a harmonica and shaker for Christmas in 1971. Many years later those clever KOREAN people eventually developed a foot pedal with which he could sample and loop himself live on stage. His stated wishes are "to make grown men cry, be more successful than THE WHITE STRIPES, and scare off Guitar-Driven Dullness with SWEET DEVIL MUSIC that no-one can resist." On this showing he's doing a pretty goood job of it.
OPPENHEIMER - This is not a Test
Championed by 麻豆社 Radio Ulster's ACROSS THE LINE as 鈥淎ll poetic & bliptastic鈥 BELFAST's Rocky O鈥歊eilly and Shaun Robinson trading as OPPENHEIMER recently played a 50 date US tour supporting THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS.
This month they release a double A-sided single of "Look Up" and "The Never Never" and their album 'TAKE THE WHOLE MID-RANGE AND BOOST IT'
follows in April.
THE BIG BANG - In Love Or Death
They formed in 2004, jive to Little Richard, drink to Johnny Cash and worship at the altar of early Black Sabbath. Their mentors include includes WHITE STRIPES/BILLY CHILDISH producer LIAM WATSON of TOERAG studios who contributed to their debut album "SHOOT THE FREAK" on COLDRICE Records. Currently working a followup - heroically titled:
'WE CAN DO WHAT THE F*** WE WANT, COS WE'RE THE DEVIL'S PARTY BAND'.
FM3 BUDDHA MACHINE - Buddha Commercial
FM3 is an electronic conceptual music duo based in China with a live act known primarily for its minimalist bent and their tendency to subdue live crowds into absolute silence. This week they bring their unsettling brand of live performance to THE HIDEOUT in Austin at 1.00 in the morning. Check out their frankly baffling main website at
CHIKITA VIOLENTA - Laydown
Back in 2000 the Anglo American lo-fi approach of MEXICO CITY's CHIKITA VIOLENTA got flak locally as both 鈥渦n-patriotic鈥 or 鈥渦n-marketable鈥 as it didn鈥檛 follow the traditional latin-roots rock of the time. How things have changed! Their album THE STARS & SUNS SESSIONS is named after the Toronto studio where it was made with guest contributions from members of BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE.
INTUITIVE MUSIC ORCHESTRA - Inside Outside
Founded in Russia in August 2001 by the not terribly Russian sounding IAN BEDERMAN - who calls it "a unique creative being which has explored a miraculous power of sound with enthusiasm for 6 years already. The music is never rehearsed or repeated - audience becomes a participant of creative process during performances very often. Musicians use various drums, rubap, sitar, igil, gijak, mouth harp, 10 diferent sorts of flutes, duduk, gongs, bells, metallophon, didgeridoo, more then 100 types of small percussion instruments. And a human voice of course.
PEGGY SUE & THE PIRATES - Television
The friendship of ROSA REX and KATY KLAW was originally based on an unspoken rivalry about their collections of REGINA SPEKTOR bootlegs. Two years ago KATY was offered a gig and asked ROSA to keep her company on stage and that night PEGGY SUE & THE PIRATES was born. The duo have since opened for the likes of THE GOSSIP, MACCABEES, JACK PENATE, JOAN AS POLICEWOMAN, KATE NASH and played GLASTONBURY, BESTIVAL, END OF THE ROAD and ELECTRIC PICNIC.
BO PEPPER - I Know that I鈥檓 Right
A four-piece, female fronted indie/punk band from London. Formed ten months ago, their videos feature unique sock puppet imagery. This was born out of the band being too lazy to have a photoshoot but has now notched up over 700,000 hits on the web. Their EP, BLINKANDYOU'LLMISSIT! is available on iTunes.
TRASH FASHION - Spread the Love
TRASH FASHION are completely unsigned, selfreleasing EPs funded entirely by their touring work. They've built an international fanbase with no corporate help: using MySpace, Blogs and Download Giveaways for mailing list members. Their SXSW appearance is totally off the back of this hard work, rather than from any high-up contacts, or the waving of cash."
And with music this good, I'm happy to support them.
HAFDIS HULD - Diamonds on my Belly
GUS GUS vocalist HAFDIS HULD certainly doesn't qualify as "under the radar" but to be honest after finding her track "Diamonds on my Belly" at myspace.com/hafdishuld I couldn't resist highlighting the fact that she'll be at SxSW this year. When she moved from Iceland to the UK she began developing material for her eventual solo album 鈥楧IRTY PAPER CUP鈥 co-produced by BOO HEWERDINE. Currently working on her second album.
STEVE REICH - Electric Counterpoint
To finish with, an absolutely gigantic blip dominating radar screens right across Austin - at least among those who know their music. According to the Guardian newspaper "Only a handful of living composers can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history and STEVE REICH is one of them". Alongside PHILIP GLASS, REICH is considered a major pioneer of minimalism whose influence has been felt across the musical spectrum from high art to musak. He's also giving away this track "Electric Counterpoint" as a free download on the SxSW website.
As for myself, I may miss one or two of the above in Austin. I'm on air at 6 Music in London tonight so I won't be leaving home till 7am tomorrow (Weds) and arriving in town around 7 in the evening local time. That's so long as none of the in-transit mishaps and disasters hinted at by Steve Lamacq (in his video last Friday) come to pass... watch this space!
Tom x
It's really so strange to see someone from Latvia in this list. Really, it's so STRANGE! I'm sure it never happened before and it make me so excited. :)
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you should try The Cliks
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