Swanton Bombs

27 September 2009

When I hear something for the first time and am not too sure about it, but then on more listens it becomes added to every playlist I have on the go it annoys me slightly that I am then a good bit late on the case. So is the case with the Swanton Bombs (MySpace) right here.

The good folk at Young & Lost sent over their new single Doom (video below) I should have known better (pre-order it on 7″ from Y&L). They are pretty much on the money normally and are again on this one. Doom is for the most part a bit of jangly foot-tapping indie pop with an upbeat groove and rimshot drums, which every now and again throws in some heavier distorted guitar and thumping drums to keep you on your toes. A great single all considered, and The Strokes cover on the b-side is fantastic. But for a taster of their current bluesy sound you can download the driving and guitar-solo-heavy “I like it” below. It has an almost rough around the edges Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix to. Fucking awesome.

Swanton Bombs – I Like It

But this is not these Essex boys’ first release. Nope. They’ve had an EP “Mammoth Skull” out since January (Buy it on iTunes) and their debut album “Smoke over Swanton” is available for free download. You can hear how these boys have developed, and how that rough home produced sound has come together. (The download link on the Swantom Bombs website is down at the moment so thanks to Pigeon Post for hooking me up – and you can download each track right here)

Smoke Over Swanton

01 Swanton Bombs - I Like It
02 Swanton Bombs - Dominic The Lilac
03 Swanton Bombs - Stonefight
04 Swanton Bombs - Belly
05 Swanton Bombs - Repton Park
06 Swanton Bombs - Last Train
07 Swanton Bombs - Here I Am
08 Swanton Bombs - Leave The Boy
09 Swanton Bombs - Perhaps I Thought You’d Never Change
10 Swanton Bombs - Waltz #1
11 Swanton Bombs - Invite To Your Place
12 Swanton Bombs - Sorrysayer

Or you can download all 12 tracks of Smoke Over Swanton in a single zip file

Cancel the Astronauts – I am the President of your Fanclub EP

By: Tim

27 September 2009

In: News & Leaks, Reviews

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Cancel the Astronauts (MySpace) have put together five tracks of glorious and unashamed indie pop, adding to the resurgence of Edinburgh’s music scene. From when the tom-tom-led drums fall into the opening and title track “I am the President of your Fanclub (and last night I followed you home” and are joined by some Strokes-esque tight guitars you know you’re in for indie-danceable delight.

They aren’t reinventing the wheel, but with a sound that fits somewhwere between The Futureheads and We were Promised Jetpacks with a little of first album Franz Ferdinand thrown in for good measure, they succeed in making glorious pop and certainly sound like they’re having a fucking awesome time in the process.

My favourite of the five, Lets go Expo, opens with a wistful quiet guitar which is then filled out with the vocal melody, and then built up and driven forward by some ballad-style drumming before the whole thing falls apart and hits the offbeat rhythm that would light up any indie dancefloor. As an EP debut, this is a gem of potential which I hope they can fulfil in their full-length.

BUY the EP on CD or in digital form from Emusic | Napster | iTunes

Cancel the Astronauts – Lets go Expo

Jamie T – Sticks n Stones and Chaka Demus videos

By: Tim

9 September 2009

In: News & Leaks

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Walrus favourite Jamie T is back with his second album Kings & Queens this week, and whilst the review will be a few days here are a couple of videos for two of my favourites. Stick ‘n’ Stones especially is just a wonderful wonderful pop song. Listen up.