12 Days Of Christmas – 28th December

Good afternoon. If you’re lucky like me, you’ve got another week off until you’re back at work again. Which is great, but it also feels like a countdown now. Before you think I’m going to post that classic by Europe, I’m not. Instead it’s the forthcoming second single from The Black Keys’ 2011 release, called ‘Run Right Back’. Much has been made of the way that they’ve moved away from the blues influences a little and are sliding towards the 60’s and 70’s, so I shan’t go on about it. This song has got a riff that crunches its way through the uptempo song, with their distinctively compressed voices occasionally breaking into a fun falsetto on the chorus. It’s a song that I can’t wait to see live.

#117 – Introducing ‘We Cut Corners’

It’s been a jolly long time since I’ve done one of these posts, and now I’ve got two for you in (almost) as many days. Keep your eyes peeled for the other artist I’m introducing. For now though concentrate on Ireland’s We Cut Corners. A lot of noise was made at the start of the year about 2011 being the year that guitar bands would come back to the fore, largely because the BBC and their chums voted The Vaccines as their band to watch. How much this has been true is open for debate, but We Cut Corners would definitely help the ‘pro’ argument. They are a strong sounding band who make lots of noise behind some quirky vocals. You get a hint of the Irish accent – good for the ladies I know – and some pleasing harmonies.

#116 – Laura Hocking In Your Ears

It’s not often that I’ll feature this kind of act. There are so very many female folk artists out there that it can become a little hard to distinguish between them all. Luckily Laura Hocking provides us with something a little different.

#114 – Gang Colours

Gang Colours is Will Ozanne, a “post-dubstep” (that genre name has nothing to do with us!) artist from Southampton who is signed to Brownswood. The music he makes is far more than just “post-dubstep” though. He infuses elements of UK Funky, Garage and the moodiness of Burial & co. to create a sound which is very recognisable as his own. His debut EP came out at the start of June and his first full-length effort should be out at the end of this month. This is something that fans of the downtempo bass scene should be listening out for. It’s got sampled vocals, glitchy, twitchy ambient noises and beats that draw from a host of garage influences. And it has plenty of warm sub bass.

To read more about check out his Brownswood artist page here. Buy his music here.

Lucky Paul – Thought We Were Alone (Gang Colours Remix)

#110 – New Video Special

Here are three new bands who have all recently put up videos for their lead singles. The first up is ‘Wax’ by London-based Theme Park. While finding them on search engines is no mean feat, it’s well worth the effort. The bass is toe-tappingly compulsive and the laid back vocals add up to make a pleasing summer tune. Yes, they sound a little like the Talking Heads. But they were good. And so are Theme Park.

#103 – Three New Songs

Casiokids

Here are three songs that have been doing the rounds recently, all of which are worth a combined twelve and a half minutes of your time. The first comes from Clock Opera, who we’ve previously spoken of quite highly. This is their new song, due out on Moshi Moshi at the start of October. It’s in slight contrast to the piano-based ‘Belongings’ we posted before, but the emotion is well and truly there while the buildup is every bit as good. They are slowly working up quite a buzz at our HQ (which is to say, over at my gaff) and I’ve got high hopes for them over the rest of the year.

Clock Opera – Lesson No. 7

#102 – Something About The Radio

I’ve got to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the radio. Well, commercial, “mainstream” (my girlfriend will kill me for using that word!) radio, at any rate. Unfortunately in my current job we have got the radio on all the time. While it largely serves to prove me right (that it’s kinda crappy), there are occasionally good songs. Here is a little selection of songs that I’m not yet incredibly tired of. I may well be in a week, but right now I’m enjoying them when the DJ’s play them. Which leads me to my big question to radio DJ’s: do you like most of the songs you play? And if not, do you have a particular nice adjective you use to describer a song that you don’t like? Answers on a postcard please. Or in the comments below. Anyway, enjoy these songs.

Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
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A powerful ballad and an awesome song off her second album that was released earlier this year. I thought her first album was pretty dull, if I’m being honest. I definitely was not a fan of ‘Chasing Pavements’, but on this new release she’s stepped up her game some. This is the current single getting all the airplay and, quite frankly, she deserves it.

The next song is a little old but I heard a new song by Jason Derulo and was a little disappointed. So I put up my favourite one. A good rule of thumb is if a song starts with a sung “Jaayssson Deruuulo” I will like. This song is why I think that.

Jason Derulo – In My Head

I heard this on Choice FM the other day and throughly enjoyed it. I am quite unashamedly a fan of Rihanna. Not only does she sound amazing, she’s not too shabby looking and she makes jolly good songs. I think she needs to be a little careful not to end up sounding like all of the other female pop or do that thing that Pink does and just write crappy songs with the occasional swear word in it. With songs like this though I don’t think she’s really got much to worry about.

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#100 – Cymbals

I’ve been pretty lax in keeping on top of things recently, sorry about that. To make up for it though, here’s a good new band from London Town. They got together about a year ago and they make some pretty cool, pretty lo-fi and generally pretty music. It’s all very simple, guitar-based stuff and I’ve been enjoying it a fair bit over the last few days. The track we’ve featured below is available for free off their Bandcamp page, where you can stream the rest of the EP it came off called Unlearn. They also released an album back in May on a limited 12″ run. Sadly they don’t seem to have any copies left, although I’m pretty a sure a reissue will be in order in the not-too-distant future as they continue on their upward trend.

#94 – Alpines ‘Cocoon’

A little something to whet the appetite now. Alpines, the ambient, “night pop” duo from London have got a new song. We’re due a “really good” remix in our inbox any day, but until that drops here’s the newest song from the London-based band. Enjoy…

#92 – Low Duo

We like Sheffield here at SF&L. That’s where we started and Wilbur Ward is still slogging it away up there. (Putting on all manner of shows, for that matter. He also has a Tumblr.)

Anyway, in light of this it is probably way overdue that we give the Steel City some more props, and what better way than by showcasing another of the fine bands coming from up north?

Let me introduce you to Low Duo