#195 – Just A Few Songs

There’s nothing groundbreaking here today, just a few songs I’ve been enjoying this week that you really ought to listen to. The first is from R Stevie Moore, the madly prolific Lo Fi artist. This is the first song on his latest album, called Lo Fi Hi Fives. ‘Pop Music’ isn’t all that Lo Fi to be honest with you: it’s got a classic vintage pop sound, albeit with some Nashville influences (listen out for the slide guitar and honky-tonk piano). It’s a feel-good number for a Friday evening. You may know him for this cover of The Vaccines’ ‘Post Break Up Sex’, or their cover of his song ‘Why Should I Love You?’. If you like what you hear you can get his new album now.

#192 – Review: Electric Guest – Mondo

The debut by LA four piece Electric Guest is a lesson in how to put a host of sub-three minute pop songs (one or two exceptions notwithstanding) into a 40 minute slice of fun pop that’s perfect for the summer.

While the band generally stick to three minute songs, they are by no means conventional. Opener ‘Holes’ is a slow, synthy start to the record where singer and front-man Asa Taccone gets a chance to put his vocals to the fore. In contrast the next song and lead single ‘This Head I Hold’ is pop bliss. That’s pop influenced by the Beach Boys and the Beatles, not the R&B/David Guetta pop that’s taken over the top 40.

#191 – Little Comets Pre-order For Life Is Everywhere

The temporary cover for Life Is Elsewhere

Little Comets have recently announced that their sophomore album, to be titled Life Is Elsewhere, is going to be released on 20th August. You can pre-order it here.

The band’s debut, In Search Of Elusive Little Comets, was a treat

#189 – Urban Cone

Stockholm’s Urban Cone make some really, really delightful music! It’s the kind of thing that goes down a treat when laying in the sun in Greenwich park, with a frisbee and some once-cold bottles of cider. Which, incidentally, is exactly what I intend on doing this weekend, weather permitting.

But back to the music. The song I’ve been listening to on repeat (a mere year late…) is the infectious ‘Urban Photograph’. It’s got a beat that skips along with a synth part that’s more than a little reminiscent of a certain song by fellow Swedes The Caesars, while the vocals have got a really endearing quality to them. You can stream it here, and download it (for free!) over at the Universal Music Sweden Soundcloud page. To find out more about the band pop over to their Facebook page.

Urban Cone – Urban Photograph

The next song brings us up to date with their newest release, which is called Our Youth Pt. 2 and came out at the start of May this year. The song I’ve chosen from it is called ‘We Should Go To France’, and while it’s a bit of an evolution from ‘Urban Photograph’, the main ingredients are still there. It feels a little “blissed out”, to use an expression I don’t fully understand but seems to apply. You’ll get what I mean when you hear it.

Urban Cone – We Should Go To France [Buy]

#187 – Fear Of Men To Release Limited Edition 7″

The ‘Green Sea’ loosely sketched here by these London/Brighton pop-kids is closer to a man-made lake: cultivated, non-tumultuous and pleasant. The occasional flecks of gentle tape distortion (it could be accidentally generated, but I’d bet against it) suggest hidden depths made unattainable and irretrievable through the misfortunes of recording on the cheap – how cheap exactly would be my question. This lo-fi sleight-of-hand demonstrates that the band believe they have something to hide: the listener is required to believe it’s worth seeking.

#183 – Welcome To St Lucia

I was sent a copy of the newest Kitsuné mix the other day and I’ve been trying to listen to it but I’m having problems. These problems are due to the first song, by St Lucia, being so damn good that I have more or less put it on repeat and not listened to the rest of the mixtape.

Regular readers will be only too aware of my (and the other writers’) love for all things electronic. Specifically the sunny, slightly camp electronic stylings of Cut Copy and Architecture In Helsinki, so the first song on Kitsuné America fits the bill nicely.

St Lucia is Jean-Philip Grobler

#171 – Songs From Our Mailbag

We get loads of music to listen to every week (which we like) and a good chunk of it is really good (which we really like). Unfortunately it’s impossible to put everything we like up, but we’ll have a crack. Here are five songs from signed and unsigned acts that have ended up in the Safety, Fun & Learning inbox this week.

#165 – I Thought I Was An Alien

#144 – Let’s Make Lemonade

Today it’s the turn of Seattle-based, electro/soul duo Fly Moon Royalty to grace our pages. Although that could be me being a little big-headed… AdraBoo and Action Jackson have been making music together for about two years and they seem to have crafted something polished, delightfully pop-y and really, really listenable. The new  album Fly Moon Royalty is out on February 6th on Sportn’ Life, a local label. Their sound is a mash of funk, soul and electro in the vein of Gnarles Barkley (an obvious comparison, but no less valid because of that), Janelle Monaé and, to my humble ear, a hint of Robyn.

‘Lemonade’ is a slice of  summery pop

#142 – Maz Totterdell

Maz Totterdell is incredible. I don’t normally start with such hyperbole, but it’s just the only way I can introduce this 15 year old Devonian. Yes, 15. When you listen to the song (or if you already have) you’ll realise why I’m highlighting her age, because she has got a voice and a sound that belies her years. The lyrics to her first single, ‘Counting My Fingers’, are sweet but not sickly, her voice is a revelation and the song is one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time. It’s got twee handclaps you’ll be joining in with and a chorus you’ll find yourself humming along to in no time. The single came out last Monday on Series 8 and Steve Lamacq on 6music has thrown his weight behind it. One listen and you’ll understand why. So do exactly that: listen to the song below and then go and buy it. The sample is a crappy quality, so do the song justice and spend 79p on this one.

Maz Totterdell – Counting My Fingers [Buy]