Showing posts with label Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Show all posts

Monday, 10 February 2014

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Swing Lo Magellan

TUESDAY BLUES

Do you like Singer/Songwriters, or do you have a unhealthy affection to the sadness, if so you may have a case of the Tuesday Blues!



"Swing Lo(w), sweet chariot...."

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Swing Lo Magellan 
Back in 2011, Flycasual featured How Can You Love Me by Unknown Mortal Orchestra from their self-titled debut album and they ended up blowing my (little) mind. They are the brainchild of Ruban Nielson, a New Zealand-bred singer, guitarist and songwriter who moved to Portland, Oregon. Mixing Indie Rock with a dollop of Psychedelia, they followed it up in 2013 with their critically acclaimed album II.  (You must check it out)

Then late last year they released a curveball in the form of an acoustic EP called Blue Record.  The EP also features unplugged versions of their own material plus a cover of Beck's "Putting it down" (from Stereopathetic Soulmanure) and Dirty Projectors' “Swing Lo Magellan”.

I think it is magnificent and is certainly worth a listen!

If you are a fan of Men with Beards, like the gentle stroking of a six-string, or just a miserable bugger, Subscribe to our Spotify playlist and read more Tuesday Blues here!

Sunday, 11 December 2011

TRACKS OF THE WEEK - 11/12/2011


Four tracks to make the mulled wine mighty fine.....

SFW:-
Real Estate - Green Aisles (2011)
Real Estate are a Indie Rock band from New Jersey who have been riding the hype machine over the last few years.  "Green Aisles" features on their 2011 album "Days", which for me is a 'Kentucky-fried-chicken-esq' tub of "Smiths-My Bloody Valentine-arpeggio" driven American indie rock. The album has been critically acclaimed with it appearing on numerous album of the year lists.
"...Jersey Boys..."
Listen/download it free from Soundcloud

Old Pa's Corner :-
Jimmy Cliff - Guns of Brixton - Ft Tim Armstrong from Rancid (2011)


This is a great version of the Clash song 'Guns of Brixton' and is from a new EP from Jimmy Cliff called 'Sacred Fire (2011)' this is a real return to form and even contains a full version of Dylan's 'A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall' as well as a Dub version of 'Guns of Brixton'. I had to get this immediately when I found out today of its existence, this of course is straight in as my track of the week, The Harder they Fall and all that!.

So many Rivers to cross
Brixton Version

Flycasual:-
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - How Can U Love Me? (2011)


This is one of the most unique songs I've heard in awhile, although released earlier this year, I've only recently come across it. It's from a US/Kiwi band hailing out of Portland, Oregon and I just love it, with it's cool bass, vocals and a fantastic B-boy breakbeat, I thought it was an old 80's funk track in the same mould as ESG. Which is why I had a flashback to my youth growing up in Saudia Arabia in the early 80's, where as a fledgling B-boy, we used to bust moves at the local supermarket, The Star Market. I was a pretty crap breaker but I could hump the floor like no other, when doing my move, the Worm. It also sounds like it was actually recorded in the Star Market toilets. UMO, keeping up the mantra of 'Keep Portland Weird',  download it free, here...

Shell Hunter:-
I Break Horses - 'Wired' (2011)


I was skimming the XFM new and upfront playlist for anything of interest and the name of this Swedish girl/boy indie duo really appealed to me. Lucky for me, I struck gold this time. It's almost like playing Battleships, you have to keep going til you find a hit! Having only heard of the genre "shoegaze" once before (thanks SFW for Chad VanGaalen- Tracks of the Week 25/09) and loving it, I wasn't surprised to see it again next to these guys. 'Wired' is on their 9 track debut album which was released in August and I've heard nothing but good press. I love the Mazzy Star-esque vocals and can get lost in it's drumming. All it needs is a nice sunny warm day to make it complete. Could be a late contender for my best of 2011 compilation!

Get the title track from their album 'Hearts' by I Break Horses free here!

Sick of Mince Pies already??? Try out some more tracks of the week by clicking here....
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