So many new tunes for the new year! With the 13th Yo La Tengo album hitting the stores last week we had to feature ‘Ohm’ in our mixtape! Melbourne via London rockers ME have a new one out ahead of their Big Day appearances, Dave Grohl & Corey Taylor have teamed up, Sydney’s Megastick Fanfare are back with some new tunes, Jim James keeps delighting us with his modern day soul vibes and we finish off with Melbourne acts to watch The Evening Cast and Tully on Tully.
Yo La Tengo – Ohm
Finally! The band that can virtually do no wrong are back and better than ever. Having dropped Fade their first album since 2009’s Popular Songs, the Hoboken three-piece’s first single of the record is sort of the perfect Yo La Tengo track. With just enough guitar distortion to apease fans who only tune in for Ira Kaplan’s shredding, yet staying true to their slightly twee vocal style with lose harmonies to boot, it’s hard to picture anyone hating ‘Ohm’. With the repeated vocal refrain “Nothing ever stays the same/ Nothing’s explained”, echoing through the song it seems the band are wrong; some things, like the band’s relevance, do stay the same.
ME – All Along The Way
Just one of many highlights from the band’s ambitiously colourful debut album, Even The Odd Ones About. Right from its 60s-era kick off – all descending ‘na na nas’ and textured organ – ME’s latest once again shows that while they wear their mottled British influences on their musical sleeve, they wear them with beaming pride. A groovy anthem of defiance, with Luke Ferris’ elastic vocals hurdling over Damian Tapley’s fancy fretwork and a chunky rhythm section.
Dave Grohl & Corey Taylor – From Can to Can’t
Taken from the soundtrack to the highly anticipated upcoming documentary Sound City – Real To Reel, which Grohl is directing, this one-off supergroup of sorts is made up of some of rock ‘n’ roll’s finest. The slow-burning hard rock number sees Grohl doing what he does best; a varied and slightly over the top vocal performance. Lucky for the execution of the track, the backing music, performed by modern rock geniuses, support the vocals perfectly. If this is a taste of what’s to come from the doco, we can’t wait.
Megastick Fanfare – Call Out
The newest track from genre-fusing Sydney five-piece is one of the band’s mos eclectic songs to date. Starting with echoing, emotive vocals and working it’s way through to a long instrumental part featuring catchy drums and a high pitched synths Taken from Fanfare Ep 1 which the band have dubbed “a collection of fruits of post-album experimentation”. Experimental it may be, but it’s hardly fruity.
Jim James – A New Life
The second track to be unleashed from Jim Jame’s forthcoming solo album with the best title ‘Regions of Light and Sound of God’ to be released at the end of January, it seems Saxophones are certainly a running theme so far. ‘A New Life’ starts with a very slow almost A Capella vocal before changing into a very soulful rhythm and blues song with a real 50’s vibe that, you can imagine being played at an old time dance full of couples slow dancing & canoodling. James manages to meld the past and present seamlessly.
The Evening Cast – Knots & Bows
Knots & Bows is the beautiful first single from Geelong indie-pop five-piece group The Evening Cast taken from their EP, ‘Lake’ produced by Marty Brown and released at the end in 2012. The track is teamed with captivating lead vocals from Joel Cooper backed by sweet whispering vocals from Coopers wife Rachel all tied together by the harmonies from the percussion section of the band. A local act to watch in 2013 for sure.
Tully On Tully – Stay (Featuring Hayden Calnin)
This Melbourne five-piece fronted by the lovely Natalie Foster have released the second single to their debut record due out this year. What’s even more exciting is that they’re joined by fellow Melbourne singer-songwriter Hayden Calnin on this particular track. ‘Stay’ is a beautifully crafted pop tune, with Foster’s strong vocals underpinned by syncopated rhythms and wonderfully complimented by Calnin’s subtle tones. An excellent precursor to what is sure to be a fantastic debut record.
