Overall Animal is a dumb album. Where it tries to be empowering and fun it comes off sounding like a spoilt brat singing the American Pie script through auto-tune. Not even the good American Pie either, the newest straight to DVD one’s. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for 2010’s pop voice because it sure as hell isn’t this.»
That Midlake seem poised to break out with a record as dark, strange and bewilderingly out of step as The Courage of Others is a real victory.»
Heart/sleeve interface may be at record highs on this album, but only a cast-iron cynic would turn their noses up when the treats on offer are so lovingly prepared.»
Romance is Boring marks the tipping point when self-absorbent adolescent relationships and emotions become the things used to cower behind as escape from the harsh realities of life’s ticking clock.»
In what was a very rare opportunity to get an audience with the man himself, DiS spent a cold January evening chatting to the quite amiable Stephin Merritt - a man dubbed "the most miserable man in rock" on more than one occasion - and found ourselves discussing the sincerity of folk music, the influence of alcohol on creativity and future ventures into writing stage and film musical scores. »
Watch Fyfe talk about his new album, Fly Yellow Moon.»
Breezy strings, doom-drenched death-metal, synth-pop, submerged harmonies, summery ukeleles and icy xylophones are - as this playlist attests - just some of the sounds of the Nordic region, compiled as part of Nordic Day to celebrate DiS curating a Nordic night tonight in London info.»
It's been a long while since Shearwater transcended their low-key, nocturnal, alt-folk beginnings, and who remembers there was ever another songwriter onboard? With their chamber-orchestration, and Jonathan Meiburg's astonishing vocal range, Shearwater's best songs are in a league with Low and Antony & the Johnsons. With Shearwater's most exciting and fully realized album due in a few weeks, DiS met Jonathan on promotional duties... »
Good news, list fans; when the age-old 'Best album opening trio' debate rears its inevitable head once more, we now have a new contender to add to its hallowed ranks: There is Love in You begins with an absolute stormer of a triple whammy. »
Wondering what the hell all this business about 'Lewis' and 'Spectrum' is on Owen Pallett's new opus Heartland is? Yeah, well this track by track guide won't exactly tell you, but fascinating stuff nonetheless, plus you're likely to learn at least one new word.»
No other band manages to inject so much positive energy into their audience through as spectacular shows as The Flaming Lips. Whether it takes oceans of balloons, rivers of confetti, creative costumes and overwhelming lighting, the musical ambassadors of Oklahoma insist on creating a captivating and unforgettable experience for everyone who shows up to see the band in concert. Drowned In Sound met up and sat down with the band’s visionary frontman, Wayne Coyne, who enthusiastically opened up the gates to his brightly lit mind.»
End Times is a break-up album that lashes relationship breakdown onto societal collapse, and rarely has Everett sounded so plaintive, so utterly broken down. Even Electro-Shock Blues, which dealt with the deaths of his mother and sister, had musically upbeat moments like ‘Cancer for the Cure’ and ‘Last Stop: This Town’. Blinking Lights and Other Revelations was full of them. On End Times they are fewer and farther between and even when Everett does harness that life-affirming energy, as on ‘Gone Man’, he can’t help but flip the classic Rolling Stones refrain “I used to love her, but it’s all over now” to the rather more lugubrious “She used to love me, but it’s over now”. »
Memphis rocker dies aged 29.»
Melbourne has it all: four seasons in a day (including “laser sun” that’ll fry you to a crisp in 30 minutes, cloud or no cloud), the incredible Scienceworks museum (interactivity taken to a whole new plateau), a live scene wherein Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grizzly Bear, Micachu and the stripped-back, Dick Dale-esque Super Wild Horses play on concurrent nights… and, a couple of hours drive away, the jaw-dropping scenery of the Great Ocean Road (where the Falls Festival takes place annually). »
Whatever you care to call him, the man’s come up with the goods.»
Oh hi there! So by way of a new public service for 2010, we'll be offering a rough guide to every week’s album releases, filtered through a DiS type lens. Maybe as time goes on this feature will acquire a nice name; for now, one is not forthcoming. Also please note this is based on UK release dates, innit, and in alphabetical order.»
You've read the reviews. You've listened to the album. You've possibly just got back from queuing for tickets at Rough Trade and are maybe contemplating going to that Club Vampire Weekend thingy in Dalston on Friday. But what's the REAL story behind the New Yorkers' second album, eh? Bassist Chris Baio offers DiS the straight dope, track-by-track stylee.»
This week the music industry goes Back to School – so while These New Puritans, Yeasayer and Maps (fourth years, dripping with swagger), Madness (Upper Sixth, if not Head of History, definitely Senior Prefect) all dust off their favourite novelty erasers and sharpen their pencils - new signings Standard Fare are busy drooping themselves into new schooliforms what are that little too big and roomy; making them seem even fresher of face. They grow so fast, you know.»
At some point in the planning stages, These New Puritans front man Jack Barnett must have said: 'Okay, we can either stick to our guns, make another pretty-decent record, or we can go for broke'. I mean, how else does writing a collection of songs around a bassoon come about? »
We're back! In a slightly slimline form. Still sexy, though.»
Whilst a large percentage of this country is experiencing conditions which are certainly more familiar to our Nordic cousins, it seems like there's not a better time to bring the good news to you folk. That, and I've just finished watching an episode of Wallander. »
Two inspired musicians, equally sensitive to each other and the demands and possibilities of storytelling through soundtracks.»
Hey kids, you like Hot Chip right? But you also love techno. Oh boy. Techno? Or Hot Chip? Hot Chip? Or techno? Oooh it's a toughie, if only there was some way of having them both? WHAT'S THAT? Dutch techno bod Joris Voorn has remixed Hot Chip's 'One Li»
The first round-up of the year isn't quite the barren affair it might have been. Although there was a nice learning curve sort of switcheroo when I had to email bands and labels myself - rather than the usual GO ON THEN, IMPRESS ME WITH YOUR PRESS RELEASE that usually happens. This was my first life lesson of the year, everyone, and it was a helpful one. »
It's Friday and on DiS throughout 2009 that meant we did a Spotify playlist to compliment our editorial (archived here). Yeah, it is not unlike a covermount cassette wot you used to get on Melody Maker (RIP). Simply CLICK THIS LINK and you'll be whisked to the founder and current editor of this websites top 40 songs of the year playlist. They're not in any particular order per se, more-so organised into a listenable flow - yeah, not unlike a proper mixtape, just without all that pause button bashing ballache. »
I have chosen 100 singles I really do implore you to get your sticky mits on. If I had had to put them in order I would have had a breadvan, so I am sure you will excuse the absence of cheap - and vaguely pointless - countdowning. »
So, what a year it has been for news. Hasn't it? Above average? There was some good stuff, right? Yes, there was, and in light of my first six months or so doing the news for Drowned in Sound, I thought it'd be a good idea to run through SOME of the very most exciting and interesting and sometimes "WTF!" news stories of the year. Or at least nobody stopped me when I mooted this suggestion...I guess that gives me free reign then?»
Whilst our top 5 albums of the year list offers somes glimpse into what our staff have been listening to these past twelve months, the annual mixtapes give a real insight as to what has been pleasing the ears, minds and heart strings of those wot write for DiS.»
It's the time of year to list the best records of the year. We've asked some of our favourite acts to tell us which five albums they've had in heavy rotation. »
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"More bands should split up" - Brett Anderson opens up to DiS about the return of Suede
Drowned in Manchester #15 – May 2013
armchair dancefloor 39: Mount Kimbie interview, Bobby Browser, Powell, Move D, Leon Vynehall...
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DiS joins the Music Alliance Pact + May 2013's global MAP compilation