Legendary grunge rock band Alice In Chains are gearing up for the release of their first new studio album in more than ten years. The band and producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters) began recording last October at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and recently finished mixing at Henson Studios in Hollywood. The highly anticipated album is scheduled for release this September.
Iron Maiden / Number Of The Beast Junior high. Gravel pit keggers. Tri-axle speakers. Skipping school and losing my virginity the morning before the show. I was 17. Thanks fellas.
Sleeping States has been an ongoing musical project for ex-Midlander, ex-East Anglian, ex-Londoner and current Bristolian, Markland Starkie, since 2004. Originally inspired by the energy and DIY ethos of labels such as K Records in the US and Slampt in the UK, Markland has released a slew of records of various formats and lengths on numerous micro- and independent labels, both in the UK and abroad over the past five years. These releases, embracing the more lo-fi end of the recording spectrum, skip from genre to genre, from introspective folk to synth pop to choral doo wop, though always at the heart of his experimentation and exploration are confident melodies, minimal arrangements and a strong sense of romance.
Sonic Youth / Schizophrenia A blast of one of the most innovative guitar bands of the last 25 years, at their best. With its lyrics influenced by pulp science fiction, chiming guitar reaching a squalling climax towards the end, and a surprisingly melodic breakdown for a band so focused on discord, it never fails to please. Plus, the opening drumbeat sets my spine a-tingling every time I hear it.
Little Birdy’s new album Confetti also has a new single, Hairdo. The melodic gem is accompanied by a mesmerizing video showcasing the band in their most personal and intimate performance to date. Since its release, Confetti has spent a number of weeks at the top end of the charts and has received the strongest reviews of the Australian band’s career.
Midlake / Roscoe This would have to be my favourite song of the decade so far. I loved their debut album, but when I heard this for the first time, it completely blew my mind. I love bands that can sing about random subjects (like being a hermit in the 19th Century) and still evoke such emotion, both musically and lyrically. It gives me tingles every time I hear it.
With comparisons to Joanna Newsom, Marissa Nadler and Karen Dalton, Californian folk singer Alela Diane is back with her new album To Be Still. Having captured hearts with her glorious debut, The Pirate’s Gospel (named Rough Trade Shop’s number one Album of 2006), Diane is one of the world’s most bewitching new songwriters.
Fairport Convention / Who Knows Where The Time Goes Sandy Denny is one of my favorite vocalists- such purity and grace in the way she carries a melody. The words of this song are ringing true for the way my days have been passing lately. Too soon gone, not sure what happened.
Australian band Yves Klein Blue made a name for themselves with their EP Draw Attention to Themselves doing just that. The band has toured internationally three times to play SXSW, MusExpo and The Great Escape. Their hit single Polka sound-tracked a successful car ad and was picked up on more than 60 college radio stations in the USA as well as Radio 1 and XFM in the UK. Ragged & Ecstatic was recorded in LA with producer Kevin Augunas (Cold War Kids) and features the singles Getting Wise, Polka and Make Up Your Mind.
Fleetwood Mac / Go Your Own Way It’s just such a great album, with a great story. Many things have been written about it, much better than I could even hope to, so look it up. It’s a song you will probably know well, but its so full of love, malice and all this broken, messed up relationship baggage that got carried through the band and onto the stage with this record. Perfect.
Tom Hespe, Xavier Naughton, Jai Pyne and Ivan Lisyak are Sydney band, The Paper Scissors. They play rock music, taking particular notes from funk, hip hop production, Bowie, and Talking Heads. They sometimes pay homage to folk stylings, country music and Film Soundtracks, dabbling in gigabytes worth of music.
Broken Social Scene / 7/4 (shoreline) This tune blows me away every time. Broken Social Scene really personify an amazing mix of artfulness and pop genius, being able to do a tune in an obscure time signature (7/4) complete with hooks and a beat that perfectly soundtracks highway driving. Killer! The way Kevin Drew and guest Feist sing together is beautiful — you can tell they were singing it at maximum lung volume with a tenacity not found in many vocalists.
The Little Ones were formed in Los Angeles in early 2006. The summery-sounding band wear their influences (the Beach Boys, the Zombies) on their sleeves while composing some of the brightest indie rock of the new millennium.
Elbow / On a Day Like This We were in the UK when this record won the Mercury award. We finally picked up Seldom Seen Kid and were just floored. The whole record is really great and has such fantastic ideas going on. This song is so beautiful, lyrically and sonically. It’s been a permanent fixture in my morning routine. It just has that ‘I’m gonna take on the day’ vibe to it.
Port O’Brien began early in the year 2005 as a folk-ish duo of Van Pierszalowski and Cambria Goodwin. The two penned songs while Cambria lived in the tiny Californian coastal town she shares her name with and Van lived in an apartment in Oakland which was about the size of his name. In the summer of 2007, the band released a compilation of previously self-released songs titled The Wind and The Swell on American Dust Records. They’ve become a touring machine since the critically lauded M. Ward first named Port O’Brien his Favorite New Band on Pitchfork Media.
Beachwood Sparks / Confusion is Nothing New This is a song that has a lot of movement in it. I get bored really easily, so I need songs to keep changing as they go. The harmonies are so rad here. They are super loud and in your face.
Land of Talk feature Elizabeth Powell, a former punk who got her start playing her own anti-rock anthems on the local scene of Guelph, Ontario, during her mid-teens. Upon her college years, with stints playing with the Aaron Riches Nuclear Family Band and the Valentines behind her, Powell set her sights on a solo career in the late ’90s. Gigs in and around Ontario and Quebec eventually led to the formation of Land of Talk in 2005 with Bucky Wheaton and Chris McCarron.
Bon Iver / Re:Stacks This song changed my course, emotionally. I can’t tell you how, but it levelled me. Everyone I have played it for, or who has heard it, has had same to similar reactions. This is a song I will listen to well into my twilight years.
Dr. Dog is a psychedelic rock group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which formed in 1999 with the release of The Psychedelic Swamp, a concept album realized in the damp ruin of a flooded basement with waterlogged guitars and a digital delay pedal. Although the band has had as many as 20 honorary ‘members’, who have assisted in various capacities through the years, the core of the band consists of five musicians with influences including The Beach Boys, Tom Waits, David Bowie and Neil Young. Their new album, Fate, is a timeless yet contemporary distillation of the band’s open-armed, bighearted sound taken to new heights of creativity.
A. A. Bondy / Vice Rag Good enough to be a classic old timey melody, except with more contemporary lyrical vices added. Great guitar playing.
My Secret Playlist is a music discovery website and weekly email publication. We invite our favourite bands and musicians to give us the rundown on their eight favourite songs right now. These are their words on the music that inspires them.
