I Know That I'm Right

Daily Randomness

2012-01-06T00:44:00.000+08:00

A look at what's happening right now:

"National Anthem", the latest track off Lana Del Rey's album Born To Die, just leaked online [link].

Zooey Deschanel files for divorce from Ben Gibbard -- and she has no balance on her three credit cards [link]!

10 Favourite Albums of 2011

2011-12-31T23:59:00.012+08:00

Here we are again. Before 2011 comes to a close, I'd like to present 10 of my favourite albums this year. As an added bonus, skip to the end for my favourite EP. Happy New Year everyone!

10. Wild Flag - Wild Flag

Here's one record that psyched me up before its release because of the pedigree of the band members. Bringing together Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, Helium's Mary Timony and the Minders' Rebecca Cole, Wild Flag is the eponymous release from the prominent indie-punk rockers. "Romance" kicks things off with swagger and exuberance that embodies the entire record, but my personal favourite has to be "Electric Band", with its lazy, heady sound that harks back to a bygone era.

Download:
Wild Flag - Romance [MP3]

9. Washed Out - Within and Without

Elegant yet subtle, Within and Without's sensual and refined sound is an evolution from Ernest Greene's earlier material. "Eyes Be Closed" is the lead single and one of the album's stand-out tracks. Soft, gauzy synths are glazed over with a hazy feel, and the beats are crisp and clear. "Amor Fati", or Latin for "Love of Fate", sounds blissfully sweet (read the full review here).

Download:
Washed Out - Amor Fati
Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed

8. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

At 37 minutes long, Radiohead's eighth studio album is their shortest record to date. When it comes to dishing out an exquisite record, Radiohead knows that brevity is the order of the day. Savour the tunes like fine wine: Soak up the smells. Take a sip here and a swig there, and you'll be duly rewarded in the end.

7. Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler

After being dropped from her record label, folk singer Marissa Nadler turned to Kickstarter, a fan-driven platform, to fund her fifth album. This fuelled arguably her best and most frank LP to date. Lead single "Baby, I Will Leave You In The Morning" is a pleading song about forgiveness, but my top pick is "Puppet Master", a quiet composition about lost love.

Download:
Marissa Nadler - Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning
Marissa Nadler - In Your Lair, Bear

6. Katy B - On A Mission

Nominated for this year's Mercury Prize, On A Mission is a solid record that combines elements of dubstep, dance and pop. The album bursts to life from the get go. Katy B's (Kathleen Brien) vocals are deliciously sensual. I was smitten with songs like "Witches Brew", "Go Away", "Broken Record" and the witty "Easy Please Me". Moreover, midway through the album closer "Hard To Get", Katy acknowledges those who have supported her on her musical journey. Kudos to a truly grounded star-in-the-making.

Download:
Katy B - Broken Record

5. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Florence Welch has been on a roll since the release of her brilliant debut Lungs and she just keeps getting better at her game. Her sophomore effort Ceremonials is a pompous and grandiose affair, captivating and spellbinding, lyrically and vocally stunning.

Download:
Florence + The Machine - What The Water Gave Me

4. Thievery Corporation - Culture of Fear

Culture of Fear, Thievery Corporation's sixth studio album, is one of the most underrated records of the year. Sure, the electronic DJ duo continue to take on their socio-political stances, but like they say: If it ain't broken, why fix it?

Download:
Thievery Corporation - Culture of Fear

3. Metronomy - The English Riviera

Metronomy blew me away with The English Riveria, the most laid-back and fun record I've heard all year. Shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, it's chock-a-block with shimmery tunes that wouldn't sound out of place on mainstream radio. Lead singer Joe Mount's falsetto is intriguing and charming, and he's backed by brilliant musicians like bassist Gbenga Adelekan and former Lightspeed Champion drummer Anna Prior. It's interesting to see where this band will go next.

2. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li has come a long way since her Youth Novel days. Wounded Rhymes, her second album, is a work of art. It's defiant, darkly hypnotic, yet deeply passionate, you just get sucked into the swirling vortex. There's a whole lot of emotions going on, but you have to give it to the lady (and producer Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John fame) for pulling it all together into one neat, minimalist package. Certainly one of the best Swedish exports yet.

Download:
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
Lykke Li - Jerome

1. Feist - Metals

The fourth studio album from Canadian chanteuse Leslie Feist tops my list. It's pretty much the most cohesive and perfect record I've heard this year. Recorded in Big Sur, California, Feist smartly eschews lavish production for a cool, melancholic soundtrack that somehow becomes warm, comfort food for the soul. Sublime.

...and my favourite EP:

Florrie - Experiments EP

Florrie (Florence Arnold) is one hell of a beautiful and talented woman. She's a singer-songwriter, drummer and model. And she's really in it for the music, given that she has adopted the grassroots strategy with her tunes, choosing instead to self-release her EPs instead of signing on to a record label. Experiments EP, her second after the excellent Introduction EP (you can download the latter for free off her website), is a thumping, synth-pop packed record that's fun, catchy and energetic.

Honourable Mentions:
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest
Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
Austra - Feel It Break
Cults - Cults
Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Daily Randomness

2011-11-18T23:41:00.001+08:00

Video roundup for the week:

Florence + The Machine: "No Light, No Light"

"No Light, No Light" is easily one of the best tracks on Florence Welch's second album, Ceremonials. Now it has this stunning, epic and haunting video to boot. I get the chills just watching it.

Feist: "How Come You Never Go There"

Leslie Feist gets hair extensions and steps into the forest in this oddly enchanting video for "How Come You Never Go There", the first single taken off her fourth studio album, Metals.

CSS: "City Grrrl" ft. Ssion

Taken off La Liberación, "City Grrrl" sees Lovefoxxx prancing round town and going through a dizzying array of outfits.

Little Boots: "Shake"

2011-11-15T00:46:00.001+08:00

Sorry for the intermittent updates as I've been overworking myself lately, but I absolutely had to share this new song from Little Boots. Produced by James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco fame, "Shake" is the lead single from Victoria Hesketh's as-yet-untitled new album. This booming, thumping house-pop number sure is a great contender for anthem of the year. We ain't seeing any sophomore slump here.

Daily Randomness

2011-11-07T01:04:00.002+08:00

A look at what's happening right now:

Interesting finds in the inbox.

Here's one that's bound to make your heart ache.

Canadian singer-songwriter Drew Smith's "Love Teeth" is a story of love and loss. The animated video, a gorgeous accompaniment to the song, was created by one of his former ESL students. His new album The Secret Languages will be released in 2012. Definitely one to look out for.

Mancunians City Reign are releasing their EP Numbers For Street Names on November 21. The lead single "Making Plans" has a whole lot of old video footage and a sweet, grungy sound.

The kids finally have an official video to their name! "Drum In Your Chest", from mysterious London boy-girl duo BIGKids is wacky yet addictive.

There's something about Christine Leakey's sound that reminds me of 1920s Shanghai. She will be releasing Tapping Trees in a Trinket Box of Treasure in January 2012, an album that took 14 years in the making.

Years ago, the self-taught guitarist suffered an injury that left her unable to play and put a spanner in the works. Despite the unfortunate incident, she managed to bounce back. Here's "Lovely", a song with a snazzy old vibe.

Hailing from Romania, The Mono Jacks are a four-piece band whose sound brings to mind Interpol, Editors and The White Lies. "Woman" is the first single off their forthcoming record Fortunes, which is out in December.

Snow & Voices “Maybe Finland” from Lauri Kranz on Vimeo.

Snow & Voices also have a new video for "Maybe Finland". Director Shannyn Sossamon talks about her inspiration below:

I love Lauri’s voice. When she asked me to make the video for Maybe Finland, I was happy to do it. Ravi Dhar, a friend and cameraman, had been wanting to have fun with slow motion on his Canon - which was actually perfect for Lauri’s voice and the songs atmosphere. We made it one late night at Ravi's house where Lauri was a trooper, having to dance for hours and hours without a clear end in sight. Here it is. Enjoy the video!

2012 Singapore St. Jerome's Laneway Festival

2011-10-23T23:46:00.001+08:00

Mark your calendars for February 12, kids!

Yeah that's right, Laneway Festival is returning to Singapore. It's happening at Fort Canning again, and we have 14 acts this time, running the gamut from rock to folk to pop and shoegaze.

Here's the full line-up:

Anna Calvi
Austra
Cults
Feist
Girls
Laura Marling
M83
The Drums
The Horrors
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Toro Y Moi
Twin Shadow
Wu Lyf
Yuck

Public sales start on November 28. Tickets are at $135. For more information, head on over to the official site.

Downloads:
Austra - Lose It
Feist - So Sorry
Girls - Laura
The Drums - Days
Twin Shadow - Slow
Wu Lyf - We Bros
Yuck - Get Away

Daily Randomness

2011-10-21T00:45:00.001+08:00

Let's go back in time:

Lykke Li: "I Follow Rivers"

Is it love, lust or infatuation? Lykke Li goes on a relentless pursuit of a man in this video, running in her bare feet through the snow while the dark tune looms in the background. Amazing song, kick-ass video. I love the part where she shoots an icy, cold glare at the viewer.

Feist: "1234"

Here's the song that sold a million iPods and brought Leslie Feist to the rest of the world.

OK Go: "White Knuckles"

I really dig the music videos from OK Go, and here's one where I pretty much like the song as well.

Foster The People: "Pumped Up Kicks"

Here's my guilty pleasure. 'Nuff said.

Daily Randomness

2011-10-20T01:17:00.001+08:00

A look at what's happening right now:

Labrador's latest signing is a precocious talent from Stockholm, Sweden. Amanda Mair, all of 16, was picked up by the label when they discovered her by chance in 2010. Her second single "Doubt" just popped today, and I am absolutely smitten by the song, and really impressed by her level of maturity. "Doubt" is a smart tune, achingly modern with a dose of girlish charm mixed into the fold.

Her debut single "House", on the other hand, starts off as a piano-driven song before it culminates in an emotive, triumphant pop song. I absolutely can't wait to hear her album.

Download:
Amanda Mair - Doubt
Amanda Mair - House

Anti-folk pioneer Jeffrey Lewis returns with A Turn In The Dream-Songs. On "Cult Boyfriend", the first track off the album, Lewis' wit and dry humour shine through. It's cute to hear the man poke fun of himself.

Download:
Jeffrey Lewis - Cult Boyfriend

Guest Post: Lauri Kranz of Snow & Voices

2011-10-11T00:50:00.001+08:00

This is a guest post by Lauri Kranz of Snow & Voices, the dreamy LA-based duo who released their third album Anything That Moves in 2010.

Lauri talks about the song that has inspired her the most. In her own words: "It’s just one song but, a killer."

"Famous Blue Raincoat"
By Leonard Cohen

This is not going to be perfect. It is difficult to put into words sometimes the things that hit us the hardest, unless you are Leonard Cohen. "Famous Blue Raincoat" is one of my favorite songs of all time, a song to break your heart by. Leonard Cohen’s voice is darkly beautiful. His words expose the foibles of us all, turning our mistakes and blunders into a great symphony. I heard this song again after a long absence while driving in Los Angeles on one of the few rainy days that we have here. I heard the opening chords and pulled the car over up high on Mulholland. I wanted no distractions. I was in the hands of a master. There is a great comfort in existing in this other world, even if for just five minutes and seven seconds.

I urge you to listen. Try shutting the lights down and lie very still. Put this song on the speakers and see if it doesn’t fill a space inside of you.

Someone told me recently that no one in their twenties even knows this song exists. I hope they are wrong. I needed this song when I was twenty just as much as I need it now. I take it with me wherever I go.

-Lauri Kranz
Snow & Voices

Florence and The Machine: "Shake It Out" Video

2011-10-05T00:48:00.000+08:00

I love nothing better than watching Florence Welch dance. So it's great to see the epic new video for "Shake It Out" in all its Technicolor glory. "Shake It Out" is the first single off Florence and the Machine's new album Ceremonials, which will be released in the UK at the end of October.

Here's the very brilliant "What The Water Gave Me" for comparison.

Daily Randomness

2011-10-04T01:01:00.001+08:00

A look at what's happening right now:

Interesting finds in the inbox.

Drum In Your Chest from BIGkidsmusic on Vimeo.

New act from London. Helluva catchy sound.

Stream:
BIGkids - Drum In Your Chest

Last winter, Canadian band The Rest were a few weeks away from completing their album Seesaw when a hard disk glitch wiped out their recordings. Luckily for them, they managed to salvage the album a few months down the road. The band is looking forward to releasing Seesaw early 2012, and in the interim they have launched a double A-side that's available for free at Bandcamp until Halloween.

Download:
The Rest - Always On My Mind / The Last Day

The Heavy Dream is Canadian Dave King's latest musical venture. His album Under the Golden Sun is the product of over a year's worth of recording, with help from Pat Sansone (Wilco, The Autumn Defense), Paul Linklater and James Strachan. The 7" single featuring the title track is available for free on Bandcamp until the album is released in October.

Download:
The Heavy Dream - Under The Golden Sun 7"

Concert Review: Lykke Li - Live!

2011-09-28T01:03:00.003+08:00

The stage was set. Black drapes hung from the ceiling. Strobe lights flickered wildly.

When Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson - better known as Lykke Li - finally took to the stage, she threw the audience into a frenzy.

Clad head-to-toe in black, the Swedish singer mesmerised the crowd at her Singapore show last Wednesday. She opened the set with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Jerome". Throughout the course of 1½ hours, she brought her critically-lauded sophomore album Wounded Rhymes to life.

Lykke Li preferred to let her music do the talking, keeping conversation to a minimal. She let her hair down, swathed herself in the black drapes, and banged the cymbals with her drumstick while she sang. Apart from newer material like "I Follow Rivers" and "Rich Kids Blues", she also covered songs from her debut, including "I'm Good, I'm Gone", "Little Bit" and crowd-favourite "Dance Dance Dance". She slipped in a cover of Burt Bacharach's "Please Stay" too.

When some fans shouted "I love you!" at the end of a song, she coolly took a swig of water before replying in a calm and collected manner, "I love you too". It was adorable.

Much to everyone's amusement, an overzealous fan bounded on stage during "Get Some" and took over the microphone, so Lykke Li very graciously stepped aside and let the fan sing the lines 'I'm your prostitute/you gon' get some'. That fan certainly got her 5 seconds of fame.

In the encore, she covered "Possibility", her sole contribution to the Twilight franchise's soundtrack. It isn't my favourite Lykke Li song, but the live version just blew me away. That was a superb way to close the night.

Arctic Monkeys: "Suck It and See" Video (NSFW)

2011-09-18T01:41:00.001+08:00

Arctic Monkeys just dished out a naughty video for "Suck It and See", the title track off their latest album. The Sheffield band's very own drummer Matt Helders features in this one, where he gets it on with a young lass.

The single will be released on 7" and MP3 digital download at the end of October, and will be backed by their new song "Evil Twin".

Mimi Murmur

2011-09-10T02:19:00.000+08:00

Mimi Murmur, a young band out of UK, pedal a mix of indie, pop and folk music. Citing influences such as Florence and The Machine, Kate Nash, Laura Marling and Marina and The Diamonds, the duo just doled out a bunch of piano-driven demos, which you can stream via SoundCloud.

Stream:
Mimi Murmur

Video: Marina And The Diamonds - Radioactive [Chuckie Remix]

2011-09-09T00:34:00.000+08:00

Here's the Chuckie Remix of "Radioactive", the new single from Marina And The Diamonds. I can't decide if I like this or the original better.

Seyra

2011-09-08T01:35:00.002+08:00

Homegrown singer-songwriter Seyra's self-titled debut EP has an easy charm about it: Pleasant and soothing, the acoustic folk-pop songs are a breeze to listen to. It's a commendable effort for a fledging young band made up of Seyra, Khidir (Guitar), Rupak (Bass/Guitar) and Zack (Percussion/Guitar). In fact, the band has garnered a couple of positive reviews since they played at Baybeats last month.

Their sound is fairly reminiscent of Zee Avi and Feist. "You Make Me Go" opens the EP in a jaunty, twinkly manner. The remaining tracks glide along before getting a proper closing with "Goodnight", an ambient number that's a personal favourite of mine. At 22 mins and 5 tracks long, it's worth your while checking it out.

Download:
Download Seyra's digital EP for free via Seyra's Bandcamp page.

Otherwise, check out "Skinny Lips" and "You Make Me Go" below.
Seyra - Skinny Lips
Seyra - You Make Me Go

Album Review: CSS - La Liberación

2011-09-06T01:23:00.007+08:00

When Brazilian band CSS emerged in 2006, their infectious melodies and provocative lyrics made people sit up and listen. By cleverly merging indie, rock and dance music with a whole lot of quirkiness, they created a fresh new sound that set them apart from their contemporaries.

Unfortunately, they suffered a sophomore slump in 2008. While it wasn't a devastatingly bad LP, Donkey essentially stripped away all the brashness and quirkiness of their first, leaving an album that was more meh than marvellous.

It seems like they have found their footing again with La Liberación (Spanish for The Liberation). Those sex-laced songs are intact. That brashness and swagger is back. And there is a bunch of mellower stuff, as if to tell the world, "We have grown up."

The most memorable part on La Liberación is frontwoman Lovefoxxx's collaboration with Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie on "Hits Me Like a Rock", a head-bobbingly good reggae-funk number.

"City Grrrl" has been compared to Ke$ha, but CSS carry it off with more aplomb and street-cred, so much so that you honestly believe they don't give a shit at all.

There's no telling what they are exactly singing about on the song "La Liberación". They play on like a broken record for 2 minutes, but it's just so charmingly addictive that you want to scream 'grita, grita, mami!' (whatever the fuck that means) along with them as well.

Album closer "Fuck Everything" probably has the message that the band wants to send out to everyone: They are a young, fun-loving bunch and if you're a detractor, they won't hesitate to flip you the bird.

Download:
Exchange your email address for a free download of "Hits Me Like a Rock".

Daily Randomness

2011-09-05T01:03:00.000+08:00

A look at what's happening right now:

Music producer Mark Ronson weds model-actress Josephine de la Baume. Congratulations to the happy couple [link]!

Sinead O'Connor is in desperate need of sex [link].

The eponymous debut from Wild Flag, featuring Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, Helium's Mary Timony and the Minders' Rebecca Cole is streaming on NPR. Go here to listen to Wild Flag in its entirety.

Edda Magnason

2011-09-02T01:08:00.000+08:00

The Swedes have a knack for making great music. Swedish/Icelandic singer-songwriter Edda Magnason is one of their latest exports, a talented young woman who's going to charm the pants off you with her brand of orchestral pixie pop.

Check out "Blondie" to see what I mean. "Blondie" is taken off her soon-to-be-released second album Goods.

Edda Magnason - Blondie from Adrian Recordings on Vimeo.

Download:
Edda Magnason - Blondie [buy Goods]

Anothers Blood

2011-09-01T01:17:00.001+08:00

I'm thrilled to share a little gem with you today: Here's a brand new London band called Anothers Blood, a band 'born out of an aspiration to create pop songs' and a 'desire to create something timeless'.

I love the intimate setting and dreamy sounds on "Lost Communication":

The song will be available as a free download from the band's website for 24 hours on October 3.

Charlotte Gainsbourg: "Terrible Angels" Video

2011-08-31T01:16:00.000+08:00

This clip for English-French chanteuse Charlotte Gainsbourg's "Terrible Angels" is absolutely stunning as it is incredulous. We follow Charlotte as she walks through town and ends up dancing with -- wait for it -- clones of herself in a carpark.

If this electro-rock number is anything to go by, the upcoming Terrible Angels EP will sound markedly different from her older material, including 2010's critically-lauded IRM. Exciting times lie ahead.

Daily Randomness

2011-08-30T02:23:00.002+08:00

Let's go back in time:

This is a new segment in the Daily Randomness series, where I'll post some not-so-new songs that I recently discovered or am listening to again. Just because.

Garish: "Im Ärmel Meiner Linken Hand"

"Im Ärmel Meiner Linken Hand" is one of those lovable happy songs that I can play over and over again. And it has a cute video to boot. Hailing from Austria, Garish is an alternative rock band and this song is taken off their 2007 album, Parade.

Electrelane: "To The East"

I'm really glad female indie rock band Electrelane is returning after a three year hiatus [link]. "To The East" is one of the most mesmerising songs I've ever heard, and is the first single off their 2007 album No Shouts, No Calls.

Silversun Pickups: "Lazy Eye"

Brian Aubert, the singer for Silversun Pickups, has a unique set of pipes. His androgynous vocals are oddly appealing, and when you throw in some distorted guitars, bass and drums, you'll get a beautiful yet intense song in the form of "Lazy Eye". Imperfection never sounded this good.

Daily Randomness

2011-08-28T11:12:00.004+08:00

A look at what's happening right now:

Brooklyn indie-rock band Extra Arms just released the video for "Powerlessness", which you can check out above.

The video 'showcases a different side to the band and provides great rewards as they continue to challenge the boundaries of depth and sonic structure'. Their debut album In Parallel drops October 11 via Bibliotec Recordings.

Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars and Sofia Coppola finally wed [link].

The Pallers' debut album The Sea of Memories will be released September 27. "Come Rain, Come Sunshine" is the second single off the album.

Download:
Pallers - Come Rain, Come Sunshine

Reading Festival 2011 playlist from RCRD LBL has songs from Cults, Best Coast, Smith Westerns, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and White Denim. Whee. Go on and download it here.

St. Vincent: "Cruel" Video

2011-08-26T00:47:00.002+08:00

Ooh, evil.

St. Vincent embraces the dark side with "Cruel", one of the cuts off her upcoming third album Strange Mercy. The new album is set for a September 13 release.

Annie Clark talks about the making of the video over at The Huffington Post.

Album Review: Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full of Holes

2011-08-25T22:30:00.003+08:00

Partners-in-crime Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger have made a career out of chronicling the stories of suburban life. The creative guns behind Fountains of Wayne even scored a commercial breakthrough in 2003 with "Stacy's Mom", a perky, raunchy ditty about a teenage boy's adolescent fantasies that cemented their status as kings of power pop.

On their fifth album, Sky Full of Holes, they have mellowed and cleaned up their act a little. The character sketches and solid production still exist, but Sky Full of Holes doesn't quite match the brilliant record that was Welcome Interstate Managers (2007's Traffic and Weather was a hit-and-miss affair). It makes for an enjoyable listen, but falls flat towards the end.

"Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart", a jangly, sparkling song with an oh-oh-oh refrain, is easily the best song on the album, with "Richie and Ruben" coming in a close second. Ballads like "A Road Song" seem to permeate the second half of the album and outstrip the faster numbers, bogging down the entire LP.

Not that it really matters though. The duo's solid songwriting and ability to relate to the everyman are probably reasons why the band have stood the test of time, even after 16 long years in the business.