Sup 'Home'

I don't know anything about this band or this guy

Maybe heard about them one time

But how did this get on my computer

Who had the insight to like them and link them?

This song is just SO FREAKIN in tune with my ears.

And lack of home

And overall nomadic tendencies.

A big part of every band I stumble upon is the vocal quality.

Weemos singing through their nose can never be justified (Plushgun LOL)

Super reverb on a mic to cover missed pitch is always obvious,

But these guys sing to have fun and tell a story.

It's everything.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Home

Play count fast reaching up to Tiny Dancer's top spot.

I'm Fading Out Again, Oh No. There I Go.

Score one for The Sixty One.

I'm not sure how many people put this site in their bookmarks and leave it open while they abuse the face but as I was particularly eager tonight to complete some quests requiring the home page, I abandoned my little 'Open Mic on 100' comfort zone and kept packing my life into a suitcase while the hottest songs right now exerted life back into my room.

After listening to this band The Kickdrums, I was surprised to read in the pop-up text about their history of rap production, which I admit wasn't overly obvious from the song Animal.

Curiosity taking over, I seat to weaving a complex pattern that resulted in their EP being on my iTunes being given a good old fashioned 5am "hmm".

Cool gif bro.

Their approach to each song does seem a little familiar, and when the vocals on Animal first surfaced I could've sworn it was Brian Molko, but I suppose there's nothing wrong with a little familiarity if you can execute it well.

Each song on the EP adopts a different style, and by no means do I think the following free download is their best, but it is the most chill and after Homegrown + packing I am selfishly gunna make you chill with me.

The Kickdrums - When I Come Down

If you wanna find me on thesixtyone I am younomee

(And I make some cool playlists.)

I Never Really Had You

Every so often a band who deserve real critical acclamation slip under the surface and never really find solid affirmation that they are as original and worthwhile as they really are, and with the Swedish-made band David & the Citizens the answer to this conundrum can only really be guessed at.

Perhaps their marketing plan wasn't strategic enough, maybe Sweden is so foreign to the hub countries of indie (Britain, America, Australia.. Japan?), or possibly they're not really good and I only like them now because they got me through 4th form.

This band found its way into my life four or five years ago now, via some forgotten means, but their myspace page view count

(if that's any indication to go by) is still below 10,000.

The inner shrew of mine secretly loves this band's obscurity, but in the long run it means an overall lack of support; that this music may never be played on a stage at some New Zealand festival or land on the desk of the music director for a Zooey Deschanel film.

Although the band is on an indefinite break,

David Fridlund absolutely deserves this respect.

The poetry of each song and overall emotional delivery breaks through all the terribly processed image-focused music that is becoming increasingly impossible to escape,

The fresh structure of each song puts to shame the bands that stick to typical methods or hide behind reverb,

The philosophy of David's words reflect thought that is not trying to be pretentious, deep, funny, apathetic, ironic, self-pitying or nonsensical.

They are authentic.

If Fridlund and the guy who invented porridge got together they would become the cure for winter.

David & the Citizens:

- The End (for emotion)

- Let's Not Fall Apart (for energy)

Please click on their band name to visit the myspace page, and as always, take these downloads to stumble upon next time you shuffle your iTunes.

A personal recommendation to leave with you: listen to Song Against Life. If you like it please comment and I may post a download for you, but for now just hear it with an empathetic ear and see if it fits in your puzzle.

A Nation Is A Family

For half a decade now, Mark Roberts has been claimed by New Zealanders as one of our best exports, moving here from Chicago in 2004, and despite half living in New York since 2009, The Enright House are still seen as a chocolate-covered Autumn wind fearing slice of Kiwi music, continuing on their contract with A Low Hum records and calling New Zealand their official country of residence.

Ever since the dinosaurs, New Zealand music has only really been given recognition in the underground, independent market, and been wholly underrated on any mainstream level.

But this lack of record company rules allows a lot of mingling, dancing, and teasing with fellow bands in the same independent family, and the release of Mark Roberts' Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! remix stands testament to the way we do things around here.

Some days you just need to remember that New Zealand is one big family,

Especially when you're about to leave your entire life in one city and start fresh in another.

The Enright House remixes - Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! (Mint Chicks)

It's currently free to download if you follow the link on the song title.

Catch me in Auckland a week and 3 hours from now.

Slap Your Jandals On

That was a bit wittier in my head.

Jandals = Good Shoes = What this post is about.
Funny, right?
A little?

Summerbrain says "Quit reading this blog to assess the words and chill to this album with some Bundaberg Peachee and the faint sound of Twenty20 cricket".

Okay Summerbrain!

Good Shoes streaming their new album No Hope, No Future on myspace currently.

Also gave away this track for newsletter subscribez.

Good Shoes - Under Control

OhTheySoBrit.

Are You Indoors?

This is not really a big deal.

You're not going to find the ground broken.

NOWAY!

I'm just trying to say,

The sun is out.

People are about.

Smells like barbecue, sounds like lawnmowers.

You can do whatever you want to do.