When The xx won the Mercury Prize in 2010, the UK knew they had a winner. When “Shelter” became a pivotal track to feature on mixed CDs everywhere, there was a real sense that an alternative and edgy group had propelled into the highly recognizable.

I think the next one is about to emerge. Resonating a soulful and ethereal sound, Woman’s Hour may sound like a feminist lecture run by Germaine Greer, but they are so much more than that. It’s displayed in their debut offering “Jenni” and “Human”. The two tracks go together effortlessly with assured finesse. The tracks were recorded in Leeds by Wild Beasts producer Richard Formby.

Jenni / Human is a very stripped-down combination that grows qwith pace, but never enough for it to lose its powerful grip — or the intoxicating rush of subdued ambient electronica it initially presents. “Human” has definite similarities to Warpaint. “Jenni” is vibrant and attention grabbing, but not in an outwardly distracting way. It’s non-intrusive, yet memorable. The catchy riff sticks in your head long after the three minutes you spent tapping your foot, nodding your head, and embracing the instantly accessible hooks. The only female in the band, Fiona Jane, has a real luscious and rich tone to her voice. Smooth like caramel.

RIYL: Vampire Weekend, Martina Topley-Bird, St. Vincent, Portishead, Jens Lekman, The xx, Explorers Club, Wild Beasts, Kate Bush, Massive Attack, Warpaint

Woman’s Hour – Jenni

Woman’s Hour – Human

Dirty Bingo Records

The post Woman’s Hour appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

It is getting to that point where serious consideration for the year-end feature must be done. This year’s top 20 or so is relatively easy for me to make; there are so many quality albums that could fit. It is the actual ordering of them that becomes tricky though. November is essentially the last month where submissions for 2010 albums are made, as 2011 releases begin to surface most abundantly by next month. As far as the final stretch goes, it should be just as satisfying as the rest of the year, which has been arguably the best since this site formed in 2006. For this month’s compilation, long-awaited albums by Avey Tare, Magenta Skycode, and Sufjan Stevens lived up to expectations. Others like Warpaint, Grimes, and Ben Talmi continue to further their recognition with excellent showings, while brand new acts like John Nagle and Status Green are jump-starting their careers with great material. This past month was a diverse showing of artists at different points in careers. They all maintain outstanding standards of quality, and whether or not stylistic differences – like the chilly electronica of Grimes or the flourishing indie-pop of Magenta Skycode – floats your boat is part of the fun. Enjoy.

01. Warpaint – Bees (post)
02. Avey Tare – Oliver Twist (post)
03. Magenta Skycode – Night Falls on the Rifle (post)
04. Grimes – Crystal Ball (post)
05. Sufjan Stevens – Too Much (post)
06. Ben Talmi – Scales of a Fish in the Sky (post)
07. John Nagle – China Town (post)
08. Status Green – Denver After Dawn (post)
09. The Divine Comedy – Your Daddy’s Car (live) (post)
10. Jeremy Fisher – Come Fly Away (post)
11. Adam Haworth Stephens – The Cities That You’ve Burned (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (55.9 MB, .RAR)

The post Obscure Sound: Best of October 2010 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

I have no complaints about post-punk fetishism. If an artist justifies their attempts to replicate the dark, grumbling moodiness of bands like The Chameleons UK or Joy Division, then listeners are generally treated to polished songwriting that parallels styles arising from primitive psychedelic-rock. Post-punk, shoegaze, and indie-rock show frequent tributes to early forms of psychedelic-rock – like that of 13th Floor Elevators, The Beatles, and The Byrds – and often serve as a gateway for older listeners struggling to identify with modern indie-rock sensations in the vein of Phoenix or Vampire Weekend. Recent notables – like the post-punk of Twin Shadow, Tamaryn’s shoegaze, and Beach House’s mixture of both – find success among young and older listeners alike because their music offers some classic familiarities while staying faithful to the “indie-rock” tag that permits contemporary production techniques. An all-girl rock group from LA by the name of Warpaint looks to be joining that venerable list with their outstanding new album, The Fool.

The ethereal guitar tone fuzzy bass in the gripping “Undertow” resembles the spacey guitar work of artists like The Smashing Pumpkins or The Cure, particularly on respective albums like Siamese Dream or The Head on the Door. The increase in hi-hats around the 02:30 mark signals a snazzy twist, with the lethargic pacing of moody guitars transitioning to a quicker flurry of angular guitar chords. “Runnin’, runnin’, runnin’,” Emily Kokal repeats, “from the troubles.” The howl that complements the plea here is pretty spine-tingling, as is the percussively involved conclusion. Tracks like this and the fluttering arpeggio-led “Warpaint” remind me distinctively of Deerhunter, who produce an unrivaled blend of indie-rock and post-punk that does not confine itself to the stereotypes of either. Comparisons to Fleetwood Mac are not far off either.

The ambition of Deerhunter and Warpaint fit as well in alt-rock as they do in shoegaze or post-punk, and that is simply because both have an infinite grasp of psychedelic-rock concepts. The intricate layering of guitars, stop-start percussion patterns, and flashes of synth allow infectious hybrids to be bred that remain indebted to quality songwriting. The quality is enough to allow the existence of a subtle vocalist, who employs mood and pacing over ferocity and flexible pitch. It seems natural in a style like this, where the tonal resonation that houses the songwriting in question reigns supreme. This is one the main drawing points of The Fool, which certainly has something for everyone from the lush balladry of “Baby” to intricate rock efforts like the exceptional “Bees”.

“Bees” is an immediate standout on the album for its interesting percussion, which sets itself apart from the other efforts by opting for rhythm that sounds more sample-based than the organic presence of other efforts. This serves as a decoy though, and we see why during the chorus when a grumbling bass erupts over new drums that are more aligned with post-punk expectations, in being simplistic but aptly concise. A middle-eastern melodic theme is somewhat consistent throughout as well. The high-pitched guitar lick at the tail-end of each verse is reminiscent of the jangly guitar work of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo, two more influences that are clearly at play throughout The Fool. It is hard not to love the transition from high-pitched plucks to lower ones as the bass line becomes more boisterous over an eerie set of “dah-dah-dah”s from the variety of talented vocalists in Warpaint. There is alteration between Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman on the vocal front, but it hardly matters on who it is since both show mastery and similar tonal recognition.

“Shadows”, one of Wayman’s vocal offerings, works with a phased acoustic guitar to usher in a ghostly serene form of indie-folk. A little trickle of piano signals the bass-led tremolo and drum-line percussion as Wayman’s vocals soar with vigor familiar to fans of Hope Sandoval. “The things you once told me, the thoughts you once gave me,” jump-starts an excellent chorus featuring grainy piano chords and subsequent percussion that shows outstanding pace as usual. Wayman’s hollers and yelps that conclude the latter part of this track is also notable, as is the balmy bridge that leads to a chaotically brilliant final 45 seconds.

Moments like this comprise the bulk of The Fool, which will certainly be one of the most talked-about albums of the year by its end. There is little stylistic innovation here, but the sheer charisma and innovation of the band is extremely present. Simply put, their songwriting is a homage to post-punk and shoegaze without containing stylistically superfluous aspects that artistic admirers of these genres often fall victim to. There is absolutely no filler to speak of on The Fool, which is as sharp as any rock album of 2010. It is an album that is going to get absolutely gushing reviews once it reaches a broader audience. A free preview of The Fool on Hype Machine this week will not hurt those chances at all. Check it out below:

RIYL: Deerhunter, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, Twin Sister, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, Tamaryn, Beach House, Twin Shadow, Glasser, Blackbird Blackbird, Marissa Nadler, Beach Fossils, Zola Jesus 13th Floor Elevators, The Beatles, The Byrds

Warpaint – Bees

Warpaint – Undertow

Warpaint – Shadows

Official Site

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