The JangleBox wish you… A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

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The JangleBox os desea que tengáis un gran año y que todos vuestros deseos u objetivos se cumplan, de una manera u otra. En TJB al menos lo intentamos…

Globalidad – PORTUGAL. THE MAN (Atlantic, 2017)

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Si hay algún lugar fronterizo entre esa música bailable que mezcla lo auténtico y cool y esa delicada barrera que lo separa del petardeo y de las concesiones más comerciales; ese lugar lo ocuparía una banda como Portugal. The Man, un combo que se ha especializado en esa mezcla de elementos a los que hacíamos referencia y que, en cualquier caso, les ha alzado hacia cotas que rozan la globalidad.

“Portugal. The Man are a clever lot; the major-label indie rockers are no strangers to well-conceived mischief, whether it’s in videos, on-stage antics, or subtly hidden subversions in song lyrics. None of this will come across as blatantly as it does on Woodstock, the band’s eighth studio album and first in four years. Woodstock was actually recorded twice; with producer Mike D and a lot of time, they cut enough material for a double album, then chucked it all, starting again with only fragments from the early sessions. The title was inspired by frontman John Gourley‘s dad’s first-day ticket stub from the Woodstock festival, so much so that set opener “Number One” is electronically enhanced indie dance-psych that samples Richie Havens‘ “Freedom” from the Woodstock festival’s soundtrack in the intro. Guest vocalist Son Little takes his tune and interweaves it with the band’s contrasting melody and lyrics. On this set, Portugal. The Man continue to work with Mike D. but also with Danger Mouse andJohn Hill. They enlisted no less than nine engineers and more than 20 guest musicians and singers, and Woodstock sounds like it. It’s an enormous-sounding, splashy album.
While the recording contains the band’s hyperkinetic, sometimes frantic tapestry of sounds from neo-psych to glam and indie (in places), they’ve upped their “commercial” ante considerably as evidenced by single “Feel It Still,” which has a punchy, fingerpopping rhythm worthy of both Pharrell Williams andMark Ronson, complete with bumping brass, crisp snares, and Gourley‘s falsetto. The irony of such an overt pop single isn’t lost on the band: They’ve printed T-shirts that read “I was into Portugal. The Man before they sold out.” The pop approach is subversive but you’ll need to get to the various song’s lyrics to discover it. (No spoilers.) Check the nocturnal loop and groove of “Easy Tiger” that weaves traces of glam and multi-layered psych into its dubby, club-floor stomp. While “Keep On” contains ghost traces of the band’s indie past, it’s more influenced by alternative R&B and still rocks. The Pharcyde‘s Fatlip guests on the wonderful, snare/hi-hat/acid-tinged zaniness that is “Mr. Lonely,” while the hip-hop drums and Hill‘s multi-layered, Brian Wilson-esque swooping vocal and backmasked Baroque psych production on “Tidal Wave” are infectious. Closer “Noise Pollution” offers an upfront vocal mix with Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Zoe Manville adding a prominent vocal chorus into the meld of psychedelic pop, hip-hop, and dancefloor tropes in a dense production by Mike D. It’ll be interesting to observe how P.TM‘s longtime fans react to Woodstock, or if it will even matter. They’ll certainly retain enough of their base to chart, but the bet is, given how accessible and attractive (and yes, derivative) their loopy brand of pop is, they’ll attract an entirely new crop of fans to compensate. Pump your fist, be “a rebel just for kicks now,” and most of all, dance like your life depended on it. As far as P.TM is concerned, it does” (All Music)

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Gelidez – DUCKTAILS: Jersey Devil (New Image Limited, 2017)

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El que comenzó como el proyecto paralelo de Matt Mondanile se ha convertido, con el tiempo, en el grupo principal de la que fuera la mitad creativa y sonora de Real Estate. Aunque parece que el Jangle y el sonido cálido de los Estate se lo han apropiado definitivamente para sí.
Jersey Devil es un disco frío, demasiado adulto, en el que se aleja parece que conscientemente de las influencias mencionadas, para adentrarse en sonidos aseados que más tienen que ver con Steely Dan que con el Jangle-Pop (las capas de sintetizadores y baterías programadas son altamente empalagosas). Un paso -supongo- que lo alejará del radar de muchos de los seguidores de Real Estate (como quien escribe), que seguimos disfrutando de las canciones ahora firmadas en su mayor parte por Martin Courtney.

“Jersey Devil is Matt Mondanile‘s sixth LP as Ducktails but notably his first since leaving his post as founding lead guitarist of Real Estate following touring for their third album, Atlas. Along with frontmanMartin Courtney, much of that band’s sunshiny, prism-like guitar sound certainly can be attributed toMondanile given that, even with its more fragmented, lo-fi disposition, Ducktails has it, too. At the same time that it moves the moniker out from under the “side project” label, Jersey Devil marks a return of sorts for Mondanile — both physically and, to a lesser degree, musically. He began writing and recording the album in his Los Angeles studio space before relocating to his hometown of Ridgewood, New Jersey, where he finished it in his mother’s basement. The resulting tracks take on a slightly more ramshackle demeanor than his prior two albums (The Flower Lane and St. Catherine), while, for the most part, maintaining their full-band posture. To that end, collaborators here include, among others, co-producer John Anderson (Girls, Nick Waterhouse), drummer John da Costa, andParasol bass player Chi Yoon Hae, who flew in from South Korea for sessions. Representative results include “In the Hallway,” with its familiar guitar eddies of glimmering complex chords and conversational-type vocals, and the synth poppier “Keeper of the Garden,” which still settles into contemplative, soft-focus verses. While not his most consistent crop of songs, light brushes withSteely Dan-like jazz-rock and bolder synths add flavor to a still distinctive sound that’s likely to be welcomed by fans” (All Music)

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Night Animation – PANDA RIOT: Infinity Maps (Vinyl Junkie, 2017)

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Más allá de lo extraño de encontrarse con una propuesta tan arriesgada de dieciocho temas (los que conforman este Infinity Maps), la música de PANDA RIOT ha crecido en madurez y en calidad. Lo que comenzó como un proyecto cinemático se ha convertido en toda una banda consolidada, con raíces evidentes en el panorama Shoegazer noventero pero que los de Illionois han sabido llevar a su terreno y convertirlo en un sonido arrebatadoramente Dream pero con las dosis adecuadas del Fuzz-Pop de unos Ride de sus tiempos de Leave all them behind, y de los ritmos programados a los que tanto nos aficionamos en la segunda década prodigiosa del Pop. Todo un descubrimiento para quienes aún no les conozcáis.

“Waves of raging melodious turbulence swirl into earshot as droning guitar squall gives way to shimmering vocalisations and squealing feedback. ‘Aphelion’ bubbles precariously on a bedrock of impressive percussion, noisy guitars and humming bass frequencies peppered at times by subtle swells of synth, wavy reverberations and broken up by magnificent breaks filled with soaring vocal lines. Up next, ‘Helios (June 20th)’ swirls into audible range trapped in cloud of shoegaze infused dream pop as it’s beautifully serine vocal lines bounce and whirr on layers of tremulous reverb drenched guitar progressions whilst ‘Latitudes’ pulses on sequenced electronics and churning instrumental drones before fading out through wavy vocal samples and impressive production theatrics. ‘Ghosting’ unfurls its sonic tendrils stuck fast to a plinking synth progression before careering headlong into a brutish wall of hazy guitars & plodding bass, sweeping synth swells and metronomic percussion all collectively enveloping that soaring vocal track before ‘Chimera’ explodes into a haze of atmospherics as it’s cinematic leanings are brought to bare tumbling effortlessly in a cyclonic ball filled with fizzing synths, lazy percussion, fuzzy guitars and its addictive backwards vocal lines.
Pounding drum patterns and soaring melodious guitars ride throbbing bass frequencies and sequenced bleeps as they circumnavigate beautifully serine vocalisations before ‘Double Dream’ explodes into a mesmerising finale swiftly followed by the tremulous opening guitar tones of ‘Arrows’ and it’s cascading bass lines, hypnotic drum patterns and those shimmering reverberations. Wavy instrumentation coupled with a serine piano progression and instantly refreshing vocal samples herald the arrival of the deliciously dreamy ‘Parachutes’ whilst the driving percussion of ‘Night Animation’ swirls delicately in a hazy modern dream pop vibe underscored at times with acres of reverberation, soaring layered guitars and shimmering vocalisations. The experimental leanings of‘Parallels’ wash over this listener as sparse drum patterns, humming bass frequencies and swooshing guitar drones circumnavigate that laid back vocal performance allowing moments of sonic abandonment to pierce the normally rigid song structures created by the band. The album swoons as ‘Infinity Maps’ undulates into audible range tumbling effortlessly in a whirlwind of beautifully intense frequencies permeated by the hypnotic swing of the drums before the instrumental pause that is ‘Niagara’ pulses on swathes of comforting atmospheric synth and sequenced bleeps & whirrs.
‘New Colours’ oozes sonic brilliance as its captivating dream pop leanings bob and weave on layers of hazy guitar, steadying percussion, throbbing melodious bass lines and entrancing vocal lines. There are subtle moments of woozy shoegaze bubbling up at times throughout this track as lead guitar lines whip and cajole resonating frequencies, pushing them through layers of reverb and whammy bar theatrics. ‘Aurora Shift’ moves back into a more experimental patch as a bouncing bass line rides giddying sequenced percussion and swirling synth swells before the instrumental ‘Glass Cathedrals’ surges through layers of sticky delay, hazy reverb and turbulent drones. Up next, the brilliant ‘Gold Lines’ doffs it’s well worn cap to those early 90’s shoegaze stalwarts as it undulates into the ether on a tremulous wall of reverb hued guitars and steadying percussion. Addictive lead progressions pull another intense vocal performance out into the light accompanied by growling passages of soaring shoegaze and cascading bass frequencies. Possibly my favourite track on the entire release, ‘Gold Lines’doesn’t disappoint. The albums penultimate piece entitled ‘Otherside’ swoons into earshot on a beautifully intense wave of synth and droning guitar as metronomic percussion and a throbbing bass line announces a beautifully effervescent vocal take. The albums closes out on an infectious footing as tumbling vocals intertwine with backwards guitars and addictive production as ‘Magic Numbers’ bookends a fascinating collection of tracks. 
Panda Riot never fail to impress me. Their grasp on what is relevant in this modern underground shoegaze & dream pop scene is as evident as ever on this new album. Collectively the quartet move effortlessly through passages of experimentation and ambient exploration whilst keeping a firm grip on their core D.I.Y values, drawing on slivers of wide ranging influence to create magnificent modern sounding standalone pieces alongside their well crafted early 90’s inspired soundtracks that keeps them consistently relevant in todays ever evolving scene. Some folks might find that eighteen tracks is a chore to get through in one sitting but I can guarantee that each one will captivate and hypnotise both old and new fans alike” (Primal Music Blog)

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The JANGLE-BELLS wish you…

MERRY CHRISTMAS !! 

Autumn Sunglasses – ROBYN HITCHCOCK: Robyn Hitchcock (Yep Roc, 2017)

¿Qué decir a estas alturas de Robyn Hitchcock? Robyn Hitchcock (encima se permite ponerle su nombre a su enésimo álbum), lo grabó con Brendan Benson, y es toda una oda al atrevimiento musical, un disco honesto y rotundo, en el que se mezclan Power-Pop con Psicodelia e incluso con Country. Me rindo ante la osadía de todo un veterano como Robyn.

“Eponymous albums usually herald a debut or a stylistic sea change. Robyn Hitchcock‘s 22nd studio LP is neither, but it embraces elements of both. Recorded in Nashville with pop sorcerer Brendan Benson, it’s a distillation of the 64-year-old surrealist’s entire career, and easily his most vibrant collection of new music since the early 1990s — his last outing, 2014’s Man Upstairs, saw Hitchcockdelivering an enjoyable, yet relatively amorphous set of half-covers/half-originals under the tutelage of the great Joe Boyd. The obvious reference points here are Underwater Moonlight-era Soft Boys and early solo outings like Element of Light and Black Snake Diamond Role, but there are more than a few tips of the hat to his time on A&M in the late ’80s — lead single “I Want to Tell You About What I Want” wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Globe of Frogs or Queen Elvis. Always an underrated and inventive guitar player, Benson gives Hitchcock plenty of room to flex his six-string muscles, and he digs into psych rock/jangle pop confections like “Virginia Woolf,” “Detective Mindhorn,” “Time Coast,” and “Mad Shelley’s Letterbox” with the fleet-fingered, double-tracked glee of a man who just rediscovered Revolver. Hitchcock‘s adopted hometown of Nashville looms large on the Grant-Lee Phillips-assisted, pseudo-honky tonk number “I Pray When I’m Drunk,” and Russ Pahl‘s weepy pedal steel paints golden sunsets over the lovely “Sayonara Judge” and the equally breezy “1970 in Aspic,” but as Hitchcock states in his typically verbose liner notes, his songs are “English myths, seen from abroad.” Nowhere is that more apparent than on “Raymond of the Wires,” a eulogy for his novelist, screenwriter, and cartoonist father, and an elliptical, psych-pop mini-masterpiece that skillfully wields both nostalgia and wonder. No longer the hyper-prolific, Byzantine food-, sex-, and death-obsessedSyd Barrett-phile of old — well, maybe just a little bit — Hitchcock has settled into a sort of seasoned eccentricity, and this economical, late career gem proves that he’s still got plenty of Madcap Laughsleft in the hopper” (All Music)

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Delicias Aussies – MAJOR LEAGUES: Good Love (Popfrenzy Records, 2017)

“Just like music can take you away to another world, Major Leagues does the same with their new album “Good Love.” Every song contributes in creating a magical dreamland full of soft guitar melodies and smooth vocals. Forget about sleeping – you can have the best of dreams with Major Leagues right now.
“Good Love” stands out immensely with its ability to make you feel nostalgic with each single on the record. Instead of having a combination of different sounds throughout the album, Major Leagues write their own chapters of a dreamy, flowing story.
Just like music can take you away to another world, Major Leagues does the same with their new album “Good Love.” Every song contributes in creating a magical dreamland full of soft guitar melodies and smooth vocals. Forget about sleeping – you can have the best of dreams with Major Leagues right now.
“Good Love” stands out immensely with its ability to make you feel nostalgic with each single on the record. Instead of having a combination of different sounds throughout the album, Major Leagues write their own chapters of a dreamy, flowing story.
The album starts with “Swimming Out,” which contains a gentle, whimsical vibe that makes you want to drive down the coast with the windows down. With a sound similar to Tegan and Sara, Major Leagues makes your heart feel genuinely safe with its controlled melodies and compelling sounds.
The single “Good Love” is a stand-out in the album, starting with a high, catchy guitar riff. The hushed vocals are hypnotic, taking listeners back to their own good times. Whether those good times are falling in love or just embracing life, Major Leagues shares those moments with you.
“Holiday” is just another example of the days full of all sunshines and smiles. The melody is upbeat and exciting, yet lyrics are almost tragic with “Give me one more chance / I ruined it again.” Although the sound makes listeners feel soothed, the words perfectly depict reality.
Major Leagues has gotten it right – life is full of joys, but it is also full of deep struggles and pains. Each song is nostalgic and beautifully dreamy, but the band’s music contains an underlying tone of harsh reality. Major Leagues isn’t trying to sugar coat these struggles, but rather seeks to bring joy of them instead. Maybe we should take a piece of advice from Major Leagues and do the same as well” (Indie Band Guru)

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Engendros del Mal – TRAVESTI AFGANO: Nos vale madre (Mama Vynila, 2017)

“En este diluvio de bandas gallegas que nos ha tocado vivir, Travesti Afgano se sitúan, por decisión propia, a un margen.
Sí, están conectados a todo el mundo: al Liceo Mutante, a la Nave 1839, a Santi Zubizarreta, al extinto colectivo Discos Porno, a Roberta Vázquez, a Prenom, a Pantera e Iribarne y hasta a tu prima. Pero van por libre. MUY por libre. Y ya solo ese motivo les hace grandes, enormes.
Hay unas cuantas razones más. “Nos vale madre” es el segundo LP de esta deslocalizadísima banda cuyo cuartel general está en un galpón en Lérez, en la cima de unas escaleras de obra sin rematar, a unos minutos de coche de Pontevedra.
Segundo y muy sudado LP desde su formación en 2012, Travesti pelean su travesía a contracorriente, como una trucha, como un rapero en el gueto cantando sobre sus billetes, como un aspirante a púgil de extrarradio, o mejor aún: como un aspirante a púgil de Lérez. No van a ceder ni un milímetro: eso es lo que quieren hacer, y eso es exactamente lo que están haciendo. Y se pasan por el forro absolutamente todo lo demás.
Con “Nos vale madre” Travesti reiteran su propio camino, suyo y de nadie más.
Han editado el disco con una aportación económica propia, de Mama Vynila, Pelgar, Discos Anormales, Producciones Esporádicas y una droguería de Portonovo, La Camelia.
Se desmarcan incluso un poco de sí mismos: aunque los ritmos post-punk y el Farfisa siguen firmes en su bastión, las voces son cada vez más agresivas y melódicas (como en “Tiqui Traca”, clásico inmediato del pop español, sin ser nada de todo eso) y más experimentales (“Nuevo Mandela”).
Las guitarras son más gruesas y descacharradas, llenando la grabación de ruidos que los sitúan más cerca de Ginferno o Fabuloso Combo Espectro que de ninguna banda contemporánea de su alrededor.
Las suntuosas baterías cobran por fin protagonismo en la composición.
Más introspectivos de lo acostumbrado, les guste o no, en “Nos vale madre” Travesti suenan cada vez más como una banda de indie-noise de cuando el indie-noise molaba, como Six Finger Satellite o Man or Astroman.
El reverb lo empapa todo de un eco misterioso y melancólico que te arrastra por los primeros Stranglers y otros tiempos muy lejanos antes de escupirte sobre su propia visión de Pete Shelley.
En estos trece temas Travesti Afgano deciden incluir una letra en gallego (“Non”), otra en ¿vasco? (“Humberto Anido”) y más referencias al poder y la autoridad que nunca: Feijoo, Obama, los Borbones, nazismo por aquí y por allá, o, de alguna manera más o menos indirecta, Nicolás II. Por supuesto también hablan de sí mismos, y de sus compadres, y de su equipo de fútbol. Y de Galicia, varias veces. Travesti Afgano se saben protagonistas de su propio mundo: lo quieren ser y lo son.
“Nos vale madre” incluye además dos versiones (de Country Teasers y Angry Samoans), una poderosa instrumental con guiño (“Mars or Astromars”), y un excepcional total de ¡dos! canciones de temática sexual-amorosa. Bravo.
Hay incluso un par de saxofones (“Sangre por sangre”, “Bolchevismo”, a crédito de Manu G. Sanz) que harían al mismísimo James Chance caer de rodillas y rogar entre lágrimas que 1979 nunca hubiese acabado.
Como la propia banda firma en las notas del insert, “Nos vale madre” es una especie de venganza.
Aunque ha pasado poco más del canónico año desde “Jefes de Julais” (2015), Travesti Afgano contaban con que nadie, obviamente
ningún supervillano, tendría previsto este disco. Y lo lanzan como una estrella voladora, o quizá como un frisbee, hacia tu cara. Un frisbee con la cara de Mark E. Smith, por supuesto. (Sara Roca” (Nota de prensa)

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Varieties – (SANDY) ALEX G: Rocket (Domino Recording, 2017)

Si hay algo que caracteriza a la música y al sonido de Alex G es su varidad y un cierto toque de eclecticismo. El chico es capaz de navegar desde el Folk-Pop a los aires country o los sonidos más electrónicos pasando por el jazz o el post-grunge. Todo un bello cóctel de emociones y sonidos de entre los cuales seguro que habrá alguno que te guste.

“Rocket is Philadelphia-based artist Alex G’s eighth full-length release—an assured statement that follows a slate of humble masterpieces, many of them self-recorded and self-released, stretching from 2010’s RACE to his 2015 Domino debut, Beach Music.
Amid the Rocket recording process, Alex made headlines for catching the attention of Frank Ocean, who asked him to play guitar on his two 2016 albums, Endless and Blonde. More than any stylistic cues, what Alex took from the experience was a newfound confidence in collaboration. Rocket wears this collaborative spirit proudly, and in its numerous contributors presents a restless sense of musical experimentation – effortlessly jumping from distorted sound collage to dreamy folk music to bouncing Americana.
Rocket illustrates a cohesive vision of contemporary American experience; the cast of characters that Alex G inhabits have fun, fall in love, develop obsessions, get in trouble, and—much like rockets themselves—ultimately they burn out. Alex, though, in a collection of songs that’s both his tightest and most adventurous, is poised only for the ascent” (Press Note)

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Good Feelings – THE FEELIES: In between (Bar None Records, 2017)

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Que en tiempos como los que corren todos unos veteranos como THE FEELIES editen un disco como In Between y le sople en las narices a cantidad de grupos Indies debería dejar mucho a pensar a bastantes mentes del Pop actual.
Madurez, estilo, fuerza, y lo que es mejor: canciones con mayúsculas. Grabado en casa, con la frescura más propia del mejor LoFi, THE FEELIES son una banda que saben con lo que se manejan: lo mismo tiran del mejor Pop (In between, Turn back time) que del Indie de guitarras (Gone, gone, gone; Stay the course, Flag days, Pass the time), del ambiente más acústico (Make it clear, When to go) o del Fuzz más descarnado como en la monumental y psicodélica In between Reprise.
Un álbum que suena absolutamente vivo, que mantiene a los de New Jersey en ese primer plano del Indie en el que se han movido durante estas ¡cuatro! décadas.

“In Between, the Feelies‘ sixth album, opens with the sound of a campfire and crickets, and if that is meant to suggest this is the work of happy campers throwing a hootenanny, well, that’s truer than one might imagine. The Feelies usually make music that’s propelled by a relentless nervous energy generated by catchy, minimalist melodies and layers of hyperactive percussion, but 2017’s In Betweendials back a bit on the tempos as well as the electric guitars. Melodically, this is instantly recognizable as the Feelies, but not the coffee-fueled rave-ups of 1980’s Crazy Rhythms or 1991’s Time for a Witness. Instead, this recalls the more pastoral feel of 1986’s The Good Earth, and if anything, this album is a considerably quieter and restrained effort than that. The Feelies sounded strong and full-bodied on their 2011 comeback, Here Before, but by this group’s standards, In Between sounds and feels relaxed, less eager to force a groove and more willing to let the songs go where they will. But in the great tradition of the third Velvet Underground album, relative quiet and restraint don’t equal a lack of focus and commitment, and on their own terms, these songs are moody but absorbing, subtle in their attack but full of a haunting sort of beauty that the Feelies‘ more robust recordings don’t always catch. The interlocking guitars of Glenn Mercer and Bill Million are still outstanding, the percussion team of Stanley Demeski and Dave Weckerman hold down the rhythms with a singular feel, andBrenda Sauter‘s warm but rock-solid bass holds it all together beautifully. And if this indulges the more easygoing side of the Feelies most of the time, the wiry “Gone Gone Gone” and big-guitar reprise of “In Between” (complete with “I Wanna Be Your Dog”-style piano) will satisfy fans who want to hear this band rock out. In Between is usually quiet, but it’s never cautious; this is very much the work of one of America’s best and most venerable independent bands, and it confirms the Feelies are still a genuine creative force as they approach their 40th anniversary” (All Music)

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Sombras y abismos – BLACANOVA: El abismo (El Genio Equivocado, Single, 2017)

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Latidos y pulsiones Shoegazers en el último avance de Blacanova: “El Abismo, nuevo adelanto del LP La Cabeza, que será editado por El Genio Equivocado en enero de 2018″ (El Genio Equivocado)

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Épica y Honestidad – THE NATIONAL: Sleep well beast (4AD, 2017)

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Tras cuatro años de letargo, la “bestia” se despierta de nuevo para comprobar que se han convertido en un fenómeno Indie, en un grupo respetado y cabeza de cartel de festivales veraniegos. Recopilan historias, hablan sobre sus crisis, la situación mundial y de sus miles de historias y nos presentan un álbum como Sleep well beast, en el que los de Ohio sacan su mejor repertorio y nos ofrecen esa honestidad brutal, esa belleza sencilla y pura aderezada con ligeros adornos de instrumentos menos relacionables con su sonido. Un disco más en el que THE NATIONAL marcan el territorio de la honestidad.

“The National never seem in a hurry to reach their destination, but there’s a sense of quiet urgency onSleep Well Beast, their seventh album. Much of that momentum arrives in arrangements that generally tend to eschew the grayscale of its 2013 predecessor, Trouble Will Find Me, a record that felt sculpted so that each element was elegantly interlocked. Comparatively, Sleep Well Beast draws attention to itself through the occasional squall of noise (“The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”) and rushed tempo (“Turtleneck”), but also through an expanded sonic palette. Electronics are used for texture and shade, vocal harmonies glide through the mix, pianos anchor a couple of tunes — all subtle gradients within the National’s recognizable formula, but they’re enough to give Sleep Well Beast a distinct character. Such a shift may not be startling, particularly since it takes a while for album opener “Nobody Else Will Be There” to fade into view, but by the time the murmuring title track evaporates, it’s evident that Sleep Well Beast offers a journey with satisfying detours. This is a welcome departure (and perhaps necessary complement) to Trouble Will Find Me, which celebrated its finely manicured stillness. While Sleep Well Beast offers more than its fair share of hushed moments — the National design their music to be lean-in listening, requiring an investment from their audience not only so that the lyrics can be deciphered, but so the subdued shifts in emphasis seem dynamic — this familiar signature seems enhanced by the fact that these soft, slow songs are surrounded by cuts where the darkness opens up slightly but significantly. It’s enough to make Sleep Well Beast feel like a dramatic departure in the close quarters of the National’s discography” (All Music)

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Espectros – LOST FILM: Broken spectre (Discos de Kirlian, The Native Sound, 2017)

Ecos, ecos cual espectros musicales. Rastros sonoros de bandas de Sarah Records, del C86, del Pop Británico de los noventa… Todo ello resumido en este segundo trabajo de LOST FILM, el proyecto de Jim Hewitt.

“Lost Film began as the minimalist pop project of Jimmy Hewitt in Easthampton, MA in 2014. Having just moved away from Boston after spending several years playing under the moniker Orca Orca, Hewitt adjusted back to small town life by focusing on writing straight-forward, layered pop songs. Mixed with an equal adoration of Sarah Records of the late 80’s and Pacific Northwest bands of the early 2000’s, Lost Film released their debut full-length Imago in 2015 followed quickly by the 4 song EP Temporary in 2016; both seeing praise from the likes of Noisey, DIY Mag, and GoldFlakePaint.
Broken Spectre, the new 8 track mini LP and easily the most ambitious effort from Lost Film both sonically and lyrically, sees the guitar pop band explore wider themes and fuller instrumentation than their minimalist dream pop past. Recorded in the comforts of their own home in Easthampton, MA with additional mixing at Big Nice studios in Rhode Island, their signature bright, jangly, C86 hooks remain but the melody driven songs are now bigger and more mature. Here we see lead songwriter Jimmy Hewitt touch on consumerism, nationalism, and addiction; turning his views on Broken Spectre outward rather than inward” (Press Note)

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ElectroPop – CORNERSHOP: Demon is a monster (Single, Ample Play Records, 2017)

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CORNERSHOP han derivado hacia la experimentación más Electropop en estos últimos tiempos…
‘Demon is a Monster’ a new theme tune for the anti-Brexit Remainiacs podcast, created by Cornershop. A slab of electro.

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Encendiendo el Árbol – THE BOY LEAST LIKELY TO: A winter´s tale (Single, 2017)

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Jof Owen y Peter Hobbs parece que tienen la tecla del Pop melancólico al alcance de sus manos, añadiéndole además ese toque Country que se le ha quedado al sonido de Jof. Llevan tiempo sin publicar nada como dúo, pero vaya canción más bonita este A Winter´s Tale. Os juro que me dan ganas de montar un árbol de Navidad con sus lucecicas y todo…

“We hope you like it. We’re playing The Waiting Room in London on December 12th to celebrate”

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Escribiendo Fanzines – PUZZLES Y DRAGONES: Vuelven Puzzles y Dragones (Discos de Kirlian, 2017)

Pop con letras mayúsculas, amateurismo buscado y cierto tono naif que los emparenta con la producción neozelandesa discípula de Sarah Records.

“Puzzles y Dragones son el grupo de pop perfecto pero, como todo lo bueno, se hacen esperar. Y es que han pasado cuatro años desde su primera y única referencia porque ellos, a su aire, desde un amateurismo ajeno a las modas, han estado rebuscando sin prisa en el legado de aquellos que más veneran -como los grupos de Sarah o Cloudberry Records- o revisando las canciones de Los Secretos u otros tantos de los 80, a los que siempre han reivindicado en pos de la canción pop ideal.
Las canciones de Puzzles y Dragones son tan inocentes como puras porque para ellos la honestidad está por encima de todo, y por ello se alejan de la ironía imperante. Puzzles y Dragones son un grupo de punk hablando de amor; un fanzine musicado sobre la juventud crónica y la amistad.
Imitando a sus ídolos pero también dando gran importancia al modo de entender la gestión de su música y al sentido de pertenencia a una comunidad, los Puzzles se han convertido en un referente de militancia indie y de devoción por el pop más bello” (La Fonoteca)

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Inanidad (II) – LAS ROBERTAS: Waves of the new (Buen Día Records, 2017)

#TheJangleBox #NovedadesTheJangleBox #DescubreTheJangleBox

No sé qué me pasa siempre con LAS ROBERTAS. A menudo he intentado escuchar sus discos, pero siempre tengo que dejarlo a las pocas canciones. Quizás sea que abusen demasiado de sus patrones, quizás sea su monocordia sonora, lo cierto es que no suelo acabarlos. Waves of the New no ha sido menos, y reconozco que aunque tiene un comienzo esperanzador, conforme pasan las canciones, se me hacen más y más monótonas. Las chicas se mueven a gusto en el Pop-Fuzz de guitarras y no lo hacen mal, son desenvueltas, pero a sus temas les falta algo. Esa garra que sí tienen otro tipo de bandas que facturan un sonido semejante.

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