New Music Monday #2



Kimbra, Mark Foster and A-Trak... oh my!



Warrior

by Kimbra, Mark Foster and A-Trak

There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to say this, because it seems now absolutely everyone is on the Kimbra love wagon, but is there anything she touches that isn’t awesome? Just when I’d started to put the Vows CD to the back of the pile, she announces a national Australian tour and I get all Kimbra-fied once more. Then, when I think, give it a rest, you’ll see her soon enough, she comes out with this and makes me love her all over again. This collaboration with Mark Foster (Foster The People) and A-Trak has been made as part of the Converse ‘Three Artists One Song’ series, which didn’t leave me with great hope before I heard it (isn’t this just a giant ad for Converse? Yes), but I’ll admit I was incredibly pleased and surprised upon first listen. Mostly written via email across various countries (parts of its melodies sung into a MacBook in an airport, then sent over the interwebs on its magical way) the track is great pop, catchy enough to get stuck in your mind for a day or two. The clip is a whole bunch of fun; lucha libre (who doesn’t love Mexican wrestling?), high kicks, leotards and of course, Converse, with Kimbra clearly the star taking the lead role. It’s so exciting to someone as awesome as Kimbra from this side of the planet taking on the world with this kind of talent. If she keeps up with this kind of thing, maybe she could take the It’s My Kind Of Scene 'Woman of the Year' Scene Award twice in a row?!? We’ll see…

Jo Michelmore gives 'Warrior' four Lady Gaga's out of five...

Battle In Me

by Garbage

Album: Not Your Kind of People (May 14, 2012)

To say I'm excited about the release of Garbage's fifth studio album, Not Your Kind of People, is a huge understatement. I've been a fan since the first time I saw the video for 'Stupid Girl' on rage many moons ago. I've been an uber-fan since the release of Version 2.0; an album that is a strong contender for my favourite of all-time. I've stuck by them during the underwhelming BeautifulGarbage (an underwhelming Garbage album is still better than 95% of music out there) and promoted the values of the underappreciated Bleed Like Me. When 'Blood For Poppies' was released as a teaser track for the album last month, I was impressed. Despite its resemblance to songs from their self-titled debut, the track still seems relevant today. Maybe that's just because Garbage was so ahead of their time in 1995. Maybe pop music has just caught up. Like I said, I was impressed when I heard 'Blood For Poppies,' but it didn't leave me practically salivating for the release of Not Your Kind of People. The second I heard the guitar heavy chorus in 'Battle In Me' I was pretty much frothing at the mouth. This track is the return to form for Garbage I've been waiting for since 'Androgyny' hit the airwaves in 2001. Alternative rock at its best, the sexiest vocals in the world, music that makes you want to dance, start a riot and scream out loud. The start/stop guitar in the chorus breathes new life into one of Garbage's most effective moments in the song 'Supervixen,' almost sounding like machine guns in Shirley Manson's war. There's still a month to go until the release of Not Your Kind of People and I have never been more excited for the release of an album in my life... and it's all because of 'Battle In Me.'



Matt Bond gives 'Battle In Me' five Bjork's out of five...

NEW MUSIC VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

Sixteen Saltines

by Jack White

Is this what would happen if kids ruled the world? Maybe a little bit, maybe not. This clip is weird and I like it. A muddled mess of images, some reality TV type images, some drama, a dance scene in the middle, a bit of violence and suggestions of anarchy in suburbia. Shot in a place called Springfield, outside Nashville, a lot of the cast were locals; kids the director AG Rojas found through street casting. Apparently told to just do whatever they wanted, he shot them running around, having fun and smashing up everything in their wake. It’s horrible and fantastic and matches the energy and intensity of the song with the final scene leaving you nervous and wanting more. This is one of those clips you can see being talked about and played over and over years from now. Cannot wait to see what the full album ‘Blunderbuss’ will sound like when it’s ‘officially’ released later this month.

Jo Michelmore gives the 'Sixteen Saltines' video four Kurt Cobain's out of five...