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Following their atmospheric and affecting show (also reviewed) Kria Brekkan, (aka Kristin Anna Valtýsdottir) and Ryan Erskine are nervously sitting around a large wooden table at Mono. Tucking into their vegan noodle-based meal, they react calmly as we exchange pleasantries. Despite their evidently warm and animated reception, the two give little indication of nervousness or stage-fright. In addition, following their laconic on-stage appearance, it seems their personalities are not so much enforced onstage charisma, but thoroughly genuine. Ryan speaks with a relaxing californian drawl, as Kristin speaks in a slightly more hurried, heavily accented, yet familiar and warm tone. Reading into the gig situation, it’s apparent that the advent of their collective music-making is almost sheer spontaneity. “We were offered to play this free gig for £50 muses Kristin, “but it’s worth it because I can show Ryan some of the greatest cities in Europe.” Interested, and a little shocked, by the nature and penniless tenacity of their travelling, I ask them of the origins of their latest project, most importantly, how did they meet and how did they begin making music together?

“Actually, the first day Kristin was in Joshua Tree, Ryan replies, I was behind one of the local downtown café, drumming with friends…”. Taking his cue, Kristin beckons for us to listen. “I listened to it behind the wall, I went to the café and kinda’ hid behind the wall to listen…kinda’ some primitive style was happening; chanting with drums. I had been invited to work on something called ‘Women Work’, a woman I know encouraging women who make music to create music.” She is, however, dismissive of any ‘feminist vibes’ of the project, emphasising individual interpretation. “She and I have noticed that women have a lot of talent, and a very personal relationship to the music”. she explains. “This lady had seen me performing here and there and wrote me giving me an ‘an assignment’ to write new music, which is why I ended up in Joshua Tree. I got some offers and decided to make a little trick. I stayed completely by myself in the desert for ten days. I met Ryan like, “Is there any music here!?”.

In a creative communicative nod, the two smile as they both explain that their music was very much a collaborative effort from the beginning. “We were two people thirsting after music, listening to CD’s in my car” explains Kristin, “and we jammed following Ryan’s performance on a radio show”. Suddenly, they both stop and turn to me, asking me to write down a ‘Victoria Williams’ as a reference. “A lovely old singer-songwriter lady in Palm Desert, I crashed at hers that night, Kristin beams. “She’s been touring around America for years, and she’s fantastic. Ryan interjects, telling us “I’ve been playing in a band with Victoria, Kristin was sleeping in her hammock…”. “We were playing at a place called Papa Harriet’s in Pioneer Town, and being in such close proximity, it was only natural that me and Kristin would begin to make music together.”

Keen to hear about what the two have been doing prior to their recent musical endeavours, I ask them both what artistic roving they’ve been executing. Ryan is immediate in emphasising his position as an artist in the most general form. “I feel like it’s good to have seeds planted in different areas to grow. Diversification.” Kristin delineates that she’s been working on “installation art, performance work, video work…for the last few years I haven’t been too much of a musician…My trip to Joshua Tree was approached more as a visual artist. Ryan insists that “any title we give to something limits it in a way. There has to be a context for the events of the making or recording of the music to exist in. The life of an artist…your whole life is your creative process.” What they’re both clear on is that they utilise “different channels with which we can express ourselves in”. Kristin in particular admits to “struggling to come terms with being a musician. For a while with I could not say that I was a musician. My art is just something that’s been put under different forms. Soundscaping, visual art etc…”. She then proceeds to turn off, gesturing wildly into the distance.

Kristin turns to Ryan. “When Ryan came over, there was just a really strong creative energy. We started making up things, singing…”. Upon my comments on the powerful, unified sounds emanating from their combined voices on the stage, Ryan is quick to point out that “vocals were always important. You could say our voices fell in love. I had dreamt of having a situation like this for years. I liked that. It’s because of this that we hung out together.” With this, as the two eagerly vie for eye-contact with one another, I take the opportunity to ask them both what’s been inspiring this initial burst of creativity. Ryan ponders; “A while back, I saw Albert Hammond. Not that his music is happening in 2014…but I do play more music than I listen to. Nonetheless, Albert Hammond’s music has been affecting me for a while now. I’ve always wanted to create the raw emotion of his songs. What I don’t do is attempt to create the specific sounds of artists. In addition, I’ve recently been listening to more electronic music. Strangely, I’ve been reading a book by an Icelandic writer called Halldór Laxness: Independent People. It’s up there with the greatest fiction I’ve read. I would say, in some way, that’s been an influence on me.” Kristin elaborates; “We’re bubbly people. We love singing. A lot of what I hear is what I hear on the radio. I’m also far too broke to buy records, recently…I’m not a ‘big discovering face’, but I am reading a book about John Cage. John Cage is an inspiring person for artists.” In a well timed and not entirely incongruous hand gesture, Ryan silences us all, interrupting and concluding talks with a definite semi-sarcastic, “What’s happening in 2014? We’re happening in 2014!”.

Explaining some vital elements of the local Glasgow area, both of them listen intently, regurgitating information and being instantly receptive of new information that befalls them. What’s most reinforced by this encounter is the sense of sincerity exuded by both Kristin and Ryan. As we share a beer by candlelight following their show, it’s remarkable how passionate they are about their art, in every form it takes. At every mention of past experiences and the possibility of new projects and new experiences, both musical and otherwise, Ryan and Kristin seem to tap into an almost-childlike ‘honesty’ with their work and with their conversation. Enthusiastic to the point where they interrupt each other almost constantly; the two have seemingly almost naturally arrived at a place where an evident romance between the two of them has reinforced a co-operative musical venture without supplanting it, giving rise to their intimate and fantastically dynamic live show. Based on personal experience, from where an artist can at times guilty of adopting a pretence, their sheer exuberance, depicted in their monetary losses from touring Europe and vivid enjoyment of performing, is a welcome relief from those who are perhaps less relieved to habituate the pleasures of creativity. It’s refreshing to see a (dare I say it) power couple so enamoured with making things, and I and the inyrarea team (all of whom were brightened by their performance) wish them the best of luck on their daring European touring escapades in future.

Ezra Furman, formerly of Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, creates straight up party rock. Half glamoured, surreal rockabilly, half Jesus and Mary Chain-esque saw-wave fuzz, his creations, adequately summed up on his latest album, September’s fantastic Day of the Dog, have the power to propel a room back to the musical outro of Back to the Future or churn up nightmares with his angsty, dragging blues-rock bombast. His show at Glasgow’s Broadcast was a highlight of his tour, as his fantastic opening act; the hyperactive, narcotic-tinged So So Glos pummelled the crowd with sing-along pop-punk madness. Furman’s follow-up; excellent, dynamic frontmanship, however was as multi-faceted as his music. At one part careering a wagon-wheel of a band around musical twists and turns, particularly furnaced by excellent saxophone parts, always frontal but never dominating. However something took me aback: the personal aspect of Ezra’s show. Whilst presenting his maniacal troupe of songs, his clinging to ancient artefacts such as his former Wendy’s shirt, providing him with his first real taste of US-company impersonality, seemed to give rise to something a little deeper and darker in Ezra’s psyche than his love for the rock ‘n’ roll of old. We had a few words with him to decipher exactly what makes him tick.

“So, What’s with the sunglasses you’ve been sporting all night?”

“It’s scary to look at people, standing still…I used to wear them a lot. Most shows I don’t wear them. It’s a little bit of theatre. I’m trying to uncover some sort of metaphor for sunglasses. I feel like they’ve become a symbolic object for me. I’ve got perfect vision, that’s why I’m fucking up my hearing.”

 I feel like [glasses] have become a symbolic object for me 

“What do you think of the cushion-y ceiling of the venue? (Broadcast, Glasgow)”

“I was punching it. I don’t know. I’m glad the cushion is there. I bet they had people crack their skulls on it”.

“What do you think of Glasgow?” “Lots of brilliant Glasgow’s bands. I really like Camera Obscura. Their last album came into my life at a really weird time.”

“Opinion of Las Vegas?”

“I fucking hate that place. I don’t wanna’ go there ever again. I’ve been there twice. Admittedly, I didn’t really do it the right way. I was thirteen years old and like ‘Oh God, this place is awful. What did Hunter Thompson? Las Vegas is what the Western world would be doing if Adolf Hitler won the war. That’s Hunter Thompson. Secondly, I visited there with a horrible cold and laid in bed whilst my flatmates went outside and drank, and I stayed in watching bad movies. It was ‘The Last Kiss’ or something. It’s not even ‘Garden State’. Maybe I can’t judge Las Vegas. The intensity of Capitalism is pretty scary.”

 Las Vegas is what the Western world would be doing if Adolf Hitler won the war 

“Do you enjoy playing on stage sober or under the influence?”

“Uh, I probably get drunk pretty often. I’m divided on that. My whole high school was pretty ridiculous. I didn’t drink until I was 22. The drinking laws are also kinda’ bullshit.”

“Favourite place in Massachusetts that isn’t Boston?”

“I don’t know. I love Boston. it’s like London, it’s all neighbourhoods. I never got to know that place as well as I used to. I’m actually from Chicago, and I’m living there now again. I’m always kinda’ jumping around. My favourite place to hit up was like…Garden Square. I liked gigging in Boston. Somerville was nice, Allston was nice. We played some good shows in both of them. I probably haven’t visited most. We’ll go with Somerville.”

“Do you think more songs should have saxophone in them?”

I don’t know. It’s kinda’ our thing, I hope nobody else steals it. That use to be the main thing before the guitar, and guitar solos became big in the late 50’s. Before then, all the junk bands had a saxophone in them.

“Who are you listening to at the moment?” First recommendation is ‘Krill’, a band from Boston. They’re kinda’ Whales-y. They are so fucking good. They’re hard to describe. They really remind me of the Pixies, honestly. They’re weird and also kinda’ frightening at times, and they’re ‘Modest Mouse’-y. Second band, that’s Tristen. She’s a singer from Chicago but she lives in Nashville. She made a killer album and nobody took notice and she had a record deal and they fucked her over. My favourite song is called ‘Gold Stock’. Tristen is the fucking shit. I toured with her a couple of times now, and she’s one of the best singers I’ve ever met in terms of singing and she writes amazing melodies. She slays me in every way possible.

“What’s been your favourite song to play on tour so far?”

That’s a tough one. I don’t know. I tend to like ‘Walk On In Darkness’. It gets weird, sounds a little dark. That was the first song that we recorded for the album. I didn’t even know there was gonna’ be an album. I was kinda’ surprised, I just had an idea that I was gonna’ record some songs with some saxophone and certain ‘interesting’ rhythms. That was like, ‘the birth of the record’. We just kinda’ banged it out. We basically played it ‘live’ in the studio. It turns the room an interesting colour.

“What happened with Wendy’s to make you brandish a Wendy’s shirt as your main item of clothing”?

“Wendy’s broke my heart. That’s all I’ll say. They stripped me of everything.”

Despite being part of the seemingly perpetual movement that moved polished twee—jangle indie pop from 60’s flower power to the specialty of short-trousered, beard-toting Pabst-drinkers, Real Estate were nonetheless one of the most talented, charismatic and sonically pleasing bands to come out of the early-mid noughties. Though Talking Backwards may not stray too far from familiar territory, its still a thoroughly pleasing and well meaning pop single.

Featuring Real Estate’s signature laconic surf-esque sound, Talking Backwards is endlessly nostalgic, as Stephen Courtney’s simultaneously lackadaisical and impassioned vocals are enclosed by the swirling, phased-out guitar licks of Matt Mondanile, who himself has been busy with his indie-celeb ticking pet-project, Ducktails. Mondanile himself knows how to make his simple guitar lines memorable, and like numerous songs on Days, arguably the most memorable part of the song is the instrumental break.

Likewise, lyrically, Talking Backwards covers familiar territory, as Courtney seemingly yearns for his lover who, partially due to the US being a bloody huge nation, is ‘too many miles away’. However, such distance is also apparently psychological as ‘talking for hours’ is akin to the ‘line still being engaged’. It’s a nice little spin on love and loss, and one that we can all ostensibly tie into.

However, when we combine all of these features, it seems that Real Estate haven’t really moved any of their material: Talking Backwards does at time feel like a replica of former singles like It’s Real. It at times feel like Real Estate have played this latest single, and possibly their upcoming album (Atlas), a little close to their chests at the sake of not rocking the boat. What Talking Backwards is however, is a damn decent pop song, a relaxed little number that does what it’s supposed to in a very short space of time. It’s jangly, feel-good pop that will make you simultaneously consoled, cheery and even yearn; just don’t expect too much of something radical or new.

Seemingly echoing Arcade Fire’s ‘Reflektor’s nihilist concept of a confounded and ineffective modern day society, Liars begin their latest track with talk of a “cast out culture”, where its narrator “can’t go long without assistance” amidst the repeated mantra that “facts are facts and fiction’s fiction”.

However despite the despondent lyricism, Liar’s latest single ‘Mess On A Mission’ is anything but grumpy or nihilistic in tone. Seemingly taking the dance-orientated Brats along a more absurd, bubblegum-y, Dan Deacon-esque route, Mess On A Mission is likeable and infinitely dancable, sounding like if Stereolab decided to whole-heartedly embrace techno. It’s completely unlike anything we saw on WIXIW, with the hyperactivity of acts like Battles mixed with droning falsetto vocals in its chorus. Its bizarre; like the Bee Gees and electroclash reflected through 2014’s seemingly sceptical eyes. But don’t let this fool you; despite its experimentation, Mess On A Mission is one of the catchiest debuts of the year so far and offers us an alternative glimpse into the unpredictable psyche of a band that promises much for the near future.

Inhabiting a space somewhere in between Daydream Nation and Led Zeppelin's 'Battle of Evermore', Feral Conservatives sound like if Thurston Moore's gingery noise-imbued locks were squeezed as fertiliser onto rural americana countryside. This is no bad thing. Comprised of Virginian multi-instrumentalists Rashie Rosenfarb and Matt Francis, Feral Conservatives have been making swathes with their folk-punk charm. They have labelled themselves as 'The sweetest intervention', a moniker akin to the feel of songs such as the opener of their latest album, Breaks and Mends. 'Control' is as good a pop song as any folk pop entrants, but its infused with a vibrancy and a harder, repetitive punk edge that owes a lot to more disparate influences and sets them apart from the raft of bands who are aiming for a jangle-punk drive. We caught up with them for an informative talk on just why they're so unique, as well as to find out both their future plans and what makes them tick.

The songs on your fantastic full-length 'Breaks and Mends' appear to be grounded in a love of both simple indie folk melodies of early R.E.M ilk and the punk ethos of bands like Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill etc, like on songs like 'Friends Bail Always' Is that the sound you strove for? How easy was it to obtain?

We'll take that as a compliment! We definitely draw a lot of inspiration from 80's college rock and 90's indie/alternative--R.E.M., the Replacements, Superchunk, the Cranberries, Belly. I think a lot of it sort of permeates the writing by osmosis more than a conscious effort. Or, see, I'll try to write a song that sounds like Archers of Loaf meets Wilco and it'll come off like something completely differently, something not nearly as competent but it'll maybe retain some charms (hopefully). Plus, just general sounds--guitar tones, or drum structures--are copped from those eras since we're drawn to it anyway, in that let's color our sound with the golden hues from our own nostalgia kind of way. And there were better girl bands then--great voices and unique voices that still held a really powerful band/grunge dynamic. That's a mould we just naturally fit into, so we'd be remiss not to follow the ones who do it so well beforehand. There was this really cool mix of beauty and melancholy from "left of the dial" radio that intrigues us.

What made you decide to make music of this calibre, emphasising the folkier textures present from the Mandolin?

That was definitely more incidental. We stumbled upon it, really. We were playing in a more traditional rock 3-piece (Matt on drums, Rashie on bass) and Rashie was writing songs on the mandolin she was learning to play. We started a side project that was going to be more rootsy/folk-flavored--like if Joni Mitchell and Frank Turner had a love child. The other band dissolved of its own accord, so we injected that rock and roll grit into what we already had and it evolved from there. Playing live informs our sound as well--since live we're basically a garage band playing folk instruments, with this sort of strained and noisy/bare bones approach that encourages simplicity & melody & chemistry over production and technical intricacy.

What were the influences upon you both? Not just on the lines of bands, music, but textures, feelings etc? Were there any experiences which impacted upon your writing?

A lot of the songs on record sprung from relational hardships--but more so platonic or familial. We had a rough year. I think overall we're more intrigued by the pain and darkness--not really in a depressing way, but in it's more interesting to write from. Heartache is more intriguing that contentedness in love because heartache inspires change, searching, yearning and subverting. But happiness--being complacent--is static and, while a better emotional state obviously, isn't as artistically compelling. Specific experiences that happened for us: well, for one, Matt had a business dissolve and in the process lost his best friend from college. We left a church. We fell in love. Rashie's mom had to step out for a while. We learned how to play songs by the Replacements, Maurice Williams &The Zodiacs, and The Outfield and rearranged the chords into our own songs.

How successful have you been in establishing yourself in the vibrant east-coast Indie-Rock scene?

We were a D-level band, and this past year we've worked ourselves up to possibly C-level. Touring's helped us see some new faces and kind of plant our flag in different markets, and I guess slow and steady is the nature of the game here. We've also met a lot of really cool and helpful bands along the way, so we're networking on both sides.

Your songs, such as 'Haven't Given Up', have a rich variety of instrumentation and effects, How well do you feel the songs you've penned have translated live, and how easy has it been?

I think--and I hope--they translate live because underneath any production flourishes, there are good, solid songs, we feel. We think that's the true test--in how does it stand in it's barest form? Do we still get feet tapping with just a drum kit and an over-driven mandolin? We briefly considered using backing tracks but that's just not really us--we don't want to rely on something that can't feed off of our own self-created energy and spontaneity. But the live sound has taken a few shapes--currently we supplement the low end with an octaver pedal and it's own dedicated amp, and it seems to provide us with a full sound despite the mandolin's more limited timbre. I would love to have a bassist live--Rashie's basslines are so intricate and melodious and adds so much on record, it's hard to peel back that layer. But we try to make sure fans aren't disappointed live--it's rock n roll at heart.

What are you future plans? Do you ever see yourselves touring Europe?

Future plans are more touring and we have a new album about 90% written that we plan to record in the spring. We're trying to expand and play more and more shows out--local and growing into some of the bigger, vibrant nearby cities of Richmond, DC, Raleigh. We'd also want to do more weekend jaunts--Baltimore, Philly, NYC--so just regional as of now. Very quickly we've maxed out our vacation times between touring and the studio so we're kind of left with squeezing in the big shows and opportunities you've got to do to grow in other markets on the weekends and in one-offs--so there's a lot of driving overnight. Europe would be fantastic. If it was sustainable for us--I should say as soon as it is sustainable--we'd love to do Europe. Let's get them spinning the record over there!

What are your favourite bands/albums at the moment, both folk bands and otherwise?

Superchunk probably gets my vote for best album this year (I Hate Music). They just get better with age, and they've been going since the 90's. I'm really digging the new Yuck record. The Bed Wettin' Bad Boys are a stellar band from Australia and their debut came out this year--well worth picking up for Replacement's-style bar rock. We're really following bands like Seahaven, Lucero, Frank Turner--those are a couple of bands we've seen out this year.

I'm intrigued; If you had to pick, what would be your favourite Simpsons episode?

Futurama. The Series. Does that count? If not, then whatever episode inspired the arcade game because I use to play that all the time--where Maggie gets kidnapped and you beat up all of Springfield to get her back. Only I never had enough quarters...

Feral Conservatives' full length debut is available for streaming and download from the widget below.

It's hard for young newcomers to break into the music world, that much is self-evident. For many, song-writing is a complex mix of emotions, reflecting hardship and sacrifice. However, many also remain unable to strike this formula dead-on. For DJ Brown, the lead composer and singer of 'Our Griffins', he has little to worry about. 'Michael Boyd', his debut, is a Pastiche of the required elements of excellent song-writing; a symphony of expression and touching sensibilities; of inner confidence and mastery of the unfortunate incidences that can so often ensnare us.

The title of 'Our Griffins' itself stems from Brown's late grandmother, in turn signifying themes central to his work; family, loss, and reclamation of identity. 'Michael Boyd', named after his uncle, after Brown found his dusty photograph in his loft, features music that is efferent from this. Brown's echoey voice hangs in a tenuous balance with ethereal strums of guitar on songs such as 'Come And Wake Me Up'; but he refuses to dwell on any murky past, as he maintains to build 'a collective heart', reflecting the more positive and retributive aspect of his work. Meanwhile, the songs Brown fashions are decidedly fuller than might be expected, hashed out more fully by a full live band. Brian McTear, famous for previously producing pop-virtuosos Sharon Van Etten and Marissa Nadler, described 'Michael Boyd' as "the start of something big", and it's easy to see why. Brown's voice shines bright on songs such as 'Jeremiah's Palace', comparing favourably to the resonant songwriting of the aforementioned Nadler and delineating why Brown's close friend, Todd Schied, was so adamant in setting him forward and supporting his musical output. Brown seems to barely contain his passionate confiding in his own music. He's self-admittedly a nervous wreck during live sessions, and this music is his sole confidant; it appears indispensable to him as he is to it.

'Nodding In A Basement' seems to delineate more ephemeral pleasures, such as sitting in the basement listening to your favourite music, but its nature is two-toned; describing deeper issues such as 'nest-egg syndrome', where the narrator depicts the sentiment behind children leaving, where he can only be a passive onlooker. Brown is quick to attach himself to these lyrics, and it would seem that his past sentiments have gone their own crooked ways into crafting something enduring and beautiful. They accompany and embellish the transcendent instrumentation of the other musicians of 'Our Griffins'. Opener, 'All Around I Watch', is representative of their atmospheric work, as its sprawling blues-tremolo organ and relaxed pace lull the listener into emotional affirmation. Brown's key is that with his music, he is able to open whole new worlds, allowing his words to penetrate deep into your reflection.

'Michael Boyd' is an exceptional full length debut: it is evocative of the the sentiment behind songwriters such as 'Julia Holter', meanwhile reflecting away from such a penchant for the demoralising. It's triumphant, persistent affirmation of self, with Brown 'cleaning the blood of his sleeves' shows his precocious abilities and sits nicely in with some of the greatest and most reflective music created by a relative newcomer. It sidesteps where we would expect failure to be possible in a debut and raises the standard for new works to be held to, making the prospect of Brown's future works a very exciting one.

You can buy 'Michael Boyd' at a name-your-own-price now.

th their previous releases, the one part electroclash, one part straight-Indie rock band Cut Copy have placed themselves as pioneers of the pastiche. ‘Pioneers’ in this context is not to be taken lightly. Arguably their most promising and ground-breaking album, ‘In Ghost Colours’ was an extremely danceable effort, mixing together ostensibly disparate styles to craft something refined and focused, a hard-hitting statement that whilst contrasting, was unified in its aims. It established Cut Copy as being one of the biggest Australian acts and more importantly; as a band who wear their influences on their sleeve, but are quite content to blanket it in forward-thinking, indulgent contemporary attire, preventing any naysayers from derogating them for being recyclers of all things pop. Follow-up ‘Zonoscope’ travelled much in the same direction, focusing in and harnessing this ‘Indietronica’ mix with some 60’s guitar pop elements, most notable on tracks such as ‘Where I’m Going’.

Thus the nature of the PR campaign for ‘Free Your Mind’ was met with a little bit of surprise. Its launch into nostalgia tinted journeys of discovery, with its Hansel & Gretel-esque clue-based promise of information was more than a hark back to the 60’s, as it pitted fans into ‘searching’ for their music in far-flung, distant locations such as the Californian desert, Blaenau Gwent in Wales, and miles north of Perth. This theme of searching arguably remains central to ‘Free Your Mind’, as their evident adoptance of 90’s/Madchester inspired dance-pop, with all its head-in-the-clouds ‘Summer of Love’ transcendental drug-inspired soul-searching appears to put across. The conceptualising in this sense, that the album doggedly leaps upon is however the weakest part of the album; it feels half-assed and kind of insincere, a little bit like when 90’s rock bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins declared their unswavering loyalty to the cause of electronica. Likewise, we might be somewhat sceptical of Cut Copy’s adoptance of the 90’s obsession. Luckily, with regards to what Cut Copy does best, we have little to fear.

What ‘Free Your Mind’ does provide however is damn decent pop songs, and it delivers these in spades. Songs such as lead single ‘Free Your Mind’ ooze and squirm, its pulsing analog basslines and ‘baggy’-esque drumbeats sounding like a post-modernist take on Screamadelica. It’s pure feel-good pop, and its condoning that you’ve ‘Gotta’ reach the sky if you want your life to shine’ feels anthemic in a (probably slightly cheesy) way that feels strangely missing from a lot of contemporary music, with its funky-click-picked Wah-Wah guitar and flurry of bongos.

As long as you don’t look beneath the surface too hard, and pay no more than passing heed to the brief interludes such as the sudden and serious announcement that “This information is crystallising into your mind” at the beginning of brilliant K-Klass cover ‘Let Me Show You Love’, then ‘Free Your Mind’ is an immediate and enticing delivery. It’s hard-worked; every tubular synth is hard-pressed to make its songs as immediately danceable and psychedelically self-aware as possible; where its listeners can actually imagine themselves descending into pleasantly sentimental pathways of neon strobe lights and 4/4 drum beats; exactly what Cut Copy were after. ‘Footsteps’ in contrast features cascading modular synths and natural sounds like falling water and bird-squawks mixed in with its afro-House vocals and tribal dance beats, but they don’t distract. They add to agreeable sounds that almost feel tangible as you immediately feel their pull, warming to the touch with further listening.

In a way, ‘Free Your Mind’ feels like a natural continuation of the Cut Copy we’re used to. There’s always been an underlying passion for the DJ in their works continuously kept at bay, but it feels like on ‘Free Your Mind’, they’ve taken their love for the clichéd works of their childhood and embraced it. It might not be a popular manœuvre, but its one that whilst overemphasised and over-conceptualised, feels right for them. Amidst the empty and griping vocal commentaries, ‘Free Your Mind’ is all about Cut Copy approaching untested waters, and riding its waves all the way back to the pop charts. With this surprisingly successful album, I wish them every success in doing so.

With their new album, Free Your Mind out in the coming weeks, Cut Copy have released a new single to curb your dance-rock appetites, having already played it in a number of US shows. “We Are Explorers” is a nostalgic treat, fresh, although dizzying, in its embrace of acid-cum-dance-cum-rave-cum-tribal of Madchester. With its classic brash analog synths and pulsing 4/4 beat, its a delightful,woozy taste of an album that is shaping up to be a continuation in the ‘dance direction’ of tracks such as ‘Need You Now’ and ‘Pharaohs and Pyramids’ from their previous album, ‘Zonoscope’. With it’s modulating, techno-inspired vocal hook and its tendency to worm its way into your skull, “We Are Explorers” demands your attention in a way that a lot of new acts are trying to emulate, with less success.

Otherwise known as ‘the 5 most unlikely albums to ever inhabit the same article.’ Here are the five albums I think you should go listen to, either because I don’t think you’ll have heard them already, or because I don’t trust you to have given them enough love and attention the first time round.

Dash Hammerstein – Bito Cabrito Bito Cabrito is an album of twelve neat little gems of pop perfection. Created by a 24-year-old New York carpenter (and yes, that is his real name), the album is a hazy mix of country, scuzzy surf and retro, Lovin Spoonful-style pop. When combined with his lazy, lovesick songs, Hammerstein creates something music so perfectly-arranged, and so irresistably catchy, that can I guarantee you’ll be humming it for weeks to come.

Hillfolk Noir – Hillfolk Noir Radio Hour I totally love this album. I mean, of course I do, otherwise it wouldn’t be on this list. But it’s so sweet and silly that it holds a bit of a special place in my heart. Hillfolk Noir – a band who describe their DIY-style, old-timey sound as ‘junkerdash’ music – have produced a whole album in the style of a radio show, complete with intro, outro and adverts (“Just a reminder folks, get a half-price pickle wedge at our cheese place.”). Along with the band’s solid, old-timey sound, this sweetly tongue-in-cheek concept makes Hillfolk Noir Radio Hour the perfect comfort album – at least, for anyone with a taste for American country folk. And for anyone who doesn’t, it’s a pretty good introduction.

Soulwax Presents 2many DJs: The Mash Up Machine Under most circumstances, I am pretty wary of song mashups. However, this collection is the (catchy and occasionally mind-bending) exception. Skillfully mashing artists such as Destiny’s Child and Nirvana, Beastie Boys and AC/DC, 2many DJs have managed to avoid messing up any classic songs, and instead have effectively produced a clever, danceable and pretty impressive collection of new material. Particular favourites include the mix of 10cc’s ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ and Destiny’s Child’s ‘Independent Woman’ and ‘Tour De Eleanor Rigby,’ the particularly impressive Beatles/Kraftwerk opening track. Despite the inclusion of Prodigy’s ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ (which is never going to be good, no matter how well it’s remixed), this album remains one of my all-time favourites.

Soul Jazz Records Present: Studio One Ironsides I’m going to preface this by saying that I know very little at all about reggae, and don’t really feel qualified to talk about this album. What I can do is to say that Studio One was one of the most important Jamaican record labels of the 1960s and 70s, and that the fat book of album sleeve notes states that “this eclectic compilation is a perfect summation of the incredible breadth and depth of Studio One music.” Even from the viewpoint of someone who knows little about reggae, it sounds pretty great. From the satisfyingly squelchy horns of ‘Danger In Your Eyes’ (The Paragons) to the the gentle, echoey dub of Drum Bago and the Rebel Group’s ‘Reggae Version’, and the gentle, sweet ‘I’m Still Waiting’ (Cornel Campbell), the album more than lives up to its sleeve notes.

Golden Suits is Fred Nicolaus, perhaps better known as one half of the Indie Folk duo ‘Department Of Eagles’ alongside Daniel Rossen, himself a member of Indie poster children ‘Grizzly Bear’. Department of Eagles’ latest album, ‘In Ear Park’, was labelled as ‘Best New Music’ by Pitchfork, surely a promising start for the New York songwriter. However, with the release of Golden Suits’ self-titled debut album, Nicolaus has created a sprawling and emotional declaration. Elegant and opulant, without being ostentatious, ‘Golden Suits’ features brilliantly rendered, sentimental balladry like on ‘I Think You Would Have Been Mine’ and boisterous folk-pop like ‘Under Your Wing’. Written around several traumatic instances such as getting forced out of his apartment by a rat infestation, suffering from a painful separation and discovering his grandfather’s unfortunate end during World War II, Golden Suits’ seems like someone attempting to get to grips with unfortunate life-changing events and ultimately succeeding, focusing on both the downsides and upsides. The break away from a group-inspired musical atmosphere has obviously affected the tone of the album, being more confessional than past material, without being melancholy in approach. On the spur of his tour supporting the album, we chatted with Fred about its backdrop, as well as its creation and release.

Despite the unfortunate circumstances that happened prior to the album (a painful breakup, getting chased out of the house via a rat infestation, a disquieting family-related story revolving around WWII-era Germany) Golden Suits seems like an album marked by cautious yet resonant optimism (“You know you’ll recover all your lost time”, “So I’ll follow you, and you follow me”). Did the album function as a form of catharsis for this, or did it arise from a state of desperation?

A little bit of both. I think you start from desperation and if you’re lucky you get a smidge of catharsis.

Was the creative process behind the album a swift affair or was it drawn out in approach?

Quite drawn-out. I was so used to making music with Daniel that when I started out, I was paralyzed by not having him as a collaborator, so it took a lot of trial and error to even get one song sounding the way I wanted.

 It took a lot of trial and error to even get one song sounding the way I wanted. 

How helpful were the contributors to the album? Did Chris Taylor, Chris Bear, Fraser McCulloch, Daniel Rossen and others (Becca Kauffman, Felicia Douglass, Kris Nolte and Ian Davis) take on a more creative role or did they carry out what you asked?

- All of the contributors were really helpful in their own way, and all of it was creative. Nobody helped out just to serve as an automaton. I was especially psyched with how Kris and Ian arranged strings, and how Chris Taylor arranged the woodwinds for the song “Little One.” I told him I wanted something that sounded like Duke Ellington’s band, at 3 in the morning, after doing Quaaludes. Not many people would be able to deliver on that.

 I told him (Daniel) I wanted something that sounded like Duke Ellington’s band, at 3 in the morning. 

Did a certain artist (both musical or otherwise) or piece of work help influence you in the creation of the album?

I was thinking a lot about this writer John Cheever and his book of short stories. They had a big influence on this album – sometimes in a general way, other times I’m quoting specific moments from the book. Musically, I feel like I’m constantly leaning on the same guys – Randy Newman, Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, sort of “classic song writing” people, if that doesn’t sound horribly pretentious.

Though a lot of the music that you and Daniel composed in Department of Eagles was to some degree ornate and embellished, there seems to be a conscious effort to bring in dense, orchestral arrangements for Golden Suits, mixed with the simplicity of a ‘folk-pop’ sound. Did you try and stray away from the ‘Department of Eagles sound’ or was it a more natural state of affairs? How have you tried replicating these lush sounds live?

I didn’t really think about it too much. So much of the way Department of Eagles sounds has to do with Daniel’s voice and his production sensibilities, so I knew it wouldn’t come out sounding like that whatever I did. I mainly just tried to write the best songs I could, and did arrangement things that felt natural to me.

 I mainly just tried to write the best songs I could 

How has the experience differed to what you have found during your time in Department of Eagles?

Well, it was a lot more stressful, because I wasn’t working with Daniel, who is hugely talented and makes everything easier. But because of that, I think I worked a bit harder and learned more than I would have doing another DOE album.

For the benefits of our readers, what are your touring plans?

I’m doing a run of US dates starting on September 24th – the Northeast to the Northwest via the south.

Although it’s definitely a little early to say, do you have any future plans, be it with the support of your other musical projects, or as ‘Golden Suits’?

I’d love to do Department of Eagles again, I’d love to do another Golden Suits record too. No matter what, I’ll keep writing songs. Where they’ll end up going isn’t too concrete right now.

Could you recommend any artist to our readers that they may not necessarily have heard from?

Angel Olsen is really great – she writes amazing songs and has an amazing voice. There’s this band Glass Ghost that’s coming out with an album early next year that I know will be fantastic.

You can find more about Golden Suits here.

Cecilia Montgomery is a young singer-songwriter from Ft. Worth, Texas. She recently released her debut EP, entitled 'King Koopa Pipedreamz'. A dramatic inauguration, the release details love, loss and the hope that comes along with it. The titular 'Pipedream' in this instance refers to "a fantastic notion or vain hope", and the delivery easily inhabits this definition. Emotionally wrought and imbued with Cecilia's fantastic, vibrato-laden, blues/R'n'b influenced vocals, it's as impressive as it is expressive, with the chamber-pop of 'The Reaping', excellently produced and arranged by Brian K. Shepard, prognosticating great things from a precocious talent that appears able to consistently improve and expand. Just following the release, we interviewed Cecilia to talk about her impressive debut endeavour. 

"You’ve certainly got a very expressive and passionate voice. It seems strangely reminiscent of contemporary singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele, as well as more traditional blues musicians. Who would you say influenced your particular vocal styling?"

"I remember the first time I heard Adele I was walking home from school in tenth grade listening to her “Chasing Pavements” free download. At that moment I had hope, that maybe I could have a voice with my style and still have a shot. To me, the styles of Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James hadn’t been mastered like that in my generation, so Adele gave me hope. 

"But Ella Fitzgerald has definitely influenced my vocal style the most. I’ve always been enamoured by what she was capable of with such a young voice and what it matured into. She has such lush-low tones and I feel like it always resonates with whoever listens to it and paired along with her impeccable high notes, the brilliance of her voice is universally understood. I love her songs “Imagination” and “Soon” but my all time favourite song by her is “Basin Street Blues.” If I could be a quarter of what she was, I will be ecstatic."

"A lot of the meanings behind the songs seem to delineate the warmth of being in love (“I will clear the clouds of gray, ‘Cause I adore you, yes I adore you”), as well as heartbreak and detachment. (“You can’t play it cool go on and act a fool, I can’t wait to laugh when you fall.“)

You stated as a rule on your bandcamp that you should “never write someone who won’t write you back, just write about them instead.” If you could elaborate on this, do you feel this comes into your music? Is it stemming from past love-struck experiences?"

"I’m a very sentimental person, so to me almost everything has a meaning to it. Every song tells a story about the experiences I had with a single person who I was in a situation with for about 4 ½ years. Things can get pretty bad when somebody tells you they aren’t with anybody else, but then they get Chlamydia and you don’t (“The Reaping”). So in August 2011 I moved to Hong Kong (with my opera singing father whom I hadn’t lived with since I was 4) as a sort of 'hail mary', mostly because I wanted to come back after a year and be “a happier person” thinking he would love me then. Now, when I say it aloud or write it down I cringe, because in my 19 year-old naivety I actually thought that would be the case. I wrote him letters while I was gone, and sent him bracelets/postcards from the countries I traveled to. Letter-wise he never wrote me back. Besides me drunk dialling him and occasionally talking on the phone for about three hours, I didn’t hear much from him throughout those 18 months. 

  "There is one letter I never sent. I wrote about how when I was with him I stopped hearing music in my head, for the first time in my life. He made everything quiet. I thought that was a good thing up until a couple months ago. I had stopped writing songs like I had before, because he was enough for me, and I spent my time and energy trying to be enough for him. But I was the most unhappy I’ve ever been in my life. It wasn’t until this past October that I finally heard music in my head again. I didn’t want to face it, but I know that’s when I started to move on. When I start to write about someone, I’m healing, and my subconscious is telling me it’s time. So I’ve just been writing about everything that happened, trying to piece it all together, because it is one jigsaw of a lesson.

And for my number one rule, if somebody really cares, they will take the time to communicate with you, and hopefully not forget your birthday either."

  "What made you start composing and singing in the first place?"

      "I’ve always sung. It’s something my grandma always encouraged me to do. I was about 3 or 4 years old when she started to sit me down at the table and use a cassette player to record me singing “Hakuna Matata” and “Silent Night”. I first started writing songs when I was about 10 years old as a way to kill time while I was waiting for the school bus in the forty-degree (Fahrenheit) Oklahoma morning weather. I always sang in my classes at school, and in talent shows, and choir showcases. Singing is something that has always been a gigantic part of me. 

  "My father is an opera singer, and my mom met him while she was singing as well. My mom got remarried to an amazing man who is my dad. He was the principle percussionist at the Oklahoma City Philharmonic when I was younger, a school of music professor, and a composer as well. Growing up with music in my life at all times, and being around parents with professions and skill sets as such has ultimately made me capable doing what I am capable of today."

    "If you can pick, which is your personal favourite of your compositions?"

I love “Best Of Me”. I wrote it last October. It was the second song I had written in years. I wrote it while I still lived in Hong Kong, having already made plans of moving back to Los Angeles in February. Initially, I thought I was going to move back and be able to be with this person, thinking I would be able to walk hand in hand with him for the first time. 

"When I wrote this song it was more about having to accept what my reality was going to be. I would live in the same city that this person also lived in, drive down the same streets we had once driven down, see the same people we both knew, but I would do these things without him. I moved back and sure enough, he was absently around."

"You recorded these songs in a spare bedroom, but despite this, tracks such as ‘The Reaping’ are dramatic and ornate. What were your experiences of the location and how did the recording/composition process go?"

"My dad is pretty amazing. He teaches music composition, orchestration, theory, and a slew of technological classes regarding music. Initially, I would write the songs and the lyrics and take the songs to him with a chord progression, play him a couple songs I liked with the style I wanted it to be in, and he would arrange the music to them. The process was a bit different with “City Boy” and “The Reaping”. He really pushed me to start writing more of the music and take ownership of what I was creating. It was the first time I sat down and truly focused on conveying the emotions in the songs through an instrument other than my voice. 

"We solely use software samples that are compatible with Digital Performer. My dad runs a wire through the hall and sets up a microphone in our spare bedroom, and we record from there. In more ways than one, I’ve been spoiled with how easy and accessible it is for me to say “hey, I have a song, let’s make it.” Working at home has really given me the tools to work on my craft and create my sound. I couldn’t be more grateful for having my dad.

  "We’re always keen to spur on and encourage new musical acts, both for our own interest and our readers. Could you recommend a contemporary artist or even an inspiration for our readers to check out?"

"Ever since summer 2012 I’ve been really moved by Ed Tullet. I have a lot of help from my dad, but I think it’s so amazing how Ed can write, record, and produce his sound in his bedroom all on his own, especially at his age. It’s crazy. The thing I love most about his music are the lyrics, he takes lyrics to a whole new level. Every time I listen it’s almost like a growing experience and I feel like I’ve become a completely different person after listening. So yeah, I highly recommend others to listen and enjoy because his vision is brilliant. My top songs recently have been: Amadou & Miriam “Sabali”, Ed Tullet “Rewards/Forfeits”, Azealia Banks “Esta Noche”, Modest Mouse “Blame it on the Tetons”, Childish Gambino “AOTL”, Endangered Speeches "Smile", Erik Sumo Band "I'm a Semmi", Santigold “I’m a Lady”, Tunng “Bullets”, Mates of State "These Days", The National “Conversation 16”, Sneaky Sound System “It’s Not My Problem”, Coldplay "The Scientist", The Heavy "Coleen".

"Do you have any plans to play these songs live, and if so where will you be playing, for the inyrarea readers?" 

"That’s definitely one of my top priorities, but I’m a one-man show at the moment. I hope that someday soon I can start collaborating with other musicians and work towards performing in every place I possibly can to put my music out there for people to hopefully enjoy. I’m always writing songs and music, so at the moment I just plan on getting some more material and recording in some local studios here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area where I now live. I know I have a very long road ahead and I’m excited for it all."

You can find Cecilia's music at her "bandcamp":http://cecei.bandcamp.com/ or her soundcloud.

I feel like I should start this review with a confession: I hadn’t heard of The Civil Wars before the arrival of the new album. In fact, the first I heard about the Joy Williams and John Paul White was that, during much of the production of their eponymous second album, they were so far from speaking that their manager had to act as a neutral intermediary between separate recording sessions. Compare this to the rave reviews that their first, ‘Barton Hollow,’ received, and it’s safe to say that I had little idea what to expect from ‘The Civil Wars.’

The first thing that’s clear from this album is that the duo don’t hold back from writing about personal pain, and about each other – indeed, Williams was recently quoted as saying, “if you want to know what happened to the band, listen to the album.” It’s also clear that they are both skilled songwriters. There’s some really lovely, classic tunes, skilful lyrics, decent arrangements, and (despite the circumstances in which the album was recorded) an evident musical chemistry in the interwoven vocals.

There are a few particularly standout moments. ‘Devil’s Backbone’ sets a swooping, bluesy tune perfectly against a dramatic, biting crescendo of percussion and guitar, while ‘Dust to Dust,’ with its floating vocals and simple, steady beat of an arrangement, is reminiscent of the best of Wrecking Ball-era Emmylou Harris. ‘D’Arline’ is a gentle wee crooner of a final track, stripping the duo right back to picked guitar and soft harmonies. The Civil Wars have a particular strong line in timeless country and blues, and ‘In the Valley’, ‘I Had Me a Girl’ and ‘Oh Henry’ in particular are all great, classic songs, rich with references to law-breaking lovers, redemption and heartbreak.