Valued Music

Track Of The Day - Seapony - Hangin' Out

Sat, 11 May 2013 22:36:40 -0400

Following up onto the back of their 2012 sophmore record Falling and an extensive touring schedule ahead of them to Europe we’ve been honoured with a new treat for our ears. “Hangin’ Out” has a very calm and collective ballad to it. Perfect song to reflect on the colder weather we’re experiencing at this time of the year.

Track Of The Day - Lauryn Hill - Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix)

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:41:52 -0400

For someone who’s been a musical recluse for many years it seems odd to see a new song released out of no where but there’s more to it than that. Sadly for Lauryn Hill she’s been sentenced to three months in gaol for tax evasion. On the upside we got a very in your face attack from the 37 year old rapper.

Track Of The Day - Azealia Banks - Young Rapunxel

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 21:22:00 -0400

Controversy is something that Azealia Banks has found hard to avoid in her short period of time in the media’s spotlight. During the long weekend she refused to take to the stage at a music festival in Australia over issues with the Stone Roses where she claimed they had sabotaged her set. Late last year it was here in Australia where she played a very short 25 minute set. Regardless of any of this she used Twitter as a way of building up her own publicity to release this never previously heard track. One thing she certainly knows how to do is market herself correctly in our social media driven culture.

Track Of The Day / Laura Marling - Where Can I Go?

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:13:44 -0500

With the fourth studio album for the 22 year old due out on May 27 titled Once I Was An Eagle we see Marling continue along with her Americana folky twang style that she’s found comfort in creating. “Where Can I Go?” is a progressive build up of charming vocals reaching a pivotal climax with the volume hitting the perfect key.

Track Of The Day / Chvrches - Recover

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:03:42 -0500

For those heading over to SXSW here’s my tip to woo you, Chvrches. This Glaswegian trio are breathing life into the electropop scene and with a track like “Recover” it’s no wonder they are gaining amazing levels of attention. Who needs a four year law degree and a masters in journalism when you can aspire to be the next big Scottish group? Lauren Mayberry, certainly doesn’t mind dabbling in both.

Track Of The Day / Soap&Skin - Sugarbread

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 06:00:00 -0500

Following up from her 2012 sophmore, Narrow, this Austrian singer songwriter who verges into the experimental territory has a 7” due out shortly. Bridging into some mysterious and dark themes across this track is an immersive experience.

Track Of The Day / Ghost Loft - Seconds

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 06:00:12 -0500

Los Angeles producer Ghost Lofts offers you a seductive, tender electronic series of tunes with “Seconds”. There’s serious get up, stand up and dance opportunities on this track with the only shame being that it’s been near impossible to track down if this is a solo or group effort.

Track Of The Day / Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! - Code Breaker

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:00:41 -0500

This is hardly a new track after being released a couple of months ago but I’ve been searching through the backlog of Australian music I haven’t had the time to listen to of late. Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! are a group from Adelaide that have been kicking around for a number of years now.

“Codebreaker” has moments of Sia inspired sounds which leave a longer than normal radio friendly song. It’s pleasing to see how far this band has come since starting out with early tracks like “War Coward” and “Libra Tango Cancer”.

Track Of The Day / Noun - Will You Come Back To Me

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 07:42:00 -0500

Noun is the moniker used by Screaming Females frontwoman Marissa Paternoster. “Will You Come Back To Me” was originally circulated on cassette tapes between 2004-2007 but has been brought together with other works from the time on a new 34 track collection. Coming in at just under 2 minutes you’ll feel like you’re just starting to become engrossed in the sound and then before you know it the play button has been clicked yet again.

Track Of The Day / Purity Ring - Grammy

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 04:48:00 -0500

It’s Grammys season and although there are odd cut off dates and the such it means that Gotye managed to dominate yet another awards night. *Insert segway* Canadian synth duo, Purity Ring, have decided to take matters into their own hands and cover a Soulja Boy track of all things. Yes, I was doubtful of the choice but, the way this has been tackled is well crafted in that Shrines fashion.

Track Of The Day / Phebe Starr - Jurassica

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:55:00 -0500

Introducing a new member of the Valued Music family called track of the day. Most days I come across fabulous new music from across the globe and what better what to experience this than by sharing it with my readers too.

Today’s track of the day comes from a Sydney songstress who goes by the name of Phebe Starr. “Jurassica” is a happy go lucky tune that is filled with influences from artists such as Lykki li and Stevie Nicks. The chorus is as catchy as a song can get and touch that with the synth layered production that is painlessly achieved.

Tegan and Sara – Hearthtrob

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 05:32:00 -0500

Heartbreak, sadness, emotions, falling apart and you’ve got what makes up the essential themes on a Tegan & Sara record. These two ladies who grew up in Calgary and began playing music together as teenagers came from the humblest of beginnings and managed to claw their way up into becoming indie goddesses with the release of pivotal records such as If It Was You, So Jealous and then the acclaimed diamond in their discography, The Con.

Sainthood, which preceded Heartthrob saw the duo move closer into toying with the idea of verging into pop territory, something they are capable of achieving but also something very different for how they were writing music for years. In a recent interview Tegan stated ““It’s trickery because it sounds really poppy but lyrically it’s our darkest, most deepest record.” Maybe this is this is the case after diving into it on more than a pleasurable dirty listen.

“Closer” is that song you know all to well before you even hear it, you know it’s going to be something you’ll either like or strongly dislike at once but, regardless of your personal preference it’s going to be riddling your thoughts all the time. “Goodbye, Goodbye” and “I’m Not Your Hero” are nice examples of how their can be a bridge between new and old Tegan & Sara, same life questions being muttered and more drum machines lining the distance. Finding “Love They Say” in all it’s typical romanticism is like finding a really old letter meant for the eyes only of those involved, you can look, peek but it can only translate the passion in the ink used.

Is this a stab at entering the top 40 charts with their appeal at a possible all time high? An easy answer would be, yes, they want to get universal appreciation like one of their musical idols, Bruce Springsteen did. This LP is still Tegan and Sara with the lyrical woes present as always, then Greg Kurstin contributes his extensive producing qualities to make this as approachable within the mainstream circles. This evolution in their music was bound to happen, it’s no surprise as each album has shaped into something new and different and for that this needs to be given the light of the day.

Local Natives – Hummingbird

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:37:00 -0500

The debut from Local Natives, Gorilla Manor, released back in 2009 was a record which stemmed a lot of themes from musical influences such as Grizzly Bear and The National but, that being said it always was solidly based on drawing from them and didn’t display too much of their own individual flare. Hummingbird comes along with an attempt at trying to stamp their own style to show they are more than what most people want to dismiss them as.

First thing is that Local Natives were one of the bigger up and coming acts when they originally appeared on the scene, and because of this the anticipation has been building. If you were dissecting this group because of apprehension then maybe you’d think all of what they have been doing is moulding into larger bands that have achieved wide arrays of success over the past decade. The problem with this mindset is that most new musical acts do this very thing, gaining inspiration from what they personally love listening to and this doesn’t mean they lack direction.

Some of the great songs on here include “Ceilings”, which is the choice pick amongst the rest. It’s got such a healing layer of sounds that melt into the vocal range provided which will keep it played over and over as it works it’s way into your mind. “Black Spot” definitely channels Ed Droste, of Grizzly Bear fame, abilities on “Dory” with sweeping melodies. One more track to mention is “Heavy Feet” which shows a bit more of what they can produce on their own merits.

This has the potential to be one of the records that’ll feature highly in many end of the year top ten polls given the chance to grow onto the listeners in the same manner of which Gorilla Manor did. If you’re a fan of folky ballads and smooth vocals this will be an easy LP to sit down with and flow along with.

Yo La Tengo - Fade

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:32:00 -0500

Fade is the thirteenth studio album from New Jersey band Yo La Tengo who has always stayed true to their particular signature of sound since 1984. One positive of being a fan is that you’re never left with many years between the next LP to be released.

Coming in with a running time of 46 minutes makes this a record that’s hard to not listen to in full even for a newcomer who’s searching for something to feed their ears with. Lots of humble textures are layered in typical fashion for this three piece. On the opening track “Ohm” there’s an instinctively drawing in theme that’s hard to not look past on the first couple of plays even if it’s intimidating length seems hard to get past.

“Cornelia and Jane” is a misty voiced creation, which is a benchmark of this collective work. “Outside your window neighbours peer in at you how can we care for you?” are rained in slowly at the birth of this track and it’s these very words which signify among an otherwise instrumentally immersed record that it’s possible to het the best out of anything with the right minds held together.

The other notable track that should be mentioned is “Paddle Forward” which starts off in an almost lo-fi style but churning into a much smoother polished outcome. It’s hard to dismiss this as quality success at moving into a new style, another weapon in their daunting weaponry.

Established groups tend to produce more and more quality over the course of their existence and this was expected with Fade. For being known as genre breakers not only from LP to LP but also song to song is one of the largest accolades anyone could have let alone be deserving of.

Heathered Pearls - Loyal

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:44:00 -0500

When finding a way to channel emotions through purely sound can be a trying process to experience and Polish born Jakub Alexander may be a key example of this. Loyal is the first full-length record released under the name Heathered Pearls as he performs as a DJ under several other names too.

An ideal way of summing up the sounds portrayed on this LP is by imagining moments of stress, built up tension and then the eventual moment of letting go of all inhibitions and feeling free of any troubles. It builds up and down track by track, at times feeling like you’re going to melt down from the tempo and then finding a soothing breeze like noise flowing into your mind.

“Precious Dive” creates a reality where you feel like you’re underwater and safe. With a swirly ambient texture revolving around in circles that drives more of the listener into the track while forgetting where they stand in their own daily living. Feeling of a state of spiritual catharsis could be present depending on how it’s absorbed, as it’s that kind of journey.

At the end of the running time there are two tracks, which previously appeared earlier but have since then had the honour of being remixed and tweaked with slightly to provide a second opportunity at making another impact. Both “Lower Dome” and “Beach Shelter”, which are arguably the most touching tracks, show how reworking music can be beneficial to even the original copy.

While this album used a wide array of soft experimental tones and has clearly had a lot of effort soaked into it there tends to be a bit of repetition which may or may not be the true creative want on this project but, it’s simplistic enough to gauge and provoke interest.

Top ten tracks of 2012

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:37:00 -0500

Top ten tracks of 2012

Top Ten Albums Of 2012

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 06:49:00 -0500

1. Beach House – Bloom

2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange

3. Tame Impala – Lonerism

4. Swans – The Seer

5. Purity Ring – Shrines

6. Grizzly Bear – Shields

7. Grimes – Visions

8. Chairlift – Something

9. Passion Pit – Gossamer

10. Sarah Blasko – I, Awake

Julie Doiron - So Many Days

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 06:03:00 -0500

For years the term indie folk has been associated with this esteemed songwriter and it’s not hard to see why when her gravely and whispering voice drags on a very calm tone. So Many Days is the tenth studio album she’s made since 1996 making her a modern day underrated achiever as she always seems to sneak under the radar everywhere but in her native homeland, Canada.

Looking at her back catalogue is impressive, seeing the acts she’s worked with and even going to the effort of releasing an entirely French language based record in 2001. While the production value on So Many Days isn’t something of a higher standard you’d associate with a larger artist with more financial backing, it still holds a certain charm, which is forever a signature of Doiron’s musical capacity. Usually there is a theme to her LP’s, sing a smooth ballad about heartbreak, reminisce on the better times and talk about finding love again, if this doesn’t sound enticing in theory then give it a chance in practice.

“Homeless” is the dark track of the bunch which echoes with this mischievous guitar flicker hiding behind the sadness in the vocals, “Cars and Trucks” is a bit more upbeat and goes outside the normal writing approach by including more external factors, “Our Love” arranges a more standard version of her interpretation of happiness and as with most of the last tracks on her albums “Last Night I Lay In Bed” is a title that stamps a message on the creation.

If this is the first time listening to anything remotely linked to Doiron’s line up of work then I’d say it’s a good introduction because there’s a lot to track down and get your hands on, some not so easy to find. If you enjoy sitting down on a cold morning with a cup of tea, flicking your eyelids open and taking in the approaching rain on the horizon, this could be just the choice for you.

Sufjan Stevens - Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 01:05:00 -0500

Welcome to the kooky and holiday obsessed mind of Sufjan Stevens who makes it very clear just how much he loves Christmas on this 5 EP box set collection of works ranging from 2006 to 2012. Not all of the tracks are written by Stevens, with a wide selection of typical classics like “Silent Night”, “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas with their own individual flare.

This can be described as a follow up to his 2006 Songs for Christmas, which is also a mammoth five EP box set. If you’re not really that festive or have a strong dislike for Christmas themed songs you’ll still find the new and old tracks to add a new edge on the overly watered down bargain bins that house similar CD’s. There’s even a mass of presents inside the box that include items such as Christmas stickers, temporary tattoos, a paper ornament, apocalyptic pull-out poster, song lyrics and chord charts, hallucinogenic photographs and psychedelic graphic design and of course some liner notes.

Each EP was developed at different stages over the past six years with noticeable differences across all 58 tracks. Scattered across a number of these tracks is the assistance from members of The National adding instrumental backing. It’s almost as if Stevens never intended for this to be a serious release and instead opted for fun as for close to three hours of manic up and downs get more erratic disc by disc before forming into a close to 13 minute long bizarre ballad called “Christmas Unicorn” to close the project out with.

Many may not accept this as a true album release in sequence after The Age of Adz but getting anything with Sufjan in the name is enough to hold the desire to hear new work off. “Mr. Frosty Man” is the seasonal song you never thought could exist with electric guitars and revolves around a snowman. An example of some the zany titles include “Happy Karma Christmas”, “X-mas Spirit Catcher” and “Lumberjack Christmas / No One Can Save You From Christmases Past”.

If you have ever wanted a Christmas song with a drum machine, flutes and a Joy Division cover all in one song then this will be money well spent, if that’s not your thing then you really should buy it just for the stick on tattoos.

Crystal Castles - (III)

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:16:00 -0500

Crystal Castles set the stereotyped image of dysfunction so well and it seems to be that carries over into their music in a reckless style. If you trace your mind back it was in 2008 that their debut was released with monumental tracks like “Untrust Us” and “Crimewave” sending in the genre of mixing bitpop as a new style. Their third instalment that is conveniently titled (III) hails in a different angle for the duo.

One of the first noticeable differences on this instalment is that Alice Glass’ vocals have been hidden deep under the instrumental layers, which is very different to the previous two records, which expressed lyrics with intent. In an interview prior to the release date Glass stated, ““Oppression is a theme, in general… A lot of bad things have happened to people close to me since II and it’s profoundly influenced my writing as I’ve realized there will never be justice for them”. After hearing about the mindset before this addition it’s easier to understand why this record is best described as bleak and drenched with melancholy.

During the recording of (III) the idea of having the editing process done directly onto a tape was opted for over a computer-based setup as a way to separate from anything remotely close to how I and II were established. To think that songs like “Plague”, “Wrath of God “and “Transgender”, which are all so mesmerisingly brought together, were all achieved in one take is commendable. Noting how well done the ending to the LP is with “Child, I Will Hurt You” lifting wind chime like bells into what sounds like the most uplifting creation that fades out of the otherwise dark electronic based record.

This is a record not for popular acclaim or projected success but rather an honest attempt at creating something with meaning. It’ll be savoured and appreciated by a long-term listener, as this is one of the better examples of strong progression within a genre during 2012. As for the chance of creating another stellar song, like “Not In Love” (both with and without Robert Smith) from II, there isn’t an option for that here in a really positive way.