I now return to the band I was going to highlight in my last post before I found the gem that is daytrotter. I strongly recommend keeping an eye on that site, they are doing some really cool shit that you don't see everyday.Moving on, Cardiff, Wales band Los Campesinos! (yes they have an explanation point after their name) came out with their second release this year entitled We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed and I have to say I'm a fan. Earlier this year the band their debue album Hold On Now, Youngster which I can't say I was the biggest fan of, but it's worth a listen. The cool thing about these seven kids is that they are riding the turmoil of the music industry with innovation. Releasing two albums in the same year, while touring, is quite a feat. The band members also changed all their last names to Campesinos!. Thats just awesome.
We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed is, to quote pitchfork, full of "self-loathing, anti-romantic" sentiments, with welsh accents. Watching your ex-girlfriend who your still in love with, making out with some attractive lad while your favorite bands most popular song plays in the background...things like that. Its a nice change from all the lovey sweet happy endings we are used too. Especially when things just aren't going your way and you want to hear someone preach about it. Kinda like emo except not as suck. Musically the band has rough catchy pop textures which they fill with energy. They also have string players which is probably why I love them so much. Strings + european accents = sales. While the CD has no real single, another bold move by the band, the title track is one of the easiest one to get into. The song begins with a simple pentatonic synth line (told you those things are everywhere) that leads into a lush guitar/string texture. Its simple lines like these that pop up all over the album moving you through the phases of each song in between each lyrical verse. The lo-fi-esc quality gives the song, and the album in general, a raw feel which compliments the cynically fueled lyrics. Give them a couple listens through and see what you think.
I've been trying to do some html work on the blog, if you noticed the read more button below the last post that did absolutley nothing, you're computer is fine, it really doesn't do anything. It took me a few hours of painful frustration to get that button to appear. Hopefully over the next week I can get some more cosmetic changes to the blog, but don't hold your breath. Html is a bitch.
Heres three tracks from We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, in the order they appear on the album, minus a short instrumental track. The song You! Me! Dancing! from their last album is also worth a listen. I just don't have it. Enjoy.
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