**The Altsounds Concentrate | Sunday 10th January 2010**
** January 9, 2010, 02:50 PM**
Views: 43 Comments: 1
by jack s <http://hangout.altsounds.com/members/jack-s.html>
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It's only polite to start off by saying the usual thing at this time
of year. Those three words - Happy New Year. And what a start to the
Year we have gotten off too, and whats more - what we have planned.
For now though, whilst your all snowed in, check out all the
material we have on the site. We are also recruiting interns, so get
in touch!
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/features/>
Interns Wanted
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/community/105633-interns-needed-writers-page-ranking-people-and-photographers-come-blog-for-us.html>
Altsounds.com is quickly becoming the most trusted musical
taste-making resource. Think of us as a musical sieve. We make sure
the shit music goes down the drain ensuring only the most quality
bands get noticed. Our review team are not scared to knock a band off
their pedestal whilst at the same time they are equally not afraid of
elevating a band to super stardom. This is where you come in. We are
seeking taste-makers in all the alternative genres. By alternative we
mean "alternative to the mainstream". Taste-makers with a love for all
genres are urged to apply.
We are currently recruiting:
Reviewers & Interviewers
Photographers
Bloggers
PR
APPLY HERE
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/>
Our top rated Album, Single of the week ...
Vampire Weekend - Contra
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113862-vampire-weekend-contra-album.html>
94%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113862-vampire-weekend-contra-album.html>
In the language of music, change creates emphasis. Rarely do you
meet a band that is able to create and shape change in such a powerful
way. The third track, ‘Holiday’ and the fourth track ‘California
English’ are definitely perfect epitomes of change, although
‘Holiday’ has this deep rooted ska vibe. The guitars have are the
main players in this song and different tones can be overheard.
‘California English’ on the other hand is extremely quick and
heavy, it sounds like a sped up auto tune experiment that some could
argue is the way of ‘Vampire Weekend’ attempting to become more
commercial but, in reality, it is only setting them apart. The auto
tune is of course used on purpose and it is meant to be noticed
together with the calypso style background harmony and the drum din.
Ezra himself expressed the implausibility of them sounding like T-Pain
but instead coming closer to other music using auto tune apart from
American Pop.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113862-vampire-weekend-contra-album.html>
Vampire Weekend - Cousins
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113744-vampire-weekend-cousins-single.html>
91%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113744-vampire-weekend-cousins-single.html>
Cousin’s starts with this ‘feel good’ groove that only
Ezra’s voice can offer and with the ultra sharp guitar that forces
you to get up and start dancing and humming to the words of the song
even though you have never heard the entire tune or paid attention to
the lyrics. Then as usual you encounter an unpredictable bass and drum
line that match themselves in this perfect quick non punk, non indie
sound that of course makes Vampire Weekend worth it already.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113744-vampire-weekend-cousins-single.html>
Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113799-yeasayer-ambling-alp-single.html>
96%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113799-yeasayer-ambling-alp-single.html>
Let’s put it another way â€" ‘Ambling Alp’ makes my heart beat
much faster. I love it. I love the drums. I love the little robotic
“aahs†in the background. I love the Bee Gee-falsetto middle
eight. I love the way things go all distorted and slightly wonky at
times because the song is so good it has to fake its imperfections. I
love it all so much I want to take it to work with me and sit it on my
desk and feed it Cadbury’s Buttons. Yes when music connects with you
this much it makes you feel silly and sometimes that comes out in
words. But this is not being silly; we’re less than a week into 2010
and already it’s hard to imagine a better song being released all
year. If they’ve managed to repeat this oddball melodic greatness
elsewhere on “Odd Blood†then we may well have another album of
the year decided within the first two months.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113799-yeasayer-ambling-alp-single.html>
Animal Collective - Fall be Kind
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113702-animal-collective-fall-be-kind-ep.html>
89%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113702-animal-collective-fall-be-kind-ep.html>
Having released the first great album of 2009 in “Merriweather
Post Pavillion,†it’s perhaps only fitting that Animal Collective
should bookend the year with another release of shimmering beauty.
“Fall be Kind†is a five track EP that continues their rather
industrious tradition of releasing an EP shortly after an album (which
they have released at a rate of pretty much one a year for their nine
years together) and it has gained a little bit of press due to it
featuring the first ever track to ‘officially’ sample Grateful
Dead (they allowed a vocal section of ‘Unbroken Chain’ to be used
on ‘What Would I Want? Sky’ â€" their first ever permission slip).
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113702-animal-collective-fall-be-kind-ep.html>
NoFX - Cokie the Clown
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113694-nofx-cokie-the-clown-album.html>
93%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113694-nofx-cokie-the-clown-album.html>
It’s blatantly clear that NoFX are one of the bands that have
influenced tens of thousands of kids to pick up guitars and have a go
at getting heard. Where I think NoFX stand out from other epically
huge punk bands like Green Day, is that they have always made it clear
that punk rock is more about doing the right thing, being individual
and making a mark than it is about doing what a record label thinks
will maximise their unit shifting potential. NoFX have never released
an album on a major label and yet they manage to be one of the most
persistently well known punk bands on the scene for the last twenty
years.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113694-nofx-cokie-the-clown-album.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113694-nofx-cokie-the-clown-album.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/>
An advisory “listen at your own risk†comes attached to these
releases. Altsounds is not afraid to speak it’s mind.
N-Dubz - I Need You
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113717-n-dubz-i-need-you-single.html>
29%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113717-n-dubz-i-need-you-single.html>
The tune? Well, it's fuckin' awful, of course. Imagine a third rate
grimer being butt-fucked by some European techno DJ called Jurgen and
you've got the drift. Look, I said I was prepared to acknowledge them.
I didn't say I had to think that they were any good.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113717-n-dubz-i-need-you-single.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113714-jason-derulo-whatcha-say-single.html>
Jason Derulo - Whatcha Say
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113714-jason-derulo-whatcha-say-single.html>
27%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113714-jason-derulo-whatcha-say-single.html>
As with a lot of current Pop and R&B, the order of the day seems to
be to throw some Roland 808 shuffling beat at the issue, back it up
with some digital strings, and get a good looking front man/woman to
sing about the ups and downs of love. "Whatcha Say" is no different.
In fairness the chorus line is pretty catchy 'Whatcha Say' has a
nicely produced pitched up vocoded vocal line, that sort of sounds
like a 'Scooter' chorus after being washed with some fabric
conditioner, the soft and fluffy kind.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113714-jason-derulo-whatcha-say-single.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113714-jason-derulo-whatcha-say-single.html>
We listen to pretty much everything under the sun @ Altsounds. Read
the latest 10 reviews below.
Karl Culley - Bundle Of Nerves
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113978-karl-culley-bundle-of-nerves-single.html>
Beardo - Self Titled
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113976-beardo-self-titled-album.html>
Inu - Monster
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113973-inu-monster-ep.html>
Box of Baby Birds - Arboreal
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113961-box-of-baby-birds-arboreal-ep.html>
El Perro Del Mar - Love Is Not Pop
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113959-el-perro-del-mar-love-is-not-pop-album.html>
Organic Arma - Fear of Demete
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113958-organic-arma-fear-of-demete-single.html>
Crimea X - Chorne More [EP
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113957-crimea-x-chorne-more-ep.html>
Mission Of Burma - 1,2,3 partyy!
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113955-mission-of-burma-1-2-3-partyy-single.html>
Via Tania - Moon Sweet Moon
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113949-via-tania-moon-sweet-moon-album.html>
Beverly Knight - Beautiful Night
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113943-beverly-knight-beautiful-night-single.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/features/>
Speaking with some of the finest artists of today about their work,
goings on and private matters you all want to know about.
Justin Sullivan from New Model Army
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/features/113742-the-lowdown-justin-sullivan-from-new-model-army-part-1-a.html>
"No... If somebody says “Doesn’t that sound a bit like...†we
go back and see if it really sounds too much like that, because we try
really hard not to write the same song twice, and we always try to
look for new ideas. I think having new people in the band every now
and then is useful; we always listen to each other. We all like
different music to start with, really different music."
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/>
Covering the latest bands and artists playing at a venue near you.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113693-new-model-army-london-hmv-forum-live.html>
New Model Army - London, HMV Forum
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113693-new-model-army-london-hmv-forum-live.html>
83%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113693-new-model-army-london-hmv-forum-live.html>
With a large and diverse back catalogue of material to choose from,
the set list is always going to be a subject up for debate. Surely
many here tonight were hoping for a large dose of the 80s glory days
material, and although this period is quite well represented in the
form of ‘Get me out’ and ‘Lurhstaap’, it is hard to make
everyone happy and promote a new album at the same time. However, it
is surprising how well the new material seems to fit in with the old
New Model Army sound. New songs like ‘Autumn’ and ‘Arm
yourselves and run’ already sound like residents in a New Model Army
set, and the title track ‘Today is a good day’ assures everyone
that Justin Sullivan’s band is as relevant today as it has always
been.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113693-new-model-army-london-hmv-forum-live.html>
Them Crooked Vultures + Sweethead, London Hammersmith Apollo
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/113911-them-crooked-vultures-sweethead-london-hammersmith-apollo-live.html>
So perfect is this creature known as Them Crooked Vultures that the
night can actually be filled with their own songs after just one
album, with no need for any covers to be played and not the slightest
hint of disappointment from either Zeppelin, Nirvana or Queens of The
Stone Age fans here reunited. Track after track, it’s a crescendo
that leaves you gasping for breath, caught in the excitement of
witnessing something so awesome that is old and new at the same time.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/>
What!?! Free stuff! Yes please. Get your mitts on the coolest stuff.
Remember to sign up for an Altsounds account to get full access to all
our competitions!
Massive Attack - T Shirt and CD Giveaway
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/113886-massive-attack-t-shirt-and-cd-giveaway.html>
Altsounds.com has got one Massive Attack UK import t-shirts and one
copy of Heligoland and to win all you need to do is enter the correct
answer to the question above within the alloted giveaway timeframe.
One lucky winner will then be selected from the entrants.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/113808-cartel-cycles-album-giveaway.html>
Cartel - Cycles Album Giveaway
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/113808-cartel-cycles-album-giveaway.html>
Pop-punk favorites Cartel released their third album, Cycles, on
October 20th 2009. The band spent four solid months living together
and recording the album, which singer Will Pugh credits for helping
them focus and capture the energy of their live performances,
something for which the band is well-known. "Let's Go," was released
as the first single from the album and is a spirited, call-to-arms
manifesto and the perfect way to announce Cartel's return. We have one
copy of Cycles available to giveaway to one lucky winner. To enter
just enter the correct answer in the thread. A winner will then be
picked at random from the correct answers.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/113808-cartel-cycles-album-giveaway.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/113808-cartel-cycles-album-giveaway.html>
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/>
Got a studio? Altsounds reviews the latest technological advances in
music.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/gear/113756-dj-hero-video-game.html>
DJ Hero Video Game
78%
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/gear/113756-dj-hero-video-game.html>
Overall the game is a very enjoyable one to play either on your own
or with friends. My thoughts are that this may be easier for people to
relate to given how the dance scene seems to have more people into it
than the rock scene (at least in my town). Whether this inspires a new
generation of DJ’s remains to be seen.
<http://hangout.altsounds.com/gear/113756-dj-hero-video-game.html>
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