Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets

At this point, Los Campesinos! are pretty much guaranteed to be successful, indie-wise that is! They've used myspace for pretty much the only thing that the irritating social networking site it good for, mainly exposing your music to as many people as possible. That's the very reason why I'm so late joining the Campesino camp. Myspace, although I use it, isn't actually my thing. I've been exposed to a lot of mediocrity on that site. However, Los Campesinos are very deserving of their exposure, and apparently, it's working, since the Cardiff-based band has actually been signed here in Canada to the ultra-hip indie label Arts & Crafts, which is home, of course, to BSS, Feist, Young Galaxy and Stars (to name a few.) They play that highly invigorating style of "music is a celebration of life" that gets the indie kids' heads bobbing nearly to the point of body detachment. The EP "Sticking Fingers Into Sockets" is a 16 minute blast that leaves you wanting more and quickly. It lunges right into things with "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" an instantly likable song, with a thick male British accent being accompanied by female vocals to create an excellent pop party song. Their sense of humor is also immediately accessible as Gareth sings, "It's your party and I'll die if I want to!" "It Started With A Mixx" sings of "trying to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop," which the band successfully does. And the myspace hit "You! Me! Dancing!" is one of the best songs of the year, sounding like Broken Social Scene meets Loney, Dear, Yo La Tengo and Architecture In Helsinki. It's true they're not the most original band I've heard this year but who cares when the music is this good.

Downloads:
Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s) mp3
We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives mp3
Myspace:
Los Campesinos!
Videos:
We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives youtube
You! Me! Dancing! youtube

Young Galaxy - Come And See (Post)

Young Galaxy is the latest addition to the Arts & Crafts family of insanely good Can-rock. I don’t know much about them yet but I do like what I hear so far. Right now the band is said to consist of only two members, Stephen Ramsay and Catherine McCandless, although on tour they’ll been joined by Pat Sayers, Stephen Kamp and Susan Beckett. Stephen Ramsay is the tall dude who’s been playing with Stars for the last little while, and his new project has been described as shoegazey dream-pop. The band has only recently played their first live show and the above video is not really a music video, but it does capture what Young Galaxy is all about onstage.

Young Galaxy is playing tonight (Jan. 23) at The Horseshoe as part of Dave Bookman Nu Music Nite. (That means it’s free!) Other acts on the bill are Don Vail, Last Town Chorus and The Films.
Visit the Young Galaxy myspace page.
Purchase the “Swing Your Heartache” tour EP here.
Purchase the “Swing Your Heartache” 7” here.