A while ago we posted a track from the recent, self-titled Sonny + The Sandwitches EP, which has rapidly grown to be a massive favourite here at MM. However, it was only recently that we discovered Sonny Smith’s 100 Records project in which he created more than 100 fictional bands, then wrote songs for them and enlisted musicians (including Ty Segall and Kelley Stoltz amongst … Continue reading Introducing…Earth Girl Helen Brown (sort of)
Sweet Lights sent over this cover of Sharon Van Etten’s wonderful track One Day, which is from her (also wonderful) album Epic. Download it below and check out their Bandcamp page here for more free downloads as well as their self-titled album which is available for $8 or more. Download Sweet Lights – One Day mp3 (Sharon Van Etten cover) Continue reading Sweet Lights cover Sharon van Etten
February 22nd sees the release of the Luyas album, Too Beautiful To Work. We’re pleased to share another taste from the LP. Title track Too Beautiful To Work is futuristic pop with elastic wordplay dancing atop rhythmic keyboards and a motorik beat. The layers of sound are dense and lush, augmented by the virtuosic violin of sometimes Luya and all the time Arcade Fire member … Continue reading New track from The Luyas
Ex Libras finished off 2010 by taking their EP, Cut(s), on a mini tour of the UK. Since then they have shunned the spotlight, keen to develop their second album due for release later this year. However, they are never ones to stay quiet for too long, the band have decided to punctuate the silence between their last EP and the hotly anticipated album by … Continue reading New single from Ex Libras
Here are a few of the better/more interesting videos that have found our way into the in-box recently. First up are The Whigs, a band we’ve posted about a few times. This is the band keeping it simple in their self-directed video for So Lonely from current album In The Dark. Rodeo Massacre are a Swedish/French band in thrall to the sixties garage scene and … Continue reading MM’s Video Update
We’re not sure how to accurately describe this track from Swedish band The Skull Defekts. It’s minimal and powerful, it’s a bit raga, a bit drone, has some tribal chants, lots of repetition, it’s hypnotic, a bit trancey, some pyschedelia and seriously rhythmic! In a wholly good way it reminds us a bit of everything from the 60s to the 90s – from Cornershop to … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Skull Defekts
I often think, quite sadly, that the good old fashioned political protest song is a dying breed in the modern age. So it was all the more pleasing to get this short and pithy missive from Ed of MM faves and undeniably brilliant down-tempo miserabilists The War Crimes. “Blair’s appearance at the Chilcott whitewash gotta me thinkin’ about an old tune of ours. Geronimo was of … Continue reading The War Crimes Protest
Exactly a week ago we gave you the wonderful So It Goes from Meredith Adelaide and Josh Schroeder. In the seven days that have elapsed they have put up a new song for free download from their Bandcamp page (or indeed just below this text). Where Are You? is a more straight-forward indie ballad that this time has a more epic quality as it quietly … Continue reading More from Josh Schroeder & Meredith Adelaide
London bluesman, Duke Garwood is set to release Dreamboatsafari, his first release for Fire Records, tomorrow. We’ve already given you Jesus Got A Gun and now we have another offering of sparse folk-blues for you in the shape of the skeletal and unsettling Summer Gold. Download Duke Garwood – Summer Gold mp3 (from Dreamboatsafari) Download Duke Garwood – Jesus Got A Gun mp3 (from Dreamboatsafari) Continue reading More from Duke Garwood, new album released tomorrow
Here are three gems of garage rock/punk/pop joy for you, especially designed to brighten up a drab and dreary January Sunday. We’ve posted about the Mind Spiders and the Thick Shakes before. Both play a wonderfully uncluttered, joyous form of proto garage-rock that is simple, unaffected and damn catchy. We have a track from the forthcoming Mind Spiders self-titled album and the Thick Shakes new … Continue reading Let’s Go Garage…
