Cougar Microbes

This year we sent some of our finest writers to witness SXSW first hand and mingle. This could have been a tale of new friendships, drunken friendships, confiscated platinum passes, lost emails and missed deadlines. Oh, and there was also a lot of music…

Cave Painting | Latitude 30 (The British Music Embassy)

We kicked off day two with a short walk over to The British Music Embassy where Cave Painting, and a very decent bloody mary, where doing a good job of reawakening me after the previous nights shenanigans.

The Brighton quintet’s spacious indie rock and restrained performance was a perfect match for this venue as their sweet melodies filled the air.

Papa | Cheer Up Charlie’s (Echo & Echoplex + Origami Vinyl Party)

Former Girls drummer, Darren Weiss, spearheads Papa who released their first EP, ‘A Good Woman Is Hard To Find‘, last October (2012). With song titles like, “Let’s Make You Pregnant”, who doesn’t want to listen?

Poolside | Cheer Up Charlie’s (Echo & Echoplex + Origami Vinyl Party)

True to form at South By, I caught this band from my must-see list by a chance trip to Cheer Up Charlie’s, which with its quaint, outdoor charm, came to be one of my quintessential SX venues. It was the perfect place and time for Poolside’s warm, groovy tunes. Their self-proclaimed “day-time disco” hit the right tone for this fun-loving crowd lounging on grass-topped cubes with lights-strung overhead.

Japandroids | Mohawk ( Vans + Fat Possum Party)

I was delighted to get a second chance at seeing Japandroids so soon after the previous nights disappointments.

Fortunately, within the surroundings of a good sounding venue, the Canadian‘s came up trumps playing as if possesed. Despite there only being two of them on stage their performance was both tighter and more raucous than most other bands, ever.

Iggy And The Stooges | Mohawk ( Vans + Fat Possum Party)

The line around mohawks had been building forever to catch what was oe of the most anticipated performances of this year’s SXSW.

Once Iggy and The Stooges finally hit the stage there were still a several hundred people crowding around the 150 capacity venue to try to at least hear the set from outside.

Offering a mix of new material and ancient gems, all of which blended into one massive riff, Iggy spent the time between tracks ranting about the themes behind the tracks.

When it all kicked off the rush was incredible as Iggy jumped and flailed proving he has more energy than most of the people in the audience combined.

On a personal level I had seen The Stooges live at my first ever festival several years ago and had now come full circle.

Caveman | IFC Crossroads House (freecreditscore Party)

NPR Music describes Caveman as “dreamily rendered, deftly executed pop-rock” and you can hear the album now, for a short time, on First Listen.

Pickwick | IFC Crossroads House (freecreditscore Party)

Easy listening in the form of soulful R&B. Pickwick‘s vocalist, Galen Disston, is a powerhouse that can’t be ignored.

The Death Set | Lamberts

At the posh upstairs bar at Lamberts I immediately spotted the room had a water pipe running down the middle. The Death Set clearly spotted this too because they hung upside from it for virtually the entirety of their set.

While the interruptions and in-between song banter was slightly enervating but once the trio kicked off with their sample rich take on punk rock you got a feel for why these guys are so well liked.

Despite the room hardly being full an impromptu moshpit kicked off with the Aussie/NYC band making sure to be at the centre of it giving everyone an explosive send off.

Divine Fits | IFC Crossroads House (freecreditscore Party)

Do you not know?! Go listen to Divine Fits, people. Dan Boeckner’s fierce front man presence balances Brit Daniels croon to a T, and the resulting songs have a distinct, new-wave vibe.

I noticed that when this blog was in its infancy we used to feature way more mashups. Conversely submissions of mashup tracks have grown steadily over the years. Maybe we’re becoming too old or maybe we are too cynical but it feels like every kid with an Iphone app and a couple of acapella tracks can reel off a half decent attempt.

Of course there is always an exception to the rule; when The Hood Internet‘s magic touch is in play is I’m willing to give any track a chance. This time the Chicago duo cleverly build on the global Daft Punk pants-creamathon and the equivalent anticipation for Kanye West‘s rumoured 6th solo album.

The result probably has a little less kick than previous THI outings but the two tracks work a treat together without losing their individual magic

TRACKS:

London based collective KINGS OF THE CITY (yeah, that’s all caps) could only really hail from the Big Smoke. Fusing elements of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, hip hop and grime to create a sound that is both accomplished and crucially relevant.

With shows at legendary London venues such as Jazz Cafe and Cargo, plus airplay on the likes of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, already under the belt it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be taking their live show somewhere near you.

Their latest video for the track “Please Tell Me” acts as  a perfect calling card for what the band does so well.

TRACKS:

Darwin Deez is back with new album ‘Songs For The Imaginative People‘ and it sounds like what we have come to expect from NYC band possibly with an increased focus on production.

‘Songs…‘ opens up with “(800) HUMAN”. Bitcrushed and glitchy electronic drums accompany Darwin’s signature guitar playing, a smooth segue from his last album, sarcastically selling “what its like to be human” on a tv infomercial. Darwin is very adept at conceptualized songwriting and that makes this an excellent opener for Songs.

The third cut, “Moonlit”, initially reminds me of Paula Adbul’s “Opposites Attract” and somehow this is a good fit. The track is just as awkward as Deez.

By the fourth track, “No Love”, you have contracted Darwin’s contagious depression.

“Alice” feels the most quaint and charmy off the album. B-side production quality compliments Darwin’s frail, almost about to fall apart voice. It doesn’t have to be perfect! You can really feel the real Deez on this track. It’s also very welcome to hear accents of synths grace the track.

Sorry, I totally spaced out on “Redshift”.

“Free (The Editorial Me)” was definitely the best choice for ‘Songs’ first single. Darwin turns up the energy, switches on the distortion pedal, and noisily rocks out. He sounds confident. All I would have asked for is some other instrumental texture. The bitcrushed drums are back, and plays perfectly, but all the guitars are a tad bland. Btw, I LOVE the Darwin Deez drum fills.

Love “Chelsea’s Hotel”. Love the chopppy rhythm guitar. Love the cute lyrics. This song embodies the entirety of ‘Songs for Imaginative People‘. Bittersweet downtempo happiness.

Truth be told… Darwin, I miss your flaws! This new album with its clean and solid production, lacks some of the quirks and imperfection that I fell in love with on 2010′s ‘Darwin Deez‘. But this is far from a failure; this sophomoric effort feels like an exploratory pit-stop to bigger and more imaginative things (we can only hope!)

TRACKS:

The post-apocalyptic mural, “Hollywood Doom“, is a spin-off of the album art from the forthcoming Atoms For Peace debut, ‘AMOK‘. Currently veiling the exterior of the XL Records building, the mural turned animated GIF is a collaboration between Stanley Donwood and INSA.

In his bold graphic style, Donwood depicts Los Angeles flooded and burning, with fireballs raining down from the sky. His argument being, that Armageddon‘s already here – we’ve squandered planet Earth, exploited each other to make a buck, and polluted our drinking water in the process.

At first glance, I enjoyed the novelty of animating a mural and the cool, graphic design. But as nihilistic as Donwood‘s evaluation of our current state of affairs is, it’s easy to appreciate the truth in his words. It wasn’t until I looked at the piece with that frame of mind that I found it disturbing. Looking at the city I live in being simultaneously torched and swallowed by the ocean was uncomfortable, because perhaps it’s not far off.

‘AMOK‘ was just released on Feb. 26, 2013 and represents the official debut from the Thom Yorke / Flea supergroup, despite having formed to tour Yorke‘s solo album, ‘The Eraser‘. At that time the band didn’t have a name, so their early shows were billed Thom Yorke ?????? or just ??????

If you’re a fan of Radiohead‘s sound, you should like that Atoms For Peace feels more or less the same, but with a relentless rhythm section including Flea on bass.

In other words, they’re epic as fuck.

This track, “Cymbal Rush“, is from the last album but it should give you an idea how hard they crush it.

Clearly, these guys live up to their supergroup status.

For longer listening, check out the below mix Yorke contributed to Dazed Digital along with band-mate Nigel Godrich. It’s a full 25 minute set featuring many what I like to call “Yorke on Yorke” remixes.

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Post by Nicole/ Twitter: @nikki_redhead

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Last year we saw Ben Caplan and his Casual Smokers play an exilarating show in London. We caught up with the Canadian troubadour for a quick Q&A about his whirlwind 2012 and plans for 2013. It goes a little something like this:

Cougar Microbes: This past year you’ve had a wild ride. You transitioned from a relative unknown to an internationally touring artist, and spent a cumulative 9 months on the road. How do you maintain such a ridiculous schedule?

Ben Caplan: The last year has been crazy. It was a year of touring non-stop, and slowly transitioning from doing all of the behind the scenes business stuff myself, to having a wonderful team around me. That team is one of the most important things for keeping me sane and keeping me on the road. Touring full time can be quite taxing. Although each city, venue, and crowd is quite different, given enough shows over enough time and it can all blur into a strange monotony. The most important thing for keeping me grounded and sane is to treat each show as a unique challenge. I am constantly trying to better myself as a musician and performer. There is a certain sameness to each audience but also a certain uniqueness to each audience. The beautiful challenge is to try to discover each night in which ways the specific crowd and room relates to the archetypal audience, and in which ways it differs. I spent many years practising writing songs and playing instruments. The best way to learn those skills was usually solitary. This year has been a fruitful year of more public practising: developing my skills of being onstage and being an entertainer. I think that the most important thing for keeping me sane while touring full time is to treat each show as an excellent opportunity for growth and learning.

CM: What’s the best part of being home?

BC: Cooking. Good, nutritious, home cooked meals can be hard to find on the road. When I am home, I love going to the farmers market, picking out fresh local produce and products from Nova Scotian farms, and preparing fresh food for myself and my friends. It’s also quite nice to sleep in the same bed every night.

CM: What’s the hardest part of your job?

BC: Writing songs. Writing songs is hard. Some songwriters have the stuff just pour out of them. For me it does not come so easily. Occasionally a tune will just fall through me, like a gift from the muses, but most times it requires days of work and focus. All the rest of the business is just determination, luck, elbow grease, and savvy.

CM: Your album has a strange and long title. What does it mean to you?

BC: The title of the album, ‘In the Time of the Great Remembering‘, was inspired from a passage in a book by Daniel Quinn. The title reflects my optimism that we are entering into a period in history that will hopefully become a period of renewed interest in living in conscious harmony with our surroundings and its natural rhythms – instead of in opposition to them. We have forgotten a great deal about very old strategies for living that are rooted in place, specific landscapes, and local living culture. We have shifted to a one-size-fits-all civilization. I see the seeds and roots of a movement to remember and re-invigorate what has been lost. I hope we are moving into a time when the waters of this Great Remembering grow from a trickle into a stream, into a swift and undeniable river.

CM: You seem to have taken a break from touring until February 2013. What do you do when you’re not on the road, and what’s next for you?

BC: Right now I am focused on daily practice and writing. I am spending an excessive amount of time playing the piano. I am holed up for hours in my notebook. I am reading lots of books. I am sleeping in. Right now my focus is doing the groundwork for my next album and figuring out what I want it to sound like. I am focused on deepening my appreciation and understanding of words and music. That’ll be the number one thing until I hit the road again. Then from February till May I’ll be touring back through some old stomping grounds and discovering some new places too. I’ll hopefully have a few UK stops. I’m hoping to have my next album finished by the end of the summer.

TRACKS:

Cougar writer Thom offers his top ten albums for our Top albums of 2012 feature.

Chairlift -’Something‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

WHY? -’Mumps, ETC‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Passion Pit – ‘Gossamer‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Django Django -’Django Django‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Jack White – ‘Blunderpuss‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Dirty Projectors -’Swing Lo Magellan‘

Maps & Atalases -’Beware and be Grateful‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

The XX – ‘Coexist‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Poliça -’Give You the Ghost‘

Hot Chip – ‘In Our Heads‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Cougar writer Olivia offers his top ten albums for our Top albums of 2012 feature.

Frank Ocean – ‘Channel ORANGE‘

Without any doubt Frank Ocean is my artist of year. From releasing the beautiful LP ‘Channel ORANGE‘ to shaking up the conservative and often homophobic world of hip hop by publishing an open letter on his Tumblr which suggested that his first love was a man… Putting him at the top of my list for best album of 2012 seemed a natural thing to do.

Admittedly I did not instantly fall in love with ‘Channel ORANGE‘. I was actually wondering whether Frank Ocean was just a modern version of R.Kelly, with a bit more street cred’ since he’s part of young hip-hop collective OFWGKTA . Turns out both Frank Ocean and his album grew on me unexpectedly. Having listened to this album over a hundred times, I now believe that Ocean might have offered us one of the most groundbreaking and avant-garde- musically and lyrically- albums since Kanye‘s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy‘.

I actually see quite a few similarities between both albums. Like ‘MBDTF’, Ocean‘s album tells a story; it has a clear beginning, continued chapters, and a finale. It has that clear, logical evolution that I find to be often missing in LPs. Like a roller-coaster, the album starts smoothly with songs such as ‘Thinkin Bout You‘ and ‘Sweet Life‘, probably reaches its peak with the centrepiece and 10 minutes long epic ‘Pyramids‘, and finally slows down again with more emotional songs such as ‘Bad Religion‘ and ‘Pink Matter‘. The tracks on the album flow perfectly, and come together seamlessly to create a dramatical and grandiose master of a piece. Just like Kanye’s gem, ‘Channel ORANGE‘ is influenced by a wide range of genres, expresses various emotions and tackles various themes such as decadence and class, unrequited love and sex.

‘Channel ORANGE‘ is anything but your standard r&b piece and Frank Ocean is far from an average baritone singer . Personally I have a thing for music that is somewhat ‘schizophrenic‘ and think that opposing forces usually tend to create something beautiful. It’s possibly why I am so attached to ‘Channel ORANGE‘, as the artist, and his album are unconventional yet classic, witty yet sombre, simple yet with a bona fide sense of grandeur.

Grizzly Bear – ‘Shields‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

First Aid Kit – ‘The Lion’s Roar‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Kendrick Lamar – ‘Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Django Django – ‘Django Django‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

Bobby Womack – ‘The Bravest Man In The Universe‘

2012 was marked by the return of music legend Bobby Womack. The man behind the ‘Across 110th Street‘ made a suprise comeback with a beautiful album produced by the extremely talented Damon Albarn ( with whom he had already collaborated on Gorillaz‘ ‘Plastic Beach‘) and XL Recordings‘ owner Richard Russell.

This album is Womack‘s 27th studio album yet I find it suprisingly modern, possibly more so than a lot of albums by new or up and coming artists. I love everything about this album, from the contrast between Womack‘s dark soulful voice and the semi electronic beats, to his amazing duet with Lana Del Rey. One word: Breathtaking.

Wild Nothing – ‘Nocturne‘

Wild Nothing was created in 2009 by Jack Tatum. His debut LP ‘Gemini‘ was already pretty good, but this new LP ‘Nocturne‘ is on a whole new level. Yes, on the negative side one might say that Tatum‘s music is quite predictable and sounds like your usual dream-pop band ( I’m thinking Toro Y Moi, Deerhunter, WU LYF …). Moving past that, I really think ‘Nocturne‘ is a beautiful and pleasurable album. I might not remember it in ten years, but for the moment, songs such as ‘Shadows‘, ‘Paradise‘ or title track ‘Nocturne‘ still manage to brighten up my snowy and cold afternoons.

Chromatics – ‘Kill For Love‘

Included in the Cougar Microbes albums of 2012 here.

NaS – ‘Life Is Good‘ 

Whenever I talk or think about NaS, I get this uncontrollable urge to quote Jay-Z‘s 2001 diss track ‘Takeover‘ in which he basically summarised his rival’s career. It goes like this: “4 albums in 10 years, nigga? I could divide. That’s one every… let’s say 2, 2 of them shits was doo, 1 was ‘nah’, the other was ‘Illmatic’, that’s a one-hot-album-every-10-year average’

When NaS announced a new album, I (and I’m guessing a lot of people) might have feared the worst. Let’s face it, he might be one of the most gifted lyricist and rappers of this generation but has nonetheless come up with some questionable material in the past. However, it seems that a year of personal troubles brings out the best in him. ‘Life is Good‘ is NaS‘ 11th studio album, it comes post Kelis, post daughter’s twitter/condom-gate, and in the midst of many legal issues, but it’s just great.

I am in love with the sumptuous first track of the album, ironically called ‘No Introduction‘, in which NaS, in a semi mid-life crisis style looks back at his life. I guess it introduces the theme of this album. No more Jay-Z beef, or NaS vs The World. ‘Life is Good‘ is NaS vs NaS, reflecting on his personal life, fatherhood, and his experience of hip-hop. One rather personal song called ‘Bye Baby‘ is dedicated to ex-wife Kelis. A bunch of big names feature on his album: Rick Ross on the impressive and intimidating ‘Accident Murderers‘, ‘Reach Out‘ with Mary J Blige, and the surprising ‘Cherry Wine‘ with the late Amy Winehouse.

After years of disappointing his fans, NaS is finally back with an album that is worthy of his reputation. Enjoy.

Purity Ring – ‘Shrines‘

One of my favourite album of 2012 is definitely Canadian duo Purity Ring‘s first LP entitled ‘Shrines‘. With ‘Shrines‘, band members Roddick and James have perfectly captured the essence of what 2012 should sound like. Their music is a mix of electro-pop, Dubstep, R&B, with a good dose of mystical shoegaze.

Strangely, their sounds amazingly coherent, controlled and unique. From the beginning to the end this album remains captivating.