Cougar Microbes are marching in like army ants…

Slow Club are long overdue a mention on these pages given that they havebeen a regular fixture at Cougar HQ since its release. The Sheffield band have been dubbed as the new White Stripes in some quarters but I find that comparison slightly lazy.

Yes they are boy/girl duo, Yes Rebecca Taylor plays the drums whilst Charles Watson rocks a guitar but…whilst the Detroit heroes have patented their garage rock sound, Slow Club operate in a different yet equally interesting territory.

Their debut ‘Yeah So’ introduces an intimate folk sound and a shade of 60′s optimism in a way not too dissimilar to The Magic Numbers and She & Him. Both in terms of vocals and deliver these are far more apt comparison in my mind.

The band head out on a tour of Japan early next month which should well received. Meanwhile with countless live shows scheduled closer to home I am keen to catch their next performance.

‘Yeah So‘ is out now on Moshi Moshi.

TRACKS

Slow Club – Giving Up On Love

For most of us Levi‘s is a name synonymous with blue jeans and a cowboy swagger but it seems the denim kings are keen to weave their way into the music community (yet again).

The Levi’s® Pioneer Sessions 2010 Revival Recordings bring together the likes of She & Him, Nas, The Shins and Passion Pit to record covers of the artists that influenced their sound.

The results are interesting and its great to see where these recognised acts took their inspiration from. Check out their website to get all these ace tracks and check out for the weekly updates.

TRACKS:

She & Him – Fools Rush In

The Shins – Goodbye Girl

Nas – Hey Young World

Passion Pit – Tonight, Tonight

Peter Broderick is an interesting proposition; at just 22 the classically trained musician has already bagged plenty of session work (most notably with Cougar Microbes favourites She & Him) as well as working on his solo material.

In 2007 he took a gamble and relocated from Oregon to play with Danish band Efterklang and live in Copenhagen showing an incredible commitment to his craft. He has since made Berlin his permanent home as he continues to be prolific about recording an assortment of varied releases without forgetting his session work playing banjos, violins and madolins.

His wonderful ‘And Its Alright’ track was the perfect remedy for my looming hangover with its mix of minimalistic instrumentations and heart warming optmistic lyrics. The Nils Frahm remix adds a Nordic cool to proceedings sounding like the track was re-recorded in outer space.

Catch him on his European tour running straight through to September and make sure you check out his releases.

TRACK:

Peter Broderick – And It’s Alright (Nils Frahm Remix)

In what is shaping up to be an acoustic flavoured week here at Cougar HQ I bring you a taste of Cass McCombs latest effort ‘Catacombs’. Comparisons will inevitably be drawn with the Baltimore based troubadour’s previous releases and the distinct indie sound that became his calling card but this may well be his defining album.

For all their dreamy qualities in the past McCombs‘ songs saw him overindulge in his lo-fi tendencies sometimes at the expense of structure, hooks, tuning and/or all of the above. ‘Catacombs‘ finds a much matured McCombs opting for reduced instrumentations and a more focussed songwriting approach that allows his lyrics to shine through becoming the true focal point of this recording. Musically he sublimely appropriates elements of country, americana and 50′s and 60s pop in a way not too dissimilar from Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward superb She & Him project.

‘Catacombs‘ showcases Cass McCombs at the top of his game leading the listener through a nostalgic yet heart warming journey in true story teller tradition.

TRACKS:

Cass McCombs – Dreams-Come-True-Girl

A collaboration between Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and M. Ward (erm, M.Ward and She & Him) was, at the very least, going to be interesting. Their reputations alone pretty much justify the moniker Monster Of Folk. Add the fact that they are already being reffered to as a “Supergroup” and expectations are naturally very high.

On the basis of new single ‘Say Please‘ there is a lot to look forward to when they release their self titled full length in September. Download it for free from their website (providing you are very polite)

TRACKS:

Monsters Of Folk – Say Please

Haven’t we heard this one before: Hollywood starlet (or her management team) eyes an opportunity to milk a few more $$$ out of the fans by branching out into the music world. Usually the next step is a dismal release or two after which she returns to the relative safety of her day job.

That was what I was thinking when I was told Zooey Deschanel was teaming up with alt-country darling M. Ward but boy was I wrong. Instead, under the moniker She & Him, they may well have released one of the most interesting albums in recent years transporting you back to a when music was about style over substance. The resulting album Volume One sounds just like the old 60s albums my dad used to play me in his car dipped in sentimentality and following in the tradition of songstresses like Joni Mitchell and Dusty Springfield.

Zooey, I owe you an apology.

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It’s amazing what a few months can do to a bands profile. Back in November I was coming to terms with TV On The Radio‘s latest effort. Now their tracks have rooted themselves firmly in my subconscious making Dear Science, the go to album when people ask me for something that will appeal to fairweather music fans and enthusiasts alike. I’m not really surprised that in December TOTR were featured prominently on New Year programs for the BBC and Channel 4 alike and were also played repeatedly on the office stereo.