A foal is a horse that is one year old or younger.

Foals dress for the occasion and have awesome songs to match. Hailing from Oxford, these ex-art school types create a sound akin to Youthmovies crossed with the pop sensibilities of Bloc Party. The band won a lot of fans over at SXSW earlier this year, and with a couple of singles under their belt released on the Transgressive label, it could not be too soon for them to release an album. Did I mention they are perfectionists? In the short time they have been together they have recorded a mere handful of tracks, but the love and attention that goes into them is clear, as each one is pretty much near perfection. 'Hummer', a song the band describe as being about running, was their first single for Transgressive back in April, whilst the demo version of 'The French Open' shows the groups more progressive side...

mp3: Foals - Hummer

mp3: Foals - The French Open (demo)

Current single, 'Mathletics', is out now.

Acres of dead space cadets.

Elle Milano are back! And not only do they have a new single, but a new album. Fans of the Leicester three-piece (they recently lost a member) may remember their Swearing's for Art Students EP which came out seemingly years back now which gained them a reasonable amount of support from the music press, especially from Indie fanzine ArtRocker.

The first single to be taken from the album, 'My Brother, The Astronaut' takes up where the last EP finished, an scathing indie rock anthem that leaves you gasping for air. Not a band to play quietly, the track is loud and abrassive; all angular guitars and shouty lyrics. Lots of fun! It also sounds remotely similar, in places, to a certain Fallout Boy song. This, however, may be intentional, as the band are well know for their satirical and cynical outlook on the British alternative music scene, as well as the shallow consumerist attitude of today's youth. Check it out for yourself, along with the classic title track from their EP, 'Swearing's For Art Students'.

The new single 'My Brother, The Astronaut' is released on Brighton Electric 0n October 29th, and is limited to 500 white vinyl and download. This will be followed by the debut album Acres of Dead Space Cadets later in the year.

mp3: Elle Milano - My Brother, The Astronaut
mp3: Elle Milano - Swearing's For Art Students

Commercial breakdown #1: Dogs Die in Hot Cars

I was thinking earlier about how that every now and again there is an advert on TV, and I'll be sitting there thinking "I know this tune...". Well, welcome to the first commercial break. Basically it's a means for me to post some stuff I wouldnt normally post, and say a little about it.

First up is the now sadly defunkt Dogs Die in Hot Cars. The group only released one album, an ep and several singles in their short career, but albeit a brief stint in the spotlight, one of their unlikeliest tracks has become unknowingly their most well know by accompanying the commercials for popular high street chemist, Boots. Taken from the Man Bites Man EP, 'Nobody Teaches Life Anything' was always one of my favourite DDiHC tracks despite being just over a minute long and instrumental. I can remember the first time I heard Boots use the track several years back, which has since been re-recorded by unknown forces (perhaps the band??) into different variations depending on season, such as the Christmassy version which accompanied the 3 for 2 promotions.

I realise some people may find it rather sad that I have taken so much notice of the Boots adverts, but it's a great little piece of music. For those of you interested in Dogs Die in Hot Cars I highly recommend their LP, Please Describe Yourself, which is unashamedly packed with indie pop gems, such as 'I Love You 'Cause I Have To' and the amazing 'Pastimes & Lifestyles', which I have included below.

Dogs Die in Hot Cars' Please Describe Yourself is available on V2 records.

mp3: Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Nobody Teaches Life Anything
mp3: Dogs Die in Hot Cars - I Love You 'Cause I Have To
mp3: Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Pastimes and Lifestyles (EP version)

Songs from the Fields.

Thought I'd post this, a review of Fields debut album, Everything Last Winter, which I wrote for the Bay Radio website, the station on which I present several shows.



Everything Last Winter is the debut album of Anglo-Icelandic five-piece, Fields, who in just over a year since their first gig have honed their distinctive and somewhat progressive blend of indie-rock, and not only managed to gain themselves a deal with Atlantic, but a deal which has allowed them to release their records under their own Black Lab imprint, retaining their own musical freedom.

One of the things that strikes you most about the album is its seemingly huge layers of guitar: walls of sound that combined with the use of electronic sounds, make the songs sound massive. The album has been produced by Michael Beinhorn, who has previously worked with the likes of Mew, Soundgarden and Marilyn Manson, and he has done a great job in making sure that although the guitars are often face-meltingly loud, they do not become to intrusive to the structure of their songs. Highlight tracks such as previous singles ‘Song for the Fields’, and the amazing ‘If You Fail We All Fail’ are just examples of the bands method of harnessing quiet/loud dynamics and combining them with memorable chorus. On the other hand you have ‘The Death’, a blistering five minutes of distorted guitars, which is contrasted by other tracks such as the slow-building ‘Charming the Flames’, with its haunting electronic ambience, or the vocal beauty of ‘Feathers’.

The male/female vocal dynamic between Nick Peill and Thorunn Antonia are reminiscent of Seafood, the album being literally covered with majestic harmonies, they being one of Fields greatest charms. Musically, in their louder moments they call to mind My Vitriol, whilst other times the rustic and folkish tendencies of Mercury Rev, circa 2001, appear to wash over their music.

Overall, Fields have produced an exciting debut which certainly silences those critics who saw them as a band who were all talk and no action. Believe the hype, and be charmed by the Fields... Rating: 8/10

Everything Last Winter is out now on Atlantic records.

As well as two tracks from the album, I have also included SebastiAn's fine remix of 'If You Fail We All Fail'. Please enjoy his interpretation of one of the album's stand-out tracks.

mp3: Fields - Song for the Fields
mp3: Fields - If You Fail We All Fail
mp3: Fields - If You Fail We All Fail (SebastiAn remix)