Chloë and the Lonesome Cowboy

Yesterday my best friend and her cute boyfriend won Cutting Edge's Talent Of The Year award! I'm so proud of them!

Chloë and The Lonesome Cowboy @ Cutting Edge Awards (Ghent)

Time for a little introduction: Chloë and the Lonesome Cowboy is an indie & alternative pop duo that was formed in the summer of 2008, after an inspiring trip to London. When they got back, they started working really hard: Chloë learned to play the guitar and some keys, and Bram even bought himself a drumkit!

At the time any other band would spend their energy in looking for a 'good' place to rehearse, Chloë and the Lonesome Cowboy had their first demo songs up on the (back then) almighty MySpace. From that point on, the ball just started rollin'.
I remember their first shows, vulnurable as they were - the fragile voice of Chloë mixed with the raging punches of Bram hitting his kit, not quite knowing what to do behind a drumset - but from the first show on the beauty and power of their songs started to fill the room and shut the audience up from the beginning to the end of their performance.
Needless to say, they only got better and better and look at them now, quietly but steady conquering the world!

In the meantime the duo is proud to announce their debut 'Right At The Sun' and I really recommend you to give it a listen. Tons of praising reviews second that. To order, just send them a mail, it's only € 10!

Little Trouble Kids

Since I had to do a presentation for school on a promising Belgian band (I love my school!), I thought I might share it on this blog aswell. Here goes:

Boston Tea Party is a noise pop duo existing of the two love birds Thomas and Eline. They make the most exiting and crazy songs you've ever heard, and this only with an acoustic guitar in overdrive, their mere voices and a home-made stompbox (powered by a pair of flamenco shoes on speed). Fan and close friend Tim Vanhamel (Millionaire, The Eagles Of Death Metal, Broken Glass Heroes) dragged them to the Vantage Point Studio (dEUS) to record their debut 'Little Trouble Kids'. All eleven songs were recorded in one take, with some wacko overdubs, and respecting the diy-character of the music. Result: a sequence of songs with a dirty sound, wild guitarparts and heavy feet stumps.

Songs you should hear first: 90's dream, Freemadson and Cool Kids.



Sadly, due to a copyright infringement, Boston Tea Party had to change their name. To keep the transition smooth, they decided to go for the debut's title, Little Trouble Kids. With a cute little promo film, they let the world now that "boston Tea Party is dead, long live Little Trouble Kids!"



Eline and Thomas are two really nice and talented people, so please give them a little visit on their profiles, go to one of their shows or support them by buying their debut album!

Interesting links:
- Little Trouble Kids on MySpace
- Little Trouble Kids on facebook

Introduction.

Hi there!

This blog will be on music and everything related to it. I'll be discussing new releases, shows, video's and all of that, but also will I be sharing some fantastic bands no-one's ever heard of, DIY-stuff you need to check, (visual) arts related to music, and so on. Anything, really.

To start it off, here's a top 5 of my favorite albums of 2010:

1. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs With 'The Suburbs' Win Butler and co. found the right balance between their magnificent debut 'Funeral' and the more unsatisfactory 'Neon Bible'. And, let's face it, we were glad they did. Arcade Fire have been one of the most promising indie bands I've heard of, and finally they're there with the long-expected rich, natural and presumptuous third. Admitted, it's their most accessible record so far, maybe because of the fact that the main theme - physically or mentally returning to the places we were raised - is so universal, but it's beautiful and noticable stories are translated in even more wonderful and mature songs, and with succes!
   
   People who haven't heard of Arcade Fire nor 'The Suburbs', should check out 'Ready To Start' and 'Month of May'.
   
   
2. Wintersleep - New Inheritors When their fourth album 'New Inheritors' appeared on this amazing site 3 voor 12, I hadn't even heard of a band called Wintersleep. Ever.
   It's my girlfriend who told me I should check it out and, when I did, I was hooked. Whatever critics say, it's a marvellous album with some beauties on it. I'd say, start with the opening song 'Experience The Jewel'. If you don't like that one, you might aswell forget about this band.
   Fun fact about Wintersleep: they consist of members of Holy Fuck, Kary, The Holy Shroud and Postdata
   
   
3. Local Natives - Gorilla Manors It's not too long ago when I first found out about Local Natives. I saw them live at the festival Crossing Border, where they immediately ravished me with their heavenly voices, their nervous rythm section and their sunny edge on the songs: definately a band from California. There hasn't been a day since that I didn't listen to their debut 'Gorilla Manors'. Check it out!
   
   
4. Airship - algebra I had to write a review about Biffy Clyro's show in Trix, Antwerp when I first heard of Airship. What interested me was the cross-pollination of more complex rythms (a more math-rock influence) and their obvious influence from Arcade Fire. Still, they remain a band with a very own sound, they're not empty-headed copycats.
   'Algebra' is more an EP than a full-album, but it's definately worth checking out. Listen to these: 'Algebra' and 'Woodworm' (which is actually on their other EP 'Spirit of the Beehive')
   
   
5. The Black Angels - Phosphene Dreams 'Bad Vibrations', need I say more?
   
   

These are what I think were the best/most promising albums in 2010, but feel free to comment or send your own top 5!