Video: Kindness “Gee Up”
I enjoy music that is shrouded in mystery and for whatever reason the majority of it seems to come from Britain. Perhaps there’s a sense of privacy that still exists in the old homeland that doesn’t here. Or maybe it’s because we’re an ocean apart and things tend to trickle slower here from there. Or perhaps is just because the Brits make damn good music and don’t care very much for the American appeal to it. I don’t know what it is, but I know when I like something I hear.
Kindness is the latest Brit act to catch my ear. Maybe a one-man band ala Porcelain Raft, maybe not at all…this is a question even the Internet can’t seem to answer. All I know for sure is that it’s the project of Adam Bainbridge, and it’s some new disco funk. A few days ago he dropped a new video for his single “Gee Up”, a short but ridiculously good track that will leave you yearning for more. The video features an extremely awkward, yet hilariously funny, two-minute ending so be sure to stick around after the song ends for subtitles, shameless plugs, and witty one liners.
The debut album from Kindness is entitled World, You Need a Change of Mind and is due out on 3-19-12 courtesy of his own label Female Energy. Enjoy the weekend friends.
Connect with Kindness via MySpace
Written by Greg Dahman
Fresh Track + Video: Fear of Men “Doldrums”
The music video is one of the most underappreciated forms of artistry there is. Forgotten about since MTV went into the shitter 15 years ago when Carson Daly lost Jennifer Love Hewitt and sent his career from TRL to a half hour taped late night show that no one in America watches unless they are too stoned to sleep or too drunk to remember. The music video still exists today, only releases are viral via the Internet, rather than the television. The change in venue has obviously reduced the budget, but certainly not reduced the artist’s chance to express music through imagery in creative ways.
Fear of Men are quartet from London and Brighton who have only been making music together since early 2011. Their best song to date, “Doldrums”, is a relaxed lo-fi pop song with jangly guitars and somber vocals. For all you non-English majors, doldrums is defined as “low spirits; a feeling of boredom or depression; a period of inactivity or state of stagnation” and it’s music video fits this mood. Shot in black and white, it features lead singer Jessica Weiss wandering in a forest dressed in all black surrounded by visions of yesterday in the form of historical civilization statues. Figures covered in white appear towards the end, and Jessica toys with trying see what’s inside, before ultimately abandoning and moving on.
Meet me in the doldrums for a while
I’ll let it take me over
I’ll meet you in the doldrums
I’ve got to let go of everything I own
Fear of Men self-released “Doldrums” on a tape entitled Alice Munro Demos. Keep your eyes open for the band’s debut album, which is scheduled for release on April 9th of this year. If you like what you hear, be sure to visit the group’s Bandcamp page for more of their ever-growing catalog.
Connect to Fear of Men via Facebook | Twitter
Written by Greg Dahman
Fresh Track: Bear Cavalry “Roman Summer”
In November, UK-band Bear Cavalry released their debut Maple Trails EP. The release is chocked full of danceable, intricate rhythms on guitars and percussion. For me, the band feels like the red-headed stepchild of Vampire Weekend and Arctic Monkeys. The upbeat Afro-Caribbean rhythms paired with punk-infused vocals creates a sound that is unique, albeit ethnically confused. Stream “Roman Summer” below. This track is guaranteed to get your feet shuffling.
Connect with Bear Cavalry via Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 