Webcuts Music

On his fourth go-round, Philadelphian Kurt Vile has turned in a seamless collection of songs that rise above the simple singer/songwriter tag. Backed by his band, The Violators, Vile takes an even, melody-driven, lo-fi approach to his songs. That’s what we said a few weeks ago in our review for Smoke Rings For My Halo, and that’s exactly what Kurt does on his latest single, “Jesus Fever”. Losing ourselves in Vile’s care-free stoner-lackadaisia, we frankly can’t get enough of this, him, or his record. Currently on tour with J Mascis in the US, Kurt Vile and his band are scheduled to tour the UK and Europe in May. They will appear as part of the Animal Collective curated All Tomorrow’s Parties and in London at Corsica Studios on May 19 (sold out, kids). Fear not, Kurt is scheduled to play a free lunchtime set at Rough Trade East on the same day. That sounds like a double invitation too good to refuse. Smoke Rings For My Halo is out now through Matador Records.

“I don’t wanna work/but I don’t wanna sit around/all day frowning”. Kurt Vile, you speak to us in a way few artists ever do. You can stay.

Over-indulgent Gothic melodrama from Brighton’s Esben And The Witch. How do you like your nightmares? Black with 2 sugars, thanks.

Arch electro-pop act Cold Cave are set to release their second album through Matador Records on April 4. Titled Cherish The Light Years the record has been described as a “remarkable progression from their acclaimed debut Love Comes Close and the discordant, industrial skeletons on the Cremations compilation”. Recorded with Chris Coady (Beach House, Yeah Yeah Yeahs), the record features long time Cold Cave associates Dominick Fernow on electronics and Jennifer Clavin on backing vocal and synthesizer, with appearances from Moss Icon’s Tonie Joy, Chavez’s Matt Sweeney and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Nick Zinner.

In celebration of the winding up of Pavement’s reunion tour (those two final dates in South America are going to be killer), we planned on showing the results of the “Play guitar with Pavement” competition from Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. But those of you who live outside North America are screwed, and every other Youtube clip has been taken down due to copyright. Which, if you ask me, blows. So instead, you’re getting Pavement on the Colbert Show from last week not “shaking their nunchucks like they just don’t care” along to “Gold Soundz” and not belting out “Unfair“ as it should‘ve been. Another reason to post some prime Pavement action is that Webcuts is joining the indie rock jetset, flying out to Los Angeles this week to catch Pavement at the Hollywood Bowl and join in on the Matador at 21 celebrations in Las Vegas. That’s right, Vegas baby!

The Lights are on but the tunes aren’t home on Interpol’s disappointing fourth otherwise known as #4.

Just a few short weeks away from Matador at 21 — the label’s anniversary party at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas where Matador alumni, past and present, are getting together for one mammoth, truly incredible, three day collision of glorious indie rock. Featuring Pavement, Sonic Youth, Superchunk, Guided By Voices, New Pornographers, Spoon, Liz Phair, Yo La Tengo to name but a few. To celebrate this birthday in a more tactile, permanent way, the label are releasing a limited edition 6CD boxset to coincide featuring unreleased live recordings.

We didn’t review Ted Leo & The Pharmacists recent album The Brutalist Bricks, because frankly, the music speaks for itself. Trying to find 450-odd words to adequately sell Mr. Leo’s blood, sweat, and tears would be doing the man and his music an enormous injustice. You won’t see his music used on commercials, you won’t see him selling his soul on a magazine cover for a few more units sold. A punk rocker with a pure heart, Leo and The Pharmacists have always done it (for better or worse) their way, and you have to respect that… and buy their records. Man’s gotta eat, y’dig (read more about that here — http://www.tedleo.com/2010/07/07/regarding-the-rumors-of-retirement/). “Bottled In Cork”, one of the finer moments on The Brutalist Bricks, shows Leo throwing out enough hooks to make Cheap Trick envious and indulging in a little old fashioned fun, theatre style. I swear if he brought that show to London, I’d go see it.

An album that has sat with us for a few weeks being lovingly digested and adored has been Together, the fifth album from Canadians The New Pornographers. Notoriously reviled in certain Webcuts quarters for their “lacking of bringing it” on their last album Challengers, A.C. Newman and Co. have considerately made amends giving us one of their finest albums to date, with a little bit of everything to appease even the hardest to please ‘Porno fan. “Crash Years” is The New Pornographers standing united with the flame-haired Neko Case leading the power pop charge. Welcome back, eh? Together is out now on Matador. Expect to see it in our end of year lists…

An album that makes us love them more, but not enough to wear their t-shirts. The New Pornographers get it Together.