[MP3] Fitness Club Fiasco: “Hades”

Fitness Club Fiasco, of Toronto, is back with new single “Hades,” which was actually inspired by the band’s experience watching loved ones battle cancer. The emotional highs and lows are on full display in this dynamic track. Driven by electro beats and lulling harmonies, “Hades” is a sufficiently lush tune.

Hades by Fitness […]

Duplekita

Duplekita, the new project of Faunts co-founder Tim Batke out of Edmonton, makes some of my favorite kind of music. Expansive, electronic pop with sweet, hushed vocals and a building, layered melody. It’s a sound that can be listened to on repeat without a care in the world. I’ll put on my headphones, […]

[MP3] Eliza Shaddad: “Hideaway” (Kiesza cover)

Check out Eliza Shaddad’s take on Kiesza’s “Hideaway” with production by Turtle. In case you forgot, I featured the Sudanese/Scottish singer a little over a month ago. She’s dynamite, and so is this cover. Shaddad recently released her debut EP, Waters, via Beatnik […]

Andrew Rinehart: “Doin’ What We Have To Do (feat. Cheyenne Mize)”

For some strange reason, this new song from Andrew Rinehart (aka Andrew Sellers) was sent to my spam folder. I couldn’t think of a less-deserving track for that to happen to. Laden with heavy strings and Rinehart’s mellow, poignant vocals, “Doin’ What We Have To Do” should be a massively licensed single for […]

Phox: “1936”

I heard a song from Phox way back when, and then for some terrible reason I forgot about them. Probably reasons that befall all music bloggers. There are just too many bands to remember. Luckily, their label – Partisan Records – got in touch with a new song of theirs, “1936,” and it’s simply […]

[The Past Presents] Catherine Wheel – Adam and Eve (1997)

Catherine Wheel

At this point in history I think it would be difficult to find many people who would exclude Radiohead’s OK Computer from a list of the best albums of 1997. I’d also wager that more than 70 percent of those lists would have OK Computer in the number 1 position. Few will argue that OK Computer is an album that will be listened to for decades to come. By 2000, Radiohead was basking in the glow of their fantastic follow-up album, Kid A, and were pretty well set up as one of the biggest bands in the world.

At the same time, another UK band, Catherine Wheel, was calling it quits. In 1997, Catherine Wheel also released an album, Adam and Eve. Like OK Computer, Adam and Eve was lauded by long-time fans and critics as the band’s masterpiece. Prior to this release, Catherine Wheel was known for their guitar-heavy shoegaze albums, particularly from their debut, Ferment, and its heavier follow-up, Chrome. Adam and Eve, the band’s fourth album, signaled a bold, exciting shift in the band’s sound, much like Radiohead’s leap from The Bends to OK Computer.

Catherine Wheel and Radiohead’s music followed similar trajectories in the 1990s. Both bands had highly successful debut records with big singles; Radiohead had “Creep” and Catherine Wheel had “Black Metallic.” Those debuts were followed by sophomore albums, The Bends and Chrome, respectively, which saw both bands brushing off a bit of the fuzz from their sound and pumping up the guitars. Catherine Wheel open Chrome with the thunderous “Kill Rhythm,” probably the closest shoegaze ever came to arena rock. Radiohead’s most popular track from The Bends was “Fake Plastic Trees,” which was one of the mellower tracks on the album. While The Bends was a great album it was clear that Radiohead needed a new direction or they would surely fade out.

Continue reading [The Past Presents] Catherine Wheel – Adam and Eve (1997)

Kan Wakan

LA trio Kan Wakan released their debut LP, Moving On, this week. Hearkening back to the days of genuinely melodic indie music, with full orchestral backings amidst simple keystrokes, Moving On should quickly propel Kan Wakan into territory that suits radio and blog fans alike. The songs below are sure to lift your spirits with […]

Miracle Fortress: “Here’s To Feeling Good All The Time”

One of the best parts of blogging again is getting reacquainted with bands I wrongly left off my radar when I was on hiatus. Miracle Fortress hasn’t really been a part of my life for a while, but with their new single “Here’s To Feeling Good All The Time,” I’m feeling some major regret. It […]