LUKEBOX

One band that has been steady in their output but have yet to have an international breakout is Animal Collective. They are a quartet that hails from Baltimore in the US and who have taken to having stage names rather than use their real ones. The band’s been around since 2000 and have released seven albums till date. All four members are multi-faceted, so each one plays many instruments across the board. David Portner, stage name: Avey Tare does vocals, keys etc; Josh Dibb or Deakin plays guitars, Brian Weitz or Geologist handles the electronics and samples and Noah Lennox or Panda Bear does percussion and guitar. They have just released their eighth album called Merriweather Post Pavilion and I must say it is one of the few interesting things I have heard in a while. Bold vocals, melodic and straight-up musicality ”“ the welcoming sound of warm and friendly music.  I start building my Animal Collective collection today.

If it weren’t for the internet I would not have discovered half the music I’ve known over the past five years. So my ramblings led me to the discovery of one Boxer Rebellion, a British band that has not been released on any major label yet. In fact they have not been signed to any label at all! Their second album, Union, which was released digitally online caused them to become a huge sensation amongst their steadily growing fan base. This is a fabulous band to watch out for. They have an unhurried sound that keeps your attention as a patient listener and at the end of it all a much satisfying reward awaits, undoubtedly.

I took the time to pull out an album from 2006 by one of the most underrated bands in recent times, The Divine Comedy, most famous for their 1999 hit single ”˜Gin Soaked Boy.’ This is an album called Victory for The Comic Muse, which is a kind of bookend to their 1990 debut album Fanfare for the Comic Muse. Lead singer and band leader Neil Hannon recorded the entire album in live takes, so no overdubbing was done as per modern methods. And as much of the album contains classical arrangements but in a baroque pop style, it was a task to get each musician to play their parts in entirety in single takes. And the results are there to hear, from the severity of ”˜To Die A Virgin,’ to the playfulness of ”˜Diva Lady’ this is an album that demands resurrection and relentless rotation. Till I see you again next month, keep listening!