FAX MACHINE ANTHEMS
Hey, hi, go listen #2
"MONTHLY" MUSIC TIPS FOR YOU, BABY!
What did we say when we dropped "Hey, hi, go listen #1" a couple if weeks ago? We confidently dubbed it a music recommendation feature that we would publish once per month through our new blog Fax Machine Anthems. It was going to be MONTHLY, and we were already discussing the schedule for the next edition, carefully planning it out and such... and then something exciting happened: we immediately received three new submissions. Of course we couldn't let those sit on a shelf for another three weeks. No way!
So, here's an extremely official update to our hey-hi-go-listen-article-schedule: whenever we feel like it!
Thanks for the great response to the first edition and enjoy your next batch below.
katie the pest | other cities, other girls (2014)
Recommended by Paul Schwarte
I had never heard of Talia Rose who as it turns out has been putting out addictive songs with hooks and sugarcoated melodies under the name Katie the Pest for quite some time now. I've heard a fair amount of catchy guitar pop throughout the years but this is seriously good and up there with the very best! Plugging e- and a-guitars directly into a taperecorder for that glorious lo-fi sound-sensation like she does most of the time (not here, this is 'properly' recorded and mixed) is never a bad idea because it breaks down the coating when and where needed. The line-ups of KTP vary as do the songs but Talia's angelic (double-tracked) voice is always at the center.
It took some research to get a better picture and KTP is still something of a mystery to me (why did these 2007 recordings come out in 2014? And is KTP still out there?). So here Talia has a full blown band. She left her taperecorder in her bedroom and made sure the band was able to blast at full volume in a studio. There's the occasional gentle and lovely acoustic song but It's mainly shoegazey pop you'd find on labels like Sarah or Slumberland and countless others. Echoes of 40 years of indiepop ring through (okay let's mention Belle & Sebastian, Flatmates and Alvvays). It was in fact mister Slumberland who hinted me towards KTP (he was looking for a vinyl version, is there one?). So thank you Mike for what have been already hours of listening pleasure. One word is not enough to catch my enthusiasm here, but yes 'addictive' for sure is that one word.
kboy en de goedzo jongens | MUKUS MENSENSLIJM (2022)
Recommended by Edwin Timmers (Bukblad, projectmanager, Jabberwocky)
Popmusic is serious business for suit-wearing people with big cigars and calculators. For Dutch band Kboy en de Goedzo Jongens popmusic is fun. You are right, even their name is fun. Kboy is a non-existing word referring to street language and written in meagre Anglo-Dutch, the language spoken at most Dutch universities nowadays. Kboy or OK boy or cowboy. The part ‘en de Goedzo Jongens’ begs for a translation; here you have in proper English: and the Well Done Boys. It’s mommy’s verbal gesture of approval: “Well done boys!” Boys can be girls in the Netherlands. When mommy says “Well done boys!”, she refers to both her sons and her daughters. Are you still with me? Kboy en de Goedzo Jongens is dadaistic in stage performance and song writing. Some say their music is post-punk. Haha, there’s too much fun in Kboy en de Goedzo Jongens for that. Their music is more like Britney Spears on wooden shoes. The song Scratchpert is not a love song. Google Translate was kind enough to translate the first lines: “Do you have poop in your bed, do you have an itch on your retina? That is nasty.” A scratchpert is an expert in scratching. But the song doesn't necessarily deal with that expertise. The song is about everything you never thought of. And it is catchy. Lyrics soaked with bodily fluids; Kboy en de Goedzo Jongens is quite physical. Go see them live, dance a little and enjoy their theatrical extravaganza.
her lost cassette | trainwreck (2022)
Recommended by Bas (Wilbur & Moore Records)
My day job is in the center of Sydney, somewhere between Martin Place and Pitt Street Mall. To escape the monotonous airconditioning drone and bright lights of my computer screen I always make sure to go for a walk at lunchtime, or pop outside for a short break later in the afternoon. These walks usually lead me past the many buskers that are scattered across the CBD, who I usually find a pleasant addition to the inner-city vibe.
Whenever one of these artists sounds remotely interesting I always check the social media accounts they typically have scribbled on a piece of cardboard. I don't often give it a lot more attention than that, however, the other day something stuck with me.
Entertaining the local shoppers, Claudie Grace was playing a bunch cover songs and as her voice struck me as quite interesting, I decided to check her Instagram page. I wasn't particularly interested in the cover songs, to be honest, but my eye fell on the name of a project she listed in her bio: Her Lost Cassette, which she describes as a collection of musical experimentation that she produced, performed and written herself. There are two songs only, with Trainwreck blowing me away in particular. It's a slow-paced, carefully constructed, emotional piece that gets lifted to a higher level by her unique vocals. I am very much looking forward to see what else Her Lost Cassette will bring us in the future.
By divine right | otto motto (2022)
Recommended by Dave Schoonderbeek
I know I'm a little biased as By Divine Right played on my record, but I don't care, this is a great album made by great people.
When José sent me the rough mixes for this he was talking about which songs he was potentially gonna cut, and a few of them were my favourites so I'm glad he decided to keep them all and release a double album.
Not many bands are making their best records 25+ years into their existence, but By Divine Right are.
By Divine Right take Kosmische Musik, 70's NY Art Punk & Bunnymenisms and press it through a Canadian Indie Rock filter, what comes out is Otto Motto.
OK COOL | FAWN (2023)
Recommended by Joep (Wilbur & Moore Records, We Are Joiners)
Ok Cool is a Chicago-based duo, who so far have released two singles from their upcoming album Fawn: "normal c" and "nissanweekends" .
What touches me is that they are firmly grounded in the 90s and every note is played with absolute certainty. Think Warpaint but then with a bit more punch and sometimes a Joey Santiago guitar eruption that makes it nice and angry.
These two excellent singles are a harbinger of the forthcoming album. At first listen they may sound light-hearted, but some ominous vibes can be detected. Sometimes it leans towards pop, with shoegazy vocals that give it an esoteric edge, but emotionally it has a riot-grrrrl-punk-twist.
I am super excited for the release of this album, which we can expect in a couple of weeks; 28 April to be precise.
