This just in… Eureka Stockade, my favorite alt-country band from the other side of the pond have just released their latest single “All Alone”. As with their previous tracks we’ve shared here, the sound feels much more like Georgia or Tennessee rather than England’s Cambridge. But between the steel guitar (which I’m always a sucker for), the ambiance set by the cello, the joyous drumming, and the earnestness felt in the Michael Stipe-like vocals…I don’t really care where they are from.
Once again, Eureka Stockade deliver well crafted musicianship, meaningful lyrics, and a soulful delivery. Talent, genuineness, uniqueness. Across all genres, those are the qualities we applaud here at Froglix.
It was a Saturday, many moons ago. I remember sitting at home and, after counting all of the ceiling tiles in the family room, quickly determined that I was bored out of my skull. It got the point where even hard labour was starting to sound appealing. Was anyone going to call? Finally, there it was. Ring…Ring. I was saved! With my feet barely touching the ground I sprinted into the kitchen and anxiously picked up the receiver. To my chagrin, it was one of my college buddies from Baltimore, MD. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Nothing, I’m bored out of my mellon,” was my reply. “How’s that working out for you?” he chided. ”There better be an invitation coming jackass or I’m going to reach through the phone and rip out your larynx.” Thankfully (and luckily for him) there was indeed an invitation. It was to join he and some other compadres at the 8×10 Club in Baltimore that evening to see a band from NYC called Urban Blight. Who? Never heard of them…but heck anything was better than doing nothing.
What I remember most was that as soon as those cats hit the stage the air was suddenly electric. It was like everyone knew what was coming. The drummer set the tone immediately with a phat groove that became the foundation for “Knock You Out” and I became insta-fan. Loved it. The mix of funk, ska and new jack swing was simply phenomenal and while “Love Bites” remains my absolute fav, the song featured in the video above, “Get Closer”, was a close 2nd.
It’s Halloween, my pretties, so it seems rather fitting that we pimp a little pychobilly fromThe Brains. The uncensored video for “Screaming” (above) is from their just released Drunk Not Dead album so if you digz it click the iTunes link above and get you some.
Stay safe this evening and if you hear something go bump in the night, fret not…it’s only Froglix and we don’t bite…much. Mmmwoo hah haha!
I feel like we’ve been on a bit of a New Order theme here in the last few months. Back in June we had a Joy Division flashback. Then two Friday’s ago we featured New Order’s “Blue Monday” for our Friday flashback. And then just last week we mentioned Andy Hawk’s cover of “Temptation” making use of the mandolin (which is awesome by the way).
Well, today we pay a bit of homage to New Order yet again. Peter Hook features in autoKratz‘s latest single “Becoming the Wraith”; and, the bass line melody contributed by Hooky is absolutely unmistakable. Combine that signature bass with the hookalicious chorus and you have a recipe for an electronica anthem. And for those of you better-versed electronica aficionados, check out the entire Becoming the Wraith EP. I’m sure you will more greatly appreciate the remixes, especially the Night and Day mixes by French producer Alex Gopher.
I was in Mississippi visiting my grandparents for the summer when I first heard them. I had snuck out of my room to catch Saturday Night Live and the musical guest that evening was…you guessed it…Big Country. It was their American television debut and I was completely blown away. Their sound was unlike anything I’d ever heard and, almost instantly, they became my favourite band of all time. I bought every album and, even now, listen to at least one Big Country song just about every day. I count it among one of my good fortunes in this life that I was able to watch them “grow up” as a band right before my eyes and ears and, needless to say, I was quite taken aback the day I learned of lead singer Stuart Adamson’s death. Distinctly I remember my friend Josh, a huge BC fan as well, and I commiserating, reminiscing about our favourite songs just trying to make sense of what, to us at least, was a senseless tragedy.
Fast forward to 2011. I am scanning for Facebook fodder one Friday afternoon when I happen upon a curious post from Treading Lemmings frontman Quinn. Big Country is back together? What? How could this be? Soap opera scenes of characters who had been killed off in early episodes returning after a case of mistaken identity flooded my consciousness. Is Stuart back with us and, more importantly, has he seen and/or spoken to Elvis? Inquiring minds want to know. Alas, ’tis not the case. I am somewhat perplexed to find The Alarm’s original front man, Mike Peters, has joined the band for it’s 30th Anniversary tour. Oh…and I suppose they are going to change their name to the Big Alarm now too. That’s just great!
Having not yet even heard this new incarnation of my most beloved band, I wanted to hate them. However, try as I might…I just couldn’t. I scoured YouTube for live footage of performances and was once again blown away by what I heard. Maybe not so much as before but a respectable amount of “blown awayness” for sure. Bassist Tony Butler still sounds amazing as do the other members of the band. Peters, thankfully, is not trying to be Stuart or evening like him. He’s just being himself…and it works.
“Another Country”, the track featured above, is the band’s first new single in over (12) years. It was produced by none other than Steve Lillywhite who worked with the band on their first two albums. European concert dates in the early part of 2011 gave way to additional dates in the Spring. Hopefully, they’ll be making their way across the Big Pond as I would do just about anything to be able to see these cats live.
Take a listen to the “flash forward” above and be sure to check out the band’s 2011 live performances on YouTube.
We are pleased to add to rotation the latest single, “Vanity” from Grimus. The single is part of the Romanian purveyors of rock upcoming album Egretta, set to be released mid-October, so look for a full review then. We can’t wait to hear more!
This just in… Eureka Stockade, my favorite alt-country band from the other side of the pond have just released their latest single “All Alone”. As with their previous tracks we’ve shared here, the sound feels much more like Georgia or Tennessee rather than England’s Cambridge. But between the steel guitar (which I’m always a sucker for), the ambiance set by the cello, the joyous drumming, and the earnestness felt in the Michael Stipe-like vocals…I don’t really care where they are from.
It’s Halloween, my pretties, so it seems rather fitting that we pimp a little pychobilly from 
I was in Mississippi visiting my grandparents for the summer when I first heard them. I had snuck out of my room to catch Saturday Night Live and the musical guest that evening was…you guessed it…
