Twas many a moon ago when a certain English gentleman, Marty I believe his name was, was here from the Great Isle visiting a friend of a friend.  I don’t think I had known him for more than (5) minutes before, naturally, I felt it my solemn duty to pester him until he told me the name of at least one band from the UK that no one was yet listening to here in the States.  After several not so veiled threats of violence he finally gave up a name.  ”The Housemartins,” he said.  ”The what Martins?” I replied.  This cat was setting me up for sure.  ”The Housemartins,” he said again.  ”It’s boppy English music played by nerdy white guys.”  Oh…this I just had to hear.

He lent me a cassette (I told you it was a while ago) and the first song I heard is featured above.  ’Me and the Farmer’ was released as a single in August 1987 and then later released as part of what would be both their 2nd and final studio album The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death.  Quite honestly, while I dug this tune and another song from the same album called ‘Build’, the rest of the album didn’t thrill me.  It did however make me curious enough to procure a copy of their debut release entitled London 0 Hull 4.  I was (and still am) completely enamored with tracks like ’Happy Hour’, ‘Flag Day’, ‘Sitting on a Fence’ and ‘Think for a Minute’.  The music was the furthest thing from complicated and yet seemed to sparkle with a certain brilliant simplicity that was quite intriguing.  What I struck me most, though, was that it was, and still is, instant sing-a-long music.  Take gander at the vid above and see if you don’t agree!

- Drago

Our friends at Criminal Records in the UK are making headlines again with a couple of very intriguing artist announcements.  First and foremost, The Kut has sold out their “Love Hate Vampire Shotgun System Circus” Tour AND is about to commence recording their debut album AND they have a new video AND…well that’s it but, needless to say we are pretty stoked about it.  Maha (lead vox/guitar), Fidan (drums/vox) and Alison (bass/vox) are on fiyah at present and we wish them nothing but continued success.  Can’t wait to hear the new stuff!

Speaking of new stuff, checking out the newest band to sign with CR is an absolute must. Argonaut is a 5-piece ensemble that hails from London Town and are criminally good in their own right.   Lorna (vocals), Abby (keys, guitar, vox), Nathan (guitar), Paul (bass) and Rob (drums) cite a variety of influences that have paved they way to a remarkably original sound…thankfully none of those influences was Englebert Humperdink!  But seriously folks, theirs is a sound awash in gritty guitars, driving drums, siren-esque vocals and just a hint of dissonant angst…very cool.

- Drago

artist: Damn Vandals | genre: alt-rock | label: unsigned

New music is already on the way in 2012 from our favourite/rehabilitated juvenile delinquents from Great Britain.  We are pleased as punch that Damn Vandals have a new EP that is expected to drop at the end of February.  We can’t wait to hear it.

Previous Posts featuring Damn Vandals: Crodile Rocks, OuterSound and Vandalism at it’s Finest.

- Drago

Is it the Christmas season already?? I know the holiday decorations now go up the day after Halloween; but, I personally refuse to acknowledge them until after the fourth Thursday of November. Well now that date has passed and Christmas actually is just a month away, so even though I’m a bit of a Grinch, let us all enjoy a bit of Christmas tunage together.

Summer Fiction delivers their gift to the season in their usual wrappings of baroque pop with “Christmas Eve For Two”. This has all the hallmarks of a classic Christmas pop song…subtle sleigh bells in the chorus, mentions of snowflakes, Santa, mistletoe and “kissin’ by the glow of Christmas lights”. What else could you want?

- DMitch

Ever wonder where the emo-punk got it’s start?  Contrary to what Billy Joe may think, it wasn’t Green Day.  Sorry to disappoint but, while they were prolific early adopters of the genre, it was actually a band nearly (400) miles to the south in Hermosa Beach, CA that many point to as the true founders of melodic hardcore.  Descendents got their start in 1978 but it wasn’t until a few years later that I discovered them on a fateful “unauthorized” Spring Break trip to Myrtle Beach, SC.  Certain details of the trip are still a bit fuzzy but what I do remember was my buddy Ted “Under the Table” Levendosky turning me on to Milo and the boys doing their rendition of “Wendy” by the Beach Boys.  Epic.  Some of my other personal  favs from their 1986 release entitled Enjoy! are “Sour Grapes”, “80s Girl” and “Get the Time”.

Regrettably, there is hardly any decent live footage or video from the band’s earlier work but the vid above for “I’m the One” found on 1996′s Everything Sucks disc is very much representative of the simple punk genius that is Descendents.  Dig it.

-Drago

Australian indie rockers doing covers…of the Wiggles!?!?  Yup.  Rewiggled (ABC Music) is a compilation project that showcases (20) indie artists from Down Under remaking their favourite Wiggles tunes.  The video above features Oh Mercy‘s rendition of ‘Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car’…and I swear I’m not making that up.  Say what you want about the Wiggles (they are only the top children’s musical act of all time) but I happen to think it’s quite cool what these cats are doing.  Hopefully this is just a prelude to a full album review as we anxiously await our opportunity to hear this rather courageous compilation in its entirety.  Although I’m not certain we are truly ready for it!

- Drago

artist: Eureka Stockade | genre: alt-rock, alt-country | label: Cracking Tunes

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.

- DMitch

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.

Happy Friday my friends…now let’s get funky.

- Drago

We’ve tallied all the Thumbs Up’s and Thumbs Down’s for the month of October and the Froglix listeners have proven to have quite the diversity of tastes. Forty-five (45) tracks from thirty-three (33) artists received votes, but alas, not everyone can be a winner. Represented in the Top Ten alone though are artists we have described before as rock, modern rock, alternative rock, Brit alt-rock, ambient, electro, electronica, indie pop, ska, power ska, reggae, punk, post-punk, singer/songwriter, and actually quite a bit more. So without further ado…take a listen to October’s favorites…

October’s Top Ten
(in alphabetical order)

28-200 :: I Kiss U
Attention Thieves :: Let It All Out
Case Of The Mondays :: Indie Girl
Mars Accelerator :: Fill For The Glacial Till
Mobile Wash Unit :: September Was Winter
Ring Of Truth :: Why Should This Be?
Rude City Riot :: Victoria
Small City Calling :: Atlantic: Castaways
Treading Lemmings :: Comeuppance
Variety Workshop :: U Suck Noodles

– DMitch

It’s Halloween, my pretties, so it seems rather fitting that we pimp a little pychobilly from The 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!

- Drago