canthearmyeyesblog

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Here's an aching jam from LA's Twin Cabins. I'm listening to this at half-volume late at night and it's uncanny how much Nacho Cano's ethereal vocal shimmers like a starless sky. If you're filled with anxiety for whatever reason, kick back and lose yourself in 'Get Better' - it packs all the emotional weight a get-well-soon card can carry, but without the wait. 

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Tony Molina is probably best known for his work in various Bay Area hardcore bands - not necessarily his big soft pop-punk heart. That's exactly the side he's tapping into on Dissed and Dismissed, an album that's over in 12 minutes and covers just as many tracks in that time. 'Don't Come Back' demonstrates just why Molina's latest solo effort is so brilliant: did you hear that chugging guitar in there? It's almost as if someone rerecorded Pinkerton, stripping it down to its bare bones and throwing in rapid-fire bursts of their favourite metal riffs for good measure. 

Dissed and Dismissed is available now through Slumberland Records.

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Oh, the irony. "We're so happy here / we come here everyday" bemoan Bayy, a bunch of sleepyheads consisting of members of the excellent Fear of Men and The Magic Gang. Putting across their lackadaisical states of mind via the drawl of their guitars as well as their vocals, you'd be forgiven for thinking 'My Best Friend' is more of an unenthusiastic ode than a heartfelt dedication. Combining the ethereal and infectious elements of their other efforts to create something as charming as it is disconcerting, Bayy are venting their need for strong grunge riffs that they can't squeeze out of their other projects, and the results are nothing short of delightful.

Don't just settle for hanging out with these daydreamers though, as Beech Coma Vol. 1 also packs the likes of Home School, Paeris Giles and YOOFS inside its raggedy casing. 

Beech Coma Vol. 1 is available for pre-order now, and will be released on the 14th April through, well, Beech Coma.

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Never Young know exactly what they're up to, the rascals. These hooligans have clearly been causing a racket in some unsuspecting "practice space" - most likely a claustrophobic garage or converted basement - for quite some time. Bursting into life almost like a patient out of a long coma, 'Teenage Dræm' awaken from its vegetative, droning intro quite startlingly before throwing the ultimate temper-tantrum. Fans of crashing symbols, fierce noise and walloping feedback will find a lot to love here - Never Young have seemingly gathered up all those qualities and stuffed them into an ant farm like a ninth grade science experiment. The conclusion? Total fucking chaos, that's what, with a side effect of pop-punk proportions. Imagine the final report: handed in crumpled, most likely with a stain of some kind; illegible handwriting disguising the fact no work was actually done. The band got together at the weekend, sir.

Master Copy is available digitally and on cassette via Father/Daughter Records on 22nd April. 

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The first 25 seconds of Weed's 'Gun Shy' - abrasive, repetitive, monotonous strumming - is not the kind of guitar work you want ricocheting around your head with a pounding hangover (neither is the rest of its outrageously filthy two minutes, to be perfectly honest). Connecting the dots between fuzzy garage rock and furious pop punk, 'Gun Shy' is a jam that swells, bursts, then swells again to twice its size; a fuzz-laden slacker drawl and infectious hook tying the ribbons around the package of Cloud Nothings and Parquet Courts records that you'd give your dad if he was into it. Let's hope he already owns them though.

'Gun Shy' is taken from Weed's debut album Deserve, which sees a UK and European release this May on Downbound Records.

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Albums of the Year 2013

Let's cut through the bullshit - 2013 has been outrageous as far as quality music is concerned. No matter what you're into, this year has provided an endless stream of game-changers and rising stars. I'm sure I'm not that first to admit that it's been a struggle to keep up with - my Spotify 'catch-up' list currently sits at over 1000 songs, and with 2014 set to bring us even more class acts, 2013 will be the year people will be coming back to for the forseeable future. As for my personal experience? Sure, it's been great. I've seen a lot of new places, I've experienced a lot of new things and I've fallen in love with a lot of new bands. Those bands (and artists, mind you) are sprawled out below for you to gawk at and hate upon. I just hope sharing these songs with you will allow you to maybe fall a little bit in love with one of 'em, too.

15. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Whenever, If Ever

Of all the artists to gain attention through the "emo revival" this year (make no mistake, there definitely isn't such a thing) The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die managed to produce the most gorgeous and heartwarming album of them all. Littered with sparkling synths, the twinkliest of riffs and a lyrical prowess that's on the verge of poetic greatness, 'Whatever, If Ever' is a diverse and captivating romp through all of alternative music's finest fashions. 'Heartbeat In The Brain' perfectly illustrates what this band are all about: they're not only a nostalgic testament to their influences, but they're a genuine progression on the tried-and-tested groundwork laid out before them, too.

14. Toro y Moi - Anything in Return

Chaz Bundick is a genius, there's no denying it. Having inadvertently coined an entire genre back in '09/'10 with his debut album Causers of This, his talent is incredibly striking when you compare his early work to what you'll find on Anything in Return. Comprised of fifty-something minutes of analogue hiss, off-kilter electronics, a burning disco desire as well as a deep melancholy, Bundick's output as Toro y Moi this year has been out of this world. Without a doubt, he's produced the year's finest electronic record, and live he is a masterclass in bringing the medium to life.

13. Joanna Gruesome - Weird Sister

"I've waited all day for this," sings Lan McArdle on 'Sugarcrush', the defining track on Joanna Gruesome's debut album. Whilst it certainly feels like I've personally had to wait forever to hear this LP, 'Sugarcrush' is its defining moment for more reasons than one. Firstly, it demonstrates JG's unfathomably excellent songwriting skills to a tee, and secondly, it's all in the name: 'Sugarcrush' may as well be called 'Sugarrush' as far as the rest of the album is concerned - there isn't a dull moment to be had here. The entire record is comprised of in-your-face, 90s-tinged pop songs with more meat on 'em than a butcher's knife. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart get punk? You've got it in one. 

12. FIDLAR - FIDLAR

When FIDLAR's debut album started making its rounds on my turntable in February, I found it impossible not to go completely nuts whilst listening to it. How could you not? Snotty-nosed, grubby and utterly nihilistic, the Californian garage punks have made 2013 all the more bearable with their taste for cheap beer and in-depth surfing criticism. No other album this year has tempted me to go full GTA on the motorway, and no other album this year features the line "fucked on beer and stayin' gold". Stay gold, FIDLAR - the world needs more bands like you.

11. Mikal Cronin - MCII

Now this is what you call a sleeper hit. I missed Mikal Cronin this year when he played The Great Escape (I was far too busy running up and down Brighton seafront, singing Arctic Monkeys songs with buskers and yelling "are you Scandinavian?!" at groups of people) but I can imagine calling his live show stellar would be an understatement. MCII is an album that wriggles its way into your eardrums more and more with each listen, and the tunes here could well be written by Mac DeMarco whilst played by Ty Segall. It's chocker-block with feel-good summertime pop hits, and I can see myself revisiting this one for many a summer to come. 

10. A Great Big Pile of Leaves - You're Always On My Mind

This album. It's almost like listening to Motion City Soundtrack if they'd matured gracefully after their first two records, growing into themselves with pride whilst putting all their talent to the test. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but that's why I like it. AGBPOL sing songs about living with friends, getting girls to attend your slumber party, doomed relationships and pizza. They've got all the cliches under the sun, all rolled rather politely into one - on the surface, anyway - neat pop-rock record. But don't dismiss it so easily, as You're Always On My Mind has one hell of a slick and seductive quality to it. Well polished, brilliantly produced and expertly executed, AGBPOL have churned out the best pop punk album of the year, and you better know it.

9. Drug Church - Paul Walker

If somebody asked me to recommend them a truly angry record, I'd send them in the direction of Paul Walker by Drug Church. This is the sound every heartbroken and frustrated young girl experienced in their heads on the morning they found out Paul Walker died. It's catatonic, nihilistic, abrasive, and at times completely bonkers. Patrick Kindlon of End of A Year and Self Defense Family heads up this bunch, and here he's the angriest he's ever been. 'Reading YouTube Comments' gets my prestigious Song Title of the Year award, whilst 'Shopping For a Belt' is the catchiest, yet most ferocious song namedropping Hatebreed that you'll hear all year. 

8. Nai Harvest - Whatever

Also known as the record that grew on me the most this year. Whatever is textbook self-loathing wimp-punk, and adequately soundtracked my last days of uni as I spent days on end in a house that I'd soon be leaving. It's unbelievable that these guys are a duo, as the sounds on this record reach stratospheric heights as they yell about staring at the TV or missing friends who've moved away. It's a poignant and accurate record; a true sign of the times, and it's music that every twenty-something can relate to and get behind. Plus there's more hooks here than in a tackle shop. 

7. Pity Sex - Feast of Love

"Don't try to know me 'cause there's nothing to know / Wind me up and let me go". Ladies and gentlemen, we have the mopiest album of the year. The thing I find most appealing about Pity Sex (besides their beautifully cringey lyrics) is the way that they take the simplest song structures and make them sound so effortlessly cool. How can such a depressing record be so upbeat and engaging? That's something you're gonna have to bring up in a discussion with neuroscience, but for now you should just feel safe in knowing that sad music has a positive effect on your health and Pity Sex have a positive effect on mine. Class.

6. Touché Amoré - Is Survived By

No post-hardcore act has come as close to perfection as Touché Amoré. The most technically impressive band on this end-of-year list, Is Survived By is actually their most accessible album to date. There have been a ton of great post-hardcore albums this year - namely the above album by Drug Church and the final offering from Comadre - but this one is the creme of the crop, if you will. 2013 has seen a lot of bands exceed expectations, and Touche Amore are a prime example of a band going above and beyond. The way the title track collapses in on itself towards the end is goddamn mesmerising people. Listen to this record.

5. The National - Trouble Will Find Me

So this was the album I most anticipated this year, and it's huge. The National found themselves catapulted into the mainstream this year, writing songs for major motion pictures and TV shows whilst becoming the stars of a critically-acclaimed documentary. They even sold out the Ally Pally two nights in a row, for crying out loud. I always find myself becoming obsessively attached to records by The National, and Trouble Will Find Me is no different. It's quite a lengthy beast, but it's also thoroughly rewarding, offering vivid emotional insight into one of music's most emotional men. They also win the Music Video of the Year award hands-down.

4. Radiator Hospital - Something Wild

I miss Paul Baribeau. I miss the way he lays out the biggest emotional complexities in the simplest of terms through his music. That's also the reason why I'm left grinning from ear to ear every time I listen to Radiator Hospital's Something Wild. As well as filling the Paul Baribeau-sized hole in my heart, this was one of those records that just came completely out of the blue for me and instantly slapped me around the face with its brilliance. "Pure pop for now people," says the description on their Facebook page, and I couldn't agree more. Sometimes listening to this album is the musical equivalent of eating junk food, but sometimes it's the musical equivalent of having a good chat with a best friend. This is pure, unadulterated lo-fi power pop at its very best, and it doesn't get much more heartfelt than this. 

3. Waxahatchee - Cerulean Salt

Can the year be summed up in any other way than with the word Waxahatchee? This is probably my most-listened-to record of the year, and it's hard not to find your heart melting at the sound of Katie Crutchfield's voice. I'm not trying to sound overly soppy, I guess I'm just trying to say that this is the most authentic album of the year. This is the sound of someone who's worked hard for what they've achieved. This is the sound of a million tours and a billion slept-on floors. This is the sound of all of your thoughts being laid out for the world to see. I feel like I know Katie inside-out from listening to this album back-to-front, I feel like we're part of a secret friendship group where I'm silent and she communicates with me via the same songs over and over again. This is the music that should be sitting high in the charts every day of the week, goddamnit. 

2. TRAAMS -Grin

Remember your teenage years in which bands like DARTZ!, Tellison and Tubelord ruled your first generation iPod Nano? TRAAMS are inadvertently channeling those days through their music. Cementing their position at the top of the new wave of British buzz bands like Mazes and Cheatahs, I didn't think too much of  this Chichester (yes! CHICHESTER) based three-piece when I first saw them live at the beginning of this year. "Self-indulgent!" I cried. "Too pretentious!" I presumed. Then the Ladders EP came along and put me in my place - a record full of absolute foot-stompers. Grin - the band's debut album - is full of even more of 'em. This record will have you literally grinning from start to finish, with it's innovative and genuinely fresh song structures that are breathing life back into British music. 'Fibbist' (produced by MJ of Hookworms fame) is without a doubt one of the songs of the year, and I've never seen a band come into their live so damn quickly. These guys will be a cult favourite for some time, but I can only hope they'll be on the grasp of bigger things to come. 

1. Scott & Charlene's Wedding - Any Port in a Storm

"At midnight I head down to my job at the nightclub

Where my title is 'Security' but I don't think I do that much

And the girls ask about my accent, and I say "put your cigarettes out"

But they just keep doing whatever they want, and I don't know what to say

Well I'm fakin' in New York City, I tell everyone I'm fine

I'd do anything for a coin and I've got the wolves knockin' on my door

Well I'm fakin' in New York City, I'll let you in on a secret of mine

I don't know what I'm doing any of the time."

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I've listened to this song at least four times today, which is significantly more times than I listen to any other song on any other day (usually). There's good reason for this though, as Boston's Darin Thompson AKA Windbreaker has crafted an infectious piece of disco pop without any electronics at all. The groove is there; the subtle melancholy is there (think Twin Shadow) and the funk is well and truly there, but there's not a synth in sight. Instead, 'I Hate My Soul' licks and scratches its way to the dance floor, wriggling and writhing as it flips a metaphorical finger at all those who say you can't be sad and dance at the same time.

'I Hate My Soul' is taken from the Let It Go EP, out 11th November through Heart Throb.

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Here's one for all the mopey bastards out there. I've found myself enjoying the first world problems of Swearin', Hop Along and Speedy Ortiz one hell of a lot lately and this has caused a craving for way, way more melancholic indie depressants. Luckily, Dig are here to give us a British spin on things with their new track 'Like A Child', and what a beautiful down-in-the-dumps ditty it is. Although it chugs along in a lethargic fashion like a retail worker on a Monday morning, the frantic solo towards the end is a sweet juxtaposition; kindly getting you pumped after dragging you through its existential crisis. This is a song that's grungy and grubby and absolutely essential.

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This is one of the happiest songs I've heard all year, it makes me want to find one of those inflatable yoga balls like the dudes have in this music video and bounce up and down all day in the sunshine. It also makes me want to sway my head like Stevie Wonder and put on that really fucking massive grin he does, you know? This is pure unadulterated pop bliss; like a sherbet dip that is more sweet than sour or an orange lollipop made from real fruit juice instead of from concentrate. It's also for fans of lo-fi, shimmering indie rock, but if you've already pressed play then you already know that. Just sway. C'mon.

Life Choices by SMILE is available to stream now on their Bandcamp.

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After wowing young lovers everywhere with a lovelorn take on Ghetto Superstar, Manchester's Ménage à Trois have returned with the slinky and undeniably sexy 'White Noise'. Don't get it confused with Disclosure's dance floor anthem of the same name though, as this 'White Noise' is more Adam Bainbridge than Guy and Howard Lawrence. The video's well worth watching too, as a modern day cupid takes to the streets making people who piss her off make out with homeless guys amongst other shenanigans. Are Ménage à Trois ones to watch next year? It sure seems that way.

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The music of Sea Glasses is your illusive ticket to the other side of Spring: the side that has the hazier, dreamier quality to the air and the the kind of breeze that gently reminds you that, yes, summer is actually coming. I can't figure out if it's just one dude making all of these sweet sounds, but I'm going to assume it is from the above picture I found on the band's Facebook page. That photo is a great starting point actually, as it's ace to imagine that the entirety of this record was recorded on that exact bench, with that exact guitar, as the clouds lulled and rolled over what I can only presume is Nova Scotia. Facebook stalking, y'all.

PORTALS actually turned me on to this guy, and the song they picked from his beautiful debut album Beach Glass - 'Spring Drive' - is a stunner and evokes its title perfectly. It reminds me a lot of Real Estate, what with its whimsical guitar lines and and general sense of late afternoon springtime euphoria. But it also has an added mysterious depth to it, which makes it feel as if its about more than just cruising around with the windows down. This is music you can truly daydream to.

<a href="http://seaglasses.bandcamp.com/track/spring-drive-2" data-mce-href="http://seaglasses.bandcamp.com/track/spring-drive-2">Spring Drive by Sea Glasses</a>

Beach Glass is out now. Name your price over at Bandcamp.

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What's the best Japanther song? It's impossible to say right? The Brooklyn noise rock band have a discography that's almost as complicated (but not quite as complicated) as Thee Oh Sees', and that's saying something. Me? I'd go for a classic like 'Summer of '79', 'Bumpin' Rap Tapes' or 'Divorce'. These are three songs that perfected the Japanther formula down to a tee: off-kilter, weirdo art-pop songs that are bizarre on the outside - but total toe-tappers on the inside. 

Alas, to my despair the two-piece started to deviate from this formula on 2010's Rock 'n' Roll Ice Cream. Although there were some massive jams on that record (such as the opener 'She's The One' that had me feeling emo for days), the consistency just wasn't there like it was on Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt or the pretty much flawless Skuffed Up My Huffy. As for last year's Beets, Limes and Rice, well... we'll keep that effort in the bargain bin in the corner where it belongs. 

Ever the productive sons-of-bitches though, the band are back with yet another record - Eat Like Lisa Act Like Bart - which lands this week. And it couldn't come at a better time! Summer weather has always played to Japanther's advantage, as it's perfect music to get drunk to and then roll around in some fields, if that's your iteration of fun. Which it SHOULD BE.

If 'Stolen Flowers' is anything to go by, then we're back in Japanther dreamland, folks. Catchy, lo-fi and mumbly beyond belief, it's a resuscitation of the good ol' Japanther formula of indistinguishably brilliant rock'n'roll that hooks you in on the second listen and has you humming along by the third. Plus, the video's trippy too. That helps.

Eat Like Lisa Act Like Bart is out now via Recess Records.

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Back in 2010 when chillwave soundtracked my summer and I couldn't go an evening without listening to Harlem's Hippies, a rather underrated record slipped under the radar of many end-of-year lists: the rather brilliant Kudos by Surf City.

Luckily, whilst the bands that really cemented themselves back then have grown up and found production values, Auckland's Surf City have stayed true to their fuzzy roots. 'It's A Common Life' - the first cut to come from the band's forthcoming sophomore record - is just the perfect blend of rickety riffs and insatiable hooks that make for the perfect early evening drive or ideal hangover cure. Think along the lines of what Smith Westerns would be up to if their sophomore effort took the melodies of Dye it Blonde but maintained the scuzzy dream pop aspect of the first. 

We Knew It Was Not Going to Be Like This is out 19/08 via Fire Records.

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So, listen up: Vampire Weekend are coming to Portsmouth's Guildhall on the 28th June. This is MIND-BOGGLING, for a few reasons in particular: a) rarely does such an esteemed AND current act (it's either one or the other at the Guildhall these days) make its way to the prestigious venue - let alone anywhere on Portsmouth's shores - and b) well, sure, as a blog we have been concocting a vast range of intimate, nitty-gritty DIY shows across the city in conjunction with Southsea's Pie & Vinyl for some months now, but there comes a time where the big guns get pulled out and actually manage to pull it off. This is that time, and this is that show. Which brings us on to reason c): It's goddamn Vampire Weekend YOU GUYS.

If you haven't heard the new record yet, Modern Vampires of the City, it is without a doubt their most accomplished work to date. Haters wanted to hate, but as this gleaming Pitchfork review notably points out, they just couldn't. Hell, even I disregarded Contra as a throwaway piece of bubblegum pop and wasn't even convinced at first by lead single 'Diane Young'; but 'Step'. Oh, 'Step'. It's a thing of utter beauty.

Plus, who wouldn't be excited at the prospect of seeing a band who's live show was recently directed by the living legend Steve Buscemi? Who's promotional campaign contacted everything from Grimes to The Big Lebowski references? The Guildhall as we've come to know, can be a venue of wonder if the right acts grace its stage, and if the cuts from Modern Vampires of the City are anything to go by then I'm almost certain we're in for a treat come the 28th June.

Of course, don't just take my word for it: take Jools Holland's. 

Vampire Weekend live dates:

27th June, o2 Academy Bournemouth

28th June, Guildhall, Portsmouth

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You know that Smith Westerns track 'End of the Night'? (Here's a reminder if you've somehow managed to forget such a soaring power pop chorus) It was the ultimate soundtrack to falling for a girl on a Saturday night, whisking her away into the dawn and watching the sun come up together at 6am. '3am Spiritual' on the other hand - the opening track from the band's forthcoming record Soft Will - isn't exactly on the opposite end of the romantic spectrum, but it's not completely on the same page either.

"Please keep close to me, I don't want to let you off my arm," frontman Cullen Omori effortlessly croons in the first few glistening seconds. It's definitely more reflective than in the moment; more of a 3am temper tantrum than a 6am success story. All this culminates with a gorgeous wave of Omori's trademark whoa's and a Smith Westerns guitar solo that solidifies the fact that this yet another one to watch for album of the year. 

Soft Will is out 24/06 via Co-Op. 

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Just look at that photo. Isn't it great? That dude up there is Chad, and he fronts garage rock grease-heads Chad and the Meatbodies. When's the last time you heard a band name that oozed cool as much as one like that? Probably NEVER. There's something far cooler about Chad and his band than their name though, and that's the fact they're one half of a Less Artists More Condos 7" split with the one and only Ty fuckin' Segall. The rock'n'roll meter is OFF THE CHAIN. On 'Mountain', the riffs slay, the hooks thrash and your head will flail like it's never heard rock music before. Plus, y'know, desert boots. 

<a href="http://famousclass.bandcamp.com/album/lamc-7" data-mce-href="http://famousclass.bandcamp.com/album/lamc-7">LAMC # 7 by Ty Segall / Chad &amp; The Meatbodies</a>

LAMC #7 is out now via Famous Class. You should buy it, because the money goes to charity, and it's about time you did something productive with your life.

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I was listening to Jon Hillcock's excellent All Back No Front podcast earlier today when he played a track by Brooklyn's Hani Zahra, describing it as having "possibly the catchiest chorus [he's] heard in years". 'Cannibal Corpse (Wait Wait Wait)' definitely lives up to that hype. It's a fuzzy, hook-laden indie pop jam that sounds a bit like the Black Lips if they were only to grow up a bit (please don't though Black Lips, that's why I love you), with beautiful Beach Boys-esque harmonies and wibbly-wobbly synths that make you feel like you're stumbling drunk through a dream where you're working for the FBI. On a cannibal crime. Wait wait wait wait!

<a href="http://hanizahra.bandcamp.com/track/cannibal-crime-wait-wait-wait-3" data-mce-href="http://hanizahra.bandcamp.com/track/cannibal-crime-wait-wait-wait-3">Cannibal Crime (Wait Wait Wait) by Hani Zahra</a>

Along Those Lines is out now on Bandcamp, Spotify and iTunes and was self-released by the band.