I wasn’t expecting that the normally bleak and brooding Constellation label (home of bands like godspeed you black emperor!, do make say think and fly pan am) would release a very enjoyable spring soundtrack with its cover art drenched in pink and yellow tones. But they did. And I couldn’t be happier.
Glissandro 70 is a project involving Craig Dunsmuir from Guitarkestra and Sando Perri from Polmo Polpo. Both enjoyable and experimental the disc plays most of the time with 5 or 6 second loops and it works by simply adding rich layers of sound into their mix.
Bolan Muppets is my favorite track from the record, starting with a delayed guitar very reminiscent of The Edge’s (U2) signature playing and then adding layers and layers of instrumentation that includes some vocals which remind me of Animal Collective’s tribalistic “sung tongs” before it transforms into a more standard pop song at the 4:30 mark. Quite something.

Glissandro 70 – something
Glissandro 70 – bolan muppets

Viva Voce are yet another one of those husband/wife bands that have been around the scene for a while now and create some really interesting pop music. They’ve recently signed with Barsuk and judging by the few songs I’ve heard they have a really bright future from here. I particullary love “alive with pleasure”, such a sucker for the claps and the oohs.

Viva voce – lesson no. 1
Viva voce – alive with pleasure

Recently Squashed pushed me to listen to this certain band called “Fuck-off Machete” and I’m really glad he did. Where the rough edges of the Yeah yeah yeah’s sound went, Fuck-off Machete takes it and makes it even rougher. Really nice. (thanks squashed)

Fuck-off machete - copper and lead flight
Fuck-off machete - what’s the signal?

Image by Cassandra Christensen.