Finally Friday Video's Week 2 [2007]

Show 'em how it's done Bruce!

Sopranos fans, watch out for the guitar player...looks familiar huh?

Video: Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Immaculate Machine

The New Pornographers is often refered to as an indiepop supergroup. This is not really surprising if you consider the other bands the members of NP play in. Take for instance the solo succes of A.C Newman and Neko Case and the critical acclaim drummer Dan Bejar gets with Destroyer. I've gotten to know (and grown to love) all these acts through NP.

Kathryn Calder (keyboard player in NP) plays in Immaculate Machine, but I did not know this when I first heard this band. What I did know is that Calder impressed me with her vocal talent at the NP's show last year. Neko Case was absent but she took her place in a wonderful way. Anyways, the first song I heard of Immaculate Machine was Phone Number and it's a winner. Thus, when I looked into this band and found out that Calder was in this band, I was pleasantly surprised.

Immaculate Machine is an indierock trio with somewhat unorthodox instrumentation. There is no bass player for instance and songwriting and vocal duties are rotated. The vocals are definitely a strength of this band and odds are that you'll like this if you dig the NP. Immaculate Machine however definitely have a sound of their own. They expect to finish recording their new record this month. Can't wait! For now, here are some older songs...

Video: Immaculate Machine - Broken Ship


Website | MySpace | Buy@Insound

Mp3's:
Immaculate Machine - Broken Ship
Immaculate Machine - Phone No.

New Pipettes video!

Have you seen the new Pipettes video yet? It's pretty sweet! To spice this post a bit up, I've also put up non album track 'Guess who ran away with the Milkman'. Enjoy!

Video: The Pipettes - Judy


Website | MySpace | Buy@Insound

Mp3:
The Pipettes - Guess who ran away with the Milkman

The Broken Family Band

One album I overlooked in a long list of overlooked albums in 2006 is Balls by The Broken Family Band. Imagine a countryband that likes to rock or a rockband that likes country. I'm not talking about cowpunk, though the guitars sound quite punky at times... For now, let's call it indierock with a country feel to it.

The first song (and single) on the album is 'You're like a Woman'. It's a fun song (if you're into the Fratellis, you'll like this!), which will give you an indication what this band is about. Don't let it fool you however, most songs on the album are more laid back.

Video: The Broken Family Band - You're like a Woman


One of the highlights of these laidback songs is the (call it a parody of country duets if you will) break up duet 'Alone in the Make-out Room', with lyrics like:
I wanna watch you drown in a lake or get stabbed by a bull or bit by a snake and there's not a single doctor who will come and help you
versus
I want you to move to Australia, with me a success and you facing failure and all the friends you had ignore your calls

Don't worry though...in the end everything works out...

Another FTC favorite on the album is the Leonard Cohen cover 'Diamonds in the Mine'. They've made an instant singalongable yet rocking version of this song. In case you're not familiar with the original, I've put it up as well.

Website | MySpace | Buy

The Broken Family Band - I'm Thirsty
The Broken Family Band - Diamonds in the Mine (Leonard Cohen cover)
Leonard Cohen - Diamonds in the Mine

The Eames Era

It's a small step from recently discussed Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer to The Eames Era. We're talking cute as hell sugarsweet indiepop here. Their new album Heroes and Sheroes is scheduled to be released somewhere in the next couple of months and is highly anticipated at FTC headquarters. Watch the video to ''A Scandal in Bohemia' and you will know why. It's been re-recorded (and renamed; it's now called 'Watson on your Side') for the new album and I'm already pretty sure this new version will end up on my 2007 yearlist of best songs. You can compare it for yourself...I've put up the the new version below as well as a couple of songs from their 2005 album Double Dutch. You can listen to more new songs on their MySpace page, but be warned..you might fall in love with this band!

Video: The Eames Era - A Scandal in Bohemia

MySpace | Buy@Amazon

Mp3's:
The Eames Era - Watson on your Side
The Eames Era - Go To Sleep (from Double Dutch)
The Eames Era - Listen For The Sun (from Double Dutch)

New Panda Bear Song

The other day I've got an email from a promotor filled with info about the new Panda Bear album (Person Pitch), which is scheduled to be released march 22th. While some might see this as a form of unwanted spam, to me it almost made me feel like a true blogger. The best part however is that the song that accompanied the email (Comfy in Nautica) is actually very interesting. It's a beautiful a-capella song (think Beach Boys harmonies) filled with some sample and noise in the background.

For those of you unfamiliar with Panda Bear, it's the solo project of Animal Collective member Noah Lennox. According to the press release, Person Pitch "is suffused with the kind of feel good modern toe-tapping pop that seems harder and harder to find these days". While 'Comfy in Nautica' hardly fits this description, it does make me look forward to the new album.

Website | Buy@Insound

Mp3:
Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica

Finally Friday Video Week 1 [2007]

Boy...do I love YouTube! While searching for Neko Case video's, I came across a -to me unknown- video of one of my favorite bands: the New Pornographers. 'Your Daddy Don't know' was recorded for the soundtrack of 2002 mockumentary film FUBAR. It's an awesome cover of Canada hardrock outfit Toronto. Now, I believe the best covers are of songs that you've almost forgotten but that sound awfully familiar when first heard. In this case, I wonder if I've even known the original at all, but indeed it sounds really familiar, almost like it reminds me of another song. Then suddenly it hit me...this really really really sounds like Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield. YouTube wouldn't be YouTube if it didn't also contained the Toronto original and the Rick Springfield classic, which I present to you for the first installment of the Finally Friday Video series of 2007.

The Cover: The New Pornographers - Your Daddy Don't Know

The Original: Toronto - Your Daddy Don't Know

The Similarity: Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl