Auch...

My back is killing me (again), so having all kind of difficulties staying focused today. Be it work; be it blogging; be it life in general. So here are two quick ones to keep you entertained…

Italian post-rockers/shoegazers Murnau offers their debut album L' Angelo Memore as a free download, while we’re awaiting the bands sophomore release.
 + Il sentimento di eva
+ L' Angelo Memore (album)

The “king” of promo mails strikes again. Swedish one-man project Mono Noir has mailed this nice new track.
+ We All Need

Crossing my fingers that things will get better...soon...

Murnau...

Italian shoegazers Murnau has made this rehearsal version of a new track called Sprix available for streaming. Not the best sound quality, but sounds mighty cool nonetheless.

Sprix.... new version... rehearsal by Murnau

Murnau and friends...

Cool Italian shoegaze band Murnau has uploaded 4 new demo tracks to Last.fm. I'm not quite sure what to think of the new stuff as the tracks sound a lot more like experiments than actual songs. A track like Piano (which does indeed feature a piano) never really kicks off, so perhaps the most accurate way to describe the tracks is as sketches. And they are even trying to sing in English - so I guess this is quite experimental indeed! The two tracks below still "carry" some of the typical shoegaze trademarks, so I thought I'd post them if anyone should fell the temptation to give them a listen!
+ Distant
+ Static

By now most blog readers should be familiar with the wonderful pop tune Breakfast in NYC by Northern Irelanders Oppenheimer. Another track called Allen Died, April Five from the band's debut album has been uploaded to Last.fm for free downloading. Not a killer like the "NYC breakfast", but the knack for writing catchy pop songs is still very much present in this track.
+ Allen Died, April Five
+ Breakfast in NYC

Under Electric Light has remixed White Room by Antidoton. Owe to add that it's really, really cool, though you'd probably guessed that already!
+ White Room (UEL Remix)

Light years ago (or at least it feels like a long, long time) J.A. recommended US duo Skittish, comparing their sound to Interpol. There are indeed some similarities, though the sound of Interpol is a bit "darker". But a nice and really catchy one!
+ Million Gray

The Last.fm-mainstream-o-meter has been extended/improved. Currently I'm 16.82% mainstream. I'm wondering how it's possible to be 102.62% mainstream, but according to the meter this person is!?

Heartache with Hard Work has been added to the blogroll.

Murnau...

Thanks to Fadeaway, Italian shoegaze/ alternative rock band Murnau caught my attention a while back and now the band's wepage (in Italian) is finally working again. 8 tracks (as well as a couple of live recordings) are free to download and all of them are well worth a listen. I don't understand a word Italian (not quite true - I actually understand the meaning of "molto bene"), but according to a message I've received from the band, all of the tracks are new recordings. The band has existed since 2004, is still unsigned (hopefully not for long) and lists the Post-Rock, Shoegaze (and a few other) genres in general as the main influences.
Molto bene indeed!
+ Come un fantasma
+ Dentro Me
+ Last Hope Sound

Friday evening.......

The closing track Catch and Turn of the Green Concorde debut (Ten Cities) has been pumping on my stereo tonight, and since the band has granted me permission to post a track of the album in the blog, there really is no doubt in my head that this superb piece shall be the one. It's an epic/majestic track; sounding like something you'd expect to find exactly in-between Interpol and the shoegaze classics. Not sure if that description is any good, but the track is definitely worth a "right click" and 5 minutes of your time.
+ Catch and Turn

Thanks to Fadeaway (go make him your friend!) I've been streaming Italian shoegazers Murnau a few times recently over at Myspace. It doesn't really matter that they are singing in Italian, because the music is awesome (especially Organico). I'm still hoping that they'll send me a few tracks to post.
+ Goccia (no language barriers here, as this one is an instrumental)

Celestial is releasing a 3 track single on Florida label Cloudberry Records on February 1. The "a-side" can be streamed at the label's Myspace profile and it's an up-tempo piece with lots of guitars and sounding absolutely gorgeous. The more calm and quiet "b-side" Hope, You Know is already a free download from Cloudberry Records webpage.
+ Hope, You Know

One band with a kick-ass attitude is Edison Jr from Copenhagen. On the band's Myspace profile it says: "Many artists today seem to be focusing on the wrong things - mainly fame and fortune. That's ***** crap! They should be looking at what's really important.... The music (if you hadn't guessed it). Real music with real feelings can move people - which is what real music is all about." And of course all 3 tracks posted by the band (this is indie/pop/lo-fi kind of stuff) are free to download if you like!
+ House in Brooklyn

Tinkerbell is one happy camper these days!

J.A. recommends Swedish band The Confusions and it's quite peculiar, because I actually visited the band's Myspace profile the other night, without listening to the band (why I decided not to, I cannot remember). Now I have and this is pretty decent alternative/indie stuff inspired by the likes of New Order, Smashing Pumpkins etc. Several tracks are available for free and especially Artificial from the 2006 album 5 am is worth checking out!
+ Artificial