North American Scum

The New Pornographers live at The Rupublic Bar

2010-11-23T01:01:00.001+11:00

I was still quite unwell when The New Pornographers came to town. Great show even though I couldn't get close to the stage. Here's a few happy snaps on my woeful phone camera.

NAS live at The Brisbane Hotel 20-11-2010

2010-11-23T00:54:00.001+11:00

Hooray for Earth Vs. Twin Shadow - Place We Like

2010-11-23T00:46:00.002+11:00

Yes I know, it's been far too long since NAS.com has been updated. This is all about to change though. Kicking off this happy moment we have taken delivery of one super cheerful track. Vs songs have always perplexed this NAS writer. They don't really mean much other than perhaps one party is dead so the other has taken liberties and messed with their sound. Maybe that's a charmed way of looking at it because the collaboration between Brooklyn bands Hooray for Earth and Twin Shadow produced such a super awesome track called, A Place We Like. I think haters of steel drums will find this one way too infectious to dislike. Part dance party and part philosophical recording question. With lines like, "I don't understand what makes it sound different on the tape." Kids who understand recording studio speak (side-chain anyone?) will enjoy the lyrics. I've decided that this track will be the theme to my Australian summer.

Hooray for Earth Vs. Twin Shadow - Place We Like via Living Ears

[Myspace - Twin Shadow] [Myspace - Hooray For Earth]

Radical Dads - Recklessness

2010-09-27T16:38:00.006+10:00

Some days I look back at my childhood and wonder why my own father wasn't more of an awesome dude. Then again that has nothing to do with a band named Radical Dads. This Brooklyn trio happens to feature guitarist Robbie Guertin, who is better known for his exploits in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Despite this link the band has a raw indie Lo-Fi grunge sound that blows CYHSY out of the water, They're currently preparing their first 7" single, Recklessness. You can also check out the video for Recklessness below, and there's more tunes on their Myspace page.

[Radical Dads on Myspace]

Cloud Nothings

2010-09-18T21:22:00.002+10:00

Lo-Fi recordings seem to be the hip new things on the block. I guess there's a whole bunch of kids making music nowadays who've never even touched a cassette tape in their lives. This NAS writer used to own a Sony Walkman! Yes, that's how old I might be. But putting age aside, sometimes the lo-fi sound of a band in a basement on a cheap microphone work wonders. Cleveland's Cloud Nothings pretty much did that and have become interweb darlings because of it.

Dylan Baldi is the man who gave Clound Nothings their first breath of life. As mentioned, he recorded the band's first few tracks in his basement with just one cheap microphone. Hey Cool Kid was one of those first tracks, and it sounds like a basement affair. There's a certain charm to the track, but that charm can only take it so far. It would be more interesting to see how Cloud Nothing's sound progresses once they get into a professional recording studio. At some point they'll need to decide how lo-fi they want to sound. Still, they're a catchy little band nonetheless that have oodles of fuzzy charm to go around. Check out some happy tracks on their myspace.

[Clound Nothings on Myspace]

Japandroids - Heavenward Grand Prix

2010-09-15T13:01:00.004+10:00

Often people pose the question, "What cool stuff are you playing on NAS this week?" For some reason upon hearing the of list nice artists that will feature on the show that week they'll retort with, "Why aren't you playing some Japandrois? I thought you always played them." They're right, we do love a bit of Japandroids here at NAS. But they've only been playlisted twice this year. That's hardly playing them all the time. But the Vancouver duo has gotten a run this week because they've been hard at work on a series of 7" singles. Heavenward Grand Prix is the third in the five 7" single series. It's a mid tempo distorted jaunt that will no doubt please fans of their debut album, Post Nothing. The B-side to this one is a cover of PJ Harvey's song "Shame".

[Listen via Stereogum]

Best Coast?

2010-09-14T22:54:00.004+10:00

2010 has been a strange year for music. Strange in a sense that there has been a stream of good music, but nothing that has got the blogosphere truly salivating. There hasn't been the groundbreaker, nor indeed a huge bolt from the blue, it's all been so...predictable. Maybe that's the fault of the internet, and every blog so desperate to impress there's nothing left to the imagination anymore. Or maybe it's the fault of the artists. Maybe it’s our fault?

So what does an increasingly irrelevant rag like NME do? It needs to (for whatever reason) overhype and form a strange loyalty to an up-and-coming band likely to be successful anyway. But in 2010 there haven’t been many up-and-comers releasing standout material that would have even the slightest chance of getting picked up by the frightening world of commercial radio.

So along comes a band like Best Coast. And by ‘along comes I mean about 12 months of hype, mp3s coming in dribs and drabs, home-made 7 inches, ‘under produced, kick-ass melodies.’ Perhaps most weirdly, they were coined a ‘chillwave’ artist by MTVU, when they are practically anything but. Now Best Coast doesn't have a commercial sound by any means, it's right up there in the Vivian Girls league of under produced, gnawing at your skull pop. But what they do have is marketability. Female lead singers of alternative bands always seem to ooze sex appeal, and along with sex appeal seems to comes a slight inflation of how good the music actually is (i.e Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House, Sleigh Bells to name a few.) And not only does Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast have sex appeal, she has a cat that tweets @snacksthecat, and a boyfriend in Nathan Williams of fellow lo-fi juggernauts, Wavves. It's the kind of stuff that is fodder to blogs the world over, especially to the tongue in cheek ramblings of Carles of the Alt Report/Hipster Runoff fame.

Best Coast’s eagerly awaited 2010 album, ‘Crazy for You’ has admittedly, attracted far more attention than we at NAS could have ever expected. Even over here, whilst on sabbatical in London, the most trashiest of daily papers have got their hands on it and featured it for review. And some of these reviews make the best reading. Because 90% of the time, these reviewers from these publications, haven't been involved in the hype, for them it’s just another album. So essentially you are getting an objective review. These reviews have generally gone along the lines of - sure, there are some great melodies, but the whole shtick wears off after half an hour, you feel like once you’ve heard once song, you’ve heard it all. An opinion I honestly agree with.

But this hasn't stopped the hype, in fact NME came out not so long ago and coined Best Coast as ‘the best new band of 2010.’ We had to have a laugh here at NAS HQ, around 90% of their 50 strong list of ‘new bands of 2010’ we were playing early into 2009 (like any good indie kid, we love a ‘we we there first’ type story.) Pitchfork, most likely realising the album was not groundbreaking, but not wanting to write off a band they had been talking up for 12 months, went the safe Best New Music 8.4 – interestingly the same score as Wavves 2010 release, King of the Beach.

Here’s where my main bug bare lies, and of course, I KNOW this is all subjective, but King of the Beach is such a classier album on almost every level than Crazy For You. Its immediately relistenable and filled with so many more hooks, tricks and dare I say, ‘banging’ tunes. To be fair, Wavves gets plenty of attention, sometimes for the wrong reasons, but what about a band like the Smith Westerns? The Smith Westerns make similar music to Best Coast on a lo-fi, short and sweet, pop rock level. The Chicago youngsters released their mesmerising self-titled album in 2009 to some nice reviews and occasional blog article, they even went on tour with 2009 darlings Girls, but I dare say your trashy London newspaper didn’t grab a copy of their album, I would also suggest NME hasn’t given them the same amount of love, even though I did spot them, confusingly again, in the top 50 new band of 2010. If ‘The Smith Westerns’ isn't a better album than ‘Crazy For You’ I'll eat as many hats as one human can - but it goes to prove, even in an indie world, sex still sells.

[The Smith Westerns - 4 Free Mp3's]
[Best Coast - When I'm With You]
[Wavves - Post Acid]

Jaill - The Stroller

2010-09-14T20:47:00.000+10:00

Washed Out - Hold Out

2010-08-28T00:09:00.009+10:00

Washed Out - "Hold Out" from John Lipari on Vimeo.

Lia Ices - Grown Unknown

2010-08-27T12:32:00.006+10:00

Those kids at Jagjaguwar have the happy knack of picking some very clever artists to sign. Lia Ices is a brand new signing for those guys, and she's more than a little talented. Her brand new song, Grown Unknown, is a very nice introduction. Fire cracker hand claps and some restrained acoustic guitar play second fiddle to the song's vocal centerpiece. Reminiscent of Glasser's recent track called, Home, although this one is far more minimalistic in composition.

[Listen via Fader]

Redline Racer - Night Stalker

2010-08-23T23:13:00.002+10:00

Do you own a motorbike? If you do it almost certainly doesn't have a radio, so listening to NAS is going to be a stationary affair for the likes of you. Night Stalker is a little ditty from Canadian producer Redline Racer. It's got almost nothing to do with the 1998 PC game that shares the producer's name. I say almost nothing because if this track had been included in the game it surly would of been a smash hit. Taking cues from french electro and chunks of computer game history, Night Stalker is deceptively simple but enjoyable for those long haul night driving sessions.

[Listen via Altered Zones]
[Mysapce]

Glasser - Home

2010-08-22T22:41:00.000+10:00

It's been a bit quiet on NAS.com in the past week. But fear not, there are many more posts like this one in the pipe. This week's show had a very electro feel to it. One track stood head and shoulders above the rest. Glasser, the one-woman interstellar music show, known to her friends as Cameron Mesirow. Earlier this year the 12" single, Tremel, gave us a small taste of what Mesirow was capable of. Now, with her debut LP not far off we have another track that will excite the masses. Home is a deliciously dark toned affair. Starting with hand claps and rolling xylophones. The key to this track is the powerful vocal harmonies that crescendo nicely with some electronic strings to boot.

Glasser's debut LP, Ring, will be out on the 28th of September via True Panther.

[Listen via True Panther]

Women - Eyesore

2010-08-16T00:06:00.002+10:00

Sure, there's a certain irony when a band of four men call themselves Women. But I'll overlook that because it's all about the music rather than the name as one might say. I remember the Calgary quartet releasing this track to the interwebs quite some time ago without too much fanfare. Pity, because this track is really something special. Slow drum beats and sharp lo-fi guitar plucking litter the first half of Eyesore. The real magic happens in the latter half when the closing riff makes a proud entrance. It will be a long time before I get tired of this track. Although I've not heard any other tracks from the new album...

Women's new album, Public Strain, is set for release on 28/9 via Jagjaguwar.

[Listen via MBV]

I Love Monsters - Spine

2010-08-13T18:16:00.000+10:00

An unsigned indie-pop band from New York. Who'd of ever thought that would happen? I Love Monsters have something going for them, and that's that fact that they're as catchy as cold in winter. Their latest digital single, Spine, is a nice little tune that goes along the lines of what we've heard from the likes of Vampire Weekend and Crayon Fields. I guess it's hard to be truly original when making the purest indie-pop known to man. Still, I expect to see I Love Monsters go places in the near future.

[Listen via Myspace]

PS I Love You - 2012

2010-08-12T22:23:00.002+10:00

It has been a brilliant week for those who like a bit of fuzz up distortion rammed into their ears at a million miles per hour. Not only did we get new tracks from No Age, but Canadian noise-pop duo, PS I Love You dropped a new one on us as well. The new track, 2012 is way cooler than the Hollywood film. It's one of those tracks that can only be fully appreciated at maximum volume. For me it was the stand out track, nothing came even close to 2012's tight hooks and distorted barrage this week. Their debut LP, Meet Me at the Muster Station will be hitting the streets on October 5th on Paper Bag.

[Listen via Pitchfork]

Fall Festival 2010/11 Lineup Announced. Incoming NAS Goodness

2010-08-11T11:59:00.006+10:00

Despite the suggestive picture, there's very little mud to be had down at Marion Bay during the middle of summer. But don't let this deter you from attending Tasmania's biggest annual music and arts festival. As I was going through the motions of my morning routine I hear the all to regular bong sound of a new email landing in my indox. It was another email from Two Fish's radio pusher. I would of dismissed it immediately but I'd totally forgotten that this week The Falls Festival were announcing their first round of acts.

For fans of the North American scene it's going to a bumper crop of acts this year. Interpol are bringing their new tunes, which is nice. I'm a little more excited about seeing granddad rockers The National. Their new album, High Violet deserves the critical acclaim and they will surly be great to see live. Hot Hot Heat are also attending along with The Rapture and Sleigh Bells. But rather having me tell you all about who's coming to party, why not read the hamfisted press release like I did...

The Falls Music and Arts Festival jukebox is bursting with goodness, spinning inside, raring to be unleashed. Lean over and flick through because this sound machine is filled to the brim with talent from near and far that will make your skin tingle and your mind blow. Celebrating a magnificent 18 years in Lorne and 8 years in Marion Bay, here’s who’ll be lighting up The Falls stage in 2010:

* Lorne Only
The darkly atmospheric indie rock of INTERPOL (USA); undeniably iconic, unrelentingly cool, JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS (USA) bringing us raw rock ‘n’ roll passion; raw and reflective, with deep musical and lyrical wonders, THE NATIONAL (USA); quite simply, one of Australia's greatest living rock bands, THE LIVING END; legends of rhyme, PUBLIC ENEMY (USA) performing in full their masterpiece ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ on the 20 year anniversary of its release.

London based whiz-kids, KLAXONS (UK) playing their epic new album; the nation’s loved purveyors of harmonic rural pop, ANGUS AND JULIA STONE; the psychedelic circus of TAME IMPALA; New York band, THE RAPTURE (USA), bring their pioneering influential brand of post punk; superwoman of pop, LADYHAWKE (NZ); the piano based indie blues, manic vocals and irresistible lyrical crescendos of COLD WAR KIDS (USA); duo SLEIGH BELLS (USA) with their jagged, dance punk take on bubblegum pop; PEACHES (USA), bringing her one woman traveling show down under once again for a special DJ/Karaoke/Performance Art set (!); indie-pop, fabulous foursome, HOT HOT HEAT (CAN).

Modern icon of Australian music, PAUL KELLY; legend of the Australian roots scene, ASH GRUNWALD; jagged grunge punk rockers, CHILDREN COLLIDE; the melodic summer sounds of THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS; with their stripped back garage rock THE SOFT PACK (USA); local singer/songwriter DAN SULTAN having done us proud making it big on the national stage; for the first time in Australia behold the shimmering brightness of Californian four-piece, THE MORNING BENDERS (USA); THE COOL KIDS (USA) bring their brand of classic hip hop; JUNIP (SWE) featuring Jose Gonzales (vocals and guitar), Tobias Winterkorn (keyboards) and Elias Araya (drums).

KITTY, DAISY AND LEWIS’ (UK) quirky blend of vintage inspired rockabilly, swing and country; with an amazing vocal range, quirky persona and edgy lyrics MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS* (UK) for the first time in Australia; the stunning harmonies of Townsville’s THE MIDDLE EAST; indie melodies of CLOUD CONTROL; sailing right into the heart of The Falls Festival, YACHT CLUB DJs* bring their churning, energetic set; revel in the heavenly sounds of Australia’s pop darling, WASHINGTON; the dense harmonies and brooding arrangements of BOY AND BEAR; formerly

New Buffalo and co-writer of Feist hit ‘1234’, SALLY SELTMANN*; downright funk and soul from THE BAMBOOS; flamenco and live Latin Cuban percussion from TIJUANA CARTEL; one of the coolest men on the planet right now, master turntablist A-TRAK (CAN); witness the wizardry of EDAN THE DEE-JAY (USA) and his magnificent array of musical talents; an eclectic, infamous DJ set from Vampire Weekend’s CHRIS BAIO (USA); champion beatboxer, BEARDYMAN (UK) uses no pre-recorded material to create amazing tracks before your very eyes.

THE CUBAN BROTHERS (UK) presenting one of the most hilarious and bizarre live dance and comedy shows you're ever likely to witness; energetic, four-piece Melbourne dance band, WORLD’S END PRESS*; Norwegian masters of danceable electronic, CASIOKIDS* (NOR); with a reputation as one of the nation’s finest and most eccentric songwriters, DAN KELLY*; Senegalese rappers DAARA J FAMILY (AFR) with their afro-beats and reggae inspired sounds; be whisked to a world of French rhythms and sublime pop with JAMAICA* (FRA).

The furious guitar picking and gravel soaked vocals of blues singer CHARLIE PARR; the crashing percussion, joyous vocals and swooning keys of JONATHAN BOULET*; sophisticated indie pop of, THE JEZABELS; fuzz-driven, brooding rock to melancholic piano from BIG SCARY; effortlessly catchy pop-rock of LAST DINOSAURS*; spreading satisfyingly good beats with a spectacular live audio visual DJ performance, SAMPOLOGY*; like a cross between The Rolling Stones circa 1971 and some kind of lost Beck b-side – it's EAGLE AND THE WORM*; JINJA SAFARI* bring together Afropop rhythms and tumbling island-guitar sounds; electro-pop, synth heavy sounds of duo, TIM AND JEAN*; delivering mammoth Afro beats to the dance-floor, THE PUBLIC OPINION AFRO ORCHESTRA*.

That's the gist of it. General Public Tickets On Sale 9am September 9th. Get them while they're hot.

[Source: Two Fish Out of Water]

Kisses - People Can Do The Most Amazing Things

2010-08-10T23:44:00.004+10:00

Most of the time I have to resist the temptation to post half naked hipster women here on NAS.com. The Internet is a terrible thing most of the time, and when you think it's never going to bring joy back into your sad, industrial gothic existence, along comes a duo that blows your mind.

I know I've already gushed about LA's Kisses, but with good reason. Back in March they unleashed the 7" track, Bermuda. It was nice but I didn't think much of it at the time. Then Active Child applied the remix blowtorch, which gave me a small eargasm. From there the original grew on me. I'm actually sad I came to the party a little late. The Bermuda 7" is all sold out now.Thankfully Kisses have set loose another track that is every bit as good. People Can Do The Most Amazing Things is another smooth synth-based dream slide. It's a bit more low key in tone than Bermuda, but highly recommended for those who have delusions of orange shagpile carpet and baggy shirt sleeves.

[Listen via Buzz Bands]

[More info via blowkisses.info]

Laurel Halo - Metal Confection

2010-08-10T00:21:00.001+10:00

There was a point late last year and earlier this year where being a female electronic artist meant you were Nika Roza Danilova, aka Zola Jesus. You could never be sure that the praise being heaped on Danilova was completely warranted. Beyond a few very good tracks there were many that didn't go the distance. Laurel Halo on the other hand seems to have flown right under the hipsters radar. Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Halo has been making her own brand of electronic music for a while now. She's a little bit chillwave, a little bit avant-garde new age... or something. Perhaps Halo is best summed up in her track, Metal Confection. She has an EP called, King Felix available for download right now. Just click yourself over to her website to download it.

[Listen via Listen Before You Buy]
[Download "King Felix EP' via laurelhalo.com]

North American Scum Live

2010-08-06T01:40:00.001+10:00

A couple of weeks ago (July 24th) some lucky punters at the Brisbane Hotel got the chance to hear some NAS tunes live and in their faces. Do not despair if you missed out. NAS will be back on the road again in November. Details are still being worked out, but you can keep an eye out on our FaceBook and Twitter feeds for an official date. I can report that the first NAS live event went very well and there was much Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell to be had. The playlist from that night is also up.

Baths - Lovely Bloodflow

2010-08-06T01:00:00.003+10:00

LA based Will Wiesenfeld, aka Baths has more than a little talent. His debut LP, Cerulean is a solid start to something that could be very special indeed. Previously Wiesenfeld performed under the name Post-Fetous, and gained quite a critical following. There's already been a few doped out mixes from Cerulean floating about on the web, but Lovely Bloodflow strikes where the others have missed. A nice rolling beat coupled with pop-falsetto harmonies. It's catchy and worth every second.

[Listen via Stereogum]

Japan Sue - Bright Lights

2010-08-06T00:43:00.002+10:00

Apparently Mark Webber isn't content with being a highly skilled race car driver... Oh wait, wrong guy. This particular Mark Webber is better known for his work in Neon Canyon. He's got a couple of other interesting projects, but Japan Sue is a stand out. Webber is joined by vocalist Kira Sawatzky on the track "Bright Lights" for an art-pop explosion that will blow your mind.

[Listen via Delicious Scopitone]

Nine Inch Nails - Theme For Tetsuo The Bullet Man

2010-06-12T20:50:00.008+10:00

I don't know about you, but it's kind of scary to think that the prince of darkness, Mr Trent Reznor is still capable of producing controlled chaos such Theme For Tetsuo The Bullet Man. I was a huge Nine Inch Nails fan back in the day. But after With Teeth Reznor lost some of his hard edge. He'd given up the booze by then, so I wont have a go at him for tackling life with a different mindset. Fans of The Downward Spiral and NIN remix albums will appreciate the sound that Reznor has created here. This track features on the soundtrack for the third installment of the popular Japanese cyberpunk film series Tetsuo. It's a bit of an industrial roller-coaster so make sure you're strapped in tight.

[Listen via Some Kind of Awesome]

The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen (Saint Etienne Remix)

2010-06-12T20:30:00.004+10:00

This one really surprised me. I'd forgotten that The Drums were releasing an album sometime in the first half of 2010. Their self-titled debut has hit the world already and I'm just getting into the Saint Etienne Remix of Forever And Ever Amen. There was so much good music to digest on The Drums' debut EP, Summertime! Another very strong indie-pop effort that complemented the likes of San Francisco's Girls. I'm a sucker for a good remix and this track bumps along with a nice pretty pop beat that makes you smile like a sugar daddy (or mummy) in a 70s strip club. The original track, which happens to the the first single from the debut album, is much more frenetic than this laid back remix.

[Listen via RCRD LBL_]

Avi Buffalo - Remember Last Time

2010-06-12T20:04:00.006+10:00

Hearing this song each time it pops up in my playlist reminds me I've not invested in Avi Buffalo's self titled debut album yet. Which is a shame because if the album is a half as good as this song then it's sure to be a good listen. At a staggering seven plus minutes, Remember Last Time is one of those power-pop opus' that reminds you of a few really talented indie bands from the 90s that made this kind of sound their bread and butter. REM spring to mind at first, but that's not a direct comparison of their sound. Avi Buffalo's songwriting isn't at that level yet. There's certainly a hint of lower chart success if they peruse the pop aspects of their sound. Mind you, if they let loose more often like on this particular track, them I'm sold.

[Listen via Pitchfork]

North American Scum's Top 20 (North American) Tracks of 2009

2009-12-20T14:11:00.001+11:00

20. The Antlers - Kettering [Hospice]

19. The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Dethbridge in Lethbridge [Hometowns]

18. The Flaming Lips - The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine [Embryonic]

17. Wavves - Cool Jumper

16. Health - Die Slow [Get Color]

15. Japandroids - Wet Hair [Post-Nothing]

14. Sunset Rubdown - Black Swan [Dragonslayer]

13. DM Stith - Pity Ghost [Heavy Ghost]

12. Washed Out - Feel it All Around [Life of Leisure EP]

11. Das Racist - Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (Wallpaper Remix)

10. Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move [Bitte Orca]

9. Animal Collective - My Girls [Merriweather Post Pavillion]

8. Julian Plenti - Games for Days [Julian Plenti is...Skyscraper]

7. Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer [Psychic Chasms]

6. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Higher Than the Stars [Higher Than the Stars EP]

5. Mount Eerie - Between Two Mysteries [Wind's Dark Poem]

4. Girls - Lust For Life [Album]

3. Ramona Falls - Russia [Intuit]

2. Memory Tapes - Bicycle [Seek Magic]

1. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks [Veckatimest]

The Animal Collective Special

2009-12-20T13:47:00.002+11:00

Animal Collective - Bat You'll Fly [Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished, 2000]

Animal Collective - Essplode [Danse Manatee, 2001]

Animal Collective - Slippi [Here Comes the Indian, 2003]

Animal Collective - Winter's Love [Sung Tongs, 2004]

Animal Collective - Prospect Hummer Feat. Vashti Bunyan [Prospect Hummer EP, 2004]

Animal Collective - Did You See The Words? [Feels. 2005]

Animal Collective - Tikwid [People EP, 2005]

Animal Collective - Derek [Strawberry Jam, 2007]

Animal Collective - Cobwebs [Water Curses EP, 2008]

Animal Collective - What Would I Want, Sky? [Fall Be Kind EP, 2009]

Playlist 04/12/09

2009-12-20T13:14:00.001+11:00

SCUM SKETCH: Vampire Weekend

SCUM SCOOP: GvB's Top Albums of '09

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk [Vampire Weekend, 2008]

The Sandwitches - Back to the Sea [How to Make Ambient Sandcake, 2009]

Shearwater – Castaways [Golden Archipelago, 2010]

Raekwon – House of Flying Daggers [Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt.2, 2009]

Vampire Weekend – Exit Music (For a Film) [OKX, 2007]

Vampire Weekend – Cousins [Contra, 2010]

OoOOo - Seaww [(Self-Released), 2009]

The Ballet – The House on Fire [Bear Life, 2009]

White Denim – Regina Holding Hands [Fits, 2009]

Reading Rainbow – Restless [Restless 7", 2009]
Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader (Neon Indian Studio 6669 Remix) [(Self-Released), 2009]

Playlist 26/11/09

2009-12-07T13:53:00.000+11:00

(No Feature this Week)

SCUM SCOOP: What to Look Forward to in 2010

Best Coast – When I'm With You [When I'm With You 7", 2009]

Nice Nice - Ark Drum [Ark Drum 7", 2009]

Toro Y Moi – Low Shoulder [Causers of This, 2010]

Charlotte Gainsbourg feat. Beck – IRM [IRM, 2009]

The Flaming Lips – Watching the Planets [Embryonic, 2009]

Animal Collective – Graze [Fall Be Kind EP, 2010]

Flashy Python - Skin and Bones [Skin and Bones, 2009]

MNDR – Fade to Black [(Self-Released), 2009]

Sleigh Bells – Ring Ring [Sleigh Bells EP, 2009]

Real Estate – Black Lake [Real Estate, 2009]

Playlist 19/11/09

2009-12-07T13:16:00.001+11:00

SCUM SKETCH: Beach House

SCUM SCOOP: The Brooklyn Sound = Dirty Projectors

Beach House – Gila [Devotion, 2008]

Cold Cave - Life Magazine [Love Comes Close, 2010]

Bear in Heaven – Wholehearted Mess [Beast Rest Forth Mouth, 2009]

Solange – Stillness is the Move [(Self-Released), 2009]

Beach House – Master of None [Beach House, 2006]

Beach House – Norway [Teen Dream, 2010]

Grizzly Bear - Foreground (Live) [Veckatimest SE, 2009]

Animal Collective – On a Highway [Fall Be Kind EP, 2009]

Pants Yell! – Cold Hands [Recieved Pronounciation, 2009]

Playlist 12/11/09

2009-11-16T15:10:00.002+11:00

SCUM SKETCH: Merge Records

SCUM SCOOP: New Magnetic Fields Album on the Way

Les Savy Fav – Precision Auto [Score! Twenty Years of Merge Records - The Covers, 2009]
LED Quadraphonic Explosion - Mp3 [I Fell Off a Skateboard and Broke My Girls Arm in Three Places, 2010]

Future Islands – Little Dreamer (Jones Mix) [Post Office Wave Chapel, 2009]

Class Actress – All the Saints [(Self-Released), 2009]

The Magnetic Fields – Too Drunk to Dream [Distortion, 2008]

Neutral Milk Hotel – Song Against Sex [On Avery Island, 1996]

Spoon - Mystery Zone [Translation, 2010]

Memory Tapes – Graphics (Radio Edit) [Seek Magic, 2009]

Blessure Grace – Stranger in the House [(Self-Released), 2009]

Avi Buffalo - What's in it For? [What's in it For? 7", 2009]

Xiu Xiu - Volcana! (I Hope Your Traiun Crashes Remix) [Score! Twenty Years of Merge Records - The Remixes, 2009]

Drugs, Beer and Skateboards

2009-11-12T22:18:00.000+11:00

We've been busy making monkey business with the music world. Our latest attempt at humour is to create an entirely fictional electro-duo called LED Quadraphonic Explosion. If you're an avid listener of North American Scum you may her more from the duo, but for now please enjoy the original promo that went to air on 12-11-2009. Just follow the link below

http://www.2shared.com/file/9099236/fa27597/Promo_LED_Quad_Exp.html

Playlist 05/11/09

2009-11-11T17:44:00.000+11:00

SCUM SKETCH: Side Projects/Solo Efforts of The Strokes

SCUM SCOOP: New releases announced for Yeasayer, Liars, Spoon

Albert Hammond Jr – Victory at the Monterey [Como De Llama, 2008]

Surfer Blood – Take it Easy [Astro Coast, 2009]

Nite Jewel – We Want Our Things [You F. O, 2009]

Yeasayer – Ambling Alp [(Title to be Announced), 2010]

Nickel Eye – You and Everyone Else [The Time of the Assassins, 2009]

Julian Casablancas - River of Brakelights [Phrazes For the Young, 2009]

Sleigh Bells – Crown on the Ground [Sleigh Bells EP, 2009]

The Long Count – Bull Run (Live) [(Self-Released), 2009]

Fan Death - Veronica's Veil [Veronica's Veil 7", 2008]

2009-11-03T13:11:00.004+11:00

*WARNING: If you believe anything slightly religious you should perhaps put down your worry beads and go confess to someone that you've wasted a lot of time asking some kind of deity for forgiveness. If you're a well adjusted new age Christian who hums happy go lucky tunes while walking down the street with the Bible under one arm, please stop doing that. No one likes it and you're possibly the lest popular person living on your street.

There are many things in this universe that make me consider taking my own life. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a suicide note or a cry for help. If you think you might need help, please go here. What I'd like to cover in this particular ~~article~~ rant is music that is intertwined with religious meaning. Or if you'd like me to be blunt, Bible bashing Christian music.

I'd like to think that the history of music was completely secular. But the fact is that pretty much all music up until 200 years ago has religious roots. This isn't a bad thing because there has been some very beautiful examples of religious music. My personal favourite would have to be Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem (Dies Irae) from 1874. Even today some of the highest selling CDs are just cheeky rehashed hymns pilfered from the huge catalogue that the Russian Orthodox Church has. Sure, this style of music is still being composed in modern times, but as you know music itself has come a very long way since the mid 1800s. But what really makes me lose the will to live is how backwards and truly awful modern religious music has become.

I know expectations are low when Jesus somehow becomes the topic of a song. There seems to be two ways of going about writing a song that includes the King of the Jews. You either beat around the bush so no one really can be bothered reading between the lines, or you smash the message down our throats like a Zeppelin with a giant swastika painted on the side. Do I have examples of these two methods? You bet your sorry ass I have proof!

Example one: Hillsong Church

Hillsong is a megachurch located in Sydney, Australia. It was founded in 1983, and for some reason has a direct hold on mainstream ARIA music charts with a string of number one albums. But who can forget their sinister dealings with Australian Idol contestants in 2007? Not me for one. But there are special rules in television land, and there's no law against a church producing more than one talented individual. What I find strange about the whole Hillsong 'musical experience' is that this particular church has gone for the jugular of the youth market. They model themselves as being the hip young uncle of churches who's down with the street talking kids. But the reality is they've managed to turn tired old mainstream pop tunes into modern rehashed evangelist chat-topping sludge. The worst thing is that we let them do that because, gosh darn it, these guys are so hip for Christians.

Example Two: DC Talk

If you're living in Australia and you watch any kind of television, either late at night or during children's programming during the afternoon then you know all about this little vocal trio. But before I launch myself at a speeding bus, please let them explain what they're all about in their own words.

"My name is Keven and provide the rock that it needs..."

Ah yes. That equals Rap, Rock and Soul. The memories are painful, but in my hour of need, DC Talk still manage to act like fools. Would it surprise you to know that these guys have won four Grammys? DC Talk have been around long enough to have very fat wallets and perhaps some sort of cocaine addiction. They're just another very good example of the mildly smart men capitalising on the evangelist nature of middle America. That would be the chief reason why being hip with the kids and their rap music is not cool. If I were to whip out my decks and head on down to the local mall I'm sure DJ Hughmility and MC Ali-star could make some quick cash rapping about how Jesus saved me from an awful life in politics. So I'd like to congratulate and condemn DC Talk for continually being hip enough to grace our television screens for over 15 years.

*If you do take offence, remember, you are entitled to believe whatever you want to believe. Just like I'm allowed to wrote whatever the hell I want. This is the Internet.

Playlist 29/10/09

2009-10-30T11:06:00.000+11:00

The 2009 Hip-Hop Special

SCUM SCOOP: Madvillain...new album in the works.

Lil Wayne – Swag Surfin' [No Ceilings Mixtape, 2009]

Raekwon (Feat. Inspectah Deck & Masta Killa) – Kiss the Ring [Only Built For Cuban Linx Pt. II, 2009]

Mos Def – Auditorium (Feat. Slick Rick) [The Ecstatic, 2009]

Flying Lotus and Declaime – Whole Wide World [Whole Wide World EP, 2009]

BBU – Chi Don't Dance [Chi Don't Dance EP, 2009]

Jay-Z (Feat. Luke Steele) - What We Talkin' About [The Blueprint 3, 2009]

Mando Diao (The Hood Internet Remix Feat. GZA and Cadence Weapon) – Dance With Somebody [Dance With Somebody 7", 2009]

Big Boi (Feat. Gucci Mane) – Shine Blockas [Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, 2009]

Mocky (Feat. GZA) - Birds of a Feather (Remix) [Saskamodie SE, 2009]

MF Doom – Ballskin [Born Like This, 2009]

Despot and Ratatat - Look Alive [(Self-Released), 2009]

Pitchfork loves YOU but hates YOUR taste in music - pt. 1

2009-10-28T17:38:00.004+11:00

It seems like the hot topic that's on the lips of the world's Indie kids is whether or not they should be loving or hating their main source of musical opinion, Pitchfork Media. Even your favorite North American Scum poster isn't immune to a little bit of love and hate towards the Chicago-based daily Internet publication. But do we really have a good reason to hate Pitchfork? There are many good reasons to dislike their style of so-called journalism, but why do some people bother with the wall of hate that is starting to crush the credibility of online music journalism?

Firstly, lets get some positive aspects out there. The original Pitchfork was established way back in 1995. I don't know about you but I didn't even understand the concept of the Internet in 1995. Clearly Pitchfork was ahead of the curve back then. It's taken many years for traditional media outlets to get on-board the information superhighway (haven't used that term for years now). Even today the big players are still trying to work out this whole world wide web caper. Certainly they're guilty of only looking for a profit from their readers. In 1995 it was only the technology literate that would dear take on a dedicated Internet publication. Demand must of been quite low, but you must remember that almost anything could pass for quality online journalism in 1995. Sounds cynical but there's no publishing guidelines for those who choose to express their opinion on the Internet (see northamericanscum.com).

Another feather in that streetwise Indie cap that Pitchfork wears out every Saturday night is the fact that there has not been a music website as consistent. Since 1996 they've been publishing content daily, which is more than some websites manage even today. In 1999 they went even further and started to publish four length reviews a day. What does this really mean (other than I can read Wikipedia)? So many music websites have come and gone but Pitchfork seem to still be consistently pumping out the content like music was better 10 years ago (bad pun!). And for the most part they've had their finger on the pulse with most new music coming out of North America. Too many time have I been disappointed when similar websites pack it in or just stop publishing all-together. Stylus Magazine being one that is still online for no real reason other than to remind us that it once existed. Lost At Sea is another webzine that is frustratingly slow at being updated.

One last positive point that myself and Hugh are in agreement with is that Pitchfork is pretty much on the money when it comes to the whole information chase. Nowadays it far too cool for bands to put any kind of information on their websites or Myspace pages. It's like they think there's something cool about giving journalists nothing to write about. The sad thing about this is then those journalists will get pissed off and then listen to your band's crappy music and write things which you'll hate because you were too lazy cool to play the promotion game. So much of modern journalism is based on what information is handed directly from an artists MR people (PR if you're going to be anal!), which is more often than not written by the artist themselves. But Pitchfork seem to know much more about the music they review than even the artists do. So really, most Pitchfork hating artists have no on but themselves to blame because they've been caught up in trying to impress Pitchfork with their mysterious coolness.

Keep your pants on! The hate session will be coming in the next few days...

Playlist 22/10/09

2009-10-27T16:53:00.000+11:00

SCUM SKETCH: The Mountain Goats

SCUM SCOOP: Laneway Lineup 2010

The Mountain Goats – This Year [The Sunset Tree, 2005]

Real Estate – Fake Blues [Real Estate, 2009]

Alvin Band – Temple Pressure [Mantis Preying, 2009]

Wild Nothing – Confirmation [(Self-Released), 2009]

The Mountain Goats – Psalms [The Life of the World to Come, 2009]

The Mountain Goats - Woke Up New [Get Lonely, 2006]

Phaseone – Videotape [White Collar Crime Mixtape, 2009]

Alec Ounsworth – Modern Girl (...With Scissors) [Mo Beauty, 2009]

Violens - Lighting Lightning [Chess Club, 2009]

LCD Soundsystem – Bye Bye Bayou [Bye Bye Bayou 7", 2009]

Playlist 15/10/09

2009-10-16T11:15:00.001+11:00

SCUM SKETCH: The Flaming Lips

SCUM SCOOP: New Grizzly Bear Label/Side Project + Pavement Reuniting and Touring Aus

The Flaming Lips – Race for the Prize [The Soft Bulletin, 1999]

The Flaming Lips – The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine [Embryonic, 2009]

Phaseone – Panda Jawn [White Collar Crime Mixtape, 2009]

Can’t – Ghosts [Ghosts 7", 2009]

Dam Funk – Hood Pass Intact [Toeachizown, 2009]

Ramona Falls - Going Once, Going Twice [Intuit, 2009]

Washed Out – Phone Call [High Times EP, 2009]

Bon Iver and St Vincent – Roslyn [Twilight New Moon OST, 2009]

Julian Casablancas – 11th Dimension [Phrazes For the Young, 2009]

The Flaming Lips – Free Radicals [At War with the Mystics, 2006]

Universal Studios Florida – Frozen Bayou Feat. Alaskas [Ocean Sunbirds CD-R, 2009]

Pavement – Rattled by the Rush [Wowee Zowee, 1995]

Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms [Psychic Chasms, 2009]

Grizzly Bear – Slow Life [Twilight New Moon OST, 2009]

The Flaming Lips – Do You Realize? [Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, 2002]

The Flaming Lips – Convinced of the Hex [Embryonic, 2009]

Duck Sauce – aNYway [aNYway 7", 2009]

Museum of Bellas Artes – Who Do You Love? [Who Do You Love 7", 2009]

Turns out the last song we played was Swedish - apologies to the North American purists out there... Next week a Mountain Goats Scum Sketch!

Playlist 08/10/09

2009-10-15T14:01:00.001+11:00

SCUM SKETCH - Built to Spill
SCUM SCOOP - "Jesus Christ" (The Indie Band)... A buzz band to end all buzz bands?

Kurt Vile - Hunchback [Childish Prodigy, 2009]
Byrds of Paradise - Rowena [(Self-Released), 2009]
Fool's Gold - Surprise Hotel (Phaseone Remix) [White Collar Crime Mixtape, 2009]
Frankie Rose - Thee Only One [Thee Only One 7", 2009]
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - The Sound [Summer of Fear, 2009]
Girls - Laura [Album, 2009]
Oh No - Cross Country [(Self-Released), 2009]
The Magic Kids - Hey Boy [Good to Be, 2009]
Cass McCoombs - Dreams Come True Girl [Catacoombs, 2009]
Flying Lotus - Disco Bells [Five Years of Hyperdub Compilation, 2009]
Rodrigo Y Gabriella - Logos [11:11, 2009]

Built to Spill - Center of the Universe [Keep it Like a Secret, 1999]
Karen O and the Kids - Capsize [Where the Wild Things Are OST, 2009]
Picture Plane - 5th Sun (Rainbow Arabia Remix) [(Self-Released), 2009]
"Jesus Christ" (The Indie Band) - Is This Really What You Want? [(Self-Released), 2009]
Built to Spill - Sidewalk [Keep it Like a Secret, 1999]
Built to Spill - Hindsight [There is No Enemy, 2009]
Vampire Weekend - Horchata [Contra, 2010]
Pearl Harbor - Luv Goon [Something About the Chaparrals, 2009]
Viernes - Swimmers Ear [Sinister Devices, 2009]
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - 103 [Higher Than the Stars EP, 2009]
Phoenix - Love Like a Sunset (Animal Collective Remix - 'Deakin's Jam') [(Upcoming Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Remix Album), 2009]

Playlist 24/09/09

2009-09-25T08:26:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - Islands
SCUM SCOOP - Vivian Girls Interview

Islands - The Arm [Arms Way, 2008]
Alec Ounsworth - This is Not My Home (After Bruegel) [Mo Beauty, 2009]
The Golden Filter - Solid Gold [Rain Machine, 2009]
Vivian Girls - Where Do You Run To? [Vivian Girls, 2008]
Vivian Girls - Walking Alone at Night [Everything Goes Wrong, 2009]
Islands - Where There is a Will There's a Whalebone [Return to the Sea, 2006]
Islands - Devout [Vapours, 2009]
SALEM - Frost [Yes, I Smoked Crack EP, 2009]
Bear in Heaven - Wholehearted Mess (Pink Skull Remix) [(Self-Released), 2009]
Free Energy - Something in Common [Stuck on Nothin', 2009]

This week on North American Scum

2009-09-23T16:30:00.003+10:00

Another HUGE week for fans of great independent music from our favourite continent, North America. Hold tight because you might want to put seatbelts on your eyes! Front-man Hugh has an exclusive interview with Brooklyn based all girl trio, Vivian Girl. HOLY SHIT BATMAN!

But if you're not a fan of that particular trio you should still tune in because this week's Scum Sketch is all over that enigmatic Canadian band, Islands. Both Al and Hugh expect your ears to be pleased with this news. Tune in to Edge Radio 99.3FM on Thursday from 7pm to hear all about it.

And for those who need a sample of the Scum Sketch just get clicky with this linky: http://home.sus.mcgill.ca/~kaplowr/12-Islands_-_Rough_Gem.mp3

Webstream: http://131.217.118.2:7990/EdgeRadio.mp3

Playlist 17/09/09

2009-09-21T15:59:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - Sufjan Stevens
SCUM SCOOP - Polyester Records Top 50 Albums 2004-2009

Sufjan Stevens - Movement IV: Traffic Shock [The BQE, 2009]
Girls - Lust for Life [Album, 2009]
Rain Machine - Give Blood [Rain Machine, 2009]
Sufjan Stevens - Dear Mr Supercomputer [The Avalanche, 2006]
CFCF - Invitation to Love [Monolith, 2009]
Sufjan Stevens - Get Behind Me, Santa [Songs for Christmas, 2006]
Bear in Heaven - Lovesick Teenagers [Beast Rest Forth Mouth, 2009]
Grooms - Wicked Game [(Self-Released), 2009]
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Tooth Decay [Eating Us, 2009]
Circulatory System - The Frozen Lake/The Symmetry [Signal Morning, 2009]

Sufjan Sojourn

2009-09-16T15:58:00.000+10:00

As rumoured worldwide this week on North American Scum we Scum Sketch Sufjan Stevens and play a track off his new project, 'the BQE'. Apparently its got something to do with a performance piece based on the subway lines connecting Brooklyn and Queens. We'll know more Thursday we promise... In the meantime, get familiar with this Christian indie darling with 5 free mp3's from our friends* at Better Propaganda...

5 Free Sufjan Stevens Mp3's

Also new songs from Circulatory System, Rain Machine, Girls, Bear in Heaven and everyones 2nd favourite band with two v's 'Lovvers'

Thats 7pm AEST, 99.3FM Hobart or stream at www.edgeradio.org.au

* We wish.

Introducing the Monday MixTape

2009-09-15T15:12:00.000+10:00

Hey Dog! Wazzup? You like Monday with extra cheese? Me? Sure do. Here's some cheese in a box! Enjoy!

And even better, we are going to do this once a week. 5 tracks. Free. 5 tracks that will rock your boat. 5 tracks from the lands of North America that are worthy of... The Monday Mixtape.

Here's todays mixtape. You'll need Winrar to open the files (www.winrar.com). Then a kicking boombox to play them.

Monday MixTape 14-09-2009

1. AU - Ida Walked Away

2. Best Coast - Sun was High So Was I

3. CFCF - Monolith

4. Glass Ghost - The Same

5. Memory Tapes - Bicycle (Horrors Cosmic Dub Remix)

Love Al & Hugh

Monday Goodies

2009-09-14T15:19:00.000+10:00

Panda Bear - Live at ATP (Mediafire)

AND

Playlist 10/09/09

2009-09-11T14:27:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - Atlas Sound
SCUM SCOOP - TV on the Radio, whats going on...

Atlas Sound - River Card [Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, 2007]
Suckers - Easy Chairs [Suckers EP, 2009]
Blondes - Spanish Fly [(Self-Released), 2009]
Old Canes - Little Bird Courage [Feral Harmonic, 2009]
Diamond Rings - All Yr Songs [All Yr Songs/Facelove 7", 2009]
Atlas Sound - Sheila [Logos, 2009]
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Higher than the Stars [Higher than the Stars EP, 2009]
Ramona Falls - Russia [Intuit, 2009]
Au Revoir Simone - Another Likely Story (Neon Indian Remix) [(Self-Released), 2009]
Beck - Sunday Morning [The Velvet Underground and Nico (Beck's Record Club), 2009]

Music that only homeless people would like

2009-09-10T14:28:00.000+10:00

I'm glad you've managed to survive the tsunami that was engulfing our lives because I'd like you to take a minute to sit right there so I can tell you about music that homeless people like. The first question you well ask is, where would homeless people hear this so called music? I mean, honestly, homeless people do have ears just like you normal people who live in something more solid than cardboard. It's entirely possible that they might come in ear-shot of some music. Today I have taken it upon myself to shed light on what ~~awful~~ music those without home are into. I'll go one step further and do some sort of top five thing like Pitchfork...in no particular order...

Creed
There's nothing worse than kids who think they're funny when they're clearly not. Creed would have to represent the lowest brow humour known to mankind. Often I'd hear the rag'n-bone-man singing a tune from their 1999 album, Human Clay. One might say it's easy to pick on Creed because they still live with their mothers, but there's no excuse for being so popular and being so god-awful. I have nothing more to say on the matter. Just don't listen to commercial radio, ya hear me?!

Joshua Kadison
I'm not trying to pick on ~~artists~~ people that have charted in Australia. I'm more on a hate trip for my mother's road trip music when I mention Joshua Kadison. The man has been safely pumping music into the homeless scene since 1993. I don't know why EMI thinks this is a good idea given that homeless people prefer to buy scotch rather than CDs. Just quietly, I have heard that most of Kadison's CDs are so highly flammable that they are used to start fires in 44 gallon drums on winter nights. Nuff said...

Lady Ga Ga
I don't think there's any need to explain this one. I mean, she's worked her way up from the very bottom of the pit so to speak. God knows what she had to do to get a record deal in the end. Only Interscope know this. But props to Lady Ga Ga for having the gusts to do what she did....

Tenacious D
The best song in the world is, ironically, not that good. But the music video has the Satan in it. We all know the Satan is pretty much the reason we have homeless people in the first place. What I don't understand is why Jack Black thinks he can play music and act at the same time. I think Mr Black is the product of bad parenting. The rule is that you teach your kind that they can only be good at one thing, and one thing only! Geez!

Shaquille O'Neal
Once again we're dealing with bad parenting here. Someone obviously told Shaq he could be good at two things when the rule is you can be good at only ONE! Anyone who names their first album Shaq Diesel should be put away for a very long time. I don't know what else to say about Mr O'Neal, because there's just no excuse for him making anything that could be called music. Sure, he may be paid millions of dollars a year for chasing a ornage rubber ball around. Homeless people love this shit! They're always hanging out and basketball games looking for a free superdog on a ground. Shame on you Shaq!

TV on the Radio Vs Massive Attack vs Themselves

2009-09-10T10:46:00.000+10:00

We would have played this tonight... but it's all of 7 minutes long - and its slightly British...

It's a song from the forthcoming Massive Attack EP, Splitting the Atom, it's called 'Pray for Rain' and it features vocals from TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe:

Stream: Massive Attack Feat. Tunde - Pray for Rain

Also, another TV on the Radio themed longish number, this time from Rain Machine, aka the solo project from TV On The Radio's Kyp Malone

Rain Machine - Smiling Black Faces.mp3

At las t. Sound!

2009-09-08T11:54:00.000+10:00

We've already done a Deerhunter scum sketch, sure. But pretty much noone else in the world is releasing quantity with the quality of Bradford Cox. To the salivation of the team here at North American Scum his second full length under his solo monkier - Atlas Sound, is about to drop.

This Thursday night hugh and Al will celebrate with an Atlas Sound Scum Sketch, playing a couple of tracks of old, and a new track from his new, soon to be released LP, 'Logos.' To get your appetite whetted, here are some free Atlas Sound mp3's we have tracked down for you - one of them being the fantastic new collaboration with Panda Bear of Animal Collective:

Atlas Sound - Quarantined.mp3
Atlas Sound - Walkabout (Feat Panda Bear).mp3
Atlas Sound - Walk a Thin Line (Fleetwood Mac Cover).mp3

Also this week, some new tracks from Circulatory System, Chromeo, Suckers, Toro Y Moi and a new mix from DJ/Rupture. Tune in at www.edgeradio.org.au, 7pm AEST, Figure your time out on google or something...

Ramona Falls - Intuit

2009-09-07T17:25:00.000+10:00

You could be forgiven for thinking that the debut release from Ramona Falls is the long anticipated third album from Portland's Menomena. It sounds roughly like it could fit anywhere in the Menomena timeline. Intuit is the product of Menomena band member Brent Knopf. Rumour has it that the recording process for the third Menomena was delayed big time and Knopf, obviously still on some sort of music high just kept going. The result is something new and something you might of heard before.

Those familiar with Knopf's work in Menomena will be instantly at home with the initial sound. Knopf tends to lean towards a more dense sound. I Say Fever is a prime example of what's he's all about. A quiet start leading into a large crescendo. But you end up in a very different sounding place once the track reaches its final throws. Sounds like a Menomena song doesn't it? Cynics will brand it good but nothing new, which is far enough in some cases. It's not that Knopf has written the same old material because if you've got the time you'll notice that it's not quite the same.

There seems to be a willingness to somewhat ditch the synthesisers and loops for a more acoustic sound. It may sound very dense but there's a de-constructed feeling to the overall crux of the album. Russia is a prime example of what Knopf is up to with the sounds and textures if his solo work. Of course you can't forget that there's more than a few guest artists featuring on Intuit. Guests like Benjamin Weikel (The Helio Sequence), Mirah Y.T. Zeitlyn and Janet Weiss (Sleeter-Kinney) to name just a few.

So how does it stack up overall? Breaking the mould is something Brent Knopf does for a living when it comes to his music. But Ramona Falls isn't that far removed from his previous work. There are moments on the album where you can become lost in the beautifully crafted dynamic sound. Knopf has clearly mastered the sound he likes and flaunts it big time here. Fans of Menomena will be right at home...

70%

Playlist 03/09/09

2009-09-04T13:35:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - Memory Cassette + Weird Tapes = Memory Tapes!
SCUM SCOOP - Washed Out and his amazing technicolor marketing machine

Memory Cassette - Asleep at a Party [Call & Response EP, 2009]
Volcano Choir - Island, IS [Unmap, 2009]
Neon Indian - Local Joke [Psychic Chasms EP, 2009]
Washed Out - Luck [High Times Cassette, 2009]
Weird Tapes - Christmas Break [(Self-Released), 2008]
Memory Tapes - Plain Material [Seek Magic, 2009]
Grizzly Bear feat. Michael McDonald - While You Wait for the Others [While You Wait For the Others Single, 2009]
Ramona Falls - I Say Fever [Intuit, 2009]
Glass Ghost - The Same [Idol Omen, 2009]
The Raveonettes - Last Dance [In and Out of Control, 2009]

Check out a Memory Cassette video and more songs off the Call and Response EP at: http://stereogum.com/archives/video/new-memory-cassette-video-surfin-body-in-the-water-_083711.html

I Can't Remember what we are playing this week...

2009-09-01T14:12:00.000+10:00

Anonymity is all the rage right now. Bio's are soooo uncool. Anything more than pictures on your myspace is so 2003, and well rather than whinging about the lack of facts, North American Scum this week is embracing the anonymity. So who else better to be our Scum Sketch than New Jerseyites (or New JerseyitE) Memory Tapes. The unification of Memory Cassette and Weird Tapes. Who are they? Is it all just one guy? Why do people insist on branding it 'dreamwave'? We won't answer these questions, but we will play great music...

If you missed out on hearing the New Order esque first single 'Bicycle' here it is at their own blog...
http://weirdtapes.blogspot.com/2009/06/memory-tapes.html
There's also a fantastic remix British in-things the Horrors did a while back, you can find that here...
http://www.prefixmag.com/media/memory-tapes/bicycle-horrors-remix-mp3/31230/

Also got some new Vivian Girls, Neon Indian, Zorch and Alex Ounsworth. Be the club this week at 7pm AEST www.edgeradio.org.au

Al speaks...

2009-08-31T16:06:00.000+10:00

Not everyone should have an opinion on things like salad and trampolines. But due to the immense pressure from those in the office, Al has taken a break from speaking in the third person to outline what he's been listening to in the past month or so... I know it seem kind of obvious, but there are times when I do wonder why Weezer still tries to make something called music. I know, I'm just splitting hairs on that matter because there's no real hope Rivers and the gang. Some say that there's never enough GOOD music playing at one time... I disagree. If we played all the good music at once there would be some kind of giant orgy of goodness, and Michael Jackson would rise from the dead to 'dance his ass off'. Alright, Alright! I'll stop beating around the bush and start to talk about some North American music. While Hugh glues his eyes to Pitchfork I've been sneaking around the corridors of Edge Radio pretending I'm into all the unpleasant Aussie rock that's been leaking from the airwaves. I'm sorry, The Temper Trap are just a little too sad for me to consider them an actual band. If the UK likes them so much then they can have them! As everyone knows by now, I'm pretty much on the Washed Out bandwagon for the foreseeable future. I'm not sure why but the whole cocaine dealing speedboat owning 80s vibe is just so intoxicating. Highlight would have to be the song Hold Out. Not too fast and not too slow. Perfect for dealing wads of cocaine...

Next on my ever growing list of amazingly hot music is a little song from Das Racist & Wallpaper. I'm a big fan of racist jokes (does that make me a racist? I like KFC!) and when someone puts what seems to be a black joke into musical form it's all downhill for me. The song I'm referring to is of course Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell (Wallpaper. RMX). Racist slurs aside, the song is the right kind of wild and hairy chested man-music. It also reminds me that I've never been to a Taco Bell in my life! What's next? Um... Oh yes, I'm a big fan of computer game music. You know, the old style bit music. Brings back memories of playing hours of Sonic 3 on rainy days as a kid. Some of the coolest music I've ever heard was made especially for the Mega Drive (not the Genesis! get over it America!) and it's a really good time for people my age to discover what bit music is out there. My most recent favourite bit music love is from a New York duo called Starscream. Sure, he was the most annoying Transformer, but he was a plane goddamnit! Anyway, these guys make some of the coolest 8 bit music going around. I'm currently bouncing around the room to a little track called Kepler's Star Catalog. They use the original Nintendo Gameboy hardware for pretty much all their music. But they also add some sampled drums which really gives the sounds some space compared to the mostly flat sounding bit music that I usually come across. Ah the trappings of completely digital music. You can download pretty much as much bit music as you want from 8bitpeoples.com Woah! That's a lot of text baby... Alright, lets just leave it there. I'll make contact next week with some more music that you can play very loudly in your Tarago. -Al

Northamericanscum.com!

2009-08-31T14:30:00.000+10:00

Yes, we are now more than just a blogspot.com... we are a dot com! Head to northamericanscum.com and wowsers, you'll head straight here. Thanks must go to web guru Al. To celebrate this monumental occasion here are 5 songs that have rocked my North American world this year: Animal Collective - My Girls Mt Eerie - Between Two Mysteries Wavves - Cool Jumper Deerhunter - Disappearing Ink Washed Out - You'll See It Enjoy...

Playlist 27/08/09

2009-08-28T12:23:00.000+10:00

Just Hugh for this episode. very sad. As proven by this face: :( SCUM SKETCH - Blitzen Trapper Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer [Furr, 2008] Neverever (Formerly The Champagne Socialists) - Blue Genes [(Self-Released), 2009] A Place to Bury Strangers - In Your Heart [Exploding Head, 2009] Harlem - South of France [Free Drugs, 2009] Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation [Wild Mountain Nation, 2007] Blitzen Trapper - A Preacher's Sister's Boy [Black River Killer EP, 2009] Memory Tapes - Bicycle [Seek Magic, 2009] Washed Out - Lately [Life of Leisure EP, 2009] Flying Lotus - Parisian Golfish (Take Remix) [LA 3x3 EP , 2009] Wavves - Cool Jumper [(Self-Released), 2009] Vega - No Reasons [No Reasons EP, 2009] Small Black - Despicable Dogs [(Self-Released), 2009]

Playlist 20/08/2009

2009-08-21T10:34:00.000+10:00

THE BLIPS AND BEEPS SPECIAL - With special guest Kate Blackwood SELECT SCUM - DAN DEACON SCUM SCOOP - Meredith Lineup Revealed: Animal Collective, Akron/Family, Patrick Wolf, The Oh Sees, Crocodiles amongst others... Passion Pit - The Reeling [Manners, 2009] Neon Indian - Should've Taken Acid With You [(Lefse Compilation), 2009] Flying Lotus - Parisian Goldfish [Los Angeles, 2008] Animal Collective - Peacebone [Strawberry Jam, 2007] Nosaj Thing - Light 1 [Drift, 2009] Dan Deacon - Snake Mistakes [Spiderman of the Rings, 2007] Washed Out - Hold Out [(Self-Released), 2009] Starscream - Kepler's Star Catalog [Future, and it Doesn't Work EP, 2009] Discovery - Swing Tree [LP, 2009] Tyondai Braxton - Uffe's Workshop [Central Market, 2009]

The Blips 'n Bleeps Special

2009-08-19T11:15:00.000+10:00

This Thursday the 20th prepare yourselves for something a little left of sampler. It's a blips n' beeps special on North American Scum, profiling and playing some of the best electronic, glitch and laptop pop musicians hitting up the North American scene in 2009. We've got new tracks from Washed Out, Flying Lotus, Neon Indian, Phaseone and Nosaj Thing plus Al is set to bring in some 8-Bit music madness. Also joining us is Blips 'n Beeps maestro Kate Blackwood, who will bring in a couple of tracks of her own to blow your electronicitified minds. Here is a picture of her in a cave: Don't forget, North American Scum, 7pm every Thursday Australian Eastern Standard Time, you can stream on www.edgeradio.org.au, or listen in Hobart on 99.3FM Hugh xx

Playlist 13/08/09

2009-08-17T16:23:00.000+10:00

Falls Festival 1st Lineup Announcement Special!

Grizzly Bear – While You Wait For the Others [Veckatimest, 2009] White Rabbits – Dinner Party [Fort Nightly, 2009] Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Dull Life [It’s Blitz!, 2009] Patrick Watson – Tracy’s Waters [Wooden Arms, 2009] Moby – Disco Lies [Last Night, 2008] Kaki King – Pull Me Out Alive [Dreaming of Revenge, 2008] Andrew Bird – Fitz and the Dizzyspells [Noble Beast, 2009] Lyrics Born – Do U Buy It? [Everywhere At Once, 2009] Major Lazer – Keep it Goin’ Louder [Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do, 2009]

Chairlift – Bruises [Does You Inspire You, 2009]

Stay tuned this Thursday for A Blips and Bleeps Special, North American Electronica! With special guest, Hobart's Kate Blackwood...

Playlist 06/08/09

2009-08-17T15:57:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH – NO AGE SELECT SCUM – THE ARCADE FIRE SCUM SCOOP – Falls First Lineup Announced!

No Age – Teen Creeps [Nouns, 2008]

Pictureplane – Goth Star [Dark Rift, 2009] Sunnybrook – Waving Hands [(Self-Released), 2009] Major Lazer – When You Hear the Bassline Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do, 2009] No Age – Neck Escaper [Weirdo Rippers, 2007] No Age – You’re a Target [Losing Feeling, 2009] Das Racist and Wallpaper – Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell RMX [(Self-Released), 2009] The Arcade Fire – Neighbourhood #1[Funeral, 2004] Lackthereof – Choir Practice [Your Anchor, 2008] Toro Y Moi – Human Nature [(Self-Released), 2009]

Swan Lake – Settle on Your Skin [Enemy Mine, 2009]

You're at No Age to not listen this week. (sorry)

2009-08-05T12:06:00.000+10:00

Ooh yeah, This week we are going garagey punk fuzzy gazey pop with a No Age Scum Sketch. No Age are about to release a new EP, Losing Feeling, and they've obviously been listening to a bit of early 90's shoegaze. We'll be playing a track from that plus some Pictureplane, Sunnybrook, and some more Major Lazer and Jay Reatard. It's gonna be, as the cool kids put it 'tres excellent.' Thursday night at 7 AEST, www.edgeradio.org.au or 99.3FM in Hobart.

Playlist 30/07/09

2009-07-31T10:16:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - YO LA TENGO SELECT SCUM - A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS SCUM SCOOP - Whats next for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/Alec Ounsworth? Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater [I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, 1997] Night Control - Good Looks [Death Control, 2009] Best Coast - Sun Was High (So Was I) [(Self-Released), 2009] Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - In This Home on Ice [Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 2005] Yo La Tengo - Nothing to Hide [Popular Songs, 2009] Yo La Tengo - Here to Fall [Popular Songs, 2009] Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer [Psychic Candy, 2009] A Place to Bury Strangers - To Fix the Gash in Your Head [A Place to Bury Strangers, 2007] Health - Die Slow [Get Color, 2009] Why? - January Twenty Something [Eskimo Snow, 2009]

Washed Out - You'll See It [(Self-Released), 2009]

(Yellow Tango)

Washed Out

2009-07-29T15:29:00.001+10:00

You may remember I brought in a new summer tune by Washed Out last week. Al was right on board. Well since then Pitchfork and now Hipster Runoff have got on board. And in true Hipster Runoff style, the entry was brilliant. Carles from Hipster Runoff was trying to come up with a genre that Washed Out fits into, here was his ideas: For full blog post check out www.hipsterunoff.com (You can also grab the mp3s there - handy)

no-fi
post-AnCo rock
post-bloghause
GorillaVsBearcore
Chill Bro Core
Kewl Boring Music
Music 2 smoke weed 2
Synth Computer Pop Atmospheric Wave
GazeWave
ShitWave
CumWave
WaveWave
ShoeWave
Chillgaze
Pitchforkwavegaze
Blogrock
No-gaze
Blowgaze
GazeStep
post-electro
conceptro
ChillHouse
Browave
Conceptual Blog Core
ForkcastRock
Forkshit
No-fork
ZanyCore
Industrial
post-freakfolk
freakgaze

'Pitchforkwavegaze?" Brilliant.

Yo La Tengo and Cash

2009-07-27T16:13:00.000+10:00

We've got a big show coming up this week. Some are saying Tom Hanks Big. Some are saying Ben Hur big. Some are saying bigot, but they are mistaken. We have uncorrupted New Jersey geniuses Yo La Tengo as this weeks scum sketch. Kickin round the biscuit since 1984, and 15 albums later, the lads from one of indie rocks finest collectives are releasing a new album come August called 'Popular Songs.' We'll be playing a track from that plus a couple of golden oldies. We've also got more fuzzy lo fi summer pop thats just so the in thing with the hipsters at the moment. Night Control will get a guernsey, as well as some cool new stuff from Neon Indian and Best Coast. Thats 7pm Australian Eastern Standard Time, This Thursday, 99.3FM in Hobart or webstream on www.edgeradio.org.au

Playlist 23/07/09

2009-07-24T10:29:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - PHIL ELVERUM (The Microphones/Mount Eerie) SELECT SCUM - ISLANDS SCUM SCOOP - Falls '09 Rumours: Juan Maclean? Grizzly Bear? Yeah Yeah Yeahs? The Microphones - The Moon [The Glow Pt.2, 2001] The Smith Westerns - Gimme Some Time [The Smith Westerns, 2009] The Dodos - Fables [Time to Die, 2009] The Juan Maclean - The Station [The Future Will Come, 2009] The Microphones - Map [The Glow Pt.2, 2001] Mount Eerie - Wind's Dark Poem [Wind's Poem, 2009] Washed Out - Feel it All Around [(Self-Released), 2009] Julian Plenti - Games For Days [Julian Plenti is...Skyscraper, 2009] Islands - No You Don't [Vapours, 2009] Atlas Sound (Feat. Panda Bear) - Walkabout [Logos, 2009]

Bloggin' n Scummin'

2009-07-21T14:00:00.000+10:00

Since my post some time ago on other blogs you should visit to find out/listen to new music I have remembered/found out about some others... Gorilla vs Bear - http://gorillavsbear.blogspot.com/ Very, very good blog. Its like Pitchfork but a little more left wing music wise. Often a few days earlier than anyone else for new music and has launched some great underground acts into the stratosphere. Very good with providing links to mp3's and videos too. Medfiremania - http://medfiremania.blogspot.com/ The new Mediafire Mayhem! Check it out, the last post up there was some Egyptian Lover. Brilliant. Hipster Runoff - http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/ Written with so much bite and sarcasm it succeeds in mocking indie kids for indie kids. Somehow. It also posts new music and stuff. First with the new Atlas Sound/Panda Bear as far as I know. Which is not far. Also takes the piss out of the Australian music industry. Which I like. And ps. Freak me sideways the new Jay Reatard album is good...

Playlist 16/07/09

2009-07-17T12:22:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - SPOON SELECT SCUM - REM SCUM SCOOP - Vivian Girls Coming to Hobart! Spoon - The Underdog [Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, 2007] Yo La Tengo - Periodically Double or Triple [Popular Songs, 2009] Jay Reatard - Before I Was Caught [Watch Me Fall, 2009] Vivian Girls - When I'm Gone [Everything Goes Wrong, 2009] Spoon - Sister Jack [Gimme Fiction, 2005] Spoon - Got Nuffin' [Got Nuffin' EP, 2009] The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Dethbridge in Lethbridge [Hometowns, 2009] REM - Southern Central Rain (I'm Sorry) [Reckoning, 1984 (2009 Remastered Version)] Major Lazer - Hold the Line [Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do..., 2009] Javelin - Vibrationz [Jamz n' Jemz, 2009] Nosaj Thing - Coat of Arms [Drift, 2009]

Playlist 09/07/09

2009-07-17T12:13:00.000+10:00

Argh, ye gods. I've been flu-i-fied, but for the purists out there, here's what Al and Brad played in my absence last week... God bless them. Sunset Rubdown - Black Swan [Dragonslayer, 2009] Wolf Parade - You are a Runner and I am My Father's Son [...Apologies to the Queen Mary, 2006] Spoon - Was it You [Gimme Fiction, 2005] UUVVWWZ - Green Starred Sleeve [UUVVWWZ, 2009] Tortoise - Prepare Your Coffin [Beacons of Ancestorship, 2009] Matt 'n Kim - Daylight [Grand, 2009] What Made Milwaukee Famous - What Doesn't Kill Us [What Doesn't Kill Us, 2008] Hotels - Leilani [Where Hearts Go Broke, 2009] Asobi Seksu - Thursday [Citrus, 2006] Bishop Allen - The Lion and the Teacup [GRRR, 2009] Thanks guys! (So they are the boys in this photo)

Compromising Photo of the Week

2009-07-16T13:24:00.000+10:00

Hugh and Al doing some research over a sherry.

Scumming Music

2009-07-07T15:33:00.000+10:00

A question I get asked alot is 'Hey Hugh, listen... where do you hear about all this music?' Ha! I say, patronisingly, the answer my friend, is not so simple. Or is it? Well yes I guess, the internet. But where on the internet? Well, I'm going to tell you now. Here are, in my opinion, the best resources to find out about great music, old and especially new. BOLACHAS GRATIS - bolachasgratis.baywords.com

Bolachas Gratis is your one stop blog shop for pretty much everything thats just be newly leaked/released. It averages something like 5 new posts per DAY. It also posts great summaries, so if you haven't heard of an artist, you get a good gauge of what they will be like. Essential. PITCHFORK MEDIA - www.pitchfork.com Yep, where would I be without Pitchfork, reviews Monday to Friday, interviews, features, news, its professional music journalism that can be pretentious; but can almost kick start a bands career. When Pitchfork dishes out a best new music award, you know its going to be a solid release. AT EASE COMMUNITY - www.ateaseweb.com Sure, its Radiohead fansite. But look further. The 'other' music thread inside the ateaseweb message board is an absolute must for any music fan. Not only will you find threads devoted to great bands you hadn't heard of yet, there's plenty of discussions on breaking news, new releases, and ALOT of hype. Possibly the greatest resource is the yearly 1000 greatest albums of all time vote conducted by all users. Its a great way to discover fantastic old music. NO DATA and MEDIAFIRE MAYHEM - www.nodata.tv and mediafiremayhem.blogspot.com Probably the best of the rest as far as the blogs are concerned. Nodata is another blog that is updated heavily with a mix of newly leaked albums and older indie classics and back catalogues. Mediafire mayhem as it suggets, devotes its time to providing mediafire links to listen to albums - this can range from a Pink Floyd discography to the new big independent link. Not updated as often as Nodata and Bolachas, but great quality output. Hope this helps - Hugh.

A Dessert Spoon of Scum

2009-07-07T11:13:00.000+10:00

Being from Texas, having the name 'Spoon,' being somehow involved in The OC and supporting Grinspoon at the Regatta grounds in Hobart would normally sign the death knells (is that the expression?) of many a band. But not this Spoon. Since the release of 'Girls Can Tell' earlier this decade, these crafty indie poppers have just got better and better culminating in 2007's brilliant 'Ga Ga Ga Ga.' Very shortly the new 'Get Nuffin' EP will be released and here at North American Scum not only will we be playing a new track off that but we will be presenting our weekly Scum Sketch on these plucky Austinites. We've also got some of the new project from Diplo and Switch, Major Lazer plus some Nosaj Thing, Yo La Tengo and much more so set your dial to Edge 99.3FM this Thursday. OR DIE.* *Not true.

Playlist 02/07/09

2009-07-03T10:08:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - BEIRUT SELECT SCUM - POLVO SCUM SCOOP - Posthumous Chart Success Beirut - Postcards From Italy [The Gulag Orkestar, 2006] The Most Serene Republic - Heavens to Purgatory [...And the Ever Expanding Universe, 2009] Free Energy - Dream City [Stuck on Nothin', 2009] Mount Eerie - Between Two Mysteries [Winds Poem, 2009] Beirut - Elephant Gun [Los Gisland EP, 2006] Beirut - The Gulag Orkestar [Live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, 2009] Toro Y Moi - Blessa [(Self-Released), 2009] Simon Joyner - Medicine Blues [Skeleton Blues, 2006] Polvo - Beggars Bowl [In Prism, 2009] Junior Boys - Bits and Pieces [Begone Dull Care, 2009]

Th' Beirut 'n D'Andrea Show Thurs'

2009-06-30T10:05:00.000+10:00

Sick and tired of Hugh and Al hosting North American Scum? Want some Italian blood and not just a guy with an Italian car? Frankly abject of the Scum Sketch not being a band with a lead singer under 24 whose name is a Middle-Eastern city? Bored of North American music not sounding Eastern European? Sick of the most musically knowledgable man in all the cosmos not on your 99.3FM airwaves? Appalled by Hugh and Al promising to play the Most Serene Republic and Free Energy but not? WELL YOU ARE IN LUCK. SO MUCH LUCK. Tune in to North American Scum this week for a Beirut Scum Sketch and the musical musings of Hobart music personality Adam "D'Music D'Man" D'Andrea. (Beautifully pictured below.) Thursday 7pm. Edge Radio 99.3FM Scuma Police.

RIP MJ

2009-06-26T16:17:00.000+10:00

Yeah everyones doing it, but we'd be incredibly naive to say that Michael Jackson did not inspire a great deal of the music we play on air today. The singles in the Off the Wall/Thriller era are some of the best songs ever produced. - I thought I'd post a great live video of my favourite MJ track - 'Wanna be Startin Something'

Playlist 25/06/09

2009-06-26T12:06:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - MODEST MOUSE SELECT SCUM - WOLF PARADE SCUM SCOOP - Dirty Projectors in Car Crash Modest Mouse - Tiny Cities Made of Ashes [The Moon and Antartica, 2000] Discovery - So Insane [LP, 2009] City Center - Young Diamond [City Center, 2009] Dirty Projectors - Temescula [Bitte Orca, 2009] Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation [Never Ending Math Equation 7", 1998] Modest Mouse - Whale Song [Autumn Beds 7", 2009] Lightning Bolt - Dracula Mountain [Wonderful Rainbow, 2004] Wolf Parade - I'll Believe in Anything [Apologies to the Queen Mary, 2005] The Antlers - Sylvia [Hospice, 2009]

A Modest Episode

2009-06-24T13:19:00.000+10:00

Coming up this week on North American Scum we profile indie rock legends Modest Mouse. The mercurial outfit has come under fire in certain circles for their 'commercial' sounding previous two releases and have hit back with some darker singles this year which have led to some people claiming they are harking back to the glory days of 2000's The Moon and Antarctica. Also we deliver on our promise to bring you some noise from Lightning Bolt, brand new folk triptronica from City Center and the side project from members of Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend, Discovery. Tune in Thursday at 7 for the Scum that leaves you feeling clean.

18/06/09 Playlist

2009-06-19T10:55:00.001+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - THE ELEPHANT 6 RECORDING COMPANY SELECT SCUM - OF MONTREAL SCUM SCOOP - Upcoming Releases Including Dodo's, Mt Eerie and Battles/Interpol Solo Projects Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945 [In an Aeroplane Over the Sea, 1998] Cymbals Eat Guitars - The Living North [Why There are Mountains, 2009] Woods - To Clean [Songs of Shame, 2009] The Dodo's - Fools [Visiter, 2008] The Olivia Tremor Control - Holiday Surprise [Dusk at Cubist Castle, 1996] Circulatory System - Overjoyed [Signal Morning, 2009] Of Montreal - Disconnect the Dots [Satanic Panic in the Attic, 2004] The National - Abel [Alligator, 2005] Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes (Dam-Funk Remix) [Summertime Clothes EP, 2009]

Credit where Credit's Due

2009-06-18T13:35:00.000+10:00

Edge Radio Station Manager Mel Page was quite upset she was not credited for the two compromising photos of Al and I she took. She was quite angry as you can see in the below photo, she demanded a phone apology. Consider yourself credited Ms Page.

Compromising Photo of the Week

2009-06-18T10:25:00.000+10:00

Here's a photo of Al and I taking a cruise together debating the merits of psychedelic indie bands. Al acknowledged everything Hugh said was right by the use of his thumb.

2009

2009-06-16T18:05:00.000+10:00

Dear oh deary me, what a year its been for North American Music so far... I've put together a list of my favourite Canadian/American albums of 2009 in a very loose order: Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest Japandroids - Post Nothing Sonic Youth - The Eternal The Antlers - Hospice City Center - City Center The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer Dan Deacon - Bromst Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There are Mountains Andrew Bird - Noble Beast Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care Plus still to come we have the new Mount Eerie, Circulatory System, The Most Serene Republic, Paul Banks Solo Project, a new Pixies release (maybe), Bowerbirds (I've had a listen - excellent), Yo La Tengo, Wilco (had a listen - not so excellent), HEALTH, Built to Spill, Broken Social Scene (maybe), YACHT and probably heaps more I've forgotten. At the moment though I'm listening to a band called Ducktails who have just recorded their self titled album. It's boogtashingly good. Here's what it looks like: Hugh. xx

This Thursday

2009-06-15T14:59:00.000+10:00

An interesting Scum Sketch this Thursday night. (Not that the previous two have been uninteresting, but like we are going against the grain and not picking a band, but a ...collective) For fans of Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal and Apples in Stereo you are in for a real treat, as we present a profile on the Elephant 6 Collective, the group that essentially gave birth to these bands and collectively helped each other push the creative boundaries and make some of the most essential albums ever written. Plus we have some new City Center, Dirty Projectors, Cymbals Eat Guitars and Woods, plus Al will be back for another track of the week and theres bound to be a crapload more puns and annoying hipster words like 'shitgaze' and 'math rock.' As always, tune in 7pm this Thursday at www.edgeradio.org.au or 99.3FM if you are in lovely Hobart.

11/06/09 Playlist

2009-06-12T11:37:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - DEERHUNTER SELECT SCUM - THE RAPTURE SCUM SCOOP - Black Lips and Psychedelic Horseshit give shit to fellow shitgazers Deerhunter - Cryptograms [Cryptograms, 2006] YACHT - Psychic Energy [See Mystery Lights, 2009] Dirty Projectors - Cannibal Resource [Bitte Orca, 2009] Psychedelic Horseshit - Portals [Magic Flowers Droned, 2007] Deerhunter- Basement [Turn it Up, Faggot, 2003] Deerhunter - Disappearing Ink [Rainwater Cassette Exchange, 2009] Sunset Rubdown - Silver Moons [Dragonslayer, 2009] The Rapture - Olio (Mirror Version) [Mirror, 1999] Menomena - The Pelican [Friend and Foe, 2007] Dan Deacon- Wolf Wolf [Bromst, 2009]

Al

2009-06-11T10:06:00.000+10:00

Alot of you fans have been demanding more on North American Scum's mysterious panellist, Edge Music Guru and all round funny man Al. Unfortunately I am not privy to give out such information. But here's a photo of me and Al talking North American independent music over a romantic picnic:

Coming up this Week!

2009-06-09T13:32:00.000+10:00

Wowsers, you guessed this weeks Scum Sketch - or did you? Depends if you can recognise these scruffians. Touring Australia this week having just released their new EP 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange' its American indie psychedelic shoegazers DEERHUNTER. We'll be playing a track from that plus a couple of old gems to get you in the mood for their incredible live show. (If you are lucky enough to be going.) Plus we've got some new stuff from YACHT, DJ Kaos, Dan Deacon, Sunset Rubdown and the Dirty Projectors. Listen in to Hugh and Al this Thursday from 7pm on Edge Radio 99.3FM or www.edgeradio.org.au

04/06/09 Playlist

2009-06-05T09:55:00.000+10:00

SCUM SKETCH - GRIZZLY BEAR

SELECT SCUM - THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS SCUM SCOOP - Wavves Meltdown in Barcelona Grizzly Bear - Colorado [Yellow House, 2006] Circulatory System - Days to Come (In Photographs) [Circulatory System, 2001] Sonic Youth - Antenna [The Eternal, 2009] Wavves - Bored [Wavvves, 2009] Grizzly Bear - Little Brother (Electric) [Friend EP, 2007] Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks [Veckatimest, 2009] Japandroids - Wet Hair [Post-Nothing, 2009] Tokyo Police Club - Citizens of Tomorrow [A Lesson in Crime, 2006] The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic [Mass Romantic, 2000] The Antlers - Bear [Hospice, 2009]

North American Scum Logos...

2009-05-26T14:38:00.000+10:00

Thanks very much to resident Edge Arts genius Shauna Swanson for designing these for me... Also, you can now become a fan on facebook, so get on board. Please.

First Show...

2009-05-25T12:30:00.000+10:00

North American Scum is a brand new Edge Radio show focusing on the latest and greatest indie and underground music to come out of Canada and the USA. Lock it in your diary 7pm until 8. Thursday 4th of June and every Thursday thereonin. Which isn't a word. Will be playing some brand new Grizzly Bear, Japandroids, Sunset Rubdown, The Field, Clues and anything else that comes out that's good before then... Segments will include: SELECT SCUM - A blast from the past, moments in North American music history that has defined or created a genre. SCUM SKETCH - Band profile plus two tracks, this week - GRIZZLY BEAR THE SCUM SCOOP - North American Music News Tune in! I'll post the playlist after the show... Hugh xx