From Bon Iver to...

I've been stuck listen to some of the big indie albums of the last couple of months - LCD Soundsystem, Foals, The National and Massive Attack - but a couple of other things have caught my eye - both offshoots of Bon Iver, and unsuprisingly on the amazing Jagjaguwar label

GAYNGS is a project from founded by Ryan Olson consisting of 23 musicians, including Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Rhymesayers rapper P.O.S, and members of Solid Gold.

"With each song written at 69 BPM’s, and tripped-out transitions from song to song, it is truly an audio experience from start to finish"

Download GAYNGS - The Gaudy Side Of Town

Download GAYNGS - Faded High

SEAN CAREY is one of the brilliant percussionists for Bon Iver. In the past couple of years he patiently crafted a record in his time off from the band

Download SEAN CAREY - In The Dirt

Soundtrack to this post: Wolf Parade, Lone Wolf

Honour Before Glory

Last night I played the first gig with new material I've been writing since Forward Russia finished their second album - which is about two years ago

It's taken so long, as I've been determined to thrash out these songs all on my own, not necessarily in a singer-songwriter style, and recently it has been the challenge to arrange simpler songs in a more interesting fashion. More on that later, as 'proper' recordings of songs played by a full band will emmerge shortly

I'm wary of calling this a new band, I'm wary of calling this a solo project. It's something I feel I have to do, and I guess it's somewhere between the two. Over the past year or so, I've moved away from the idea of the songs being presented by one man and his guitar, but an offer I cannot refuse has caused me to rethink this

In late October, I am off to Germany to support Sometree on 8 dates of their forthcoming album tour - just me & a guitar. I am nervous but excited

It's something I barely thought twice about, but having never performed on my own, ever, I'm nervous as hell at the prospect!! I'm hoping to play as many 'warm up' shows as I can before I leave, that I'll hopefully keep here, twitter and a myspace updated of. After the German tour, hopefully the priority will be to get some kind of band together to play the songs that will by then be hopefully recorded

It's called HONOUR BEFORE GLORY

Solo Live Dates

Sept 13 - Leeds UK, Brudenell Social Club w/ Sunset Rubdown

Oct 23 - Berlin DE, Lido w/ Sometree

Oct 25 - München DE, Orangehouse w/ Sometree

Oct 26 - Stuttgart DE, Universum w/ Sometree

Oct 27 - Freiburg DE, Jazzhaus w/ Sometree

Oct 28 - Frankfurt DE, Das Bett w/ Sometree

Oct 29 - Wien AT, B72 w/ Sometree

Oct 30 - Dortmund DE Tbc

Oct 31 - Leipzig DE, Moritzbastei w/ Sometree

Soundtrack to this post: Bon Iver, The XX, The Invisible / Art: Erin Ward

The Take Away Show

LA BLOGOTHEQUE is one of the most awesome websites on the net, I wish more of it was in English, though I also like the fact that it's so French. La Blogotheque is a French Drowned In Sound / Pitchfork, but less magazine based I guess, and closer to a... blog. Which means it has cool features on cool bands, with less concern over how topical it is

The really amazing thing about La Blogotheque is THE TAKE AWAY SHOWs. These are films of bands kind of busking, but really well thought out. The really special ones are often directed by Vincent Moon, who recently did short films to accompany the National and Mogwai albums. These can turn out really special, here are some of my favourites:

Here they take Fleet Foxes to a disused University in the Grand Palais, for maximum echo effect on the acoustic stylyings. Below is The National, and then Bon Iver

Soundtrack to this post: Stars