Nu Rave Brain Wave

The drummer for Gaoler’s Daughter, Ben, so nicely sent over this new cut from their forthcoming EP, Rhyme and Treason. These dudes are playing on November 3rd at Buffalo Bar in London and I think I might go. You should, too.

mp3 | Gaolers Daughter - Angry Eyes

Yes, guys, it’s about that time. 2010 is halfway gone, although I don’t know how that happened, and I’ve already taken five 11 hour flights, been to Austin and back, and just generally did the thang, y’all. And I’ve racked up some awesome records that have soundtracked my life lately, and I thought I’d share some of the best one’s of 2010 and the ones that have the best chance of making my end of the year list too. This one has no particular order in mind, just what came to me. If the album name is linked, it’s because you can download a track from the album and hopefully purchase this excellent music.

Harlem | Hippies
Happy Birthday | Happy Birthday
Avi Buffalo | Avi Buffalo
Monster Rally | Monster Rally
Woven Bones | In & Out & Back Again
Fionn Regan | The Shadow of an Empire
The Strange Boys | Be Brave
Best Coast | Sun Was High 7”
Caitlin Rose | Dead Flowers EP
Fool’s Gold | Fool’s Gold
The Soft Pack | The Soft Pack
The Growlers | Daytrotter Session
Gaoler’s Daughter | The Only Way To Travel
Surfer Blood | Astrocoast
Neverever | Angelic Swells

Check out more of my Gaoler’s Daughter photos at Flickr. My apologies for only taking photos of John, but the lighting was shit and additionally, I am lazy.

I just have a few things that I want to say about Gaoler’s Daughter. I got to see them this past week for the second time and they really outdid themselves compared to their set I caught back in September of 2009. And that’s the main point that I’m trying to drive home here is that they’ve shown so much improvement since I started following their career (was made aware of them in April, but didn’t have anything to listen to until um, October?) not only in their live show/presence but also in recorded material. Their first EP ‘Jumbo Jet’ was a great starting off step – a couple of songs were extremely strong especially for essentially a brand new band. And I know pretty much for sure that their next EP is going to be a step up, a step better and pretty soon they’ll be really popular or something.

John Sterry is a pretty great front man. He, rather adeptly, toes this line between me hating him and me loving him because he is energetic and hard to not watch, but there’s something almost over the top about his stage persona. It’s gotta be that x-factor or something (badum-chhh).

‘Jumbo Jet’ was amazing live. And it’s probably my favorite Gaoler’s song. It also really encapsulates what I love about G’sD, and I know I have said this before, but the interplay between the melancholia and the kinetic energy, not only live but in the music and lyrics. I don’t know there’s kind of a really old spirit about the way John Sterry writes songs – something longing and reminiscent but not necessarily sentimental. I don’t know. I like this band a lot and can’t wait to see where they take these things.

8/10

DOWNLOAD -> Gaoler’s Daughter – In A While Crocodile

Gaoler’s Daughter (pronounced Jailer’s Daughter) are my second pick of bands to watch for 2010. Although one member lives in Brighton (and attends the same Uni. as me) the band are mostly from London and their gig schedule reflects that. That said, earlier this year in September they came down to Brighton and played at the teeny, tiny Hope and really rocked the shit out of it. What struck me most was their kind of calm before the storm style live. Like, the songs start out really placid, almost pastoral even, and have such a sense of melancholy in the melody which is what I think Alex (of Littl’ans) brings to the table, as his guitar work has the same effect in Littl’ans. Then they get crazy and the percussion comes in and John (singer) starts to dance like a crazy fool and really plays the frontman and you’re stucked in until the whirlwind’s over and it goes back to calm.

On record, although they only have one song that is available currently, they really expand on thier somberness – but that doesn’t mean that they can’t have joyful moments (Alex plays Mandolin on some songs!) and exude lots of confidence and energy. ‘Nine Pieces of Silk’ is an excellent tune that exemplified all the things that I like about them, outside of being the only song that’s around. They’re releasing an EP, “The Only Way To Travel” due to be released on 360 degree music on December 1st. They also have a launch party to celebrate on the day at Pure Groove in London.

Gaoler’s Daughter Tourdates 2009:
Fri 27th Nov 2009 – Cariad Presents at New Cross Inn @ 323 New Cross Road, London SE14 6AS
FREE
Tue 1st Dec 2009 – EP Launch @ Pure Groove – Smithfield, London
Thu 3rd Dec 2009 – Twickenham, London @ The Red Lion
Sat 12th Dec 2009 – FLU Xmas Party @ Tommy Flynns – 55 Camden High Street Camden, London, NW1 7JH
Sun 20th Dec 2009 – Twickenham, London @ All day Xmas Party at The Red Lion

DOWNLOAD -> NINE PIECES OF SILK by GAOLER’S DAUGHTER