Tag Archives: The Cure

SoundDiego Sessions vol. 2 – Maren Parusel

For the second installment of our SoundDiego Sessions series, local songstress Maren Parusel and her band came into the NBC San Diego studio to record some songs from her upcoming album, Artificial Gardens.

Since moving to San Diego from Germany four years ago, Parusel has made a deep impression on the scene — first as front woman for defunct girl-punk trio Wild Weekend and now as a solo artist. In that time, her songwriting has matured into synth-infused, whimsical pop that sounds something like The Cure with Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino as lead singer.

You can see Maren Parusel in person on Tuesday, January 11, when she’ll open up for Everest and Writer at the Belly Up Tavern. Artificial Gardens, her debut full length, will be released in March. For a taste of what the album will hold, check out the video for the catchy “Sun Goes Down In Space,” above.

Interview: Shout Out Louds

Photo credit: Christian Coinbergh

Shout Out Louds could have been just another casualty of the sophomore slump. Their second album, 2007’s Our Ill Wills, was met with a tepid reception by fans and critics, who criticized it for being over-produced and lifting too heavily from bands like The Cure.

Those complaints have been silenced with Work, the Swedish band’s triumphant return to form. Shout Out Louds have never sounded this driven or vital, thanks to some captivating, no-nonsense arrangements, adhesive melodies, and Phil Ek’s gleaming production.

San Diegans will get to experience Work standouts “Walls” (MP3), “Fall Hard,” and “Show Me Something New” on May 22nd, when the rejuvenated band joins Freelance Whales and Ok Go for an afternoon show at House of Blues. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

We sat down with multi-instrumentalist Bebban Stenborg to discuss Shout Out Louds’ revamped approach. Continue reading…

Shout Out Louds Get To ‘Work’ (Video)

Shout Out Louds came storming out of the gate with their 2003 debut, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, one of the finest records in a year rife with great music. Unfortunately, the Swedish band stumbled a bit with their follow-up, 2007’s overly-polished Our Ill Wills. With its high-production sheen and Cure-esque posturing, the sophomore effort was listenable but frustratingly sterile and derivative. Thankfully, the band seems poised to return to their former glory with the upcoming album Work.

Set for release February 23 on Merge Records, the album forgoes ornate strings and percussion in favor of a more stripped down sound. Work is produced by Phil Ek, who has done right by bands like The Shins, Fleet Foxes, and Band of Horses in the past. The first video from the album, entitled “Walls”, gives further cause to be excited; its driving guitar, inviting vocals, and perfectly placed piano leave no doubt that the band is in fighting form. If you like the song, you can download an MP3 of it here.

The band will be playing a special album-release show on March 1st at the Music Hall of Wlliamsburg in Brooklyn before embarking on a tour for most of 2010.

Poetic Memory: Anna Ternheim (List)

Anna Ternheim

Anna Ternheim recently won Swedish Grammys for “Album of the year” and “Female artist of the year,” and she just released the Bjorn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn, and John)-produced Leaving on a Mayday on August 11, 2009. Ternheim’s lyrical confidence and directness make he songs particularly refreshing in a climate often dominated by bands looking for someone else’s sound. For a sample of her style, check out this MP3 of “What Have I Done?

Ternheim is currently finishing up a North American tour, with four nights on the eastern seaboard through this Saturday. See below for her Poetic Memory and tour details. Continue reading