Adam Green – Buddy Bradley

It’s been a while since Adam Green popped up with an album proper, way back in March of 2008. So if your anti-folk tastebuds haven’t been whetted enough by Jeff Lewis during 2009, Green’s back with two videos from the new album, that’s due out next Mon 11th Jan, and to accompany the whole hipster shindig, here’s one of four videos that have been done for it (two released so far), for “Buddy Bradley”. It’s one part rollick, one part lackadaisic, and the video’s suitably non-directed. Tatty shoes, far-off gaze, tight jeans, acerbic lyrics all over your face… you know the score by now.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – The Sound

I really like this guy, despite myself. I think it’s the earnest rock thing going on the background, only just drowned out by the Brooklyn cool, the puppy enthusiasm and the swagger that only youth can bring to this sort of tune. I really like his voice though, all Bowie and Neil Young all at the same time. Not going to get his name tattooed on my arm or anything – my arms aren’t that long for one thing – but you can tick me off as a bit of a fan, I reckon.

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Drain The Blood

I’ll happily confess my ignorance on this Canadian outfit, but since they’re signed to the usually-reliable Saddle Creek, and this video’s a little gem, I’ll be exploring these hills for the next little while, I reckon. It’s a bit ragged, a bit upset but a bit hacked off, and all sorts of glorious, really. One of those bands you’ll be happy you crossed paths with. Unless of course, you already have, and I’m the last one to do so, which is fairly likely. In which case, you’ve all made fine choices. Well done.

Blood Red Shoes – Colours Fade

Blimey, BRS seem to be developing musical muscles in all sorts of places, and this (also available as a free mp3, folks), bodes well for the upcoming long-player that’s due out this year. For the elderly amongst you, in parts they sound to me uncannily like my old Edinburgh faves Annie Christian.

Tindersticks – Falling Down A Mountain (Trailer)

Can’t find a full version of this anywhere, with this instead being a short and unnervingly Guy Ritchie-esque trailer for the tune and the new album, due later this month.

Turbo Fruits – Naked With You

Turbo Fruits are playing SXSW this year, and as part of SXSW’s ongoing plan of shouting about bands they like ahead of the event, this week sees the dirty, groovy, Redd-Kross-vs-Dinosaur-Jr fuzzpop of “Naked With You” get another airing, as it plainly deserves. It might be possible that I’ll be at this show in March. Possibly.

At heart this is an album of great joy – despite the high voltage tempo, it’s got a bloody great grin on its face. Naked With You, Trouble!, and the brilliantly titled Mama’s Mad Cos I Fried My Brain all speed along like a toddler full of sugar, carried on partially by their own momentum, and only just managing to keep it all together. It’s got to be really difficult to make it sound this nonchalantly chaotic.

There’s not a huge range on display here – it goes from a standing start to a hundred miles an hour in about half a second and then stays there for forty minutes – but I’ve always been a big fan of any band who knows what they do best and concentrates on just doing it better each time. Granted, On The Road, Hold Me, and My Stupid Heart venture towards Roy Orbison’s turf, and there are constant reminders that this is an album born in Nashville, but otherwise there’s little respite from a torrent of fuzzy pop hooks played at high speeds – which is both right and proper.

With a rumbunctious and clattering heart, this lot of songs have a new and shinier layer of 50s and 60s hooks overlaid on top of its defiantly garage foundation, like The Replacements playing Redd Kross songs. It is a snotty slice of modern Americana, and it’s a joy. What a gem.