Saturday, February 19, 2011

Midnight World Pop Scout-2: Cats on Fire, Natty, Vieux Farka Toure, Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas

This weekend feature is to bring you music, usually from outside the US, that you may not have heard before. There won't be much analysis; this is late night quick hits, and you can decide whether you want to investigate further.

Cats on Fire is a Finnish four piece that I'm very high on. Their ten-year output includes a few EPs and two full lengths. Their 2009 LP, Our Temperance Movement, was one of my top-rated albums of that year. Here is "Tears In My Cup" from that album:



Lead singer and songwriter Mattias Bjorkas' voice will remind the listener of Edwyn Collins or Morrissey, and the songs have a C-86 quality like the Orchids, Flatmates or Razorcuts. Bjorkas is a Finnish teacher, but writes in English. And he writes well. Here is an incisive put down of a leaving lover from the song "Horoscope":

You say you don't belong here
Because someone once said
you look like a star
Another drunk man who saw a chance


Cats on Fire Myspace page

An artist that is new to me is Natty. He was born in San Francisco but grew up in London. His music encompasses reggae, folk and hip hop.



Recommended song "Bedroom Eyes"

Natty on Myspace

One of the best guitar albums I own was release a couple of years ago by Vieux Farka Toure. His father was a guitar legend, and the son will be as well.





Vieux Farka Toure Webpage

Finally, everyone, and I mean everyone, should want to know that there is a compilation called Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas, bringing you Brazilian psychedelic rock music.



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