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the new roald dahl?

band:
de novo dahl

how did i discover this band:
how the mid-west was won says: "I really like this band and you should definitely check them out."

about the band:
band from nashville. 2003 debut cats and kittens.
website: denovodahl.com

i listened to these songs:
shout
subject of the kill
market place
(mp3 on their website)

the review:
another arcade fire-like band? well, no. shout puts you on the wrong tracks. it's fun, but comparing de novo dahl with arcade fire just isn't fair. they just play glittering, shiny poprock tunes, full of happy melodies, good singing, with a party attitude. de novo dahl aren't complicated or arty, they bring straight-forward songs with a high fun factor. market place is more intimate, but de novo dahl also know how to handle these.

the points of the jury:
4/5.
perfect pop pleasure.

apparat organ quartet is actually a quintet

band:
apparat organ quartet

how did i discover this band:
arturus' favourite band starting with an "a".

about the band:
4 organists and 1 drummer from reykjavík, iceland. released their self-titled debut in 2006.

i listened to these songs:
romantika
cruise control
global capital
stereo rock and roll
(stream 'em)

the review:
apparat organ quartet sound french, as in "daft punk". they also sound german, as in "kraftwerk". it's full of bleeps, beeps and tweets. there's vocoders, a fresh sound, and lots of fun. apparat organ quartet do rock with their 4 organs. your ears'll like it, because it sounds new, crispy and a bit strange. on the other hand there's a certain banality to it, and a lack of subtility.

the points of the jury:
3/5.
fun.

listen to arms, not legs

band:
arms

how did i discover this band:
i guess i'm floating says: "the best thing I've heard in a long time*"

about the band:
arms are, or mainly is, todd goldstein (from brooklyn, ny) who writes all songs, records and produces 'em. live he brings a band.
website: armarms.com

i listened to these songs:
tiger tamers
whirring
jon the escalator
(i guess i'm floating has the mp3s. arms also have mp3s on their website.)

the review:
arms sound a bit like arcade fire, although the approach is less arty. arms put the rock back in indierock, especially in tiger tamers. the songs are nicely structured and stuffed with little surprises and twists, beautiful melodies, a good vibe and fine energy. still, arms need to find an own voice.

the points of the jury:
3/5.
give arms some time to grow.

chalets for sale

band:
the chalets

how did i discover this band:
musicforants says: "They are a band that is unabashedly pop in the twee-est of forms, full of electro-bops and jumpy guitar riffs."

about the band:
the chalets are peepee, pony, chris, enda and dilbot, from ireland. released one record: check in (2005).
live chalet:
Jun 17 2006 Summernight Festival Laupheim
Jul 1 2006 The Stables, Mullingar Mullingar
Jul 21 2006 Obstwiesenfestival Dornstadt
Jul 22 2006 Popcity Festival Augsburg
Jul 29 2006 Accross the tracks Festival, Leeds
Aug 6 2006 Mitchelstown Music Festival, Cork
Aug 19 2006 Sectret Garden Festival Huntington
Aug 26 2006 8:00P
Get Loaded in The Park Festival, Cardiff Cardiff
Aug 27 2006 Get Loaded in The Park Festival, London
website: thechalets.com

i listened to these songs:
love punch
night rocker
no style
feel the machine
(stream 'em)

the review:
it's hard not to like this band, but it's also hard to like 'em. these five kids bring enthousiastic jumpy pop à la b-52's. two girls with mics, kitschy synths, and lots of fun and joy. unfortunately, their catchy tunes aren't what you could call original. it's like you've heard it all before and better. i miss that little twist to make it jump out. although live this could be fun.

the points of the jury:
2/5.
too middle-of-the-road.

this is not an infadels review

band:
infadels

how did i discover this band:
bigstereo says: "I was totally hating on the Infadels at first, but their record has slowly grown on me."

about the band:
5 boys from england, released their first album we're not the infadels in 2006.
infadels live:
Jun 17 2006 Sonar Festival Barcelona
Jun 22 2006 Santander Festival
Jun 24 2006 Rock Dans Tous Ses Etats
Jun 25 2006 Parkpop Festival The Hague
Jul 1 2006 Eurokeennes Belfort
Jul 2 2006 Roskilde Festival
Jul 6 2006 Quart Festival
Jul 12 2006 Solidays Paris
Jul 13 2006 Dour Festival
Jul 14 2006 Melt Festival Grafenhainichen
Jul 15 2006 Nuke Festival Vienna
Jul 21 2006 Paleo Festival
Jul 22 2006 Obstwiesenfestival
Jul 23 2006 Vieilles Charrues
Jul 28 2006 Le Cabaret Frappe Grenoble
Aug 4 2006 Louvigne Du Desert Rennes
Aug 5 2006 Big Weekender Cardiff
Aug 6 2006 Hi-Fi Festival Dublin
Aug 12 2006 Sonne, Mond & Sterne Festival Saalburg
Aug 17 2006 Pukkelpop Festival
Aug 18 2006 The Secret Garden Between Ipswich and Cambridge
Aug 26 2006 Westerpop Festival Delft
website: infadels.co.uk

i listened to these songs:
girls that speak no words
love like semtex
can't get enough
murder that sound
(stream 'em here)

the review:
infadels really sound fresh and contemporary. they mix up a funky rock sound with catchy melodies, electro and maybe a bit punk. you could actually dance to this (not that i dance, but if you do, please go ahead). there's nothing more to say, shake that ass!

the points of the jury:
4/5.
let's dance!

a genus of flowering plant in the family araceae

band:
calla

how did i discover this band:
mp3hugger says: "even though calla are not going to change the world their music certainly deserves its place in the upper echelons of the indiepop hierarchy."

about the band:
calla are aurelio valle (vocals, guitars), wayne b magruder (drums, samples) and peter gannon (bass, guitars). from nyc. four records out, last one is collisions (2005)
live:
Jul 22, 2006 Benicàssim, Spain
website: callamusic.com

i listened to these songs:
swagger
it dawned on me
initiate
(stream these songs)

the review:
first impressions. for calla they're no good. to me, the first time i heared these songs, they sounded too easy, maybe even too banal. but hey, listen 3 times and something happens. calla gets addictive. they play a sort of undercooled indierock which won't change the world, but they got some fine songs, a good singer and overall coolness.

the points of the jury:
4/5.
4=good.