Port O'Brien - All We Could do Was Sing

On first listen I thought it would be easy to disregard these guys as just another breezy folky indie band riding a little wave of hype. However I was very wrong, the songs are catchy, quirky and paint a carefree picture of the optimism of the youthful mind, were troubles are temporary and there is always a positive focus.
A great little album to give you some focus on the commute to the office !!

Check them out at: http://www.myspace.com/portobrien

Listen below to 'Close the Lid'

Upcoming Album - The Dead Trees

After a few listens to these guys I am hooked! First line I hear from the song Shelter
"God, I think I had a Little failure" pure genius !!
To see what I mean have a listen below.

The debut album 'King of Rosa' is out beginning of November and I cant wait.

Keep an Ear Out for ... - Dynamite Walls

Hello, thought I would drop a quick post just to add the MySpace link and new single of what sounds like a great new band. Dynamite Walls hail from San Diago and since I have not yet got my hands on their album, not even sure its out yet, I have only been able to listen to them on Myspace. They sound like a really cool group with a tight sound, interesting lyrics and a front man with a great voice. On first listen, their sound feels something between Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab for Cutie and maybe Train. Anyway thats all I have got to say, I will be buying this album and a full review will follow. In the mean time I suggest you check these guys out.

http://www.myspace.com/dynamitewalls

Listen to the new single 'Burning Sea' below:

List of Album Reviews and Ratings

Flobots - Fight with Tools

The album begins with a violin intro followed by a melodic drum marching beat with a voice over advising of an intellectual war going on. This dictation flow ends abruptly as the intro to 'Mayday' kicks in... "Born in the flood bloody finger paint sets" one of the most gripping intros I have heard this year. I guess by now you have worked out this is not a happy go lucky album!! Fight with Tools is a very well produced album with some seriously addictive groves, but it is also very politically based. And by political I do not mean like in the sixties protest song mold of hidden meaning and symbolism, no this is a protest album for the modern spoon fed generation. You are left with little doubt as to the views of the band. They oppose the war in Iraq, they are anti republican and also support the legalization of weed, how do I know this? Well because they say so basically word for word. To the bands credit rather than just moaning about their issues with the world, they do attempt to suggest answers to the issues they raise. Would their ideas stand up to a political debate? Maybe not! Will they be sending McCain a Christmas card? Definitely not! Away moving away from the politics of Flobots, what is the music like? Well I have heard them compared to Jurassic 5 and this is a fair comparison on some of their weaker less aggressive tracks, however on the majority of tunes they are pretty unique. Bringing together rap/RnB vocals, rock sounds and some interesting Irish fiddle/violin style tunes. For the first month I barely listened to anything other than Fight with Tools, on every listen I found something new to enjoy. The hit single 'Handlebars' is a must have for any collection and definitely one of the songs of 2008 and certainly the most infectious. This is an album that you will definitely not regret buying and with the lyrics being so topical, I am looking forward to revisiting this album years from now to judge how times they have a changed and in many ways hopefully for the better.

Best Song: 'Mayday' , 'Handlebars' and 'Anne Braden'
Favourite Song: 'Fight with Tools'
Album Rating: 3.5/5
Where to Listen: At a party with liberal mates, MP3 player, when thinking about starting a revolution .
Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/flobots

MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

There seems to be a revolution happening at the moment and MGMT are spearheading the movement of 80's hippy disco indie. Its definitely fresh and with funky tunes and some seriously great lyrics about living for the moment and finding models for wives, it is hard not to like this album. At the moment these guys are seriously cool and hot property on the music and social scene. They are riding a wave of success and hype and seem to be having a blast doing it. The songs are all catchy and will appeal to anyone who enjoys a party, doesn't quite fancy the idea of growing up just yet or who misses the crazy old days before having any responsibilities. However despite there being so much to like about this band, I have yet to be able to shake the feeling that there is something flavour of the month about these guys. For me there is just not enough substance to the album. 'Time to Pretend' and 'Kids' are both top tunes and 'Electric Feel' is just so funky you can't help getting into it. My problem is I find myself impatiently waiting for the other tracks to end (more often reaching for the skip button) just so I can get to one of these songs. Don't get me wrong I do think this is a good album and probably worth buying if not just to add a pretty unique album to your collection, but will you still be listening to it from start to finish in a years time ..... probably not.

Best Song: 'Electric Feel' and 'Kids'
Favourite Song: 'Time to Pretend'
Album Rating: 3/5
Where to Listen: At a party, while commuting, while getting ready for a night out.
Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/mgmt

Survey - Best Driving Album 2008 ?

Just a quick survey - What is your favourite driving album 2008?
ie: the album that you can put on during a road trip, not have to skip any songs and it gets the vibe going, all your mates shut up and listen or sing alone and it makes the tip great !

Please post replies in comments or email penguintunes @ gmail.com

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

This debut from the band with the best new name has easily been my soundtrack for the summer (what limited summer we in the UK actually got!!).
I first came across Vampire Weekend on a KEXP music that matters podcast. As soon as I heard their name Vampire Weekend, I really wanted to like this band. I was expecting some heavy gothic rock tunes pumping through my earphones, however I was totally stunned by this reggae infused sound with African guitars that is the single 'A-Punk' that followed. At first listen I thought the band seemed kind of cool, with a fresh sound making them hard to categorise, interesting yet maybe not quite ground breaking. It was only after about a month when I found myself unwittingly returning time and time again to the podcast and catching myself humming along to 'A-Punk' that I started to think maybe there is more to this band that I missed.... Luckily a week later the self titled album was released in the UK. I bought it on a Monday, pushed play and 30 seconds into 'Mansard Roof' I knew I had fallen for this band. There is something to love on every song on the album, the sound is genre confused, western indie fused with African tempo guitar, tribal drums and reggae should in all honesty not work together, but some how it works perfectly every sound is unique and cool, albeit in a sort of stuck-up intellectual way. The lyrics drip of pretentious university literature students, showing off their vocab and quoting events and references from this years course work – However like everything else on this album, this only seems to make the band more likeable !!
Simple put this is a lovely album and too date I have not heard a negative comment from anyone that has heard them. A must have album for 2008
Best Songs: 'A-Punk', 'Mansard Roof'Favourite Song: 'Oxford Comma' Album Rating: 4/5Where to Listen: Anywhere! if the weather's good and you are surrounded by friends push play and enjoy.
Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend