All 29 are back at it again! Our favorite massive group I'm From Barcelona (who are indisputably all from Sweden), have given us all a taste of their first single "Paper Planes" from their forthcoming album Who Killed Harry Houdini? "Paper Planes" is the next in line to follow the same joyful composition that their past music followed, although this time, the Barcelonian herd fittingly themes this song to a 70's Price-Is-Right elevator muzak tune.
The video, directed by Jonas Odell (U2, Franz Ferdinand), features frontman and founder Emanuel Lundgren eating, assembling scrapbooks and all sorts of other things you could do on a 3 minute 11 second trip to the tenth floor. Of course all of this roused with the other 28 members entering and exiting the elevator all while paper airplanes consume the airspace makes this for a well done video. By all means, let's cheers this raucous group of Swedes!
According to their website, Who Killed Harry Houdini will be out on September 24th. It will be their first full length release following the release of their 2006 EP Don't Give Up on Your Dreams, Buddy! In the meantime, you can download a free track right here by entering your email address.
MP3: I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona (Adventure Kid Remix)
Official - http://www.imfrombarcelona.com/
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/imfrombarcelona
Video: I'm From Barcelona - Paper Planes
April was the best month for music thus far this year, although the months to come hold much in store, particularly with Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs album hitting stores on May 13th. This month we were able to get lots of sneak peeks at the album, especially with the release of their Daytrotter Sessions, which we were able to hear "Talking Bird" and "Cath...".
My favorite song this month has to be Angel Pier's "Sacrifice", and although this song isn't yet available for download, you can have a listen on their MySpace page. As far as odd songs that I keep coming back to, Helvetia's "Old, New Bicycle" surprised me with the excellent guitar solos matched with the sullen vocals, yet still kept the song so laid back with an eerie summer vibe to it. Delorentos exhibited one of my favorite finds this month with "Do You Realise", which we made a song of the week.
A few albums I can't take out of my CD player/iPod are French Kicks' (check out "Said So What") latest along with Cut Copy's synth techno-rock/pop and Your Vegas' downright collossal release of A Town And Two Cities. A few others to point out in the bunch are Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's infections, yet mellow "Modern Mystery" and the whimsical group/crowd who make up I'm From Barcelona, with their song "This Boy", which is actually the song in the background on the new Chrysler commercials.
Lastly, another shout to Tokyo Police Club and Annuals, who have really made this month for me along with the Brad Melhdau Trio who's incredible jazz remake of "Wonderwall" will have me looking for more rock-turned-jazz remakes in the coming month. If anyone has any recommendations of other jazz rock songs, please pass them on. Enjoy this month's best-of.
Angel Pier - Sacrifice (buy)
The Whigs - Right Hand On My Heart (buy)
Delorentos - Do You Realise (buy)
Helvetia - Old, New Bicycle (buy)
Auburn Lull - Arc of an Outsider (buy)
The Kooks - Always Where I Need To Be (buy)
Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate (buy)
French Kicks - Said So What (buy)
Unwed Sailor - Little Wars (buy)
South - Better Things (buy)
Coldplay - Violent Hill (buy)
MGMT - Electric Feel (buy)
M83 - Graveyard Girl (buy)
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Modern Mystery (buy)
I'm From Barcelona - This Boy (feat. Loney, Dear) (buy)
Phantom Planet - Leader (buy)
Shout Out Louds - Impossible (Possible Remake by Studio) (buy)
American Princes - Auditorium (buy)
The Details - The Height of Land (buy)
Annuals - Sore (buy)
Cassettes Won't Listen - Freeze & Explode (buy)
Brad Melhdau Trio - Wonderwall (buy)
The Kooks - See The World (live) (buy)
French Kicks - Abandon (buy)
Tokyo Police Club - In A Cave (buy)
Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice (buy)
Cut Copy - Lights And Music (buy)
Your Vegas - Troubled Times (buy)
Your Vegas - Birds of Paradise (buy)
They look like a high school reuinion is in session, don't they?
This group is nothing new, however, so don't start thinking you're ahead of things. Their first release, Let Me Introduce My Friends, was released in 2006 both Sweden, then internationally the same year. They include almost every instrument you can think of, from clarinets to saxaphones to banjos. Its all in there.
Their latest effort is a four-song EP called Don't give up on your dreams, buddy! and is now available across seas in Sweden, but not yet in the US. The EP features a song called "We're From Barcelona". Do you see a theme here? The below song, "This Boy" is what caught my ear first. Although its not particularly my style, I couldn't help but laugh when the guys sing in girl voices. The song is quite entertaining, really.
MP3: I'm From Barcelona - This Boy (buy)
I'm From Barcelona will also be hitting the US in the next few weeks with a brief six-stop tour before moving on. One of those stops will be in our own Philadelphia, although tickets are already sold out. Here are their tour dates:
Apr 24 2008 - 8:00PM - First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 25 2008 - 8:00PM - Maxwell’s Hoboken, New Jersey
Apr 27 2008 - 8:00PM - Coachella Indio, California
Apr 28 2008 - 8:00PM - El Rey Los Angeles, California
Apr 29 2008 - 8:00PM - The Independent San Fransisco, California
May 1 2008 - 8:00PM - Masonic Temple Brooklyn, New York
