Blog

This is an ongoing list that i'll hopefully have time to update from time-to-time.

checked out and like and/or purchased
checked out and the jury is still out
checked out but not moved

Let the list begin:
1 Mile North
36 Crazyfists
5ive's Continuum Research Project - (w00t!!!!!! not these sissy's 5ive)
8-Bit Revolution
Airiel (07.04.16)
A.O.S.
Adolf Plays the Jazz
Against Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy
AVAST!
A Journey Down The Well
Amon Tobin
Amusement Park on Fire (07.04.16)
aMute
Andrew Chalk
andydicktracymorganfreeman
Assiah (07.05.11 Frocks! Frocks! Frocks!)
As the Sun Sets
Asva
Atreyu
Autechre
Avenged Sevenfold
Balboa
Bardo Pond

Belong (07.04.16 purchased October Language)
thanks for the recommendation serotoninzero

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
BomberMan Awesome
Brand New
Breach
Brian McBride
Briefs - Steal Yer Heart
Bright Red Paper
Buckethead
Burst

Butterfly Explosion (07.04.17 purchased Turn the Sky and it rocks)

-=C=-

Callisto
Cerberus Shoal
Choking Victim - No Gods/No Managers
cold_elf /Radio Ruben
Cold War Kids
Constantina
Cult of Luna
DJ Olive
Darkspace
Dead to Me - Cuban Ballerina
Defiance, Ohio - The Great Depression
Dntel
Doomriders
The Drift
Ef
Electric Wizard

Estorium (07.04.25 a really nice change of pace and worth a listen if you get the chance.)

Fago.Sepia
Falkenbach
Fear Before the March of Flames

French Teen Idol (07.14.06)
downloaded from here

Friends In the Mountains
Friends of Dean Martinez (added 07.04.09)
Furniture
Future of Forestry
Giant Squid
Gifts From Enola
God Lives Underwater
Ghosts and Vodka (added 07.04.09)
Good Riddance
Grails (added 07.04.09)
Gravity Kills
Halo
Hangedup
Hard-Fi
Hell Is for Heroes
Honey For Petzi
Iona
Irepress

-=J=-

Jóhann Jóhannsson
Japanese Sunday (2008.05.04)

Jeniferever
Jets to Brazil
June of 44
Kammerflimmer Kollektief
Keelhaul
Kenoma
Kings of Leon
Landing
Lanterna
LaZona
Leafcutter John
Lebanon
Library Tapes
Loss of a Child
Lotus Eaters - albums???

Malory (07.04.16 purchased Not Here Not Now)

Mare
Measured In Angles
Mellowdrone
Mercury Rev
Mimas
Mimi Secue
Minus the Bear
Mirromoon
Molia Falls
Moneen
Motionless
Mouth of the Architect

Moya (07.05.23 really great music - moyaband.com for Honey demo)

Musth (2008.04)

My Chemical Romance
My Dad vs Yours

My Majestic Star (07.04.16 purchased Fining and Ideas Are The Answer)

Nara
Neurosis
Nomia
None More Black - This Is Satire
Oöphoi
On
Ochre
Of the Wand and the Moon
Operation Ivy - Energy
Opeth
Pagoda
Paik
Parhelia
Pelican
Phoenix and the Turtle
Pierogi Express
Pivot
Pola
Propagandhi - Potemkin City Limits
Precious Fathers
Pupille (2008.05.05)

Rwake - albums ??? (Local Band!!!!)
Rebreather
Red House Painters
Red Number Two
Red Sparowes
Reminder
Rosetta
Russian Circles

Rhys Chatham (07.04.16 purchased A Crimson Grail (For 400 Electric Guitars) and Two Gongs. both are amazing

Samavayo
Sanchez is driven by demons
Sasquatch
Saturnus
Saves the Day
Scanner
Scarling.
School of Emotional Engineering
Scorn

Sennen (07.14.16 Amazing need to purchase!)

Seven Sciences of Plenty
She Wants Revenge
Shiner
Sleeping People
slowmotionmovie

Small Sails (07.04.16 purchased Similar Anniversaries)

Snakes On A Plane
Souls Vibrating in the Universe
Soiled
Soporus

Southpacific (07.04.16 purchased Southpacific and it's wonderful!)

Sparklehorse
Stars of the Lid
Stellardrive
Stencil
Suicide Machines - Destruction By Definition
Taking Back Sunday
TBFKAGNK
Team Sleep
The Abominable Iron Sloth
The Angelic Process
The Autumns
The Daysleepers
The Dead Texan
The Diggs
The Joint Conspiracy
The Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!

Mezzanine Owls (07.04.16 thanks 3hive.com need to purchase)

The Muggabears (07.04.16 thanks 3hive.com need to purchase)

The Ocean
The Octopus Project
The Pirate Ship Quintet
The Rock of Travolta

The Weakerthans (07.04.16 purchased The Reconstruction Site)

The Workhouse
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Unwed Sailor
Unwound - Repetition (purchased 04.20.08) thanks for the extra nudge neutron-x

-=T=-
Toundra - (thanks messo, these guys FROCK!! still need to purchase something however...)

Things Falling Apart
Tides
Tupolev
Turbonegro

-=V=-

V:28
VAST
Vladimir
Vidavox
Vilna (formerly Snakes on a Plane??)
Women & Children
Year of the Rabbit
Destroyalldreamers

dredg (07.04.13 purchased Catch Without Arms)
my thanks go out to xErasedCitizenx, RadGravity and LossofaChild for their suggestions on an album

Mandelbrot Set
My Violent Ego
theNoLifeKing
worriedaboutsatan
you.may.die.in.the.desert
Zozobra - albums ???

This journal entry is meant to be a little review of the italian independent scene, focusing above all on the italian indie bands and artists.

The journal entry comes out from the contribution of various Last.fm users, and it’s an open list, where new artists can always be added. So if you want to know more about the history and evolution of the list or if you'd like to contribute yourself with some artists, you can take a look at the following topic (it's written in italian):

We Love Pandas (And Track Tagging As Well)/Forum/ [ita] elenco artisti italiani

We hope this j. entry will be useful to:
-the italians, to discover artists they didn't know yet;
-the other people from all over the world, to approach the italian independent scene.

The artists are listed in alphabetical order.


...A Toys Orchestra

genre: indie-rock, indie-pop, electronic
similar to: Sparklehorse, Blonde Redhead
last.fm: ...A Toys Orchestra
site: http://atoysorchestra.com/
myspace: http://myspace.com/atoysorchestra

All My Faith Lost

genre: dark-ambient
similar to: Dead Can Dance, His Name Is Alive
last.fm: All my faith lost
site: http://www.allmyfaithlost.com
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/allmyfaithlost

Amycanbe

genre: folk-pop
similar to: Cat Power, Devics
last.fm: Amycanbe
site: http://www.amycanbe.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/amycanbe

Arabesque Trees

genre: post-rock
similar to: Dirty Three, Explosions in the Sky
last.fm: Arabesque Trees
site: http://arabesquetrees.com/
myspace: http://myspace.com/arabesquetrees

Cesare Basile

genre: songwriter
similar to: Tim Buckley
last.fm: Cesare Basile
site: http://www.cesarebasile.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cesarebasile

Paolo Benvegnù

genre: songwriter
similar to: ???
last.fm: Paolo Benvegnù
site: http://paolobenvegnu.org/
myspace: http://myspace.com/paolobenvegnu

Bikini The Cat

genre: pop-punk, indie-rock
similar to: ???
last.fm: Bikini The Cat
site: http://www.bikinithecat.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bikinithecat

Bugo

genre: songwriter
similar to: Beck
last.fm: Bugo
site: http://www.bugo-net.it/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cristianbugatti

Camera 237

genre: post-rock
similar to: Slint, Mogwai
last.fm: Camera 237
site: http://www.camera237.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/camera237

Canadians

genre: indie-pop
similar to: Grandaddy, Death Cab for Cutie
last.fm: Canadians
site: http://www.canadiansmusic.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/canadianstheband

Comaneci

genre: songwriter, folk
similar to: Cat Power, Mazzy Star
last.fm: Comaneci
site: http://www.comaneci.org
myspace: http://myspace.com/comaneciband

CUT

genre: garage-rock
similar to: ???
last.fm: CUT
site: http://www.soundofcut.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cuttheband

Disco Drive

genre: punk, funk
similar to: !!!, Rapture
last.fm: Disco Drive
site: http://www.discodrive.org/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/discodrivepunk

Fine Before You Came

genre: indie-rock, psychedelic
similar to: ???
last.fm: Fine Before You Came
site:http://www.finebeforeyoucame.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/finebeforeyoucamerock

Forty Winks

genre: indie punk-rock
similar to: ???
last.fm: Forty Winks
site: http://www.fortywinkslounge.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/fortywinks

Franklin Delano

genre: folk-rock
similar to: Wilco
last.fm: Franklin Delano
site: http://www.franklindelano.org/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/franklindelano

Gatto Ciliegia Contro Il Grande Freddo

genre: post-rock, ambient, acoustic
similar to: Tristeza, Calexico
last.fm: Gatto Ciliegia contro il Grande Freddo
site: http://www.gattociliegia.it/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gattociliegia

Giardini Di Mirò

genre: post-rock, instrumental
similar to: Tortoise, Mogwai
last.fm: Giardini di Mirò
site: http://www.giardinidimiro.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/giardinidimiro

Goodmorningboy

genre: songwriter
similar to: Badly Drawn Boy
last.fm: Goodmorningboy
site: -
myspace: -

Jennifer Gentle

genre:psychedelic
similar to: Syd Barrett
last.fm: Jennifer Gentle
site: http://www.jennifergentle.it/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jennifergentle

Julie's Haircut

genre: indie-pop, indie-rock, experimental
similar to: ???
last.fm: Julie's Haircut
site: http://www.julieshaircut.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/julieshaircut

Le Man Avec Les Lunettes

genre: indie-pop
similar to: Eels, Grandaddy
last.fm: Le Man Avec Les Lunettes
site: http://lmall.it/
myspace: http://myspace.com/occhialuto

Marta Sui Tubi

genre: experimental, acoustic
similar to: ???
last.fm: Marta sui Tubi
site: http://martasuitubi.it/
myspace: http://myspace.com/martasuitubi

Micecars

genre: indie-rock, punk-rock
similar to: Pixies, Dinosaur Jr.
last.fm: Micecars
site: -
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/micecars


Modern Insitute

genre: electronic, classic
similar to: Max Richter
last.fm: Modern Institute
site: http://www.tehoteardo.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/moderninstitute

Moltheni

genre: songwriter
similar to: Black Heart Procession
last.fm: Moltheni
site: http://www.moltheni.org/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/moltheni

Mosquitos

genre: rock
similar to: The Dream Syndicate
last.fm: – [there’s a last.fm band with this name, but it’s not the italian one]
site: http://mmmosquitos.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mosquitospace


My Violent Ego

genre: dreampop, shoegaze
similar to: Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins
last.fm: My Violent Ego
site: http://www.myviolentego.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/myviolentego

Non Voglio Che Clara

genre: songwriter, pop
similar to: Nick Drake
last.fm: Non voglio che Clara
site: http://www.nonvogliocheclara.it/
myspace: –

Marco Parente

genre: songwriter
similar to: ???
last.fm: Marco Parente
site: http://www.falsomovimento.it/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/marcoparente
blog: http://www.marcoparente.splinder.com/

Perturbazione

genre: indie-pop
similar to: Belle & Sebastian
last.fm: Perturbazione
site: http://www.perturbazione.com/
myspace: -

Pillow

genre: post-rock, glitch-pop
similar to: Sigur Rós
last.fm: Pillow
site: http://www.pillow.it/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pillowdotit

Port-Royal

genre: post-rock, electronic
similar to: Sigur Rós
last.fm: port-royal
site: http://www.port-royal.it/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/uptheroyals

Rosolina Mar

genre: rock
similar to: Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr.
last.fm: Rosolina Mar
site: http://www.rosolinamar.com/ita/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rosolinamar

Settlefish

genre: rock, indie
similar to: Psycho-Path
last.fm: Settlefish
site: http://www.settlefish.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/settlefish

Riccardo Sinigallia

genre: songwriter
similar to: Jeff Buckley
last.fm: Riccardo Sinigallia
site: http://www.riccardosinigallia.it/main.html
myspace: –

Slow Motion

genre: ambient, IDM
similar to: Pan American, Melodium
last.fm: Slow Motion
site: http://www.slowmotion.it/
myspace: -

Songs For Ulan

genre: folk-blues
similar to: Sparklehorse, Mark Lanegan
last.fm: Songs For Ulan
site: http://www.songsforulan.com/
myspace: -

Sunshine Superman

genre:garage rock, psychedelic
similar to: Television, Sonic Youth, Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground, Captain Beefheart
last.fm: Sunshine Superman
site: http://www.sunshinesuperman.net/ , http://digilander.libero.it/sunshinesuperman/index.html
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sunshinesupermantheband

Tellaro

genre: indie-rock, indietronica
similar to: Codeine
last.fm: Tellaro
site: http://www.thetellaro.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tellaro

The Sad Snowman

genre: indie-pop
similar to: Trembling Blue Stars, Sodastream
last.fm: The sad snowman
site: -
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thesadsnowman

The Zen Circus

genre: folk-rock, punk
similar to: Violent Femmes
last.fm: The Zen Circus
site: http://thezencircus.it/
myspace: http://myspace.com/thezencircus

Ultraviolet Makes Me Sick

genre: post-rock, instrumental
similar to: Do Make Say Think
last.fm: Ultraviolet Makes Me Sick
site: http://www.uvmms.com/
myspace: -

Valentina Dorme

genre: indie-rock
similar to: Karate
last.fm: Valentina Dorme
site: http://www.valentinadorme.it/
myspace: -

Yuppie Flu

genre: indie-pop, experimental
similar to: Pavement, Flaming Lips
last.fm: Yuppie Flu
site: http://yuppieflu.net/
myspace: http://myspace.com/yuppieflu



credits:
hafssol, hengie, irishfio, sonic_berto

Velvet Cacoon is just one of those bands that you either love or you can't stand. For me, I got caught up in their shoegazer-esque black metal with Genevieve. It was in my top 25 that year. I found their music interesting (Bete Noir for sure, I'm still blown away by it), but I found their disinformation campaign to be even more interesting. The band's interviews are some of the best reads that you can find on the net. The dieselharp, the dead drummer, the acoustic live album. People believed this stuff, not only believed it but made the band out to be a thing of legend. Black metal is kind of goofy that way, the rumors, the lies, and the post-modern artistic lean. Still, I loved it. I thought it was awesome that the band could create this entire mythos and still get people to not only believe it, but hang on every word. So goddamn Lou Reed!

Anyway, by request, I thought we'd take a look at the recording history of Velvet Cacoon.

Velvet Cacoon - Perched on a Neverending Peak
Besides the vocals, this isn't that far removed from Burzum, especially Filosofem. I think the reoccuring melody is what really makes the track. It almost acts as a hook. It's the one thing that really rises above the white noise buzz of the guitar. This is from Dextronaut which "came out" first. A reported best of comp of their earlier material. Deal is, you can never tell with these guys. I don't remember them having releases before Genevieve, so go fig.

http://download.yousendit.com/C019115F77E4C022

Velvet Cacoon - Winterglow
Northsuite combined two of their "demos" and it's more in line with what VC would explore with Genevieve. Winterglow has the guitar tone down and the basic progression, but the acoustic guitar that crops up from time to time is neat. Again, it's basically the same idea as Perched on a Neverending Peak, giving you something clear and listenable to hook on to. Reportedly, the whole album was recorded in three hours which leads some to believe that it wasn't a best of comp at all. Again, the disinformation the band has spread makes it incredibly difficult to wade through to find the truth.

http://download.yousendit.com/DC24B4301BCD926A

Velvet Cacoon - Laudanum
All the tracks on Genevieve are fun, but as far as their bm stuff goes, I think Laudanum is the most interesting because of its almost doomy opening. Plus, you get a nice dark ambient section at the end. Not really a good representation of their work, but I do like it. This was the their first "full-length" that was part of a trilogy of albums which, I guess is complete bullshit. As much as the band discounts their efforts now, this is still a pretty neat album, taking the ideas of Burzum to a whole new level. If you can, try and hunt down Bete Noir, a fantastic dark ambient track. Stick it on a mix with Rune's For the Weary and the Sullen and you have one hell of a tape going.

[url=Link: http://www.yousendit.com/download/YBZ0XgS8UTk%3D]Link: http://www.yousendit.com/download/YBZ0XgS8UTk%3D

Korouva - Wheat Fields
Ah! Controversy! VC stole this record from another artist. It came out from VC as demo titled How The Last Day Came And Stayed Then Faded Into Simulated Rain. As demos go, it was okay. As albums go, it was cut and paste, kind of boring. Just an exploration of some ideas, never fleshing the music out. A year or two passes and Korouva comes out and says the entire demo was actually her Shipwrecks & Russian Roulette album. I've listened to both, and yeah, haha. Korouva's is longer but it's still rather slapdash. Needless to say, neither work is that enthralling.

[url=Link: http://www.yousendit.com/download/YBZ0XjoBBIc%3D]Link: http://www.yousendit.com/download/YBZ0XjoBBIc%3D

My Violent Ego - Swoonow
My Violent Ego is worth your time however, though it had the same problems (short songs that could've been fleshed out). Still, the sonic experiments were quite enchanting and had a real My Bloody Valentine feel, even if the songs weren't all that impressive. This came out as VC demo entitled Dizzy From Eternity which was, again, stolen from MVE's Clicks & Hisses. The Italian band is one to watch for, especially if, you know, they decide to go somewhere with these tracks. They've been putting out records since 2001 and haven't done a whole lot popularity wise, which should pick up now, especially with the renewed interest in shoegaze.

http://www.yousendit.com/download/YBaqygS8oxM%3D


A final word from Velvet Cacoon:
"And on the subject of Velvet Cacoon, the band is a total fraud. Nothing about it holds any importance. The "How the Last Day" demo isn't even us. It's Miranda Lehman from Portland. (check the Wiki site). "Dizzy" isn't us. It's "My Violent Ego". Nothing is us. "Northsuite" was recorded in 3 hours and sold to a fake label who paid us enough for rent and substances. That's why its so terrible. We're utter bastards. We have no respect for anything. Now we're beginning the campaign to show just what we've done. We are walking examples of what far too many drugs will do. They make you crave havoc. They make you want to turn the world upside down while laughing like a maniac.

And now the soft afterglow sets in. VC is winding down. One last album. One final collection. And the damn thing isn't even recorded yet. Maybe we'll just steal it too. I must tell you that our correspondence will not continue much longer. I'm going to make a clean break - you'll know when the moment hits. You'll know exactly what I mean too.

First, I must convince the world that I am nothing special or intelligent, nor was Velvet Cacoon. If there was discussion about us before, I can only imagine what is about to come.

Feel free to spread this letter."

Haha, and that, in a nutshell, is Velvet Cacoon. Enjoy.