Grizzly Bear – Shields

Not exactly ferocious and definitely not timid.

Grizzly Bear are unusual.

They may be from New York where most American musicians seem to hail from, they may be classed as indie rock which categorises half the new music that comes out at the moment. But there's something about them, something that separates them from the crowd, and that is, that they've been around for a while. Yes, not exactly the shocking twist you wanted but it separates them from all the other 'new' bands at the moment, they've got experience.

This is their fourth album, Shields. They formed in 2004, in the music industry that's a long time. So how come you've only heard of them now? Well this is the first album that's received any proper attention from us Brits. So what do we think? Well it's interesting.

Grizzly Bear first received attention after touring with Radiohead following the release of their second album in 2006, 'Yellow House', in which Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood stated they were his favourite band. A lot of pressure then, if a member of one of the biggest bands of the last twenty years gives the seal of approval.

So how does the album fare?

'Sleeping Ute' the opening track is a proper rock song, lulling you into a sense that you've been here before and is very reminiscent of The Black Keys in places, it's a great track there's no denying it, but then all of a sudden it changes, at about three minutes in, it quietens down and ends in a almost therapeutic way, with string instruments and soothing vocals by lead singer Daniel Rossen.

This is how the album transcends, into a less rock heavy and a more ambient vibe, with more musical instruments displayed throughout the album such as in track 'A Simple Answer'  where we hear the use of piano and synthesisers among others , helping create more depth in the sound. This is where that experience I mentioned comes in they've been playing together so they've worked out the kinks of what's gone wrong before and boy, has it worked.

This is one of the best albums I've heard this year, carefully constructed and thought through, its only after the third or fourth listen that you appreciate how good the album is. To sum up this album, it's a grower, not something you can just listen to and like straight away, it takes perseverance, but if you're willing to persevere, you'll be in for a treat.

Album Rating 7/10

Favourite Tracks : Sleeping Ute, Speak In Rounds, A Simple Answer

Track Of The Week: SBTRKT - Hold On

Track of the week time once again, and unsurprisingly we've picked another brilliant choice from the realms of our music collection in one of our favourite 'new' artists SBTRKT. For those of you who are unaware of SBTRKT (pronounced Subtract) is considered to be one of the next big things in the post dubstep genre, and we can see why. (It's not 'dubstep' like the crap you hear sampled on one of those dubstep anthems albums they advertise on tv, if we ever do post that, that's when you know we gone clinically insane.)

SBTRKT or Aaron Jerome (and sometimes Sampha) are a prime example to us that there are still good current new musicians knocking around in the barren wasteland that is the current British music scene. That's enough bickering for one day, taken from their self-titled album is this brilliant track, enjoy. Even  if you don't like it at least appreciate the cool African tribe masks he uses when live, we haven't liked masks so much since MF DOOM.

SBTRKT - Hold On

Track Of The Week: Blur - Chemical World

Hello, once again we have to apologise for not updating the blog we've been pretty busy sorting out FA Cup Vinyl to make it better and watching the Euro's,  probably more of the latter really.

Anyway it's Thursday again, so after much consulting we've officially decided to make Thursday 'Track Of The Week Day'. You'd think it would make sense to post it on Monday, but you know we live life on the edge!

Swiftly moving on, this week's track is an old favourite of ours that we have recently rediscovered and has now made it into the various summer playlists that we've put so much effort in making on iTunes. Taken from Blur's second album 'Modern Life Is Rubbish', (which we might add is a very good album) is Chemical World.

This is a perfect time to be listening to Blur, with what the band reforming to play a special gig for the London Olympics in Hyde Park with other favourites New Order and The Specials as well as Bombay Bicycle Club. God we wish we were going to that.

The video of Chemical World is also worth a watch as well, so we'll speak no further, just click on the link below and thank us later.


Blur - Chemical World

Track Of The Week: XXYYXX - About You

Hello everyone, FA Cup Vinyl are back again. Sorry we've been pretty busy sorting out some matters, but after that 6 day period of nothing (which I'm sure you're all lost without us) we're back to business, starting with our new feature: Track Of The Week.

It may be something old or something new, but you know it's going to be good.

Kicking off the first week is a track that we simply can't stop listening to, XXYYXX's 'About You' and you can check it out below, which we suggest you do as the video is great and simple.

Please enjoy.

XXYYXX - About You

The XX's New Tracks

Now we're sure that you know that FA Cup Vinyl are a big fan of The XX, hence our earlier post about them a couple of days ago declaring them to be one of our favourite new bands. Well after the band recently playing some live gigs this year, those lucky people who went to see them were able to hear some of the new tracks, I know, how annoying. Well for those of you that haven't had chance to hear them yet, good old FA Cup Vinyl has found someone post them on YouTube for you all to listen to. They are all linked below, please enjoy.

The XX - Devotion

The XX - Strangers

The XX - Closer

The XX - Friction

The XX - Leave

The XX

After catching serious sunburn from this dramatic heatwave we've experienced all of a sudden  , 'FA Cup Vinyl' needs to unwind, apply the after sun and listen to one of the best albums of late, The XX's self-titled album. 

Released in 2009, this great 'indie pop' album (we didn't describe it as that) is one of those brilliant atmospheric albums that is so difficult to find these days. It's relaxing, it's stress releasing and most of all, it's bloody good. 

Originally consisting as a four-piece of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Baria Qureshi (who has since left) , as well as including one of FA Cup Vinyl's favourite producers of recent Jamie Smith, or 'Jamie XX' who you may be more familiar with.  E.g that bloke who did that album sampling 'The Godfather of Rap' Gil Scott Heron. If you want to be that blunt. 

However it's hard to describe 'The XX' as they're so different to anything previously we've discussed before. One of the reasons it's so highly rated here is due to the hushed tones on the album, it makes it one of the perfect albums to listen to at night as the meaning is more apparent due to it being recorded in the evening. What is also not so much groundbreaking but innovative is the overlap of voices, with the male and female vocals synchronising, most notably in 'Crystalised' and 'Heart Skipped A Beat' which are also two classic tracks we might add, perfect to go on the playlist. 

Whilst you may be familiar with the singles like 'Crystalised' and particularly 'Islands' which was the more successful commercially, it's not to say there isn't some hidden gems on this album. One of FA Cup Vinyl's favourites has to be 'Shelter' as we believe that, quite frankly it's where female vocalist Romy Madley Croft is at her best, mixing her gorgeous breathless voice with an excellent backing track of relaxed guitar playing and timed pauses make it one of the highlights on this great album. 

It's also a testament to new music to know that 'The XX' are a British band as we hear a lot of talk that new music is dead, particularly in England and we may all have to become Miles Kane fans... Oh what a terrible thought. But with band like 'The XX' exploring the boundaries of music, being described as post-dubstep and among other things, it's also inspired artists like James Blake and SBTRKT to also experiment with the new genre. Still the word Dubstep makes us shudder. God, it's atrocious music. Swiftly moving on.

To sum up this is definitely an album you need in the collection as it also gives insight into other bands from the genre and solo stuff from 'The XX' members, e.g Jamie XX's 'We're New Here' (Gil Scott Heron collaboration album) and other odd remixes of songs, his version of Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep' and Radiohead's 'Bloom' are worth a listen as well. 

FA Cup Vinyl Rating: 8/10

The Horrors

We're very disappointed here at 'FA Cup Vinyl' as we forgot to buy our tickets to see one of our favourite new bands, The Horrors who played at The Leadmill in Sheffield last night.

As our friends were bragging about seeing them, we thought we would enjoy them one way or another by sitting down and listening to their finest album yet, 'Skying'. Take that Friends! 

The Horrors, from Southend on Sea were formed in 2005 and released their debut 'Strange House' in 2007. We recommend however that you do not listen that until you have listened to 'Skying' and 'Primary Colours' which is their second album, and also great as 'Strange House' in all honesty is not up to scratch with the other two. But we'll let you decide.

Anyway, back to the post.

It's a breath of fresh air listening to an album as good as 'Skying' and knowing it's from 2011, as it feels like a classic with its infectious guitar riffs and insanely catchy lyrics and choruses. It also gives us hope that the new music scene is not going to be full of One Direction, Justin Bieber manufactured garbage and that there is still some decent bands out there, a diamond in the very teenage girl aimed dribble rough if you will.

If you haven't listened to 'Skying'  yet then we suggest that you do.  According to wikipedia, it is defined as post-punk revival, non-psychedelia and shoe gazing... music. We're not sure of the last one either. But what we do know is the album is brilliant, it has some absolute crackers that you can let loose to, or whatever you do when listening to music.

Definite tracks to listen to are 'I Can See Through You', 'Still Life' and 'Monica Gems' for those of you who aren't patient enough to sit through a whole album, it these songs that are being categorised as and I hate the phrase 'festival anthems' but they are definitely ones for the summer playlist.

For those of you that are able to sit through a whole album, we are immediately reminded of the psychedelia it mentions, clearly taking influence from bands like Primal Scream. However the other songs which aren't as upbeat like 'Changing The Rain' and 'Oceans Burning' offer a very mellowed, chilled vibe.

Its the tracks like this that offer an insight into how good the latest offering by The Horrors is. The songs are different in direction and not all playing on the same structure like other bands like 'The Vaccines' or 'Two Door Cinema Club', not to say there's nothing wrong with doing that. 

We're not the only ones who agree this album is great, as it recently won album of the year at the 2012 NME Awards, so if you haven't listened to Faris Badwan and co yet, we recommend that you do immediately.

First post.

Hello, this is our first post on our blog called 'FA Cup Vinyl'. As you can tell from the title it highlights the two things that not only we love but what this blog will feature, which is football and music. We're very passionate about both, and we hope you are too. It may take a while for us to fully grasp this and post decent articles and posts, but most of all we hope you enjoy it.


Thanks, FA Cup Vinyl.