Dandi Wind - Concrete Igloo (Summer Lovers Unlimited Music)

Ok, we are fond of electronic duos. Even more so when they hail from Canada. Dandi Wind (comprised of Dandelion Wind Opaine and Szam Findlay) tests our undying affection with their hit or miss debut, Concrete Igloo. The duo combines a variety of genres to conjure up an adrenaline fueled, almost destructive sound that clicks wonderfully on songs like “Slumlord” and “Apotemnophilia.” The insistent “Hitch-Hiker” could be the soundtrack to your next night out while CD closer “Mafu Cage” might as well accompany a bad trip. Findlay’s panache keeps the beats flowing while Opaine’s eccentric vocal style floats all over the layered textures. Part industrial thump-fest, part dance-party, Concrete Igloo comes armed with ten music videos on the disc to add to the experience. Opaine evokes Toni Halliday and M.I.A. with her vocals that appease and annoy alike, and there is a hint of Nine Inch Nails about the whole thing. While there are only a handful of attention grabbing tracks on Concrete Igloo, the album does more than enough to reveal the Dandi Wind’s talent and musicianship.

Catch Dandi Wind live at the Beauty Bar on July 19th.

Dandi Wind: [official] [myspace]

The Cribs - Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever (Wichita Recordings)

There is no shortage of bands from the UK singing about adolescent issues, girl problems, and taking the piss in general. The Cribs are guilty as charged and continue in that vein for their 3rd release, the all-encompassing Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever. Comprised of three brothers from Yorkshire, the Cribs’ biggest claim to the fame in Austin is their plethora of energetic shows at SxSW 2006. The opening songs on the new record, “Our Bovine Public” and “Girls Like Mystery” set the tone with immediate effect boasting sing-along chorus’, melodious backing vocals, and catchy hooks. Shimmering guitars carry “My Life Flashed Before My Eyes” while distorted six strings aided by chants of “Margaret Hammond, Haemorrhaged in Merrie City” end “Ancient History.” Album title themed tracks “Men’s Needs” and “Women’s Needs” highlight the siblings’ pop sensibility, and production by Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) enhances the Cribs’ final product. The lyrics, call ‘em witty or silly, fit well -- “I’m a realist, I’m a romantic, I’m an indecisive piece of sh*t” (I’m A Realist”) and “I can’t find time for her, oh no / Because of M.T. / Because of M.T.V., oh no / Because I’m empty” (Major’s Tilting Victory.) While some of those lyrics might find the Cribs a place in the hearts of pop-punkers in America (if not a spot on the Warped Tour), their appeal remains widespread. The down on the world “Be Safe” features spoken-word segments by Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and is a tad out of place with the generic pop standards of the rest of the record but remains one of the stand-out tracks. Although “Hey Scenesters!” (off The New Fellas) was an instant hit, its Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever that ultimately brings to light the Crib’s pop potential.

The Cribs: [official] [myspace]