Introducing…Lewsberg

 Lewsberg, a four-piece Dutch band whose arty, lo-fi college rock rumble has drawn comparisons to The Velvet Underground, Television and The Modern Lovers, fit this mould perfectly – alongside a fierce independent streak. They take their name from writer Robert Loesberg, a cult local author whose work was famously nihilistic and disillusioned. Their last release is the single ‘Six Hills.’

4Ever Songs: Lou Reed “Walk On The Wild Side”

Lou Reed revolutionized rock ‘n’ roll with The Velvet Underground in the 1960s by fusing street-level urgency, European avant-garde and lyrical honesty to create music that read like poetry. His subsequent solo career was restlessly inventive and creatively unpredictable, defying expectations as though it were a sport. With recordings ranging from the wildly experimental to the perfectly straightforward – Reed was a storyteller above all.

His 1972 album, Transformer, produced by David Bowie, graduated the New Yorker from cult status to genuine rock stardom. The record oozes unaffected authenticity which really shines through on Reed’s ode to the underbelly of New York City’s nightlife – breakthrough single “Walk On The Wild Side”. The loving reflection on Andy Warhol’s ‘Factory’ scene, set to a shimmering doo-wop tone became a massive radio hit, despite the song’s allusions to censored topics of the era.

Best Covers: Father John Misty “Who Loves the Sun”

Father John Misty is back with more music. The oddball songwriter is featured on the Mondo Boys’ score to Eddie O’Keefe’s Shangri-La Suite, which the group has just released as a 30-minute mixtape. On it is Father John Misty’s cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Who Loves the Sun” from the band’s 1970 album Loaded.

Music by Bergman: Papooz

Papooz popped up in the spring of 2015, playing smooth melodies and rhythms that swayed the hips with a pop spirit tinged with an exotic je ne sais quoi. Hailing from Paris, Ulysse and Armand both grew up with music from the 70s, digging in their parents’ record collections from The Beach Boys to The Velvet Underground. They became inseparable friends, both keen on music. They called themselves Papooz because they liked the way it sounded, along with the tropical tone in it and the recollection of a Native American tribe’s cradle.  Parisian singer-songwriters Armand and Ulysse lead the band with their high, soft, feminine voices front and centre on the group’s Fall 2016 debut album ‘Green Juice’.

Pardals: Power Burkas

Darrere el provocatiu nom de Power Burkas s’amaga, a més d’una de les perles del fèrtil planter de Vic, una jove banda de garage. Formats el 2013, el quartet presenta el seu debut, ‘Llarga vida al tarannà’ (2016), publicat a Famèlic i BCore, després d’haver passejat pels escenaris el seu irreverent sentit de l’humor i un poderós so que beu per igual de The Velvet Underground, Els Surfing Sirles, Minutemen i Fugazi. Obriran la nit L’Hereu Escampa i el seu punk ràpid, directe i espontani, que presenten el seu nou EP, ‘L’esclafit’ (2015). Aquesta nit a la sala Sidecar. Els nostres “pardals” de la setmana.

Productora de Pardals: Sunflower Bean

As a band, Sunflower Bean have grown exceptionally fast. On the heels of strong live shows around their Brooklyn hometown and festivals like CMJ, the three-piece dropped an EP earlier this year. Since then, they’ve nailed down tours with the likes of Wolf Alice, DIIV, Best Coast, and others, leading to a staggering 100 performances in the span of just one year. That’s a lot for a fresh outfit, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be slowing down in 2016, as they’ve just announced their debut album, Human Ceremony.

Recorded in just seven days (told you they were speedy), Human Ceremony is set for a February 5th release via Fat Possum. The album sees them refining their psych rock ways into something with a bit more of a fuzzy pop edge, with a press release referencing influences like The Cure, The Velvet Underground, and The Feelies