For a majority of The Drums' "oh hey we're here, now watch us jump around like idiots" tenure, I've been a staunch opposer of their music. Something just rubbed me the wrong way about their kitschy as all get out arrangements and appearance. With recent fixes of Me & the Moon and now this tasty tidbit from our buddies in HURTS, our opinions begin to waver, because the Brooklyn outfit seems to wear sentiment and seriousness much more fittingly than their indie pop pants. Here, the fantastic comes in the form of a mix of Down By The Water.
A strong contender for a top, nay BE[a]ST, album of the year is HURTS' striking debut, Happiness. The first official single from the disc, Better Than Love, was released in May of this year and included quite a nice accompaniement to the original in the Jamaica remix. Now, with a re-release of said song, comes yet another slice in the fine fix department.
It's the Italoconnection Remix, and the name of this fixer could not be more appropro.
OK, so it starts off with a pretty basic drum kicking beat and airy synth section, but keep it locked until the 2:25 mark when this ish gets all extra sparkly and shiny.
NIce addition to my increasingly expanding HURTS' catalog of originals and fixes thus far.
Just a few days ago, I lauded Foals' for their cover of Swedish House Mafia's One (Your Name), which took place on Radio 1's Live Lounge.
Today, we've heard Kylie Minogue doing HURTS' Wonderful Life on the program, and there's really not much else you need to say about that, other than...
YOU GUYS (and girls): if you're a rabid fan and follower of all that is HURTS, much like I am, then take 4 minutes and 13 seconds to stop what you're doing, and give this new song an ear or two. I've never doubted the fact that the Mancunian duo's debut album would hit ever so hard, and thanks to a sweet lil' advance of the disc, all of our suspicions and expectations are onfirmed. Solid effort boys.
And now, thanks to some helping vocals from Kylie Minogue (whaaaa?!?), the song Devotion goes from boy-boy, to boy-oh-boy-oh-girl-oh-wow-oh-boy.
Had a brief break in HURTS-ing you over the past few weeks, but with this piece comes the ushering in of official news...great, rad, awesome news even. But then again, when haven't I been super geeked to reveal some bit of info surrounding the Mancunian duo of Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson. Hey HURTS, bring on the pain!
First note of worth: HURTS will release Wonderful Life as an official single on August 16. This comes as their sophomore release after Better Than Love, which has been popping up on the UK Dance charts since it's unveiling.
Second bit you need to know: looks as though HURTS will release their self-titled debut album on August 23 in the UK (as per Amazon), and maybe possibly even on September 6 in the US under the title, Happiness (as per their Wiki). Either way, the boys are coming and it is going to be oh so amazing. I guarantee it.
Third and lastly: this coincides with point #1. There's a remix of Wonderful Life from Mantronix, and it's all I've had on for the better portion of the hour. And now it can be yours too.
Earlier this week, I got a note from camp Catherine AD regarding her orchestratingly-beautiful cover of HURTS' Better Than Love. My initial thought was to wait to post it up until something relevant and timely occurred, featuring either artist. Too bad, cause we gotta get this up now...thanks to another cover...only this time, the black-and-white and moody-pop boys spin their web over Diana Vickers' Once. Wowza!
Catherine goes all piano and harmonies with her take on Theo and Adam's first official single, while the lads decided to cover fellow UK pop singer Vickers' track on their recent trip into the BBC Radio 6's Live Lounge.
Both are rad. Both are Beaston approved. Both are below.
Coming with the news today that you can now pre-orderHURTS' first official single, Better Than Love, the boys from Manchester have just unleashed a new video EPK that has Theo and Adam explaining their processes and methodologies behind some of the best brooding-pop that I've heard in a long while.
Fresh off their highly successful NME tour, Theo takes a moment to chat and wax with fans. Read his words below.
Our first tour.
From the reeds on banks of the concrete rivers of Glasgow, to the lofty heights of Mount Northampton. A boat that rocked and a church that blasphemed in between.
The last three weeks have left us with open eyes and aching hearts. Showing you our songs is something we have resisted for so long, but it makes us so happy to finally share our lives with you. And that you welcomed us so warmly. The theatre, the drama, the gin, Richard, nearly getting arrested in Wrexham, the four tiers of eyes at Koko and the purple rain of Stoke. Every moment that will last forever. It was something to remember, and build a castle upon.
We must finish the album we played you now. Then play it for you some more when the sun comes out. A winter album for the summer breeze. Thank you for singing the words. Thank you for watching and judging. A glass is raised, with your lipstick on the rim.
Until soon, HURTS
So that's that...and this is the new video EPK, with a clip of the song Stay. Highly enjoyable and utterly amazing.
