Well Good God Damn And Other Such Phrases...

Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip are fast becoming my most blogged about artists on this here journal, but where's the shame in that? They're absolutely incredible, I don't think I'll ever tire of Angles, and their latest news is just icing on the cake.

Having recently supported De La Soul (my friend saw them, the bastard), the legendary Posdnuos has contributed and helped edit a new version of the awesome "Thou Shalt Always Kill". How freaking awesome is that? Already the Xfm track of the week and slated for release on the 15th January, it's currently available to listen to on the duo's Myspace.

Just to refresh your collective memories, here's the original version:

Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill

The Harringtons

Just to let you know before I begin, I'm going to break some rules. I'm going to be effusive in my praise for a band where I'm friends with them, I'm going to be very biased, but frankly I don't care.

The Harringtons hail from St. Albans, mainly from St. Albans School, former haunt of the amazing Friendly Fires no less, as well as your humble blogger. Formed primarily by Miles Howell and Gareth Hooper over a mutual love of playing Libertines songs and named after their favourite lunchtime greasy spoon, the lineup's completed by musical virtuoso brothers Jonathan and Nick Ketley.

As you'd expect, there's a healthy dose of Libertines-y indie scuzz, but with every new batch of songs there's a heavier element coming through, not to mention guitar solos and three part harmonies galore. I saw them on the 23rd at "Music Pub of the Year" The Horn in St. Albans. The room was packed out, I (and everyone around me) was sweating like a pig, and the band unleashed themselves like no other time I'd seen them. Their gig had been listed in the NME that week, which can only have helped the turnout, and I could only say good things coming out. The set was tight, the older tracks already seem like crowd pleasers and the newer ones were different and really bloody good.

It's difficult as a friend to really form an objective opinion, but I honestly think The Harringtons are something special, so please take a listen, look them up on their Myspace page and keep an ear to the ground, as I'm sure they have what it takes to make an impact on a stale scene.

The Harringtons - Touts
The Harringtons - Girls, Boys and Toys
The Harringtons - Get Shot Down

It's That Time Of Year...

There's relatives in the house, food being cooked, and every one is stressed out. It's definitely Christmas. But you already knew that. So to cut a long story short, I going to post two of my favourite Christmas songs. One's old, one's new, but both are excellent.

Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting - Baby, It's Cold Outside

I don't know what it is about this song, but it's almost certainly my favourite Christmas song. There's something about the overlapping vocals, the playfulness of the lyrics, it's just all lovely.

Glam Chops - Countdown to Christmas

Released only this year, Eddie Argos' new glam rock outfit have made a perfect Christmas song. They clearly love the season, but aren't overdoing the sentiment, it's fun, it's funny and it's glam rock. What more could you want?

So all that leaves me to say is Merry Christmas, enjoy yourselves, and don't drink too much kids. That's New Years Eve.

PS. There's been a mistake! Where I got the first track from, it was listed as being sung by Bing Crosby and Doris Day (and the file itself says that). Apparently it's a common misconception. Since the original release, a lot of people have mistaken the reording for Bing Crosby and Doris Day, but it's actually these two lesser known singers. Sorry!

Delorentos

A little while back, I had the distinct pleasure of receiving an email from a young man called Kieran, guitarist and vocalist for a band called Delorentos. Hailing from Dublin, their first album, In Love With Detail was a hit in Ireland in 2007 but didn't really make it to our shores. That really is a shame because, from what I've heard, that album is full of high-octane indie punk goodness.

Their tunes have catchy pop-sensibilities but a definite indie credibility, giving them that perfect combination of the feel-good factor of a cracking tune with the feeling you're not listening to any old tune, but something that really is musically excellent.

They should have some new work in the pipeline, so keep an ear out, and hopefully we'll hear more of Delorentos in the coming year. For now, here's one of the singles off of the first album, the fantastic "Basis of Everything"

Delorentos - Basis of Everything

PS. If you'd like your band or a band you represent to be mentioned, a personal email, as well as taking the time to look for my name, goes a long way :)

The MFAGW Top 10

It's the end of the year, and sure as eggs is eggs there are music lists, polls and debates galore. I'm a sucker for a good end-of-year list, so I'm sure as hell gonna contribute my own. So without further ado, here are my top ten albums of the year:

10. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into

A triumph of genre crossovers, from Daft Punk to '80s pop, there was hardly a dud track on here.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Weird Science

9. Ida Maria - Fortress Around My Heart

Explosive, effervescent pop-punk from the amazing Miss Maria, her live show is just as good.

Ida Maria - Stella

8. Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge

Dev Hynes truly manages to shake off the Test Icicles tag to mould himself as a brilliant, twisted folk troubador.

Lightspeed Champion - Galaxy Of The Lost

7. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords

I know comedy records shouldn't count, but this is such a well-formed album, the fact that it's funny doesn't even matter that much.

Flight of the Conchords - The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)

6. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires

The perfect blend of house, indie, funk and any other genre you want to name, this album manages the seemingly impossible task of making a hugely coherent album without ever becoming samey.

Friendly Fires - Photobooth

5. Mumford and Sons - Lend Me Your Eyes EP

Alright, it's an EP not an album, but all four tracks are just so beautiful, so unbelievably heart-wrenching and glorious that I can't not include it.

Mumford and Sons - Awake My Soul

4. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim

New-folk's true pioneer, this album delivered exactly what everyone wanted, the old demos produced beautifully, as well as some wonderful new tracks.

Laura Marling - Night Terror

3. Johnny Flynn - A Larum

Three new-folk albums in a row eh? I'd been waiting for an album from Johnny Flynn since his first demo of Tickle Me Pink, and the album was everything I'd wanted and more.

Johnny Flynn - Leftovers

2. Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles

Hip-hop doesn't have to be corporate, gangstafied shite, it can be poetry, it can be dance music, it can be funny or tragically sad. In short, this album's brilliant.

Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - The Beat That My Heart Skipped

1. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

To be honest, I don't think there was ever a doubt in my mind that this would be first place. When it came out it was just so different. Totally summery, totally African and totally incredible.

Vampire Weekend - Bryn

Bear With Me

Now I know there's a massive, and now seemingly tradition hatred of the NME, but I will still pick it up and read it when the cover takes me. I know it's sensationalist, mercurial and frankly just badly written at times, but they've been the New Musical Express for this many years for a reason. They can spot some good new music.

My newest finding through NME has been the fantastic Bear Hands. Hailing (somewhat unsurprisingly) from New York, they have a slow burning post-punk style that seems to always build to an intensely catchy, almost pop, chorus. Lead singer Dylan Rau has something of a more fashionable Nathan Willett style about him, which I'm pretty sure can only be a good thing. I've only got three songs, but I'm looking out for more (hint hint) and I'm convinced I'm going to like anything they produce, at least as long as it stays in the same vein.

So hooray for the NME, they do actually produce something worthwhile on occasions, and good for them too.

Bear Hands - Long Lean Queen

PS. Just because I think it's bloody brilliant, here's the amazing Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish (check out their BBC 6 Music show, podcasts on iTunes) making their own version of "Fitter Happier" by Radiohead

Adam and Joe - Shitter Crappier

A Certain Irony...

One of my favourite TV series is finally back on the air. It basically involves a very grumpy man, sitting on his own, in his house, swearing and shouting at the television in the crudest eloquence you've ever heard. And it's bloody wonderful.

Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe, is the most fun I ever have watching TV, and it's so simple. There really is nothing like watching someone just get totally enraged by something, and the use of Tim Key's poetry (this series) or David Firth's animations (previous series) help to break it up a little. The nicest thing is when Charlie finds himself actually liking something, and describing it in the same verbose and brilliant way he does when he's slagging things off. To watch this series, keep checking BBC iPlayer, and for all the previous four series the wonderful xthemusic channel is a godsend.

I really, really urge you to watch it - it manages to be hilarious, informative and occasionally enraging (at the disgusting habits of the TV Industry) constantly.

Grandaddy - AM 180

I'm Satisfied

I don't know why I haven't blogged about him fully yet (apart from my Reading Review), and I don't know why no-one else has blogged about him much yet, but Esser is just amazing. Eschewing many instruments in favour of samples and with the yearning vocals of a forlorn madman, every song is noticably his, but none of them are the same.

I have a really, really bad memory, so the fact that every time I hear a new song by him I remember it from watching them in Reading this summer is really quite something. I actually bumped into him at a club in Newcastle (after I missed his gig that night - annoying to say the least) and he seemed like a nice enough guy. Well, I say nice enough, he was absolutely hammered and started dancing with one of my friends. So that has only improved my opinion of him.

Listen to the samba-whirlwind of "Satisfied" and then investigate him further, he'll put his songs in your head, and then they'll never go away. In a good way, I promise.

Esser - Satisfied

Music From A Green Window - Lawbreaker

Well wouldn't you know it, even I've been tracked down and censored. I got a lovely little message in my inbox telling me that my 3rd (and final) post about Reading this year had been removed as I've been infringing copyright. Now to be honest, I don't think many people read this, and I really only keep it up because it's cathartic, and the fact that I know there must be a few people who are interested in my views.

The fact this has happened won't stop me blogging, as I think it truly is the future of music promotion (despite my late jump on the bandwagon) and I personally think I'm doing the artists a service. It's happened to a lot of great blogs, including one of my personal faves, Dirty Sexy Music, and I personally think it's ridiculous. Any music blog will post mp3s, and any reputable blog will have a disclaimer saying that they're for sampling purposes. Mine certainly are, I want music to continue being made, and frankly major labels don't generally produce good music anymore, so the word has to get out about lesser-known bands somehow. What better way than the personal opinions of thousands of music lovers?

Ah well, on with the show.

Mumford & Sons - Hold On To What You Believe

Rant.

Last night, my lovely girlfriend and I got the positive pleasure of heading to Newcastle's Carling Academy to watch V.V. Brown and Ida Maria (and for free no less, thank you guestlist). The gig itself was wonderful, V.V. Brown was a fireball of soulful, poppy fun, a mix of '50s guitar rhythms, '70s funk and '00s Amy Winehouse vocals. Ida Maria was her usual effervescent self, mixing the punk explosion of "Oh My God" with the husky-voiced loveliness of "Keep Me Warm" and generally making everyone who knew her there smile.

But that's precisely the point. Half the people there didn't know who she was. Of course, a song like "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" was always going to be a hit, but that's not always a good thing. For example, three girls in front of us literally didn't know a single song other than that one. And they were on the barrier. And they didn't dance. And they didn't fucking applaud. I mean seriously, if you're going to pay to go to a gig, make a bloody effort to enjoy yourself, don't just treat the performance like some kind of trial for the ultimate reward of the one song you know. And it wasn't just them, at the very least a quarter of the crowd seemed to know one, or at best two, songs that she did. The local support band before V.V. Brown (who were excellent, and who I never caught the name of annoyingly) were subjected to football chants and general idiocy just because people were waiting for Ida. It's a massive shame because, like I've said, the gig was wonderful, and I still had a lot of fun, but Cat and I both came out feeling slightly pissed off that we seemed to be the only people who went for more than just 3 minutes of dancing. Frankly, if you don't know the headline artist of a fairly major gig, don't take up space at the front where the real fans want to stand, especially if you don't want to have the courtesy to at least listen to the music you don't know. Idiots.

Ida Maria - Oh My God
V.V. Brown - Quick Fix

ExcellentBooks!

The same friend who helped me discover Jenny Lewis (see last post), reminded me of another band who I really fell in love with, despite never hearing a whole lot of their stuff. Kent's GoodBooks make wonderfully swirling, soaring songs, peppered with electronic effects and tasty, tasty reverb.

I first heard their song Leni on XFM (London's best music station - fact) and, despite needing to get to the bus in the morning, I had to stay until the end to find out who was making this amazing noise. Now, having been reminded of just how much I loved this song (and their most successful single, Passchendaele), I'm going to go and hunt down their debut album, Control. Take a listen and see if you agree with me!

GoodBooks - Leni

Jenny Is A (New) Friend Of Mine

You know when you hear about an artist, hear how great they are, how you should listen to them, and you never actually do? And then you hear it and kick yourself for ignoring them for so long. Yep, it's happened to me again with Jenny Lewis.

It took actually being handed a CD with a couple of her songs on it to get me to listen, but listen I did and love it I did even more. Jack Killed Mom is a brilliant build-up song, bluesy to begin with, with a very direct story (which is always nice and compelling) before exploding into a gospel anthem in the last minute or so. I can't help but be reminded of the church scene in Blues Brothers, which will never, ever fail to bring a smile to my face anyway.

Now listen and don't make my mistake!

Jenny Lewis - Jack Killed Mom

Argh!

Right, I know I mentioned them in my last post, but if you've been reading this for a while, you'll know that I said "My People" by The Presets sounded like music for the apocalypse. Well this remix by 2 Many DJs (who are also Soulwax, confusingly) of the already quite-frightening "Hey Boy, Hey Girl"* builds in to a a crescendo that sounds like the nuclear missile that'll kick-start said Apocalypse. Just so you know.

Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy, Hey Girl (2 Many DJs Remix)

*I found this on I Predict A Riot - cheers guys for scaring the bejeezus out of me.

Music Down Under

True to my word to my friend Matt, and the fact I should really pay some attention to my own roots, I'm gonna approach some lovely Australian music today. Matt had some suggestions: Gyroscope, Potbelleez, The Living End, The Presets and Faker. Now I can't approach them all, mainly because I'm supposed to be working at the moment, and I frankly don't know enough about some of them to make informed opinions, but consider them all recommendations from Matt.

The Living End's new single "White Noise" is a breezy shot of pop-rock, with some nice melodic vocals put over the top. There are elements of Wolfmother riffage, a nice call and response chorus and the whole thing is well put together. I can't get hold of the track at the moment, but it's on their Myspace, as well as the riff-heavy "How Do We Know".

I can't review Gyroscope's album, but I can review their first single from it, mainly because it was everywhere when Cat and I were travelling in Oz earlier this year. "Snakeskin" starts with an almost early-Muse intro, building into a blistering, throaty chorus that could carry the song by itself. Yet again, I'm a bit rubbish, so I can't provide you with a download, but here's their Myspace.

I've already expressed my love for The Presets particular brand of electric apocalypse rock, and they've released a new single "Talk Like That". Opening with a typically ostentatious organ, and then introducing the marvellously deep, Editors-on-a-football-terrace vocals that dominate the song. And I actually have this song!

The Presets - Talk Like That

And here's a couple of lovely, Australian (or Australian themed) tracks to appease you all:

The Cat Empire - Hello
The Shins - Australia

Please Come Back...

This will only matter to a few people I imagine, but where oh where have two of my favourite bands of the past few years disappeared to? Good Shoes and The Maccabees both appeared at around the same time, both making very different, but both incredible indie music, different to the rest of the post-Libs pack, both released stunning debut albums, and neither has surfaced again for quite some time.

It makes me sad. Just like Crimewatch, anyone with knowledge of these bands' whereabouts, please contact me.

The Maccabees - Lego
Good Shoes - In The City

Face Fit For Radio

If you know me, you know I just love forcing my musical opinions on other people. Thus, this fine medium I'm using now to do just that. Well, thanks to my student radio deeming me worthy, I now get to force my opinions down the throats of those on my campus as well! I'm officially a radio presenter, along with my lovely Cat (girlfriend, not pet). Imagine that, two fronts on which to fill people's heads with beautiful music! *swoons like the self-aggrandising bastard he is*

Radiohead - Sit Down. Stand Up. (Snakes & Ladders.)
The Libertines - Radio America
Jet - Radio Song (I don't care what you say, I liked the first album. So there.)

Just A Short One...

Patrick Wolf's looking distinctly rocky these days ain't he? I'm really hoping (as much as I liked the last album) that he returns to his darker roots. Songs like "Paris", "Tristan", and "The Libertine" are so incredible, anything like those again would be really quite wonderful thanks, Pat :)

Patrick Wolf - Tristan

Shufflin' #3

So here I am again, what sunken treasures or murky evils can I dredge from my sea of tunes?*

The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
The title track from Jack White and Brendan Benson's mighty rock 'n' roll side project's second album sums them up wonderfully. Odd changes of tempo and style, blues influences, guitar wizardry, dual lead vocals and some seriously catchy elements make up one of the best tracks from the LP (it even has a lone bass part that sounds like "No One Knows" by QOTSA). I just can't get enough of these guys, they were amazing at Reading, both albums have been top quality, and they give me all that I want from proper rock. Keep it coming.

Razorlight - Up All Night
Razorlight - the fallen heroes of Noughties indie, and another title track. I can remember exactly just how much I loved "Rip It Up" for the first time, and just how much I liked this album after I bought it based on that single (which is always a risk, but when it pays off it's wonderful). This track isn't as immediately engaging as some of their other early songs, but it shows why they were exciting at the time - slow burning, drawled vocals that lead to a very Bloc Party-esque strike of screeching guitar and a big finish with a slow, winding comedown. why did they have to do anything else after this?

The Offspring - Original Prankster
Wow, this is delving even deeper into my young musical tastes. I know how many people hate them, and I know they're vacuous, artless nu-punk, but I still can't escape the fact that I get all nostalgic when I hear Dexter Holland's ever so slightly too-high vocals and nearly-screams. This song is the perfect example of their brand of music - brash, stupid and fun.

*That was a very laboured analogy, and for that I apologise.

Shamelessly Stolen

Now just to preface this post, I had no part in finding this band, but whilst reading the wonderful 100b blog recently, they featured the one and only track from new London five-piece La Shark. and, just like them, I know next to nothing about them (I'm not even sure the picture is of them, but it's from their Myspace page). Their song Bones is really worth posting about again. The quality of the recording is questionable, but the overlapping vocals and squeals of "I don't know what to do!" always beguile me as soon as I hear them. They seem to possess some of that rare endearing weirdness of The Coral at their best, and with the instrumentation seeming to act as a perfect frame for the vocals, I'm sure it'll stay in rotation on my iPod for quite some time.

La Shark - Bones

Oh, Dear

We all make mistakes. A time-old adage I'm sure you'll agree but one that always seems to hold true. My mistake (this time) was for not listening to The spinto Band a bit more. I've had their song "Mountains" for two or so years, and it's actually been one of my most played songs, so why is it that I never listened to any of their other songs?

It's not even like "Oh Mandy" is a hard to find track, in the world of underground indie-pop it's a fairly well-established tune. And it's from their 6th bloody album! What's wrong with me? Luckily, I'm starting to make up for that now with obsessive listening. After a nice little '50s B-Movie keyboard effect, Nick Krill's sliding falsetto winds its way all over the insanely upbeat and high register melodies that worm their way into your ears until the joyful repetition of the chorus tugs the edges of your lips upward.

And let's not forget that they have a new album out, Moonwink. I haven't heard all of it yet, but it promises to be a similarly joyous affair if "Pumpkins and Paisley" is anything to go by. So don't make my mistake, if you haven't heard these little beauties yet, do it, they'll brighten your day and your mood, or your download back. Probably.

The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy
The Spinto Band - Mountains
The Spinto Band - Pumpkins & Paisley

"The Poet That's Kept Behind The Mic"

When I first heard Jay Jay Pistolet, reviewing the other song from this single no less, I took an immediate dislike to him. His voice was the major factor, it sounds like he's doing a bad impression of Truman Capote with a comedy giant lollypop in his mouth, and it certainly isn't your usual dulcit folk lilt. On the more upbeat "We Are Free", it just didn't work for me, and I didn't listen to him for a few months.

How wrong I was to do this. I read about "Holly" elsewhere (I forget exactly where I'm afraid) and decided, as I had it to hand, to pop the CD back into my trusty laptop. The quiet strums of guitar, the occasional plink of the high register of a piano and Jay's vocals fit together perfectly. His lyrics tell the quietly heartbreaking story of the eponymous Holly, with some wonderful little uses of language ("And whilst I've always dreamt of making it in Hollywood/But I know if she'd a second chance then Holly could") it's all just an onslaught of distressing loveliness.

I can't think of any more verbose way of summing up the song other than that I can assure you it's beautiful. And that's hopefully all that matters.

Jay Jay Pistolet - Holly

Well, I've Arrived

In a flurry of boxes of boxes and shopping bags, I have officially arrived at University. Fresher's Week has nearly come to an end, my room has become a semblance of normality, my timetable is ready to be obeyed and I may even cook real food soon. In the words of Arthur Dent, it's all rather confusing really.

The Music - Welcome To The North

PS. Maybe it's my late leap onto the blogging bandwagon (score one for double alliteration there) but I have yet to hear a single song by TV On The Radio. Can anyone suggest one that might help me understand what all the fuss is about?

Leaving Las Hertfordshire

Well tomorrow I leave on a three year adventure, up to the vast, mysterious, unconquerable (thank you Mark Corrigan) land of Newcastle. In the spirit of leaving, not wanting to leave AND Newcastle, here's Maximo Park.
Maximo Park - I Want You To Leave
Maximo Park - I Want You To Stay

Another piece of information that's dawned on me is the fact that never again (OK, for the time being anyway), will I have to wear uniform - school, work or otherwise - which is an unusual source of joy for me.
Bloc Party - Uniform

A worrying fact for me at the moment is my money situation. Or lack of it. If you live in Newcastle and you see a dishevelled, 6'2", long-haired youth attacking your bins, I can only apologise in advance.
Barenaked Ladies - If I Had A Million Dollars

I'll admit, after a year off travelling and doing shift work, I am starting to think I'll remember very little of the things I'm supposed to have learned already, and with the apparent constant supply of alcohol that Uni provides, it might just stay that way.
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like A Hole

Amongst the questioning eyebrows, semi-sarcastic questions of whether we're living together and all the general annoyances that go along with it, I'm so happy to be going with Cat, my beautiful girlfriend. And, just to set the record straight, we decided to choose our first choice uni separately and, by happy coincidence or pure synchronicity, we both chose Newcastle. So there.
Jack Johnson - Better Together

Wondrous!

Well, I feel a little more connected now. I've been formally accepted by the wonderful Hype Machine, and may actually have an audience beyond the three people who may or may not be interested in my scribblings (love you guys!). Here's a lovely, and topically named, piece of indie-art-punk.

Dartz! - Network! Network! Network!

Time For Some Rhymes

Inspired by my little diatribe earlier, I felt like listening to some hip-hop. Sure, there's a whole heap of crap around at the moment but the genre also includes some of the best lyricists around. Here are some of my favourite tracks. Disclaimer - I'm White, Middle Class and English. I will sound like an idiot when talking about this. I probably already have done. I'm sorry.

Outkast - Roses
Now go on the raw sex, my AIDS test is flawless
Regardless, we don't want to get involved with no lawyers
And judges just to hold grudges in a courtroom
I wanna see your support bra not support you!

They're not inspired but they sure sound catchy in context.

CRS - Us Placers
Lifestyles of the broke and famous
Let you know how crazy this game is
Look at all the new beautiful faces
At home supermodel, Myspaces
Long for their shot on the TV screens
American Idol never seen these dreams
Just last week they want to see ID
Now they got you in VIP, huh?
How many people almost famous
You almost remember what they name is
Like “Hey, didn’t you play in..? No it couldn’t be, quit playin”
I try to keep that balance
After MTV that’s a Real World Challenge Back on that train
Never to be heard from again…

Now here's Kanye on form, along with Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell, this song from the Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape is just awesome, not least because the background sample is from Thom Yorke's, "The Eraser".

N.W.A. - Express Yourself
I'm expressin' with my full capabilities,
And now I'm livin' in correctional facilities,
Cause some don't agree with how I do this.
I get straight, meditate like a Buddhist
I'm droppin' flavour, my behaviour is heriditary,
But my technique is very necessary.
Blame it on Ice Cube... because he says it gets funky
When you got a subject and a predacit.

My favourite opening lyrics from any hip-hop song, it's just all so well put together - the flow of the rhythm carries you thoughout, and every verse has another part to enjoy.

Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Development
I remember hearing Mos Def rhyme the alphabet
I just sat there in silence
As a sign of respect
I knew what I had to do
And that’s what happened next
I rhymed the periodic table
To stay one step ahead
Hydrogen is number one
'Cause hydrogen is what puts the shine in the sun
Through nuclear fusion and when it’s done
It leaves element number two Helium…
Helium is the second lightest gas that there is
So we use it in balloons we give to little kids
Then there’s lithium often used to treat mental problems
Beryllium don’t conduct electric currents, it stops them
Boron can be used to make things harden
And that smoke that’s coming out of your exhaust, carbon
Carbon is arguably the most important element
And nitrogen in the air is almost eighty percent
The rest of the air is mainly oxygen
And fluorine is the lightest of the halogens
OK that’s enough teaching I ain’t trying to bore ya
I’m just trying to be a positive role model for ya

I'm sorry, I know that's a lot of words, but I just couldn't cut Mr. Pip's awesome lyrics. Nor could I resist putting more of his work up, I just love it, it's the best kind of hip-hop, intelligent music, lyrics with something to say and an altogether good feeling about it all.

Why?

This is only a little thing, but I want to get it off my chest. As much as I enjoyed the older music of Mr. West, I can't for the life of me understand how anyone can like "Love Lockdown". It's repetitive, his lyrics aren't up to their usual standard, and frankly his singing voice isn't a patch on his usual drawl. I'm not going to post it, but if you must listen, go on The Hype Machine, there are several thousand links, you won't miss it. Here's some proper hip-hop from a brilliant producer and a bearded poet. Maybe Kanye could follow suit. Please?

Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Fixed (Demo)

Shufflin' #2

There comes a time in every blogger's life when you have no inspiration whatsoever. And that's what the shuffle function was created for. Here's another three random cuts of my iTunes library for you to mull over.

Pull Tiger Tail - Mary Jane
As much as I loved their older stuff (see here for example), I never quite took to PTT's newer singles, before they fell apart due to label tyranny. This was their last (and possibly last ever) release, and sums up, for me, what went wrong for them. Unlike their earliest stuff, it just lacks the punch, the energy, that made them special. The vocals seem a little laboured, and everything seems a little Athlete-y in places (not to say I don't like Athlete, I think their first album was awesome, it just isn't right for PTT). That being said, this is an enjoyable song, just not their best work.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Wet Sand
Ah the Chilis. The first band I ever saw live. Of course, this wasn't actually released at the time, the whole Stadium Arcadium period was the beginning of my slight loss of faith in them (along with the colossal damp squib that was their 2007 Reading set). I mean, a double album? Really? Not only is it lazy, it's just too long and full of filler. However, I do like this song. Antony Kiedis' vocals start off all "Under The Bridge" and then grow with the music to a funky crescendo of an anthem ending, and John Frusciante's solos never fail to bring a warmth into my soul, remembering all those times I idolised them.

Friendly Fires - Photobooth
I know it's nothing new, and it's all been said before, but Friendly Fires really are brilliant aren't they? I haven't heard their album yet (annoyingly), but I just haven't heard a song they've done that I haven't liked yet. This early single is a prime example. Straddling the lines between pop, dance and indie effortlessly, it's just perfect. There are enough lyrics for it to interest me, but there's enough repetition and a prominent bass line to make it perfect for dancing to. Just amazing.

What's In A Name?

Band names are a funny thing. They can turn you onto or off of a band before you've even heard them. I, for one, will probably never listen to Selfish Cunt, because if they're idiotic enough to have that name, why would their music be any better? Does It Offend You, Yeah, caused themselves problems with their name because people thought they were a Nathan Barley joke (luckily, they're awesome). In a similar vein, Fury Of The Headteachers could have easily made me think they were a bunch of idiots, but when I randomly came across their name on Myspace I gave them a chance.

I'm not going to pretend that I've listened to a whole heap of their material, or that I know a great deal about them apart from that they come from Sheffield, and I don't think they'll ever be famous. But you know when you find just one song by an artist you really click with? I heard "Fables". It was just such an explosion of raucous noise from beginning to end - the intro sounds like a guitar being tortured, the vocals are breathless and unintelligible, the build up to the chorus sounds like the slow-motion moment in a film before a car falls off a cliff, and the chorus itself is the fall, only about 10 seconds long, but an exhilarating ride nonetheless.

They've since released an album, and I'm sad to say I think they've ruined the song with a new recording, but this scratchy, amazing demo will always be a personal favourite.

Fury of the Headteachers - Fables

PS. I just found out they've actually broken up. Oh.

Reading Roundup #2 - Saturday

Ah Saturday, after two days, the aches of sleeping in a tent, drinking too much and being crushed by immovable idiots start to make their way deeper into your muscles. But unbowed, we struggled into the arena to see Bombay Bicycle Club (incidentally, with Katharine and Matt, who introduced me to them - thanks guys!). Again, we really made the right choice as an opening act. A lot has been made of BBC's age, but to me it really doesn't matter. No matter how old you are, if you're this wonderful and effervescent, you're always going to be a hit. Their Strokes-y guitar lines, Jack Steadman's tremulously Oberst-like voice, everything about it was lovely. Plus, the token inclusion of a badly dancing panda (from their "Evening/Morning" video) never fails to impress.

Leaving with smiles on our faces, we headed over to the Alternative Tent to see the highly-recommended Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters. Now I'm always partial to a bit of anti-folk, and the opening with "I Ain't Thick, It's Just A Trick" was a lovely little relaxing feeling, but it was all a little flat for me, after the sheer energy of the first band, it just seemed as though I still wanted that. So our next band - on the main stage this time - was a good choice. The Subways (local heroes where I come from) came bounding onstage, Billy Lunn shirtless and screaming. They launched into a lot of newer tracks (the explosive "Girls and Boys" proving the best), but the reaction from the crowd was frenzied when they played their first album's tracks. "With You", "Rock and Roll Queen" and the awesome "Oh Yeah" all provoked massive singalongs.

Next, we ran across the field to the NME tent once more, this time to catch the Mystery Jets. In a set peppered with tracks from their second (and much more successful) second album, they really conjured up the whole '80s vibe of their album, they matched their bouncy melodies with a bouncy persona, smiling throughout and really making the atmosphere a good one. "Two Doors Down" was always going to be a highlight, but "Zoo Time" as a closer drew an obviously wonderful chant out of the crowd, even if most of them didn't realise there was a first album at all.

Back to the main stage and We Are Scientists were in full swing, mixing older songs with new, covering '80s classics whose names I can't recall with guitarists from Editors and providing their unrivalled between-song banter. Seriously, they're hilarious, who can blame them for supporting themselves with a stand-up show? But their tunes don't suffer, "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" still crackles along, and "The Great Escape"'s breakneck verses don't disappoint. After being introduced as WAS' aftershow band, Editors more than fulfill their billing. Their album tracks might not be massively interesting, but their singles sound amazing when played live. Tom Smith was clearly loving the experience, jumping on his piano during the breathless chorus of "Bullets" and generally running around the stage constantly, his best Ian Curtis impression blurting out of the huge speaker stacks. "Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors" proved a standout moment, from the first verse until the end, everyone seemed to know the words around us, and it was impossible not to join in.

The Raconteurs were always going to be well-attended, but as Jack White emerged onto the stage, the roar that met him seemed unreal. He truly has become a legend. The show itself lived upto his reputation. Despite the second album not being as good as the first, the songs they played from it were brilliant. "Top Yourself"'s moody blues carried well, and closer "Salute Your Solution" (which I think is the best rock song for years) blasted through the crowd like the juggernaut it is. But it was always going to be "Steady, As She Goes" that got the greatest reaction, even if it was two songs shy of the end. Its effortless, punchy rhythm made everyone move, and Jack White's wails positively filled the air.

Bloc Party was our last appointment at the Main Stage and luckily (from what I've heard since about the sound problems) we were at the front. Accompanied by a stand-in bassist for Gordon Moakes, they tore through a set full of tracks from both the previous albums, as well as a couple from the album that came out on the Thursday the festival started. It's difficult to say which tracks were the best received, because adoration for Bloc Party is something to be reckoned with, every track was screamed for. However, the best moment was the incredible laser light show that started with "Flux". Kele Okoroke danced onstage and led the way for the rest of the audience. "Helicopter" and "The Prayer" may be their most famous outings, but they closed with their first ever singe, "She's Hearing Voices" and it seemed to be a nostalgic moment for the band and the crowd at once.

But to be honest, we left without much ceremony, mainly because Cat was physically dragging me to the NME stage once more. We did slightly muck up on the timing though, as we got there just in time for the Bullet for my Valentine. Now I have nothing against metal, I can enjoy it (and their captive audience certainly were). It's just that when the sound is so badly set up that the double kick-drum they used overpowered all of the other music, it doesn't really make it anymore than violent drum 'n' bass. No, what we really came for was something a little more special. Manic Street Preachers really are something else. How a band with such juxtaposing members actually ever worked is beyond me, but work they do. Nicky Wire alone has an incredible stage presence, he carries himself so well, and he plays the crowd perfectly. James Dean Bradfield wields his guitar like a god, and always knows when to summon up the spirit of Richey Edwards to maximum effect - it makes the crowd go wild. It's testament to this band that the crowd is so incredibly varied, metallers rub shoulders with indie kids, and feather boas are everywhere. Having seen them before, we knew we were going to have a good show in store, but they astounded everyone. Their set was just full of hits. They opened with "Faster", which led into "Your Love Alone...", then there was "Motorcycle Emptiness", a cover of "Pennyroyal Tea" (Amazing), "If You Tolerate This...", and "Motown Junk". Not only that, they played a couple of lesser-known tracks ("Of Walking Abortion" and "Little Baby Nothing") for the hardcore fans. Then they closed with the incredible "Design For Life" - I mean, what a way to end! Why anyone would choose The Killers over this I just cannot understand. If you ever get a chance, see them.

Bombay Bicycle Club - Open House
The Subways - Oh Yeah
Editors - Bullets
Bloc Party - She's Hearing Voices
Manic Street Preachers - Faster

Dancing To A Song About Dancing

Now I'm not usually one for remixes. Mash-ups I can handle, but changing songs that I already like usually doesn't do it for me. However, on the little two week holiday I just took, I got just a little bit obsessed with this remix of the already catchy "I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend etc. etc." by Black Kids by Twelves. I don't have a clue who Twelves are, but I don't really mind, they've made a synth-pop song into a wonderful Justice-like danceathon, and because of that, I implore you to take a listen.

Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach Your BF How To Dance (Twelves Remix)

Shufflin' #1

Well, I thought to create some semblance of professionalism in this, my own little corner of the big bad web, that I'd start a regular (and by regular I mean, 'I will do this again at some point') feature. And so this is it. Are you enjoying it yet? Basically, I'm going to put shuffle on my iTunes, and write about the first few songs that come up, maybe you'll get a small sense of my music taste, maybe you'll get some absolute arse. Who knows? It's Shufflin' Time! (*Copyrights*)

Beck - Hell Yes
Beck; everyone's favourite genre-hopping, hip-hopping, language-hopping musical maestro. This song, from his album Guero (also my first venture into his music, due to the success of E-Pro, I'm afraid to say) was one of my favourite tracks when I first bought it. I don't know what it is about it, it could be the odd robotic voice used throughout, or the sparseness of it all, using the bass as the driving force, but there's something so enchanting about the whole thing.

Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused
Ah the Led, sometimes they irritate me so much, their flamboyance, their wankery, but I don't think it's possible to get over their general genius at creating what they did, when they did. This song shows off so much of what makes them great and so much of what gets on my nerves all at the same time. On the plus side, it really shows off their blues roots, and Robert Plant's wails never sounded better than on a track like this. His opening lines are perfect. But the shifting styles do tend annoy, even if the guitar work is amazing towards the end, it does go on just a bit too long. But it's still an awesome piece of work.

Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice
This is easily my favourite Fatboy Slim track of all time. Slim was always a master of buildup, and this song makes it look so effortless. Each layer of sound works so perfectly, the faux-brass fanfares are executed so well, and with Bootsy Collin's deep vocals over it all, it's just a lovely listen. Plus, have you seen the video? It's got Christopher Walken flying in it! Bloody hell!

So there you are, a few songs from my library for you have a little gander at, nothing too obscure this time, but enjoyable nonetheless. Have fun!

I'm Feeling Animated

What could possibly be better than a song that makes you happy, embodies happiness just through its tune and is made by a band who used to have about 30 translations of their band name into different languages on their Myspace? Pull Tiger Tail have always been about rousing you, making you jump, making you smile, and when I first heard this song, it made me do just that. I couldn't stop playing it, and I was glad of it. Who needs shuffle, when you've got just one thing you'd rather listen to than anything else at that time? Music for me is all about personal reaction to what you're listening to. That might be an obvious statement, but too often it gets overlooked in the pursuit of somthing new, something to force yourself to connect to. Too often it's me that does it.

The thing is, when you truly find that connection on the first few listens to a song, it can just bowl you over. When I first heard this, it came in waves. First the guitar riff, then the bass, then the drums and just as that's grabbed you, the vocals emerge and throw you into a sunny paradise. Then the chorus bursts the song open, and as the singer Marcus' breathless one-word delivery washes over you, well it's something that I can't help but sing along to. It's just brilliance, nothing more, nothing less.
Pull Tiger Tail - Animator

PS. They also did a version of this song that's exactly the same except all the lyrics were sung in French after using an online translator. Awesome.
PPS. They've recently been dropped by their label, have no rights to THEIR OWN ALBUM and may not be able to ever make music professionally again. How much does the music industry suck?

Is This The End?

I don't know about you guys, but music for the Apocalypse is something that's constantly foremost in my thoughts. What with constant news warnings about climate change, nuclear proliferation and the rise in popularity of Philadelphia cream cheese (which is disgusting in case you don't know), I'm constantly thinking of songs that could be used to play out the final moments of my life.

For instance, if I was at some kind of crazy end of the world party, I'd choose The Presets' "My People" (Coincedentally, from their album "Apocalypso"). It could be the fact that it sounds like a flourescent marching song, it could be that the vocals are repeated in a deep, menacing tone, or it could just be the dark sense of foreboding that hangs over the whole thing, but this strikes me as a perfect way to end the world in style.
The Presets - My People [YSI]

Finding A Good Feeling

My dog (that's her in the banner) got hit by a car today, which sucks. Fortunately, she's fine, but it's left me not inconsiderably saddened and, so searching my library for a track to cheer me up, I came up with this recent little gem from indie-pop band du jour This Is Ivy League. They seem to craft the most joyous little tunes out of jangly guitars, intertwining vocals and lyrics like "Don't let the tiniest of complications bring you down my friend/Don't let the slightest complications drive you mad". And if they're telling me not to worry, why should I?
This Is Ivy League - The Richest Kids [YSI]

Warmth

I'm in bed, and I must admit I'm feeling a little chilly. But, on the recommendation of a couple of good friends of mine I recently had a listen to the wonderfully-monikered Bombay Bicycle Club and as their song "Ghost" makes it way through my speakers to my frosty ears I can feel the tremulous tones of Jack Steadman warming me from top to bottom. There's something so wonderfully calming about this song, as the long bridge leads, with winding guitars and echoey 'oohs' not to a deafening crescendo but rather to a surreptitious outro and a tired smile on my face.

Why don't you try it too?
Bombay Bicycle Club - Ghost [YSI]

The Beginning

Well here I am, my own little corner of the web, somewhere to force my opinions on anyone who cares to swing by. Just to outline, I know that there are countless reams of music blogs around the place, but I just want to throw my hat in and get all my kind of music in one place. So, how to begin? Well this is the first post, and in the most tenuous way, this is a marriage of the web with my taste in music, so lets spin that analogy out for as long as we can shall we?

Something Old

Just so you know, Radiohead are my favourite band, end of. They scale the dizzying heights of international stardom whilst never compromising on what they want to do, they challenge the listener without pissing them off, they create full albums rather than singles. No matter how much I might be told they're depressing, I usually feel happy when I listen to them. And so in the spirit of my unbridled love for them, here's the first song I'll put up:
Radiohead - Just [YSI]

Something New

Now, from my cursory viewing of the blogosphere, it would seem I'm a little late to jump on this particular bandwagon, but as new bands go, Mumford & Sons are one of the best I've ever heard. My girlfriend, being the kind and wonderful person she is, took me to see Laura Marling (who's also incredible) at St. James' Church, Piccadilly not so long ago. Some of Mumford & Sons are in her backing band, and they were invited to play their own stuff that night a few hours before the gig. I was absolutely blown away, Marcus Mumford's keening vocals are a joy to hear, especially as the whole band's glorious crescendos explode into life. They only released their debut EP a few days ago, and I suggest you go and listen to it all.
Mumford & Sons - White Blank Page [YSI]

Something Borrowed

Cover songs have got a lot more common recently, what with Live Lounge and Myspace Music. But it's rare that you find one that really equals or eclipses the original song. I think that this song falls nicely into that category though. I found it by randomly buying Q Magazine on a train journey that had a collection of "Mellow Summer Songs" this being among them. It's a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Dancing in the Moonlight" (no connection to Toploader) by Irish singer-songwriter David Kitt.
David Kitt - Dancing In The Moonlight [YSI]

Something Blue

Everyone seems to, and everyone should, know Seasick Steve by now. As far as modern bluesmen go, he makes the coolest, most lo-fi, brilliantly juddering tunes around. Plus the fact that he makes percussion by stomping on a box he calls the Mississippi Drum Machine will never tire.
Seasick Steve - Dog House Boogie [YSI]

So there you are, my first contribution to this swirling mass of mp3s and opinions. Don't forget that if you have a band that you think I might enjoy, or anything you'd like me to have a listen to, send it here and I'll take a listen for you. Bye!