We Are Scientists are a band that don't get entirely as much love as they should. Along with being damned amusing as people, they make some of the best indie-rock I've heard, erm, in the last 10 years. This album, while not particularly ground-breaking, is one I find myself coming back to time and again; it's an example of a familiar style of music, but being executed so perfectly you can see past any contrivance. While he jokes around with fellow band members in interviews, with their pop culture references and bizzare [...]
Grand Theft Parsons On DVD now I picked up Grand Theft Parsons on a whim, paying £1.50 for it second-hand. I'd heard mention of the film before, knew it involved both Gram Parsons and Johnny Knoxville (both of whom which, for better or for worse, I am a fan of), and, I understood, had something of a "cult status" (or so it appeared to me). Prior to watching the film, I decided to look up some info about it (as I [...]
For both Where The Wild Things Are and The Fantastic Mr Fox are on Spotify now. Go listen! Where The Wild Things Are is something of a primary school symphony, credited to Karen O and the Kids; that is, the idiosyncratic Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman, accompanied by a choir or rugrats. Simple, almost Kimya Dawson-like acoustic guitars rule mostly, but we do get flourishes of basic lines of xlophone plinking and strings plonking. Thoroughly enjoyable, [...]
I've noticed a pattern between two of the most popular female-fronted acts that have risen to fame in the year of our Lord 2009 - that is, La Roux and Florence and The Machine - and that is that they both sound a bit like ghosts sometimes. But different kinds of ghosts… La Roux - In For The Kill The lovely Elly Jackson of La Roux - in this song more than any others on the duo's self-titled debut - sounds like [...]
I first heard Manchester's The Distractions early this year on a radio programme by David Quantick about mix-tapes ; he used their song "Valerie" as an example of a prefect song to put on a tape if you've only got a little bit of time left on it. He could have just left it at "perfect song". Starting with a short piece of dreamy piano, the song suddenly explodes into some Buzzcock s-style punk-with-pop-sensibilities, documenting the narrator's lost love… I love Valerie But now I think it's through I love Valerie But [...]
Awesome piano-popster Ben Folds has (finally) got another (proper) album coming out, entitled Way To Normal, which will see release in the US on 30th September (and a day earlier in the UK. Ha!). Ben's MySpace features two songs from the new album; the brilliant "Hiroshima" (about falling off stage at the beginning of a concert), and the possibly even-more-brilliant "The Bitch Went Nuts", which chronicles an ill-advised date with a militant left-wing conspiracy nut who, whose somewhat-"nuts" behaviour in seeing everyone as an evil conservative, means that when the narrator "close[s his] eyes [...]
Yes, Nashville punk foursome Be Your Own Pet are splitting up, according to this message on their website... "To all of our fans, we are sad to bring you the news that our upcoming shows in the UK are going to be our last as a band. We thank you for all your love and support these past few years. It's been a blast, but the time has come for the four of us to go our separate ways." Whatever happened to promising young [...]
Following in the tradition of Run DMC & Aerosmith, and Public Enemy & Anthrax (but, luckily, sounding nothing like either Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park), The Streets and Muse have teamed up for a rock/rap collaboration, apparently recorded during a "jam session" last year (and leaked this morning) annnnd...well, it kinda sounds like it. Keep with it 'til the first chorus, though, and then it starts sounding less like Muse and Mike Skinner dicking about in the studio, and more like an English Rage Against The Machine. It's pretty cool. [...]
Having just got through re-watching Kevin Smith's horrendously underrated Mallrats, I thought I should make a third post of the day - but just having it be one of those half-assed, post-a-song-with-a-teneuous-li nk-to-my-activites-of-the-day- posts. So, here is Weezer 's "Susanne", the song which plays over the film's end credits, and is a nice little slice of classic early Weezer power pop. Enjoy! Download "Susanne"
Mike Skinner, aka The Streets, has released the self-produced (ie a little bit crap) video for new song "The Escapist", which previews new album Everything Is Borrowed, due for release on Septmeber 15th. The song certianly delivers on Skinner's promises to move away from his usual chronicling of his life events (as seen on...well, all the other Streets albums), and also features more "peaceful positive vibes", in contrast to the last album's "guilt-ridden indulgence". Now, said previous album, The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, was somewhat indulgent, and [...]
Dev Hynes, aka Lightspeed Champion, aka the best band to come about this year, so far, talks about the making of, influences for and musicians on his debut "solo" album Falling Off The Lavender Bridge (aka the best album of the year, so far). Listen to the man! Despite the hair, he has smart things to say! Download Lightspeed Champion - "Men's Needs" (The Cribs cover)
Okay, so I'm back from the hiatus I didn't say anything about (I was busy...having a life), and no-one cares about anyway, so on with the music! Today's post is gonna consist mostly of stuff I've been sent over the past couple of months by various labels, street teams and marketing people. It's all pretty good, though! I guess the Gmail spam filter also handles crappy music. It seems AOL have graduated from giving mediocre internet connections (at least back in the [...]
Time for a little new(ish) album review round-up wrap-up dealie. Reviews of the new Beck album, laid-back indie folk The Fairline Parkway, and the 02 Wireless festival to come this week too (if you're lucky)! Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust XL Recordings Ooh, now this is good. While those Sigur Rós have never been Smiths-level depressing, their epic sound has always had a sense of melancholy, conjuring up images of desolate [...]
Jay-Z knows how to respond to criticism with class; rather than acting like a baby, he just sampled Noel Gallagher's "hip-hop isn't right for Glastonbury" sound clip , and then covered Oasis' "Wonderwall", before launching into a rousing, AC/DC-sampling "99 Problems". Oh, and reportedly he got a bigger crowd than Kings of Leon . Ha! Watch the whole set on BBC
Where's the love? Tonight sees hip-hop superstar Jay-Z headline the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter , is a man who has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, released 10 albums in 12 years, owns and runs both a record label and a clothing line, has kick started the careers of now-superstars such as Kanye West, and has most recently been devoting a large portion of his time to charity work. And yet, because he doesn't produce "guitar music", Oasis frontman and famous talker [...]
The Long Blondes guitarist/songwriter and Jarvis Cocker-lookalike Dorian Cox is "in a serious condition" in a hospital in Sheffield, according to a statement on the band's website; On 9th June, Dorian was rushed to hospital after falling ill, and he is still in hospital in Sheffield in a serious condition. Because of this we will regrettably be canceling all our live appearances until the end of July. Dorian is improving slowly and we will keep you updated on his condition. If you would like to leave a message on myspace, facebook, or through the website, [...]
With their third (!) self-titled album - and sixth album overall - Weezer, and lead songwriter/singer/guitarist Rivers Cuomo, seems to have shaken themselves out of the creative funk that they had during 2004's uninspiring Make Believe. Well, for a little bit, anyway. Weezer - Self-titled Geffen For one, Cuomo has gone away from the horrible po-facedness of Make Believe's really awful tracks, like "We Are All On Drugs" and "Beverly Hills", and has returned [...]
Guillemots Nottingham Rock City, 3rd June Support: Royworld (zzzzzzz) For better or for worse, no pics for this one. Sorry! (Above pic is from some other show - hence Fyfe's long flowing locks, rather than the messy Dylan-esque mop he sports nowadays) The Guillemots have been famed for their weird and wacky live shows - improvising songs based off topics suggested by the audience, running through the crowd banging dust bins etc. Tonight, as the foursome play in support of new(ish) [...]
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Lana Del Rey - Without You (Kill Paris Remix) [Dubstep]
Miike Snow - “Paddling Out” Jacques Lu Cont Remix (MP3 Stream)
Iron & Wine and Patty Griffin
Download: James Blake Live Album (Unofficial)
Circo Voador anuncia shows de The Kooks, Foster The People, Friendly Fires, Gogol Bordello e mais
