I don't hold out much hope that New Order will reform any time soon, not if statements by Hooky and Bernard are anything to go by. Given that, news of a new track came as something of a surprise. 'Hellbent' is apparently a leftover from the Sirens Call era, though it never made it to the album. It sounds better than most of the songs that did end up on that album to this listener, so one wonders why it was relegated to the vault in the first place. But we may never know the answer to that [...]
[Photo by stjnky ] Saturday already, and we are going to miss this place. Start the day at Spin watching Portugal the Man and filling our bags with free popcorn (for reasons to be explained later) La Zona Rosa is chaotic. I’m stuck in a ten inch square, caged by Matt’s cymbals, so much tripping over ensues. Great BBQ and free bloody Mary’s adds to the danger. Throw everything in the van and rush to our final show. The guitar piñata is brimming with popcorn and nuts and any [...]
I don't know about you, but every year there is always one particular song that tends to blow me away. In 2009 I would say Temper Trap's 'Sweet Disposition' soundtracked my year. Last year it was Pete Lawrie's 'Jimmy and The Birds On Fire'. I can safely say that this year there will not be a song that blows me away as much as this studio rendition of 'Bell Jar' by Louise Hull from Louise and The Pins. I first heard it live at the Glastonbury ETC final, and it blew the place away. I was sent [...]
So, Day 2, bleary eyed, but ready for action and an early run down to the main strip sees events already beginning to kick off big time, methinks there’s more people here today for some reason... ...Razorlight maybe? And don't forget to hit those band names for linkage to sound and vision... [...]
BIYL's favorite band appeared on the Conan O'Brien show last night. The appearance was a big hit, with Conan calling it 'madness!', and his website declaring that the band 'literally destroy[ed] the stage with rock!'. They performed 'Whirring', and while it wasn't quite the 7-minute opus of the album, they did manage to jam out with an extended coda. Worth watching just for the reaction to Rhydian's kick drum headstand! I also wanted to take a moment to say how proud we are of the band, and how pleased we are to see how far they've come in [...]
As last minute step-in for BIYL’s Mark who was off honing his culinary skills for a rather important anniversary, I took on this job with trepidation and an uncharacteristic lack of planning.... ...But if there was ever anywhere where trepidation and an uncharacteristic lack of planning were actually a bonus for the survival kit, the 2011 Camden Crawl was surely it... My brief was simple, witness a brace of memorable sets by (mostly) not so [...]
We have a winner! Congratulations to Aubrey, who will receive the 4 remastered & expanded Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds albums. Thanks to everyone that entered!
It's been a good, long while since we've had a giveaway on the site, but I hope you'll agree that this has been well worth the wait! We have a prize pack of the final 4 Bad Seeds albums to receive the remaster treatment. This includes Let Love In , Murder Ballads , The Boatmans Call , and No More Shall We Part . All the albums have been remastered in 5.1 surround sound and include a bonus collector's disc with additional audio tracks, videos, and short films. These are clearly a must [...]
Cardiff psych-rockers The Keys have unveiled their debut long player Bitten By Wolves , and it has been gracing my car stereo for the last month or so. I'm a little late with my review as this dropped the 2nd, and for that I apologise! The band formed from the ashes of Murry The Hump, a group that such luminaries as Joe Strummer and John Peel waxed lyrical. Their musical pedigree is evident throughout, as this is a record that thrives on diversity. Influences from Zappa on through to Animal Collective can be heard. Indeed, I can even feel [...]
Pete Lawrie - A Little Brighter 9.5/10 This is the only real contender for essential album out of the clutch that sit on my desk. I have been a long time admirer of Pete Lawrie, and this is an album that seems to of been ages coming. Indeed, many of the tracks are familiar to those of us who have followed the handful of EPs and free downloads that have teased us over the last 18 months. The whole album is full [...]
Last night I was privileged to join the movers and shakers on the east Anglian music scene, judging the battle of the bands for a mainstage slot at the UK's brightest new festival. BIYL have been working closely in collaboration with the organisers over the last couple of months, as this competition has unfolded. I'm sure everyone of us who judged last night's final will agree that it's no easy decision when you have to pick a winner. I was impressed with both runners-up I Am Austin and the wonderful minimalist jazz outfit Taxi, for whom I'm sure a slot [...]
The King Blues appearance at Soundclash was billed as an instore, but I got the feeling that it was always intended to be a performance as opposed to just a PR visit & record signing for the latest album Punk and Poetry . It was a clever and subversive way of bucking the city's performance licensing laws. With music firmly entrenched in the anti-establishment camp, The King Blues speak loudly and clearly to those with a social conscience. The 100 or so people gathered at one of the county's best independent [...]
ED - Many thanks to Steve Hunt for covering this for us. The Jim Jones Revue supported by John Lewis Henry Norwich Saturday night saw the infamous Jim Jones Revue hit town at the Waterfront, Norwich. The show was scheduled for an unusually early 7 o'clock start to allow for an early finish due to the Saturday club night to follow. I was somewhat sceptical about the start time not really lending itself to the type of music on offer, kind of like [...]
What? What?! WHAT??! Yes, it's true! Tom Vek is back with new music and a new album due the 6th of June. Titled Leisure Seizure , it's Vek's first new output in nearly 6 years. Readers may recall I dedicated a 'Whatever Happened To...' feature to him a few years back, though I think it was - amusingly enough - lost during our infamous hacking debacle. Vek experienced overnight success on the back of his 2005 album, We Have Sound , but after passing through the fickle hype cycle of the blogosphere, Vek all but vanished. [...]
I rather like these lads hailing from Swindon and formed just over a year ago, they have been turning more than a few heads amongst industry insiders. Having leaked a few tracks online and built up a cult fan base, the band played a packed BBC Introducing stage last year at Glastonbury. There is a good mix of emotional lyrics and indie melody on the band's debut single, 'Empty Promises' slated to drop May 16th. It's self-released on NIR Records. www.myspace.com/wearenapoleoni nrags www.facebook.com/wearenapoleon inrags Empty Promises by napoleon-in-rags
This is not a band I know a whole heap about, but I was introduced to them by an industry insider a few weeks ago. He was telling me a fairly incredulous story about a band going to Vegas to try to win enough money to record a debut album. What took place on that trip is best told by the band themselves... Vegas Baby! The cards were stacked against The Black Sharks having enough money to make their debut album – until a change of luck delivered not only the cash, but also [...]
As a writer, you sometimes hit onto something way before the rest of the vast array of other sites out there. Such was the case with To Kill A King. I was lucky enough to have struck up a rapport via email with Ian from the band before the band released any material. Indeed, we were the first site to feature them back in November 2009, and they were also one of my five tips to break last year. With that in mind, I'm more than pleased to report that they are set to release their first proper [...]
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Paper Airplane 7/10 Having returned to the studio with her band for the first time since 20042s much lauded Lonely Both Ways , Krauss has pretty much picked up where she left off. Her collaboration with Robert Plant on 20072s Raising Sand was a departure which introduced her to a whole new mainstream audience. As a body of work, Paper Airplane does not have the momentous feel of her collaborations, at [...]
This Saturday is the 4th annual Record Store Day . If you're not familiar with this unusual holiday, it was conceived in 2007 as a way to celebrate the culture and community surrounding independently-owned record shops around the world (of which there are fewer and fewer all the time, unfortunately). There are mixed opinions as to how effective/beneficial RSD is. Some worry it simply fuels high prices for eBay auctions, and others worry the number of releases is getting ridiculously out of hand (more than 300 this year!). Its defenders [...]
Lately, we're all playing catchup at BIYL. This is what happens when you have an actual life outside of Blogsville! Imagine! Coupled with all the site issues we've been dealing with as of late, our posting frequency has dropped significantly. Don't worry, this isn't a signal that the site is shutting down or that anyone is leaving. In fact, the opposite is true! We have all kinds of exciting stuff coming up, including some involvement with Playfest, which Mark has already mentioned . We even picked up a new writer along the way, Tony. You can read his first [...]
Battery In Your Leg
![Washed Out - It All Feels Right [OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/youtube/qJILRWBKnQ4_130.jpg)
Video: Kanye West – Yeezus [Short Film]
The Swiss – Elouisa EP
Real Magic “Dancing On My Own (Robyn Cover)”
