I know this is a bit later than usual, but Southern California doesn't really experience fall until around November. In any case, better late than never I suppose. Fall's Hope is a mix of heartbreaking songs that I think capture the season rather beautifully. There are some new artists on here, along with some blog favorites, and I hope you enjoy the hell out of every last song. If you do, please consider supporting the artist by buying their album or at least the song! [...]
"I'm supposed to advertise myself, so any questions?" seems to be Wallis Bird's personal calling card for the evening. Most of the queries revolve around Wallis' phone number (087-4, apparently), but she's doing a solid job of advertising herself without the assorted between-song antics, producing a charismatic, bubbly singer-songwriter set that's a touch cheesy yet intriguing and fulfilling at the same time. No doubt Wallis picked up a few fans along the way, but right from the off there's no doubt who the sell-out Olympia crowd are wedged against the barriers for. [...]
At the moment, I'm reading Tom Holland's "Millennium", which concerns itself with the history of Europe from the Dark Ages through the millennium (at 1000AD, not the one nine years ago). One of the fascinating little nuggets of information that he's so good at peppering his books with was about the Viking invasion and settlement of northern England. Apparently, despite our perception that the Vikings were a smelly, rampaging horde of barbarians, they bathed once a week, wore eyeliner and took a lot of care over their hair. This, of course, made them rather popular with the [...]
Contrast Podcast recently asked music bloggers like myself to submit our favorite 50 songs of the year for their annual "Festive 503 podcast. Our selections were then compiled into a shortlist and now we've been asked to recruit votes to narrow it down. For the curious, I've bolded the 10 songs I personally voted for. I really, really want "Nice Very Nice" by Kurt Vonnegut & Dave Soldier (from their album Ice-9 Ballads ) to make the final list. Not only because it's my favorite song of the year, from my favorite album of the year, [...]
Matter of Time mp3 The Leisure Society The Sleeper ..... ..... buy it Well, now this is getting interesting... Over at the Contrast Podcast , Tim's solicited everyone for their favorite 50 songs of 2009, remember? From all the responses he's compiled the top 155. I'm very impressed with the list! If you didn't submit your faves yet, you've still got a chance to get in the game at this point! Help us out, eh? (I"ve highlighted my top 10 in blue) Here's [...]
Last week, I introduced you to Delphic – a trance quartet hailing from Manchester. It would appear that Mancunians are very much on the ball musically of late, since Dutch Uncles , the indie stars I'd like to introduce to you today, similarly spawn from the Northern city. Dutch Uncles are signed, rather intriguingly, to Germany's biggest label, Tapete Records, and have already released themselves a full-length album back in February. However, it's just these past few months the quintet have truly started to set tounges-a-wagging. Dutch Uncles skilfully fuse fuzz [...]
Be sure to catch the Danish act at: 1/27 Mercury Lounge (NYC) 1/28 Union Hall (Brooklyn) Mew hearts Oh No Ono. Visit Oh No Ono at their official site. MP3: Oh No Ono - The Wave Ballet
Any lingering doubts that chivalry is, in fact, dead were obliterated at the Academy on Thursday night. Though a majority female audience had filed in to see the red half of synth-pop duo La Roux perform in Dublin for the second time in 2009, the front row was, to a man, entirely male – in many cases stood square in front of shorter women. Granted, it probably had little effect on anybody's enjoyment of the concert, but you do tend to notice these things from the venue's curved balcony, and it does cause one to worry about the [...]
La scorsa settimana abbiamo terminato il nostro viaggio attraverso gli album più importanti del decennio che si sta concludendo. Abbiamo quindi pensato di riassumere il tutto in questo post che non è altro che la lista completa, tappa per tappa, degli album che di volta in volta abbiamo approfondito, in modo tale da avere una sorta di indice delle varie puntate. Dopo il salto trovate anche la listona di tutti gli album che di anno in anno sono stati inseriti fra "gli album da salvare". [...]
Going to a concert whilst wearing a suit is an interesting experience, especially after previously being at a do at the Polish Embassy (yes, really). Ignoring the puzzled glances from my fellow gig-goers at the Shepherds Bush Empire, I settled into the capacity crowd, sadly not at the front. What, you think I'm going to get creases in these trousers? Mew, in case you didn't already know, are one of the most adventurous rock bands around these days. Their songs blend heartstoppingly brilliant bits with slightly more tedious bits. Their best songs blend heartstoppingly brilliant bits [...]
As icy autumn dew flickers off the patchy blades of malnourished grass on Shepherds Bush green, surrounded by the overbearing commercialism of Westfield shopping centre and colossal cinema complexes, a paralleled chillingly beautiful prospect awaits. In a frozen dressing room, guitarist extraordinaire of Danish cult overlords and perpetual outsiders Mew , Bo Madsen sprawls apprehensively over the sort of brown varnished sofa usually seen gracing the pavements of West London, as the heating finally surges through air vents overhead and distant sirens blare. Named allegedly after the noises gargled incomprehensibly by seagulls, as self-professed 'extreme seagull enthusiasts' they're a [...]
After having to postpone his Irish gigs last month after a bout of laryngitis, punk-poet geezah Jamie T has rescheduled dates next year in bigger venues due to demand. The Londoner is now playing the Mandela Hall in Belfast (upgraded from the Limelight) on February 9 and Dublin's Academy (upgraded from the Village) on February 10. Tickets for both gigs go on sale at 10am tomorrow, Friday 13, from Ticketmaster and usual outlets. The Academy gig will set you back 18.95 including booking fee, and tickets for the Mandela Hall cost £15.50. If you have a ticket for [...]
MP3 of the Day is a bit later today due to my sleeping in after a (frankly amazing) Mew gig last night in London. They're easily some of the most talented Danes out there, epic but not too over the top. "Sometimes Life Isn't Easy" was a personal highlight. Genius, really great band. In other news, Wolf Gang (who I've been getting a bit obsessive over lately - read our interview here ) has just had his new single, The King and All of His Men, remxed twice. Personally I prefer [...]
Upon walking in for the support act for a band, you can often find yourself with a head-scratcher. Choir of Young Believers, though, if not sonically identical to Mew, certainly share the same stable. The enormous video rig which Mew always take on the road necessitated a few small changes in the stage set-up tonight, chief among them was the need to push the drummers against the side wall, rather than the back.
I was somehow convinced/manipulated by Anders to compile a list of my 25 favorite albums of the past decade and submit it for a soon-to-be-published Frekvens Top 50. Having spent several hours on this project today, I now clearly recall why I hate making those lists. Be it a best of the year, decade, whatever, list, I still hate it. They are just so definitive and once you've published them, there's always the risk that they'll be used forever to question your taste, judgment and lack of knowledge. [...]
Eccoci all'ultima puntata di " So 00's " la rubrica dedicata agli album più importanti dell'ultimo decennio. Non è facile scegliere già ora un'album del 2009, non tanto perchè deve ancora terminare (considerato che ormai i giochi sono fatti) ma perchè sono convinto che solo con il tempo si riesce realmente a capire il vero valore di un'album sotto ogni aspetto. Nel 2009 abbiamo avuto diversi ottimi dischi: Mastodon , Isis , Patrick Wolf , Bat For Lashes , The Horrors , solo per citare i primi che mi vengono in mente sul [...]
Mew Beach The vocals and even some of the guitar work are immediately reminiscent of Built to Spill, but nope, this is Mew , a prog-tinged band from Copenhagen, Denmark that flew under my radar until I, by chance, accidentally downloaded it. Now I'm sure that Olga and Jace of the Besnard Lakes either love or loathe this band and have already done the requisite apostle/apostate work on 'em, but sadly, my musical knowledge can be [...]
As one of the more produced rock bands in the shops these days, it was hard to imagine what Danish rockers Mew would deliver in the live setting when the technicians had gone and they were left with just instruments and effects. Tonight dispelled any such fears, but the full-ish Academy crowd were just delighting in finally being able to witness these peculiar and peerless prog-rockers. It's unlikely that the Academy, or any Irish venue for that matter, has hosted anything like Mew before. The set was an education in technical virtuosity and bombastic [...]
Hyphe Makkuro Kurosuke | Gejius Arrows Of Eros (with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble) | Golden Silvers Havin' My Baby | Think About Life Here Come The Horns | Delinquent Habits Mo Milly (prod. by Boi-1da) | Birdman ft. Drake & Bun B Public Skool | E.Y.E.Q. & J.O. feat Kalil Kash Daylight | Aesop Rock More Soup [feat. [...]
Vampire Weekend - Cousins
WKND PLYLST!! This has nothing to do with NEW MOON!
Bobby B's Top 50 Albums Of The Decade (#25-21)
HOT CHIP TAKE another crack at IT and I’m IN
