Sigur Ros- New Album?

So, in my weekly e-mail from NME about what hype band everyone is obsessing about lately and what drugs Amy and Pete have been gobbling like sweets, I found a snippet of news regarding 'slow motion heavy metal' (their words, not mine) band Sigur Ros. The band have said on their website that they are putting the finishing touches to their follow up to the amazing Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust- dare you to say it three times fast! The drummer in the band, with an equally unpronounceable name, Orri Páll DýRason revealed that the album would be "much less noisy" than previous releases, and feature an altogether more abstract vibe. I for one can't wait to hear it, I've been playing Med... on repeat whenever I'm feeling down or just need that time to chillax and think, I just hope that their new offering will be just as beautiful.

Was this just an excuse to post some Sigur Ros?

HELL YES.

The perfect break up song.

Heaven Knows He's.. Bloody Old Now..

I know, his birthday was yesterday, but I was busy and so didn't have time to pay homage to the God of Gloom, the Third Sex, Mr Stephen Patrick Morrissey. Sycophantic enough for you?

PA Photos

So, Mozzer has reached the grand old age of 50- hard to believe isn't it? For anyone over the age of 30, The Smiths doesn't seem like that long ago, and to any teenage fans it doesn't sound like he ever really grew up in terms of his music. After 25 years since his first single, Morrissey's lyrics are still as poignant and meaningful as ever, and I predict that his songs full of love, loss and loneliness will be heralded as some of the finest songsmanship in years to come.

Personally Morrissey and indeed Marr's music has given me an outlet to all the pitfalls that a teenage life can bring: the occassional splurge of jealousy when our friends 'Become Successful', the over dramatic tales of rejection and the general feeling that nobody understands. Morrissey's lyrics are in my eyes beautiful yet tragic at the same time, despairing yet hilarious, arrogant yet humble. Love him or loathe him, nobody can deny that Mr. Morrissey has an amazing gift for writing songs that are relateable in some way or another. As far as I'm concerned, he is a total legend- Happy Birthday Mozzer!

Magnetic Attraction

Lame title I know, but I'm running low on creativity this week.

I may be a little behind the hype, but I just HAD to blog about The Magnetic Fields. They are truly brilliant in the way that they sound both enlightening and miserable at the same time.

I love it.

The Magnetic Fields sound like Joy Division being injected with prozac and rainbows whilst being beaten up by The Pet Shop Boys- some day huh? Still, if you listen to the track below you'll see what I mean. There's also something slightly Mouldy Peaches about them too, not sure whether it's the bemusing lyrics or just the vocalist's voice, but I can't seem to shake the comparison on some of their tracks.

What do you crazy folks think?

A Midweek Pick Me Up

So, in my next attempt at a mini-post during the run up to exams I shall let you in on one of my favourite singer songwriters, the wonderfully surreal folk outfit known as Sue and the Unicorn.

Photo by Matthew Cotton

Now you may have seen this quirky mademoiselle, aka Sue Denim, in chaotic electro duo Robots in Disguise, but what you may not be aware of is that for the past year or so she's been extending her talents to the realms of folk.

Sue and the Unicorn has been a not so guilty pleasure of mine for some time now, always meant to post about her but never quite got around to it. Sue's songs are brilliant due to their sheer simplicity: It literally is just her and a guitar, and there's no better song to highlight this than 'Like Brewster McCloud.' The acoustic guitar is a perfect backdrop for her slightly otherworldy lyrics about wanting to be free to laugh and live and, errm, fly. A more Ska-influenced version of the track also fails to disappoint. The song sounds entirely different to the original, the Reggae lilt creating a much brighter and chilled tone, which is in itself quite an impressive feat seeing as the original is more than a little bit wistful in comparison.

My favourite track, and what I think epitomises everything I like about Sue is 'Til the Sweat Dries.' Sue's vulnerable pleading for more than just a one night stand almost mystifies. There's no pretentiousness here as is with some musicians of this calibre; what you hear is more certainly what was intended, and there's definitely no smoke and mirrors. Just simple chords and Sue's soaring vocals, enough to give me goosebumps. And then, just when you think it's getting too sappy, Sue changes her mind and cheekily commands to get inside me. Brilliant.

My only qualm with Sue.. is that even with two mini tours under her belt, she has yet to release an EP of any sort and most of her songs are still in demo form. Get a move on woman!

However, in the meantime there's always this upbeat and thoroughly cute track, recorded in some random park in Germany. Enjoy.

SUE AND THE UNICORN : PICK ME UP from brian belukha on Vimeo.

For the mentioned tracks and more, visit
www.myspace.com/sueandtheunicorn