This is a perfect accompaniment to the family arguing and chocolate bingeing that usually befalls Boxing day. I've been dying for Elbow to come back after the mass success of last album Seldom Seen Kid; Guy Garvey's voice does wonders to make the cold winter months that little bit cosier. If this is any kind of barometer for how the new album is shaping up, then we can only really expect good things.
Elbow are set to perform a couple of dates at the massive O2 arena in the new year, and about time too! After all the years of hard toiling, the Mancunian band definitely deserve all the success they've accrued in recent years. Now, if they could just add a certain festival slot to their lineup..
Build a Rocket Boys! is out on 7th March. (Eeeee!)
The man never stops working. Ever.
Merry Christmas and all that.
Thursday 16 December 2010
Whilst I'm feeling political, I may as well show you what's destined to be the underdog in the fight for Christmas number one this year. No I'm not talking about that ghastly X Factor song or the inspired yet frankly bizarre Cage Against the Machine (although as I understand it profits from that are going to charity, so if you're buying it then good on you). I'm talking about a ska song. I know, I'm as shocked as you are. Not just any ska song though, an anti-Condem ska song. Wonders truly never cease. If you're as intrigued as I was when I first heard about it then check it out and see what you make of it:
Well, as far as Christmas songs go, this is definitely, errm, perky. No sleighbells, East 17 or Noddy Holder (thank God). A Scrooge's heaven. But there is some method behind the madness. This song, in my eyes, encapsulates the essence of what the student movement has been about. Of course, if you only know what you've seen on the front page of the Daily Mail then you may take a different perspective, but having been on the frontline so to speak, I saw an entirely different atmosphere to the protests. This wasn't a group of thugs intent on destroying Whitehall, this wasn't (initially) a riot, this was a mass celebration of solidarity. Former students, current students and even schoolchildren united, even though the impending tuition fee rise would not affect 2/3s of the groups marching there. There were also members of unions and even grandparents there, all showing the country that they actually care about what happens to the next generation.
I don't want to get too political here as this is a music blog first and foremost, but what I saw was beautiful. I of course condemn completely the subsequent violence that a small minority of people carried out, but I cannot stress enough that this was the minority.
What struck me most however, was that amongst the chanting and the witty banners there was almost a carnival vibe to it all. The lovely folks at SOAS even brought their band to play to the protesters, playing to their hearts content and being met with dancing in the streets. At times it felt more like a party than a protest, but the message of direct action never seemed to be lost. No matter how many kettles they were corralled in, they fought back by staging more protests, more university occupations, more lobbying of their MP's. And ok, so we lost, but for me this was about more than just the fight for the future of education; it was about awakening a whole new generation of people to the unifying power of politics, that's got to be worth something right?
So I think this song strikes just about the right tone of it all. It's clever and has an air of tongue in cheek at times (maybe that's just me though, I can never take brass seriously for some reason, I blame the circus), but more importantly it's something we can all sing along to. Maybe at the next protest eh?
Liar Liar is out from tomorrow on iTunes.
Who said protest songs were dead in 2010?
Incase you missed me raving about how great this young woman's Leftfield debut was at this year's Glastonbury festival, I thought I might as well remind you in the form of her new song Emily Davidson Blues.
It's songs like this that give me hope that there will be a new wave of protest songs to coincide with the resurgence of interest in political issues. Anything that gets people into both music and the state of their country's affairs can only be a good thing to me; this song manages to do both simultaneously with its catchy chorus and thoroughly articulate lyrics. Very impressed.
Grace Petrie is supporting Billy Bragg at his gig at The Troxyon Thursday, if you live in London and have a spare 20 quid I'd definitely check it out. With Billy Bragg you always know that he'll put on a decent, passionate performance, but it's nice to know that the support act is just as ballsy.
Friday 5 November 2010
Just a quickie from me today as I've a thousand and one things to do. I stumbled across this during one of my many bursts of procrastination this week and instantly fell in love with it. I'm not a massive Bob Dylan fan so I'm rather surprised that this struck me quite as much as it did.
Does anyone else also get the image of the World's tallest doctor (from Scrubs) when they see this act name?
I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing this man sing. Stunning. I love the way in which the crowd is hanging on his every indistinguishable word as well, I bet the atmosphere was incredible. To me that's what real music is about- any sound that can make a large crowd fall silent without the music being mind numbingly boring must be pretty powerful.
I splurged a bit and bought tickets to see him at Hammersmith Apollo, even though I already saw him in Bristol not too long ago. It's not every day that music as breathtaking as this comes into town (or at least that's my excuse).
If you want to catch him while he's still in the UK then be quick as his Hammersmith date is the last one over here for this tour. He's also playing Tokyo, Brussels and Washington if you're that obsessed (thankfully I'm not quite there yet).
I've been wanting to do a post about a certain youtubesensationturnedcomedytalent for a while now, but was worried it would lower the tone of this blog to near subterranean depths (and that's a very dark place folks). So after, well, minutes of deliberation, I thought fuck it, go on then. So here we are. Enjoy. And don't say I didn't warn you.
If you're the type who spends your working hours traipsing through videos of cute kittens and fat kids dancing on Youtube then you might have stumbled upon this fine gentleman before. He also performed a series of shows at this year's Edinburgh Festival to rave reviews. 20 year old Bo Burnham is one of the most refreshing comedy acts to emerge from America in a very long time (with maybe the exception of Rich Hall). No offense meant to my American readers of course, but it's no secret that you guys just don't get irony. Or sarcasm. Basically anything remotely resembling British humour. Burnham however seems to be the exception to the rule; he writes with an almost overbearing self awareness that lends itself to some brilliant (if at times graphic) one liners. Listening to his new album Words Words Words I can't decide whether to laugh out loud or cringe: either way it's quite an evocative and rather inspired album.
I struggle to believe Burnham is only 20, with music so versatile and lyrics drenched in world weary cynicism, you'd be forgiven in thinking he was much more experienced than a teenager who spends his free time in his bedroom with a keyboard and a camera.
Bo Burnham's new album Words Words Words is out now on iTunes and from his website here.
Canadian avant garde band Brasstronaut are set to release their critically acclaimed debut album Mount Chimera this next week, and by the sounds of it it's going to be one to watch out for. Recorded in the rocky mountains, this EP promises to be a burst of weird yet wonderful sounds, fusing elements of classical, experimental and jazz to create a rather intriguing pop album. Even Sigur Ros are impressed by the outfit, so much so that they invited them to play to a crowd of nearly 3000 people at the Art Museum in Reykjavik. Not bad for a new band eh?
Mount Chimera features all manner of bizarre instruments, including the beautifully named flugelhorn (make up your own jokes) and combines them, along with a more conventional pop set up, in order to create a thoroughly left field album with definitely more than a hint of Radiohead. This kind of stargazy vibe has been everywhere lately, with Brasstronaut just adding to the throng of new artists keen to impress the swathes of indie hipsters around America and Europe. Whilst I can imagine chilling to this with a nice bottle of Rose on a cold winter's eve, it's not exactly setting my heart alight with the urge to get up and boogie like something by Radiohead would. There's no doubt though that Brasstronaut produce thoroughly interesting music, both in composition and execution; for that alone I will definitely for buying the album.
After all the excitement of the halloween festivities and a heavy night on the cider, the thought of facing another working week may leave you feeling slightly zombified. Bits of decimated pumpkin scatter your street and your house looks post-apocalyptic after that ill advised halloween party (never again you say, until next year of course). Sound like you? Well, don't go fretting, all hope is not lost. The mighty power of Spotify will help you put the spring back in your step- slowly but surely.
Elephant Parade- Friday Night (perfect on a Monday morning)
Radiohead- Idioteque
Peaches- Give 'Er
Cold War Kids- Hang Me Up to Dry
Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip- Thou Shalt Always Kill (a favourite here at Irrelevant Twaddle)
Metric- Gimme Sympathy
Frightened Rabbit- Keep Yourself Warm
Lykke Li- Dance, Dance, Dance
Alessi's Ark- Magic Weather
Pixies- Monkey Gone to Heaven
The Go! Team- Get It Together
Newton Faulkner- Feels Like Home
Babyshambles- Albion
The Postmarks- Summers Never Seem to Last
Nicholas Stevenson- Cambridge
Johnny Foreigner- Sofacore
Mumford & Sons- Sigh No More
Noah & the Whale- Love is an Orchestra
We don't pretend to be miracle workers here, but 9 times out of 10 it's been proven to inject some much needed oomph back into even the most hungover scoundrel (as tried and tested on the Irrelevant Twaddle minion).
Since I'm in a new music mood, I thought I'd show you what was arguably the anthem of the summer, even before its release.
If you've been out and about on the festival circuit this year then you'll have noticed a certain Winchester lad popping up time and time again to bring you more anthemic tunes than you can shake a stick at, in the rocky troubadour stylings that have sent him rocketing into mainstream success. Of course I could only be talking about one Frank Turner. It's a bit weird hearing a brand new song on the radio and knowing the words to it, but it doesn't matter how many times I hear this song, it still sends shivers down my spine (as much of his work seems to do). I don't think I need to justify my fan girlsmanship though, as the video kind of speaks for itself:
One of his best so far I reckon.
Although his new LP won't be released until next spring, this track along with a couple of other new ones will be on a shiny new EP, set to be released on 6th December. Or, if you can't wait that long, you can buy the track now on iTunes and preorder the EP from here.
Here's the new single from electropop beauty Lykke Li. Although it doesn't leave much to the imagination, (it's not every day that I hear a chorus of 'I'm a Prostitute', that's for sure..) it's a bit edgier than some of her previous tracks which gives it some much needed impact. Considering I wasn't really a fan of her first album, I like the energy of this a lot more than some of her other stuff. I'm looking forward to what her follow up has to offer.
You can download this track for free from her website.
Ok so that was lame, but I can't honestly be the first to do a Take That related pun..
Rumours were abundant at the beginning of the week when Take That announced a UK tour in the summer of 2011 that, with a sizeable hole in their touring schedule, made them a strong contender to be a Glasto headliner (though I'd have put them on in the Scissor Sisters mid evening Pyramid slot myself). Would they grace the iconic stage to entertain thousands of with love songs and, well, love songs ? Well, why not, they certainly wouldn't be the first pop act to play Glasto and definitely not the last. With acclaimed appearances by Lady Gaga, Lily Allen and even Shakira to packed out crowds, the genre has seen a remarkable resurgence in recent years.
But alas, it was not meant to be. The band confirmed today that although they'd like to take a trip down to Worthy Farm, it would be as punters rather than performers: "If we're having a good time we might get on the bus and go down. We can go and take our caravan and watch a few other bands, but our production is too big to bring to a festival stage."Take That frontman Gary Barlow also confirmed that there were no plans in place to bring a bit of their cheesy pop to the festival.
So that's a definite no then. Shame, can you imagine a sea of middle aged men in an array of ridiculous hats swaying along to Back for Good with tears in their eyes? That's the stuff memories are made of.
As of yet no headline acts have been confirmed, but Michael Eavis has said that he has asked U2 if they would consider playing the festival, after having to cancel their planned appearance at this year's Glastonbury due to Bono's back troubles.
Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Bon Jovi are just some of the acts floating around the rumourmill at the moment. Who would you like to see at next year's Glasto?
Monday 25 October 2010
More than just a pretty face..
One of the quirkiest things to come out of Sweden in the last year or so, Johan Hillblom is everything you need on a dreary autumnal evening. One listen to demo Sneak Preview proves that Hibblom has all the ingredients to be the next Jamie Cullum (only without all the Marks and Spencers pretension). If your idea of fun involves plinky plonky piano, syncopation and trumpets galore, then look no further than Sneak Preview for 4 minutes of loveliness.
Both on this track and the more soft and wistful Left Me to Wake (which can be found here if you're interested), Johan's voice holds a certain amount of pure, raw emotion that just screams musical theatre. Whilst with some voices of that calibre it can come off as whiny or overly camp, Hillblom passes it off as something genuinely quite interesting.
With lyrics both charming and witty, covering even the most important of issues, such as the struggle of what to do when faced with Facebook Poke rejection (yes we've all been there), it's clear the Swede's got a gift for both articulate songsmanship and truly captivating melodies. It's rather fitting that this teaser of a demo is called Sneak Preview: after hearing just a couple of songs it's left me wanting more, something countless new artists have tried (and often failed) to inspire in their music.
Mumford & Sons are doing a one off gig at seminal folk house Cecil Sharp House with other indie/low fi giants Laura Marling and Bombay Bicycle Club, showcasing some of the finest British talent on the scene right now. Oh, and The Maccabees will be there too.
If that sounds like it's right up your street then get to it now, you've already missed a beautiful rendition of Rambling Man.
Things are a-changin' over at Irrelevant Twaddle. After a well deserved rest from exercising my cranium due to final exams, I'm back and raring to show you the veritable feast of music I've managed to find over the summer.
I'm working on a multitude of posts about the good, the bad and indeed the ugly, as well as creating a whole new blog over on Tumblr in an attempt to attract a few more of you lovely folk to my musical rantings.
To be perfectly honest though, this influx will mainly be an excuse to channel my nervous anxiety about starting uni into something creative.
Eitherway, watch this space...
Friday 30 July 2010
Stumbled across a few songs by emerging folk talent Nicholas Stevenson on Hype Machine.
At first listen his accent makes me cringe; it almost seems like he's tryingtoo hard to sound like a distinctive singer-songwriter. However, after a bit of persevering I soon forgot about the voice in favour of the rather lovely guitar melodies and rather astute lyrics.All in all I was quite impressed, there'ssome definite promise there. I hope he manages to record an album at some point.
Nicholas Sevenson's debut EP The Aeroplane Darling can be found on Spotify.
Thursday 29 July 2010
Frank and Chris in one video?
Yes please.
I wish I'd gone to 2000 Trees this year, would have loved to see this.
Damn income ruining my musical addiction..
Tuesday 29 June 2010
So it's day one of the Post Glasto comedown and suffice to say I'm knackered. Miles of walking, partying in the shady depths of Shangri-La until the wee hours and seeing a whole host of acts from the likes of Snoop Dogg, Biffy Clyro and motherfucking Muse make for one long but completely awesome weekend.
In the coming days I shall be reminiscing about the musical feast that was my Glastonbury and sharing some of my favourite acts of the weekend, in an attempt to keep the spirit alive for that little bit longer.
First up is burgeoning acoustic star Grace Petrie. Miss Petrie was a staple feature of the Leftfield stage this year, having been chosen by curator Billy Bragg to take part in his muso-political lineup that also featured the likes of Beans on Toast and Frank Turner, as well as the main man Bragg himself. I managed to catch 2 of her mini sets and each time found myself glued to my seat.
What I particularly enjoyed is that there doesn't seem to be anything false about Grace. No Mockney accents, cliché lyrics or ridiculous haircuts: just good, honest folk. You can't say fairer than that really.
I love this, hope that the Glastonbury effect works its magic on her. It would be a crying shame if she faded away after such a triumph.
After a stressful day there's nothing better than sitting back and listening to some gorgeous msic by the largely underrated Damien Rice. Sitting here in candlelight, listening to this and only this, I am calm. It's a nice feeling.
Besides, not nearly enough people pay tribute to our eskimo friends- Inuits are people too!
On Monday night I wasn't in some dingy (yet brilliant) club in Bath, checking out burgeoning talent Adelaide's Cape. On Monday night I was sat in someone's living room at 3 in the morning, gathered around with some friends watching a couple of mates have a bit of a jamming session. At least, that's what it felt like; sat in some dingy club in Bath, checking out Adelaide's Cape and co. Both the support and main man himself managed to create a truly refreshing gig in a world where the connection between artists and audience has been cut short.
Before all that though, there's the mater of the support. Now usually the support slot can always be a bit hit and miss- you know, the kind of act that leaves you wanting to impale them with the mic stand. Thankfully however, this wasn't one of those occasions. Mike Still offered a somewhat unconventional support; regaling tales of falling in love with a stripper, the wonders of MDMA and even a particularly well formed ditty about incest (well, he is from Swindon..). Mike shows real promise as these songs stand well on their own, though a bit of progression is needed before he can really bring them to life. For me anyway there was this kind of longing present in a lot of his songs; it was all far too abrupt. Just one more verse, chorus, anything really. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was missing but there was a definite sense of anticipation after his songs, not something perhaps should be present after every song. All in all though I'd say that was the only downpoint of the evening. Mike is obviously a very talented musician who has a razor sharp wit- perhaps in time this will become more evident in his songs' full realisation.
Adelaide's Cape provided a very chilled end to the proceedings with a couple of really mellow numbers, definitely more swaying than lighters in the air but nevertheless all very twee. Again there was this kind of inclusive vibe that gave the impression of just chilling with some muso types; a certain sense of camaraderie more typical of an impromptu performance at a houseparty, not at a gig in the traditional sense. Hell, he even stopped midway through song to joke about someone in the crowd being tickled. You don't get THAT at the Academy now do you? With lyrics so vivid you could literally place yourself within them and a rousing accompaniment from his band (including a particularly groovy double bassist- actually makes me want to take it up again), Adelaide's Cape were well worth waiting for, even if in the end only a select few of us had the privilege of hearing it.
Despite being dubbed as "nu-folk" on his Facebookpage, Adelaide's Cape have that stripped back feel of one man and his guitar that is typical of a lot of great traditional folk artists out there. I only hope that he is able to reach the same heights of popularity as his counterparts have.
There should have had a bigger crowd. Fact. But the selfish part of me almost prefers that there wasn't. Monday night wasn't a gig of normal proportions: but my what a lovely way to spend an evening.
This is gorgeous and precisely the reason why I adore MissOlof Arnalds.
Whenever I say to people that a have a zest for foreign and Scandinavian music, I'm often greeted with looks of bewilderment. Even after the successes of Sigur Ros and Mum in the Western alternative music scene, it seems that this unique style of music is still left in the background. Shame really. Sometimes a small voice is all you need to make the most deafening noise; or at the very least a shiver down your spine, something which virtuosos like Olof demonstrate with ease. But I dare the naysayers and, indeed you, to listen to this and prove me wrong.
I'm not a huge Bjork fan I must say, her voice kinda rubs me the wrong way at times, but on top of this ambient acoustic melody it's almost perfect.
If that has got you wanting more then there's a mighty fine EP of hers available to stream on Spotify. Checkit outmofos.
This isn't the version I wanted but it was literally the only one I could find (Damn you Youtube!). You HAVE to download the studio version of it though to see what I mean.
There's something about this song being sung by a male voice rather than the usual soprano that's warm, inviting and just generally yummy. I also really love the guitar part that Frank wrote for it, it's a nice take on a classic.
Whimsical, wonderful and very very poppy. This is the sound of the summer, or at least it should be. The fact that they sound a lot like Scouting for Girls is the only downside to these guys; a factor which I think is made up for by the use of the awesome glockenspiel (the instrument of Gods).
I should be seeing The Candle Thieves perform at The Croft on my birthday, I'm very much looking forward to it.
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Sleek, sexy electro that's perfect on a day like today when the ever elusive sun decides to grace us with an appearance. Mmm yes please.
Sound good to you?
If that hasn't convinced you then I'm sure the writhing girls in the video will (if you're that way inclined..).
Make sure you download The Wave Machines' debut album, it's out now and available to download on their site. I'm expecting grand things from these guys, they have that Hot Chip/LCD Soundsystem kind of vibe that's bound to set the Indie clubs ablazing.
Saturday 15 May 2010
Yet another Sam Sparro song I'm trying desperately hard not to like..
Evening chaps, I know it's been a while. Blame my ever increasing workload/revision schedule and idleness for the delay. I assure you normal service shall resume shortly..
Now then, forget about the Government palaver, (yes I know we're doomed but at least it gives us the chance to lose ourselves in The Smiths' back catalogue all over again, every cloud and all..) there's much more important things going on down in fair old Albion. One of which is the rise and resurgence of the Great British (and Irish) Folk Scene. There have been rumblings (albeit soft, twee ones) resounding from the nooks and crannies of the British Isles over the past couple of years or so, but it's been the past few months that have really shaken the foundations of the lo-fi music scene- Folk is the new Indie.
We've seen Laura Marling emerge from the shadows to produce a breathtaking second album, Mumford and Sons have captured the hearts of the nation with their debut in an everloving embrace and my favourite Dev, Mr Lightspeed Champion, has brought us a thoroughly interesting second solo album.
And don't even get me started on Frank Turner.
Indeed, we really have been spoiled for choice lately. Adding to this long list of luxurious lyricists (too much?) is Sam Taylor a.k.a Adelaide's Cape, a band that's certain to charm the metaphorical knickers off of you. You might have been lucky to catch Sam and the rest of Adelaide's Cape on tour, having supported both Alessi's Ark and Rachael Dodd in the past. If not then take a look at this, folk at its warmest:
I'm a sucker for an acoustic guitar, but this is just gorgeous isn't it? Perfect in its simplicity with an air of complete contentment, I can definitely picture myself swaying to this under a cloudless sky whilst genteelly sipping on Pimms with some pals.
If you'd like to share in the dream, Mr Taylor is supporting The Miserable Rich on tour this June, and will be hitting up The Secret Garden Party and Open House Festival later on in the year with some folktastic tunes yo.
Adelaide's Cape will also be playing a slot at the Bandstand in Bath on the 12th of June, (free entry) so if you're in that neck of the woods then check it out.
When I think about the glorious summer that was 2008, I'm met with many hazy yet perfect memories: my virginal Glastonbury experience, the end of compulsory education and a whole lot of alcohol (funnily enough I don't remember all that much after that..). Ah yes, 2008 was a good year. Long summer days spent drinking far too much with friends in a park or house somewhere, acting like idiots and going to gigs like they were going out of fashion. Quite the way to live I think you'll agree.
One of the gigs that will always stick with me though is that of electro troupe Robots in Disguise. 3 hours of hard, electro carnage, resulting in having half a pint of what I hope was lager on my new dress. Crowd surfing, people being thrown out and a verbal attack on security staff also made it one hell of an evening and definitely gave me the now ever present thirst for gigs. Now I know a lot of you still haven no idea who I'm talking about, so to give you a taste of what these guys are about, watch this:
Now, needless to say the gig was everything I'd come to expect from such an adventure: swathes of hot and sweaty teenagers jumping around spilling all manner of beverages over all within a 3 metre radius. To some it may seem like hell, but when it's the backdrop to songs like that who really cares?
I've written about RID before so I don't want to completely regurgitate my declaration of love for these guys (though you should know that in a time where female fronted alternative bands are still on the periphery, what these two are doing is pretty damn awesome), but I'm writing with a sense of urgency and pleading this time around. If you hadn't heard of Robots in Disguise before placing your eyes upon this hallowed page that's probably because although in the midst of recording their fourth studio album they are still operating very much under the radar, away from the glaring eyes of the mainstream. Whether this is a good thing is still up for debate, but the fact remains that due to this and the thwack of the tail end of the recession still being felt by musicians everywhere, RID are struggling to come up with funding for their new album.
Although they have a strong fanbase (including the likes of Noel Fielding and electro superstar Peaches), there is always more to be done and any new listeners will be welcomed with sexy robot arms.
I love Robots in Disguise, they remind me of my youth (comparatively anyway, at 17 I'm hardly waiting for my Giro) and they're a fine example of what indie music actually is. With your help we can make sure that more people can hear just how awesome this band is and say a resounding 'fuck you' to the big record companies that don't have to face this kind of crisis everytime they want to put out an album. If it's £1 or even £5, every little penny counts and Robots in Disguise only receive the money if they reach their total of£15,000, with 10% of all money made going towards a charity dealing with improving the lives of those suffering with Alzheimer's. so really what is there to lose??
Robots in Disguise are also playing a series shows across the UK this month, to find out details on venues and ticket prices, click here.
Finally my Glasto dream lineup is shaping up quite nicely!
Rockin' banjo band Mumford and Sons have been confirmed by my favourite farmer Michael Eavis that they are to play The Park stage at this year's Glastonbury Festival.
I am quite literally as giddy as a schoolgirl to hear that these guys will be gracing my spiritual home with an appearance. Ever since the release of their debut I've fallen head over heels for Mumford and co. Infact, it's hard to think of anything NOT to like about them. Innovative, hearty music that just screams DANCE, without being drenched in vocoder or troweled in Mockney accent (Daisy Dares You, anyone?) To be honest, I'd even go as far as saying they are one of the finest bands to emerge from the last 5/10 years.. I can almost envisage it now: as the sun begins to set atop the glorious Park stage, a few thousand people all standing in this fairylit wonderland, swaying to the breathtaking 'you are not alone in this' refrain during Tinshel, completely content and at one with the world. Right before Little Lion Man starts playing and everyone goes apeshit.
Bring it on.
I know I'm a bit behind the times with this, but I've been very lazy lately with updating. Expect more frequent posting.. when I can be bothered.
Sunday 21 March 2010
Something to listen to whilst sipping on some earl grey in bed..
Aaaand relax...
I don't know why the thought of Jonsi on Radio 1 pleases me so, but it's great to see a proper musician in the live lounge for a change.
I'm very much looking forward to Jonsi's solo album, though I have high hopes judging from his Riceboy Sleeps EP that he released a while ago with his boyfriend, Alex Somers. It'll be interesting to see just how much the album will be influenced by the almost transcendent bliss that his former band Sigur Ros have managed to create. It'd better be worth it if rumours that the ambient band are on an indefinite hiatus are true. :(
This is so much heavier than their older stuff, I love how much of a growl there is to the guitars. At seven minutes long it's almost more of a call to battle than anything else. I love how the vocals are simultaneously intense yet sleek, reminds me a bit of The Subways in terms of harmonies and overall style (where have they been lately??), a trait that's missing from a lot of music out there at the minute. However, after a few listens of their new album it does come across that there's something missing; that little component that can make all the difference between a record that's mediocre and one that's awesome. I'm not too sure what that thing is though, maybe it's just a case of depth.
There's a few songs on the LP that are irrestibly charming in a sulky teenager kind of way (and by that I'm not talking about the vacuous mess that is Avril Lavigne and others of that ilk), perfect for stomping around to. I imagine these guys would be brilliant live as well, they're doing Glasto this year so I'm definitely putting them on the list of bands that I'd like to see but never will get around to seeing (Coming soon to a Spotify near you..).
I think there's still a lot of growth to be seen from Blood Red Shoes, but to be honest, at the moment this isn't that pressing an issue. They may have a long way to go before reaching the recognition they deserve, but they're certainly not one to pass by in the meantime.
Fire Like This is out now, you can download it from Amazon or iTunes. If you're still curious then check out their back catalogue on Spotify.
I'm back from my mini-hiatus all bright eyed and bushy tailed to bring you the latest music video from one of many Scottish miserablists currently fighting for my affection, The Twilight Sad.
I love these guys at the moment, I've methodically been working my way through their somewhat sparse back-catalogue, from the humble and morose beginnings of Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters to their latest vibrant (and wickedly dark) Forget the Night Ahead, from which the new single derives. If you're a Spotify whore and miserable sod like myself, I implore you to check these guys out if you're stuck with nothing to do on a chilly spring evening.
In the meantime, take a look at the new video and let me know what you think.
For anyone who loved the sleek synthpop of Little Boots, La Roux and Ladyhawke last year, you'll be pleased to find that there's a new girl on the scene, shaped in the petite form of Annie.
I really love this photo.
Annie Berge Strand is a Norwegian DJ and electro singer that's destined to become the new darling of mainstream pop music. Annie has been around for a while, (I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me is her fourth release since starting in 1999) but judging by her latest offering it's only a matter of time before she's competing with the likes of Ellie Goulding and Marina and the Diamonds for the love of the masses.
I really like what I've heard from Annie, it's fun pop music that you can dance about to on a night out, particularly this little ditty (see below). I also think her stuff is, on the whole, a lot stronger than Little Boots' debut (and I rather enjoyed that), so should hopefully stand a better chance of making a dent in the charts than Miss Heskweth managed. Of course you could make comparisons with other female singer songwriters until the cows come home, but why bother? This is cleverly crafted electro that's as cheeky as anything Uffie has produced (who, in case you didn't know, also has a single out- go buy it, it's ace). Plus it's one of those songs that you find yourself whistling along to, which is never a bad thing..
Expect to be hearing from Annie soon. You have been warned.
