Shuffle II

I'm probably going to do this once a week, It's terribly exciting really, nearly 18000 tracks on my ipod, all meticulously selected, put it on shuffle and away it goes, gold is upon us!

As the blogs getting more attention i'll try and do the same thing each day each week like today shuffle, friday and saturday new bands. Thursday great up and coming tracks. That sort of stuff, thanks everyone (&@seattledreamer) for your support, makes it worth the effort!

RaRaRiot- Ghost under rocks
Band Aid- Do they know it's christmas
Neil Young- The old laughing lady
Razorlight- Hostage of love
AC/DC- Love hungry Man
SemiSonic- Closing Time

This is the great thing about the shuffle post is that you get such a great mix, you've got moden stuff with RaRaRiot and razorlight, a random christmas track a bit of a wtf?! inclusion with band aid! Old school with neil young, classic rock with AC/DC and one of those fantastic blasts from the late nineties- closing time by semisonic.

Great hope you enjoyed, this is probably my favourite time of the week!

Thanks for reading, listening and comment on what you like and don't like on this and other posts so I can fine tune the blog to make it as good as it can be.

I've had shuffle on while i've been writing the rest of this blog, I wish I could put them all up to be honest! Just got life to do unfortunately..

Well kept secrets

I take some music and bands that I love as a given like I assume everyone else knows them too, i'm the same with knowledge and language, kinda have a bit of an inferiority complex! But that's why I haven't mentioned these bands yet, they're a mixture of bands that either i've seen in tiny venues and have had a chat with and gotten a cd off and been good enough to go onto my ipod, or other bands that i've seen that are relatively unknown at the moment but shouldn't be forever. There are some real gems here-

Rushing with apathy- A way out

So at my first university I used to smoke with this guy in the student village a few doors down, we did that and headed to the student union to drink and there was a battle of the bands on. These guys came on and it was like a proper concert, killer tunes, everyone digging it, talented as hell and holly who shares lead vocals was shaking it like a pro (she's quit the band and is now an erotic dancer funnily enough... i definately wanna see her one day!) but they brought the atmosphere, her vocals were icy and gothic like an atheist amy lee and the guitars were metal without being jarring. The band are done now, it's over, I really thought they were going to be mammoth they had endless great reviews around the area hyped up to hell. Ah well good memories. And just picture this chick (actual pic from the gig) grinding her ass off for the last two minutes of this track.

Dennis hopper choppers- Lust

Moles in bath, a fairly legendary place it seems, i won't say some of the things i've been told as I'm fairly sure some of them were apocryphal at best. None the less the killers played there before they were big and if there's more than 40 people in that place it's crammed. By the end of this night I was wearing someone elses shoes and wandering the streets in a psychotropic stupour... despite not having had any! This guy, it just one guy by the way... kinda looks like chris moyles... he sounds like what would happen if the scream mask made a record, intense, dark, deep, cutting vocals, drums that sounds like your smashing someones head against a wall repeatedly and a descriptive power struggle between him and his prey.

modernaire- bloodshed in the woodshed

I saw these guys at a gig I would rather not admit to being at... The ting tings alright, it was fun night get off my back alright?! Anyway these three were on before hand (Porn abbrev- FFM) and one girl in particular was pretty mesmerising, her vocals crystaline yet rugged and her dancing was MENTAL. I bought their EP afterwards, I have to say it wasn't remarkable as their stage show but still quality.

Crimea- Lottery Winners on Acid

I've seen these guys support young knives and modest mouse, as you can imagine at two entirely different venues! The lead singer davey looks a bit like lee evans and plays his guitar like a robot :)

Twisted Wheel- She's a weapon

I was getting ready to watch the courteeners again and i'd been pumped for ages but didn't check the support act, I went to the bathroom at the venue and unfortunately got into a conversation with a guy in there, he informed me that the band supporting are twisted wheel and they supported oasis on their last tour. I figured they must be awesome and fortunately, they were. They're once again supporting oasis this summer when i'm seeing them, this track isn't there best but it goes down a storm live.

Secret Handshake- Summer of '98

Ah jeez almost had an all english post! Anyway on the night I was introduced to TWLOHA when I saw the rocket summer for the first time these texans were playing when I walked in, i don't know why i was late, i think i couldn't go until the last minute and was lucky to get there at all. They were sort of emo electronic which I don't really dig but this track? Man it's on my summer lists from now on, it's a tune and a half.

I went to oxford you know...

I'm just waiting for the new IRP to D/L so i'm gonna do a blog...

Take #2. The original started off like this-

"So Oxford won the boat race again! This town gets rather rambuncious during the oxbridge race weekend, alot of gin and tonic is consumed, maybe with a cheeky piece of cucumber in there ;)"

The oxford scene in itself is great mainly because it attracts artists from elsewhere, therefore unless I just did a post on radiohead and the foals it wasn't going to be that great. Kind of related though-

I love vampire weekend. Here's a few videos of why...

New track- White Sky

Street Performance in France- Kid's don't stand a chance

The line up for reading and leeds is announced tonight, arctic monkeys are headlining but hoping vampire weekend will be down.

Maybe I was a bit harsh on oxford, this band, Fell city girl, are great. They're not together anymore but february snow is a track!

2005/2006

*The music in this post is from sort of 2005 time so obviously check previous and future posts for new music*

I'm having to do a post on older bands as my uploader isn't working but i've got a bunch of new stuff lined up for tomorrow.

These are all bands that I feel like are the same genre, to me they are, in that they're u.k bands I saw while I was at university in 2005/06 and they've gone on to not be big but have really faithful followings and their gigs are just like going and hanging with friends because there's no band wagon for anyone to jump on. I absolutely love all 4 of these bands.

Young Knives- Hot Summer

My relationship with the young knives is a pretty killer one, I saw them first at the old firestation in bournemouth along with about 4 other people! I played bass with them at that gig and then went backstage to drink with them. It was great but I was a bit drunk. Second time was bristol, travelled all the way there just to see them, it was just before they released their album and i was well into it, met up with tom (house of lords) again great night. Last time was at their homecoming gig at oxford after their second album had been a bit dissapointing and it was so nice, huge cowley road love in. They're twee and have some really catchy tunes, I absolutely adore their first album.

Rumble Strips- Motorcycle

I partied with the band after I saw them the first time, was immense so much alcohol, I have an nme from that night somewhere that got written over by everyone. I just jumped over the barrier and went and said hey, they had loads of drinks so twas good times. Charlie wore slippers. They're a ska influenced indie band, this was not a plus point for a guy in the toilets who said to me, "if I wanted to listen to trumpets i'd go and watch bill clinton" it was at that point i decided i wasn't drunk enough! They make great tunes and are most at home at summer festivals but have gotten a great following despite being from devon and there's a lot of talk about their next album being their big breakthrough, i don't mind either way as long as they stick around.

Pete and the Pirates- Eyes like tar

From brighton I didn't listen to these guys cos for some reason I fucking hate pirates, i've no idea what it is i just can't stand pirates. The stupid movies, johnny depp, fish fingers, you name it just can't bag it. Anyway I happened upon them live one night and they had such an amazing following despite it being a chore to get to cowley from the east, their tunes were catchy and their bassist looks a bit like danny wallace, he writes great bass lines though and plays them superlatively. They're just a whole bag full of fun and I'm gonna see them every opportunity i get.

The long blondes- Appropriation by any other name/Once and never again

Ah what can I say about the long blondes? I love this band so much they were an immense part of my post-bournemouth pre-canada/post-canada-oxford times. I saw them for the first time at the old student union at brookes university, (same place i once saw death cab for £8) they were supporting automatic, boy kill boy and forward russia but they stole it for me. Kate Jackson was just SEX. And the music so catchy. I saw them again when I got back from canada at the academy which replaced the zodiac there after their second album came out and what a great night. Kate was just SEX again like during one of their songs I nearly made out with a fat chick the air in that room was so filled with pheromones, I shook it off though and just enjoyed the set! They've split up now, I was devo, the guy dorian had a stroke i believe maybe they'll get back together, it'll be amazing if they do, once again they have awesome fans. The video i've put up pretty much spells out why they were so cool.

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Discovering new bands

It's fantastic, such a buzz. With festival season upon us, the curtain raiser being SXSW, it's that time of year when you find the bands that are going to soundtrack not only your summer but the post-climactic no man's land that is october-march.

I wanted to post two blogs today, mainly because the death cab article is a little depressing. I never thought the day would come that I wasn't excited to hear the latest offering from a favourite band, I mean i've got just jazzin', pinwheel and shed on my ipod!

Personally I'm not a fan of blogs that just post a link to music and don't tell you anything about it, this is the exact reason i've got some screamo in my itunes library! Bottom line the links are in blue if you want to skip the descriptions, if you're colour blind then that's too bad- you've got a baby girl disease.

I'm really proud of the bands and tracks that i've been highlighting recently and indeed today as there was a lot of footwork to find them but they are so worth it and it is my pleasure to share them-

The builders and the butchers- bottom of the lake

Funny story of how I know of this band, also how I know they're playing the crocodile cafe in washington tonight! Anyway stroke of luck because this track is fantastic, i'm checking out all their tracks on last.fm as they're streaming like 10 fantastic. Damien Jurado is a fan and may well be there tonight :p Thing is though the way I discovered this band will make me remember them in a unique way and that's what finding new artists are about.

Canoe- Portrait

I've been a huge fan of the portland scene for as long as i've been into good music, if there's one place I could move to just for the music scene it would be that place. Canoe's debut album, places, topped a few well respected underground end of year lists in '08 and considering it came out early that year is an even greater testament. One band they remind me of is Noah and the Whale, upbeat folk with male female back and forth vocals, the music is well blended with various instruments and suits the vocals well, perfect for this time of year. Their best track is journal which you can stream there but I have no mp3 of.

The octogon- Narrow road to oku

I am unwilling to say little else apart from what this person has written, it is probably my favourite review i've read this week- "It's a little disoriented, this sandy rock-song. It went wandering into the desert with a bottle of red wine, a Pavement album, and a few hours later is like: what the fuck? Whoever it was supposed to meet with didn't show up; whichever stars it was expecting to see didn't make an appearance. And now its shoes are tied in unfamiliar knots, its hair is filled with grains of unfamiliar minerals, and it's got a catchy song in its head - something it found in a dune, burnished and hopeful and even a little buddhist. Whereever the hell it came from, The Octagon's gonna carry it around for a while."

The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra- In a Dream

Male and female vocals, catchy songs that if you listen to properly are quite intense, with this in mind they're gonna get comparisons to belle and sebastien and camera obscura, only they're from california so if I were to liken them to someone i'd say they sound like say hi to your mom hooked up with laura marling and wrote songs while drunk. This track in particular is upliftingly haunting, "in a dream last night you were choking me, now i can't wake up" electro pop key boards and well harmonised vocals, brilliant.

This is ivy league- Richest kids / London Bridge

This is the side project of alex and ryland from cobra starship. They've been around since 2005, the album was a long time in making, being recorded in their apartments between startship tours. The sound is great, lyrics reminiscent of vampire weekend complete with jangly 8th and up intermittant guitars and brass. The two guys vocals blend really well and the album's consistant to say the least.

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To finish I want to say, thanks for the comments, knowing that people are enjoying reading and listening to my reccomendations make it worthwhile and also possible to keep up this relentless schedule!

We're promised gold, we get myrrh

Death cab bring out a new ep, the indie world breaths in as if the world will come to a stop, breathes out as the world keeps turning.

There was a time that any new music from death cab was a gift from heaven to anyone remotely interested in the band, they were compelling. A live recording of broken yoke, ben covering avril lavigne. The e.p's were legendary, forbidden love, stability, even the john byrd ep which had no new music on was met with reverence, so-

Death cab are bringing out a new ep, this one called "open door" which is a line from both a track off narrow stairs and a song no this one, just like directions and plans were utterances from songs. I kinda don't want to write this blog but i've been a fan of these guys for 7 years, seen them a dozen times, bought many a girlfriend transatlanticsm. This is to say- I feel obliged.

Which is the same reason I checked stereogum every day as the tracks seeped through onto their blog and is the same reason why every day I fall out of love a little bit more.

Little Bribes

A new track?! A NEW TRACK FROM DEATH CAB?!... No, it's an old track which ben's decided to call something else, once again a line from the song. Certainly the worst titled song in their catalogue and when he played this (casino blues) on his solo tour and people were worried he was going to put it on the album (because it was so shit) it was labelled their worst song, until he left it off the album and there was hope. But remember death cab are on a major label now, they are going to have every song sucked out of them, examples being a studio version of broken yoke in western sky, that duet with leslie feist oh and this e.p.

A Diamond And A Tether

First time I heard this i got so bored I didn't bother listening to the whole track, I forgot i was listening to death cab and just closed the tab because it was so benale and jejune. The rhythm of this song is soooo dull and you remember when ben used to write amazing lyrics? Well fuck that they've got records to sell. Yummy cliches in this song "i know you can't..." "waiting for..." "just to..." "waits for it to..." "... again". I wish I hated death cab so I would enjoy writing this review. I can't believe this but I don't want this song on my ipod :(

My Mirror Speaks

This track IS better. Apparently co-written by nick harmer and probably owes that to it's driving rhythm. The lyrics are less sparse and as far as ben gibbard is concerned that's awesome and they're of a better quality here too. A testament to this track is that I played it 5 times in a row... But then I played soul meets body about a 100 times when that was leaked from that radio station before plans ha

I Was Once A Loyal Lover Just as good as the previous track, probably better, this could actually be played live, I really wouldn't mind them opening up a show with this. It's quite crystalline and cutting musically, the lyrics are still a bit "narrow stairs" in that they don't really get you thinking, they just are what they are. "my friends are so forward thinking, getting married and quitting drinking" yeah that's just the way things go plus i HATE that he forced the thinking/drinking rhyme. Makes me sick. Otherwise this is a good track, I think this E.P- is what it is!

Talking Bird (Demo)

When Narrow stairs was being hyped we got these legendary rumours of tracks that ben wrote on basic instruments with just vocals and took them to the guys and blew their minds... We realised when the "no sunlight" demo was released that these were apocryphal tales but with the promise of talking bird (without a doubt the worst death cab song ever) on a ukelele, hope?! The answer, is no. The lyrics are as vomit inducing as ever and whoever didn't tell paul mccartney the ukelele is an annoying instrument has also failed here.

So i conclusion i give the EP 3/5, I can't give it 4 because that means it's good and I just can't bring myself to give it 2 :(

I thought once around the time of transatlantiscm that if Death cab kept writing albums as great as this and all the previous ones they're going to be one of the most important bands in modern history. Naive maybe, but either way it didn't happen. I might have to do a post on why death cab 1998-2005 were amazing.

Moar nooo bandzz!

I read a review of my blog the other day that firstly said I was informal in tone, which I take as a compliment as my ridiculously laid back personality seeps through to the written word. Also that I talk too much so i'll try and cut that out to an extent as I probably do write a bit too much. Also mentioned i had great taste which i agree with ;) There shall still be a healthy mix of classic and modern music but right now i've got a hard on for 2009!

Chew lips- Solo Low-fi london trio, (FMM, if you're familiar with porn abbreviations) supported howling bells on most of this tour, I missed out on them when I saw them but there were still people hyping about them even though they weren't there. Rightly so in my opinion.

Magistrates- Make this work They've been written about and built up for over a year but they're out there on the nme new music tour now so i'm pretty sure these essex boys are going to get their dues this summer, their sex laden indie pop will go down well at the festivals.

Tame Impala- Half full glass of wine Yet more psychadelic rock from australia, these guys potentially flow better than empire of the sun in that they aren't hook driven, they're tipped to be pretty big, rocking all the australian festivals soon nothing planned in england but check them out before everyone else knows. If these guys were american and around in the sixties they would've fit right in at woodstock.

Navvy- My new building I've heard so much about this band of late in one way or another but they were getting attention as far back as this time last year, they're not booked to play any festivals so i don't know if this is their year but it'll happen eventually and i'm only here to give people a heads up before everyone else.

Enjoi!

P.S I've been writing my review for death cab's new ep, it'll be up in a couple of days. I'm afraid to say, it's a little scathing :(

New bands to check out

Pete doherty is playing near me tonight, if I go my bank will be a bit pissed, if I don't go, i'll be a bit pissed! But it's not like I have insurance on my car but then it's not like I care!

And as ever music takes us away from the bleakness of existance. Certainly for me if I ever think damn what's the point i'll be like well this band's got an album coming out in a month, festival season is coming up, there's a new indie/rock playlist on the net and i've got tickets for this awesome band next week and as it should be. There's a lot of bands to be excited about which is what I shall be highlighting in this post.

Over the past few days i've been a bit stuck in the past, listening to belle and sebastien when I woke up today and right now it's the who but there's been a lot of lemonheads, smiths and mccartney. The sun's out, lemonheads HAVE been mentioned.

I feel obliged to post new stuff today as it's been stuck in the past the last few entries so here goes. Also SXSW happened last week, there's a pretty great torrent with a lot of the bands on there that you should check out, here are the highlighights-

Fol Chen- Cable TV/Wedding Cake
“You know that mysterious black object that the creepy family is staring at on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Presence” album? Fol Chen sound like that…" With abstract and potentially meaningless descriptions like that it makes sense that NME have hyped them on their blog recently, although said blog also concentrated 90% of it's efforts on their clothes which made me want to shoot myself in the face :) These californians are signed to sufjan steven's label, the aesmatic kitteh, chick and a guy on vocals you know i dig that. Cable TV starts off with some sitah and of course whenever this kinda instrument is mentioned so is george harrison, mainly because that's it's only redeeming quality... Ah it's not that bad, this tracks great though and glad it's opening up my blog today.

Local Natives- Airplanes

These guys are being billed as the next fleet foxes, that is to say they're destined to be as they're signed under the same management as coldplay and we know how much they love to sell bands out til you're sick right?! Plus their descrition on last fm labels them as "Basically the greatest band ever in existence." Now i'm aware that I could just click on the pencil next to it and write that they are balls but still you gotta listen right? They're from silver lake, california and are great a cornucopia of euprhoric instrumental harmonies behind powerful vocals and driving drums. You'll hear this track quite a bit later this year and probably a lot more about these guys.

Lissie Trullie- Self Taught Learner

This new york chick's a bit hard to track down cos she keeps changing the spelling of her name but this seems to be what she's settled on. She looks like what kate moss would look like if she looked bad while she was on drugs and forgot how to look like herself but was constantly trying to look like kate moss... You like that? She's good, her lyrics are good enough and the music refreshingly sparce at times, in this track in particular the vocals are as good as naked for half the track before the bass strings of an electric guitar are hit to underscore them, this before the drums and more melodic vocals and sweet bass kick in. It's good stuff I wouldn't be surprised if she is embraced by the indie harem in a spektor/heap sort of way.

Fanfarlo- You are one of the few outsiders that understand us

Dreampop, it's one of those abstract nondescript genres that still seems to fit some bands perfectly, this is one. Great for the summer, they're a mixture between the floatysunshinecatchiness of empire of the sun and the rhythmic intrumentation consciousness of an arcade fire. I really like these guys, they are probably the band that i've been most excited to discover in this blog, they really make stunning music. In the trunk is when it really struck me. Unbelievably endorphene inducing. Oh and they're from LDN!!!

3oh!3 and the pains of being pure of heart pretty much grabbed the headlines for SXSW this year, i've already raved about them both and they're gonna get enough attention without me.

One band that aren't new but i'm just finding-

Freezepop- Less talk more rokk Synth pop? Yeah it's fun, but what else? Nothing! But that's not a bad thing, music should be good times it doesn't always have to be intense meaningful lyrics, this track in particular emphasises that, you could play it at a party no problems and that is emphasised by the fact that this particular track was on guitar hero 2 ha! I bet it was killer hard to play.

Yeah I dig chick in bands, both these are the pop punk that sexiness is made of-

The Violets- Fereo
The Hussys- Napoleon Dynamite
YellowFever- Hellfire

O.K so that's me for the day catch you tomorrow!

Tiny Telephone

Way back when Death cab for cutie tickets cost between £8-£12 and I got to see them 6 times in a tour I was lucky enough to have one of the most important support acts I've ever seen. John Vanderslice. Ben raved about the guy and in particular his latest album, Pixel revolt. I got to see him I think 5 times that tour as he didn't support at Brixton but maaaan like I have 6 ultimate playlists on my ipod Death cab, pinback, modest mouse, chili peppers, foo fighters and john vanderslice, with great cause.

Pixel revolt was a masterpiece, sure. But he's got such a great back catalogue and an awesomely devoted fan base which he totally reciprocates, like the drunk guy on the video says he's nice! His headline shows are completely for the fans which is perfect because his back catalogue is exemplary really something to get your teeth into and lyric wise? Exemplary.

He seems to have his finger right on the pulse of his constituency and that's thanks in no small part to him having his own kick ass studio which he totally maintains, and is personally responsible for and check out some of the acts he's had in there-

Mountain Goats
Deerhoof
Okkervil River
Mates of state
Rogue Wave
Spoon

And obviously death cab. I'll be doing posts on mountain goats, deerhoof and neutral milk hotel pretty soon so hold your hats. Sorry for no links but thing about JV is he's an exciting artist to discover yourself so i'm not going to point anyone in a particular direction. But once you've gotten in check out MK Ultra and mass suicide occult figurines.

Moderation

Ah so TWO of my posts over the weekend were straight up deleted! Had killer tracks on too and also meant that it messed up the whole schedule so there's a big gap between posts. So there you go moderation.

The other day I worked out in the gym for 2 hours and then did 100 lengths in the pool. This is not moderation. Nor is how many times I've told people.

Because of this travesty I'm going to do two today, this also because death cab are bringing out a new ep this week and it's my duty to document that in the most arrogant and elitest way :)

I may have mentioned that I was thinking of doing an indie/rock playlist, bottom line is I have no idea of torrents so I don't think I'm going to do it now, the main reason being it might mess up some of the tagging in my itunes because there's 40% that are already on there which I would have to retag seperately and then the new tracks which I also want on my ipod but not tagged the way it would be in a torrent and as for torrents- i don't have a clue!

Also yesterday was a nightmare trying to batch upload these. So i'm just going to do them the tried and tested individual way as much of a chore it is, it's reliable and I don't have to be anywhere til 3pm. So these are a bunch of tracks I would have included in the playlist...

I don't think I'm going to do it now, the main reason being it might mess up some of the tagging in my itunes because there's 40% that are already on there which I would have to retag seperately and then the new tracks which I also want on my ipod but not tagged the way it would be in a torrent and as for torrents- i don't have a clue!

It's bothering me about that post getting deleted I'm thinking it maaaaay have been because I posted a track by jack white's new band "the dead weather" and the guy is an asshole. I'm pretty certain taht's it because of what happened with that leak that time. But i'm telling you don't ever pay for anything Jack White or his record label ever makes, they are what is wrong with music.

The Rakes- 1989

Recorded in a studio owned by a former fashist dictator, the rakes latest album sees them return to what made their first album good, it seems their surroundings made them remember why it's awesome being in a band. Check it.

Michachu and the shapes- Lips

I saw Mica, who evidently was a talented kid who grew up to play hoovers and make scrunchy faces when she sings, supporting late of the pier. It was an intense gig and fortunately their songs are more accessible than her past suggested. They were right next to me while I rocked out to LOTP if I knew they were on the verge of indie acceptance I probably would have made a pathetic attempt to gain favour :)

Bonnie "prince" billy- Beware your only friend

Bonnie Prince Billy's latest offering in his recent... EDIT: That verb was way too descriptive!... Umm "smattering" of albums over the past few years was as ever received to mixed reviews, it seems the general consensus is either you think he's pointless or so important that he renders other artists redundant. Either way this is a good track.

Asher Roth- I love college

The first track I heard by "the REALLY white eminem" was a track where he talk about which cartoon characters he would like to have sex with... It sounds way funnier than it was. This however, is just as awesome as it sounds, all the things you loved about college (which is what north americans call any post high school education) drink, drugs, sex, no responsibilities, partying I could go on all day in this semantic field. Bottom line is if university wasn't the best time of your life you're probably a rock star.

Art Brut- Alcoholics Unanimous

Eddie Argos returns with Art Brut and their assault on English-German relations with a third album, this track is a coffee and tea promoting attack on this nation's favourite mistress- Drinky Winks!!

The other post had bands like trail of dead and joe lean in and other bands with stupid names i guess it wasn't that great, just don't get why it was deleted.

A closing note: Fuck me- I hate jack white.

Ageing hipsters

There's been a few bands of late that have gotten onto my ipod on account of "cult iconic status", I've heard their music and been like, cool enough but you know there's way more reason why people are still talking about them. Sure there is, and that's why i'm here today to learn you (arc♥) and teach me so when i'm talking to some of my friends who are into classic rock and look down on me for being so damn modern. I am mainly about the music though so that will be the concentration of my major.

I'll try and post links to individual tracks if they're integral to the history and not commonly available, but i'll also post their discographies just to be needlessly retro/(lazy).

Dinosaur Jr.

Formed in 1984, Joseph Donald Mascis is the only remaining member of the original Massacusetts born line-up that forms the current group, which returned in 2005 and brought out a fresh album in 2007. There were 7 albums before that, the most famous of which being "you're living all over me" which was ranked at #31 in spin's 2005 list of the top 100 albums of the past 20 years.

They achieved major recognition in the U.K with Freak Scene which was the first single from "bugs" which itself reached #1 in the album charts here.












Pavement

Pavement were pioneers of american indie rock, stretching 10 years from '89-'99. They were indie in the traditional sense and despite never signing to a major label achieved relative success. Wowee Zowee is a great example of how their sound changed massively without restraint during their time as a band, starting off as low-fi and bridging genres with reckless abandon.

There's consistant talk of a reunion and it's probably going to happen.











Jesus and Mary Chain

"Do you remember the JAMC? And reading aloud from magazines?" Ben Gibbard mused on we look like giants in 2003... My obsession with Death cab meant that i had no choice but to download their discography. And with that a low-fi treasure trove of scottish folk rock, and also the key to unlocking neutral milk hotel, the mountain goats and other modern bands that these guys influence, these two will definately be mentioned in a later blog.

Their story is pretty great, two brothers jim and william reid, spent 5 years on the dole writing songs, turning up to gigs pretending to be a support band. They only had two drums ("why buy two more these are the only two i fucking use") and the bass guitar only had three strings. They'd make a quick exit after their short performances to little musical praise.

Once they moved to london and sent out a demo tape things started picking up and were signed by creation on the stregnth of a soundcheck. Nice. Things were definately going in the right direction and soon Neil Taylor of NME described them as "the best band in the world". Some accolade but this was the 80's.

They only released 6 albums in their 16 active years, the most revered being their debut "psycho candy" it's regularly included in best ever albums lists including Q and Rolling Stone.

They reformed for Coachella in 2007 and are currently working on a new album.

Don't worry about that indie/rock playlist. It's comin. We'll make purp do it.

Title's a bit of an homage to eminem, obviously coming back with at least one more album but he says there's so many tracks he might do two, that'd be amazing and apparently it's been confirmed by his label and both are coming out this year.

Anyway these are some more great tracks that I would have put on the indie/rock playlist but I don't think I'm going to do it now, the main reason being it might mess up some of the tagging in my itunes because there's 40% that are already on there which I would have to retag seperately and then the new tracks which I also want on my ipod but not tagged the way it would be in a torrent and as for torrents- i don't have a clue! So i'm just going to send them blalock's way and work with him on it. Here's a track...

Boy Eats Drum Machine- Booomboxxx

Beatles- Revolution 1 (Take 20)

Of course, it's no carnival of light but it is a brilliant insight into the white album sessions and also into the relationship between #1 and the avante-garde #9. From what I understand take 20 is a live take with layers of takes 18 and 19 upon it, apparently the white album is to be remastered and re-released next year and this is from that. There were only two copies of this and due to one of them being in Yoko Ono's possesion it's been suggested she released it to overshadow paul's carnival of light which is generally considered the holy grail of lost beatles tracks and, although this has been true for a decade, appears as imminent as ever.

Here's the track- Revolution- Take 20

Also this is supposedly part of carnival of light, might be, might not be.

shuffle.

Every now and then I'll be holding in my hand my gigantic, throbbing, insatiable ipod and feel like i don't know what I want to listen to, this is where the shuffle function comes in handy and is also always the moment when i'm like fuck me i have good taste in music. I have over 17000 tracks on there and to be able to trust in it randomly pouring out awesomeness definately makes all the work worthwhile, as indeed, life.

So i'm just going to post whatever is playing through the speakers! I'll even go to the effort of uploading things that aren't on the net. Also this'll mean this blog won't just be all death cab, pinback, babyshambles etc!

Aqueduct- Hardcore Days/Softcore Nights
The cranberries- I can't be with you
Blue October- Calling you
Gregory & The Hawk- Blame Qui
Nirvana- Swap Meet
Motorhead- Bite the bullet
Daphne loves Derby- Stranger you & I
Andrew Bird- Fake Palindromes
We Start Fires- Wicked Spell

This was a lot of fun! Got to listen to great music and share it. This should be all my blog is then I wouldn't have to think, just put Simon D4 (that's it's name, the 4 is because it's had to be replaced 3 times. I think this ones... actually i won't jinx it!) on shuffle and just write down what happens! Great tracks for real.

But bottom line, library wise, everyone's gonna have some stuff they'd probably be a little embarassed about if they put it on shuffle at a party and it came on. When I was sort of 16 I went through a bit of a "listening to female artists who i think are hot" phase artists like delta goodrem, avril lavigne, bic runga, in a way these chicks were still cool and good lyricists so you can indeed nibble on my nuts. And if you're thinking of bagging on avril lavigne, may I present her defence-

I'm with you
Tomorrow
How does it feel
Losing Grip
Keep holding on

Yeah so please do suck on my sack. She also triggered my post-adolescant enamouré with canadian accents and girls. So excuuuuse meee if i get defensive!

The best advice I can give anyone who has a hard time finding new music and I'm aware that it happens but i'm like how the fuck there's so much. If I was to give a 22 step program it'd go-

1. Get a 120gb ipod classic
2. Don't get obsessed with putting your cds on it'll happen eventually
3. Think of the artists you like and download their libraries
4. Download last.fm
5. Go to the reccomendations page and download those libraries
6. Look on your neighbours pages and download their libraries
7. Download every indie/rock playlist that was made by chriznittle
8. Subscribe to blalock's playlist
9. Research the support acts when you go to gigs
10. Listen to what music people like rather than telling them what they should (yeah fucking hard!)
11. Put your ipod on shuffle and download the libraries of anyone you like and don't know
12. Rate you music intelligently and use genius to find what you'll like on there
13. Download those libraries
14. Read NME the magazine and website
15. Use NME as your bible
16. Read blogs
17. Use the hype machine
18. Be aware at the very least of under the radar
19. Go to as many gigs as possible
20. Talk to as many people as possible
21. Be open minded
22. Have your life become a constant quest to find new music to the point of obsession

= Killer itunes library!

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I've also fallen in love with this track a bit recently-

The Killers- Romeo and Juliet

Canada.

I talked about canada quite a bit the other day in real life. So there- an excuse to blog about their music scene. I'm also going to put pictures in this to make it look prettier.

The weakerthans- One great city
Alright so the weakerthans are actually from the city I went to university, winnipeg, manitoba. They write songs about how much they hate winnipeg, they write songs about how much they love winnipeg, this is how everyone in the town feels, it's a great place for some reasons but damn is it ever cold...

The picture is of a bison, I saw a couple at the zoo, they're huge. I've also eaten a few at the tavern on south pembina, they taste amazing...

The guess who- American woman
Apparently the most famous band out of winnipeg, my ex served the lead singer at a salisbury house once, he also has a theatre named after him. This song is much covered and pretty cool, I also wrote a rap about salisbury house once-

Salisbury house fucking fucks shit up
I asked for tea they gave me coke in a cup
I went in for pancakes one day called the guy in the hairnet a big fucking gay

I didn't wanna be rude but i was in a grumpy mood
Kicked the door on some dude taking a crap?
"please excuse me if i intrude I'mowna sit on your lap!"

Salisbury fucking rips shit down
I went in one morning and was served by a clown
Busted some moves outside on the grass
Busted a cap in the waitresses ass!

Salisbury house burns shit sideways
I swear their milkshakes could turn will smith gay
Waitress wants a tip but, when I pay?
I give her 3.50 and 19cents on layaway

Salisbury house puts shit under
All of my efforts to resist go asunder
The waiter leaves me gazing, agasp in wonder
As to why I keep rolling over there just like thunder

Salisbury house takes the piss
I go in there get asked if I want two for one nips
I declare yeeeaaaahhh cos that's how i roll
But cos I rock so much I make 'em put them both in a bowl

The way I chow down you'd think I was in china town
But fuck chopsticks I eat it up with a spoon cos it's round
Go in there on a tuesday with dan, kyle or cory
Like when I was locked in the closet, in my full naked glory

If it's morning i get pancakes if it's evening i get pie
I clean my plate and leave but before that i say bye
Salisbury house only in manitoba
I even head over there in my friend's range rover
The way they serve it up make the rest move over Makes me feel like Spanish military leader G.F.D Cordoba

That picture is from the 24 hour salisbury house on pembina HWY in the peg, many great milkshakes and nips have been had there after a night out, indeed the second best nights end there...

Metric- Dead Disco
Anyway I'll try and stop waxing lyrical about winnipeg, and also about metric as i've mentioned them alot already in this blog but no introspective on the canadian scene without giving them "blowing them up" as tim westwood will idiocise. Picture wise I thought, I should put a picture of Emily Haines looking sexy then realised that there are no existing pictures of her where she doesnt..

Tokyo Police Club- Be Good

Risen from the ashes of suburbia and highly backed by nme they're from new market, ontario these guy are big advocates of what would probably be the ontarian equivelant of our rough trade label, paper bag records. They've already toured over here and are doing pretty good, i'd definately reccomend checking them out if one hasn't already

Best au le rest-

Midway state- A million fireflys

Get over the led zep thing and they're good. blow me.

The paperbacks- I haven't listened to these guys but they're from the peg, I trust the person who reccomended them and you can stream the whole album there, i'll be doing it later i reccomend doing the same.

Papermoon- O.k so it's a myspace link bite my fuckin balls for fuck sake.

The bonaduces- That's enough of your lip!
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O.K So it's also St. Patrick's day today, my local pub, well not my local, the nearest pub to me that isn't a shit hole, is having a whole thing all day.

Umm I guess check out the dropkick murphys for such an occasion

Solo Careers

So some people leave bands or just do stuff on the side, either way whenever they do it people say it's not as good, here are a bunch of examples where they've gone on to rock it just as good or better than in their day job.

Paul Mccartney (of the uh... beatles)- Uncle/Albert Admiral Halsey

Postal Service (Ben gibbard of death cab)- Such great heights

Conor Oberst (of bright eyes) and the Mystic Valley Band- Gone gone from new york city

Jenny Lewis (of rilo kiley) and the watson twins- Rise up with Fists

Rob Crow (of pinback)- I hate you rob crow

The last shadow puppets (Alex turner of arctic monkeys)... (and i guess miles kane from... knowing alex turner i guess)- My mistakes were made for you

Music is the universe (big bright eyes speech!)

I'm just listening to cassadega and having it remind me how amazing music is, I first heard of bright eyes while I was at oxford college and saw it on a guys shirt, the digital ash album cover of some dude being sick in a toilet, ha fuck me i'm funny *LINK SPLOOT*... Anyway the first album I downloaded was the christmas album, I was like... THIS i do not get... But then a buddy asked me if i knew them and I claimed to be emperor of bright eyes knowledge because I was super l33t back then. Nonetheless ashamed at my behaviour i decided to go out get all their music and lsiten to them from start to finish, beginning with "a collection of songs"... Once again i was like- THIS I do not fucking get! I dug invisible gardner, music wise. I liked how he didn't worry about singing but I'm definately not getting into this band... Cue me at university in the uk, hating it like balls, miserable, felt like listening to anything remotely emo, put my entire collection of bright eyes on my (then creative labs zen) mp3 player from start to finish, pretty much history from there, started listening to I'm wide awake in my room playing along on my guitar, cheated on my girlfriend like a jerk one night, woke up the next morning and the lyrics to Lua and this guy was finally getting right through to my soul...

"Supplies are endless in the evening; by the morning they’ll be gone."
"The mask I polish in the evening, by the morning looks like shit"
"The love I sell you in the evening, by the morning won’t exist."
"what’s so easy in the evening, by the morning is such a drag"
"what was normal in the evening, by the morning seems insane"
"And I’m not sure what the trouble was that started all of this
The reasons all have run away but the feeling never did
It’s not something I would recommend, but it is one way to live
Cause what is simple in the moonlight, by the morning never is"

And pretty much from then on I listened to everything he said. I moved to canada (for the same girl..) and got noise floor through the mail loved it, more of his voice from the past, pretty much soundtracking the breakdown of my relationship with that girl. Anyway she was history and cassedega came out and it signified the future "It's not that often but I think of her sometimes, just something quaint, a couple of ships in the night".

Now if i'm feeling down I put him on and it makes me feel better, "when I press the keys it all gets reversed, the sound of loneliness makes me happier".

So now, 2009, they're definately my secret favourite band if not my actual favourite band. Conor inspires me to think I can make music and that my words mean something. Just mind blowing how everything he's done has been incredible.

I was going to post about all my favourite albums but this just ended up being a big bright eyes love fest, i'll post a few amazing tracks for anyone who isn't one of conor's deciples yet.

chronological order.

Invisible Gardener- (From a collection of songs)
The Calender hung itself (From Fevers and Mirrors)
Lover I don't have to love (From Lifted, or the story in the soil)
Goldmine Gutted (From digital ash in a digital urn)
Lua (From I'm wide awake, it's morning)
Spent on rainy days (From Noise Floor : Rarities)
Lime Tree (From Cassadaga)

diditleak.com

I mentioned this one time before but today it's surpassed even that veritable bouquet of awesomenss to bring you a positive cornucopia of unrelased gems-

Peter Doherty- Grace/Wastelands

The most remarkable thing about this leak is how late it came! 5 days before release is impressive in this day and age especially considering it contains songs that were written and in some cases recorded in various forms up to 5 years ago. I haven't heard it yet, except for last of the english roses which i've already posted and "new love grows on trees" which i've loved for years and am so glad to have a studio recording. I'm sure the albums great but it's pete so either way it's gonna be a fascinating and engrossing listen.

Metric- Fantasies

I've already posted the lead single off this album, which was spectacular. The album in itself doesn't come out for a few months, I also haven't listened to this yet (MY ITUNES TAKES UP TO AND INCLUDING THREE HOURS TO SYNC... one time it took 8. I don't know what the problem is but apparently a lot of other people are, it drives me insane but I've been bearing up just for the sake of music... ummm anyway-) Early signs and fan reviews are hugley promising, citing a return to the old world underground style, definately one of the albums i've been looking forward to above any other this year.

So there you have it, two great albums and confirmation that I have my vocabulary back after my sickness ;)

Time to break out the new stuff

I've posted alot of stuff from the bands I was into around 03-04 and onwards recently, not sure why guess I just crave for a simpler time! Things aren't all bad though, still sunny... that's one thing :D Thing is i am kinda stuck in the 98-05 period at the mo I keep downloading new stuff and listening to it, rating it to listen to at a later date but not giving it too much attention, but here is the new stuff I am liking...

Metric- Help I'm alive

Emily Haines gives me hope for all the bands that have made a masterful album and you think surely that's it there's nowhere they can go, well first there was monster hospital which was mammoth but this track is humungous like some prehistoric animal that eats mammoths, a t-rex on a mammoth only diet, orginal, great music, great lyrics, remaining true to metric's sound but still moving forward.


Kings of Leon- Sex is on fire

I am apprehensive about posting these guys cos they're getting so much press over here but when I'm in the states or canada no one cares and I respect their taste in music more than england because england, as a whole if i may generalise an entire nation with one sweeping statement, have poor taste in music and are stuck in mid 90s and if mr. blobby was released again they'd all cream their pants :) I also realise this track isn't THAT new. Anyway it's still a great track, definately have to have sex to it one of these days!

Camera Obscura- My maudlin career

Doesn't get too much newer than this, this album doesn't come out for two months! I love this band, saw them live at truck last year outside on a lovely summers afternoon, beautiful stuff. Underachievers please try harder is one of my favourite 100 albums of all time. Check them out and then go and *DISCLAIMER* Go and buy some of their stuff lol

The decemberists- Hazards of love

So the new decemberists album leaked last night, being such a big death cab fan i dont' have all that much time to get into a band that has a similarlarly extensive back catalogue so i give them nothing more than a passing listen, an interpollic or vandesliscic listening if you will! I'm downloading this at the mo so haven't listened to it but you can pretty much gaurantee it's going to be awesome.

The joy formidable- A balloon called moaning

I've been banging on about this band for so long and finally their album is coming out, seeing them support howling bells next week. This is the whole album, I should maybe change the title of this post to "links to leaked albums" for I have found the most awesome thing, you remember how AIM was the first place to have albums leaked? Well get with the times cos it's 2009 and now it's twitter that has leaked the biggest albums of late, U2, the yeah yeah yeahs, decemberists, uh kelly clarkson... and the two i've posted here, hope the fat cats don't catch on lol also remember to check on diditleak.com to rip off your favourite artists kids :DDDDD

Ben's basement, 1138 Ellis

O.K So my car broke down this morning and so i'm taking solice in listening to narrow stairs (I think this is the first time i've had the choice of all of death cab's albums and chosen it) It's nice, makes me appreciate IWPYH it's kind of like stability for the next generation. Oh by the way? This guy said that he was living in ben's old house 1138 ellis a couple of years ago, anyway i was like no way and he was like yeah there's even set notes in the basement... I was like Oo. I creamed my pants today when I saw THIS-


I mean are you KIDDING me? These are ben's notes from when he was no joy in mudville and lowell MA, it's like the holy grail it's insane. And yes they are ben's he played drums on Facts douchebag :p The guy said "the heating bills got really expensive" as a hardcore DCFC fan this made me cream. "we're not paying til the heat comes through, so you slept in a stocking cap and wool scarf".

So anyway aestetic orgasm out of the way, my pick for late '09-

Music go music
I don't know a WHOLE lot about these guys except that they're awesome and as empire of the sun were my dead cert for 09 these are for '10, they're from L.A, have about 1000 friends on myspace most from california. Their songs are epic and magical. Light of love is going to be their first big hit but don't expect england to catch up with them too soon... maybe i should put '11 for these guys ha!

Soft Pack

Again these guys are gonna come around sort of in the summer they're playing live over here from may, I don't recall seeing them in any '09 lists but blow me if they are because i haven't mentioned them on here and I just gotta! Used to be called the muslims, that's gonna be the stuff you'll be able to find on p2p.