Friday 28 August 2009

Baddies @ Esquires, Bedford 27/8/09

I hadn't been to a gig in over a week because of my car incident and have been keeping my head down to make the monies for a bit, that's all over now anyway I got a wad and amazing gigs coming up! First up Baddies!

You can find my previous reviews for baddies here- http://outroversion.blogspot.com/2009/06/baddies.html

And that is why I was pumped and happy to drive two hours for them.

I'd never heard of bedford before, and rightly so. It's a small place I wouldn't expect anyone ever has to go unless they live there, the venue was just a room above a pub where they clearly sometimes hold honesttoshitfuck DISCOS... More on this later


















Kilto take were great, clear vocals, catchy guitar and bass lines, nice performance. These guys were apparently also from bedford and a few people knew the words and stuff, they also had a fangirl who was passed out in the car park by the end of the night.

















I took this picture of michael watching kilto take with the nme write up in the foreground it's ok quality but the idea behind it was killer. Speaking of which I was gonna say hey as I was at that legendary thekla gig but the thing about having a twin is there's always a bit of doubt in your mind, when these guys are next to each other you can tell but apart you're worried about looking like a douche. I am anyway, i'm a little paranoid about everything though :)

They kicked off with "i'm not a machine" which is an awesome track. I didn't know what to expect from the venue and maybe I'd set my sights too high after such an amazing first time with them but after being the only person who clapped on the line "the lights only work when you clap see" and nobody getting quite what they were delivering it was pretty clear this crowd or rather audience were pretty inexperienced gig wise. That's a polite way of saying they were bs.

The venue was just not designed for a band like baddies, it'd be more suited to keane and coldplay and u2 and other wishy washy shit like that. It had a dance floor, no kidding- a dance floor right in front of the stage which may as well have been filled with sharks with lazer beams attached to their frickin heads the effect it had on the atmosphere.

















They're playing reading this weekend and are going to be amazing and will enter the public consciousness whether they play the exact same set they did tonight or not they're that good and unique. Fact of the matter is that they'll be playing academies within 6 months and that's exactly where they should be. Make sure you catch them when they do.

Thursday 27 August 2009

First aid kit

My favourite band of the week for sure! Such an accolade might sound trivial but literally each week I have a favourite band that I listen to loads and each of them hold a place in my music library (heart) forever.

I found them because fanfarlo announced they're replaying the gig I missed at the jericho which first of all was the best news I could possibly have gotten, anyway these guys are supporting...













First aid kit

O.K as ever I barely even think about what an artist might look like let alone actually search it out, the only time this method ever really did me a disservice was with patrick wolf, lol I just had no way to prepare for that! Anyway these guys are YOUNG. 15 and 18 to be precise. My knee jerk response would be to say yeah so what so are smoosh but here's the thing- first aid kit's lyrics are not at all representative of their age. When I first listened to them I had in mind the chick was like 32! Smoosh's lyrics are very teen, these.. just are not.

The guardian gave them a bit of a slating in their new band of the day review so now i'm saying fuck the gaurdian's lists because they've been giving up and coming bands a really fucking hard time the past couple of weeks and it is NOT. COOL. tossers.

Tuesday 25 August 2009

Fight like apes- Something global

Every now and then you'll listen to a succession of tracks without being truly gripped. This occurs in particular when you really need to be taken by the scruff of the neck by a track. I literally pumped my fist in the air when I found this track it was track #42 of #228 tracks I have to listen to today (with more being added when I next sync my ipod including third eye blind's new album!) but this track so much ferocity, anger and passion as well as being insanely catchy. This despite the actual message of the song. Maybe I overreacted but i'm just going to put it streaming here as it'll be on this month's indie rock playlist-




























Fight like apes- Something global

The ONE thing I don't like about fight like apes is their name isn't at all representative of the band, like the lead singer is hot as FUCK!!

Monday 24 August 2009

Mumford and sons


















Mumford and sons

Apart from the baddies (because fuck the baddies are amazing, all live music should be like them!) these were my find of the dot to dot festival. I'm seeing them twice over the next month, Oxford and northampton they remind me so much of the decemberists it is untrue. And alas this brings me onto one issue I have with them- you know how bright eyes is so depressing and angry it's inspiring? These guys are kinda depressing in a really despondent way like morbidly the music's a little TOO haunting at times, the anger spills over at moments that are so poignant it makes you feel a little uncomfortable.

This isn't neccesarily a bad thing but I can see people being put off because of this, not me though because live they really are an event. They feel like how watching elbow after 10 years of playing together and 3 years before they broke must have felt; a bunch of guys who have played together for so long they are as tight as imaginable musically and know what each other are thinking and have a real feel for the evening and the way to sculpt it to maximise each particular audiences experience. I dig em but no album out yet, just enjoy the selection in the title.

Sunday 23 August 2009

Lightspeed champion

First up, I have a lot of respect for brandon flowers. Yeah shock right? It's just he doesn't seem to be in it for the money, he writes soooo much good music that isn't put on major release I mean- don't shoot me santa, romeo and juliet, the ballad of michael valentine- he could have put all these on day and age and it would have been the biggest album of the year, I like to think there's a reason he doesn't..

There was no real reason I mentioned the killers, it was just something that had been on my mind and I wanted to let it out! I don't even know what this post is going to be about. I've been digging "pass the courvoisier pt II" by busta rhymes ft. diddy and pharell... also thought about doing an introduction to ben gibbard's solo career when he used to be cool and unnobtainable.

I've both; worked out what this blog is about and can tie it in with the brandon flowers reference!

















Lightspeed champion

Former test icicle, younger than me but let's not hate! I saw him for the first time in birmingham supporting bright eyes in one of the most uncomfortable warm ups i've seen. His plane was late so had to do like a 20 minute acoustic performance, some of the crowd was disgustingly poor mannered, it was in birmingham though so... *isolates certain portion of audience!*

He was alright that night but saw him at the charlotte in leicester and he was spectacular. I believe his debut album went to number one in the english popular music charts but maybe it didn't. Either way it was awesome, love it- plus emmy the great does backing vocals on it.

The comparison to mr. flowers is due to how many sessions this guy puts on the net for his fans, titles like "this album was written and recorded in a day" and "album in a day 2" and "house sitting sessions" and an album of greenday covers he works hard man and loves music. Although one time I read he dug "pork and beans" by weezer so much he listened to it constantly for a week... This hopefully is not true as that song is more puke and balls than anything else.

His music is visceral, maybe I use that adjective too much just cos I know it and it makes me feel superior or maybe it's relevant here. The music is expansive, thanks i'm sure in part to mike mogis' hand, you can really hear his input throughout the album. And the lyrical themes are original (Hate to think what would happen if I started to drink like you, maybe I will loosen up..well, pour me another gin. Guzzle down, my neck will burn as we kiss and I'm sick in your mouth.) backing from emmy the great perfects an already great album.

Highlights of the album are galaxy of the lost, tell me what it's worth, dry lips and no surprise for wendela. That's if you don't like getting a feel for the whole album and *goes on rant about popular music*... Enjoy!

Thursday 20 August 2009

MUSIC!!! (Gaslight Anthem)

Ah gotta love music. I don't know if anyone knows any of my music but yeah I'm a musician. Eventually if it starts getting interesting i'll tie in what i'm doing with this blog but at the mo I've just played my first show of the winter season last week, went splendidly, was only a short set played three tracks off the city in the sky ep- The love that I, Fast food and drinks in the forest and the bright eyes cover of hot knives what i do. Was in a car accident on the way home so having to be mature and fork out for that while cutting down on frivolities. Pour examplement I missed the dinosaur jr gig last night.

Anyway the reason I mentioned my music is, in the song "pom of opus" there's the line "Felt like myself for a moment there. I touched my face with a realisation of such potency i'm gonna be spending my life chasing what I felt that night" this is a reference to a night where I woke up at around two am and felt amazing like pure energy and when I rubbed my face it was like electricity. In my mind this is how everybody else feels all the time except me basically cos i've been on anti-depressants since my dad died but today I've felt that way for hours and I feel like i've come out the other side and am on a spiritual high.

So of course this has ignited my passion for music. I've listened to so much new music over the past few days and have more to come what with the indie rock playlist being put together for next month and needing to get my input together. My point here is that no matter how much music i've heard and maybe even including fanfarlo, yes that's right- even including fanfarlo, NOTHING comes close to this album and the impact it's had on me-
























The Gaslight Anthem- '59 Sound

I don't know where to start with this album. It's flawless. Deserving of every accolade it's gotten and I haven't heard any criticism. I can see this being the album I remember this decade for. I can't even come close to saying everything I want to about this album but I feel like if one person reads this and gets this album then it'll be worth trying.

The album begins with the crackling of vinyl and the guitar could easily be 50s jazz blues, lyrics and vocals come right in letting you know that this is going to be a relentless experience. God I need to see this band live. One criticism you might be able to level is that they use certain well known scenarios and names to create atmosphere, which in my opinion is beautiful and one of my favourite things about the album! But things like "a song from 1962", roadside cafes, elvis, miles davis, I think it's wonderful and puts you right there in that mindset, I feel Jack Kerouac could have listened to this album on the road. "everybody leaves so why, why wouldn't you?"

The '59 sound is a classic track, amazing musically, lyrically... Actually i'm just going to paste the lyrics here as anything I can say would just pale in comparison-

And I wonder which song they're going to play when we go.
I hope it's something quiet mannered, peaceful, and slow.
When we throw out into the ether.
Into the everlasting arms.
I hope we don't hear Marley's chains before July.
Cause the chains I've been hearing now for most of my life.
And the chains I've been hearing for most of my life.

To hear the '59 sound coming through my Grandfather's radio.
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass.
See I was playing a show down the road when your spirit left your body.
And they told me on the front lawn, I'm sorry I couldn't go.
But I still know the song and the words and the name and the reasons.
And I know cause we were kids and we used to hang.

To hear the '59 sound coming through my Grandfather's radio.
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

Young boys........young girls.
Ain't supposed to die on a saturday nights.
Ain't supposed to die on a saturday.
Well they ain't supposed to die on a saturday night.
Ain't supposed to die on a saturday night.

To hear the '59 sound coming through my Grandfather's radio.
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

That song is when they entered the uk's consciousness because of this- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atmGYUsbahw and why not? Pretty iconic performance.

Do yourself a favour and let this into your life, it's incredible and ever so poignant.

Wednesday 19 August 2009

New ben gibbard project...


NEW BEN GIBBARD PROJECT, "ONE FAST MOVE OR I'M GONE: KEROUAC'S BIG SUR"

One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur, a new album featuring 12 original
songs composed and performed by Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar of Son Volt - with lyrics based on
the prose of Jack Kerouac’s landmark 1962 novel Big Sur - will be available on October 20th.
One Fast Move or I'm Gone is a result of Ben and Jay having discovered a mutual appreciation
for Kerouac's work while recording several songs for a feature-length documentary of the
same name, also available on October 20th. See below for the album tracklist.

1. California Zephyr
2. Low Life Kingdom
3. Willamine
4. All In One
5. Breathe Our Iodine
6. These Roads Don’t Move
7. Big Sur
8. One Fast Move Or I'm Gone
9. Final Horrors
10. Sea Engines
11. The Void
12. San Francisco


______________________________


This turning up in my inbox and as with every death cab e-mail kills me as I realise how disinterested i've become in them. It's a shame but also unavoidable. It was that EP, it was just horrible.

Tuesday 11 August 2009

We'll make it right /The Jezabels
















We'll make it right

One of many bands i've found great new albums from recently, though these are the guys that inspired me to actually write about them. Pretty interesting bio too-

"From the 3rd till 10th of January 2009, Benny Sings, Bo Koek (Les Frogs), Bart Suèr, Dean Tippet, Roos Jonker and Extraa were We’ll Make It Right. They planned a week long gathering in a place called The Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam. Bringing some instruments an a recorder, to set things straight. In a cabin with… “We’ll Make It Right”."


I'm all for innovative creation and these guys seem to have gotten everything right that week, check them out...

All you have to do is go to the following link, enter any name and any e-mail address in and click download!

Download
















O.K I just heard The jezabels for the first time and wow you're gonna hear more from them. They're how I wish florence and the machine sounded. Fortunately they're australian so they're probably safe from the britpop shit recycler that got to oh- kate nash, duffy, florence, little boots, vv brown and innumerable others who have seen potentially fulfilling careers condenced into 5 minutes of fame.

Get the EP here! :)

Monday 10 August 2009

Another night in Oxford town

I've been looking very much forward to writing this particular blog. What a fascinating night. So much incident, it reminded me alot of that movie "nick and norah's infinite playlist" only you know... not shit. It's a fascinating read, I personally would love to hear a story like this but I was fortunate enough to be on the rollercoaster that was- just another night in oxford town.

I had my brother's son's naming ceremony in the afternoon in bristol which was pleasant, a lot of nice people and some music. I'd arranged to hit a gig in coventry but little did I realise that was a good 120 miles from where I was. I really wanted to go to it though, a unique venue called "taylor john's house" where she keeps bees were playing, one of the numerous guardian tips. But i'd already driven that much that day and so decided to hit oxford, it never lets me down...

I get there, park up on cowley road. Three venues- nothing. I have gig listings on my phone which are updated daily and the sole one on there was hearts in pencil and secret rivals at the wheatshead i figured great opportunity to check out a venue i hadn't seen. I go down there, twisting my ankle to FUCK on the way. Nearly cried I gotta say, it really really killed. And yeah- they'd cancelled. I sat there dumbstruck for a few minutes before leaving.

I wasn't sure whether to include this part in the blog but it seemed really profound to me at the time. I was walking away from the venue when I saw this beautiful young girl, younger than me, on the street, homeless. I'd just bought some food and just wanted to do anything I could to improve things even temporarily so I gave her it, I was mega hungry later lol and she told me about her situation and how her boyfriend was also homeless, he was standing nearby. I gave her the money for them both to stay in a bed and breakfast for the night, I could barely afford it but at the time it felt like it would truly help them and give them faith.

I went back to the wheatsheaf to gather my thoughts and chatted with some guy about truck, frank turner and stornoway, he had this months night shift, and there was a gig down at the cellar starting at 10pm (the night had already been going on a bit). When I left to go to it, at the cellar, the girl and her boyfriend had gone. I hope they had a wonderful night.

The first couple of bands aren't really terribly noteworthy. The first was an instrumental act who wore masks. In my opinion, masks aren't entirely nessecary unless your instrumental band has flea on bass, dave grohl on drums and a reincarnated jimi hendrix on guitar. The next one reminded me a bit of how frank turner's old band must have been live, very shouty and very minimalistic.

I wasn't all that hopeful. The indie club was already underway at the academy and I thought I might go down there and sing along to some libertines to let off the steam. I headed to the bathroom and there were two guys putting make up on in the mirror, I figured they were the next band, Oxford isn't that kinda place ya see. I asked if i would dig them and they said yes, yes I would. They cited darkness as the main comparison- yeah I was intrigued, so what?

This is how they looked on stage-


















I'd never seen anything like the show they put on. I know there's a bunch of bands that do dress up and that one band from seattle with the four armed guitarist (i'd love it if you don't know them though ha like wtf?!) but whether there are others like them or not they were INcredible. I go to alot of gigs and this ticked every box for being up there with the best- rocked out, had an insane amount of fun, seen things i'd never even imagined let alone expected to see live. In the show the lead singer arm wrestled the guitarists head, the guitarists played while doing sit ups, they killed their arch enemy with music, oh and one of them was a cow! And to be honest, innumerable things that were just mind blowing. Oh plus everyone in the audience got a hug at the end! If you get a chance to see these guys, the singer said they were from brighton which is a shame as if they played oxford more i'd take up a season ticket to them.

Kinda mental but I haven't even mentioned the music. You would be excused for thinking with all these assaults on the senses the music would take a back seat- damn wrong. The music is actually really fanTASTic! And yeah they are like the darkness, but an awesome version of them dressed as superheroes. The lead singer is charismatic and has a strong delivery, an amazing amount of dynamics vocally and can hold some killer notes. The cow also sings, it's quite the spectacle! Oh I almost didn't mention the guitarist's playing- dramatic progression, showmanship, high notes like lazer beams, he plays like he's straight out of a comic book, if that makes sense. He's like if the silver surfer plays guitar. He might well, I don't know I don't read comics buddy!

Bottom line is, these guys are amazing, a unique and ethereal gift to your very being. Los Campesinos once spoke of "only a very few places you're guaranteed to get a hug when you leave." This is one. And not just physically, so will your faith in live music.

Sunday 9 August 2009

Miles Davis


















Miles Davis (1926-1991)

What a picture. Sometimes it only takes a picture to say everything you need about someone. None of those people are Miles Davis though, I could write a diarahma up in here and barely scratch the surface. I think it's nice hearing how people get into different kinds of music though so maybe you'll dig how I found out how incredible this guy's music is.

Now I think about it, it's not a terribly interesting story. But you know, I heard this recently-

"Years ago I took a trip to New York with a girlfriend. We were just a couple of kids. It was our last night. A warm August night, not a whisper of breeze. And we heard that Miles Davis was playing but when we got there, Man, we couldn't afford the admission. We were pretty crestfallen. But down the alley one of the staff had a side door open and you could hear the music drifting out. Well, the guy let us stand there. And those long cool notes, that lazy langorous sound that Miles had, just came floating out into the night. And I stood there, with my arms around my girl, listening to that magical mournful sound. I didn't have a cent but I felt like the King of the World."

It doesn't matter where it's from, if you know where it is you can probably see why saying might take something away from the mystique! Bottom line is I heard two stories about miles davis before actually listening to him, both remarkable in the poignant nostalgia over the details of an evening in his presence and listening to him with that in mind, is amazing. A smoke filled bar, 2am, a pioneer of jazz digging the scene for hours while you hold the night as tight as you will tomorrow never wanting it to end.

The argument tends to be over which album is better Bitches brew -v- kind of blue. I'd reccomend getting into one of those first. My personal favourite track is the little blue frog, I didn't even know it was even possible to do this kind of thing with music. The atmosphere and textures that he creates with his music and composure is indescribable. I didn't like jazz, I wouldn't say I'm converted to the genre but everybody has to hear this man, your life is missing something without his music in it.

Saturday 8 August 2009

The tenth stage



















The Tenth Stage

While this was buffering, having read the description, I was thinking "please be amazing" from the first note I knew I'd be writing up these guys.

I've not been as excited to be thrust into a genre since my flirtation with goth rock earlier this year and believe me I didn't even know theatrical steampunk was a genre... I barely even knew they were words.

In theory this music should be the most popular thing on the planet, but then in another way you could also say that these are bands who just write their own musical theatre but there's way more to it than that, a whole new world... *ahem*

It's not impossible to compare these to more attainable artists, Patrick Wolf I'm sure is indebted to this genre, Scary Mansion could easily tour with these guys and all those novelty acts like the aliens and I think they were called wombats but they're pretty much this genre just with a lot less cool.

Stay tuned because I'm blogging about Miles Davis tomorrow. You gotta love the eclecticism.

Thursday 6 August 2009

Artist of the day- Polly Scattergood





















Polly Scattergood

The other day I was playing a song on my guitar and decided to change all of the minor notes and chords to major formations, the difference was quite astounding. I think Holly Throsby would dig this idea, Polly Scattergood on the other hand isn't bothered with that, she's as dark as everyone else wishes they were. Her music's beautifully intense without being pressing, the cloud is just there, circling.

"The journies she takes us on begin with hope before being dragged back by the darkness, like cat power said, the schizophrenia's weighing me down. You can never escape yourself, only change who you are."

Here's some lyrics from untitled 27-

"Suicidal tendencies
Drain creativity
Auto-pilot
Numb the music
Sick..."

Wednesday 5 August 2009

Summer Sundae Pt. I

I've not been to this festival before but have booked the whole weekend off from work as it's both my birthday and when my dad died so figured I wanted to be a bit stress free. I can't decide whether to go for all 3 days or just one. A week ago, it was one- fuck camping- i was dying after just 2 nights at truck! but now i've recovered i'm open for making more mistakes!

Another reason why I thought about going for just the one day was that I there were a whole 'nother BUTTload of bands I'd never even heard of and a few of them headlining! So i'm like wtf am I that out of touch?! No of course not but it's whether I could be bothered to research who to see before I went... Of course I could I mean music is my life so there we go it's settled i'd go for the whole weekend I'm glad we had this little chat.















Summer Sundae 14-15-16 August 2009

I figure the best way to do this is to do one a day.


















Oi Va Voi

Seems Oi Va Voi (yiddish for "oh! dear") have been plugging around quitely for the whole of this decade, until their latest effort which looks like propelling them to some sort of indie notoriety. A multi-instrumental world music inspired sound with satin laced, at times female, at times less satin laced male vocals draped over electic mucianship. This is without even mentioning the lyrics, which as anyone who knows me will know is what music's all about for me and here they do share a stage with amazing music which either means they've got to be second place or step up and produce an amazing cocophany of sound, guess which these guys chose... well i've listened andi'm not even sure of the answer... Sometimes there's amazing lyrics sometimes there's chanting and atmosphere creating vocal gymnastics and sometimes there's lyrics in other languages what I don't even know what they are. I can only imagine them to be a spectacle live, I'll listen to their album when I upload it to my ipod and give more info on these guys, at the mo, looking a bit specialist.

Tuesday 4 August 2009

muse- united states of eurasia

















Muse- United States of Eurasia

It's a tricky business; writing a song in a style so reminiscent of another band that any advances made musically by your own band become irrelevant as people focus on what can either be seen as a parody or an homage. Muse will be hoping for the latter, that their Brian May guitar solos and Freddie Mercury inspired lyrical themes and delivery are seen as a masterstroke and one that will propel their band into mainstream acceptance. Which is what muse have always been aiming for, sickening as that is.

Muse's live shows used to be more about the lazers than the music, in future I'm expecting them to be more about what other hooks they're putting on this album. However, I won't dismiss their next step before they've made it, and at least people are talking about the music, I'm looking forward to seeing what their next move is though.

Indie/Rock Playlist August 2009

Blalock's Indie/Rock Playlist: August (2009)

Tracklisting

1. (00:01:13) Blalock - August Intro - www.BlalocksIRP.com
2. (00:03:21) Tigers That Talked - 23 Fears
3. (00:03:54) Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream
4. (00:05:18) Thom Yorke - All For The Best
5. (00:02:19) The Legends - Always the same
6. (00:07:21) 4 Bonjour's Parties - Amalthea
7. (00:03:46) New Education - Another Miracle
8. (00:05:24) Sunset Rubdown - Apollo And The Buffalo And Anna Anna Anna Oh!
9. (00:02:29) jj - are you still in vallda?
10. (00:04:13) Skidmore Fountain - Asylum
11. (00:04:47) Copy Haho - Bad Blood
12. (00:03:28) The Checks - Ballroom Baby
13. (00:04:26) Voxtrot - Berlin, Without Return...
14. (00:03:41) Ohbijou - Black Ice
15. (00:03:13) Marcy Playground - Blackbird
16. (00:04:08) Noah and the Whale - Blue Skies
17. (00:02:03) Coco B's - Bluebird
18. (00:05:26) DM Stith - Braid of Voices
19. (00:02:35) Half Tiger - Bright City
20. (00:04:22) Now, Now Every Children - Cars
21. (00:03:41) Monogrenade - Ce soir
22. (00:03:53) Wheat - Changes Is
23. (00:03:36) The Peekers - Close My Eyes
24. (00:05:23) Motel Motel - Coffee
25. (00:05:29) We Were Promised Jetpacks - Conductor
26. (00:02:18) Cogwheel Dogs - Cress
27. (00:03:35) Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning
28. (00:02:38) We Are The Storm -
29. (00:03:46) Natalie Prass - Deer
30. (00:03:19) One Hundred Hurricanes - Duke Hat
31. (00:04:20) J. Tillman - Earthly Bodies
32. (00:02:54) The Anomalies - Employee Of The Month
33. (00:02:58) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Everything With You
34. (00:04:13) The Dodos - Fables
35. (00:03:41) Blindfold - Falleg Depuro
36. (00:02:53) The Seldon Plan - Fire in Day's Field
37. (00:04:18) The Duckworth Lewis Method - Flatten The Hay
38. (00:03:29) There Will Be Fireworks - Foreign Thoughts
39. (00:05:04) Netherfriends - Friends With Lofts
40. (00:03:32) Julian Plenti - Fun That We Have
41. (00:04:52) Light In Your Life - Geldof
42. (00:03:24) The Got To Get Got - Gettin' Dirty In The Afterlife
43. (00:02:56) The Postmarks - Go Jetsetter
44. (00:04:45) The Builders And The Butchers - Golden And Green
45. (00:03:42) Owen - Good Friends, Bad Habits
46. (00:03:28) Little Big Adventure - Happiest Times
47. (00:02:21) How I Became The Bomb - Harvest
48. (00:03:13) MSTRKRFT - Heartbreaker
49. (00:04:29) Blind Man's Colour - Heavy Cloud Hustle
50. (00:05:35) Yo La Tengo - Here To Fall
51. (00:02:31) Throw Me The Statue - Hi-Fi Goon
52. (00:03:40) Modest Mouse - History Sticks To Your Feet
53. (00:02:47) Tada Tata - Hit The Wall
54. (00:03:38) The Films - Holiday
55. (00:04:50) Bombadil - Honeymoon
56. (00:04:35) Wild Beasts - Hooting & Howling
57. (00:04:24) Rx Bandits - Hope is a Butterfly, No Net Its Captor,... (Virus of Silence)
58. (00:03:24) The Boy Least Likely To - I Keep Myself To Myself
59. (00:02:31) Lightning Dust - I Knew
60. (00:02:08) The Lovely Eggs - I Like Birds (But I Like Other Animals Too)
61. (00:04:25) Dananananaykroyd - Infinity Milk
62. (00:03:46) Hockey - Learn to Lose
63. (00:02:46) The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
64. (00:04:36) The Weeks - Like Gypsies Do
65. (00:04:16) Cold Cave - Love Comes Close
66. (00:02:55) The Foxes - Lover, Killer
67. (00:04:21) Dark Mean - Lullaby
68. (00:03:55) De Novo Dahl - Make Some Sense
69. (00:02:33) Yves Klein Blue - Make Up Your Mind
70. (00:03:46) Sad Day For Puppets - Marble Gods
71. (00:04:43) The Color Turning - Me Versus Me
72. (00:03:27) Butterflies - Mind Games
73. (00:03:34) The Sweet Serenades - Mona Lee
74. (00:02:57) Florence And The Machine - My Boy Builds Coffins
75. (00:04:09) Yourself And The Air - My Friends Are In Love With A Feeling
76. (00:03:09) Lymbyc System - Narita
77. (00:03:08) Chris Garneau - No More Pirates
78. (00:03:29) Islands - No You Don't
79. (00:03:54) Creaky Boards - Now I'm in the City
80. (00:03:38) Alcoholic Faith Mission - Nut In Your Eye
81. (00:03:45) The Cribs - Our Bovine Public (Napoleon IIIrd Remix)
82. (00:03:37) Periscope - Outlaw Gang
83. (00:02:47) Deastro - Parallelogram
84. (00:03:51) Starlight Mints - Paralyzed
85. (00:02:55) Wolf Gang - Pieces Of You
86. (00:02:55) In Endeavors - Private Eye
87. (00:02:40) Hermit Thrushes - Push
88. (00:03:06) La Roux - Quicksand
89. (00:04:53) The Twilight Sad - Reflection Of The Television
90. (00:04:19) YACHT - Ring The Bell
91. (00:02:56) Doll and The Kicks - Roll Up The Red Carpet
92. (00:02:49) Her Space Holiday - Same Song Sing Along
93. (00:02:37) Monsters of Folk - Say Please
94. (00:04:25) A Lull - Skinny Fingers
95. (00:02:34) We'll Make It Right - Some Day
96. (00:03:10) Kevin Mcadams - Start Over Again
97. (00:04:05) Jamie T - Sticks 'N' Stones
98. (00:02:50) Paloma Faith - Stone Cold Sober
99. (00:05:03) Akron/Family - Sun Will Shine (Warmth Of The Sunship Version)
100. (00:02:28) Discovery - Swing Tree
101. (00:05:49) Wye Oak - Take It In
102. (00:05:03) We Fell To Earth - The Double
103. (00:03:04) The Answering Machine - The Information
104. (00:01:57) Soft Black - The Lions
105. (00:04:03) Other Girls - The Moth
106. (00:03:34) The Gaslight Anthem - The Patient Ferris Wheel
107. (00:03:21) Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band
108. (00:03:02) Portugal. The Man - The Sun
109. (00:03:44) Perfect People - They Don't Make 'Em Like You Anymore
110. (00:05:11) Why? - This Blackest Purse
111. (00:03:34) Sugar Army - Tongues In Cheeks
112. (00:04:12) The Big Pink - Too Young To Love
113. (00:03:38) Ghostbird - Toy Soldier
114. (00:03:12) Dan Black - U + ME =
115. (00:01:44) Jellybean! - Underwear Is For Wearing, Not For Showing Off!
116. (00:03:39) Muse - United States of Eurasia
117. (00:02:58) Hello Seahorse! - Universo 2
118. (00:04:42) The Jezabels - Unmarked Helicopters
119. (00:03:50) Lisa Mitchell - Valium
120. (00:03:49) Atlas Sound - Walkabout
121. (00:03:40) fun. - Walking the Dog
122. (00:03:43) Trevor Giuliani - Wasting Your Town
123. (00:02:59) Dial F for Frankenstein - Wes Vega
124. (00:02:42) Dear Reader - What We Wanted
125. (00:03:20) Generationals - When They Fight, They Fight
126. (00:04:02) Elevator Music - When We Were Noturnal
127. (00:03:56) Charlotte Hatherley - White
128. (00:03:20) Slow Club - Wild Blue Milk
129. (00:08:25) Bon Iver - Wolves (Live)
130. (00:04:33) Local Natives - World News (Live)
131. (00:02:36) Jay Reatard - Wounded
132. (00:03:19) The Burning Hotels - Yellow Eyes
133. (00:03:34) Alvarez Kings - You, Me, Them, Us
134. (00:05:05) Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire
135. (00:03:31) Witches - Young Ones
136. (00:04:24) Birds of Avalon - Your Downtime Is Up
137. (00:05:17) Rico Blanco - Yugto

Monday 3 August 2009

Don't call it a supergroup! (Monsters of folk)

























Conor Oberst's definately good at making you do your work to be called a real connosieur of his work, between bright eyes, the mystic valley band, desperaciados, the split ep's, guest appearences and to a lesser extent- commander venus lol he's now back with super group "monsters of folk" with mike mogis of bright eyes and M. Ward of she and him i suppose and jim james of no less than My morning jacket. This has to be good right?

Right. This is amazing, it's got both the feeling of genius colliding and four friends rocking out together doing what they do best and for each of them that involves different areas, as long as conor's on lyrics so i'm pretty much happy to leave everyone to their own devices although james and ward do get in on the act. The result, surely cacophonic emo-folk bliss.

Say please

Sunday 2 August 2009

Band of the day- 6 day riot

When you come back from a festival after you don't listen to any music for a few hours you'll find you tend to listen to a few artists more than any other from the festival, and sometimes it's the ones you didn't really expect. First for me, it was Fanfarlo, they were majestic, I listened to their album about 8 times the second day back but since then...


































Band of the Day- 6 Day riot

The biography on 6 day riot's website is lengthy but worth a read, it tells of members leaving on the eve of their biggest tour, broken dreams, breakthrough songs written in planes on the way to canadian festivals, it pretty much has everything and it looks like it's going to have a happy ending.

I don't really do folk music so don't be put off by 6 day riot's folkier-than-fuck tag because watching them they're like actually living in a wild west movie and drinking in a saloon while they play catchier than hell songs at you while you fall in love with former gymnast Tamara Schlesinger. You'll see what I mean...

Run for your life
O those kids
Go! Canada

Saturday 1 August 2009

Sad day for puppets- Marble Gods

Yeah so it's been a while, I'm getting the outroversion band hyping band wagon back on the band discovering trail. So I was at truck festival this last weekend, probably why i've been ill the past week (due to rocking out every single possible second!) it was amazing, I'd love to do a review of the whole thing but you know it'd just reference a bunch of in jokes between friends, me hanging out with bands, telling you that I decided to have both bacon and cheese on my burger but decided against the egg and on the sunday morning we thought it would be a good idea to buy champagne before getting to the gate and realising we have to pour it into a water bottle before getting in..

But I will be covering all the amazing bands I saw there, there's going to be more fanfalrlo if that is indeed possible, 6 day riot, sad day for puppets, broken records, joy formidable, ash, and their hearts were full of spring, red light company, winersleep, wild beasts, dear reader, dive dive and of course- Funk Tanker.

And so, first up-





















Sad Day for puppets- Marble Gods

They're from Sweden, they closed the village pub at truck, I was at Frank Turner so missed them. They've only played gigs in london before so it was a rarity getting them in the midlands so fairly devastated to miss them although they'll be getting bigger and hopefully be coming back.

Fronted by Anna Eklund's breathy vocals draping themselves over 1990's brit pop style guitars like philidelphia light over anything i've eaten over the past week. This track definates SDFP, it outlines everything that is great about them, gorgeous vocals, guitars which feel like they're about to break into bohemian rhapsody territory before feedbacking all over your face.

In the independant band of the day review (the most amazing and in depth, comprehensive collection of new artists you will ever see) they were listed as "Most likely to: Move to Oxford." this would please me no end, the day they become the jericho house band would be the day I considered sticking around in this morbid excuse for a world power... So yes, amazing uplifting, swedish pop pleasure!