Album Weekend

I'm back in little ol' St. Albans now for the next few weeks where the internet is plentiful and runs at the speed of light, well maybe not that quick.  Therefore, I can now actually stream songs without them having to buffer every 20 seconds so I have finally been able to listen to a few free albums.

So far, I've only managed 3 unfortunately.  First off was 'Congratulations' which I'm guessing everyone has heard by now, second was 'WHB' and last was 'Album.'  Ok, maybe that last one isn't new at all, but it was still a new listen for me.

The first time I listened to Congratulations I thought it was a little boring, but now I'm going at it again, I'm going to have to disagree with myself and say that I just 'didn't get it,' whatever that's supposed to mean.  There may be no 'Kids' or 'Time To Pretend' part 2, but it's still an enjoyable listen, but probably not so much if you're not already a fan, but who doesn't like MGMT?

We Have Band.  I'd already heard of them, you'd already heard of them, so what's the point?  They've been around for a while now before managing to get their first album out.  I first heard them on the Kitsuné Maison 6 compilation with their track 'Hear It In The Cans,' which for a while I actually thought was NYPC, until I finally decided to look at my iPod and check.  The rest of the tracks aren't quite in the same style as that, but still lost somewhere between an electro band and a rock band without really pulling either off consistently well, but I'd probably still buy it if I had the money to spare.

The final album I listened to, 'Album' was probabaly my favourite, but this shit be old so I'll leave it at that.

Oh, and now I've properly listened to 'Congratulations,' I really like it.

VBS Meets ... David Haye

Well hello there you cheeky parakeets.  How be's you?  Ploughing your way through the hot cross buns or just slamming back the vodka like any other normal breakfast?

Today we have a little boxing.  Now, I'm well too Vince Noir, I actually am a French Duke, I've never even thrown a punch in my life although I nearly did this one time, but that's another story.  But I'm all man!

David Haye is, like, really good at hitting people, I mean he's actually the best in the world, I'd love to be officially known as the hardest man in the world.  This guy managed to beat some other guy who was like 13' tall, or something ridiculous like that.  This weekend is also pretty huge for him as he is coming up against John Ruiz in a fight to decide who will be undisputed heavyweight champion.

Not at all bad for a lad from Bermondsey.  I go through Bermondsey nearly every day, cruising to uni on the 381, and just to give you an idea of Bermondsey, it is where Millwall F.C. is located, so you know it's not London's number one hotspot.  If you're not English, Millwall F.C is basically a football team supported mainly by racist thugs.  I hate Millwall.

Well anyway, Vice sent him to Senegal where he got up to all sorts of awesome stuff and luckily for us they decided to film it too.  After watching the film the thing that struck me most was what a really cool guy he is because the only time I've ever been exposed to boxers is when they have those pre-fight pess conferences where they just seem like total dicks, but he was totally down-to-earth.  Although, I did have a little laugh when we were introduced to his bodyguard, I mean what use is a bodyguard that you could beat up yourself?

Anyway, here it is for you guys to watch.  Oh, and look out for a cheeky cameo from who I'm certain is Diomansy Kamara.

Although a link may be a more rewarding experience since the video screen doesn't fit. 

Let's Make This The Rockinest Holy Week. Ever.

So, THE biggest week of the year is finally upon us, good Catholic boys like me getting ready to thank Superman for saving mankind by slaying Godzilla by throwing donkeys and wine in his face, before Batman went and grassed him up to the police because he needed some money to buy more dope, in that epic battle over 2000 years ago and after the police caught Superman they took him to Goldfinger, who was a bit clueless really, and decided that it would be best to nail him up and use him as a handy shelf in his office.  Way to drop the ball!  But, then 3 days later Lois Lanewent to get a book only to find them all in a mess on te floor and then Superman came back and said that 'He was cool.'  They hooked up for a bit, but she got too clingy so he thought 'Fuck this' and left to 'go to the shops.'  Well, I'm pretty sure that's what all the fuss is about.  To be honest, I just heard people talk about crosses, donkeys and wine, got bored and decided to make the story a bit more exciting.

How do you think Superman would want us to remember him?  I reckon that he'd want me to talk about noisy Norwegians.  In fact, he told me so last night. 

More precisely, Serena Maneesh, a five piece from said country.  These guys are part of the 4AD crüe, home of The Big Pink, Efterklang, TV On The Radio and Bon Iver to name but a few.  Don't know about you, but I would say that's pretty good company to be in.  Well, these guys are releasing album number 2 'Serena Maneesh 2: Abyss In B Minor.'

'I Just Want To See Your Face' throws together a nice mix of noisy and aggressive guitars and a drum beat that sounds like it should be on a Sonic Youth track.  Wait a minute that's all Sonic Youth stuff, winner!  Except, I would have to say that the vocals are bit more pleasing, no offence Kim. 

'Ayisha Abyss' would probabbly feel pretty comfortable in 1970's Germany with it's fairly repetitive, NOT a criticism just an observation, beat which throws in a few psychedelic and spacey moments, but gradually buids up over the 7 minutes.  'Reprobate' sounds equally impressive too with plenty of the same ingredients, without being boring.




Nice.

Also, Dum Dum Girls have an album out now, or in about 9 hours for those of us in England and who still go to record stores, which is good news.  Get a free download of them covering The Raveonettes here, or somewhere else as well, probably.

Going Through The Motions Kills Emotions

I think it's safe to say that Manchester is very much the capital of electro-synth-pop and therefore the capital of music.  Over the past week or two one band keeps cropping up almost everywhere I look, and that band is MAY68.  I think it's safe to say that this 5-some is named after that rather topsy-turvy time in Paris seeing as it is seen as watershed moment in French post-war history, maybe even European and on thier myspace page tey lead with the slogan 'boredom is counterrevolutionary,' which was a slogan of the 'agitators.'  In this month some pretty serious shit went down,  forget that, saying it like that just trivialises it.

These guys are very similar to long time favourites and contender for my favourite band Performance.  These guys play some slightly more high-tempo stuff so I would very much expect to hear the trendy DJ's in the hipster clubs playing these guys and they're not quite as bleak either, but I do like bleak.

And of course, like any self-respecting band these days, they are also DJ's and capable of cracking out a really cool remix of Hot Club De Paris track 'Extra Time Then Sudden Death' which is available as a free download if you sign up to their mailing list.  Also, if you have a look around on the RCRD LBL website you can get the Acid Washed remix of their song 'My Ways.'  Actually, go to RCRD LBL even if you hate these guys because they are choc-full of awesome, free tracks.

If all that wasn't enough for you, you'll be glad to hear that there is more because they've also made a mini DJ mix which has some tasty tracks on it from The xx, SebastiAn, Gorillaz and others.  It's only about 20 minutes long, but still definitely worth a download.

Sweet Swedes: The Saga Continues

Y'all may be rather aware that I am a bit if a swedophile, and no, that doesn't mean I go around molesting Swedes.  No one knows how it all started, but I think it's pretty legitimate seeing as they do make some rockin' awesome music.

Stockholm Beat Connection are one such example.  They are not  typically Swedish, i.e they don't make dreamy, lo-fi indie pop, instead they make bangin' electro.  Now, their myspace page has only one track of their own but I'd imagine they have much more in the locker seeing as they have been around for a few years now.  But, their seems to be elements similar in style to Crookers with bleepy and techno-y, but they do also manage to work in some faster paced stuff with a big bass beat too.  Yay!

There is also a minimix posted too which is enjoyable.  Of course, the highlight for me was 'D.A.N.C.E (Justice remix)' but the other tracks sound good too.  Wouldn't sound too out of place in a Twelves mix.  They've also played with some pretty huge acts, namely 2ManyDJ's and Justice so you know that they're not too shabby.

Another group of funky Swedes is Bye Bye Bicycle.  These guys sound proper 80's.  'Northpole' does sound a bit like a lost Duran Duran track, but I don't care, I still like it.  But, then 'Haby Bay' comes and saves the day with it's piano opening before the very Swedish guitars come along and whisk you off to dream land.  Some supuer good news about these guys is that their debut album 'Compass' is out and available to buy.  They are also playing a few dates in the coming months but unfortunately only Finns, Swedes and Germans will get to see them.

Picture Book

No preamble, let's get to it.

Picture Book must be the most cosmopolitan band on earth right now, maybe even ever, with lead singer Greta hailing from the Faroe Islands, the drummer and the axe-man coming from New York, and they all decided to get together and start a band in Liverpool.

This, however, is where it gets tricky for me.  You see, I was brought up proper by my dad, a Mancunian, so I have a pretty healthy disdain for all things Liverpudlian.  It hurts to say The Beatles were any good, it's still a little annoying that Wayne Rooney is a scouser and I'm still baffled as to how they managed to be European Capital of Culture.

But, putting all that aside for now, I can tell you that this trio make some really good stuff.  Throwing together some blissed out electro beats with some fairly old-fashioned actual proper singing, not just talking over the music.  The end result is a real aural treat.

Listening to their latest single, which has been out for a few months and is on iTunes, it feels like I should be sat down in a really dark club, sipping on a cocktail with a pretty lady nearby.  'Tother single 'Strangers' will keep the dead moody indie kids like myself happier with it's slightly more aggressive melody and talk of strangers.  Expect to see some pretty crazy hipster dancing, of which I am a pro, if you ever hear this track.

They have a couple of other tracks up on their myspace too which are definitely worth a listen and  I'm looking forward to the time when they're big enough to get a gig in big ol' London because for now they're still playing fairly local gigs, except for Peterborough.

Oh well.  Bye byes.

Oh yeah, don't forget Sunday is the biggest event of the year.  Let's please get back to beating L*verpool  and get closer to title number 19.

Post #34

Yeah, all this 'success' is just going to my head so I've gone all postmodern with my titles.  Although, I've read that article a few times and to be honest, I'm still a little bit lost as to what postmodernism is, as far as I can tell if something's a bit shit and up it's own arse, it's postmodern.

So, do you like Archie Bronson?  Only his clothes you say?  Well you're in for a treat today because I want to give the Archie Bronson Outfi a few words of love today.

A couple of weeks ago, this London based trio released album numéro 3 called 'Coconut.'

Opener 'Magnetic Warrior' starts things off real nice with slightly off sounding guitars which jars you a little and creates a nice sense of intrigue about how the song, and the album, will unfold, and without spoiling it too much for you, it's dead good and worth carrying on with.

'Shark's Tooth', is, well, a competely different animal.  One which is not so reliant on heavy guitar riffs, but they are of course still to be found.  I do quite enjoy the lack of clarity in the vocals, not just because I personally find it aurally pleasing, but it also enables you to fully appreciate the 'instrument-manship' that goes into the song.

So, if anyone reading this happens to find themselves in mainland Europe for the next two months, I'd go and see them.  Actually, that's a lie because I won't be seeing them since my bank account is approaching crunch-time.

Bye now.  I'm off to go ask for a Government bail out.