what a performance...

So normally I find a bunch of new music and then slowly get round to blogging about it over the next few days/weeks, but in this case i felt inspired to write a quick post straight away.

I came across a track by a band called Performance {formerly (We Are) Performance} from Manchester.  Seems like they've had a turbulent past, this bunch of school friends kept getting together and breaking apart, managing to release an album back in 2007.  And happily, they seem to have got it together again.  'Unconsoled' is an powerful indie-electro-pop tune, as one blog wrote, its sounds like someone mixed Pounding by Doves with some U2 and a hint of Brandon Flowers, and the result is fantastic!  Earlier this year they released 'The Living', an equally brilliant dance-inducing 3:37.  Get listening (and prepare to dance)!!!

Unconsoled - Performance
The Living - Performance

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Friday's Forgotten classic(s) - 30th July 2010

Another friday another classic, well two actually.  I was listening to an old chill out compilation i had made years ago and was thinking about which tracks i would add now.  These two tracks were the clear front runners......

the first was released in 1999 and made it to number 16 in the UK charts, but for me 'Windowlicker' by Aphex Twin is an absolute classic.  The smooth, distorted vocals blend perfectly with the laid back beats to give it a really chilled out feel!!  The video is a freaky masterpiece, where a parody of US gangsta rap videos turns weird as the main character is joined by women who's faces morph into his....  A classic though!!

Windowlicker - Aphex Twin

the second tune is a wonderful chillout masterpiece which never got the recognition it deserved.  'Fallen' by dance music DJ-come-producer Cut la Roc.  This track was one of two he produced with Gary Lightbody (of Snow Patrol fame) back in the year 2000.  Have a listen, i hope you love it as much as i do...

Fallen - Cut la Roc

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get cape. wear cape. fly

So you may know i like musicians with a conscience, and one guy who certainly has one is Sam Duckworth AKA Get cape. Wear cape. Fly.  I first saw Sam back in 2006 playing at 93 Feet East, just him, his guitar and his laptop.  I remember being captivated by his sound and that his songs really meant something.  (in a side note, the support that night was the hilarious Example who is at last getting some of the recognition he deserves!)  Anyway, four years on and Sam's about to release his third album (13th Sept, this time self-titled).  If this album is anywhere near as good as his previous efforts its going to be one of the albums of the year! 

The initial probes seem promising with first single 'Collapsing cities' (video below) seeing Sam team up with drum'n'bass man, Shy FX.  When i heard this i was expecting something much heavier, but to be honest its in a pretty similar vein to some of his early stuff, but i'm not complaining......cos its great!!  Another early feeler, album track 'Morning Light', which was released as a free download, provides more encouragement.  Here are also a couple of tracks which will be B-sides when 'Collapsing Cities' is released next week.  The first is a brilliant cover of said single and the other is a brilliant version of the Justice hit, D.A.N.C.E.  Enjoy!!

Morning light - Get cape. Wear cape. Fly
Collapsing Cities (Jakwob remix) - Get cape. Wear cape. Fly
D.A.N.C.E. - Get cape. Wear cape. Fly (Justice cover)

to the beach

Sticking with sunny beach-pop, here are another 3 bands with some pretty sweet tunes...and they all have beach-style names :-)

First up are Beach Fossils.  They're jangly, lo-fi sound is similar to the Cults, Guards and the Drums.  Coming from Brooklyn, they released their debut 7" last year and followed that up with their self-titled debut album in May this year.  Here are a couple of tracks, 'Time' from the EP and 'Daydream' from the LP.

Daydream - Beach Fossils
Time - Beach Fossils

So from the beach to the Wavves.  This lo-fi noise-pop act is based around Nathan Williams and hail from sunny San Diego.  They are now on their third album, 'King of the Beach', which is a lot of fun!  Last year Nathan had an interesting time at the Primavera Sound festival having a drink and drugs fueled breakdown onstage, followed by the cancellation of his European tour.  But he's back with a bang.....see what you think.

King of the Beach - Wavves
Green Eyes - Wavves

Finally, we have something slightly more rocky (but not much), Surfer Blood.  These boys from West Palm Beach, Florida released their ace debut single 'Swim' last year and got quite a bit of attention, now they are back with debut long-player 'Astro Coast'.  Take a listen to the tracks here, i'm sure you'll enjoy!

Swim - Surfer Blood
Take it easy - Surfer Blood

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getting down from the trees

So I've just listened to the Polock album and its a winner!  If you're one of the many people loving the Two Door Cinema Club album at the moment, then you'll love this.  'Getting Down From The Trees' is a bright and breezy, happy summer album.  I'd recommend you all have a listen.  Below is the opener 'High on life' to whet you appetite, and an acoustic version of 'Fireworks' they recorded for the Transforma sessions at a festival in Vigo, lovely!

High on life - Polock

Friday's Forgotten Classic - 23rd July 2010

The second classic is another brilliant song from a few years back that never got the recognition it deserved.  Battle made epic, spatious post-punk.  There finest hour was single Tendency, which peaked at number 37 in the UK charts.  But the driving beat and epic guitars deserve so much more, Joy Division would have been proud of this!!

Tendency - Battle

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OK Go.....video genius'

This is a post which is well behind the times, but i just couldn't resist paying tribute to OK Go for making some of my favourite videos. Now I know there are many bands who make brilliant videos, but OK Go are one who certainly have a certain love for it!! Below are three of their videos: 'Get over it' from their debut album, which was just a hint of what was too come, the now classic 'Here it goes again' treadmill video and one of their recent singles, 'End Love' which is promoed by a fantastic time-lapse video. That must have been quite an effort!!! What will they think of next??

best coast and .......

 

Continuing the sunshine pop theme, here are another two great bands very much in a similar mold as Cults or the Drums.  Best Coast are a California band based around front woman Bethany Cosentino, inspired by her longing for the west coast while at college in NY.  So more sunny songs about beaches and boys!

Boyfriend - Best Coast
Crazy for you - Best Coast

Now comes a bit of mystery.......why is the next band not huge?!?  I actually next to nothing about Guards, but their debut ep (which is available as a free download) and its BRILLIANT!!  They even have a tune featuring the wonderful Cults.  So here's a plan:

listen --> fall in love --> download ep --> never look back :-)

Resolution of one - Guards
Sail it slow - Guards (featuring Cults)

This is making for a great summer of music :-)
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mercury music prize 2010 nominations announced

The Mercury music prize is an annual award for the best album in British music.  Now in its 19th year, the award is one of the most important in the UK.  The nominations are normally quite diverse with pop, rock, indie, folk, hip-hop, jazz and even modern-classical acts on show.
 
The nominees for the 2010 mercury music prize have been announced (with links for Spotify users):

• Biffy Clyro - 'Only Revolutions'
• Corinne Bailey Rae - 'The Sea'
• Dizzee Rascal - 'Tongue n' Cheek'
• Kit Downes Trio - 'Golden'
• Foals - 'Total Life Forever'
• I am Kloot - 'Sky at Night'
• Laura Marling - 'I Speak Because I Can'
• Mumford & Sons - 'Sigh No More'
• Paul Weller - 'Wake Up The Nation'
• Villagers - 'Becoming A Jackal'
• Wild Beasts - 'Two Dancers'
• The XX - 'XX'

Of the nominees, three have been nominated previously; Paul Weller all the way back in 1994 (Wild Wood), Laura Marling in 2008 (Alas, I cannot swim) and Dizzee Rascal who won the prize in 2003 with his debut, 'Boy in da corner', and followed that up with another nomination in 2008 (Maths + English).

I have to confess I don't know most of the albums on the list (although I hope to remedy that).  But my current favourite would be Mumford & Sons, although all would probably be worthy victors!  The winner will be announced at a ceremony on 7th September.  The winning act will collect the £20k prize, although the prestige of winning and the associated album sales are the real treasure!!

Kitsuné Maison

So far I've talked about bands and events, so I thought it was about time I gave a mention to a particular cool label. Kitsuné Maison, created in Paris in 2002, is a boutique fashion label and an electronic music label.  Their clothes are pretty cool (well they are french!), but the music is just brilliant!! 

The music label has an impressive catalogue having released over 80 singles and EPs by electronic artists including The Teenagers, La Roux, Simian Mobile Disco, Chew Lips, Heartsrevolution, Étienne de Crécy, Two Door Cinema Club and Delphic.  They've also released three full studio albums by Autokratz, Digitalism and Two Door Cinema Club.  If this wasn't impressive enough, they also produce some excellent compilations!!  They have recently released number 9 (see the trailer for the compilation and their next season clothes below).  The only one I know well is number 6 which I love :-)  Here are some of the highlights:

Want U - Lo-Fi-Fink
Superheroes - You Love Her Coz She's Dead
Ultraviolence - Heartsrevolution

the countdown to reading begins

So today is just 6 weeks until Reading Festival 2010!!  My favourite weekend of the year!  and this year will be extra special as it will make a decade of Reading for me :-)  Over the next 6 weeks I'll introduce the bands I'm looking forward to seeing this August bank holiday weekend, as well as reminisce about the years past!

In case any of you don't know, Reading Festival is the best music festival in the world (second to glastonbury if i'm honest).    The world's oldest popular music festival first started as the National Jazz Festival in 1961, before moving to Reading in 1971, by which time it had moved over to rock music.  It has gone from strength to strength ever since!

So the lineup this year is excellent (as usual) and as often happens the real fun is to be had away from the headliners (who this year aren't amazing).  The obvious stand-out name for me is the return of the Libertines, my favourite ever band, but i'll try to also give you a run down of the other must see acts.

So for all who know me, it will be little surprise that I'd pick Frank Turner as a must see.  The singer-songwriter from my hometown, Winchester, plays acoustic (almost folky) indie with a punk attitude!  I was first introduced to Frank's music at Reading two years ago, when a friend of a friend took us along to see him in the Lock up stage.  Before the set was even finished i was sold.  The lyrics, the music, the energy and the togetherness with the crowd won me over!!  Lyrics that make you think, inspire and comfort.  Here are the recent single 'Try this at home' and one of the most sad-yet-uplifting songs ever, 'Long love the queen', which was written about a friend who died of cancer, the chorus gets me every time!!

Try this at home - Frank Turner
Long live the Queen - Frank Turner

And here's a video of Frank from Reading last year.  Playing to a packed NME/Radio1 tent he blew everyone away and the crowd sing-along to set closer 'The ballad of me and my friends' was my personal festival highllight!!

Another must see for me is a band i saw at the festival last year, although at that point i hadn't heard any of their stuff before.  The Gaslight Anthem from New Jersey, sound a little like Springsteen for the 21st century (the Boss is a fan).  They exploded onto the music scene last year and have their third album out this year.  They should be epic!!

The '59 Sound - Gaslight Anthem
Miles Davis & the Cool - Gaslight Anthem

So who else is coming to Reading this year??  its gonna be fun!!

Friday's Forgotten Classic - 16th July 2010

So hopefully this will be the first in a regular feature of forgotten classic tunes. They may be great songs which were loved at the time, but have been forgotten since, or maybe ones which never got the recognition they deserved (as with this first one).

The first (which is the inspiration for this segment) is one of my favourite ever songs. Most people who know me will have heard this song, and most (i hope) have loved every second of it!! It also wins the prize for best title :-)

'You are the generation who bought more shoes and you get what you deserve' by Liverpool-based duo Johnny Boy, is (in my opinion) the perfect pop song!  Released back in august 2004, it reached only number 50 in the charts, but this wall of sound epic deserved so much more!  The beautiful melodies, jangling guitars and rising crescendos are combined with a message to make you think.  A true classic and i dare anyone to say otherwise!!

You are the generation... - Johnny Boy

grande musique

This time a trio of acts with a french connection. Two are french, but sing in english, the other is a canadian singing in french.

The Dodoz are a young act from Toulouse. They formed in the mid-00's but started to get noticed in the last couple of years and released their excellent debut album last year. Their raw indie-rock sound and cute female vocals combine with particularly brilliantly consequences on stand-out single 'Bet'.

Bet - the Dodoz

Next up is a lovely canadian singer-songwriter.  Coming from Quebec, Coeur de Pirate (or pirate heart), charms with her simple-yet-beautiful pop gems.  Sadly i understand little as languages were always a challenge, but you don't need to understand a word to be touched by her sweet voice and the twinkling melodies.

Comme des enfants - Coeur de Pirate
Corbeau - Coeur de Pirate

The last act are one you may well know already.  Nouvelle Vague cover punk, new wave and post-punk classics in a bossa nova style.  They are unique!  could they come from anywhere other than france?

Love will tear us apart - Nouvelle vague
Ever fallen in love - Nouvelle vague

s'amuses!

Sunshine pop!!

The first of these bands is spanish and what better way to celebrate a great spanish sporting summer than by listening to Polock's killer summer anthem, 'Fireworks'.  I must confess that I've struggled to find out much about these guys, but i don't care, this song is great!

Fireworks - Polock

Next are a band who are causing a buzz on the indie blogs across the pond in the US of A, Cults.  The New York duo seem to be turning out twinkling, joyous pop gems for fun.  Their lo-fi, 60's inspired music is set to make them one of the hottest bands of 2010!!

Oh my god - Cults
Go outside - Cults
Most wanted - Cults

Finally, a band very much in the same vein as cults, Tennis are a husband and wife duo who started writing songs whilst on a sailing trip.  Their sound is delightful throw-back, hand-clapping retro-pop.  If we get much more of this brilliant music we'll have to come up with a name for this growing scene....

Marathon - Tennis

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Three great debuts from the brits!

Trying to keep the ball rolling, here are three bands who people will probably already know.  But if you don't you definitely should NOW!!

Mumford & Sons, hailing from London, formed towards the end of 2007 and have been getting noticed ever since.  Their indie-folk can have you down one minute but then dancing the next.  A great album full of brilliant songs and apparently one of the finest live acts around (can't wait for Reading!).  Take a listen to the title track from the album and watch a stirring performance from this years Glastonbury (wish i'd been there).

Sigh no more - Mumford & Sons

Next are Two Door Cinema Club.  Now i first took notice of these guys about a year ago after hearing a "radio edit" of the excellent 'Something Good Can Work'.  The twinkling guitars and catchy beat made them stand out.  But then I heard nothing more for many months.  But finally their album, Tourist History, arrives.  Totally worth the wait.  Brilliant!  The only disappointment is that the album version of 'Something good...' is a mere shadow of the original.  The second half of the album is particularly strong, 'i can talk' 'undercover martyn' 'what you know', giving no break from the dancey indie-pop.  They definitely remind me a bit of the Wombats, awesome!!

Something good can work (radio edit) - Two Door Cinema Club
I Can Talk - Two Door Cinema Club

And lastly, a familiar face in a slightly different guise. Kele from Bloc Party returns with a solo album that whilst having hints of BP is a bit more electro. The lead single 'Tenderoni' is immense, whilst songs 'Everything you wanted' and 'Rise' probe the emotions with a drive and purpose we've been missing since the last BP offering. 

Tenderoni - Kele

Three must see acts for this year's Reading festival! The lineup just keeps getting better and better :-)

I'm back.........and this time i mean it!!

So I know that last time I said I was back for good.  Well this time I mean it!!  I would firstly like to say that it was not my fault, I blame my thesis!!  But with that now well behind me, I've recently been inspired to restart blogging about great new music, mainly by some excellent music blogs i have been reading over the past few months (see the side bar for some links).

Anyway, I've been trawling a bunch of music blogs and have uncovered some absolute gems, and i just couldn't resist sharing :-) I'll try to spread them out so here's the first few:

So first off is a new-classic summer tune from a four-piece from the north-east US, Ezra Furman & the Harpoons combine some whistful harmonic with my favourite item of clothing.....sunglasses!!  Its a winner!!

Take off your sunglasses - Ezra Furman & the Harpoons

Next up is a band who've been around for a while (since the heady days of 2005), but managed to evade my notice, Math & Physics Club.  Delivering perfect indie-pop, they have a new album out around about now and they are definitely a good summer listen.  Here's a new one (Jimmy..) and an old one (Lisa), enjoy....and if you like what you hear check out there older stuff too.

Jimmy had a Polaroid - Math & Physics Club
April Showers - Math & Physics Club
 

.....just time for one more for now.  A bunch of boys from Barcelona, Delorean, bring some sun-kissed electro-pop with 'Simple graces' from their new album 'Subiza'.

Simple graces - Delorean

Anyway, hope you enjoy! this is just the tip of the iceberg!!