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