Well I've missed a few days due to general incompetence and general laziness so it's a bumper issue today of 15 albums instead of 5. I do spoil you. Don't I? (Words to follow but here's some more from the list while you're waiting)
185. Hella-There's No 666 In Outer Space [Ipecac 2007]
184. M83-Saturdays=Youth [Mute 2008]
183. 65daysofstatic-One Time For All Time [Monotreme 2005]
182. Scout Niblett-This Fool Can Die Now [Too Pure 2007]
Sorry about a lack of update yesterday, I was sleeping (like a baby). So no point fannying around let's crack on with this bitch.
190. The Stills-Logic Will Break Your Heart [sixsevenine 2003]
The essence of post punk reincarnated for the 21st century. The influences are all too familiar, The Smiths, The Cure that whole gang. These songs are about girls and the boys who can't get them. Or boys that get those girls and then inevitably fuck it up. Or those boys who just dream about girls whether they've got them or not. Lyrically & musically this is stuck back in the early 80s, yet what you have to remember is that music is timeless. This album will stick with pretty much anyone who hears it, the reverberating guitars, the catharic lyrics or the general gloomy mood of the album will have you entranced.
189. Deerhunter-Cryptograms [Kranky 2007]
Imagine being trapped in an air raid bunker in World War II for a long period of time in the dark on your own apart from a strange man (probably in your head) spouting nonsense to you. Bleak, desolate and insular, Deerhunter's second album is a very lonely affair. Created for those long walks home in the dark when the sky seems like it's about to cave in. Except it's caving in really really slowly. There is a sense of dread. Whatever instruments being used, be they slow creeping synths, expansive gloomy guitars, loud simplistic drumming, manage to create an album that will keep your tensions high, your pulse beating from slow to fast in a matter of seconds. All manner of bizarre thoughts will enter your mind as you are taken away to a place that resonates fear, loneliness and suicide.
188. Beck-Modern Guilt [XL 2008]
A true chameleon in every sense of the words. This man has had more musical styles than I've had proper meals in the last 8 weeks. It's no different here either. Once again Beck has re-created himself. With Modern Guilt he also seems to have kept his indulgent tendencies refrained. His last two albums had been over inflated with some monster tracks and a hell of a lot of filler. Not here though, the man has kept it simple. An album with his same splendiferous beats and rhythms and his own idiosyncratic lyrics. Yet this is not just a party album, there are also times of reflection see the gorgeous lead single Chemtrails and Volcano. He hasn't forget how to party though with Gamma Ray, Youthless and the title track standing out as some of the funkiest tracks from his catalogue.
187. The Fiery Furnaces-Gallowsbird's Barks [Rough Trade 2003]
Oft compared to The White Stripes when this album was released way back in 2003. The Fiery Furnaces are so much different, much more experimental, way more ideas and the ability to make you wonder quite how they are making the sounds that are coming out of your stereo. Boy/girl vocals splattered along with random electronics, trashy acoustic guitars and grand piano make this album a truly varied one. Many would argue that Gallowsbird's Bark offers too much on the eclectic factor and it's just one big jumble of instruments. They're wrong it's a musical masterpiece that has many directions and something new to be discovered each time you listen to it.
186. Albert Hammond Jr.-Yours To Keep [Rough Trade 2006]
A tremendous solo effort from one of the members of The Strokes. Catchy, perfect indie pop to soundtrack those days in the sun that will disappear if you don't make the most of them. As much as I love the music on this, sweet little guitar licks with the most basic drumming supporting it, it's all about the lyrics for me in particular the brutally honest Scared to the carefree In Transit. Albert's lyrics have a particular resonance for people who don't want to be stuck in the same thing day in and day out yet don't want to cause uproar. For people who just want to be happy.
I'm not really someone who is into doing things the long way round, I usually try find shortcuts. So doing these in five albums per blog is certainly not my preferred style but I hope it will add more insight to the records that are being listed. And on we go.
195. Gui Boratto-Chromophobia [Kompakt 2007]
An album to sooth the soul. The midway point between ambient drone and minimal techno. This is music to get lost in, anywhere in the world. Be it walking to university, going on the tube, in the bath, running through an open field. It's transcendent. Most albums have to played in certain environments or when you're in a certain mood. However in no way is this album emotionless, it breathes life into your very soul. The drone like beats looping and looping over each other will wrap your mind into another universe and take you there for a good hour and ten minutes away from whatever it is you're doing.
194. Ponytail-Ice Cream Spiritual [We Are Free 2008]
The only way I can truly describe this band is imagine The Rugrats fronted by Angelica on some kind of intense sugar high. The main talking, and probably divisive point, about this band is lead singer Molly Seigel's vocals and on their own yeah they're a bit horrible. Yet with the chaotic instrumentation around them, they are just another insane tuning of an instrument really. Ponytail are loud & chaotic but hardly violent, this is party music. When I say party music I mean that point when everybody's so drunk that anything sounds good. (Listening to this now sober is certainly interesting).
193. Patrick Wolf-Lycanthropy [Tomlab 2003]
Released when he was twenty and much of it recorded before then, this album is incredibly mature. A young man wrestling with a world with so many questions about himself, about other people and the world around him. Along with the observant view of the world, in particular the track "The Childcatcher", the album is musically diverse. Instruments change from track to track allowing for an album that never suffers from a lack of ideas. From the gorgeous string soaked "Pigeon Song" to the heavy synth infused "Paris" this album has enough musical twists and turns to keep anyone gripped right until the end.
192. Amusement Parks On Fire-Amusement Parks On Fire [Invada 2005]
Shoegaze in the 21st century has never sounded so sad. This album aches and hurts right from the heart-achingly beautiful strings over the opener "23 Jewels" to the sheer fury that rages through the albums centre-piece "Wiper" a song that builds and builds under layers and layers of guitars. Taken to perilous heights at times, this album is certainly a throwback to that late 80s early 90s period but my no means is it a bad one. I can't drive but if I could, I would wait until it was at least 1am, grab this album stick it on in the car and just drive and see where the road took me. An album of true emotional velocity, to take you anywhere when your heart has sunk.
191. Akron/Family-Love Is Simple [Young God 2007]
Imagine if instead of going to India The Beatles had gone back in time to the USA and met the American Indians. That's kind of how this album sounds. Gorgeous melodies over plucked guitars with tribal drums thrown into the mix. An album that evokes that free spirit feel, where anyone can feel comfortable in it's surrounding. There is nothing threatening here just an album to share the good times with your friends through those long summers that you wish would never end. Open, honest and sincere this album greets you with open arms and embraces you with the worlds biggest hug.
The list is in order, the 200 greatest albums of this decade. It's time for the final countdown, albeit this is part one of many (the number one will be revealed sometime near Christmas probably). Anyway on with the show hey.
200. Electrelane-The Power Out [Too Pure 2004]
The first (well technically last) album in this list actually references the blog I wrote the other day. Electrelane's second album sounds spookily like Stereolab. The use of the french language in particular on the opening track Gone Under Sea, echoes the "groop" very well without sounding contrived. The album delves into krautrock as the album progresses, the experimental The Valleys is a highlight in this. Slow manipulative drum machines, give off that closed cold atmosphere and the tension rises with deep choir that enters halfway through. The album is not without accessibility, this is accentuated by the glorious The Bit Between Your Teeth. A simplistic yet repetitive riff with gorgeous intertwining vocals allows for the band to open up and I hate to use this phrase but they rock out. Varied instrumentally, varied lyrically, Electrelane come up with an album that is perfect for opening up this list and the diversity that awaits us.
199. Glass Candy-B/E/A/T/B/O/X [Italians Do It Better 2007]
This is exactly how dance music should sound, not racing fast at the speed of a bullet but more like the speed of say a cheetah. Grooves build and build and the space between them gets wider and wider. Yet also dancier. Spaced out and synthed out Glass Candy created an album designed to infiltrate seedy clubs, underground bars and you walking home after dark after you've been to those bars and clubs. Ida No's vocals drip with social and sexual paranoia and joy. There is something very filthy about this album for everyone. Whether it's the sexual vocals or those long drawn out synth rhythms, you might just feel slightly violated or very pleased by the end of the album.
198. Quasimoto-The Further Adventures Of Lord Quas [PIAS 2005]
The first time I heard this album my first thoughts was "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT". Of course back then I used the word shit as rubbish. Now I would describe this as the shit, as in you know it's pretty freaking good. Quasimoto is Madlib's insane alter ego who has Madlib's low pitched vocals slowed down mixed with hundreds of samples and Madlib's original voice. The true genius of the album is amazingly the way it seems to make up for a lack of say musical consistency with constant hip shaking beats that are used in the best way to open up Quasimoto's unique vocals. To appreciate this album you may have to listen to it once and come back to it a couple of times before it clicks. But trust me give it the time and this one will stick in your mind be it the hip shaking samples or the inane lyrics that are splattered all across this record.
197. The Moldy Peaches-The Moldy Peaches [Rough Trade 2001]
Childish? Yes. Simplistic? Yes. Badly produced? Probably yes. Doesn't sound too good so far does it? But that's the whole point of this album. You put it on when you feel childlike, simplistic and you're not quite sure how everything is going to fit into place. From the funny yet startilingly honest lyrics of Lucky Number Nine to the overdriven guitars on Little Bunny Foo Foo, this album is about regaining that childlike quality that has disappeared from most adults. Don't worry about what you have said or what you might say, say it and then move on. Like a child would.
Woah that's some big beats that are coming out of the stereo there. Loud both lyrically and musically this album is huge in every way. The beats are completely monstrous for example the riotous House Music pounds and pounds for it's full five and a half minute running time. Intense and personal lyrics with a social awareness that extends further than hip hop heads. Cadence Weapon created an album that spoke to both black and white young people. He understood how people can feel desentisized in this world that we live in, but instead of picking up a guitar and writing some emo-esque lyrics; he raps around huge beats that create a party atmosphere that will resonate with anyone who feels unsatisfied with this instant satisfaction society that we live in.
Á silfur-á / On a silver river Lýsir allan heiminn og augun blá / You illuminate the whole world and blue eyes Skera stjörnuhiminn / Cut the starry sky Ég óska mér og loka nú augunum / I make a wish and close my eyes Já gerðu það, nú rætist saga / Yes do that, now begins the story Ó nei / Oh no
Á stjörnuhraða / At lightspeed Inni í hjarta springur, flugvélarbrak / Inside a heart explodes, an airplane crash Oní jörðu syngur / Down on the earth sings Ég óska mér og loka nú augunum / I make a wish and close my eyes Já gerðu það, lágfara dans / Yes do that, a silly dance Allt gleymist í smásmá stund og rætist samt / All is forgotten in very little time and yet begins Opna augun / Open eyes Ó nei / Oh no
Minn besti vinur hverju sem dynur / My best friend no matter whatever happens Ég kyngi tári og anda hári / I swallow tears and breathe hair Illum látum, í faðmi grátum / A bad break, we cry in each other arms Þegar að við hittumst / When we meet Þegar að við kyssumst / When we kiss Varirnar brenndu, höldumst í hendur / The lips burning, we hold hands Ég sé þig vakinn / I see you wake Ég sé þig nakinn / I see you naked Inní mér syngur vitleysingur / Inside me a lunatic sings Alltaf þið vaða, við hlaupum hraðar / Always rushing, we run quickly Allt verður smærra / Everything becomes smaller Ég öskra hærra / I scream louder Er er við aða, í burtu fara / I'm with a shell, going away
Minn besti vinur hverju sem dynur / My best friend no matter whatever happens Illum látum, í faðmi grátum / A bad break, we cry in each others arms Ég kyngi tári og anda hári / I swallow tears and breathe hair Þegar að við hittumst / When we meet Þegar að við kyssumst / When we kiss Varirnar brenndu, höldumst í hendur / The lips burning, we hold hands Ég sé þig vakinn / I see you wake Ég sé þig nakinn / I see you naked Inní mér syngur vitleysingur / Inside me a lunatic sings
My wrists hurt (insert wank joke here). This is from finally writing down the 200 albums for my albums of the decade list due to start sometime next week. The list is extensive, beautiful, in fact it also brings a small tear to my eye when I look at it (even though they aren't in order yet). However there are two artists who have released really good albums this past decade however they have been squeezed out of my final list.
These two artists are Stereolab and Belle & Sebastian:
Both of these artists have extensive discographies that reach back into the early nineties. However as much as I love their albums this side of 1999, the reason that say albums as good as The Life Pursuit and Margerine Eclipse they justdon't come near to the sheer class of If You're Feeling Sinister and Dots & Loops. Maybe it is wrong to judge a band on previous exploits I don't know. I feel a certain sense of sadness that I have no room in a list of 200 albums for two of my favourite artists ever.
The absence of these artists annoys me further as neither of these bands were part of particular scenes, they didn't carry any allegiances, they stood on there own amongst the vile of britpop, boy-bands and the dreadful Cool Britannia that enraptured our nation. Yet as we move into the 21st century maybe it's time that both Stereolab (on a hiatus) & Belle & Sebastian (just coming offa hiatus) take a break and just look back at their legacy and those great albums that they created in the mid to late nineties and acknowledge the way they have influenced the artists of the decade just gone. They may not be here today but will certainly NOT be gone tomorrow.
The album pictured above might be the greatest musical composition of the 21st century. Amassed from over 3000 vinyl samples. Since I Left You is a journey, one that will take you to worlds that you never knew existed and then fling you back to worlds that you knew did exist but hadn't trekked through that world's deep undiscovered jungles. From the blissful opening of the title track through to the sheer funk voice sample of Frontier Psychiatrist this album will touch a nerve that you never knew existed.
Now I have listened to this album countless times and as much as I love it. My craving for a follow up may be even stronger. Rumours of a follow-up started as far back as 2005. So yeah you think maybe it'll be a year or so. Come 2006, 2007 still nothing. We are now about to enter the year 2010, a good nine years since this albums release, and still no new tracks, no firm announcement of a new record. Zilch, nada, nothing.
Now Since I Left You suffered delays for a couple of years due to a need for clearing samples which is always going to happen with an album that is created in such a way. Now that album infamously had a Madonna sample on which was cleared. Which is why I do not believe that this album is still being cleared for sampling reasons. Honestly is there actually any new material have The Avalanches just been fucking us over for the last eight years, teasing us every year a little bit more. Yeah well forget it ok, I'm just going to treasure Since I Left You very close to my heart. It's dear to me. Oh and in the mean time and probably before The Avalanches release an ounce of new material I will be releasing an Avalanches tribute album called Since You Left Us. It's going to be very bitter.
My inital reaction to this was "Shit I used to quite enjoy reading that, going to miss it". Then i thought "Am I?". I cannot remember the last time I actually READ the OMM. First off my dad was the one who actually bought The Observer in the first place so I didn't go out of my way to buy it and read it. Then when it did turn up on our sofa on a Sunday afternoon I would rip open the plastic bit and grab the OMM. Why though? It never spent more than twenty minutes in my grubby mitts. I wish I had a copy at hand because right now I can hardly think of any regular features that captivated my mind, nor of any recent front stories that drew me in.
In fact as I delve through the depths of my mind the last time I was fully entrenched in a copy of OMM was January 2008 and this is because the fantastic These New Puritans were on the front cover and I was rather interested in what the OMM had to say about this rather to put it frankly ultra hipster band. Also involved in this front feature were Yannis Philippakis (lead singer of indie math rockers Foals) & Devonte Hynes a.k.a Lightspeed Champion.
The first thing that perplexed me about this article was why the fuck have you put all three artists in one feature. Is it because they were all tipped for success in 2008. Yeah? It was wasn't it. The article had absolutely no other reason than the above to group them all together. Yes they can all express themselves eloquently enough reference authors and artists and quotes. making them seem like they are all very similar and would fit well in a nice feature.
Well they didn't alright. For me the article was just an excuse to creat a divide between a thinkings man's music and a beer guzzling idiot's music. The above bands were asked their opinions on bands such as The Enemy and those other up-and-comers The Courteeners. The article continued to try and establish a line between intelligence and idiocy. Now I am not standing at the defence of that whole lad culture, not at all, in fact nothing disgusts me more than that whole fad. However that's another point for another day.
What disgusted me more was The OMM's continued snobby attitude, of listen to these bands they're clever they are what's relevant if you put your mind to it. You can think about their music, it'll change your perspective on the world. Seriously if you put your hear closer to the needle you'll hear... FUCK OFF SERIOUSLY. Stop putting music into social classes and trying to break it down for different people. Enjoy the music for what it is, and if you don't well that doesn't matter. Does it.
Maybe this is why the OMM became nothing more than a flick-thru magazine supplement for me. I was probably being really irrational by just flicking through future issues, however it makes you think if one article like that can lead someone going from someone quite enjoying a magazine to just flicking through while having a shit on the bog. Strange huh?
I've deviated from my original point however I am going to answer my original question. Will I miss the OMM?
I've had a bit of a shitty weekend if I'm being honest, had some weird thoughts. After checking my bank account I'm going to have to talk to my parents amount my frivolous spending habits. I need to talk to somebody about it really. I've already spoken to my friends from New Zealand about it.
I need to start eating proper meals aswell: breakfast, lunch, dinner. In that order. A lack of order/system/routine/control in our country would lead to disarray/disruption/chaos/anarchy. The same can be said for the human body aswell. If you fail to have some kind of structure you are fucked. I have problems with structure though, it's so boring. Do this first, do that next, then do this, after that, do this. I mean just seriously is this the monotonous life we have to have when we are put on this planet. Apologies if this is coming out as written vomit. I need to a vent. This post may get deleted within a few days.
I don't have problems with repetition however, actually I do. What I mean to say is that I don't mind repeating things if i can get something more out of doing it again. Yet this doesn't explain why i've watched the two episodes of Waterloo Road (great program btw) that are on iPlayer at least four times each. Am I getting anything out of it, probably not but it's still really good. To be fair some people probably do this with the X Factor. I'd scoff in their faces if they told me this. Not a good reaction really. I have no idea where I am going with this. I'm likely to stay awake until tomorrows lecture, this is a bad thing. I'll be cranky I won't make notes and then I'll come home and sleep til eleven and I'll have missed the whole day.
I'm not sure what I was trying to accomplish by posting this. I certainly don't feel that much better. Oh well who knows maybe I'll feel better after I've spoken to my parents. Anyway enough my ranting. It's Alex Cull's birthday today, or sometime this weekend just gone, or maybe tuesday. Anyway it's near and Alex this is for you.
There's lots and lots and lots of fireworks going off outside, I can see them though my window.Very pretty but still quite scary. Explosions in the sky, you might say. I imagine that this is how the bombs and planes would have sounded in the Second World War. Loud, uncompromising, shocking & unnerving. The worst ones are the ones that you hear fly off and then you don't hear them explode.Weird huh.
Well in honour of these pretty explosions I have unexpectedly blogged for the second time today. I think we can't go without some fireworks related music.
The video for this is actually really good. Explosions In The Sky-Have You Passed Through This Night?
Before May 2005 pop music, was a complete an utter swear word to me. I was a bit of a music snob at 17, still am today to an extent. However after working at HMV for four years having pop music pumped through the soundsystem most days I found myself singing along to pop music like a member of the general fucking public. Maybe I'm just getting older I don't know. Running with the flow of everyday life. Listening to the radio. Like the average joe.
Now don't get me wrong pop music is hardly my most listened to genre of music but then again neither is noise. I think what I'm trying to say is that being a music snob can be great as long as you run home, lock the bedroom door, put on this weeks number one, and dance around. Once it's out of your system go back to whatever is percieved as cool. Or maybe not.
Shall we have some more McFly, yeah why not.
Well that was nice so for those of you still feel snobby here's some Merzbow.
Here I am again wide awake after several hours of trying to get a normal sleep pattern. I don't think this'll ever happen. Anyway on with the music. As that's what we're all her for. Isn't it? Yeah it is.
I cannot believe this decade is nearly over it's mental. So, I've been having a wee little think in the wee hours of the morning about some of the albums that will be near the top of my end of decade list. (P.S. You are going to need Spotify for these links. Download here for Windows and here for Macs.)
It's all very exciting thinking about the end of the decade. Well I think it is anyway. Anyone got any ideas what they think might be at the top of their decades lists or maybe just this year?
I did a lot from 9am tuesday morning until 5pm wednesday afternoon without sleeping. I don't recommend doing this but I'm going to write a blog about it. That'll be fun.
Woke up tuesday morning fashionably early, very unusual for me, had a big Sebadoh session in the morning. Now that's lo-fi, 51 songs in an hour and a half, fucking ace. Not one song over three minutes.
Went to the old music history lecture in the afternoon. Did the 60s. Basically far too much music happened in the 60s to cover in one two hour lecture. In twenty years time you'll probably be able to do a degree in it. My fave artist to be missed was the lovely Francoise Hardy. Hot plus a very sexy voice means you've got me.
Then it was off to the library with Alex, Julius & James to finish off our general news stories for Thursday's hand in. Then I jumped onto the train to the lovely Shepherds Bush Empire in London to see those Scottish indie darlings, no not Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura. Due to my inconsiderate timekeeping and desperation for the toilet I missed all but one of the first support acts songs, however the place was still pretty empty when I got there. I grabbed myself a good spot just near a staircase, with guaranteed viewing space no matter what kind of lanky fucker might stand in front of me.
The second support act, yet first to my eyes was the wonderful Magic Arm, a new discovery to me. His style was very Iron & Wine crossed with Bonnie Prince Billy and added electronics. Very nice. The surprise of his set was a slighlty off kilter version of LCD Soundsystem's Daft Punk Is Playing At My House. It's on his MySpace right here. Does anyone even use MySpace anymore. That's a question for another day I think. A good 25 minute break passed before Camera Obscura graced the stage with their presence. Finally they arrived on stage to a very loud yet polite applause. The set was full of hits from their latest album My Maudlin Career, highlights including the gorgeous James, the title track and new single The Sweetest Thing. They even stepped back in the time machine and played Pen & Notebook from their first album. I had to leave before the encore, boohoo, but not before picking myself up an insanely soft t-shirt with a drawing of a swan on it. How very twee.
On the train back i managed to read some more of my very very interesting/really filthy (delete as applicable) book Atomised by Michel Houellebecq. I'm not surprised it was controversial when it came out, I felt a bit sick in my mouth at some points when reading it. Arrived home, didn't feel tired at all, so decided to watch some Attenborough when I got in. I love David Attenborough. Then I checked my general news story against the house rules for the UCA, then I blogged a bit. Had an online Friends session with added Jaffa Cakes, it was bloody fabulous.
Had to power through the early hours to make sure I didn't miss the nine am meeting at the train station for our trip to the National Portrait Gallery to see The Beatles To Bowie exhibition. I was first there, I was wide awake, poorly Alex arrived at nine and tall James soon after. We grabbed the nine thirty train to Waterloo station and set on our way. After an entertaining train and tube journey, mostly revolving around the conversation of a certain tube station we arrived at the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition had some really cool pictures, loads in black and white, which I really love I think this is mostly due to it looking like it actually happened ages ago and it being part of history. There were even pictures of our lovely Francoise Hardy. Unfortunately we couldn't take our own pictures, no camera allowed, although I highly reccomend it despite the high entrance fee.
Before grabbing a much needed bite to eat, our tutors Gareth and Ben took us around all the musical sites of London town. It was all very exciting, yet I'm not sure I really took it all in due to being awake for over 24 hours now. This tour also took us to record shops, my personal heaven, my debit card's hell. I managed to limit my spending to 45 of the queen's british pounds. Tired record purchasing is bloody great gives you some energy filing through those racks at a super fast pace. Getting those bargains and rarities. Pictures below. (P.S. Sorry about the poor detail of the first picture, damn red lightbulb.)
Exciting I know. That Stereolab ten inch in the first picture might be my greatest find ever, in good enough nick aswell to say it was a used copy. The tour was now over so it was time to fill our empty tummys. We did this at the ever fulfilling McDonalds. It was great. We even made a McDonalds Tower.
Me and James then hopped on the train back to sunny Epsom, after leaving Alex to go to his band practice. Went home after getting off the train, set my alarm for Thursday's hand in and crashed out.
Yesterday I saw Camera Obscura at Shepherd's Bush Empire, full review to follow, it was a cracking show absolutely. However the show was stolen slightly by support act Magic Arm doing a rather bluesy-folksy cover of LCD Soundsystem's Daft Punk Is Playing At My House. It certainly left me smiling at it's slightly awkward re-interpretation.
This got me thinking on the tube journey home there is nothing better than a good/interesting cover version. Here are some of my faves.
Le Tigre-I'm So Excited (Originally by The Pointer Sisters)
Ryan Adams-Wonderwall (Originally By Oasis)
Nouvelle Vague-Just Can't Get Enough (Originally By Depeche Mode)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Sheena Was A Punk Rocker (Orginally By The Ramones)
Nice huh. Can I get some interaction? What are you favourite covers, come on tell me, please!!!
Jemima Pearl, ex vocalist of Be Your Own Pet (RIP), released an album last month. Unfortunately it's only been released in the US at the moment. I might not have money for rent but I sure as hell have the money to buy this on import. I might buy it just for the cover.
Here's the single Heartbeats, it's like a slightly less frenetic Be Your Own Pet really. Nice. Plus it's on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label.
Yes I realise Halloween was yesterday so any scary music that is on here today will lose a little bit of its edge. However I think I can still conjure up the fright factor pretty high no problem. Some of this music is probably more bleak than pure out scary but you know it still gives me the chills. By the way the best way to experience this is with headphones on with the light off you know like an audio cinema.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor-The Dead Flag Blues
Manic Street Preachers-Of Walking Abortion
In fact that whole album is insanely bleak don't listen to if you're in an emotional place you might not come back.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-Stagger Lee
Richard Thompson & Linda Thompson-The End Of The Rainbow (more of a lyrical one this)
Now these next two I seriously suggest if you are emotionally vulnerable DO NOT LISTEN to them ok.
Scott Walker-Jesse
Suicide-Frankie Teardrop
Sheesh that was all a bit heavy. So if you're feeling a little low after that and I would be. Here's something to make you feel better. It's only 55 days til Christmas.
It's that time of year again when people start going list crazy. It's the end of the year, lets list everything, albums, films, songs, gardens, vegetables, shampoos, toe nail clippings of ex-Eastenders stars (well maybe not the last one).
For some inexplicable reason lists dominate pretty much every single music publication at the end of the year, and for the casual music listener it gives them an idea of what is "good/cool". However because 2009 is ending that means we are going into list overdrive. We have to list all the best albums from this year and we have to list all the best albums from this decade. But do we, honestly?
As much as I love a good list, and I will be doing one for albums of this year and decade, essentially they lack insight and could be considered as lazy journalism. Yet they seem to be a mainstay in music media. Famous independent online music webzine Pitchfork Media is the current king of lists for me, if you currently got to their home page at http://pitchfork.com/ on the left hand side there is ironically a list of fourteen lists about albums and songs from over the past fifty years in different categories. The fact that these lists are still at the forefront of this website shows just how important and influential they can be. They encourage debate, people can look back at them with nostalgia and change their mind.
Essentially lists might be insanely simple and a way of putting the December or January issue of a magazine on the shelves, but I can guarantee people will talk about them, argue about them, agree with them, glass other people over them. They are talking points.
First off, i apologise about a lack of updates since last week. I've had a bit of a mental block and just general apathy but that's all over now so lets listen to/write about/watch some music which ever one I can be bothered to do. The fact is I'm feeling very lazy so here's some music videos of my top artists from last fm this week.
1) Beastie Boys-Rap and hip hop music gets its fair share of stick from my mates back home. However one thing we can all agree on is that The Beastie Boys although being a huge multi million selling rap group seriously fucking rock.
2) Ryan Adams-Oh Ryan you've got me through those ups and downs I have. As long as I know that you've felt just as crap. It helps a lot. (P.S. I am not a Smallville fan just the only video I culd find).
3) Stars-Amy Milan's soothing vocals are just what is needed to intertwine with Torquil Campbell's slightly deeper impassioned voice. Heartbreaking.
4) Stereolab-Nowhere near known enough sadly. Partially due to having a huge discography which can be daunting and the fact that they have never really had that one massive hit. :(. Oh well.
5) Bob Dylan-Enough words have been writen about our dear Bob over the last 40 odd years so let's just have a listen.
Exciting times ahead for fans of The Blood Brothers. The post-hardcore band who amicably split in late 2007 are having all of their albums (except their debut 'This Adultery Is Ripe') reissued on the 17th of November through the legendary punk label Epitaph Records.
Each of the albums will be packaged with different extras starting with 'March On Electric Children' which will be a standard reissue mainly due to the label that originally released it 31G having folded and the album is currently out of print. '...Burn, Piano Island, Burn' will recieve a couple of bonus tracks along with the video for 'Ambulance Vs Ambulance'. It will also be packaged with their Jungle Fever DVD. Third album to be reissued and fourth overall 'Crimes' will be packaged with a bonus disc of offcuts from that album and a series of live songs from Reading Festival 2005. The fourth album to be reissued is their last album 'Young Machetes', the additional material will be the b-sides from the albums singles, live cuts from a KLXU session and the videos to 'Laser Life' and 'Set Fire To The Face On Fire'.
Being away from home is always going to make you nostalgic for things that you are 200-odd miles away from. Now tonight I have had little sleep due to falling asleep at about three pm. Now usually when I was back home if I had trouble sleeping I'd get up and have a root through my CDs and records. However I am currently without 99% percent of them and listening to music through my iPod in bed isn't quite the same as crawling out of bed, making a coffee and flicking through a shoebox of seven inches. Oh Well. I knew I'd miss them.
These two pictures show most of my sevens from A-L on the left and V-Z on the right.
Below is any 12" records from A-O
CD Racks from A-P. (I remember when the first one was only just full)
Below, a byproduct of, spending too much money on CDs leading to the fact that I have no money to buy anything to store them in, and laziness.
Finally, the crux of it all, where all these records and CDs have all been played.
half of the people in the world are fucking awful. half of the people in the world are pretty fucking cool. if we added cowbell to everything there would be more cows and a lot more joy. coffee is as bad as alcohol. some days vinyl is better than cds. on other days its the other way round. money is finite. i never have enough. money or music. if i talk to you i'm either being polite or i actually like you. most likely the latter. if i don't talk to you i'm either feeling shy or i think you're a bit of a cunt. most likely the former. i have a tendency to cry at films. or at least well up. my room is generally really messy apart from my books, cds, & dvds are all in order. there genuinely is a sock monster in every washing machine. i could talk for days. to myself. not to other people. i hate talking on the phone. i can't see you. i also hate giving eye contact. that's really bad. if i tell you a secret i really do trust you. i trust four people. all girls. i'd like to drink coffee on the streets of paris. writing a novel. or a short story. well who wouldn't. i tend to dream. i procrastinate for days on end. i'm doing it right now. its what you like. not what you are like. that matters. its shallow but true. if you have nothing to connect over. you're fucked. i wish i could float. not literally. maybe metaphorically. theres nothing better than a bit of steve reich at 4am. apart from fresh socks. seriously comfy. cheesy garlic bread after a night out. just hanging out. lying on the grass. staring at the sun. writing nonsense. i think i listen to music. because i can't play any instrument really. if i was do to karaoke. it'd be either the hives, the datsuns, the white stripes, the vines. i can't sing. i can't rap. doritos are the best crisps. anyone who says otherwise has never eaten them. if you were to compare doritos to an artist it would be. t-rex. would it though. music is finite. music is infinite. its very likely i'm going to die in a fire. clothes on wires and near plugs. dangerous. i could play fifa for days on end. on the ps3. not a 360. my tiny hands. hate the controller. being awake when everyone else is asleep. is the fucking best. why. who knows. who the fuck cares. they're asleep. i don't have to explain myself. black & white photography has. so much emotion. more than colour. you can paint it yourself. would a black & white world have more emotion. the world is in (allegedlly) glorious technicolour. as okkervil river said. don't fall in love with everyone you see. this is also dangerous. smoking might be unhealthy. but it sure as fuck looks cool. people worry too much. about what other people think about them. i know i do. wear comfy clothes. you'll feel better about yourself. do what you want to do. listen to other people. selectively. some advice is awesome. the rest will be pish. book a flight. travel to places you'll never forget. you might find someone. that someone. i'd like a new laptop. life is not a pre planned multimap journey. its about ups and downs. downs and ups. it might be like climbing mount everest. i don't know. i've never done that. mount everest. i'm doing life right now. but am i. have i been here before. i get serious deja vu most days. i want to walk up and down the side of the motorway. not because i'm weird. i've never done it. does anyone do it. well i'm sure people do. i might start carrying a pillow around with me. it'd make napping easier. if you've tried something. and you don't like it. don't do it again. if it makes you uncomfortable. do something different. don't conform to societies expectations. everyone is different. minor details. are important. those things that make you tick. those things that make your skin crawl. my philosophies have little to no structure. thinking is the greatest weapon. talking is the worst. if you haven't fully thought. i'd like to be able to draw. somethings just can't be written. you have to see them. feel them. appreciate them. take it to your heart. keep it there. lock it away. though. don't lock up your feelings. locked up feelings. are like big cats in zoos. trapped. if you open the gate. all that rage will fly out. causing havoc. until you have been. tranquilized. fear is fucking horrible. when you can feel. the blood. running up and down. your body. fight or flight situations. are ten a penny. i seem to face them most days. there should be sofas where park benches are. mind you. old people would be sat there. all the time. unable to get up. my radiator is making a funny noise. i sometimes think i'd like kids.other days not so much. reading opens up the mind. i don't read enough. well not novels. magazines are pretty rad. i'm sad that plan b is no more. really good magazine. i look at wikipedia for hours on end. its hacked and edited occasionally. this makes me laugh. if you can't laugh at yourself. laugh at other people. when they're not there. sometimes i wish i could just wake up. somewhere else. not because i hate where i am. more because i dream. of other places. of other people. of other cultures. other cities. other art. tim gane deserves a knighthood. well probably not. i'd like to spend a day with everyone i know. in a conservatory. talking about their life. with tea and biscuits. and background jazz. then walking through a big city a night. staring at the people who populate our streets. people are always in a rush. i notice this on the tube. more than anywhere else. people pushing and shoving. to get somewhere. take your time. there'll be another train along in a couple of minutes. calm down. the world will slow down with you. if you want it to. we don't have to live at this super fast pace. take your time. not too much time. don't waste it. appreciate it. i am shit scared of driving. i have no idea why. i have nver been in a car accident. or known anyone who has had one. its weird. i'd like to say it's the unpredictability of the roads. but it isn't. thom yorke can't drive. neither can dylan moran. this makes me feel a little bit better. ideally i'd like to eat croissants for breakfast. every day. so crumbly. however i tend to feel sick in the morning. or when i wake up. whatever time. i usually eat about three hours after waking. although i could change. if needed. do they eat sushi. for breakfast. in japan. i want to go to japan. this fascination is only due to. lost in translation. if i'm being honest. bill murray is a cool motherfucker. he knows whats happening. connected. yet disconnected. i first saw him in space jam. thats a shit movie really. i used to be quite good. at basketball. football is another matter. i thought i was good. i wasn't. i never will be. people can be pretty fucking heartless sometimes. i've learned to accept this. as part of life. i can't remember the last time i went on a rollercoaster. this upsets me a little bit. not enough to make me cry. enough to make me nostalgic for my childhood. children are so fucking innocent. its unreal. yet totally endearing. they stare at the world. taking every moment for what it is.asking questions. about what they don't know. why do we grow up.
