Pretentious Prattle

The Arcade Fire on BBC2

2007-04-23T13:32:00.000-04:00

Like most bloggers, I throughly enjoyed the Arcade Fire's Funeral upon release. It was fresh and excitingly emotional, something with which I'm sure the majority of listeners agreed upon. But then my interest waned. In fact, I still haven't listened to Neon Bible yet. So I guess that explains why I was unaware of their rise to stardom until a few weeks ago. Suddenly they became the subject of my non-indie friends' conversations, and if that's not proof of notoriety I don't know what is.

I'll listen to it eventually, I promise. Until then, here's a 30 minute interview with Win and Will Butler of the Montreal group, aired on BBC2 last Friday. It contains a few clips of live shows, along with acoustic versions of 'Neon Bible' and the Clash's 'Guns of Brixton.' All credit goes to the capper on DimeADozen, thanks!

My Bloody Valentine - Live in Vancouver [Loom]

2007-04-21T21:07:00.000-04:00

Here's a nice soundboard recording I found a few weeks ago on DimeADozen.org. It's from a bootleg known as Loom, played in Vancouver in January 1992. Not surprisingly, a good chunk of the music is Loveless material. It was remastered by a Dime user, rendering it very listenable. The last track is a bit spotty, however, but who am I to complain? All credit goes to him and the original recorder.

Loom (January 7, 1992)

When You Sleep
I Only Said
Only Shallow
Slow
Nothing Much to Lose
Noise
You Never Should
Feed Me With Your Kiss
Soon
To Here Knows When
Honey Power
You Made Me Realise

Loveninjas

2007-04-20T13:23:00.000-04:00

It's hard to find a better geographically-limited record label than Sweden's Labrador. Scratch that, limited should never be used in the same sentence as that wonderful nation. From the Mary Onettes, to Acid House Kings, to tomorrow's best band, it's truly a wonderful music scene populated with copious amounts of twee-pop, shoegaze, and everything in between. And while those musical styles have historically belonged to the British, Sweden's done a great job of reviving an overlooked genre. Despite not being signed to Labrador, the best recent example of this is Gothenburg's Peter Bjorn and John, who've made great strides towards North American success.

The Loveninjas, however, are signed with Labrador and don't disappoint. The 20-somethings call Stockholm, Sweden's capital, home. A New Romantic influence is clear, particularly in synth-pop ballads like 'I Wanna Be Like Johnny C' (the dude from Invader Zim?). Lyricism isn't their strong point, but that's not what the genre is about. Instead, instrumentation is the key to their sound. 'Keep Your Love' does a fine job displaying this purposeful disparity. It's very simplistic in verse, but the band members show their adeptness as well-rounded musicians. Bright keyboards, riffy guitars, bassy rhythms, and charming vocals. It's all so nice. Not convinced? Well, consider the amusingly-titled 'She Broke His Penis in Two.' No, it's not some witty attention grabber, that's the focus of the song: a woman getting vengeance on a rapist's wee wee. When you can make those lyrics ["She broke it, she cut it, she sliced it / She fried it, she cooked it and diced it] seem happy, well kudos to you. Not surprisingly, the jangle guitar does it.

Their full-length debut was released (on Labrador) last year, titled The Secret of the Loveninjas. Despite its derivative nature, it loses no freshness in the process. Declaring it enthusiastic doesn't do them justice. It's fun fun fun, highly recommended.

MP3: Loveninjas - I Wanna Be Like Johnny C
MP3: Loveninjas - Keep Your Love

Back In Business

2007-04-16T17:08:00.000-04:00

First off, I hope everyone enjoyed the 2007 song list. I've spent the past week in my bedroom studying for finals, which, fortunately for me, were both few and simple. So yeah, I'm done, and off to bigger and better things for the summer: Blogging, prolonged movie watching, extended periods of music listening, and sadly a job to fund my (not so) lavish lifestyle. Speaking of movies, I watched two good ones yesterday. First was Requiem for a Dream, which was miserably brilliant, both from the cast and production team. Second was Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, which was also great. I've really got to watch more of Peter Sellers.

On another note, I'm glad to see the HBO duo back (Sopranos + Entourage) and re-invigorating a TV lineup that's grown stale lately (read: Prison Break, Lost aka the usual suspects). HBO/TMN at 9PM and 10PM respectively, or whenever your favourite bit torrent tracker gets a copy.

Some more good news - some progress is being made on upgrading the blog. If all goes to plan, the transition will come in a couple weeks.

MP3: EPMD - Strictly Business

Quarter-Pole 2007 2-CD Mix

2007-04-06T01:34:00.000-04:00

April has arrived and therefore 25% of 2007 is over, if my math, which is known to be highly suspect, is correct. The first quarter of the year has been fairly abundant in terms of quality releases. Of Montreal's Hissing Fauna took me aback with its glorious pop numbers reminding me of the glam era. Similarly, Panda Bear brought me back to my childhood days of car rides to the tune of Paul Simon and Brian Wilson. Many of these songs have been previously featured here, which isn't surprising seeing as they are my favourites of the year, thus far. What does the rest of 2007 have in store? New releases from Bjork, Art Brut, and the Beastie Boys sound promising, and hopefully some waves will be made from now-unknowns. Anyways, these 28 songs are a representation of 2007's best, I'm sure you'll enjoy them as much as I have. Oh, and they're not ordered for any purpose other than a tracklisting. Your thoughts and opinions are welcome, don't hesitate to post them!

1. Blonde Redhead - 23
2. Air - Once Upon A Time
3. El-P - Run the Numbers
4. Klaxons - Golden Skans
5. LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
6. Menomena - Air Aid
7. The Mary Onettes - Void
8. Modest Mouse - Dashboard
9. The National - Fake Empire
10. Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
11. Panda Bear - Bros
12. The Ponys - Double Vision
13. Windmill - Fluorescent Lights
14. Maia Hirasawa - And I Found this Boy

15. Prince Ali & Incise - Drift (ft. Thieven & Blue)
16. Venetian Snares - Pink + Green
17. !!! - All My Heroes Are Weirdos
18. The Besnard Lakes - For Agent 13
19. The Aliens - Setting Sun
20. Andrew Bird - Fiery Crash
21. The Apples In Stereo - Energy
22. Dalek - Paragraphs Relentless
23. The Field - Over the Ice
24. Sister Vanilla - Jamcolas
25. Voxtrot - Kid Gloves
26. Tunturia - October 4, 1957
27. Tokyo Police Club - Box
28. Hieroglyphics - You Never Know (Domino Remix)

New Music Tuesday

2007-04-04T00:14:00.000-04:00

You might notice a few changes around here shortly. First, I've got an "in-line flash player" beside every mp3, allowing for easy streaming. It took me a few hours to get them set-up, but, er... I figured it out, eventually. Some other things to look out for are a new banner (because the current one flat out sucks) and hopefully an entire re-design in the upcoming weeks. Anyways, enjoy the flash streamer for now, gotta start small.

Onto the music...

Windmill - Puddle City Racing Lights

Windmill - Tokyo Moon
Windmill - Fluorescent Lights

Tokyo Police Club - Smith (EP)

Tokyo Police Club - Box
Tokyo Police Club - Cut Cut Paste

Tunturia - Maps

Tunturia - Cast No Shadows
Tunturia - October 4, 1957

Windmill is the pseudonym of Matt Dillon, a British pianist set to release his debut album in two weeks time. Unless you've got bad ears, his nasally high-pitched voice is the first thing you'll notice. Beyond the vocals is a nicely arranged piano-pop structure, which is very likable. It's a love-it-or-hate-it sort of deal, his voice reminiscent of Wayne Coyne (of the Flaming Lips) backed with piano ballads and bright pop inclinations.

The Toronto-based Tokyo Police Club don't need any introductions. They're a blogger's band through and through. But they've only released a 16 minute long EP, so is the lofty praise justified? That's certainly debatable. Smith is their second EP, even shorter than A Lesson in Crime, clocking in at a measly 9 minutes. Like their past work, Smith is very catchy indie rock in all its hooky glory. The jury's still out on them due to their slim catalogue, but hopefully a quality LP is on its way.

Tunturia are a local post-rock outfit, so local that I went to high school with their drummer. Given my fondness of shoegaze, I've always had an affinity to sprawling and unconventional music. Their sound is icy and empty, painting a picture of a desolate and barren landscape. I'm still amazed that an inventive album like this could be created from someone that went to my cultural wasteland of a school. They'll be kicking off a Canadian tour in May, hopefully getting signed in the process.

In other (unrelated) news: Prison Break finale last night, wtf? I don't think I'm the only one out there that thinks this show is turning into a contrived waste of airwaves.

Free EP: Prince Ali - I Miss 1994

2007-04-02T17:36:00.000-04:00

Many are surprised at the degree of spirituality found in hip-hop. Islam, for the most part, swelled with devoted rappers. But it really shouldn't be too surprising considering Minister Louis Farrakhan is the leader of the Nation of Islam, and artists like Rakim and Public Enemy have been preaching loyalty since the '80s. The Islamic sect known as the 5% Nation is another popular belief system, with the Wu-Tang Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers, Brand Nubian, etc. being committed followers. It's not all about gatts and glocks, y'know?

But more to the point. I wrote a paper on spirituality in hip-hop a few months ago, and when I stumbled upon local rapper Prince Ali, I was all ears. Names are important to the 20 year old. First off, he named himself after a historic sultan, bringing in that Eastern influence. His debut EP is titled I Miss 1994, an ode to one of hip-hop's most celebrated years, a year which saw Nas release Illmatic, Jeru's The Sun Rises in the East, and Black Moon's Enta Da Stage. There's nothing that irks me more than an artist that doesn't know his history, but maybe that's just a remnant of my previous history major self. Nonetheless, Ali does know his influences, making allusions to several important rappers, including MC Shan and Toronto-DJ'ed Main Source.

Teaming up with Incise, the production is very down-tempo and poignant, perfectly matching Ali's equally heart-felt MCing. I could certainly do with some more 90s hip-hop revival (in place of post-punk revival, which I'd prefer died). Contributions from Craig G. and Kev Brown are also appreciated. It's no Guru and Premier combo, but for an obviously low-budget EP, this is a great achievement. According to his myspace, his debut LP will be released later this year, and will be titled I Miss 1993 (don't even get me started on how great 93 was!). I'll definitely be posting my thoughts on it when I manage to track down a copy, so check back then.

As mentioned, the EP is available for free download from Ali, so it's definitely worth a listen.

Free Download: Prince Ali - I Miss 1994

And if you're too lazy to download the .zip, here's my favourite from the duo:

MP3: Prince Ali & Incise - Drift (ft. Thieven & Blue)

By the way, if you're at all interested in the 5% Nation (I find it extremely interesting), give the following a skim-over, it was the main source (haw!) of my essay: Islam in the Mix: Lessons of the 5 Percent.

Modest Mouse @ Slim's - April 22, 1997

2007-03-31T18:41:00.000-04:00

I found a nice soundboard recording of Modest Mouse on Dimeadozen a few days ago. It's one of their earlier performances, an opening gig for Built to Spill in April 1997. Sound quality is fairly good, a bit muffled, but enjoyable nonetheless. The source claims that this recording originates from the group's sound man and found its way to him through several intermediaries, which accounts for the high quality. New or old fan, this is good material, particularly for its Lonesome Crowded West content, the seminal indie album of the 90s, for many.

Thanks to the original seeder(s) at Easy Tree and Dime!

Modest Mouse @ Slim's (April 22, 1997)

Truckers Atlas
Breakthrough
Cowboy Dan
All Nite Diner
Neverending Math
Custom Concern
Teeth Like God's Shoeshine
Out of Gas
Tundra

See Also:
Modest Mouse's Tourdate Archive

The National...Leaked!

2007-03-30T16:18:00.000-04:00

Many lauded the National's Alligator as one of 2005's best. I can't fault that opinion, not in the least. Their music is catchy, in a romantic sort of way. But most importantly, they injected some earnestness into a severely turgid genre. The Matt Berninger-fronted quintet slowly shot to indie popularity, all the while endearing themselves to bloggers worldwide.

'Fake Empire' has been floating around for over a week, teasing us all with what should be a great follow-up to Alligator. And today, their new album, titled The Boxer which will be released on May 22, was leaked onto the world of the internetz.

I've given it a quick one over, on my tinny laptop speakers mind you, but it has sounded nice thus far. Expect a more thorough write-up soon, following a few solid listens from some better headphones.

MP3: The National - Fake Empire
MP3: The National - Mistaken for Strangers
MP3: The National - Slow Show

New Beasties Album

2007-03-29T11:15:00.000-04:00

"Hi... here's a few things you might wanna know about..

1. we have a new record coming out
2. it's gonna be sick
3. we're playing a bunch of shows this summer (see below)
4. they're gonna be sick
5. we're gonna play some instrumental only shows also
6. better call your doctor..cause they're gonna be sick
7. it's gonna be a gala event
8. we're changing up the website...sick
9. got new gear coming soon...again...sick..
10. go see a tailor and get tapered up..."

Sick indeed. The fact that the Beastie Boys have remained relevant throughout the past 23 years of a vastly-changed genre, it's quite impressive. I didn't like To the 5 Boroughs that much (even though it had 1-2 great singles), but I've loved the rest of their catalogue, so I've got some high hopes. I'll update with additional details when more info comes in. Until then, enjoy the following mp3s, sick...

MP3: Beastie Boys - Check it Out
MP3: Beastie Boys - Sounds of Science
MP3: Beastie Boys - Sabotage

Art Brut - New Album Completed

2007-03-28T23:03:00.000-04:00

The NME reports:

Art Brut have finished their second full-length album, the band announced today (March 28). 'It's A Bit Complicated' is due out in the US on June 25. The UK release date has yet to be determined. 'Nag Nag Nag' will be the album's lead single in both the US and the UK. The follow-up to 2005's 'Bang Bang Rock & Roll' will also include the tracks 'Pump Up The Volume', 'Direct Hit ', 'Post Soothing Out' and 'Late Sunday'. Art Brut have also announced that they will play a handful of gigs in major North American cities in advance of the album's release.

The tour dates are:
New York, NY Bowery Ballroom (April 17)
Brooklyn, NY Studio B (18)
Toronto, Ontario The Mod Club (19)
Chicago, IL Subterranean (20)
Los Angeles, CA Troubadour (21)

I'll be the first to name Art Brut as my favourite England band. I'm all about sarcasm, satirical wit, and wry pokes, so it's no surprise that Bang Bang Rock N Roll was one of my favourite albums of 2005. Their Toronto show last October was amongst the best I've attended; Eddie is a great entertainer. Tickets to their Mod Club show will be purchased shortly, and for $15 that's an absolute steal, unlike artists that charge $46 (*cough*Nas*cough). This is my most anticipated LP of the year, and I've got some lofty expectations from the mustached crooner. Yes, that's sarcasm - Eddie'd be proud!

MP3: Art Brut - Nag Nag Nag Nag
MP3: Art Brut - Formed a Band
MP3: Art Brut - Emily Kane

Happy Mondays - New Album + Tour

2007-03-27T18:40:00.001-04:00

The Happy Mondays were one of Manchester's premier groups, drawing huge crowds for Factory Records' Haçienda. Their flowing mixture of funk, soul, and brit-pop was one of the highlights of the Madchester music scene, along with the Stone Roses' guitar-pop. 1990's Pills, Thrills, N Bellyaches remains as one of the genre's best ever albums and vaulted them from relative obscurity to druggie icons. Sadly, their reputation of being drug fiends, particularly in Shaun Ryder's case, lead to a multitude of problems, culminating in the band's break-up. Bez and Shaun later formed Black Grape in the mid-90s, and proved they still had their musical chops with the acclaimed It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah"

Following several ultimately disappointing reunions, the group got back together last summer and began recording a new album. A few months ago, the Happy Mondays announced their inclusion in April's Coachella fest, as well as a mini-tour. And now, reports have emerged that they're well on their way to completing their first LP in 14 years, which has yet to be titled. I'm a bit skeptical of this, given their turbulent history, but it could just be a nice surprise. Look out for a single in June.

Tour listing:

04-29 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
05-22 Inverness, Scotland - Ironworks
05-23 Aberdeen, Scotland - Music Hall
05-25 Sheffield, England - Leadmill
05-26 Middlesbrough, England - Town Hall
05-27 Hull, England - Hull University
05-28 Cambridge, England - Junction
05-30 Northampton, England - Roadmender
05-31 Preston, England - 53 Degrees
06-01 Dudley, England - JB's
07-08 Manchester, England - Ritz

MP3: Happy Mondays - God's Cop
MP3: Happy Mondays - Bob's Yer Uncle
MP3: Happy Mondays - Step On

New GHP Mixes

2007-03-26T11:22:00.000-04:00

Mark Vidler was recently featured on BBC 6 Music's mix show and he's posted up the entire hour-long (!) show. The tracklist is as follows:

Part One
00.00 Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm / Grace Jones Slaps Russel Harty / Nelly Furtado - Turn Off The Light
02.31 Jimi Hendrix Experience - Foxy Lady / Jimi Does His Stuff On Lulu / Beyonce - Work It Out
05.56 Stone Roses Late Show Amatuers / Go Home Productions - Processed Waterfall
09.29 Malcolm McLaren vs Franz Ferdinand - Franz Buffalo
12.58 Derek & Clive - This Bloke Came Up To Me (at the farm)
13.53 Max Sedgely - Happy (Go Home Productions remix)
18.01 Family Guy - Brian Griffin Disses Gwen Stefani / Ding Fries Are Done /
The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom / Mask - Square Off
21.36 Elvis Fucks Up / Elvis Presley - Drugs Dialogue / The Farm - Stepping Stone
24.52 Welcome Gentlemen to the Un...Apes In Spacesuits step out of spaceship
The Simpsons - Stop The Planet Of The Apes, I Want To Get Off!!!
25.12 Christina Aguilera - Can't Hold Us Down / The Monkees - Theme From The Monkees
28.54 Izzy Royal - Coronation Street

Part Two
00.00 Go Home Productions - Rock In Black
03.46 Dr Dre - The Next Episode / Crowded House - Weather With You
06.25 The Jam - Scampi And Chips / Chicken In A Basket
06.44 Paul Weller - The Changing Man / S Club 7 - Don't Stop Moving
09.20 Culture Club - Time / George Michael - Outside
11.48 The Young Ones Do Not Lean Out Of The Window
12.23 Pinocchio - I've Got No Strings / Radiohead - Creep / The Beatles - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
14.07 XTC The Drunken Sessions - Let's Do The XTC Tapes / The Troggs - The Troggs Tapes / XTC - I'm Bugged
15.49 When There's No More Room In Hell, The Dead Will Walk The Earth / H Chappell - The Gonk
16.12 The Beastie Boys - Triple Trouble / Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
18.55 The Turtles - I'm King Kamanawanalea / Kylie - Slow / Alan Tew & Bullet - Theme From The Hanged Man
20.54 The Two Ronnies Nudist Bacon Slicer
21.08 Kasabian - Shoot The Runner / The Hollies - Bus Stop / Rolling Stones - We Love You / Slade - Coz I Luv You /
The Sweet - Blockbuster
24.14 The Velvet Underground - Waiting For The Man / The Velvet Underground - The Gift /
The Archies - Sugar Sugar / Basement Jaxx - Where's Your Head At
27.21 Abba - Voulez Vous / Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon

From what I've heard, it's Vidler's usual excellence, hopping from madchester to hip-hop to new-wave to... whatever he feels like. It's adventurous and contains some new material, along with some of his best work from the past. He's also just made a Daft Punk vs. Beatles mash - much different than his usual club bangers, but interesting nonetheless.

I also feel obligated to mention Chromewaves' incredibly thorough photo coverage of SXSW. He's undoubtedly the best Toronto blogger I've encountered on the net, and I thoroughly recommend reading his blog.

MP3: GHP - BBC 6 Music / 6 Mix Comic Relief Mix (Pt. 1)
MP3: GHP - BBC 6 Music / 6 Mix Comic Relief Mix (Pt. 2)
MP3: GHP - Nightbeatle (Daft Punk vs. The Beatles)

Panda Bear - Person Pitch

2007-03-25T22:40:00.000-04:00

Pop elements are what I enjoy most in music, and, is primarily what I seek out. Bright soundscapes composed of jangly guitars, infectious vocals, and a manifold of complementary instrumentation are, to me, the peak of musicality. Having said that, pop often serves as a wonderful supplement to seemingly contrasting musical styles. The Jesus and Mary Chain, for example, drenched noise with underlying pop sensualities. My point is, these bright sounds can be, more often than not, completely utilized in conjunction with borrowed sounds.

Panda Bear, also known as Noah Lennox from Animal Collective, is the creative force behind Person Pitch, his third album. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of AC. Not that they’re bad, but I’ve never listened to them extensively. As such, I had no idea what to expect from this album. I was genuinely hoping that it wasn’t some self-indulgent noise escapade that would make my ears bleed, like another band, which I won’t bother naming for fear of their fans leaving my blog! Thankfully, my fears were put to rest. ‘Comfy in Nautica’ is a nice intro to the record, featuring restrained vocals on Lennox’s part, and monotonic chants from the background. The album is an extremely relaxed experience, save for a few tense moments.

The album has roots in a variety of sources. Most obvious of the lot is a happy-go-lucky 50s/60s pop attitude you’d hear from a jukebox, along with (/including) the Beach Boys. Person Pitch sounds like a modern interpretation of Paul Simon’s Graceland, which is a huge compliment as that’s one of the greatest albums in the history of this galaxy. Except instead of Simon’s richly defined voice, we’re met with the busy and droned-out voice of Lennox. It’s very image-heavy and constantly moving, with noises from his surroundings (cars, skateboards, owls) playing a large role in the formation of the album. Halfway through ‘Take Pills’ comes another example of this atmospheric influence, as the sound is submerged into water. The song also sounds like it’s been directly taken out of the Beach Boys catalogue and infused with very spacey and consuming surroundings. ‘Bros’ is the true gem of the album, a 12 minute and 30 second long epic. It’s perfectly timed, incredibly balanced, and melodically brilliant. “I’m not trying to forget you, I’d just like to be alone,” exclaims Lennox, perhaps providing further insight into the busyness and isolation of the record. ‘I’m Not’ and ‘Good Girl’ offer a break from the brightness, instead making way for 9 minutes of layered noises – meandering voices swaying to and fro - a sort of intermission between two halves of pop. Following this short break comes the familiarity of Lennox’s falsetto and multi-instrumentation, which continues through to the album’s conclusion.

It sounds redundant, forgive me, but Person Pitch truly shines with its pop sensibilities. Perhaps it lacks variation, but when it sounds this beautiful why bother entertaining the idea of multiplicity? I’m running out of adjectives and superlatives in which to describe it. It’s just… great. This will no doubt end up as one of the year’s best albums; it’s too good to be overlooked.

Edit: I'm in NYC for the weekend, I return after 4 days without the internetz and they get a 9.4 on p4k?!

MP3: Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica
MP3: Panda Bear - Take Pills
MP3: Panda Bear - Bros

See Also:
Person Pitch at Metacritic

No Sleep Till Brooklyn

2007-03-21T19:04:00.000-04:00

Emceeing has lost its way. The days of Rakim, KRS-One, and GZA moving crowds are gone. Hip-Hop is dead. Well, not really, but it certainly is ailing. Sure, I'm old fashioned, but at least I'll admit to it. Don't get me wrong, there's still a number good rappers around; Aceyalone, MF DOOM, and El Da Sensei, for example, but there's just not enough of them. And while it's unrealistic to expect a breeding ground of Pharaoh Monchs and Raekwons, one can dream. I'm a purist. You know, one of those guys who think lyrics should never take a backseat to beats and rhythms. Not to say that production isn't important, but I've all too often heard a rapper that can't cut it without the production crutch to lean on, and even then struggles.

In comes El-P: El Producto by name, MC, producer, and Def Jux CEO by trade. Released yesterday, I'll Sleep When You're Dead is his true sophomore album and first since 2002's Fantastic Damage. He's quick on the mic, witty, and bursting with literary functions that would make even the Genius smile. But what really separates him from the rest of the languid genre is his fierce enthusiasm. My heart tells me that he's reminiscent of Chuck D, but the brain knows no-one will ever re-create Public Enemy's boisterous and racially-motivated anthems. Still, his emceeing is compelling to say the least. It's shrewd, while still maintaining grit and sharpness. And most importantly, it's explosive. El-P has that sheer determination to succeed; that enthusiasm I mentioned. Edgy production further accentuates the experience, providing a sort of Bombsquad noise assault to match the chaotic vocal escapades. He doesn't hide behind the beats, he uses them to complement his rhymes, creating a state of emergency, and a bleak one at that.

The album also features a slew of guest performers: from his label-mates Aesop Rock and Cage, to NIN's Trent Reznor and Yo La Tengo's James McNew. However, it's clear that El-P's cold and cynical execution is the main drawing point at hand. Dude knows his history too, with lines like this, "I'll be drunk on the back of a train / Takin' a piss / Pumpin' BDP through a Raheem kit / With a double D Duracell destiny mega mix, like this" causing me to stop listening and laugh aloud.

To date, this is his premier opus. It's an excellent album, and El-P's vision fully realized. It's aggressive, it's hard, it's capricious, and it's a must-buy.

MP3: El-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster
MP3: El-P - Up All Night
MP3: El-P - EMG
MP3: El-P - Run the Numbers

See Also:
El-P's interview with Chuck D
I'll Sleep When You're Dead at Metacritic

Nouvelle Musique de Mardi

2007-03-20T22:52:00.000-04:00

Music releases don't seem to be that special nowadays, what with leaks and such. Nonetheless, there were quite a few notable new releases today. For now, here are a few mp3s to enjoy. Judging from a few listens, LCD's is excellent at times, though a bit "less good" at others, but I think it will grow on me. Their debut was one of my favourites of the decade, so I expect alot. El-P's is also a booming and very enjoyable listen. If time permits, I'll be able to do some write-ups for a few of the albums.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

MP3: LCD Soundsystem - Get Innocuous
MP3: LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum

El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead

MP3: El-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster
MP3: El-P - Up All Night

The Ponys - Turn the Lights Out

MP3: The Ponys - Double Vision
MP3: The Ponys - Harakiri

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

MP3: Modest Mouse - Dashboard
MP3: Modest Mouse - Florida

LCD Soundsystem Remixed

2007-03-19T14:43:00.000-04:00

So Sound of Silver goes on sale tomorrow, and I still haven't listened to it yet. But I've heard a bunch of remixes, go figure. I recently found these remixes through Mark Vidler's mailing list, which I'd recommend joining, by the way. These collaboration remix sites are excellent, particularly the Primal Scream and Chemical Brothers initiatives of the past, and LCDSS is the perfect choice to carry the torch.

Here's a few mp3s, but there's a lot more on the site, check it out for the rest - LCD Remixed.

MP3: LCD - Get Innocuous (Geek Chic's Harm-Free Retouch)
MP3: LCD - Someone Great (Shokking Shokkaboy Remix)
MP3: LCD - Time to Get Away (ATOM's Exit Stage Left Mix)
MP3: LCD - North American Scum (Dunproofin's Not from England Either Mix)

Manhattan Love Suicides

2007-03-18T20:55:00.000-04:00

There's a lot to love about the Jesus and Mary Chain. From the thickly layered noise placed over the perfect amount of underlying pop, to the riot-inducing attitude. Not to mention the effortless, lazy even, vocal execution by Jim Reid and hair styles to rival Morrissey. Plus, they're Scots, and there ain't nothing wrong with that.

So really, it's no surprise that various revival bands have been sprouting up, recently. Take The Manhattan Love Suicides, for instance. They've got the noise part and pop elements covered, even more, just like JAMC's backs-to-audience attitude in concert, the 'Suicides shield themselves with obtrusive black shades. But instead of Reid's cursively shrouded vocals, is a female twee styling that's more than reminiscent of Talulah Gosh's Amelia Fletcher.

They played a midnight show at SXSW Friday night, here's a few pictures, all credit goes to Pitchfork's awesome festival coverage.

It's a nice debut album - part twee, part shoegaze (tweegaze?). All too often do bands mimic their influences, but not totally realize its sound, resulting in a hollow effort. However, this feels extremely authentic, obviously owing a great deal to their influences, but executed in a very convincing fashion. To put it simply, it's a good marriage of the two genres, both being favourites of mine.

MP3: The Manhattan Love Suicides - Things You've Never Done
MP3: The Manhattan Love Suicides - Evil Side
MP3: The Manhattan Love Suicides - Suzy Jones
MP3: The Manhattan Love Suicides - Kick it Back

St. Patrick's Day mp3 Bonanza

2007-03-17T18:55:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all the Irish, and wannabe Irish, alike. Disproving the "Irish are only good for their drinking" myth, the glorious nation (and their Northern brethren) have long had a rich tradition in the annals of music. From the days of ye old tin whistle to the indie scene of the 80s, 90s, and beyond, they've boasted a reputable number of notables. Such artists as U2 and Sinéad O'Connor have enjoyed incredible mainstream success, while The Pogues and My Bloody Valentine have reached godly status to punks and newgazers of today. So, it's only fair they get their own blog post from me, and you get some mp3 treatment. Here's a small compilation I've assembled for your drinking enjoyment.

Cheers Ireland!

MP3: The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays
MP3: The Cranberries - Dreams
MP3: Dropkick Murphys - The Gauntlet
MP3: Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
MP3: Humanzi - 6 Gun
MP3: Morrissey - Irish Heart, English Blood
MP3: My Bloody Valentine - When You Sleep
MP3: The Pogues - Dirty Old Town
MP3: Rory Gallagher - Tattoo'd Lady
MP3: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U
MP3: Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
MP3: Thin Lizzy - Whisky In the Jar
MP3: U2 - I Will Follow
MP3: The Undertones - Teenage Kicks

V-Fest Toronto Announced

2007-03-16T01:32:00.000-04:00

Tickets for the second annual English-import-to-Confederate-soils festival go on sale next week on the 24th of March, or the 20th through the EDGE pre-sale. Prices for V-Fest Toronto will be $138 (CDN) for the weekend pass of September 8+9.

I'll be waiting until some more bands announce their interest before I buy, but at the moment, these headliners aren't sparking much interest. Though Bjork, the Pumpkins, and TPC are definitely good choices to build it upon, and I'm sure a lot of other quality acts will sign on.

MP3: Bjork - Army of Me
MP3: Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm
MP3: Tokyo Police Club - Cheer it On
MP3: Tokyo Police Club - Shoulders & Arms

New Morrissey Tour

2007-03-15T15:16:00.000-04:00

And here I thought America was not the world. But, still no Canadian shows. I love Moz and all, but I don't think I could live without my nefarious seal beating escapades in the streets of Toronto.

04-27 Stockton, CA - Bob Hope Theater
04-28 Sparks, NV - John Ascuaga's Celebrity Showroom
04-29 Sparks, NV - John Ascuaga's Celebrity Showroom
05-01 Oakland, CA - Paramount Theater
05-02 Santa Rosa, CA - Wells Fargo Center
05-05 Spokane, WA- INB Performing Arts Center
05-06 Seattle, WA - Paramount
05-08 Salt Lake City, UT - E Center Ford Theater
05-09 Denver, CO - Fillmore
05-11 Omaha, NE - Orpheum
05-12 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside
05-14 Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theater
05-15 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
05-17 Cleveland, OH - Playhouse Square Center
05-18 Columbus, OH - Palace Theater
05-20 Indianapolis, IN - Murat Center
05-22 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
05-23 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
05-25 Dallas, TX - Palladium
05-26 Austin, TX - Backyard
05-28 Houston, TX - Verizon
05-30 El Paso, TX - County Coliseum
05-31 Tucson, AZ - Music Hall
06-02 Phoenix, AZ - Maricopa County Events Center
06-03 San Diego, CA - Bayside Concerts
06-05 Ventura, CA - Majestic Ventura Theater
06-06 Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium
06-08 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
06-09 Las Vegas, NV - Pearl
06-30 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

No Buffalo shows either, bleh!

MP3: Morrissey - You Have Killed Me
MP3: Morrissey - The Youngest Was the Most Loved
MP3: The Smiths - There Is A Light that Never Goes Out

In Rotation: GHP Mixes

2007-03-14T16:02:00.000-04:00

Here's a nice mix by Go Home Productions' Mark Vidler, one of my favourite mashers around. It's an amalgam of post-punk, indie, electro, and... well, it's titled 'Post Punk Dub Funk Junk Spunk Dance Mixture' so there. Superb production as always, and it's got a lot of value, clocking in at around 25 minutes.

Shriekback "Here Comes My Hand-Clap" 00.00
SebastiAn "Ross Ross Ross" 00.15
XTC "Dance Band" 01.47
LCD Soundsystem "North American Scum" 03.19
Bonde Do Role "Gasolina (Radioclit remix)" 04.55
Mr Partridge "Commerciality" 06.05
The Presets "Down Down Down (Digitalism mix)" 07.01
Juliette & The Licks "Got Love To Kill (MSTRKRFT remix)" 08.34
Two Lone Swordsmen "Nueflex" 10.24
The Rapture "Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh" 12.01
XTC "Living Through Another Cuba (GHP dub)" 14.51
The Specials "Friday Night, Saturday Morning" 16.45
Humanzi "Long Time Coming" 19.28
The Gossip "Jealous Girls (New Young Pony Club remix)" 21.23
Vivien Goldman "Private Armies (dub)" 23.27

And while I'm on GHP, I may as well include his LCD Soundsystem remix.

MP3: GHP - Post Punk Dub Funk Junk Spunk Dance Mixture
MP3: LCD Soundsystem - Us vs. Them (GHP Remix)

Apologies

2007-03-11T17:46:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long delay! February was not a kind month for me, mainly due to insane amounts of school-work.

Anyways, you may have noticed that the majority of my links aren't working anymore. Something messed up with my MyDataBus account, and now they're cutting down on bandwidth allotment. So, now I'm spreading the load over a number of different servers in order to circumvent monthly hosting fees. Over the next few days, I'll be getting the majority of the links back up, particularly for the 'Best of' lists.

Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future

2007-01-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

Much to the glee of "nu-ravers", NME darlings Klaxons are set to release their debut LP, Myths of the Near Future, in a few days time. This is the follow-up to their Xan Valleys EP, released in October 2006. Back in '06 my curiousity, no, impatience, got the better of me and I hunted for anything and everything Klaxons - demos, unreleased tracks, rough mixes, etc. So if you're like me, you'll already know 60% of this album before listening to it, causing this LP might seem like an elongated EP. For those not yet acquainted with these Londoners, I thoroughly recommend it.

It starts off with the distorted drumbeat of 'Two Receivers', not as fierce a song as I'd expect for the opener, but decent nonetheless. 'Atlantis to Interzone', a favourite from the EP, comes next, upping the tempo. 'Golden Skans' is one of the highlights, paying homage to light machines of the rave days. 'Totem on the Timeline', one of my favourite demos (it was then simply known as 'Totem') sifts through a pile of historical references including Caesar and Lady Diana, amongst others, to an angular and garagey background. 'As Above, So Below' is a fresh nugget of scattered poppy electronics, sunny even, as it's the brightest of the album. 'Magick' and 'Gravity's Rainbow', both solidified favourites amongst Klaxons fans, soon appear, followed by 'It's Not Over Yet', a nice ballad slathered with cascading synths. Closing out the album is another Klaxons favourite, the mythically-inspired 'Four Horsemen of 2012'.

Muddled throughout the LP are references to mythical entities and magical ideas, a Klaxons trademark, and something missing from the UK indie scene, which is seemingly obsessed with existential notions and daily routines. The title of this album itself, derives from J.G. Ballard's sci-fi novel. If nothing else, they're well-read and educated. 'Magick' is a term associated with occultist Aleister Crowley's magical philosophy, 'Atlantis to Interzone' references Burrough's, "interzone", or non-space, and the lost aquatic city of Atlantis, and 'Gravity's Rainbow' is named after Thomas Pynchon's post-modern novel. They also pay due homage to their influences. Kicks Like a Mule's 'The Bouncer' was covered on Xan Valleys, and now rave duo Grace, (Oakenfold, Osbourne) are covered on Myths of the Near Future in the form of 'Not Over Yet'. It's a solid debut with a lot of depth.

Here are some new mp3s featured on Myths of the Near Future:

MP3: Klaxons - As Above, So Below
MP3: Klaxons - Golden Skans
MP3: Klaxons - It's Not Over Yet
MP3: Klaxons - Totem on the Timeline

Coachella 2007

2007-01-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

The lineup for this year's Coachella Music and Arts Festival was announced a few hours ago, flaring up my jealousy towards those that live in the area/can afford the trek. The late April music bonanza has become one of the best outdoor shows in the world, in just 9 years mind you, and has been expanded into a 3-day event this year, as opposed to the traditional weekend event.

The biggest news is that Rage Against the Machine has re-united to headline the event's final day, surely pleasing fans and Audioslave cynics/haters alike. Those guys could make rebels out of even the most peaceful of us - "Why stand on a silent platform? Fight the war! F*ck the norm!" Phew!

Full Lineup (from wikipedia)

!!!, Air, Erol Alkan, Lily Allen, Anathallo, The Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, The Avett Brothers, Benny Benassi, Andrew Bird, Bjork, The Black Keys, Blonde Redhead, Bojones, Brazilian Girls, Brother Ali, Busdriver, Manu Chao, Circa Survive, Jarvis Cocker, Coco Rosie, Comedians Of Comedy, Cornelius, The Coup, The Cribs, Crowded House, CSS, The Decemberists, Digitalism, DJ Heather, DJ Shadow, Roky Erickson And The Explosives, Evil Nine, Explosions In The Sky, Fair To Midland, Faithless, The Feeling, Felix Da Housecat, Lupe Fiasco, The Fields, Fountains Of Wayne, The Frames, The Fratellis, Ghostface Killah, Girl Talk, Gogol Bordello, Jose Gonzales, The Good, The Bad And The Queen, Gotan Project, Grizzly Bear, Happy Mondays, Richie Hawtin, Hot Chip, Infected Mushroom, Interpol, The Kooks, Jack's Mannequin, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Junior Boys, Justice, Kaiser Chiefs, Kings Of Leon, Klaxons, Kokono No. 1, LCD Soundsystem, Amos Lee, Stephen Marley feat Jr. Gong, Mika, MSTRKRFT, Willie Nelson, New Pornographers, Nickel Creek, Nightwatchman, The Noisettes, Of Montreal, Ozomatli, Peaches, Peeping Tom, Peter, Bjorn & John, Pharaohe Monche, Placebo, Pop Levi, Rage Against The Machine, The Rapture, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mike Relm, Damien Rice, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Roots, Satellite Party, Silversun Pickups, Sonic Youth, Soulwax, Spank Rock, Sparklehorse, Regina Spektor, Tapes 'n Tapes, Tiesto, Tilly And The Wall, Tokyo Police Club, Travis, Paul Van Dyk, Julieta Venegas, VNV Nation, Rufus Wainwright, We Are Scientists, Gillian Welch, Amy Winehouse, Yeva.

Edit - The Jesus and Mary Chain are in too. WHOA!

I'm feeling generous, here's a few Rage tracks...

MP3: Rage Against the Machine - Bombtrack
MP3: Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
MP3: Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up

Local Artist - Crystal Castles

2007-01-19T21:03:00.000-05:00

Apologies for the hiatus, but hey, every tv series I'm hooked on went on break as well.

Quickly Googleing this duo's moniker leads to a plethora of pages devoted to an 8-bit video game that shared their name. Given Crystal Castles' (yes, that's the name, not She-Ra...) rudimentary approach to electro, it seems a good match. But not so! The name derives from their love of short-lived cartoons, more than anything else. History recap: She-Ra was a cartoon character that took refuge in the majestic Crystal Castle, the peak of Etheria, and was essentially the female version of the almighty He-Man, "the most powerful man in the universe" (Mattel's words, not mine).

Now that that's cleared up, CC are a Toronto duo most notable for their remix of the Klaxons' 'Atlantis to Interzone'. Feeding their synth into an 8-bit Atari chip, results in the spastic blips that occupy their EP, Alice Practice. For those that only know them for the Klaxons link, the EP is a lot more abrasive and thrashy than that mix would lead you to believe. They're doing a few shows this weekend in Toronto before departing for the UK to support the Klaxons tour. From what I've been told, they're good live, though I've not yet had the pleasure of attending a show. Hopefully we'll get an LP soon, until then... enjoy these mp3s.

MP3: Crystal Castles - Airwar
MP3: Crystal Castles - Alice Practice
MP3: GoodBooks - Leni (Crystal Castles vs. GoodBooks)

2006 - 50 Best Albums

2007-01-01T07:53:00.000-05:00

2006 is now officially over, so what do I have to say for it? For starters, my tastes have further broadened, changed, and grown. Genre-wise, I've ventured into electronic music more-so than ever; from ambient to experimental, and everything in between. Geographically speaking, Sweden continue to churn out the best indie(-pop) around, Austin, Texas are time and again justifying themselves as one of the premier indie hotspots on the globe, and Canada had another solid year. I was pleased with this year's output and I'm not-so-patiently awaiting what comes in 2007. It looks like it'll be a solid year in music, at least from what's been announced thus far. A new Art Brut album, the Klaxons' debut, LCD Soundsystem's true sophomore album, along with a plenitude of others.

Anyways, after many hours of thorough listening (and re-listening), Photoshopping, and uploading, these are all, in my opinion, the top 50 albums of the year past. Two mp3s are included from each album, and if you like them, be sure to click on the album cover above to buy it. Thanks again to Eric Spano for the banner. Enjoy and have a happy new year.

MP3: Venetian Snares - Pwntendo
MP3: Venetian Snares - Swindon

MP3: Pretty Girls Make Graves - Pyrite Pedestal
MP3: Pretty Girls Make Graves - The Nocturnal House

MP3: TV on the Radio - I Was A Lover
MP3: TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me

MP3: J Dilla - Waves
MP3: J Dilla - Workonit

MP3: Le Sport - Your Brother is My Only Hope
MP3: Le Sport - I Do Renounce Them

MP3: Spank Rock - Bump
MP3: Spank Rock - Rick Rubin

MP3: Sound Team - No More Birthdays
MP3: Sound Team - Handful of Billions

MP3: Lupe Fiasco - Daydreamin'
MP3: Lupe Fiasco - Kick, Push

MP3: Lily Allen - Smile
MP3: Lily Allen - LDN

MP3: The Rapture - W.A.Y.U.H.
MP3: The Rapture - Get Myself Into It

MP3: Scritti Politti - The Boom Boom Bap
MP3: Scritti Politti - Snow in Sun

MP3: LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 (00:00-5:00)

MP3: Built to Spill - Liar
MP3: Built to Spill - Goin' Against Your Mind

MP3: Bong-Ra - Suicide Speed Machine Girl
MP3: Bong-Ra - Coke Sniffah

MP3: CSS - Let's Make Love & Listen to Death from Above
MP3: CSS - Alala

MP3: The Roots - False Media
MP3: The Roots - In the Music

MP3: Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye
MP3: Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles

MP3: The Whitest Boy Alive - Inflation
MP3: The Whitest Boy Alive - Burning

MP3: Destroyer - Painter in Your Pocket
MP3: Destroyer - European Oils

MP3: Sunshine Rubdown - They Took A Vote and Said No
MP3: Sunshine Rubdown - Stadiums and Shrines II

MP3: Aceyalone & RJD2 - Fire
MP3: Aceyalone & RJD2 - All For U

MP3: El Perro Del Mar - God Knows
MP3: El Perro Del Mar - It's All Good

MP3: Clipse - Mr. Me Too
MP3: Clipse - We Got it For Cheap

MP3: Danielson - Ship the Majestic Suffix
MP3: Danielson - Did I Step on Your Trumpet

MP3: Voxtrot - Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives
MP3: Voxtrot - Soft & Warm

MP3: The Pipettes - Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me
MP3: The Pipettes - Pull Shapes

MP3: Band of Horses - The Funeral
MP3: Band of Horses - The Great Salt Lake

MP3: Joanna Newsom - Emily
MP3: Joanna Newsom - Cosmia

MP3: Klaxons - Atlantis to Interzone
MP3: Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow

MP3: Islands - Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
MP3: Islands - Rough Gem

MP3: The Radio Dept. - The Worst Taste in Music
MP3: The Radio Dept. - I Wanted You to Feel the Same

MP3: Mahogany - Supervitesse
MP3: Mahogany - Tesselation, Formerly Plateau One

MP3: Kid 606 - Let it Rock
MP3: Kid 606 - Chicken Fight

MP3: Hot Chip - Over And Over
MP3: Hot Chip - Boys from School

MP3: I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona
MP3: I'm From Barcelona - Treehouse

MP3: Malajube - Montréal -40C
MP3: Malajube - Pâte Filo

MP3: Professor Murder - Champion
MP3: Professor Murder - The Mountain

MP3: Beirut - Postcards from Italy
MP3: Beirut - Scenic World

MP3: Camera Obscura - Razzle Dazzle Rose
MP3: Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken

MP3: Ghostface Killah - The Champ
MP3: Ghostface Killah - Shakey Dog

MP3: Phoenix - Long Distance Call
MP3: Phoenix - Consolation Prizes

MP3: Fujiya & Miyagi - Collarbone
MP3: Fujiya & Miyagi - In One Ear & out the Other

MP3: Tokyo Police Club - Cheer it On
MP3: Tokyo Police Club - Shoulders & Arms

MP3: Ellen Allien & Apparat - Turbo Dreams
MP3: Ellen Allien & Apparat - Leave Me Alone

MP3: Junior Boys - Double Shadow
MP3: Junior Boys - Count Souvenirs

MP3: Belle & Sebastian - To Be Myself Completely
MP3: Belle & Sebastian - Another Sunny Day

MP3: The Knife - Marble House
MP3: The Knife - We Share Our Mother's Health

MP3: Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
MP3: Peter Bjorn & John - Amsterdam

MP3: Yo La Tengo - Mr. Tough
MP3: Yo La Tengo - Beanbag Chair

MP3: Asobi Seksu - Strings
MP3: Asobi Seksu - Goodbye

Last Christmas

2006-12-18T15:13:00.000-05:00

Covering Wham!'s 'Last Christmas' seems to be a holiday favourite. There have been trance versions, a Disney-Pop one, even an acoustic rendition. How many different ways can that famous chorus be heard in? How about 118?! Amazingly, Last Christmas has a collection of 118 versions (and counting) of the 1984 single. I've gone through about half of them, and before I grow sick of the song, these are my favourites.

MP3: Wham! - Last Christmas

The original. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were onto something here, making one of the most covered songs in the history of popular music.

MP3: Le Sport, Montt Mardié & Mr. Suitcase - Last Christmas

A fun house rendition - a good modern interpretation, from the three Swedish collectives. Sadly Le Sport, the only of the three that I'm well-versed in, is now defunct.

MP3: Erlend Øye - Last Christmas

Erlend is an extremely talented and multifaceted artist from Norway. From his pop work in the Kings of Convenience, to electronic solo work, he's extremely versatile, all the while looking like a dapper Napoleon Dynamite. His version is acoustic and extremely sentimental, nicely complementing his soft vocals.

MP3: goto80 - Last Christmas

This sounds even more rudimentary than if I'd played the song on my Casio, probably because it was made with a Commodore 64 video game console! Bleep-blorpy goodness from that 1.02MHz speed demon. Click the artist link to listen to the rest of their album, The 8bits of Christmas.

MP3: Mon)tag - Last Christmas

There's quite a few covers by German bands, but I'd say Mon)tag provides the best output of the lot. Extremely heart-felt and moving, it sounds like Coldplay minus the sleep-inducing boredom of Chris Martin. Catchy synth use and a convincing vocal display rounds off this solid number.

MP3: Ezio - Last Christmas

Very impressive instrumentals and a great display of cynical vocals to perfectly match the lyrics and song content.

Shitdisco

2006-12-14T19:46:00.000-05:00

I've had just about enough of the typical punk/post-punk/new-wave revival, and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. How many more Clash-inspired bands must I trudge through? Joy Division were certainly great, so great that legions of kids are now mimicking Ian Curtis' chilling voice 26 years after his death. A few bands bring something unique to the table (Art Brut, for example), but a large majority just re-hash what I could've spun since 1980 (if I was alive in 1980, of course) and instill boredom.

Something I wouldn't mind hearing again is Devo. The post-punk Devo, before they decided to allow broom/mop-substitute corporations to chime their brand name to the 'Whip It' chorus. Devo's debut LP was fantastic - herky jerky paranoid tunes executed to perfection by Mark Mothersbaugh & co. The Talking Heads weren't too dissimilar in their debut either. Undoubtedly, that's what drew me to Shitdisco. I've no idea what the name means (nor do I care), what their story is, not even their favourite food. But I do know that they're from Glasgow, they like the Talking Heads, they make great jerky "stop-starty" dance-punk music, and they were recently featured on my Top 50 Singles of 2006 list.

MP3: Shitdisco - Bolsheviks
MP3: Shitdisco - Disco Blood
MP3: Shitdisco - I Know Kung Fu
MP3: Shitdisco - Reactor's Party
Buy: Shitdisco - Reactor Party

MP3: Devo - Jocko Homo
MP3: Devo - Uncontrollable Urge
Buy: Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
MP3: Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
MP3: Talking Heads - Pulled Up
Buy: Talking Heads - Talking Heads: 77

Study Music

2006-12-13T17:03:00.000-05:00

So today, as everyone undoubtedly knows, is the 461st anniversary of the Council of Trent! Yeah, I've got a mod-Europe history exam tonight... Therefore, in lieu of exam-time, and the different music-listening-while-studying habits we all have, I figured this would be a good excuse to share some music that helps me study.

Procrastinate:
• verb delay or postpone action.

Tried, tested, and truly excruciating. Knowing about the exam for 3 weeks means nothing, it's now the night before the test - cram cram cram. Spastic and erratic music fits the enchanting mood of hair-ripping-out-of-skull action, better than anything else. And best of all, it's actually productive. It suits the dire situation.

Calm:
• adjective 1 not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other emotions. 2 peaceful and undisturbed.

Sometimes that fragmented clatter progresses your studies so well that you're back on track. You've dug yourself out of that hole. There's no need to cram. Studying can now continue, but now at a comfortable pace. Sadly, the music no longer fits. You think of peaceful valleys and still lakes - panic is no longer possible. But, in an act of delicious irony, procrastination ensues once more, as soothing sounds enter the ears.

Repetition, repetition, repetition, until you're dreary-eyed and passed out. There is no other way. Well, that is unless you actually know what you're studying. Without an ounce of hubris, I'd consider myself a Peter the Great scholar. No cramming - I've got his foreign policies, domestic reforms, and cultural revolution down pat. And if those last few sentences come back to haunt me, well then, truly the gods are against me today...

NB - What I mean by procrastination music is, the music listened to as a result of procrastination, not the music causing procrastination. Calm music would be the latter.

Procrastination Music:

MP3: Big Black - Bad Penny
MP3: Brainiac - Pussyfootin'
MP3: Bong-Ra - Suicide Speed Machine Girl
MP3: Lightning Bolt - Assassins

Calm Music:

MP3: Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
MP3: Jens Lekman - Black Cab
MP3: Tortoise - The Suspension Bridge at Iguazú Falls
MP3: Windsor for the Derby - The Melody of a Fallen Tree

More Procrastination Music:

MP3: James Chance & the Contortions - Contort Yourself
MP3: Pere Ubu - Navvy
MP3: Squarepusher - Rustic Raver
MP3: Venetian Snares - Pwntendo

2006 - 50 Best Singles

2006-12-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

2006 is nearly gone, and while I'm compiling my list of favourite albums from the year past, here's a small warm-up. The best singles of 2006 according to me. Please don't read into the ordering - it's merely alphabetical. Lookout for the corresponding list of albums on January 1, 2007. Big thanks to Eric Spano for the art-work.

MP3: The Antennas - Adapt!
MP3: Arctic Monkeys - When the Sun Goes Down
MP3: Art Brut - Modern Art
MP3: Asobi Seksu - Thursday
MP3: Beirut - Postcards from Italy
MP3: Belle & Sebastian - Funny Little Frog
MP3: Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
MP3: Cansei de Ser Sexy - Alala
MP3: Cassius - Toop Toop
MP3: Danielson - Did I Step on Your Trumpet?
MP3: Editors - All Sparks
MP3: The Egg - Walking Away
MP3: El Perro Del Mar - God Knows (You Gotta Give to Get)
MP3: Ellen Allien & Apparat - Turbo Dreams
MP3: Franz Ferdinand - Eleanor Put Your Boots On
MP3: Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries
MP3: Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
MP3: Gorillaz - El Mañana
MP3: Hot Chip - Over and Over
MP3: I'm From Barcelona - We’re From Barcelona
MP3: Islands - Rough Gem
MP3: Jim Noir - Eanie Meany
MP3: Klaxons - Atlantis to Interzone
MP3: The Knife - Marble House
MP3: Le Sport - It's Not the End of the World
MP3: Lily Allen - Smile
MP3: Love Is All - Busy Doing Nothing
MP3: Lupe Fiasco (Ft. Jill Scott) - Daydreamin'
MP3: M. Ward - Chinese Translation
MP3: Malajube - Montreal -40 C
MP3: Mew - Why are you Looking Grave?
MP3: The New Pornographers - Use It
MP3: Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
MP3: Phoenix - Long Distance Call
MP3: The Pipettes - Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me
MP3: The Presets - Girl and the Sea (Cut Copy Remix)
MP3: The Radio Dept. - The Worst Taste in Music
MP3: The Rapture - W.A.Y.U.H.
MP3: Ratatat - Wildcat
MP3: Serena Maneesh - Drain Cosmetics
MP3: Spank Rock - Rick Rubin
MP3: Shitdisco - Reactor Party
MP3: The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy
MP3: Tapes 'N Tapes - Insistor
MP3: Thom Yorke - Harrowdown Hill
MP3: T.I. - What You Know
MP3: TV on The Radio - Wolf Like Me
MP3: We Are Scientists - It's a Hit
MP3: Wolf Parade - I'll Believe in Anything
MP3: Yo La Tengo - Mr. Tough

In Memorandum

2006-12-08T00:45:00.000-05:00

October 9, 1940 - December 8, 1980

MP3: John Lennon - Imagine
MP3: John Lennon - Instant Karma
MP3: John Lennon - Stand by Me
MP3: John Lennon - Give Peace A Chance
Buy: John Lennon - Imagine

Mahogany

2006-12-06T09:32:00.000-05:00

I usually shuffle through many genres in my listening patterns, an eclectic experience. But over the past year I've found my niche, the twee-jangle-shoegaze tangent.

The latest "new-gaze" band to reach my ears are the Michigan-based Mahogany. Now signed to Darla Records (also home to The Radio Dept. and My Morning Jacket), they've recently released their second full-length, Connectivity, ending a lengthy hiatus since their debut, The Dream of a Modern Day. Filled with bright and celestial instrumentals as well as soaring vocals, Mahogany stray far away from the drone and fuzz that often encapsulates shoegaze, instead drenching themselves in poppier rhythms fueled by promising, upbeat endeavours. The pop elements seem to owe themselves to Stereolab and shoegaze to the Cocteau Twins. Interestingly, there's a more concrete relationship with the 'Twins than on a sonic level. Robin Guthrie, co-founder of the 'Twins, has produced 3 mixes for the album, while his daughter Lucy Belle (Liz Fraser, the other founder of the Cocteau Twins, is her mother) makes her vocal debut in the song 'My Bed is My Castle'. With genes like that she's destined for greatness....

Click on the artist link to buy an album.

Mahogany - Supervitesse [mp3]
Mahogany - Tesselation, Formerly Plateau One [mp3]
Mahogany - My Bed Is My Castle (ft. Lucy Belle Guthrie) [mp3]
Stereolab - Cybele's Reverie [mp3]
Cocteau Twins - Lorelei [mp3]

Twee-Pop Mix [DAN 002]

2006-12-03T20:12:00.000-05:00

I've had a soft spot for twee for years, even when I didn't really know what it was. Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura - both have been long-time favourites, especially B&S. But a whole genre of sensitive, introspective, and beautiful guitar-pop? Yes, indeed!

So I liked (no, loved) Belle & Sebastian, what next? Following the somewhat eccentric path of musical exploration (allmusic, acclaimed music, pitchfork, and a bazillion other sites), I was eventually lead to find the Twee As Fuck: The Joy of Kittenhood compilation. Having listened to the tracks ad nauseum, I started taking to a few artists, the Field Mice (pictured above) in particular. Next, I hunted down as many entries in the Sarah Records catalogue as possible, a search which is still ongoing.

Here's a selection of my favourites from the compilation, Sarah, and other sources. Clicking on the artist link will re-direct you to Amazon and allow you to purchase an album by said artist.

Another Sunny Day - Anorak City [mp3]
Another Sunny Day - You Should All Be Murdered [mp3]
Beat Happening - Our Secret [mp3]
Belle & Sebastian - Jonathan David [mp3]
Belle & Sebastian - This is Just a Modern Rock Song [mp3]
Black Tambourine - Throw Aggi Off the Bridge [mp3]
Even As We Speak - Drown [mp3]
The Field Mice - Emma's House [mp3]
The Field Mice - Sensitive [mp3]
The Hit Parade - Hitomi [mp3]
Honeybunch - My Contribution to the Greenhouse Effect [mp3]
The Magnetic Fields - 100,000 Fireflies [mp3]
The Orchids - Peahces [mp3]
The Pastels - Mandarin [mp3]
The Sugargliders - Ahprahran [mp3]
The Sweetest Ache - Tell Me How it Feels [mp3]
Talulah Gosh - My Boy Says [mp3]

Domino Records - Scottish Re-Issues

2006-12-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

Good for Josef K (pictured above), they're the belle of the ball (the Scottish post-punk ball, that is). Domino Records just released Entomology, a collection of Josef K's work. I love them, have for a while, and they're suddenly getting praise and hype (justifiably) in the blogosphere. Well-read, introspective, and Scottish, what's not to like?

But Scotland played a major role in post-punk, so where's the love for the others? Thankfully Domino re-issued both Orange Juice and the Fire Engines last year.

Josef K had some great rhythm going, flirting with pop, but were never as dance-able and truly funky as Orange Juice. Josef K's label-mates, Orange Juice were plenty of fun. OJ proved that Post-Punk didn't have to be about the gloomy wasteland of life or unfulfilled desires. Just listen to that sax 'n synth combo in 'Rip it Up'. Also of note, Uncut Magazine declared The Glasgow School, as the top re-issue album in 2005.

Josef K were a sort of middle-ground in Scotland. They had rhythm, but also an edge. On the other end of the spectrum were The Fire Engines from Edinburgh. Their sound was brittle and cold. Sharp, piercing guitar and thin vocals. Forget funk and pop, this was edgy and angular. 'Get Up and Use Me' is all about twisted and shrieking vocals with alarmingly distorted strings to match. It's very similar to music found in the No-Wave movement (James Chance & the Contortions, Bush Tetras, etc.) in NYC. As a tribute to one of their greatest sonic influences, Franz Ferdinand have been doing some work with them lately, swapping covers.

Here are six (6!) tracks from the three Scottish collectives, highly recommended.

Orange Juice - Falling and Laughing [mp3] [buy]
Orange Juice - Rip it Up [mp3]
Josef K - Sorry for Laughing [mp3] [buy]
Josef K - Romance [mp3]
The Fire Engines - Get Up and Use Me [mp3] [buy]
The Fire Engines - Everything's Roses [mp3]

kid606

2006-11-30T00:12:00.000-05:00

Venezuelan-born Miguel Trost Depedro is the DJ/producer known as kid606. Now based in San Francisco, he runs Tigerbeat6, his own record label, and is part of a burgeoning breakcore scene which employs the talent of Bong-Ra, Venetian Snares, Duran Duran Duran, and plenty of others.

The key to kid606, and what separates him from the crowd, is its accessibility. Particularly in his recently released, Pretty Girls Make Raves, he combines the traditional hard hard beats, rough rhythm, and pounding drum machine with danceable elements that borders on techno. He's opened breakcore open to a wider crowd. Genre-melding is his game, dance to it or make spastic head jerks - your choice.

kid606 - Chicken Fight [mp3] [buy]
kid606 - Meet Me At the Bottom [mp3]
kid606 - Who Wah Kill Sound? [mp3]

Wall of Sound

2006-11-28T10:21:00.000-05:00

Scandinavian shoegaze (or "newgaze") has been fairly prominent lately - Serena Maneesh and The Radio Dept. spring to mind, as does the Icelandic collective Singapore Sling. 'Sling formed in Reykjavik in 2000, released their debut album, The Curse of the Singapore Sling, in 2002, which was met with some glowing reviews and high expectations for the future.

As expected, the band thrives on distortion, thick dense layers of feedback, shrieking guitars, and shrouded vocals. Pop-tones are prevalent, sometimes gritty (a la Velvet Underground) and sometimes sweeter (in the noisiest way possible) like The Jesus & Mary Chain. Not surprisingly, these guys are extremely similar to JAMC - Henrik Bjornsson's vocal stylings sound like a carbon copy of Jim Reid's with an added snarl at times. However, they do bring a lot more power to the table than most shoegaze bands, raucous sounds bouncing off walls in every direction.

Their second album, Life is Killing My Rock 'N' Roll, is a lot heavier and noiser. It falls further from JAMC and closer to Sonic Youth in their Daydream Nation days. Not full-on noise to the point of spazz, but adequately imbued with thrashing and drowning sounds. It's also darker with a guitar and buzzed out voice that's drawn up comparisons to BRMC.

Singapore Sling - Summer Garden [mp3] [buy]
Singapore Sling - Dirty Water [mp3]
Singapore Sling - Sunday Club [mp3]

Bark Bark bark

2006-11-26T10:29:00.000-05:00

I really dislike Malcolm McLaren. He's despicable, vile, and most importantly a manipulative greedy bastard. He was fake. He manufactured images for monetary profit. He valued integrity less than the money from last week's paycheque (I didn't get one). He was a businessman and capitalist, not an independent artistic producer. He destroyed punk's primary values in the way he ran the Sex Pistols.

When you allow the shroud of controversy to clear though, he's quite an impressive man. Following the Sex Pistols bust-up, he put his guile to use and took on a new project. Bow Wow Wow was formed out of a defunct Adam & The Ants (defunct because of McLaren's doing, which isn't surprising I suppose). He carefully created one of the most original and fun groups in post-punk. Not to mention an extremely unlikely cast pairing.

BWW's debut was the amusingly titled See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah, City All Over! Go Ape Crazy!, released in October 1981. Its bass and percussion runs wild. The album is raw, seemingly untouched and unstained by impurities. Looking beyond the surface reveals the bizzareness of the lyrics, song content, and Annabella Lwin's vocal stylings. The backbone of their sound (in the beggining) is tribal, yet the vocals (apart from the chanting) and guitar don't fit with it. Songs about televisions and such, it really was a fascinatining experiment - transplanting African sounds and rhythms to the West and mixing it with new-wave. I almost feel like I'm listening to Dexy's Midnight Runners when 'Jungle Boy' comes on. Certainly they did turn to simple synth-pop in time, but for a short while they were unique and progressively brilliant amongst their contemporaries.

However sarcastic it was meant to be, one line that struck me as odd, in 'Chihuahua', is "I'm a Rock 'N Roll puppet, in a band called Bow Wow Wow." Given McLaren's reputation, and having Lwin pose (at only 15) for See Jungle!, I'd be willing to bet there's more truth to it than originally believed.

Bow Wow Wow - Jungle Boy [mp3] [buy]
Bow Wow Wow - Chihuahua [mp3]
Bow Wow Wow - (I'm A) TV Savage [mp3]
Bow Wow Wow - Golly! Golly! Go Buddy! [mp3]

Mash-Up Roundup

2006-11-24T18:06:00.000-05:00

I've spent a good part of the past two and a half years hunting for interesting mash-ups, regardless of the artists involved. Sometimes two artists mix well together, regardless of how shitty one (or both) is on their own. Case in point, Mark Vidler's mash of the Beastie Boys and Las Ketchup. Mark Vidler (pictured above) is the man behind Go Home Productions, the first (and still the best) masher I've listened to. His back catalogue features mixes of The Stone Roses, Public Enemy, Television, My Bloody Valentine, Elvis Costello, and hundreds of other notables. Besides GHP, there are several other DJs that provide mp3 links on their websites, as well as forums that offer them, including GYBO (get your bootleg on). Below are a selection of some recent favourites.

Beastie Boys vs. Las Ketchup - Beastie Ketchup (GHP) [mp3]
Daft Punk vs. Dead or Alive - Spin Me Harder (DJ Tripp) [mp3]
DP vs. U2 - Around the World on New Year's Day (Martinn) [mp3]
Elvis Costello vs. The Police, etc. - Wrapped Detective (GHP) [mp3]
Gorillaz vs. White Stripes - Dirty Doorbell (Jimmi James) [mp3]
Klaxons vs. Todd Terry - Can You Feel Magik? (Dunproofin') [mp3]
Radiohead vs. The Beatles - Karma in the Life (GHP) [mp3]

Post-Punk Mix [DAN 001]

2006-11-22T19:35:00.000-05:00

1. The Durutti Column - Sketch For Summer [mp3]
2. Cabaret Voltaire - Nag Nag Nag [mp3]
3. A Certain Ratio - Do The Du [mp3]
4. Orange Juice - Rip It Up [mp3]
5. Josef K - Romance [mp3]
6. Aztec Camera - Oblivious [mp3]
7. Subway Sect - Ambition [mp3]
8. Swell Maps - Let's Build A Car [mp3]
9. Pere Ubu - Nonalignment Pact [mp3]
10. Public Image Ltd. - Careering [mp3]
11. James Chance & The Contortions - Contort Yourself [mp3]
12. Minutemen - The Big Foist [mp3]
13. Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver [mp3]
14. This Heat - S.P.Q.R. [mp3]
15. Gang of Four - I Found That Essence Rare [mp3]
16. The Specials - A Message To You Rudy [mp3]
17. Au Pairs - You [mp3]
18. The normal - T.V.O.D. [mp3]
19. The Fall - Barmy [mp3]
20. Suicide - Cheree [mp3]
21. Killing Joke - Follow The Leaders [mp3]
22. Throbbing Gristle - Hot On The Heels Of Love [mp3]
23. Devo - Mongoloid [mp3]
24. Joy Division - She's Lost Control [mp3]
Length - 82:00

I've switched mp3 hosts to a private one provided by myDataBus, which provides 5GB of webstorage free of cost - highly reccomended. I've decided to start things off with the next host by posting a mix of mine. I posted this mix up a few months ago on my last.fm, but the download link has long since expired. These are essentially a roundup of some of my favourites of the post-punk era. There are a plentitude of artists that are missing and I'd like to add them on a future mix I create. Joy Division's 'She's Lost Control' was not in the original listing, but decided it was worthy of inclusion. Ian Curtis, Joy Division's frontman, is pictured above. If you're interested in buying this material, click the artist link which will lead to their last.fm page, which can be followed to Amazon.

Au Revoir

2006-11-22T04:50:00.000-05:00

A few days ago Mazarin, a great indie-pop collective from Philly, were legally bullied into retiring their band name. Apparently an obscure (and stubborn) Long Island group shared the same name and released music before the Philly boys did.

The final solution, from the band's site:

In short, MAZARIN A and their attorney decided: either cease and desist, or we go to court. Considering MAZARIN B had no disposable income to fight the case, plus information had come to light revealing that one of the members of MAZARIN A was in poor physical health, yet still paying his attorney some four hundred dollars an hour, all the while desperately soliciting donations for their legal and medical funds via their website, MAZARIN B and their management concluded the whole predicament was so sad and despairing that instead of dragging out a lengthy litigation, which they had neither the time nor money to commit to; fuck it. Clearly, the name is cursed.

Shame, I always liked the name. I discovered them while I was studying French history and the ancien régime (Mazarin was an influential French minister for Louis XIV) so I felt an interesting connection with it. Oh well, apparently the band's members will release new material, in time. Good to hear, a really promising band.

I've posted up 'Another One Goes By', an absolutely brilliant pop number. Shades of Orange Juice's fantastic guitar pop (the Glasgow band) and the Shins' blooming vocals and precious structure. Their finest song from a great album.

Mazarin - Another One Goes By [mp3] [buy]

Klaxons

2006-11-20T00:48:00.000-05:00

Love or hate the English press, they're a powerful instrument. Whether it be oversensationalist claims (#5), or... well actually that's about all they're good for. The NME has been pushing for this "new rave" genre as of late. A proposed renaissaince of sorts for rave, which was huge in the UK by the early 90s. Groups like 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, the Prodigy, etc. thrived under the drug-crazed genre, packing clubs like Manchester's Haçienda. For several reasons it eventually died off and split into a bunch of sub-genres which retain remnants of the dead genre.

This all leads up to yet another group the media are warming to, the Klaxons. They've been getting a lot of press lately, largely in part of the blogosphere. And they're interesting to say the least. Whereas the Arctic Monkeys seemed a tad simple-minded, the Klaxons appear to be fairly well read and intelligent. They're avid fans of avant-garde novelist William S. Burroughs, a writer I've recently taken an interest in. As for their sound, it's not quite like the rave of old, but more modern and edgy (what I'd expect). They've got an indie-rock pedigree (bass and guitar that sound very garagey), but the hard electronic backings are evidence of the rave influence.

Their first EP, Xan Valleys, was released a month ago, a good listen. Their full-length debut is apparently set for January, which I'm looking forward to.

Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow [mp3] [buy]
Klaxons - Atlantis to Interzone [mp3]
Klaxons - 4 Horsemen of 2012 [mp3]

Jim Noir

2006-11-17T16:09:00.000-05:00

Bowler hat, blazer, matching slacks, striped shirt and tie. He's a proper English bloke, a fine gentleman. Noir is from Manchester, the borough so many richly talented artists have called home. His music is a nice blend of charming pop and multi-instrumental psych-folk.

To date he has released one album, Tower of Love (Barsuk, 2005). This past summer he rose from obscurity to minor fame when 'Eanie Meaney' was used in that wonderful Adidas World Cup ad campaign (Jose+10) in which he sings "If you don't give my football back, I'm going to get my dad on you". Surely an allusion to his childhood days in Manchester, supporting the city blues. 'My Patch' is another great nugget, his single from this past May. Fightin' words with some nice strings. It's also the funniest vid I've seen in a while, featuring a fight with a giant chicken. His sound has been continuously compared to that of the Beach Boys, and while I don't completely buy it, certain songs ('Turn that Frown Into a Smile', 'A Quiet Man') have sonic similarities to older pop groups fused with eclectic instrumentals and dreamy soundscapes.

Jim Noir - My Patch [mp3] [MV] [yt]
Jim Noir - Eanie Meany [mp3]
Jim Noir - Turn that Frown Into a Smile [mp3]

Post-Punk Artist Du Jour - Thomas Leer

2006-11-15T21:39:00.000-05:00

Leer was a DIY pioneer, literally making his music single-handedly in his flat. Amazingly, in his early days he didn't use a synth to create the seemingly electrostatic feel. Instead he created several methods to improvise for this absence - heavily processed instruments and extremely primitive electronic gizmos.

Private Plane was his first single, released on his own label, Oblique. It was successful, especially for a DIY, becoming the NME's single of the week. 'Private Plane' is very celestial. It starts off with a bassline combo'd with a scrambled transmission from a "plane". Leer whispers meekly throughout - so that his girlfriend, who shared his flat, wouldn't be woken at night, but hey, it perfectly fit the song. As the song closes, further bleeps and blorps are heard. Again, amazingly without use of advanced electronics. " International" is similar, in that it's a quiet exposé of Leer's vocals, but it also includes a great guitar 'n bass combo. While other Leer tracks are more experimental ('Letter from America' is a kind of mutant funk) and unfocused (possibly in a good way), these two are his most accessible.

Thomas Leer - Private Plane [mp3]
Thomas Leer - International [mp3] [buy]

La Dauphine Marie

2006-11-14T22:45:00.000-05:00

Film begins. I'm hearing a familiar angular and spiky guitar. Oh wow, it's Gang of Four! And look, the lettering for the film title is all new-wavey. So this is definitely going to be an interesting watch - a postmodern exhibition of Coppola's take on a the French queen. Oh, I'm a liar. Sorry. This film stinks. Like food scraps left to rot, perhaps? Maybe a croissant. It's a monotonous journey of boredom. Attempts at making it quirky and cute are countered by mundane banter to the point where I was nodding off for an early nap. I realize that it's historically inaccurate. I don't care, that should make for some more artistic freedom. I realize that Antoinette lived in her own confined world. Fine by me. Poor plot, acting gone awry, disastrous dialogue. Not cool.

I can't fault the soundtrack though. Like Lost In Translation before this, Sofia Coppola has a proven knack for putting together quality soundtracks. It's a nice mix of ambience, post-punk, indie, and electronic. And I'm quite glad to see the Radio Dept. having a prominent role in this - very deserving. The inclusion of 'I Want Candy' is a clear jab at Marie's childlike demeanor (and subsequently her scorned presence at Versailles), but Shields' remix is nothing of importance. I prefer his work done on 'Fools Rush In' - very surreal.

Soundtrack listing courtesy Wikipedia:

Disc One:

"Hong Kong Garden" – Siouxsie & The Banshees [mp3]
"Aphrodisiac" – Bow Wow Wow
"What Ever Happened" – The Strokes
"Pulling Our Weight" – The Radio Dept.
"Ceremony" – New Order
"Natural's Not in It" - Gang of Four [mp3]
"I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)" - Bow Wow Wow
"Kings of the Wild Frontier" – Adam & The Ants
"Concerto in G" – Antonio Vivaldi / Reitzell
"The Melody of a Fallen Tree" – Windsor for the Derby
"I Don’t Like It Like This" – The Radio Dept.
"Plainsong" – The Cure

Disc Two:

"Intro Versailles" – Reitzell / Beggs
"Jynweythek Ylow" – Aphex Twin
"Opus 17" – Dustin O’Halloran
"Il Secondo Giorno (Instrumental)" – Air
"Keen On Boys" - The Radio Dept. [mp3]
"Opus 23" – Dustin O’Halloran
"Les Baricades Misterieuses" – Francois Couperin / Reitzell
"Fools Rush In (Kevin Shields Remix)" - Bow Wow Wow [mp3]
"Avril 14th" – Aphex Twin
"K. 213" – Domenico Scarlatti / Reitzell
"Tommib Help Buss" – Squarepusher
"Tristes Apprets.." – Jean Philippe Rameau / W. Christie
"Opus 36" – Dustin O’Halloran
"All Cats Are Grey" – The Cure

Buy it here. Enjoy it. It's one of the better OSTs I've seen in recent years.

Nag Nag Nag (+Nag)

2006-11-13T17:05:00.000-05:00

Not only three nags (Cabaret Voltaire), but four, for Art Brut's new single, released today (November 13, 2006) entitled Nag Nag Nag Nag.

"It's about, and it can't just be me, when I was younger and my parents had a go at me, or I was in a bad mood I'd put my Walkman on and go for a big long walk to sort myself out. And I was thinking about how much I did that - ignored my parents nagging me - and realising that people who do that grow up funny - you miss something you should have been told because you weren't listening. I don't feel any different now to when i was 17 - I'm 26 now - I don't think you change really between those periods and maybe it's because you're not listening to people. I dunno it sounds very pretentious when I say it but it's just about putting your walkman on, stonking out of the house and coming back again" - Eddie Argos (Artrocker, Sep 2006)

AB is definitely the vanguard of ironic rock. Without their Velvet Underground mocking, their excessive ambitions, and their distant relations with popular culture, they'd just be another UK garage flash in the pan. I listened to Bang Bang Rock & Roll over and over (and over and over and over) to the point where when I finally saw them live, I was one of the very few fans chanting along, for every song.

The first time I heard this track was at the Opera House in Toronto on October 14th, part of their latest tour, which features We Are Scientists as the support act. It's a good single with catchy guitar hooks and their trademark execution of sarcasm+irony+cockney accent. Admittedly it's better onstage than on record, though the band is spectacular live so I can't complain. My favourite line - "Wet trousers in the washing machine, but I'd rather be damp than seen in jeans." For some reason, which Eddie explained but I can't seem to remember, the band don't like jeans. Hah! Can't win them all I suppose.

"Art Bruts, NAG! NAG! NAG! NAG!" as Eddie said.

Art Brut - Nag Nag Nag Nag [mp3] [buy]

Le Sport

2006-11-12T16:48:00.000-05:00

Ugh, what a cheesy picture....

These guys have New Order written all over them. Layered with '80s house beats and comical lyrics, this is the latest Swedish group to catch my attention. The synth-laden songs leave behind very catchy breaks at times ('I Do Renounce Them', 'Your Brother Is My Only Hope'). Judging by the artists they've mentioned on their Myspace (Human League, Heaven 17, Yazoo, etc.) the ends result isn't surprising. Sexual ambiguity is present, but later homosexuality seems to be a big theme - playing with the '80s house trend perhaps, first with the album art (pictured above) and a few of the song titles ('Show Me Your Penis, 'If Niall Tennant Was My Love').

Sadly, the new-wave revival has been cut short - the group disbanded a few weeks ago.

Le Sport - I Do Renounce Them [mp3] [buy]
Le Sport - Your Brother Is My Only Hope [mp3]

The Embassy

2006-11-11T20:27:00.000-05:00

The Embassy are yet another pop band from Sweden, and the latest to pique my interest. Heavy synth use at times remind me of New Order, while their rhythmic styling is very reminiscent of "Pills 'n Thrills"-era Happy Mondays. It's a wonder that they're from Gothenburg rather than Manchester...

The name seems to be more suitable to a club or concert venue than a band name. My best guess leads me to believe that indie bands are now going through the dictionary, word by word, to use up every possible name of the "The + noun" variety.

The Embassy - Some Indulgence [mp3] [buy]
The Embassy - Time's Tight [mp3]
The Embassy - It Pays To Belong [mp3]

Peter Bjorn & John

2006-11-10T00:14:00.000-05:00

Sweden's been a fairly rich font of pop music in recent times. I'm From Barcelona, Jens Lekman, and The Radio Dept. to name a few. One of the nicest pop albums I've heard this year comes from Stockholm trio Peter Bjorn & John.

Writer's Block is their third album, released a few weeks ago. Not nearly as ecstatically joyous as 'Barcelona, nor as melancholy as Jens, it's somewhere in between, showing great instrumental skill that rides through. They've been treated with a bit of fame lately - a favourable Pitchfork review and a spot on last week's Grey's Anatomy. Looks like I'm somewhat late! 'Young Folks" has a sort of boyish charm to it with a genuine whistle that brings a grin to my face. "Amsterdam" is a delicious pop nugget telling tales of the Dutch capital. The flute 'n synth combo makes it a gem. It's infectious. "Start To Melt" is very reminiscent of the Shins, a poptone that sets the album alight. Further displays of musical prowess and diversity are found in "Paris 2004", a wonderful exposé of strings.

A very enjoyable listen, definitely will feature as one of my favourite '06 releases.

Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks [mp3] [buy] [MV]
Peter Bjorn & John - Amsterdam [mp3]
Peter Bjorn & John - Start To Melt [mp3]

Art

2006-11-08T19:37:00.000-05:00

Certain albums resonate very personal affinities and ties with us. Familiar sounds; clattering cymbals; wry remarks; incorrigible attitudes, whatever. Album art gives these aural qualities a face. Political undertones, philosophical connotations, or perhaps something as simple as an aesthetic pleasantry are reasons for this allure. I'm no anthropologist, nor do I particularly care for the study of human nature, so suffice to say that we like this art. Interpretations are imperative. Artistic freedom allows for the simple pleasure of having no single correct view, but multiple possibilities. Unless of course the artist has blatantly stated what their art is representative of - tough luck.

Here are a select few of my own favourites:

Killing Joke - What's THIS For...!

Desolate, dystopian, and gloomy. This looks like a ghastly isolated town recently hit by a nuclear bomb. The emptiness suits the hollow feel of the album. And that woman's also got some strong calves, she must work out. Unfortunately her gym is a pile of rubble.

Primal Scream - Screamadelica

This here is the delightful blob of paint that I've come to know as Mr. Screamadelica. Many a time have I received compliments regarding him (he has been my IM display picture on several occasions) and I greedily accepted them without mentioning that I never painted him. I wish I did paint him.

The Human League - The Dignity of Labour Pts. 1-4

Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, is depicted on his way to receiving an honourary medal from Nikita Khrushchev, to the delight of the ecstatic crowd. Small in stature, he became a Soviet celebrity and a critical piece of propaganda to gain sufferance towards his nation's cause. Is there much dignity in labour? Perhaps, but he's clearly put on a pedestal, looking down on the mere peasants that constructed his ship. Isolation. That's a big theme in this EP. It's extremely isolated and atmospheric; vast meandering sounds reflecting the space-world. Proto-Industrial from Sheffield.

Gang of Four - Entertainment!

It's fair to say that Gang of Four were a bunch of politicos, both in word and voice. Chants of injustice and hypocrisy abound, they took the extra step to ensure their views were noticed - as is seen in short phrases depicting the "white man" robbing the indigenous.

Gza/Genius - Liquid Swords

A battle on a chessboard - Chessboxin'. This album carries on with the Wu-Tang fascination with samurai culture and the animation shows. Gza's rhymes and wit are lyrical swords, knocking down his prey. Checkmate.

Killing Joke - The Fall of Because [mp3] [buy]
Primal Scream - Don't Fight It, Feel It [mp3] [buy]
The Human League - The Dignity of Labour Pt. 1 [mp3] [buy]
Gang of Four - Natural's Not In It [mp3] [buy]
Gza/Genius - Liquid Swords [mp3] [buy]

Hip-Hop 2520 Test #1

2006-11-07T01:54:00.000-05:00

Now for some more genre-hopping! Tomorrow will be the first test in my Hip-Hop class. It's a listening test. Basically the prof., a former hip-hop head turned radio host in the late '80s, plays 10 songs (for 3 minutes each) and I've got to write down the artist, track title, record label of association, and the year released, for each of the 10.

For example, this would constitute a perfect mark: Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 - The Message [Sugarhill (1982)]

The full list of songs we've listened to in class is compiled here. Tonight I've been going through the lot and memorizing the necessary info. Since this is the first test, the roots and influences of the genre are the theme at hand. James Brown, Isley Brothers, Booker T & The MGs, Average White Band, Fatback, Chic, Fatback, Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, etc. Certainly not my usual genre (soul/funk) and I'd first listen to James Chance before the other James, but I'm not complaining!

The following are a few of my select favourites from the list. And of course they're listed in a way to help me study!

James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag Pt. 1 [King (1965)] [mp3] [buy]
Bobby Byrd - I Know You Got Soul [King/S12 (1971)] [mp3] [buy]
Fatback - King Tim III (Personality Jock) [Perception (1979) [mp3] [buy]
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 - The Message [Sugarhill (1982)] [mp3] [buy]

Let's Take the Subway

2006-11-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, much of my post-punk discoveries derive from Simon Reynolds' fabulous Rip It Up And Start Again - a nice overview of the p-p/new-wave years (1978-1984 according to Mr. Reynolds). I've posted a link of it on the right hand side-bar of this page, which will direct you to the Amazon UK store - definitely worthy of a read.

One such discovery that he pointed out was the Brit-punk group Subway Sect, headed by Vic Godard. Teaming up with very notable company including The Banshees, Clash, and Sex Pistols, Subway Sect were in a very true sense, an original punk band that would precede the upcoming wave. And not only original in the chronological sense, but more-so due to their uniqueness. Without stealing too much of Reynolds' findings, suffice to say that they had a rebellious punk spirit, but never overtly expressed it like their contemporaries. While the Pistols would vehemently make snarling lyrical quips, Godard intelligently crafted his music to defy what "rock music" was. Cutting ties with the past, starting anew, and certainly ignoring the norm, Godard purposely made music that deviated from the pack. Not to mention their style, strange antiquated getups, not quite meshing with the punks.

This all sounds fantastic - fresh and vigorous ideas from a band solely concerned with creating new unique music; new styles; new ideologies; new everything. This begs the obvious question - why are they unknown while the other contemporaries I've mentioned all rose to fame? Their single "Ambition" was extremely well regarded and sold quite well following a rise in the charts and being featured in several prominent musical publications. Godard was even hailed alongside other forward thinking punk champions such as Mark Perry (Alternative TV), John Lydon (Sex Pistols to P.I.L.) and Howard Devoto (Buzzcocks to Magazine and later Luxuria). Despite this, the band manager, Bernie Rhodes, also happened to be the manager of the Clash, and made no secret of the fact that Subway Sect were his second fiddle. As a testament to that fact, the band's debut album never saw the light of day. That'll surely sully any chance of success. Having said that, it truly mystifies me as to why another label wouldn't have picked them up and subsequently released the album, especially considering the eagerness of many label heads to jump on the punk bandwagon and sign anyone that showed a remote inkling of prowess.

The interesting thing to me is that Subway Sect were thinking ahead to post-punk just as punk had started. Godard's quiet rebellion which brought about his forward-thinking demeanor is an extremely notable attribute and was mirrored soon after by the likes John Lydon of P.I.L, following his breakup of the Pistols. Sadly, my collection of Subway Sect is very limited, though recently I've found a small source for more of their singles. I've included Ambition, easily their most successful work. It's quite catchy and enjoyable mainly due to its pop-twinged synth-line and light nature.

Subway Sect - Ambition [mp3]
Buy it from the Rough Trade Shops 25 Years Collection

Star-Struck

2006-11-03T16:45:00.000-05:00

Amidst my recent forays into electronica, shoegaze and dream pop have forever held a significant grip of my musical fibre. Lush soundscapes painted onto my eardrums, goop by goop. Dreamy (dreamy to describe dream pop, how creative of me..) vocals of majestic proportions. Lazy beauty carved into my ears.

Last night I had the notion to listen to Mazzy Star and, true to the title of this entry, I was star struck. Hope Sandoval's gentle introspective chants heard throughout So Tonight That I Might See washes my uneasiness away, just as it did the first time I heard it. And while I certainly don't discount David Roback's contributions, namely the wonderful drones from his guitar, it certainly is Hope's vocals that catapult them into the top echelon of dream pop. Her voice has a timeless beauty to it, similar to that of Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins). Hopefully I'll always be allowed the pleasure of returning to that assuring voice, despite the sonic abuse I've given my ears over the past few years.

Enough chatter, I'm off to the dreamland, nearly there...
Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
Mazzy Star - Bells Ring
Like it? Buy it!

Talking To Myself

2006-11-03T15:37:00.000-05:00

OK, so now I'm going to ask myself some questions and answer them. Nay, I'm not schizophrenic, this is just my way of answering questions for you, assuming of course that someone out there is reading this. Though I'm also partially questioning myself as to be clear on whatever I'm doing here.

So I will begin - Why start a blog in the first place? I like music and I need a place to house my musical thoughts, rather than have them run around in my mind, and subsequently driving me mad. Sure, I could write them out on paper, but what kind of security is that, what if my house happens to burn down? Catastrophe - my notes turned to ash! Blogger, as I understand it, is part of the almighty Google Empire. Ergo (that means therefore) their legions of slave workers will assure me of invulnerability, right? (Note to self - back up my musical ramblings in .doc format) Order? I don't think there will be one, at least not chronologically. Whatever comes to mind will go up, be it modern or not-so-modern. Themes? I'm liking the artist/band-centred posts, as opposed to genre-wide ones. But maybe one given length of time (say, a week) could be focused on a particular genre or idea, while another could be dabbling in other notions. Frequency? Hopefully I can update this 3-5 times a week. It depends on how creative I feel, whether I have the time/will to do it, and quite simply how late I'm staying up at night. Ulterior motives? Who, me, what do you take me for? OK fine, I guess I wasn't telling the whole truth before. I do listen to quite a bit of obscure music, and I wouldn't mind giving those artists some more exposure. Yeah, I know, that's an extremely conceited (and pretentious!) ambition - me vaulting these obscurities into a slightly lower degree of obscurity? Well, one can dream. But maybe these artists don't want exposure and make more and more music just so that they're the most indie of the indie bands. Well then, I apologize for any disservice I may have caused and congratulate you on being a living piece of irony (I reallllly like irony!). Favourite Food? Pizza.

Cheerio.

Defined

2006-11-03T03:29:00.000-05:00

Pretentious - • adjective attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.

Prattle - • verb talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way.

• noun foolish or inconsequential talk.

— ORIGIN Low German pratelen, related to PRATE.

Source - Oxford English Dictionary