"Spitting out the blanche to change my special branch"
August 07, 2006
Stick Spiral back in! Vote Vote Vote!
No, I haven't gone mad, I just thought about incredible amounts of career-forwarding that will go on when they throw the BB rejects back into the house. (Does anyone see this as anything else but an excuse to reinstate Nikki to the house in the face of dwindling interest?)
In Spiral's case this career-forwarding will mean LOTS MORE RAPPING; especially now that he's has a few weeks outside to tout his services to record industry peoples...
So, get ready for more of this:
PLUS: Getting into the spirit of things, I had a go at remixing the 'Spiral Song' clip that was unleashed by Popbitch a few weeks ago. It's meant to be Hardcore, and has a GUN SHOT! Oooh:
Posted by Chris at 03:50 PM
Andy The Cabbage
March 31, 2006
Monday night saw Emmy The Great in for a session on John Kennedy's Exposure radio show on Xfm; not only that she was backed by talented boy-types Johnny Flynn and Jeremy Warmsley. They played two songs and I've managed to knock together some mp3s for you all after some clever jiggery-pokery with my computer and TiVo box. Get 'em while they're hot.
Emmy The Great - Edward Is Dedward (Xfm Session)
Emmy The Great - Absentee (Xfm Session)
Posted by Chris at 02:10 PM
The Exorcism of Emmy The Great
December 21, 2005
Just in time for Christmas booty-bunned spangly songstrel* Emmy The Great has released 3 new recordings on her Myspace page. There are new versions of Absentee and Edward Is Dedward and a brand new song entitled The Woods, which is so Christmassy it may as well have been written by Noddy Holder sitting in a bath-tub of port, eating mince pies whilst getting a back-rub from three of Santa's most big-bosomed 'little helpers'. It would heartily recommend you download them immediately and play them whilst consuming your overcooked fowl.
Posted by Chris at 07:31 PM
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Sorry Special Needs
December 05, 2005
This weekend Shoe Girl alphabetised our CD collection, and amongst the Girls Aloud singles and Busted albums were 4 copies of recently departed Special Needs' (slash The Needs) single 'Blue Skies'; none of which we actually purchased. Although in no way am I shouldering the blame for their demise I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise if our free-single greed this summer in any way contributed to their subsequent dropping, name-change and split. Sorry.
And another thing: I got the new Girls Aloud album 'Chemistry' this morning. It's great.
Here's some music.
Silent Front like to shout and scream really quietly. This is the second track on their forthcoming split single with Tiger Force (featured in last weeks playlist mix).
Silent Front - Self Seller Event
Elle Milano play the Artrocker @ The Garage event THIS EVENING in lovely London town. I think they sound like Hot Hot Heat - y'know what I mean Robert Smith vocals and poppy-artrock guitars, that sort of stuff.
Elle Milano - Ooo Beyonce Baby
Photo from Okaggi
Posted by Chris at 02:13 PM
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Pain and Stretch Marks
April 21, 2005
I'm still procrastinating from writing my Help She Can't Swim / Battle review from Tuesday night, so this is just a quick one inspired by a video I found on Music For Robots a couple of days ago.
Anything regarding Mr T is always something to write home about, but this really takes the biscuit - the song Treat Your Mother Right is quality all the way through - but especially so as up until seeing this video I'd thought the song was a Put Down That Science Pole original, but I like it much better this way.
Watch Mr T perform 'Treat Your Mother Right' [wmv] | [mov]
Download Put Down That Science Pole's 'Treat Your Mother Right' [mp3]
(this is the original recording from the album 'The Camry Sessions')
Download Octofists remix of Put Down That Science Pole's 'Mother' [mp3]
Posted by Chris at 11:49 AM
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Arctic Monkeys MP3s
April 05, 2005
The Dublin Castle in Camden plays host to Sheffield-super-kids Arctic Monkeys tonight, and I have tickets! This, I can assure you, makes me significantly more excited than should be permitted for a man to feel about four teenage boys; but they are just so damn good. Fresh-faced singer Alex Turner is as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as they come, his youthful exuberance and wide-eyed outlook on the world gives each song a sort of vitality – every one telling a story that has not only happened to him, but to everyone else on the planet. Simple themes, simply told.
Hopefully I’ll write a big old report of the gig in the next couple of days, but in the meantime you should get stuck into some of their music. A number of MP3s from the most recent demo (and some from a live show) are available here www.ilovethesheriff.com. The songs on most recent demo, ‘Beneath The Boardwalk’, are in most people’s opinion their best songs, and I tend to agree, but I managed to get my hands on an earlier recording. It has a completely different set of songs on it, bristling with the same sort of intensity and story-telling prowess of the newer ones – but rarer!
Arctic Monkeys – Choo Choo (Demo)
Arctic Monkeys – On The Run From The MI5 (Demo)
There’s also quite a nice little BBC South Yorkshire article that I’d recommend to read here.
Posted by Chris at 05:53 PM
CC-mp3
March 15, 2005
A quick Camden Crawl follow-up post (with mp3s!) for your delectation today. Especially for those of you who were unable to make it, or for those who simply went to see different bands than myself.
The Chalets – Theme From Chalets
Sadly, when The Chalets were playing, I was far more concerned with drinking than actually watching them – although I did hear an awful lot and they were quite excellent. I’d expected them to be an exciting and colourful proposition after seeing their shoes on Helen’s site.
They apparently named their bands after a trip to All Tomorrow's Parties at Camber Sands – the best festival accommodation ever, ever – and they seem to have attempted to extend ATP’s influence to their music. By rights they are a synth / guitar crossover band, but none of that really matters because in essence what they do is pure unadulterated party music. Every song they play makes your feet shuffle and your hips shake; every song leaves you with a massive smile on your face.
At the Camden Crawl gig the two front girls were wearing some sort of maid-outfit & bowtie combo, and if that’s not something to smile about I don’t know what is – The Chalets came to serve, and aim to please.
Website: thechalets.com
Buy it from: Amazon
The Cribs – Another Number (Demo)
I read certain malicious comments on the web recently about The Cribs being a scummy Yorkshire Noise Next Door - three brothers with an instrument each and questionable looks. Well I disagree; they are more like Hanson – three brothers with an instrument each and good looks.
On record their melodic and lovely Smiths via the garage rock explosion sound is so easy to sing along to, you find yourself mouthing the words even if you don’t know them. Live they are a much more energetic and strident experience, but that’s what so great about The Cribs, most of their songs would sound just as good sat down with an acoustic guitar as they do with electric guitar aloft whilst crowd-surfing.
Website: thecribs.com
Buy it from: Amazon
Posted by Chris at 05:39 PM
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Pleasure Unit / Helvissa / V V & the V's
March 02, 2005
The last week has been somewhat empty in terms of gigage; shoe-girl and I missed the Q-o-N night with The Pipettes and The Long Blondes due to illness, and we missed The Mystery Jets at the Pleasure Unit on Monday due to overheating, and boredom. We were actually at the venue for the gig, and we saw the 15 year old school band (band-name unknown), and the band which I think may have been New Rising Sun due to the obvious (and frankly, blatant) Hendrix references – they were beset by sound problems, and instead of stopping for a couple of seconds to sort them out, decided to carry on regardless. My ears are still ringing three days later. Anyway, I took some photos of them because despite the awful sound they seemed quite good.
We also saw Dustin’s Bar Mitzvah who were excellent, if a little lackadaisical - excuses provided were “we were in the studio all day and we’re knackered”. Turns out they weren’t lying and the results are available to one and all here http://www.dustins.co.uk - Billy and Goldhawk Road are the new ones so don’t miss out.
Vincent Vincent and the Villains have been plying their post-ska rockabilly trade for a short while around London. I have yet to see them (despite them featuring heavily in my ‘gigs I must go to’ list each week); but I’ve heard that it’s a real treat. They have two songs to download from their website http://www.vincentvincentandthevillains.com/, but the direct links are sometimes difficult to find, so I’ll provide them here:
Vincent Vincent and the Villains – On My Own
Vincent Vincent and the Villains – B-Side Baby
Helvissa are from somewhere in the west midlands and seem to attempt a sort of sub-art brut drone rock. There’s quirkiness, but also the obvious heroin-rock+JAMC influences milling about in these (rather badly recorded) tracks. There are soon to be releasing an EP on the lostmusic label, ran by the knowledgeable and gracious Trev@lostmusic.co.uk, but there are a lot of tracks still available at soundclick
if you can’t be arsed with the sign-up process there here is one of the tracks from that site, which I think may interest a few of you (especially if you’re reading this on Livejournal; you bunch of weirdoes) – because y’know everybody’s doing it…
Helvissa – Everybody’s Writing That Slash Fic
n.b. I wrote this post whilst slightly drunk and slightly ill (hope it not avian flu) so apologies to all offended.
One final thought: after almost two weeks of Hunter S Thompson eulogies, the question remains to be answered. Was Gonzo journalism the forbearer of blogging?
Shit, I really am drunk.
Posted by Chris at 10:50 AM
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QoN, The Cazals and The Subways
February 19, 2005
Weeks of over-exertion and gin-guzzling reached their logical conclusion this week, my body finally saying 'that's enough now, I'm not doing it anymore� at the start of this week. Consequently last night (Friday) and tonight were designated 'quiet nights'. A certain amount of recuperation is required, especially if I'm to survive this Sunday, which will see me shaking my booty at a Tsunami fund-raiser at Nambucca in Holloway.
To compensate I've decided to provide you, my dear readers, with an mp3-infused run down of what I could have been doing these past couple of days, had I not been so physically messed-up.
Last night, Friday 18th February, a possibility was the angular records clubnight at the venue in New cross featured the fucks, the blue minkies and mitten. however my choice for the evening would have been the queens of noise clubnight at the barfly with 10,000 things, the witnesses, and the cazals.
The queens of noise released a mix-tape thing on itunes called 'the best of 2005' at the start of the year and have been putting the bands featured on at their clubnight every week. The 10,000 things song featured on the mix-tape was damaged goods and although I'm not going to make it available for free here, if you have itunes installed on your machine click here to check out the best of 2005
Tonight, Saturday 19th Februarythere's lots of great things going on in London town including the schla la las at the water rats - you can download some snippets of their songs on their website here.
Slightly more enticing for me personally would be The Cazals and Dustin's Bar Mitzvah at the error campaign clubnight at Nambucca. I know incredibly little about The Cazals considering how long they've been knocking round the scene - I do know they have shiny hair, brown hats and are pete-d-approved - whether any of those things are good points I don't know. Make your own mind up.
The cazals - bounder and a cad
After that gig I would have been going to frog to see (get ready for this incredible insight) young+pretty+eavis-selected+rock-and-roll-killers the subways.If you haven't heard their hype yet then you must have had your head in a washing machine for the past 8 months. Bands at frog take the stage at an hour past midnight, and the subways have the perfect song for that occasion.
the subways - at 1 am
Now I'm back to bed with a raw carrot and a mug of green tea.
Posted by Chris at 01:00 PM
The Fades
February 09, 2005
the fades – fruit machine (demo)
the fades – caca (demo)
I’ve been sat on these tracks for a rather long time now, and I’m really not sure why.
James from the band accosted me at a gig back in November and promised to send me some demos, which promptly arrived; and I’ve been meaning to post them ever since.
The thing with the fades is: they’re nothing new and not exceptionally exciting, but they are really good. They do what they do, and they do it well; the type of music they make could, in many cases, turn out forced or contrived, but they make it seem easy.
Singer Dave and his brother James form the backbone of the group, which rose from the ashes of previous band Molotov Cocktail (apparently championed by Stevey Lamacq), The fades released a couple of singles and then a 6 track EP called Social Misfits in May of last year. The tracks available above are from some new demos that the band recorded in October 2004, and are currently playing around the gig circuit.
More downloads available: bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic
Website: thefades.co.uk
Buy it from: amazon
Yesterday I interviewed Adam Green for work. It was loads of fun, and he’s a really nice guy; but I came out of the interview feeling completely disappointed and dejected for two reasons.
My first reason relates to the physical: he wasn’t as big as I had hoped, and he didn’t offer me lots of alcohol / drugs. OK - lame I know – but I would have liked some drugs, because then I could have said to my grandchildren, “I was a bit of a Wildman in my youth; I was drug-buddies with Adam Green…”
My second reason (although not too far removed from the first) relates to the social: he didn’t instantly recognise me as a kindred spirit, and take me into his inner ring, and make me his lover, and we didn’t get matching tattoos saying ‘chris and adam friends 4 eva’.
That would have been cool.
anyway the video for the interview will be edited soon and up online; although I can’t really post the link on here – for ‘watch your job when you’ve got a blog’ reasons, a la this gentleman.
Posted by Chris at 01:13 PM
The Pipettes & The Chalets Rock(s)!
February 07, 2005
The Pipettes – Judy (Wotcha gonna do?)
Very hotly tipped girl fronted band. What, another one? Seemingly borne of the same pedigree of the other new girl-fronted harmonies and Guitar bands (the long blondes, the chalets, the Schla La Las, Wet Dog, The Violets etc etc) The Pipettes are receiving much of the ‘Media Hype’ as such. Well, the Queens of Noize like them. And it hurts to see you dance so well is the greatest one minute song since that Whirlwind heat album last year.
This tells of befriending the Beautiful, but hard girl from school, and how she’s not that bad after all. Or something. Get involved join the ‘Female Doo-wop with a mark e smith side order' revolution.
website: thepipettes.co.uk
The chalets – love punch (xfm session)
wicked irish party music, just without the bodhráns. The chalets 2 girls, three boys and a lot of unpronounceable irish names. Helen got their feet at the gig at the garage a couple of weeks ago; and they were apparently asked to support art brut around the same time. Love punch was on the Nightrock EP which came out towards the end of 2004; and to be honest was the best track on there. “I know you love me but you’re fucking crazy”
website: the chalets.com
buy it from: amazon
On Friday we went to a bit of an all-girl superfest at Catch 22; Wet Dog, the violets and the long blondes (and the rebel and his hat-based noisy country ballads of woe). ‘Twas a great gig, with all three girly bands living up to and enhancing my girl-band-doo-wop love – this whole Shangri-las revival is taking off (they were the ‘60s girl-beastie boys you know?).
Saturday we went to see maximo park (again) at frog; I’m still loving them, even if every other person in London seems to have already written them off. The way I see it is like Bloc Party, The Futureheads and Franz Ferdinand etc at the beginning of last year, they have great commercial potential; which can sometimes cause avoidance by certain people. Limmasol as next single please.
Here’s some very poor pictures of The Rocks at the barfly last week.
Posted by Chris at 03:56 PM
More Dustin's: XFM session
January 24, 2005
Yes, that's right. This is my fourth post in a row containing something about Dustin's bar mitzvah. I'll try to make it my last for a while, honest. although they have been added to the bill for circus at the elbow room this Thursday - which i'm sure will be blog-worthy. especially with ben bailey from thee unstrung on the bill - fight, fight, fight, fight.
Anyway this is their session from John Kennedy on the 20th of January.
Dustin's Bar Mitzvah - Lucy (XFM)
Dustin's Bar Mitzvah - GoldHawk Road (XFM)
Dustin's Bar Mitzvah - To The Ramones (XFM)
Dustin's Bar Mitzvah - Where's Bill Grundy Now? (XFM)
yeah, I've got too much time on my hands I know. Oh, and please don't direct link to these files, my bandwidth is a bit fucked up already after helen's blog became bigger than google.
Second on the agenda we've got the video for heartbeat by annie. I'm posting this basically because I wanted to play about with my swish video player again…
Annie- Heartbeat video
Posted by Chris at 11:34 AM
Maximo Park, Dustin's and Test-Icicles
January 21, 2005
Maximo park - Fear of falling
these slightly pretentious Geordie nitty-poppers have been my big obsession over the past three months; so I'm going to be as nice as I can here. However I definitely do not want to mention two bands who they are inevitably going to draw comparisons to: F**** F******** and T** F*****h****. Maximo park can potentially be better than the both of them; they have a sparks feel to them (as do F**** F********), but occasionally wash over the jittery stuff with lush melodies. Paul Smith sings in a Geordie accent (popularised somewhat by the staccato maccam enunciation of T** F*****h****), but somehow it seems hardly noticeable. If they so wish (and if they drop the whole bukowski books on stage thing) they could rule.
Killer.
Website: maximopark.co.uk
Buy it from: amazon
I listened in to the dustin's bar mitzvah one night stand on john Kennedy last night, I stuck it in the Tivo…so hopefully mp3s to follow (if I can figure it out).I only listened to two of the tracks last night (JK is on way too late for an old man like me) and I'll listen to the rest when I get home, but it seemed as if the vocals were particularly low in the mix; there was talk that they upset the studio engineers (I believe a penis was drawn on the wall of the studio) perhaps that was retribution?
also on JK last night - news that test-icicles have been signed to domino records and will be releasing 'dancing on pegs' as a single! Woo! Hoo! I fucking love test-icicles. I am totally their fan-boy groupie whore slag… well done to the test-icicles, may your ridiculous name not hinder you.
Posted by Chris at 04:59 PM
Fightstar and Dustin's Bar Mitzvah
January 20, 2005
Incredible. If this blog was a person it would be wandering around the streets with a bottle of whisky in hand asking passers-by if they knew who he was; "you're called the swish and you're meant to me an mp3 blog, not a drunk!" Well happily, I can say that mr swish has recovered from what we will refer to as an 'episode' and he's back - downloadable and rearing to go.
Fightstar - Lost like tears in the rain
I think I may be taking a bit of a risk with this one. The furore surrounding Charlie Simpson's exit from Busted has been extreme around these parts - see the red paint action man incident, and helen's illustrated distress. So posting a fightstar track whilst the wounds are still so visibly raw is perhaps a little insensitive, but you know what, fuck it. Fightstar are actually good (although I'm still as unsure about alex westaway's vocal ability as I was when I saw them at the underworld last year).
Dustin's Bar Mitzvah - To The Ramones (Live)
This track was recorded at the January the 13th gig at the rhythm factory (see post below) by the well kitted out Trev from Lostmusic.co.uk (check it out). The recorded version of this track has just become available on the Dustin's Official website here, and it's well worth getting. They are the messiest they could be without being terrible; assiduously maintaining their own brand of scrappiness, but still portraying a sort of visceral excitement which (at least at the gigs I've been at) leave the crowd pumped-up with huge grins on their faces.
tonight they're on john kennedy, and if any of you are in the London area / have a digital tv / or can listen to it on the internet, then do it! Their Setlist will be: Lucy, To The Ramones, Goldhawk road and Where's bill grundy now?
and finally the rest of the rhythm factory gig is available for a short time at trevor's lost music site (including all of dave's inane ramblings) click here.
Posted by Chris at 01:26 PM
playful sex
November 22, 2004
Sticking female Japanese fever over sensible indie boy fodder is an interesting and growing phenomenon. Maybe since the 5, 6, 7, 8's people are more interested in Japanese fronted indie-music, or perhaps Japanese girls simply bring a level of cool unattainable by most western singers – remember Karen O steals most of her style from the catwalk-style-Tokyo-streets.
comanechi – my favourite shoes
The first band is comanechi, a London band fronted by akiko: drummer, singer, sex goddess. Her sidekick the (comparative) indie-nonentity simon gets such a brutal, chugging, clunk out of his guitar that you wouldn't be blamed for thinking a war was caving in.
website: comanechi.com
asobi seksu - sooner
representing America is asobi seksu, which apparently means 'playful sex' – 'sooner' off their self-titled debut album is a gushing romantic harmony strewn cuddle-pot. serious bra, they make beautiful, raw, shit.
website: asobiseksu.com
buy it from: insound (u.s.)
Posted by Chris at 08:55 PM
Scratch card junkie and dbm
November 18, 2004
Dustin's bar mitzvah 'jimmy white'
this was the standout track on the demo they passed around a while back; but I'm going to see them tonight: like so excited. They play the scuzzy (bendy) shambolic angle of London garage rock. Get your mood on.
website: dustins.co.uk
contact the band: via email
Scratch card junkie '4 in the morning'
Tom Beck who runs the uk blink 182 forum suggested that this track, off the band's self-funded first ep 'let's make cookies', provided such a quality diversion from the slightly immature pop-punk ramblings of the rest of the ep to suggest real deep-seeded talent. The almost ballad nature of the track evokes sentiments of the softer side of us emo, or even the inane dribblings of dull oasis-alikes thee unstrung (only good).
Website: purevolume: scj
Contact the band: via email
Posted by Chris at 05:23 PM
ciccone
November 10, 2004
Ciccone are clearly from the more literal and less hands-on-hips-pout-on-lips end of the London art-rock scene; they are both the inspiration for and natural progression from Art Brut. They have apparently been knocking around for ages, and even acheived a steve lamacq single of the week in 2001. But only now, well over ten years since brit-pop ruined all our lives (hopes/dreams), do they make sense. They sound like sleeper, and shed seven, and the freshest thing you’ve ever heard all at once.
Ciccone – lost in SE1
ciccone – look at you now
Buy it from: amazon
Website: ciccone.co.uk
Posted by Chris at 10:21 AM
milk plus and fightstar
November 08, 2004
Milk+ - Last of the Mohicans
milk+ - Rebel Song
On Saturday night I saw milk+ play at the T23 & the psychedelic circus album launch party at the borderline. Scary futuro goth punks all over the place and a drunk fella with an adidas samba obsession. Milk+ avoid scary metal comparisons, despite the guitarist having floor length dreadlocks, and tread a much more listenable and exciting line of rock.
Contact the band: by email
On Wednesday my brother and his bandmate/hair-do peer came down to London for the day to go to a meet and greet with mcfly.
Big news harry has had his tongue pierced and they have got loads of new songs which they played to the meet-and-greeters.
Check out photos from the best young haircut awards 2004
That night lady-swish and I went to see Youthmovie Soundtrack strategies and Fightstar (which just happens to be Charlie Simpson’s Screamo side-project/busted-babyshambles).
As ymsS interest me more than a band that could possibly destroy the greatest pop band ever I’ll just write about them.
they played the usual 4 song setlist; and kept the crowd enraptured for the majority of the first three songs, which is quite incredible seen as the crowd was made up mainly of over-sexed young girls with a three second attention span. Their main redeeming feature is that they are filled with energy despite their droopy post-rock outlook; the music is impossible to follow and predict, their tightness and tension spews out across the audience until everyone is standing on tiptoes or biting their fingernails in anticipation. Sadly by the time they launch into their last, and arguably best, song they have (‘If the works’) the crowd are twitching and fidgeting for different reasons; it’s as if they can smell the eyebrows and hair straighteners of the simpson boy. and ymss get lost under waves of teenage sweating.
Posted by Chris at 04:13 PM
bloc party and busted
October 28, 2004
Bloc party – the marshals are dead
This track was the b-side to ‘She’s hearing voices’ which came out at the start of the year; but with the recent announcement of their debut album title (‘silent alarm’) and the possibility that ‘helicopter’ will be in the uk top 40 this Sunday I think it’s worth a post. The track itself is a mellow number by bloc party standards but the intricacies of the sound and quality of song writing shine through even on an early b-side. If you haven’t heard them Check out their website as there’s a number of tracks available on mp3 there. don’t let the hype put you off.
Website: bloc party
Buy it from: amazon
Busted – teenage kicks (live)
Many mp3-blogs seemed to have posted the undertones to commemorate john peel. John peel would never have played busted, but they’re well worth a listen. best songwriter of our generation? James bourne no question – the kids always know best, don’t dispute it.
Website: busted official
Buy it from: amazon
Posted by Chris at 06:33 PM
i love the title image for this post...
October 25, 2004
A welcome return to student debauchery on Saturday night left me in a rather compromised state during work on Sunday, so much so that I totally forgot to meet the great darius danesh, shit its 6 o clock on Monday and I still feel hungover. I spoke to a ginger mc, and it wasn’t until I woke up the next morning that I realised I’d met him before; still can’t remember where though.
Dave has gone on holiday and therefore cut off my direct link to Rory Phillips on the one week where arriving early at our disco might not guarantee entry: 2 many djs and Polyester (franz Ferdinand)!
gutted.
Saw a very funny Ashlee Simpson story – she was on Saturday night live and was miming and they played the wrong vocal track – watch the vid here, and bear in mind they are meant to be playing ‘autobiography’ and not ‘pieces of me’.
Death from above 1979 – Romantic rights (Alfonzo Falcone's Love From Below Re-Edit)
This track has been knocking around for a long time, but I thought I’d post it today because I found a awesome DFA 1979 sticker on somebody’s desk at work today, and it now it’s looking beautiful on my bag.
Their website has a babyshambles.org style blog-from-the-heart thing, except:
Website: DFA1979
Buy it from: amazon
Posted by Chris at 06:33 PM
cleaning
October 21, 2004
Went to see diefenbach with FBA some time last week, which was nice – they’re Danish and play post-YMSS prog-post rock with a bald old man theme; apart from the singer who was skinny and looked quite pretty sans opticals.I moved house as well, got a nice white van and threw my stuff in the back. I’m a nomad, travelling the world’s desolate wastelands with my goats. But now I’ve got to go back to my old flat and do some cleaning, so I've gotta rush.
Les Georges Leningrad – Sponsorship
If you’ve not heard any Les Georges yet, and you like no-wave bollocks and noisy Canadian singing which is impossible to understand then download this and be done with it.
buy it from: amazon
gotta go mr. Muscle is calling me.
Posted by Chris at 06:30 PM
i dream of gin(ny)
October 12, 2004
I Dream Feat. Frankie & Calvin – Dreaming
S club juniors (who became s club 8) gain a few members, a tv show, and become I dream; however this song features only two members of I dream, the pretty ones from s club 8 Calvin and Frankie. Confused? You should be. There is clearly some sort of marketing plan in effect – perhaps by extending the s club brand so far that it becomes unrecognisable and differently monikered, they will flummox enough tweeny kids to make the charts? Or perhaps they just don’t know what they’re doing?
This track is a beautiful piece of pop magic; popjustice loves pop music which sounds like dance music, and this does not. But has exactly the type of vocal that would sound awesome over some italo house, a zongamin or headman remix would be incredible. so boys, i'm waiting.
get it quick before they grow up.
Website: I dream official
Buy it from: amazon
Gin palace – cool like an axe
Much vaunted by the artrocker kids, so much so that they’ve put out their first album. The guitarist dude used to be in penthouse (who he still seems intent on promoting). I don’t know much about them except what's available to read on their website.
They sell the same kind of noise as the kills tried to on 'keep on your mean side', but with far more energy and a lot less ego.
Website: + the gin palace +
Buy it from: amazon
Posted by Chris at 06:35 PM
flash mobs are rubbish
October 07, 2004
Yesterday I was very excited about going to my first flash mob. I'd found a little page a couple of days earlier promoting a pillow fight on the steps of st. pauls cathedral at twenty to six. I'd been offered the chance to see the super furry animals play a peel session at maida vale at about the same time, but turned it down due to pillow fighting excitement. However arriving at the event I found out that it had been featured in that morning's London paper, and as I turned the corner to st. pauls realised that not only was there loads of pillow fighters standing there, about 150 people were standing around watching, as well as police and a film crew!to me the point of guerrilla group activities like these it not to create a huge event, into which everybody can join - it is to subvert people's ideas about uses of space, to appear and disappear quickly; creating immediate but finite art. Yesterday's pillow fight was an event, like a performer at covent garden, or a carnival with tombolas, candyfloss and waltzers. So I went home.
Check out what someone else thought about it here.
First of all I’d like to apologise for not posting any songs for a while, frankly I haven’t been inspired enough by anything to unleash it on you lot.
However:
The barbs – massive crush Looking like a cross between kenickie and Gomez, the aesthetic of this band is a confusing mix of pop-punk neon cheesiness and terrible sideburns.
Creating the perfect two-and-a-half-minute pop-punk song is the aim, three chord structures is the game. Download this if you like to be embarrassed by how much you’re enjoying certain music (see: the Detroit cobras). Don’t download this if you’re after post-rock or grime.
Buy it from: loads of places
Jamelia – dj
Jamelia continues her ascent to the british r&b queen position. Nothing's gonna stop her. Not even an ill-advised cash-in-after-the-mobos-single.
Buy it from: amazon
Posted by Chris at 06:14 PM
cherubs and special needs
September 27, 2004
It was a rum old end to last week, trying to write copy for a fatboy slim competition whilst simultaneously trying to hold back a flood of puke is not fun. Anyways the line-up went something like this:Wednesday - The Little Killers & The Hunches // Peel Session // Maida Vale
Thursday [morning] - badly hungover, fall asleep with eyes open staring at work computer screen.
Thursday [evening] - Thee Unstrung, New Rhodes & The Paddingtons // The elbow room, Islington
Friday - Clor & Sluts of trust // The Windmill, Brixton
Little old chad was down, preparing for his move to Prague; and the first song in today’s post is in his honour. He wrote a short story called Francesca (read it here) and so have special needs. Read one whilst listening to the other.
special needs – Francesca
They play beautifully jangley doowapdewap stuff, forming visions of the future looking just like the fifties. this is what the fonz heard in his head whilst riding his motocycle, or more believably it is exactly the sound that chad was imagining as he wrote his short story.
beautiful.
Website: Special needs @ poptones
Buy it from: amazon
Cherubs – Hey Bunny
I’m the eighth link down if you type ‘cherubs hey bunny’ into google because of my audioscrobbler account, which lists every song I play in itunes, which Is rather strange as I know very little about this band. This song oozes London town, skirting the line between the ‘you’re so old street’ hipsters dancing to pink grease, and the scummy followers of the Doherty who walk Bethnal green road sans shoes. Attitude all around, but it will be interesting to see which of these two bands is taken more to heart here in London, as they seem to appeal to the same audience yet have differing values.
then again, why are the crowds of London to be believed anyway? Remember that Johnny boy’s ‘You are the generation that bought more shoes…’ was largely loved here.
Website: cherubs hq
Buy it from: a shop
Posted by Chris at 06:15 PM
Little killers and art brut
September 21, 2004
Little Killers – Mind Of its own
The Little Killers have come to my attention in big lump over the past 3 days – reading the London gig listings I realised they were playing a lot this week around the capital, then dave told me they’re doing a Peel session at maida vegas this Wednesday. Then I found their site got myself a couple of tracks and was rather intrigued.
They play very angry stripped-down bluesy-tinged punk in the coolest new-yawk post-strokes east village way. They look like a cross between the BRMC and the distillers, and sound like Johnny thunders. they scream style through a vintage microphone; they will be big in the british sub-nme indie underground.
Website: crypt records
Buy it from: amazon
Art Brut – Formed A Band (XFM session)
i thought I’d post some art brut for all you who’ve written them off as show-off-trendy-bullshit, and for all you who’ve never heard of them (where’ve you been?). This track is from a session they did on XFM (London alt. (cough) radio station) a while back.
Before you ignore this post - remember, h(ot)elen scoffed at art brut originally, but almost exploded with delight when she saw them at ken Livingstone’s city showcases.
Website: Art Brut home page
Buy it from: Rough trade
Posted by Chris at 04:27 PM
disney week!
September 17, 2004
It’s been a busy week, and to cap it off the sudden influx of visitors here, thanks mostly to kind help from sean at said the gramophone, and Edward at enthusiastic but mediocre ("..it seems good, doesn’t it?"), caused me to fly over my 2gigs a month bandwidth limit in about 9 days. So now, rebooted, suited and upgraded theswishblog returns. Thankyou. Thank. You.We’ve also been busy bitches with Disney week…
The swish collective descended upon swanky posho haunt Sketch for mocky’s album launch party on Tuesday. Much screams were heard to herald the beginning of Disney week with ‘Mickey Mouse Motherfuckas’; but overall mocky lacks tunes. Two or three get you up - pogo-ing, dancing, gurning - but the majority of his tracks are far too reminiscent of failed non-McDonalds, non-outer space N’sync-er, J C Chasez’s album – which really is just not good enough!
Playlouder did the business on the night, so click there to read it from their shiny lips.
The rest of Disney week was all about last night – The Disney Channel Kids Awards pow! Pop never felt so good as it did last night.
and certain people had the audacity to suggest I was in a bad mood, I had the time of my life!
the sun has some lovely girls aloud photos – none of m I c to the k e y m o u s e though.
The Noise Next Door – Ministry Of Mayhem
These young busted-alikes are triplets and sound like all the crappy American emo/emocore/screamo/screamocore/emoscreamcore/ emopopcore/popmo/screamopopemodreampopcoremo that my brother listens to. But English, and more like busted. But without the good song-writing.
actually the only reason I posted this track is because they look cool, and it’s called ministry of mayhem. Which may mean it has something to do with that awesome british Saturday morning kids show that I’ve never seen because I’m never up that early.
Fansite: The noise next door
riton - homeless
I’ve been meaning to post a riton track for a while. He really scored big in the clubs and stuff with ‘square eyes’ and his 1 hour mix cd is a fucking gem (mainly due to the inclusion of ‘paris hilton’ by MU, probably my fave fave fave song at the moment).
this track is funny as fuck, although I really can’t figure out if it’s taking a swipe at people that disrespect those smelly tramp motherfuckers, or at the scummy bastards themselves*.
”have you got 50p?”
Website: Riton @ discogs
Buy it from: Amazon
Posted by Chris at 06:37 PM
Jen & Sov
September 10, 2004
Jentina – 'French Kisses'
Chav tinged, Cathy Dennis penned, gipsy pop. Jentina really raises the bar with this effort, her voice is very much more deep-teenage-smoker than ‘Bad Ass Strippa’, and represents a much more mature and dare I say hit-worthy Jentina style. In reality ‘bad Ass Strippa’ was very much a cash-in on the whole eski-beat/grime scene - putting a pretty face on front of some heavy beats and cringe-worthy rhyming. ‘French Kisses’ is only let down by a similarly ill-advised foray into pirate-radio rhymes, and Jentina’s continued attempts at this is perhaps why bad-ass (titchy-tiny) mother of the grime scene, Lady Sov, has taken such offence at jentina’s raporexic front.
Website: Jentina Official
Buy it from: Amazon
Lady Sovereign – 'Sad Ass Strippa'
"Jentina, this is not a dream… IT’S A FUCKING NIGHTMARE BITCH!"
Response-fightback-songs are never really as good as they should be – however this one eclipses even the classic 'No pigeons' by those sporty thieves motherfuckers. Sov is often dissed for her faux-west Indian whine, but when she’s taking chunks out of other artists, it couldn’t be better.
still there are question marks over lady sovereigns chav-status as much as there is over jentina’s gipsy-chav amalgamate – but who cares when the music is more ghetto than Warsaw 1939?
Website: Lady Sovereign Official
Posted by Chris at 02:48 PM
V for vendetta & munk
September 09, 2004
I can’t be arsed writing big things about these tracks, but they’re well worth a listen.
V for Vendetta – 'Math-rock is not a four letter word'
Nice bit of prog stuff from a couple of years ago, nice and soft - not angry prog with loud bits a la mogwai/YMSS – quiet bits mnnn.
Website: V4V
Buy it from: Mr Lady Records
Munk – 'Kick Out The Chairs (WhoMadeWho remix)'
Copenhagen remix of this track (I had a look around and couldn’t find anyone who had posted the original, which shocked me a little), slightly less club, but more indie, with a far better bassline and more swayable tempo. Sway away (motherfuckers).
Website: Gomma
Posted by Chris at 03:34 PM
les whirlwind fav
September 02, 2004
‘A Worms Coat’ – Whirlwind Heat
From the ‘flamingo honey’ album where the heat glide their way through 10 tracks in 10 minutes, hardly stopping to catch their breath. This is the most new wave of the tracks on the album (and therefore most likely to be featured on this site) but is not too large a departure from certain earlier songs (although not the colours album ‘Do Rabbits Wonder’ which was pretty poor) a la ‘The Kick’ or their White Stripes cover ‘You’re Pretty Good Looking’. Apparently best for clubs if played along with the previous track ‘H is 0’ cos it sounds good, and at least you then get two minutes worth of music before you have to cue up another record.
Buy it from XL
‘Hold on To your Genre’ – Les Savy Fav
I have a problem with Les Savy Fav. I like my bands to be monotonous, bland, introverted geeks. I like to listen to one track from an album and know exactly what type of band I’m listening to and what their entire back and future catalogue will sound like. Les Savy Fav are not this type of band. I heard one of their tracks and wrote them off immediately as bad modest mouse/sparklehorse bollocks, it wasn’t until recently (a good few years later) when randomly listening to their newish compilation CD ‘Inches’ that I heard this track and realised bands don’t have to be boring and monotonous for them to interest me. This excited me in the same way that being tickled with a chorizo might (did).
Buy it from Amazon
Posted by Chris at 06:35 PM
ymss & The sellout flaw
August 26, 2004
Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies – A Little Late he Staggered Through the Door and Into her Eyes
A lot of clever words have been written about ymss, most of them on the front of their new cd, which is labelled “Hurrah! Another year, surely this one will be better than the last; the inexorable march of progress will lead us all to happiness”.
They are the most unpredictable bastards on the planet. Listening to them is like a lucky dip at a school fete, except with tarantulas and electric eels alongside the usual toy cars and chocolate bars. Mogwai-esque serenity draws you in, relaxes, soothes and virtually massages, and then some fucker puts on ‘Ace of Spades’ by Motorhead - painfully refreshing and dry, like a big poo when you’re really dehydrated, or snorting a line of Gordon’s.
Website: http://www.ymss.org.uk
Buy it on Amazon
The Sellout Flaw – Mighty More Fun Dedicators
Ormskirk/burscough superstar cider drinkers The ‘Flaw have a bit of a reputation in my old hometown for being shit. They are highly misunderstood, and perhaps a little out of their time. Being as punk as good charlotte is considered a great thing, being as punk as billy bragg in sid vicious clothes with stupid pointless self-obsessed Ramones lyrics is not a good thing; in the eyes of the ruling class, 16 year old girls. Personally I think they rock some seriously hard greatness. Treading the line between blatent sex pistols wanabees and don’t-give-a-fuck teenagers with more cool than is generally allowed.
Website: http://www.theselloutflaw.com/
Posted by Chris at 01:56 PM
scj for pop idol?
January 04, 2004
It’s all about the local talent at the moment (in more ways than one with all the uni students fattening up at mummy and daddy's homes for the winter). The battle of the bands was the big break for my brother’s musical ensemble.He chose the panel of judges, a pop idol cacophony of young and old: pete Doherty, Avril lavigne, thom yorke and the chad. He expected all his friends not to vote his band ‘best in show’, but obviously the rosette was theirs. The cries of “FIX” echoed for hours.
Listen to the controversy here:
register 23
[[[mp3]]] That Girl [[[mp3]]]
[[[website]]] Register 23 [[[website]]]
Sadly on the day I missed this next band; chad says they suck cock, but their two ep’s so far have shown nothing but misguided potential.
the sellout flaw
[[[mp3]]] mighty more fun dedicators [[[mp3]]]
[[[mp3]]] voices [[[mp3]]]
[[[website]]] The Sellout Flaw [[[website]]]
Posted by Chris at 01:51 PM
Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies
October 19, 2003
Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies kick ass! Get two of their songs here (If The Works - MP3) and here (Radio Distalgesic - MP3). High-rock from Post Wycombe.Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies
Posted by Chris at 07:45 PM
