Stimulation, I need some action.

If you haven't noticed, I love the Teenagers and I find that I have to write about them pretty often to relieve myself of the need that builds up inside me like steam in a kettle (as I did here and here). There is just something so fun about their minimalist blend of pervy lyrics, distinctive bass lines and tinny programmed drums. Sometimes I imagine that if it wasn't for vocalist Quentin's affected French accent the band would be rather plain, but after seeing them live I was totally enthralled. I think they are the kind of band which work better in a small venue rather than massive settings, as with my experience with them they made the stuffy Birmingham Academy 3 into the coolest party that you've ever been invited too. They are a band that actually appear to be having a good time on stage, especially Quentin who excels himself pulling (admittedly camp) shapes at the first sign of a camera from a hand sticking out of the crowd.

You may have heard 'Selflove', an album demo which was floating around on the blogs a short time back, but with the release of their latest single for Merok, Starlett Johansson, the band have renamed the track and unleashed it under the title of 'Full Flavor'. It is, as far as I can tell, a song about masturbation; a topic which seems rather fitting for a band who are renowned for writing rude songs. 'Sunset Beach' is an older song of theirs, but I still love it like I would I small child who happened to be mine. It sounds like the soundtrack to an American 80s TV show which you happened to stumble across on cable in the early hours of the morning, still feeling the effects of the heavy evening of drinks from which you haven't recovered. And then you wake up and realise it was all a dream, and you are sitting in your underpants in the living room, the TV throwing out nothing by static.

According to the band another single is in the pipeline, as well as an album, which will be on Merok.

mp3: The Teenagers - Full Flavor

mp3: The Teenagers - Sunset Beach

A foal is a horse that is one year old or younger.

Foals dress for the occasion and have awesome songs to match. Hailing from Oxford, these ex-art school types create a sound akin to Youthmovies crossed with the pop sensibilities of Bloc Party. The band won a lot of fans over at SXSW earlier this year, and with a couple of singles under their belt released on the Transgressive label, it could not be too soon for them to release an album. Did I mention they are perfectionists? In the short time they have been together they have recorded a mere handful of tracks, but the love and attention that goes into them is clear, as each one is pretty much near perfection. 'Hummer', a song the band describe as being about running, was their first single for Transgressive back in April, whilst the demo version of 'The French Open' shows the groups more progressive side...

mp3: Foals - Hummer

mp3: Foals - The French Open (demo)

Current single, 'Mathletics', is out now.

Behind my gameboy I got gamegirl.

Tranterco is one part of Melbourne's Gameboy/Gamegirl, who you will have surely heard of if you've had your finger on the pulse of the coolest blogs in blogland during the past year. Tranterco (who is responsible for the faux rapping in GB/GC) has been djaying for awhile and as well as throwing down tunes he also puts his hands to some pretty interesting mash-ups and mixes. Examples from his myspace page include a mix of Justin Timberlake's 'Rock My Body', and a mash-up featurning SebastiAn and 90s R&B outfit Bell Biv Devoe. My pick from what I have heard of his output, however, has to be his mash of Spank Rock's 'Bump' and Midnight Juggernauts' 'Shadows', and I've included it below.

I've also thrown in a Gameboy/Gamegirl track, so you can check out Tranter during his day job. 'Pumps Rumps' is, to me, a throwback to 90s group 20 Fingers' 'Short Dick Man' brought kicking and rapping (?) into the naughties, but like a million times better. GB/GG have got a killer sound, and Ican't wait until they release some new material besides the tracks over on their myspace. Head over to Hype if you want to hear more, 'Sweaty Wet/Dirty Damp' is highly recommended.

mp3: Tranterco - Midnight Spanknauts (Midnight Juggernauts vs Spank Rock)

mp3: Gameboy/Gamegirl - Pumps Rumps

That's why I copy and paste.

Every now and again you stumble across a musical gem, that once you've heard you never will forget. About two years ago I heard a song on late night MTV2, a song which since that day I have been able to remember vividly, yet until a couple of days ago I didn't know what it was. I could remember the cutesy animated video and the unforgettable chorus, but did I know who wrote that little piece of magic?

No, of course I didn't.

Plastic Operator are a two piece international electronic pop outfit, with one half from Antwerp and the other from Montreal. How did they meet? In London whilst studying audio production of course. After hitting it off, realising they both had a shared love for well written pop music, the duo began to make their own blend of bittersweet electronic pop music; music which is sure to leave you feeling both melancholic and uplifted simultaneously. Okay: try to imagine the Knife if all they listened to was the Postal Service and the Pet Shop Boys... they are somewhere in that region. Seriously, the stuff they produce is amazing.

Anyway, I digress slightly. On hearing the band's self produced debut Different Places I was stunned into silence when the third track kicked in and I realised this was the song I had been looking for. Call off the search! That tune that had managed to evade me for so long finally had a name, 'Folder'. It was P.O's first single back in 2005 and was well received by much of the music press, and now two years later it was blasting from my stereo. It's so catchy, vocalist Pieter Van Dessel's distinctive voice flowing over a sea of electronic keys and synthetic drums, seemingly sad with its strains of string and blipping synths. It's pop perfection. Plain and simple.
It's the kind of song you would want to fall in love to.

Why not fall in love with it too?

Plastic Operator's debut album Different Places is available now on Fine Day.

mp3: Plastic Operator - Folder

Acres of dead space cadets.

Elle Milano are back! And not only do they have a new single, but a new album. Fans of the Leicester three-piece (they recently lost a member) may remember their Swearing's for Art Students EP which came out seemingly years back now which gained them a reasonable amount of support from the music press, especially from Indie fanzine ArtRocker.

The first single to be taken from the album, 'My Brother, The Astronaut' takes up where the last EP finished, an scathing indie rock anthem that leaves you gasping for air. Not a band to play quietly, the track is loud and abrassive; all angular guitars and shouty lyrics. Lots of fun! It also sounds remotely similar, in places, to a certain Fallout Boy song. This, however, may be intentional, as the band are well know for their satirical and cynical outlook on the British alternative music scene, as well as the shallow consumerist attitude of today's youth. Check it out for yourself, along with the classic title track from their EP, 'Swearing's For Art Students'.

The new single 'My Brother, The Astronaut' is released on Brighton Electric 0n October 29th, and is limited to 500 white vinyl and download. This will be followed by the debut album Acres of Dead Space Cadets later in the year.

mp3: Elle Milano - My Brother, The Astronaut
mp3: Elle Milano - Swearing's For Art Students

This just in!

Bloc Party are good again. Honest!

Bloc Party's new single is called Flux and is currently whizzing around the blogsphere like bird flu in an apocalyptic vision of the future. RAD!. We Were Rock Stars is not content to sit idly by and neglect our duties in hyping this beyond hyperbole so: THIS IS THE BEST SONG YOU WILL EVER HEAR!!!

Ok, maybe not. But perhaps one of the best releases of the year and a quick one too. A Weekend In The City, an album well below the par set by 2005's (great year for music that) Silent Alarm, seems to have been done and dusted and if the rest of BPs new stuff is half as good as Flux, produced by A Weekend In the City producer Jacknife Lee, then we'll be welcoming them back to the dance floors of indie discos across the UK.

P.S. In order to bring you this literally HOTTT with three Ts off the press we have the added 'joy' of Zane L0L yammering on at the end of the mp3 but hopefully we'll replace this at a later date but no doubt in about 2 weeks you will have heard this everywhere and be sick to death of it a la Standing in the Way of Control.

Bloc Party - Flux

Sweet as Sugar.

London's David E. Sugar has been around for awhile now, and in my opinion is one of the UK's bright sparks who continues to excell himself again and again. Whilst he produces his own original material, utilising a Gameboy's default sounds to program his beats, it is his remixes that have really grabbed my attention.

My first encounter with Sugar's work was his remix of Klaxons 'Golden Skans', a smashing mix with the best bit coming in at 2:43 with the song stripped back to the vocals and keyboard before the beat kicks back in. Sweet as.

His reinterpretation of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly's 'War of the Worlds' is not so much a remix but Sugar ripping up the original and sticking it back together in the form of a three minutes of perfectly chunky glitch pop. It's like, wow, how to make a song that was already a tune in to the theme from an early 90s Sega game that you want to listen to on repeat. Thumbs up.

I have never really liked the Rumble Strips, and after seeing them last summer and being put off by their tad mediocre sound, I have never really strayed anywhere near them (well apart from to listen to Sportsday Megaphone's remix of previous single). However, how could I resist when I saw that David E. Sugar had put his hands to work at remixing their latest single 'Girls and Boys in Love'. At what a mix it is! It starts off all tinkling pianos, until roughly the 50 second mark when in drops a crunchy electro riff which is partnered once more about 15 seconds later by that lovely piano. It's big and punchy, and puts the original to shame!

On the subject of his original material, as an added bonus I have thrown in his cover of the Cure's 'Just Like Heaven', which sees a classic slice of Robert Smith put through the 8-bit blender and coming out squeakyfresh the other side.

David E. Sugar's new single 'Chelsea Girls' is out October 15th on Brikabrak.
'Chelsea Girls' video directed by Peepshow Collective.

mp3: Klaxons - Golden Skans (David E. Sugar remix)
mp3: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - War of the Worlds (David E. Sugar remix)
mp3: The Rumble Strips - Girls And Boys In Love (David E. Sugar's Shameless mix)
mp3: David E. Sugar - Just Like Heaven (Cure cover)

Just Jak It.

Pseudonecrophile are a boy and a girl from Houston, Texas, who I seem to have stumbled across out of nowhere. However, since hearing them only a few days ago on the old myspace I have became somewhat obsessed with their irresistable blend of electronica and attitude, a mix that hits hard but manages not to sacrife its pop edge. Imagine Crystal Castles if all they listened to was Justin Timberlake. Or something like that. The track that has stuck in my head most is 'Jak It', an ode to a Jack Mitchell who, as the song informs, is a sex god. Apparently. Bass-heavy beats and quicksharp vocals is the name of Pseudonecrophile's game - and it's the kind of game I want to play.

The remix by supercool Parisian Gohan is also highly recommended and worth checking out, and if you enjoy that you can download his album from his myspace. 'John Woo' is a bit of a tasty tidbit to get your juices flowing. It got mine going for sure. Bonus, non?

mp3: Pseudonecrophile - Jak It
mp3: Pseudonecrophile - Jack Mitchell (Gohan remix)
mp3: Gohan - John Woo

Coming Back With Power! Power!

BOOM! M.I.A is missing no longer, I have found her in my stereo every single minute since the release of her second major album Kala on the 20th of August.

I feared an album too 'banging' for my tastes with the more raucous tracks; 'XR2', 'Bird Flu' and 'Boyz up on her myspace at the beginning of the year.

"...take a pill good time all the time"

However this contender for album of the decade has come with some more saccharine tracks that are more to my tastes and serves to make the album a richer and more eclectic venture.

While blogging M.I.A. continuines the theme of 2007 being a great year for albums as many artists are following up on their 2005 releases which by and large were best bunch of records ever released in a 12 month period I have to say that this album is extremely good at making it feel little has come before it. It is totally complete, not one song could be swapped with 2005's Arular as it would serve to ruin both albums.

While Arular was an explosion of positively addictive Carioca Funk, Kala is much more of a Hip-Hop affair with Timbaland even producing a track. Its more stripped down and the samples are more recognizable and M.I.A's delivery and content has moved towards gangs and guns; though more AK47s in Africa than 8 Balls and Glocks in South Central LA. Contributions by Timbaland and Afrikan Boy help Kala conform more to the typical Hip Hop formula of collabirations.

"I’m illegal I don’t pay tax tax,
EMA yes I’m claiming that that"

She hasn't sidestepped pure dancibility and with Tacks like Boys, XR2 and the sublime Jimmy which sees her adopting a more Bollywood style she will be permanent fixture on all god DJs set lists - certainly in America where she is far out pacing her level of fame over here.

Is there a theme to Kala? Does it all string together? Not really, no. Perhaps there are many threads that unwravel for a track and are reswen back into the fabric of the album later. While she criticises the status quo with regards to the West and the Third world in Hussle and $20 she is at ease with forgetting them completely with Jimmy and Come Around.

"no one on the corner has swagga like us"

Is it all good? You bet your Air Max 95s it is! Its arogant and funny, dancable and edgy, lots of good things and yes more good thing besides. While I did not think this immediately this is one of the greatest albums to come out of the UK (though this album owes everything but M.I.A. herself to the US) in the last 10 years. Its made listening to Arular harder and while I think this had the potential to become slightly dated in the long run right now its perfect and I'm prepared for the time when she claims she's bigger than Jesus and really isn't cool anymore, I'll be there asking the very important question, "Where were you in 92?" I was 7 growing up in Northfields, South Ealing near Hounslow where M.I.A. is from so I kinda feel like we're kindred spirits. I am seriously considering changing my name to Jimmy Aaja!

This was very close to a sensible album review and this worries me. To counter balence this I shall turn to M.I.A. herself and how she described her album to the Gaurdian in March: "Shapes, colours, Africa, street, power, bitch, nu world, brave." I couldn't agree more.

M.I.A. - Boyz
M.I.A. - Jimmy
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
M.I.A. - Come Around Feat. Timbaland

2005 Version 2.0

If I have not said it before I shall say it here and now: 2005 was the greatest year for music ever. Well, for me it certainly was as it produced the most amazing albums in my living memory and it has always been albums that really make my pussy moist.

And now all those amazing artists are now coming out with their follow up albums and all helping to bring 2007 closer to the bench mark 2005 has set. We've already had Arcades Fire's follow up to Funeral, the excellent Neon Bible, LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver, Bloc Party's A Weekend In the City and quite a few other notable artists. Over a series of blogs I would like to draw attention to a few more acts that are following up their 2005 albums with produce of a similar high grade.

First up is New York based The National. Their 2005 album Alligator was the reason why I have bought their entire back catalouge, why I am willing to pay silly money to see them play in November, why I bum them hard and why I bought their new album, Boxer, without hearing a note.

The Album does not dissapoint and while I do love the format of albums I find it very hard to review them. But Huzzah! I live in blogland where the mp3s roll like mighty semi-legal rivers of music down the to estuary of your ears and trickling into your mind tanks the knowledge of how amazingly good albums can be sans the need for me describe the indescribable.

Here are two tracks from Boxer, Fake Empire and Mistaken For Strangers and since I know you're curious here's one of my favourite tracks from their Alligator album, Mr. November.

PS For me the National are a warm blanket that I like to wrap myself up in even when its hot, if you are cosying up to them too then I suggest starting with Alligator and moving on to Boxer from there. Also if you have a nosy round the blogs you may be able to lay your hands on their Black Session that did in Paris a while back - a truly magical recording. x

I could have been one of the most notorious..

I went out last night, and as I burned it up in the back streets of Soho (on the lovely little hotbox hidden gem that is White Heat's dance floor) there was one song on my mind, Santogold's 'Creator'. Now, I know this has been around for a while, but it's not as well known as it should be, it's just such a good tune to dance too -wicked rhythm (-IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BEAT IN MY BOOKS). I was even lucky enough to see them play this out live in Fabric no less - with it's renowned sound system it sounded so damn fine.

Santogold - Creator

Now the real reason I was in Fabric was to see Justice/ Busy P/ Goose (yes, yes the chem bro's were headlining, but I just couldn't resist seeing the lovely French duo and the rest of the Ed Banger crew that were floating around) and thus spent most of the night getting a bit grimey in room 3. So as I left White Heat in the early hours of the morn this song managed to find it's way into my head, and it's still going strong now..

Sebastien Tellier (Mr Oizo, SebastiAn) - Chivers As A Female

However, just like two dj's fighting over the decks, the above mentioned song has been hustling for head time play, it's rival being this classic tune which I stumbled upon when looking through my brother's music collection (he's got a better taste in music than I give him credit for) - enjoy

Turbulence - Notorious

(Short post yeah? I just had to get these tracks off my chest, or should that be out of my head?)

One last thing before I go, got sent this link earlier... daft hands - now I just have to wait and see if anyone's going to try and top it, say with firestarter (I don't know how it would work, but that's for someone else to deal with ;)

ellie love

x y z

VHS Or Beta version 2.0.

Somewhere along the line since the amazing 2004 debut Night On Fire, Kentucky's VHS Or Beta lost their guitarist of 10 years Zeke Buck, who parted ways to join Matthew Johnson in a new outfit called People Noise, exchancing the experimental dance funk for massive riffs and walls of feedback. Fair enough.

This however hasn't stopped the progress of the band, now a 3-piece, as they have just finished their third studio album Bring On The Comets, set for an August release in the US. Whilst new tracks such as forthcoming single 'Can't Believe a Single Word', and album teaser 'Burn It All Down' (both of which have been posted on the bands myspace page) have elements which herald back to the sound which they are most well known for, they also signal a departure towards a more minimal vibe, most obviously caused by the lack of Buck's trademark layered guitar noise. Yet despite this major change in the band's dynamic, they move on positively, as vocalist and guitarist Craig Pfunder discusses on their blog:

"We wanted to achieve a sort of minimalism we hadn't considered before. Not to say the record is minimal, but rather we focused on the songs first and labored to make big songs that have memorable melodies. That was a key focus."

'Burn It All Down' is my pick of the first two tracks to emerge, all flangered guitars, a riff not to disimilar to Boy Kill Boy's 'Suzie', with hints of syth and piano flourishing the verses, before a memorable chorus which calls back to 'Night on Fire', a highlight of the first record. VHS Or Beta are back, and it would appear they are far from an outdated format.

VHS Or Beta will release Bring On The Comets on August 28th via Astralwerks, there debut is available now.

mp3: VHS Or Beta - Burn It All Down
mp3: VHS Or Beta - Night On Fire

Messages from down under.

Sometimes I forget to check my e-mails. It's one of those things I'm not great at. Most of the time it's only messages from myspace or paypal, or the odd bit of spam, so you can imagine my surprise and joy when I log in to Hotmail and find I've had some exciting messages from fun people telling me about fun music.

Even more fun is that a couple of these had come from Australia. That's 10583 miles!

Firstly was Sydney's Lions At Your Door, who sound like they mean business. Imagine The Gossip, but Beth has ditched Kate Moss and has spent a bit of time in NY with Karen O... and listened to a healthy amount of The Rapture together. It sounds too good to be true, I know, but it's all real. Their signature tune, 'LAYD', is the dance-punk calling card that you must hear.

mp3: Lions At Your Door - LAYD

And as if that wasn't enough, then there was 7 Day Weekend, who I just love for existing. Or something along those lines. According to the spokesperson for their label, Love is My Velocity, the 4-piece take their inspiration from and sing about "boys, pizza, parties and leisure wear". It's very fun and cutesy. The four girls all met at art school (where else?) and take pride in giving their gigs themes, allowing them the chance to dress up in a whole host of outfits including pirates, clowns and mimes. Latest track, 'Hot Property', sees the girls sing about wanting to get down low in your bungalow, all tongue- in-cheek of course, whilst 'Party Monster' is perfect fluoro-electro-pop... and it has hand claps. Hand claps = a selling point.

mp3: 7 Day Weekend - Hot Property
mp3: 7 Day Weekend - Party Monster

Perks of the job? Yeah, I guess so.

Goin' back to my roots

Deep down I am a black man. I have always believed this. There are certain ‘facts’ that unscrupulous types would disseminate in an attempt to disprove this. My mother grew up Chiswick and my father in Kew and, yes, they are both themselves white. I was not adopted and to the untrained eye I do appear to be ‘caucasian’.

DO NOT BE DECEIVED!

I have been trained to feel the funk, to have soul, to be down! Essentially I was raised on Blues and Soul and very little else. Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Otis Reading, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Wilson Picket, BB King were played throughout my childhood and to this day, I say that they have had a lasting effect. Later on I moved to Funk, Disco and Hip-Hop and its this Music of Black Origin (oh yes!) that has always been my first love.

This all means that despite Graham and Ellie being uber trendy electro-trash-hip-hop-pop-rock lovers I’m going to have to add a slice of my own musical heritage as a black man. However to appease you blog-browsing music elites I’ve chosen 7 rarer tracks so this post doesn’t feel too much like the end of an Ally McBeal episode.

Al Green - Love and Happiness

The Reverend Al Green should be known to many of you but this song is far and away one of his best but never seems to get as much recognition as Lets Stay Together, Tired Of Being Alone et all. Besides being light years better than most of his other work Love and Happiness is straight up Al Green; electric organ, punctuating horns and a voice that many have said could recite the phonebook and still sound amazing. Trivia time: This is Nick Hornby’s favourite ever track – and he knows a little about music methinks.

Felice Taylor - I Can Feel Your Love

I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor is a song that I’ve been waiting to appear in some KFC/Baileys advert for the last two years since a friend put it on a mix-cd for me and when you hear you’ll understand why. The track is immediate uplifting soul straight out of 1967, produced and written by a pre-stardom Barry White. Taylor didn’t do too well in the US but had some small success in the UK, sadly though she’s not a name that gets talked about much these days, (that is until she gets used for a advert which is inevitable says I).

Francine King - Two Fools (feat. Sax Kari)

Some songs just end up in my laptop and I have no idea how they get there but praise the Lord that they are there. Francine King’s Two Fools featuring Sax Kari is definitely one of those songs. I can find so little information about this lady, she seems to be a soul singer from Mobile, Alabama but its New Orleans’s Sax Kari, who plays guitar on this hook-happy, cymbal-splashing, funk-ridden track, seems to be the driving force behind the outfit, only hooking up with King to do this one track. Sax Kari seems to be another unsung hero, a prolific writer and big band leader; he was signed to States and later Chess records. Not heard much else of his but this song alone is a warm blanket of early Funky Soul with comforting crackles of vinyl and loose-living lyrics of the South.

Parliament - Come In Out of the Rain

I cannot say enough about Parliament. If you think you don’t know them you probably do. Sampled by anyone who’s anyone these guys, under the leadership of the weird and wonderful George Clinton, are the most spectacular pioneers of the funk. Under the guises of Parliament, Funkadelic, Parliament Funkadelic, P-Funk, P-Funk All Stars they have produced some of the most seminal albums of the genre and took funk to a more experimental, political and generally more engaging level than other exponents like James Brown ever did. This track Come in Out of the Rain is from one of their earlier albums Osmium (but only on a very rare pressing worth thousands today!) and its one of my favourite ever protests songs. It should knock the socks off anyone with ears basically. I doubt this will be the last time Parliament/Funkadelic will be posted by me on here but if you can’t wait for more buy Funkadelic’s 1971 album, Maggot Brain, TODAY!

Gil Scott-Heron - The Bottle
Gil Scott-Heron - Lady Day and John Coltrane
Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man

GIL SCOTT-HERON!!! Shouted by James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem 6 minutes and 17 seconds into I’m Losing My Edge, from their self titled album of 2005, when Murphy is listing some of the coolest underground acts ever to have existed. A tentative link to what this blog is usually concerned with but frankly it doesn’t need one, this could be a blog about German industrial metal or Buddhist prayer chants and I think there’d always be a case to put some Gil Scott-Heron in there. Introduced to me by my friend Dom about 4 years ago (for which I am eternally grateful) there was no denying this guy is amazing. Gill Scott mixes poetry, jazz, soul and funk beautifully and effortlessly. Considered a racist in the 70s by many of the whites in the music industry due to his outspoken and uncompromising political views he never crossed over into the mainstream sadly but I think its clear its not what he wanted. DAMN! I’m listening to some Gil Scott right now I can’t just give you one track so you’re getting three and here’s a video of his best known poem The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

I feel like I’ve got something out of my system. I can continue blogging about fey indie bands from Montreal and Sweden now and not feel like I’ve overlooked my past. Time will tell if I'll be returning to my roots.

One love.

Is yours a shower or a grower?

Your preference that is? Do you like yours to impress straight away or do you prefer it to grow to be fully appreciated. I’m definitely a fan of growers when it comes to my music – yes, music! I wonder at the amount of bands and albums and songs that I have dismissed after only one or two listens that could have become all time favourites had I just been prepared to give a little more time.

“BARR is really good”. This is what I’ve been saying to people when I’ve been giving them mix-cds. “Forget everything else, track nine, Half of Two Times Two, love it!” I feel obliged to give it special mention as it is definitely, for me, a grower and I would hate for anyone to not give it the time it deserves and, in my opinion, needs to be fallen in love with. But how do you define a grower? It is not simple because I believe there are many different types.

They can be ‘slow burners’ – you’ve been listening to a highly recommended album for a few days now, perhaps not giving it your undivided attention, you may not even realise it is mind blowing till a break in a song or a chorus. You sit up, not sure where this has come from. You re-start the track and listen to it fully and it slowly dawns of you that you’re listening to something really special.

They can be ‘leapers’ – albums that you listened to a few months, maybe a few years back and you enjoyed it but to no great extent. Leap forward to today, bored of what you’ve been hearing over and over again recently you go back and delve into your shelves for something you’ve not heard for a while. You replay the album and like a fine wine its matured into something wonderful. I’m not sure if in the dormant period the music has made a concerted effort to get better or in the time between listens subconsciously your brain has made sense of it all and has been awaiting the chance to listen again properly.

They can be ‘clickers’ – you’ve listen to a few songs by some group for a day or two just before you’re about to give up and consider it for recycling suddenly everything falls into place and all the stuff Pitchfork or that blog or what your mate has been saying makes sense. “This band is awesome!” A treasured favourite is born.

This is what BARR (Brendan Fowler) was. When first recommended to me, I didn’t think much of him, then another friend recommended him and I said I’d listen again. After a friend, with whom I had previously agreed BARR was nothing special, turned around to me and say he’d been converted I went back and was determined to discover what the fuss was about.

CLICK! The stripped down production with spoken word delivery at first seemed too bare but now beautiful. CLICK! Initially Fowler’s voice felt monotone and inexpressive but now subtle yet acerbic. CLICK! I got what he was actually talking about and who he was talking to, this opened up all his songs and his style became so much easier to understand. I think he has to be seen live to fully grasp what he’s about. Having now fallen in love with him I have to say his album Summary, one of my favourite albums this year (cover below), is definitely worth getting and giving it a few listens to – or however long it takes.

1. First
2 The Song Is The Single
3. Summary
4. Complete Consumption Of Us Both
5. Untitled
6 Half of Two Times Two
7. Was I? Are You?
8. Piled On Piles On Head
9. Context Ender

The best thing about a grower is you feel that you’ve really earned it. With the music not immediately brilliant and the time needed to be given to fully appreciate how good it really is you feel like you’ve come away with something both you and the artist have put effort into making and it this creates connection between yourselves. For me it creates one of the strongest relationships with a band I can have.

I played it to a friend and she loved it straight away. She totally missed the point.

Commercial breakdown #1: Dogs Die in Hot Cars

I was thinking earlier about how that every now and again there is an advert on TV, and I'll be sitting there thinking "I know this tune...". Well, welcome to the first commercial break. Basically it's a means for me to post some stuff I wouldnt normally post, and say a little about it.

First up is the now sadly defunkt Dogs Die in Hot Cars. The group only released one album, an ep and several singles in their short career, but albeit a brief stint in the spotlight, one of their unlikeliest tracks has become unknowingly their most well know by accompanying the commercials for popular high street chemist, Boots. Taken from the Man Bites Man EP, 'Nobody Teaches Life Anything' was always one of my favourite DDiHC tracks despite being just over a minute long and instrumental. I can remember the first time I heard Boots use the track several years back, which has since been re-recorded by unknown forces (perhaps the band??) into different variations depending on season, such as the Christmassy version which accompanied the 3 for 2 promotions.

I realise some people may find it rather sad that I have taken so much notice of the Boots adverts, but it's a great little piece of music. For those of you interested in Dogs Die in Hot Cars I highly recommend their LP, Please Describe Yourself, which is unashamedly packed with indie pop gems, such as 'I Love You 'Cause I Have To' and the amazing 'Pastimes & Lifestyles', which I have included below.

Dogs Die in Hot Cars' Please Describe Yourself is available on V2 records.

mp3: Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Nobody Teaches Life Anything
mp3: Dogs Die in Hot Cars - I Love You 'Cause I Have To
mp3: Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Pastimes and Lifestyles (EP version)

Kate Nash is a victim.

"A victim of what?" I hear you shout.

Well, I was listening to the radio the other morning in the car and I heard a certain radio presenter compare Kate Nash to Lily Allen (yes, fair enough), Amy Winehouse (ermm..) and Sandy Thom (WTF!?). I know they are only doing their job and trying to broaden peoples musical knowledge/interest, but I thought that was a terrible comparison to make. Comparing 'Foundations' to 'I wish I was a Punk-rocker' is like comparing Fugazi to Busted. Well, maybe that's going too far, but I was annoyed at this.

19 year old Nash is from London and after releasing only a couple of singles she has kicked up quite a storm. Whilst many have compared her to Allen, she has more in common with another London singer-songwriter, Jamie T. Current single 'Foundations' tells the tale of a relationship which has turned sour, but in which the lover doesn't want to let go of what she has regardless. It's sweet and heartfelt, and certainly going to be one of the hits at festivals which Nash is playing a plenty. Also, as a little bonus here's 'Birds', the b-side from 'Caroline's a Victim', her limited debut single on Moshi Moshi, of which there are 1000 copies on 7" vinyl only. This was one of the first tracks I'd heard by her and I remember that Tori thought it was funny when I sang it. I could add 'Caroline's a Victim'... well I don't know, hit me up if you haven't heard it, it's a clasic.

The single, 'Foundations', is available now on Fiction records, and her album is expected for release in September.

mp3: Kate Nash - Foundations
mp3: Kate Nash - Birds

Thinking about life.

I was just looking out of the window and I realised how perfect the colour of the sky actually is. My PC is set up in front of my bedroom window so as I sit typing I can watch the sky change and trace the clouds move across it. Since I cut down the conifer in March I've been able to see more of it (which is great) and I was just thinking how huge the sky actually is. There are hardly any clouds, and what clouds there are seem so far away and small, hanging there in an expanse of blue. It's so different than winter sky, when it seems to shrink and clouds loom really close down, making everything seem a little bit claustrophobic. Anyway, am I getting a bit deep? Maybe, I don't know. Today has been a bit of a strange day, and it had made me just think a bit too much.

On the subject of thinking about life, here's a band I stumbled over towards the end of last year, Montreal's Think About Life. I remember first hearing 'What the Future Might Be' and being enthralled. Their sound is hard to pin-point, as the band themselves concur in their biography on the Alien8 website:

"The sounds range from manic to troubled to tender to silly, exploding every emotion at once into a thousand pieces at the bottom of a canyon. TAL reassembles this raw material into a worldview rooted in thunder-storms, roller-coasters, clowns, sea-beasts, romance, fireworks, massive sphinxes, basketball championships, chivalric knighthoods, snowmen, children, videos, hamlets, and sunglasses."

Quite an interesting mix of influences I'm sure you will agree. The band is the resulting work of multi-instrumentalist and key figure on the Montreal scene, Graham Van Pelt who, joined by the Donkey Heart Quartet's Martin Cesar on vocals, and Matt Shane on programming and drum duties (and also responsible for all the TAL artwork, whic is amazing), have together created an album that is both fun and refreshing, danceable and heartfelt.

A new song can be heard on their myspace page, which is strangely reminiscent of Modest Mouse, and with a new EP due out in the summer, it would seem that the sky's the limit for the boys. Check out 'What the Future Might Be' and another highlight from the record, 'Money' below.

Think About Life's self-titled debut is available now on Alien8 recordings.

mp3: Think About Life - What The Future Might Be
mp3: Think About Life - Money

The Little Ones uncovered.

I've known of the Little Ones for awhile, Bay Radio having been sent several singles and their ep during the year, however I never really gave the Californian 5-piece a chance. This changed the other day upon hearing their latest single 'Lovers Who Uncover' from their Sing Song EP, and I must admit I fell in love with it. The track sounds really sad, a lamentation of love, all delayed guitars, pulsing bass and drifting keyboards. They kinda make me think of the Maccabees, but put through an American filter. I think it's something to do with that 'sad' sound that makes you want to sigh and watch clouds drift past your window. Simply put, it's beautiful, and I am pretty sure it's going to be one of my songs of the summer, and most likely the year. The video, directed by Terri Timely is also well worth checking out, if only to see the band performing in a shipping container.



Having been listening to the track I've remembered that this isn't my first encounter with this track, and that I had come accross a remix back in February. In what's becoming a reoccuring theme in my posts, I've included the Crystal Castles remix which I had not been to excited by when I first heard it. However, now having heard the Little Ones original, and having listened to the remix a few times I would class it as a bit of a grower. It's not on the same level as that Liars remix posted a few weeks ago: all trademark CC 8-bit flourishes and driving synths, but its a good listen for anyone who likes either bands.

The Little Ones Sing Song EP is available now on Astralwerks.

mp3: The Little Ones - Lovers Who Uncover
mp3: The Little Ones - Lovers Who Uncover (Crystal Castles remix)

pack it up, pack it in, let me begin...

Ah yes, here be the first post by me, so lets skip the tedious introductions - my name's ellie and I'm going to be your tour operator for today...

Plenty to get through here, should be packing (get kicked out of uni accommodation tomorrow morning) hence why I'm playing on the internet - I'm currently following that ancient student mantra - 'procrastination is everything'. Have spent the past few hours absorbed in the wonderful world of ArePeopleReal, brainchild of those lovely boys the Broken Hooker Deejays.

Simply put, they reel in the likes of Skulljuice, Les Petits Pilous and Duke Dumont and get them to do mixes, all wrapped up with a BHD mix, and an odd computerised voice for commentary. It means I have to use the oh so hated I-tunes to get them (last time it timed out on me every few minutes or so) but they're most certainly worth it. Have yet to find a word that can convey just how good these mixes are, but this comes rather close... FFBM!!!!!*

So now I've got that off my chest (have been ranting to anything with ears about the love I have for those podcasts of late) I'll continue; Dj Mehdi and DatA have also been hustling the airwaves today, with both Lucky Boy and Morphosis burning up in a synth disco, just how I like it. Vitalic also deserve a mentioning, last week a mate gave me Ok Cowboy (remember that?! all the way back in 2005 - when I had only just surfaced from the world of indie doom!?) and it's safe to say I think I'm a little hooked. Here's Repair Machines; reminisce if you you loved it the first time round, or (if you're like me) listen and prepare to fall in love instead.

Dj Mehdi - Lucky Boy

DatA - Morphosis

Vitalic - Repair Machines

Went on a bit of a music blog spree yesterday, and as my brother was with me thought I'd show him what the internet is really for. He's fallen in love with Uffie (not so surprising really) and I've become rather smitten by this little track...

Feist - Gatekeeper (Pocketknife's Faded Beach Towel Remix)

Feist also appear on the new Kitsune Maison compilation, I've listened to it a few times now, and I have to admit, I do prefer the third one, but that's not to say this one's not got it's moments - namely in Numero's Hit Pop... candyfloss colours on foreign promenades.

Numero - Hit Pop

Think I'll leave you now, as the realisation of just how much I've got to pack has just smacked me in the face. It's going to be a late one.

More will follow soon... ellie love.

p.s for those who were wondering, FFBM = full fucking bore mate.

O M G, I think I'm in love.

Okay. Let's assess the situation.

Yesterday morning I sat my one and only exam (it was not too bad), and spent the rest of the day indulging in my radio show and various tomfoolery to do with the radio. Tom and I are going to spend today doing some maintenance to the studio, so I'm up early (its before nine am) despite not getting to bed until about 4.30am, following a night in the pier with Leona, Hannah and Kathleen. I'm a bit sad that I may not see them again until September, but as I am going home this evening I thought I may as well make the most of my last night.

Oh, and when I got in I decided to watch the most recent episode of Lost. I think I may even have got tearful whilst watching this. I think I'm unstable from lack of sleep.



So, to match my unstable mind, and also due to the fact I may not get to post for a few days (the internet at home in ancient dial-up, although Mom says she may get broadband and a new snazzy PC), here's a song that I have been enjoying the last few days which I hope you like. I stumbled on it by chance, and it has instantly become my favourite of the 'Homecoming' remixes. I'm talking about The Cleft Palettes mix of the Teenagers first single, which takes the original, covers it in 8-bit blips (ala Crystal Castles) and replaces the Teens' original dialogue with a satirical take on the whole "new-rave" scene. It's clever, witty, and original, albeit rather childish.

Just how I like it.

mp3: The Teenagers - Homecoming (The Cleft Palettes remix)



Whilst I'm at it, and because I just mentioned them in passing, why don't I add some Crystal Castles. 'Knights' is one of their most recent tracks, and is to be featured on the Kitsuné Records Compilation 4. Is it just me or does the production sound slightly different than previous efforts? The track sounds rather dark: the vocals distorted and seemingly crying in the background over their trademark waves of synth and rising/falling 8-bit samples.

Also, finally got my hands on the remix they did of Uffie's 'Pop the Glock' entitled 'Make it Hott'. It's well worth checking out, as it is an interesting mix, very different to a lot of their remix work as whilst transferring the song into their own little dream world of computer noises, they edit the track up a fair bit, isolating certain sections, and glitching it up, but not murdering it like the Curtis Vodka mix. Hott indeed.

mp3: Crystal Castles - Knights
mp3: Uffie - Make it Hott (Crystal Castles remix)

Apopalypse now.

Upon logging into my myspace account this morning I find I have a message from Apopalypse, which as far as I can discern is the work of one Phil Death. He begins by commending my blog (which I was surprised to discover is now listed on The Hype Machine!), before scolding me for neglecting his glitchy tech pop. Well, of course, me being me and not wanting to dissapoint quickly visited Apopalypse-space where I was filled with meriment to hear such musical gems as 'EID', which has a sound akin to Late of the Pier. Pulsing programmed drums, harmonious electronics and gloriously distorted vocals. And then there is 'Bolts for Brains', which sounds like a demented robot trying to play Ladytron's back catalogue simultaneously by itself, frying its circuit boards in the process.

Apopalypse are certainly one to watch, and now that they've been brought to my attention I'll be keeping an eye out for sure.

mp3: Apopalypse - 'Bolts for Brains'
mp3: Apopalypse - 'EID'

PS. Now that I'm listed on Hype I know that I'm gonna blow my bandwidth... time to look for a better file host I think!

Songs from the Fields.

Thought I'd post this, a review of Fields debut album, Everything Last Winter, which I wrote for the Bay Radio website, the station on which I present several shows.



Everything Last Winter is the debut album of Anglo-Icelandic five-piece, Fields, who in just over a year since their first gig have honed their distinctive and somewhat progressive blend of indie-rock, and not only managed to gain themselves a deal with Atlantic, but a deal which has allowed them to release their records under their own Black Lab imprint, retaining their own musical freedom.

One of the things that strikes you most about the album is its seemingly huge layers of guitar: walls of sound that combined with the use of electronic sounds, make the songs sound massive. The album has been produced by Michael Beinhorn, who has previously worked with the likes of Mew, Soundgarden and Marilyn Manson, and he has done a great job in making sure that although the guitars are often face-meltingly loud, they do not become to intrusive to the structure of their songs. Highlight tracks such as previous singles ‘Song for the Fields’, and the amazing ‘If You Fail We All Fail’ are just examples of the bands method of harnessing quiet/loud dynamics and combining them with memorable chorus. On the other hand you have ‘The Death’, a blistering five minutes of distorted guitars, which is contrasted by other tracks such as the slow-building ‘Charming the Flames’, with its haunting electronic ambience, or the vocal beauty of ‘Feathers’.

The male/female vocal dynamic between Nick Peill and Thorunn Antonia are reminiscent of Seafood, the album being literally covered with majestic harmonies, they being one of Fields greatest charms. Musically, in their louder moments they call to mind My Vitriol, whilst other times the rustic and folkish tendencies of Mercury Rev, circa 2001, appear to wash over their music.

Overall, Fields have produced an exciting debut which certainly silences those critics who saw them as a band who were all talk and no action. Believe the hype, and be charmed by the Fields... Rating: 8/10

Everything Last Winter is out now on Atlantic records.

As well as two tracks from the album, I have also included SebastiAn's fine remix of 'If You Fail We All Fail'. Please enjoy his interpretation of one of the album's stand-out tracks.

mp3: Fields - Song for the Fields
mp3: Fields - If You Fail We All Fail
mp3: Fields - If You Fail We All Fail (SebastiAn remix)