Friday, June 27, 2008

who gives a fuck about an oxford comma?

New Vampire Weekend clip for Oxford Comma



Ezra + white suit = OMG!

Feature Album Review - Mystery Jets; Twenty One



So few bands take the time to grow and evolve from album to album. Once they find a formula that works they stick with it. At least while it’s still gaining them money and attention. These are the kind of bands who never seem to get very far in their careers, their audiences soon losing interesting and moving onto a new, fresher sounding group.

One such band who understand the importance of change and the dangers of becoming stagnant are London based indie four piece, Mystery Jets.

Mystery Jets 2006 debut album, Making Dens was a quirky individual and often confusing album. It was by no means perfect but it was definitely an attention grabber. The kind of record that makes people stop and listen. Anticipation levels instantly peaked for the follow up.

Now, two years later, the Jets are finally set to release that follow up with Twenty One. The album is everything you’d expect from their sophomore effort while at the same time being an utter shock.

Twenty One is everything Making Dens was not. It’s polished, planned and downright poppy. The band have grown up somewhat since their earlier efforts. They’re still finding their niche but for the most part they’re getting it sorted. Their influences are obviously many and varied but that eclectic mix more then works for them.

The stand out tracks include both singles so far, ‘Young Love’ and ‘Two Doors Down’ as well as ‘Half In Love With Elizabeth’, ‘First To Know’ and the ever addictive ‘Hand Me Down’

If you’re a prior fan of Mystery Jets then you’ll love the album as long as you come to it with an open mind. They’re not the band they once were but I think that’s a credit to them. If you’re new to their work then you should have no troubles emerging yourself in this fun and memorable album. Whether you’re looking for something to dance around the living room to or a simple chill out album then you’re bound to find something which suits here. So give Twenty One a spin. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Even when I was 17

In celebration of Exile in Guyville's 15th anniversary/me being a big loser, I have decided to guide everyone through the album. And yes, it's my Number One Desert Island Pick. kthnxbaii
Liz (we're on a first name basis) has always said that Exile in Guyville was a feminist response to The Rolling Stones' Exile On Main Street:
“It had to be either putting [Mick Jagger] into his place, like if he was talking about walking down the street, and he’s talking about he’s mister footloose and fancy free, doesn’t meet anyone who gives a damn,...I had to write a song about how much pain you could cause someone with that kind of attitude.” Yeah. I hate that guy.
In “Dance of the Seven Veils,” Liz transforms herself into Salomé, ordering the head of her lover on a silver platter. It was the first time I ever heard a woman reclaim the word cunt. It was awesome.
Liz Phair - Dance of the Seven Veils
Liz Phair - Never Said
Liz Phair - Soap Star Joe
Liz Phair - Explain It To Me
Phair came out of the Chicago indie scene around the same time as Smashing Pumpkins, Urge Overkill, and Material Issue. The experience of living in Wicker Park, the west-town neighborhood that is still the symbolic base for Chicago’s hipsters and artists, was what fueled Guyville (an appropriate title, considering her role as one of the few women in a male-dominated indie-rock society). Of course, I could only wish for my interpretation of the title to be associated with anti-social boys who look like 12 year old girls with cancer.
Liz Phair - Canary
Liz Phair - Mesmerizing By far the most famous Phair song, "Fuck & Run" is the most representative of the album: it’s incredibly introspective and confessional, reflecting romantic disappointment that is pretty universal. It's also the first Liz Phair song I ever heard. Can you even imagine what that would to do a spongy, lonely, impressionable adolescent? Well you don't have to really, I am that kid! And look how I turned out.
In its list of the 500 best albums (Exile is number 328), Rolling Stone said that it “is one of the saddest songs ever written about dreaming of romance and settling for less.”
Liz Phair - Fuck & Run
Liz Phair - Girls Girls Girls

“Divorce Song” is my number one favorite song of all time (Sorry, D.A.N.C.E.!) It contains the finest lines Liz Phair ever wrote:

It’s harder to be friends than lovers

and you shouldn’t try to mix the two.

‘Cause if you do it and you’re still unhappy

then you know that the problem is you

Liz Phair - Divorce Song

Liz Phair - Shatter Liz unapolgetically and aggressively asserts her sexuality on "Flower":

I want to fuck you like a dog
I want to be your Blow Job Queen

And when she says, “You’re probably shy and introspective, but that’s not part of my objective,” I can’t help but think of her ripping apart the indie-rock dudes in Wicker Park fifteen years ago. You better believe she’d chew up Vampire Weekend and spit them back out without much thought. Dude, they are like Keith Gessen for the ears.
Liz Phair - Flower

Liz Phair - Johnny Sunshine

Liz Phair - Gunshy

Liz Phair - Stratford On Guy

Liz Phair - Strange Loop
The reissue of Exile in Guyville, featuring the Guyville Redux DVD and four bonus tracks (previously unreleased demo recordings, a new studio track, and an untitled instrumental), drops TOMORROW BITCHES. I've already pre-ordered mine. Whatever.

I feel it, I felt it.


Yeahh that totally is Tom Felton aka the guy who plays Draco Malfoy [from the movie adaptions of J.K Rowlings Harry Potter series] aka this guy:

What you just 'experienced' was his musical project 'feltbeats', one of 3 videos he posted on youtube earlier this year showing off a few original compositions.
The 20 year old, who in his spare time also enjoys carp fishing; could be the next Jamie T [whether you see that as a good or bad thing is up to you] if these vids are anything to go by.
The songs are available for purchase on itunes, and with fans who write things like;

"i love how he is soooo hot! and the way he sings and smiles! HE IS SO HOT!!! "

you know its going to sell, no matter how shite you think it is. [SEE: below comment from one music critic]
"Your lyrics are fucking awful, go back to acting...actually don't even do that, just go away.."

Though in all honesty, I'll be first to admit give an alright looking guy a guitar and they suddenly become hotter, haha

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

your new favourite band?

The Coshercot Honeys





Last time I did one of these it was for So So Modern, so basically what I'm trying to say is New Zealand bands represent. I will be doing my NZ show soon honest.

Listen to them here

Friday, June 13, 2008

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Feature Album Review - The Futureheads; This Is Not The World



For a band who were considering calling it a day, The Futureheads are doing surprisingly well. The four piece, north-east UK rock-popsters have recently released their third full length album entitled, This Is Not The World.

The Futureheads hit the scene in 2004 in quite a big way with their debut self titled LP. Their immediate, catchy tunes and pop punk sensibilities ensured them an almost instantaneous dedicated fan following.

2006; however, saw many people with a strong sense of disillusionment at The Futureheads sound and direction. With their Sophomore album, News and Tributes being far more polished and mainstream then their original efforts.

Two years later the boys seem to have both returned to their roots and taken a few giant steps forward. This Is Not The World is everything you could possibly want from a Futureheads release.

The album takes no time at all to fall in love with. It’s simple and memorable formula is what good pop music is all about. From first listen you’ll be humming the opening track (and coincidentally, the first single), ‘The Beginning Of The Twist’.

Other undeniably stand out tracks include ‘Think Tonight’, ‘Hard To Bear’, ‘Work Is Never Done’, ‘Everything’s Changing Today’ and the current single, ‘Radio Heart’ which I has been stuck in my head for what seems like days now.

Don’t get me wrong, This Is Not The World is nowhere near one of the best albums I’ve heard of late. I can’t imagine it becoming a future ‘classic’ release, far from it but it’s without a doubt fun and likeable. The kind of album which lifts your spirits and increases the urge to embarrass yourself on the dance floor (either literally or figuratively).

If you’ve yet to hear this album then I strongly recommend getting down to your local record store and grabbing yourself a copy. Your CD player will thank you for it.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

radular



seriously.