Oh yeah; gotta get me some of that. (Assuming I don't already have all the songs...)

Ska Cubano - Ay Caramba!

It's Cuban ska (obviously), and it's genius.

A heads-up for those of you who like Regina Spektor, she is doing a live session on Mark Radcliffe's show this Wednesday (Radio 2 22:30-00:00)

Poke it all up the chimney

Mashed - Go Home Productions
I was slightly disappointed by this. There are some enjoyable mash-ups on here, but I'd heard most of them before. The only one which will stand the test of time in my opinion is Can't Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head (which of course is the most famous track on here). The ones I hadn't heard before were not that great.
Worth a listen, but I won't be listening to it lots.

Pop Justice
A nice mix of pop gems from the last year or two. Some of the tracks are familiar, though sometimes with a twist (e.g. the demo version of Girls Aloud's Love Machine). Others are ones I've never heard before, but are perfectly formed pieces of pop (e.g. Lipstick by Alesha, Chelsea by Stefy, and Me Plus One by Annie). I really like this, though I imagine I could be in the minority in Badgerfest company.

ARCADE FIRE - NEON BIBLE

Fecj me backwards this is ace

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Empire - Kasabian (The Short Version)
Pretty good 3.6/5

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Empire - Kasabian (The Long Version)



There are certain bands out there that, although I quite like the singles, have been sufficiently popular, and insufficiently stirring, to inspire me to spend any money on them. (I am fully aware of just how devastated this knowledge would make them by the way.) The Kaiser Chiefs, for example, have produced some jolly good singles but (mainly) due to their omni-presence I haven't felt the need to indulge in a full album's worth. Razorlight seemed OK but couldn't induce me to get the album until they re-released it with Somewhere Else on it. (And if The Killer's had released Sam's Town first I wouldn't be interested. Actually I'm still not interested - it's very disappointing in my opinion.)
Kasabian always provided interest with their 'dance rocks' stylings but I couldn't get really excited about them. That was until I heard Me Plus One (a song from their new album Empire on the radio and had to stay in the car until the end of the next song to find out who sang it.
So how does the rest of the album stack up? Well, other than Me Plus One (which is much more indie-pop than usual) there's nothing overly new to the Kasabian sound; they still sound like The Chemical Brothers featuring Noel Gallagher. Not that this is a bad thing; almost any of the songs on the album could be chosen as a single and do modestly well, and the whole thing ties together in a sort of dark, guitar-lead, melodic droning style. So in all, good stuff. Worth a listen. 3.6/5

Incidentally listen out for Heat Dies Down by The Kaisers as it is very good...better than Ruby (still not sure how that got to No.1. Not complaining, just unsure).

Fecj me backwards this is ace - Idlewild are back on form people.

I make expound on this later. I know, I know: You can't wait.

65daysofstatic
Static, instrumental rocking awesomeness!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=U3rV9iPlx6U

They're soon to be touring and their new album The Destruction of Small Ideas is out end of april.
17th of April at the Junction Dannyboy! I went to see these guys a year ago in Leeds and although they were just opener, it was by far the best 30 minute show I've seen.

Sound Of Silver - LCD Soundsystem

Very good. Every track is quality. Not going to say anymore.

Oh dear, this may take a while, Ill try to colour code some for who I think will get off on them most.

Knuckels Crack, Ipod comes out, check date addded.

OK So i ones youve mentioned already

I cant be bothered to write stuff abotu all this but I'll just put them in different sizes dependant on how much i love them. It's ALL GOOD trust me but some stand out

SO:

Everything the Super Furry Animals, Queens of the stine age, Primal Scream, Flaming Lips & Eels ever did.

Mika - I'll hate it in a year as he'll turn into some obvious pop muppet but for now it's simply pure POP brilliance. For now I am now convinced big girls are beautiful!

Clap you hands say yeah - Terribel voice, Brilliant music. Together they are better than you could imagine
Brakes - Beatific Visions - some classics, Hol dme in a river, spring chicken, no return, mobile communications.
Dogs Die in hot cars - Paul newmans eyes, Lounger -
Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Number 1 selection currently
the view - sound slike Chandra Whatever off of cornershop - Same Jeans
I'm From Barcelona - OH WOW! Lovely stuff!
Hot Chip - one song only - Over & Over
The Bees - Ex beta Band Funky wierdness
Bromheads jackets
Cold war Kids - Robbers & Cowards - Superb, original, GET IT!
datarock - Bulldozer & Computer Camp Love (Also Maybelline btu its just a bit wierd)
Gogol Bordello - Obscuro Hungarian Electro Gypsy-Punk - sweeeeeet with a genre title like that you KNOW it's gonna be good
The Gossip - classic femal vocal indie rock but good.
The Hours - apparently brilliant, yet to complete listening to the album btu good so far
jarvis Coskcer - Jarvis - 5-6 greta tunes 4-5 meaningless. pretty good percentage of quality

OOOhhhh The KLAXONS - atlantis to interzone & Gravities RAinbow outstand but others too
Little Man Tate - Solid Good
Mark Ronson - The new hwatever it is now (Standard comparitive Male Voclaist lie kDamien Rice or James Blunt or qhichever cunt they're referring to hoever this guy's actually good, Sounds like Damon Albarn but no tas pretentious ( Fuckng hate the Good The Bad & The Queen by the way, tuneless drivell)
Harry Nillson - 60's crooner, wrote more songs that you've heard than you relaize and mostly quite brilliant (The beatles favourite voclaist and songwriter. one problem he wrote the song "Without You" as in.. I cant liiiiive if living is witouth you" his original is auit enice tho) also "everybody's talking at me" - i'm sure this is the theme to Littlest Hobo but I may be imagining it. - I'm going where the sun keeps shining through the pouring rain, going where the weather suits my clothes. NO WAY Its a BEAUTIFUL SOUTH SONG> UGH NO NO NO SPIT SPIT SPIT!!! AH ruined it for me.
Maximo Park- either album
anyone rmember Mogwai? Tart that may be one for you!
MUse have to be mentioned being simply the best band EVER! The future of Music, they piss on Radiohead (and this is me saying this I nearly wept wth joy at the Radiohead Gig in Manc with Pete) If you do not own the entire Muse Discography you officially SUCK ASS!
There's this lanky Ginger freak called Patrick Wolf. There's no doubt he is a twat but the mucis is class.
Peter Bjorn & John - Silly swedes wth a silly name but beautifully melodic tunes (Young Folks, you should have all heard)
Pull Tiger Tail - Let's Lightning EP - Yeah Highly rated!
The Spinto Band
and finally
TV on the Radio - return to cookie mountain - "tonight" is the stand out song.

Right I'm going to bed. Night night all!

I wil have more of this too.

And altough they didnt make it into te list, KING i am sorry you are wrong about the first Kasabian album. Get it it will rock you socks of. Fuck it

go to www.bitcomet.com get version 0.86 latest release. The go to either Mininova.org or Torrentreactor.net and get ALL your free shit. If you have problems like i did try

www.filehippo.com and get version 0.70 - the most stable version. In my opinion all other torrent engines are shit.

Oh my god, Drew has posted in every topic under the sun.

I have two things to say:

1. It's safe to assume that a fair proportion of people on here are already bit-torrented to the max.

2. Those who are use uTorrent. You should sack off Bit Comet and use it too.

Aside from that, keep up the sterling work and I shall see you next week son.

Peace.

It's like a tornado of Drew...

I will say this: I never commented on the 1st Kasabian album (just said none of their singles stirred me enough to buy it) but Drew's command is my wish and I will procure it (thorugh fiar means or foul) forthwith.

Many of those bands mentioned are great (except Mika; I hate him on principle) and I have expounded in the past how much I like the name Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly (and the music is alright too) but I also like Bromhead's Jacket for some reason.

Anyway. Drew; we must talk at length. I will get onto finding songs by unkown artists and report back.

"Staart wearing purrple, wearing purple.
Start wearing purple for me nooow..."

What principle? Too many other people like him?

Pretty much

No, really it's the principle that, while I find Grace Kelly perfectly enjoyable, I know that if I hear it more than once in a period of, say, 48 hours, it will annoy me so much that I'll have to go on a rampage, destroying the things I love. I don't want to destroy the things I love. I love them.

I feel I need to comment on the Mika issue as I feel very strongly about it.

He is a big steaming pile of cack and needs a beating.

He's like a one-man Scissor Sisters and that is about all I need to say.

Fair.

I'm gradually picking through Drew's post:



Mark Ronson is actually a producer and his latest is an album of covers - Lilly Allen doing 'Oh My God', Winehouse doing 'Valerie' etc. The song that's being murdered on the radio at the mo is a cover of The Smiths' 'Stop Me' as sung by Daniel Merriweather...I find it very annoying. The rest of the album may have interest value but I reckon it will run out quick.

Mika - love Grace Kelly. Don't care about the other stuff. "Relax" sounds like a cover - of what though?

Been told by my brother go to 65daysofstatic. Have you heard of them? Will probably go at the Cambridge Junction in a couple weeks. They're Indie style instrumentals and apparently ear-phones are recommended. If anyone fancies it, let me know and I'll book tickets. Probably going to book early next week.

Randomly heard on the radio this morning "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Chilled song - awsome guitar solo. Get it if you don't know it. 8+ minutes long - surprised the radio station played it.

Funnily enough I just got the Lynryd Skynrd Best Hits album (Hang on thats either Greatest Hits or Best Of... ) Mostly for sweet home alabama. Did you know none of them were from Alabama?

King is Soooo right about Mika. Like I said in a year he'll be a gimp in EVERYONEs book. it ay not eveb take that long.

I clearly missed the point on Mark Ronson, maybe it WAS damon albarn... hmmm.

Finallu, I do not think i accentuated the wonderous nature of I'm From Barcelona.

Seriously, I had it pretty much on repeat for the extent of my nine hour flight. It is just superb. Basically this guy (dunno if he's actually from Barcelona) wrote these songs then decides to get 30 of his mates into the studio to sing along with him. That simple fact makes the atmosphere of the record a joy to behold.
Get it get it get it get it get it (This means so much i didnt even copy and past any of those Get It's)

It's OK I've got it...I'll let you know what I think...

Yeah; it's OK...a bit like a cheerful Badly Drawn Boy. And they're using the stamp song on the T-mobile advert. 3/5

The Subways - Young for Eternity



I've been half inclined to try his album for a while as I've heard good vibrations on the indie wire but it has taken me a while to get round to it. More fool me as it's cracking. You may be familiar with the fast-paced, jumpy single Oh Yeah (a definate highlight of the album), but there is more quality scattered throughout. With male and female vocalists they are reminicent of Young Heart Attack but much, much less screechy.
If you're looking for an upbeat bit of rockery you could do much worse. 4/5

Version - Mark Ronson

I currently have a mini-obsession with cover-versions and so I felt compelled to by this album. I'm glad I did, there are some very good tracks. Lily Allen's 'Oh My God' is good (particularly impressive given that she annoys the hell out of me most of the time). Stand out tracks for me are Just and Toxic, but the whole album is good.

Funeral For A Friend - Tales don't tell themselves



I enjoyed FFAF's first album (the simply-monikered Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation) with it's rock/emo stylings and implausibly long song titles, but never quite enough to instil the slavish devotion I usually show my 'New Favourite Band'. I didn't bother with the 2nd album and probably wouldn't have picked up on this one if I hadn't had the chance to listen to it first. I'm glad I did.

The 'Funeral...' sound has matured from the slightly hard punky stuff they were doing to the sort of anthemic, emotive rock ala Jimmy Eat World. There's none of the arch, juvenile, eyeliner-wearing moping or posturing that gives emo a bad name. There's not much complicated guitar trickery- much of the tunage depends on the vocals with the guitar forming a wall of accompaniment but that's just how I like it. The album may be a touch samey (it might just be that I can't see the track names on my back-up, broken-screened iPod to pick them out) but that's only if you're being excessivly picky.

4.2/5 Overall a top-notch album, specially if you like your emo loud. If you don't...well it's worth a listen anyway. Definitely one for Drewbacca to pick out. Tart may apreciate it too. Woz & Sam Pie possibly. The rest of you punks; probably not. Go ahead; prove me wrong.

Has anyone mentioned before that the Arctic Monkeys are the fucking nuts

I certainly haven't.

has anyone noticed that the arctic monkeys are utter, utter shite?

That's closer to what I've been saying.

Get with the program Granddad!

Heard for the first time a clip from the 'Ludes'. Loved it. I take it they arn't exactly obscure....song recommendations?

Be fair; they're not utter shite, they're perfectly enjoyable; just terminally overrated.

Can't say I've heard of Ludes Danny. Are we there yet sounds ok though.

The Twang - Love it when I feel like this



This is the band that 'won' the BBC's Top Ten bands to watch out for in 2007; the clip of song released with the article piqued my interest enough to keep an ear out for the band.
On first listen I was a little disappointed; there seemed to be more talking over music than singing and Wide Awake remained the standout. Fortunately I had it on repeat and so listened to it again, and again. And again. There are many more layers to the music than I first heard and while Wide Awake clearly remains the most accessible, poppy song on the album there are many more I can see getting a crowd going.
The sound is somewhere between Bromhead's Jacket (or possibly Ian Dury) and those chilly, Sheffield Simians. There's a very definite Northern bent (they're from Brum...it's North to me) that comes across in their lyrics of annoying neighbours and nights out in a 'Cloudy Room' as well as the lead singer's...well, twang.
So in short it's good, I like it. I reckon though that it's all very 'now'; in a few years you'll be able to tell its vintage in the same way as you can identify a '97 song by Cast or OCS whether you know it or not. At some point someone'll come up with a catch-all term to describe the sound...Monk-pop? Madchester revisited?

Drew'll probably like it, Chris and Sam should also give it a go, being fans of The Farting Numpties. 4/5

Tiny Dancers - Free School Milk



I bought this on a whim having once heard a single and noting the name of the band. I'm glad I did. The single, I Will Wait For You, is a slice of jolly guitar pop that sets the scene for the rest of the album. Perhaps the best indication of their sound is that they named themselves after a classic Elton John song. It's all very nice and bouncy (as the actress said...), whether it has staying power remains to be seen.
I reckon Jonnyboy might like this one. 3.6/5

Cherry Ghost - 'People Help the People'

V good

Cherry Ghost - 'Welcome to the Black Parade'

F-ing awful.

Surely that is My Chemical Romance? Has he done a cover? If so I could imagine that being toss.

I'm afraid so; it may have been a Live Lounge thing. Whatever; it turned a rocking song into a painful dirge (some may consider it so already but I like it).

i heard a random song on radio 1 the other day...

sounded quite rock-like and quite liked it, but i dunno who it was...

i tried to remember some of the lyrics so i could look i up..

'room with no windows or doors' is all i can remember, and i cant find anything online...

anyone have a clue what im on about

Bit of a long shot I know but is anyone interested in a spare ticket to Kings of Leon on Friday? Hammersmith Apollo. £25.

Work with me people

I always get Kings of Leon mixed up with Lost Prophets. Is there any reason for this? Buggered if i know.

turned out to be biffy clyro...

another song i quite like is newton faulkner - dream catch me

its been on radio1 alot but i cant download the album anywhere yet...

booo

Kate Nash - Made of Bricks

I'm sure almost everyone will have heard Kate Nash's No. 2 hit Foundations with its up-beat rhythm, optimistic piano and Marmitey vocals. Its success has obviously taken the record company by surprise as they have brought forward the release of the album by 3 months or so. I quite liked her performance on Later... and still enjoy Foundations but wasn't sure whether a whole album would be bearable now that she's...you know...popular.

Despite it not really catching the imagination on first listen I've now listened to it about 10 times in 2 days and I really quite like it. I think Nash could have done with some more life experience before her first hit as some of her lyrics are quite mundane - relationships on the rocks or never starting due to shyness etc. - but some (much better songs) are wonderfully off-beat; tales of girls with lips stuck with Pritt-Stick, or gardens that don't sprout until the gardeners bugger off and have some fun – this is the side I think she should develop. As to her vocals, when she sticks to singing, her voice has a pleasant, brittle quality reminiscent of Regina Spektre (except with a Lahndan tilt instead of Mid-Pacific) although she does have the tendency to get a bit conversational occasionally; something that some could find irritating.

Made of Bricks is a good little album with some slow-growing, off-beat little songs, some perfectly pleasant ones and one solid pop song that's been produced up the wazoo and will probably be hated by 50% of the population by now. Worth a listen; particularly if you like the female vocalist/pianist genre. 3.5/5

I will have to have a listen. I must admit that my first thoughts on Ms Nash were 'pile of poo', but I will sample some more before closing my mind completely.


This sentence reminded me of this t-shirt which instantly made me think of Kingol when I first saw it.

Lol; that's fantastic...that may have to be my new catchphrase.

Wojtek Godzisz - Burning Ideals

Some of you may wonder why I'm reviewing an album by a scruffy, bearded bassist with a name so tough to spell it could be the tiebreaker in an inter-galactic spelling bee. Well Woj (as I will now call him) was the bassist and principle song-writer for a small band named Symposium; my favourite band of the nineties, and so any new material from his febrile mind is something of an event for me.

So what news from Camp Unspxflble? Well, the sound of this EP is closer to Weezer than anything else I can think of - not much evidence of thrashing guitars but plenty of heartfelt vocals with the occasional harmonisation. It's a much more mature sound, with songs about feelings and stuff, rather than days spent larking about with mates. There's not much in the way of chart-friendly single fodder on the EP - rather the six songs tie together to form the impression of a songwriter doing his own thing and developing his own, earnest sound ready for when he finds that song; his Fairweather Friend perhaps.

I'm not gonna mark it; I'm more interested what everyone else thinks - he's easily findable on Myspace and I'll lend his CD to the first bidder. Suffice to say I quite like it.

Perhaps if he combined his vocals with the riffs of Hell is for Heroes...

PJ Harvey - White Chalk



If your only previous exposure to Polly Jean is her dark and passionate guitary rockiness on Stories from the City... then be warned that White Chalk is an entirely different proposition: In her latest album Harvey has abandoned the guitar and unleashed her inner Bjork all over a piano. The result is probably best illustrated by the album cover - mannered, slightly old fashioned and really, really weird. It's not me I'm afraid, but she's always worth a listen if you haven't yet. 1.5/5

Radiohead - In Rainbows

I have listened to the album a half dozen times and I am enjoying it more each time. Worth a download for anyone who didn't give up on Radiohead after The Bends (Ween: don't bother).

The question is how much do (did) you think it's worth?

You'd have to pay me...

EDITORS @ Brixton Academy 10/10/07

I'm sure most of you know of Editors (no 'The') - to a lesser or greater extent. They specialise in those sort of swirling anthemic indie rock tunes that I love so much, in the rough direction of Doves, Elbow etc

I was a huge fan of the first album 'The Back Room' which came out 2 or 3 years ago, have to say that the second album 'An End has a Start' has been more of a grower but is now a firm favourite.

The gig itself was very good. Tom Smith's voice is great in an Interpol-esque kind of way and the band were really tight as a live act. They mixed and matched between albums 1 & 2 but personal highlights have to be Munich, Blood and Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors which they did as part of their encore. No banter in between just churned out the tunes, just as it should be.

Once again the Academy proved to be a great venue, its still a toss-up as to whether I prefer Brixton or Hammersmith Apollo.

If you havent given the second album a listen I advise you to persevere, it does grow on you. Most likely to enjoy: Pete, Drew?

8.5/10

(cue desconstruction by King about how boring they are and how we should all be listening to Arthur's Magic Water Flute or something)

I paid £4 and it is worth every penny.