1. Lloyd Cole - Music In A Foreign Language 2. Paper Heroes - Have You Heard The Story? 3. Tilly & The Wall - Chandelier Lake 4. Múm - Now There's That Fear Again 5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Emily Jean Stock 6. Asobi Seksu - In The Sky 7. The Thrills - Not For All The Love In The World 8. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Everything With You 9. Peter Broderick - A Snowflake 10. Mapaputsi - Kleva
Today I'll just be showing you different music videos. Because I can't be arsed to really write anything about one specific band.
I think this track is awesome. 'Percussion Gun' is definitely a fitting name for the song. They give the same kind of vibe as Radiohead. Not that they sound exactly the same. They've also toured with The Walkmen, who I'm starting to get fond of.
White Rabbits - Percussion Gun
Which brings me to this quite peculiar video by them, The Walkmen.
The Walkmen - In The New Year
I first heard of Bishop Allen from Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which I thought was a really, really good film with an amazing soundtrack.
Bishop Allen - Dimmer
This is the song currently playing when you open my blog. Unless of course you're reading this a few weeks after. It is the great Emmy The Great.
Emmy The Great - First Love
For the final video of the day, I'll give you one that I've liked for ages. Zach Condon as Beirut, in his video, 'Elephant Gun.'
I thought it's somewhat apt that Rise Against's new video 'Hero Of War' comes out amidst all the controversy about Obama being unwilling to prosecute American soldiers who employed torture techniques on prisoners.
Rise Against - Hero Of War
Torture is wrong, no matter how you put it. It's quite as simple as that, and not any amount of information can justify the atrocities committed to these people. But the video shows the other part of the equation, the soldiers. War is a horrible thing, and can lead to good people being pushed into horrible acts. We often hear how soldiers' family are always surprised about their sons and daughters being associated with torture, because they don't believe that their sons and daughters are these kinds of people. The truth is, they aren't. War lead them to it.
Rise Against have been very influential in my life over the past few years. Their video 'Ready To Fall' provided me the final push I needed to really become serious about being a vegetarian. Here's the uncut version.
Rise Against - Ready To Fall
There's only a handful of bands who I can say to truly have changed my life. Here's one of them.
I added some older stuff to my other blog, that's supposed to be 'creative.' More like random thoughts that sound absurd when strung together.
Check it out and tell me what you think.
So who is today's artist? I have no fucking idea.
I recently discovered a 'movement' called Taqwacore. It's quite a controversial scene, as it mixes Islam with punk. So yes, you know why it's controversial. As far as the music goes, it's not quite my cup of tea. I considered giving it some exposure here, but I don't think people are ready for it in Brunei. They probably never will be ready for it.
It's a bit of a gray area, more towards the darker shade.
Jonquil will be in York, but I can't go see them. Which is kind of frustrating.
I went through all the bands who added me on myspace, listening to their tunes, and expecting to hear a lot of shit. And sure enough, I did. But there were some really good ones though, not least They That Cried Wolf.
I will see Pill soon.
Here's your music video of the day.
Johnny Foreigner - Eyes Wide Terrified
Here's another song for you, to download. The album 'Waited Up 'Til It Was Light,' is brilliant. Get it if you like the two songs.
I'm not a fan of the classical, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. I guess for me I just need for it to be fresh. That's why sometimes I would hear an album, forget it, and then rediscover it after a few months (or years) to still find I am still captivated by its brilliance. A few such albums would be those of Ólafur Arnalds, an Icelandic young composer whose penchant for mixing the old and the new has resulted in his beautifully haunting, refreshingly emotive ne0-classical music.
Ólafur Arnalds - 3055
His album, 'Eulogy For Evolution,' and his EP 'Variations Of Static' show a maturity far beyond his years (he is in her early 20s). It's amusing to see a young composer like him dressed in skinny jeans and converse shoes. But he's like a one-man Sigur Rós, armed with a piano, a string quartet and a laptop.
Ólafur Arnalds - Fok
'Fok' is a hauntingly expressive piece of work that slowly builds up into a magnificient climax. This is my favourite song from him. The track is from his EP 'Variations Of Static.'
Recently (starting April 13th) Arnalds went on a musical journey that lasted a week. In it he promised to write and compose one song each day, mainly from abandoned compositions and drafts, hence the name of the project, 'Found Songs.' You can download all 7 tracks for free below from Erasedtapes.
To have written seven tracks in seven days, and to have them all consistently as beautiful as they are, is such an amazing achievement.
If you love Coldplay, you might want to download their free live album from their website. And yes, for you righteous copyright people out there, it's legal. Coldplay is giving physical copies of this album to people in their concerts. Let's face it, I'm not going to be there. I kind of don't like the arena atmosphere. I like intimate, small venues.
And Coldplay, I only sometimes like them. Other times they annoy the hell out of me.
Coldplay - LeftRightLeftRightLeft (Live Album)
I've got a Coldplay version of Tap Tap Revenge on my iPod Touch, which I enjoy massively. But other than from playing this game, it's unlikely I'll have a Coldplay day anytime soon.
Here is a band whose live performances far exceeds their recorded counterparts. Here is a band whose power and electricity cannot be fully expressed through hi-fi systems and high-end headphones. That's not to say you can't appreciate them when you buy their record. But to fully know what Jonquil is all about, you must be there, in the crowd, reacting to every sound they make, and sing along to their lyrics in euphoric harmony.
Jonquil - Lions (Live)
Their debut album 'Lions' have been called an album of "twisted beauty, misty darkness, blue-sky harmonies and folksy wonder." Drowned In Sound says "it’s a reflective and reverent sound that is humbly but heavily rooted in folk traditions with its multi-instrumental layers and thick harmonies." And yes, it is a beauty of a record. With classics such as 'Lions,' this is a recommended buy.
Jonquil - Whistle Low
Jonquil will start touring soon, around early June. I will be looking forward to seeing them again.
Folktronica. It's growing on me more everyday. I think the man responsible for this is really none other than the lovable James Yuill.
I mean, look at him. Doesn't he look like your likable biology teacher who is awkwardly funny? Then you go to a pub one day and find that he is a acoustic guitar-playing, sample-manipulating darling.
I missed two golden chances to see him live. He was in London around the end of April, for the Camden Crawl, that also had Yeah Yeah Yeahs and a thousand (well, not a thousand) other bands. I also missed him at Live at Leeds, which had Youves and The Voluntary Butler Scheme, and hundreds of other bands (not exaggerating).
James Yuill - This Sweet Love
His debut album, 'Turning Down Water For Air,' has been out for quite a while, and it's an album really worth checking out. Check out the two videos, and download this track. If you really like what you hear, go buy the album.
James Yuill - The Ghost
It turns out his dream was to be a forensic scientist. Which makes him cool, by my books
Of course like all sweet guys on guitars, you've got to have your fair share of unrequited love, and Yuill certainly has his. On "No Surprise," he laments "it's no surprise that you'll soon forget about me." How could you not say "aww..." to that? You heartless lot.
He's the sweet loser. That poor guy who never gets the girl he wants, and ends up abandoning his dreams of being in CSI because he feels the need to nurse his sorrows with music.
James Yuill - No Surprise
I'm thankful he did. His songs make me happy and sad at the exact same time. It's like being in a dysfunctional relationship. In 'Somehow,' he sings 'I know you want me to hurt yourself.' My advice to him, get another girl.
We love you, James Yuill. Your heartbreaks make us happy, in a twisted kind of sense.
Right now I want some new Foals music. That's what I want. Or some new Tubelord. Either of them on a Monday afternoon would make my day perfect.
Wearing their hearts on their front pockets
I've seen both bands live. And both of them are amazing. Yannis Philippakis is an incredible frontman. Seeing Foals in Oxford was one of the best live experiences I've ever had. The two support bands were awesome (Jonquil and Youthmovies), both for completely different reasons. But yes, Foals were obviously the stars of the night.
Foals - Balloons
Foals - Red Socks Pugie
What else can you do with a banana? Wait, don't answer that
Then there's Tubelord, who are yet to release their debut album. I think it's out in the next couple of months. I have no doubt it'll be brilliant. They have a knack for writing songs that makes you want to mosh and dance at the same time. Much like Foals, though they do sound very, very different. When I went to their show in Kingston, their hometown, in December last year it was such a friendly atmosphere. The crowd was awesome. The bands were incredible, including Blakfish and Colour. I would love to see Tubelord live again.
Tubelord - I Am Azerrad
Tubelord - Feed Me A Box Of Words
'I Am Azerrad' is the best song about killing the concept of a rock critic ever written in the entire history of civilisation.
Last night at 7.30pm I discovered a band called Youves on myspace. At 8pm I found out they were going to be in York the same night. At 8.15 I was in a taxi to go to the Basement. At 8.20 I was there buying the tickets. Yes, in the span of one hour, I journeyed through discovery to total worship.
Of course before I could see them live, I had to sit through some support bands. The first one was quite forgettable. I don't even remember the name of the band anymore. A lot of their friends went to see them, but they seemed all dressed up, as if they were going straight to Gallery right after. Oh well.
First Support Band - Moving To New York (cover)
Second in line was a band from Leeds/York. They were pretty good. Imagine, if you will, if Foals had an illegitimate baby with Explosions In The Fire, and Yannis Philippakis wasn't involved in its rearing. You would probaby get Lost From Atlas.
Nobody told them that's not how you solve it
They played a half-hour set without any breaks between songs. You can see this in the video, which is actually two songs, I think. They're pretty silent guys verbally. They just let their music do the talking. And their music talks.
Lost From Atlas - Tom Robinson Must Die! (Download)
Lost From Atlas
Then of course, came the headliners, Youves, from the little town of Nuneaton. Here's a band that sounds like Rolo Tomassi sneaking in into a Foals gig and playing in the background. They are an amazing live band. And yes, they do remind me of the amazing live band that is Foals. I can imagine, that with a few more hundred people to play for, Youves would make the crowd go into a massive frenzy of sweat and guitars.
Youves got a bet'er idea for a picnic, mate?
Youves - On Probation
Youves - On Probation (Download)
After the show, I went to buy some merch, and here's what I got, their EP, 'Cardio-Vascular.'
Youves - Cardio-Vascular EP
Okay, the music is brilliant. It's amazing, really. And with songs called 'Fully Erect Serve And Protect' and 'Another Djemba Djemba', How much more awesome can you get?
Well, apparently a lot more, if you open up the case.
Other than Girl Talk, I think mash-ups are a bit suspect, usually spoilt by poor execution and lazy splicing. But here is one that sounds like they were made for each other. It's been around for a while, though I've made a video for it, just by mashing up all the different music videos from both artists. Nothing fancy.
Bloc Party vs Katy Perry - I Kissed A Banquet (Party Kisser)
Today has been a relatively good day. Nothing really happened though.
This has got me excited.
Enter Shikari - Juggernauts
Their new album, out the day after my final paper. When is that? I wrote it sometime before. Should've paid attention, eh?
So. Right after my first exam, we went straight to Leeds, because there was a Live At Leeds event. It had James Yuill and The Voluntary Butler Scheme, and about a hundred other bands I either have never heard about or vaguely knew. What better chance do I have to discover new bands? But yeah, Lady Luck was a bit pissy that day. So the tickets were sold out, and we spent the day in Leeds shopping.
So what did we do to nurse our wounds? We went to see Peggy Sue in York instead.
Charlot Webster
The first of the support acts was Charlot Webster, an awkward-looking woman who played the ukelele and a small electronic guitar (electronic ukelele?). She also played the accordion in one of Peggy Sue's songs. Anyway, she was good, if a bit clumsy.
Charlot Webster
Charlot Webster - You Only Live Twice
Tom Reeve
Next up is someone who reminds me of Tetris Dreams. Singing "faster than Dr. Dre", Tom Reeve sings songs about a recently deceased dog that was apparently not immortal, and the destructive effects of neo-conservative capitalism. But then sometimes he sings (or raps) his words so fast, I have no idea what he was singing about. He sure can play the guitar (and the banjo) though. The highlight was "Jessie," a son about the aforementioned dog, a deceased pet of his girlfriend.
Tom Reeve on the guitar
Tom Reeve on the banjo
Tom Reeve - The Cuckold & The Whore
To break the mould, we had The Abstracts, a local pop rock outfit that cites Oasis, Bob Dylan, The Pretenders, The Futureheads and Kings of Leon amongst its influences. They were pretty good, but the audience were a bit unsure, I guess. It's essentially a folk (or anti-folk) gig, so to have a pop rock dance band was a bit out of place for some people. But yes, they did get people dancing, not least us.
The Abstracts
The Abstracts
The Abstracts - Great Grandma Britannia
Then we had what was undoubtledly the best of the four support acts, The Mariner's Children. Hailing from Brighton, they are tourmates of Peggy Sue. The two vocalists have amazing voices, and their arcadian music was quite perfect as I was in the mood of a more chilled out gig. We al
The Mariner's Children
The Mariner's Children - My Dear
The Mariner's Children - Start Again
Peggy Sue was up next. I don't really have much to say except that they're brilliant. I talked about them a few days back. These two women have amazing voices, and their lyrics are smart and funny. Noe if only there was a "like" button somewhere.
Here are low-quality videos from my mobile phone. Hahaha.
Peggy Sue -Lover Gone
Peggy Sue - Your Mama
Peggy Sue - All In My Grill (Missy Elliot Cover)
After the show, we went to the Merch table, and here's what we got:
Peggy Sue - Lover Gone EP
The Mariner's Children EP
The Peggy Sue CD cover also functioned as a shadow puppet stage, which I thought was ingenious. I will be looking forward to playing with this soon.
Here's a song, titled 'The New Song' from Peggy Sue.
Okay. Here's to make up for the lack of updates.
Signing out
We love Johnny Foreigner.
Ólafur Arnalds - Fok
To have written seven tracks in seven days, and to have them all consistently as beautiful as they are, is such an amazing achievement.
Coldplay - LeftRightLeftRightLeft (Live Album)
Jonquil - Babe, So Now Why No?
James Yuill - The Ghost
Wearing their hearts on their front pockets
Foals - Red Socks Pugie
What else can you do with a banana? Wait, don't answer that
Tubelord - I Am Azerrad
Sky's new TV package was quite unappealing
Nobody told them that's not how you solve it
Youves got a bet'er idea for a picnic, mate?
Youves - On Probation (Download)
Youves - Cardio-Vascular EP
Front
Back
Charlot Webster
Charlot Webster - You Only Live Twice
Tom Reeve
Tom Reeve - The Cuckold & The Whore
The Abstracts
The Abstracts - Great Grandma Britannia
The Mariner's Children
The Mariner's Children - Start Again
Peggy Sue - Lover Gone EP
The Mariner's Children EP
