Review: Matt Emery - Pulled Apart By Matt Emery

Pulled Apart By Horses are many things. They are one of the best, most entertaining live bands in Britain. They are purveyors of unpretentious, raucous, sweaty rock, and irreverently humorous, shouty vocals. They also provided us with one of the best albums of 2010. So it's perfect fodder for a piano reinterpretation then, yes?

If you choked yourself on that last bit there, then you haven't heard Matt Emery's covers of PABH's tunes on his youtube channel, and subsequently his upcoming cover EP, aptly called Pulled Apart By Matt Emery. Matt Emery covers 4 tracks by Pulled Apart By Horses, and he somehow manages to successfully incorporate the etherial, atmospheric nature of his Elysian Fields album with the furious intensity of Pulled Apart By Horses.

Read more, listen to tracks off the EP, and download the EP after the JUMP.

Exclusive: The Xcerts Acoustic Session

I've got another excellent acoustic session with you on the blog. This time it's with Scottish rockers, The Xcerts. I managed to catch them at the Leeds leg of their Rock Sound Tour with Dinosaur Pile-Up and Japanese Voyeurs. Enjoy the video:

The Xcerts - Carnival Time

I first saw The Xcerts at Southsea Fest 2009, a gig in which their bassist was absent because of some injury I, for the life of me, can't remember. Despite his absence, and despite not having heard The Xcerts before, I came out of that gig a fan of their brand of alt rock.

Since then I've managed to catch them live a couple of times with a complete line-up, and with every performance they seem to be getting better. Possessing anthemic rock sensibilities and melancholic, darkly subtle lyrics, The Xcerts's second album Scatterbrain came out last year to widespread critical acclaim. It also earned a spot on this blog's Top 50 Albums of 2010.

The Xcerts - Scatterbrain

Videos of their live show at The Cockpit later that night after the JUMP.

Exclusive: George Rae (Acoustic Session)

George Rae - Briefly Past

 This session has been sitting in my youtube channel for a while, and I never really intended for it to be an acoustic session for the blog. It was just a video between friends. George is a dear friend of mine, and this video was recorded two years after we last met.

But then I decided the songs and the performances are too beautiful to not spread the word. I don't want to throw so many praises, as I don't want to seem like I'm just hyping up my own friend. I'll just let you decide on this one.

His myspace is HERE.  

Watch another video after the JUMP.

Exclusive: My First Tooth Acoustic Session In The Lady Loo

It's not often you get an acoustic session recorded in the comforts of the mysterious ladies bathroom. But hey, that was the best-lit, noise-free environment we could manage to find in such a short amount of time.

Anyway, the band featured today is My First Tooth, who plays a delightful mix of alt-folk and indie pop that's both highly danceable and deeply emotional. It's a bit like doing the Macarena after your favourite kitten just died. Or not.

Watch the videos after the JUMP

Exclusive: Matt Emery Plays Ghost Dreaming And A Song With A Long Title

Matt Emery has a different musical side to being the drummer of indie powerpop quintet Stagecoach with their quirkily fun, hilariously witty, contagiously enthusiastic tunes and live performances.

For those of you who haven't heard of Matt Emery's solo project, it's been described as 'hauntingly ethereal' and much like 'Sigur Ros scoring the piano.' Often breathtaking, always beautiful, Emery's voice interacts gracefully with the melancholic melodies of his piano. This is the soundtrack of the most vivid of your bittersweet memories.

Matt Emery has kindly agreed to perform exclusively for the blog on his acoustic guitar. Do enjoy.

Watch the videos after the JUMP