jump to navigation

Late Summer Lovelyness part.7 November 11, 2007

Posted by alexd in Forgotten Greats, Music, Unheard Artist.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
add a comment

I think this is a statement on my mental health. If you look to the left you can see how I personally organise the seasons according to the year. And thus I shall cram all the songs I was going to post in one big horrible chunk. Don’t blame me, blame a poor up bringing where I spent too much time indoors.

HERE IS SOME TEXT TO MAKE THINGS NEAT

The Snake The Cross The Crown-Gypsy Melody

Thats literally all I know about this band. There name. That and there from America. Its only the third largest nation on the planet. Mostly dust and hills anyway. Anyway this song is great. A cute little fingerpicked intro gives way to a trickling melody before a stomping drum kicks into action, then a cymbal, suddenly lyrics of weather and hope soar into the air dragging this song to a massive happy rocking end. Proper uplifting. Reserve for GCSE mocks if your ickle or you know, Christmas.

MP3: The Snake The Cross The Crown- Gypsy Melody

Myspace: Are surprisingly popular

Slow Club- Biology Hearts

Again delicate acoustic guitars compliment a declicate sounding pair of girl and boy vocals, apparently predicting the rather depressing downfall of humanity. But you know they sing about childhood games too. Luckily this songs also has pink flower covered buckets of charm thate negate any morose topics. Its obviously follows a Joy Division style sad but happy combo of lyrics and melody, but in a completely different way. Why do I write this drivel. Just concentrate on charming, ignore the other bollocks. Seriously though, these guys have got tunes, and they’ll be massive once Noah and the Whale have got out the way.

MP3: Slow Club-Biology Hearts

Myspace: Probably deserve another 10 mates

Harry Nilsson-Gotta Get Up

This song was made in 1972, buts its as fresh as daisy. Unlike the character of the song, who like many of us struggles with arriving to work in time, due to having too much fun. The chorus reminding us of this inner turmoil of fun vs work. This song also has these amazing drunken trumpets and lazy accordian. Amazing songwriting and arrangement. Sadly this guy died 10 years ago, and the ending is a bit rubbish, but apart from that its a gem!

MP3: Harry Nilsson-Gotta Get Up [highly recommended]

Website: www.harrynilsson.com

So there you guy. I’ll post some more noise up soon, as I’ve had a couple of complaints, and been to loads of gigs, and have nothing to do now that UCAS is all sewn up. Ta ra!

Buzzband: Pterodactyl September 9, 2007

Posted by alexd in Buzz band, Music, Punk, Unheard Artist, Video.
add a comment

A little break in our laid back tunes and instead a barrage of noise to remind its Sunday and Jesus loves you!

Pterodactyl- Polio

I think for a self directed music video by a punk band, the tale of this runaway wheel is pretty cute! (probably don’t wanna hang around on that youtube related to channel though). But the track (found on the ever amazing TuneaDay by pete) really is super awesome. Frantic drumming permeates the whole song, while a tremolo guitar line prevents the song getting too bogged down in overused 5th chords like most punk bands. The bassists apparently pounds out one single note while a mental singer shrieks “woo hee hoo” in falsetto. Polio should not work in anyway, but it does so so well. It turns out sounding like Be Your Own PET! have stolen Battles and glued their feet to the floor as the walls close in around them like in indie Indiana Jones (the old kind not the new one that gonna be horrible).
Vice say it much better though:-

“It’s like Deerhoof without an epileptic Japanese pygmy vocalist and with more scuzz. I know that it sounds like it wouldn’t work but this is great to put on when you’re in a bad mood and want to be in an even work one.” -Vice Magazine

See. It sadly ends as quickly as it starts clocking in under 2 and a half minutes, which is probably it’s greatest flaw.

Pterodactyl consist of Kurt Beals on bass, Joe Kremer on guitar and Matt Marlin on a probably damaged drum kit (note this). They’ve been around since 2004 and actually performed loads of gigs in the US. I commend them for their DIY spirit, not having singles; instead making a video for a song you can get free of their website. They probably like dinosaurs.

Download: Pterodactyl-Polio [highly recommended]

Download: Pterodactyl- Esses

Website: www.pterodactyl.info

Myspace: Pterodactyl want more friends to eat

Label: Cardboard Records

Late Summer Lovelyness part.3 September 4, 2007

Posted by alexd in Music, Unheard Artist, Video.
add a comment


jetty, originally uploaded by saramara.

 

Lior- This Old Love (live)

Once again I’m telling you that I thought I have posted this before. I was right. But I love this song so much I’m posting it again. Mainly as I’m attempting to learn it again on guitar. Its a modern classic, beautiful lyrics, gorgous singing and some amazing fingerpicking guitar thats up there with Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah.

Download: Lior- This Old Love[highly recommened]

Website: www.lior.com.au

Myspace: He’s quite popular but look at his ickle face!

Late Summer Lovelyness part.2 September 4, 2007

Posted by alexd in Music, Pop, Unheard Artist, Video.
add a comment

A Summer’s Dream, originally uploaded by pstephanusde.

Axe Riverboy- Roundabout

I discovered Axe Riverboy thanks to the ever amazing LaBlogotheque I found out about Axe Riverboy as he jammed with Of Montreal. And this song really stood out. Catchy as genital herpes, and english as a second language certainly has harmed Axe Riverboy’s ability to write fun little lyrics (same could be said for the “french Strokes” Phoenix). Just listen to this song. It will make you happy like a super Prozac, without the risk of difficulties involving suicide. Roundabout is as fun as bouncing on a trampoline wrapped in bubble wrap.

Download: Axe Riverboy- Roundabout [highly recommended]

Website: www.jvcmusic.co.jp/axeriverboy

Myspace: Adding Axe Riverboy aids anglo-franco relationships

Late Summer Lovelyness part.1 September 4, 2007

Posted by alexd in Music, Unheard Artist, Video.
2 comments

2006_04_00085, originally uploaded by johntwilger.

Anyway I have panned for gold in the constant strean of shit songs produced daily by the web and discovered these beautiful golden gems of the songs. Have a barbaque, put these songs and be admired by the opposite sex for great taste and sensitivity. Nothing too fast passed, but by no excuses dull. These songs all have great melodies and as normal are only the creme de la creme, thus me bothering to post about them. Ecoute!

Forever Thursday- How Can It Be

This is probably the most lovely song you will hear this year. Possibly until they teach kittens to sing about rainbows. Thats not mean’t to sound patronising, but this Australian singer songwriter duo make adorable music to dream by. Haunting but friendly keyboards guide you into the meloncholy chroons of Melanie Horsnell, before a ukele solo alleviates you. Truely delightful, although I’m a tad embarrassed as i garnered this song from EASFA in March.

Website: www.foreverthursday.com

Myspace: Forever Thursday don’t have enough friends for Friday

Download: Forever Thursday- How Can It Be [highly recommened]

Edit: I’ll finish this post tommorrow I hate my internet 😦

Edit Edit: I’ll actually make this a series

Exams Kill May 28, 2007

Posted by alexd in Life, Music, Photography, Pop, Unheard Artist, Video.
add a comment

exams5, originally uploaded by will wade.
Hello, just to make sure people are aware. Nothing should be happening till the end of June here until this craps out the way. Here’s some stuff to distract you till then.
Digitalism- Pogo

If the world was fair this would be the dance song of the summer. It won’t. Damn you cruel world. It is definitely one of the most catchy electro boogies going though.
MP3: Digitalism- Pogo [highly recommended]
Website: www.thedigitalism.com
Myspace: Digitalism don’t need any more friends
Goodshoes- Morden

Best song off their new album. All about their home town.
MP3: Goodshoes- Morden
Websites: www.goodshoes.co.uk
Myspace: Goodshoes have the prettiest myspace going

Cultural Fascism March 2, 2007

Posted by alexd in Art, Look What I Just Found, Media, Music, My shit, Unheard Artist.
add a comment

cultural fascism

“People resent the destruction of culture and its replacement with these mass-produced corporate logos and slogans. It represents a kind of cultural fascism.”-Trim Bissell

And that was the start. I read No Logo by Naomi Klein last autumn and in it I found this quote. I knew it would be useful so i copied it down. And it was, essentially pulling me from my Art essay pretentiously called “The Art Of Manipulation” into looking at the difference between advertising and propaganda. My mind was then warped by this essay (which I now can’t find) into believing they are one of the same thing. Except one was demonized while the other was praised as capitalism’s saviour.

Thus when I discovered this project by the Anti Advertising Agency and the inventor of throwies Graffiti Research Labs my idea was resolute (the Ratatat probably got the creative juices flowing). The television pictured here plays a video of my brother watching television only lit by its occasionally blinking stare. I put the camera in front of the screen so it looks like he is staring back out at us, from behind the stencil that as as a screen between us and him, blocking televisions message and replacing it with my own. Its like interior culture jamming.

Anyway enough of that crap.

Foxes!

Label: None

Genre: Indie/Powerpop

Another great catch by Obscuresound.com these crazy kids are from Oxford and sound like a female fronted Violent Femmes or Giant Drag if they grew up in a satellite town. Anyway this songs infectious. I walked home to this song in the rain smiling like a loon once. Probably looked like a crazy lunatic. Anyway, notice the connection…

Download: Foxes!- Art Girl [highly recommended]

Notice it?

Website: www.sunnyblue.net/foxes Possibly the worst website ever. Merely a jesty Frontpage monster that just sits there. Slowly making you wanna throw up. A bit like the NME awards.

Myspace: Are doing quite well, but could do better with friends

Yay Snowday! February 8, 2007

Posted by alexd in Life, Music, Unheard Artist.
2 comments

Like many simple folk in the south of this great country, I am home today following a great sprinkling of the white stuff. The chickens don’t know how to react. Their stubby reptilian legs barely lifting their bodies above the frozen snow. People on the radio are complaining about it as they always do, while children use it properly, laughing and frolicking outside as their parents fret about hypothermia. I am a geek. So I spent the morning catching up on News Scientist magazines.

Anyway on the topic of snow, I found a band a few months ago called “Snowfight In The City Centre” and this very catchy tune. They sound like a much more happy version of The Editors, or Snowpatrol (no pun intended) with souls. Enjoy.

Download: Snowfight In The City Centre- No Light Left

Website: snowfight.net

Myspace: someones been busy sending out invites, probably the drummer

Is 2007 amazing! Its a world away from smelly old 2006! January 5, 2007

Posted by alexd in Comedy, Music, Unheard Artist.
4 comments

Sarcasm… Hope your various winter celebrations were good. Your doing better than 99% of the planet. Once again I shall apologise for not updating since the dawn of time. My computer went all Mariah Carey on me, if you must know. Anyway here’s some music to validate your life.

Misty’s Big Adventure- Fashion Parade

Basically a quick and dirty pop song that rips it out of nearly every successful indie band in the UK. Bravely sacrificing the chance of them ever appearing on NME’s dog eared cover. You will love it.

Minus points for the kitch Noddy Holden cameo.

Download: Misty’s Big Adventure- Fashion Parade

Website: mistysbigadventure.co.uk

Myspace: Misty’s Big Adventure are fairly popular but no Fall Out Boy

Please look forward for sporadic updates of amazing music.

Here are some links to keep you busy:

Oh and why not?

Charlotte Hatherly- Behave

Check out the beautifully animated video.

Expect me to post further due to loving her other stuff, and an upcoming second album.

coolest riff of ’07? All 5 days of it. Catchy though, still in my head.

Website: charlottehatherley.com

Unheard Artist: Mike Nicolai/Bah humbug Rant December 17, 2006

Posted by alexd in Life, Music, Rants, Unheard Artist.
1 comment so far

what christmas does to you If any of you have been reading any blogs beyond the endless drivelly “Best Of Lists” appearing on blogs, and the furthermore blogs by bloggers blogging about another bloggers blog blogging about “Best of lists” you may have noticed bow many bands have done “fun”/”wacky”/”twee”/”indie”and uniformly crap Christmas songs. I wont even give them the pleasure of listing them off.

Its not a necessary evil, by any means. But your average sycophantic scenester who knows 3 chords rockstar, is rather wound up in that grossly perverted commercial Christmas (Like that fucking kid in Hamley’s in November)  so every back to basics; “about family and friends” just sneers pervertedly back at me. And that’s why The Pogues are still the only band to write a good song about Christmas. Rather than the often misinterpreted good Christmas song.

Thanks for letting me get that out. Its not very good for someone that’s has spent the last 5 years actively arguing against Christmas. Those who did the maths will know that means i hated Christmas by the time I was 12. I did a PowerPoint presentation on it in year 8 English. It makes sense now when I look back why I’m a despicable cynical alternative music listening human husk I am now. I’ll stop now.

Go buy some crap for some people you dont like!

and make time to make stuff for those you do! Oh wait, you have no time, your too busy polluting the atmosphere with your gaudy lights, eating things imported by plains and chopping down the rainforest’s so you can wrap up oil based gifts with disposable paper and sending out unfunny cards. Oh humbuggar.

Actually on second thoughts, The Pogues and this one.

Download: Mike Nicolai- Christmas Is For Losers

Website: mikenicolai.net

Myspace: Mike Nicolai doesn’t have enough friends to buy shit presents for