Low: Breaker (Promo)

(Thanks Jimmy Johnson)

My First Youtube Video:The Man Don't Give a Fuck

Warning: Contains Graphic Images and Political Content

Bit of a Blur

Blur Talk Reports:

For Alex James, music had always been a door to a more exciting life: a way to travel, meet new people and, hopefully, pick up girls. But as bass player of Blur – one of the most successful British bands of all time – his journey was more exciting and extreme than he could ever have predicted. Success catapulted him from a slug-infested squat in Camberwell to a world of private jets and world-class restaurants. As ‘the second drunkest member of the world’s drunkest band’ life was always chaotic, but Alex James retained a boundless enthusiasm and curiosity at odds with his hedonistic lifestyle. From nights in the Groucho with Damien Hirst, to dancing to Sister Sledge with Bjork, to being bitten on the nose by the lead singer of Iron Maiden, he offers a fascinating and hilarious insight into the world of celebrity. At its heart, however, Bit of a Blur is the picaresque tale of one man’s search to find meaning and happiness in an increasingly surreal world. Pleasingly unrepentant but nonetheless a reformed man, Alex James is the perfect chronicler of his generation – witty, observant, frank and brimming with joie de vivre.

"Ambulance" Live:

Adem: Launch Yourself (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Thoughts On:Amiina Live in Chicago 3.23.07

There's definitely a different pace to an Amiina show, one that has more in common with a classical performance than a rock one. Although the group's show at Chicago's Lakeshore Theater revealed countless moments of beauty, there's not the same sense of instant gratification you get from a rock band. This is probably the reason why some Sigur Ros fans have an impression of Amiina as being "boring". For this reviewer, that's an unfair criticism of a band whose pacing and ambitions lie somewhere far afield from mainstream music, and even apart from Sigur Ros.

Throughout the show, there was the sort of giddy excitement one might expect with kids getting lose in the room where the school band keeps its instruments. The group switched between keyboards, strings, xylophones, a "glassophone", and harps, often within the space of one song. Digital looping pedals were used to organically craft layers of texture. There was an iBook on stage as well, but it seemed only to be utilized for scattered bits of percussion and atmospheric noise, like on the song "Hemipode" from the group's debut EP "AnimaminA".


The group's debut LP "Kurr" was also represented faithfully. The album's closing track "Boga" was actually the opener on this night, featuring Hildur playing some sort of instrument that required two bows. The ominous strains of this bizarre instrument carried through the song to the final fade out. Tracks that include the quartet's angelic harmonies, such as "Kolapot", "(R)ugla", and especially "Hilli", sounded stellar live and documented a musical progression from instrumental sketches to full-bodied pieces of work. Unfortunately, one of the the highlights of "Kurr", a track called "Lori", was not played. Being a change of pace for the band, it will probably take them a bit to put it together for the live setting.

Of course, one can't review an Amiina concert without mentioning the musical saw. It was there, as always, on the single "Seoul". As a special treat, the band returned for an encore and played a sort of 'saw symphony', with all four of them manipulating saws that reflected the venue's spotlights in every conceivable direction. As a bit of musical weirdness and beauty, it was the perfect summation of a charming evening.

[Read the Dead Flowers Interview with Amiina]
[Pre-order Amiina's Debut Record, "Kurr"]
[Amiina on Myspace]
[Official Amiina Website]
[Aminamusic.com Fansite]

Tour Dates:
march 28 Montreal (Le National) tickets
march 30 Philly (World Café Live) tickets
march 31 Boston (The Remis at Museum of Fine Arts) tickets
april 1 DC (9:30 Club) tickets
april 2 NYC (The Wordless Music Series) tickets
april 6 Cincinnati (Cincinnati Now Festival) tickets
april 9 Seattle (Triple Door) tickets
april 10 Portland (Doug Fir Lounge) tickets
april 12 San Francisco (Swedish American Hall) tickets
april 13 Los Angeles (Silent Movie Theatre) tickets
april 14 San Diego (House of Blues-5th Avenue Stage) tickets

Recently Seen on Dead Air Space

"Arpeggi"

"Back at the House"

"Mixing It"

[Dead Air Space]

Listen to "Arpeggi" Live:

[Download the MP3 @ lders.nl]

TGTBATQ: Live on NPR

Listen:

[Download the MP3 @ the NPR website]

Noel Gallagher: There is a Light That Never Goes Out (Live in Moscow)

[Link from SCYHO]

The Smiths:There is a Light That Never Goes Out Instrumental (MP3) [Repost]

Listen:

[Download]

(Thanks BigBoots)

Blur: Money Makes Me Crazy (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Thoughts on: Just a Modern Rock Story by Paul Whitelaw

"Ooh, get me away from here, I'm dying
Play me a song to set me free
Nobody writes them like they used to
So it may as well be me"

These lyrics, taken from "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying", sum up the Belle and Sebastian ethos. From their first LP "Tigermilk" to the "This is Just a Modern Rock Song" EP, they produced a string of practically flawless music. Their second album, "If You're Feeling Sinister", is for this writer probably the greatest collection of pure songs ever put together. This semi-official biography by Paul Whitelaw provides the context for that music, including lead songwriter Stuart Murdoch's struggles with health, the direction of his band, and cellist Isobel Campbell.

Stuart Murdoch was an active child and young man, a real live star of track and field, but all this activity would take its toll: at the end of the 80s, he was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was forced to spend a good portion of the best years of his life at home in bed. When he eventually returned to music, the music had to be calm enough so as not to trigger a relapse of the disease. When music writers and fans dismiss the band for being too twee, they might not be aware this fact. That's what makes the band's lighter touch endearing rather than cloying: whatever tweeness they may be guilty of is not an affectation.

Listen to "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying":

[Download the MP3 Here]

That's not to say that the author believes Belle & Sebastian are twee. Indeed, his impassioned defense of their non-tweeness is a highlight of the book. At the same time, he undermines his argument later in the book by applying the dreaded label to Isobel Campell's early solo work, music so similar to Belle & Sebastian that non-fans would have trouble telling the two apart.

Gentle Waves: "Falling from Grace"

So why is Whitelaw so tough on Isobel? The only possible interpretation seems to be he's following the lead of current band members. This being a semi-official biography, Bel is the subject of some rather harsh personal and musical criticisms, especially from Stuart and guitarist Stevie Jackson. Stuart and Isobel's tortured romance lasted for much of the band's life and put untold stress on the band, so it's entirely natural that people would feel bitter. But there's undoubtedly a small touch of misogyny here, which is honestly the last place I expected to find it.

One of the most valuable portions of the book is the way it puts the album "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" into context. Many Belle & Sebastian fans took the trifecta of the "Legal Man" single, the accompanying press conference, and the subsequent LP "Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant" much like they would the death of a close friend. All of a sudden, one of the most secretive, talented bands in indie music was out in the open looking mediocre at best. "Just a Modern Rock Story" informs the reader that this highly flawed coming-out party was the result of inner-band disfunction: Stuart and Isobel's relationship, a 'too-many-cooks-spoil-the -pot' approach to songwriting, and a desire to create a big sound without actually possessing the production wherewithal to do so.

"Dear Catastrophe Waitress" was the sound of Stuart Murdoch taking the reigns of the group once again. The man who had crafted virtually every song on those brilliant early albums was ready to be a band leader once again. The iconic Trevor Horn was brought in to produce, and the result was a sheen the band had never had before. Yes, it takes time for fans of the older material to get excited about this album. But songs like "Wrapped up in Books" and "If She Wants Me" have an undeniable quality to them, while being obvious descendants of songs heard way back on "Tigermilk".

"Wrapped Up In Books":

So, all told, a worthy biography. It will provide you with a greater appreciation of the band's work, a sense of the often turbulent personal relationships within the group, and a greater optimism for what Belle & Sebastian produce next.

This is Blogcore

Some of my fellow bloggers are doing some very good work over in their corners of the web, so I thought I'd point you in their direction:

Whatevs.org: Ol' Uncle Grambo is a blogging legend. In fact, it was Whatevs.org that led me to create my first site, "Glamorama". While Grambo and I might differ on pop culture (I once claimed that he had taken "time off from sipping lattes and bopping along to Kelly Clarkson on his iPod to stab me in the back" in the midst of a Stellastarr* debate), Grambo has always run his site for the right reasons. Plus, with the exception of Amanda Bynes, he has pretty good taste in women.

Recordreviews.org: Run by The Gorilla, who has such a storied past on the web that it's hard to recount everything here, this is a site that pretty much does what it says on the can: records are reviewed the week they come out. Yes, they make hilarious use of Google Image Search, but otherwise they play it straight. Gorilla has even got the legendary Peabs to review albums. Check out his "Neon Bible" review: it's a fine counterpoint to my take on the record.

Information Leaf Blower: The Leaf and I got in touch because we've always had similar interests. Whereas I've always written about Britrock and books, for the Leaf it's Britrock and sports. He also deserves points for consistency. There's not one week that's gone by where he hasn't posted a youtube video of The Jam, a wrap-up of a Celtics game, or a picture of his cat. Check it out.

From the Vaults:Interview with Mr. Razzcocks of The Libertines

(Originally Posted on Timeforheroes.net in 2004)

Through a mutual acquaintance, Timeforheroes.net was fortunate enough to start a correspondence with Paul Dufour, aka Mr. Razzcocks. The original Libertines drummer, Paul's work can be heard on the 'Legs 11' demo. These days, Paul stays busy with a number of recording projects. Here are some highlights from our correspondence:

You've been playing drums for years. What experiences stand out for you?

When I first started gigging at sixteen (I'm fifty-five now--so way back when!), I was working with a band that every week supported The Who (pre 'Pictures of Hilly'), Donovan, Tom Jones, The Hollies, P.J. Proby, The Merseybeats, and a bunch of other bands over a whole summer period. What stands out from that period of music in Britain ('65-'75) was the individuality--the wealth of different musical ideas and approaches, and the sharing of musical ideas--musicians getting together to jam. Fewer musicians and bands work this way now, I suppose because the musical scene is different in England.

What drummers/musicians have had the biggest influence on you over the years?

Drummers? Where do I start! I suppose for me jazz is the highest musical art form, because it involves a high technique, and yet it throws that away and says 'be creative, improvise'. So I hope this doesn't sound snobbish, but I'd have to say Elvin Jones. He died this year at 72, whilst on stage playing! I met Elvin at Ronnie Scott's in London on several occasions--the most wonderful drummer. He was into polyrhythms, or additional rhythms that wrap around a basic rhythm, which give the music a floating effect. That was his style when he was playing with John Coltrane.

I recently completed a CD of world music entitled 'Visions of Rhythm'. This has led me to work with a great percussionist named Mamadi Kamara. We're now working on a track in London at Odessa Studios with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. It's exciting--Airto has recorded with everyone: Miles, Dizzie, etc.

Technically you're a jazz drummer, so the Libertines connections seems a bit strange. Then again, The "Legs 11" material is quite a bit different than "Up The Bracket"...are you proud of that demo? How did you become involved with the group?

I may be a jazz head, but I've always enjoyed playing a variety of styles–blues, rock. It's all experience!

How did I become involved with the Libs? I'll tell you, but realize you’re one of a lucky few!

I was partner and friend to Gwyn Mathias, a brilliant recording engineer/producer. We met in '75 at Berwick St. Studios--he was working with Cat Stevens and The Sex Pistols. We got together and ran Odessa Studios for five years. Gwyn is still running it. He phoned me one day to come and do three tracks with a young band that had booked studio time. Of course, they'd turned up with no drummer! I turned up and we played through the songs and recorded them. They were rough, but they had a quality that I hadn’t heard in a while–an originality, a freshness, interesting lyrics, and musical angles which sometimes made no sense! That was The Libs.

At this time, there were three songwriters: Pete, Carl and John. I was left with the rhythmical element. I stayed with them for two years or more and in that time I recorded them as much as I could. We worked all the usual free London venues and built up a name. I left when I could afford it no longer--we had no management, etc. Pete and Carl signed to Rough Trade when I left. John isn't involved in that. I still keep in touch with John...

At the moment I have 16 tracks (including masters) of The Libertines while I was the drummer, and I'm thinking about doing something with these. The "Legs 11" stuff is just some of the demos that I sent out for the band to get a deal--somebody, somewhere got hold of that!

Not proud of any of the 'Legs 11' tracks, but compared to 'Bracket'...well, the later stuff just isn't my scene!

Listen to "Anything But Love":

[Download the MP3 Here]

I think a lot of people thought this bit in the Libertines bio:

And they employed a 70 year old drummer called Mr Razzcocks who used to be in The Sex Pistols (that's what he told them anyway).

...was probably just another one of Pete's tall tales. There's always a blurring of fantasy and reality with The Libertines, which makes them more endearing to fans who are on the outside looking in. Is it the same when you're on the inside?

That's just Pete's bullshit! When I knew them they were 20 years old and me 50--it was no problem--and that was the fun of it (no ageism). I’ve always been told 'never work with children or animals’--The Libertines were both!?! Pete, being a very talented wordsmith, always loved creating a mystique!

"Pay the Lady":

Did you leave the group when (former) manager Banny came in and instructed the group to write some 'punchier material', or had you already gone your separate ways? Have you met Gary? If so, what do you think of him as a person and/or drummer?

I was still in the band when Banny Puschti came in--just a young girl without a clue about music, working for Warner Chappell Music and wanting to manage The Libertines?!? I was at the tail-end. I just needed a paying gig, so I left the bullshit behind.

When I left and Pete and Carl signed up with her, she got Gordon Raphael in and said we want you to sound like The Strokes. The rest is familiar--she has been dumped and now Alan McGee is the manager. 'Punchier Material' meant rougher, quicker, fewer and more basic chords. In other words, crap!

I've met Gary once at the reunion gig after Pete got out of prison, so I don't really know him. He seems alright. I believe he uses a kit like mine--a Yamaha Custom Maple. They're a different band with him on drums. I have not ruled out working with them again under the right circumstances. The most recent history is blurred...

So you were at the reunion gig when Pete got out of jail. It seemed like a genuinely touching night. Would you agree?

I wrote to Pete in jail...I hadn't seen him since I left the Libs (1 and a half years?) and was concerned about his circumstances and situation. He sent me a nice return letter and we agreed to do a 'reunion' when he got out. John, being the professional he is, was at the gig early so we could rehearse...we hadn't played together for ages!

Pete and Carl turned up late--we went straight on to an enthusiastic crowd. Lousy sound, scrappy, half-remembered songs and arrangements...but the audience loved it. I played a set of all the songs we used to do when I was the drummer: "Love On The Dole", "Hooray For The 21st Century", "Music When The Lights Go Out, "France", "You’re My Waterloo", etc. A lot of people hadn't heard this stuff at the time. After my set, I came off stage and Gary joined them and did the 'Bracket' stuff.

Listen to "Hooray for the 21st Century":

[Download the MP3 Here]

As it stands now, Pete is in a sort of limbo, and the band are going to doing their touring/promotional commitments without him. What’s your take on Pete’s ongoing problems with drug addiction?

With Pete now--knowing him and reading various stories in the papers--it will go one way or the other. I really hope he can get out of the drug trap--he has a lot of support and a good family, etc. However sometimes it's the industry itself that does not help...the hype, the touring, recording, etc.

If Pete can get away from all that for a while, he may be repaired. I'm just sad about the waste of talent–he's an excellent songwriter and I love him dearly, but sometimes people go too far and there is nothing you can do. It's sad, I know, but let's hope Pete turns it around.

Timeforheroes.net thanks Mr. Razzcocks for taking the time to write to us. All the best Paul!

[The Mr. Razzcocks Official Website]

Pete Doherty w/ Dot Allison:"Don't Look Back Into the Sun" (Acoustic, MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

[Download the Whole Set on Rapidshare]
[Some Other Rare Downloads]

(Thanks to sheerhunnery on the .org Forum)

Vessels: "Yuki" (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

[On Myspace]
[Band Website]

(Thanks Ben)

Dead Flowers Interviews Amiina

Maria Huld Markan, Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir, and Hildur Ársælsdóttir, together known as Amiina, are a group from Iceland. Their debut LP "Kurr" will be released on March 21st. Many initially got to know the group as Sigur Ros' string section, and they share that band's adventurous approach to music and instrumentation. Listeners who enjoyed the more contemplative sections of "Takk" will find Amiina's music a welcome addition to their library. I spoke to Hildur from the group, who you might have seen playing the saw, among other instruments.

Thanks to Greg at http://aminamusic.com for general assistance and question help. Thanks as well go to the band's manager, Edna Pletchetero, for making the interview possible.

Dead Flowers: You started as a string quartet rather than as a rock band. How has that affected your approach to music?

Hildur: I'd say to some extent, the way we think is very influenced by our classical upbringing. the importance of instrumentation and nuances for instance. and also the fact that we don't depend on one main melody. it's more about layers and weaving independent melodies together. but this isn't classical music we are making, the cords and the structure of alot of the songs are more pop orientated.

DF: Your songs create a very specific mood. Do you set out to evoke certain emotions with your music?

H: Not really. but we seem to be an endless source of melancholy.

Listen to "Blaskjar":

DF: Now, an existential question: Why Amiina? What do you feel you can do in the context of the group that you can't do with Sigur Ros?

H: We have worked with Sigur Rós for a very long time, and had creative input, but we are not in the band. with amiina the process of starting a song from scratch is ours, the direction and the mood of each song is solely in our hands. when we were doing creative work with Sigur Rós it mostly consisted of adding our work to their world of sounds. it's actually two very different things. Although both very enjoyable.

DF: What is your favorite instrument to work with? When on tour, are you constantly on the look out for new instruments?

H: Haha, that's a good question to ask a band with 30 instruments on stage! it probably depends alot on which member you ask, and also on periods. we had a period where we could not make a new song without using our table harps in it, and we ended up traveling with 4 of them everywhere we go. but now everyone is tired of tuning them, so for some reason no one mentions the harps when we are writing new material! the metalophone seems to end up used in every song, and we are all in love with the celest, but that's a rare and expensive instrument, so only when we are lucky enough to borrow one. i think the best answer to the question would probably be that which ever instrument is the newest at any time is the most popular one. today it's probably the nord-compact we just bought to replace the beautiful fragile harmonium on tour.

On tour we don't really have that much time to look out for new instruments. but of course if we get free time and there is a place with interesting stuff nearby, we're very likely to be seen there yes.

Icelandic TV Appearance:

DF: Your songs move at a slower pace than most pop/rock music today; new layers are revealed gradually over the course of each song. Was this approach intentional, or is that just the most natural tempo for you?

H: I guess it's what comes natural for us. usually we don't start out saying:
"ok, let's make a really slow song with many layers". on the contrary, even
if we start out wanting to do a simple, cheerful song, this is what comes
out. we can't help it.

DF: The "Seoul" b-side "Ugla" has vocals on it, while your earlier work was instrumental. How did you decide to incorporate your voices?

H: There are 4 of us on stage, and a lot of the time we are in desperate need of
more hands. because when we are writing and recording, we tend to add more
layers than is physically possible for us to perform with 8 hands. here the
voices come in handy, four layers that don't take away any of the already
working hands. this is at least one of the reasons why we are incorporating
our voices more and more into our songs. but for now, we like to use them
more as additional instruments, rather than a lead melody.

Listen to "Ugla":

DF: You have what one could describe as a 'symbiotic relationship' with Sigur Ros. Some tracks on "Takk" sound very similar to Amiina's music. What do you think the group has learned from you? What have you learned from them?

H: Hmm. i don't know. we have spent a lot of time together, playing together and as friends. and certainly you are influenced by your surroundings to some extent, but i really can't speak on their behalf. And I'm sure they are a big influence on us without us necessarily noticing it, it's eight years since we played the first concert with them. i think working with them and spending so much time in this environment has made us feel certain that you don't have to make music the same way everyone else does. so maybe that played a part in us wanting to start making our own music, i don't know. but then again if they had been the "traditional" pop/rock band we would probably not have lasted this long together.

[Pre-order Amiina's Debut Record, "Kurr"]
[Amiina on Myspace]
[Official Amiina Website]
[Aminamusic.com Fansite]

Tour Dates:
march 21 Madison (Café Montmartre ) tickets
march 22 Minneapolis (The Varsity Theatre) tickets
march 23 Chicago (Lakeshore Theater) tickets
march 25 Cleveland (Cambridge Room, House of Blues) tickets
march 26 Detroit (Magic Bag) tickets
march 27 Toronto (The Music Gallery ) tickets
march 28 Montreal (Le National) tickets
march 30 Philly (World Café Live) tickets
march 31 Boston (The Remis at Museum of Fine Arts) tickets
april 1 DC (9:30 Club) tickets
april 2 NYC (The Wordless Music Series) tickets
april 6 Cincinnati (Cincinnati Now Festival) tickets
april 9 Seattle (Triple Door) tickets
april 10 Portland (Doug Fir Lounge) tickets
april 12 San Francisco (Swedish American Hall) tickets
april 13 Los Angeles (Silent Movie Theatre) tickets
april 14 San Diego (House of Blues-5th Avenue Stage) tickets

Thoughts on:Arcade Fire--Neon Bible

I came to the Arcade Fire late, which means that I missed the barrage of hype that "Funeral" received, but also missed the live performances that made people so excited in the first place.

With that in mind, I think it's easy to let the band's creative instrumentation and live energy cloud one's judgment. In the end, the Arcade Fire are just a rock band, and should be evaluated as such. Strip a song like "Crown of Love" of its bells and whistles, and it's nothing Travis couldn't have produced back in the day. Add to this the annoying songwriting tick of the quirky outro, as heard on songs like "Wake Up", and you have a band that's maybe not all it's cracked up to be.

On the other hand, Funeral's two key tracks, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" and "Rebellion (Lies)" were unmistakably brilliant. They were so good that I don't begrudge the band the hyped they've received thus far. Anthemic and triumphant, these songs showed the power that the group was capable of.

The first preview of "Neon Bible" was "Intervention", a showcase for church organ and lyrical melodrama. It's another big song, but also a bit of a red herring. Rarely does the rest of the album approach it in its directness. This is an album composed primarily of mood pieces. Thus, first single "Black Mirror" is more representative. There are subtle hooks, but it's more notable for the oppressive atmosphere of doom and gloom it creates. Elsewhere, the title track is more of a whimper than a song, while "Keep the Car Running" is similarly subdued.

On the other hand, the rerecorded "No Cars Go" is unabashedly huge, finishing on a sweeping outro that is one of the record's highlights. Along with "The Well and the Lighthouse" and "Antichrist Television Blues", "No Cars Go" is proof that this is a band that shines when it's not trying to be subtle.

"No Cars Go" Live:

So let's get to the real issue with this record: the lyrics. There's an almost painful sense of earnestness, of smugness even, that's practically boiling over here. On "Antichrist Television Blues", Win Butler wears a line like "Any idea where I was at your age? I was working downtown for the minimum wage" as a badge of honor the way only a former rich kid can. The vocal phrasing on a song like "Intervention" sounds stilted because Butler is so set on delivering the meaningful message he's crafted, he forgets how each syllable might fit into the song. Not convinced? Listen to the acoustic version of the song from the band's KCRW sesssion. The lyrics are not as potent, but they live more comfortably within the composition. The end result of these lyrical stumbles is a general lack of humor or wit that would make Bono in the 80s envious.

Listen to "Antichrist Television Blues":

[Download the MP3 Here]

I wanted to like this record more than I actually did. "Neon Bible" gave me few reasons to return after my initial couple of listens. Arcade Fire's flaws are born of the best intentions, so it feels unfair to completely write them off. But after slaving away in that office downtown, you might not want to spend your hard-earned money on such a joyless and ultimately forgettable collection of songs.

Verdict: Buy Selected Songs on iTunes

The Verve: Gravity Grave [Live] (Classic MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Are Record Shops Museums?

Alan McGee apparently thinks so:

When was the last time you went into a record shop? It was about a month ago in Tokyo for me. It was a boutique type of establishment, a bit like Rough Trade - it had vinyl and all the hip releases. Yet it still felt like a museum. All the music I want I can get off Amazon or go on MySpace to hear. There's no real need for record shops any more.

It's the same with music magazines. I find out my music news from NME.com and only buy the printed magazine if there's something I have to see for work. Since my blog on the subject, everyone talks to me about Q magazine and admit it's the kind of toilet paper they daredn't be seen in public with. As for MTV, YouTube has destroyed it. I can't even remember when I last watched it. Why would you, given that everything appears on YouTube within a day of it being broadcast?

Vietnam: Welcome to My Room (Promo)

(Thanks Jake Drake)

Travis: My Eyes (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Download Sampler of "The Boy with No Name" at ytorrentz.nl]

Classic Video: "Writing to Reach You"

Radiohead and Co. : The Big Ask

According to AtEase:

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood appear exclusively on a Friends of the Earth CD free with The Observer on Sunday 18 March.

The CD - Artists taking action on climate change - has been compiled in support of The Big Ask. It includes three exclusive live tracks performed by Thom and Jonny at the sell-out Big Ask Live benefit gig at London's KOKO on 1 May 2006.

To tie in with the CD, Friends of the Earthe also released exclusive video footage from The Big Ask Live gig, which includes previously unseen clips of Thom and Jonny in rehearsal.

Other artists who have donated live tracks to the CD are Razorlight, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Damien Rice, Guillemots, Roots Manuva and Polar Bear. [thanks Cris]

Full track listing
Pyramid Song - Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood
No Surprises - Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood
Cymbal Rush - Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood
Movements - Roots Manuva
Supernaturally - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Back to the Start - Razorlight
Elephant - Damien Rice
Trains to Brazil - Guillemots
It Snows Again - Polar Bear

Official Promo Video:


Listen to "Bodysnatchers" from the Koko show:

[Download the MP3 @ lders.nl]

Foreign Born: Don't Take Back Your Time (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 from Grand Gallop Records]

The Radio Dept: Podcast

Listen to The KEXP Session:

[Subscribe to the podcast here]

(Thanks Big Boots)

BBC Collective Explores "Inland Empire"

The always brilliant BBC Collective has an interview up with David Lynch, who discusses his latest head-scratcher "Inland Empire":

“A woman in trouble”. That’s as far as David Lynch is prepared to elaborate on the subject of his latest film, Inland Empire. Lynch has always resisted interpreting his own multi-layered, surreal dreamscapes but his reticence here makes more sense than ever, because his movie, on any conventional shot-by-shot basis, does not. How does one describe a three-hour digital video shuffle (shot on a consumer-level camera, not HD) of shape-shifting characters and parallel worlds populated by Hollywood actors, Polish prostitutes and a canned-laughter sitcom featuring humans dressed as rabbits?

"Inland Empire" Trailer:

Primal Scream: Burning Wheel [Live] (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Probably Influenced By:
The Rolling Stones: "The Lantern"
The Beatles: "Rain"

My Blog is Hipper than Your Blog, Sing It

Idolator vs. Stereogum:

"Oh, Stereogum. How much fun it must be to live your lives as if you were still riding in the middle-section of the eighth-grade school-bus, talking down to the other kids because they're still digging Green Jellö while you've moved on to Superchunk. You're right: It is kind of interesting that the vaunted 33 1/3 series is doing a book on Celine Dion! And it's even more interesting that you guys aren't the slightest bit open-minded toward an opinion that strays from your hard-line "cool vs. uncool" canonical beliefs. Whatever the case, we await the inevitable "It's Okay To Like...Celine Dion" feature in a year, right after you guys make the ever-timely discovery that Hall & Oates weren't that bad."

Normally, I stay out of this sort of blogging tit-for-tat. But I think there's actually an interesting theme here. While dedicating a 33 1/3 book to Celine Dion seems like an unlikely choice, it all gets to one of the little-mentioned maxims of rock: The Stones and The Beatles did it all, man, so you might as well have a laugh.

That's why U2 in the 80s were so boring and that's why the Arcade Fire get more ridiculous with each passing day: this music just wasn't made to be taken that seriously.

The Winner: Idolator

The Tears: Autograph (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Pop Music's Appeal Explained

An Oldie But a Goodie:

Study Finds Dementia May Affect Musical Tastes

Science Daily — St. Paul, MN -- Appreciating music for the first time, or switching preferences from classical to "pop" music, can be a behavior resulting from dementia, as reported in Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Dementia is often characterized by a loss of reasoning abilities, language skills and memory. But researchers at the National Centre for Research and Care of Alzheimers Disease in Brescia, Italy, found that two of the patients who had acquired frontotemporal dementia, subsequently acquired something new: an appreciation for a kind of music they previously disliked.

In one example cited in the study, a 68-year-old lawyer developed progressing apathy, indifference to his work, and a loss of inhibition, judgment, and speaking and abstract thinking skills. About two years after his diagnosis, he began to listen at full volume to a popular Italian pop music band. Formerly a classical music listener, he had once referred to pop music as "mere noise."

In another example, a 73-year-old homemaker developed apathy and loss of interest in her children. About a year after her diagnosis, she developed an interest in music, where she had barely tolerated easy-listening tunes before, and began sharing her 11-year-old granddaughter's interest in pop music.

[As Heard on Car Talk]

Amiina Ready New Album

From their official site:

Dear all,

Finally our debut album, Kurr, will be allowed to wander off into the big world. It will happen on March the 21st, but pre-orders have already started. We do hope it brings you joy!

This first run is a little bit special, as it is released by our own Bláskjár Records. For now the album will only be available at our shows and in our webstore. But we're talking to some people who want to make it more widely available, so by this summer it will hopefully have travelled to most decent record stores around the world. We'll give you news on all that later.

But if you can't wait that long, come to our shows, or purchase it online (there are also some other new nice things there to buy)!

Amiina w/ Sigur Ros on Jools Holland:


Tour Dates:
march 21 Madison (Café Montmartre ) tickets
march 22 Minneapolis (The Varsity Theatre) tickets
march 23 Chicago (Lakeshore Theater) tickets
march 25 Cleveland (Cambridge Room, House of Blues) tickets
march 26 Detroit (Magic Bag) tickets
march 27 Toronto (The Music Gallery ) tickets
march 28 Montreal (Le National) tickets
march 30 Philly (World Café Live) tickets
march 31 Boston (The Remis at Museum of Fine Arts) tickets
april 1 DC (9:30 Club) tickets
april 2 NYC (The Wordless Music Series) tickets
april 6 Cincinnati (Cincinnati Now Festival) tickets
april 9 Seattle (Triple Door) tickets
april 10 Portland (Doug Fir Lounge) tickets
april 12 San Francisco (Swedish American Hall) tickets
april 13 Los Angeles (Silent Movie Theatre) tickets
april 14 San Diego (House of Blues-5th Avenue Stage) tickets

Fresh Air Now Podcasting for Free

If you've ever listened to NPR, then you know that Terry Gross is probably the best interviewer today. While "Fresh Air" is featured on practically every NPR station in the country (for good reason), the podcast up till now has been a prohibitively expensive Audible download. The good news? The show is now podcasting for free. Subscribe through iTunes (link below) or through the Fresh Air homepage.

Some classic interviews:
[Thom Yorke]
[Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian]
[Ricky Gervais, promoting "Extras"]
[Wes Anderson, promoting "The Royal Tenenbaums"]

Dead Flowers Interviews Matt from Foreign Born

Matt Popieluch is the lead singer in Foreign Born, one of Los Angeles' very best bands. In the group, he's complimented by Ariel Rechtshaid's melodic bass playing, Lewis Pesacov's distinctive effects-laden guitar, and Garrett Ray's innovative drumming. They have had one proper release, the "In the Remote Woods" EP on Startime, and have had their debut LP "On the Wing Now" available to buy at shows for the past few months.

I got in contact with Matt because "On the Wing Now" is the best LP I've heard in years, an unusually confident mix of rock influences that never retreats into nostalgia. While "In the Remote Woods" showed promise, "On the Wing Now" realizes the band's potential on songs like "In the Shape" and "Letter of Inclusion".

Matt also performs solo under the moniker Big Search. Big Search's debut "Mysticism vs Classicism" was released in 2003.


Dead Flowers: As I understand it, you recorded "On the Wing Now" without label support, and then shopped it around. Can you talk about the process of finding the right label?

Matt Popieluch: It's been a little exhausting to be honest. It's turned into a dream-like state where we're walking in a dark field. not much is real anymore.. I guess the "right label" for us would be one that has a bit of a spine and that doesn't wait for other labels to get interested before they do. We've encountered a lot of this behavior and it's been lame as the hills. There are a few things happening right now, and I believe one way or another the record will be coming out in early June. Even if we have to strap it to our backs! We have a lot of material brewing for the next record and we want to get on with the show. On the plus side, we have gotten to know the local Kinko's staff pretty well, making the booklets for all our self released - releases.

I remember driving on tour this last fall in our van running on vegetable oil, with our recycled album covers and zero tour support realizing that we were the most D.I.Y., punk rock band that we knew! Hand stamping every CD, jumping into barrels of grease behind the club for fuel! And it was all kind of by accident! So this whole experience of being without a label has forced us to be both resourceful and creative, and broke! But we never stopped to consider not doing it.

DF: Are the details of the album's proper release now set in stone?

MP: If the stone could be crushed by a child, then yes.

DF: One of Foreign Born's signatures is your almost hyperactive acoustic guitar. How did that come about?

MP: Well, I got this acoustic guitar you see... An old Martin that channels all of my energy. I walk around the house with it, and unfortunately it gets banged up against the hallways and doorways. People yell at me for treating it with such abandon, but it's really just an extension of me at this point. I write all my songs on this guitar, and it carries quite a rhythm when strummed like hell.

I think the acoustic adds a unique texture to the band. I switch between an amplifier and the house p.a., sometimes in the middle of a song, just for that extra push over the cliff. It adds a warmth and an intensity that I would be hard-pressed to achieve in a different light. It feels like a direct line into the audience through which I can "up the ante" if you will, accentuate rhythms or just straight up mess with other members of the band.

"Remote Woods" Live:

DF: Along those lines, percussion seems to be a very important aspect of your music. There's a genuine understanding of how it can make a song more exciting. For example, the second half of "In the Shape"...

MP: Yes, we are percussion enthusiasts! Lewis (guitar player) is an avid collector of percussive things. He has a large collection of goat claws! Those come in handy when you least expect it..

"In the Shape" is a good example of a rhythmic upheaval, it really just lifts the song to another level. A quickly strummed, dry, distorted guitar, a million shakers, and the rhythmic background vocals just really make it drive.

Listen to "In the Shape":

[Download the MP3 Here]

DF: There's such a rich musical tradition being mined with Foreign Born that it's sometimes hard to peg your influences. Personally, seeing you live, I always thought of the sort of west coast bands heard on the "Nuggets" compilation. Is that just me?

MP: That is just you, unfortunately, but it's a nice compliment. I would imagine it's the song "Into Your Dream" that coaxes the comparison. It does sound like a sixties, garage rock riff, and um.. like a Fall riff we know.. but you didn't hear that from us. Other influences include John Lennon, Roy Orbison, Fleetwood Mac and Roxy Music

DF: Your solo project Big Search has a song called "Oh Gypsy Davy", who also gets a mention in Dylan's "Tombstone Blues". How much would you say Dylan has influenced you?

MP: Hmmm, the influence of Dylan. The "Gypsy Davy" concept was lifted from a Woody Guthrie song, and we all know who else lifted things from Guthrie.. Dylan has always been a huge influence for me, it didn't occur to me with this song, but it's unavoidably underneath a lot of what I do, being a dude who plays guitar and sings lyrics at the same time. Otherwise I'm not currently in a place where Dylan is looming very large on my horizon. That particular song was recorded almost five years ago..

Listen to "You'll Often Change" by Big Search:

[Download the MP3 Here]

DF: The members of Foreign Born are pretty busy with side projects. Does that ever create tension within the band?

MP: Not much. Foreign Born's been the main focus for quite sometime now. It gets a little hectic when a different band's show happens during the same week as another, which always seems to happen somehow...but it's cool. Lewis has a new band with Luke Top called "Fool's Gold". It has a heavy African influence, and involves incense, Luke free-styling in Hebrew, robes and lots of people on percusion and many guitars! Including me. It's really fun. We're just trying to make as much music as we can, and different combinations of people yield different results.

DF: You have an incredible drummer in Garrett Ray. Does that affect your songwriting process?

MP: Yeah. The dude's a one man drum circle. When we write, we look forward to our wildest dreams coming true.. We write in different ways. Sometimes the songs are brought to rehearsal with strong ideas of how they should go down, and other times with out them.

The best part of the process is how the songs evolve as we play them live. For instance - Garrett and I instinctively working out little synchronized fills where the acoustic guitar and drums mirror eachother, just for a second! Its very cool! We never talk about it, it just comes about. He's also got some pipes on him when he's singing harmonies! He does a mean Michael MacDonald!

"Letter of Inclusion":

DF: This is sort of an obvious point, but in an age of mid-tempo bands, it's refreshing to hear FB playing fast and slow songs. Tempo has as much effect on the mood of a song as anything. Would you agree?

MP: That's the damn truth! Its a statement! Speed it up or slow it down!
Accept the music for what it is. If it's really slow, then be patient and calm the hell down. If it's fast, then get ready for hell on Earth!

Thanks to Matt for sitting down with Dead Flowers. Watch this space for Foreign Born updates. To get your hands on any of the music mentioned in the interview, contact the band through the links below.

[Foreign Born Website]
[Foreign Born Myspace]
[Big Search Myspace]
[Grand Gallop Records]

I Am Kloot: Over My Shoulder (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Brian Jonestown Massacre: Ballad of Jim Jones(Classic MP3)

Lyrics:

I walked from New York and back from L.A.
I lived on a mountain and once by the bay
I bought an apartment and slept in the hay
but there's no place that's softer than (your arms)

living today is just getting so bad
there's a look on your face
and it says"you've been had!"
you can take all my money
but don't make me mad
cause there's nobody meaner than (me)

I prayed to Buddha, to Allah, and Jim.
I turned to Jesus and stayed there with him
I fell in deep but I learned how to swim
now there's no one who's cleaner than me or than him

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Liam Meets Nelly

You know, you just can't beat Liam when it comes to a good Coldplay quote:

Nelly Furtado was left hot and bothered after hooking up with her idols Oasis backstage at last Wednesday's (February 14) Brit Awards.

The singer, who revealed she used to write the Gallagher brother letters when she was a teen such was her love, said being at the same bash as them was surreal.

“I was watching the show and the paparazzi were taking photos of Oasis and after a certain point, some of them turned their cameras and were taking pictures of me watching Oasis, and I thought, 'This has definitely come full circle,'" she told MTV News

"I've met Noel Gallagher before, but (after the awards) I ran over to Liam and said, ‘Hi, hi, I’m Nelly, I’m a big fan, and you were great tonight’, and he went, ‘Oh right - I like your song’, and I’m like, ‘Which one? 'All Good Things Come To An End'? And he’s like, ‘Yeh, that one', and I’m like, ‘Chris Martin helped me write it', and then he goes, ‘Oh, then I hate it, it’s rubbish.'”

[Link from SCYHO]

Things That Suck #62: The Press Response to Lily Allen

To hear otherwise respectable critics describe her, you would think Lily Allen were the second coming of rock, pop, you name it. Truth is, the pudgy singer got where she is thanks more to nepotism than dues paid, and there's nothing rock n' roll about that.

While we're on the topic, let's mention that it's impossible to have a true grassroots, word-of-mouth campaign on the internet/myspace when you've been signed to a major label from the get-go. In the political world, they would call that "astroturf".

Yes, she has a couple of decent songs. Yes, in an age of bland pop her music is somewhat refreshing. But let's be honest, at best she's this year's Craig David. I predict a Sting collaboration by album 3.

Listen to Lily Allen on "Sound Opinions":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Craig David: Seven Days