NEW RADIOHEAD! Live from The Basement

Looks like Radiohead are going back to The Basement to perform The King Of Limbs and this new song called Staircase!

Here's the blurb from Phil:
"Here's a new track called Staircase, taken from our upcoming 'From The Basement' session.

And no, you're not seeing double. The doppelganger drummers are myself and Clive Deamer. Clive has long been one of my favourite drummers and so I was really excited when he agreed to perform with us. Hope you like what we've all done.

Philip x"



Enjoy! And know that the videos from The Basement off In Rainbows are on iTunes for .99 cents... that's not me shilling for them... I just downloaded "All I Need" and "Reckoner". Be back soon!

Parlophone now UK's Most Viewed Youtube Channel!

Parlophone was the first record company that started giving me promos back in the day... and at least a couple times they were nice enough to give me the "jump" on everyone else which helped establish this blog a little quicker. I didn't start posting their stuff to climb the ladder though... I posted it because a large portion of my favourite bands are on it! See for yourself below and remember some of the high points in Parlophone's esteemed career :) Check out more here.

Peter Doherty- "Broken Love Song"


The Verve- "Bittersweet Symphony"


Blur- "The Universal"


Radiohead- "No Surprises"


Pet Shop Boys- "West End Girls"


Hot Chip- "Ready For The Floor"


Late Of The Pier- "The Bears Are Coming"


Supergrass- "Alight"


Big thanks to David Lennon. Be back soon!

Parlophone re-issues 1st three Radiohead albums

We almost ALL love Radiohead... but do we love their repackaged albums?

I won't front. I now own every Radiohead album on vinyl because the (American distributor) Captiol vinyl re-issues. But do we feel weird about buying these albums? Or does it matter because they were major label albums to start with... hmmmmm... I mean it's not exactly Paint A Vulgar Picture... or maybe it is?!?!? Dunno.

"Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package! Re-evaluate the songs, Double-pack with a photograph..."

From Buzzine:

The releases — Pablo Honey, The Bends and OK Computer – will be available as two-CD Collector’s Editons and Limited Edition two-CD+DVD Editions, and feature the original tracks plus demos, live recordings, TV performances, and other rare material.

Pablo Honey’s “Collectors Edition” features the original album on disc one, and demos, rarities, live performance recordings and a 1992 BBC Radio One session on disc two. The “Special Collectors Edition” DVD adds four promotional music videos, the band’s 1993 debut “Top of the Pops” performance, and nine live recordings from their May 1994 London Astoria concert.

The Bends’s “Collectors Edition” features the original album on disc one, EPs with rarities and a 1994 BBC Radio session on disc two. The “Special Collectors Edition” DVD adds five promotional music videos, 1995 and ‘96 TV performances from “Top of the Pops,” “Later with Jools Holland,” “2 Meter Session,” and eight filmed performances from their May 1994 London Astoria concert.

OK Computer’s “Collectors Edition” features the original album on disc one, EPs with rarities and live recordings, and a 1997 BBC Radio One “Evening Session” performance on disc two. The “Special Collectors Edition” DVD adds three promotional music videos and a May 1997 TV performance from “Later with Jools Holland.”

TRACK LISTS

Pablo Honey (Collectors Edition) - 2CD

Disc One

1. “You”
2. “Creep”
3. “How Do You?”
4. “Stop Whispering”
5. “Thinking About You”
6. “Anyone Can Play Guitar”
7. “Ripcord”
8. “Vegetable”
9. “Prove Yourself”
10. “I Can’t”
11. “Lurgee”
12. “Blow Out”

Disc Two

Drill EP

1. “Prove Yourself” (Demo)
2. “Stupid Car” (Demo)
3. “You” (Demo)
4. “Thinking About You” (Demo)

Creep

5. “Inside My Head”
6. “Million Dollar Question”
7. “Yes I Am”
8. “Blow Out” (Remix)
9. “Inside My Head” (Live)
10. “Creep” (Acoustic)
11. “Vegetable” (Live)
12. “Killer Cars” (Live)

Anyone Can Play Guitar

13. “Faithless, The Wonderboy”
14. “Coke Babies”

Pop Is Dead

15. “Pop Is Dead”
16. “Banana Co.” (Acoustic)
17. “Ripchord” (Live)

Stop Whispering

18. “Stop Whispering” (US Version)

BBC Radio One Session (06/22/92)

19. “Prove Yourself”
20. “Creep”
21. “I Can’t”
22. “Nothing Touches Me”

Pablo Honey (Special Collectors Edition) - 2CD+DVD

Promo videos:

“Creep”
“Anyone Can Play Guitar”
“Pop Is Dead”
“Stop Whispering”

Top Of The Pops (09/16/93)

“Creep”

The Astoria, London - Live (05/27/94)

“You”
“Ripcord”
“Creep”
“Prove Yourself”
“Vegetable”
“Stop Whispering”
“Anyone Can Play Guitar”
“Pop Is Dead”
“Blow Out”

The Bends (Collectors Edition) - 2CD

Disc One

1. “Planet Telex”
2. “The Bends”
3. “High And Dry”
4. “Fake Plastic Trees”
5. “Bones”
6. “(Nice Dream)”
7. “Just”
8. “My Iron Lung”
9. “Bullet Proof…I Wish I Was”
10. “Black Star”
11. “Sulk”
12. “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”

Disc Two

My Iron Lung

1. “The Trickster”
2. “Punchdrunk Lovesick Singalong”
3. “Lozenge Of Love”
4. “Lewis (Mistreated)”
5. “Permanent Daylight”
6. “You Never Wash Up After Yourself”

High And Dry/Planet Telex

7. “Maquiladora”
8. “Killer Cars”

Fake Plastic Trees

9. “India Rubber”
10. “How Can You Be Sure?”
11. “Fake Plastic Trees” (acoustic)
12. “Bullet Proof (I Wish I Was)” (acoustic)
13. “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” (acoustic)

Street Spirit (Fade Out)

14. “Talk Show Host”
15. “Bishop’s Robes”
16. “Banana Co.”
17. “Molasses”

BBC Radio One Session (04/14/94)

18. “Just”
19. “Maquiladora”
20. “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
21. “Bones”

The Bends (Special Collectors Edition) - 2CD+DVD

Promo Videos:

“High And Dry” (UK Version)
“High And Dry” (US Version)
“Fake Plastic Trees”
“Just”
“Street Spirit (Fade Out)”

The Astoria, London - Live (5/27/94)

“Bones”
“Black Star”
“The Bends”
“My Iron Lung”
“Maquiladora”
“Fake Plastic Trees”
“Just”
“Street Spirit (Fade Out)”

2 Meter Session, Holland (02/27/95)

“My Iron Lung”
“High And Dry”
“Fake Plastic Trees”
“Street Spirit (Fade Out)”

Later With Jools Holland (05/27/95)

“The Bends”
“High And Dry”
“Top Of The Pops”

High And Dry (03/09/95)

Fake Plastic Trees (06/01/95)

Street Spirit (Fade Out) (02/01/96)

OK Computer (Collectors Edition) - 2CD

Disc One

1. “Airbag”
2. “Paranoid Android”
3. “Subterranean Homesick Alien”
4. “Exit Music (For A Film)”
5. “Let Down”
6. “Karma Police”
7. “Fitter Happier”
8. “Electioneering”
9. “Climbing Up The Walls”
10. “No Surprises”
11. “Lucky”
12. “The Tourist”

Disc Two

Paranoid Android

1. “Polyethylene” (Parts 1 & 2)
2. “Pearly”*
3. “A Reminder”
4. “Melatonin”

Karma Police

5. “Meeting In The Aisle”
6. “Lull”
7. “Climbing Up The Walls” (Zero 7 Mix)
8. “Climbing Up The Walls” (Fila Brazillia Mix)

No Surprises

9. “Palo Alto”
10. “How I Made My Millions”
11. “Airbag” (Live In Berlin)
12. “Lucky” (Live In Florence)

BBC Radio One Evening Session (05/28/97)

13. “No Surprises”
14. “Climbing Up The Walls”
15. “Exit Music (For A Film)”

OK Computer (Special Collectors Edition) - 2CD+DVD

Promo Videos:

“Paranoid Android”
“Karma Police”
“No Surprises”

Later With Jools Holland (05/31/97)

“Paranoid Android”
“No Surprises”
“Airbag”

In Search Of Arcadia: Best Of 2008

Well this is a little impromptu... but as things have been going lately I'll be coming BACK to finish this post a little later. Right now Hype Machine wants my URL :)

EDIT: I'm almost done as the year is ending... BUT DON'T BE SURPRISED if it keeps changing right up until NYE lol!

I initially wrote that I wasn't pleased with music this year. Then I realized I was just in a god awful mood and remembered the boat loads of albums and singles that I loved this year! Suddenly there were more and more albums I was remembering and stuff I forgot about... so instead of being bitchy and writing about how lame things were, I'm perking up and trying to remind both you and myself how dope 2008 was...

British best of...
EDIT: Ok, I wasn't sure about this... but... I thought Radiohead didn't count because the digital version of "In Rainbows" came out like September last year. Then the boxed set came out in December 2007. Then I suddenly realized that the physical release actually came after the beginning of 2008! So if you recognize "In Rainbows" as being a 2008 release then that's my number one. If not then the list stays the same...
1. Portishead- "Third"
2. Hot Chip- "Made In The Dark" (download Hot Chip- "Sensual Seduction (Snoop Dogg Cover)")
3. The Black Ghosts- "S/t" (download Black Ghosts July 2007 Mini Mix)
4. Bloc Party- "Intimacy"
5. The Streets- "Everything Is Borrowed"
6. Foals- "Antidotes"
7. The Last Shadow Puppets- "Age Of Understatement"
8. Metronomy- "Nights Out" (download Metronomy - "A Thing For Me (Sinden Remix)" from the single of the same name)
9. Dizzee Rascal- "Maths & English" (came out in the U.S. this year which is fair play)
10. Benga- "Diaries Of An Afro Warrior"


Honourable Mentions:
The Chap- "Mega Breakfast"
Friendly Fires: "S/t"
The Whip- "X Marks Destination" (download The Whip- "Trash (South Central Remix)")
Supergrass- "Diamond Hoo Ha Man"
Late of the Pier- "Fantasy Black Channel" (not out in the U.S. til 2009; download Late of the Pier- "Space And the Woods (South Central Remix)")

Best Single:

Bloc Party's "Mercury" was my favourite single of the year. Not just because of awesome remixes from CSS and Flosstradamus but the mesmerizing b-side "Idea For A Story" (which was included on the 'indie retail' version of "Intimacy" in the U.S)... the song's tense anxious strings, it's menacing chorus, and perfect production made it stand out amongst a lot of good tracks this year. What really made it my fav though was the verse...
"When I saw you last night, I wanted to say,
`Run away with me, away from the cynics
That this could be the start of something truly real`
But all that I could say was, `hey`,
Was, `hey`, was, `hey`, was, `hey`"
...which is totally fucking brilliant in my opinion. Fantastic stuff. Now if only I could get my Bloc Party Pioneers account to present the right profile info lol...


Best Compilations: This is very difficult because pretty much everything that Fabric released was really really good. Perhaps... I'm gonna go with Fabriclive 42: FreQ Nasty and Stanton Warriors: Sessions Volume 3. There isn't a way to say one is better than the other because they were both phenomenal.
Here's a taste of that Stanton Warriors...


Best 'Best Of': Chemical Brothers: "Brotherhood" album (which came with the amazing 'Electronic Battle Weapon' tracks they've been releasing on vinyl for the last few years) was really awesome. I think I'm giving import copies of this away for Xmas lol... (download The Chemical Brothers- "Electronic Battle Weapon 8")

Best British labels: Hyperdub for sure. They haven't had one release that was anything less than bangin'... Fabric of course makes the list because they're outdoing what they did last year and keep expanding the scope of what they're doing.

Best U.S. label of the year: Ghostly International/Spectral Sound

Ghostly International/Spectral Sound for having released Michna, Osborne, Kate Simko, Tycho, School Of Seven Bells, JDSY, The Chap, and just about every other electronic or avant-pop record that you should have listened to at home or in the club.

Best E.P.s both U.S. and U.K...
Frankmusik- "3 Little Words EP"

JDSY- "Understander EP"

The Cool Kids- "Bake Sale EP"



Best of the rest... of the world...
Kanye West- "808s & Heartbreak"
Osborne- "Osborne"
JDSY- "Adage Of Known"
Sébastien Tellier- "Sexuality"
The Presets- "Apocalypso"
Flying Lotus- "Los Angeles"
Lil Wayne- "Tha Carter III"
T.I.- "Paper Trail"
Cut Copy- "In Ghost Colours"
Crystal Castles- "S/t"
Satnogold- "S/t"


Albums I'm still waiting on (that I wish would have come out this year lol)...
Kid Sister- "Dream Date", The BPA album, and of course the Frankmusik's debut full length...

And even though we only JUST saw and EP this year out of him... ARTIST OF THE YEAR (and probably next year) easily goes to Frankmusik!

Vincent Frank is the summation of everything I've hoped I'd see in an electronic pop artist in my lifetime. His favourite film is Blade Runner (which obviously informs his aesthetic and his songs)... he does his own take on streetwear culture looking like an accessible dude you'd hang out with at Fabric... and at the same time can turn around and look, not just respectable in a gray wool coat, but enigmatic and distant. He can put out a cheerfully frustrated song like "Confusion Girl" and within months give us the wistful longing of "Done Done". With Stuart Price (aka Jaques Lu Cont/Les Rythmes Digitales) working with him on his full length album, after being at the helm for grip of very successful Madonna tunes, it's obvious that he will not just be 'one to watch' but he very well may be one to change the course of crossover pop music as we know it. Unlike some of his peers (if you can even call them that) who will only be remembered for one song, Vincent Frank will endure, and by my estimation end up being one of the most important and successful songwriters of our generation. So while his output was relegated to remixes, and freebies, this year he still outperformed nearly every new British artist in every way. From how he handled the press, to how you can't pin down what he's doing next, to the fact that I haven't met a person who didn't enjoy his music, he's without question the artist of the year. This typically enthusiastic review isn't because Frankmusik is a friend of Arcadia but because he is a much needed breath of fresh air in a sometimes dismal musical landscape. Check him out at The Heaths Of Thornton. So hats off you to Vincent...

Here's Frankmusik's remix of Teef...
Teef- "Take Em Out (Frankmusik Remix)"

Best Festival Of The Year: Is very obviously Lollapalooza.

I mean... how could it not be? We got to see Radiohead and KanYe rock the pants off insanely huge crowds, saw Spank Rock get like 10,000 college ho'bags nearly dropping their pants, Flosstradamus (on Curt's birthday none the less) and Franki Chan (and our once upon a time friend? Dani Deahl) wreck the dance tent, see Foals play to a group of people so large it was most likely unsafe and then have a chat afterwards about Ghostly International, and so many more awesome moments I can't even try to write about them. Believe it or not the only thing that sucked about it was that I was ripped on Morphine (due to a tooth infection, don't get it twisted) and some of the intensity of how cool it was disappeared before my tiny pupils could transmit the info to my brain. Even then we still had a ball! Veronica of Cream Team fame put the wife and I up for the weekend, which lead to going to Todd Kane's b-day party, watching an insane show with Hollywood Holt, Mic Terror, GLC, Skyler, and then chatting with the above people... we also got to avoid the velvet rope all weekend, even finding our way in to the sold out Battles/Foals show (for an interview that never materialized). And the only bad bits were that we were 3 feet away from my ex and her best friend at the entry gate on the first day (yeah, close one, as far as I can tell she didn't notice), that interview never happened, and I got a $100 parking ticket. But all things considered it doesn't get better than that. And I got to drink for once lol...

Best Concert: Bloc Party

Apparently Bloc Pary did well this year as far as this blog is concerned lol. Bloc Party in Royal Oak (around Detroit) was amazing. It was the first official show to tour in North America for 'Intimacy' and it was blazing. Charles (of 'The Spirit Of Albion' fame) and I stood really close to the stage and got to see all the kids mobbing Kele when we jumped into the crowd. Much different than their Lollapalooza gig but in a good way. The band were at their very best and of the three times I've seen them this was the one that proved they had their live show perfected. Runner Up: Hot Chip at The Metro.

Keep your eye on this page... I'm not quite done with this 'best of' thing... but I'm working on it!

All sorts of things... Midweek update!

So, I just got done doing an interview with the legendary Howie B... the man can be described as nothing other than a legend, is a really nice bloke, and I could have talked to him for an hour. Apparently his next big move is drilling for oil but you're going to have to wait.

Oh what little treat can I throw your way to satiate your musical urges for a few hours? Hmmmmmm... I gotta give you something to fuel these end of summer parties, club nights, back-to-mines, love affairs, dorm parties... whatever the hell you kids are into now! Hopefully this will do it :)

This is a wicked little rework that came from Prodigy on a comp here recently... surely a better fit than that "Love Buzz" rework.. I mean I LOVE Prodigy but... that wasn't quite my style... this is...
The Prodigy- "Ghost Town" YSI

The Prodigy- "Ghost Town" Mediafire

I can't get enough of Bloc Party and that new album... in fact I'm hoping to see them on Saturday night! Let's cross our fingers on that one :)
Bloc Party- "Flux (BBC6 Session)" YSI

Bloc Party- "Flux (BBC6 Session)" Mediafire

This one is pretty wicked as well...
Bloc Party- "Mercury (BBC6 Session)" YSI

Bloc Party- "Mercury (BBC6 Session)" Mediafire

Now I lost interest in Gnarls Barkley when I lost my copy of their first cd... I'm sure it's in my ex-girlfriends car. Whatevs. But this Radiohead cover is pretty sick.. check it out...
Gnarls Barkley- "Reckoner (Radiohead Cover)" YSI

Gnarls Barkley- "Reckoner (Radiohead Cover)" Mediafire

This has been out for a while as the American extra on the Dizzee Rascal album... but I just got around to listening to it... too much music... Enjoy it though!
Dizzee Rascal- "Megamaster 1.0 (Mixed by El-P)" YSI

Dizzee Rascal- "Megamaster 1.0 (Mixed by El-P)" Mediafire

And lastly this is the leak from Vice for the new album by The Streets... this album is going to be off the fucking hook and I hope you all buy it the day it comes out to make records!
The Streets- "The Escapist" YSI

The Streets- "The Escapist" Mediafire

I thought I would also mention Franz Ferdinand have started blogging on MOG (which if you haven't figured out yet I'm quite fond of. Here's a few links to what they have going on...

http://mog.com/Franz_Ferdinand/blog/186082
http://mog.com/Franz_Ferdinand/blog/186085
http://mog.com/Franz_Ferdinand/blog/186088

Speaking of blogs, you'll notice in the blogroll that Klaxons are in full blog fever... I'm not going to link them all here but you can find them on the side! That second album will no doubt be amazing. The moment that James Ford mentioned it when I was interviewing him my heart jumped... I am obsessed with hearing that record! Even the demos! Come on guys?!?!

Anyway, the Howie B interview will be up soon... it's a hoot. You guys will love it. Check back soon...

The (somewhat) Holy Grail... Radiohead @ Lollapalooza

So, somehow the magical sounds of the best band in the universe ended up on my iPod! Wonder how that happened! I don't know... I mean I was standing there watching it and thinking back to when I first saw them with R.E.M. in 1995 (or so) and being blown away. The previously posted video (about two or three posts back) of them playing while the fireworks were going off was so emotionally engaging... I held my wifes hand, watching these explosions in the sky, while they played "Fake Plastic Trees" and felt like the world was perfect. In fact why don't you peep this video I just found...



And closer up...


And focusing on the fireworks... I can't stress how awesome this was...


Anyway... this little recording that 'swim' made at Lollapalooza isn't the BEST quality out there... lots of bass thuds that distort the sound (take that all you people who said it was too quiet!)... if any of you are real smart and can correct that let me know... otherwise you have a somewhat distorted first 30 minutes of the best concert of the year. It's worth the download, I think. If you have better copies hit me up on my email!

Radiohead_at_Lollapalooza

EDIT: Now that the download has probably run out anyway... I found that Ocstwosway actually had a good rip of the XFM broadcast of Radiohead broken into three archives on his site! Here's all that jazz... his site is linked to the right...

01 Intro
02 15 Step
03 There There
04 All I Need
05 Nude
06 Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
07 The Gloaming
08 The National Anthem
09 Faust Arp 10 No Surprises
11 Jigsaw Falling Into Place
12 Reckoner
13 Lucky
14 The Bends
15 Everything In Its Right Place
16 Fake Plastic Trees
17 Bodysnatchers
18 Encore Break
19 Videotape
20 Paranoid Android
21 Dollars And Cents
22 House Of Cards
23 Optimistic
24 Encore Break 2 25 2+2=5
26 Idioteque
27 Crowd Noise
http://rapidshare.com/files/137485980/Broadcast.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/137493060/Broadcast.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/137497109/Broadcast.part3.rar

Hope you guys are enjoying the more regular posts :)

The advertising is going well and I'm glad that it seems you guys are comfortable with it and actually have interest in whats coming up. Those American Apparel dead stock shades are amazing... the rainbow ones? Ima get those and really be 'In Rainbows' har har har... what a dork... be back soon!

Return from Chicago (back from the dead)

Awwwww... it's 6:14am right now... and that's not a good thing. Went to bed at 2:30am or so... I'm having, uh, sleep disturbances do to uhhhhhh...........

Oh forget it. I don't feel well is the point. In fact "I feel like dying" so I don't know how I'm typing... but alas the show must go on.

Now I know I did a short "text post" about Foals, but here is what happened. When we showed up they were starting their set and that shit was PACKED. I mean, like the crowd for CSS was about 1/4 of the people there for Foals (and much earlier in the day I might add).

So I try to get a hold of their manager... and nothing. The original idea was since they had spare time I would show them around Chicago (shit I was trying to get them to go see Hollywood Holt lol), go out to eat, and get an interview done some time in between. Instead they were fucking maxed out doing press and stuff.

With little other choice I made my way to the FYE signing tent and was like "Hey, what's up. I'm supposed to be interviewing you today. I've been text messaging your manager and he's missing in action." They mentioned he was being pretty elusive and to tell him that they said to text him.

Then I get a text, something like "Hey sorry. We're really busy. Meet us at the Double Door later?"... ok sure! Problem was the show was sold out because it was Foals AND Battles. But, whatever, we got on the list and went right in. They tore it up for the 2nd time in 12 hours, and despite being fucking crazy awesome, we're admittedly showing signed of fatigue. They even said on the stage "We're very jetlagged. We're into the next day for us."

At this point I knew there was no interview happening. I've gotten done DJing and have wanted to be left the fuck alone and that certainly doesn't require the physical exertion they put out on stage... there is no way they want to deal with me after a couple days with no sleep. So I sent their manager a last ditch text and finally one saying "Your band seems pretty busy. I'll just email you some questions if that's cool. Have a good night!" and that was that...



Other highlights were getting to see Curt's famous ass for more than 5 seconds. It was his birthday and I got him the stupidest gift ever so I'm not even going to mention it. But it was nice to see him and Flosstradamus fucking killed it on the dance stage before Kanye took the main stage.



I told you guys I would get videos and pictures up from Lolla... and here you go!

And since these are all Radiohead videos... how about this gem?

Radiohead- "Follow Me Around"





And here is the cream of the crop video...


Ok that's it for now... it's taken me over 12 hours to write this post. Don't expect a lot out of me this week!

Radiohead... Best Of?

So... Parlophone and I are cool... right? We're cool aren't we? Yeah I thought so. That's why they aren't going to C&D my ass for posting this as the Radiohead Best Of is coming out! That would be silly right :) Because it's probably making Parlophone more money me posting this track than not posting it lol...

Radiohead- "Climbing Up The Walls"

Radiohead- "Climbing Up The Walls"

All jokes aside the little widget for the album is to to your right side (that I might leave up for a minute... mind you not because anyone asked me to but just because).

Now, I know a lot of you have been very "anti" the best of... because your fav song got left off... or because the 2nd disc is better than the first but is limited edition... well... truth hurts... Best Of comps aren't meant for FANS... they are meant for the uninitiated! They are meant for 14 year olds who we're in onesies when "Creep" came out. They are for your uncle who just came out on the other side of his midlife crisis and likes good music now. They are for the now 35 year old former student who stopped really listening to Radiohead after "The Bends" and wants to know if their "new" work is good as everyone says it is. They serve to bring people into the fold, back to the fold, and to remind people of what they are missing. And of yeah... to make money. Probably shitloads of money. Parlophone, no offense, but you guys are probably going to make a lot of money off this one and people are going to be angry for that reason alone...

Why? Because people have a "personal" relationship with Radiohead. The way people do with Jesus. They feel that their feelings and their essence is reflected in Radiohead's art. NOW, this "corporate record label" (now the obvious antithesis of what Radiohead is) is "selling Radiohead out" so that all these sloppy people can have a cursory knowledge of Radiohead. This is life. And it sucks. I would love to drown in Stanley Donwood paintings and listen to "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" back to back everyday for the rest of my life and feel like me and a few other people we're really "PART" of it all... but that isn't real and it isn't going to happen. If you really care about Radiohead be happy they are being exposed to young people who haven't heard them. Fuck the money. Forget the money. Remember why you love Radiohead.

For those of you who have addressed that "In Rainbows" is nowhere to be found... well that's because record labels tend to release the WHOLE back catalogue of an artist and then they do a "Best Of" when the band leave the label... ummmmmmmm... "In Rainbows" wasn't on Parlophone. We know the band is sort of "whatever" about this comp being released. Why would those tracks be on there? Doesn't make any sense.

Now, I'm not some paid lackey but we all know I am fiercely passionate about British music. And up until now the world needed record companies to sell records! Maybe we're past that and the age of selling digital straight from the band is really here... but Parlophone released Supergrass, Babyshambles, and a billion other artists you probably own or listen to. So please stop acting like some crime has been perpetrated! Music is sold... the make the artist money and up to this point the record company is like the pimp that gets the happy hooker out there. Seriously, no offense to record companies, but we all know that's what it is. Maybe it's about support. Maybe it's about art. It's mostly about money unless you're say Astralwerks and then you still have to release soundtracks to make money back.

So I've said my piece. Buy it. Don't buy it. Just stop freaking out about it. And enjoy the song and remember why Radiohead are so great.

Loads more stuff for the midweek!

Radiohead Best Of...

Parlophone has released the MUCH talked about Radiohead 'Best Of' which has a couple neat little widgets... one of which you should see above!
Widget
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The Kooks new album is out now... apparently Luke Kook sat down with AOL and, err, kicked out the jams? :) I love Astralwerks so I have to post it :) I wonder if he knows I have his phone number... hmmmmm...

Lone Kook Luke Pritchard took to our Los Angeles studio recently to deliver a rare acoustic performance of the new tunes, not to mention some old ones, including the band's latest single, 'Always Where I Need to Be.'

While the band may have achieved pop success in their native land with the release of their debut album, 'Inside In/Inside Out,' Pritchard tells Spinner that his Kooks are ready for Stateside stardom. "England is the size of one of your states," he jokes. "We just want everyone to get into it. I'd like it to be received as a great album, one that you'd go back to. It's a dynamic record." Catch the full performance and interview on Spinner.

The Kooks in-studio Interface performance on Spinner

NOW.. I realize this isn't British... BUT... we've got to diversify here and well... what better place to start than Romanthony. Now I used to live in Chicago and be a house DJ so Romanthony is like a saint in my world... but for those of you who don't know...

Romanthony (born Anthony Wayne Moore) is an American disc jockey, producer, and singer. He is best known[citation needed] for his work with French duo Daft Punk (he provided the vocals for '"One More Time" and "Too Long" on their Discovery album). His stage name comes from his first name, Anthony, combined with his favorite book of the Bible, Romans.

Stream the songs from here:

http://www.prestel.tv/music/prestel006/romanthony_curious_thesheratonvocal.mp3

http://www.prestel.tv/music/prestel006/romanthony_curious_rosbigblastvocal.mp3

http://www.prestel.tv/music/prestel006/romanthony_curious_rosminimalvocal.mp3

Then there is a nice little counter for the release of the Hadouken! album (still no word........)

ORDER THE ALBUM: WEBSTORE / HMV

And that's it for now. You notice I got that fancy Fabric Podcast banner on the side of that page. Check that out until I get the reviews done (tonight)... they've been releasing pure fire... I'll be back soon... keep your eyes and ears peeled...

Clear ear space for Air Traffic...

So my dear friends over at Astralwerks recently turned me on to one of their recent releases that is bound to bring out cadre of Radiohead fans that miss "The Bends" era, and all the Muse fans that, well, like Muse lol... there's about 10,000 other comparisons I could use though and none of them would be fair... but Air Traffic, have just released 'Fractured Life' and trust me it's going to be that album where you're like "Yeah, I told you they were the new ______"... I've given you my first impression association... you give me yours... here's some background...

"Air Traffic are an English indie rock band from Bournemouth. The band's name originates from when they used to practice next to a runway at Hurn Airport, where air traffic control signals could be picked up on their amplifiers.[1] Their music features heavy use of piano, and they have been described by NME to be like "Supergrass covering Little Richard".[2] The band have received mainstream success due to the re-release of their single "Charlotte", and the release of their debut album, Fractured Life."

Here's the song they won't sue me for posting but I hope that it excites you enough to go out and buy a physical copy... seriously though, Astralwerks are one of the last labels that deserve blind brand loyalty despite having changed their format a little... every album they put out is ace really and they bring most of the good music from across the pond to the U.S... I mean, yeah it weirded me out to see Babyshambles on what had been a primarily electronic label, but it made me realize Astralwerks are America's XL Records (or equivalent thereof). Look at their track record... seriously I'm a lifer...

Air Traffic- "Come On" YSI

Air Traffic- "Come On"

For whatever reason the embedding is disabled (any reason for that guys?) so you're just going to have to trust me when I say you should check out the video for Charlotte...

Check out the whole Air Traffic album at Spinner (via AOL)...
Air Traffic, 'Fractured Life' album stream on Spinner

Also, on a totally different subject, if you've been dying to get away from that water mark, check out a stream of the new AMAZING album from Arcadia favourites Hot Chip over at Spinner...
Hot Chip, 'Made In The Dark' album stream on Spinner

And on the streaming tip... Dev from Test Icicles (who have been retired for about what 2 years now?) released a Bright Eyes-esque solo album as Lightspeed Champion that is really awesome... you should totally check it out... even though he's an American... because a) he used to be in a Britband and b) it's awesome and c) he worked on material in Grand Rapids (where I'm actually going tomorrow). Maybe if you leave comments I'll dig out some of his demos?!?!

Lightspeed Champion, 'Falling Off The Lavender Bridge' album stream on Spinner

Anyway, hope you dug this. I've got some posts I want to do for my new friends and I also want to do a post on Cage the Elephant because I haven't thus far lol... so keep the eyes and ears peeled... until next time...

Help vs Help (plus other good news)

VS

WOO HOO!!! Charles and I are at the WIDR meeting right now and let me tell you... LET ME TELL YOU... there are big exciting things coming! Live playlists, new soundboard for live music, WIDR week... all sorts of shit! ALSO on the heels of that great news, Charles and I are going to be pimping out the show/website/blog/myspace during 2007 to make your listening experience even better. How you ask? Well how about with podcasts, t-shirts, and other fancy new things? You like... I know you like!

So... a few days back I posted Blur's "Eine Kleine Lift Musik" from the epic Help! charity compilation that came out in the mid-90's during the Britpop era... and today I went back to take a look at it, and the newer Help! comp that came out about a year ago, and decided it was going to do another post with some of the songs.

DO NOT GET ME WRONG! I am not saying "here you go, ignore the fact that these are supposed to be for charity and download to your hearts content"... I posting these songs because a) we American's have probably (for the most part) not heard these songs and b) because of that it's easy to forget they exist at all! I thought I would get this out here and HOPEFULLY it will convince you to pick the album up and also remind you how awesome these comps (and their charities) actually are!

Here's one from the new Help!...
Babyshambles- "Bollywood To Battersea"

And one from the old Help!...
Massive Attack- "Fake The Aroma"

On the first one Radiohead put "Lucky" (from Ok Computer) out to rave reviews... then they went and put this one on the new one...
Radiohead- "I Want None Of This"

Then here's another one from the first comp...
Suede- "Shipbuilding"

So I hope you guys dig that... PLEASE go out and actually purchase these... both albums have shitloads of tracks (20 on the original and 22 on the follow up) and lots of your favourite bands! I mean if you frequent this site then most of them probably are your favs... I mean probably not Keane but you know what I mean! Which ones do you guys think is better? I'm not sure because I haven't listened to both all the way through but... I'm interested to see what you guys think...

Anyway... make sure you come back and check for new posts! Now that I've got this new computer the posts are going to be more frequent... speaking of new computer....