"If you want to know what makes me sad/ Well it's hope, the endurance of faith..."

Yours truly (to the left) at a Bloc Party signing @ Intonation Festival 2006

Boy do I love some fucking Bloc Party. When this album leaked I was equal parts sad and excited. It took me quite a while to decide if I was going to review or post from it and I finally decided I would post... but not any new 'album' tracks. This is the second part of my review with all sorts of (non-album) awesomeness to get you excited. Let's start with a little video from the above festival...


And here's the video from that day @ Intonation Festival... it's actually pretty good quality!

As I've taken a more in depth look at the theme and the lyrics, it's become apparent that this is the 'grown up' version of the Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not... It deals with going out, getting fucked up, feeling great, having a good old time, and having to deal with the fall out afterwards. In fact, fall out is one of the main themes of this album... What happens after terrorist attacks? What happens when people feel displaced? Where do I belong NOW? Is there anyone here for me? Is any of this real? Is this really worth it? Can I go on? There have been a lot of albums tackling the day-to-day working class grind in 2006 but this album comes at it from a different angle. Is there hope after things (i.e. buses, buildings, brain cells, adolescence) are destroyed or disappear? I hope you guys enjoy my assessment and PLEASE feel free to comment!

Here's the b-side of the album...

7) Where Is Home?
This is another identity/immigration song starting out "Everyday, we are reminded, that this is not home for us..." adding to further the existential dread on this album a little more. I think this is quite a strong song on the second half, and makes good use of 'choir vocals' (like 'The Prayer') and stutter effects. This certainly isn't a hard sounding song, nor is it a light ballad... this is one of the songs that shows their new approach holds water. A driving beat with a tortured melody. (Btw I think this song is about Kele's cousin who was killed in a 'racist attack' and, OBVIOUSLY, how his family dealt with it).

8) Kreuzburg
This starts out with an intro that will remind you of 'This Modern Love' but to write it off as derivative would be silly... that most certainly isn't the case, because the moment the drums kick in and Kele starts singing "I/ I have decided/ At 25/ That something has to change" this song will wrap itself right around your heart. That is unless you hate Bloc Party. Because if you do I don't think this track is going to convert you... in short if you like them this song will captivate you after one listen on a pair of headphones, but people who don't like Bloc Party will site this song as being a weak link. And they will be wrong. If you ARE in your mid-twenties then lines like "After sex/ The bitter taste/ Been fooled again/ The search continues" will really resonate (especially if you DO live in the city)... but if you're a 36 year old surly music critic this shit will seem so far away and so opposed to your need for another 'Gang Of Four like' album that you will hate it. End of story.

9) I Still Remember
Bloc Party- "It Started In An Afternoon (Live @ Northumbria)" which is an early version of I Still Remember
Bloc Party- "It Started In An Afternoon (Live @ Northumbria)" zShare

This is a song about a love that could have been, and how if reminded Kele would still remember and it could blossom now... and that is a nice sentiment. Problem is this is one of the weaker songs on the album. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty little song and will grace MANY mix tapes... but it just doesn't aim for (and hence doesn't achieve) the greatness that the rest of the album does. I think cursory listens to the album made people say it's front loaded because of this song. Because it doesn't have the depth or the experimental reach that the rest of the album does (I mean it's not bad, it good enough, but it should have been a b-side and it could have held it's own). AND it also drags down the song before it and the song after it....

10) Sunday
This is the song that the LAST song should have been. It tackles adult themes saying "I love you in the morning , When you’re still hung-over/ I love you in the morning, when you’re still strung out", saying 'no, this wasn't a one night stand, I really care about you even after the magic of our booze and drug filled nights ends'. The lyrics on this song are fucking fantastic and show that even if a Bloc Party song is softer it can still carry a wallop. Anybody agree with me on this? Because this song is not fluff. It really helps the theme work as more of a story.

11) SXRT
By this time, I will admit, you are probably saying "What's up with all the slow stuff, huh Bloc? You guys lost all the party on the first half of the album!" and I can't blame you. But listen close to the lyrics (just like on the last song) and you will appreciate how fucking great this song is. This album is a great album closer... especially since it's about killing yourself (and frankly we know their isn't anything more rock'n'roll than that right? lol). "If you want to know what makes me sad/ Well it's hope, the endurance of faith/ A battle that lasts a lifetime/ A fight that never ends" is a perfect description of a life led in too much quiet desperation seeking a final solution. These are some of the best lyrics they've ever written by a mile. Outside of one song this whole second half has been really emotionally intense and (I think) the better for it.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO what's my final assessment? I think this is a great sophomore album. I also think it's going to be a sort of Kid A sort of thing where people are either going to love it or hate it. Once again if you're looking for a direct descendant of post punk it's not here; this album has post punk influences but it's not just that, this has a lot more ambition than that. People who only really liked the really guitar driven Bloc Party songs will hate this album and talk it into the ground, whereas people who appreciate the bands vision and enjoy their more sensitive stuff will love it.

BUT, for all the nice things I've said about it, I think "Uniform" and "I Still Remember" are the two weak-er songs on here. It's not that they aren't good but, they just aren't as strong as the rest of them. "Uniform" and it's cock rock guitars I've heard 7 million times bore me to a degree but it's still a good song (however I think this is the track that the 'guitar' loving BlocHeads will dig; I will only deduct .5 for this) and "I Still Remember" does sort of seem like Laguna Beach fodder in comparison to "SXRT" (for which I will take off a whole point). But I think it's a fantastic album overall and I can't stop listening to it!

Final Rating: 8.5/10

(But it's a 10 in my heart!)

This is a track I'm REALLY excited to hear as a b-side... from what I've read in the official Bloc Party Forum this should have been on the album it's so good...

Bloc Party- "Blue Moon (Live @ Newcastle) which is the original title for a new song called "England"

Bloc Party- "Blue Moon (Live @ Newcastle)" zShare

Here's the original demo for "She's Hearing Voices"...
Bloc Party- "She's Hearing Voices (demo)" zShare
Speaking of old tracks here's a SUPER old Bloc Party video...


Here's the hidden track off of 'Silent Alarm' (which is the first track on the vinyl version)...

Bloc Party- "Everytime Is The Last Time" YSI

Bloc Party- "Everytime Is The Last Time" zShare


Here's a fucking wicked awesome remix from MSTRKRFT (who Heather and I got to see, after the Lady Sov show, @ Smartbar)...

Bloc Party- "Two More Years (MSTRKRFT Remix)" zShare

Bloc Party- "Two More Years (MSTRKRFT Remix)" YSI

Then while I've got your lust for 'Sensitive Bloc' going... how about that M83 remix off Silent Alarm Remixed?

Bloc Party- "The Pioneers (M83 Remix)" YSI

Bloc Party- "The Pioneers (M83 Remix)" zShare

And while you're at it... there's a BUNCH of recently arrived Bloc Party EPs over at eMusic for you to enjoy... from the 'Dimmakified' remix EP, to 'Two More Years' to the original 'Bloc Party EP' that I had Kele sign this summer... it's all there! And if you click on the link below you will make me some MUCH needed Christmas money!

Disappear here...

There was (unspecified) time where I was at the lowest point in my life. Couldn't possibly get lower. During this time I was spending most of my time lying around reading and doing little else. While having thoughts of giving up on everything swirled through my head I called my dad and asked him to bring me some books. He brought me a stack of stuff by Brett Easton Ellis and I began completely immersing myself in them in an attempt to get my head away from where it had been lingering. During this time I read "Less Than Zero". Twice. In one day. Which is not exactly the smartest thing ever when you are trying to get your head away from complete and utter despair... however it is one of the greatest books I have ever read.

Apparently Kele from Bloc Party thinks so as well. The coked out, indifferent, opulent nature of the book has so obviously been reflected in the world around us in recent years. And after admitting (through very thinly veiled statements; i.e. he didn't say which drug he was taking) his drug use and new found love for dancing all night in clubs after the tour for 'Silent Alarm', it's safe to say he woke up one morning and saw the same retched qualities in himself that he hated about society. That's where A Weekend In The City was born.

The week of November 10th Bloc Party were forced to cancel their tour with P!@TD (thank god) because Matt Tong (their drummer) suffered a collapsed lung. As if that weren't enough, shortly after, their new album leaked WAYYYYYY ahead of time. A Weekend In The City is supposed to come out until February 2007. One has to imagine without Matt Tong's 400 Vicodin pills he got for his lung operation Bloc Party would collectively be jumping off a bridge right now... and perhaps metaphorically they are. Maybe in 2008 or 2009 (Jesus, are we almost a decade away from Y2K?) we will see the 3rd album from Whitechapel's art-rock heroes that is riddled in the other hard narcotic laced with wistful melodies and more hurt than their prior. But in the meantime we have this album to deal with.

I have struggled a LOT with this... do I post anything off the leaked album? How would I feel if someone did that to me? But isn't everyone else doing it? I mean in February it's going to be a moot point... everything will have already been said. The release of A Weekend In The City will be a true 'non-event'. However, I encourage you to buy it because they need your support. This could be a career crippling moment for them and they don't deserve that!

So in the end, I'm not going to post anything FROM the album... but I will post a demo and some live tracks from songs that are on the album. And I will give you a little review of this 'A Side' of this album... I will follow with the 'B Side' in a couple days when I feel more well acquainted with it...

Let's get started at the 'quick glance' review...

1) Bloc Party- "Song For Clay/Disappear Here(Demo Version)" zShare
This song is written (apparently) for the lead character in Less Than Zero. It talks about enjoying yourself at the expense of others and really let's you know that this album is wayyyy different from the last one. The super high falsetto is thin and frail, which would weaken the track if it weren't for the propulsive chorus that takes this song into the stars. By the time he's singing the book's maxim "People are afraid to merge on the freeway" this song is rocking out showing it's a really strong album opener.

2) Hunting For Witches
It starts out super glitchy and chopped up like 'Coat Check' by Soft Pink Truth, and then we get live drums that sound like a old school drum and bass loop... and then... WHOA... is this 'Crazy Train'? Because that's what the guitar sounds like (for those of you who magically aren't versed in that guitar lick, it's the one Lil John and Trick Daddy stole for 'Let's Go'... some of you just groaned because I wrote that, but remember, the whole world isn't full of music afficianados)! But as the song starts to warm up it's apparent they aren't trying to bite any one's style. This song is about as anthematic as a song that isn't a single can be (having said that it would not blow me away if this did end up being a single in the U.K... there is probably only one U.S. single and that will be #4). It's basically about nationalistic additudes towards immigrants and "terrorists".

3)Bloc Party- "Waiting For The 7.18 (Live @ Bedford)" zShare
&
Bloc Party- "Waiting For The 7.18 (live @ Coachella) YSI
Nice and pretty like a Christmas version of 'So Here We Are' at the beginning. We get more drum-and-bass drums from Matt Tong (that couldn't be more different than the last album) and it suddenly bursts into the chorus. It's a wall of guitars and rhythm which is a good contrast to the xylophone and other sprightly sounds in the verses. The last bit "Let's drive to Brighton on the weekend" sounds so fucking impassioned it's as though it's the request of a dying man in love. Funny bit with the birds at the end because this is without question a 'winter' track, but what the hell why not, it works anyway. As soon as I got up this morning I threw this on the stereo... that's how good it is.

4) The Prayer
The obvious lead single that also seems to obviously be about cocaine. "Let me outshine the moon..." isn't a request that most of us make when we plan to go out on a Friday night. I think most people are like "let this fucking zit go away", not "let me be a god"! The chorus which goes: "Tonight, make me unstoppable/ I will chop, I will slice/ I will dazzle them with my wit...", is easily the most engaging thing Bloc Party have ever done (unless you hate pop music in which case 'Helicopter' was the best they've ever done). It is a song that undoubtedly will be played in front of many bathroom mirrors, and in many car stereos in the way to the bar, from now until the end of forever. So fucking ace I CANNOT STOP LISTENING TO IT! Seriously... about 5,000 spins and counting... this is the one we played on the radioshow the other night...


5)Bloc Party- "Uniform (live @ Coachella)" YSI
The lyrics are this one are like the modern indie version of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'... JUST THE LYRICS PEOPLE! It's all about the internet keeping us together, MTV teaching you how to sulk and grow your hair long... (and says "We're so handsome... entertain us" which is why I draw the Nirvana comparison). The second half of the song is like an old Bloc Party song to a degree... however the new vocal harmonies, and the heavy metal/mid-90's guitars that weren't on Silent Alarm are here (the cock rock guitar solo right before the end is sweet!). Lyrics like "I could have been a hero" I've gotten so good at lying to myself, all my pain and honour is used up" and "I'm a believer I just need a cause" make this song. It's a damn fine one.

6) On
"You make my tongue loose" totally turns this into the makeout song on the A Side. It's a very earnest and heartfelt song that would go well (and probably WILL go well) in a scene from 'The O.C.' The strings and ambient noise underneath give this the dizzying romanticism it needs to be memorable It actually reminds me of the drumbeat from a David Grey song mixed with a British Smashing Pumpkins song... anyone else hear that?

Well anyway, I'll be back soon with a review of the B Side (the last 5 tracks on this album)! If I can stop listening to the A Side!

Speaking of b-sides here's my favourite one they've done... fucking brilliant...
Bloc Party- "Always New Depths"

Like the U.K. Superfriends (plus Blur, Thom Yorke)

So many new bands and projects splintering out of my favourite old bands... I can barely keep up... I'm sure you feel the same... so what's the answer? Let's try to get them all on one page. Well maybe not all! But let's at least get a couple on here.

If you read regularly you know that I'm a Babyshambles/Pete Doherty/Libertines obsessive first and a Joy Division freako second. It's not that I love JD any less, it's just hard to get psyched about a band that doesn't exist anymore. I mean, I know there's New Order but... I mean Morrissey and The Smiths are not the same thing yeah? You get me! I know you do... So, anyway, this news actually ties part of my 2nd (or 1st depending on what mood I'm in) fav band and New Order in with the aforementioned Smiths AND Stone Roses/Primal Scream... how you ask? Well the bass players from New Order, The Smiths and Primal Scream are getting together to play in a band called Freebass. Cheeky innit? It sounds kind of weird but really Hookie is known for his higher end bass and I actually think this will work out well. All they need is a singer. I personally nominate myself for the job (enquire about my contact info and I'll get youa demo tape guys!)...

A little Freebass bio via Wikipedia:
"Freebass is a band currently "under construction". The group currently comprises three bass players: Andy Rourke (of The Smiths fame), Peter Hook (from New Order) and Gary Mounfield (formerly of The Stone Roses and currently in Primal Scream). The indie outfit is currently writing songs, and has twelve that are just waiting for a vocalist. The band is looking for a new, young artist to fill the void on vocals.

The idea to make a band of three bass players came out on a drunken night, "All of the songs have three basses. Mani does the low part, Andy Rourke in the middle and I do the high bit", said Peter Hook in an interview, "it works out quite well". In the same interview, Hook also hinted that the band might go public soon, as soon as they get a frontman that is."

Now, obviously, I can't give you any Freebass... I'd get arrested and you might set yourself on fire... hahaha.. lame I know I know... but I can give you tracks from the bands they are from... feast on these gems!

First is my all time fav Joy Division song covered (technically) by New Order...
New Order- "Atmosphere (Live Joy Division Cover)

Then this heartbreakingly perfect live version of "Please Please Please..."
The Smiths- "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (Mellow Live Version)

And then some rowdy shit from when Mani wasn't even a part of the Primals... but it's a good fucking song!
Primal Scream- "Rocks"

Ok ok ok.. here's a song where Mani playing bass makes all the difference in the world!
The Stone Roses- "I Wanna Be Adored"

There... Now were are on to the topic of a former band member and his recent solo project... I am talking of none other than former Blur guitarist (and apparent Milky hater) Graham Coxon. His most recent release Love Travels At Illegal Speeds has been released in the States this month and Stereogum was nice enough to post a couple songs and this little Q&A...

INSIDE THE ROCKER'S STUDIO via Stereogum
Graham Coxon
1. What is your favorite word?
BESHTINKT

2. What is your least favorite word?
PENIS

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
FRESHLY TILLED EARTH

4. What turns you off?
A SHODDY SENSE OF STYLE

5. What is your favorite curse word?
SHAGSHITS

6. What sound or noise do you love?
QUARTER TIPS ON A ROUGH ROAD

7. What sound or noise do you hate?
WORKMEN CHIPPING PAINT OFF RAILINGS

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
TAILOR OR COBBLER

9. What profession would you not like to do?
ESTATE AGENT

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"BETTER LATE THAN NEVER."

Graham Coxon- "Standing On My Own"

Graham Coxon- "Tell It Like It Is"

And of course (just as I can't do a Oasis post without mentioning Blur) I can't do a Coxon post without mentioning his former Blur bandmate Damon Albarn! The Gorillaz frontman is busy at work with his new band The Good The Bad And The Queen readying their first foray into the multimedia blitz... here is the info via MTV.CO.UK:

"Damon’s new band set to play MySpace gig…
Damon Albarn’s new supergroup, The Good The Bad And The Queen, will make their second major public appearance later this month for a special MySpace gig.

The band are Damon, The Clash bassist Paul Simonon, Verve guitarist Simon Tong and Africa 70 drummer Tony Allen, and the event is being held at Wilton’s Music Hall in East London on Tuesday December 12. Strictly limited to 300 tickets, the only way to be there is to add TGTBATQ to your friends (if you have a MySpace page that is!), and then answer a question about the band.

But don’t worry if you’re not one of the lucky winners - you can watch a recording of the whole gig from December 18 at www.myspace.com/thelist."

Here's a song from The Good The Bad & The Queen Fansite
The Good The Bad & The Queen- "Northern Whale (Live Acoustic)"

And then we have Radiohead-front-man-cum-solo-artist Thom Yorke will be showing up soon on a television show that will be available on... uhh... iTunes? I mean I know he wouldn't let Radiohead songs be on there because he didn't want the album to be broken up into individual tracks therefore ruining the continuity of the album (cough) but apparently he thinks it's a good vehicle for The Late Late Late End Of Days Party with Thom Yorke.... that's probably not the name... but that's what it should be called instead of From The Basement... too bad it's not a show that he is producing on his own.. that would be much cooler... like that's Radiohead 'Lying Mouth' DVD that was supposed to be a television show...

Once again via MTV.CO.UK
"The Radiohead man will kick off a new pay-per-view music show taking to the net-waves this Christmas…
A new music show that features no host and no audience will launch online on December 18 with Radiohead man Thom Yorke as its special guest.

The show, called From The Basement, is filmed in North London's Maida Vale, and will be broadcast through iTunes.

Without a host to guide them through, the producers are hoping the acts will enjoy the opportunity to take control.

The first show features Yorke, on piano, playing a live set from the new Radiohead album.

Despite Yorke enjoying his performance, he said his highlight was "…listening to Kieran [Hebden] and Steve Reid jamming as the tape started rolling."

Hebden, fof Four Tet and drummer Steve Reid feature alongside The White Stripes in the next show.

But don't get too excited as it won't be ready until Feb next year…

A spokesperson from the producers said: "I just want to see artist's doing what they do best ... perform. Not being an incidental feature in some magazine show and not being forced into embarrassed conversation."

So this is one for the musical aficionados amongst you, not the kind of people who take deep joy from watching the embarrassed conversation…

You can find out more info about the show at www.fromthebasement.tv..."

Here's some groovy stuff to keep you interested... well, hopefully I will be back soon to get you more music... make sure you keep checking for updates!

Beck & Thom Yorke- "I'm Set Free"



Thom Yorke- "Cymbal Rush (Live @ KCRW)"

UPDATE:Go over to Sneakmove to pick up a track from this show... it's called 'Videotape'... I didn't realize that Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich is the one who was doing this show! Read it all over there!

Feeling like the coolest kid on the block (Babyshambles)

It is well established at this point that I am the most fanatic Babyshambles fan in the blogosphere. Nary a week goes by without me posting a Babyshambles/Pete related material. Why? Because despite setbacks they are still the most visionary band (and he, the most visionary poet in at least a decade) on the scene... hell, they ARE the scene! Did you watch that 'Janie Jones' video?

Anyway... the very very very nice folks over at Parlophone/Regal were kind enough to give me a track from the Blinding E.P. which came out yesterday in the U.K., today in the U.S. (via Capitol Records). I think most of us who are hardcore fans have heard all of these songs in verying degrees of audio quality but can easily say I think we are going to be knocked out of the park when we hear the whole E.P.

The track I got is the lovely 'Love You But You're Green' which has been lying around, for quite some time now, waiting to be committed to an actual physical release. I think it was smart to fill this E.P. with the best material they had lying around to silence the haters and they couldn't have picked a better song than this (or actually better songs *plural* than these). The song starts with the same type of summery shimmering guitar that made Van Morrison's 'Brown Eyed Girl' such a hit, and then gracefully stumbles into Pete singing about the contents of his heart with the honesty that have made every Shambles release so endearing. It's subtle and amazing and the new flourishes that have been added add more character to an already perfect song.

Babyshambles- "Love You But You're Green" off The Blinding E.P. WMA version

Babyshambles- "Love You But You're Green" MP3 version

UPDATE: I posted this yesterday but it didn't make it to the Hype Machine, therefore, no one saw it! Which is a shame because this is a good post! I'll throw it up again in hopes of getting this track out to more people! I've also posted an alternate mp3 version in attempt for the Hype Machine to recognize it... I'm going to have to take them down in a couple days so get it while the gettings good!

And here's the new video:


I'd write more but I just wanted to get this up for you to download... you can offically say "I heard it first at 'In Search Of Arcadia'!

And so this is Christmas... (and David Bowie is a pimp)

Well boy do I have some treats for you! This is me making my first real attempt at holiday cheer this year. Generally I don't have any holiday cheer. Every single Decemeber of my life has been a wretched mess filled with complete and utter despair... I'm saying that I spend the other 11 months of the year dreading Decemeber... that's usually how much I fucking hate it. When people say "did you know the holidays have the highest suicide rate of the year?" I say "I'll toast to that!"... what an abysmal mess.

BUT THIS YEAR THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT!!! I'm making a concerted effort to have a good December (and therefore Christmas) right off the bat. I've already put up the Christmas tree with the girlfriend... I've been looking around for gifts for people trying to figure out how I'm going to fit it into my budget... all sorts of good stuff! And now I make my best attempt as sending some of this newfound spirit your way... these aren't ALL Christmas songs but they are at least about December or something of the sorts!

This is a fucking jem right here... I'm sincerely hoping that this song alone shoots me straight to the top of the Hype Machine... I want you to hear it so bad I'll even zShare it up. Shortly before Bing Crosby died he did a T.V. special where David Bowie shows up to sing this little ditty with him. You gotta think of how wild that was. Seriously. Can you imagine your grandparents sitting around enjoying good old Bing and then 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' shows up? Pay close attention (as Bing Does) for the line about agents coming down the chimney. Fucking mental! The Thin White Duke is really at his most stylish here... boy do I wish I were David Bowie (he talked to me once... online... he called me 'darling' and said that I was very sweet... I was a member of BowieNet... what a dork am I)...

Here's the clip:


And here's the songs!
David Bowie & Bing Crosby- "Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy" YSI
David Bowie & Bing Crosby- "Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy" zShare

Here's another gem... I got this off someone who I think did a Xmas in July setlist earlier this year... I'm going to play this (and most of the rest of these) on my show tonight! This song is sweet!
Blur- "Wassailing Song"

Now I figured this slides right underneath the 'Brit' tag because... well, isn't C3PO a Brit? I think so... I think this is worth posting too... this is from the goofy old Star Wars Christmas album!
Star Wars Christmas- "Bells, Bells, Bells"

Here's the 2004 video update of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" featuring loads of people like Chris Martin and Joss Stone and Bono and Robbie and other fucking people who will probably never end up on this blog (I posted that Coldplay out-take a few months back... but then again I like them)... the two people I was SHOCKED to see in this were a) Dizzee Rascal and b) Thom Yorke? Is that him on the piano?


I don't have the song but I might try to find it...
And here's the original:


Then we have the famous "War Is Over" Christmas song of John Lennon's that is such a fucking tear jerker. That's fucked up innit? That we're still fighting a war this many years later with no sign of it stopping anytime soon? Let's prey that it's different next year...

John Lennon- "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"

And here's the video for that...


Then I had to add this one last second... this isn't so much a Christmas song... but I used to listen to it a lot when I was coming home from school in Chicago (and every year after that for about 5 years) and just think about seeing all my friends and how everything was fucked up... specifically because of the line "It's good to know that you are home for Christmas/ It's good to know that you are doing well/ It's got to know that you all know I'm hurting/ It's good to know I'm feeling not so well"... anyway... doesn't this song sound kind of weird around 2:04? Like it's backwards? Didn't Nigel Godrich do this album? The Man Who? Did you know that by 2001, One in Eight households in England owned this Travis album? Fucking crazy!

Travis- "Writing To Reach You"

You guys are lucky that I didn't post "Goodbye" by the Spice Girls... that counts as a Christmas song doesn't it? It was a Christmas number one at least! Hahahaha... I should be back tomorrow... anyway while I'm on a roll I will leave you with this VERY loosely connected-to-the-topic track called "The 32nd Of December" by the greatest band in the world, Pete Doherty and his BABYSHAMBLES *zing*!!! And since I'm at it when not a song for the end of November as well!

Babyshambles- "The 32nd Of December"

Morrissey- "November Spawned A Monster (Live)

See you tomorrow!

Where do we go from here?

Sorry I haven't been posting loads over the last couple weeks. I mean I've been posting but not everyday like I was. Why? Well... I'm kind of confused as to were music is going. HEAR ME LOUD AND CLEAR: I am very well acquainted with what magazines want me to think is music is going. I think they would say it's roughly the sound of the summer still (The Kooks, Lily Allen), the old guard (Muse, Razorlight, Babyshambles, Dirty Pretty Things), the young bucks (The Fratellis, Larrikin Love), the egotistical 'working man's band' (Kasabian), and the rotating NME invented genre of the last 6 months (Thamesbeat.. just kidding! New Rave!) and the bands within that label that pretty much make up the whole things (errr... Klaxons?).

Don't get me wrong. I like every single one of those bands. Am I'm kind of poking fun because I use the 'New Rave' tag every five minutes. But it's also like... I feel like we are reaching the end of the line right now. Like something mega is going to break thru or... or... or... things will keep going the way they were at the end of the 'britpop' explosion... just, I dunno, staring around looking at the guy next to you wondering where to go or writing a bloated mess (see 'Be Here Now). I kind of balked at Lily Allen's assertion that DPT and The Kooks were writing the same old bullshit we've been hearing for years, but after thinking about it, it's close to the truth. It's not THOSE two bands but rather the bands that are surrounding them that are creating this problem. I liked "Two Left Feet" by The Holloways, but "Great Britian"? Not so much (maybe I'm totally off base.. if you really feel this is the case then alert me and I will investigate further.. until then I stick with this)... I don't think those guys are going to save British rock. I really liked Boy Kill Boy's "Last Of The Greats". But the whole of "Civilian"? Errrr no... they aren't going to do it either. And it's bands like that who are making up the bulk of the scene right now. And those bands want to be the aforementioned bands, and those bands cannot handle the burden of carrying rock music (as a whole) on their own.

In order for things to work going forward we have more innovation. Maybe that is 'New Rave'... and maybe my concern is unwarranted. But in my heart of hearts I think new rave is really just a novelty tag that revolves around the Klaxons, a handful of Van She remixes, and bands/duos/producers that are actually just dance music (Digitalism, Justice, Soulwax). I feel like what we really need right now are a couple of 'mature' albums (see Supergrass-'In It For The Money'), a couple of progressive albums (see Radiohead's-'OK Computer'), and a couple crazy classic albums (The Verve- 'Urban Hymns' and Massive Attack- 'Mezzanine'). SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE THE CURRENT EQUIVALENT OF 'THIS IS HARDCORE'!!! We need that.

Frankly? I've been listening to grime and dubstep recently. Those are two similar genres that are constantly breaking the mold. Unlike the coke-and-champagne-induced-insane-sugar-rush-spazzoid-sound of 2 Step Garage (circa summer 2002), where every song sounded the same, grime and dubstep songs are dramatically different from record to record. I mean fucking all over the god damn place. But in a good way!

I've been a big Dizzee Rascal fan since 'I Luv U'. I (unlike a lot of critics) also really liked Showtime despite the fact that it didn't sound like it was made in someone's bedroom. He's obviously the STAR of the whole game. He is like the Jay-Z of grime. Untouchable. I mean I liked So Solid Crew a lot but look where they are and look at where he is. He's the fucking master.

Dizzee Rascal- "Round We Go"

Also been digging some Kano recently. He is one of the artists who was kind of the in the periphery when I was listening to this stuff a lot and I never really got the time to get into him. I've been playing the shit out of a couple singles of his that I've got. I need to get the whole album!

Kano- "Mic Fight"


OBVIOUSLY I fucking love Es-Oh-Vee and will keep blogging about her until I pass out... so I will post something from her too.
Lady Sovereign- "The Broom"

Lady Sovereign- "Cha Ching (XXXChange Remix)

Then there is the crown jewel of the dubstep legacy thus far... of course I am speaking of 'album of the year' contenders Various. The World Is Gone is perhaps the most new school shit I've heard all year...

Various- "Hater"

And then as the icing on the cake is the So Solid Crew remix of Playgroup's electro-disco club pleaser 'Number 1' chopped and stripped like a dead hooker in a woodchipper. I know, I know. That was harsh. But that is how hardcore this song is. It even makes my words GANGSTAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Playgroup- "Number One (So Solid Crew Remix)"

I would have put videos up but I'm tired and YouTube was down... enjoy though!

p.s. Why are you sitting at home when you should be out purchasing the new Clipse album! THAT SHIT CAME OUT TODAY! PUSH IT TO NUMBER ONE! There is no fucking duo out there spittin more fire than them!

They Keep Calling Me...

We all know about how I dork out about the Libertines (or Babyshambles) like a 16 year old girl... but Joy Division have my heart now and forever as well. It's just hard to freak out about them, well, because Ian Curtis is dead. Now, obviously, the remaining members of Joy Division went on to form New Order (who I also love) and I could rave on about them (and will in the future) but for now we will stick with just Joy Division... in fact not just Joy Division. We'll rewind all the way back to Warsaw.

Prior to taking the name Joy Division (a Nazi tag for a program where Jewish women were used to provide pleasure to Nazi troops) they called themselves Stiff Kittens, and then took the name Warsaw. Pretty obvious imagery beyond the kittens bit (which actually was suggested by the Buzzcocks as their neighbour had a cat that had kittens.. and all of them died! Apparently she ran about screaming 'look at all these stiff kittens!' or something like that).

This is the WHOLE entire Warsaw bootleg album. I can't remember where these songs came from... they aren't all from the same session and if I remember by morning I will let you know where they come from... enjoyed them though! They will be up for a week!

Warsaw- "The Drawback"

Warsaw- "The Leaders Of Men"

Warsaw- "They Walked In Line"

Warsaw- "Failures"

Warsaw- "Novelty"

Warsaw- "No Love Lost"

Warsaw- "Transmission"

Warsaw- "Living In The Ice Age"

Warsaw- "Interzone"

Warsaw- "Warsaw"

Warsaw- "Shadowplay"

Warsaw- "As You Said"











P.s. Speaking of dead rockstars... I thought that I would mention this article about Kurt Cobain. It was written by my father. I am not here to answer your questions about what did or did not happen. I cannot prove or disprove that he was there before Kurt died. All I can do is show you the way... after that it's up to you. He has been refered to by Maxim Magazine as a crackpot, but conversely the authors of "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" stood by the fact that he had the proof that he was there. This article has been passed around the people who were close to Kurt (Kurt's mom, Courtney, Tom Grant... obviously some believe and some don't), it has been referenced in magazines and books (it almost made it into both Rolling Stone and Spin but he retracted his offer, prefering to put it online years later), and is frequently mentioned on Nirvana message boards. Whether you believe this is the holy grail of Cobain related info is up to your interpretation but, no matter how you look at it, it's certainly an important part of the Cobain legacy.

By order of the prophet, we ban that boogie sound!

This should be an easy post. Why? Because The Clash need NO introduction. They are one of those bands that you've probably been listening to most of your life. It doesn't really matter what musical sphere you come from, The Clash have such a far reaching impact that you (the discerning music listener with impeccable taste who reads this fantastic blog) can't get past (this is a ballpark guess) 14 years of age without being familiar with all of their radio singles and you SHOULDN'T get past 18 without one of their albums!

The last couple of years have been an interesting couple of years for the Clash legacy. Mick Jones has produced just about 75% of both the Libertines and Babyshambles catalogues... Paul Simonon is now a member of the Damon Albarn project The Good The Bad And The Queen (btw did you realize that Simon Tong from the Verve is also a member of TGTBATG? And a touring guitarist for Gorillaz?)... the surviving members introduced a sneaker with the Clash logo across the bottom of it... and here's the one that gets me the most excited... they have just released a CLASH SINGLES BOX SET!!! You can read the review over @ Pitchfork or check out the gorgeous JAPANESE IMPORT VINYL VERSION OF THE SINGLES COLLECTION THAT SOMEONE FROM MY FAMILY SHOULD BUY ME FOR CHRISTMAS BECAUSE IT IS THE COOLEST FUCKING THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!

The Clash are the most innovative band from the punk era. They made it MUCH longer than any of the other bands (I'm not including bands like PiL as an extent ion of the Sex Pistols... although while I'm mentioning PiL, Keith Levene from PiL was an original member of The Clash), scored commercial success, influenced a whole generation, and still are having an amazingly long lasting effect on the current music scene. Hell, without The Clash there would be no Libertines. Now hear the songs below and truly be inspired!

Here's some stuff off of a groovy boot called From London To Jamaica:
The Clash- "London Calling (Live In Jamaica)

The Clash- "Guns Of Brixton (Live In Jamaica)

The Clash- "Train In Vain (Live In Jamaica)"

The Clash- "Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Live In Jamaica)"

The Clash- "Rock The Casbah (Live In Jamaica)"

And here are a heap of b-sides to convince you to go out and buy this fantastic new collection... they are all off of Super Black Market Clash which is one of my all time faves...

The Clash- "1977 (B-side)"

The Clash- "Jail Guitar Doors (B-side)"

The Clash- "City Of The Dead (B-side)"

And the b-side you can't live without...
The Clash- "1-2 Crush On You (B-side)"
UPDATE: Well the last video I had up got deleted soooooooo I thought I'd up this one up. If there is any video that shows what different types of people who were into The Clash accurately it's this video... and when you think about it... there really was no cool before The Clash (well the Sex Pistols, but they didn't quite dress like The Clash did) and these people's quotes and reactions show that. Nowadays we'd all be much more cool and calculated. Dry and well thought out. In short: just a full of shit as they were.


Andddddddddddd... since you guys know I'm a Babyshambles fanatic... here is the recent video from the Strummerville Charity version of the song that the boys and their friends did... I mean everyone in the fucking world (including Janie Jones herself) is in this video.. look close to make sure you catch all the cameos.. there really isn't one person who isn't a big name in this puppy!


SO GO PICK THAT ALL THAT SHIT UP (for me hehehe)! Because that box set is about the sickest purchase you can make this year... and there are a very limited number of those sneakers around... just don't buy them all up because I need a pair too! Same goes for the records! I'll be back tomorrow and it's probably going to be a sweet Joy Division post to stay tuned!

Brand new this Monday... Tiny Dancers

Well here's a new one... It was sent over by the good people over at Parlophone... This is truly one where it would be helpful if you guys gave a comment as they really want to know what the public is going to think of these guys. Have they got it? I apparently think so enough to put them on the blog... however I don't want to sit here and sway you with all sorts of praise, so instead I will give you an idea of what you're going to hear on this cut!

Imagine the drumbeat from the Nine Inch Nails cover of Joy Division's 'Lost Souls'... layered over a Manic Street Preachers song... that was trying to score an American alternative radio single in the 1990's but still be edgy... with the atmospherics of The Stone Roses 'I Wanna Be Adored'. If you ask me that is a spot on description. Don't you think?

Tiny Dancers- "20 to 9"

Here's a little excerpt from the band's bio:

'Tiny Dancers are David Kay (vocals, acoustic guitar), Chris ‘Ev’ Etherington (lead guitar, keyboards), Dez Wathey (bass guitar), Duncan ‘Zed’ Morrison (drums) and Glover (keyboards, glockenspiel, percussion, guitar, noise creation). They all grew up in South Kirkby, South Elmsall and Brierley, three small former pit villages marooned in the West Yorkshire countryside between Doncaster and Wakefield. The kind of places where everyone knows everyone else and “there’s always a friendly face”, they were at the very centre of the miner’s strike – although only one of the band is old enough to have a vague memory of it.

Later, music provided a potent escape. In their isolation music from the USA seemed no more exotic than music made far closer to home, so they listened to a wide range from different eras and from both sides of the Atlantic. Indeed, they point out, their villages often had more in common with hick towns in the mid-West than with the nearby music centres of Manchester or Leeds. “It was quite depressed, yet still quite scenic,” says Ev. “And although there was a lot for a kid to do, there was not so much for adults. After the pits closed, you got sawmills and warehouses coming in, woodworkers and stonemasons. So it was a bit like the old West.”

The name is not taken from the Elton John song, but because it just felt right: playful, unassuming, but intimate too. “We like the song, but it’s not a tribute to Elton John or anything. It’s just a happy coincidence. Tiny Dancers has got a good, positive feeling.”

So what will you hear when you hear Tiny Dancers? You’ll hear a distinctly English eccentric take on those strong 60s pop melodies with close harmonies, memorable guitar riffs, touches of country rock, of techno-funk raunch, of post-punk innovation. Most of all, you’ll hear a band that fit into few established pigeonholes, that sound utterly themselves.'


Sounds good yeah? I think this is just enough to whet ones whistle. If that wasn't enough you can check em out over on Myspace or over @ the Tiny Dancers Website. I'm sure if you guys enjoy this we'll get a couple more tracks when a full length comes out. Their new EP is out tomorrow the 20th November. And you can get it Amazon U.S. and good old iTunes.

I'll be back tomorrow... In the meantime I've got some music to right and some Family Guy to watch! See you guys tomorrow!

I bet you'll never guess...

This has been such a confusing thing to figure out... do I keep posting Babyshambles stuff? I mean... both the radioshow and the blog wouldn't exist with out the Libertines/Babyshambles influence. I mean seriously they wouldn't. Charles and I had talked about doing a britrock show for AGES but it kept not happening. And I don't think it would have either had I not heard 'Music When The Lights Go Out' by The Libertines. I mean I've loved British rock forever, and knew who The Libertines were but that song... that song push me over the edge... in a good way. So from that angle it seems to make sense.

HOWEVER... I don't want to just be the 'Babyshambles blog'... my aim is really to be THE Britblog. And, of course, there is some work that needs to be done on this site if that's going to happen...

...But also as the blog gets bigger I am going to be less and less likely to do these posts. I mean, if this thing gets bigger, I am going to have to be accountable for me actions a little more. So I guess while I still can I will probably be doing at least one Babyshambles post a week.

BEFORE I go any further I want to point something out though... YOU CAN GO TO ALBIONARKS.COM and get most if not ALL of the stuff I am posting for free. See, one of the of the reasons The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things, and Babyshambles have such a strong following is because they have given their music away for free prior to it's release (ususally in a slightly diminished quality... like a boombox recording, a session outtake, or a live track). It's awesome that they care enough about their fans to do that, but even if you want to be cynical it's still a REALLY smart marketing tool... I own a physical copy of LOADS AND LOADS of Libertines/Babyshambles/DPT albums, and I've got posters and books and blah blah blah... and I probably wouldn't had I not felt like I had a real connection to the band. And giving out free shit is a good way to create that bond lol!

Ok first off we've got the 'original' Radio 1 version of 'Fuck Forever'... this was the first version of the song (that I heard at least) and it is completely SPOT ON... I really hate to say it... but no other version captures the magic of this one... and certainly, at the end of the day you win some you lose some, and this is the version I prefer... of course there are loads of other versions over at ALBIONARKS.COM like the Nellee Hooper remix version, the alternate studio version etc etc... and maybe you will like those better but this one tickles my fancy!

Babyshambles- 'Fuck Forever (PERFECT Radio 1 Version) YSI

Babyshambles- 'Fuck Forever (PERFECT Radio 1 Version)' zShare

Then there is this version of 'The Whole World Is Our Playground' which is so pretty is almost brings a tear to my eye... the intro (which is absent on many other versions) is really really touching and makes the song that much better...
Babyshambles- 'The Whole World Is Our Playground (Long Intro Version) YSI

Babyshambles- 'The Whole World Is Our Playground (Long Intro Version) zShare

This track is rather large... about 14mb or so... it's about 12 mins long too... it's an excerpt from a live XFM session with them playing two songs and talking a little bit...
Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro/ Radio Talk/ 32nd Of December

Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro/ Radio Talk/ 32nd Of December

Speaking of XFM here is a really interesting performance for XFM that starts out with
Pete doing a really cool solo version of the afforementioned 'Music When The Lights Go Out' and then 'Up The Bracket'... apparently based on what he said they wouldn't let the rest of the Shambles play! At one point he suggests they have a sit down protest lol...


And here is the last one... this is the ORIGINAL (and best if you ask me) version of
'Killamangiro'... it was only release on 7" and the b-side was the previously posted 'At The Flophouse' (which was co-written with Dot Allison... HEY DOT WHEN YOU GONNA DO THAT LINER FOR ME SHOW??? :) lol) I am only going to post this as a YSI link BECAUSE this is something you should try to track down... I don't feel right giving this out to loads and loads of people.. however, if the limit has been reached and you HAVE to hear it I will send it to you as a request... but try to get it while the getting is good... and more importantly try to buy yourself a copy of the original version!

Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro (Original 7" Single Version)

I shit you not, I suggest you go out and buy these records and listen to them day in and day out and fall in love with Babyshambles (doesn't this vaguely remind you of people trying to convert you to Christianity 'AND I IMPLORE YOU TO BRING CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART AND FEEL WITH THE LOVE THAT HE HAS FOR YOU!' hahahaha). It truly is worth it. I also wanted to let you guys know that Parlophone has been nice enough to let me post this stuff (i.e. they haven't been wankers and said 'take it down...we OWN Babyshambles'), and they actually have even given me a little pat on the back about it. I still think they should let me preview a track off the E.P. (hint hint) BUT they've been so nice I can't bitch!

Hopefully, I will get time over the weekend to post more... well in fact I know I will be back because there is a song that Parlophone gave me (from a band called Tiny Dancers who have an album coming out this next week) that I want to post... so enjoy! Leave comments! And I will be back asap!




Buy music from Babyshambles!

BRITPOP EXPLOSION! Oasis vs Blur LIVE!

I have always been an ardent Oasis follower. The first time I heard "MAY-BAYYYYYY... I DON'T REALLY WANNA KNOWWWWW... HOW YOUR GAH-DEN GROWSSSS" I was hooked. "Live Forever" is the first song I ever learned how to play on the guitar (in fact it's one of the only songs I 'actually' know how to play as I'm not a guitar player... *in the most pretentious I went to art school way* I'm a SONGWRITER lol). I cannot count how many of the best moments of my life were surrounded or soundtracked by Oasis songs. So many fantastic moments.

Like, how about when my friends Melissa and Lizzy and I went to see them with Travis (the band not a person) in Detroit? We were only like 17 or 18 (which meant Meli Mel was a couple years younger than that) and we got soooooooooo fucking drunk. This college age guy in front of us was drinking Jim Beam and buying us beers, and he would keep turning around and beign like "WOOOOO You're my bro man! Oasis are fucking SWEET man!" and letting us take swigs of his pint. If memory serves me correctly I had a joint on me that we smoked with him (who's joint it was evades me but oh well) and it made Lizzy really sick cause she was already so drunk. Frat boy brings me my third and last beer (which I guzzle thinking 'they're bound to play plenty more songs so I better blow this down so when they finish an hour from now I'll be straight to drive') and as soon as I take my last sip Liam goes 'fuck you good night' and the show was over.

Needless to say I almost killed us going home. I frankly it was one of maybe three times I have driven drunk (WHICH I DO NOT CONDONE AND THINK IS HORRIBLE SO DON'T DO IT!) and it was sooooo difficult. When we got home it was as though I had climbed Mount Everest and I was so proud we got home in one piece (btw thanks for that God!). They ended up staying at my house because it didn't really seem to make sense and... if my memory serves me correctly... my girlfriend walked in on the three of us in bed the next morning and was ready to kill me (if she didn't come in she at least stopped by). Now, nothing happened, I didn't do anything with either one of them, they were just my friends, but we all just sat around in bed giggling and being retarded because I think we were still high... and it was one of those bonding moments that makes you friends for life.

We got to see one of the greatest bands of all time. We got royally fucked up. We were saved from certain death (did I mention it was raining buckets, I had the car on cruise control because I didn't know better and almost ran into a bunch of cement dividers because the 'move-over-arrow-highway-sign' was turned off?). We got free Ian Brown solo album singles outside the show. We got to see Noel sing acoustic 'Masterplan'. We had a major laugh and got to do everything fun (and stupid) that teenagers do in one night.

Of course, I've seen Oasis many times since (most of which have been plagued by rain and near death experiences) and I will tell you each time I go it strengthens my feeling that the world is an ok place. That other people see the magic I do in Oasis... in fact it goes a little something like "I think you're the same as me/ We'll see things they never see..."

Their new collection Stop The Clocks (UPDATE: you can stream the whole entire thing over here at AOL= Oasis, 'Stop the Clocks'), which is a greatest hits album with new tracks AND a concept video has just come out and I thought I would celebrate by posting some live stuff to stir up some nostalgia. Here's some tracks from The Point in Dublin, Ireland... it's all Noel, no Liam, in all of his coked out Be Here Now glory! If nothing else make sure you check out 'Stand By Me' which is labeled 'Sand By Me'... ooops!

Oasis- "Be Here Now (Live @ The Point, Dublin, Ireland)"

Oasis- "Stand By Me (Live @ The Point, Dublin, Ireland)"

Oasis- "D'You Know What I Mean" (Live @ The Point, Dublin, Ireland)"

This right here is the best performance I have ever seen them do:


And I really love this song... both are off Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants which I think is the album everyone dislikes except for me...


And since I mentioned Travis... I thought I'd give you this to jog your memory...

Travis- "Driftwood (Live @ Link Cafe, Glasgow)"

Now............... as much as I am a major major Oasis fans with posters in my living room, posters in my bedroom, Oasis ring tones, stickers on my car, and ringtones on my phone... I do like Blur a lot as well. I suppose in the Blur vs Oasis war, I'm more on the Oasis side though. HOWEVER, I own every single Blur album and 13 had a profound impact on my life. And Think Tank. And Parklife. Memories of driving to Bath from London listening to Badhead falling asleep in the sun. In fact when I was younger I used to think I wanted to be Damon Albarn when I grew up (even though everyone said he was a twat). In fact I used to carry a picture of him in my binder during high school (him and David Bowie along with a chat transcript of a 5am GMT chat with the Thin White Duke himself). I own ever Gorillaz album, I have a huge poster in my living room, a dvd and loads Albarn related stuff on my Amazon Wishlist (hint). So having said all this... I will post some Blur as well. Just to appeal to you all.

Blur- "Beetlebum (Live @ Brixton Academy)"

Blur- "Girls & Boys (Live @ Brixton Academy)"

Blur- "Song 2 (Live @ Brixton Academy)"

Sorry I haven't been around for a few days. I'll make sure to post TONS over the weekend... in fact I'm going to start right this second!

Trip Hop You Don't Stop

After yesterday's post I started thinking about some of the music that made me who I am today... like what band is it that shattered everything I knew before and rebuilt my senses to appreciate the finer things in music? As I was trying to figure out what artist/band I was going to use for my post was shocked when I realized I haven't really posted much Massive Attack in the past. In fact I don't know if I have posted any, at all! Which is insane seeing as my favourite bands are as follows: Joy Division, The Libertines, Babyshambles, Mobius Band, Crystal Skulls and Massive Attack (ok so there are a couple more but...)

Massive Attack were/are one of those bands that made me think "wow, this is exactly what I have always wanted music to sound like." At 15 I was aware of Massive Attack through their connection to Tricky (who I was obsessed with) and knew they came from Bristol (just like my other favourite band at that time, Portishead, who are still one of my favourites) and little else. I bought their album Protection first and I enjoyed it quite a bit (I was already familiar with the dub version No Protection and didn't know it, but that's another story) but I really went bonkers for them when I heard Mezzanine.

Mezzanine is an album of total opposites that work in harmony. It is dark, and distant. Cold and isolated. Warm and breezy. Full of fear and hatred. An album about love and heartbreak that sees both the silver lining on the cloud and the shadow cast by it. It is one of those albums that was such a labor of love it basically broke up the band. Here's a little description from Wikipedia on the album:

Massive Attack's third album, Mezzanine, was released in 1998. Mezzanine showed the band moving towards an extremely dark, tense sound filled with distorted guitars and a combination of drum machines and live percussion that lacked the laid-back, jazzy nature they had occasionally shown in their previous albums. Original member Vowles, dissatisfied with this change in sound, left the band. He was replaced by Neil Davidge, who worked with Del Naja for much of his material on Mezzanine.

Mushroom (Andrew Vowles) didn't return to the group and Daddy G (Grant Marshall) has been 'spending time with his family' since Mezzanine.

Although some critics have said that Massive Attack haven't put out anything good since 1998 I, personally, disagree have enjoyed every Massive Attack release since. In fact even went so far as to see them live a couple months ago. It was really a sight to see but I felt like the show would have been better had it not been at the Riviera in Chicago. The acoustics in that place SUCK and every band I've seen there has not sounded quite right (it's been as though they couldn't hear themselves sing! Elizabeth Frasier and Horace Andy who are LEGENDS were all over the place, unable to hold onto notes or keys or anything). I would like to see them at another venue someday and suggest that if you get the chance you go see them. Even if their show gets screwed up (like it did when I saw them) it's still worth seeing!

Anyway... I thought I would try to give you the FULL Massive Attack experience here and post a little something from all over their catalogue... I hope you all enjoy this and if I can I might try to sneak a couple more remixes in either later tonight, or maybe I'll do another Massive Attack post... I dunno...

Here's the remixes:
Primal Scream- "Exterminator (Massive Attack Remix)"

U.N.K.L.E.- "Rabbit In Your Headlights (Reverse Light Massive Attack Remix)"

Garbage- "Milk (Massive Attack Classic Remix)"

Massive Attack- "Daydreaming (Blacksmith Remix)"


Here's some album tracks:
Massive Attack- "Lately" off Blue Lines

Massive Attack- "Man Next Door" off Mezzanine


Massive Attack- "Small Time Shot Away" off 100th Window

Here's some videos... the first one is the 'unreleased' video for 'Angel' which is EPIC... the other two are new videos off their 'Best Of...' called Collected.







And while I still have your attention I would like to thank you all for stopping by... as you can see below the numbers recently have been AMAZING! Keep coming back! I love you all! I'm not making a fucking penny off this shit (I don't think) but it makes me so happy that I'm making people's day just a little more fun! THANK YOU!

Re-ee-eee-wind!!!

SO... I've been posting a lot of dancey stuff recently (duh) but I decided to go a little old school today... I was organizing my mp3's (hold on! where did my pocket protector go! *cough*) and I found this mix I got for free from Ministry Magazine. I don't read that shit anymore (because since I've gotten older I'm more of a strictly Ghostly/Warp/Kitsune kind of guy as opposed to labels like Defected and shit like that... not that I'm above it or I don't love it... but I digress) it's just not my style, BUT this fucking mix cd is off the fucking chain! It's this sort of summery-disco-filter-jersey-paradise-garage-house that is perfect to throw on while driving to the beach on the hottest day of summer.

The summer of 2001 I tore my arse off rollerblading, I would mow down some of those strawberry chews (like those healthy Starbursts?), bust out a few bottles of Dasani, and throw this into my stereo whilst whacked out on painkillers on the way to the beach (you thought I was being healthy didn't you! Yeah right! I was fucking loaded!) Needless to say, that was the 2nd best summer of my life (I think this last Summer was the best because of my girl and the festivals we went to) and this cd was instrumental in its perfection (that and the hard narcotics for my temporarily missing butt cheek). In case you were wondering which issue of Ministy and what cd... it was the 'North vs South' issue (featuring two neon clad lassies hitting each other and wrestling), the cd was for a Ministry club nite called 'Rulin', and the Dj was Jazzy M. Here is the most out of control track on that comp... if you want more of this get at me... I know it's not as 'rock' as most of the dance I've put up BUT this is British club music and I want to cover all sides of the Brit music sphere.

Jazzy M- "Jazzin The Way You Know" YSI

Jazzy M- "Jazzin The Way You Know" zShare

Now taking it WAYYYYYYYYY further back... I thought I would post some 808 State. When I was 14, music started taking a turn for the best. All of a sudden this band Prodigy started a rumble with their monster track 'Firestarter', and along with them they brought loads of other electronic groups with them onto the shelves my local record store. I was devouring Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, Photek, Josh Wink, Atari Teenage Riot, Daft Punk, Bjork, Orbital, Crystal Method, Moby and all the other groups you HAD to check out back then when you were trying to build a broad palette to draw from as you create an electronic record collection. Then I started getting into the flavour of the moment... stuff like Dj Shadow, Morcheeba, Roni Size, Tricky, Portishead and other great bands of that time period. BUT I also starting going backwards and checking out the bands that I had grown up with like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, and New Order. And then I found 808 State. I found they had worked with Bjork (something fairly new to me) and Bernard Sumner from New Order (something I had grown up with) and I decided they were the perfect duo. I immediately fell in love with Ex:El. If you haven't you should too. This record helped me learn to appreciate the structure of electronic music, and that it too can offer the world pop songs you can sing along with.

808 State feat Bernard Sumner- "Spanish Heart" YSI

808 State feat Bernard Sumner- "Spanish Heart" zShare

So that's it for now... I appologize that it was a sort of rambling nostalgic post... as of tomorrow I'll be back on track... BTW I wanted to say thanks to all the visitors over the weekend... I got over a thousand hits since my last post and I don't know how it happened... but PLEASE keep coming back!

The Man That Fell To YouTube

This is what my daydreams look like inside my head...


No time for a big long post... I'm headed out of town... I so I can promise another post asap.. but make sure you check out the previous Babyshambles, and Aphex Twin posts! There are plenty zShare links if the YSI ones are dead! Anyway, here are some Bowie covers to tide you over if I don't get to post again...

The Futureheads- "Let's Dance" YSI

The Futureheads- "Let's Dance" zShare

Arcade Fire- "Five Years" YSI

UPDATE: LINK REPAIRED!!!
Arcade Fire- "Five Years" zShare

Too Much Rock N Roll (Babyshambles)

Well yesterday I broke the 3,000 mark... I've gotta say... it makes me feel MIGHTY good... mighty good... GIVEN the fact that the counter has ONLY BEEN UP FOR 3 WEEKS and I hadn't been posting for months... long story short I went from getting no hits, to 20 hits a day, to 50 hits a day, to a hundred hits a day, to 300 hits a day and on and on... and seems to be a lot of you are coming back for 'more' as well! There seem to be quite a few return visitors! I mean this morning with no new post I got over a 150... weird shit...

Day Date Page Loads Unique Visitors First Time Visitors
Thursday 9th November 2006 247 166 146
Wednesday 8th November 2006 202 150 138
Tuesday 7th November 2006 329 235 213

Seems to be there a few people posting Babyshambles this week... and they are climbing up the Hype Machine with the quickness... now I thought to myself... "Hmmmm... should I do another Shambles post? I do one just about every week... Is that dumb? Maybe I should... I wonder if I can get Parlophone to give me access to the new tracks soon.... hmmmmm..." and finally just decided that it's easier to just do the post than to sit around thinking about doing it. I don't have time for that shit... thinking that is...

BUT HERE IS SOMETHING I DO HAVE TIME FOR! I have a few favourite blogs. Everyone of couse reads Stereogum, and I really like Rbally, Acid Girls, Fluo Kids, and Discobelle... but above all I love me some Palms Out Sounds! They are the coolest blog on the block, with a distinct hip-hop bent, that covers everything from Jay Z and NaS, to Spank Rock and my boys Flosstradamus. Right now they are in the running to get to do exclusive coverage of the new Jay Z album Kingdom Come but they have to win this blog competition over at Roccafella to get it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help them out. Either stop by Palms Out Sounds or head over to Rocafella to vote for them. Please, it doesn't take that long, I want to blogosphere (nay, the world!) to see that hip-hop ain't just 50 Cent and Dipset, it's crazy Mash-ups and B-more mixes! Thank you for your time.

So before I post the songs, check this out...

Pete is now running around with shirts that say 'Too Much Rock N Roll' and 'Drug Free'... who would have thought... maybe Liam Gallagher will say that he wants to hang out with Pete now and trade parenting tips... seeing at Liam's Little James and Pete's Astile both have the same mommy Lisa Moorish. Nothing heard as to whether Kate is actually pregnant with Pete-Child-No-2 but it does seem to be confirm that they are to marry... I don't mean to sound like a tabloid. I just can't get enough of Pete Doherty.

Just in case you forgot what it was like when he was on drugs... take a look at this video of he and a couple of the Shambles lip synching to Snoop Dog!

Ok, enough of me talking... here are the tracks... these are mostly newer tracks, and hopefully some of them will be on the upcoming 'Blinding E.P.'they are releasing on Parlophone... I should let you know NONE OF THESE ARE THE ACTUAL FINAL VERSIONS OF THE TRACKS, THEY ARE EITHER LIVE OR GOOD QUALITY DEMOS!!! The first two are from the 'Paris Rehearsals' which sound great, the second one is an acoustic version of 'Beg Steal Or Borrow' and 'Jeane' is a great track that has been floating around in the wilderness and I don't think it has any connection to anything... the last two are Live @ Paradiso Club in Amsterdam, which was actually recorded for Radio 1. The sounds quality, even though they are live, is GREAT and I really have enjoyed this set. I might post more off it in the future (thank you to 19mark78 from French Dog Blues Forum for the CD from this show)! I've posted the files in both YouSendIt and zShare because it seems to be that some of my shit doesn't show up on the Hype Machine or it's just numbers and shit... and I figured if I posted all the songs on both it couldn't go wrong (crosses fingers)! Enjoy!

Babyshambles- "French Dog Blues" YSI

Babyshambles- "French Dog Blues" zShare

Babyshambles- "I Wish" YSI

Babyshambles- "I Wish" zShare

Babyshambles- "Beg Steal Or Borrow (Acoustic)" YSI

Babyshambles- "Beg Steal Or Borrow (Acoustic)" zShare


Babyshambles- "Jeane"

Babyshambles- "Baddies Boogie" YSI

Babyshambles- "Baddies Boogie" zShare

Babyshambles- "Janie Jones (Live)" YSI

Babyshambles- "Janie Jones (Live)" zShare

BTW... Charles and I are talking about putting an RSS or XML feed from my the blog here to the 'Albion' site so we can combine the latest news with your mp3s (and make the whole thing a little more professional). The record companies, and the bands, and (most improtantly) the fans/listeners have been flooding in there recently so it only makes sense to put both sites together. So make sure to check back and see if we actually did that... like the magical Albion t-shirts I never made!

UPDATE 11/11/06
I GOT OVER 750 HITS TODAY! SO HERE'S THE COMPLETE BABYSHAMBLES GLASTO PERFORMANCE!

Aphex Twin: Selected Classics Off Lots Of Albums

So we've been on this jacked up dancey-pants thing for a few posts... and I thought I would take it down a notch. Take it down A LOT actually.

I haven't posted any Aphex Twin before and I thought now would be a good time. I was looking through my computer at work and saw this Warp Records/London Sinfonetta album I reviewed for WIDR a couple weeks back and I thought I should post some songs from it. Then I thought... well shit... why not post a bunch of Aphex Twin!

Of all the songs I could post I would say that 'Flim' (off of the ubiquitous 'Come To Daddy EP') is by far my favourite. For many years, whether happy or sad, I've had this fantasy that when I die (if there is some afterlife) 'Flim' will come on shortly afterwards, filling the void, and I will know everything will be ok. Morbid, yeah, but it's such a beautiful song that I think it is what 'heaven' sounds like if there is such a thing.

Most of these songs tend to lean in the more 'pretty' or 'ethereal' direction, which is not really an accurate portrail of what Mr. Richard D. James' music is like at all (I say this because I know there are a fair amount of younger kids who read this blog and I don't want to have them pick up 'Hangable Auto Bulb' and freak out and never trust anything I say ever again!)... but these are some of the songs of his songs I like most.

ALSO! Don't forget to actually go out and buy his stuff! I'm not just posting this for you to get free music. I'm trying to get you to either a) rediscover Aphex Twin, b) say "Oh, maybe I should have bought this album!", or c) pick up his work for the first time. There is a LOT of music here and I don't want to feel like an idiot for posting it. Based on Aphex interviews I'm going to assume he wouldn't give a shit but his record company probably would...

Aphex Twin- "Polygon Window (Arranged by Kenneth Hesket)"

Aphex Twin- "Prepared Piano Piece 1"

These first two are from Warp Works & 20th Century. That album also includes John Cage, Squarepusher, Tom Jenkinson, Gyorgy Ligeti, Conlon Nancarrow, Steve Reich, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Edgard Varese. That album I suggest checking out if you are into both IDM and NPR.

Here's my selection of favourites:

Aphex Twin- "Alberto Balsam" off I Care Because You Do...

Aphex Twin- "Flim" off Come To Daddy E.P.

Aphex Twin- "Tha" off Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin- "Nanou2" off Druqks

Aphex Twin- "Windowlicker" off Windowlicker E.P.

PLEASE, if you enjoyed this go pick some Aphex Twin over at Amazon!