HIP HOP away into the New Year.....

I haven’t been writing for a while, I could say I’ve been busy but I think becoming laxed is the key reason. Now post ‘Umbrella’ RnB & Hip Hop has hit a post sludge of the same it has to be said, once producers and artists got the formula of using distorted guitars, wavy synths and eclectic samples, the sludge train docked its load of the door of mainstream radio outlets i.e. Radio 1 (but what else can you expect).

The last couple of years have been notorious for ‘BIG’ mainstream hip hop, we had the mainstream birth of Lil Wayne, T.I taking Grand Hustle to the UK in the form of Paper Trail and protégés galore with Cash Money using the aptly titled adjectives in its name to grind out Drake, but you cant help feel this momentum of mainstream success has blurred the vision of how ground breaking a genre could and ultimately should be.

As I lay on my bed freezing my ass off, I’ve been listening to some mainstream artists who could turn the tide for said genre’s in the new year with a sense of a ‘new’ formula, taking the style in a fundamentally new direction, being ground breaking without having to rely so heavily on the sludge train, some examples of this can be seen in artists such as Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Shyne and even (yes its coming!) Dr Dre.

Now the latter I feel will bring about a positive shift in early 2011, with Dre releasing the highly anticipated Detox sometime in February and Shyne taking his release from prison as a step not only to realise a form of religion but to also unleash 10 years of angst of being locked away to snowball the airwaves with intelligent and hardcore raps that many labels including Cash Money and Def Jam are willing to pay BIG marketing dollars for.

Now the much hype that ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ has ensued is in my opinion deserved, Kanye, who spent two years making the record has broke the formula chains to great effect, the album which is his dark take on all things celebrity and his own demons is astonishing, highlighted tracks for me are Blame Game with John Legend which ultimately see Kanye using studio wizardry to seemingly show his many inner monologues, done to great effect and the fantastic Power with Kanye rapping, "My childlike creativity, purity, and honesty is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts/ Reality is catching up with me, taking my inner child, a line which to me symbolises his genius of producing but also his ego nature to steal MTV awards and attack rednecks.

Nicki Minaj, fresh off much ado about nothing continued beef with Lil Kim finally released Pink Friday, and although it does sound fresh, it ties inbetween where I feel she wants to be and what’s commercially viable for mainstream radio play which we all know creates the big $$$, mixtapes before the big release were so promising edgy, off beat wordplay, shifting personalities but I feel the sludge has forced itself on her, with failing to chart Massive Attack (although great) being replaced with the use of Annie Lennox samples on Your Love, I feel if she had been allowed she could have changed the face of females in hip hop, hard hitting and ready to take on the norms and this is something she has ultimately failed to do.

So the end of year has been strong for hip hop, although it could be stronger, newly released single ‘Kush’ by Dr.Dre sees the doctor rapping about one pass time that hip hop generations young and old can understand ‘green’ but what can a 45 year old man rap about, when he spends most of his time in the studio looking after his artists, lets hope we some surprises on Detox. The one great hope I look forward to in 2011, will be Shyne, cooking up his come back LP, I really hope that the sludge will be partly shifted….

NOTE:

The reason I fail to mention the likes of Eminem, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, is because although at times great records it goes no where near the fundamentals, the commercial viability of such records makes it so it cant really be ground breaking.

An example of $ludge vs diversity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSFyrrhKj1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZCUtnuAXg8

Guess which is which.........

Glastonbury 2010: A Personal Review

Ahhhh the salient transcendental atmosphere that we (as in me and friends) call Eavis’ back garden, home to close to 180,000 people over 5 days of treacherous debauchery (I lie that’s only to a certain demographic), yes that term Glastonbury has symbolised for so many years the ultimate holy grail of festivals not least as it’s the last festival in the UK it seems that isn’t being talked about in a board room by INDIE ROCK men in suits counting cheques as they order brunch in a high street coffee shop, NO, its run by a father and daughter, an ultimate combo that strike an accord with so many people not least because of the diversity of this truly special festival.

Anyway, a bit about the personal then we can get onto 5 of my top acts at the festival (as this is a music blog after all, but screw it, I have a life too god dam nit!), we arrive in the blazing Somerset heat, to a barrage of happy campers filling up space like a an aeroplane with a disproportionate customer, and much to our dismay we start to camp right (and I mean RIGHT) at the top of the pyramid stage, so close in fact we would get a close up view of the toilet merchants delivering the days pastures via their tractors, at a point our small group (more to join later) were so tired, hot, hungry, dying for a drink we nearly banged on the door of Eavis demanding a Brothers, some milk and a traditional Taunton dish, but we were saved by fellow friends and camped near the Other stage.

So Other stage, beer, views, sun, friends, lotions and many an assortment of party prescriptions later, I will not give a detail by detail account of each day as that’s beyond boring but I will say that this festival is so special, being able to watch fantastic bands (not just your headliners but lets choose from the 44 other stages!) and to cap it off the Arcadia, Shangri-La, London Underground and NYC Block 9 are simply what a party is meant to be like, hitting that every night on a different planet with friends has to be the best feeling in the world. Glastonbury seems to be its own utopia of unbridled joy and to top it off for 3 days straight, talking to hippies about anything and at 5:45am the sun just casually rising (I must admit in my altered state, I felt I was watching some warped version of Teletubbies, waiting for the baby to laugh, that’s how surreal Glastonbury can be!), and a new days begins, totally spectacular, I defy anybody to tell me differently, many people ask what is Glastonbury like, but its one of the only questions I can give a this answer to……EXPERIENCE IT is all I can say and report back to me.

ENOUGH, enough of me tickling Eavis’ beard, what about the bands, well below are my top 5 bands/artists of the festival (from what I saw!)

5. Giggs – Peckham rapper, SN1 chief and all round bad boy with the press for his stark reality that some parts of inner city London are riddled with various crimes (NOOOOO! NEVER!), even Trident couldn’t stop this ACTUAL rapper (sorry Tinchy, Chipmunk and co, kings of POP rap), he tore it up along with guests including Shola Ama and Skepta with Mistajam lacing the decks, although I did feel sorry for him as he was performing as the stage crew took upon themselves to set up for Mr.Tempah whilst Giggs was performing, but for a man that has been through so much, it was quite a moment to see that look on his face that spelled ‘Is this for real?( Smiles), great short set and after a slow start eventually the crowd surfaced and felt why XL took him on despite opposition. Song choice – ‘Don’t Go There.

4. Fatboy Slim – Back at 2008’s Glastonbury, after I watched Kings of Leon, I came back to the tents and met up with friends who were astounded by Fatboy Slim, and after watching a lifeless Gorillaz on the Pyramid, myself and a few others thought we’d go and see the Brighton (onian) DJ legend smash it, and that he did! The beginning of my disco biscuit adventure started here, the atmosphere, the poppers, the scouser girl going crazy, the lights, the tent, everything was just spectacular, and my Fatboy Slim cherry was well and truly broken, a-m-a-z-i-n-g, his mash ups of hip-hop, dance, electronica and indie were just flawless, truly a legend.

3. (Bit of cheating here), Sub Focus, Kissy Sell Out and Pet Shop Boys - I say this is cheating because, I could here all three while I was comatosed in my tent for over indulgence, and even though I eventually got up to party at Shangri-Li, when I was in the tent I could hear all three acts a mixture of KISSY DROP THAT BASSLINE, WESTEND GIRLS! And some thumping bass WOM WOM dropping from the Glade, I would have liked to have thought I could be some kind of hermaphrodite 800m runner and see all 3, but I’m not! But with ear gendering comes response, and these 3 even in my state garnered a response, my misty hat off to you 4 gentlemen, I salute and honour. Songs that I could muster -

Doctor P – Sweet Shop (Kissy Klub version)
Sub Focus – Rock It (serious arm waving in my tent)
Pet Shop Boys – WEST END GIRLS.

2. Foals – I’m not going to lie, since the uni days, my love for all things Indie have died out, with saturation levels as high as Rik Wallers, the amount of bands that bring anything to the table is severely limited (please be pardoned most of NYC), but on the Friday Foals gave a show stopping performance, filled with passion (one thing you always get at Glastonbury from even the most pretentious bands) and dance like a fool laced tracks, Yannis and co are definitely on the up, the tracks from Total Life Forever were amazing and sprinkled with Balloons, Two Steps Twice and Cassius, it gave fans a Bassett affair laced with assortment (sorry).
Song – Spanish Sahara (Tooooo good)

1. SNOOP DOGG! – OK, a person like me comes with many stereotypes and one of them to people I don’t know, is you MUST like hip-hop, and I say, course I fucking do, even though my style is not geared towards such pastures, I am a massive hip-hop fan so when the Doggfather graced the stage (I stood through Willie Nelson, that’s how desperate I was to get a good spot), I was in my own hip-hop world, and at the same time scaring a pair of 15 year olds to death as I sang the classics Snoop Dogg gave Glastonbury most notably 187 (his first song with Dr.Dre as his protégé), absolutely amazing and by far the best act I saw all weekend.
Song – 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted (ode to the late 2pac)

Glastonbury 2010, one of the highlights of my existence…..EXPERIENCE IT!

GLASTO 2010!!! Review coming soon.......

..................................................................................................................................................... It got mad sunny........................................................................................................................................................

Is the road to music success in the black community defined by pop rap or street journalism, I look at Giggs.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been asking myself this question, broadly based on a UK initiative not in the U.S, mainly due to the fact the hype that continues to surround the the next ‘big’ thing in UK hip hop Giggs. But can we call it hip hop or shall we refer to it as street journalism, a tale of many stories some positive & some negative that documents a best selling rough travel guide to life in deprived areas.

This road to success for a black artist clearly has some guidelines, 2009/2010 has seen the rise of many I would call cartoon characters of the black community, not denying the sense depravity they might have had growing up but to escape that, it seems the notion of ‘selling out’ buckets down like spring rain but who could blame them with labels, money and exposure dangling just above their questionable D&G shades.

But in essence of street journalism we have a new artist on the block, those who know him from the ‘streets’ aware of his clique ‘SN1’ and their notorious mixtapes (selling them in the streets, but not quite as drastic as Eazy-E did with a gun, check out Welcome to Deathrow), quickly from that gaining notoriety for his deep voice over gritty beats, the new essence of UK hip hop stems from staying to the streets and not straying over to the darkside (by that I mean mainstream).

Periods in jail for guncrime charges, Giggs can certainly (if he wanted to) take the throne most rappers worldwide base there gritty background from, but looking at interviews it appears this man is purely about his business, taking his XL contract, his designer SN1 label and street journalism and shoving it down the throats to those that will listen.

But can he make it? It appears nowadays its not just the mainstream media not backing your goals (although 1xtra gives him credit, a 0.9% audience share doesn’t do this man justice) it appears to be the met police appear also to deride any sort of success, warning XL recordings not to sign him, tours being cancelled due to safety concerns, it appears a desire to tell a story (no matter how gritty) is enclosed in a tomb to be opened at your peril according to many.

Street journalism or ‘rap’ as its coined seems to strike to fear, a voice that treads fear into many, a hopeful beating back into his old is the hopes and dreams of many but I hope that many realise that there is talent in the streets of many inner city areas that can tell a story and get people to WAKE UP and NOT be ignorant, XL have artists that send messages that have been heard, M.I.A progressing onto to more serious issues, Thom Yorke ever challenging the social norm, and now we have Giggs, lets hope a message can now be delivered that can be real, positive and have people look in more detail of the ‘struggle’.

Nardwuar.....The Human Serviette

From his shortly lived but still ongoing band The Evaporators (who At The Drive In did support once upon a time), Nardwuar is and continues to be a cult phenomenom amongst music fans alike, not so much for his love for his purposeful mis-matched dress sense, but for his inane, baffling, insightful, confusing interviews which eludes to the interviewee admiring his work or reach for the nearest exit, whatever the result, Youtube is rife with interviews he has done over the last 20 years and it has become a frequented pass time of mine.


Known for his signature catchphrases 'check, check, check', who are you?, where are you from? (to start with) and ending always with a 'doot dooda doot doot' to which the normal reply is either fuck off or a 'i'll go along with this' attitude from the interviewee. What you will notice with Nardwuar is that his research is second to none, in the modern era of not adopting a relationship with musicians and just looking at a piece of paper and firing mondane questions about production style differences, influences and all that wafty stuff, Nardwuar usually produces gifts, old samples they have used, influences that are relevant and questions that somehow connect with Canada (his home is Vancouver, British Columbia to be more accurate).

Such instances that spring to mind include, regularly baffling Snoop Dogg, pissing off Slipknot, having plenty of laughs with the Mars Volta (seemingly respecting him for not insisting on Omar's pedal levels), again baffling Pharrell with ultra rare vinyl records, having photo's of Josh Homme at primary school and superior knowledge of garage rock which The Horrors can only respect. That's just a short list of the interviews he's done, there are so many and each one just as entertaining as the next, if you're bored then look up NardwuarServiette on Youtube, sit back and enjoy because this transcendental form of interview which sure to amaze.

Now hosting his own radio show in Canada, it seems he's got into the current affairs game and regularly frequents parliament with odd ball questions for the suits in power, who 9 times out of 10 find him rather annoying, but sticking to his first love of music badgering, here are some memorable ones, including Dave Rowntree almost assaulting the geeky tartan wearing maple flower.












Check out more that include interviews with The Strokes, Florence and the Machine, La roux, Lady GaGa, Nirvana, Franz Ferdinand, Jay-Z, The Libertines, Marylin Manson, Slipknot, Common, Nas, Flava Flav, Blowfly, Killers, Little Boots....Basically the list is endless.

Brilliant....Mr Adam Buxton

Save 6 Music (http://www.love6music.com/)

M.I.A - Born Free

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

Yes fresh from child birth and a distinct love of making a statement in the modern new age ten(ties) M.I.A has linked up with Rusko to release her 3rd full length album currently untitled (you decide apparently so get on it!), and with it comes judging by a free Mp3 entitled There's space for ol dat i see (no my spelling has not gone to shit) and this rather graphic video for the song Born Free you get the feeling that ones immense rise to fame coupled by in the mainstream associations with T.I and Danny Boyle, the song has a certain influence to highlight people's ignorance of issues that need to be discussed and Miss M.I.A has not shyed away from making this point as brutally as possible.

Teaming up with Roman Gavras who's C.V includes directing music video's for French electro duo Justice which depicted strong parisian gang violence, Mr Gavras is no stranger to courting controversy, the purpose of this video seems to highlight a marauding military service seeming to punish a loosely based minority (in this case being ginger people) and uses this vague scenario to highlight what seemingly is rhetoric towards war but inclining in my view that although we are born free we still live as a subject as opposed to a citizen.

The song itself being honest leaves alot to be desired but saying that, it lasts for 9 minutes and in my opinion is making more a point then actually formulating a smash hit, known for hit records since the inception of Kala, Born Free and the rest of the unamed album I feel will take M.I.A in a new direction, making music that points towards cultural significance and tredding in areas that many wouldn't, the song, just for the video is bound to cause a stir, lets see if it does....

Instigate Debate....An actual viewpoint

If there was any a moral obligation it would be aimed at the 6th May for our young voters in the general election, a chance to vote for our democracy and a chance to really stamp our cradled feet into the horizon, or if your like me (a cynic) its another chance to be ignored but in the process having the slightest glimmer that maybe your voice will be heard and you won’t be shouting into closed industry or in a class size as big as the queue to sock Cameron in his smarmy mouth.

Instigate Debate is a brilliant way of attaining a media obsessed nation into NOT voting for some second rate pub singer from Doncaster who’s mum has cancer and so is doing it for HER, it’s an obsession primarily formed on opinions that are TRUE but are so far from media agenda’s nobody is either a. Familiar with such concepts or b. Doesn’t give two shits, which is fair enough we are all entitled to like what we like, hear what we hear, see what we see.

A scheme set up as a cultural and political look into people’s views on various issues, the concept was started by political activist Mark Donne in 2008, and unlike charity’s prone temptation for stars to pontificate themselves on how much their doing and delivering speeches the strike a chord with modern day unfortunate charitable mendacity not amongst the organisations themselves but by the top earner musicians who constantly berate the ‘normal’ people into doing more (don’t believe me then get on True Stories: Starsuckers).

Musicians who have taken part in these questions which encourage people to film such interviews on phones, digital camera’s, or if you have the dollar even actual proper equipment, a range of topics are covered from the Murdoch empire to the question of personal wealth, the interviews encompass a transient feel but I feel it gives good grounding on people we viably respect as musicians/artists and gives an alternative view to the negative connotation we give people in the public eye.

If your looking for personal views of people and the world that we sometimes put off from thinking about then have a look on the media conglomerate that is Youtube, below is an interview conducted on the beat with former NME Journalist Conor McNicholas, very interesting, also below is the interview conducted with Reverend and the Makers front man Jon McClure, look them all up! You never know an impromptu house gig to celebrate your documentation with the 'stars' could be your reward (moving with the times, people have to offer things now.....)

The return of Coxon aka Blur - Fool's Day

Yes the cries of independence reigned for many months and with that brought back 2009's greatest come back Blur to the forefront in giving the fans original material with Graham Coxon since 2003's Think Tank (in which he most probably alcohol induced provided a guitar line for Battery In Your Leg). Yes the boys went into the studio and gave us just over 2 minutes of comeback material entitled 'Fool's Day', available on 7 inch vinyl (quickly sold out) and as an MP3, but what to make of it....

The first thing you can say is that Damon Albarn's obsession when Coxon left of samples, exotic instruments, potential Fatboy producers and an unyielding desire to release an estranged Blur from the early days has disappeared on Fool's Day, upon hearing the first 30 seconds, you can instantly be tuned into Coxon's lead guitar and familiar Albarn vocals.

What I got from Blur was a complex simplicity in their music in which so many people could relate to, lost in the wilderness through problems, Fool's Day oozes you back into the old swagger and charm of the Blur of yester year, simple arrangements that make you feel at ease with yourself, its definately a resounding yet sneaky back door return for Blur in terms of the music, lets hope after many a side project the boys can reconvene and create the days that had me thinking it may be acceptable to include Phil Daniels in a music video.

Record Store Day 2010...

Record Store Day 2010
The Importance

An obtuse mind is seemingly the mindset of a media brainwashed society nowadays, case in point a 16 year old little nit who through plenty of marketing $$$ and quite frankly a ridiculous attention span of a generation has become a star in a month, but today pessimism isn’t the chosen word (although necessary in that case) as its Record Store Day, an ode to local record stores throughout the UK that tirelessly keep independence alive from giant corporate conglomerates.

For this day celebrates all that record stores stood for and still do in a much smaller domain. The power of technology has effectively destroyed the premise of record store day, the closure of many adding to the emphasis of customers who rely nowadays on an easier route (usually Amazon, not going to lie I do it myself).

Bands such as Geoff Barrow’s Beak will take to various stores in and around the UK to play instore gigs to celebrate the notion that going out and supporting independence is still burning bright and with other more mainstream influential artists such as Blur, The Rolling Stones, Flaming Lips and Babyshambles releasing new and rare (in the case of the Stones) material.

Lets hope that this day not forces a new generation of demographics to scrap technology in favour of popping down to your local record store (we all know there is approximately…No chance of that EVER happening), but the commemoration of such influential stores in and around the UK in which we should all stand up and thank by trading in a CD, buying a vinyl or just having a moment to yourself with some headphones and your favourite album.

List of instore appearances: -

Bristol, Rise Records:
Jim Moray (2pm)
Hi Ficiton Science (3pm)
Wilder (4pm)
Zun Zun Egui (5pm)
Thought Forms (6:30pm)
Beak> (7:30pm)
The Blessing (8:30pm)


Cardiff, Spillers Records:
The Automatic
Christopher Rees
Cosmo
Bullet For My Valentine (DJ set)
Bethan Elfyn (DJ set)
DJ Rascal (DJ set)
Gary ‘Twisted By Design’ (DJ set)
Ben and Sam (DJ set)

Cheltenham, Badlands Records:
Calmer Records acts (10am - 4pm)

Edinburgh, Avalanche Records:
The Sundancer (noon)
TV21 (3pm)
Desertersdeservedeath (featuring members of Saint Jude’s Infirmary) (5:30pm)

Farnham, 101 Collectors Records :
Wax Jams
Jonathan Thompson

Glasgow, Avalanche Records:
YAK (plus more acts to be confirmed)

Kent, Sound House:
Pete Molinari
Tallulah Rendall
Jason Steel & Nancy Wallace

Leeds, Crash Records:
The Paddingtons (2pm)
Jon Jones & The Beatniks Movement (4pm)
Pulled Apart By Horses (6:30pm)
The Sunshine Underground (8pm)

Leeds, Jumbo Records:
Jonjo Feather (9:20am)
Wilful Missing (11:30am)
Serious Sam Barrett (2:30pm)

London, The Dream Machine (at The Half Moon Pub):
The Lorenz Attractor
Eat Lights; Become Lights
Her Name Is Calla
Library Tapes
Woodchucker
Epic45
Spotlight Kid
Codes In The Clouds

London, Pure Groove:
Family Saturn (10am)
David Tattersall (noon)
Babeshadow (1:30pm)
Silver Columns (3pm)
Bombay Bicycle Club (6pm)



London, Rough Trade East:
Pulled Apart By Horses (11am)
Caribou (noon)
Laurie Anderson (2pm)
Sweet Billy Pilgrim (3pm)
Ash (4pm)
Michael Rother of Neu! (signing) (5pm)
Pin Me Down (6pm)

London, Rough Trade West:
Alan Pownall (12:30pm)
Eliza Doolittle (1:15pm)
Jesca Hoop (2pm)
The Magic Numbers (3pm)
I Am Arrows (4pm)
Erland And The Carnival (4:45pm)

London, Banquet Records (gigs take place at The Fighting Cocks):
Cancer Bats (2pm and 4pm)

London, Kingston Hippodrome:
Tinie Tempah, Professor Green (10pm)

Newcastle, Reflex:
Chris Riley (1:30pm)
Emily Portman (2:30pm)

Caribou - Swim

Upon listening to Swim this afternoon, I get the distinct impression that Mr.Daniel Snaith (aka Caribou), got his science experiement hat on, locked himself in a room filled with the following -

1. An Apple Mac

2. A copy of Ableton live 8

3. A Korg MicroKorg

4. A copy of Now (mid 90's)

5. A sheer determination to create something unique

6. A MIDI Keyboard and a truck load of sounds and samples.

Armed with this, Caribou has created a brilliant album, a seminal mix of different influences, sounds and crafts it begs the question whether the City Slang stablemates album will be enough to influence the bedroom generation to follow suit (on his website he gives fans the chance to remix 'Sun', giving entrants all the MIDI sequences).

I get the feeling Caribou's spot on meticulous approach to this album is a big reason it caught my ear, listening to first single 'Odessa' which has been reviewed before, the different musical elements that create a sort of a+b = who knows approach works so well, and this trend continues on throughout the whole album.

An album that takes you from A to X in a flash is so prominent, from the subtle scare ridden ride of Odessa, Snaith takes you to Kaili which makes you feel like your in a Manchester warehouse at 2am arms aloft talking codshit about how your all the same but systems keep you apart, a long and stupid analogy I know but thats what Swim provides you with, a chance to relate songs with completely ridiculous juxta defying scenarios.

One thing that stays throughout the album though is Snaith's versatility when it comes to using different instruments, it just works so well as you charter your way through the album. Snaith has created a dance master piece and it is an early contender for album of the year, because of the unique difference Swim takes you on. When Ed Banger released Justice on the dance weary nation, the genre rejuvenated itself to be about hardcore slash electro, people lapped it up but Caribou's new take I feel given the right amount of time, a new set of mathematicians will crawl out of the bedroom and onto Soundcloud to deliver us so much needed versatility in the world of dance.

To sum up, GET IT!

Here is the album for your take - (Courtesy of Soundcloud)

(Ellen and the Escapades)
(JJ)

Ones to watch……

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been engrossed in the sounds of three bands in particular, they’ve given rise to the accolade of WATCH OUT! They are….

Warpaint –

Imagine if Kevin Shields had met these 4 young upstarts from the US had given them some tips, the best reverb pedal and an extended tremolo and told them to unleash something that The xx are trying to spark here in the UK. But with this quartet, I feel that they are about to embark on a contrasted journey, not just through music but through the pop mainstream that’ll make the lamest of radio DJ’s sit up and take notice.

Having only released Exquisite Corpse, a self-funded EP with 6 songs that sit on the verge of beautiful stillness, a vague dream that you try to remember but the voices transcend into nothing more than elegant murmurs that racks your brain for an extended period, that’s what Warpaint bring with such songs as Burgundy, Stars and the superb Billie Holiday, its simple well constructed art is much like The xx but lifts the mood more frequently.

Having only just been signed by Rough Trade here in the UK, a big thanks to Geoff Travis who has a uncanny ability to pluck these gems from thin air and much like the artists at Rough Trade will not be subjected to mainstream mediocrity that often dents the original ideas behind making such beautiful music, if you like Au Revoir Simone but with a bit more attached feeling then Warpaint need to be listened to.

If I had the funds then I would most certainly be checking them out when they hit the UK shores in the next couple of months at :-

12th May – London, Luminaire
13th May – Tunbridge Wells, Forum
14th May – Brighton, Great Escape Festival

JJ –

It appears that I’m on a reverb junkie fix, but honestly I’m not, its just the bands that are appealing to me at the moment, currently on tour in the US with surprise surprise The xx, the band currently signed to Secret Canadian caught my eye when they released ‘Ecstasy’ an ode to swallowing a little pill and your vision and train of thought being more blurred than the decision to axe 6 Music.

But look past the some would say cheap attempt to gain some notoriety but just slowing down a Lil Wayne record and you’ll see a band full of versatility that will shatter a Chupa Chup, listening to tracks from JJ n° 3 such as Let Go and My Life, you can feel a reverb renaissance coming to the forefront in 2010 to an audience that eat up The xx’ debut album and want to come back to the music dinner table to digest some more, with JJ you get that little extra that sits perfectly well, currently touring the US lets hope that they hit the UK shores in the very near future.



Ellen and the Escapades –

Sowing kits, hair bands, 5 members from Leeds and a folksy charm that will sing even to those who obtuse natures denies them ever getting behind bands that do not fit into idolised culture, Ellen and the Escapades are the latest of the folk stalwarts who are set to make a big impact in 2010 much like the way Laura Marling at present and the shit in the field band (meaning their everywhere to me and you) Mumford and Sons.

The sowing kit mentioning is in line with the way they packaged their debut single, independently released ‘Without You’ a beautiful melodic single about the usual ‘relationship complications’ but it strikes a chord with me unlike many songs that cast a stereotype about being fucked over in a relationship, on that basis you would probably be 50/50 on the listen front but if you give Run and Yours to Keep a chance, a more serious well brought together package of music, then you’ll understand why they’ve been chosen as one of the emerging acts to play this years Glastonbury festival.

Having already been hyped by such well known entities like BBC Introducing and having performed at Reading and Leeds last year as part of the BBC’s attempt to champion new artists, it appears 2010 may be the year that Ellen Smith and co make a strong impact on the alternative scene, with help from acts already breaking through the stench of debris that regularly graces us on a regular cycle, catch them as they tour around the country namely, Live at Leeds, The Bedford in London, Fuel Café Bar in Manchester and as aforementioned a main stage slot at Glastonbury.

The return of being a Libertine.....Or is it?

Ahhh the sweet return of The Libertines, a fame found on guerilla gigs and the undenying spirit of if you set your mind to achievement it can literally be done, when The Strokes were swooning around with their VU tones, these guys were in London waiting for a manager to say "Hey, look these guys fit the British bill", 6 years on from the split (the central theme being drugs), Pete, Carl, John and Gary (yes there are 2 other members) have joined forces once again to to bring back the raw style that gripped the indie nation from 2001-2004, but is this a good idea?

When they first broke onto the scene, the implosion was small, back in the days where Conor McNicholas and his team needed to champion a new era these guys were it, no air polishing, no bullshit, this is what they were, 4 guys from London who turned up in pubs, kebab shops, anywhere that would take them, that rawness and openess with die hard fans to stage 'The rooms of Albion' meant so much, and their eponymous debut 'Up The Bracket', with the dancing Mick Jones again just cemented their legacy in the noughties.

Now i'm not going into the ins and out of the split, its been well documented and in the meantime we've seen Babyshambles, Dirty Pretty Things, various solo outings and even Mr.Barat don a fake American accent in his debut in theatre surroundings, but when Zane Lowe and his incredibly annoying voice announced what many had anticipated at around 7:20pm I couldnt help thinking that with all what The Libertines stood for had been diminished, the likely lads who made the relationship between fans and artist possible had agreed to play Reading/Leeds, and i'm pretty sure alot of £££ had something to do with it.

With Mr.Barat explaining earlier in the year that he was 'too busy to reform The Libertines' it makes me even more certain that money was the ultimate heroin (sorry) to play not the hardcore fan base who admired their uniqueness, now don't get me wrong, I think its great that they managed to get together and will undoubtedly played a raucous show far from clean cut, but when I look at the media it gets me wondering, has my love for them subsided a notch.

BBC, ITN showbiz (jeeeeeez), Channel 5, MTV, all these media super powers who wouldnt give a long log about them before the drugs, Kate Moss, Imprisonment now make it a media circus that surely I believe waves away the freedom that they cherished with fans, earlier tonight a press conference at a North London pub, where the questions were not, new material? Up The Bracket in full? Anymore gigs? Future of Carl's solo career? Babyshambles on hiatus? But, 'Pete you still on drugs? Is this helping? Have you talked about the reasons you split? What is it about the £1.5 Million thats so appealing? To which a stout Mr Doherty did intelligently reply "£1.2 Million actually, whats interesting about it is how much will be left after tax". The mainstream media circus has made this less about an influential indie revival band but more about what sells papers, the underlying issues that a genuine music fan doesn't give a solitary shit about, hence why my initial excitement is slowly deteriorating.

I hope they can take back to the good old days, lads if your going to do it, DO IT PROPERLY, don't just announce, few guinesses infront of the mainstream circus and wait till August, lets have the guerilla gigs, the anarchy, albion rooms, pub acoustic sessions, lead us up into a 2001 lave of fun filled debauchery that made us love you in the first place, please whatever you do, take the £££ and ditch the fundamentals that made you so so great, make us believe again in that bands dont have to take a corporate cock shafting to make it, make us believe lads, make us believe.

FOALS - Total Life Forever so far.....

Is this a total release from math rock fury of Antidotes or a V sign to the hype that surrounded them relentlessly when they were first playing house parties in their native Oxford just so long as they had a half decent meal and a sofa bed? Whatever it is, Foals second album entitled 'Total Life Forever' on initial listen to their first 2 singles 'This Orient' and 'Spanish Sahara' seemed to be taking drastic measures in coming across rather spectacularly different to the Antidotes era.

When Spanish Sahara first hit the radio airwaves, I felt like i'd been watching the end of some epic emotional romantic film that only ended in tradegy but 'This Orient' does dispell my theory of love lost with a stripped down version of velocity displayed on Antidotes. A change from the initial hype, behind initial cynicism (lets face we all do it when change comes), I can sense that this could be a landmark year for the 5 piece, much like the formula for great creatives in the alternative scene, a delayed reaction to second album pressures seems to formulate a master piece (just look at Primary Colours in 2009, and we all said it was all about the 28 inch waist and the 6 ft hair).

The secluded hub of Sweden with Clor mainman Luke Smith has seemed to have had a dramatic impact in the direction Foals have headed for their sophomore release, early reviews seem to suggest the ode to being Oxford's Battles tribute band have been well and truely left behind and have found themselves comfortable in moving on, lets hope May 10th brings about a superb second release.....

Tracklisting -

01 Blue Blood
02 Miami
03 Total Life Forever
04 Black Gold
05 Spanish Sahara
06 This Orient
07 Fugue
08 After Glow
09 Alabaster
10 Two Trees
11 What Remains

Single Review - Erol alkan/Boyz Noize - Avalanche/Lemonade

GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT GET IT!

Latest release from Erol alkan in collaboration with german hit makers Boyz Noize in particular Lemonade, released on Beatport a couple of days ago, I'll just say this, it once again pushes the boundaries of electronica to levels that are beyond hardcore but yet commercially appealing, expect this one to be a huge summer anthem, now East and West dance tents at Glasto the list is growing on my dance like a twat to when my drunk ass stumbles to your holy surroundings around 23:30.........PLEASE ME.

A Day for Independents - Ed Banger

Redefining UK dancefloors in the noughties and way into our new decade of future hits, Ed Banger and in particular Pedro Winter have set a master class on how to churn out a outlasting plateau of hits that make dancefloors become sweaty hip t-shirt orgies with the occasional gurn.

Since starting the label in 2002, where the French music scene, internationally anyway was defined by what record Daft Punk was releasing, a year after discovery and we still couldnt get enough of the subtle synth oritentated tones that were asking for just that song 'one more time' and 'harder, better, faster, stronger', but in the midst of this dominance Mr.Winter seeked to bring about the electronic fever pitch in the form of new artists and my word how the success rolled in.

But it wasn't an overnight grandeur of endless success, it took 2 upstarts who received national notieriety in the form of winning a school competition to shape the mould and bring about the Ed Banger magic dust which seems to be sprinkled everywhere in this year 2010, with the help of Simian Mobile Disco and a handy remix of 'We are your friends' the labels stock options (i know there arent any but it popped into my brainbox) sky rocketed, it had reached the mainstream ears of people who seeked an Obama style change in dance music, we had grown a little tired of DP inactivity and the swift turn of the head for the parisian underground but finally...... YES WE HAD FOUND SOMETHING!

Out of the blue its almost as if magic was happening, Uffie, a long time label fiend found success with Pop the Glock, Justice travelled 'Across the Universe' (check out the DVD = AMAZING) in support of that oh so lovely symbol, Mr.Oizo saw a resurgence and we were introduced to new artists such as Krazy Baldhead, Busy P (Pedro Winter) DJ Mehdi and Sebastien, a new fever pitch of noise which seemed to resemble this revolution screaching UK dancefloors until people were forced to engage in throwing down some drunken shapes.

This is a new day for independents, as it appears the premise of mainstream success is to move on to the mainstream labels and that what has recently happened with the labels biggest stars Justice who the world expects a killer second album on the newly revamped Elektra records, in the meantime not to discourage Mr.Winter we have Breakbot who is killing the UK dance scene at the moment with his Baby I'm Yours song in particular the siriusmo remix (below, PLAY), in the meantime lets hope France keeps throwing these gems onto British shores and Mr Winter devles deeper into the Parisian underworld to seek out new talent for nurturing.

In light of a 'potential' closure of 6 Music, great news for Indie bands

You may be vaguely aware that some YouTube videos aren't embeddable on external sites, like ours, or indeed on many blogs. This is because record labels don't get any revenue from their artists' clips that are posted elsewhere - other than the main YouTube website. Aside from, y'know, all that PROMOTION which an embeddable video would cause.

This caused much consternation from bands and bloggers alike, and rightly. If you're going to make a video, you want people to actually watch it, after all. The most prominent of the outspoken artists are those fine makers of viral music videos OK GO, who expressed their disgust and annoyance at the whole thing - and their record label, EMI - earlier in the year.

Thankfully, and finally, things may now be moving in the right direction to this (via Wired), as on YouTube's newly-launched 'Musicians Wanted' channel, artists will be able to make money through video views, including views which are on external sites, with embedded content. A statement, to be posted on YouTube's blog reads:
“Whether you make hip-hop, folk, noise-rock, jazz or a genre of your own invention, we are looking for all types of original music video content.”

However, the videos uploaded to the partner page actually have to be videos, not that old trick of an mp3 uploaded to a background image and no moving pictures. That would be cheating. The sections, devoted to independent music, will be searchable in the aim of helping people sift through the mass of content which will feature.
So, although independent artists may not get the amount of revenue that major labels do, at least it will leave them not having to split the revenue with their record label. All of this is very much A Good Thing.

Glenn Brown, YouTube's head of business said:
“Our goal in all these partner programs is to help people get to that point where they hear the most beautiful words a creative person can hear, which is ‘You can quit your day job,’ and some of our partners have already done that.”
As mentioned previously, OK GO were pretty narked at the whole thing, and wrote an open letter recently. Funnily enough, they were one of the first bands to sign up to 'Musicians Wanted'. Damian Kulash, of OK GO, told Wired:

“What’s tremendously freeing about starting our own label is that we can now distribute our work however we want to, and we can look for new and interesting ways to make a living off of it without constantly chafing against the constraints of a big label with a rat’s nest of conflicting agendas.

“The YouTube Partners Program, and specifically the Musicians Wanted division of it, is a great example. We can distribute our videos the way we want to (embeddable!), and actually make some money off it, to boot. A couple months ago our hands were tied by the embedding restrictions at our label, and the money that was generated from our streams wasn’t winding up in our pocket. Now we’re enabling embedding and we’ll collect a check every month. It’s a pretty obvious win/win.

Credit to Drowned in Sound for the article

GAGGLE + SBTRKT - New artists in 2010

As I click on GAGGLE's Myspace i'm awash with slogans such as scary, sexy, lick, GIRLS! And its band members seem to be SO much different to the norm , this in comparison to the like rubbish we see on TV these days namely shite TV music competitions, and with probably one of the few decent DJ's left on Radio 1 singing your prasies you would think GAGGLE = YES PLEASEEEEE! But on getting my listening game on its hard to think this group wont go beyond a hapless attempt to be so different the alternative fizz will turn into a bottle of coke in the fridge with the lid left open for a couple of days.

For those who don't know GAGGLE are a 20+ piece choir set up by god knows, their brash claims for the alternative are not without credit, I mean where else are you going to see a 20 piece girl outfit who dress like Jesus' disciples and sing in a frightening cohesion, but on listening to 'I hear flies' (their debut single) I can't see the musical differential that an alternative music scene needs more and more of these days as we head on out of the noughties. To be fair I haven't seen them live and I'm sure watching that cohesion on stage would be a sight to see but what I have heard from the medium of many internet sites I found myself bored, and thats a position that no music lover wants to find themselves in. By all means judge for yourself, hey its only my opinion but with all the imagination and innovation in the world to form a band the music has to sound the same also and unfortunately I just don't feel that, below is their debut single, I Hear Flies:-

From the brash and 'innovative' GAGGLE (pictured right if you dont know), we go to Young Turks latest protege in the form of SBTRKT. When The XX first burst on scene with their debut album it seemed we had another label who had the talent to seek out future successes and it seems the A&R squares have found their next artist, in the illusive Dub Step/Electro artist. Much like Burial, SBTRKT has taken the musical formula of hiding behind masks and keeping information scarce on his background, what we do know is that he's from London and his remixes of Basement Jaxx (Scars), These New Puritans (We Want War) and on a more commercial level the ever BRILLIANT! Tinnie Tempah (Pass Out, what else!!) and with his own tunes namely 'Timeless', I get the feeling we could have another illusive artist who makes the neccassary impact on the electronic stage.

Praises heaped on by Mary Anne Hobbs and Giles Peterson add to this illusive artists credibility, the synths and arrangements that he crafts has an instant listenble quality to it and I definately believe the added mix of remixes and own songs will see him get the recognition further into the year we go. Below is one of his own songs, 'Timeless' enjoy -

A Way for Independents in 2010.......Phantasy Sound

Erol Alkan, one of the most important DJ's of our generation, mixmag DJ of the year and pioneer of indie remixes when the whole scene imploded into a guitar based haven with its positive effects (initial) and now in 2010 feeling more saturated than the average Rik Waller meal. But with his work with the likes of Mylo, Bloc Party, Long Blondes, Klaxons, Justice, Daft Punk and also trying his hand at producing the Mystery Jets album 'Twenty One', the DJ (now SLASH producer) has ventured into crafting his own record label Phantasy Sounds.

A fairly underground scene is usually the formula when artists create their own record label, The Beats, Ed Banger, Bingo Recordings and on a guitar based riff level Big Brother (but people probably know that one), but with Erol his music is starting to reach the limited edition mainstream with his mix of alternative indie and early club classics.

Most notably of his 7 (thats right just 7!) releases so far, such songs like Bangkok by German hit maker Boris Dlugosch, Dance Area AA 24/7 and to more extent the shift in change for Late of the Pier (coming from the back end of the tired guitar scene into this), with such releases coming through Phantasy and their first album to be released by Connan Mockasin (reminds me of early Brian Jonestown Massacre), again a lays a shift in the diversity of Phantasy releases.

A continuation of independents throughout 2010 continues, below is the latest release from Late of the Pier 'Best in the Class' AND whats probably gonna be a club record of the year called Lemonade by Mr Erol Alkan and Boyz Noize BUT released on Beatport (more on them next week), AND I could only get a minute + of it because it hasnt been released yet but will be next week.

PHANTASY!!

Theophilus London

Artist Feature -

When 1st and 15th in conjunction with Jay-Z helped to release Lupe Fiasco’s debut album Food and Liquor, there was a sudden but unfortunately brief realisation that hip-hop can be less about expensive tangible assets and more about poetry and story-telling, taking it back to the glorious introduction of hip-hop to a curious worldwide audience. Then with a click of a finger more of the same beckoned our ears much to commercial success looking at Paper Trail and Tha Carter III, the momentary affects of alternative hip-hop diminished somewhat. But looking at Theophilus London I feel we can have a resurgence in the message that hip-hop although the story tells gritty backgrounds can also be about a fascination with lyrics, straight talking Mr.London says his influences range from Kraftwerk to Michael Jackson, hence we have (not a complete one) shift towards a more well rounded hip hop artist, already garnering attention from his independent mix tape releases, the attention has seen him form a group called Chauffeur alongside Mark Ronson, Sam Sparro and Dap Kings (Winehouse’s backing crew).

Songs such as Humdrum Town stays connected with the known hip hop world of today fresh simple beats with a soft pop keyboard sounds see him lay down lyrics which are personal “Lost my girl at an early age, crush my heart when I turned that page”, but with a Matthew Santosesqe chorus renews my faith in hip-hop being meaningful without transcending the musical element of the song, then we turn to Cold Pillow a synth hand clap gem which switches from Humdrum Town in terms of music and comes across as a rich R n B wordplay then from nowhere breaks into a seamlessly effortless flow of word chemistry.

His new mixtape entitled I want you in March seems to have got the underground scenesters wanting more and more, and producing remixes for new mainstream stars like Ellie Goulding and soon to be stars (in my opinion) Penguin Prison, his profile in and amongst the trendy hit making epicentre that is London (sarcasm or not, let you decide), continues to rise.

For fans of Pharrell and Chad Hugo, Kanye West and Santigold add this to your must listen box, safe to say if you’re a fan of hip hop a fresh slice of fresh air is sure to hit your face quicker than you can say 50 Cent.

2011 will be a good year......

Reunion will also be the word of 2011 also, screams of leather jackets and seedy capital debauchery but the music is always there....

Well Up The Bracket, the sophomore was laced with needles and disillusion.

Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Get Better (Sunday Best)

With Logic of Chance being released next week (March 15) I had the chance to listen to one of the songs off the newly awaited album which was Get Better and I was NOT impressed by it.

Ok I can understand the transcendental nature of when this band first hit the scene, 2 white guys, hip hop, one looks like a ........(fill in the blank), and with angles the spoken word of hip hop beats seemed like a rip off of De Le Soul, but hey no one has done it in years to my recollection, and with its satirical outlook on many aspects of British Culture it obviously struck a chord with many critics and in parts enjoyed it also.

With Get Better though, I found myself wanting to just turn off, on a similar vein to Thou Shall Not Kill from Angles, its basically nearly 5 minutes of social taboo's that we find ourselves in and a spoken word lecture of the pitfalls of teenage pregnancy, small town syndrome and teenage angst amongst other things (a mention of the Daily Mail in a negative aspect usually differs my opinion on most things), in a nutshell the single (not the album) sounds like people are running out of ideas. Like with most bands/artists who are well known for firstly for their gimmick/persona rather than their music, it can be hard to shake that impression off (SHAVE THE BEARD AND GET RID OF THE PRIMARK TRUCKER CAP!). Lets hope the album delivers more.

http://www.myspace.com/lesacvspip to listen on their myspace.

SINGLES - Pantha Du Prince ft Panda Bear - Stick to my side (Rough Trade)

Minimal techno and wind chimes are not exactly an Earl Grey in waiting but I find myself sorely mistaken in listening to Panthu Du Prince and his new single Stick to my side with an added aid coming from Noah Lennox from Animal Collective from his new album Black Noise

Having grown tired with stale indie here in the UK its nice to hear some refreshing although somewhat repeated beats but hey isnt that what minimal techno is at the best of times, a listening haven where in my case a repeated loop can have you staring at absolutely nothing for a good 4 minutes so good job Panthu I stared at a T.V screen whilst listening to stick to my side (I diversified from the wall).

I definately would recommend a listen (a link is provided below) but I must warn you, get ready to transfix your eyes on some newly painted walls, a good return to minimal by Panthu and with his new album out lets hope he returns in some format to the days of Diamond Daze.

P.S DONT JUST LISTEN IF YOUR AN ANIMAL COLLECTIVE FAN, GIVE PANTHA PROPS.

Simply.......

Lets hope that Atoms for Peace make an appearance on UK shores in the coming months, but Portishead done my Mr Jonny Greenwood (Axe factor! Vote! if you listen to 6 Music) and Mr Thom Yorke, simply beautiful.....

A way for Independents in 2010 next....NEON GOLD

From listening to Primary Colours and admiring the glorious affection I have for XL Recordings, who seem to operate a tight ship when it comes to releasing gems, I've decided to look at some of the labels who start off the formidable bandwagon for talent, two words spring to mind independent and limited.

Today its focusing on Neon Gold, principally formed out of New York and London, this record label found its feet in 2008 with Lizzie Plapinger and Derek Davies, a specialisation in hearing future stars and producing limited edition releases that leaves the scensters wanting more and the A&R whipping boys scampering around to find the next gig by these fresh faced future startlets.

I looked at Neon Gold first and foremost because of the talent that has been unleashed onto the public over the last few months, Ellie Goulding reaching the top of the mountain with her lights, Marina dreaming of Hollywood and Passion Pit reeling over surprise successes (sorry for the puns, having a dodgy afternoon). The link between the US and UK/Europe has seen to have done the record label the world of good, and this ear for talent can only bring more success for the record label. With record labels like these, you can still believe that with its music hearing aids set to a high frequency we can unearth some more gems hidden underneath the somewhat stale and frequently insolent reign of the modern day pop charts (Syco, tut......tut).

From being a avid fan of the labels such as Neon Gold, a strong urge is needed to check out some of the talent that they have given a chance to and will no doubt dent some kind of indie forcefield that is relenting from endless guitar based dronings about nothing....

www.myspace.com/gotye

www.myspace.com/penguinprison

Neon Gold, thank you, KEEP IT COMING......!

A GENTLE REMINDER.......

A Gentle reminder of the genius production of Geoff Barrow (although praise to Zinner and Moulder for their work on Strange House) and the influence of Kevin Shields.....PRIMARY COLOURS.

Single of the moment, Caribou - Odessa

If Alexis Taylor was Canadian and the sound of Hot Chip had resembled an acid trip then we would have given birth to a Odessaesq hit. Daniel Snaith aka Caribou, a Musician hailing from Ontario, Canada has given us a gem of a first single off his awaited new album Swim, Odessa has a psychedelic charm about it, a processed blend of haunting sounds and computerised beats/guitar melee makes this song listenable many a time. His vulnerable singing goes hand in hand with the production work that he comprises himself. Part of the City Slang crew that has given credence to among others Arcade fire, HEALTH, Broken Social Scene and Lampchop, the A&R people working for this German Stalwart company deserve a raise (FORGET THE RECESSION) because they have unearthed anther gem in Caribou. Judging by this first single and other singles heard from his last album Andorra including Sandy and Melody Day, his new album Swim (released april 19th) is a sure fire underground hit, definately try and catch him when he plays only 3 UK shows so far being at :-




April 19th - Deaf Institute, Manchester





April 20th - Corsica Studio's, London





June 16th - Heaven, London.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CARIBOUMANITOBA

NME Radar Tour 2010

The NME Radar tour, each year we have a renewed sense of optimism with regard to new music and this has been displayed through many ceremonies celebrated in the early months of this year (Phillip Hall Radar, Sound of 2010 and if it counts the Brits/labels critics choice), so on the back of this comes tours hence this blog looking at the upcoming NME Radar Tour that was announced this week.

The bands in question are HURTS, Everything Everything and Darwin Deez. A slice of renaissance Manchester mixed in with some New York hippy chic. I must say I feel this selection of bands merits a unusual hats off to the NME, a tour that given its name REALLY salutes new music.

First up we have HURTS formed by Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson late last year, looking at them they look more at home on the front cover of Harpers Bizzare or a French romantic 60's film directed by a very young Anton Corbjin, but the look they have crafted shouldnt put you off the music. As previously mentioned in the Sound of blog think Pet Shop Boys meets Joy Division especially with Arthur Bakers great remix of their first single 'Wonderful Life' and the original song itself adding further claims to this comparison. Having only played their first ever gig a couple of weeks back in London it will be interesting to see what Mr Hutchcraft and Mr Anderson show us on this very opportunistic tour but judging by the moody electro pop sounds, the cheap (their first video only cost £20) yet moving music videos (helps having an Edie Sedgewick character dancing around) and the styled out italian look, this is a group that could be a big influence in the year 2010.

Next up on the Manchester scene is Everything Everything, another pick in the BBC's sound of 2010 (wonder if that'll become more viable IF 6 Music goes and were left with Fearne Cotton pluggin these bands, makes me shiverrrrr), having released limited edition single My Keys Your Boyfriend, I can't help the feeling this band although producing some catchy hook ridden songs are not the right choice to pick up the indie scene where at the moment its as stale as the job market here in the UK. It will be interesting to see them live and with a New Orderesque sound maybe I could get caught hopping, but I'm guessing that I wont be.

When Creaky Boards got on Chris Martin and co's back regarding a song they did which quite honestly resembled Viva La Vida, who would have thought that a part-time member of the band would go on to have medium of early success but thats exactly what your looking at with Darwin Deez. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York I actually dont know if thats the band name or his name but I do know that he waits tables in restaurants while working with the aforementioned band. Catchy first single Constellations was probably the first song of this year which caught my interest, lo-fi guitar/keyboard sounds, Casablancas vocals and an all round happy tune which although has the first line "Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are", carries on to have a broad sense of literature. I can probably confirm this band like all bands on the tour will not a mass a grand following but especially with Deez I can sense a more cult following, he is after all got the strangest hair I've ever seen and if you look at his clique you feel they look they raided C&A before its demise and just got their clothes in a particular fashionable mess. This band along with HURTS are the 2 out of the 3 I'm most looking forward to seeing, I feel maybe Mr Deez should give Gordon Raphael a ring have a notepad and pen ready and start taking tips.

The tour kicks off in Glasgow on April 26th and calls at :-

Preston 53 Degrees (27th)

Manchester Academy (28th)

Stoke Sugarmill (30th)

Middlesbrough Uni (May 2nd)

Oxford Academy 2 (4th)

Bristol Thelka (5th)

Wrexham Central Station (6th)

York Duchess (8th)

Portsmouth Wedgewood (9th)

London KOKO (10th)

Norwich Waterfront (11th)

Northampton Roadmender (12th)

6 Music - A necessity in the role of British Music.

"Less is more" "To focus on quality programming" "We want to do less better". The frequent buzz sentences I have heard on the T.V and the Internet this week from the lovable Director General Mark Thompson. First off let me introduce 6 Music, in a world where people crave the £££ hence why you dont find this kind of station on commercial giants such as Global and Bauer, 6 Music provides insightful broadcasting by its DJ's and identifiable music that wouldnt be played elsewhere because its not "popular".

Where else can I join the Black Squadron as I wake up on a Saturday morning (not for the meantime COME BACK ADAM and JOE!), hear such funny piss takes out of skins, great music sessions, insightful musical musings by Laverne during the week, Craig Charles bringing us Funk and Soul, Nemone's voice that gets me everytime and yes although everybody hates the man (and i do understand why with what 6 Music stands for) listening to George Lamb and Marc Hughes
bantering away but at the same time playing great music that in my eyes is very unique.

BUT! hold the phone a niche BOMBSHELL has struck at the BBC, to be more economically efficient it seems that the big wigs at the BBC want to get rid of such a station that serves as a great memory to a man who dedicated his life to music John Peel.

Now having studied Business at University (lord I wish I hadn't) from a commercial prospective although still wrong I can understand a need to lose a station with a niche market, what with advertising etc (sorry people thats just the way business is sometimes), but what I can't get my head around is that the BBC is a PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER and with such programmes doesnt need to focus on ratings and listeners numbers nearly as much as a commercial broadcaster and i've had this answer come from Mark Thompson on Newsnight and Helen Boaden who came to Lincoln to give a talk (when i questioned her about it), IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE.

Another scenario which strikes me as odd is the cost of 6 Music compared to other stations at the BBC. In 2009 the BBC spent £9 million on 6 Music, this compared to £115 million on BBC Three which although at times can be entertaining surely the Beeb could cut costs on such pointless programmes like Date my Daughter, Snog? Marry? Avoid? Young Butcher of the year or the ever magnificent I believe in UFO's by Danny Dyer, is this really what people want to see, I call this a social experiment in humiliation by all acounts.

£3.4 Billion and 6 Music costs £9 million to run (thats a tenth of Mark Thompsons enourmous salary), its not exactly an economic nightmare having 6 Music which brings new music to the masses and brings hope to new bands/artists who's music would never see the light of day on Radio 1 or even 'slippers on' Radio 2, can we honestly say that music broadcasters on the more 'popular' stations would give La Roux, Florence and the Machine and Ellie Goulding (although she has been sucked into the machine) the light of day without 6 Music pushing it right from the start.

Lets hope the many protests which have developed (much praise to the Morters) spark a change with the directors which leads them to reverse this appauling decision. On a final note Beeb dont fear the absolute biscuits that are the Murdochs or a potential new government, maybe look into presenter salaries especially those who's shows are now pre-recorded aka watered down for harassing old men, or presenters who create such art like Car Park Catchphrase, have a good look BBC have a good long look.

P.S Listened to a song by Caribou today called Odessa on Lauren Laverne's mid morning show, I wonder if Scott Mills would play that inbetween pranking a Scottish pizza parlour, hmmmmm quality broadcasting.

Sounds of 2010, Scepticism or Optimism

The list that the BBC publishes each year, that gives music listeners the chance to revel in the most exciting acts of 2010, from what I see its either the chance to be sceptical or have a belief that this year will bring another music sensation that were come into our music players like a whirlwind.


I can understand both arguements, much like 2009 we saw some highs and lows, areas of innovation and in RETROspect areas of regurgitated synth pop but with artists wearing Camden Locks finest glittery outfits. From 2009 we had Little Boots who to be fair had her fair share of success but it seems to follow the same lineage, 6 music rave about it (as they ALWAYS find music first), Radio 1 grab hold of the poppiest single and play endlessly for a month, commercial stations pick it up and love it, festivals and gig dates insue......But is there any longevity? I cant see Little Boots releasing an inspiring second album thats BECAUSE we have a NEW!! sounds of the year in. Is ELLIE GOULDING now to follow that same path, her album Lights was released on Monday and already the daggers are out in some musical circles, with so much hype is there anywhere else to go but down.

Personally I believe Ellie Goulding along with her frequent collaborater Starsmith have created an ok album, mixing folk with electronica, radio friendly tunes that seem quite personal, in that respect her album will most probably be a success but I get the distinct impression a potential second album will have major label interests/influence which means £££ and if successful no chance to diversify.

Another act I felt should have been given more limelight and they havent (probably because they only started gigging 1 week ago at Wilton Hall Church of all places in London), is HURTS a Manchester duo who's songs smack of pet shop boys giving Ian Curtis some synth lessons on how to create upbeat yet atmospheric love songs, and with the recent announcement of the NME Radar tour, this band are definately a shout for making an impact along with the highly spiritual Darwin Deez.

In the end I cant help but remain cynical of the winners of sound of 20..... being influenced by major label big wigs who sense that they can make a few extra pounds, but not lets hope the winner can make a lasting impression to us all and not fade away like so many hyped artists/bands do.