There are not many things in life more annoying than having your hopes built up only to see them knocked down within an instant. I feel cheated. Whilst starting to jot down a few ideas for this 'ere blog I was listening to Vampire Weekend, their eponymous album has been a contender for my 'album of the year' since it's release in January. Having missed their first British tour and their sold-out second tour I was extremely excited to see that they had pencilled in a few dates for early 2009. Upon discovering this I made a point of informing everyone I could think of in an overly-excited manner, only to have egg-on-my-face a few moments later on discovering that the dates I'd 'discovered' were in fact for 2008 not 2009. Like I said, very annoying - why would you put the dates of shows for January 2008 directly under dates for December 2009 as if they are following on. Grrr.

However, I cannot stay mad for long because it is fair to say that I have not been hooked on an album this much since my teenage years. I know they have been all over blogs for a year now, but this is only my second post so I'm going to add my two-pennies-worth.

Similarly to Belle and Sebastien they make the type of music that should be labelled 'pop', if only that phrase hadn't been hijacked over the years by majors out to make big-bucks with branded pop-stars. But that is an argument for another day.

When I first read about VW I thought their mixture of indie and African pop sounded like it could be disastrous. But these guys have obviously listened to a lot of old West-African records and are doing it for the love, rather than lazily shoe-horning it into their sound for effect. Indeed, some of the tracks are free of the clean guitar, perky keyboard and tapped-out rhythms and sound more like Is This It-era Strokes. However, it is this African influence which stands them apart, leaving Vampire Weekend with that rare quality of having an instantly recognisable sound, as well as a record of near-perfect pop sensibilities. I know I may be a bit late with this lamenting of them, but I wanted to give them a mention before 2008 was out. Now if only it could start again so I could get those tickets...

ladytrump

I went to see Ladytron on Monday.
Having always liked their music, I've never really rated them as a live band, although this was the third time I've seen them, as they supported the almighty Nine Inch Nails on their last UK tour... I always felt a bit cheated.

Their wicked electropop is bangin' enough to create a really energetic atmoshpere live, yet it never quite does...there seems to be a Kraftwerk-style seriousness to them. Maybe that's what happens when bands use lots of vintage [expensive] synths that just can't be knocked or kicked or prodded with too much gusto...

As a result of their lack of energy on stage, the audience never really gets going either.
Now, maybe this is just me - but if i pay £13 to see an act for ONE hour, I want the chance to really get some exercise and dance about and generally Git Daooown...

The played for just under an hour, which included the three-song encore. They didn't play ANYTHING from 604 [my fave album] ...How rubbish is that?

I did dance, and I did enjoy myself, I'm impressed by their new stuff and will get their new album, and the sound quality was really good...

it just wasn't as good as The Faint gig last Wednesday.

If you're going to financially support this band, I'd spend your money on their music [like, buy it rather than download for free] instead of going to their gigs...unless you want to gaze at their beauty [sponsored my MAC] in the flesh, which I admit is actually quite good fun. :)

Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch


look! they don't really move - and this was their Big Tune!

Eddie Izzard & Finders Keepers

First things first: IF ANYONE HAS TICKETS FOR STEVE COOGAN'S TOUR BURN THEM NOW AND SAVE YOURSELF THE BOTHER.


Well, where to start? I suppose the only place to begin, seeing as I have spent probably 75% of my 'music kitty' on their products is Finders Keepers Records. In the past 12 months I've become hooked to their glorious re-issues of psych, funk, prog, folk, avant-garde and whacked-out movie soundtracks. Like Trunk Records, you not only get the music but also an exhaustive biog of the band / artist and the record in question...always a treat and something that oher labels of similar ilk overlook. They are singularly responsible for opening my ears up to a whole new world of music and I plan to share some of the gems I have found along the way in future mixes.

Take a trip to their online shop where you will discover 'Japanese choreography records, space-age Turkish protest songs, Czechoslovakian vampire soundtracks, Welsh rare-beats, bubblegum folk, drugsploitation operatics, banned British crime thrillers and celebrity Gallic Martini adverts'...amongst other things. If that doesn't at least intrigue you enough to pop in and cock an ear than I give up!


As you may have realised by now Miss Kaboom and I come from two different spheres as far our musical tastes are concerned. One (of many) things we do share a love of though is Mr Eddie Izzard. Despite his Stripped residency at London's Lyric Theatre selling-out months in advance I was lucky enough to obtain tickets for one of a handful of warm-up shows he performed last week. Now, I was a little sceptical as to whether the 2008 model would stand-up favourably next to his cross-dressing vintage. However, I can honestly say that his wild flights of fancy and vivid imagination are still as fantastically entertaining as they always were. Less a comedy show and more of an abstract and fanciful lecture, how you wish all your teachers at school had presented the wonders of the world to you.


Whilst some may regard him as narcissistic and self-aggrandising, this is part of what makes him special. Admittedly, speaking latin, french, german etc at various points during the show can seem a little like showing-off. But beneath it is a gift for personalising his chosen subjects with great affection...and it is hard to play out his gag about the latin language (one of the highlights of the show) without actually speaking it!

In a world in which the brain-dead, negative stereotyping of Little Britain exists I for one will always forgive Izzard a little vanity for the enchanting positivity of his stand-up routines. All-in-all, I think that Stripped is a fantastic show and am delighted the (not so) big man has still got it.

jam faint gun of bass

Well well well... it's been rather an exciting few weeks for me.

November has been simply chock full of lots and lots of good music.

The first weekend of November was drunkenly taken over by The Electrode Warehouse Party.

A resounding success, and a great venue that we're hoping to use again once they've obtained a proper music license.

 

After that, the Bass Gun night at Jabez Clegg saw the very best in UK underground electro 

{Synapse, Paul Blackford, Smashback, Darkmode, Bass Junkie, DJ 3000} congregate under one roof to teach people the meaning of a snappy snare.  The place wasn't as busy as it should have been, but by jove the place rocked.  The in house soundsystem in there is pretty damn fine - i'm glad to see some venues in manchester note the importance of a kickin' rig :)

Then, earlier this week i went to see one of my faaaaave bands; The Faint!

Yes mate.  

Due to a streaming nose and pounding head I thought it best to lay off the sauce for the week - and i'm glad I did to witness this fine band [Because for once, i remember the whole gig!].  

I love them...i mean, sure, i'm not really that enamored with the new stuff on wax (The Geeks Were Right and Forever Growing Centipedes are pretty cool though...) but their body of work is just brilliant.  Check out Blank-Wave Arcade and Danse Macabre for your first tastes if you haven't already.

My fave tune at present>>>> [zshare]

The Faint - Take Me To The Hospital

The night was filled with catchy synth-pop songs and hooks, Duran Duran tendencies, banging, techno-inspired jacking, rock-outweirdness fronted by a nu-skool Willy Wonka begoggled lead singer in a labcoat.  

I was in heaven.  I bought a tshirt.  I smiled all the way to Sale.  I took a video of Dropkick The Punks with my crap phone.

Here it is.

Tonight I very eagerly await ATOMIC JAM.

3o-something of my friends from Manchester are to pile onto a private hire coach to be carted to Birmingham for one of the most overdue and exciting nights of all time (?)  - 

Atomic Jam's return to The Q-Club *squeal*

I used to make the quarterly techno pilgrimage from the age of 17 until the place finally shut down in 2003 - The Jam was never really the same in venues like the Medicine Bar or Air...

So five years down the line - we're going back to our roots.  Huzzah!

Not only do we get to have a right old thrash about to some amazing 4/4 techno, but dirty boy WARLOCK [Rag & Bone] is playing in the breaks room! 

Anyone who hasn't heard his sinful poisonous brew of bassfuck breakstep should get themselves learned right here.

In preparation for the weekend i've made a mix - hopefully to listen to on the bus - but mainly just to bang it out in my room - to give my jacking arm a warm-up.

roadtoatomicjam>>>>>>>>>>>>>201108

***right click and save***
Teutonic Kaboom - roadtoatomicjam 201108

rustie - zig zag
mazulla - traaaance bitch
female - cally 1
zomba - strange fruit
hemingway - machine
teutonic kaboom - sito
n-ter - runner
sol_dat - speed demon (mazulla rmx)
? - work
smashback - push me harder (ardisson rmx) [tk edit]
babylon soundsystem & noah d - examination of time
dst - csillag
debasser - fat girls (teutonic kaboom rmx)
oliver $ & gantman - zds edit
go hiyama - geometric
luke's anger - war
clarke - new year storm
goth trad - electrical
trode - keep going
mark hawkins - 13 years of raving

Another thing floating my musical boat***********************

Amanda Palmer in general... and her new video for Leeds United. 

I want her jacket. 

That's probably enough garbage for one post, innit.  Roll on the Jam!

Does Disco Dubstep Exist?

I've been trying to find Disco Dubstep...trying to make it too.  I reckon that in this ever-evolving dubstepmania there MUST be room to marry two of my favourite genres. 

Trawling through the blogs earlier i found this amaaaazing track called Machine by Hemingway [thanks www.discoworkout.com] that, upon hearing the first few seconds I was sure my search was over.  

Turns out it's not, but this tune is brilliant anyway.  Dark, punchy, steppy rhythms with spatterings of slap bass and disco tinged synths.  Phwoar.

Hemingway - Machine

When I played this to Dave, he said "That bit of slap bass 47 seconds in sounds weeeellll like a bit of this song..."

"In the year 2525, If man is still alive, If woman can survive, They may find..."
Great future-paranoid disco.

The Twins -
In The Year 2525

So yeah...the quest goes on.  Anyone got any discodubstep?