gobbledigook to me

Well, I feel like I’ve been neglecting the old onion a bit recently, but 1am the night before my last exam is probably as good a time as any to be getting down to a bit of music blogging I think.

You may ask, what has driven you to such self-sabotaging madness, and I wouldn’t blame you. The answer to that was in a new icelandic phrase I spotted while on facebook “með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust” which means little more to me than NEW SIGUR RÓS ALBUM, which for some reason I hadn’t picked up on till now. The title translates into english as “with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly” which to me suggests some considerable excitemtent in their latest release, something that is all to welcome, many of their tracks were beginning to blur for me, and the same sort of ambient, blue-whale like songs were starting to flood my media player.

My only knowledge as yet is of the artwork, name, tracklisting and opening track. From what I can see, this is a slightly (and I mean slightly) different direction from the icelandic slow-motion rock quartet, a more jaunty turn than the sounds of Von and (), which I think is epitomised in the artwork:

Gobbledigook, the album’s opening track is, at 3:05, a relatively short track for the band, and opens considerably more suddenly and with more la-ing than one is used to from Sigur Rós, a surprise overal, I must say. But this newer, faster, more guitar-based style is not to the detriment band’s easy to listen to, uplifting, inventive style. This is still very much a Sigur Rós track, a very welcome addition to my ever growing collection.

gobbledigook is available for FREE from sigurros.com

með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust can be pre-ordered from 2nd June, also at sigurros.com!!

BONUS INFO

On my ever expanding and hard-disk filling search for more Sigur Rós tracks, I came across one of their EPs, Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do, a three track piece made for choreographer Merce Cunningham’s piece, Split Sides, which also included music from Radiohead, who haven’t released their contribution. From wiki hunting, I discovered that the three tracks, aptly named Ba Ba, Ti Ki & Di Do, sync together when all played at the same time, to form another, complex track. Being the procrastinating geek I am, I tried this, and believe me it’s amazing. I’ll treat you to it some time.

the shins drew a scary man

I came across this a while back and thought it was a ‘neat’ idea.

Basically bands design shirts, they’re sold and the profit is donated to charities of the band’s choice.

There are some cool bands on there but none of the shirts particularly take my fancy but I thought I’d do my bit and promote them

http://www.yellowbirdproject.com/

lashed to the bandwagon

I, as always, hate to be a bandwagon hopper but this time I was there a long time ago.

That’s right, this entry is about Lightspeed Champion, a.k.a Dev Hynes, previously of Test Icicles who NME cite as the inventors of new rave, a pretty hefty title really.

This week, I’ve really got into this timid constantly behatted folky chappy. His music is so charming and inspirational. The lyrics, at times, can be a little irritating and schmoozy, but at others are surprising and wonderfully out of character for the music behind them. Take this example from ‘Midnight Surprise’: Fuck, I think she just saw me/Stop hiding in the sea/Shit, my midnight surprise/Has found out all my lines. It bursts out of a jaunty, semi epic tune and reminds you that this guy has been around and that he keeps his heart in the bottom of a chest freezer.

On the topic of me not embarking on the fannery bus, I first saw Lightspeed Champion at The Scala, London on the 5th June last year during his opening slot with Los Campesinos and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. So there.

Dev & low profile friends. The Scala 5th June 2007 (courtesy of xendless_xurbia whom I know from school!)

I seriously recommend the excellent album from this man; Falling off the Lavender Bridge.

a pretty little circle heart

Last Thursday was the latest addition to Pulp Promotions phenomenal back catalogue of gigs at Bath’s renowned Moles club. The heavily tipped Slow Club headlined with the west country’s own; The Cedar and the welsh Shins; Tournaments in supporting roles.

It’s always difficult being the openers, especially when the main act don’t draw the largest of crowds but I think Tournaments managed to pull it off even with a slightly muddy sound. This little indie rock piece draw strong parallels with The Shins, which I’m aware I’ve already mentioned, but it’s unavoidable listening to their recorded material even though they produce a much more powerful sound live. Tournaments are a lively bunch who work incredibly well, but I’m all too aware that the style they’re playing has been done before.
Tournaments on Myspace - Check out ‘Boldest Of Colours’ & ‘Turn & Run’

The middle spot was filled by the almost ethereal folk five-piece The Cedar, who are rather understated but produce an sublime sound with just the right amount of complexity. This is a group of musicians who are clearly having fun making some beautiful songs, if a little soft for my tastes at times. The Cedar are producing quintessential English folk music that’s almost updated for the 21st century.
The Cedar on Myspace - Check out ‘All Your Stories’ & ‘I’m Always Explaining To Mom’

Flowers on drum kits and big fluffy hats can tell you most of what you need to know about Slow Club. Quirky amusing lyrics and giggling are what will draw you back to see them over and over again. I rarely grin as much as when this Leeds originating duo mount the stage and minstrel about to emit their jaunty sunshine folk songs. The NME are correct in saying that they should be annoying but their silly rhymes inspire me all the way to the love heart shop to buy a thousand and write a poem with them. This is how Slow Club make me feel, and hopefully they’ll make you skip around your bedroom with no need for narcotics.
Slow Club on Myspace - Check out ‘me and you’ & ‘apples and pairs’

I think it’s fair to say; thank you pulp, you made my week.

Here are some pictures (I forgot my camera).

Slow Club don’t bathe together.

The Cedar probably own a loom museum.

Tournaments may be trapped but seem fine.

old articles

Seeing as I’m ‘too busy revising’ to write much at the moment. Here are some old articles that I wrote for my student paper, one of which did not get printed, but I’m not bearing grudges.

Blood Red Shoes @ Moles, Bath 27th September 2007

Rtrt Rtrt Club Night @ University of Bath

Elle Milano - My Brother, The Astronaut: Single Review

Tantilising.

rediscovered bewonderment

Okay this is actually rather old and I guess most people who read this will have already seen this but bear with me.

So here I am, up a bit too early and I should be revising for my impending scary exams but instead what I’m doing is looking at the rip-offs page on the We Are Scientists website. Covers of classic WAS songs by weird and actually wonderful people.

These are my highlights:

Meredith Weill - This Scene Is Dead
J. Michael St Clair - The Great Escape
Florence Vallieres - Bougepas

this should be a laugh…

Hello! Welcome to my music blog. Welcome to both you and I. I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about the sort of music I like and what I’m going to be including in this thing.

I, as a listener, like music to be passionate and genuine. I like bands to have something that makes them who they are. Of all the bands I enjoy listening and dancing to, many of them are happy bands who like to clap and use all sorts of different instruments. I saw this great band called Fireworks Night at The Gramophone in East London a month or two ago who had such a wonderful selection of members who spanned age, genre and gender. One of the key members managed to play what looked like a saw using just a violin bow and a grimace. Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll ever get anywhere, their recordings just didn’t add up to the live experience, my knees were shaking.

In this music blog, know your onion!, which I do intend to keep up, I’ll be posting my musings and wafflings on anything I choose to think about music. This includes gig reports, album and single reviews, old songs I’d like you to hear and of course there will be lots of free mp3s and so on. I’ll try not to conform to a norm (which is a fun sentence to say) and keep this a fun piece of media for you to read.

Please leave me lots of nice comments about whatever you like! I do love talking to people.

For now I’ll just leave you with a free download of a .zip of the following playlist which is from my contribution to the mix CD exchange programme on the Blood Red Shoes Forum which should give you some sort of insight into my favourite sort of music.

Click here! (It’s quite big I’m afraid!)

We Are Scientists - Ram It Home
The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster - Mister Mental
Blog Party (vs. Death From Above 1979) - Luno
Biffy Clyro - Glitter and Trauma
Le Tetsuo - Knickers
Metric - Dead Disco
Be Your Own Pet - Damn Damn Leash
Nirvana - Love Buzz
Pixies - Levitate Me
Pink Grease - Ordinary Girl
The Noisettes - Scratch Your Name
Tilly and the Wall - Bad Education
Charlotte Hatherley - Kim Wilde
The Shins - Phantom Limb
The Futureheads - Danger of the Water
Guillemots - Made Up Lovesong #43
Hot Club De Paris - Bonded by Blood (A song for two brothers)
Regina Spektor - On the Radio
Bishop Allen - The News From Your Bed

… and finally the artwork.