The Cold Cut

We have moved.

2008-12-26T13:07:00.000-08:00

The Cold Cut can now be found at www.thecoldcut.com .

Enjoy!

Moving On.

2008-12-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

The Cold Cut, as you know it, is in the process of migrating.

I've been keeping things on the down low for a while, but Blogger have been bugging me over my posts and its time that we parted ways. They have been a good home for me, but The Cold Cut needs to move on and become part of something bigger. That 'thing' is Be All/End All.

It's my new website, you see. But before you get worried about the wellbeing of The Cold Cut, let me explain...

Music is starting to take on a much larger role in my life. I love writing about music. I love singing. I love the process of making music. I want to develop my contribution to this industry- why spend all my time writing and listening to music when I'm not contributing myself? Therefore I made the expensive move of buying my first pair of decks, a mixer and Serato Scratch Live. I hope to be able to start remixing songs- in my first experiment (a remix of 'Violet Hill' on GarageBand) I managed to get to number 3 on the Hype Machine, so I'm going to look into this.

Be All/End All is going to grow as my tastes and ideas develop. I see it becoming a musical portal, with many types of content- music, posts, links, videos. The lot. The Cold Cut will be moving to www.thecoldcut.com over the next few days.

This new site also represents a move to my own self-hosted website. It's great to have complete freedom over design and content, and I am aiming for visually impressive content from now on. In my new job, I am exposed to IT everyday, and I now feel more confident with the challenges presented by CSS and PHP.

So what's been going on with me? I'm really sorry for my absence, but I've been busy these last two months. I'm currently applying to university in the US and have been settling into my new job; therefore I really haven't had any time or patience for the old blog. Things are beginning to settle down now (considering I have finished my SATs) and 250000 hits is a great time to revamp The Cold Cut.

I'll be spending some time on the migration over the next few days. Bear with me, and I promise you will not be dissapointed. Once again, thanks for your support, comments and readership.

Kanye West- Say You Will

808's And Heartbreak

2008-11-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

I'm right in the middle of many things right now (new job, new decks, US university applications, etc etc) so my talented brother has kindly agreed to step in. Bravo.
Kanye West- Anyway (Link 2)

So Kanye’s Heartbreak is leaking all over the internet at the moment, and I for one am a little confused. Auto-tune? 808s? TEARS FOR FEARS samples? Wake up, Mr West.

Kanye wants to do whatever he wants, and what he wants is to no longer be seen as just a rapper, but a pop artist not bound in by a particular style. Those in the know realised some time ago that his music is just great pop, and when it comes to flow he’s never really had skills that pay the bills. In a John-Woo-style shoot-out of great rappers, Kanye would be first of the gang to die.

The problem is, he’s turned into a bit of prick. Yes, rappers are supposed to be arrogant, but The College Dropout gave hip-hop back its soul not because of all those vintage samples, but through its subject matter: less bitches and bling, more tales of how he used to pee the bed as a child. Sadly, post-fame, his last album revealed that he has become everything that he used to rail against: “I shop so much I can speak Italian”, anyone? Don’t even get me started on Drunk and Hot Girls. Graduation is a good album, but he’s not easy to love any more.

And so to “808s”: this sounds like we’re headed towards an album of commercial r ‘n b. The title hints that it’s going to be about relationship troubles. So perhaps a move towards a bit of honesty and soul again, which is good. But the musical wrapping concerns me a little, as a whole album of this is going to be a bit much for me.

I do like the fact that he’s trying to switch up his game rather than ploughing the same path, but hopefully there will be some genuine rapping in there as well.

Over to you Kanye.

Definitive: 'Love Lockdown'

2008-10-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

Kanye West- Love Lockdown (T-Minus 321 Remix) (Link 2)

Unlike many of the bigger blogs out there, I've kept 'Love Lockdown' at arm's reach... not because I don't like it, but because I wanted the dust to settle before I posted a definitive remix. I've also tried to keep the number of 'hot tracks' down to a minimum for the last few weeks, purely because its nice to have something in reserve when you need it.

Let me state my position: 'Love Lockdown' is such a grower. If you break it down, its a pretty simple composition, but Kanye has really impressed me by upping the audience-input, evolving the song little by little and responding to the backlash. The 'Love Lockdown' that I now sing along to is not the same song that he debuted at the VMA's. I also don't believe that this version will appear on the album, as Kanye has displayed an experimentive nature that will no doubt carry over to the album.

Anyway, after sifting through the remixes (trust me, there are waaay to many), I chose one definitive song. As well as taking the song somewhere totally new, the artwork is incredible. Feel free to keep the creativity alive by downloading the stems (they're all over the net).

QUIX- Only In Your Long Hair

2008-10-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

QUIX- Only In Your Long Hair (Link 2)

I would say I'm the slightly on edge right now. I've been over-taxed. I'm doing SATs (and whilst they are interesting, they do take up time). I guess I need to chill. Not let the little things get to me. Focus on the big picture. Go on a pub-crawl tomorrow night.

QUIX sent me 'Only In Your Long Hair' last night, and its exactly the medication that I needed. It winds you down. Chills you out. Uplifts.

In my opinion, no one can explain the process behind a track better than the artist themselves. As QUIX puts it:

'LA/Washington DC producer/turntablist QUIX is currently in the works on his debut solo LP - this is a demo version of one of the lead tracks - "Only In Your Long Hair" started as a comissioned remix for Washington DC rock act The Speaks - when the label (Warner) rejected it for its "club sound", QUIX held on to the track for use on his album.'

I love a track with a good story. 'Only In Your Long Hair' starts big, brings the synths to the party, and then we're set. As well as featuring a particularly quaint vocal sample, the song jumps around, and the scratching influence is clear. I like.

[Myspace]

Twisted Wheel

2008-10-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Twisted Wheel- She's A Weapon (Link 2)

Twisted Wheel. Wow. How have I not heard of you? I'm fairly sure its a combination of my aversion to the NME, and my brief hiatus from blogging. Either way, I'm sorry I missed you.

Raucous. Raw. To the point. These were the first words that sprung into my mind when listening to 'She's A Weapon'. It's unfortunate that often, we immediately associate these with poor lyrics and musicianship, but we do have reason. Twisted Wheel are an exciting exception.

The latest from Sony BMG, Twisted Wheel are definitely moving in the right direction; they have heaps of attitude and have been picked up by record label that will surely market them to hell and back. The band are currently on tour with The Rascals, another band making moves (largely due to 'The Large Shadow Puppet's popularity, it has to be said), and have a series of dates with Oasis lined up in October. My view is slightly tinted, though, in that the band immediately reminded me of a fusion of The Twang and The Courteeners. Memories of hype. A huge build up. And then, the album drops, flat as a pancake.

I do have a good feeling about this one, though, and those feelings are going to be put on hold... permanently. With both of the aforementioned bands, I just let the hype carry me along, and I wasn't particularly fussed when the resultant album's fell short. This time around, though, I'm going to indulge. Get involved.

Let us say, Twisted Wheel are to those bands what The Verve were to Oasis and The Stone Roses. A perfect combination. And I just hope they can emulate Mr. Ashcroft's success.

[Myspace] ['Lucy The Castle' out 10.11.o8]

What the digital revolution missed...

2008-09-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ashwin here.

So guys, this week I've been making a mixtape for a friend, and I figured a good way to introduce myself would be by posting it on here for you lovely people.

But first, let me extol the virtues of the cassette mixtape over a CD. I'm sure plenty of people think cassettes are obsolete these days, but in my opinion they serve a vital role.

Practically, in some ways they're more useful. You can only store 80 minutes of music on an audio CD, but 90 on a cassette. They're also more durable, it's hard to snap a tape in half by accident. Tapes are prettier too. Case in point: the first google image result for cassette, vs the first google image result for CD...

which would you rather stick in your stereo?

The most important thing though, and I cannot stress this enough, is this:

sequential access

i.e. to listen to a track you have to have listened to (or fast forwarded past) all of the tracks before it. This is the real magic of a mixtape. With a mixtape, you can tell a story, build up to crescendos, and make the listener expect and receive whatever you want. When you can instantly skip to any track you want, this power is lost. You've gone from a musical novel to simply a group of tracks. You've lost your power over the listener forever without sequential access.

Nevertheless, here is my mixtape in all of its digital, skippable glory. Hope you like electro.

(yeah, that's me)

The Ashwin Mixtape:
Side A: [link 2]
Vicarious Bliss - Theme From Vicarious Bliss [Myspace] [Buy]
Busy P - To Protect and Entertain (feat. MURS) [Myspace] [Buy]
PNAU - Baby [Myspace] [Buy]
Sébastien Tellier - Sexual Sportswear (SebastiAn remix) [Myspace] [Buy]
SebastiAn - H.A.L. [Myspace] [Buy]
Mr Oizo - Patrick122 [Myspace] [Buy]
Justice - Waters of Nazareth [Myspace] [Buy]
Chromeo - Bonafide Lovin' (Culture Prophet remix) [Myspace] [Buy]
Daft Punk - One More Time/Aerodynamic [Myspace] [Buy]
New Young Pony Club - Get Lucky (MSTRKRFT remix) [Myspace] [Buy]
Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill [Myspace] [Buy]

Side B:
coming soon...watch this space.

Immuzikation- Fortisphere

2008-09-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Justice vs Daft Punk vs Kanye West vs A-Trak vs Diplo- Fortisphère (Immuzikation Blend) (Link 2)

What happens when you take the songs below, splice them and force them into a shell of 3 minutes? 'Fortisphere'. In a time when many people are talking about the end of the world, this is the song that I would want to go out to.

Justice - Planisphère Part 1
Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Kanye West - Stronger
Kanye West - Stronger (A-Trak Remix)
Kanye West and Daft Punk - Stronger (Live at the Grammy's)
Diplo - Work is Never Over

It's reassuring that some things never change. Even though the stock market is slowly dying, and the world is rumoured to end sometime soon, one thing has never changed. No matter what, I can always rely on a new track from Immuzikation gracing my ears every now and then. And that's why we love him so damn much.

The latest and greatest from Alfredo is 'Fortisphere', a truly epic piece of mash-up magic that combines most of the things I love and somehow manages to not screw it up. This song is destined for a live outing soon- no club, stadium or galaxy is too big for this song.

'Fortisphere' is just another string to Immuzikation's bow- if someone doesn't snap this guy up soon I might have to start my own record label and do the honours.

Myspace

Introducing... A new face, and Planisphere

2008-09-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Will here, and as promised, a new face. Be warned- with a musical knowledge that spans across galaxies, Ashwin is here, and he takes no prisoners. Enjoy.

Hey guys, I'm the new guy here at The Cold Cut, I'm Ashwin and it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm no fan of small talk when there's music to be argued over.

So while Bloc Party seem to be moving away from the guitars and onto the synths with their latest surprise release, Justice seem to be doing the opposite.

Their new release was commissioned by Dior Homme for their new fashion show. It shies away from the more lightweight, simple, glitchy hooks of their album, and takes a more Waters of Nazareth approach to things. The tracks are intense, exciting, even involving a massive guitar solo in the final act. A guitar solo, in electro!

You all know why the dance world fell in love with Justice in the first place, that gritty, messy, just downright thrilling grungy sound, and the rock flavour accentuates that no end. It sounds more like Justice than ever, unapologetic electro in the high polished world of fashion. Enter Planisphère.

Now comparisons will always be drawn with Daft Punk when it comes to Justice, and DP themselves did a killer track for Louis Vuitton. This is more some kind of hectic electro opera though, with it's overarching melodies and hooks. Think Intersterlla 5555 kind of thing. I can see Justice doing a feature film if they keep stuff like this up. Man, that has to happen.
Anyway, enjoy the tracks.

Justice - Planisphère, Part 1 [Link 2]

p.s. Will pronounces Justice differently to me. I say Justice, he says Justeece. I think I'm right though, since in the introductions to Ed Bangers compilations, they say Justice. Opinions? [Will: I'm just trying to sound French!]

Myspace [BUY]

Fabrizio Moretti shuns The Strokes with Little Joy

2008-09-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Update: 3 Tracks are now online over at the Myspace. Enjoy a sneak peak:

Little Joy- No One Better's Sake

Another few months pass, and another member of The Strokes announces their own side project.

Obviously feeling that he missed out on the solo-pie, Fabrizio Moretti (aka the drummer) has been brewing his own project, entitled Little Joy. The project itself sounds enticing (anything even remotely connected to The Strokes gets most people going), although Devendra Banhart notably produced the entirety of the LP, coming out November 4th.

Alas, no tunes, as of yet... but if you keep checking Little Joy's Myspace, I'm sure you will eventually be rewarded. Instead, enjoy a Strokes rarity, if you like:

The Strokes- Hawaii Aloha (Live) (Link 2)

LP tracklisting is as follows:
1.The Next Time Around
2.Brand New Start
3. Play the Part
4. No One's Better Sake
5. Unattainable
6. Shoulder to Shoulder
7. With Strangers
8. Keep Me in Mind
9. How to Hang a Warhol
10. Don't Watch Me Dancing
11. Evaporar

The Dark Knight. The ultimate cinematic experience.

2008-09-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

I couldn't handle a 'hot out of the screening room' review of The Dark Knight. I'm still unsure how the collected press managed to draft up honest reviews of the film mere minutes after walking out of the press screenings. Maybe I was too wrapped up in all the pre-release hype that surrounded this film, but regardless, that hype was not left unjustified.

The Dark Knight, as a cinematic spectacle, is unmatched by any blockbuster of the last ten years (my movie-going period). It is also the most emotionally draining piece of culture that I have ever being exposed to. I felt like a shell of my former self as we walked out of the cinema, physically exhausted by the ever-changing merry-go-round of emotions that the film conjured in me.

The only place to start is the hype. The buzz surrounding this film has been fever-pitch since Commissioner Gordon handed over the Joker card to our caped crusader as the credits rolled for Batman Begins. In that card, Christopher Nolan sent an obvious signal that whilst he wasn't committed to a sequel, Batman was officially reborn, and ready for a franchise if the world was ready for it. And we were.

Cinema is, by the law of averages, a lonely experience. Sure, we go in pairs, threes or more, but ultimately, sitting in a dark room watching a screen is an anti-social experience. So, why do we do it? For the reaction. And if you are looking for a provoking film, look no further. At my birthday dinner I was quite happy to argue with my parents that as a cinematic experience, this is the pinnacle. For two hours.

The Dark Knight is probably not the best movie ever. It would be hard to argue that it is a complete masterpiece, as there are a few limited flaws. And yet, as a complete package, there is nothing out there that even comes close to this as a piece of cinema. The film itself has obviously connected with audiences the world over, and most average people that you speak to would happily place this film in their top 5 of all time. The $300 million in 10 days (amongst a host of other amazing records) alongside a never-ending series of 5 star reviews mean that The Dark Knight will never be forgotten.

Christopher Nolan has a dilemma to deal with. Where do you go from this? Whilst his previous films have all been brilliant, this huge level of commercial success has never factored into his equation, and yet these kind of figures will have changed that. The Prestige was a commercial hit, debuting at #1 in the US and garnering Academy Award nominations. And yet if you mentioned it, most people wouldn't bat an eyelid. The Dark Knight is not that film.

The film is centered around a host of characters who are all totally inhabited by the actors. Christian Bale will no doubt be under-appreciated as Bruce Wayne, although he is the foundation of this film, holding the meandering plot together. Maggie Gyllenhaal reinvents Rachel Dawes, taking over from Katie Holmes and thankfully erasing her annoying turn in Batman Begins from my memory. Then we have the 'white knight' to Batman's 'dark knight'- Harvey Dent. Aaron Eckhart is another success story, using the talent he has to burn and creating an interesting character arc for Harvey. We care about him, and that is the crucial aspect- that whilst Two Face does appear in this film, we are still aware that he and Harvey are the same person, regardless of whats going on underneath that exterior. Commisioner Gordon has an expanded role in this sequel, and Gary Oldman is once again stellar, with the rest of the cast also providing interesting foils for the leads.

And finally I am brought to Heath Ledger. Heath, Heath, Heath. This performance is far bigger than him. It's far bigger than this film. It's bigger than the hype surrounding it. This film has reinvented the concept of a villain. The Joker is a villain for the modern era, killing and creating havoc purely because he wants to. There are no motives- evidence in the fact that his back story continually changes, and the 'wanna know how I got these scars?' question pops up a few times, each time with a different answer. We have all heard the buzz surrounding Ledger's widely supported Oscar nomination, and it is founded. And yet, most of the buzz suggests a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In actuality, The Joker is the lead role, carrying this film, his presence never absent.

This last fact is down to the fact that Gotham City plays a much bigger role second time around. The shots of Christian Bale standing alone on some of the city's skyscrapers are truly breathtaking, and although I didn't see the film in IMAX, I am almost certain that these visuals would be even more impressive on the larger screens. And through Gotham's presence and destruction, The Joker is effectively never off screen. He orchestrates the destruction which plagues the city- cause and effect.

There are some places where this film experiences slight mis-steps. Whilst the first film felt relatively (and that is a huge 'relatively') grounded in terms of realistic technology, The Dark Knight moves away from this approach. Whilst the Batpod is one of the coolest pieces of automotive technology to ever grace the screen, the circumstances in which this transition is made are a little far-fetched. And in the closing moments of the film, a certain piece of equipment almost burst the bubble of Gotham's believable world which had been built so well. Finally, Christian Bale over does the gruff voice a little bit. And that's it.

So, The Dark Knight. Finally, a film by Christopher Nolan that saw the public realisation of his talent. A film that features many revelations- Heath Ledger's terrible passing, and outstanding performance. A film which may finally unseat Titanic. A viral phenomena. And most importantly, a brilliant film. A film that deserves to be remembered, in our hearts and in the record books. The Dark Knight. Where next?

Bloc Party- 'Talons', and the infuriating truth of their track distribution.

2008-09-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

Bloc Party- Talons (Link 2)

The hype surrounding 'Intimacy' is slowly ebbing away. In retrospect, you gotta say- what a move by Bloc Party. I'll be posting my full verdict on the album soon, but this I'll say: 'Intimacy' definitely has its charms.

Bloc Party are a pretty solid band by my reckoning. I don't buy into this whole 'Kele is a moody bastard' shit- as long as the tunes keep coming, then I'll be happy. Kele is entitled to his privacy, and his mood-swings. I do, however, have a few niggles with the band, all based around their music, and primarily where its going. Firstly, one of my mates astutely pointed out that Bloc Party always release great songs in the aftermath of an album release. It's happened thrice- 'Two More Years' and 'The Marshalls Are Dead' were nigh on perfect, and could have lifted the latter part of 'Silent Alarm'. 'Weekend In The City' suffered badly from top-heavy track listing, and was followed by a host of bonus tracks that were stronger than most of the songs on the album ('Rhododendron', 'Atonement', 'The Once And Future King' and 'Version 2.0' to name a few).

And now, we have 'Intimacy'. The pacing is kind of wrong on this album... it starts loudly, but the first few songs are weak and jarring, excepting 'Biko'. The album slowly builds to a perfect, redeeming second half. Riddle me this- I purchased the mp3 version of the album, and whilst I recieved their new single (I thought single's were meant to come from albums?) 'Talons' free by email, it is not included in the album listing. This is a move beyond comprehension- 'Talons' is one of the stronger singles they've released in recent years, with chiming bells and a dance riff that is definitive of Bloc Party's new direction. Kele said of 'Talons':

“We wanted to keep things fresh and we thought the fans would be more excited to get a new song rather than something off the album. Talons is one of the last songs we recorded during the Intimacy sessions and I always had it in mind to be one of the extra tracks we promised for the CD if it turned out well. It turned out great so we decided to make it the next single. I’m enjoying this way of working, not over-thinking things, just make a decision and get on with it! It’s quite liberating in a way, I’m sure it’s going to be the way things happen more and more in the future."

The person responsible for the ordering of BP's albums really needs to get the boot. All three have been either top or bottom heavy, with unbelievable emissions- think about 'Intimacy', except remove 'Ares' and 'Mercury' and replace them with the one two punch of 'Talons' and 'Flux'. That's a proposition.

Secondly- where do the band see themselves in a few years time? I get the distinct impression that 'Silent Alarm' was just a front- albeit a fantastic, album of the year front. However, Kele has always made it clear that he wants to experiment- I remember one particular interview where he spoke of his long term wish- to mess around with Timbaland beats, basically. I respect this, but why not just start as you wish to continue? Anyway, back to the present- 'Talons' is another triumph for the band. It's just not going to make as big of an impact as it could.

Intimacy can be bought from the Bloc Party website. In doing so, you can collect your free download of 'Talons'.

How does this feel? Like a drink of water after a long walk in the desert.

2008-09-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Kanye West- Love Lockdown (Link 2)

I feel relieved. I feel happy. I feel exhausted. Many emotions. First, the good news. I am now able to get back into the swing of things. I have internet. I have lots of stuff to catch up with. I need to burst the bubble around me. The Cold Cut needs to become relevant again. Most of all, I have a blog to run. And run-it I will.

So how does one burst the bubble that's been enclosing you? With difficulty... I must admit, my lack of contact with the internet, TV and news has been a bit of an eye opener. As in, what the hell would we do without it? Now I appreciate it even more- I feel lucky to be connected again.

Anyway, back to the music. I've missed it ever so much, looking through my emails longingly on my phone. Able to see, but not to listen. Out of all the music that has flooded my inbox (about 250 emails and counting from the last few weeks- keep 'em coming), one track stands out. It's so 'now'. Kanye West's new track 'Love Lockdown', from the upcoming album release, '808's And Heartbreak'. A live debut at the VMA's was incredibly promising (watch it), and yet the recorded version falls annoyingly flat.

Disregarding an over-generous bass track that I could listen to all day long, it's hard to like this song, let alone love it. 'Love Lockdown' starts, peaks, starts, troughs, restarts... and finishes. It goes nowhere... Instead, we are treated to 270 seconds of Kanye living out a T-Pain fantasy. Jittery pianos and a vocoder dominate proceedings. There is no Chris Martin this time, though. And no intelligent sampling.

The VMA's were the perfect platform from which to launch the new album. Kanye performed well, his voice fragile, but hidden away behind Autotune. He sings better than you might expect, but will struggle with the live demands of this song. Still, it was a great performance, with strong images through lighting and his performance. Unfortunately, these fixtures cannot be translated onto the studio version.

This song hurts. Where has the genius of 'The College Dropout' gone? The concept is all wrong- Kanye isn't a singer by nature. It's brave, but a whole song of slow vocals is really pushing it. And in using a vocoder, you immediately take the emotion out of a song. I mean, who would attempt to prove that 'Lollipop' is an emotionally affecting song?

'808's And Heartbreak' drops on December 16th. Pre-order it on Amazon. The chips seem stacked against Kanye at this point in time. I'm not even going to mention the whole arrest fiasco. Still, I would never bet against him. Oh, and good luck Kanye. May you shock us all.

Busy Bee

2008-08-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Hey guys. Long time no speak. I just thought I would fill you in on the situation- wouldn't want you worrying about me after all!

The Cold Cut is not dead or dying- I like to think of this as a forced hiatus in which I can re-focus, brainstorm and generally miss my blog, writing and the sense of joy and achievment I get from a nice comment or popular post.

Over the last few weeks, a number of factors have prevented me from blogging. It all started around the 14th august when I got my exam results- I'm hugely relieved to have obtained straight a's- school doesn't feel like a waste anymore!

Next came lowlands music festival... This was a total blast- I'll be covering this on full later on- good news is I got my hands on my first festival press pass, which was fun.

The day that lowlands finished, my new job started. For the last week, I've had an intense induction week, and my real job commences on tuesday! I won't say who the company are, but they have an office in southbank and like using lotus notes. The more technically inclined of you will have no problems working out who I'm talking about. If you are interested in finding out more or have you own experiences with this company to share, send over and email.

And that brings us to my current situation. I'm just settling into my new house, which currently has no Internet. No posts this weekend then, buthopefull I will be able to start working g through the backlog soon. In other news, I think I might have found the perfect candidate for a new writer- which should take some of the strain off of me! If you feel you have the skills and music taste to write here, drop me a line. At this pont in time I could use all the help I can get. Cheers.

Nas- 'Untitled' review... Rap album of the year.

2008-08-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

9/10

Nas has some serious issues. Huge, eye-achingly massive problems. And thank god. As rap wouldn't be nearly as interesting without people like him, who adore controversy and love to channel the world's problems into an album. The majority of the albums he has penned have a clear message, and when it's been lacking, the music struggles. 'Illmatic'- urban poverty. 'Hip Hop Is Dead'- the recent degradation of the quality of hip-hop music. 'Streets Disciple'- the women in Nas' life. And where the focus isn't there, neither is the quality. 'Nastradamas'- whilst still a cut above normal fare, arguably Nas' worst LP- flitted between themes.

9 albums into his career, Nas has finally pounced onto the biggest and most controversial subject matter. Race. And now is the time. Whilst his approach was at first a little crude, Nas confidently pulls off the album through sheer force of will- it honestly feels as if he is an unstoppable bulldozer, and we are set for demolition. Now, I am not particularly knowledgeable on this side of music (something I'm working on, guys), but I would say that this is the rap album of the year. Whilst it may not impress hard-core rap aficionados, I am unfortunately not one of those people- basically, this album blew me away, and will do the same for a frequent reader of The Cold Cut. And that is enough.

The controversy surrounding this album is close to detracting from it. In the run up to the release, various artists stepped forward to support or condemn Nas' title choice. And yet, all the controversy was in vain, when Nas buckled under the pressure. Anyone would in his situation: huge contributors threatening to withdraw hundreds of millions of dollars from Vivendi and Universal, as well as rumours that Def Jam were going to drop Nas unless he gave in. It's a small loss- the album is simply 'Untitled', due to the effects the original name (yet we all know it now), and yet the 'Nigger tape' remained (also brilliant- download it). 'Be A Nigger Too', the original choice for lead single, was also removed from the album, and was a dedicated 'street' release... He addresses the title change on 'Hero': 'No matter what the CD called, I'm unbeatable, y'all'.

Nas- Be A Nigger Too (Link 2)

I always like to see what other people think before I write my review to get some different perspectives- what a surprise, Pitchfork gave the album 3.8 out of 10, with their arguments hanging on a string- they use 'Graduation' as an example of a mentally challenging Billboard blockbuster, almost suggesting that the quality of an album is dictated by how many units it shifts, or potentially will. Interesting nonetheless, but everyone else unanimously gave it at least 8/10. It was a match made in hell- both Nas and Pitchfork are vying to get their message heard. Unfortunately, Pitchfork, Nas is an artist, and we are just commentators. So he comes off better here.

Nas- as a lyricist- is all about the ego and his views. He's always been opinionated, from an ongoing feud with Jay-Z to the various Fox controversies. Those peak hostile days have mostly passed, but Nas still has the same chip on his shoulder. Whilst his verses are largely devoid of 'my sex is greater because my dick is bigger' style sections, Nas does have things he want to prove. As in, he's the saviour of rap. 'Queen's Get The Opening' uses the familiar sample from the 'I Am Sam' theme: 'hip hop was dead so Nas breathes life into the embryo'. It's a short lived reprisal of the 'Hip Hop Is Dead' theme.

This is a mature album, relentlessly challenging and might be accused of taking itself a little too seriously. The accusations might be true, save for one redeeming factor- 'Fried Chicken', featuring Busta Rhymes and produced by Mark Ronson- 'Untitled's sole release, Busta putting in a strong contribution as a featuring artist, elevating the song with his absolutely defined brand of rapping (although he might want to watch out for Gorilla Zoe of 'Top Ranking' fame).

The quality never dips, though highlights include 'Sly Fox', a headstrong attack aimed directly at Fox News, a battle against racial bias in which Nas has been embroiled. On 'Make The World Go Round', Nas flirts with mainstream ideals by roping in both The Game and Chris Brown and then... well, the resultant song sounded very different to my expectations. Chris Brown's talents are used effectively, and The Game impresses, as always.

In terms of raw talent, Nas is currently one of the best on the scene. He has an intelligence possessed by few people, notable exceptions include Lupe Fiasco (listen to 'Dumb It Down' and tell me rap isn't one of the most intellectually challenging genres) and Common, amongst others. And yet, even in comparison to these guys, it appears that Nas is currently on some higher plane- the lyrics on this album are hands down the best I've heard in a long, long time. Unfortunately, those who have this talent are outnumbered three to one by those who market their generic brand of posturing. Don't get me wrong- I'll settle for AYO Technology any day, but a whole album stretches my patience.

Then, I realised about half way through 'Untitled', that I was enjoying the experience much more because of the aforementioned circumstances. Songs like 'America' just aren't recorded anymore, and I really appreciate their rarity all the more. If you need an example of how Nas is from a different breed of rapper, this song is a perfect place to start. In essence, this is just an extended observation of the title country, but the resultant piece of music is expansive, and more engaging than it appears on paper, with beautiful vocals from Flo Simpson.

Nas- America (Link 2)

The ambition behind the album is clear as day. Lets begin this analysis with 'Black President'- a Tupac line on loop begins- 'And though it seems heaven sent, we ain't ready for a black president'. In this song, he tells the story of the first black president of the united states, revealed as Barack Obama in the closing seconds of the song. We can only hope.

I struggled to find anything wrong with this album. At a stretch, the beats might not be the best, and that's the only area where Nas can improve. The music is still engaging, though. It just shows that putting time and effort into your lyrics more than makes up for overproducing. 'Untitled' is also thankfully devoid of skits. By this, I mean no expositional moments of random chat- instead, the vocal elements are found in most of the songs. We have a couple of monologues, but they are never lacking in actual content.

'Untitled' isn't 'Illmatic'. Thus far, no album Nas has recorded has touched that level, although from my previous experience, this comes closest. And yet, we are in a new age of rap- why ponder what has passed when there are still people around making engaging music? I think Nelly (of all people) said it best in a random interview with NME a few years back: 'Who says hip hop needs saving? The original rock music has been dead for twenty years and they seem to be doing alright.' Although Nas keeps pointing it out, he is the very man who makes me question whether hip hop needs saving at all. 'Untitled' is just fuel to the fire.

'Untitled' can be purchased from Amazon.

Muse/The Streets Collabo with 'Who Knows Who'. Interest piqued.

2008-08-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Muse and The Streets- Who Knows Who (Link 2)

Any new music from Muse is a bonus at this point in time. They most certainly deserve a rest after the seminal space opera of 'Black Holes & Revelations', and yet, I get the feeling that they're holed up somewhere (Mars at a guess) working out how to overcome the limitations of a 6 string electric guitar, drum kit and standard bass guitar.

However, in between this, Muse had time to quickly meet up with Mike Skinner from The Streets and record a very quick track. 'Who Knows Who' is a solid effort, considering the following:

"The MP3 floating around on the message boards at the moment is a track we recorded with Mike Skinner a few months ago. The track was the result of a late night jam session and something we did for a bit of a laugh featuring a blues riff we have been playing live recently upon which Skinner recorded some vocals. It is not intended to be a serious release so we are happy for it to be leaked around unofficially. Hope you enjoy, Cheers. Matt, Dom & Chris."

The Streets latest album-"Everything is Borrowed"-will be released on September 15- although Muse are alone in emerging from this new song with pristine integrity, The Streets have once again piqued my interest.

Keane shock the internet.

2008-08-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Keane- Spiralling (Official HQ Download)

Ok. Wow. I really wasn't expecting anything from Keane to ever surprise the collective internet communities. However, it appears they have really shocked a selection of bloggers who previously despised their music. Some people have been converted.

I like Keane. There, I said it. Some might say they're a tad, well, predictable, but that's not hard to overcome. The only hang-up I have is with their live performances- namely, the use of pre-recorded sounds in the background which are cued by a technician. See, that's not strictly live, unless the technician is on stage. And yet, I get the feeling that this is about to change. Other than that small hiccup, they're fine in my books.

Hot on the heels of 'Crawl', Keane have offered up an mp-free entitled 'Spiralling'. It's an interesting one, certainly different to anything else they've offered up, with a lighter, poppier tone.

I'm not an authority on this, but I can definitely detect guitar and bass in the mix... Can anyone clarify this? This might explain Jesse Quin's (a touring bass player) involvement in the project- the message board queried this months ago when Keane featured a photo with four members, which was quickly taken down. Further to this, Tom Chaplin and Tim Rice-Oxley have also both gone on record as saying that they picked up the guitar during the sessions. And whereas on their previous albums (see 'Is It Any Wonder?') we had a keyboard that was made to sound like a guitar, this new move is a distinct improvement. Their sound is fuller, with serious hints of David Bowie and Talking Heads thrown in the mixer.

'Spiralling' is definite progress. A little on the cheesy side (that spoken interlude is a little bit much for most people), this song is still a sign that Keane weren't content producing another album that sounds vaguely similar to 'Hopes And Fears'.

This song comes ahead of the release of their upcoming 3rd album- 'Perfect Symmetry'- out October 13th. The official first single is 'Lovers Are Losing', to be released on September 29th. An interview which explores the details of the new album can be found here.

Kings Of Leon stream single 'Sex On Fire'

2008-08-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to post this one (it's red-hot- if you had synesthesia, this song would have 'cease and desist' written all over it), but you should hop over to Myspace for an exclusive first listen to Kings Of Leon's single, 'Sex On Fire'. Instead, enjoy an early song from the 'Holy Roller Novocaine' EP. 'Sex On Fire' is another brilliant addition to the new album, some people will be happy to hear that this is a fully fledged song with a chorus and verses, rather than 'a groove' (as certain individuals have described 'Crawl', although this doesn't bother me personally). Oh, and as a side note, Caleb must have one of the best voices in rock? Right?

Kings Of Leon- Wicker Chair

NME have also just announced the official tracklisting for 'Only By The Night', released on September 22:

'Closer'
'Crawl'
'Sex On Fire'
'Use Somebody'
'Manhattan'
'Revelry'
'Seventeen'
'Notion'
'I Want You'
'Be Somebody'
'Cold Desert'

Sunshine Mix.

2008-08-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

So, same old, same old. I will now be enjoying my last day of Barcelona. I've never done this before, but here's a little role play of what I believe my Sunday in Barca will be like:

"Ooh, it's sunny here. 30 degrees, in fact (Celsius, people!). Let's go grab some chocolate con churros. Ooh, Sagrada Familia/Park Guell. Lovely. More food. More drink. It's baking hot now. Walking down to the Olympic Port. Chilled afternoon. Wait until 9.30. Finally grab more food. More drink. Flight Home. End."

As you can see, it should be fun. Anyway, short on time to create this post, (my flight to Barcelona leaves in a few hours and I'm not ready yet) so a few more tracks to keep you busy.

Coldplay Vs. Nas- If I Viva La Vida (Starters Remix) (Link 2)
Justice Vs. Wu-Tang Clan- C.R.E.A.M. Your Friends (Link 2)
Britney Spears Vs. Justin Timberlake- Break The Ice (Raza Remix) (Link 2)
Yoav Yoav- Adore Adore (modwheelmood remix) (Link 2)
Black Kids- Partie Traumatic (Link 2)

BARCELONA!

2008-08-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

What would I do without scheduled blogging? At this point in time, I will be happily walking around Barcelona, in the sweltering August temperatures. I'm away for four days, returning on Sunday evening.

I'm not going to let that stop me blogging, though. I have a little time today (Thursday ) to upload a few tracks, and prepare some posts for you. I'm sorry to say that the posts aren't going to be mind-blowing, but updates are better than a slowly stagnating blog. You can expect daily updates around lunch-time (for my American readers). So enjoy, and look after the blog for me, okay?

CRS- Sky High Graduates (Dub Floyd Screamixx) (Link 2)
CRS (Child Rebel Soldier) released a mixtape a while back- it kept well under the radar, but I got my hands on a copy, and it really doesn't dissapoint. The concept of Lupe, Pharrell and Kanye sharing a track is always enough to set me salivating, and the T-shirt above does nothing to lessen teh hype.

Daft Punk?- Daft Gang (Link 2)
People have made a huge deal out of this new track from Daft Punk. The fans are going crazy, which I find a little weird considering this is clearly a fake. Daft Punk would never willingly put their stamp on something so textbook. Will the real Daft Punk please stand up?

The Joy Formidable- The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade (Link 2)
Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Will someone in a priveliged position cotton on to the fact that The Joy Formidable are awesome? Another few months pass, another few corkers from the band. Injustice? [Myspace]

Gnarls Barkley- Reckoner (Radiohead Cover) (Link 2)
As if anyone needed more proof of Gnarls Barkley's pedigree? Well, if you're in the minority, listen to this tastefully interpreted cover of 'Reckoner'. Cee-Lo even adopts Thom's 'unique' style of dancing:

Kings Of Leon return with 'Crawl'. The world stops spinning.

2008-07-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Kings Of Leon- Crawl (Link 2) (Link 3) or download from the band (preferably).

Discuss: Kings Of Leon- Unstoppable?

Kings Of Leon will creep up on you. Just when did they get this big? "This" being "walk-in-the-park Glasto headlining" big and "trotting out brilliant albums every year" big. I get the simultaneously wonderful and terrifying impression that nothing can stop this band... Most optimistic fans weren't expecting to hear from the band until 2009, at the earliest. And yet, information trickled out of the KOL camp that a new album, 'Only By The Night' is to be released in the US on September 22.

Yesterday, NME broke the news that they would be doing an exclusive free download of a new album track 'Crawl' between the hours of 3-5 PM on Monday 28th July. And download I did. The album now feels within touching distance. You can head over to NME now (the download is still up).

So, the verdict? These boys can do no wrong. 'Crawl' is dirty, grimy and sounds like a direct progression of their 'Because Of The Times' sessions. They riff on pop culture, with the repeated chorus of 'Walk away, walk away', and there is even enough time at the end for a fitting guitar solo (an element largely left out of their music... until now). In short, this song is nigh-on perfect, and once again, they appear to be moving onwards and upwards. The question is, will the Kings ever hit a wall? On the basis of this and the three preceding albums, I wouldn't bet on it.

The album's first single is called 'Fri On Fire'. No news on the release yet, but a mid-August release woudl be the safe bet to allow the pre-album heat to build. The album can be pre-ordered via Amazon. The band are also embarking on a UK arena tour this Christmas:

Brighton Centre (December 1)
Nottingham Trent FM Arena (December 2)
Newcastle Metro Arena (December 4)
Sheffield Arena (December 5)
Glasgow SECC (December 7)
Liverpool Echo Arena (December 8)
Birmingham NIA (December 10)
London O2 Arena (December 11)
Bournemouth BIC (December 14)
Manchester Evening News Arena (December 16)
Cardiff International Arena (December 17)

Subscribe to updates here

Happy 18th Birthday! Blogstars 1st Mixtape. The Cool Volume III.

2008-07-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Update 2: The fileden links went down due to popularity! You guys sucked up 5 Gb of bandwith in about 5 hours. I've re-uploaded all the individual tracks on zshare for your listening pleasure. Enjoy.

Update: The Lemur is turning 17 tomorrow- Blogstars have put together another completely original mixtape to celebrate the event. Make sure you take a visit, comment, and most of all say Happy Bday to the furry dude. The Lemur Blog

Yay! I'm 18 today (26th July)! How exciting! The plan for the day was wake up (after a late BBQ last night with some frivolity), take a run, have brunch, open a few pressies/cards and then go to see The Dark Knight. The evening was be topped off with a meal down at the beach. Perfecto. I'm not going to cover the day's celebrations yet, although I will say that The Dark Knight was fucking amazing. A full review will be posted once I have got over the emotionally draining experience that was the best film of 2008.

To tie in with my celebrations, a secret team of uber-bloggers (and a few DJs/musicians) have been working behind the scenes with myself to create a super-blogtastic 18th Birthday mixtape for you. And it rocks.

The Blogstars (remember that name- coming to an internet near you soon) have each chosen a song to be featured on the mixtape, bringing together a host of musical tastes and some of the best music blogs on the internet. Think of this as the Justice League of music. On the right of each song, you will find the blog which selected it- click through to see some more from each contributor. Oh, and enjoy, as I will be doing!

You can download each track individually, but to save time you can obtain the whole tape in singular files as a zip. Mixtape artwork is above/below- click through for mega-sized versions. The tracklisting is as follows:

Blogstars Presents Happy 18th Birthday Mixtape (Full).zip (Link 2)

1. Cut Copy- Lights And Music (Boyz Noize Happy Birthday Remix)... The Lemur Blog
2. Treasure Fingers- Come True Tonight (Dub Mix)... Immuzikation
3. Rihanna- Disturbia... Pretty Much Amazing
4. Grum- Go Back... Check The Availability
5. K-OS- Neutroniks... Party cmyk
6. VETO- Built To Fall... Where Did I Leave My Keys?
7. The Uglysuit- Chicago... Hypeful
8. The Game Ft. Lil' Wayne- My Life... Gordon DJ Stealth McGinnis
9. Cut Copy- Going Nowhere (Whitey Remix)... Ohh! Crapp
10. The Silent Years- The World's Worst Birthday Gift... Hypeful
11. Felix Da Housecat- Silver Screen Shower Scene... Neon Cool Kids, Yo!

Bonus Tracks:

1. Patton Oswalt- You Are Allowed 20 Birthday Parties

Diplo+Santogold=Top Ranking= The most insano, loopy mega mixtape in history.

2008-07-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Update: Links changed!

Santogold- I'm A Lady (Diplo Mix ft. Amanda Blank) (Link 2)
Santogold- Les Artistes (XXXchange Mix ft. Movado) (Link 2)
Richie Spice And Ratatat- Marijuana (Link 2)

You may have heard of Diplo and Santogold's new mega collaboration mix-tape 'Top Ranking'. I was late on the uptake (that changed, and fast), and if you still haven't got a clue, remove yourself from under that rock, and please Google it asap.

This tape is 'so hot right now', mostly down to it's ambition. Sprawling over 75 minutes, this is stacked full of rarities, with delectable names to boot. Does 'Santogold- Creator (Mumdance Mix ft Jammer, Badness, Chronik Rage, Slikman & Tempz)' float your boat?

'Top Ranking' is almost impossible to 'review' as such, due to its pure size and density. The majority of songs feature at least one artist (disregarding both Santogold and Diplo) if not three. I've listened to the tape in it's entirety a few times, and I will say this: if you love either Diplo or Santogold, this is an essential buy. However, to give you a track by track review of this mammoth tape would probably keep me glued to my computer for the best part of a week. Instead, take it as a whole- a whole that is absolutely incredible.

We get three completely new tracks from Santogold, and finally a musical meeting has been arranged between M.I.A. and Santi. They don't disappoint (see here for full coverage of 'Get It Up'), and I could easily see a Diplo/Santogold/M.I.A. tape coming out in the future -if M.I.A. continues with music, that is. And whilst I'm not fond of the constant comparisons between the two, this tape blurs the line between them. Diplo has worked with M.I.A. before on her Piracy Funds Terrorism tape- which was pretty much identical in concept.

The comparisons, however, are besides the point- Santogold and Diplo are the ones in the spotlight, not M.I.A. and Santi. They really are an unstoppable combination: Santogold is already one of the most inventive artists around at the moment, and Diplo never fails to accentuate and expand her sound even further. This tape has something for everyone, and pretty much every genre under the sun finds its way somewhere onto the 35 tracks. This tape is off the wall, absolutely insane and worth every penny. Cop it.

The tape is being released on Diplo's label Mad Decent. It's a steal at $9.00- purchase it from the Mad Decent store. The tracklisting is as follows:

01 "Dub Selection Intro"
02 Three 6 Mafia: "Late Night" (Unstoppable Mix)
03 Santogold: "Shuv It" (Disco D Blend) [exclusive]
04 Santogold: "I'm a Lady" (Diplo Mix ft. Amanda Blank) [exclusive]
05 Sir Mix-A-Lot: "Posse on Broadway"
06 Santogold: "Lights Out" (Diplo's Panda Bear Mix) [exclusive]
07 Aretha Franklin: "Save Me"
08 Devo: "Be Stiff"
09 B-52's: "Mesopotamia"
10 Gerri and the Holograms: "Gerri and the Holograms"
11 Santogold: "Anne" (Switch Mix) [exclusive]
12 Santogold: "L.E.S. Artistes" (XXXchange Mix ft. Movado)
13 Cutty Ranks: "Dutty Six Pack" [exclusive]
14 Santogold: "Find a Way" (Graeme and Switch Mix ft. Kid Cudi) / Lunar Camel [exclusive]
15 Richie Spice x Ratatat: "Marijuana"
16 Desmond Dekker: "007 (Shanty Town)"
17 Santogold: "Guns of Brooklyn" [exclusive]
18 Dixie Cups: "Iko Iko"
19 Tony Matterhorn: "Big Belly Guns" [exclusive]
20 Santogold: "Get It Up" (Radioclit mix ft. MIA & Gorilla Zoe) [exclusive]
21 "Mark Ronson in Studio"
22 Trouble Andrew: "Run - Hide"
23 Sister Nancy: "Pigeon Rock"
24 Nora Dean: "Barbwire"
25 Shinehead: "Know How Fe Chat"
26 The Clash: "Ghetto Defendant"
27 Warrior Queen: "Check It"
28 Santogold x Benga: "Unstoppable / Night Dub" [exclusive]
29 Shawty Lo x Skream: "Dey Know / Stagger"
30 Santogold: "Creator" (Mumdance Mix ft. Jammer, Badness, Chronik Rage, Slikman & Tempz) [exclusive]
31 Xray: "Turbulence Dubplate" (Starstruck Diplo Mix) [exclusive]
32 Barrington Levy: "Send a Moses"
33 Prince Jazzbo: "Ital Corner"
34 Santogold: "Icarus" [exclusive]
35 Santogold x Diplo: "Right Brigade" (hidden track) [exclusive]

The Strokes have another splinter cell. Nickel Eye.

2008-07-24T05:40:00.000-07:00

Nickel Eye- Brandy Of The Damned (Link 2)
Nickel Eye- Dying Star (Link 2)
(Links up for limited time in interest of the artist)

Julian Casablancas will be getting worried now. Joining Albert Hammond Jr. in the 'this 4th album is taking fucking forever, I'm leaving' crowd is Nikolai Fraiture. You know him, he's the one that dresses sharp, exudes natural cool, shreds on the bass and looks like he doesn't give a fuck.

Under the name Nickel Eye -see what he did there? Jokes aside, its catchy- he has been recording a new album, 'The Time Of The Assassins', out soon. Two songs have been played on Mark Ronson's 'authentic shit' radio show, complete with 'don't bootleg this, internet' commentary. I'm sorry Mark- I had to... it's just too good to miss!

'Dying Star' features Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeah's fame, and other songs on the forthcoming album are said to feature Regina Spektor amongst other 'very special guests'. 'Brandy Of The Damned' is the stronger of the two premiered songs, and will be taking a coveted place in my top 20 songs of the year.

And now with rumours that Fabrizio is also building a solo project (called Little Joy- for the completists), Nick Valensi's numerous collaborations, Albert's blossoming solo career and Julian's Converse work, The Strokes 4th album is looking very distant. I'm not bothered- who needs The Strokes when each of their side projects are all as good as the latest band work? It's five for the price of one. No brainer.

There's no music up on Nickel Eye's Myspace as of yet, but that should change soon. Head over there for a nice story about the band's creation. Visit Mark Ronson's Authentic Shit page to hear an inteview with Nikolai.

Cold War Kids are back.

2008-07-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

Update: Check this out: download the band's new single for free from RCRD LBL. Tickets are now on sale for the band's upcoming US tour. Catch them quick- the shows are already selling out.

In related news, Shockhound have a brilliant new competition- I think you guys should sign ASAP. The Outside Lands Festival giveaway is offering one lucky winner 2 VIP passes to the three day festival in San Francisco, a round trip airfare (from anywhere), and 4 nights of hotel accommodation. Runner-ups will be getting ShockHound.com gift certificates (for the online mp3 store, soon to be opened- $.99 songs!). This is final week of entry, so run over to ShockHound and enter for a chance to see an amazing line-up that includes Radiohead, Beck, Tom Petty, Jack Johnson, Cold War Kids and The Black Keys!

Cold War Kids are slowly gearing up for the release of their second album, 'Loyalty To Loyalty', out September 23rd. They debuted the first single from the album, 'Something Is Not Right With Me' yesterday on their Myspace.

'Robbers And Cowards' was unbelievably amazing, especially for a debut album. And no Cold War Kids song is complete without some of Nathan Willet's whelping, and we get a full dose of it here. This song might just be more catchy than 'Hang Me Up To Dry', if possible.

Pre-order 'Loyalty To Loyalty' here.

Cold War Kids 2008 Tour Dates:
08/22 - San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival
08/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Sunset Junction Festival
08/24 - Bend, OR @ Les Schwab Amphitheater *
09/20 - San Diego, CA @ Street Scene
09/27 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
09/28 - Vancouver, BC @ Richards on Richards
09/29 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox at the Market
10/01 - Boise, ID @ The Neurolux
10/02 - Salt Late City, UT @ In the Venue
10/03 - Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theatre
10/10 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
10/11 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theare
10/14 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/15 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/16 - Brooklyn, NY @ Williamsburg Music Hall
10/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
10/18 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/20 - Carrabo, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/21 - Nasville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
10/23 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Lola’s
10/24 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s
10/25 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
10/26 - New Orleans, LA @ Voodoo Music Experience

Kirsten Price: Girls got pipes. And soul. And, well, everything.

2008-07-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Kirsten Price- Magic Tree (Link 2) (Link 3)

I'll be honest- I'm not a singer-songwriter guy by any stretch of the imagination. You could stretch Sufjan Stevens into that category, but his music is extremely inventive and massively expansive. Lightspeed Champion is too honest, relevant and depressed to be cornered. Scouring my library, Paolo Nutini is about as much as I can stand in short stints. So basically it's not really my thing.

I am, however, open to those who want to change my opinion. And Kirsten Price really has. So, I recieved an email (all of which I love to read and listen to), visit the Myspace, as per usual.

The first thing that surprised me was how familiar her sound was. Not in a 'I am totally unoriginal' way, in a 'I've just blended all the things you love into one package' way. Which is a perfect start. So, who does she sound like? Well, to me at least, a potent vocal mix of KT Tunstall, Kelly Clarkson and Joss Stone, with added songwriting skills. On 'Magic Tree', she executes a 'Mrs Independant' vocal performance. It's an equally brilliant pop tune, and the inventiveness of this radio-friendly song has been transported across all the songs I have heard.

In many ways, Kirsten has already won the war- she's shared the stage with a host of A-list artists including Wyclef Jean, Sly and the Family Stone and the grammy-nominated Groove Collective, has some strong press under her belt and a huge host of fans. All that remains is a little airtime. I suggest you fight her corner, starting now or soon... This girl is going places, with or without us.

'Guts And Garbage', her debut album, was released on July 1st, as a re-release on Kirsten's own label. Run over to Kirsten's Myspace for the summer touring schedule and more information on the album.

DEFINITIVE: Rihanna's 'Disturbia' Video- Gigantic mind-****

2008-07-22T05:17:00.000-07:00

Rihanna Disturbia le Clip
Geüpload door rihanna-elodie

Rihanna- Disturbia (Link 2) (Link 3)
Rihanna- Disturbia (Jody Den Broader Remix) (Link 2) (Link 3)
Rihanna- Disturbia (Anthony Lago Vs. Flashlight Creeping Club Remix) (Link 2) (Link 3)

So, Rihanna has really changed. There is obviously much more to this Barbadian teen (apparently not- she's now 20) that we first thought.

'Disturbia' is a departure for Rihanna- it's not as chart-safe as her previous output, and with the exception of 'Umbrella', arguably superior. The video has been long in the making- ever since I heard the opening line 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this?', we've known that something was up.

The video is a weird mix between a 'Blue Orchid' style stop motion with some very strange imagery. From bodypaint to bodybuilders, this video exudes a feeling of unease. This is what pop music videos are meant to be like. Do you love it?

[Buy]

Nationwide Mercury Prize 2008 shortlist- The debate IS OVER

2008-07-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Update: So the list has been announced in a ceremony today, with some notable absences. Duffy, Coldplay and Lightspeed Champion were all left off the list, whilst Laura Marling and Burial both look like serious contenders for the prize. Official list as follows:

Adele - '19'
British Sea Power - 'Do You Like Rock Music?'
Burial - 'Untrue'
Elbow - 'The Seldom Seen Kid'
Estelle - 'Shine'
The Last Shadow Puppets - 'The Age Of The Understatement'
Laura Marling - 'Alas I Cannot Swim'
Neon Neon - 'Stainless Style'
Portico Quartet - 'Knee-Deep In The North Sea'
Robert Plant And Alison Krauss – 'Raising Sand'
Radiohead - 'In Rainbows'
Rachel Unthank And The Winterset – 'The Bairns'

Tomorrow morning, the shortlist for the 2008 Mercury Prize is announced. Who should be on the list? NME's potential shortlist was as follows- my selections of their expanded list are highlighted in red. I've included a track of each of my selected albums for you to sample. Download the whole mix below as a zip, take a long listen to my picks, add your own and submit your personal list in the comments.

I'm voting for Lightspeed Champion and Laura Marling as the dark horses that will come and pull the rug out from underneath everyone else.

Who should be on the list?

Mercury Prize Shortlist Sampler.zip (Link 2)

Adele – '19'
Babyshambles – 'Shotter's Nation'
British Sea Power – 'Do You Like Rock Music?' ... Atom
Burial – 'Untrue' ... Archangel
Coldplay – 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' ... Lovers In Japan (Acoustic)
Duffy – 'Rockferry'
Elbow – 'The Seldom Seen Kid' ... Bones Of You
The Enemy – 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns'
Estelle – 'Shine' ... You Are (ft. John Legend)
Foals – 'Antidotes' ... Hummer
Future Of The Left – 'Curses'
The Futureheads – 'This Is Not The World'
Hot Chip – 'Made In The Dark' ... Wrestlers
Jamie Lidell – 'Jim'
Johnny Flynn – 'A Larum'
Kate Nash – 'Made Of Bricks'
Kids In Glass Houses – 'Smart Casual'
The Kills – 'Midnight Boom' The Last Shadow Puppets – 'The Age Of The Understatement' ... Two Hearts In Two Weeks
Laura Marling – 'Alas I Cannot Swim' ... You're No God
Lightspeed Champion – 'Falling Off The Lavender Bridge' ... Dry Lips
Los Campesinos! – 'Hold On Now Youngster' ... You! Me! Dancing!
MIA – 'Kala' ... Paper Planes Mystery Jets – '21' ... Hideaway
Neon Neon – 'Stainless Style' ... I Told Her On Alderaan
The Pigeon Detectives – 'Emergency'
Portishead – 'Third' ... We Carry On
Radiohead – 'In Rainbows' ... House Of Cards
Spiritualized – 'Songs In A&E'
These New Puritans – 'Beat Pyramid'
The Ting Tings – 'We Started Nothing'
Tricky – 'Knowle West Boy'
Wiley – 'Grime Wave'
The Wombats – 'The Wombats Proudly Present... A Guide To Love, Loss And Desperation'

The Dark Knight sets opening record- $155.34 million!

2008-07-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

Above and below- two of the most breathtaking posters you will ever see. Click through for glorified super high-res versions!

Santogold- Starstruck (Diplo Remix) (Link 2)

Discuss: Did you help The Dark Knight break these records? What's your verdict?

The dreams have come true. The Dark Knight has broken a long list of records on it's opening weekend, and I for one am ecstatic. It's great to see a mature, brilliant, non-universally friendly film making a shed load of money, and finally knocking the trash that was Spiderman 3 off the opening weekend record list. Titanic still remains as the highest grossing film ever (and will continue to), but at least TDK has started the clear up job. Maybe Titanic is a job for the next Batman sequel?

The Dark Knight took $155.34 million, beating Spiderman 3's previous record of $151 million by over $4 million dollars, which isn't a lot in relative terms. On the way to this absolutely astounding figure, Batman also set a host of other records, including the following.

Film playing on most screens: 4366
Opening-night midnight takings: $18.5 million
Opening day takings: $67.8 million (biggest one-day total ever)
Midnight IMAX screens takings: $640,000
IMAX weekend takings: $6.2 million

Eat that, credit crunch. Even you cannot stop people going out to see what will now surely be held as one of the greatest movie's ever. I will have to wait to pass judgment, as I am holding out to see The Dark Knight on my birthday (26th July, in case anyone wants to send me a presents- jokes!). The Dark Knight also currently holds the number 1 spot on imdb's top films of all time. There is clearly something about this flick that has really stirred up the public, as The Dark Knight is the first film ever to unseat The Godfather from this hallowed list.

The Rest... Sleeper hit of the year?

2008-07-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Rest- The Close Western (Link 2)

If you read a selection of the more prominent blogs- my own core selection includes PMA, Hypeful, Gorrilla Vs. Bear and Stereogum- you generally get a comprehensive list (but by no means complete) of stuff that you're probably either listening to, or should be. Sometimes we miss stuff once or twice, but another blog will happily fill you in. And very, very occasionally, the collective blogosphere misses something altogether.

One of the few bands that full under this category (in my short time blogging) are The Rest. They emailed me a couple of weeks ago, bringing themselves and their debut album 'Atlantis, Oh Our Saviour' to my attention, even including a quote which addresses the above situation:

"…a seemingly seasoned performance which may be one of the biggest indie rock sleepers from the past couple of years…considering the band's apparently overlooked status in the blogging community."- Joe Tacopino- PopMatters.com

I try to take most submissions as they come, and not get over excited. I did the opposite, after being really impressed by one of the three songs on their Myspace: 'The Close Western'. The only thing I can really compare it to is the Arcade Fire, 'Funeral' era. The vocals from Adam Bentley are truly outstanding, and actually bring on chills; they're really reminiscent of Alec Ounsworth from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah mixed with Win Butler, and the 7 piece band's sound is complex, building from the smallest of openings into a full blown instrumental accompaniment.

The band have just released their sophomore album, 'Everyone All At Once', whilst debut 'Atlantis, Oh My Saviour' can be downloaded for free on the band's Myspace (although I suggest you pay for it!). I can't recommend them enough- great band's get overlooked, but I feel as if this time around, we're in a privileged position to change that. Lend a hand.

Santogold+M.I.A... The comparisons end.

2008-07-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

Santogold/M.I.A./Gorilla Zoe- Get It Up (Radioclit Remix) (Link 2)

Whilst Santogold is once again taking the web by storm, second time around she's not alone. Instead, her new mixtape with Diplo ('Top Ranking'- I will be posting on this once I buy it) has brought together Santi and M.I.A, alongside a host of other crazy collaborations. She has quite clearly been bitten by the bug after 'My Drive Thru' became far more popular than it deserved to.

Santogold has been touted as the next M.I.A. since she burst on to the scene, and it's a comparison that has dogged her rather than pushed her career forward. If anything, this track proves that whilst there are some undeniable comparisons, Santi and Maya are two completely different artists, with their own interpretations. And thank god, because if it was any other way this track wouldn't be worth listening to.

This song is a wonder, as if you had stuffed the best moments of 'Kala' and 'Santogold' into 3 minutes. We have sirens, a guest rapper -Gorilla Zoe, who sounds remarkably like Busta- and cat calls from M.I.A., and Santogold's diverging harmonies, humming and bass driven melody. Oh, and how could I forget- influences from a truckload of different genres find their way into the song. It works in a way that we will never comprehend.

Coldplay and the tale of the ever expanding 'Viva La Vida'

2008-07-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Coldplay- Free gig at Madison Square Garden... why wasn't I invited?

Coldplay- Death Will Never Conquer (Link 2)

I would love to be Brian Eno. Not for the reputation, nor the money, but purely so I could take a listen to all the off-cuts from Coldplay's latest album, 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' at my own pleasure.

The first of many b-sides and free releases came a few days ago in the form of 'Death Will Never Conquer'. A short track, just over 1 minute long, it's back to basics- just Chris and a piano. Or, live, Will Champion (drummer for Coldplay) and a piano. And here's where it gets interesting- Will has a good voice. An amazing voice, in fact. He might not have Chris quaking in his boots, but I absolutely love it when a band unveils a whole new dimension to their sound. Thing of the possibilities! Harmonies? They've done that. An album sung entirely by Will? Perhaps thats the plan for album number 4?

The song itself isn't exhilarating, but what it represents is. Now if only someone can release the vocal version of 'Life In Technicolour', my life will be complete.

Would you like a deluxe edition of Viva La Vida, including every track they recorded?

Bumper Summer Movie Review/Preview

2008-07-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Update- Empire, Joblo and a few other sites have cottoned on to the 'new terminator model'. In the time it took me to write this, it appears loads of people have freeze-framed! View a trailer analysis.

Films, Films, Films.zip (Link 2)

Well- here we are. As requested, welcome to The Cold Cut summer movie extravaganza. It's actually a lot more exciting than it sounds. I'm going to take you on a chronological journey through what will be remembered as one of the biggest summer movie seasons ever. And as this is inherently a music blog, you can take breaks and download some of the great tracks people are feeling at the moment. Enjoy, comment, relax. I may be updating as I go along.

Common ft. Pharrell- Announcement (Dirty)

Before I get started on my summer movie round-up, I would first like to point something out. I'm sure many of you will have seen the Terminator: Salvation trailer by now, and it looks promising. The teaser is hard to take in because of the way it was put together- a gritty live news shooting style-, but if you take a frame by frame of the 1080p trailer (download here) you come across some interesting details. First of all, we get a clear shot of what appears to be a new Terminator... a prototype we haven't seen before (click through for a huge version). Yes, that does appear to be a rather large chaingun. Scary.

The same robot (or a similar one) can be seen again a few seconds later, as a victim climbs upwards, presumably to escape. I guessed from the glowing red eyes.

Anyway, I'm not aware of anyone else pointing this out, and there's a lot riding on this film if a new trilogy is to be spawned from it. The teaser trailer is intriguing, showing off some daylight shots (which have been mostly left out of the franchise, until now) and Christian Bale, who brings guaranteed excellence to a film- he seems to have this innate ability to make any movie completely watchable- Equilibrium anyone? McG might not be the obvious choice for director, but perhaps this is the kind of big-budget vehicle that a failing director needs? He seems to be going for the right vibe, and it looks as if the events of T3 have been wiped from the world's history (now if only we could do the same), perhaps tying in the time-travelling concept of the recent TV series? If anyone with some knowledge could shed some light on this idea I would be appreciative.

Discuss: Terminator: Salvation... Will it be any good?

The Hold Steady- Constructive Summer

As summer movie season's go, 2008 will go down as one of the most intense. The quality of films hasn't been considerably superior (and in some cases- cough*The Love Guru*cough- so painfully sub-par) but the pure volume of films that warrant an 'I want to see that' reaction is greater than ever before.

Perhaps it's down to the industries perfection of cutting a trailer? Hancock came across as a completely different film in the previews, and even films like Meet The Spartans managed to float at the box office by placing all their 'funny' jokes in the trailers. Maybe we are too impressionable? I know the feeling I had when the Iron Man trailer opened: 'No gang signs... just joking, throw it up!'. We were sold!

Immuzikation- Whoa, Yerr A Joke!

The season kicked off much earlier than usual, with Marvel's heavily tipped Iron Man opening on May 2. As origin stories go, Iron Man was uncharacteristically fun, largely due to Robert Downey Jr's complete domination of the film and part of Tony Stark. There are some moments -the pole slowly rising up in the plane, the closing line 'You know what... I am Iron Man'- that you simply won't see anywhere else in any other superhero film.

In a recent interview, he explained his unusual commercial choice of a superhero film because he 'wanted more than five people to see his film'. He really got his wish. I was one of the millions of satisfied people who forked out for admission, and Iron Man was the first summer movie to take over $300 million domestically. Those kind of figures were a huge boost for the newly independent Marvel Studio's, and they followed it up a month later with The Incredible Hulk. Whilst not quite as enjoyable, the casting was still incredibly inspired, and the film went on to $225 million worldwide, the final figures no doubt pulled down by memories of Ang Lee's 2003 version of the Hulk. Regardless, a strong commercial one-two, no?

Coldplay vs Nas- If I Viva La Vida (Starters Remix)

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. Enjoyable, and well... that's about it for me. I wasn't really expecting the second coming or anything along those lines, and Indy fulfilled my expectations. So, basically, if you went in with high hopes, you might have been disappointed. The one thing I took from it is that Shia LaBeouf is one of the shining stars of our generation: he will be as big, if not bigger, than Hanks and the Cruiser were in their prime. And that homage at the end, with the hat flying by... he may just have another franchise at his feet. Whilst we're on Shia, watch the trailer for Eagle Eye if you haven't already.

Discuss: Shia LaBeouf... soon to be a real household name?

Then came Wanted. Thus far it's my favourite film of the summer, and this is mostly down to good old Timur Bekambetov. I've watched both Night Watch and Day Watch, and whilst they're a little kooky you cannot deny that the guy has an eye for a perfect shot. Wanted proved that Timur arguably works better in English than Russian, bound by the acceptable laws of Western films, and the box office complied- Wanted 2 and Kick Ass (another Mark Millar series) are already in the works. Even bound by the rules, Timur completely reinterpreted many institutions of modern action- half of the action sequences in Wanted featured stuff that I had never seen before, from bending bullets and guns to catching weapons out of mid-air. It reminded many of watching The Matrix for the first time.

Coldplay- Death Will Never Conquer (more on this one soon)

And finally, Hancock. It was always going to be amazing, or... rubbish. It was the latter, and yet something saved this film. Although it was a convoluted mess, one thing shone through. Will Smith. Or giving credit where it's due, Will Smith and Jason Bateman. Their relationship and character's were just too strong for the script and other character's to match. I get the feeling that Peter Berg was aware of that and adjusted the script around that core premise, as an original screenplay of 'Tonight, He Comes' wouldn't have worked around that genuine joe/alcoholic superhero dynamic. It worked... Berg toned down the violence and sexual aspects of the original storyline to retain a PG-13 rating, and the film has already made over $300 million worldwide.

Fortunately, the future is bright. My two most anticipated releases are still to come- Wall-E and, of course, The Dark Knight. Two 10/10 films, without a shadow of a doubt. First things first, Wall-E. This film is a testament to the ability of the talented guys at Pixar. More so than any other studio, they produce consistently moving films, and Wall-E is no different. The buzz is huge, with statements like 'Stanton and co. can produce emotions from two animated robots than most directors can't coax out of their leading actors'. That sort of praise shouldn't be taken lightly!

And then, The Dark Knight. Everything I can say about this film has already been covered. Never before have I seen this kind of hype, and early reviews say it's justified. As well as being the best comic book film ever, we all hope The Dark Knight will never be forgotten. It deserves to break records, and it has- even before it has opened, The Dark Knight has set a record for the most screens playing... 4366 (see here). That figure lays a very strong foundation for some box-office records- we shall see what the 3 day figures hold after the weekend!

Lily Allen- Guess Who Batman (Fuck You Very Much)

I am so unbelievably excited about this film, and I really hope that it goes down as a classic. In some ways, The Dark Knight was almost destined to be huge- the viral marketing campaign is a work of genius, Christopher Nolan has produced a handful of brilliant films (but no masterpiece- until now) and the production of this film is an amazing story in itself. And Heath, well... it deeply saddens me that he cannot be here to witness the finished product, but I hope it is how he envisaged it. A posthumous Oscar would be a fitting reward for such a performance. R.I.P.

Discuss: Seen The Dark Knight? Is it the film of summer 2008? IMAX or standard cinema- is there a huge difference?

T.I.- No Matter What

So, that wraps up the movie season thus far. Before you leave, I really suggest you watch the new Watchmen trailer a couple of times. It's truly incredible. I haven't read the comics, but after this I'm really considering it; it appears that Zack Snyder has understood what's realistically required of him as the director of such a monument. He just gets the fans. After seeing this, I feel fairly confident predicting a masterpiece of sorts. The trailer is unlike anything I've ever seen- Snyder is able to show random footage and it still sends my jaw to the floor... it's that beautiful and wonderfully realised.

View a high definition version of the trailer over at Apple.com

Lily Allen strikes gold again.

2008-07-14T11:44:00.001-07:00

Lily Allen- Who'd Of Known (Link 2) (Link 3)

'Smile' was the song that alerted us all to Lily Allen's presence. At first a sickly sweet relationship tale, it morphed over a summer of domination into the song that we all loved to hate, as most radio friendly single's do. Next came 'LDN', which also metamorphosed, but not to such an extent. And finally: 'Alright, Still' a great debut album, full of wit, energy and originality. It is, however, an impressive debut album which is about to be eclipsed by her follow up, allegedly titled 'Stuck On The Naughty Step'.

We cannot underestimate the quality of the four demos that Lily has uploaded onto her Myspace. We had the emotional double whammy of 'I Could Say' and 'I Don't Know', followed by 'Guess Who Batman', an attack on politics. Lily has taken this album into her own hands, recording the demos with Garage band, on her own.

In this, the latest, wrongly titled 'Who'd Of Known' (grammar's not her strong point?), we have a simple song with a nice back-story:

"I have put up a song that wont make it on the album. I ripped off the chorus from take that and I can't be bothered with the paperwork, so here ya go."

Visit Lily's Myspace for updates on her album progress.

Mercury- AMAZING Telemitry Remix

2008-07-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Bloc Party- Mercury (Telemitry Mix) (Link 2) (Link 3)

Telemitry, take a long, exaggerated bow. For you are the true master. Where have you been for the last few weeks?

Since the Telemitry remix of 'Viva La Vida' -which turned it into a sure-fire dance floor hit- I have been waiting for a similar challenge to come along. 'Mercury' is it, and this version of the song is easily superior to the Bloc Party version. Telemitry basically had the balls to do what Kele imagined. This is the definitve remix of 'Mercury- there's no need to look elsewhere. They might as well re-release the single with this as a B-Side. All I can say is, 'well done'.

Visit Telemitry's Myspace.

Beck- 'Modern Guilt' Review

2008-07-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

7/10

More so than any other musician of the last two decades, Beck Hansen has never been comfortable in his own skin... He is driven by an obsession to continually reinvent himself between albums and tours. It's a dilemma which has garnered him tags of 'the most idiosyncratic musician alive' and 'alternative', coupled with his challenging, engaging and occasionally perfect music.

Beck- Modern Guilt (Link 2)

'The Information', his last release, was deemed underwhelming and was unsurprisingly compared (as all Beck's album's are) to the seminal masterpiece that is 'Odelay'. It came up short, and 'Guero' suffered the same fate. 'Modern Guilt' is a return to form, with regards to a high quality finish across all the songs- that's not to suggest that this album is singular in its approach... instead, it flits between speeds, styles and focus, and Dangermouse has obviously enjoyed the chance to work with a new vocalist: whereas Cee-Lo can make any lyric seem interesting, Beck must have presented more of a challenge, one that he has not shied from.

Beck's albums always resist classification, and every time he's anywhere near to being cornered he simply moves on. Each and every album in his repetoire rips on those that have come before it, and whilst his last few albums haven't converted his experience into enjoyable music, 'Modern Guilt' has come good . Musically, I think this is his most complete selection of songs since 'Sea Change', and only falls just short of that milestone.

'Chemtrails' was the first single taken from the album, premiering on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show. As his most haunting single ever, it displays that even Beck realised that he has deviated from his usual standards over the last few years. 'Gamma Ray', however, as a more upbeat potential single, was more likely to catch the press' collective eye. It evokes feelings of psychedelia and is more reminiscent of his earlier albums.

Beck- Gamma Ray (Link 2)

Dangermouse as producer is an inspired choice, and he recreates the eerie setting of ''St Elsewhere' with ease. Beck also seems determined to create something entirely new, and the result is slightly subdued, dominated by the sounds on the lower end of the register. Look no further than 'Volcano' for proof of this.

I liked 'The Information', not least for it's album artwork (or initial lack of) and seeing Beck really test his abilities as he wished. It wasn't captivating or enjoyable for long periods of time, but there were some moments of brilliance across its sprawling 61 minutes. And again, here some of the electronic elements have seeped into his conscience, notably on 'Youthless'. Notably, the album's numbers don't stack up- at 31 minutes, it's far too short, and Beck could have compromised with a few more songs. The large majority of the ten songs top out at 3 minutes, with the shortest- 'Walls'- lasting a mere 2 minutes 22 seconds. Unfortunately, it's an intensely enjoyable song, and was most likely murdered in the editing studio.

Beck- Youthless (Link 2)

'Modern Guilt' isn't perfect. The last ten years have seen Hansen become more involved in the experimental concepts of his music and progressively less interested in the performance (hence the distracting puppet show on his 'Cellphone's Dead' tour). 'Modern Guilt' is more consistently enjoyable than his last two albums, and in achieving this, Beck may have had to curb his experimental enthusiasm. Whether this loss is manifested in his live efforts instead remains to be seen. Neglecting this, 'Modern Guilt' is a more than passable stepping stone onto Beck's next endeavour.

'Modern Guilt' can be purchased from Amazon.

'My Drive Thru' Video Premieres. And It's Amazing!

2008-07-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Pharrell, Santogold and Julian Casablancas- My Drive Thru

I'm not in the mood to regurgitate a former post and start ramming 'My Drive Thru' down your throats. It seems to fit into the Marmite mold- you love it or you hate it. I am in the former category, purely because this song is too cool for school. I'm also salivating at the prospect of further Converse collaborations, purportedly from MGMT and Does It Offend You, Yeah?.

The new video for 'My Drive Thru' premiered a few days ago, and it's just as slick as the song itself. First things first, it is entirely original, a luxury in the modern advertising world. I have never seen the cut-out technique used in a music video, and it fits like a glove. All in all, a perfect pitch from Converse.

Beatology.

2008-07-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Beatology.zip (Link 2)

When Jay-Z performed on Glastonbury 2008's second night, he effectively altered British music festivals. In doing so, he simultaneously made a mockery of all those who doubted whether hip-hop belonged in a British festival atmosphere- yes, Noel, that's you. I personally hate the fact that these genres are largely left out of European line-ups, and when they're included, they are swept onto smaller stages.

Jay-Z- Wonderwall/99 Problems (Live At Glastonbury)
Jay-Z- Rehab (Live At Glastonbury)
Jay-Z- American Boy (Live At Glastonbury)

Jay-Z is the first rap artist to play on the main stage of a mainstream UK festival and to recieve extensive coverage, and his set was a huge success, hopefully opening up new avenues for artists such as Lupe Fiasco and Kanye West who also have brilliant stage presence. Let's all be honest- he bossed it. Jay had everything at Glasto: political relevance, controversy, the tunes and a brilliant show. As did Lupe, who gave a confident and energetic performance (watch it), on the small Jazz World stage, when in the US such an artist probably would have been centre stage. Although it looks like that is about to change. Especially with the following set of tunes flying the flag:

A-Trak ft. Lupe Fiasco- Mastered

A-Trak was the latest musician drafted to create a Nike+ soundtrack, entitled 'Running Man'. He must have pounced on the chance of distancing himself from Kanye West and his ever-expanding ego (I still love you Kanye), and he modestly illustrates why he has one five DMC championships. Using some of his contacts from the Glow In The Dark tour, he drafts in Lupe Fiasco, who all but carries the song. In small doses, this type of music is really great. I can't, however, see him successfully producing a Mark Ronson aping album. Myspace

John Legend ft. Andrew 3000- Green Light

It's a case of less musicianship, more commercial appeal with this song. John doesn't sacrifice too much, and the combination of the two vocals has a really strong R'n'B vibe. Myspace

T.I.- Swing Your Rag

Since 'My Love' was release, and running up to 'Love In This Club', T.I. was everywhere, and probably on the cusp of a Lil' Wayne style commercial breakthrough. Unfortunately, he's now under house arrest, and has been quietly working away at a new album, 'Paper Trail'. 'Swing Your Rag' is one of 50 recorded tracks- expect the album to drop mid September. Myspace

Pin Me Down- Born out of inter-band tension?

2008-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Pin Me Down- Cryptic (Link 2)
Pin Me Down- Pretty In Pink (Link 2)

This really isn't me, but all I can say is... fuuuuuuuck. Why didn't someone tell me earlier? Why did you leave me out of the party? Pin Me Down are so, so, so incredibly ace, and clearly destined for huge things. Why 'Cryptic' isn't number vexes me. It came out in May, and I've only just heard about it? Boy-girl duo's are based around a nice dynamic, and in Milena Mepris and Russell Lissack from Bloc Party, we have a combo for the ages.

I'm almost certain that there's a good story behind this duo. Since 'Flux' came out, Bloc Party interviews have been less than chilled, as if Kele was forging a path for the band that he alone wanted to take. And 'Mercury' must have been even more taxing... I like the song, but do you notice that huge gaping silence? That's the gap left by Russell- as my brother correctly questioned: what's the point of writing songs which don't use one of the best guitarists of the modern age? Nice one, Kele. Stop being moody, continue with this experimentation, but use Russell as well as those nice synth lines.

Enough of Bloc Party- Pin Me Down are, as a breaking band, in a league of their own. At this point, we can only be sure of one thing: Russell is hiding a super song-writing brain behind that killer fringe.

Visit Pin Me Down's myspace page, and buy 'Cryptic' from the iTunes store.

Bloc Party+Cryptic Countdown= Mercury

2008-07-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Bloc Party- Mercury (Link 2)

I'm not a 'report every piece of music news' kind of guy, so I wasn't going to talk about Bloc Party's cryptic countdown (see full story) until it came to fruition, and it has. The countdown was (as suspected) for the release of new material. Or more specifically, a new single, entitled 'Mercury', to be released on 11th August.

At this point, I would struggle to describe it as anything but 'different'. And a live enigma- with a combination of blaring trombones and vocal loops, Bloc Party's original set-up will struggle with the amount of noise generated for their new songs (although 'Flux' comes off well). It's a tad repetitive at this point in time, but still continues the theme of electronic experimentation that Kele has obviously fallen in love with.

Both guitar and bass are neglected in favour of this new direction, although the heavy synth line- used as the basis of 'Flux'- pops up a few times. I'm slowly falling in love with this song, but honestly, if it wasn't Bloc Party, I really wouldn't give it the time of day. But then, maybe that was Kele's plan- find the way into our hearts with perfect pop songs, and then pull the once over in search of his true love- beats/electronica. Whether the rest of Bloc Party are so enamoured remains to be seen.

Watch the official video below, and hear the interview Kele gave before premiering the single with Zane Lowe on Radio 1. The single will be released as follows:

'Mercury' CD:
1. Mercury
2. Mercury (Hervé is in disarray Remix)
3. Mercury (CSS Remix)
4. Mercury (Flosstrodamus Remix)

Heavyweight 'Mercury' 12”:
Side A. Mercury (12” Version)
Side B. Mercury (12” Instrumental)

'Mercury' Heavyweight 7”:
Side A. Mercury
Side B. Idea For A Story

Pre-order the single from the band's website!

N.E.R.D.- 'Seeing Sounds' Review

2008-07-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

8/10

N.E.R.D.- Anti Matter (Link 2)
NERD- Spaz (Link 2)
NERD- You Know What (Link 2)

N.E.R.D.'s 'Seeing Sounds' is surprisingly simple to review. In short, this is an album that almost (it's annoyingly close) realises their potential. That being said, their potential is a modern classic, so the results are still brilliant.

If we are honest with each other, N.E.R.D. have never equaled the sum of their parts. The Neptunes (also known as Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) are held in high esteem, and thought to be some of the most influential producers of the modern age. And yet, whilst their studio work fizzles and cracks with creative thought, Pharrell and Chad (joined by Shay Haley) as N.E.R.D. can't quite seem to keep their own boat fully afloat. Until now... whilst previous output has been fairly pedestrian- limited to a few choice singles with some passable filler- 'Seeing Sounds' is the best of the bunch, by a long, long way.

Lead single 'Everybody Nose' was a good choice, although the content (girl's lining up bathrooms/coke) would have made more of an impact if the meaning was instantly clearer to the average Joe. The video is the missing link, with some rough looking girls wiping their noses, whilst N.E.R.D. move around with energy. Could it be any clearer? 'Spaz' is the album stand-out. Williams' lyrics are direct, for a change, and actually mean something, accompanied by a catchy chorus. A promising prospect, and this song is not alone on the album, where Williams puts his updated lyrical tilt to good use- all his time with CRS has been seriously beneficial, and it's obvious that copious notes have been taken from Lupe and Mr. West. Therein lies the key to NERD progressing further.

The music itself is largely flawless, and given the comprehensive 'Glow In The Dark Tour', I'm sure they will be able to reproduce it live, note for note (any comments on that tour would be appreciated). In terms of beats and backing, 'Seeing Sounds' is privy to the best production of the year, with numerous breakdowns, some experimental instrumental sections and original beats and samples. Pharrell struggles with his vocals (which should have been left to Shay), with songs such as 'Happy' forcing him to overuse his falsetto. If N.E.R.D. have a weakness, Williams' vocals are it. They are lucky that they can overcome this small issue using familiarity as a distraction.

I find it hard to criticise N.E.R.D. for their previous habit of treating albums as a selection of separate songs, as that is essentially what The Neptunes are paid to do. Thankfully, this little quibble has been solved. 'Seeing Sounds' fits together nicely, with a handful of songs linking seamlessly into each other. That must be down to the concept behind the album title: 'synesthesia', or a neurological phenomenom where sounds are seen as colours. It's a bright move, but I honestly can't see how this ties into most of the songs (besides a few vocal cues: " Close your eyes see colorful things you wanna"), most pointedly 'Anti Matter'. I'm willing to give a little, though, when such a diverse song is involved (samples, heavy bass, rap, synths, a breakdown)- what more could you really want?

The experimental aspects are pushed even further forward. Pharrell quite clearly doesn't give a shit about the journos opinion, and I respect him for that. Unfortunately, this has backfired on N.E.R.D., as none of the songs on this album are instant. 'Seeing Sounds' needs to be slowly digested, and the short time frame allotted to most music journalists has most likely made them unable to appreciate this album's (and its predecessors') intricacies. More than any other album of the last few years, 'Seeing Sounds' grows and grows- certainly, I really wasn't impressed when I first heard it, but I'm considering revisiting their earlier output to look for similar tell-tale signs of a missed opportunity. I sincerely suggest you follow my lead.

'Seeing Sounds' can be purchased on Amazon.

C.A.L.M.- The Campaign Against Living Miserably

2008-06-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

As well as promoting a few new tunes, I would like to dedicate my latest post to a cause: C.A.L.M. Enjoy all the tracks below in individual or zipped form.

C.A.L.M.- Part 1.zip
C.A.L.M.- Part 2.zip

The Verve- Love Is Noise
M.I.A.- Bucky Done Gun (Tenzin Remix)
Beck- Gamma Ray
Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal
Girl Talk- Hands In The Air
The Game ft. Travis Barker- Dope Boys
Sigur Ros- Vid Spilum Endalaust
Silver Jews- Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

What would you say causes the most deaths in men aged 15-35 in the UK? Accidents? Alcohol? Drugs? Crime? And the second most deaths? One of the above? No... instead, suicide. 3 men, on average, each day. That's a shocking statistic, and thankfully, C.A.L.M. (standing for the Campaign Against Living Miserably) is going to make a difference. Standing by it's official motto:

'Being silent isn't being strong.'

Since it's inception in 1997, the campaign has undergone numerous redesigns. With a new hotline, fresh website and some really cool work with international companies, music stars and advertising companies, I firmly believe that C.A.L.M. can make a difference.
Music plays an integral part in C.A.L.M.'s plan of action and advertising campaign. As suicide is such a relevant issue, C.A.L.M. has collaborated with artists including Dizzee Rascal (with his single 'Dean', about one of Dizzee's close friends who took their own life- purchase the video from iTunes) and also recorded a promotional video (below) for it's 500/100 campaign with Stephen Merchant (of Office fame). This campaign is of the utmost importance- with the backing of 500 companies, each donating £100, Comic Relief have agreed to help CALM launch a new webchat/texting help service. This is a first for a charity, and in the process, CALM hope to set a new world record (for the most T-shirts worn at a time).

In the future, I am sure they are looking to instate a stand alone C.A.L.M. fund-raiser gig (similar to this night at the KOKO). And I hope to be there.

This issue is more serious than ever, and I am embarrassed to say that until now I was not fully aware of any active suicide charities. However, I think it's crucial to consider that this fact might represent a large percentage of males who suffer from depression and don't know where to look for help. The campaign has a really relevant look, that I know will appeal to the target demographic, when they become aware of it. And with the recent tragic events in Bridgend, C.A.L.M. is needed now more than ever.

Support C.A.L.M.- spread the word, donate, visit their facebook group, website or get your company involved and win a spot on one of 500 limited edition T-shirts. Watch the videos below for the evolution of the CALM 500 world record attempt. And if you're a musician and want to get involved, please email myself or C.A.L.M. directly.

Coldplay: 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' Review

2008-06-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

8/10

Coldplay: 'Viva La Vida...' Review.zip (All mp3's) (Link 2)

Eventually, my review and judgment of this album would be posted. As it should. And after the initial indecision, I'm not afraid to pass final verdict on Coldplay's new album. It's brilliant. Affirming, even.

They might not have realised it, with the money pouring in, but Coldplay had a great deal riding on this album. In recent times, increasing numbers of have turned against them, and even their most stalwart fans were beginning understand that three albums of similar (but quality) music is enough. We want more. And in my honest opinion, we got it.

Coldplay- Death And All His Friends/ The Escapist

To review this album, you really have to examine your stance. I'm not interested in Coldplay bashing, and I don't really give a crap that Chris and Gwyneth named their child 'Apple'. I am (as most of you are) here for the music. So whilst I don't want to come across as attacking the media, publications like The Times and The Guardian need to be careful- they got what they wished for with this album, so why did it receive a rating of 3/5? I will explore that later on.

With Brian Eno at the helm, it comes as no surprise then, that Coldplay are slowly turning into U2. However, thankfully they won't stop at that. They might just do the once over on Bono and his mates. The comparison comes across most convincingly on album highlight 'Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love'. Using this album as a reference point, they are arguably more famous, with their compositions more stadium worthy. Bono, Edge and crew are getting on, and whilst Chris is also losing his hair, Coldplay's music sounds fresh, with a maturity nurtured over the 12 years since their formation.

Coldplay- Lost! (Live At Brixton)
Courtesy of JP's blog

The attention to detail is impressive, with songs such as 'Lost!' coming together only after being built around a strange sort of tribal beat. Needless to say, the fully fleshed out album version moved on from the acoustic recording that 'leaked' weeks before the album. The small features that at first seem improbable and irrelevant are what makes this an 'album'. Listen to 'Strawberry Swing' and it might strike you as slightly unremarkable at first. Over time, though, it will reveal its tricks.

Songs like 'Fix You' are a mile away (in tone, not stadium potential), and their latest album is more concerned with death, most obviously on 'Cemeteries Of London' and '42': "those who are dead are not dead... they're just living in my head". The latter undergoes a transformation half way through, from an eerie chant to a section which disguises it's melancholy tone with a boosted rhythm section: 'you thought you might be a ghost... you didn't get to heaven but you made it close'.

Coldplay- Cemeteries Of London

Risks are always welcome in modern music, the age of Autotune and GarageBand beats: 'Life In Technicolour' is a strong instrumental opening. It was originally accompanied by vocals, but when the band's close friends highlighted it as a potential first single, they removed them, instead opting for the occasional cheer. We should applaud them for their bravery.

Coldplay- Life In Technicolour (Live At Brixton)
Courtesy of JP's blog

For the first time in their career, Coldplay have markedly changed their image, dressing up as French Revolution soldiers. This image change, however, isn't as intelligent as it comes across. As a commenter pointed out, the album art is completely conflicting with this idea, using a French Painting with one of Frida Kahlo's titles: 'Viva La Vida'. A French painting with a Spanish title? Hang on a minute.

With their new image comes a revamped musical style: their double title motifs allow for a great deal more experimentation. And whilst with the underlying themes of this album you might be wondering about Chris' mental health (especially after walking out of a BBC interview), this new feature gives us twice as many things to love in each song. 'Yes! /Chinese Sleep Chant' flips between a meandering string piece and a guitar section with a boosted tempo. It's brilliant music.

Coldplay- Yes/Chinese Sleep Chant

This is far and away the most musically accomplished album that Coldplay have penned. It also helps that most of the released singles will go top 10, and the album will be found in many 'best of 2008' lists. In 'Viva La Vida', Coldplay have found their first number 1 single, and also a piece of music so perfect that you will learn the words, even if you don't want to.

Coldplay- Viva La Vida (Live At Brixton)
Courtesy of JP's blog

They still have peaks to climb. To convert their critics, album number 5 will have to do something truly special. It appears that between the band and music critics, the power of 'Viva La Vida...' has largely been lost in translation. This fact is saddening, but at the same time empowering; the album debuted at number 1, regardless of press intrusion. Coldplay have an endearing fanbase that will buy their records, on faith alone. I haven't always been complimentary, but it's encouraging to see that NME of all people (some of the most critical people on the block) gifted 'Viva La Vida...' a solid 8/10. The two lost points (in both our reviews) are purely because the album doesn't live up to Brian Eno's quote: that this is the sound of a band “living at the edge of their possibilities”. Not quite... that's for next time.

I would propose an ultimatum for their detractors. Think hard about it: when you think about the simple things, what do Coldplay lack? Are they inferior musicians? No. Is Chris Martin unable to sing? No. Do they write simple, occasionally emotionally stirring music. Yes. And at this point in their career, that it what it comes down to. We should understand if people are unable to appreciate these facts, as music is extremely subjective, but you can learn to love the things you love to hate. Don't compare this album to some milestone which doesn't actually exist. No one writes music that good.

I might be biased, but does that really matter? Sometimes the beauty of music is forged in the relationship between performer and listener. And with Coldplay- arguably the most radio-friendly band of the last ten years- we have most definitely been made a part of their music. 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' is an essential album, whether you love or hate the band. They came, they won some friends/enemies, they changed for the better, and once again, they have conquered.

'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' can be purchased at Amazon and iTunes.

One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr.

2008-06-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

So, I am (as I should be) really happy right now. This is one of the strangest feelings I've ever experienced: total freedom, and a lack of purpose. I must admit, I've been diffident and hard work over the last few days, and am feeling a little fragile after post exams partying. However, I think I got most of my animosity out of my system, and I can start to chill. I have seen the hits slowly dwindling down, but I hope I can be consistent and boost The Cold Cut back up.

'One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr.'.zip (Link 2)

Remember The Strokes? Of course you do... Albert Hammond Jr. has been keeping the band in our vernacular. Since 'First Impressions Of Earth', The Strokes have been off the radar, whilst Hammond Jr. flies the flag, releasing two albums, the brilliant debut 'Yours To Keep' and his more polished follow up '¿Cómo Te Llama?'. The album is out now (digitally at least), and I can assure you it's excellent, but wont move anywhere near as many units as a Strokes release. That, however, won't keep it out of end-of-year lists.

As is often the case with 'punk' branded bands, some of the supporting band have better voices and are arguably more talented than the lead. And that is true here. Besides Julian Casablancas effort to keep the fire alive with Converse's 'My Drive Thru', Albert has been holding fort: see single 'GfC' and two album highlights, all above (and below)- I'm feeling charitable. I hope these songs might convince you (unless we're past that stage) that two albums in, and over two years since a new album by The Strokes, his solo effort is beginning to look like a well planned career move.

However, with talks of Pharrell's wishes to produce their next record, and recent news from the band, let's hope not. The Strokes are due to begin recording their fourth album proper this summer.

Albert Hammond Jr.- GfC (Link 2)
Albert Hammond Jr.- Bargain Of A Century (Link 2)
Albert Hammond Jr.- You Wont Be Fooled By This (Link 2)

'¿Cómo Te Llama?' can be purchased on iTunes or pre-ordered here.

Unrelated, but oh so true: this article over at MuchMusic.com hits the nail on the head: '10 Ways Musicians Piss Off Their Fans'.

The Flash

2008-06-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, this post is going to have come and gone before you know it. Chemistry rules my life at this moment, but all this toil and trouble will be done (FOREVER) in a mere 36 hours. How fucking scary is that? You will actually have my undivided attention and focus for the summer.

Interpol- Rest My Chemistry

Went out this afternoon to buy some 'supplies' for post exam partying. Top of my list was a bottle of champagne (it just felt 'right'), and I was closely followed by my friends. One of whom, I might hasten to add, has promised me he is going to spray me with his champagne, just as in F1. I can be Lewis Hamilton for a few minutes, before getting off my face.

Shaggy- Intoxication

Walking out of the exam hall for the penultimate time today, I saw a guy in front of me literally doing a crotch grab and shouting 'FINISHED', a mere 10 metres from the door. Hilarious, and I can totally see where he is coming from. I can't kick the feeling that I'm going to cry when I walk out of that exam hall on Thursday: when having a conversation at lunch today, we decided that finishing exams was almost tear worthy, whereas leaving school would be emotional, but not too bad- friends stick around (if you are all willing to make the effort), whereas those are the final set of exams were I am actually forced to sit in that seat. From Thursday, my life is in my hands.

And I am looking forward to it. School has become difficult over the last few years, and my motivation almost completely dissapeared recently. However, I think I've regained a bit of face and I hope I can leave this school on a high, with a good set of grades, friends and achievments alongside me.

The Flash- All The Tunes.zip

Enough pondering: on to the tunes/news (download all: above, as promised!). Coldplay have been accused of copying Creaky Boards 'The Songs I Didn't Write' on 'Viva La Vida', their latest single. Our reply? Bullshit- listen to the two songs if you don't believe me: and even if Coldplay did copy them, 'immitation is the sincerest form of flattery'. Get over it! They did it better than you could? Nice publicity stunt, anyway...

Creaky Boards- The Songs I Didn't Write
Coldplay- Viva La Vida

Lil' Wayne continues to dominate in the rap world, with an official remix of 'A Milli' featuring both Jay-Z and Chris Brown. His songs seem to have the common trait of 'remixability'. 'Lollipop' has been tricked to death, and 'A Milli' is next in line.

Lil Wayne- A Millie (Remix Ft. Jay-Z & Chris Brown)

Oh, and Ratatat are getting remixed as well. Tres strange.

Ratatat- Falcon Jab (Them Jeans Remix)

I've just added a Skribit widget to the right: do leave a note if there's anything you think I've missed or need to write about. The aim of the blog is to keep both you and I informed, so share the knowledge and love.

Next time I write, I will be free. I imagine you can all sypathise with me. I'll catch up with comments/submissions soon!

The Return

2008-06-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Hello hello. I've really missed this over the last few days (free will, that is)- over the course of 48 hours, I've had 4 A2 Modules, and a complete lack of time and choice.

Now, with the weekend ahead of me, I'm taking a few hours off to compose myself and generally have a bit of fun. Loads of cool stuff has happened over the last few days, and whilst the focus of this blog is music, I'm sure that you are all interested in other stuff as well.

First things first, music. It's been an exciting week, with many album releases and anticipated releases. Before I start reeling off the tracks, I wanted to point out my latest addition to The Cold Cut: zips. My main aim is to provide you with as much fresh music as possible, and to keep the user experience simple and enjoyable. So to reduce time, at the beginning of every post, I'm going to zip all the music (yep, ALL of it) and upload it, instead of uploading multiple copies of each file. So if you're the kind of person who wants to have your cake and eat it, download the zip file, and get a small taster of this weeks music! I hope this makes things easier! Individual files will still be available for download, but in limited quantity.

The Return- All The Tracks In This Post.zip (Link 2)

Pharrell, Julian Casablancas and Santogold- My Drive Thru

Converse have continued their onslaught on the music world, except this time around, they're having an impact. Coupled with their uber-cool advertising campaign- Connectivity (see a few sheets below)- they recently commissioned a new song involving Santogold, Julian Casablancas and Pharrell. In doing so, they've assembled three of the coolest people in the public eye (look at the photo above and tell me you don't wish you were Julian?).

This is exactly the kind of image they want to present, and the song is great too. 'My Drive Thru' is a nice change for all three musicians- Pharrell mostly stays behind the mixing board, but the vocal combo of Julian and Santi is ree-diculous, with a nice chiming bell/guitar riff. In short, I love it, for its unabashed energy and bravery. And for all those grumbling about how 'I've lost all respect for Santogold', I ask, 'why'? These guys have to pay the bills, and I for one wouldn't turn down the chance of working with such talented musicians.
Lightspeed Champion is steadily moving into the limelight: please take the time to watch this incredible SXSW performance, and keep your eyes open for some new tracks no doubt arriving over the next few weeks. Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.comncert at baeblemusic.com

Lightspeed Champion- Xanadu

Coldplay's new album was brought forward and released yesterday. It frustrates me that there has already been a great deal of Coldplay bashing, mostly by the newspapers. The whole situation is confusing, as it appears the critics can't make up their mind: in the run up to the album, I read numerous articles stating that the only way Coldplay could win would be to change their sound. And they have- their reward is a generally unimpressed reaction.

Coldplay- Viva La Vida (Telemitry Mix)

Nas buckled. Big style... he changed the name of his forthcoming album (which you will know, and I will not write) to 'Untitled', but then released a mixtape with the original name. How confusing, and pointless. The statement isn't quite so large if the name is confined to a teaser, Nas! His first single, 'Hero', was released, and its a nice introduction to the new album. However, it doesn't stand a chance of dethroning Lil' Wayne from rap album of the year.

Nas- Hero (ft. Keri Hilson)
Lil Wayne- Let The Beat Build

Apple's 3G iPhone has also had a lukewarm welcome. I for one will be getting my hands on one: the main issues being brought up are no front facing video camera, no 'true GPS functionality' and the same 2MP camera. These are fair points, but technology is subjective. I hardly ever use my phone's camera, as it's crap, and if I had an iPhone, I wouldn't take it anywhere where I wouldn't take my dedicated digital camera- concerts, for example. Using an iPhone to take pictures would make you a huge target to the thieves who go to gigs solely to steal wallets, phones and anything else they can get. However, I would agree that I feel slightly cheated by the 'new' iPhone. Sure, it's got 3G, and a few tweaks, but to be honest, the main draw is the new application store. That's the main reason I will be purchasing one asap.

Mystery Jets- Two Doors Down (Duke Dumont Reconstruction)

The summer film season is finally kicking off- Iron Man was heaps of fun, and my top five remaining releases are The Dark Knight, Wanted, Wall-E, The Incredible Hulk and Hellboy 2. All action orientated, and almost all (The Dark Knight is a bit... well... dark?) heaps of fun. If your inner child isn't brought out by these little Wall-E vignettes, then the feature film won't be for you.

Fleet Foxes- He Doesn't Know Why

Oh, and a little thing called sport. Over the last few days, the sport has been sublime. From Holland (come on boys) caning in Euro to Nadal edging past 6 foot 10" Ivo Karlovic, I'm finding it hard to draw my eyes away from the screen. And with Wimbledon, F1 and more coming up, this is looking to be an enjoyable summer! Any die-hard supporters here? Whose your money on for Euro 2008? My top four: Germany, Holland, Spain and Portugal. Croatia might edge their way in there!

N.E.R.D.- Yeah You

And that's it- I've run out of energy, and things to talk about. More updates tomorrow! Nice to be back.

PS Leave a note if the links go down!

Thank **** for the weekend.

2008-06-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

As one line of a Hard-Fi song states, I was truly 'living for the weekend'. Last week was taxing, but the work I put in has made the brilliant weekend even more enjoyable, although I already have to start working for the next wave of exams, commencing Wednesday. Fortunately, music isn't my only interest, and many of the things that I care about are reaching critical turning points this weekend.

Ahead of Wimbledon, commencing at the end of June, Roland Garros, or the French Open, has been a really enjoyable tournament. The rivalries in tennis are as strong as ever, and even Justine Henin's shock retirement couldn't detract from this tournament. The women's final was fairly tame, and Ivanovic had the game wrapped up from the end of the first set.

However, the proposition of another meeting between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer was what really excited me. It's an intense rivalry; few people beat Federer, and no-one beats him regularly. Apart from Rafa, that is. As was proved today: he dominated the match, winning 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. That final set represent the first love set that Federer has lost in over 8 years. An omen for Wimbeldon? Possibly.

The 2009 Formula 1 season has been amazing thus far; I am bitterly dissapointed with today's Grand Prix in some respects, but am also ecstatic for Robert Kubica, and BMW Sauber. To be honest, the track was sub-par, and Lewis Hamilton's mistake was unfortunate. The only thing we (and McLaren) can do is to take positives: Lewis took out Kimi as well, and although Kubica has been strong, I believe that BMW will struggle in the second half of the season. Therefore Lewis still has a strong chance of winning the championship. The penalty both he and Rosberg will suffer is a ten place grid drop at the French GP.

Euro 2008 kicked off with a few promising games. The earlier game saw the hosts beaten by the Czech Republic, which was a fairly dull game. Portugal were impressive, however, beating Turkey 2-0. Today's games are still being played (as I write this), so we shall have to see if the tournament continues to be interesting. My money is on Spain.

Apple's WWDC begins in a couple of minutes, and the rumor mill (which I follow) is at it's peak. From experience, no one knows what the iPhone looks like: if it was on the net, Apple would have removed it by now. They always do. And as always, Cupertino is water tight- the original iPhone was in development for years, and yet no-one had a clear photo of it until it was officially unveiled. Expect the 3G iPhone, shipping on 15th June (AT&T's 'black-out days'), with GPS, video conferencing, exchange facilities. It will be thinner, with the facility to turn 3G on and off, and will be available in three colours: black, white, and product (RED). Oh, and also expect a similar multi-touch device (possibly with a 2.8 screen, or much larger), although no solid news has been heard concerning this yet. New cinema displays, a black mighty mouse and the new .Mac (me.com) will be unveiled. My wildcard guess goes for new Macbook's, with the similar black keyboard/aluminium enclosure that is featured on the Macbook Air.

As ever, there is so much music being released. A few notable tracks (some old, some new) are available below:

The Stills- Being Here (Link 2)
Beyonce- Beautiful Nightmare (Link 2)
Sam Sparro- Black And Gold (Link 2)
Immuzikation- Highly Selassie (Immuzikation DangDiDiDangDadBlend) (Link 2)
Coldplay- Lost! (Link 2)

'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' leaks.

2008-06-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

So, as we all knew it would, Coldplay's new album has been leaked. And it's ace. In my honest opinion, this is their best album to date, but a comprehensive review will have to wait.

I can sum it up in a few sentences: the backing is heavier in the mix, the instrumentals are lush (the only word in my vocabulary that fits). Oh, and this album has Brian Eno written all over it, in a very good way. Recently, I've started to see why Coldplay have numerous detractors, as their recent output had started to veer towards being formulaic. This album, therefore, will set things straight. The talent is all there, and every song on this album is a departure from their previous sound.

Anyway, I'm not going to post any tracks that aren't widely available elsewhere: however, since Coldplay mania is in full swing, enjoy these two new tracks (I'm not the first to post them), both high quality. Oh, and just to tease you, they're not the best tracks on the album. Not by a long way.

Coldplay- 42 (Link 2) (Link 3)
Coldplay- Yes (Link 2) (Link 3)

Viva La Vida can be pre-ordered here, or on iTunes.

Tired... Plus a small inbox clear out

2008-06-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm going to keep this as short as possible: this post is acting as one of my 'breaks'... let me just fill you in. I'm at school at the moment, on study leave, and doing exams (every other day, it seems). To be honest, I'm wiped out. There is something sad about the existence that all final year students have at this point: much partying lies over the horizon, but at the moment all I do is sleep, get up, work. Rinse and repeat. It's boring, and at this moment, I'm severely tired of maths, chemistry and physics.

Me... Yes, I'm tired

A few things to clear up: I apologise to all of you who have been sending me nice emails with music at the moment. I know I've been shit... Let me explain: I'm at school, and when I'm here I can't access MySpace or many other similar sites, so as much as I would love to listen to your music (trust me- I always listen to submissions... always), I can't post tracks unless you send me mp3 files. This wont be the case for much longer- I'll be out of here in 3 weeks. Oh, and please keep filling up my inbox. I love it, and promise to catch up when I'm free.

Okay, so just going to rattle out some of the great stuff from my inbox, and a few new tracks that I completely missed.

The Subways are back. Who, you might ask? Well, back in 2004, this three-piece were a huge indie hit: their songs were featured in various TV ads and also the O.C. (always a sign of success... sic). They're due to release their new album on 30th June, 'All Or Nothing'. Early signs show that the four year break has been very beneficial. Download the two new album tracks below. Myspace

The Subways- Alright (Link 2)
The Subways- Girls And Boys (Link 2)

I'm not entirely sure about this Justice remix of 'Electric Feel'. It's a little bit of a clanger, and the pitch change takes the retro vibe from the original. Regardless, it's a Justice remix, and whilst I'm beginning to think they need a break, it's another remix to add to their pile of inventive re-tools.

MGMT- Electric Feel (Justice Remix) (Link 2)

Okay- I'm starting to run out of steam (the little I even have left):

The Brakes- Into The Ground (Link 2)
Wow. Please bear in mind that this is live. Unbelievably tight. That's the kind of bond formed by a band who all went to middle school together, and have been recording since then. Myspace

CHAINGANG- Holiday (Link 2)
I eagerly await more news from this Australian group. Crunching bass, some urgent vocals and a new sound (very rare these days) have already set these guys apart. Impressive. Myspace

Roses, Kings, Castles- Sparklin Bootz (Link 2)
If you had told me that Adam Ficek from Babyshambles has a better voice than Pete Doherty, I wouldn't know what to make of it. And I don't. Oh, and his music is a little more tame that 'Fuck Forever'. Myspace

Round, round, round it up...

2008-06-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is really a brilliant time for music: yesterday I got my hands on the new albums from m83, No Age, Cut Copy, Santogold and Phantom Planet. All of which are excellent. And yet, I don't really have time to dwell on their brilliance, because a new wave of music is coming through.

Rihanna- Disturbia (Link 2)

Rihanna has actually gone bad. Her recent album's title- 'Good Girl, Gone Bad'- suggested a new direction, but didn't deliver. I'm happy with the fact that it had a few tunes on it, and in chart terms, Rihanna can do no wrong. The first single from her re-release of 'Good Girl Gone Bad', 'Disturbia', shows signs that she might be trying some new styles. Okay, so she sounds like a robot. But that's more than made up for by the first sentence: 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Oh, and the fact that she actually says 'shit'. Maybe things aren't going so great for the chart queen? Oh, and did anyone else make the connection between the song title and her purported connection with Shia LaBeouf?

Immuzikation- We're Gonna Have a Paaarty (Immuzikation GetTheFuckUpToniteBlend) (Link 2)

Immuzikation is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. I've been chatting to him a lot lately, and all I can say is that both he and I have some treats lined up for you. Stay tuned, and listen to his latest amazing mash-up: the last few have shown some serious signs of progression... my personal favourites are Santo Mia, Fish Tacos, and this latest addition. Check his day-glo Myspace.

Jon Regen- Let It Go Live (Link 2)

Jon Regen has just finished his European tour. You might remember my post about him a few months back- since then, Jon has been getting loads of positive write ups in blogs and other meda, and an extremely strong response to his tour. He sent through a live recording of 'Let It Go', the first single from his recent album, 'Let It Go'. It's a nice version, and Jon, with the help of a two man band, switches things up. Visit Jon's website...

Wale- Roc Boys (Freestyle) (Link 2)

Wale's new mixtape dropped a few days ago. Easily as good as '100 Miles And Running', this sets the bar higher. The beats are more clean cut, the rhymes more sophisticated, and althogether the music is more polished. Download it here.

Kenna ft. Lupe Fiasco- Say Goodbye To Love (Link 2)

Kenna's 'Make Sure They See My Face', released in October 2007, is a truly excellent album. Hopefully, this remix with Lupe Fiasco will see some more commercial success than the album version.

Coldplay: 'Lovers In Japan'. Sigur Ros. Weezer are relevant again. Ratatat. Fun. Immuzikation- Extremely prolific

2008-05-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have learnt one of the simple truths of blogging. It's unpredictable! The popularity of a post is often unrelated to its length or quality: sometimes posts which I rattle out in five minutes are popular, whereas those which I labour over barely get off the ground. I'm not worried, but I think its time for this blog to get back to normal, and stop worrying about my content and hits.
Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' (pre-order here) is on the verge of a full leak: the bands management have done well thus far: the three leaked tracks have all been very low quality, and in 'Lost's case, not the version that will appear on the album (early verdict says the album version is much superior, with an organ backing). However, one more track has appeared on the web. Again, the version is fairly low quality, but represents another valuable peak at the album nonetheless. 'Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love' is another nice combo, in keeping with 'Viva La Vida's sound. The album is garnering mostly positive early reviews: the generally negative NME gave it 8/10, which bodes well.

Coldplay recently announced their UK tour dates, which are as follows. Unfortunately, the US tour is taking preference, which rules the band out of most of the UK festivals. The UK tour commences in December.

Coldplay- Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love (Link 2)

1/12/08 - Birmingham, NIA
2/12/08 - Birmingham, NIA
5/12/08 - Glasgow, SECC
6/12/08 - Glasgow, SECC
7/12/08 - Sheffield, Arena
10/12/08 - Liverpool, Echo Arena
11/12/08 - Manchester, MEN Arena
12/12/08 - Manchester, MEN Arena
14/12/08 - London, O2 Arena
15/12/08 - London, O2 Arena

Sigur Ros have always been bonkers. However, just as with Bjork, their loopiness adds to their music, rather than detracting from it. Never has this been more clear than with their latest track, Gobbledigook.

Sigur Ros- Gobbledigook (Link 2)

Weezer's new album leaked last week. It's not as bad as early reviews stated, but also not as great as some fans hoped. The few high spots are a milestone for the band: a handful of songs are the best material recorded since 'Pinkerton'. Which is great. Best of all is the album closer 'The Angel And The One', which sits apart from the rest of the album. Why? Because it's sincere... 'Pork And Beans' is fun, sure, but sometimes I enjoy the more heartfelt Weezer which rarely surfaces.

Weezer- The Angel And The One (Link 2)

Weezer have also made a huge impact with their new video for 'Pork And Beans'. The video has the band performing the song, alongside many internet sensations and meme's. A few notable cameos include Tay Zonday, Mentos/Coke and Chris Crocker. Some might question why these people would ridicule themselves in such a way, but in the end, this video gives them what they want: a slight extension to their 15 minutes. It's a genius move by Rivers and co- Weezer are relevant again. 4 million views and counting...

I wasn't aware of Ratatat until their logo flashed across my screen whilst flicking through another blog. It's throwback, and instantly reminded me of Thundercats and Transformers. It was a bit of a bonus, then, that their music is also worth the time. Shiller is

Ratatat- Shiller (Link 2)

Immuzikation is making serious moves. I'm still not entirely sure how this guy mashes the songs so quickly- yesterday he sent me two quality tunes, one arrived this morning and I'm expecting more today. Just a quick drop- I seriously recommend you download his new uber mash-up: 'And Her Sisters'. It's 25 minutes long, encompasses well over 20 songs and moves seamlessly through genres and styles. Download, below. Will re-upload later today...

Immuzikation- And Her Sisters

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: New Lightspeed Champion Tracks And Live Review@ Paradiso- 8 PM, 31/03/08

2008-05-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

Watch this band. If you do anything today, make sure you check out Lightspeed Champion. I can tell you now, without a shadow of a doubt, that Dev Hynes is going to be big. As in, he will be remembered as one of 'the great British songwriters'.

Explain? Well, a few months ago at the Paradiso, they blew me away. I've been a fan since Dev's Test Icicles days, but I still wasn't expecting this quality of performance. At around 8 PM, Dev (complete with fur hat) and his band strolled on stage, with no ostentation. None materialised through the set. He had this aura of 'niceness', and was totally chilled: 'so, what have you guys been up to today?' was the opener. Each song was ended with 'thanks everyone'. Here's a clear example of someone unaffected by fame (reassuring, considering there's much more to come). I hope Dev reads this- not an unreasonable expectation considering he commented on one of my earliest posts about Lightspeed Champion.

Thankfully, his stage presence isn't all I have to rave about. The music itself was brilliant. The band- Dev and his band (drums, bass and violin) swept through a well balanced set, with oodles of character and charm. Oh, and just to clarify something, Dev is really, really, really good at guitar. This doesn't come across in the record, and makes the live performance a lot more exciting. His backing band are much the same. With a trio of drums, violin and bass, and Dev himself switching between guitars and piano, the album is fully fleshed out.

The band previewed 3 new songs: although he's still touring the new album, Dev has already finished the follow-up (an inclination of how much music he writes). The set began with 'Happy Birthday', a song similar in sound to Midnight Suprise, with some nice development: the song starts with frantic picking and then settles into a steady rhythm. These news songs help us to form an idea of how good he will eventually be- over the course of the tour, he has already become much more of a showman, and new musical skills are being picked up every day.

Lightspeed Champion- Happy Birthday (Live At Paradiso) (Link 2)

Dev also reproduced the now famous cover of 'Heart In A Cage', which is all the more impressive live. It arrives half way through the 16 song set. Sat alone on the stage, he cuts a sharp profile, and more than matches Julian Casablancas for pathos.

The second new song was 'Marlene' a 'funky' number that a more upbeat backing and some different lyrical topics: 'stick a spoon into your heart, and eat away all your Deutschmarks. Your money don't mean a damn thing. I'm wearing everything I own... Stop being cool'. The song also features a crazy solo by Dev at the end: no joke, he shreds!

Lightspeed Champion- Marlene (Live At Paradiso) (Link 2)

'Madame Van Damme' is another song likely to find it's way onto his new album. I admit I wasn't as blown away by the lyrics of this song as the other new additions, but it's still likely to be a hit when put through the recording process; that was only the fourth time it had been played live. The guitars are very retro, and the refrain has Dev repeating 'kill me, baby wont you kill me'. I'm not going to post it just yet, and final judgment will have to wait until I get my hands on the album version.

The set is full of character; from their rendition of the Star Wars theme (amazing)- which was joined together with a certain 10 minute opus- to the quips between each song,

Lightspeed Champion- Star Wars Medley (Link 2)

During 'Midnight Surprise', their pre-encore song, the band went a little psycho, and the music suddenly stopped. The band looked around, confused: 'Oops, I think we just blew out the power! That, guys, is the power of rock music'. After a few seconds of repairs, the playing resumed, and the band got right back into their breakdown.

Lightspeed Champion didn't have anything to prove to me at this gig. As I've said and will keep on saying: they're on the cusp of huge things, and are going to make a difference, whether or not the general audience admits it. As a band, Lightspeed Champion have it all: versatility (switching between instruments), depth (in the lyrics), impact (Dev), talent and tunes. Now all they need is an audience big enough to appreciate that fact.

'Falling Off The Lavender Bridge' can be purchased at Amazon. Dev's blog is a great read, and his official Myspace often features free Lightspeed Champion downloads. Photos courtesy of Tonie. Visit Fabchannel to watch the concert!

Webbafied: The ball is rolling!

2008-05-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Webbafied- Can't Tell Me Nothing/Garbage (Link 2)
Webbafied- Phantom Part II (Link 2)

One of my favourite up and coming artists, Webbafied, has started to make some serious progress. I wrote a 'Definitive Justice' post a few months ago, and his tracks went to the top of the hype machine, as well as the post receiving a huge volume of hits and comments.

I know Webb has a load of great friends and we are all rooting for him: if you haven't downloaded it yet, 'Webbafied Does It Justice' is one of the best free releases of last year (yes, including 'In Rainbows'). He sent me an email update recently:

"So...my band mate Morgane invited me to the Release Party for ED REC VOL.3...LIVE in Paris, France...Of course I accepted the invite and got into party mode...assume of you may know, my latest project 'WebbaFied Does It Justice' is a cover of the Ed Banger Records Release 'Cross'

So it was a very good look for me to be in the house with these folks..hmmmm...Lemme rephrase that....not in the house..but ON THE BOAT...these dudes rented a boat for the party...it was nuts...we we're on La Seine at midnight when the Eiffel Tower lights up and shit..It was so ill!!!

Despite all the great scenery and extreme inebriation I had some promotional work to do...the first Person I polly'd with was DJ A TRAK...i don't know what the hell he was doing there but I'm glad I got to build with him...he was cool...talked about the buzz surrounding the Glow in The Dark tour...chatted about my project...and kept bumpin into each other for the rest of the night...It wasn't that big of a boat...oh...and his set was crazy...I got to build with DJ Medhi and he seemed impressed by the concept of the project...

I met both of the dudes from Justice...I hit one of them with a CD...He loved the idea of the project and assured me he would check it out...one of the dudes from Justice and Medhi did a set...and body'd it...the crowd was huddled around the DJbooth...it was funky as hell..it smelled like hot locker room and onions... Last but not least was Busy P...he was cool as hell...me and him kicked a lot throughout the night...I told him the details of the project and he was impressed with the fact that we didn't chop up their music...that I just rode it out as it was...he seemed genuinely interested in what i did...we had drinks..talked some shit....we really got it popping...he knew some of the people I came with so we were all just going in!! It was classic...
Left the boat at like 4:30am...got a crepe...hit the train...and hit the sack..."

Webbafied sent me some great photos: I'm pleased to see that he's making some serious progress. Visit Webbafied's Myspace and download his 'Hits Of The Year: Volume 1' and 'Webbafied Does It Justice' albums free. Now that Justice have a copy of his album I'm pretty sure things are going to get mental: more online exposure and some magazine interviews over the summer, no doubt. I can't wait!

Mammoth update: The best of the rest...

2008-05-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Some very scary and mind blowing events took place over the last few days. It has rapidly dawned on me that these next few weeks will be the end of an era. Just over a month today, I will be leaving school, and wont have anything to really work for any more. It's both exciting and frightening. Luckily, I've secured a brilliant placement for my gap year with IBM (in short- dream job), and have also lined up some work experience with a certain car manufacturer (a clue: initials AM) for summer 2009.

I had my first A2 exam yesterday: M1, or mechanics, something that I should really be good at considering its the basis of my degree (mechanical engineering). I thought it went well, and now I must get back to the pile of work/job stuff that is building up in my room.

Anyway, I must apologise for my lack of inspiration or originality lately: I'm right in the thick of exam revision, and compiling a mixtape or trawling through my inbox is proving a bit time-consuming. However, my mid-term break is coming up on Saturday, and I have nine days to do loads of work and infuse this blog with some much needed inventiveness.

Lupe Fiasco- The Coolest Vs. Let There Be Light (Justice Remix) (Link 2)
Lupe Fiasco- Lu Yourself (Link 2)

'Cross' and 'The Cool' were two of my favourite albums last year. I love Lupe Fiasco. I love Justice. Therefore nothing in the music world is as exciting as the prospect of Justice remixing the whole of Lupe's amazing second album. The above song is just the tip of the iceberg...

“I’m remixing the album with Justice, I’m gonna shout out to Justice”. It's comforting that the two outfits are working closely together, so the material can be treated with respect.

I've also included a Lupe rarity: Lupe is currently on the 'Glow In The Dark' tour, opening in front of N.E.R.D., Rihanna and Kanye West. Reviews have been varied: the general consensus is that Kanye's ego is growing a little too big even for a stage to accommodate (hence his solo performance... no backing singers etc.) and that Lupe Fiasco is a legend in the making. 'Lu Myslef' clarifies that fact: Lupe raps over Eminem's hit, exercising his huge lyrical wit:

"Since you don't have half the stance like an amputee, You don't have half the pants that it takes to command a family, a fan, or command a fee... So you will never get the ransom you demand from me! The goodnews' my foot's loose, my hands are free."

[Buy]

The Hold Steady- Sequestered In Memphis (Link 2)

A few days ago, The Hold Steady released their first single- 'Sequestered In Memphis'- from their forthcoming album 'Stay Positive'. This single shows no sign of progression, but really, do The Hold Steady need to change?

'Stay Positive' is more a message for the band than for their fans. They will need comforting when few people buy the album, regardless of the fact that they're one of the best bands making music at the moment.

[Buy]

Beck- Chemtrails (Link 2)

I haven't always been a Beck fan, 'Odelay' was the sound of undistilled talent, and a couple of tunes on his recent album were quite quirky. However, barring that, I don't agree with the view held by many of my contemporaries- that he is a genius.

'Chemtrails' highlights an eerie new direction; already miles away from the fun and games of 'Cellphones Dead'. The best way to describe this song would be 'ethereal': I felt like I was wading through it (in a good way). After a few plays it has done considerable work in bringing me over to the dark side.

[Buy]

Vampire Weekend- Campus (Rostam Batmanglij version) (Link 2)

Unreleased demos always cause a ruckus when they're set free: however, rarely are they superior to the studio version's. It's an interesting fact that in the recording process, 'Campus' has had something taken away from it. The strings arrangements on the album version are inferior, and the atmosphere of a uni campus on a summer's day is swiftly put across by the softer vocals.

And the most important thing this points out is that their self titled debut could have been even better. A scary thought.

[Buy]

Cool Stuff

1. If you weren't aware of Datpiff, head over there right now. It is far and away the best place to find up and coming hip hop, rap and RnB artists, and the great part is that all the music is free. I have rediscovered some great artists, and am getting into new ones (Wale's '100 Miles And Running'- Highly recommended).

2. Coldplay are the centrepiece of the new iTunes advert, and it's breathtaking. With the soundtrack of 'Viva La Vida', the band perform in marching band style, complete with Apple's tell tale visuals. 'Viva La Vida- Exclusive On iTunes'.

Cut Copy: Addictive

2008-05-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

Cut Copy- Going Nowhere (SebastiAn Remix) (Link 2)
Cut Copy- Hearts On Fire (Midnight Juggernauts Remix) (Link 2)
Cut Copy- Lights And Music (Link 2)
Cut Copy- So Haunted (Link 2)

Someone told me it would happen. Within a few days of listening to Cut Copy, I would be unconditionally in love with their brand of electropop. And they were correct.

The real draw here is the fact that Cut Copy can re-package 80's new-wave into something with a more modern facade. 'In Ghost Colours', their second album, is almost perfect, and easily one of the top 10 records of 2008. As vocalist Dan Whiford said:

"The album is a lot more realized than the first one. I think all of us, when we think of the first one, we agree we sort of got half way there."

Visit Cut Copy's website for some nice bios and videos. Buy 'In Ghost Colours' here!

A Few Venial Sins

2008-05-16T03:30:00.000-07:00

Wolf Parade- Call It A Ritual (Link 2)
Death Cab For Cutie- I Will Possess Your Heart (Link 2)
Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Happy Birthday Remix) (Link 2)

A Few Venial Sins is a twice monthly e-zine, with contributions in the form of poetry, gig reviews, general music articles and random pieces about food, TV, and everything else in between.

It's the first time I have been asked to write for someone else, and I was honoured to write an article on 'difficult second album syndrome' for this new e-zine. I am sure The Cold Cut will always be here, but since I started writing my aims have become more ambitious. With record companies finally coming to terms with the importance of blogs as promotional outlets, there are many prospects that come with running a succesful blog- my inbox is bursting at the moment, and I love that feeling that I'm making a difference.

My aim is to begin to branch out and start to get my name out there, hopefully whilst continuing to maintain this blog (possibly with a little help from other contributors- drop me a line if you're interested). Below is an excerpt from the article: follow the link to read the rest:

"An interesting point arises when you consider the question: 'what is your definition of a sophomore slump?'. Obviously, the quality of an album is subjective. However, in some cases, the boundaries between people's opinions become so extreme that for every person hailing the album as a realisation of talent (A), there is another to condemn it as a 'piece of shit' (B). Generally, this translates into the fans (A), and the critics (B). An apt example of this is 'Room On Fire', the second album by The Strokes.

How do you follow up an album that pretty much spawned its own scene? And let us not forget the endless horde of identikit rivals waiting to fill the gaps like a musical poly-filler (and just about as exciting), who were conveniently there for critics to draw comparisons. 'Room On Fire' was not the answer the journalists were waiting for."

Make sure you check out my article, comment, spread the love and make sure you read some of the other great content whilst you're there.

Even MORE new Coldplay! And Kanye drops bombs with Lil' Wanye?

2008-05-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my time this evening is limited (AQA Chemistry revision is dominating at the moment), but I wanted to be one of the first to let you guys know about these new tracks.

Coldplay- Lost (Link 2)
Coldplay- Life In Technicolour (Link 2)

Yes. Two more Coldplay tracks have leaked, weeks before 'Viva La Vida's release. 'Lost' is another brilliant track, although not quite as unexpected as 'Viva La Vida'. It's more reminiscent of their older work, with a piano driven chorus. 'Life In Technicolour' is supposedly the opening track: below is a low quality (not my work- I apologise for this) recording of the track- I thought you would be interested, regardless of quality.

'Viva La Vida' can be pre-ordered here.

Lil' Wayne- Lollipop (Official Remix Ft. Kanye West) (Link 2)

This is absolutely crazy. Bringing together two artists who haven't shared the same beat before is a nice touch, and makes the prospect of that 'Tha Carter III' collaboration worth waiting for. 'Lollipop' is a work-horse: that beat seems to fit every situation, and that factor alone justifies its reign at number 1.

Tune Alert... 'Everybody Nose' Remix, MSTRKRFT and Usher... Immuzikation 'Viva La Vida!'

2008-05-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Everybody Nose- CRS/Pusher T (Official Remix) (Link 2)

Oh yes. CRS have seriously proven themselves. Transforming a piece of coal into a diamond is a neat trick, and the strength of these three artists is unbelievable. 'Us Placers' was a brilliant piece of artistry, with a nice sample, good verses and, if this any indication, just a hint at what this trio is capable of.

In the hands of Child Rebel Soldier, N.E.R.D's 'Everybody Nose' takes on a new meaning, and a much darker disposition. The main thing this proves is that Pharrell is a much more formidable artist when coupled with Kanye and Lupe. Further to this, it's nice to see that the song's subtext actually involves cocaine, not waiting in queues at clubs, a fact which didn't come across in the original.

Usher- Love In This Club (MSTRKRFT Remix) (Link 2)
MSTRKRFT have also pulled one out of the bag, with a bottom heavy remix of Usher's 'Love In The Club'. A song like this should require a light touch, but MSTRKRFT have taken the opposite approach, bucking and beating the trend. This really proven their status as kings, transforming the originally slight track into something far more weighty.

Fish Tacos- Immuzikation Blend (Link 2)

This guy is a machine. Every email from Alfredo Lapuz Jr. starts with 'just got back from work, and put this together'. If that's the case, then he's a genius, gluing together random songs to create something entirely original. If you don't believe me, check out 'Fish Tacos', effectively a remix of 'Viva La Vida' blending in Weezer, Cut Copy, The Blow, M.I.A. and Reading Rainbow. I wasn't won over by the prospect of that many songs stuffed into one track, but this is the sign of a true master. He pulls it off effortlessly.

Visit Immuzikation's Myspace.

The New Wave Of Music: Guaranteed To Blow Your Mind

2008-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

I must apologise for not being able to reply to your comments: it's out of my hands. My school has blocked my blog, for some ridiculous reason, apparently 'pornography', or so the filter says. Anyway, I can't see, read, or comment on my blog: I am solely limited to posting and reading your comments through my email account. Anyway, there has been so much unbelievably catchy and amazing music recently, so here's me scratching the surface. If anything goes drastically wrong, be sure to let me know.

Regardless, I can continue to blog, so here is a comprehensive list of the great music released over the last few months.

Discuss: Can you name the best new band at the moment?

Coldplay- Viva La Vida (Link 2)
My faith is restored. Coldplay have really outdone themselves here: 'Viva La Vida' is superior to 'Violet Hill' in every respect, even on the first spin... and who knows how dear it could become many more plays? Epic strings, no audible piano, and a sound that wouldn't fit anywhere smaller than a stadium. This is the 'new' version of Coldplay I was expecting.

The National- Mansion On The Hill (Live Bruce Springsteen Cover) (Link 2)
In my honest opinion, The National are one of the best American bands out there. 'Boxer' and 'Alligator' are work-horses, giving and giving, and I've been waiting for a new track for ages. This more than justifies the wait, even if it is a cover...

Phantom Planet- Raise The Dead (Link 2)
Phantom Planet- Do The Panic (Link 2)
Wow... Now this, I really wasn't expecting. Remember 'California'? Of course you do... well, it seems in the time between the O.C.'s expiration and the present, Phantom Planet have been busy. Busy rebuilding their image, that is, from a teen pop group into an Americanised Arcade Fire. This is a much more mature and developed packaged than they previously offered.

Madonna- Miles Away (Link 2)
I've said more than enough about Madonna...

Busta Rhymes- We Made It (Ft. Linkin Park) (Link 2)
Busta Rhymes- Don't Touch Me (Throw Da Water On Em') (Link 2)
Busta Rhymes always works best when backed up by a wacky, overblown beat. Surprisingly, he eschews that route here, instead opting to blend rock and hip hop. Sounds rubbish, doesn't it? Sometimes, the most grating of combinations produce miracles (see DNA- hint 'keeping it in the family').

His other track- 'Don't Touch Me'...-is classic Busta- balls to the wall, high octane verses, with barely time to breath. And in true fashion, he really pulls it off.

The Ting Tings- Shut Up And Let Me Go (Link 2)
How time flies. Last time I posted about these guys, they were just getting off the ground after releasing 'Great DJ'. And now, they going stellar, after Apple featured them in their new iPod adverts. A little face might be saved by the fact that the song used- 'Shut Up And Let Me Go'- isn't their best, and thus they will always have a crowd pleaser ('That's Not My Name') for the end of their sets that hasn't been 'played to death'.

Weezer- Pork And Beans (Link 2)
Okay, so I'm a few weeks late on this one, but sometimes I can't go without posting a good track. Classic Weezer, plain and simple.

Santogold- I'm A Lady (Link 2)
Santogold- Say Aha (Link 2)
Santogold really crept up on me. To be honest, I didn't give her the time of day, until I saw her album art. For some strange reason, that gold sprinkle effect triggered a fond memory of my childhood and I was instantly won over. Simply put, Santogold is doing for rock and dub what M.I.A. did for hip hop and dancehall, blending cultures, styles and genres into a accesible music.

Metro Station- Shake It (Link 2)
The first time I heard this, I found myself retching at the cheesiness. However, as I walked away from my room, the chorus: 'Shake, shake, shake, shake... I shake it' played over and over in my mind. Really, though, Metro Station need to work out who they are- cheesy American poppers or something a little bit deeper? My money is on the latter; a rebranding (and re-titling- terrible) could be in order.

Lil' Wayne- A Millie (Link 2)
A new TV advertisement proclaims Lil' Wayne as 'the most controversial man in America'. I sincerely doubt this, but you cannot knock him for his cojones. His new album, 'Tha Carter III' is widely expected to be an opus, led comfortably by his first number 1 single, 'Lollipop'. Genius artwork, too- Wayne mimics both Notorious B.I.G. and Nas by using a baby photo as his album cover (a metaphor Wayne? Deep...). We all know Wayne thinks he's great, but soon, we might just have proof.

Glossy new Oasis demos... and a slamming?

2008-05-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been on the receiving end of a couple of harsh comments comments over the last few days, most of which were justified. I'm not here to whine- I realise that my page is read by progressively more people, but when you get comments nitpicking particular words in a sentence, its hard to know what to do. I agree that I am not always up to my best (especially recently), and I'm not going to make excuses (uh.. exams?), but I just thought you should know that I'm trying my best to maintain high standards for this blog.

To be honest, all I'm trying to say is that it would be nice if the regular readers of this blog commented on some of the good stuff, and forged a relationship, rather than only leaving anonymous comments outlining how I am inevitably wrong (we all are, at some point). I did ask for feedback with my Coldplay remix, and I appreciate and will take on board all your comments. On my Arctic Monkeys post, however, I had a series of comments concerning my grammar (which was right), and my view point. Just to clarify, I never stated that I thought Arctic Monkeys were a one hit wonder. Some people did, however, and I addressed that.

Anyway, here are some new Oasis demo's. I'm going be diplomatic, and sit on the fence here: I don't think Oasis are 'the best band ever', nor do I think that they 'haven't been relevant for 10 years' (quoted from the font of all knowledge *sic*: NME). Instead of taking this approach, just take the tracks for what they are. Would you be listening if this wasn't Oasis? I would.

What's your verdict?

Oasis- Nothin' On Me (Link 2)
Oasis- Stop The Clocks (Link 2)
Oasis- I Wanna Live In A Dream (In My Record Machine) (Link 2)

My First Remix...

2008-05-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Coldplay- Violet Hill (Cold Cut Remix) (Link 2)

Just thought I would share something with you: I was messing around with the new Coldplay single earlier on Garage Band, and my doodling turned into a remix of sorts. It's just about good enough to post (aka not totally rubbish), so please leave a comment with your thoughts.

Music is, in my opinion at least, designed to be open to interpretation. Therefore I decided to try my hand at the old remixing, and I can assure you, it's a lot harder than it seems. I wasn't a huge fan of this single when it was released, but it's a definite grower. In my remix I hope I have brought out some of the more important aspects of the song: its maritime connection, a little more power in the lower end of the spectrum- bass in particular. There are a couple of cool tricks that I picked up today- inversion, reversing etc.- which have found their way into the remix.

Anyway, I have to say I really enjoyed the process- having a Mac is brilliant, but the utility is wasted if you don't learn how to fully use the programs. This remix has pretty much taught me how to use Garage Band in a few hours. I hope you enjoy it, and leave comments- I'll be able to put your tips into practice next time I decide to remix a song.

Discuss: Best computing program for remixing?

New Arctic Monkeys? Want Some?

2008-05-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the Arctic Monkeys officially announced that they would be moving back to the studio this summer to record their third album.

With this news came heaps of speculation, and already new songs are starting to appear. The first, 'Sandtrap', is a 2 minute live version, currently used as the introduction to 'This House Is A Circus'. Other new material includes 'The Fire and the Thud' and 'The Lovers' 'Put Me in a Terror Pocket', all of which are available for download below. The songs are either acoustic or live versions.

The third album will be an interesting one. For me, their talent was never in question, but *line removed due to popular demand*. And now, with the confidence issues behind them, the Arctic Monkeys sound as if they want to experiment. The band claim they have 6 demos recorded, all of which will probably find their way on to the new album.

Arctic Monkeys- Sandtrap (Link 2)
Arctic Monkeys- Put Me In A Terror Pocket (Link 2)
Arctic Monkeys- The Lovers (Link 2)
Arctic Monkeys- The Fire And The Thud (Link 2)

Albums by the Arctic Monkeys can be purchased here.

More free music: Don't you just love CSS?

2008-04-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

CSS- Rat Is Dead (Rage) (Link 2) (Link 3)

It seems as if everyone is trying to get a piece of the 'free music' pie nowadays. Radiohead and NIN cashed in, but everywhere you turn, there are more generous bands offering their latest song free, requiring very little effort on our part.

The Long Blondes did it with 'Century'. Coldplay have now done it with 'Violet Hill'. CSS are the latest group to jump on the bandwagon, with much better results than the previous two examples.

CSS have put a new song up for grabs on their website, and it rocks. Hard. Now reduced in numbers (since Ira Trevisan left), the Brazilian five-piece have been hard at work for their second album. I'm predicting a slightly more mellow affair... Lovefoxx's english has really come on, and considering she's now shocked by her lyrics from their debut, the x-rated stuff will no doubt be found in less abundance.

Their new album, entitled 'Donkey' (how very CSS!), is released on 21st June, but this new cut (not the lead single) is a revealing look at how the album will sound. It's very punkish, much less synth focussed, and a little bit less wild; lyrically at least... no 'music is my beach-house' here!

People are quick to disregard CSS as just a party band, but I just can't kick the feeling that they're going to be important- crucial even- to breaking down the barriers for international music. Even since they made it big I've recieved emails from bands like Nancy and Bonde De Role who are receiving far more attention than they would have in previous years.

You can download the track via the band's newly updated website, or above.

Coldplay: 'Violet Hill'

2008-04-29T23:50:00.000-07:00

Coldplay- Violet Hill (Link 2) (Link 3)

My initial reaction to this song was a resounding 'hmmm'. My fears weren't entirely misplaced. Coldplay haven't stepped too far astray, but 'Violet Hill' isn't quite good enough to justify a 3 year absence. The band, however, have not lost their radio friendly roots. My brother found himself humming the tune a mere 5 minutes after listening to the song.

Many people have drawn Oasis comparisons, mostly due to the vocals and newly beefed up backing section. Piano, however, runs the show- kicking in 40 seconds in (after a resounding drone), the keys power this song through to its finish. The lyrics are weak: 'I wanna be a soldier who a captain on some sinking ship would stow far below. If you love me, won’t you let me know?', but all in all, 'Violet Hill' is a nice introduction to the new album.

Even though I'm slightly dissapointed, I'm happy to have them back. However, with this (and the shoddy album cover), Coldplay have become a little less untouchable.
The song is available free for one week only: head over to the band's slightly pretentious website to download it.

'Viva La Vida' has been brought forward and will now be released on June 12!

Coldplay reveal 'Viva La Vida' artwork...

2008-04-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, Coldplay pulled back the curtains on the artwork for their forthcoming album, entitled 'Viva La Vida'- or 'Death And All His Friends'. The band use a painting by French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix from 1830 called ‘Liberty Leading The People’. And to be honest, it's fairly shit. Not only does it not fit the album title, but it really isn't Coldplay.

The first single from 'Viva La Vida'- 'Violet Hill'- will have its first radio play tomorrow evening. Following this play, it will then be available for download (free!) from the band's website.

Chris Martin has proclaimed this album as a departure. This really worries me- what was wrong with the old Coldplay?

Coldplay- God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (Link 2)

100000 hits

2008-04-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

Update: Turns out I labelled all the tracks incorrectly (bar the Madonna one). Sorry!

This isn't another victory lap- just another commemoration of a big event (for me, at least). I must admit I'm feeling like shit at the moment (school's great, its just my body is apparently in a mood with me!)- I've got aches in places I didn't even know existed, a back which seizes up and the makings of a terrible summer cold. All in all, I just want to sleep. Lots.

Anyway, 100000 down, many more to come. Here's some tunes. More posts coming later on today.

Dangermouse- December 4th (Link 2)
Madonna- 4 Minutes (Timbaland Remix) (Link 2)
Lil' Wayne- Lollipop (Gabriel Antonio Remix) (Link 2)

Lily Allen- New Hair→New Direction→New Demos

2008-04-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

Lily Allen- I Could Say (Link 2) (Link 3)
Lily Allen- I Don't Know (Link 2) (Link 3)

I once made the mistake of proclaiming Kate Nash as Lily Allen's protege, and immediate superior. I was quickly cut down by my brother ("she's good, but she's got a long way to go before she's as good as Lily"). He was right- whilst Kate Nash is alright, Lily has the makings of something great.

The way she came to fame was interesting, and it was exactly the right path to take: distancing herself from her father. Obviously, Lily has had a hard time recently (I'm not going to explain the circumstances... you do the work), and that comes across in her new demos. Its as if 'Smile' never happened. And yet, these tracks were released in much the same way- by Lily herself- and will no doubt find popularity as the plays rack up (95000 on the first day, in case you were wondering!).

As the press commonly do, they obsessed over her appearance- in particular, the blonde hair. Why? The signs are all there in her music: The summer pop has been discarded for a much darker tone. And whilst 'I Could Say' and 'I Don't Know' sound like pop songs, the subject matter is less than peachy:

"And I'll take my clothes off, and it will be shameless. 'Cause everyone knows; that's how you get famous".

Madonna's 'Hard Candy' Leaks Again... And Again... And Again.

2008-04-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

Madonna- Give It 2 Me (Link 2)
Madonna- The Beat Goes On (Ft. Kanye West) (Link 2)

Madonna's having a hard time at the moment. Under attack from the press for her 'hard' image, and her refusal to retire, the last thing she needs is a load of tracks to leak from her new album. And yet the whole album was released onto the web today, three days before 'Hard Candy's release.

I'm actually quite impressed... this 'hard' image doesn't really bother me too much- the music is what matters, after all. And people can continue to be frustrated with Madonna, asking her to retire. Why? Would you, when you can continue to produce number 1 singles/albums into your 50's?

The new tracks are fairly impressive, with the production values coming through strong. Pharrell and Timbaland produce the bulk of the album, with Nate Hills contributing the remainder. Madonna seems to have enlisted a who's who of rap and hip hop acts, which is important considering this is meant to be her first foray into hip hop.

'Hard Candy' can be pre-ordered here...

The Hot List: MSTRKRFT, Portishead, Cut Copy & m83

2008-04-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's impossible to catch every piece of 'hot' music flying around. Sure, the invention of The Hype Machine, Elbows and Paper Thin Walls helps, but even listening to their popular lists solidly wont give you a full flavour of the groundbreaking tracks that are released every day. I have, as always, neglected a collection of post-worthy musicians over the last few busy weeks. The Hot List will hopefully get me back up to speed! Without further ado, I present to you MSTRKRFT, portishead, cut copy and m83.

Metric- Monster Hospital (mstrkrft remix) (Link 2)
Fergie- Fergalicious (mstrkrft remix) (Link 2)

MSTRKRFT (Master-kraft, for the slower witted members of the gene pool), haven't been around for too long. Their output, however, has been getting rapidly superior and audacious in the two and half years since formation.

First things first, they are truly worthy of their welebrity (I hope to coin a phrase!), having shown their skill by ably transforming shit tracks into golden stools. Take 'Fergalicious', for example. If you haven't heard this, you're lucky. It's a truly abysmal song, made only slightly more acceptable by the video- let me give you a hint... Fergie+schoolgirl outfit? MSTRKRFT weren't going to let that get in their way, and they've actually transformed it into a half-decent pop song. Move aside will.i.am. The true masters are here!

Secondly, they have the taste and vigilance to remix legendary tracks: 'Monster Hospital', by Metric, should really be given a wide berth. It's a quintessential Metric track- big, boisterous and executed to perfection. And yet in the duo's able hands, it becomes impossibly frantic, and much more danceable.

Visit MSTRKRFT's MySpace for more information.

Portishead- Machine Gun (Link 2)
Portishead- Roads (Live) (Link 2)

Portishead were way before my time, but even minus the nostalgia factor, their new album 'Third' is still pretty damn good. Considering they all but disappeared in 1997, their popularity hasn't really waned, and the live performances are still said to be sublime. All in all, Britain has been missing a classic 90's act. No Oasis, no Blur... no Britpop, no retro, no throwback. Okay, so we have the Verve *who?*, but Portishead are trippy, brooding and great to listen to.

'Third' can be bought at Amazon.

Cut Copy- Feel The Love (Link 2)
Cut Copy- Lights And Music (Boyz Noize Remix) (Link 2)

Cut Copy are inescapable, but unlike many radio-friendly bands (you know who you are... *cough* The Feeling), Cut Copy aren't rubbish. Their music couldn't be described as anything but jolly, but whilst The Feeling set off my gag reflex, Cut Copy make me feel warm inside. Perhaps it's their apparently 80's throwback style- if this is what the 80's sounded like, then I'm sorry I missed them.

With the support of their whole nation behind them (new album 'In Ghost Colours' went #1 in Australia), these three guys are looking set to make a huge impact when they properly touch down on European/American soil.

'In Ghost Colours' can be bought from Amazon.

m83- Couleurs (Link 2)
m83- Graveyard Girl (Link 2)

m83 are named after the galaxy of the same name. Their music is similarly out of this world. Take 'Couleurs', the first single from their new album 'Saturdays=Youth'. Sounding like a B-side from the Terminator soundtrack, its really quite unsettling and eerie. Then we have 'Graveyard Girl', simaltaneously the most uplifting and heart-rending song I've heard in a long while.

Whereas m83's previous albums have shown a rich variety of sounds and textures, this- Anthony Gonzalez's fifth in 7 years!- showcased a much more focussed writing style. Whilst it's still spaced out electronica, the songs are much easier to connect with.

'Saturdays=Youth' can be purchased from Amazon.

Guess Who's Back. Back Again. I Am!

2008-04-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Cajun Dance Party- The Race (Link 2) (Link 3)
Cajun Dance Party- The Hill, The View And The Lights (Link 2) (Link 3)

The break from blogging was a lot shorter than I imagined- let me briefly explain my absence. Over the weekend I spent some time in London- watched my sister destroying her previous time at the London Marathon. Basically, she was brilliant. On Monday I had an interview with IBM- it was super intense, but really enjoyable. All in all, the last couple of weeks have been some of the most crucial to come thus far- the revision for the last of the endless school exams, and trying desperately to secure a job for my gap year.

Anyway, intense, intense, blah, blah, blah. And as much as I'm feeling the pressure, there are some people my age who have much more weight placed on their shoulders. I am, of course, talking about Cajun Dance Party. In a recent interview, lead singer Daniel said:

“We’re very proud of our debut album. It’s taken a long time but now it’s done, we just want people to hear these songs as soon as possible. We understand a band has to do certain things to get music to as many as people as possible, but right now we’re finishing school and are well underway with the second record.”

These guys are in the same year as me... it makes you feel useless when you're struggling with exams, and yet people of the same age are busy becoming musical gods, whilst still holding back their album release until they've finished school. That idea was abandoned when the band already had more than two albums worth of material- therefore their debut, 'The Colourful Life' will be released on 28th April.

The thing is, Cajun Dance Party don't seem to be feeling the pressure at all. They've released three tracks, all of which have been incredible. And a second album is already in the works... recording will commence in the summer, when the band leave school.

In short, now is an exciting time- both for the band, and for us. The two latest tracks that have leaked are available above: third single 'The Race' and album closer 'The Hill, The View And The Lights'- kudos to Stereogum-, which sees Vicky Freund (I presume, as the only female band member!) stepping forward for vocal duties. And just like that, the band become a boy/girl duo... that sense of spontaneity is just one of the things that makes this band very special.

For news on the band, visit their website...

Busy days

2008-04-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would write a quick post- the next few days are hectic, so I wont be able to post for a week or so.

I should be back to full speed by the weekend- see you then!

Crookers: Ditty, Ditty, Ditty...

2008-04-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

With remixes, I'm easily impressed. Attach a sufficiently huge bass-line, chop and change the song format, affix some other random sounds and we can have a long lasting relationship.

I was destined, therefore, to love Crookers. They've got a simple formula, which delivers, over and over again: take a song no-one else has touched, glue a grungy bassline to it and then present it as musical gold.

Crookers are an Italian duo: DJ PHRA and Bot, with a stash of remixes to their name. Given the nature of their music (solely remixes) the prospect of a Crookers album is confusing. Which direction will they take? Will they produce original material? Or will they continue to remix tracks?

Anyway, check out the ACDC remix below (great for sport, trust me) and a nice new version of Trash by The Whip.

AC/DC- Thunderstruck (Crookers Remix) (Link 2)
The Whip- Trash (Crookers Remix) (Link 2)

For a peek at their tour dates and some more tracks, head over to their MySpace

New music podcast!

2008-04-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

Another day, another podcast- I've been bitten by the bug! It's so easy... I promise I will get back to writing soon- I'm just feeling a little bit uninspired at the mo'.

Just a short one- a load of new(ish) tracks, with some oldies interspersed...

New music podcast... (Link 2)

1. Captain- Spoils
2. Synthar- Hurricanes
3. Courteeners- Not Nineteen Forever
4. Crystal Castles- Courtship Dating
5. Audiobytes For Autobytes- 143 chp
6. Battles- Tendency
7. Foals- Balloons (Live At Nottingham)
8. Le Tigre- Deceptacon

The Cold Cut Podcast: April

2008-04-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

Update: What a learning curve! I think I could make a much better podcast second time around, given I now understand how to use Audacity. I might go back and put in new vocal cues... expect more podcasts soon! And watch out for the podcasts on iTunes.

So, with the one year anniversary, I decided it was time to start branching out. Therefore, today I take my first steps into the world of podcasting. I wasn't initially convinced- radio, which you can download- ooh! However, it seems to have gone the distance, and I feel that its time The Cold Cut crosses over into another world.

As I mention in the podcast- I'm new to this, so things are likely to improve very quickly. One thing is clear: your voice never sounds the same when recorded... I sound a little suicidal at the beginning (school, work etc), so I had to get a little more excited about the music.

Download the April edition of The Cold Cut podcast... (Link 2)

Tracklist:
1. Eve/Radiohead- Tambourine Reckoning
2. Artful Dodger- Something
3. Sway- Download
4. Wale ft. Daniel Merriweather- Let's Ride (produced by Mark Ronson)
5. The LK- Private Life Of A Cat
6. Kate Bush- The Big Sky
7. Peter Moren- Social Competence
8. The Joy Formidable- Butterflies Last Spell (TEED Remix)
9. Metric- Combat Baby
10. Matthew Dear- Neighbourhoods

Happy Birthday

2008-04-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

Just a few random tracks I'm enjoying at the moment...

Radiohead- Street Spirit (Link 2)
Vampire Weekend- Oxford Comma (Link 2)
The Courteeners- Aftershow (Link 2)
Madonna/Britney Spears- 4 Minutes To Break The Ice (Link 2)

On 1st April 2008, The Cold Cut turned 1. A momentous occasion, don't you think? So momentous that I forgot to post about it on the day...

Anyway, the site's been going for just over a year, and although it was a bit of a bumpy start, things are settling down nicely. At first it was 'The Cold Cut', devoted to anything and everything. Then it was films, music and TV. And finally, music. It now has a clear cut identity... although I still cover anything that takes my fancy.
I used to obsess over stats, but recently it has become more of a treat to see the hits increasing. At the moment, I'm getting around 1000 a day.
That might not sound like a lot, but on one particularly boring day I had a look at how many hits some of the most popular music blogs were getting daily. The results were interesting: Good Weather For Airstrikes gets around 1300 a day. Neiles Life has around 500 a day. The obvious leaders, though, are Pretty Much Amazing! (with an average 3500 visiters a day!), and Brooklyn Vegan (unpublished figures, which are huge). So basically, I'm still low down on the food chain, but I'm not doing too badly. I can't really compete with those websites as they are run by hordes of people (hint hint- If you would like to write here then email me...).

I just thought I should commemorate this moment. I hope there are many more anniversaries to come.

PS- I'm looking to branch out and get my name into the air. Any ideas of publications/magazines/websites that you think would let me write for them? Cheers...

The Long Blondes: 'Couples' Review

2008-04-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Rating: 7/10- A steady album, sadly let down by three songs.

The Long Blondes- Century (Link 2) (Link 3)
The Long Blondes- Guilt (Link 2) (Link 3)

On my first listen of The Long Blondes 'Couples' I actually mouthed some unmentionable things. I absolutely adored 'Someone To Drive You Home', and simply put, this doesn't hit the mark, at least not on its first spin. In the two years between their debut and 'Couples', their music has certainly lost a little of 'STDYH's magic, replaced by a passion for experimentation, and the sweet taste of progression. This isn't a failure by any means, but it also isn't the follow up we were expecting.

In short, they've attempted to go punk (truly, this time around). Simply put, their music is no longer punk (more a blend of electro-indie), nor is their image (updated from berets and striped tights to civvies), but their delivery most certainly is: even now, they're still learning to play their instruments, but there are clear signs of advancement, musically... when the band formed, Screech, the drummer, didn't even own a set or know the difference between a high hat and a snare. And don't even get me onto Emma Chaplin- their live shows are shambolic because Dorian is playing both lead and rhythm!

I really wanted this album to be superior to their debut. The outlook was promising: 'Century' is a song that just sits in the back of your head, invading your space with its wonky guitars and harmonies. If I had to take a single positive from this album, it would be the obvious improvement of Kate Jackson's vocals- her progress is easy to see on the single. Next came 'Guilt', probably the stand-out, which also happens to be a demo from their early days. It's an obvious choice for their next single. Another high point comes quickly in the form of the title track. But then disaster strikes. Three songs, all of which are... well, shit... They lose all the momentum gained over the first three tracks, and its as if 'Couples' never got going.

Exhibit A- 'I Liked The Boys'- jarring is an apt description. Exhibit B- 'Here Comes The Serious Bit'- Kate has a great voice. Occasionally it goes wrong... imagine that flat note at the end of 'Heaven Help The New Girl', extended over an entire song. And finally, Exhibit C- 'Round The Hairpin'- This has so much potential, but is painfully underdeveloped. And so ends the trifecta.

The band do some serious groundwork over the next few tracks, making up for lost momentum. 'Too Clever By Half' sees Jackson adopt a pitch perfect falsetto, then 'Nostalgia', which I found strangely emotional. The finale, 'I'm Going To Hell', is a dramatic affair, with Jackson proclaiming 'I'm going to hell so I might as well make it worth my while.' All things accounted for, the album ends on a high, but I couldn't forget those three songs. I've returned time and time again (I've had this album for 3 weeks now), but they still don't sit well with me.

'Couples' is a very difficult album; one of the hardest I've come across, and this isn't going to work in their favour. I didn't truly appreciate half the songs until at least 6 or 7 listens, which is a real downer; however, they do take on depth with time. After repeated listenings, it transforms into a solid album, but it is this initially steep gradient which may be 'Couples' undoing, commercially at least.

'Someone To Drive You Home' really delivered, and still holds a place as one of my favourite debuts of all time. It had that lyrical punch and could soundtrack any situation: you could focus on it, or just let the songs slip past. 'Couples', whilst occasionally superior, is an album that requires your utmost attention at all times, and is let down by the presence of three rubbish songs. I really wanted to love it, and the signs led me to believe I would: Erol Alkan's pre-album mixes were great ('Fulwood Babylon' is amazing), but his impact on this album has been detrimental. I'm not quite sure why, either, given he also produced Mystery Jets '21', which is excellent, and an expansion of their sound. On 'Couples', though, his usually stellar work is lacking, and the album occasionally suffers.

Still, taking into account the highs and the lows, this isn't a trainwreck of a second album. The Long Blondes have shown their hand: progression and experimentation are serious factors in their future. All in all, 'Couples' is a nice album to keep us tied over until they do something truly groundbreaking, and live up the hype.

'Couples' can be purchased here

Kanye does it again...

2008-04-05T22:40:00.000-07:00

Kanye West's post-'Graduation' campaign is going well. Three great singles, some nice live performances, four Grammys, and now two good videos to his name (unfortunately, 'Stronger' wasn't up to scratch). That's right, the third single has been announced- 'Homecoming', featuring Chris Martin.

The video has some nice touches (that outline idea is pretty well executed), and the video fits the jaunty piano and weird dancing, from featuring artist Chris Martin. I guess that's one thing you can expect from a man who named his daughter 'apple'.

Some treats for you- as well as 'Homecoming', an inventive Diplo remix of what was the last single- 'Flashing Lights'.

Kanye West- Homecoming (Link 2) (Link 3)
Kanye West- Flashing Lights (Diplo Remix) (Link 2) (Link 3)