The Cold Cut

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)

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

Just a quick post this evening, as I'm going through a character crisis (family arguments- you know, the usual).

My latest obsession are the Reading four piece Does It Offend You, Yeah?. An electro band oft (inexplicably) compared to Daft Punk and Justice, the band have already made their mark by releasing three infectious singles, currently receiving endless plays all over the UK. Their debut album 'You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into' comes out on 24th March, and will no doubt feature a varied selection of their unforgettable blend of rock and electro. If you haven't heard the blogged-to-death 'Let's Make Out' by now, sample it below. Alongside another single, 'We Are Rockstars', featuring the strangest (read: brilliant) electronic lick I've ever heard.

Does It Offend You, Yeah?- Let's Make Out
Does It Offend You, Yeah?- We Are Rockstars

Captain- Spoils

I had pretty much removed Captain from my collective memory until I saw NME reviewing a new album track, 'Animals', on their website. I'm not here to talk about that track, because I have something else, a demo version of 'Spoils', a song which clearly signals a change in direction for the band.

This really doesn't sound like the Captain I know. Instead, it sounds rawer, more visceral, and much, much better. Drums and bass are right up front in the mix, and the heavy rhythm is obviously the focus of this track, devoid of all their tell-tale keyboards and usual synths. The song itself isn't as good as the likes of 'Broke', but as a demo, it bodes well, and suggests that the band might have adopted a new sound altogether for their second album.

'This Is Hazelville', their first album, was a bit of a disappointment to me, but my expectations were a little bit high. Songs such as 'Broke', 'Glorious' and 'Frontline' set the bar exceedingly high, and the rest of the album didn't quite emulate the joyous brilliance of these singles.

Despite this, they have a huge, devoted fan base, and thus the band haven't been deterred by this slight mistep, beginning recording their second album in November. If 'Spoils' is any indication, album number 2 could upset the die-hard fans of 'This Is Hazelville', and possibly be a case of second time lucky...

'This Is Hazelville' can be purchased here...

Christmas is great fun. Not only do you eat, drink and generally live the life of a slob, you get to spend it with family and friends. I had a great Christmas. There was much gluttony: roast dinners, turkey pies, turkey this, turkey that. Some great presents (a non red-ring of death Xbox 360- touch wood), books, and chocolate. And whilst I love my presents, sharing is the spirit.

I was very happy, then, when my Dad tentatively unwrapped a CD shaped parcel, which thankfully contained both 'Boxer' and 'Alligator', the last two albums by The National. He, and I, have both been very interested in this band since the days when they began to dominate the hype machine popular lists for days at a time. After a long wait, we would deservedly get a listen to what many people say are two of the best albums in a long, long time.

Firstly, 'Alligator', which has a reputation as a 'grower', a word oftern misconstrued as meaning 'difficult'. With both albums, what you put in dictates how much you get out of it. The band have already done the hard work in producing two deep, excellent albums. The question is, how much are willing to give to the albums?

The National- Looking For Astronauts

I gave 'Alligator' my full attention. And its great. People were justified in thinking that 'Boxer' might not match it. Unfortunately, they were all wrong:

Next 'Boxer'. Wow- if you have yet to hear it, the stories are true. It is that good. Even on opener, 'Fake Empire', you can sense the magic. Matt Berninger has a brilliant baritone, and its a fitting opening. Track two, 'Mistaken For Strangers', is amongst the best songs they've yet recorded, brooding and melancholy. Throughout the whole album there is always an overwhelming sense of intensity, maintained from start to finish. Bryan Devendorf, their drummer, is the hero, and for me at least, he makes this album. There is always a militaristic, measured style to his strokes, and his addition alone makes these songs into much more than they could have been.

They are a few other stand-outs: 'Ada', with Sufjan Stevens lending a hand on piano, also features a contribution from touring member Padma Newsome on horn. 'Slow Show' is scathing, but don't read too much into the lyrics (as many people do with 'The National).

The National- Mistaken For Strangers
The National- Slow Show

It's frustrating that I didn't have the opportunity to listen to 'Boxer' in time for my end of year list, as it would most certainly have placed in the top 10 (replacing what?- have a guess).

Ahh, but which is better? An important, but necessary, question to pose. I can answer almost without thinking; 'Boxer' is superior, in that the sounds produced are those of a band at the top of their game. The National are here to stay.

One of my recent acquisitions was the latest album by Foo Fighters, named Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Honestly, I was expecting it to be a bit samey/turgid like many of their previous offerings (aka a few standout tracks but on the whole disappointing). In short, I was badly mistaken- this album is by far their best to date, and has you wondering where the real Dave Grohl has been since the days of Nirvana.

A couple of weeks back I gave in to the constant nudging of my friend Joe and listened to the first single off this album, The Pretender. If you haven't heard it, listen up (and download it below)- its a heart-attack inducing whirlwind of a song, all heavy guitar riffs and soft interludes- sounds weird, but trust me, it works. Having a brilliant video can't have done any harm either: heavily played on MTV, the song features the band facing off against a parade of riot police with some extra-special CGI magic to cap it off (watch it on youtube; you wont be disappointed). But back to the album- The Pretender opens in theatrical fashion, and for the next few songs it doesn't let up. Next comes Let It Die, another song which walks the line between a heartfelt ballad and heavy metal classic to great success. Followed up by the well crafted duo that is Erase/Replace and Long Road To Ruin, these first 4 songs set the initial tone for the album, one which is smashed a few songs later by the acoustic Stranger Things Have Happened, harking back to the band's overlong In Your Honour days. From this point on, various styles find their way onto the album, most obviously on the guitar duel (minus vocals) that is The Ballad Of The Beaconfield Miners, about the collapse of a mine in Australia last year.

The only negative thing I have to so say about this album is the fact that the second half of the album is a little rock-less, but when you put this into the context of the first few songs (all intense) you feel you can forgive them for it. On the whole, this is by far their best album to date, combining classic rock characteristics with more sentimental elements into a series of different songs which together produce an album of perfect length; not something you often get with the Foo Fighters- up until now its definitely been the 'bigger is better' mentality, which is unfortunately not the case with music. I was a bit worried after the excessively lengthy and poor In Your Honour, but Echoes, Patience, Silence & Grace has restored my faith in the Foo Fighters as one of America's great no-nonsense rock bands.

Foo Fighters- The Pretender
Foo Fighters- Let It Die
Foo Fighters- Long Road To Ruin
Foo Fighters- Stranger Things Have Happened

Finally! The Stills have returned! My wait is over!

These were the thoughts running through my mind when I clicked on two of the latest songs by The Stills, Oh Shoplifter and Helicopter, releases which I have been anticipating for 4 years. When their debut album, Logic Will Break Your Heart, was released in 2003, I became an avid follower of this band, along with many others (the album was in many people's top 20 that year): I loved lead singer Dave Hamlin's sleepy vocals, and the characteristically American guitar licks which accompanied him. I loved their album from start to finish: the lifting Lola Stars And Stripes to Still In Love Song, it was a fantastic album. The only problem was after listening to the album 20 times I was craving something new, or different, but The Stills just seemed to disappear. I waited anxiously to hear something... anything that would give me a sense of what the band's plans were. But nothing came.... I didn't hear anything about them until about a month ago, when I was reading a blog which was detailing the most exciting upcoming releases. And there it was... The Stills- Without Feathers. The album came out on the 9th May, but I haven't got around to buying it yet. I have, though, got two tracks off the album, both of which are excellent, if a little different from the bands original stuff. Click the links below to get the two tracks:

The Stills- Oh Shoplifter
The Stills- Helicopter

"Feels like my teeth are falling out,
From all the gibberish that's been pouring out my mouth,
What was i thinking? What was i doing with that milf?
My chin is exhausted, man it was time for filth."

And so begins the epic single track that is Wide Awake by The Twang, a special band, not only because they can insert the phrase 'milf' into a song without it sounding ridiculous, but also because they just might be the sound of this year. The Twang are a 5-piece indie band straight out of Birmingham, although I don't really think its fair to confine them into one genre of music. I know I use the phrases 'different' and 'unique' a lot, but I can apply them to this band without thinking twice; from the twisting guitars that open Wide Awake, the breakdown half way through the song or Phil Etheridge's heavy Birmingham accent, I couldn't really compare it to much else, or place it in one area of music. The success of this band also depends on the fact that they're not afraid to test the boundaries and try something new: Wide Awake runs in at 4 minutes and 47 seconds, a song which many bands would consider too long to put forward commercially as their first or second single. Their originality has really payed off, though; Wide Awake reached #15 on the UK singles charts, which is very respectable considering they were relatively unknown at this point.

Since The Twang went mainstream after NME ran an article on them, they have gone on to be classed by many- myself included- as the sound of 2007. Despite this, there are still a lot of people out there who go: "The Twang? Oh, the ones that did that song". These are also the individuals who think they are a one-track wonder even before they've heard what this band have to offer: go out and buy their debut album, Love It When I Feel Like This, when it comes out on the 4th of June, and then come and talk to me about one-trick ponies. And if you can't wait that long, download the tracks included with this post, all of which are off the new album.

This hype surrounding the band has been racked up a few levels higher for me; I had the opportunity to go and see The Twang and a few other bands at London Calling, an annual gig in Amsterdam to showcase upcoming bands. I was meant to go with my Dad, but I turned it down, citing tiredness as my excuse. I now wish I had gone, even if all the other bands there had been crap: I doubt I will get another chance to see this band in such a small venue: after this summer, they will be right in the limelight, playing festivals and stadium gigs. It might sound unrealistic, but I anticipate a debut in the vein of The Arctic Monkeys, completely fresh and with an original take on British life, and one which will go on to sell really well commercially. I just hope that they can mimic The Arctic Monkeys in escaping from the classic 'second album is rubbish' mantra.

Click the links below to hear some of the unreleased tracks off this bands new album:

The Twang- Wide Awake

The Twang- Either Way

The Twang- Cloudy Room

Click here if you want to pre-order their new album, Love It When I Feel Like This...

Interpol, the leading band in their mood-rock niche, are on track to release their new album, Our Love To Admire, in early July. Now I know for a fact there is a lot of anticipation over this album, given the wait we have had (almost 3 years since their last album, Antics), and I for one am really looking forward to July 10th, the official release date. Interpol have released two previous albums, Turn On The Bright Lights, their trend-setting debut, and Antics, their follow-up which went on to sell in the region of a million copies. When I say trend-setting, I mean the first in their field: think of how many moody-rock bands you can name nowadays: The Editors, anyone? Back when their debut was released, they were the first...

Interpol's sound is very unique, characterised by their choppy, edgy guitars, thumping bass, and lead singer Paul Banks' haunting voice. On their third album proper they have decided to include the valuable addition of keyboards; this is fairly obvious on their new single, The Heinrich Maneuver, which at first left me unmoved and disinterested. I have, however, persevered with it, and it is continuing to grow on me. I was reluctant to name it my track of the day when it was released 2 weeks ago, but today, it is. Click the link below to get this track, and please, please don't dismiss it as I did...

Interpol- The Heinrich Maneuver.mp3

My favourite song today is the new single by The Editors, 'Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors' from their latest album, An End Has A Start which will be released on the 25th June. For those of you who don't know them, The Editors are a band with a similar sound to Interpol, and their music lies in the same mood-rock niche... Their first album, The Back Room, was a success, but I found that some of the songwriting was a bit lacking, especially in the lyrics. This new song bodes well for the new album, however, and I just hope they have a set of tracks that are as good as this one to make a more rounded album the second time round.

The Editors- Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors

If you like the track, get their first album, The Back Room, here...