i don't even know what i'm doing here

Imagine you have a piece of paper and five different coloured pens and your task is to create twenty beautiful/cool pictures [four in each colour], but you're only allowed the one sheet of paper. Could you do it? Maybe you'll create one or two masterpieces but the rest will become cluttered and hidden underneath one another. Well, Smile For The Cameraman, Honey manages the task wonderfully. Through cutting up the best [and worst?] of popular music he manages to create an entirely different beast, which, pretty much, rocks. And although sometimes it can all become very cluttered and overwhelming, there is enough skill in the beat selections and the remixing to allow it all to flow brilliantly, and enough quirkiness for it to appeal to a wider audience than just the indie/rock kids, [although they're probably the ones who will see the true brilliance of such a project - since, y'know, they probably already love 2manydj's or whatever].

A bit of irrelevant info that proves relevant: I was outside before doing this post, clearing my head and polluting my lungs. It started raining. Like really raining. Then it stopped... for a second. Before starting again - heavier this time. I like to think of SFTCMH like that. Frentic bursts of energy that stop, for just a second, to allow you a breather before rocking out even harder.

A little bit more: In Derry, Sandinos does an Indie Disco night every other Friday which is two DJ's playing the best rock/indie/pop music and making everyone dance. SFTCMH is like that 3 hour Indie Disco cut up mixed up stuck together and then made into a [just over] two minute song. In other words, absolutely brilliant. This is your Friday night music, from now on.



Smile For The Cameraman, Honey

Snips! 12
Snips! 5
All yr secrets (Snips! Remix)

Notes:
#1: I also included the remix he did for The Flying Matchstick Men.
#2: These are Myspace download links so may take a second.
#3: This is the second version of this post. Blogger ripped the first one apart.

The days I recall being wonderful weren't so long ago...

Today [16/05/06]'s band have a calendar month in their band name. Thus, maybe time is important to them. It's important to me, because I think it's running out - what with exams coming up soon, so soon; less than ten days away. Where did all the time go? I think I felt it slip through my hand, like grains of sand, as I accumlated knowledge in everything and nothing, all at once. I've learnt alot, forgot alot. Oh yes I remember now...

I spent the time on the beach, on the sand, walking up and down, never expending too much energy. Or I spent the time on the gravel, the cement, playing football, having the sun break down on me. Or I spent the time reading, listening to music, and then somehow getting all those maths homeworks done. The sun was out all the time. Relentlessly shining. But it's raining now. All. Will. Break.

Last Days of April, remind me a lot of Jimmy Eat World, and a little of Ash. Their music is, apparently, 'emo' - but only in so much as Jimmy Eat World are 'emo', which is to say that they are of the new generation of poppier melodic emo, which isn't even a genre since no one can agree on what's emo. It's like the 'indie' label that gets bandied about. Just call it something, and something will suffice. There's no point in being a purist anymore, since no one else will understand what the hell you're going on about. 'Emo' was a stupid name for a genre anyway. Music is meant to be emotional nearly all of the time anyway, so to... well, whatever.



The sky, just a few moments ago looked like a portrait of a bombed village. It was all glowing ambers, and radiant reds. Full of ash clouds and looking like a canvas designed to demonstrate the dangers of global warming. There was a pale blue sky underneath all the damage, and well... it was lovely. There was also an aroma of a barbeque, that was left on slightly too long so that it smelt like an industrial fire. The point of all this? Last Days of April sound like that sky looks. There is a certain detachment, an artificiality, but there are also a lot of inner-feelings expressed, so there's a delicacy, a tenderness, and above all a beauty to the songs. The music makes me feel full of love; happy, but fragile. Vulnerable.

It is actually quite moving when he bitterly sings "that's nice" on Aspirins and Alcohol, but of course, that line can just pass you by since this music of the passing-by nature.

Fact: Aspirins mixed with alcohol can leave you very chemically impaired. Half a beer and you can barely stand, I've heard. I have yet to try this out.



Last Days of April

Aspirins and Alcohol
The Days I Recall Being Wonderful
All Will Break
Fast, So Fast
It's On Everything
Live the End

The sometimes forgotten details that fill scrapbooks and notepads in scribbled handwriting:

Last Days of April hail from Stockholm. Pelle Gunnerfeldt produced all their albums [with assistance on the most recent album, "If you lose it"]. He has also produced all of The Hives' albums. Just in case, you know, you were wondering. Karl Larsson is the main creative drive behind the band and he also has a solo album, which is probably out by now.



Karl Larsson

Off the Cliff
Devil's Strings