Voxtrot

What to say what to say what to say whattosay...

It's a tough life and it takes everything you got just to keep yourself happy. Sometimes you just have to do what you feel like doing. And vice versa. Don't feel like doing something? Don't do it. And poverty... well, despite what people say about money and how it doesn't... BLAH... well, poverty might make you unhappy. So try and stay upbeat, work hard, make money, do everything you've gotta do, save your soul save your soul save your soul, keep your heart strong. Dip in and dip out of various pursuits, find the right activity for you. Sometimes it takes a good night of getting pissed. Fair enough. Sometimes it takes a night in listening to silly music and watching silly tv and giggling. Life. Is. All. That. You. Make. It.



So tonight's post is a bit ad-libbed [read: completely]. Guess who I'm listening to? Voxtrot. Yes, that band that everyone who has a blog has already talked about. And it's not like I'm late in coming forward. I heard them at the same time everyone else did, I just waited for the right time to post about them. And I feel it's probably now. Now that everyone is probably forgetting about them for the next scene band of the moment. Now that I'm enjoying the lovely, beautiful, Smiths inspired pop/indie-rock. Everyone loves Morrissey. LIES. But he has been very influential, and his influence is definitely upon the lyrics of these guys.

Two years of touching only teaches you to fight

What with the clever word-play, [or a simple sentiment thinly veiled as word-play... is it, isn't it? Don't think. Don't think. Thinking is conducive to depression. Not always? Not always, but sometimes]. Definitely seems like a Morrissey influenced lyric to me...

Well, here you have it, Voxtrot. Hey, look at that. There's a plane flying out my window. No, I'm not joking. Sometimes it's nice living in close proximity to an airport. There's always the illusion of possibility of getting away at any...

given

moment.



Voxtrot

The Start of Something
Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives

I find The Start of Something to be a delightfully delicate love song. I find Mothers, Sisters, and co, also very very charming. Think what you will of this post, and its non-sensical ramblings - slash - lack of punctuaction and proper grammar, but you can't deny that Voxtrot do make quite brilliant music sometimes. I'm not bringing anything new to the table, just sharing old [old? not really old... say... half-new] favourites with you.

On another note: soberness ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Begin to hope...

I managed to get straight through from Tuesday 'til today without making a post. Some might say I'm slacking off; others might say I'm dying. I've been a tad sick and for the past while have either been in my bed at the caravan, or in my bed at the house. Right now I'm in my bed at the house, so I can ly back and afford to make another post without too much effort. All before breakfast, which I have to make for myself, since I'm all alone right now.

Everyone knows I love Regina Spektor. It's common knowledge. I mean, who doesn't love Regina Spektor? Her voice is pretty much adorable and her eclectism/eccentricism is part of what makes her so fascinating/enjoyable to listen to. Well, she has a new album coming out sometime soon (June 13th), called Begin to Hope, and three tracks from the album have been released on all digital service providers. Those three tracks are:

* Fidelity
* Better
* Summer in the City

...and I've heard the first two, which was definitely worth buying. Haven't heard the third however. If you still need more convincing about Regina's brilliance, [she's been featured on this blog twice already], then I'll include a link to a stream of Fidelity. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm away to pass out. Then get breakfast.



Regina Spektor

Fidelity (128 kbps)

Cacoy

For those of you who don't know, Rumraket is a label run by the extremely brilliant, experimental band, Efterklang. Well, Cacoy are one of the select few that are on this fantastic label.

"Cacoy are Saya and Ueno from Tenniscoats and DJ Klock. Their album "Human is Music" is a sparkling beauty of strange pop. It takes you from processed sounds and cut-up guitar pieces, to almost trippy underwater hip-hop played with found sounds in a very personal, melodic and organic way.

The album was originally released in Japan in 2003 (on Clockwise Records), and it is now available in Europe via Rumraket." - courtesy of Rumraket.

So Cacoy have a new video online, to promote themselves, and now you can see it.



Cacoy

Mo ma W Maw - the new video
Yoko Majikick Ono - MP3

Hailing from Copenhagen, UFX are the talented guys behind the video.

If you'd like to support this artist, and buy their music, then click here.

Discovery. Joy. [Invention]

No, this post isn't about Biffy Clyro. If you scroll down this little blog even slightly, you'll see a rather mammoth post on The Poets of Rhythm. Well, if you read it, you can tell I was very excited about their live show. Now you can see why I loved their music.



The Poets of Rhythm

More Mess On My Things
Funky Runthrough Part 1 & 2
*Note: only MP3 clips. Not full songs.

Brilliant saxophone use? Brilliant funk? Brilliant soul? I think so. Brilliant.

"Arguably the pioneers of the new heavy funk movement, Munich's own, Poets of Rhythm, recorded this debut album in 1993, years before Desco, Daptone, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, or any of the rest of us ever got covered in the filth of raw funk. However, Practice What You Preach can be measured beyond the modern scene and stands tall as one of the great full length Funk-Soul albums of all time." - Daptone Records

Note the DJ Shadow mention, all scenesters. Buy their debut album, here.

Mates of State

So it's been a few days since the last post, thus I thought it was time to make a new one, no matter how awful I feel. My throat is killing me. I have back-pain. It's been an eventful few days. I chose sleep over drinking last night, too. I'm rather proud of myself. Well, I'll be headin' into town later as in now soon, so this post is short. Mates of State are a husband and wife duo who apparently write for between 4-6 hours everyday. Impressive. Their music music seems like throwaway pop to me, and it's good for the sunny days. I looked out the window there now - and the sky's blue. Class.



Mates of State

Hoarding it for home
Proofs
Ha Ha
Goods
Fraud In The 80's

I love the break-down in Goods. The intro to Proofs is a bit happy.
Read an interview with them here. More effort will be made when I can stand up without pain, and breathe without choking.

Straight From Our Hearts To Yours...

So tonight was a weird night. The title of this post is something close to a song title by The Poets of Rhythm. I bought their CD at the end of the night, and I was scared to put it on there now. See, the whole live thing made it sooo much better. I was worried it wouldn't work at all on CD. That, and the fact that the CD in question [Practice What You Preach] is 13 years old, culminated in worry. I guess there was no need to fear. I'm on track one... exactly three minutes and twenty-three seconds in, and it's funky. So how would I class The Poets of Rhythm? Well, visually I would say their live performance is a mixture of Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire. In fact, for the first hour or so I was wondering why the xylophonist wasn't in Arcade Fire. He was going mental. Actually. I spent the next hour wondering why he wasn't the drummer. The passion and rhythm with which he was hitting the xylophone was to be admired.

So, yea. I went out feeling lonely, bored, tired, fed up. I'm at home now - kinda buzzing, alone but feeling like I own the world or at least belong in it, and happy. The redemptive power of music? I think so. My friends buggered off to the Metro. I've been there too many times this week so I didn't go. I thought I'd finish my drink and then head on away from Sandino's but... nah. Just wasn't happening. Last night I was dancing to Westlife. Tonight I was skankin' to The Poets of Rhythm. Pure sweet. Diversity is definitely a blessing.

The track that's on right now is one that they played. Sweeeeeeeet. Anyway, there was 8 people on stage... bongo/flute [or something?] player, xylophonist/singer, singer/drummer [it was a special, maybe Indian, drum which I know not the name of], drummer, bassist, flute/maracas player, saxophonist, and... I can't remember what the other guy played. Jeez this is goin' to annoy me now... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Uhm. I can't remember at all, sorry.

But their music... I heard a fan [and the xylophonist] call it breakbeat. So, I would say. It was funk, breakbeat, world music, jazz, soul, and alot of other things which I'm not in touch with. It was amazing. Actually.



"There's the whole funk scene going on everywhere in the world". So said, the xylophonist, who also mentioned that the band were playing here, then London, then Belgium, then Germany... et cetera. You get the picture. An amazing band if ever I saw one. But if I just listened to the CD I probably wouldn't get it. Alot of bands are like that. For example, Broken Social Scene, although amazing on CD, make much much more sense on stage. It's easy to understand what's going on. You see the heart, the passion, the soul, within everything they play. And suddenly it clicks. You feel it. In your heart.

On another note, I'm developing my politeness. It's working. Tonight: "shocking... finally a decent guy and not some fuckin' stupid arsehole"

The other night: "wow, you're polite, here you can have your food straight away since you're so nice".

And on another note, I'm working tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep now. I won't be hungover. I barely drank anything. And it's just a job. It keeps me living. I'm happy. The world is a nice place. It's twenty to four. AM. Night night.. x

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

So. In the last few days nothing but Tom Waits has been coming out of my speakers. I first heard him was a few years back in my Dad's car, on an old cassette that he had gotten a lend of from one of his friends, and I haven't looked back since. Waits has one of the most distinctive voices in the business. It was once descibed by a fan as 'like how you'd sound if you drank a quart of bourbon, smoked a pack of cigarettes and swallowed a pack of razor blades... Late at night. After not sleeping for three days.'' And I pretty much agree with this. His trademark gravelly singing voice/growl has, in my opinion, given him a unique edge and it's always nice to hear something out-of-the-ordinary once in a while, and he certainly delivers. He listened to Bob Dylan as a youth, and has certainly got the less than typical singing voice that Dylan has.

His songs are mainly blues and jazz with an experimental inclination. His lyrics usually touch on the wierd and rare side of things with a dark and depressing tone that make you think of all those characters you would find in an alleyway out the back of an old pub beside a dumpster. Interesting life story, but totally out of it.

His third album, "Small Change", which was released in 1976 is my favourite so far, and I think it is the quintessential Waits album. It has been described by others as "his transition from jazzy lounge singer to experimental, rhythm driven growler." It captures Waits at the peak of his changeover. I recommend that if you do not have this album, go purchase it as soon as you can as it would be money very well spent.

Here are some of the tracks off "Small Change" that I think you should really take the time to listen to.. and enjoy.

Tom Waits - Pasties & A G-String

Tom Waits - The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)

Tom Waits - Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen)

Tom Waits - Invitation To The Blues

My [Current] Top Covers

I wanted to post the best ten covers of all time. But then, I realised I'm a person... not a god - I couldn't possibly be so arrogant to believe that I knew everything about everything. It's alrite if I think I know everything, and for the purpose of this post I do know everything because I know all about what I like. And I like these covers. No particular order; at this caliber it's hard to choose without changing your mind constantly.

Benjamin Costello - Such Great Heights
Original - The Postal Service
I just listened to this, and liked it so much I had to put it on again. The whole piece of music fits in well with the more chillout acoustic feel. The only pity it is that this is awfully similar to Iron and Wine's cover of the same song. The reason why this made it rather than Iron and Wine's version is because i prefer how the vocals are laid down on this version; I think Costello has a more down-to-earth vocal feel. I also prefer the production on this version... it all just seems to work better.

Jack L - Hallelujah
Original - Leonard Cohen
I know what you're saying, "you mispelt Jeff Buckley". No, I really didn't. Although I do really love Jeff Buckley's version, I felt it was a bit cliché so I thought I'd throw in a surprise. I have to say hearing this version of the ballad is so invigorating. Jack L's voice is astonishing, and this song really shows it off to the fullest degree. The build up's ["The fourth, the fifth the minor fall, the major lift"] are powerful and when it breaks down and becomes softer it's really beautiful*. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a version of it but here's a sample from his website of a different cover, this time of Kylie Minogue's "Can't get you out of my head". Yes, right here.

*Sorry, I don't mean to sound like a sap, I just couldn't think of how else to describe it.

Sun Kil Moon - Ocean Breathes Salty

Original - Modest Mouse
Sun Kil Moon is Mark Kozelek who is also known for being part of Red House Painters. His latest release as Sun Kil Moon, is Tiny Cities, which is his take on a number of Modest Mouse songs. This one is Ocean Breathes Salty, which was one of the singles from Good news for people who love bad news*. I love Kozelek's voice over the picked guitar, and it's so big for so little instrumentation being involved. The whole thing has a real big, floaty feel like you could be walking on clouds or flying or something.

*Side - Really recommended album.

Radiohead - Nobody Does It Better
Original - Carly Simon
Carly Simon's Bond* tune gets a trashy guitar remake courtesy of Radiohead. Some quality work here, with Jonny Greenwood's guitar definitely standing as possibly the most significant part of this song. Yorkes vocals give it a raw edge, that contrasts the original's more polished vocals to say the least. I don't think I need to say much, as it pretty much speaks for itself.

*Side - Timothy Dalton was probably my favourite Bond, but Roger Moore comes a close second.

Cake - I Will Survive

Original - Gloria Gaynor

I don't know how this wasn't really big, because its really great. The original was good but this funky version contrasts it so much it surpasses it... if that's possible? This song get's you hooked right away when the vocals come in with "At first I was afraid..." the singer's (John McCrea) red-neckish vocals REALLY work over the tinny guitar I think. The first 20 seconds of the song are quite empty before he fills it out with his voice... but enough has been said. Nearly. It's a REALLY good cover.

Giant Drag Play Their Part In A Wicked Game

I woke up this morning. Nearly. Well, I did, and then I got dressed, and got into the car and I went to sleep. Then I woke up and I got to school and it's like one long day-dream. Nothing happening, not listening, just floating. Anyway, I'm now listening to Diane Cluck's "Nothing but God" [from my new mixtape, Leaving... On a Slowly Falling Paper Plane], and it's weird. The sound is travelling from one ear to the next. Now, I don't know if it's the extremely lo-fi production, or the fact that my headphones are over-used, and the speaker things in them are blown? Well anyway, the point is, it's annoying. Hi! Alarm clocks. Yes. There was an alarm clock that just rang there now! Very clever. Anyone else like Guillemots? I do. Yes sirree. "And I think of you on cold winter mornings; Darling, they remind me of when we were at school" *cue alarm clock sounds*.

So, I was out last night, and that's why I was groggy this morning. Saw a play - goodish. Went to the Metro eventually. It was shit. Depressing. Boring, old, tired, overplayed music. And by old I mean old. But whilst we're on the subject of old music, maybe we should mention Chris Isaak? I've always liked Wicked Game - a brilliantly sad, pop song, á mon avis [even if slightly boring to some], and well, I didn't know Giant Drag covered it. Mainly 'cause I don't pay attention to anything about Giant Drag. I already have enough stuff to check up on.... so I'm not goin' to get dragged *Note: [/pun] down, am I? Anyway, the song wasn't on the original US release of Giant Drag's album, Hearts & Unicorns, [it was on the UK release, however], but now the band's label are re-releasing the album, with the cover version. Hardy had this to say on the matter:

"Obviously, the cover wasn't on the original version of the album because we didn't fucking want it there. It was a song that I had been playing before, and it's only three chords. Little did we know."

She also writes this on her website:

"wicked game" is out now, dudes
the new version of “hearts and unicorns” featuring “wicked game” as a bonus track is out now all up in america, so now you don’t have to be jealous of british people who were the only ones that had it up until now. this means that the UK version of “hearts and unicorns” is no longer very special so we are in the studio recording more crap so THAT one can get re-released with a real bonus track. this is pretty ridiculous but shit happens, i suppose.

Giant Drag

Go here to find that cover of Wicked Game. It's a bit good.
Stream Giant Drag songs here.
Check out an interview with Annie Hardy, here.

2 Many DJ's do NOT spoil the mix

I'm going to see Soulwax's Dewaele brothers (2ManyDj's) on Easter Monday, and I can't wait so I thought I'd vent my excitement here. I know there is a lot of really good stuff going on in the area of remixers and the like, but although artists like The Phones, MSTRKRFT, Justice* and Erol Alkan are really tearing down the boundries of music, the 2manydj's album (This is Radio Soulwax Pt.2) is second to none. [Hopefully it will be contested when MSTRKRFT bring out "the looks" later this year.] There's also lots of other really good mixes floating about the internet. For information on all the different mixes check HERE.

The only officially released album is Radio Soulwax Part 2, which is an hour compilation, mashing up songs from the full music spectrum, 2manydjs mix tracks which really shouldnt go together and make them work, one memorable part is where they mix Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" with Royksopp's** "Eple" - having the Royksopp tune linger in the background until the climax of Parton's verses (As far as i can remember) where it breaks right into the main ding-a-ling part of "Eple". Pt.2 also has one of my favourite intro's to a 2manydjs mix, with their mash up of a live rendition of "Peter Gunn" with a "Where's your head at?" rock-appella coming out of nowhere.

If you have the album and haven't found the hidden track yet, it's worthwhile to check it. It's a remix of Kylie Minogue's, "Cant get you out of my head", which slices her 'la's and gives a start and stop feeling to bring it in, which works really well. The bonus track is before the album and means the CD has to be rewinded from the first track, doesn't seem to work in some CD players... which is why it took me a few months to find it... pfft.

*[Side note, im a bit ragin that I had the chance to see Justice but left early. They have an unbelievable remix of Soulwax's NY excuse that you all should check out. It's on Justice's myspace which unfortunately i can't remember right now, but im sure its linked off www.myspace.com/mstrkrft]

**[Two worthwhile Royksopp remixes of What else is there are Thin White Dukes mix and the Trentemöller remix. If i get a chance i'll post on these later.]

MP3's
Skee-lo Vs Foreigner Vs The Breeders

Big Names, Big Messes

And you will know us by the trail of dead. I may be used to the name by now, but i'm pretty sure the first time i heard it i thought it sounded like a metal band. The name apparently came from a Mayan chant and a similar Egyptian chant, however in an interview Conrad Keely pointed out that this, amongst some other "facts" about the band were lies. you can check that out HERE. But once i got over the fact that TOD are not a metal band and listened to their music i realised they write quite nice songs, nowadays they are possibly my favourite band. Likelyhood is you've probably heard them before, but, i think they still deserve a post.



At the minute if i could see any band in the world live, it would be these guys. I suppose THIS is as good a reason as any. I like bands that make a mess and throw things about, gives you that chance to stop at a gig and turn to your friend to say, "Did he just do that?". Another great thing about there live show is the instrument swapping, with the drummer swapping to be frontman at some points.

My optimum choice for checking out has to be "A perfect teenhood" from the album "Madonna" [Live at Reading, taken from TOD's media page] for its fast paced Hardcore/punk feel throughout the song only to drown in its own noise at the end, with Conrad's yelps of "Fuck You" being the only thing remaining afloat. But other noteworthy songs to check out are:

-Prince with a thousand Enemies
-Days of Being Wild
-Intelligence
-Richter Scale Madness


Mp3's
Mistakes and Regrets
The Best
Worlds Apart

Further MP3's and Videos on Trail of Deads Media Page

People In Planes

I have things - bands, artists, thoughts - which I would post about if I could properly be bothered, but I'm having a lazy day, during which I shall do absolutely nothing [hopefully]. You know how it is. So, I'm just going to find an old email I got, with a link to a song by People in Planes. They've already been featured [no hyperlink, due to laziness], so I guess there no need to say much of anything at all, really.



People in Planes

Light for the Deadvine

Oh yes! Must say that my reason for posting this, is that I saw they were #1 on Elbows' "What's Hot?" chart, so it felt appropriate. Just checked it out, and yes, this is the song that everyone's been posting.

Buy the album from iTunes. I hear that's the cool thing to do. Now, I swear when I was linked to that song it said "acoustic" in brackets after the title. Is it just me, or is this possibly the least acoustic sounding song [...previously labeled "acoustic], that you've heard all day? I think so. Then again; maybe it's just me.

Internet PR/e-marketing really is working, eh? I'm just a slave to the game...*

*Note: irony/sarcasm.

E . S . C . O

WARNING: this is not your usual post that you might, or would hope to see on this page... it's just going to be me rambling on about fuck all in general. Thanks.

Definition of "hate"
feel hostility or animosity toward.
To detest
To feel dislike or distaste for: hates washing dishes
[ if you dont believe me: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hate]

so this is the general feeling that i have towards my work today, i don't want to disclose thier company name, incase i offend one [or many] of their place of employment. 'cause we all know that's just plain not nice.
But there is a play i want to go to on Tuesday night, and now apparently i have to work, which is not part of my contracted hours so i don't want have to work. it's simple : tell work to fuck off.
but is anything ever that simple!?
answer: NO
i have a mate [a good one at that] who is contracted to work on tuesday nights, and he is also going to the same show, and i don't want him to miss it... cause to be honest, he'll probably enjoy it more than i will. My real reason for going is to get blocked. I think? or maybe not, cause i know that i'll actally enjoy the show.

On another note: I never thought that any band / artist could ever get the word "uga buga" into a song but the so called metal band [more edgey punk to me] Evangelists managed to do tonight, which was kinda fun.

So, things i hate...
i hate the way when you are writing in this blog spot when you notice that you have made a mistake and wish to go back and retpye you cant cause it types over the rest of the text. But in fairness i would'nt encounter this problem if i had a full keyboard, damn this small [less character] laptop keyboards.
I think i need the "insert" key ... dont you?

so i think that my bed is calling for me... but it's not actually calling me cause it's a bed, and they can't talk
...
yup

so i would post some music here for you all to listen to, but i couldn't be fucked.
Ok...
That's a lie; "couldnt be fucked" should be replaced with "dont have to the time to figure out how to." but its ok cause im gona name some songs that you should go and check out:
1. caP'n Jazz - Yes, im talking to you
2. American Football - Never Meant
3. Wolf Parade - Grounds For Divorce
4. The National - Secert Meeting


So this is how i feel about the things i hate at the moment ...
yes they are really not that important to me

this blog is for Mont, whom thought id never do one for him ... but look ^^ i have.
thats me
...
Over and Out

*Note: Edited to fix certain spelling errors. As there were too many, many grammatical errors were left uncorrected.

Google Romance

if this isn't an April Fool's then the world should actually just end, right now.

Edit: so it is. that's good.

pure freak out.

Benjamin Costello. Jamie T.

So this post, is about two things, from completely opposite ends of the spectrum, although I dunno. Maybe they're not. What is a spectrum, anyway? Well, obviously I know, but some things seem obviously different and yet are the same in a more subtle way. So maybe that's how it is here. Maybe. Not definitely. My head's fooked, so take take me too seriously today - [calling all detractors; calling all criticism...] Anyways, here's what I've culled from the internet about Jamie T. Some sources will be referenced. Some won't. I'm tired. Angry? Hey, it's ok, "I'm only... like... joking" - to quote Jamie T, himself.

The Guardian did a best new bands of this year... Jamie T is one of them, chosen by Tom Vek [ohh.. wow.. so scene.. et cetera, et freakin' cetera*] who he actually did a gig with at the very start.

Tom Vek says, "His song, If You Got the Money, wins the award for Most Stuck in My Head Song After One Listen. It's a perfect example of this young man's gift for song and modern-day storytelling."

Somewhere, Jamie T got described as a mixture of "songwriters like Mike Skinner and Ray Davies, and [...] one-guy-and-a-guitar la Willy Mason".

Apparently, "he cites influences as The Pogues, Rancid, Elvis Costello and The Specials, as well as the garage and drum'n'bass tunes he encountered at raves".

And he also hands out free copies of a mix-tape compiled by himself. It also includes one track of his on it. Or so the website would have me believe. So all's good..

In other news, Benjamin Costello now has a blog, which I think will be used to write about the writing and recording of his new album. So check it out, here.

So, there's new Benjamin Costello recordings, which I have yet to check out. Cool.



Benjamin Costello

Time After Time
Got To Begin Again
I Remember

I guess I'll listen very soon and then give my opinion. Ok. So I just heard the best lyric of today. Go listen to Ike & Tina [streaming media]... to hear this piece of raw honesty,

"Off my face and I need a hug"

*Note: I like Tom Vek. So sorry if I gave the impression I didn't. I don't like scenesters.
*Additional Note: to finish this post, we'll finish with some RAGE [against... the... yea] lyrics. They say jump, and you say HOW HIGH?! Ready? Set? Go: fuck you, I won't do what you tell me.

Neutral Milk Hotel

Proving that alt-folk is still cool, in 2005 Neutral Milk Hotel re-released their second album "In the airplane over the sea". Fronted by one Mr Jeff Mangum he is most definitely the first thing that stands out to anyone listening, not simply for his voice but for the words that come along with it. The music itself has a story-telling feel to it, although the stories seem to be dreamy and disillusioned - comprised of odd metaphors that occasionally add a dark element to the feel of it all.

The weird part is when you find yourself singing along to things like, "Two headed boy she is all you could need, she will feed you tomatoes and radio wires". Genius. I'm positive he's my all time favourite lyricist, even if a lot of the time I don't know what he's talking about.

Neutral Milk Hotel are known to be part of the Elephant 6 collective, which was set up by Mangum along with some of his friends, and spawned bands such as Of Montreal, Elf Power and Apples In Stereo. It was set up in the early 90's. It was Robert Schneider who set it up as a record label in late 1991 and the first release was the Tidal Wave EP - by his own band, Apples In Stereo - which came out in 1993.

MP3's
Two-Headed Boy
Holland 1945

HERE is an interview in 2002 with Mangum by Pitchfork.

*Note: by Kyle

Post-It! Record Labels...

So, here's a quick post so I can remember what record labels I like [i get forgetful sometimes], and after I've posted this you can check 'im out and see all the wonderful mp3's?

Sounds like a plan...

Arts & Crafts

Jagjaguwar / Secretly Canadian

Barsuk

Saddle Creek

Sub Pop

Drowned in Sound

Additional note: You should seriously, seriously, seriously, check out Jamie T.

Regina Spektor (BBC/MySpace)

Today, I was going to try and post on Mates of State, or Jens Lekman, or anyone really. Unfortunately, I can't because I'm too obsessed with Jamie T. I'm listening to those demo's and they're impressive, especially "Ike & Tina" and "Do you feel me?". Check 'im out at his site.

Also go here for Regina Spektor stuff. Think I shall be downloading it straight away.

Also go here for MySpace rips of her new songs. They're a tad good. So good that it breaks my har, har-har-har, har-har-har, ha-ha-heart.

So anyway, I have nothing to post, due to the fact that I've already posted enough on Jamie T. But Regina Spektor is at the other end of the spektrum [sic] from him, so enjoy her. She's popular you know. What with the anti-folk thing. And the supporting Kings of Leon and The Strokes thing. S'all good.

Jamie T

Naturally Conor Oberst [of Bright Eyes fame] is the name that one thinks of when asked for "music's current counter-culture zeitgeist poet." But now there may be a new talent on the rise. And that would be Jamie T. A mon avis, to be the spirit of our times, one has to live within it, accept it all, and yet still be able to objectively criticise it, stand back and form opinions, make judgements. And Jamie T does this... he accepts that he is part of society, and yet tries to correct it from within. Kinda like what Hitler was doing [only the other way about: destroying democracy from within, and all that]. Why always criticism of what we have? Well, because basically modern-day society is always discontented, always looking for something more, slagging off what they've got. As Christopher Hart said, in his fantastic novel, Rescue Me, "The trouble with my lot is: we want the fucking world."

Musically, some sort of cross-breed of all the modern-day acts [see: Arctic Monkeys, Libertines, The Streets], and harkin' back to old folky grass-roots [see: a more polemic street-wise Bob Dylan with a harsher voice, or some have said Billy Bragg]. The accent is straight outta Arctic Monkeys territory [unsurprisingly], the lyrics are similar in bitterness and acute contemporary societal observations to The Streets [often surpassing the lyrical brilliance of Mike Skinner], and musically sort of like an early-days Libertines, although I wouldn't really know about that, since I haven't really listened to them enough, [other people's opinions are to be cherished, hehe...] But despite all these reference points, he still creates a sound which is all his own and will perhaps provide an anti-dote to all the other - hype hype hype!!! - hyped bands of late [see: fill in the blank]. If you really want to know what his genre is, well, to be honest, it just ain't happening. He's floating between genre's to these ears, but his Myspace site describes him as rap, punk, reggae, but I'd also throw in a bit of indie and some have described him as grime [a terrible name for a genre if ever I've heard one], and I guess it's kinda accurate, since I see a slight similarity in his music to Kano.

Check him out... I think he's amazing. And he definitely should be big this year - currently on tour with The Kooks, another up and coming band. Interesting fact? If you check out his MySpace alot of the comments mention seeing him live, on this current tour, and not being able to get his songs out of their heads, even after seeing The Kooks perform. And he's only the support act! Rising like a shining star, in a vacuous night-sky, that people aren't sure whether to trust. I say trust.



Jamie T

If You've Got The Money
*Note: MP3 courtesy of Take Your Medicine.

Go here to listen to "Salvador", and check out his site to listen to more songs [old demos] which I haven't really listened to properly, and the three videos he has up. Especially, "So Lonely Was The Ballad", since the lyrics to that song are amazing, and it features an interesting pre-recorded voice talking about anxiety and panic attacks and relief. The sort of self-help tape that Radiohead would be proud to take the piss out of. [Think OK Computer, i.e. Fitter, Happier, More Productive. Got it? Yep] Anyways, the song is pure made for the disco, with words like this:

so remember when you choke / there's a reason being / we leavin' the town / 'cause we ain't been believing / blowing out smoke / from our lungs to the ceiling / making sure nightmares / turn when you're dreaming

Also, go to his MySpace and listen to Sheila. It is incredible. The best new lyrics I've heard in a while. Trademark London references, gang references, chav references, clever word-play... everything. A collection of short-stories about Londoners... Enjoy.

His songs have something within them to attract everyone to his music*. Brilliantly melodic, rhythmically perfect [some songs featuring just his voice, and his acoustic bass guitar, work even better than his fully instrumented songs], and lyrics to attract the intellectuals who want some socio-political commentary. And when he's not singing lyrics to make you listen in awe, he's singing skat-like, ad-libbing a mixture of vowels and consonants and carryin' on the melody in the most rhythmic way possible.

*Note: last paragraph edited in after reading the Drowned in Sound review of Betty and the Selfish Sons EP, which can be found here. So yes, there are similarities *smile*.

after a night out...

I swear I'm too awake... I want to sleep. Here's some random lyrics from some random songs, mainly about ambiguity, sadness, tiredness, confusion...

"I'm not quite how I should be
been finding tricks too hard
I'm thinking something must be broken
'cause it wasn't like this before...

...i'm so scared just kill me
time and time again
i can't live with compromise
so maybe we can talk as friends
if at first you don't succeed try again for me...

...its in the way that you look
it's in the books that we'll read
it comes and goes like a friend
it's with me right till the end
it's in the memories i lost
it's concentrating too much
it's breaking down our relations
and it's the beat of the clock
it's not being able to explain
or get your feelings across
it's in the pain that won't leave you
it's coming straight back for us
it's in the new lease on life
and the search that ends well
it's in finding that change
it's being happy again"

"true love waits"

"smile, that fake, fake smile"

Okay, that's it. Anyway... Time to bring in the J.O.Y. I think.

Jenny Owen Youngs

Fuck Was I

This song is lovely and if it wasn't for all the cursing you could listen to it with your parents. Caustic lyrics set to lazily played acoustic guitar, casually plucking notes every now and then. There are other orchestral instruments too, which feature quite heavily, actually. I don't really have anything else to add, other than the fact that she's 16, which makes the song all the more impressive.

P.S. Tonight was good. Good things: friends, drink, music. This Charming Man is an amazing party song... mm-hmm.

*Note: post originally written at 4am... edited later.