Tonight I'm In The Mood For...

...Folk.

Or at least, Folk Rock type stuff.

Maybe not the stuff I normally post here at 17 Seconds, but as a blogger rather than an editor who has to answer to people...why not?

I'm by no means an authority on this genre (arguably, I'm not an authority on any genre) but this seems to fit with what I want to listen to tonight).

Fairport Convention -'A Sailor's Life.' mp3

Fairport Convention -'I'll Keep It With Mine.' mp3

Of course, playing Fairport Convention led me to someone I love, even though I'm far from an authority on his very wide body of work: Richard Thompson. As well as his solo work, and being guitarist for Fairport Convention in the sixties, Thompson also made some damn fine records with his then wife, Linda.

Richard and Linda Thompson -'Shoot Out The Lights.' mp3

Richard and Linda Thompson -'I'll keep It With Mine (live).' mp3

And because it kinda fits with what I want to hear tonight, it may be obvious, but why not?

Bob Dylan -'Like A Rolling Stone.' mp3


Buy Fairport Convention at Amazon
Buy Richard and Linda Thompson at Amazon
Buy Bob Dylan at Amazon

Album Review: The Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys: 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'

So, I finished school, and went to the record shop to get the new Arctic Monkeys album (on Vinyl. Obviously). Even if I am thirty...

To be honest, I was not enamoured of Arctic Monkeys when they first came along. OK, it was cool how they had come of MySpace and were on Domino etc.. but 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' sounded to these ears like a Libertines rip-off. the first time I heard 'When The Sun Goes Down' I kept waiting for him to go into 'When I'm Cleaning Windows.'

However, I am prepared to admit I was wrong. One day the aforementioned Sun's lyrics filtered through, and I got what it was about. I did eventually buy the debut, and I have been looking forward to this sophomore album.

The web must be drowning in blogs and magazines and other people analysing it to shreds so I won't here. But I find it more immediate on first listen than the debut. I like the way opener 'Brianstorm' doesn't have a chorus but a slogan 'See You Later, Innovator!' The Monkeys are just as keen and sharp observers as, say, the Streets or The Specials of the world they are in. There are numerous potential singles on here - 'Flourescent adolescent' and 'Only Ones Who Know,' for example. But it also clocks in at under 45 minutes, which means that by the end of closer '505' the album hasn't overstayed it's welcome.

Don't believe the hype? I didn't, but I'm still eating my words.

8/10

From Favourite Worst Nightmare:

Arctic Monkeys -'Brianstorm.' mp3

That great 'inbetween debut and sophomore albums single (see also Blur, Oasis, Suede, oh sorry, showing my age again)

Arctic Monkeys -'Leave Before The Lights Come On.' mp3

And the song that changed my mind:

Arctic Monkeys -'When The Sun Goes Down.' mp3

Buy Favourite Worst Nightmare

Buy Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Buy Leave Before The Lights Come On

As ever, if you like the songs, follow the links and support the artists. These links will be up for one week only. Enjoy!

Links removed April 30.

Some covers for Sunday

Alright, so not particularly Sunday related, but a few more covers that I thought I would share with you:

I know I posted an Arcade Fire track yesterday, but I do like this cover of the Talking Heads song from 1983.

Arcade Fire 'Naive Melody (This Must Be The Place)(Talking Heads cover).' mp3

Having posted a Jose Gonzalez song yesterday, I was reminded by Elizabeth over at The Roaring Machine about this track. And...Why not?

Jose Gonzalez -'Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover).' mp3

Driving back from the Glasgow gig last night with the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds, and two friends, (see below) one of them, Gordon, said that as an old raver he couldn't get into The Klaxons. I'm really hoping this will change his mind.

The Klaxons -'Not Over Yet (Grace cover).' mp3

I like the Voxtrot bits I have heard so far, but I haven't heard a huge amount. I like this New Order cover...

Voxtrot -'Love Vigilantes (New Order cover).' mp3

I do love Bond films. Octopussy has not dated particularly well, but I do think the title song is underrated (and I would much rather Rita Coolidge singing this, than say Sheena Easton doing 'For Your Eyes Only' or Gladys Knight's Licence To Kill). Here Jarvis and co. work their usual magic.

Pulp -'All Time High (Rita Coolidge cover).' mp3

Considering how much of an influence they have been on me, I don't know why I haven't posted more Siousxie and the Banshees here. But whatever...here one Britain's first lady of alternative music and her merry men take on the Beatles.

Siouxsie and the Banshees -'Helter Skelter (Beatles cover).' mp3

Hope you're all having a nice weekend, wherever you may be.If you like these tracks, they will, as ever, only be up for one week only. Remember to support the artists, whether by going to Amazon or iTunes or wherever.

Be good xx

Links removed April 30.

Gig review: James/The Twang

Gig review: James/ The Twang, Glasgow Academy, April 21 2007

OK, I should probably start by being honest and admit that I managed to get slightly lost in Glasgow's one-way system driving over, so we only caught the last three songs of The Twang's set. Maybe it's being the other side of thirty now, but I have reached the stage where just because a band have made it onto the cover of the NME does not mean I assume any longer that they must be any good. However, the three songs I heard I liked. They seem to know how to work a crowd, who were into proceedings, and that's no mean feat for a crowd, many of whom could have been almost twice The Twnag's age. The soon to be Mrs. 17 seconds described them as being like a slowed down acid house, though they are definitely a rock band.

When James come on, and kick straight into Come Home, it isn't that it's like they've never been away, but we're reminded why we fell for them all those years ago. All the memories come back: the James' t-shirts with flowers on them (note to younger readers; there was a time when bands like James and their contemporaries were known as T-shirt bands because they seemed to sell more T-shirts than records). Tim Booth has shaved his head but before I managed to have my view shut out by folk way taller than I, he has lost none of his charisma.

The band have a new greatest hits coming out shortly, but the sheer magic of the back catalogue was not forgotten last night in Glasgow. 'Sit Down' may have seemed almost like an albatross around their necks at one point - just as Radiohead found with 'Creep' a couple of years but they have so many other amazing songs. They never reached the commercial heights of U2 - though I seem to recall them playing a headline gig at Alton Towers amusement Park in England, circa the Seven album in 1992 - but their anthems certainly matched them. Some songs get gentle reworking, like the gentle lullaby version of 'She's A Star' which is stripped of it's swagger but not it's aching beautiful sadness. Even the non-single tracks that get aired, like Gold Mother can bring the mostly over thirties shuffling around the baking hot Academy.

Comeback tours can feel like shameless exercises in nostalgia to pay half a dozen people's mortgages. This was not one of those nights. The passion remains, the joy returns and the warmth lingers. And Tim Booth can still do the falsetto on 'Laid.' Come and sing your heart out. I just hope you're not overcome by the venue's heat like I was...

...And on the sixth day

There were six covers.

Hope you enjoy these folks...

This is from a gig in London in January this year, where the Arcade Fire (above)cover the Clash classic from London Calling.

Arcade Fire -'Guns Of Brixton (Clash cover)'. mp3

Years ago, working in a record shop I was virtually sent to Coventry for a day for daring to ask 'What's wrong with Bruce Springsteen?' I stand by that comment, the man is a hero to many, and just as an articulate observer of American life as many rappers or Bob Dylan. And Damon Gough knows it too.

Badly Drawn Boy -'Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen cover).' mp3

At fifteen I thought Prince was a genius, but I started to get the feeling throughout the nineties that his work was not as good as it had been. Then I came to Scotland, and amongst the hundreds of albums I have bought in second hand records shops here since I arrived are much of his output from 1980-1988. I've also realsied that Country music can be cool too. Here the two collide beautifully.

The Be-good Tanyas -'When Doves Cry (Prince and the Revolution cover).' mp3

Having got into Sonic Youth at fourteen through Goo, I remember thinking that 'Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star' was a bit of a disappointment when I heard it, though the first single 'Bull In The Heather' was a gem. Here the Go! Team offer their take on it.

The Go! Team -'Bull In The Heather (Sonic Youth cover).' mp3

OK, so this track was a hit, and it did through an advertisement, but what the hell, it's beautiful, and a genuinely different version of the original by the Knife.

Jose Gonzalez -'Heartbeats (The Knife cover).' mp3

Speaking of songs that start out electronica like, and end up acoustic, what better way to finish this than with Iron and Wine's take on a Postal Service song.

Iron and Wine -'Such Great Heights (Postal Service cover).' mp3

Links removed April 28.

Hooray!

I have survived my first week back at work -and it's now the weekend.

A little braindead - but not so braindead as to want to be without music. Hope you like these.

Nico -'These Days.' mp3 Buy it here

Cat Power -'He War.' mp3 Buy it here

Jolie Holland -'Old Fashion Morphine.' mp3 Buy it here

Unless you haven't been here before now, you'll know the drill by now: the tracks will be up for a week. If you like them, please support the artists involved.

Links removed April 28.

Home and dry

...ah. the week is oh so nearly in sight, there's gigs to go to, and the first week back at work has actually been okay (so far. Touch wood).

Anyway, I decided that I would actually post four fairly upbeat and wonderful tracks.

Pet Shop Boys -'Home and Dry.' mp3

JC at The Vinyl Villain seemed a few weeks ago to feel that he had to justufy his love for the Pet Shop Boys. Absolutely not! Still wonderful, twenty years on.

The Rapture -'Get Myself Into It.' mp3

Is Pieces Of the People we love the fourth or third Rapture album, if we include The Mirror, Out of the Races...and Echoes? Oh well. Either way, this still makes me want to dance.

Amy Winehouse -'Rehab.' mp3

'Have you heard Amy Winehouse's new single?' asked my brother's flatmate six months ago. Personally I was aware of her, but thought her too 'coffee-table.' Then I heard this, and a few months later her album ended up being my second favourite album of the year (2006). You never can tell...

Ronettes -'Be my Baby.' mp3

The sheer wealth of emotions this song can make you feel is just unbelievable.

As always, if you like the tracks, buy them on Amazon, iTunes or your local record shop. These tracks will be posted for a week only. Enjoy!

an update

The links below SHOULD now work.

Enjoy...

My (latest) new favourite band

Love Of Diagrams hail from Melbourne, Australia (which is pretty cool) and are signed to Matador, which usually bodes pretty well. Maybe they have been getting plenty of coverage that I have missed, but having read about them at Insound and heard a couple of mp3s at the matador site, I decided it was time that anyone else out there who hadn't heard them might like to, too.

What do they sound like? For recent music, I hear the mathematical influence suggested by their name shared by Forward, Russia, the gorgeous madness of Love Is all, with a dashing of the Long Blondes. I know post-punk is applied to so much these days, but the hints of the Au Pairs and Kleenex/liliput that I hear here suggest the label is appropriate.

Love of Diagrams -'No Way Out.' mp3

Love Of Diagrams -'Pace Or the Patience.' mp3

I have literally just heard them this evening - but the album is available from iTunes, though as always, check your local independent shop or Amazon.

Support the band, and let me know what you think...

Monday Monday

Hi, just a brief, brief post.

I survived my first day back at school, and I'm okay...but very tired.

Here are two tracks I love, which I know I have posted in the past, but they sense of sadness is something I connect with, right now, I guess.

Sweet Dreams.

Low -'Monkey.' mp3

from the album The Great Destroyer

Schneider TM -'The Light 3000.' mp3

Can be found on Rough Trade Shops electronic 01 compilation

Sunday Night

Well, after several weeks of being off ill, and then the official school holidays i am back to school tomorrow. nervous? You betcha, but I'm trying not to think about it too much.

This isn't going to be a long post, but I hope you'll like what I have posted.

Aztec Camera -'Somewhere In My Heart.' mp3

OK so 'Oblivious' and the stuff from the first album are classics, but this is too. This was one of the first Aztec Camera tracks I ever heard, aged 11, and as such it holds a special place in my record collection, and my, er, heart. Available on Love and their Best of.

Idlewild -'No Emotion.' mp3

Am I the only person who has bought the new album? It's really very good. Get your acts together people. It's on the new album, Make Another World.

Mother and the addicts -'What Were The Reasons.' mp3

A new track from the forthcoming Mother and the Addicts album that they have put out on the net (buy older stuff here).

Mull Historical Society -'Watching Xanadu.' mp3

Aw. Colin and co. bring a smile to my face every time. Off their debut, Loss.

Sister Vanilla -'K to be Lost.' mp3

The brothers Reid (of the now reformed Jesus and Mary Chain) and little sister Linda unleash Little Pop Rock. World cheers.

Sonic Youth -'Dirty Boots.' mp3

I heard this just after Christmas 1990 at a friend's house. I had to have the album Goo. That same night I also heard Jane's Addiction's Ritual De Lo Habitual. These things can change your life at fourteen (actually I still think they can at thirty; then again, I'd rather browse the vinyl racks in a record store than go to IKEA, so what do I know?)

Hope you like them. As always, if you like the music you hear, support the artists. These mp3s will be up for a week only.

Have a good week

xx

If I Had a Club Night

a da da da da da-da-da-da-da-da- da!

Oh sorry, got a bit lost there. It's been a busy few days, what with being signed back on by the Doctor (so back to school for me in a couple of days), trying to tidy the flat (a Painting a very big bridge kind of job) and doing more wedding preparation with the soon to be Mrs. 17 seconds.

I guess we're a bit tired rather than too old to go clubbing, but I got to thinking about the days when I DJed (and who knows, I may do again *wishful thinking*) so i was thinking about tracks I might like to play. And - this is for you Rick, if you're reading - some of these tracks you can dance to!!

Obviously, I would play some tracks that aren't a few years old, as well as some that are decades older, but here are a few, partioularly from the days when the re-emergence of 'post-punk' type stuff was floating my boat, blogging was in its infancy and The Arcade Fire and the Shins were pretty much only known to those who read the blogs. How times change...but some of these tracks are very much likely to make it into my list of best tracks of the noughties.

The Faint -'Agenda Suicide.' mp3

The Faint -'Worked Up So Sexual.' mp3

Fitness -'Chauffeur.' mp3

Juan Maclean -'By the Time I Get To Venus.' mp3

Radio 4 -'Dance To The Underground.' mp3

The Rapture -'House Of Jealous Lovers.' mp3

Links removed April 21.

As always, if you like the tracks, support the artists by buying the bands' music, whether at iTunes, Amazon or your local independent store.

Oh, and if you haven't checked it out yet, the jock'n'roll poll is up and running!

Keep Scotland Clean

Clean George IV are a scottish band that, I must be honest, I don't know a huge amount about.

However, they have so far issued one very good single, entitled 'First Blast Of The Trumpet Against The Monstrous Regiment Of Women.' This is not enocuraging wind instrument related misogyny, but is the title of John Knox's infamous pamphlet about women. As to the b-side, I don't know when the great Highland Crack epidemic was, though Scotland has had its problems with drugs like most countries in the majority and minority worlds.

This is their first single, available on 7" from HMV, and other stores (mine came from Fopp) and when you buy it, you also get to download the tracks for free (if only more bands did this, for those of us who like to have a physical product and like that to be vinyl. As well as owning iPods and not being able to afford USB turntables.)

Clean George IV -'First Blast Of The Trumpet Against The Monstrous Regiment of Woman.' mp3

Clean George IV -'The Great Highland Crack Epidemic.' mp3

Remember, if you like it go and buy it, and go and make friends with them at their mySpace page

And here's a few more mp3s of Scottish bands that I thought I would post. Enjoy!

The Delgados -'No Danger (Kids Choir Edit).' mp3

Teenage Fanclub -'Everything Flows.' mp3

The View -'Wasted Little DJs.' mp3

The View -'Superstar Tradesman.' mp3

NB. These will be up for a week only. If you like them, BUY THEM.

Links removed April 18.

Three more for you! (part two)

Three more mp3s to try and encourage you to think about voting in the jock'n'roll poll:

Mother And The Addicts -'Take The Lovers Home Tonight.' mp3

Dogs Die In Hot Cars -'I Love You 'Cause I Have To.' mp3

Franz Ferdinand -'Darts Of Pleasure.' mp3

As always, if you like what you hear, support the bands! Buy their music, see the gigs etc..

Six of One and a Dozen Of The Other

Well, the Jock'N'Roll albums poll may not have posted any results...yet - but I figured that you can never have too many reminders.

So here are six great Scottish bands, with two mp3s apiece. Enjoy!

Aereogramme - 'Zionist Timing.' mp3

Aereogramme -'Wood.' mp3

Arab Strap - 'Cherubs.' mp3

Arab Strap - 'The Love Detective.' mp3

Ballboy -'Sex Is Boring (John Peel Session 21/3/00).' mp3

Ballboy - 'Sex Is Boring (John Peel Session 21/3/00).' mp3


Delgados -'American Trilogy.' mp3

Delgados -'Sink Or Swim.' mp3

Sons and Daughters - 'Johnny Cash.' mp3

Sons and Daughters - 'Dance me In.' mp3

Teenage Fanclub - 'What You Do To me.' mp3

Teenage Fanclub - 'It's All In My Mind.' mp3

As always, if you like what you hear, go and support the bands by checking out their MySpace sites and becoming their friends, buying the music from iTunes or Amazon or your local independent shop, seeing them in concert, and of course, voting for scottish acts at Jock'n'Roll

Hope you had a good Easter, Ed

And now...the best Scottish Albums Poll

Regular readers to this blog (and I know there are a few) will know that I have posted a few times on the Jock'n'Roll poll to find the top 100 singles by Scottish artists. The results are now posted for all to see and the top ten came out like this:

1. The Associates - Party Fears Two
2. The Skids - Into The Valley
3. Aztec Camera - Oblivious
4. Big Country - In A Big Country
5. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
6. The Blue Nile - Tinseltown In The Rain
7. Trashcan Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks
8. Cocteau Twins - Pearly Dewdrops Drops
9. Orange Juice - Rip It Up
10. Danny Wilson - Mary's Prayer

To see the full top 100 click here.

And now they have announced the next poll - to find the top Scottish album, and the worst. No finish date as yet, but it's got me thinking about mine. The rules and how to vote can be found here. They are allowing various artist compilations but not best of/greatest hits compilations, which means that The Beta Band's 3EPs is not eligible. But for my choices...

1. The Delgados 'The Great Eastern'
2. The Jesus And Mary Chain 'Psychocandy'
3. Orange Juice 'You Can't Hide Your Love Forever'
4. Sons and Daughters 'Love The Cup'
5. Belle and Sebastian ' If You're Feeling Sinister'
6. Franz Ferdinand 'Franz Ferdinand'
7. Aberfeldy 'Young Forever'
8. The Shop Assistants 'The Shop Assistants'
9. Camera Obscura 'Let's Get Out Of This Country'
10. Teenage Fanclub 'Bandwagonesque'

Of course, there's lots of other great albums that deserve inclusion from the likes of Idlewild, Arab Strap, Mogwai, Simple Minds (up to about 1985, and not beyond that!) Deacon Blue and many, many others. As for worst album...I haven't heard the Krankies' album, but maybe as a point of principle I will. Or Runrig - a friend once said that I didn't get Runrig because I'm not scottish. Actually, I think it's to do with being a music fan, but there you go.

What about YOU?

look for the above albums at Amazon or iTunes or ebay. Best of all, support your local Independent record shop.

Let's Have a Butchers...

Hi there...

as usual, have been running around the like the proverbial headless chicken. But the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds and I have now chosen our wedding rings, and i am continuing to get better. Hooray.

As always, there are folks out there who are much more frequent contributors to the world of blogging. matthew over at Song, By Toad has flattered me by posting an Aberfeldy song in my honour (click here), as well as his own review of the Camera Obscura gig from last week, with some great Camera Obscura tracks. Click here

Meanwhile, in my attempt to try and bring the attention of more excellent scottish muisc to the world at large, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Butcher Boy! A seven piece from Glasgow, they should appeal to people who like the likes of Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura and Aberfeldy (loath as I am to lump these bands together, but they are more immediate references than, say, Metallica or Public Enemy). They write fantastic songs - and I've been anxious to hear morre ever since I heard a track called Arbor Day last year, whihc features on the recent single 'Girls Make Me Sick.' (funny, when I heard the title I was expecting to hear something in the vein of 'Touch me I'm Sick' by Mudhoney. Needless to say, it's nothing like that).

Their MySpace is here and their website is here.

If you like what you hear, both their aforementioned single and the album are available on iTunes, and the album is available from amazon. Even better, you could support your local independent music store. i'd love to know what you think though...

Gig review: Camera Obscura/Ned Collett

Gig review: Camera Obscura/Ned Collett

Edinburgh Liquid Rooms, March 27, 2007

I must have my head in the clouds at the moment; I only twigged this was happening three days ago. But God must have been smiling on me, there were still tickets available to see the makers of 17 Seconds' album of 2006, and even though the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds was working (much to her disappointment; we have really agreed on this band), my mate Dave was up for it.

Support Ned Collett was playing his first gig in the Northern Hemisphere (his words), having met Camera Obscura three weeks ago in Australia. He resembles a young Robert Forster of the Go-Betweens (don't know if he spends his entire inetreviews discussing his hair) and he clearly owns all of Nick Drake's albums. The sound, accompanied just by his electric guitar and effects is pleasant enough, but there's no songs that linger.

Camera Obscura seem to have been forever in the spotlight of Belle and Sebastian, but it's not just at 17 Seconds towers that there have been discussions about which one is the better band. The band have been touring for two months and as such this is them back on their home turf. They sound suitably fragile on record, and live they are very much firing on all cylinders. No indie shambles this. (If I say they're really tight, people might think I'm comparing them to a Jazz Fusion band. And I'm so, SO not. but they are brilliantly, brilliantly together.) Songs like Keep It Clean and Suspended From Class from Underachievers Please Try Harder, as well as more recent numbers like Dora Previn and Lloyd... show that they are up there with the likes of Belle and Sebastian and other indie pop bands, competing on their own terms.

The bloggers last year definitely gave the thumbs up to Let's Get Out Of This Country and it is a fantastic album, which packs a punch live. they have a very Glaswegian - this is meant as a compliment - approach to playing; a sense of humour is much in evidence. They encore with a cover of Abba's Super Trouper, a forthcoming b-side which I suspect will crop up in favourite cover versions posts on blogs for many years to come.
I met Matthew from the Song, By Toad blog at the gig. He reckons they beat B&S live - and on this evidence, I have to agree.

Gig review: The Cooper Temple Clause

Gig Review: The Cooper Temple Clause/Kubichek!

Glasgow QMU, March 25, 2007

And here we are in 2007, and the sixth time this reviewer has seen the Cooper Temple Clause. The first time, in 2002 was at Edinburgh's La Belle Angele, which burned down a few months later, and the support was Biffy Clyro (now pretty successful in their own right). So can they still cut it three albums down the line?

Probably not a question we're going to be asking about Kubichek, if tonight's performance is anything to go by. Though beset with sound problems, the songs just seem to be lost. The guitarist, in the words of the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds looked like he was wanking, to put it bluntly. There's no stage presence, and the sound is just too reminiscent of the angular post-punk vibe that's been done much better by the likes of The Editors and Maximo Park.

The Cooper Temple Clause however can still walk it like they talk it. They may have lost Didz Hammond to the Dirty Pretty Things, but they are so sure in themselves it looks like they've put it well behind them. New tracks like Damage and Waiting Game as every bit as anthemic and consistent as older numbers like Promises, Promises. Perhaps the revelation is on Once More With Feeling. The sheer intensity is a wonder to behold. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is one of Britain's best live bands; do not take them for granted.

By the end of the gig - fantastic encores of Blind Pilots and the techno-reworking of Panzer Attack that they were playing at Edinburgh five months ago they have a new found fan in the soon to be Mrs. 17 Seconds. as we fell into bed, fifty miles away, we were still on a high. Worth the hundred mile round trip of an evening, and I'd do it again.

Is someone taking the pith?

Well, after months of them being over the blogs, I have shelled out and bought the new albums by LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire and !!! (chk chk chk).

I went to meet my Dad in Durham, England (the old country) two days ago, so loaded them onto my iPod and had pleasant listening there and back.

All three are great records, but if you're into them, you will almost certainly have read a review or five of each of them by now.

However, I couldn't resist posting a couple of tracks from the !!! album, Myth Takes (come on! say it out aloud!) which had me pacing up and down the platform and then tapping my feet on the train, as even I have too much shame to dance in public.

!!! - ' Must Be the Moon.' mp3

!!! - ' Yadnus.' mp3

Buy Myth Takes on Amazon

...and if you haven't heard !!! before, try this from their previous album, Louden Up Now.

!!! - 'Hello? Is This Thing On?.' mp3

Buy Louden Up Now at Amazon

!!! official website

!!! on MySpace

Three more for you!

Ok, OK, am going to try and listen to something up beat and uplifting and try and get a sense of perspective. Here in the northern hemisphere, it is the last day of winter (even if it is trying to snow in certain parts of the UK!, and it cannot come a moment too soon!

First up, Tiny Dancers (picture above) who make me want to jig around the flat - and that's really very welcome. currently on tour, this band, who have been described as a mix of 'Country, Sheffield blues, Beatlesque rock'roll and Neil young's creaking sadness' have just put put a single called 'I Will Wait For You' which you need to hear, and can do at their MySpace page. Then you can go out and buy it, preferably on the two 7" singles that are available (multi-formatting is cool when it's on vinyl. When it's on CD or DVD I just feel like I'm being taken advantage of).

Tiny Dancers official website

Tiny Dancers MySpace

Next up, another band who have just put put a single - this time available on 8" vinyl (try putting a cd that's 6" into your player. they won't make it and you won't find anything that will play it. Vinyl is the future, people!!) the Rumble Strips remind me of the kaiser Chiefs, Blur circa Modern Life Is Rubbish, and particularly Dexys Midnight runners - not just because of the horns, but also because the singer's voice is pleasantly similar to Kevin Rowland's. Go to the MySpace page to hear the track and three others, then go and buy the single.

Finally, the slightly demented sounding Los Campesinos have made their single 'We throw parties, you Throw Knives'/'Don't Tell Me To Do The Maths' available for free as a downlaod and that includes the artwork. It's not a free 7" that you can pick up but it is pretty cool. Get yourself over to their website to get it:

Los Campesinos' official website.

Enjoy Tuesday

Ed

Get Enlightened

Flicking around on MySpace has lead to be becoming more aware of one band I had already heard, courtesy of the latest issue of Is This Music? Ladies and gentlemen, presenting...The Scottish Enlightenment.

Hailing from Dunfermline in Fife, they are reminiscent both of fellow scots Idlewild and Biffy Clyro, as well as the much-missed Pavement, and I hear a bit of Sebadoh and the Smashing Pumpkins too.

Their first single 'Eyes' is out on April 16 on Moojuice- in the UK , anyway, but head over to their MySpace page for a preview and also to hear three other tracks. If you like it, which you damn well should, make friends with them, buy the record, and if you live in Scotland, go and see them.

The Scottish Enlightenment MySpace page

Hooray, it's Saturday

Hi people, and happy Saturday to you, and happy St. Patrick's Day, if you celebrate it, too! The Vinyl Villain has posted some good stuff by Irish acts.

I meanwhile have spent Saturday very agreeably, not doing anything connected with work, but instead working on the wedding list, record shopping and going to see Hot Fuzz. Completely over the top, ridiculous, silly...and all the better for it. I was told by my better three-quarters when we left the cinema that she hadn't seen me looking so happy in ages.

The record shopping brought much pleasure (shopping in Avalanche in Edinburgh usually does) including The Scars' re-issued 'Author! Author'. If you have never heard The Scars before, they were a legendary Edinburgh post-punk band, around the same time as The Fire Engines, Josef K, the Prats and The Associates. Their MySpace is here and a website is here. One track, 'Your attention Please' is earily reminiscent of the 1980s film Threads about a Nuclear Bomb being dropped on Sheffield. (Scripted by Barry Hines who was responsible for Kes, you have to see it. It may be dated, but the shock value is still there). I had been made aware of this Scars release by Manic Pop Thrills who has also been very complimentary about me today on his blog.

As I type, the soundtrack is provided by another 'friend' on Myspace, Kevin Rowland and Dexys. The demo of a track called It's OK Johanna must be heard, if you haven't already. I seem to have been a real late comer to Dexys (other than 'that' song), but once you have heard it, it's definitely up there with the best stuff from his career, which can be heard by buying this album here.

Have a nice weekend

xx

Not Jackson but Emma

Oh, couldn't think of anything witty to call today's post. But, those of you who have read this blog regularly will know that I am a big fan of the Delgados, the seminal scottish band who for a decade from the mid-90s to the mid '00s delighted us with some of the best music ever, and on top of that, helped launch the careers of Mogwai, Arab Strap, Bis, Mother and the addicts, Aereogramme, Sluts Of Trust, and more recently, De Rosa and Sister Vanilla through the record label they set up, Chemikal Underground. They are my favourite scottish band of all time, yup, even above Orange Juice, Belle and Sebastian, Aberfeldy and Sons and Daughters.

Alas, all good things come to an end, and the Delgados called it a day in 2005. However, Emma Pollock has signed to 4ad as a solo artist. Her myspace site has a demo of a song called Fortune. The album is ready and has apparently has a sleeve done by Vaughan Oliver who used to do the sleeves for Cocteau Twins in the 80s when they were on 4ad. I cannot wait...

Drop by the myspace site and also her official site where if you sign up for the mailing list, you get an mp3 sent to you.

Oh, and go and buy The Delgados back catalogue. Every bit of it. I recommend The Great Eastern above all, which is my favourite scottish album of all time.

To see Delgados videos, click on the links below:

'Coming In From The Cold'

'Everything Goes Around The Water'

'American Trilogy'

Letterbox records: not London based!!

Hi there, if you've tuned in again. The last week has been difficult, am signed off work and am muddling through. Right now, I'm not in the mood for writing much, so i'll let others do the talking...

Back in August, I did a post on Letterbox Records. At the time, they had two bands signed to them, The Arrogants and The Amateurs. They now have seven: as well as the aforementioned, they have Aaron Schroeder, California Snow Story, Penny Century, and Watoo Watoo.

Not only are the bands great, but it's also fantastic to see a record company operating out of Cumbria, rather than, say, London (I lived in London until I was thirteen, so I can say what I like).

Go here and check out the bands, and make friends with them on MySpace.

Then go and buy the records, see them live etc.....

Calling Sister Moonlight

...or Sister Vanilla, in this case, Mr. Pop!

Sister Vanilla - just in case anyone has been away from the blogs longer than I have, is a new-(ish) project, coming out on Chemikal Underground (which already makes it achingly cool) featuring Jim and William reid, of the now re-formed Jesus and Mary Chain, but also including Ben Lurie from that line-up and their sister Linda.

Read about it at Anablog, 5 acts, earfarm and also Mars Needs Guitars. I did - and I cannot wait for the album.

It's due out on April 2. On the evidence of the tracks I have sampled at the above websites, it is definitely one for anyone who loved the Mary Chain (your homeland would also love to have some gigs, as well as those in California), shoegazing, and indie-pop.

Buy Sister Vanilla at Amazon

I'm back on

Hi

For whatever reason, the blog now works again! more music to come.

In the meantime, read of the some other great blogs, listed in the right hand side. I suggest The Vinyl Villain Manic Pop Thrills and And Before the First Kiss, as well as the wonderfully named Song, By Toad.

Not sure why or what the problem was, but glad it's fixed.

Normal service will be resumed shortly

OK you can read this, but for some unknown reason, I can't.

I'm still waiting for Blogger to get back to me to explain what the problem is, and I cannot read anything else published by Blogger.

Not pleased.

Keep checking back,

Ed

What the heck...?2

For some reason, am having horrendous problems reading anything that's a blogger blog on this.

If you can read this, put it in the comments and then i will know!

More music as and when I can...

At home with Edwyn Collins

I know I said I was busy, but ya gotta make time for some new music.

In this case, please head on over to his myspace page to hear new Edwyn Collins tracks called 'Home Again' 'Leviathan' and 'You'll Never Know'

For those who don't know, Edwyn suffered a cerebral harmorrhage two years ago, but has made great progress in recovery.

Give up a few minutes of your time and check it out. This is not a comeback but the sound of a man whose nearly thirty year career continues to delight. And then join a campaign to get all the Orange Juice and Edwyn Collins albums properly available in the UK. This is part of our heritage, dammit!

I won't write any more. The music speaks for itself.

Edwyn Collins' Official Site

Edwyn Collins' MySpace

In brief...I Love it when you call

I was going to do a gig review for my Friday night's gig which was great fun, but the last few days have been a bit hectic, with school and car accidents (unrelated, I hasten to add).

All I will say is this: The Feeling are great live. They put on a show and have some excellent tunes. No, they aren't musical pioneers, but that's not the point (if you go along expecting this, then you are frankly an idiot). A show that left you feeling warm, and that the money had been well spent. Nobody got preachy, the band seemed to be enjoying themselves and no-one acted like arrogant fools. The Fray, as a support band, I'm afraid I found a bit dull...

Keep watching this space. There will be more music soon. I cannot see the madness evaporating, but it might subside. A bit. Hopefully...

Can I have some remedy?

This is NOT a post about the Black Crowes (a band who, like the Smashing Pumpkins, I love on record and was left high and dry when I saw them live on both occasions), but the line must have prompted something in my head.

Whilst I like the aforementioned Crowes, there's something about their name when used in conjunction with various other muso-type bands that just starts to act as a turnoff. I say this because I got a friend request on my MySpace page from a band who sounded just like the sort of uninspiring but overinspired-by muso types (with too much emphasis on pre '76 stuff) and another band that just did nothing for me.

BUT what I did get was a friend request from a band called Penny Black Remedy. Having checked out their MySpace page this is a fantastic band led by one Keith Thomson who is a Scot now based in London. The band have influences from the last seventy years - one track '95 Charing Cross Road' manages to combine elements of both Country and Reggae. Above all I hear a band who know how to take their influences and do something with 'em. Their website has more. Do check them out, ask to be their friend, and support 'em.

Penny Black Remedy website

Penny Black Remedy MySpace

By the way, I have flagged up the Best Scottish single poll that is Jock 'n' Roll. They are now looking at finishing taking votes in the next week or so, so get over there and vote. At the moment, it seems 'Party Fears Two' by The Associates will triumph, which is no bad thing, but make sure you have cast your vote.

Be good...

Ringo...what the ...?

The other day, whilst nosing around a few of the links I have posted at the right hand side of this blog, I paid a visit to Spoilt Victorian Child. One of the tracks that they had posted (and they had a sign on the record shop bit saying 'please free to download and share) was by a band called Ringo Deathstarr. And it was called 'Some Kind Of Sad.'

Bloody Hell. (Swearing isn't always a sign of a limited vocabulary, sometimes it's a sign of complete and utter disbelief).

OK, so I could compare it to Psychocandy-era Jesus and Mary Chain, but the sheer what the heck is perhaps more akin to the shock, wonder, disbelief and goddamn awe of hearing the Mary Chain's 'Upside Down' single (which is so gloriously raw it makes that album seem almost produced).

But that might still be looking for too obvious comparisons. It's so noisy it's maybe even more comparable to hearing 'Stabbed In The Face' by Wolf Eyes (a track so scary that it kinda makes Suicide's 'Frankie Teardrop' sound like Aqua's 'Barbie Doll').

It's such a joy to listen to. It will annoy the hell out of some people, divide friends, cause frictions between couples. And quite possibly split ageing indie kids down the middle in the 'OK who's side are you on? 'cos you're now working for a living, stopped being veggie, and have a CD player in your car, you bloody sellout!' kinda way.

That's what music should do.

As far as I can tell, they don't have a record out as yet. But they're working on it.

In the meantime, download this track, and go and say hi to them at MySpace, where they have two other tracks 'Sweet Girl' -which adds My Bloody Valentine circa 'Isn't Anything' into the mix and 'In Love' which sorta reminds me of Joy Zipper jamming with Curve.

Ringo Deathstarr -'Some Kind Of Sad.' mp3

In the meantime, if you are completely confused by the bands who I've been comparing them to - and I mean all this as a compliment - then go to a record store or an online store and check them out.

Forget the mush, sod the slush...

...How's about an honest Love Song?

This was a hit for The Cure in 1989, and I love it for the fact that it's honest about love, rather than being hopelessly mushy. Robert Smith reportedly gave a copy of the song to his own wife Mary as a wedding gift (just for the record, they married in 1988, so it wasn't like handing her one of his own records out in the public eye).

Watch the video here at YouTube

And if you haven't done so already - and shame on you! - go and buy the record on it's home album, Disintegration. My favourite album of the 80s. And, according to South Park, the greatest album ever. Actually, my second favourite album ever, behind this...

Buy Disintegration

The Cure's official homepage

The Cure on MySpace

Make Duke Special top 40!

I had vaguely heard of the Duke Special a few months ago - there was a rather fab track called Brixton Leaves on a free CD. I liked it, still do, but it had joined that ever-growing pile of great bands I must buy.

Then over the last 48 hours, there were two things that raised my attention - firstly, there is a free 5 track ep available for download at his site which included a cover of 'Stumble and Fall' by Radiohead, and then an e-mail (record company sent but anyway) saying that his latest release, the single 'Freewheel' was hovering around the edge of the Top 40, so could we go and buy it?

Well, I'd got stuff for free, liked what I heard and a few glasses of wine down thought 'Why Not?' I was not disappointed, and nor will you be. With his dreadlocks, he reminds me of a member of Scritti Politti circa '79, but he could and should be joining Mika into the charts. If you buy the ep, you get a gorgeous cover of 'Drink To Me Only with Thine Eyes' recorded with Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy.

what are you waiting for?

Ten Scottish bands for today

(A shot of Aberfeldy live last October. One of the bands you need in your life).

Okay, having done ten tracks last time, this time I thought I would point you in the direction of ten scottish bands you ought to hear.

This is not a definitive list, either of my own making or anyone else's, but it's 10 from a selection on my Myspace page that I would like to point you in the direction of. Some of these bands I have written about here, others I haven't -yet!- so this should serve as an introduction.

Just in case anyone is very highly strung out there, this is not to slag off anyone, but highlight some great bands who are - by and large - active today, and is in no way a slight to The Associates, The Delgados (my favourite ever scottish band), Josef K, Aztec Camera, The Skids, Franz Ferdinand, Arab Strap, Belle and Sebastian...but you need to hear these guys and gals too:

Aberfeldy official site myspace

Ballboy official site myspace

The Cinematics official site myspace

The Fire Engines official site myspace

Mother and the addicts official site myspace

My Latest Novel official site myspace

Odeon Beat Club official site myspace

Sons and Daughters official site myspace

Swimmer One official site myspace

X-Vectors official site myspace

All of these acts have tracks for you to hear on their myspace pages, and many have mp3s for you to download, either on their mypsace page or on their own web pages.

Happy listening, and happy discovering!

Remember: artists cannot survive on goodwill alone. If you like what you hear, please, Please, PLEASE support them. Buy their music, go to the gigs, tell your friends about them. Snobbery and elitism is for losers.

BTW, two more Scottish based blogs you should check out: The Face Of Today and And Before The First Kiss.

The 100th post

(when I started writing the blog, I hadn't got my cats. this is them, several months ago)

Well, and here we are! This is the 100th post I have done on the blog. Over the course of seven months, my interest in music, along with comments on teaching and hitting thirty have given me something to work on. Whilst I still dream of having as many readers as some of the other blogs, the feedback I have received has been flattering, and if I had as little rubbish to deal with at school as I do here, life would be easier!!

Thanks to my long-suffering girlfriend, and my family for their feedback, and friends and readers (of course, these are not necessarily mutually exclusive) who have helped this come along. I have learned more about computers along the way, and there's probably fewer rants about it all now...

What I've done this time is just to pick ten great tracks, no theme, just stuff I love, and really hope you do too. As ever, if you like'em, do go and buy them.

Here's to the next one hundred posts. Enjoy the music.

Scanners -'Lowlife.' mp3

Schneider TM -'The Light 3000.' mp3

Sebadoh -'The Freed Pig.' mp3

Badly Drawn Boy -'Something To Talk About.' mp3

Black Box Recorder -'Child Psychology.' mp3

Dizzee Rascal -'Fix Up, Look Sharp.' mp3

Aereogramme -'Zionist Timing.' mp3

Low -'Monkey.' mp3

Hot Hot Heat -'Get In Or Get Out.' mp3

Bloc Party -'Banquet.' mp3

At the end of a tiring week...

Cat Power by Rahav Segev, 1999

Not sure this is a week I would want to live through again. My teaching job has seen me go through more emotions than I was aware the human brain could feel, and certainly deal with. From wanting to throttle kids (note to any parents reading: If you do not bring your children up to show respect and earn it as well as having it due to them you should have to stand in front of some of the classes I teach) to feeling that some could be okay, to a few who actually seem to have been listening... Told by two girls today that I'm like Jack Black in School Of Rock, " 'cos you're a teacher, but you know about Rock Music." Almost a compliment!

Anyway, am now trying to relax and enjoy my weekend. My long-suffering other half has asked for something gentle on (Radioactivity by Kraftwerk is more mental than I had remembered), so currently on the turntable (yes, vinyl) is Cat Power's The Greatest. This is like soup for the soul (no chicken here, I'm still veggie!) this album. Enjoy.

BTW this is about my 99th post, so am working on something special for the 100th. Watch this space...

Cat Power -'The Greatest.' mp3

And for anyone who's never heard Cat Power before, this is from her earlier album You Are Free:

Cat Power -'He War.' mp3

Oh, and if you follow this link, you can download a track by Just Jack for free. Here you go...

Buy Cat Power on Amazon

Cat Power's record company's official site

Sign Serpico now!

Hi...yet again, life, teaching and other things are conspiring against me to prevent me from posting as often as I would like.

Anyway, first things first: was given a copy of a demo by a Glasgow band called Serpico to review. please, please, please - the tracks you will hear on their myspace page show a band who are ready and waiting to go. If you have the know-how, sign 'em. If you don;t but want to hear a band who remind me of Indie rock at it's epic best, with belief but not bluster, then go here and be their friend:

Serpico's myspace page

Speaking of great scottish bands, if you haven't voted at www.jocknroll.co.uk what are you waiting for? If you haven't checked their site for a while, please do so.

Finally, my current favourite scottish blog is the Vinyl Villain. The music on this site is just SO DAMN GOOD. (and now it's even got a link!!)

Hope everyone's well. remember, January's nearly over, and the Shins album is now out in the UK (review to follow...)

Music for Burns

Tomorrow is January 25 - a night for those of us in Scotland, and further afield to remember Robert Burns. Whilst I cannot claim to be an expert on the man, he is still held in high, high regard here in Scotland as the national bard. He is the man who originated 'My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose,' 'Ae Fond Kiss' and perhaps most famously 'Auld Lang Syne.' In the last five years, Eddi Reader has released a whole album of his songs, and the songs have also been covered by The Delgados ('Parcel of rogues') and here, ballboy.

Ballboy -'A man's a man for a' that.' mp3

More ballboy mp3s can be found here

Buy Ballboy here

Album Review: The Good, The Bad and the Queen ''The Good, The Bad and the Queen"

Album Review: The Good, The Bad and the Queen ''The Good, The Bad and the Queen"

I tried to approach this album with the best of intentions. I was NOT going to mention the previous (and in at least one case, hopefully two to be continued projects) acts that the four members of TGTGATQ have been involved in. Any acts debut deserves to be taken on its' own merits.

And this is, without doubt a great album. Coming back after a hard day at the chalkface, or should that be chalkboard, this album is, right from its' first listen, a warm, strong piece of work. 'Herculean' was a limited-release single last year, and hearing it again, it's like beging greeted by someone who you wish to become more acquainted with. The album is also reasonable in length - it feels like a solid forty to fifty minutes - which is not padded out with filler. In this iPod age, and i'm as guilty of this as the next blogger, it's great to hear an album that's iPod proof. You will want to listen to it, in its entirety, on a regular basis.

I was trying not to mention previous work for the band members - but with that line-up it's hard not to. That's because this album feels like an album that's a natural follow-on from Blur's Think Tank, in a way that Damon Albarn's (less be honest) scrappy Democrazy wasn't, and Gorillaz' Demon Days should not have expected to have been. And with Simon Tong, Tony Allen and Paul Simonon as his new foils, for the first time, I'm thinking that if this becomes Albarn's main job, maybe I -and you- can live with that.

Back in 1995, the Foo Fighters emerged, very much in the shadow of their leader's former band (Nirvana, if it needs spelling out for you). They stepped out of that shadow quickly, and I hope these four men can do the same.

9 out of 10.

The Good, The Bad and The Queen -'History Song.' mp3

The Good, The Bad and The Queen -'Herculean.' mp3

This post is now a week old, and i have removed the links. If you like it, go buy it!

Album Review: The View 'Hats Off To the Buskers'

And so it comes to pass...like so many bands before them, feted by the NME and many others, three fantastic singles that have gained progressively higher places on the charts (do we now say 'Tracks' chart? Singles chart is, like, so 2006) The View's debut is with us. The word is that 'it's the best debut since Definitely Maybe.' Hmm. no hype there, then...

The aforementioned trio of brilliant singles 'Wasted Little DJs' 'Superstar Tradesman' and 'Same Jeans' are present and correct, and they are worth the price of admission alone (assuming you haven't bought them all already, arguably). There are also some excellent tracks on this Dundee four-piece's band that are worth hearing - 'The Don' and 'Face For Radio' certainly impacted on my radar even on first listening. The album is a fun, fine listen - but it is stretching it to say that it's as good a debut as Definitely Maybe. Call me old -and as a teacher, hundreds of kids do daily - but there is a slight feeling of 'heard this done before.'

The album doesn't so much evoke Oasis' debut, as bring to mind the Arctic Monkeys and the Libertines. Like the View, good bands who sometimes are at risk of their considerable talent being overwhelmed by even greater hype, that has a nasty habit of getting vicious like a media descending on Jade Goody. But like those bands, they have an excellent way with a tune, and Superstar Tradesman still feels as life -affirming as when I heard it a few months ago.

Ignore the hype, and take the album on it's own merits, of which there are many.

7 1/2 out of 10.

The View -'Superstar Tradesman.' mp3

The View -'Wasted Little DJs.' mp3

This post is now a week old and I have removed the links. If you want to hear it, go and buy it!

Buy The View on Amazon

Ipod fun with Quasi

As you will have guessed from the slightly irregular posting over the last couple of weeks, I'm now back teaching and not having the time to post every day. It doesn't mean that I have given up on the blog, or indeed music. Having been given a new Ipod a couple of months back, and spent a lot of time downloading stuff onto it, I'm quite frequently re-familiarising myself with stuff I had downloaded, and sometimes almost forgotten about.

A case in point would be these four tracks from Quasi. Taken from the wonderful sites that are Insound and Epitonic, Quasi are formerly married couple Janet Weiss (who played with Sleater-Kinney) and Sam Coomes. I am not an authority on this band, but boy am I now smitten. Sometimes they even remind me of Ben Folds Five in their mental jazz wig-outs.

Anyway, try these for size, hope they give you as much enjoyment as they have given me...

Quasi-'The Rhino.' mp3

Quasi-'Drunken Tears.' mp3

Quasi-'It's Raining.' mp3

Quasi-'Mammon.' mp3

NB This post is now over a week old. If you want to hear Quasi...
...then as ever, go and buy Quasi, at Amazon (UK) or Ampcamp (US)


Quasi on MySpace

Quasi's record label Touch and Go

Excited about 2007's new albums yet?

...mmm, I am, with The View and The Good, The Bad and the Queen due to release their albums in the UK, and Bloc Party, the Shins, Arcade Fire and so many others...how the bloody hell am I supposed to save up the cash for all that lot? Starve?!

Anyway, to whet your appetite, Heather over at I am fuel, you are friends has posted the new Kaiser Chiefs track Ruby here, and the post also includes Martin Luther King Jr.'s I have a dream speech.

Meanwhile, The Torture Garden has a lot of Arcade Fire rarities, including covers of Maps by the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs, New Order's Age Of Consent and Bowie's Five Years.

As always, remember, if you like the music concerned, do go and buy it.

Buy The Kaiser Chiefs (pre-order) here

Arcade Fire cannot be pre-ordered at Amazon yet (except for the import) but Ampcamp are taking pre-orders here.

Just a quick one...

...Ever picked up an album, like dirt, dirt cheap and found it was worth more than you thought?

Have been off for a few days with 'flu (like most of you, prabably!) but I few days ago I picked up the Pretenders' 2003 album Loose Screw...and this track particularly, seems to have lodged itself in my brain. I know received wisdom seems to be that they were never as cool after the first two albums, but this is a subtle wee gem. Wherever you are, if there are sales on, do check the bargain bins, 'cos there are some goodies out there!

The Pretenders -'Complex Person.' mp3

If you cannot pick this up for a pound (hint to UK readers, mine was from Fopp), then there are copies very cheaply here on Amazon.

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you may be!

Where did the holidays go???

I know, I know, a lot of people have had virtually no time off over the Christmas holidays (having worked in retail for many years, always as a lowly shop assistant, I do sympathise), but it's back to teaching tomorrow...

...which means writing long, long posts on here isn't going to happen quite so frequently, as I spend evenings marking and preparing.

However, the debut Klaxons album 'Myths of the near future' is out at the end of the month. If you haven't heard them already, follow the link above and then go and buy the album either here at Amazon or your local independent store. Or a really good web-based independent store, such as AmpCamp. American readers, not sure when this is out your way BUT Ampcamp do have this in stock.

Working For A Nuclear Free City

Oh, God bless AmpCamp and MySpace. No, seriously.

Whilst flicking through the web earlier on, the aforementioned ampcamp mentioned Working For A Nuclear Free City. The description, of this band who hail from Manchester, with impeccably cool sounding Manchester sound (no, definitely do not mean Madchester) have swept me off my feet, er, sonically speaking.

It took me a while to find their MySpace, largely because it's www.myspace.com/wfanfc (that could have been hours spent googling). I was NOT disappointed - to the extent that having listened to all four tracks streamed there, I went and bought their album. They might be indie, they might be dance, but this is not a Madchester re-hash, nor yet another band claiming to be influenced by Gang Of Four etc... So many bands claim to be influenced by violently cool names and yet re-hash the Beatles; rather like the X-Vectors, they are a band with a lot of dance influences.

I can only recommend that you go to their MySpace page, hear the tracks for yourself, and check out these two posts at The white Noise revisited: here and here. They have hints of acts as diverse as the Doves, Happy Mondays and A Certain Ratio - yet there's something else too...

Now do yourself a favour and go and buy the album, either on CD or even better, on vinyl.

New (and old) music for 2007

NME have brought it to the world's attention that there is a rather fine new track from Stellastarr* called Warchild over at their MySpace page. Listening to this and other tracks reminds me just how good they are. A new album is due sometime this year.

Get yourself over there, check it out and then go buy yourself some Stellastarr* here

Meanwhile, having been nosing around several online record stores the other day, I am pleased to remind you of the existence of two tracks you have to hear. One is a classic debut from 1990, the other an overlooked gem from last year:

Teenage Fanclub -'Everything Flows.' mp3

This can be heard on Teenage Fanclub's A Catholic Education album. Buy here.

Their official website is here and they have a MySpace here

The Rogers Sisters -'Never Learn To Cry.' mp3

This can be found on their album the Invisible Deck, which can be bought here or you can get a lovely 7"version here. Their official website is here and their MySpace is here.

Now; I've said it before and I'll say it again: if you like the tracks you here; GO AND BUY THEM and support the artists involved (see them in concert, get the records etc..) It's only fair. The record companies may, especially if large conglomerates, be out to rip people off, but these are generally wonderful, hard-working people trying to make a living.

Speaking of supporting hard-working people, I have been hugely enjoying the Complete Peel Sessions by The Fall, which was one of my Christmas presents. It horrifies me to think that there might be people out there who haven't heard of The Fall, so -courtesy of Insound here is a Classic, which can be found on the rather wonderful 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong compilation which is an excellent primer to their work 1978-2003:

The Fall -'US 80s/90s.' mp3

Buy 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong here

(NB Couldn't find a MySpace for the Fall. Somehow, I'm not surprised...)

Happy New Year from a Blogger

Happy New Year to everyone. The blog is now five and a half months old, so thanks to everyone who has read it, and left feedback. Funnily enough, the post that has received the most feedback is my Festive Fifty post. It's nice to know my efforts are appreciated.

It's now that time of year - in Scotland at least - where Christmas and New Year are over, and onoe of the compensations of teaching is that I don't have to go back to school to next week. However, if you want to read one, final top albums of 2006 Sweeping The Nation have done a poll of Bloggers. And this blog is mentioned too. Hooray!

Invariably, having tried not to think about planing lessons for the last few days, I'm soon going to have to, and I'm still wrestling with trying to post files here. However, if you're on the hunt for new mp3s to evaluate, may I suggest Kissatlanta which is one of the many blogs I have been savouring over the last few weeks. This may be especially good for fans of The Killers and Hot Chip...

Bring on British Summer Time. The lack of natural light is getting to me!