Covers - best, worst and weirdest

There's nothing better than a good cover, but what is it that makes a great cover? is it turning the song into something completely different, or just "doing it better"? Personally I'm all for the whole new angle approach for a dam good cover - why bother if its going to sound the dam same. Though it is amazing how many shitty shitwanky pop covers do well in the charts.. (Pop muppets Blue's "Signed Sealed Delivered" always makes me wince.) Wrong wrong wrong.

So, I've been hunting through the ipod and the internet trying to think of some of the best.. and oddest covers out there..

Jonny Cash - We'll meet again
(origina - Vera Lynn)

Vera Lynn's original 1939 song is an optimistic one, for those brave fighting lads off to war, trying to think of a happy outcome, (infact, it was included in a list of songs to be played on the BBC wartime broadcasting service for moral boosting after a nuclear attack in the cold war - just to cheer us all up). Optimistic, patriotic, positive stuff.

To me, Cash's cover is the reverse of this - it's raw, a sparse recording - Cash's great voice seems to loom up -mighty even, but each time undercut with the fragility of his age. I could of easily picked out Cash's cover of Hurt, which is truly brilliant.. the same, sparse, raw and fragile feel but I think this cover stands out in the difference between it's original of hope, and Cash's take on it, the last track on an album seen to be his response to his growing illness and old age.

Hear it on American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002)

Jamie T - A New England
(original - Billy Bragg)

I guess you could say its quite easy to beat the original - sung in a thick brummy accent by Billy Bragg, not the best voice to grace record.. (still, I'm a Bragg fan, God that phrase doesn't sound right, his version is brummy gold).

Anyway, Jamie T keeps the same lo fi feel, doing a reverse Dylan and swapping Bragg's original electric guiatar for an acoustic. You can't get more unpolished than Billy Bragg but this manages it, Jamie T's singing and playing sounds rushed, hurried almost careless - sung with emotion.

Maybe what I love about it you may well hate, but ahh well.. it's definatly worth checking out, especially if you've liked the more production-heavy Jamie T tracks/album.

Listen here, via Myspaz

The Specials - Maggies Farm
(original - Bob Dylan)

At first I put down the Rage Against The Machine cover, but nah.. I thought I'd attempt to describe The Specials cover, though I think I'll struggle.
A ska / reggae cover of folky poety king Dylan might be a little obscure, but this is something else. It's more chanted than sung, with high pitch Terry Hall and the rest of the band joining in, with crazy bongo rhythm with a strange off kilter piano tinkling away here and there.. but no matter how strange it is, it's impossible to resist that rhythm (man).

Listen here


Otis Redding - Satisfaction
(original - The Rolling Stones)

dundun..duddledun..dundundun.. It's already a brilliant song, but with the man of soul Otis Redding with THE back up band (Booker T & The MGS) it's gets even better.
Here's the riff going back to it's soul and funk roots - that heavy (innit) baseline perked up with trumpet and sax. ( Keith Richards had originally wanted The 'Stones version to have a horn section.. so maybe this cover is how it should sound like :)
Otis Redding's voice is brilliant, it's not mellow crooning soul singing, or the leery sheer campness of Mick Jagger but he sings with that trademark energetic, almost croaky desperation.

I canna, get no, no, aha, no, saaaaaaytis fack shon. Brilliant.

..

and it was pretty hard not to include all of Rage Against Machine's Renegades album, or Ronson's Versions.. too many good covers on both!

.. that just a few that sprang to mind, what did you reckon to the best / worst / most interesting covers out there?

What do you think?

Incubus ~ Light Grenades

Incubus. Surely one of THE most underrated American rock bands?

Sure, everyone always raves about the same old crowd but Incubus never seem to have been given the credit they deserve. They've been making music for 16 years now and in my eyes, have never made a poor album!

Now that's some going, don't you think? Their latest offering, 'Light Grenades' isn't one of their finest but still a damn good effort with some real stand-out tracks. 'Earth to Bella' & 'Light Grenades' are 2 of my favourite tunes but unfortunately the album seems to suffer from the same fate as many an album... starts off all guns blazing but slowly dies out towards the end, normally forcing me to choose something else before it's finished.

This may be just me being impatient but surely I'm not the only one that does this?

Anyways, it's still a good record but if you're new to Incubus then I suggest you check out S.C.I.E.N.C.E. & Morning View first

• Sounds like: nothing else really. Clever rock music I thinks. Catchy melodies, nice thrashy parts too.


• Stand out tracks: Light Grenades, Earth to Bella, A Kiss To Send Us Off


• Released: November 28th 2006


• MySpace: myspace.com/incubus


• Website: enjoyincubus.com/

Mark Ronson ~ Stop Me

Remember last weeks review of the new Mark Ronson single?

Well you can hear AND see it now, as Abjekt's hooked me up with the video link.

I like the video, I think it's a cool idea and it looks fresh ~ Nice work Mr Ronson!

That drum beat gets me everytime!

Enjoi.

Mark Ronson ~ 'Stop Me' single

It's been a while since I've written here but I'm ready and raring to go, come watch me now.

I've got a single to review today, courtesy of Mr Sam Hesketh from Division Promotions. It's the latest single from Producer/DJ supremo Mark Ronson called 'Stop Me'. It's a cover of The Smiths 'Stop me if you've heard this one before' featuring a young cat on the vocals by the name of Daniel Merriweather.

Now this is going to be a very un-biased review because I hate The Smiths and hadn't really heard of Mark Ronson until his 'toxic' single a while back, so I'm new to all of this.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical when I first heard about it, these big name stars normally tend to produce music for the masses, brain numbing tunes that require minimal effort for maximum cashflow but this, this is something different.

I popped said CD in the player and hit the button...

So it goes straight into it, nice atmospheric strings with Merriweathers vocals over the top. It continues to build, more elements coming in... strings change, builds even further and the tempo rises... then BUH BUH BUH BUH BUH, bass drum kicks in and we get an awesome breakbeat with these strings and horns going nuts.

I personally am a sucker for anything with an up-tempo break-beat. I'm also a sucker for anything with strings, so this really floated my boat.

Ronson's done a top job of taking popular music and making it cool, lord knows that aint easy. If this single and 'Toxic' are anything to go by, he's gonna turn these pop cats on their heads!

It get's the Gav seal of approval. Nice. Real nice.

• Sounds Like: How 'popular' music should be: fun, clever & original. After all, it should be 'popular' for a reason.


• Released: April 9th


• Hear it on: the single released on the 9th and on MySpace


• Album: 'Version' released April 16th


• MySpace: myspace.com/markronson


• Website: www.markronson.co.uk

"You! Me! Dancing!" by Los Campesinos

"You! Me! Dancing!" by Los Campesinos

Got to be my favorite record at the minute from the Cardiff seven piece. When the indie charts seem to be getting good again, we've got brooding bluesy rock and roll from Cold War Kids, "that one with the wiked riff" - Charlotte Hatherly song (Behave) , Jamie T creating evocative masterpieces of every drunken night out ever (roll on Monday, though I can't afford the fucking album).

So it's a good time, the musical veins are pumping again, but even in this warm and sunny indie climate "You! Me! Dancing!" stands out. It's a beautiful mix, it's light refreshing, a fab lollie on a sunny day. Icing, hundreds and thousands and lolly all on one little stick. For point of comparison (yes, I know all band comparisons are lazy journalism, but it saves description..) it makes me happy for the same reason listening to Belle and Sebastian makes me happy.

It's a long one too, it's rare that a "first I've heard from a band.." can clock in at 6:28 and not seem like a long track, I'm a devil for skipping tracks and so-far this has been played through to the end everytime.

The first minute of the track is simply mellow guitar work, casual calm like a Yo La Tengo track or something by Doves - this would make a great song by itself. Ahhh, and it builds up into simple drumming, simple guitar riff (reminiscent of hearing the demo of Arctic Monkeys "A Certain Romance" for the first time.. gawd, what a feeling, and so fucking long ago!) and subtle cutesy xylaphone and SNES sounding keyboard plinking plonking along. Unpretensious cheerful feel good indie sounds.

The lyrics run along in what could almost be a contrast to the dancefloors of Jamie T, whilst Mr Traeys gives us sharp gritty pissed-off-your-face visions of those nights out, here we get the tongue in cheek tipsy description of shameless pretension free enjoyment:
"..you think that we're all just scenesters, and even if you were its not the scene your thinking of /just taking props from all these boyband fashions - all crop tops and testosterone passions "
with the chorus of "it's you! it's me! it's dancing!" = instant singalong, with a contrasting refrain from female vocalist "one thing I can never express, is that I can't dance a single step" taking it away from the the realm of an overly simplified poppypoppop indie.

Ending the track with an overlapping monologue with that (oh so lovely) riff works a treat (I'm a sucker for this in any track anyways; I Could Be Dreaming by Belle and Sebastian! Anthrax by Gang Of Four!) the words difficult to pick out but for the ending, and perfect optimistic summary of any night out; "we're stupid, but were happy".

Thats what I like the song for, it's cheery, lighthearted and optimistic without being poppypoppop-ily simplistic. It's smart and going places :) - signed to Wichita Recordings it's not long before they uh, "hit the big time". Or something, lets hope they stay beautifully obscure loved and treasured by blog geeks.

Right, lets bring the itunes playcount into double figures..


Hear it here at their MySpace


What did you think?

Ten To Set The Cat Amongst The Pigeons In 2007

I have an exclusive which rivals My Bloody Valentine saying 'we going to do another album' in the music-related news nuggets. 5pMusic is returned after an undeserved hiatus, I was going to write just after Xmas but I have been busy.

I have identified in music scouting ways 'Ten To Set The Cat Amongst The Pigeons In 2007', these bands in my humble opinion are either bands set to make a breakthrough and they will become an Indie marmite 'The Kooks, anyone?' or geniunely a quality act who deserve any success their way and if I can set someone else on to them, that's good.

They will be five revealed today and five tomorrow with 'a five we are already aware of' on Wednesday.

1. Cold War Kids.

Hotly-tipped from across the Atlantic, Cold War Kids manage to bring something onto an already over-populated Indie scene. 2007 will concern in particular with bands and artists who have something different to add instead of the music which is following a forumalic plan. It did get a tad boring towards the end of 2006 as bands who had little depth, kept re-releasing singles and nothing was exciting for the casual listener to hear. Cold War Kids however manage to be fresh and appealing despite having the make-up of a 4 white-man guitar band. Their album which finally hits here on Feb 5th despite it being available on import for a while should be an album which many will say could re-vitalises many's outlook on a tired indie scene.

2. The Maccabees

In many ways, they have a similar pattern to Cold War Kids. They have all the familarities we have seen or heard before but there is much more context to this five-piece from Brighton. Despite gaining internet hype and being around a while, they shrewdly decided to avoid revealing themselves in 2006 and said this should the year. Their sweet mix of Indie was enough for their first full single to hit no.40 (what does that mean anymore with the bleeding downloads ruling?) and the signs are good that the album in the offering should be a good 'un.

3. Klaxons

The enigma of Klaxons has been brooding for some time. Unrealistic predictions and uncalled for lauding have undoubtedly clouded a band before an album as been released. The bottom line is that their singles so far have remained light-hearted and fun. Their mix of dance with indie should be viewed as nothing more than that. They do the simple 3 minute 'ram down your throat' very well and the claims that they are forefathers of some revolutions are just plain wrong. It's fair to say that their album will be a seller, whether it gains applauds from an excepting audience is another.

4. Fields

Fields are the kind of band you imagine yourself listening to on a cold Autumn night at roughly 5 o clock in the middle of the week and all that's on television is cookery programmes or chat shows presented by highly camp people. They are cosmopolitian mix from Reykjavik, Birmingham and London who delight in creating epic songs with the intention of tweeness, a band which despite have a large collection of members and variety of instruments remains a unit and not a mess. This superb brand of music sparked a bidding war and Atlantic came on top with the band carving out a deal which meant their work could still be released through their own lable Black Lap. The single 'If You Fail,We All Fail' was well received last Autumn and their debut is eagerly awaited.

5. I Was A Cub Scout

This impressive duo from Nottingham are set to be the UK's answer to the subpop label with their synth-based indie akin to the Postal Service. 2007 is set to be a year of 'squad-building and consolidation', plenty of touring and writing. Their early promise was showcased on single 'Pink Squares' and they remain an extremely young prospect who will surely develop into a more stronger, bittersweet beast. My advice keep an ear out for any singles released this year or alternatively catch them on their tour in March which is just about everywhere except Leicester (Mansfield, Merthyr Tydfil or Arbroath anyone), probably bitter Notts Forest fans anyway.

Half Man Half Biscuit

Half-Man Half-Biscuit.

Even the name gets me. To most of the world they get a "Who?!" and sometimes a "What?", but to those who've sampled this rare, odd, surreal delight theres just a wide knowing grin.
First half heard on (often plugged, favorite radio station) 6 music The song was a reworking of Ian Dury and the Blockheads "Reasons to be cheerful" - Reasons To Be Miserable. Now I'm a geek for wordplay and puns (read: pretensious english student) so this stuck in my mind.

Confused and more than a little intruiged I found myself to be an unknowing Half Man Half Biscuit fan. It's funny what you find out about yourself.

A year later I hear a fast paced near punk style track "Joy Division Oven Gloves". And yes, the track is about said oven gloves. This gives some clue to what HMHB can build a song on. Bloody anything. From daytime TV, pancake day, Scalectrix, to Dukla Prague football team away kits.

So whats good about them?

It's absurd, surreal, but bad sounding enough to avoid being novelty. Its cynical observations about things not even worth knowing. Everything you'd never want to hear about in a song.

Lyrics like "is your child hyper-active, or, is he perhaps a twat?" are just perfect, its a license to be a lunatic because you (and probably, just you) know it's from some HMHB tune. What other band offers the pleasure of lamenting about staff at a petrol station like the track "24 Hour Garage People"?

"You curse my soul if I don't want petrol
You curse my sould if I don't want petrol,
I only came down for a tube of pringles..
..sour cheese and chives"
"and you say, "£1.33!".
Instead of "that'll be 1.33 please sir"
this is done to annoy me, but has the opposite effect
of amusing me,
because now I've got plenty of other things to have..
and plenty of time on my hands.."

You'll be singing "I'll have ten kit kats and a motoring atlas!" within seconds. Its mental, and thats why I love it. It's quintessentially British, the musical equivalent to Monty Python surrealism. But working class, on the dole, and from Merseyside.

They "formed" in the mid 80s, disbanded and reformed all over the time between then and now. Their first LP Back in the DHSS (1986) was the biggest selling LP of the independent chart -recorded for £40 by a mate at the studio where Nigel Blackwell (lyrics, vocals, guitar) was a caretaker.

John Peel got a copy and loved it.

Rock and Roll exess followed -after 1986s single "Dickie Davis Eyes" Nigel decided to retire and go back to the dole because he was missing too much daytime TV.

They also (twice) turned down appearing on Channel 4s "The Tube" rock show because Transmere Rovers were playing, dispite good old Channel 4 offering a helicopter to get them back to the game.

Just shows the sense of dedication to rock and roll. (I'd call it shambolic, but I've heard the Libertines described such, .. I won't even give them the pleasure..)

It's this pointless lack of ambition, unpretensious throw away tracks about everyday boredom, thats what makes me a fan, a fan who's only heard one album and countless interwebbed MP3s.

- to hear random crap that doesn't take itself seriously. Musical moanings about anything - modern culture. inde kids (we've got tie die we've got lo fi.. stickers on guitars..a tape for Steve Lamaq, but what aint we got?, we aint got mates) Pancake day. Countryside road signs. Guerrila Gigs (just been performing a guerrilla gig, in the middle of another bands guerrila gig, well surely thats the ultimate guerrila gig, but still they cried like girls) Motley Crue. ("help me Mrs Medlicot I don't know what to do, I've only got three bullets and theres four in Motley Crue") Pete Doherty's tattoos. Glastonbury. (you call Glastonbury"Glasto", you'd love to go there one day, once they've put up the gun towers to keep the hippies away)

Maybe listening to them will cause nothing but a temporary giggle, and a "what was that?", it's charmingly odd. And charmingly odd is part of the national psyche. You could call them naff rubbish sounding novelty - all Half Man Half Biscuit would do is take another sip of beer and turn up the volume for the Transmere Rovers game.

Stand out tracks-

"24 hour garage people"
"Four Skinny Indie Kids" "..drinking weak lager in a camden boozer"

"Paintballs coming home"
"Joy Division Oven Gloves"
"CORGI Registered Friends" - "in the kingdom of the blind it's said the one eyed man is king, and in the kingdom of the bland, it's nine o' clock on ITV.."

Hear them-

The nice and detailed fan site, complete with section telling you what the hell the lyrics and references mean. Also, plenty of old Peel sessions and Andy Kershaw recordings which are well worth checking out.

What did you think?

The Smiths have reformed maybe?

Yes, The Smiths have reformed its just they come within a new form of a band, yes incredibly there is a new Smiths!!!

The Boyfriends!!

I read a review this morning for their new album and it mentioned 'Kitchen Sink Indie', yes a new genre ranked along with the 'Nu-Rave' (I already own a field in Kettering ready for the raves). Along with a band called 'luxembourg' Just listening to this band now and the lead's voice is somewhat in between Mozza and the Editors. It sounds pretty good as well.

The musical arrangements are a lot more stronger than the minimalist setting of The Smiths. Alright, the rest of the band are no Marrs but this has to be one of the suprises of 2006. Cor Blimey, I never of believed. This year we have found a new Blondie 'Long Blondes', a new Bragg 'Jamie T' and now a new Smiths.

www.myspace.com/myboyfriendsback

Sorry for the short post, late at night, cant be bothered for essays

The Killers - Sam's Town

Let's have a bit of background to this review, The Killers 'Hot Fuss' was something of a sleeper hit on original release not many picked up, although man of music and founder of '5pmusic' did Mr.Stringle, he gave it to me and it was a likeable, singalong listen and 80's sound was something slightly different at the time to other bands. It took the single 'Mr.Brightside' before the public took massive notice, almost like The Usual Suspects coming onto DVD, it proved more successful and the public loved it. 'Yeh, who needs NYC bands, we now have a Las Vegas who feel like they had a second coming in Manchester'.

After the first album which was generally great for the first 7 songs, then it began to fell apart from 'Glamourous Indie Rock n Roll' and they struggled to keep the tempo of what could of been a classic. For me, this built up an eagerness to listen to new stuff, not an exception as so many people little kids well have had yesterday. So I popped out on a Monday afternoon having to buy a bayonet cap bulb 40 volts and The Killers album. In between, I planned a quick read of all this month's magazines, 'Q', 'Empire' and 'When Saturday Comes' all got a flick through and then I realised I forgot to get some money, first shop had all 'holes in the wall' out of order and then a quick stop to the other branch whilst stopped by two Regent College biker dudes.

So, I finally get into Virgin and the bleeder is sold out! Sold Out! Cor blimey, it aint that good. I have never been to shop to see an empty shelf. So I walked across the Shires and then made my way to HMV, got in there, picked up a copy and who was just picking on up at the same time, James Wesolowski and Alan Sheehan of Leicester City I was starstruck, they was buying the same Cd has me. Bought it and came back home to met by my mother's Westlife CD.

'I best put this record on now'. First thing noticed was the casing, it's all circular, its a square case with rounded corners and then the cd has a print of a ram and its big horns? circuiting it.

So now then after several listens well what is the review, after that long background report. Well, the Killers have attempted a full-armed assault on making a 'serious' album, if the last one was a collection of throw-away singles, then this is an attempt on an album with substance. The album does remind of me of previous second album mistakes. It has great parts and bad parts.

It starts on Sam's Town, an indicator that they are aiming for a super-charged start. The musical arrangement is all good and well but an annoying lyrically chorus of ''I see London/I see Sam's Town x3''. So a comparison of a dirty, horrible Vegas casion to dear old blighty's captial or maybe its Flowers attempt at saying London is like a hometown in the idea of selling records. Although I feel Flowers is not clever enough or cynical enough to do that. Then we have a 'Enterlude', a particular quirk trying to replicate The Beatles's Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Heart Club, awful idea with a nice simple riff. It does the same with an 'Exitlude'. I could go on song by song, but I will now write about the highlights and disappointments.

Mr.Flowers voice has been heightened so much in production in sounds like the producer must have a 'Muse' love-in. 'Feck me I love Matt Bellamy, lets make an American version' Despite all these gripes there is some highlights 'Read My Mind' is probably lyrically the best they have done, its spot on and reminds me of New Order's '1963'. 'Bones' is good aswell with a nice synsh hook in the middle. ' For Reasons Unknown', does Flowers read Beckett?, is also reasonably a nice song same as 'This River Is Wild'.

'Uncle Jonny' lyrically is the Killers most personal song but its clunky and suffers from emotions over art. Overally, The Killers have too many quirks and ideas to fit in this album, at times it has the feel of a double album, just too much, rushed ideas simply to appease the fans and A&R men. I mentioned it has second album mistakes, I could address this album in two bands transitions, although The Killers dont have the same quality nor genius has the pair. Gang Of Four despite an anger towards love songs, always sounded better and done better when writing about the quirks of the opposite sex and the same applies for The Killers forgot personal stuff, write about love situation it sounds so much better. Then secondly J-Div/N.Order, it reminds me of a transition album, maybe this Killers 'transitional' album.

Bottom line, too many ideas compacked into an often 'OTT' album when sometimes it works and other times it does not.

Rating-6.95/10, its near to a seven but too many mistakes for a 7.
Listen to - 'Bones' and 'Read My Mind'
Avoid - 'Sam's Town' and 'Uncle Jonny'

Thank You, Harry Gregory, bugger that was hard work. Next week should be better for albums, Jeremy Warmsley, Milburn and The Blood Arm all have albums which are interesting propects, if anyone get hold of any copies, send them to me please, I dont want to spend more money.

The Specials AKA - The Specials

An old one, and a complete 2 tone classic. Produced by Speky Legend Elvis Costello too!

So trying to avoid the musical history lessons that fill the CD insert, ( pretty much.. Ska influences + Punk influences = newness, shiny musical The Specials newness )

This is a record that'll always cheer me up from the first bars.. and what an opener! A message to you Rudy opens it up with drums that are dam near impossible not to air drum, the ska beat keeps the shoulders moving with the beat (for most of the album actually..) and the little bit of horn playing is dangerously addictive. - Stop your messing around.. better think of your future..
From that comes the perfectly produced Do The Dog - plenty of echo and feedback (hell, I don't know technical musical terms) that perfectly fits this rant at the confliction and segregation of society.. starting off with, another, perfect drum intro ( completely ripped of by Razorlights - In The Morning )-it steams along to the bassline..
All you punks and all you dreads, national front and natty dreads, mods rockers hippies and skinhead, keep on fighting till' your dead..
/
Who am I to say? To the IRA, To the UDA, Soldier boy from UK, Am I just a hypocrite? Another piece of your bullshit, Am I the dog that bit, The hand of the man that feeds it?

Which shows a great thing about The Specials; they really get the social issues in, yet its a perfectly uplifting album - racism, gang violence, the boredom of suburbia arn't cheery subjects but they are all pulled off with a cynical wit - you can't help but dance. The music is so upbeat and rich it carries it all perfectly.

Track 4 - Nite Klub is another gem, a perfect soundtrack for a shit night out, in a shit town, in a shit club; people jabbering and shouting in the background.. a real sorryforyourself trumpet call and a miserable moan of .. is this the in place to be..? what am I doing here..? watching the girls go by.. befory reet kicking in good un' proper with that ever-rocking bass and horn.. flipping between a chorus of Nite Kluuub, and the miserable observations of a night out (with great bass, lead guitar, and horn work a plenty) "I wont dance, in a, club like this, all the, girls are slags, and the beer tastes just like PISS..". If I had to choose one, that'd be my stand out track.
This, together with tracks like (Dawning of a) New Era and Little Bitch (recently covered by The Ordinary Boys aka TheSpecialsTributebutfaster ) complete the crazy energetic ska choice cuts on this album. But there is room for more reggae, rocksteady tracks like Too Hot (dis town, its too hotttt), and Your Wondering Now, explore the more rocksteady reggae chilled out Specials .. so theres quite a range on the album. Whilst sometimes these get the skip, they still showcase awesome song crafting - the tuneless thrashing of Punk this aint.

It's an album that makes you want to groove, skank and rock those shoulders to the -ska ska ska guitar. And say Rude Bwoy. Alot.

The Specials AKA - The Specials
Released - 1979 on 2 Tone records
Stand out tracks - Little Bitch, Nite Klub, A Message to you Rudy
Possible Skippers - It's Up To You, Stupid Marriage
Listen to it: .. buy it. Or listen to amazon reaplayer teasers here

What did you think?

Jamie T @ Leicester Why Not Go?

In an incredible follow of events, Jamie T has a date in Leicester, yes in Leicester. So, why I have chose not to go, well simple really. It's not a Jamie T organised gig for starters, its a 'club night' with the most horrific name 'Porked'. No there is nothing majorly wrong with 'club nights' but is just they seems so subjective, you know its organised by one person who thinks he knows everything. I'd happy organise a club night, a Five Pence club night when this site emulates the other bigger indie sites going on but it would be a free-for-all. It would be by ticket however aswell and all the money made would circulate as a non-profit organisation.

But it was on later investigation on this gig, that I found out the shocking truth of 'Porked 8', the support is infact 4 local bands, oo nice local bands, but on my discovery to finding out the local bands, I realised this is not going to be one of those rememberable nights where you seen 'the next big thing', Jamie T will probably do an acoustic set again because hes taken a booking and wants dosho, dosho, dosho. Cant blame the young whipper-snapper. But I realised the 'pay on the door' technique is somewhat doomed to fail, The Half-Time Orange's stage could prbably hold 300-500 at a big guess, now Jamie T could sell out a 3k Leicester gig easy, because people from Derby, Notts and Midlands would travel if at a proper venue not a pub. So it means people will be waiting from 6pm onwards outside Half Time Orange, on current weather outlook in the pissing rain.

But more research somewhat defined what I expected anyway, one of the local bands name with-held, I bumped in on this year's Summer Sundae, no it was not The Dirty Backbeats, who are so 'scenester' its quite unbelieveable, you need to be drink a Barcardi and Coke before you cant start a conversation with them. Well this band are no older than 17, their one aimed drive to ruin the Jamie T set at Summer Sundae was idiotic and plonkerish. Absolute twats. Loutish and idiots whose love for Jamie T made them look like a pack of buffoons. Some times it can be tolerate at a gig but an acoustic gig, no. If I went today, I would spend half and hour sitting watching them calling them 'twats' repeatly, heckling them until they cry with songs which born the same name as Infernal's chart-stopping From Pariis To Berlin, just that they replaced Paris with Luxembourg.

Then another band who appeared at SSW06', an infamous incident where a member of band was chased around the site by an army of security, this bloke's mission to manage to avoid security on a site no bigger than a 5-bedroom house's back garden was doomed to fail. Either way he looked an idiots.

So if there is two bands containing idiots, an another band with crap music and then one who are building up a reptuation for being good. Would I went to spend 1 and half waiting for doors, 2 hours waiting for Jamie T whilst surrounded by Topshop models. No I wouldnt want to go, to see a 30 minute set. I'll wait till I have a car and go somewhere in the Midlands where you feel you are amongst actual music fans. Not pissheads and scenesters.

I have no probelm with club nights and a 'scene' except when its so subjective and fashioned-orinated, I cant see an attraction. Take Madchester, there was an united force that of pills and the fashion was quite frankly stupid but it was clothers everyone could afford. Secondly although mogul Tony Wilson was an arrogant feck, he had no clue of what was to happen and he just lived his glory days.

I believe in a 'free for all' policy, united by a genre or type of music. A fashion may come connected with it as a legacy. Not the current ''I am wearing Topshop clothes, big sunglasses, so I must listen to The Kooks vibe', The greatest example of what I believe in his the 'How Does It Feel To Be Loved' club night in London, the rule there is 'no punk, no rock, no metal, no grunge, no contemporary indie haircut, no Lionel Blair, no Noel Edmonds'. Simple as one sound unites, regardless of how you look now.

Now if any one wants to set up a Baggy post-1992 night, give me a call.

Gregory Collective's no.1 Tip

Welcome to my Friday blog which is set to be decidated to 'NEW' music, I sound like Zane 'Twatty' Lowe already. Basically in my unemployment I have done alot of listening to stuff because I have nothing else to do, so all the minutes of unspent working go towards this, dont say this is a side project, currently its my 'job', not that my Mum or Dad recognise that. So here's my tip next week, I was alerted to this thanks to Drowned In Sound, super site of music, on one of their podcasts which apart from two artists on there (one of which I am featuring), it was a Canadian Music love-in. This artist was an exception.

This artist Is Jeremy Warmsley, a young man from London who occasionally wears glasses and yes ther majority of his stuff is in acoustic. Bugger not another acoustic singer songwriter! James Morrison, Paolo Nutini (I'm addicted to his new single, No!!!!!!), James Blunt, Tommy Cunt. But no Warmsley is different, his voice is not the commerical radio-like has the other plonkers currently cluttering the charts, its a lot more natural, less produced and lot more 'real' sounding, doesnt mean its incredibly good, it just means it sounds nice and proper.

Secondly Warmsley shows more musicianship than any of those horrible commerical radio brown-noses, he knows music inside out and the composition of it all, similar to Stuart Murdoch of Belle And Seb's instant recognisation of when a record sounds light-good fun. Although, the subject matter and reasoning maybe a very dark subject. His lyrics are not the everyday tales which apply to other twee musicians, its alot more personal to himself which fits with his more honest signing style.

So, why listen to him than say Stephen Fretwell and other singer-songwriter capable of writing a personal story. Well, Warmsley seems to be able to fit himself in a new category, a singer-songwriter who has the eye for what the Guillemots and Belle And Seb are doing, Warmsley also is original as I mentioned he knows what makes music and its not like a guitar band play by numbers. Its his canvas and he's in control of the paint.

In basic its a nice sound, with a more natural voice with him accomdating the music not showcasing a voice like on X-Factor or Pop Idol, also not a songwriter to make a point of an issue. Hes not here to please the masses or tell kids 'life's hard', hes his own man making music regardless of people ideas and stereotypes.

Hear Him on: http://www.myspace.com/jeremywarmsley (Dirty Blue Jeans and 5 Verses in particular)

Or alternatively buy his new single which was on September 25 'I Believe In The Way You Move'

Or use his web page www.jeremywarmsley.com, I think there is a new album on the wayeth anywhereth.

DJ Shadow LIVE with drums!

This visual and audio treat is BEFORE DJ Shadow went a bit strange and started releasing awful 'hyphy' music. (See Jonny's post below for a review of that!)

This is taken from his DVD 'In Tune and On Time' and features Shadow on the CDJ's with Malcolm Catto furiously playing the drums.

Ignore 'The Outsider', pretend it never happened and remember what an incredible musician Joshua 'DJ Shadow' Davis really is!

Sounds Like: Beats, Breaks & Drums!
Released: Not sure
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/djshadow

Dj Shadow's The Outsider

I like many who will no doubt contribute to this blog have long been fond of Shadow and his work. The Private Press did take a couple of listens to become palatable though looking back I'm not sure why. Regardless his work sits on the cinematic bench for the most part, most notably on the UNKLE Psyence Fiction album, which is an actuality just another Shadow album (WE'RE ON TO YOU JAMES LAVELLE YOU LITTLE BAND WAGON JUMPER!).

Last week however saw the release of his latest album, The Outsider. Shadow's been showcasing new tracks for the album for a few months at the few live shows he's done, and to be honest if it wasn't for the appearance of old school Shadow tracks at the gigs, they would have been toss. The vocal presence on the album eclipses all other releases with the instrumentals accounting for only a third of the album. And while some of the tunes with vocals had something new to Shadow's catalogue, there are a few choice stains on the record.

It's almost as if he's turned on Flaunt while flicking through his Sky channels before being hit and then finding it impossible to turn away. 3 Freaks, Turf Dancing, Keep 'Em Close and Dat's My Part resonate with none of Shadow's flair, instead coming across like so much shite commercial 'Hip Hop' that gets air time like it's going out of fashion.

I respect that peoples styles change. I respect the fact that he doesn't want to make Entroducing over and over again. But I can't help but feel that the albums missing something. This opinion could change in time, you may see another blog touching on this, and I am going to persist with it. But every time I make the decision to give it another chance, I can't help but feel like I shouldn't have to...

What did you think?

Sebastien Tellier - La Ritournelle

A truly beautiful track. A full orchestra that soars, some fantastic drum playing, underpinned by just perfect, subtle piano. At least half the track is simply this combination - it sounds pretty much magically magical even before the bass playing and lyrics kick in.

Alot of Music Reviews at the time compared this to Massive Attack's "Unfinished Sympathy" (calling it "Unfinished Sympathy part II") .. which is praise indeed, and rightly so.

Check it out, its reet speshul' (awful single cover though.. doesn't he look like Ringo Starr / Jesus ) but he talks just like a gentlemen..

Sounds Like: Flying. With an orchestra. and a drum player. Over the atlantic. at dawn. in love. "Unfinished Sympthy pt. 2"
Released: 26 09 2005
Hear it on:
Album: "Politics"
(the full edit - the second track down the page - http://hype.non-standard.net/artist/Sebastien+Tellier)
MySpace: ( a radio edit on) http://www.myspace.com/sebastientellier

What did you think?

The Roots ~ Game Theory

You know when you hear an album for the first time and you've made up your mind before you've even heard it to the end?

Doesn't happen often does it? It very rarely happens to me, I'm normally a 2-listen kinda cat but I was hooked on Game Theory, the latest offering from Hip-Hop supremo's The Roots from Track 4!

Every bit of it is just 'right'. The beats, the flow, the rhymes. It's true hip-hop, all playing their own instruments and making their own stuff.

None of this "nigga bitches ho BLAP" rubbish that plagues so called 'hip-hop' in the charts. This is true, soulful hip-hop in every way it should be.

Go get it, you won't be dissapointed!

Sounds Like: True Hip-Hop
Released: 28-9-2006
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theroots

The Killers - When You Were Young

I would say that The Killers had alot resting on their new single, but it really doesnt matter.. they'll sell millions anyway; their UK tour sold out in micro of a milli second or something, and the single When You Were Young doesn't appear to be doing too bad either..

But I think its terrible. Beyond terrible. Terrible. As if The Killers, and their producer got over excited on too many smarties - cramming every available fucking musical trick in possible... here's the orchestrated bit.. oh wait, no, there it is on everything, here's the Coldplay sounding guitar solo bit.. oh wait, its used all over the place.. .. every single bar of music tries to out do itself, until it just sounds ridiculous.
And the lyrics. "He doesn't look a thing like Jeeeee-sus, but he talks just like a gentlemen.." it's bad without Jesus being Jeeeeeeeee-suussssss.
Plus, brandon flowers singing -
"They say the devil's water, it ain't so sweet
You don't have to drink right now
But you can dip your feet
Every once in a little while"
- in a rather emotional heartfelt style falls flat on its face.. an emotional plea to avoid dubious looking water?! The lyrics really do get worse.. "Avoid those mucky puddles.." - would sound less ridiculous.

.. and I thought "I got soul but I'm not a soldier" was a meaningless lyric, at least that works as a cheery sing-along. Not this song. Nope, Its just too ridiculous for me.

Sounds Like: Ego's being stroked. The Killers taking the piss out of themselves.
Released: 18-9-2006
Hear it on:
Album: "Sam's Town"
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thekillers

What did you think?