Drink The Elixir - Salad

A blast from the past from 1995 - TUNE !

"Glass Jar" by Gang Gang Dance from last year's ear-meltingly good album "Eye Contact". 11 minutes of blissed out sound sculpture starting out like sonic waves lapping against an alien beach, but building, slowly, carefully. The synth cascade at the 3 1/2 minute mark is magical and then when the percussion arrives about 40 seconds later I get shivers. The party really gets going around 6 1/2 minutes in as all the rhythms coalesce, but the music still ebbs and flows around the underlying groove. The joy of this track is that once you get to know it the anticipation of the next "phase" just adds to the tension and pleasure. It really does get better and better the more you listen. I guess the Glass Jar's opening spoken words "I can hear everything. It's everything time." say it all. Remarkable piece of music.

This album only sold about 4000 copies in this country. Shame, because whilst it can be a bit odd at times, the quality of the music deserves a wider audience. Not only "Glass Jar" but "Adult Goth", "Chinese High" and "MindKilla" are superb, whilst the rest of the tracks are merely very good. The reviews on Amazon UK are pretty informative. Gang Gang Dance are supposed to be great live as well - I hope they visit these shores this year.

Black Light by Diagrams.
Pure deep (as in depth of sound rather than profundity) pop with a slightly quirky folky/electronica twist from Sam Genders, formerly of Tunng, so kind of what you'd expect, but better. The first track could be by Gruff Rhys - I can think of no finer compliment. Sometimes the voice is more akin to that man Guy Garvey. Othertimes I'm reminded of Everything Everything and even The Cure! Someone else puts it much better than I - "It is a sumptuous blend of jerking rhythms, sweet melodies, sonic oddities, electronic loops, acoustic guitars and gruffly endearing admonishments. Much of it is comprised of taut white-boy grooves, as neatly emphasised on the euphoric ‘Tall Buildings’, the alternating wire-strung snap and orchestral swells of ‘Appetite’ and the Vek vs. Elbow tussle and skitter of ‘Mills’. "

Proper good record this is.

I am also listening the various EPs from The 2 Bears in anticipation of their album at the end of the month. Cheery, almost jokey house music from Hot Chip's Joe Goddard, but just occasionally rather touching.

Finally looking forward to Django Django's self titled debut, also out at the end of January. The singles are good in a Syd Barrett joins an indie band with a load of synths kind of way.

A decent start to the year.

The new tune from Andrew Bird's upcoming LP, Break It Yourself. Really looking forward to hearing this album when it's released. The 1st track I've heard on Soundcloud is quite freaking good, and I've probably played it about a dozen times in the past day or so. It's called Eyeoneye and it's streaming here:

http://soundcloud.com/andrewbird/eyeoneye

This -

http://youtu.be/9zXkAaoBOLU

I've decided I'm sick to death of 'nu-folk' - I'm going back to my roots. I need guitars.

Yeah Ticky - guitars rule!!

Despite that though, I am listening to Errors - Have Some Faith in Magic.
Marvellous record released today. Kosmische proggy spacey electronica (with guitars!). There is a hint of label bosses Mogwai in the guitar at times. Big sounding but nimble and taut.

Some good releases this week.

Thanks MBV. I love going on about music (and films and football and loads of other stuff too). I'd be a rubbish critic though, I couldn't be rotten about something that might have taken years for someone to create, just because I don't like it. I think I might be able to manage mild dissapointment - that's it. Which brings me to Django Django...

...This is almost a brilliant record. Seriously. It starts of with a wonderful "Low-era Bowie scores a Western" intro leading into the glorious big and bouncy "Hail Bop". This is worth buying the LP for all on its own. The jerky, infectious single, Default is great, the Golden Retriever (SFA song) like "Firewater" isn't quite as good as it should be, but "Waveforms", with its modern take on Barrett era Floyd is excellent. But after that things seem to lose focus a bit. There's tons of invention, loads of interesting ideas, but the songs just aren't quite as good as the opening few. Don't get me wrong, it is still very enjoyable, but the brilliant opening just left me wanting more.

Looking at other reviews though, I seem to be in the minority. Hard to categorise (which is a good thing) Django Django are definitely worth a listen. Hope to see them live at the end of Feb too.

My daughter's just pointed me in the direction of this young chap -

http://youtu.be/obSyjnkcti8

Also - didn't know this was the 'My name is Earl' - LOVE IT!!

http://youtu.be/bkweu3nSbX8

Panic. Very, very loud. About 3 times in a row.

"Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
It says nothing to me about my life
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play"

Just one of the best songs ever. Fact.

June Tabor & The Oysterband's ballsy Ragged Kingdom - winner of best album at the BBC Folk Awards.

Pretty traditional rocky folk in some respects, with a mix of traditional songs and interesting covers. The album's first 4 songs are all gems. It opens with a cracking rendition of "Bonny Bunch of Roses" followed by a very contempory sounding cover of the excellent PJ Harvey song "That Was My Veil". Next we have one of those gruesome old murder ballads. "Son David", followed by a blood chilling, heartbreaking cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart". (You kind of take for granted what an awesome song that is!) After such a thrilling opening quartet, the rest of the record doesn't quite reach those heights, but is good stuff all the same, particularly the thumping "Judas Was a Red Headed Man" and the poppy "If My Love Loves Me".

I like a bit of folk at times, but it is not my favourite kind of music. This album, however, with it's mix of muscle and finesse, tradition and modernity has really won me over.

having a blast of old old U2 stuff. good old days. War / OCtober / Unforgettable Fire albums

A Spotify playist of 60's/70's Soul classics of a political bent, including all of Marvin Gaye's wonderful album "What's Going On" and Sam Cooke's call-to-arms "A Change Is Gonna Come". Lovely, uplifting stuff.