
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Summertime Clothes // Dam-Funk Remix

Friday, 29 May 2009
Hunting and Gathering // Sunday 31st May

Hunting and Gathering's second installment is this Sunday at Milo and it looks like its going to be super fun. The guys running the night seem to have such a great ethos, running a free night, trying to find new talent and giving them a platform to perform on. The night is not only is there for entertainment but has some more meaning behind it. This month is celebrating 30 years of Hip-Hop but also Metal, Hardcore, Punk and Surf. Although at first this seemed to be a very strange mix I think the connection is meant to be the drive and passion behind the music. Can't wait, see you there.
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Releases // Monday 25th May
Theoretical Girl - 'Rivals' from Create Spark on Vimeo.
The beautiful Theoretical Girl releases new single titled 'Rivals'. Although a terribly cheesy video I'm quite fond of the track. Drifting away from more post-punk efforts in the past into more poppier take on post-punk. Enjoy.
MP3:Theoretical Girl - Rivals

The Brian Jonestown Massacre have released a new E.P titled 'Smoking Acid', vinyl limited to just 1000 copies I recomend getting hold of one asap. The E.P features 5 new tracks by the band, much rawer than their previous albums but still the same pcychadelic rock feel but it's been taken more towards shoegaze. Cover artwork is a collaboration between Anton Newcombe & Icelandic artist Jon Samundur Auoarson.
Download the E.P from megaupload here.
MP3:Theoretical Girl - Rivals

The Brian Jonestown Massacre have released a new E.P titled 'Smoking Acid', vinyl limited to just 1000 copies I recomend getting hold of one asap. The E.P features 5 new tracks by the band, much rawer than their previous albums but still the same pcychadelic rock feel but it's been taken more towards shoegaze. Cover artwork is a collaboration between Anton Newcombe & Icelandic artist Jon Samundur Auoarson.
Download the E.P from megaupload here.
Last Week In Leeds
The past week in Leeds has been eventful to say the least with the numerous bands who have played and the opening of the new venue, Nation of Shopkeepers. Very happy to have a day of rest as it's been so hectic. I'm keeping the reviews short due to the number of bands that have played since Wednesday.
Wednesday saw The Iron Wagon hosting an event at TJ's Woodhouse.
Gringo Star: Another band hailing from the Atlanta garage rock scene. Giving a pretty good tight live performance with catchy tunes, I do feel they are just a much more polished poppy version of Black Lips, which looses half the appeal for me.
Times New Viking: A band I haven't always been into but now the third time seeing them I'm totally converted. Their emotional live performances are better than their records, for me the best band of the night.
Mika Miko: The biggest let down of the night. From the few tracks I'd heard I didn't go in expecting much but came out even more disappointed.
Black Lips: Great band that I always expect to give great live performaces. Was slightly dissapointed with them compared to previous times I'd seen them, lead singer Jerard didn't seem to be feeling it (this could have been something to do with a date with the courts the following day). Possibly the reality is the new album just wasn't as 'Good Bad Not Evil' meaning shows on the '200 Million Thousand' tour just aren't as good.
Next up The Pains of Being Pure at Heart on Thursday at Cockpit.
The Manhattan Love Suicides: Didn't catch much of their set but wasn't feeling it at all. Found it pretty boring and monotonous.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: Because I love their record so much I was slightly disappointed with their live performance. On record everything that makes it for me is how well produced and perfect sounding it is. Although I appreciate live performances loose a lot of this I got the impression the band aren't that emotionally about the record making them give a soulless performance.
Next up the One day festival Stag and Dagger came to town at various venues across the city. Unfortunately I only managed to see three acts.
Abe Vigoda: What a fantastic start to the night with these guys giving an amazing energetic performance. Playing all my favourite tracks from 'Skeleton' and the new E.P 'Reviver' couldn't asked for anything more.
Vivian Girls: Played to a busy show at the Library. Their Lo-Fi indie rock seemed to go down well with the crowd but most people seemed to be comenting on their beauty rather than their musical talent.
Telepathe: I had heard bad thing about Telepathes shows and so I wasn't surprised to be disapointed. Vocals were out of key, the drum machines sounded totally different to the record and I wasn't quite sure what they were actually doing live apart from triggering drum loops.
Saturday saw the opening of a new venue A Nation of Shopkeepers which is a fantastically decorated Bar/Venue which is going to place you can go in the day and have some food as well a night playing host to DJ's and bands from across the world. Opening night saw DJ sets from Lovefoxx of CSS which wasn't great but saw some decent bands and was a very successful night. I can see myself spending a lot of time and money at this place.
The Old Romantic Killer Band: Just two local guys one on drums the other on guitar playing energetic Blues/Grunge influence rock n' roll. Entertaining to watch and will definetly make the effort to see them again.
Dinosaur Pile-Up: Some more locals lads playing 90's grunge. Wasn't really for me but they knew how the work the crowd who all seemed to really enjoy it.

Sunday saw Deerhunter at the Brudenell.
Monster Killed By Lazer: First support band and I was really impressed dispite making some clear mistakes in the set. I wasn't a fan of everything but and times I was reminded of This Heat and others by MRR-ADM.
Bilge Pump: Really not doing it for me , surprised see they did seem to have some kind of following though.
Sian Alice Group: Again not really doing it for me. They just seemed to have a nice idea which got louder over time, pretty boring to watch.
Deerhunter: Did not dissapoint me in the slightest, although playing more stuff from old album then expected it's only encouraged me to listen to them more. Live are a really tight band and Bradford Cox is an entertaining front man. Doing a 4 track request encore was pretty fun to watch then Bradford did a stand up session at the end of the gig, where he was just playing with the crowd for his own entertainment more than anything.
Last of all was an all-dayer at A Nation of Shopkeepers hosted by Good Form Club. I turned up super early to go to the record fair only to find out it wasn't on, dispite this dissapointment it was a really good day with great DJ sets by Mark from Jumbo Records and Felix from The Golden Owl.
Twisted: Once again was a pleasure to watch these guys play their 'garage punk meets 80s DC post hardcore'. Possibly being slightly out of place on the bill the guys still gave an great show which I certainly enjoyed.
Pengilly's: I was pleasantly surprised seeing these guys play as it isn't something I would normally enjoy. Their multi-instrumental talent was undeniable and a pleasure to watch.
The XX: I was unfortunate enough to have to watch another gig by this band. My opinion remains the same as the post I made a couple weeks ago.
So it was a very hectic week. I'm looking forward to relaxing over the next few days but this weekend there is even more to see and do.

Gringo Star: Another band hailing from the Atlanta garage rock scene. Giving a pretty good tight live performance with catchy tunes, I do feel they are just a much more polished poppy version of Black Lips, which looses half the appeal for me.
Times New Viking: A band I haven't always been into but now the third time seeing them I'm totally converted. Their emotional live performances are better than their records, for me the best band of the night.
Mika Miko: The biggest let down of the night. From the few tracks I'd heard I didn't go in expecting much but came out even more disappointed.
Black Lips: Great band that I always expect to give great live performaces. Was slightly dissapointed with them compared to previous times I'd seen them, lead singer Jerard didn't seem to be feeling it (this could have been something to do with a date with the courts the following day). Possibly the reality is the new album just wasn't as 'Good Bad Not Evil' meaning shows on the '200 Million Thousand' tour just aren't as good.

The Manhattan Love Suicides: Didn't catch much of their set but wasn't feeling it at all. Found it pretty boring and monotonous.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: Because I love their record so much I was slightly disappointed with their live performance. On record everything that makes it for me is how well produced and perfect sounding it is. Although I appreciate live performances loose a lot of this I got the impression the band aren't that emotionally about the record making them give a soulless performance.

Abe Vigoda: What a fantastic start to the night with these guys giving an amazing energetic performance. Playing all my favourite tracks from 'Skeleton' and the new E.P 'Reviver' couldn't asked for anything more.
Vivian Girls: Played to a busy show at the Library. Their Lo-Fi indie rock seemed to go down well with the crowd but most people seemed to be comenting on their beauty rather than their musical talent.
Telepathe: I had heard bad thing about Telepathes shows and so I wasn't surprised to be disapointed. Vocals were out of key, the drum machines sounded totally different to the record and I wasn't quite sure what they were actually doing live apart from triggering drum loops.

The Old Romantic Killer Band: Just two local guys one on drums the other on guitar playing energetic Blues/Grunge influence rock n' roll. Entertaining to watch and will definetly make the effort to see them again.
Dinosaur Pile-Up: Some more locals lads playing 90's grunge. Wasn't really for me but they knew how the work the crowd who all seemed to really enjoy it.

Sunday saw Deerhunter at the Brudenell.
Monster Killed By Lazer: First support band and I was really impressed dispite making some clear mistakes in the set. I wasn't a fan of everything but and times I was reminded of This Heat and others by MRR-ADM.
Bilge Pump: Really not doing it for me , surprised see they did seem to have some kind of following though.
Sian Alice Group: Again not really doing it for me. They just seemed to have a nice idea which got louder over time, pretty boring to watch.
Deerhunter: Did not dissapoint me in the slightest, although playing more stuff from old album then expected it's only encouraged me to listen to them more. Live are a really tight band and Bradford Cox is an entertaining front man. Doing a 4 track request encore was pretty fun to watch then Bradford did a stand up session at the end of the gig, where he was just playing with the crowd for his own entertainment more than anything.

Twisted: Once again was a pleasure to watch these guys play their 'garage punk meets 80s DC post hardcore'. Possibly being slightly out of place on the bill the guys still gave an great show which I certainly enjoyed.
Pengilly's: I was pleasantly surprised seeing these guys play as it isn't something I would normally enjoy. Their multi-instrumental talent was undeniable and a pleasure to watch.
The XX: I was unfortunate enough to have to watch another gig by this band. My opinion remains the same as the post I made a couple weeks ago.
So it was a very hectic week. I'm looking forward to relaxing over the next few days but this weekend there is even more to see and do.
Labels:
Black Lips,
Deerhunter,
Gringo Star,
Mika Miko,
The xx,
Times New Viking,
Twisted
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
1000 Robota

Monday, 18 May 2009
Releases // Monday 18th May // This Weeks Events



I'm not going to go into a huge thing about whats going on this week as I've been talking about all the events for the last month. But pretty much the next week is jam packed full great gig.
Wednesday - Black Lips, Mika Milo, Times New Viking, Gringo Star - TJ's Woodhouse Club
Thursday - Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Cockpit
Friday - Stag and Dagger, including Telepathe, Abe Vigoda, Vivian Girls and more - Various Venues
Saturday - Opening of new venue with Dinosaurs Pile Up and Lovefoxx - Nation of Shopkeepers
Sunday - Deerhunter - The Brudenell Social Club
Monday - Twisted and others play Good Form Club - Nation of Shopkeepers
Saturday, 16 May 2009
We Fun // Atlanta Scene Documentary
So I just watched this documentary called 'We Fun' which is about the music scene in Atlanta, Georgia and how its changed over recent years. Includes a bunch of interviews with different bands, promoters, journalists and record label owners. If you haven't heard about the Atlanta scene the two bands that have really been a big product of it are Deerhunter and Black Lips. The majority of the film does focus just on the Black Lips but it has introduced me to a few other bands which I'm going to check out.
It's being streamed on the Pitchfork website for one week only so worth a watch. Also seemed pretty relevant as Black Lips play TJ's Woodhouse on Wednesday 20th May and Deerhunter at The Brudenell on the 24th May, can't wait.
It's being streamed on the Pitchfork website for one week only so worth a watch. Also seemed pretty relevant as Black Lips play TJ's Woodhouse on Wednesday 20th May and Deerhunter at The Brudenell on the 24th May, can't wait.
Friday, 15 May 2009
Music Without Tears mixed by Passions

Mishka Presents - Music Without Tears mixed by Passions
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
David Byrne // Ipso Facto


Monday, 11 May 2009
Releases // Monday 11th May

MP3:Neils Children - Sometimes It's Hard To Let Go (zShare)
MP3:Neils Children - An Exchange (zShare)


The Horrors - Who Can Say from IM // UR on Vimeo.
The Horrors first physical single release from the new album is "Who Can Say". It is undeniably a good track, however it is clearly the most commercial song and is their attempt to convert their critics. Music video again by The Jesus and Mary Chain's former member Douglas Hart which is also much more mainstream compared to the fantastic "Sea Within A Sea" video. You can catch them at Cockpit on the 7th June with support from the fantastic Factory Floor.
MP3:The Horrors - Who Can Say(zShare)
Kasms release their debut album "Spayed" today. When i first heard this this band I was quite interested in them, however having heard quite a few tracks I've started to really dislike them. From the tracks I have heard off the album it doesn't look like my opinion will change.
Leeds based label Dance To The Radio last week (4th May 09) released the first of a series of four 12" singles. The first featured Wonderswan, Pulled Apart By Horses, Broadcast Society and Bear Hands. For me the only track that stood out was Wonderswan's "Hey Nature" the calm vocals over scuzzy guitars made me love it. I'm going to need to see these guys live next time they play.
MP3:The Horrors - Who Can Say(zShare)


Labels:
Effi Briest,
Factory Floor,
Kasms,
Telepathe,
The Horrors,
Vivian Girls,
Wonderswan
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Dave Porter // Clout
Dave Porter - I'm The Boss
Dave Porter - Why I Can't Love You
Dave Porter - Where Do Cloulds Go,

Also check out the new spotify playlist for some krautrock gems.
Monday, 4 May 2009
Releases // Monday 4th May

The Horrors - Scarlet Fields
Grauzone - Eisbär
The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea
CAN - Mother Sky

For any record collectors it might be worth mentioning that Radiohead have re-issued a bunch of their records check out the full list over at Rough Trade.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
The New Thing // 005 Podcast

They have just posted on their blog a link to their latest podcast which includes as eclectic mix of new bands and some obscure post-punk. Apart from his very dull monotone voice it's a good listen. Download it from the TNT blog
Friday, 1 May 2009
Dinosaur Jr // Free Download

Dinosaur Jr in anticipation of the release of their new album 'Farm' due out on June 22nd are giving away a free download of the track, "I Want You to Know". Download it below.
Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You to Know
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