Massive Attack – Massively Back! (Or something)

The lazy buggers that are Massive Attack are set to release their first new material in three years.

 

The Bristol-based band have announced that an EP of four new tracks will be released on October 6th. The release will consist of lead track “Splitting the Atom”, “Pray For Rain” (which includes a guest vocal turn by TV On the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe) and two remixes.

 

Then you’ll have to sit tight until sometime next year, when their fifth album (in nineteen years) will finally be released. “LP5″  – presumably a lot of time was spent deliberating a title – will see guest collaborations with Blur’s/monkey-fiddler Damon Albarn, Elbow’s Guy Garvey and Tricky’s friend Martina Topley-Bird. 

 

The album – expected to be released in February – may face delays due to the duo heading off to Europe for a few months. Meanwhile, “LP5″ is not believed to have been mastered, which could push the release date back.

 

Though however long we may have to wait, “LP5″ is shaping up to sound like something special. “Pray For Rain” -  a six-minute long piano sampling dirge – is whipping up excitement from both high-profile music critics and DIY-electro bedroom-knob-twiddlers alike. 

 

 

 

Swine Flu – out of the papers and into MP3 players.

Mike Skinner of The Streets has released a song about swine flu.
The song, called “He’s Behind You, He’s got Swine Flu” has a video t go with it, made up from clips from old zombie films, presumably to highlight the media-led panic over the virus.
Its not clear if the song will be released physically, due to Skinner’s new found habit of uploading songs through Twitter.

last song i heard – “Further Complications” – Jarvis Cocker

CD Reviews

Firstly I’m aware that I haven’t posted on here for ages, and this is because of blah blah, yawn yawn and etc etc.
In the meantime, as I try to find some time to start posting again, here’s some CD Reviews that I’ve done in the past few weeks for the paper.

The Prodigy – “Invaders Must Die”
The Prodigys breakthrough album “The Fat of the Land” was released when the Britpop movement was making guitars popular again. The fact that the release of “Invaders Must Die” coincides with the decline of the guitar based “indie” trend hints towards a wish – possibly that of Liam Howlett – of a return to electronica.
The title track opener indicates the plan for the entire album, which is to revisit the glory warehouse rave days of “Firestarter” and “Breathe”, while reminding us that perhaps we need a real reemergence of big beat, rather than the tired posturing of Lady Gaga-esque electro fashionistas which is currently prominent.
The band – guest-featuring Dave Grohl on drums and Does It Offend You, Yeah?’s James Rushent as co-producer – almost manage a sufficient recreation of their past successes, though a full-on development of their jungle roots would have been more appreciated.

Neko Case – “Middle Cyclone”
Case’s solo work – outside of bands such as the New Pornographers and The Sadies – has proven to be consistently strong. From her early beginnings Case has developed into a genre –bending artist, blending punk, alternative country and pop. Her latest release continues this effort, taking a calm look at relationships and nature while stating that the two themes are similar in terms of destructiveness.
The album jumps from acoustic guitar led songs to piano ballads, one of which being a cover of Harry Nilssons “Don’t Forget Me,” that leads to a slightly fragmented tracklisting. The albums closer “Marais la Nuit”, a simple half- hour field recording of frogs by a pond, seems to symbolize Cases career as a whole – that of an artist willing to experiment with styles and impulses.

Morrissey – “Years of Refusal”
Album opener “Something is Squeezing My Skull” sets the mood that is to be now expected by the former Smiths front man – that of malaise, loneliness and perpetual gloominess. The opening track – a surprisingly accessible anthem railing against mental health treatments and medications – conveys the ferocity that is spread over much of the album.
The anger comes to a head on both “It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore” and “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris”, a declaration of infatuation of the architecture of Paris in the wake of heartbreak.
Overall the album – although a tad over-produced – is another welcome release, being as entertaining and vital as 1994’s “Vauxhall and I.”

K’Naan – “Troubadour”
The follow-up to 2005’s “The Dusty Foot Philosopher” sees higher production values and a political ideal that brings to mind M.I.A. Throughout the album, Somalian born Kaynaan Warsame takes his experiences in the civil-war ravaged country and applies them to his life in North America, resulting in an album both thoughtful and relentlessly optimistic. Musically, the album drifts from African samples to guitar solos by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, resulting in an overall quick flow with a few touches of minimalism. However, K’Naan’s developing abilities highlight occasional lyrical fallbacks into rap clichés, though for an artist who taught himself English through old Nas and Rakim albums this may be forgivable.
Overall, ”Troubadour” – though expressing an honesty and grittiness that deserves to expose North American “gangstas” for what they really are – suffers from patchy lyrics and unnecessary clichés that outbalance the moments of real talent.

Franz Ferdinand – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
While Franz Ferdinands first two albums concerned themselves with disco tinged post-punk. With their third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, however, the Scottish foursome delve into experimental territory. Trading their guitars for keyboards, drum machines and keyboards, the band, along with producer Dan Carey (Hot Chip, CSS), toy with new-wave, electronica and a touch of dub. The album could be classed as a “concept” affair, set up as a chronicle of a night on the town. Whether more extreme experimentation is in the bands future seems somewhat doubtful, Tonight shows a band evolving at just the right moment in their career.

Department of Eagles – In Ear Park
Department of Eagles first album, “The Cold Nose” (or “The Whitey on the Moon”) seemed to be the work of differing musicians coming together with no prior contact – a mixture of electronica, instrumentals and hip-hop tinged tracks. Since then, songwriter Daniel Rossan became involved with Grizzly Bear. Returning to his now side-project with two other members of Grizzly Bear, Rossen has also brought the sound of his main focus along too.
Incorporating many of the sounds heard in Grizzly Bears Yellow House, In Ear Park brings to mind autumnal moods and shifting atmospherics, in a similar vein to Fleet Foxes, while surprising tracks such as “No One Does It Like You” and the cabaret of “Teenagers” showcases a disorientating side to the band’s output.

Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Since her 2006 debut Alright Still, Lily Allen has told the media that she doesn’t like being a celebrity, her music isn’t very good and that she wants to stop singing and become an A&R representative. Whether attempting to move on or simply adopting standard promotional strategies, her second release does show a more mature Lily Allen.
With songs referencing George Bushs presidency, the mainstream advocation of drugs and the downside of fame – along with her usual mentions of sex and relationships – there are hints at efforts to shift musically. Dropping Cockney vocal tendencies along with the ska samples of her first album, Allen leans towards folk, 90’s Britpop and even ABBA. Despite apparent limitations as a vocalist and writer, It’s Not Me, It’s You surprises with unexpected emotion throughout.

Antony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light
After I Am a Bird Now – Antony Hegartys 2005 debut – debated the topics of gender and displacement, The Crying Light goes further towards the subject of life and death. Simultaneously rich and sparse, Hegartys unique vocal range, combined with the work of over two dozen musicians, results in a significantly emotional album. Hegartys voice is the crux for many listeners, becoming a love/hate topic that some listeners may not be able to get past. Most striking is Dust and Water”, a simple vocal track seemingly sung in a foreign language, despite the fact that it isn’t. However unfashionable it may seem, once past fickle aesthetics you’ll find a deeply personal, absorbing album.

last song i heard – “bluish” animal collective

Blur to Re-unite.

Blur, that band from the 90’s who recorded more than “Song 2″ and who were definitely better than Oasis, are to reform next year to play a show in London’s Hyde Park.
The band, who effectively split after their “Think Tank” album in 2003, are working together again as a whole.
The show is set for July 3rd, but tickets sold out in around two minutes, so there’s been another show added on July 2nd. Expect Ebay to explode sometime around June 27th.

Here’s why you should be excited:

Oasis must be shitting themselves.

 

last song i heard – “over and over” – hot chip

CD Review – “Dark Horse” – Nickelback.

 

Dark Horse

 

 

 

Having sold a combined 16 million copies of their last five albums, you could understand if a band such as Nickelback simply gave up the development of new ideas., but with the band’s latest release, they seems to be going backwards.

Beginning their career with the post-grunge stylings of Staind, Seether and all those other bands that haven’t had a mention since 2002, Alberta’s Nickelback reached the mainstream with their #1 North American single “How You Remind Me.”

With the release of their last album, 2005’s “All the Right Reasons”, the band seemingly scrapped their reputable sound in favour of stadium-filling “rock”, the variety popular with men who go by names such as Clyde, Elroy and Randy.

It’s clear the band is aware of its audience, catering directly towards them with their latest album “Dark Horse.”

The first element of the album worth a mention is the names of the songs themselves, including “S.E.X”, “Burn it to the Ground” and album opener “Something in Your Mouth”. Reading over the track listing gives you some idea of the content of the material, which, according to the album’s press release, are classed as “grinding rockers,” “fist-pumping anthems” and “soaring power ballads.”

On first listens, the music itself doesn’t seem too bad – decent steady drums and guitars with more than a touch of overdrive pedal.

Commit closer attention, however, and some absolutely mind-bending lyrics will reveal themselves.

“Well she ain’t no Cinderella when she’s gettin’ undressed/Cause she rocks it like the naughty wicked witch of the west,” croons frontman Chad Kroeger in “Shakin’ Hands.”

“Me and all my friends/We drink up, we fall down/And then we do it all again,” claims album closer “This Afternoon.”

Such poetry should come as no surprise from the band, that statement confirmed by Chad Kroeger himself earlier this year when he stated that this album was almost titled “Sex and Drinking.”

The main problem with this album is the uninspired subject matter tied with frankly inexcusable lyrics – a nightmare for feminists – that at some points pass the point of misogynistic clichés and simply end up being offensive.

“We’re kind of a people’s band, so we’ll leave it up to them whether they like it or not. We’re one of those bands people come back to, which is very cool,” says guitarist Ryan Peake in the album’s press release.

However, on the basis of this album, it wouldn’t be surprising if the band found themselves short of female fans next time around.

 

 

CD Review – “Missiles” – The Dears

 

missiles

 

 

The release of the Dear’s fourth full-length album comes after a recent e-newsletter admitting that “This could have been a message saying that the Dears is over.” That statement isn’t too far from the truth.

Having lost most of their band during the making of this album – the follow up to 2006’s “Gang of Losers” – the husband and wife team of Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak have just managed to pull through. The result could be seen as their most consistent release yet, seemingly creating a bridge between two previous styles – the early poppier material, and the more direct, almost aggressive sounds of “Gang of Losers.”

The overall sound of “Missiles” isn’t exactly straightforward, incorporating strings, harmonies and brass into simple melodies and repeat ad nauseum rythyms, giving an almost epic feeling to the new material. Since the early days, “cinematic” is a word that’s been used to classify their sound, and they continue to live up to that tag here.

The Dears have always been popular with the melancholy dramatist crowd, bringing to mind Echo and the Bunnymen and Morrissey. Radiohead could also be seen as an influence, sharing some faint similarities, although the vocal melody on “Berlin Heart” could be considered too similar to “No Surprises” for comfort.

While it’s not the huge comeback from the 2004 breakthrough “No Cities Left” people seem to have hoped for, it doesn’t seem to try to be that. It’s the sound of a band trying to find their feet after a major change, in this case, losing five members.

There are some minor flaws. The album lacks real choruses, instead drawing out songs gradually, with only one song being shorter than five minutes. Album closer “Savior” clocks in at just over eleven minutes, and states “there will be a next time.”

But even if this turns out to be the last Dears release, it seems like a fitting closing point. 

 

last song i heard – “mercy” – plants and animals

It’s Diddy’s Vote That Matters.

P Diddy feels that his support for Barack Obama was the factor that lead the Democratic candidate to victory. 

He told the Associated Press:

“I felt like my vote was the vote that put him into office. It was down to one vote and that was going to be my vote. And that may not be true, but that’s how much power I felt it had.”

So we all have him to thanks, then.

Cheers Diddy.

last song i heard – “sofacore” – johnny foreigner

 

Concert Review – Of Montreal – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – 28/10/08

I’d heard that Of Montreal involved theatrical elements in their live shows, but I never would have expected what was on show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

It was my first time at this venue, and I have to say I was pretty impressed – not too cavernous, but not too small either, with a nice back section with stacked seating, which provided a clear view to the stage.

Ah yes, the stage. The band had quite a set-up, with two drumkits (sometimes played simultaneously), keyboards, varying numbers of guitarists and bassists and of course, Kevin Barnes himself, who spent the entire night bounding around in a variety of costume changes, including a glittering blue jacket, pink bathrobe and, in a few cases, tiny shorts that no man with a sense of shame would be seen wearing.

But then again, shame isn’t really prominent at a Of Montreal show. If you’re here to look trendy and nonchalent, you may be wondering whether to laugh or enjoy yourself or not when there’s gold robots dancing around the stage, or several people in naked bodysuits (with replica gentilia) leaping around, or Barnes dressed as a centaur, or being covered in red paint, or emerging from a coffin smeared head to toe in what looks like shaving cream.

Add to that a a large video screen running edits of the band playing with cartoons, and a few set pieces, such as a short story involving a shoot out in a Wild West saloon, a hanging complete will full life size gallows, and a “scene” with soldiers crawling around the edge of the stage before breaking into dance, all of this going on around, and through, the songs.

The songs! I almost forgot. Blending a decent mix from their extensive back catalogue, with barely a break between them, the band played quite a bit from their most recent release, “Skeletal Lamping”, including a personal favourite of mine – the album’s opener “Nonpareil of Favor”.

After they finished their confetti and feather strewn main set, and after a man dressed in a black bodysuit with a parrot’s head and giant arms/wings worked up (and down) the crowd, the band returned to the stage, playing their last song of the night which was, somewhat strangely, a straight cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. It was interesting to see the band in a completely different light – without the acts and the dancing (well, there were still some people dancing) it offered a new view of the band.

So overall, after seeing the night’s performance I’ve found more of a respect for the band – they’re truly trying to give the ticket buyer a full-out show for their money, and in this day and age, that must mean something.

 

last song i heard – “i thought you said you were blind” – bearsuit

 

Feeder in Bus Crash.

Feeder could consider themselves lucky after today, when they managed to get out of their tour bus after a crash on the M62, before it exploded.

They were leaving that night’s gig in Glasgow and were on their way to Lincoln when the accident happened. The motorway has been shut down due to the accident.

Their tour is apparently unaffected, according to their management.

And I chose to post this as an excuse to put this video in, which is still is good as it was when I was 16 – enjoy!

 

 

last song i heard – “buck rogers” – feeder

 

Animal Collective’s New LP Gets A Tracklisting.

Animal Collective’s website changed recently, adding an almost cryptic video to the main page, as well as presenting the words “Merriweather Post Pavilion” and not much else.

Word is that it’s their next album, and is expected to be out in January of next year.

The tracklisting of the new album, according to 3/4’s of the band, is:

1 – In the Flowers 

2- My Girls

3 – Also Frightened

4 – Summertime Clothes

5 – Daily Routine

6 – Bluish

7 – Guy’s Eyes

8 – Taste

9 – Lion in a Coma

10 – No More Runnin’

11- Brother Sport

The band are currently on an extensive tour of Europe:

10/11 Berlin, Germany @ Berghain
10/12 Warsaw, Poland @ Fabryka Trzciny
10/13 Krakow, Poland @ Jazz Club Hipnoza
10/14 Prague, Czech Republic @ Archa Theatre
10/15 Vienna, Austria @ Arena
10/16 Ljubljana, Slovenia @ Menza pri Koritu
10/17 Bratislava, Slovakia @ A4
10/18 Zagreb, Croatia @ Teatat and TD
10/19 Belgrade, Serbia @ Dom Omladine
10/20 Skopje, Macedonia @ Mac MKC
10/21 Thessaloniki, Greece @ Principle Theatre
10/22 Athens, Greece @ Gagarin 205
10/23 Tel Aviv, Israel @ Zappa
10/24 Istanbul, Turkey @ Babylon
10/25 Valencia, Spain @ Greenspace Festival
11/06 Santiago, Chile @ Industria Cultural
11/08 São Paulo, Brazil @ Planeta Terra Festival
11/09 Buenos Aires, Argentina @ La Trastienda
11/13 Lima, Peru @ Centro Fundación Telefónica

You can see a video with the song “Taste” in it here.

 

last song i heard – “when you wasn’t famous” –  Bromhead’s Jacket