According to the ever fantastic PopJustice - from whom this picture was nabbed - the also ever fantastic Sugababes have a new single out in September entitled 'Girls'. It's the first single from the as yet untitled sixth [!!!] album, due out in October.
They assure us it is brilliant, and I'm generally one to trust their opinion. So bring it.
Let's hope the album as a whole is better than "Change" - a bit of a step down, wasn't it?
I'm about 10 days late on this, but can you friggin believe that "Siamese Dream" came out 15 years ago on July 27th? FIFTEEN years old. Christ, we're getting up there, aren't we?
For whatever reason - maybe subconsciously I knew it was its birthday - I've been listening to it a lot lately. Like, a lot a lot. And somehow, it has only gotten better with age...which is pretty amazing considering how fucking fantastic it sounded back then.
Forget what came after it, be selective about what you remember from before it, but always keep in mind that it is one of the greatest albums of all time. Full stop.
'Cherub Rock' : [album openers rarely get better than this]
'Rocket' : [videos rarely get better than this]
'Disarm' : [via "Vieuphoria" - I've always LOVED this version]
Previously, I was mostly aware of Van She from their remix work - specifically, their wonderful overhaul of Dragonette's 'I Get Around'.
Well, they've an album entitled "V" coming out in a few weeks, and the single is called 'Changes'. It is similarly wonderful - in a way that rarely happens when you investigate a remixer. Usually, you find out their original work isn't quite up to snuff. [Hello Timo Maas, for example, or Chicken Lips as Dingo tells me and I'm taking his word for.]
I'd post the video, but there's no audio for some reason. So go to their myspace to listen to it. It's worth the click, I promise.
So on the way home from work this afternoon, I decided to do a little record shopping...
...OK, so I totally went to track down a used copy of Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam - The Album" after the whole Binghamton incident...
...But anyways, especially after the dream I had I figured today was as good as any to go track a copy down. No, I didn't run into Fred Schneider [though how fucking cool would that have been], but I did run into my friend Steve whom I used to live with many years ago and haven't seen since I kinda abruptly moved out on him back in the Spring of 2004. Whoops.
Obviously, the dream was a sign. He's in town from NYC for a few days because his mother - who is awesome and was my date to see "Velvet Goldmine" back in the day because Steve didn't want to go see it a second time and she did - had surgery on her shoulder and he came back to help her out - and we're having dinner tomorrow before he flies back home on Saturday. The end.
I had a dream I was record shopping and Fred Schneider was my clerk. I was trying to explain to him why "Wild Planet" is my favorite B-52's album. [I'm not entirely sure that it is.] 'Pump' from this year's sort of excellent, sort of disappointing "Funplex" was playing in the background.
I know this is totally the uncool answer, but I think "Cosmic Thing" is my favorite. At the very least, I find it to be the most consistent. Though you can't argue with 'Give Me Back My Man'.
If there's one thing that drives me crazy, it's inconsistency in single formatting. Even moreso than that, it's breaking a theme for a campaign part-way through...though in this case, I think it's safe to say they jumped ship for last release.
Anyways...
Both the 'Crocodile' and 'Beautiful Burnout' 12" packages had lovely leaf imprint themes that looked stunning on the format. So for the third UK 12" release, we get these ugly abstract boxes. Grr.
On the bright side, they put all 4 mixes on one 12" this time instead of spreading them out over 2, so bonus points for that. Speaking of, I should probably get around to listening to them at some point.
Speaking of artwork themes, I love the art for the Hercules & Love Affair releases - 'You Belong' arrived with 'Ring Road' and the bright, garish neon colors look wonderful in gigantic sleeves...and neon blue vinyl for the 7"! LOVE IT!
Let's take a minute to talk about one of my favorite bands of all time - the gone but by no means forgotten [by some of us, anyways] Geneva.
One of the many, many quality bands signed to the Nude label in the UK in its lifetime - I say the best band they had, but there are many Suede fans who would argue with that - Geneva only put out two albums in its short time with us. But what albums they are!
1997 debut "Further" is very of it's time, but also has that certain something that makes it stand out from the pack. On one hand, it's your standard indie guitar album. On the other hand, there's something that ebbs and flows with it that gives it a feel all it's own, that makes it very, very special. The four singles pulled from it - oh, how I miss the '90's single culture - were all incredible, of course, and I'd never be able to pick a favorite. 'No One Speaks' is heartbreaking, 'Into the Blue' is life-affirming [it has a slight edge in being the one that introduced me to them], 'Tranquillizer' has a killer hook, and 'Best Regrets' just soars. The album's other 8 tracks all equal the singles - not all are single material, but all stand tall next to their fellow album tracks.
And the packaging! The cover image of the tree in the middle of the field is striking. The singles are even better - all in die-cut double card sleeves, the packagings of the 2 double CD singles ['Tranquillizer' and its chess pieces and 'Best Regrets' with its flower] add up to make one image. Just gorgeous - they truly speak to the special music contained within. The album had a whopping 15 b-sides to go with it's 12 album tracks - again, miss the '90's single culture - and all of them once again equal the a-side they appeared with.
I saw them in 1997 open for Catherine Wheel on their "Adam and Eve" tour. One of the best double bills I've ever seen. At the time, I was only just getting familiar with "Further", but the show is what made me explore it more. I wish they had come over to the US for their second album.
[On a side note, I've often thought of how I saw the two bands that I miss the most - Geneva and Catherine Wheel - on one bill. They were also touring with Feline, who I don't really miss all that much. In fact, outside of that night I don't think I've ever heard or heard of Feline.]
Speaking of, "Weather Underground" still stands as one of the 00's greatest albums...even though no one paid any attention. We sadly only got 2 singles from it - the rockin' [for them, at least] 'Dollars in the Heavens' and the gorgeous 'If You Have To Go' - before Nude ran into financial problems, which I believe led to the beginning of the end for Geneva. I distinctly remember having a dream that 'Killing Stars' was released as the third single and I had gotten my Action Records package in the mail containing them. Anyways...
The album is their masterpiece, and for my money the greatest album released on the Nude label. An album entirely concerned with technology and its effects on humanity, yet one with a heart beating beneath it making it very human. The first time I heard it, I swore I would never need to buy another album as nothing was going to match it. Obviously that didn't stick, but I do still feel that this is a very, very special album and it is criminal that it is so overlooked. Seriously - hunt down 'Have You Seen The Horizon Lately?' and tell me it's not light years ahead of it's time and one of the greatest songs of the decade. A-m-a-z-i-n-g.
Andrew went on to Amityville for a short period of time and is now focused on St Famous - who apparently now have a record deal and will be putting out their debut in the Fall. Both projects are great - really, they are - but there's still a special place in my heart for Geneva.
I get sad thinking about them not being with us anymore.
Is it really that time again already? How time flies!
For whatever reason, this year's Christmas in July comp was really hard to compile. I went through three or four different configurations before settling on this one. A couple had gimmicks to em - one was a "ten" mix, one was vinyl only [the latter I'm definately going to do something with, it was fun] - and a couple were just throw everything amazing from late '07/early '08 into a mix blender and see what sticks. Finally, I got it to 18 of my favorite tracks released between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008.
May I preset:
the speed was fast and I was scared / freemonster's christmas in july 2008
01 / the breeders / overglazed - from the 2008 album "mountain battles" 02 / the kills / cheap and cheerful - single from the 2008 album "midnight boom" 03 / the whip / fire - should be single from the 2008 album of the year forerunner "x-marks destination" 04 / delays / hooray - single from the 2008 album "everything's the rush" 05 / neon neon / i lust u - single from the 2008 album "stainless style" 06 / hot chip / out at the pictures - from the 2008 album "made in the dark" 07 / dragonette / competition - never released third single from the 2007 album of the year "galore" 08 / hercules & love affair / blind - single from the 2008 self-titled album 09 / lorraine / when I return to the world - possible single of the year, album forthcoming in 2008 [thanks Joe :)] 10 / the ting tings / great dj - single from the 2008 album "we started nothing" 11 / jakobínarína/ his lyrics are disastrous - single from the 2007 debut and only album "the first crusade" [RIP] 12 / the music / strength in numbers - single from 2008 album of the same name 13 / pop levi / never never love - single from the forthcoming album of the same name 14 / super furry animals / baby ate my eight ball - from the 2007 [uk]/2008 [us] album "hey venus!" 15 / supergrass / bad blood - single from the 2008 album "diamond hoo ha" 16 / elbow / bones of you - make this a single boys, from the 2008 album "the seldom seen kid" 17 / underworld / beautiful burnout - full length version of the second single from the 2007 album "oblivion with bells" 18 / erykah badu / telephone - from the 2008 album "new amerykah part one: 4th world war"
I'm very excited to see what the second half of the year brings us given the strength of the first half.
I was scared you'd get my position it was really never mine I thought i was the one that could say such words I took all this time
I want to sleep so I need some distraction from the worries on my mind But when you say it's alright I just wonder what that next fight will be about
Close your eyes we're going high We can see the world go by do you wonder what's beyond the sky? Oh what a life, oh what a wonder Don't you worry it will soon be over
I want to get you into my life but i don't want to be in yours I ain't just looking for someone whose life is cold and ties are always free
And Ive been trying hard to change everyone although I like it as it is So now I can't take a single step without feeling I'm letting someone down
Close your eyes we're going high We can see the world go by Do you wonder what's beyond the sky? Oh what a life, oh what a wonder Don't you worry it will soon be over
Close your eyes we're going high We can see the world go by Do you wonder what's beyond the sky? Oh what a life, oh what a wonder Don't you worry it will soon be... Close your eyes we're going high We can see the world go by Do you wonder what's beyond the sky? Oh what a life, oh what a wonder Don't you worry it will soon be over
Apparently Andy Yorke - formerly of Freemonster favorite Unbelievable Truth until he quit in 2000 to once again go live in Russia - has decided his love for Russia and love for music can live in harmony and has a solo album coming out in a few weeks. Even better, he's reteamed with Nigel for production duties and Jason for bass duties for the album - entitled "Simple" - so it's essentially an Unbelievable Truth reunion. And from the sounds of first single 'Rise and Fall' - available now digitally both in the UK and US - they're picking up where they left off. It really could be an "Almost Here" outtake.
So, the new Whip single 'Blackout' - out July 14th physically and digitally in the UK and digitally in the US the following day - is backed with remixes by Ashley Beedle [yay!], Popular Computer [dunno], Shinichi Osawa [again, not sure], and...
...Graham fuckin' Massey. I LOVE me a good Graham Massey remix.
On the way home from New York City this weekend, we stopped in Binghamton [small college town in New York near the Pennsylvania border for those interested] for dinner at a Quizno's. Side note - Binghamton might not have much going for it, but it does have a building that shares a Quizno's, a Coldstone and a Starbucks. If I managed that 'Bux, I'd weight a million pounds because I'd have Coldstone each and every damn day. Anyways...
So we're enjoying our lunch in the Quizno's when this comes on the radio:
I had to pause and really let it sink in - no, this wasn't my imagination, Technotronic's 'Get Up' really was on the radio. I was rightfully horrified as one would be - Technotronic in 2008? Really? - however, I was also fascinated. Yes, it's a piece of crap, but it actually sounded pretty good. In such a wrong way, of course, but my repulsion was mixed with a bit of joy. I didn't realize people still played Technotronic in this day and age but at that moment I was kind of glad they did. It almost made me wish I had "Pump Up The Jam - The Album" on my iPod to put on when I got in the car....almost. I'll have to check at my parents house, but I'm pretty sure I sold my copy years ago...it was one of the first CDs I owned, you know.
So yes, let this be a lesson to you - Technotronic is still out there on the radio. Who knew?
OK, so for years I've been bitching about Björk and her ridiculous release formats and reissuing the same thing a million times in a million different formats, each one having something slight that the previous incarnation didn't have. And through all of this, the one thing I want, the one thing many of us have been waiting years for - and have had it announced on us more than once only to have it cancelled as the release date draws near - is a comprehensive singles box. And this is the one thing she refuses to give us.
So now the official site is announcing that they are remastering and re-releasing - once again - all of the proper studio albums, plus "Gling-Go" and "Greatest Hits", the soundtrack albums, and even the Sugarcubes albums this time, on vinyl with "the newest technology in vinyl manufacturing" Half Speed Direct Metal Mastering. They're even throwing in the Sugarcubes 7" and CD boxsets for good measure - why the CD box set instead of the 12" box set to keep with the vinyl theme, I have no idea.
You'll notice something missing from this latest reissue campaign - that fucking singles box. Yes, to be fair, this is all stuff that's been available many, many times before so it's not like a lot of work went into compiling it. However, given the hefty £28.00 price tag per single LP - £31.00 for double LPs - obviously a lot of work went into prepping these bad boys.
There's so many things wrong with this scenario I don't even know where to begin.Just give me my fucking singles box already so I can check out. Seriously.
So, the new Sigur Rós album is currently available to stream at last.fm - as long as you have an account, I imagine, and if you don't what are you waiting for? It's the best thing ever.
Anyways.
The album is pretty fuckin' good. It's been a loooong time since I've been excited about Sigur Ros, but this has totally reversed the downward trend they've been on since "( )". It sounds like nothing they've ever done before, yet at the same time it is unmistakably a Sigur Rós album. It's no "Ágætis byrjun", of course, but then again what is? It is, however, an interesting, lovely, and exciting listen and am very very glad to have them back on top of things.
'One Day Like This' showed up in my mailbox today - hooray!
All three b-sides are incredible - double hooray! [Not that they usually aren't, but let's just say the brevity of the two 7" b-sides for 'Grounds For Divorce' was a bit disappointing. Don't get me wrong - both 'A Regret' and especially 'Our Little Boat' are great in their own way, but they left me wanting a little more...especially 'A Regret'.]
But I digress.
'Lullaby' is a swinging full band acoustic number with a free form and/or half finished sung/mumbled lyric from Guy that is lovely. 'Every Bit The Little Girl' on the first 7" is Elbow at their most Peter Gabriel and wouldn't have sounded out of place among the "Asleep in the Back"-era b-sides - the highest form of praise I can think to give an Elbow track as that's still my favorite album had I to choose. 'Lil' Pissed Charmin' Tune' is just what it says - very, very charming. An off the cuff - from the opening studio chatter on the track, it seems they didn't even realize they were being recorded - acoustic guitar/romantic Guy vocal number with a wonderful line about growing a kid together. LOVE it. My only issue is that my particular copy of the 7" for that one has a lot of surface noise. Oh well.
You wait ages for a bus and then two come along...
Anyways, I've never been a big fan of The Music - a bit too pompous even for me, his voice never did much for me, and really I just thought they weren't very good.
BUT
I've gathered a bit of interest in their new single 'Strength In Numbers' as one of the 7"s is backed with a remix by The Whip, and you know how much I love me The Whip. However, after the disaster that was the Hadouken! single that I purchased based on a Whip remix, I figured I should investigate.
And I found that 'Strength in Numbers' is quite good. Like, really really good. I'm surprised how much I like it. See if you like it too:
So it's been a while since I've posted anything. Nothing terribly interesting going on as late is the reason, really.
Joseph turned me on to Lorraine's 'When I Return To The World' single, which is pretty fucking fantastic, so I've been listening to that a lot lately. I gave Action another chance after they didn't totally fuck up my order for the Pop Levi 'Never Never Love' single, and now it's been two weeks since I ordered - among other things - Mark Morriss' "Memory Muscle" and Alphabeat's '10,000 Nights of Thunder' single and they still haven't even shipped it. [I'm thinking the new Notwist single is holding it up as it was quite limited. Fuckers.]
I've spent most of the past week reading the new Sonic Youth biography "Goodbye 20th Century". For a while, I've been thinking "it'd be nice to have an updated Sonic Youth biography as "Confusion Is Next" is going on [gulp] 15 years old at this point. [I remember getting it right when it came out, so that's kinda scary...] And boom, here one is. It's a good read - nothing revelatory, probably nothing you didn't already know if you've been paying attention to them, but entertaining nonetheless. [Actually, I did learn something - I knew Kim spent some of her early years in Rochester, but I didn't realize that Lydia Lunch was born here as well. So there you have it.] It also led me to digging out some of those old Sonic Youth records that I haven't listened to in ages - fuck, "Bad Moon Rising" is an AMAZING record, and I always forget that for some reason. Let's make a list, shall we? My five favorite Sonic Youth albums:
05 - Bad Moon Rising 04 - Confusion is Sex 03 - Sonic Youth EP 02 - Daydream Nation 01 - Goo [which is my favorite album ever]
Truthfully, as much as I do love "Daydream Nation" and am always in awe of it when I listen to it, I very rarely make it through the whole thing, and don't actually pull it out that often. It's a lot to take in all at once.
Yeah, that's what I got. Oh, here's the Lorraine video:
According to the ever fantastic PopJustice - from whom this picture was nabbed - the also ever fantastic Sugababes have a new single out in September entitled 'Girls'. It's the first single from the as yet untitled sixth [!!!] album, due out in October.
I'm about 10 days late on this, but can you friggin believe that "Siamese Dream" came out 15 years ago on July 27th? FIFTEEN years old. Christ, we're getting up there, aren't we?
Previously, I was mostly aware of Van She from their remix work - specifically, their wonderful overhaul of Dragonette's 'I Get Around'.
So on the way home from work this afternoon, I decided to do a little record shopping...
I had a dream I was record shopping and Fred Schneider was my clerk. I was trying to explain to him why "Wild Planet" is my favorite B-52's album. [I'm not entirely sure that it is.] 'Pump' from this year's sort of excellent, sort of disappointing "Funplex" was playing in the background.
If there's one thing that drives me crazy, it's inconsistency in single formatting. Even moreso than that, it's breaking a theme for a campaign part-way through...though in this case, I think it's safe to say they jumped ship for last release.
Let's take a minute to talk about one of my favorite bands of all time - the gone but by no means forgotten [by some of us, anyways] Geneva.
Is it really that time again already? How time flies!
I was scared you'd get my position
This was news to me this morning.
So, the new Whip single 'Blackout' - out July 14th physically and digitally in the UK and digitally in the US the following day - is backed with remixes by Ashley Beedle [yay!], Popular Computer [dunno], Shinichi Osawa [again, not sure], and...
OK, so for years I've been bitching about Björk and her ridiculous release formats and reissuing the same thing a million times in a million different formats, each one having something slight that the previous incarnation didn't have. And through all of this, the one thing I want, the one thing many of us have been waiting years for - and have had it announced on us more than once only to have it cancelled as the release date draws near - is a comprehensive singles box. And this is the one thing she refuses to give us.
So, the new Sigur Rós album is currently available to stream at last.fm - as long as you have an account, I imagine, and if you don't what are you waiting for? It's the best thing ever.
"It's like Weekend At Bernie's, except you're alive and you'd rather be dead."
'One Day Like This' showed up in my mailbox today - hooray!
Prince turns 50 today. Yikes.
You wait ages for a bus and then two come along...
So it's been a while since I've posted anything. Nothing terribly interesting going on as late is the reason, really.
