Sunday, April 22, 2007

News: arctic monkeys full album stream

The Arctic Monkeys are streaming their full album streaming here for the next couple days: Listen.

Friday, April 20, 2007

CD review: Jana Hunter - There's No Home

I remember persuading my friend Arron to buy "Oh Me Oh My... the Way the Day Goes By the Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming Lovesongs of the Christmas Spirit" by Devendra Banhart. As he sat in his room listening to the singer whoop and screech and then repeat in his psychotic mumble,

"Yeah you certainly are nice people, nice people
Certainly are nice people

In your white ass suit and lion tattoos
In your white ass suit and lion tattoos"

our friend Rob walked in. Concerned that Arron might be embarking down a road with no return, he asked
'What on earth is this?'
"Oh," replied Arron "it's something Andy recommend to me".
The two exchanged knowing glances about the nonsense I listen to. I was reminded of that moment when I put this record in the CD player.

JANA HUNTER - THERE'S NO HOME
(Gnomansong)

RELEASE: 28 MAY 2007

The second full-length from Jana Hunter is basically Devendra Banhart with a higher voice. In fact the weird-folkster releases this record on his own label and his influence is everywhere. Guitars gently strum, melodies take unexpected turns and there is a lot of unsettling backing vocals. If freeform song structure and freak-folk is your thing, then Christmas has come early. As extrovert as her previous release was introvert, 'There's No Hope' verges on sing-along choruses drums and the odd electric guitar. She shouldn't be written off as a mere Banhart disciple as her quietly radiant voice with its own strange, feverish luster is seductive and addictive after a few listens.

Download: Exact To Me, Lightning
For fans of: CocoRosie, Devandra Banhart, Metallic Falcons
Rating: 3/5

Stream: Jana Hunter: Various Tracks

Buy from Amazon

www.gnomonsong.com
www.myspace.com/janahunter

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Joost invites

Want to be part of the next big thing?

Joost™ the best of tv and the internet

They guys that brought us Napster and Skype are back. This time with a revolutionary new idea called Joost (it sounds like juiced). It's internet TV, with knobs on.

Surf through hundreds of channels, pick the show or film you like and watch it. That simple. They have some clever technology that means the streaming is much better than standard internet streaming. Anyway, I'm an official beta tester so I can say with some authority, it works.

If you want to be a part of the revolution before it goes official, I have 3 invites to give away. Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post saying how much you want one and it could be you!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Exclusive! Ryan Adams interview and performance

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals will be performing "What Sin Replaces Love" from their new album Easy Tiger on the Henry Rollins Show.

You can check out
www.ifc.com for an extra Web only exclusive Ryan Adams performance of "Good Night Rose" plus an interview with the band where Ryan talks about his musical influences---comparing Black Flag to the Dead and sharing his grandparents roll in introducing him to country music. Ryan appears to be in one of his talkative moods, where he just can't shut up.

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals performing "Goodnight Rose":

Exclusive, Web-only band interview:


The Henry Rollins Show: Fridays at 11pm ET

Borne

Australian indie band suddenly breaks into the rest of the world.

BORNE

You probably won't have heard of them. And that's ok. I hadn't either.

After a low key digital release, the 23rd of Febuary Borne's album, "Loss of Signal" was sitting in the top 20 on the Amercian Billboard Digital charts www.billboard.com as well as being catapulted into the TOP 50 in Japan and New Zealand, the TOP 20 in the UK and Canada, and the TOP 10 in the USA, Australia and France on iTunes.

Now they're shaping up to be hot stuff. Listen to "The Guide":
Real
Windows
Loss Of Signal
Jellyfish Records
Released worldwide on 2/13/07 via digital download stores

U2 3D



This is what IMAX was made for. The biggest band in the world on the biggest screens in the world, in 3D. U2 say
"The feature length film, shot during U2’s visit to South America on the Vertigo Tour, is directed by Catherine Owens, with additional direction from Mark Pellington. The movie will arrive in specialist 3D cinemas in the autumn and a trailer has just begun airing alongside the only other 3D film to come out this year, Disney’s ‘Meet The Robinsons’.

Owens, longtime collaborator with U2 on live-show visuals, says 'this was the ultimate challenge in presenting U2’. But the results, she predicts, will startle audiences.

'There is no comparison with a traditional concert film seen in 2D... One minute you are on stage with the band and the next you are at the back of the stadium.' 'The best way I can describe it for the viewer,' she adds, 'Is that it's like being on the wings of a bird flying around the concert stadium - it's really something else.'"

Judging from the trailer it will be an experience. One I can't wait for.

Monday, April 16, 2007

ARCTIC MONKEYS

ARCTIC MONKEYS
Favourite Worst Nightmare
Domino Records / Warner
April 24, 2007


catch the video from the new album here:

VIDEO: "Brianstorm"


wmv HIGH

Real [high]


Quicktime [high]




Sunday, April 15, 2007

CD Review: Fireworks Night - As Fools We Are

Another little review recently featured in Alternative Ulster.

FIREWORKS NIGHT - AS FOOLS WE ARE

(ORGAN GRINDER RECORDS)

Release: APRIL 30

Fireworks night are an Oxford-educated, alternative/folk/expiremental 9 piece outfit investigating on their second album sounding "the human capacity for love and for violence and how these impulses can co-exist in an individual and in the world as a whole". They do this with a diverse selection of songs ranging from sparse acoustic, 'The Prettier Part', to full-on hyper-infused cabaret, 'What You Don't Know'. While interesting there's nothing new and the lack of melodies will limit appeal.

Download:Her Shiny Teeth, What You Don't Know, The Empty Orchestra
For fans of: Sparklehorse, The Divine Comedy
Rating: 3/5

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

New Josh Rouse album

Another bit of news, July 16 will see the release of a new Josh Rouse record. ‘Country Mouse, City House’ will be released on Nettwerk records.

New Ryan Adams album delay

Not sure why but just heard from the horse's mouth that Easy Tiger, the new Ryan Adams album, is being put back to June 25 (at least in the UK, not sure about the USA). I guess we'll just have to wait that bit longer.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

A funny video

My dad sent me a link to this video and it's pretty good. The Tour de France cycles past a horse which decides to get in on the act and out-runs all the race, causing quite a comotion!

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

New Cold War Kids video

Cold War Kids playing back stage in Paris.



If anyone wants a CWK lithograph and leaves a comment right away they might just get one.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Impossible Germany

I'm just listening to the new Wilco record, and to the third track, Impossible Germany. It's one of those superb, effortlessly beautiful songs with the incredible guitar work of Nels Cline stamped all over it. This track is perhaps the most similar to A Ghost Is Born, it begins with a simple minor riff, and the verse progresses in a minimalistic style with dashes of lead guitar over the top. After a couple of verses Nels gets free reign to release one of his perfect solos that we heard on the Kicking Television record. Wilco improve so much with him in the band, he's not flash and restrains himself from showing off preferring to play what's necessary for the benefit of the song.

Anyway, it's a great song. The rest of the album's not bad either.