If you're looking for an unusual gig to see this weekend, you could do worse than the Seattle pop-punk three piece. Recent album "These are the good times people" has gotten mixed reviews, but live they're well worth it.
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a program about television. Its also one of the best programs on television. Cutting, satirical, course and educational, Screenwipe is often must-see-tv, and hopefully we can expect the same from Newswipe.
Shows are now up on Youtube and you can also catch up on Screenwipe here. Do yourself a favour, yeah?
English 3-piece Metronomy have mostly done remixes and electronic kinda pop. Well, so it says on their Myspace and Wikipedia Pages anyway. I'm not really sure what that means, but i do know that this is the Bst Sng Evr:
Discover them yourself here. (the A Thing for Me remix is a good starting point too)
Pat has decided he will quit the program at the end of it's current run, and rumour has it he will return with a new current affairs based show in the Autumn. It's probably general consensus that Kenny is good with the serious stuff and useless at the celebrity and light rubbish that chat shows have to filled with, so its sounds like a good move for all. Talk obviously now moves to who will take over, if they decide to continue it (which they probably will) with Gerry Ryan, Miriam O'Callaghan, Ryan Tubridy and Patrick Kielty all mentioned. The chat show format is pretty tired though, with jaded celebrities wheeled about giving shallow interviews whenever they have another book/record/boiler to sell, and with the amount of actual shows on Irish TV, more often than not, its a boring exchange between an interviewer who doesn't really care and a interviewee who has nothing to say. Anyway, my money would be on Tubridy. If i betted on prospective show hosts. Which i probably wouldn't..
So, an anonymous painter (actually Dubliner Conor Casby) who put up two caricatures of our Taoiseach up on the walls of two Art galleries is being investigated. This is in connection with three charges: incitement to hatred, indecency, and criminal damage (for hammering a nail into a wall of the National Gallery).
So RTE news runs a tongue-in-cheek piece on the practical joke, involving a smirking gallery representative and an art valuer and also notes that Cowen "is not thought to have posed for the anonymous artist".
Funny joke, right? Whether or not its a satirical take on his tenure or whatever, the people need a laugh, right? Well, the Government apparently don't think so, so when Today FM's Ray D'arcy found out the identity of this nail-hammering vigilante the police apparently told his producer that “the powers that be want action taken” and he was to hand over all information relating to the incident. Meanwhile, that night, the RTE News ran an apology to the office of the Taoiseach and the Cowen family for "any disrespect" or "personal offense caused".
So someone drew a funny picture of our great leader. Suddenly the media are being strong-armed? I wonder will Ann Doyle be Chloroformed from behind live next time she mentions the recession.
Maryland's finest musical export (apart from David Hasselhoff) promote their critically acclaimed new album Merriweather Post Pavillion in Tripod on Friday, in one of the most anticipated gigs of the year so far.
Tickets are tight so grab them before they sell out here
Some of the songs from the second series of New Zealand's popular folk parody duo Flight of the Conchords have appeared on youtube, and this one is my favourite so far.... Featuring Randy Jones of the Village People, Pornstar Ron Jeremy and directed by Micheal Gondry, It's "Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor".
Before we begin, lets be clear, i believe Heartworm to be one of the best albums ever released. Not the best Irish album, not a lost gem, not the best album by a band who never did anything else. Just, on it's own, a great piece of work. From Paul Page's hyper-actively inventive guitar to Fergal McKee's dark-but-beautifully-weird vocals, from the haunting backing vocals to the unlikely singable melodies and everything else, i think its a piece of genius. Granted, sometimes it's easy to throw the eyes at couplets like "Today is not a good day for me, for today i found out i was mad" and that kinda thing, but overall, to me it's a classic. In 1995, Not many people were waiting for a Whipping Boy record, 1992's Submarine had come out to not much fanfare, and well, people were looking at Blur and Oasis and britpop and not really paying attention to four distressed misfits from Dublin. I personally didn't really discover the album until a year or two later, enticed by the single "When we were young", a feelgood, uptempo, and not very represenative single from the record. From Opening track "Twinkle" McKee's love/hate relationship with women begins, "She's the air i breathe... She's the only one for me". I can't help thinking every song in someway is about his mother, although who knows. Sonically there's a bit of My Bloody Valentine in the guitar sounds, but as with the rest of the album, McKee's half-talking vocal style and lyrics dominate. "When we were young" is a shiver-up-the-spine type of song, a tune which can drag you back to your teenage years, so much so that it feels he's singing about you. Sad and romantic while being affirming and joyful, its a song they should play to every young band trying to write - if you want to know about subtle melancholy, this is it. Every song is a further dip into McKee's Issues, he (mistakenly) puts his faith in womanhood in "Tripped", admits he's been a liar all his life in the gorgeous "The Honeymoon is over" and as the song crescendos he calls "so you remember now what it takes to make a mother cry... you stupid boy". When "We Don't Need Nobody Else" comes around, you're converted, you understand. Detailing a domestic argument where he hits out for the first time, maybe its no wonder why it didn't strike the charts alight, a song so nakedly bitter and, well, adult must have been odd for a 15 year old to get. All the while the music is subtly affecting the mood and ratcheting up the tension, and through the brilliant Blinded, the affecting Personality (and the only weaker tracks Fiction and Users) its the melodies that grab you. Come for the crazy frontman, stay for the gorgeous music. Finally the last two songs, both on one track, like his "twin mind". A twisted love song, on "Morning Rise" McKee gently sings "When our time comes, i will know...", whether he's talking about the start of love or the end i don't know, but it sounds like he doesn't really know either. The last track is a pretty self-involved mostly spoken-word piece, and while i never really got it, its confession serves as a bookend, the final reveal of his cartoonish problems to colour all the rest of his outpourings. Either way, The whole album works as a piece, almost like a weird play, and comes from a possibly gone time where a body of songs could work together as a cohesive album, not just a list of singles or a showcase of styles or different random ideas. While it possibly is a lost gem, its not lost to anyone who loves it.
So, as you may have seen by now US President Barack Obama compared his bowling to being "like the Special Olympics" on Jay Leno. Up to now he's been pretty bulletproof regarding the things he's said, not making too many mistakes, and certainly not putting his foot in his mouth too often.
While our own Pat Kenny on the Late Late Show on Friday asked the breakdancing kid from the All Ireland Talent Show if he'd "put a bit of colour on his face" because "most of the great great great breakdancers are black".
So should Obama be ashamed of himself? Should Pat Kenny? I mean neither was being intentionally mean or nasty, they just said stupid things that would probably not offend that many people. Obama called up the commissioner of the Special Olympics when he realised his mistake, while Pat probably wouldn't think anyone would find fault with it. On the other hand, If former President Bush had said that it would have been printed on posters under another gormless photo. Political Correctness? No big deal? I don't think i know anymore.
So the Meteor Awards are over, and apparently great fun was had by all in the RDS.
It was strange having it on St. Patrick's Day, as well as the general drunkness level being higher then usual, lots of our more in-demand acts were abroad being musical ambassadors, while another bunch were in the states for South By Southwest. As a result the usual amount of Irish Acts weren't about, and Band and Best Album winners The Script phoned in their acceptance speeches. Still it's good to see rising stars like Imelda May, Mick Flannery and Wallis Bird (Best Female, Male and hope for 2009) get recognised, and as Amanda Byram would shout "C'mon guys, it's PADDY'S DAAAY!" Anyway, What's the point of giving Westlife another award? They didn't even release another album last year. Why isn't there a "Best New Band" award any more? Why does everything have to be chosen by text message these days? Do i really care who wins the best pop act award? While i don't know if its worth wondering too much about the answers to these questions, i do find myself caring less about the outcomes of these things every time one comes about.
Still, nice to be recognised for those nominated. Here's a little clip:
Two bands that arguably broke up before they reached their potential (or else just in time that they didn't get found out, depending your perspective...) have been in the news recently rumoured to be on the verge of reforming. Firstly, The Daily Mirror reports that Manchester's Stone Roses are to reform for a summer tour and festival performances. The tabloid says the original members of the Manchester band will reunite for 21 UK gigs this summer. Secondly, Pete Doherty said on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 evening show that he'd "love" The Libertines to reform. He went on to say that it was up to co-frontman Carl Barat to also get on board. While every band who ever formed seems to have to reunite these days, both acts would certainly still command quite a crowd, and the money offered for these kind of reunions must be staggering.
Stone roses guitarist John Squire has denied these reports as being false, but who knows? The lure of the money and reclaiming your crown must eat away at you till you just cave in.
Either way, i wouldn't bet against either act coming back together someday...
I know pretty much nothing about this Auckland, New Zealand band, except this song makes me dance around my room like a teenager. Oh DARLING IIIIII....
Jack White has formed another new band, this time with Alison Mosshart from the Kills, called The Dead Weather. The group, also including Jack Lawrence from The Raconteurs and Dean Fertita from Queens of the Stone Age, will release an album called "Horehound" in the summer, preceeded by the the single "Hang you from the Heavens". He likes his supergroups doesn't he? In this latest group he's playing the drums, even though his signature guitar sound seems like it's never too far away.
Have a listen to "Hang you from the Heavens" here....
Well, At least Paul Noonan Does. Much as i like Bell X1, it has to be one of the oddest magazine covers in a while. Not because there's a man in a stewardess outfit, but because each member looks comically uncomfortable. Still, there's a new album to promote with a title relating to airlines...
Last night myself an group of friends went to see The Watchmen movie. After being such a fan of the graphic novel i was a bit concerned about how it was gonna turn out, and hearing reports about how there was loads of "gestation" problems and that writer Alan Moore had disowned it, i bought my popcorn and lowered my expectations... and i loved it. Its (pretty) faithful to the original, but a great film in its own right, and i grinned pretty much all the way through. Rorschach (played by Jackie Earle Haley) is perfect, and is worth the entrance alone. Elsewhere Jeffrey Dean Morgan (playing the comedian) steals the few scenes he's in and Malin Akerman gets Lori Jupiter just right, and even manages to possibly create a future halloween favourite with that costume. In parts however, the pace is a little slow and it does get a little complicated for those unfamiliar with the back-story, but overall it felt like a modern classic.
U2's 12th album, "No Line on the Horizon", (bland cover isn't it?) has gone straight in at number one in the UK, their tenth UK chart topper. While you might argue in the current music-sales era it would be pretty odd if they hadn't, This impressive feat means that they are one of the most successful album artists ever, one number one behind the Beatles and 5 (!) behind Elvis. The incredible hype around the album has no doubt helped the sales no-end, but still critics seem to be divided about how good it is. Rolling Stone and Q magazine have both given it 5 stars, (although Q would possibly give that to Bono's answering machine message), while Pitchfork (probably predictably) called it Pitiful and Jim Carroll of The Irish Times isn't really a fan.
While never being a big U2 fan myself, Achtung Baby is a great album, i quite liked All that you can't Leave Behind and Pop and i own the obligatory copy of The Joshua Tree that was handed out with my passport. However, two of my friends are obsessives (i've spent many pub conversations arguing random Bono-and-the-lads related topics ad nauseum) and they have both come back declaring it to be a piece of modern genius.
I'll reserve judgement until i've heard it, but maybe people might stop talking about their tax status for a few minutes and have a listen to the music for a bit.
Swedish duo Friska Valour (literally "fresh wills") vowed to never again write a song sober after the breakup of previous relationships' and bands. However, their slow decent to alcoholism is our gain, because they're excellent. Check out their myspace for the Sufjan Stevens-Style Shotgun Sister or the brass skip of Old Man. My favourite song of theirs is the punky Four Points, but it seems to have been taken down from the myspace site. Ah well.
They're currently preparing for the release of their second album "Tour de Hearts", but in the meantime have a listen to some songs here.
Dubliner Sebastian Barry's Man Booker Prize Nominated novel describes the story of Rose, a 100 year old woman now living in a mental home in Roscommon. As with a lot of his work, its flowing prose and duel narration of a long past life weave together to make a genuinely riveting work. He can write quite slow dreamy atmospheres, and this is the case here, with the novel split into two perspectives; Rose's, and the Chief Psychiatrist's. The Novel recently won the Costa Coffee Book of the Year, but don't let that put you off.
The rest of the list is populated by Movie tie-in's (post Oscar season) and Chick-Lit, or Contemporary Female Literature, as it prefers to be known. I guess i'm including Obama in the movie star area, because, he's a bit like one. I haven't read the book, but neither do i have any strong inclination... am i missing out?
2. Once in a Lifetime by Cathy Kelly 3. This Charming Man by Marian Keys 4. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink 5. Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama 6. Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup 7. Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Maureen Lindley 8. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella 9. Forgive and Forget by Patricia Scanlan X. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
buy these books in your local book shop. To find out where that is, click here.
This is going to be amazing for two reasons, firstly, there's going to be a Tron 2.0, and secondly because Daft Punk are going to write the theme tune, sing the theme tune...
I always feel that Supergrass will be one of those bands that will be kind of forgotten, nothing to do with their talent or output, but just because they just got on with making music. When their first album I should Coco came out in 1995 they had to contend with Blur and Oasis and even Radiohead, when In it for the Money came out in 1997 The Verve, Portishead and the Stereophonics had been added to the previous list, and despite the quality of the music, they began to be happy just sitting behind the first row of whoever was selling records at that time. Such was the feeling when Supergrass slipped out their Eponymous third album (sometimes called the X-Ray album due to its cover). Despite its sort-of muted response at the time, it remains one of the few albums i constantly come back to. As well as having one of my favourite songs ever (Eon), It's one of the few albums i can leave on in the background and enjoy all the way through. It also contains some pretty weirdly-fantastic singles - The brilliant album opener Moving is basically two choruses stapled together and Mary has one of the best i-don't-care-how-dumb-this-sounds refrain in music. That's probably another thing i love about it, they sound like they're just making music for the enjoyment of it - just listen to Pumping On Your Stereo or the backing vocals in Jesus Came from Outer Space and there's so much unrefined fun there it can't help but be transmitted.
So, Slumdog Millionaire, a sweet story about a young Indian man who wins his countries' "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and gets the girl, cleaned up at the Oscars, winning eight, including Best Picture. The film tells the Story of Jamal through flashbacks, and is undoubtedly feelgood, and (for the first half at least) a insight into a world that isn't represented in many mainstream films. My problem is that... i thought it was ok. Fine. While not perfect, I found The Wrestler and Milk to be better, more engaging, films, and would have been happier if either had won. Especially since the lead actors in both (Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei in the former, and Sean Penn and Josh Brolin in the latter) were so nuanced, so well played. Looking around various movie sites the review's for all three films hovered around the 4/5 star mark, and while i wouldn't disagree, i just didn't see Danny Boyle's film as the best film of 2008, and having missed the reviews the first time around when i did see it i wasn't expecting the "movie of the year". I wonder does being told repeatedly how good a film is cause you to be more extreme (either way) in your opinion? I guess that's my problem with The Slumdog win, i left and thought, "yeah that was ok...". Anyway, I was glad Man on Wire won...
Micheal Jackson is expected to announce a series of summer comeback concerts at the O2 arena in London. The pop legend is due to appear at the venue on Thursday make to a "special announcement", a statement said.
Looks like he's going to follow Prince (21 dates) and Britney Spears (8 dates) by doing lots of gigs in one place instead of touring. I guess his skin illness is better.
This year's Choice Music Prize is taking place tomorrow night, Wednesday the 4th in Vicar Street.
Previous years events were very enjoyable, even if the "favourite" on the list has never won. With only 6 of the acts playing this year (last year all ten performed), it should give the acts 2 or 3 songs to introduce themselves to the assembled (and Radio) audience.
With regard to who will win, i'm going to go for Jape or Lisa Hannigan, however on the strength of previous results, who knows? Current betting favours Jape and Mick Flannery, although personally I'd like to see Halfset or Messiah J get it.
Tickets are €27 from ticketmaster and the venue (if its not sold out).
A "bewildered" Oasis have been forced to cancel upcoming gigs in Beijing and Shanghai after Chinese authorities revoked the band's performance licences. Oasis were deemed "unsuitable" to play during the People's Republic of China's 60th anniversary year, due to their links with the Tibetan freedom movement.
Oasis were informed on 28 February that their first-ever Chinese concerts, at Beijing's Capital Arena on 3 April and Shanghai's Grand Stage on 5 April, would be cancelled. Ticket agencies were instructed to stop selling tickets and to reimburse fans who had already made purchases.
The opening track on Santi White's Santogold album, the stunning L.E.S. Artistes encapsulates pretty much everything that makes this debut great. Mixing Indie rock and Dub with strong pop songwriting instincts, the maddening simplicity of the opening track only adds to its impact. Not only that, but there are 5 or six other tracks on the album that are just as good and share the same kind of wide mix, I'll Find a Way and Say Aha especially. On I'm a Lady she even sounds soulful and elegant, which makes a change from some of the hip brattishness that sometimes overflows on songs like the fizzy Creator and Anne. Recently she's had to change her name to Santigold because of a infomercial Jeweler called Santo Gold threatening legal action, but on the strength of this album in won't be long before she's the more recognised name.
If you haven't heard much about her, check out the previously mentioned L.E.S. Artistes and its inventive video on youtube.
Over the last while I've had various attempts at blogs fall apart by either being a) badly written b) too involved or c) losing interest, but this time, this time its different.
Well, At least Paul Noonan Does. Much as i like Bell X1, it has to be one of the oddest magazine covers in a while. Not because there's a man in a stewardess outfit, but because each member looks comically uncomfortable. Still, there's a new album to promote with a title relating to airlines...
Swedish duo Friska Valour (literally "fresh wills") vowed to never again write a song sober after the breakup of previous relationships' and bands. However, their slow decent to alcoholism is our gain, because they're excellent. Check out their myspace for the Sufjan Stevens-Style Shotgun Sister or the brass skip of Old Man. My favourite song of theirs is the punky Four Points, but it seems to have been taken down from the myspace site. Ah well.
This is going to be amazing for two reasons, firstly, there's going to be a Tron 2.0, and secondly because Daft Punk are going to write the theme tune, sing the theme tune...
I always feel that Supergrass will be one of those bands that will be kind of forgotten, nothing to do with their talent or output, but just because they just got on with making music. When their first album I should Coco came out in 1995 they had to contend with Blur and Oasis and even Radiohead, when In it for the Money came out in 1997 The Verve, Portishead and the Stereophonics had been added to the previous list, and despite the quality of the music, they began to be happy just sitting behind the first row of whoever was selling records at that time.
