PlayRewind

The omens are good

I will now demonstrate the fact that I am a master of understatement.

I like the Prodigy.

The above is like saying Keith Richards has dabbled in drugs. So with that in mind think what it means when I say that I am foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the new Prodigy album Invaders Must Die on the 23rd of this month. Having heard a couple of tracks from it I can say all the orally generated foam is worth it. The sounds like Liam has dug out all his old rave records and dropped em in a blender with a gun and several large angry dogs. Omen is the first single and the video captures the mood and menacing energy of the Prodigy.
Yum.

The Gaslight Anthem. The Band Springsteen should have formed.

Are you like me? Do you wonder what would happen if musical greats of  yester-year were starting out today? Would Elton John pass the squeaky clean, pretty boy, white teeth tests needed in order to sing love songs to the masses? Would Bob Dylan’s total lack of ability to hold a note stop the great man reaching the blinding heights he has ascended to in music? What would the greats of rock sound like? Could Alice Cooper survive in today’s shock rock scene?

I have found the answer to at least one of the “what if” questions regarding the greats. If a young Bruce Springsteen started a band today he would be in The Gaslight Anthem. The New Jersey outfit have two albums out, the first (Sink or Swim) sounds like Bruce and Jimmy Eat World hammering out the adrenaline soaked rock. The second (The 59 Sound) is a more polished affair. It still has the blue collar lyrics but Jimmy Eat world have been replaced by a Killers cover Band. It still rocks and the voice of Brian Fallon keeps the raw emotional quality that make this band compulsive listening.

They are bringing their revved up old school rock to the Academy on the 4th March with support on the night by Frank Turner and Polar Bear Club.

Gaslight Myspace

Fatboy Slim, new album, class video

Fatboy Slim has a new album I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat which he is putting out under the name Brighton Port Authority. It's out on the March 2nd. First single is called 'Toe Jam' (featuring David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal) and it has the funniest video I have seen in ages.Enjoy.

Here is the full track list when you are done smiling

1. 'He's Frank' (featuring Iggy Pop)
2. 'Dirty Sheets' (featuring Pete York)
3. 'Jumps The Fence' (featuring Connan Mockasin)
4. 'Should I Stay Or Should I Blow' (featuring Ashley Beedle)
5. 'Island' (featuring Justin Robertson)
6. 'Local Town' (featuring Jamie T)
7. 'Seattle' (featuring Emmy The Great)
8. 'Spade' (featuring Martha Wainwright)
9.  'Superman' (featuring Simon Thornton)
10.  'Superlover' (featuring Cagedbaby)
11. 'Toe Jam' (featuring David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal)
12. 'So It Goes' (featuring Olly Hite)

Super Extra Bonus Free Music

I like posts like this. You know the type of post where I tell you, both of my loyal readers, where to find free downloads. Most of the time it’s a free track but now it’s a free album. That’s right, a full free album. Super Extra Bonus Party have done a remix album of their Choice Music Award winning album and are posting the whole thing for all and sundry to take.  Its called Appetite For Reconstruction, yeah I thought it was funny too. They even did up art work mocking the original G ‘n’ R Appetite For Destruction. Enjoy. free stuff!!

Free Duke Special stream, just the Ticket.

Duke Special is releasing his new Album I Never Thought This Day Would Come next Friday and those kind people at The Ticket( you know the Irish Times thingy) have put it on-line for a week to preview Mr Special's fine work. To be honest I was not a fan of the Duke at the outset, Lastnight I nearly Died got to me so much I nearly killed him. But I was won over by the quality and qurkiness of the rest of his offerings so I have been looking forward to this.
So without further delay here is the LINK

Flowbots, a must watch video

Good God I have had a busy week, moving house and looking for a new job have eatin up all my time but now, over a cupa and a wispa, I can give you a total gem of a song. It is from the Flowbots and it is called Handlebars. It’s a guitar/trumpet laced Hip Hop track and it’s a wonder. The Flowbats are from Saltlake City and have crafted a politically driven song which is simplistic and all the more powerful for it. It could be best summed up by the old chestnut “ The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. 

It starts with a very basic melody and child-like lyrics
“I can ride my bike with no handlebars…..
….Me and my friend saw a platypus
Me and my friend made a comic book
And guess how long it took”

As the song progresses the music becomes more complex and takes on a darker tone to reflect the now more sinister lyrics
“ I can do anything with no permission
I have it all under my command, because
I can guide a missile by satellite
By satellite…
and I can hit a target through a telescope…..”

Combine this with a fantastic video and you have a winner. The two American presidential candidates should be made watch the video and memorise the lyrics.

Queen Kong/ You're Only Massive album launch

Like electronic music? Fancy a treat?  Get your ass to the Project Art Centre in Temple bar (Dublin of course) this Friday for the album launch of You’re Only Massive/Queen Kong’s joint project Dot-Dash.
It kicks off at 8pm and it will be the best 12 yomps you will spend all weekend.

You’re Only Massive, think 8bit electro and M.I.A. style rap/talk/chant. Lots of digital drums squeaks and beeps and the odd bit of German! it’s a definite case of not what you have but what you do with it, and these girls can certainly do lots. Sounds that would sound cheap and dated sound fresh and fun in the hands of You’re Only Massive. Up tempo party music with quirky clever lyrics

Queen Kong are electric too but in a more NIN or Soulwax kind of way . There are guitars lurking moodily here and more a conventional singing style. Conventional shouldn’t be seen as a criticism. The girl has a set of pipes on her and is not afraid to use ‘em. Powerful and haunting vocals that make me think of Skindive in full swing, never  a bad thing.

The album is mixed continuously and hops between tempos and emotions. The groups don’t so much spilt the record as much as they spilt the pace and mood. Its not some cobbled together joint release from two separate entities who didn’t have enough material for a full album on their own, it a well thought out and carefully crafted blend of two bands personalities. A quality project.

You can do nothing better with your weekend than catch this gig…………. and as I can’t make it let me know how it goes!

Newton's gone in the morning

I have been meaning to put this up for ages but kept forgetting. Newton Faulkner is English but doesn’t sound it going instead for that generic americanish voice all singer song writer types seem to have. He released Hand Built By Robots this time last year and released this song this month.  it’s the fifth single of the album so he is definitely getting the mileage out of it. That said this is a worthy release and bops along nicely thank you very much. Gone In The Morning is a step up from the usual glang glang whine so many six string strummers knock out, for one thing it has a pulse.

Newton Faulkner Gone In The Morning