It's a wonderful life, this life of music
From the category archives:
So quite often, people will email me about an artist that I “absolutely need to hear”. Some are… well, ok. Some are good. Some are great. And some are special. And if it wasn’t for the fans emailing me, I might have missed out and never heard these tunes.
So that’s the reason why I’m [...]
{ 6 comments }
Pennywise’s new album, “Reason To Believe”, is out now on Myspace.
Although you probably wouldn’t know it much reading through the posts on this blog, I used to be into punk. And I mean big into punk. For a few years there, it was all I cared about. Nowadays, only certain punk bands have made it [...]
{ 0 comments }
… is out. And damn, it’s hot.
The Raconteurs new album, “Consolers of the Lonely” is out now.
As much as I hate bowing to the Websheriff, after reading of the heckling that’s going on regarding this release here, here and here, I think it might be easier not to post a song.
But, if you can get [...]
{ 2 comments }
So after a few days off down the coast, I know this entry is popping up late; but on Sunday evening, I accomplished one more of my “band goals”, with a night at the Tivoli. This entry is being composed on the long train back to Brisbane… so excuse some grammatical errors, which I have [...]
{ 0 comments }
So last night, I went to another show.
If I was to give you clues as to the show, I would probably say:
1) The performer absolutely wails on guitar.
2) The performer has probably the most pure voice you’ll ever hear. Able to leap and soar in ways uncommon in contemporary music.
3) The performer has some [...]
{ 3 comments }
This will be quite a quickie, but I’ve just seen that the latest Sun Kil Moon album, “April“, is now streaming over at Myspace, for the next two days only.
Sun Kil Moon – Mark Kozelek
If you haven’t heard any tracks off the forthcoming “April” album, head over that way and take a listen. Sun Kil [...]
{ 0 comments }
As mentioned yesterday, on Sunday I headed across to the Brisbane Riverstage, for an evening with Jack Johnson, Matt Costa, and Will Conner. And – despite my longtime love affair with Jack Johnson, and my (extremely) tenuous connection with him via my friend Farryl Purkiss (Farryl and Jack once composed a song together, a fact [...]
{ 2 comments }
There’s a new Bon Iver video out, and it’s story is – quite frankly – inspiring. First, I think I should note that my love for all things Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) related is no secret. The guy’s voice, phrasing, and touching lyrics were some of the best that I heard in 2007. So [...]
{ 4 comments }
Remember that old post I wrote, about other bands hopping onto the “free download” bandwagon? Well, for the second time in as many days (check out the first regarding the Nine Inch Nails, “Ghosts”, here), I’m linking to it again. Why? Because The Charlatans have come through on their word, releasing their entire new album, [...]
{ 0 comments }
It’s been a long, long week. Sometimes things just don’t seem to go your way, you know?
But today is Sunday, and tomorrow’s a clean slate. So, things are looking up already, aren’t they? And with that tone of optimism, let’s jump straight into another tune trio.
The Heavenly States – The Race
The Heavenly States
The Heavenly [...]
{ 0 comments }
A friend recently alerted me to the fact that a new Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s track is floating around the wide wide world of the internets, and it is with much pleasure that I present it below.
Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s
Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s are a band [...]
{ 0 comments }
Last year was a great year for live shows. After seeing (just to mention a few) Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Frames, Jeremy Fisher, Xavier Rudd, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Beautiful Girls and State Radio live, I was looking forward to another great year in 2008.
So it was with [...]
{ 0 comments }
So if you’ve read my past post, “30 South African bands you SHOULD hear”, you would know my extreme love for the band, Perez. If you haven’t read it though (and can’t be bothered to click through to that link), here’s a short recap:
Perez were, without question, my favourite South African band of all [...]
{ 0 comments }
Just a quickie post today; but thought I would delight you all with another offering from The National.
Despite the constant blogosphere hype about this group (which seems to have been going on for years now) that plagues them, The National continues to deliver on their initial promise.
The National performed “Slow Show” live on “Fair [...]
{ 0 comments }
Firstly, apologies for the lack of regular posting this week. I had my head buried in spreadsheets for most of it, and conferences took up the remainder. That said, the week is drawing to an end, and reports have been filed, so last night was a celebration.
Today? Today is the morning after.
So what am I [...]
{ 1 comment }
Back in the day, I used to be a pretty big Alexisonfire fan. In fact, when I’m feeling like a bit of anger is called for, I still am. So it was with interest that I awaited the sophomore release from Alexisonfire’s guitarist, Dallas Green, under his acoustic side project called “City and Colour“.
And [...]
{ 1 comment }
Thank god for WXPN – as usual they’ve brought the goods with NPR’s latest World Cafe show, featuring Counting Crows live, previewing eight (yes, I said eight) songs from their forthcoming album, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings.
(Counting Crows previewed Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings on WXPN World Cafe)
We’ve already previewed some of the new [...]
{ 13 comments }
I’m off down the coast for the weekend, with a lot of things to be sorted out before leaving; so this Friday’s post will be a round-up post. Lazy? Perhaps. Awesome tunes? Definitely.
Here’s a round-up of what’s been heating up our speakers this week:
Patrick Park – Here We Are
Rapidly becoming a firm favourite [...]
{ 0 comments }
So the music blogosphere is abuzz with the latest sad news: The Format, indie-pop darlings, have called it quits. A post made on their myspace blog reads:
“We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we’re both upset about [...]
{ 0 comments }
As promised, here is the video clip of Cat Power performing “Silver Stallion” live on “Later… with Jools Holland”:
{ 0 comments }
As promised, Radiohead’s performance of “House of Cards” live on “Later… With Jools Holland”:
{ 0 comments }
One of my favourite music shows, “Later… with Jools Holland“, has just reached a milestone this month, broadcasting it’s 200th episode.
Times Online has a great article about the night in question, and also a bit of background information on the show:
The cake has been sitting all day in the middle of Studio 1 at BBC [...]
{ 3 comments }
The Damnwells (2006) Photo by Heather Conley
Those who have read this blog for a while might have noticed subtle hints of my slight obsession with the band, “The Damnwells“. And when lead singer Alex Dezen dropped a new song on their myspace page, it became clear to me that yet another post was needed. But [...]
{ 2 comments }
(Aside: 3 posts in 1 day? I know, it’s a regular explosion over here!)
Ah. Scott Adams. The dude is simply amazing.
For those out of the loop, Scott Adams is the creator of the famous “Dilbert” cartoon strips. But unless you subscribe to his blog, you probably aren’t aware of just how damn hip [...]
{ 2 comments }
So, following on from yesterday’s post, there are two more quasi-hip-hop songs that I think you should hear. And the first of those is this one:
Nina Gordon – Straight Outta Compton (NWA cover)
Nina Gordon may still be most well known for her days with Veruca Salt, but since leaving the band in the 90s, she’s [...]
{ 1 comment }
This may spawn a week of quasi-hip-hop cover posts; I’m not too sure yet. But ever since I heard this cover by Obadiah Parker of Outkast’s “Hey Ya” last month, it’s been playing on a pretty much non-stop repeat.
The cover has become something of a Youtube phenomenon, with lead singer Matt Weddle’s free voice [...]
{ 2 comments }
Post-A-Day Week: It’s not often over a weekend that I’ll be sent enough songs to make up a week of posts. So, this week, I’ve decided to put up a post a day, as opposed to lumping them all into one confusing mess, as I am wont to do.
If you prefer the big mass posts, [...]
{ 0 comments }
Post-A-Day Week: It’s not often over a weekend that I’ll be sent enough songs to make up a week of posts. So, this week, I’ve decided to put up a post a day, as opposed to lumping them all into one confusing mess, as I am wont to do.
If you prefer the big mass posts, [...]
{ 0 comments }
Post-A-Day Week: It’s not often over a weekend that I’ll be sent enough songs to make up a week of posts. So, this week, I’ve decided to put up a post a day, as opposed to lumping them all into one confusing mess, as I am wont to do.
If you prefer the big mass posts, [...]
{ 0 comments }
Post-A-Day Week: It’s not often over a weekend that I’ll be sent enough songs to make up a week of posts. So, this week, I’ve decided to put up a post a day, as opposed to lumping them all into one confusing mess, as I am wont to do.
If you prefer the big mass [...]
{ 0 comments }
Post-A-Day Week: It’s not often over a weekend that I’ll be sent enough songs to make up a week of posts. So, this week, I’ve decided to put up a post a day, as opposed to lumping them all into one confusing mess, as I am wont to do.
If you prefer the big mass [...]
{ 4 comments }
Post-A-Day Week: It’s not often over a weekend that I’ll be sent enough songs to make up a week of posts. So, this week, I’ve decided to put up a post a day, as opposed to lumping them all into one confusing mess, as I am wont to do.
If you prefer the big mass [...]
{ 1 comment }
Yeah, yeah; I know the elitest snobs will have something to say about such a mainstream band appearing on this blog, but cmon… who here can honestly claim that Counting Crows didn’t soundtrack much of their life?
While Hard Candy was certainly a slight falter in the Counting Crows trajectory (apart from, of course, the Ryan [...]
{ 1 comment }
Sorry things have been a bit quiet lately; real life takes it’s toll, and lease renewals and rental inspections take up a bit of time. That said, let’s jump right into a Tuesday Trio.
Gomez – Chasing Ghosts with Alcohol
While Gomez – in my eyes, at least – will always struggle to live up [...]
{ 0 comments }
Robert Francis
At just 19, Robert Francis is unquestionably a song-writer wise beyond his years. Having already worked with some musical giants (Ry Cooder, and John Frusciante to name just a few), it is clear that the future hold’s great things for Robert Francis.
It’s hard to listen to this guy and picture him at just [...]
{ 0 comments }
Ok, ok. U2 may not be the coolest band around. Certainly not since their “Elevation” days, anyway.
Despite the travesty of the aforementioned single, however, one good thing that came out of their “Elevation” tour in 2001, was this rendition of their song, “In A Little While”.
Perhaps one of my favourite U2 songs of all [...]
{ 0 comments }
Unquestionably, one of the most exciting guitarists I’ve seen in the last few years is Andy Mckee.
McKee is one of those players, much like Guy Buttery (featured in my “30 South African Bands You Should Hear” entry), who’s percussive, unorthodox fingerstyle method of playing inspires everyone who is lucky enough to see it live.
In [...]
{ 0 comments }
It’s been a while since the sounds of London caused me to become excited, but two lads are currently making enough noise to bring London to the main stage again. Those two boys are Jack Penate and Jamie Treays (aka Jamie T).
Jack Peñate
Interesting side-note to begin this: Penate seems to have a problem holding onto [...]
{ 2 comments }
There’s only a short list of songs who can immediately make me smile when I’m down. To this list, let me welcome “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” by The Wombats.
It’s too early to say how these Liverpudlians will fare; they’ve only released two albums. One of which, “Girls, Boys and Marsupials” was a Japan-only release, [...]
{ 1 comment }
On Friday night, I achieved one of my life’s goals (dramatic, perhaps… but nonetheless true), and saw State Radio perform live, at the Tivoli in Brisbane.
I almost cried, I was so happy.
Some background: Perhaps my favourite band of all time, was (and is) Dispatch. Darlings of the indie scene, who never caved to pressure, and [...]
{ 0 comments }
Anyone who hasn’t heard of the BBC’s Live Lounge Tour, you’re too late. It just ended. But while it ran, it was one of my favourite stops online. Basically, the show was exactly as the title suggested; getting together with artists, in an informal setting, such as their home lounge, and then get them to [...]
{ 0 comments }
So it appears that Jack Johnson’s new album, “Sleep Through The Static” should be ready for release by February, 2008. For this, his 5th album, Johnson worked with his usual rhythm section – bassist Merlo Podlewski and drummer Adam Topol – plus Zach Gill (frequent collaborater and frontman of ALO) on piano and accordion.
Jack has [...]
{ 2 comments }
On Saturday I was lucky enough to see gods in action; Crosby, Stills & Nash, performing in Brisbane at the Riverstage.
It’s been about 10 years since I last saw these guys live. The last time was in South Africa, on a night where a sudden downpour in an open arena had the sound washed away [...]
{ 0 comments }
//
(Update: It’s been brought to my attention that some people aren’t sure how to stream the songs while reading. Um. Click the little “play” icon next to the song name. Easy, huh?)
(Second Update: Song links for below entry have now expired)
I used to be in a band in South Africa. More about [...]
{ 50 comments }
Ok. So I’m working on a post (or series of posts, not sure yet), which is becoming huge, involving around 30 artists so far. It might take me a few days to get all of this information sorted into something slightly passing as manageable… so, in the meantime, for your auditory and visual pleasure, I [...]
{ 0 comments }
Ok, so this is something we’ve been excited about for a while, but Gibson have released some new pics of their “Robotic Guitar”. No longer must tone-deaf guitar players drown in a sea of irony; the Robot Guitar can tune itself with a simple push of a button.
Release date has been slated as the 7th [...]
{ 3 comments }
