Category: 2008 releases

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Live Music Friday – Coldplay, live at London’s Brixton Academy

So I was all set for a Calexico “Live Music Friday” post today, and then at the last minute, an email came through pointing me towards this NME article, which in turn led me to the BBC Radio 1 site, which – finally – pointed me towards this set: Coldplay, performing live from the Brixton Academy in London.

Given that it was a live set, it was simply too fortuitous a timing to pass up… so I decided to post this set for today’s Live Music Friday.

Coldplay - Live Music Friday

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you might remember me mentioning that I was slightly hesitant to embrace Coldplay’s new album, “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends“, and that it’s lead single, “Violet Hill”, just didn’t hit me where it should have.
That, of course, was based solely on that single. Since then, I’ve managed to listen to the album in its entirety… but I’m still undecided about it. Something tells me that it will be one of those albums that will grow on me over time; but right now, while I think it’s a good album (and great, by other bands’ standards), it doesn’t quite reach the heights that I know Coldplay are capable of.


That said… this live set, featuring both new and old material, is an absolute cracker, and makes me like the new songs all the more. It’s not surprising, really… Coldplay are a band made for dramatic, passionate live performances. And this, their first live performance in two years, is no exception.


It’s a great set, that finds Chris Martin in a playful mood (once he finally addresses the crowd, before “Viva La Vida”). For example, before the track “Chinese Sleep Chant“, Martin jokes about the fact that the band’s live return had been a free ticket giveaway, with “I know there have been complaints about the ticket price. What can I say, we’re money grabbing whores!“. Or, between “Square One” and “Trouble“, where the band seamlessly switches songs, and there’s this wonderfully surreal moment where he stops and says:

“How seamless was that? How professional was that crossover? You know, if ever… if ever Jonny’s ego grows out of control and the band splits up, and you happen to be on a piano ferry going to Calais or wherever they go, and you see me doing a little piano-turn, you can say, “Chris, I remember when you used to be a pop star, and you did those seamless crossovers between Girls Aloud, and your own beautiful ballads. And I will say thank you so much”

… before… well… seamlessly picking up the tune again. And when the crowd sings along to the outro of “Trouble”, it’s such a powerful moment that Chris Martin comments, “Whoa. What a ferry journey that would be“.
In fact, it’s at moments like that, listening to the majestic sounds Coldplay create here, that it hits me… I have no doubt that the new tunes will eventually become anthems, just as the older material has obviously become.


Finally, make sure you at least listen to the track, “Death Will Never Conquer”; sung by the band’s drummer, Will Champion. It’s awesome to hear him step out from behind the skins and into the spotlight. And “Fix You“? Awesome. That’s all that’s needed to be said.

Enough rambling. The set is below. Listen. Love. Support.

Coldplay, live at London’s Brixton Academy, 16 June 2008

1.) Intro
2.) Life In Technicolour
3.) Violet Hill
4.) Clocks
5.) In My Place
6.) Viva La Vida
7.) Chinese Sleep Chant
8.) God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
9.) 42
10.) Square One
11.) Trouble
12.) Lost!
13.) Strawberry Swing

Encore

14.) Interlude
15.) Yellow
16.) Death Will Never Conquer (The Goldrush cover)
17.) Fix You
18.) Lovers In Japan

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Joe Pug – Nation of Heat. A thoroughly impressive debut…

 

Joe Pug - Nation of Heat
Joe Pug – a startling debut (photo credit: Amber Meairs)


One of the most impressive debuts of the year for me, Joe Pug‘s “Nation of Heat” EP – which was released last month – is quickly becoming my album of the year so far.

It’s not often that I’ll throw around Dylanesque comparisons, let alone twice in the space of two months. But following on from my “Month That Music Forgot” post back in May – where I featured the stunning “Tallest Man On Earth” – today’s featured artist, Joe Pug, also immediately recalls images of a young, bursting-at-the-seams Dylan. Heck, add into that hints of Woody Guthrie, Josh Ritter, and even some Springsteen. Just in case you haven’t realised it yet: I’m loving it.

The always brilliant Captain Obvious recently featured an interview with Pug, and I thoroughly suggest you go check it out to learn more, as there are some great insights into this young artist there. Just to pull out a particular quote which endeared me to him, however (emphasis my own):

Pug: Well, certainly Dylan and Prine are huge for me. They might be obvious, but I think that’s okay. Because there’s something very fundamental about both of those guys that makes them accessible, so you can go off on a tangent of your own. They taught me that a song can be original in its logic or phrasing or spirit even while its using a structure or melody that’s been around for a hundred years.

Steinbeck and Whitman are huge for me. Whitman explained once that poetry isn’t meant to confuse people. That trying to articulate your feelings as clearly as you can is cryptic enough as it is. You don’t need to fool anyone. You don’t need to prove to anybody that you know things that they don’t know. Because of course you do. So just try to say it as clearly as you can. Steinbeck, for me, embodies that ethos, whether he meant to or not. You see it most strikingly in The Grapes of Wrath when he begins that harrowing passage that begins, “And this I know…”. You’ll never read something so lucid. I suppose right now, that’s what I strive for.


Okay. So Bob Dylan? Check. John Prine? Check. John Steinbeck? Check. Walt Whitman? Check. Seriously, this kid could not check more boxes with me if he tried. And these influences are easily seen. Joe Pug can turn a phrase like nobody’s business… at only 23 years of age, his lyrics sound like they come from someone twice his age.

This is music that needs to be heard; and Joe Pug wants to help you with that. If you visit his website, you’ll be greeted with the following message:

Friends, Romans, Countrymen…

If you’re insulted by the songs they loop on the radio all day. If you’re
tired of your parents repeating the phrase “music meant something in my day” with baseless contempt. Here’s a chance to do something about it…

I want you to give my music away.

The thing is, there’s no subsidiary of Viacom shoe-horning my latest single onto radio playlists. There’s no carefully worded advertisements assaulting you at the bus-stop. There’s no ringles.

You heard about my music from a friend. Simple as that. Which means you listen to music because of its substance, not its convenience. And that’s precisely why I’m asking for your help.

Think of some likeminded friends who haven’t heard my songs. Then let me know how many sampler CDs I should send you to give to them.


So let’s help spread the word, shall we?


I’ve included three songs below; the stunning lead track, “Hymn #101“, the EP’s scathing title track, “Nation of Heat“, and finally, the deliciously titled “I Do My Father’s Drugs“. If you like them, then spread the word to your friends about Joe Pug. Let’s get him out there.


Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Joe Pug – Nation Of Heat
Listen: Joe Pug – I Do My Father’s Drugs
Listen: Joe Pug – Hymn #101

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2007 Releases 2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music

May 2008 – The month that music forgot. (Or, “Tidings of The Old Romantic Killer Band and The Tallest Man On Earth”)


What that extremely long and convoluted title alludes to is the fact that, for me, May 2008 has proven to contain an absolute dearth of good new music. Aside from the new Death Cab album and Frightened Rabbit release, not much sparked interest from me this month, and that might have been noticed in the slowing of regular posting here.

In a way, the month of May forced me to confront an issue that I suppose all music-bloggers eventually face: whether to post regularly – sometimes for the sake of posting – simply to provide your regular readers with something to tide them over; or to hold back, and stick firm to the policy of “only posting music that excites you“. I noticed this trend throughout the month in some of the other blogs I read. Some were subscribing to the “post for the sake of posting” philosophy, which I can understand. It’s a valid way of thinking, and probably the smartest if you’re hoping to build up a community on your blog – as I’m hoping to do – by engaging your readers regularly.
In the end though, I felt that I simply could not do that. Perhaps it’s the wrong decision to make, and feel free to leave me a comment if you’d prefer that I post more regularly. But really, I find it really hard to write at all, unless there’s some passion behind it.


Anyway, I suppose in some ways that’s an apology of sorts for the lack of regular posting around these parts lately. Or perhaps a justification. I can’t decide quite which.


I will add two songs here, however, that have been on my “Possible Blog” list for quite some time now… but were waiting for more companions to join them, in order to make a “music round-up” post. However, nothing more came in May. So here they are, standing lonesome…

The Old Romantic Killer Band – Lovers Pass

The Old Romantic Killer Band
 The Old Romantic Killer Band


The Old Romantic Killer Band are everything that’s right with the blues/folk/punk fusion movement. Catchy, and hooky as all hell, this song, “Lovers Pass“, is an instant classic… and, in my opinion, finds The Old Romantic Killer Band at their dirty blues best.


The band, a two-piece from Leeds, is easily one of my bands to watch in 2008. Singer Harry’s voice has that vintage quality that just pulls you in with it’s warmth, and the stunningly tight yet emotive rhythm section driven by Greg behind the drums is sure to please the blues purists. Amazingly, The Old Romantic Killer Band has still not been picked up by a record label… I doubt they will stay that way for much longer.

Earmark these guys right now. They’re the real thing.


Listen: The Old Romantic Killer Band – Lovers Pass

The Tallest Man On Earth – It Will Follow The Rain

The Tallest Man On Earth
The Tallest Man On Earth


Ok. I’m going to throw around the “Dylanesque” word here. And yes, I know it’s overused. And yes, I know it’s rarely warranted. And yes, I know it’s almost lazy for a music blogger to use that word.
But listen to The Tallest Man On Earth (aka Swede Kristian Matsson), and try not to hear early Bob Dylan there… it’s almost impossible, isn’t it? There’s an abandon there, and an inherent ease that simply recalls Dylan for me. Point blank.


This song, “It Will Follow The Rain“, is taken from The Tallest Man On Earth’s 2007 EP, although he has just released his full-length debut, “Shallow Graves”, earlier this year. The production on “Shallow Graves” is exactly that sound that I love… scratchy and warm. It honestly feels as if Matsson is performing these songs live in your kitchen, with every breath and every crack is his warm rich voice present.


There’s nothing forced here. It’s natural, and tumbles from The Tallest Man On Earth in a way that’s impossible to resist.


Listen: The Tallest Man On Earth – It Will Follow The Rain

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Live Music Friday – Counting Crows Live on WXPN/World Cafe Friday

Possibly the post that I receive the most emails about on this blog was my past post about the Counting Crows performance on WXPN’s World Cafe Friday.
I don’t think that a a single week has gone by, since that post was published, where I don’t get an email asking me for the rest of the tracks to that performance.

Now that “Live Music Friday” has been instituted on this blog, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take care of all those emails in one go… so today, I’ll be posting the entire set of Counting Crows, live on WXPN/World Cafe.

Counting Crows - Live Music Friday

As much as I get elitist music snob feedback whenever I feature Counting Crows on this blog, I stand by my statement that, for many of us, Counting Crows pretty much played the soundtrack of our lives. Seriously. Recovering the Satellites, and August and Everything After contained songs that – I think, at that stage of my life, for the very first first time – seemed to me as though they were written specifically with you in mind.So when the news came out that the band were set to release their fifth-studio album, “Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings“, earlier this year, I was desperately hoping for it to bring back those feelings of years gone past. However, as my two past posts indicated, I was hesitant to hold out too much hope for fear of disappointment.


(Side note: Once I finally received my full copy of the double-album, I was… ambivalent. Which is a terrible thing to say about a band like Counting Crows. But, really, it was an album that was good, but not great.)


This set, however, is the set that got me excited about the album. It’s a set that exemplifies why Counting Crows are one of the greatest live acts around – their ability to make each show a truly personal experience for each person in the audience.
In this set, Counting Crows walked the crowd through the album, with eight songs performed from “Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings”. And, before each tune, Adam Duritz introduces the track with an in-depth commentary about the story behind the song. You really have to listen to the entire set to get that magic of hearing Adam explain the birth and life of each song… but here’s a sample taste of his introduction to “Washington Square”:

“And I moved “Washington Square” to this place right here, because following that would be this song “Le Ballet d’Or”, which is about looking back on your life and realising, “If I’d just done things a little differently, this could all have been a lot different”. As the song starts out, uh… “Wasted time running scared, when all the love needs is to be believed in“… which is an obvious thing to say, but not a simple thing to do.
Or the second verse is, “Wasted time running scared, all that I need is something like a summer, and I know you need somebody just like I do“.
And he goes through the seasons in that song, it’s kind of a companion song to “Omaha” in a way, that he’s looking at his life in these different ways and seeing all these places where… God, it didn’t have to go as wrong as it did, it’s just that… if I’d just been able to see it a little differently, I could have done things a little differently. And he kind of comes to the conclusion that, it’s time to stop being the way I’ve been, and to do something totally different.

And the song after that is called, “On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago”, which I wrote in Amsterdam the week after “Accidentally in Love”. At the time, written about, “What if this wonderful thing that’s going on in my life were to.. fall apart and drift away?”.
Uh, and years later, after it actually did… uh, it becomes this really… it was a sad song about the possibilities of something so beautiful, and how fragile it is to hold something that beautiful in your hand, but in the years later of course, it becomes a truly, truly sad thing to have lost something that meant that much to you. And it’s funny, a friend of mine commented to me the other night, she said, “You know, this album… the healthier you get, the sadder it gets”, and I was like, “Oh…”.

And I think that’s because madness is like numbness. And you retreat from the world. And the healthier you get, the better you are, the more you can feel… and feeling is just, you know… it can go either way. You can feel good, you can feel bad.”

And really… who doesn’t an intro like that speak to? Seriously. Listen. Love. Support.

Counting Crows, Live on WXPN/World Cafe Friday, 8 February 2008

1.) 1492
2.) Hanging Tree
3.) Insignificant
4.) Cowboys
5.) When I Dream of Michelangelo
6.) You Can’t Count On Me
7.) Washington Square
8.) Come Around

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2008 releases artists digital downloads guitar music

Death Cab releases the much-anticipated “Narrow Stairs”. In related news, I was wrong.

Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab For Cutie have just released their new album, “Narrow Stairs”


So Death Cab for Cutie has finally released the much anticipated, “Narrow Stairs”, which I originally wrote about in my post, “Some Death Cab-related goodness“, and the first thing that I noticed was that I was obviously wrong: the track “Casino Blues” that I mentioned in that post does not appear anywhere on the release, which is disappointing. Damn you, unreliable sources!

Apart from that, however, the album rocks.


Quite aside from the much-touted and much-talked-about 9-minute-mammoth, “I Will Possess Your Heart”, this album is perhaps on of the most complete albums I’ve heard from Death Cab for Cutie. In most previous releases, when you get right down to it, the musicality of the band was overshadowed by Ben Gibbard’s lyrics. Not so with “Narrow Stairs“. With this release, the band as a whole comes across as a far more powerful unit… more muscular, and more a part of the final whole. And that’s a great thing.
While previous Death Cab releases have been filled with Gibbard’s existentialist pessimism, “Narrow Stairs” seems – to me, at least – to be their darkest release, in terms of actual physical and tangible doom. And after re-reading that sentence, I realise I should clarify that that is actually a good thing.

Clocking in at only 44 minutes, the only problem with the album is that it ends far too soon. I found it difficult to know which tracks to post here as a sampler, as – for the most part, apart from a few awkward tracks – the album is full of great tunes. “Your New Twin Sized Bed” and the alt.country style “Cath…” were strong contenders. In the end, however, it was the stunning album opener, “Bixby Canyon Bridge” and the doomed-relationship closing track, “The Ice is Getting Thinner” that won out.

Seriously. Get this album.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Death Cab For Cutie – Bixby Canyon Bridge
Listen: Death Cab For Cutie – The Ice Is Getting Thinner

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Langhorne Slim – In The Midnight, Restless & Diamonds and Gold

Langhorne Slim is an artist who has me excited; the quintessential “everyman” performer, he is a singer who seems to truly embrace his flaws… and then run with them.

Langhorne Slim
Langhorne Slim (photo credit: Crackerfarm)

The 27-year-old Slim, aka Sean Scolnick, is a proponent of that frenetic folk-rock of which I’m such a fan; but he manages to do it with an authenticity that sets him apart from the crowd. The sound in his records is… well, raw, in the best sense of the word, and sometimes so crazed that the imperfections in his voice come cracking through… but you love him all the more for it.


Really, Langhorne Slim mixes folk, blues, and rock in a way that few others can. And while his sophomore self-titled disc – which came out last week – isn’t as raw as his past release, “When the Sun’s Gone Down”, and his “Engine” EP, there’s still enough soul, fire, and warmth in his recordings to pull you in; particularly in the cracked-voice chorus of “Diamonds and Gold”.

“A tough day at the office,
And a worse night at home
Don’t wanna talk about it
Just wanna be left alone”
– Langhorne Slim, “Diamonds and Gold”


Langhorne Slim has also released the gorgeous video to his first single from the album, “Rebel Side of Heaven”, which contains perhaps one of my favourite refrains ever, with the words:

“Although we’ve sinned all our lives, we’re not going to hell.
We’re going to the rebel side of heaven.”
– Langhorne Slim, “The Rebel Side of Heaven”


The video itself is one of the most beautifully-shot music videos I’ve ever seen, with rich vibrant colours and stark shadows. I’ve included it below for you visual pleasure.

Ultimately, I suppose what truly draws me in to Langhorne’s music is his unbridled passion. I hope it does the same for you.

I really couldn’t decide on which tracks to include below, so I thought I would include one from each of his last three releases. The first is the stunning track, “In the Midnight“, from the aforementioned release, “When The Sun’s Gone Down“, which displays his bluegrass influences and contains an awesome banjo accompaniment. The second is his track, “Restless“, which originally appeared on his “Engine” EP, but has gained a new life as a re-release on the new self-titled release; and finally, “Diamonds and Gold“, from that self-titled release.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Langhorne Slim – In The Midnight
Listen: Langhorne Slim – Restless
Listen: Langhorne Slim – Diamonds and Gold

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2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music music videos

Frightened Rabbit – Head Rolls Off & Good Arms vs. Bad Arms

Continuing my recent love affair with Scottish musicians, today’s post deals with the, quite frankly, brilliant band from Glasgow, Frightened Rabbit.

Frightened Rabbit
Frightened Rabbit have released their new album, “The Midnight Organ Fight”.

Yesterday I finally recieved my copy of Frightened Rabbit‘s new album, “The Midnight Organ Fight“, following a month of extreme expectation after I was exposed to their single “The Modern Leper” at the beginning of April. While that song raised my hopes somewhat, it in no way prepared me for the perfection that is “The Midnight Organ Fight”. This is an album that almost never puts a foot wrong, and is easily a contender for my “top albums of 2008” list.

There’s a sincerity to lead singer/songwriter Scott Hutchison’s lyrics that immediately draws you in; it’s like a stream of consciousness of poignant observations… in fact, I’ve heard his lyrics described as “all the stuff you wish you’d said at the time of the break up but were too drunk/tired/dumbstruck/sad to sputter“, and I couldn’t put it better myself.

I might not want you back, but I want to kill him […]
I’m still in love with you and can’t admit it yet.
– Frightened Rabbit, “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms”


All of this is delivered in Hutchinson’s charming Scottish brogue – sometimes seemingly in direct contrast to his subject matter – and jangly, mixed guitars that only serve to heighten the urgency and immediacy of the emotions that lie just below the surface.

It’s beautiful, desperate, angry, and so damn tight, that I’m amazed this is only the band’s sophmore release. Put simply, Frightened Rabbit are everything that I got into this gig for.

Below, I’ve included the video for their first single, “Head Rolls Off“, and then two tracks off the new album; the aforementioned “Head Rolls Off”, and the heart-breaking “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms“.
Do yourself a favour, and get this album. Seriously.

Listen: Frightened Rabbit – Head Rolls Off
Listen: Frightened Rabbit – Good Arms vs. Bad Arms

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2007 Releases 2008 releases artists digital downloads guitar music

Malcolm Middleton… easily my favourite Scot.

Yes, you read that right. Malcolm Middleton is easily my favourite Scotsman, and that’s saying something. While still predominantly known for his work with the – albeit, brilliant – Arab Strap, his solo output since leaving that outfit has been, in my opinion, nothing short of consistent excellence.

Malcolm Middleton
 Malcolm Middleton has just released his new EP, “Sleight of Heart”

So it was with not much surprise that I found myself spinning his new EP, “Sleight of Heart“, pretty much non-stop over the last week. In short, it’s everything I would expect from the Scottish singer: a passionate, cathartic affair, that teeters on the edge of depression; yet one that – somehow – manages to inject enough humour, wit and optimism into the otherwise dark experience that you come out feeling… well… almost hopeful.

If you’re a fan of Malcolm’s 2007 release, “A Brighter Beat“, then you’ll definitely want to get your hands on a copy of this EP, as it’s predominantly comprised on tunes that were penned during the recording of that album. Throw in some eclectic cover tunes to that mix, and you’re in for a great aural experience.
I’ve included two songs below for you to get a taste. The first, “Blue Plastic Bags” is a track off the new EP, “Sleight of Heart”, and is a perfect example of Middleton’s skill in bringing a sad plight to our attention – in this case, a rampant and out of control British drinking culture – and injecting it with hope. While the song itself is full of longing, despair and confusion, Middleton is sure to couple that with a somewhat life-affirming refrain:

You know there is no shame,
‘coz we’re all feeling the same.
So sing along with the sad song…
– Malcolm Middleton, “Blue Plastic Bags”

… and that refrain somehow reassures us that we’re not alone. And that’s an impressive feat.

The second tune is the title track off his previous release, “A Brighter Beat“, and is, really, a song of seeming contradicitions. The fast-paced, powerful melody seems to be in direct opposition to the actual story of the song; that of depression, and it’s ability to paralyze people. In one particularly expressive verse, Middleton sings:

Now the’ve gone and left us, and we’re not here,
Just the ghosts of the people they once held dear.
– Malcolm Middleton, “A Brighter Beat”

Yet, again, Middleton brings the song back from the brink. Anyone can write a song about depression; but it’s Middleton’s ability to full a song about depression with redemptive moments that makes him truly stand out above the crowd.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Malcolm Middleton – Blue Plastic Bags
Listen: Malcolm Middleton – A Brighter Beat