anniversary.

well well well. The Futureheads' third album, titled 'This Is Not The World', has leaked. and i must say.. it's pretty good!

there was always the worry that the album wouldn't be able to top the sound of the second (which a lot of people actually disliked). but never fear. The Futureheads have clearly worked their arses off and managed to return more to their punky roots and create a fast paced and catchy album that lasts just under 40 minutes.

worth the wait? i reckon so.

The Futureheads - Work Is Never Done [removed by request]

it's due out May 26th.

ALSO. today is the ONE YEAR anniversary of this blog. :) so a massive massive thank you to everyone who has ever read all my ramblings/given me a leg up/left me a comment/added me on myspace/sent me free music/linked to me. lets see if i make it through the next 365 days and another 50,000 website hits! x

how do i say this.

last night saw the live return of The Futureheads. playing their first UK live show of 2007 and showcasing some brand new songs.

i don't quite think words can describe how much i was anticipating this gig. when they were about to come onstage i thought my head and my heart were going to explode simultaneously.

so, expectations aside, the band were absolutely on form and the crowd was brilliant. during 'Hounds Of Love' there wasn't even a need for the band to ask the crowd to go "oh oh".

The Futureheads launched into an amazing tirade, kicking their set off with stomping track after stomping track. 'Meantime' followed by 'City Is Here For You To Use' followed by 'Broke Up The Time' followed by 'A To B'.

new tracks like 'Twist' and 'Everything's Changing' sound completely fresh and i can't wait to hear the recorded versions.
'Radio Heart', another new track that the band described as "punk tango", was phenomenal and stood out by far.

'Man Ray' is definitely my favourite song ever and hearing it live doesn't disappoint. the band kept it til before the encore and belted it out. absolutely everyone was shouting "touch each other black and white!".

'Area' broke us into the start of the amazing encore. the band's energy was rife and you could see how excited they were to be back onstage in front of a crowd that actually cared.
'Picture Of Dorian Gray' was up next, their cover of the Television Personalities track. and they finally finished things up with the much awaited 'Piece Of Crap'. the room erupted into complete chaos. no one thought it was going to happen but it did and shouting "he was a piece of crap!!" was ace.

The Futureheads. my love will never cease. i didn't think it was possible to like them more but after last night i really do and i have ants in my pants because i cannot wait to see them again in Sunderland on the 7th. wooooo.

The Futureheads - Man Ray [zshare]

look at what we found.

they're back. and they mean business. and it sounds fucking great.

The Futureheads - Broke Up The Time (zshare)

the lyrics are witty, the guitars are fierce, the drums are heavy. it's catchy, it's poppy, it's fantastic.

i am such a geek i'm going to their King's College gig (29/11) AND one of the Sunderland Independent dates (7/12). the excitement is unbearable.

remix my face.

i've been asked to DJ at Ashes To Eyelashed in August, which i find absolutely hil-bloody-larious seeing as i a) have no DJ experience whatsoever, b) have a broken iPod, c) keep my vinyls in a big cardboard box, and d) well, i'm just me - i dance, not DJ.

i know you have to fade and do something that involves pressing and pushing and twisting loads of buttons, but that's about it. if anyone can recommend a SIMPLE, easy to use, (preferrably FREE) DJ program/software for the Mac that will teach me the very very basics please do.

in light of this, and some wonderful discoveries of late, here's my REEEEEEEEEEMIX post. when i type 'remix' into my itunes it comes up with 165 tracks (out of 3413 that's not a lot).

first up! first heard this today, it's banging (or PHAT as Tracey from Big Brother would say).

"haaaaviiiiiit!"

Hot Club De Paris - Clockwork Toy (Metronomy Remix)

it's very Metronomy-esque, with its dark beats and underground club vibe. there's none of the sea-shanty-ing you'd usually expect from Hot Club but there's plenty of their vocal to be going on. very enjoyable, if a little awkward to dance to.

next is a song you can definitely dance to.

The Black Ghosts - Face (Lo Fi Fnk Remix)

you really can "taste the music" with this track. its 100% futuristic electro style put together with clapping and slapping and singing and noises is definitely this side of amazing. Lo Fi Fnk are always winners.

by far one of the best remixes done of a Klaxons' track so far.

Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (To My Boy Remix)

not that i'm bias because i love To My Boy or anything, coughcough. it's darker than their own work, but then i suppose you could say Klaxons are darker (ignoring all glowsticks, neon, crazily coloured jeans). there's much more of a RAAAAVE theme to this track too. those who are honest have put their hands up and said "yeah, we know, Klaxons aren't rave". rave being actual 90s dodgy tshirts, coloured dreadlocks, a few wasters in a field with carrier bags wrapped around their body on purpose RAVE. (maybe in ten years time that's what Klaxons will end up like).

not forgetting the track that put Crystal Castles on the map for many.

Klaxons - Atlantis To Interzone (Crystal Castles Remix)

the now familiar sound of that weird siren-y thing has echoed many a time in indie clubs up and down the country, inducing people to dance and make that "ooh ooh" noise. a slice of Crystal Castles' best work i'd say. it also makes me want to sing "i've got the hots for you.." haha.

one of the best bands around at the minute had their first single remixed, i have two amazing versions but only one can win.

Late Of The Pier - Space And The Woods (Filthy Few Remix)

this remix brings in that futuristic element with distorted vocals and the hollowed out beats pave way for a much simpler drum 'n' bass infused rhythm to take over. a little lengthy, but i'd never say no to more of Late Of The Pier.

my beloved! The Futureheads. when i first got this track i was very skeptical, trying to imagine dancefloor beats mashed in between the jaunty guitar music.

The Futureheads - Worry About It Later (Switch Remix)

i was oh so wrong. The Futureheads and remix go very very well together. i love this remix especially as it's just so dance-able and that's what The Futureheads are all about for me. the way the vocals have been chopped up and stuck back together is also immense.

i despise Mika with every fibre in my body, but when re-done by a man i love dearly, the results are wonderful.

Mika - Love Today (Patrick Wolf Remix)

the taste of Wolf is all over this track, from the weird noises to the way Mika's voice has been stretched and pulled and wrapped around the electronic bleating and slap of the drum. it's a bit haunting too in the way that only Patrick can make nice things scary. lovely!

and last but definitely not least, a slice of the home front action! Daggers (previously known as Bureau) remixed by Modernaire. could it get any tastier? the answer you are looking for is a big fat no.

Daggers - Money (Modernaire Remix) - newer version!

this track sounds like the 80s being dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age . pure quality, but it's nothing less than i'd expect. visit Modernaire Remixed for a free download of Modernaire's remix of The Holloways' track 'Generator'.

if i'm uninspired by the time Sunday/Monday rolls around i might do a part deux to this as there are loads of other gems i'd like to share.

have a PHAT weekend, and don't kill yourself over the annoying-ness of Tory voting Pete Doherty rocker-boy nu rave indie loving Peaches Geldof lookalike Emily!

now then now then.

so the Transgressive Tour got cancelled because of the Larrikin split. i can't say i'm too unhappy about that because i was due to go to the one in Liverpool, but i have no money! so i've been lucky.

i have also planned my holiday to London dates. August 5th-10th, so if you know of any really good things going on then please hollaaaa. i am gutted we can't be there for A Field Day which looks set to be absolutely brilliant.

i'm currently waiting to fail my exams, and cheering myself up by going to lots of gigs, so be expecting more gig posts over the next couple of months. i'm on gig number 20 of the year so far! only 32 left to goooo. i really hope i can make 52 before 2008 is upon us (i.e. an average of one a week).

onto the music!

i've found a lovely little band by the name of Lo Fi Culture Scene. they're only 12 and 13 years old, and talented beyond their years. lucky them! i can't work out whether bands are getting younger and younger or i'm just getting old. they make cute indie. think Cajun Dance Party fronted by a kid with the vocals of Lil Chris, hahah. well worth checking out before the A&R hounds get their ears on them.

Lo Fi Culture Scene - Meet Again

in my fan-girly-ness, i've been collecting the entire Futureheads discography (or trying to). here's a couple of my favourites out of the b-sides and more rare tracks.

The Futureheads - Remote Control
The Futureheads - Appreciate The Effort

i am also heavily feeling the new M.I.A track. it's completely her. it's nice when artists and bands try to change their sound, but not when it could be a whole different band. M.I.A's obviously found something that works for her. there's zoom-zooms, dings, chings, ohh oh ohh's, tap taps and a furoe of other sounds that make her music amazing to listen to.

M.I.A - Hit That

more briefness to come tomorrow!

way aye man!

THE NORTH EAST.

it's shit really, but my god has it brought us some wonderful bands (and me?!).

first and foremost is The Futureheads. my favourite band. ever. in the whole world. i love them more than i love my own mother, Gang Of Four, free stuff, ice cream, sunny days, lie-ins and finding money on the floor. that's a whole lot of love. i can't even explain the vastness of the soft spot in my heart for them. i have turned into a gabbering, giggling mess everytime i've met them.
the time Barry gave me a hug and a kiss nearly sent me over the edge.

they're out of the live action at the minute, and are doing the odd DJ set up and down the country. though i wish they'd knock it off and play some gigs again. i'm dying to hear some new stuff and to see them sweat their stuff in the way that they do. only do i squeal to The Futureheads. no other band has (so far!) had the ability to make me want to eat my own head out of sheer delight.
they're from Sunderland (boooo, TOOOOOON ARMY forever). now, a lot of people can't appreciate how amazing it is that they managed to form and evolve in the first place. if you knew Sunderland you would be marvelled. it's a shithole. complete and utter. until a couple of years ago there wasn't even a cinema there let alone anything remotely exciting.

here is where i digress and fail to impress you with a little bragging. my dad is actually partly responsible for setting up The (world famous) Bunker in Sunderland. he used to run a fanzine and decided that that wasn't enough. there was nowhere for the music fans (namely the punks like himself) to go and hang out or to practise (he was in a shitty band) or to see gigs. and basically they tried to get funding from every single local business they could to set up The Bunker and eventually one agreed and they were in business. it's now a renowned venue and practise space and has played host to many many famous acts! who would have thought a bunch of kids with safety pins holding up their jeans could start something so influencial?

this was and is possibly the only UN-dull thing about sunderland.
the arcades at the beach are quite good. yeah anyway.

The Futureheads - Piece Of Crap
The Futureheads - Let's Dance (David Bowie cover)

Maximo Park obviously had to come next. Paul Smith is one of the most charasmatic front men i have seen live. he oozes that special "DON'T LOOK AWAY FROM ME NOW OR YOU'LL MISS THE BEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE" quality that 99.9% of us really just don't have.
admittedly they aren't all from the north east but i'm disregarding that for now because their new album 'Our Earthly Pleasures' is stupidly stupidly infectious. i can't decide whether it's better than the first album or not yet. it's close!

Maximo Park - The Unshockable
Maximo Park - Limassol

Field Music are one of my great loves because of their connections with The Futureheads (Peter Brewis used to be in The Futureheads and wrote 'Park Inn' which is allegedly the first ever Futureheads' track!). but i also love them because they are good. and now not splitting up haha.
the expected accent but wrapped in more fairytale-esque sounds than simply jagged guitar music.
when i saw them play 'You're So Pretty' i actually almost cried. it's immense live.

Field Music - You're So Pretty
The Futureheads (Barry Hyde, Jaff, Peter Brewis) - Park Inn

part deux tomorrow! featuring Kubichek!, Dartz! and moooore.