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]

woo.

i'm sure you will have all heard the new Mystery Jets track by now.

if you haven't then you must.

i was at Durrr on monday and it was the ending song (kind of a strange way to finish!) but it sounded absolutely fantastic and going "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy" a lot was extremely fun. it doesn't sound like one of those songs but it sounds a lot better when played loud.

Mystery Jets - Flakes [right click & save as] / [MIRROR - right click save as]

it's 70% Mystery Jets. 20% christmas cheer and 10% wonderfulness.

calling all vampires.

i stumbled across Free Blood yesterday (not literally.. that's just the name of the band). i figured they had a cool name and my thirst for stuff i haven't heard before is beyond believable. so i checked them out and i have to say it was a very wise decision! they've been going for quite a while but i can't recall anyone mentioning them to me before.

they're a two piece from New York and they make this scratchy kind of funky electro. think Chromeo funky and Friendly Fires scratchy. there's the clapping and strong basslines and that bit of catchiness that's crucial to good tuuuunes. it's brilliant.

Free Blood - Quick And Painful [right click and save]

what. the.

whilst Perez is busy comparing The Maccabees to Keane (what the fuck is that about???) i have been listening to copious amounts of brand new brilliant musics!

Flashguns are from Brighton via London and they are going to be big. with a few pushes in the right directions and the right people, Flashguns should take 2008 claim it as their own and put a little flag on it (metaphorically speaking). they're heavily influenced by bands such as The Smiths, Bloc Party, The Maccabees and Bombay Bicycle Club. and you can tell.

Flashguns have taken elements and so much more from all these bands and twisted it into their own fast-paced brand of melodic guitar indie pop. it twinkles and it shines and it sparkles and it's delightful.

they don't just make pop music, they make it wonderfully.

the song below is my song of the week (i need opinions - song of the week to be a regular thing. yay or nay?) as the moment i heard it, i loved it.

Flashguns - Good Witch/Bad Witch [right click and save as! my bandwidth does not reset for another 27 days and it's half gone...] only available for a short timeeee.

there's another track up for grabs at their myspace page so i highly recommend that you go directly there and pick it up asap.

ps. i am now officially HYPED!

newwww

new Bolt Action Five!

Bolt Action Five - Landmark/Landfill [right click save as]

get the rest from their blog here. they're sounding aaaaaaaaace.

new Presets!

The Presets - My People [right click save as]

comes out on December 18th. pre order it here at the myspace. quality and no less from the Aussies as usual.

car crash.

whatever your opinion of this woman you cannot deny the brilliantness of these two tracks.

Britney Spears - Outrageous (Felix Cartal Remix) [right click and save!]

Britney Spears - Radar [right click and save!]

when i get five minutes away from essays and my laptop returns to normal service (i spilt vodka on it and now several keys do not work/come up as something else) i'll update properly!

wow

M. Ward - Let's Dance (zshare)

i think i've found a new favourite song (for the time being anyhow!)

photo credit: krisan

aois

tune of the week!

All Out In Stripes - I'm So Arrogant

i love it when you listen to a song once and it immediately grabs you. then you stick it on repeat for half an hour and wonder why you hadn't heard it before.
All Out In Stripes are three boys making synth-tastic music. the lyrics are clever. the beats are heavy. it's sort of brilliant.

download more from the band's myspace page! they also do remixes and mixes which are worth checking out.

we can travel through the air.

a while ago Tim from funfunfun posted about Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele (here) and i left a comment saying "all these tracks sound s0s0000ooo0o0os0sos00000ooooo good!!11" or something to that effect. what Tim said about Dent May.. sounding like "a 1960s pop band influenced by 80s electropop and soul" is completely spot on.

on 'A Brush With Velvet', the free EP (click here to download), Dent May does not disappoint. there's finger clicking, 'ooh la la la's, lots of ukulele-ing (.. that should be a word), clapping, tambourines and plenty of feel good vibes. oh, and a cover of Prince.

close your eyes whilst listening and you could almost be in a sepia tinted polaroid of people sitting in a field with daisies in their hair on a summer's day. it's retro but bang up-to-date simultaneously.
and i think i love it. i almost certainly will be asking for a ukulele this christmas.

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele's Myspace

yes yes yes yes

i've written about Operator Please in this blog a few times before and my tune has never changed. they are one of the best bands around at the moment.

not only do they make fantastic pop music, they make it with style and charisma oozing from every single pore in all of their bodies.
their album 'Yes Yes Vindictive' is a collection of finely tuned guitar stomping, violin wheeling, shouty tunes.
Amandah Wilkinson's voice is almost hypnotic as she belts out lyrics with a touch of 'i know i fucking rock'. newer songs such as 'Cringe' and 'Yes Yes' take the classic components of catchy to the next level with clap claps and echoed shouts ('don't! don't! make me!' 'who! are! you!').
there are softer songs on the album, 'Other Song' and 'Pantomime', and they are dominated by the violin but not in an overbearing "wtf where's the guitar gone" type of way.

my favourite track is 'Ghost' (it MUST be the next single after 'Leave It Alone'). it's just seven shades of wonderful. fast drumming, the haunting bleat of the keyboard, speedy vocals.. everything is ace.

Operator Please have taken a soulful voice, surf rock (think 70s theme tunes and Bermuda shorts), a violin, the sunshine, a couple of genius kids and put them through some kind of magic processor.

'Yes Yes Vindictive' is a brilliant debut and i cannot wait to see this band live again.

Operator Please - Ghost
Operator Please - Cringe

it's not out in the UK yet but you can buy the album here! and 'Leave It Alone' is out on the 19th November!