15GB and counting

whilst reading through a mass amount of music blogs I came across All Things Go. and through this I came across Foreign Islands. what Adrian says ("If you dig Les Savy Fav, Thunderbirds Are Now!, or any other band that flawlessly brings a punk-rock attitude to the dance floor, then you will absolutely love Foreign Islands") is completely and utterly true. as an adoring Les Savy Fav fan, I felt it my duty to download the two tracks up on ATG. this was definitely the right decision.

I've been downloading a sik amount of podcasts lately, and it's resulted in my 15GB iPod being filled up within a few days. twisted. probably the hottest podcast around is Filthy Few. always on the latest and greatest, it brings you tracks by some of the best new bands and artists around. I've fallen in love with the Toxic Avenger remix of a SEIK track at the start of podcast number 14. I just can't wait to get my hands and ears all over it properly. I might even take it to bed with me. kinky.

the lovely High Voltage sent me some promos to review, and I did just that. however, the only track that really stood out for me was by Micky P And The Dudes. he's a chap from Leeds and is well worth checking out. I described the particular track I was to review as sounding like "as if someone has broken the hearts of The Pigeon Detectives and given them acoustic guitars and a poetry book".

Susan May

the other day I made a mixtape for a friend of mine who lives in America. I so happened to title this mixtape "Why British Music Is Better Than American Music". not that it's a competition or anything..
featured on the CD is the lovely Popular Workshop. the tracks on their new EP sound a little VEGC-esque. not that I'm complaining, I adore VEGC. if you've ever seen Pop. 'Shop live you will know that the dirty rhythms and piercing guitars are present in full force at all times with this band. they are a marvel to watch, even if you and the headlining band at the gig are the only ones doing so. I'm not sure that they have a sound that will make the majority go "ooooh" but they certainly push my buttons.

Channels
Son Of A Dog

you can find out how to buy their new EP from HERE. or the Pop. 'Shop myspace.

phew!

night's not over yet

so I have just got back from seeing Modernaire at the Dry Bar. it was fabulous, but I don't really want to start saying how much I love them because I need to save that for April 15th when they play at Joshua Brooks in Manchester as part of a gig for my fanzine.

To My Boy's album has leaked. and I've been listening to it almost nonstop for the past 24 hours.
I'd post up 'Model' however I don't know how appreciative the record label or the band would be. I'm pretty sure that's going to be the next single so you'll just have to be patient to hear its genius-ness.

tonight I'd like to talk about Clarky Cat. I can't see why they won't hit the big time in the next twelve months. they've been pushed underneath the guise of "new rave" and all that goes with it (neon things, glowsticks, more neon things, logo tshirts, erm.. more neon) BUT they aren't really "new rave", despite their appearance (they wear neon things). they are much more guitar rather than keyboard centered. fresh vocals from the band are matched with short, punchy guitar riffs and a bassline that will leave you trembling. I love it. the following track is exactly that: short and hard hitting. anyone who does not want to dance to it must be on crack. or not on crack. one of the two.

A Reason

I am also going to chat a bit about Some Body. he's one lad from daaaahn saaafff, and he does wonderful things with a computer. he's what Get Cape Wear Cape Fly would sound like if he was smacked round the head with the entire genre of electronica. yeah, like that. but even better. managed by boy-about-town Sahil, I'm sure that Some Body will be in all the right places at all the right times and quickly work his way to where he belongs: in all of your hearts and heads.

Oceana
Moth

this is getting quite fun, all this blogging. let's hope my enthusiasm doesn't run out too soon.

seeing as i have the hang of things...

as my eagerness continues, this blog shall be updated very frequently. almost immediately after I had posted a post last night, I wanted to do another one. crazy.

I want to talk to you about Pete And The Pirates. I don't know that much about them. except that they come from Reading and that their music is undeniably beautiful. I was recommended them by Dan from Dirtyhands who said something about sounding like a cross between some band and someone else (I've forgotten who; I have a memory like a sieve). anyway. they are top notch, I like them very much. I have yet to see them live but I am sure that their performances are delightful.

they are a romantic fusion of a summer's day, folk music and poetry. listen and love:

What's On
Ill Love

you can buy their EPs from Stolen Downloads.

I would also like to talk about CityLights. I saw them a few weeks ago, and I have to admit that I don't actually remember watching them perform. but I was definitely definitely there (I might have been a bit drunk). anyway. they are from a sunny place called Warrington where dreams come true (this is sarcastic for those of you who don't know about Warrington; it's shit). and they are all about 12 years old. in a good way.


they play upbeat indie pop with that added bit of innocence. you know, like those smoothies. they are pure or something. I like them because their music is simple and it isn't trying to impress, or be the next big thing. they're just doing it for the love of playing.

The City Lights

however, I strongly recommend that you go to their myspace and listen to 'She's A Disco Nightmare' because it's the best of the three up by far.

first post!

so after being sucked into reading millions of other blogs I thought I'd make my own. why not, eh? and when I finally get round to having some money I might even get a microphone and do some podcasts. shocking.

I have been endlessly inspired by Keep Hope Inside and also Good Weather For Airstrikes. both are wonderfully coherent and have introduced me to some new artists well worth hearing. other blogs have also provided very useful but I'm too lazy to list all the ones I read.

today I'm going to talk about Modernaire (myspace). they're from Manchester, they're a two piece, and they're absolutely brilliant. possibly the best band in Manchester right now. I've previously described them as sounding like "Kate Nash, a keyboard and a strange French man have had some kind of serious car accident and happened to have merged into one giant singing, dancing, French speaking, electro-funk mutant". which is a bit of a mouthful when all I really want to say is something along the lines of "if you don't listen to them you're a prick".

what happened was they sent me a demo for my fanzine. usually, most of the demos we get are pretty rubbish (unless Art Goes Pop are sending them, they send well good promos out). so you can imagine my suprise and delight when I put the CD on and it was top quality.

here's two of my favourite tracks by them.

Taste
Faites Tes Jeux
if you like what you hear you can find out more by going to their myspace. add them and say hello. you can buy several of their songs from here.