quickieee.

been a little busy lately (writing essays while drunk, doing presentations hungover, going home for xmas etc etc) so forgive me if this is a short update!

i've been listening to Damn Shames a bit recently. i heard the name absolutely ages ago but no one convinced me to actually listen to them. then i got hold of a couple of tracks and i really really like them.

they're fast paced, funk and punk infused type guitar music. they remind me a little bit of The Rapture and a little bit of Cut Off Your Hands. they're from Scotland and they are good. really want to see them live!

Damn Shames - Last Things (YSI)

their new single 'Fear Of Assault' is out so go and buy it if you like their sound.

re: the last post! it started some nice discussion and i am going to be doing some investigating during the holidays and hopefully coming up with a large list of all the best bands in Manchester. there are a few already down (Modernaire, Sir Yes Sir, The Ting Tings..) so check those out whilst i see how bad our band scene really is.

you might have noticed i now have a banner on the top of the blog. done by my mate Benj. i think it's pretty ace.

also i got a nice little mention on the newest Song By Toad podcast. highly reccommend that you check that out!

limbs in general.

back at the end of May i briefly mentioned a band called ARMS AT LAST on this blog of mine.

if you didn't check them out then you have wasted so much time. they've now put some new tracks up on their myspace page that they have made with the help of Andy from Elle S'appelle (the tracks not the page haha).

and they sound absolutely fantastic. influenced by XTC and Nick Drake ARMS AT LAST sound like what would happen if Dartz! and Hot Club De Paris had an affair.

as much as i hate to admit it (because of good old city rivalry) Liverpool's musical output at the moment (and over the past twelve months) has been and still is completely brilliant. i just wish we had as many local bands as good as this to be proud of. instead we get lumbered with shite like The Courteeners and a thousand imitations.

bands like ARMS AT LAST should never disappear. or i'll cry.

go to their myspace for tuuuuunes.

song of the week

this week's song of the week is by a band called L'Aristocrats.

they're from London and they make nothing short of quality pop music. the track in question is unbelievably addictive. it reminds me of something but i can't quite put my finger on it. think Joy Division bass lines meets pacy drums and clever lyrics.

L'Aristocrats - Get Mine (sendspace)

also: get your hands on a copy of the funfunfun blog fanzine! details at the myspace here.

bam.

have you met the quirky love child of Justice and Digitalism rolled into one six and a half minute song? no? oh.

i have.

the track is called 'Hole Shebang' and it's made by as well as produced by Firas (aka Alex Waez of the Filthy Few fame - most known for their incredible podcasts).

this is an electro frenzy if i've ever heard one. the track kicks into fifteen seconds of thundering percussion keeping you on your toes before it unleashes the magic. it bleeps and crunches it's way through the seconds til you find yourself nodding your head then tapping your feet and eventually you'll be throwing your arms all over the shop with your eyes closed and your legs doing pretty similar things.

download it. dance. appreciate.

Firas - Hole Shebang (right click and save)/[YSI mirror]

and make sure you check out those Filthy Few Podcasts!

the end is nigh.

Put That On Your Turkey! is a brilliantly named mix by DJ Tamer Oldboy.
at just under and hour it packs in masses of tracks that will keep you dancing til your pressies arrive! ho ho ho and such things.

Put That On Your Turkey! Mix (59:20)

tracklisting:

01. PARTYSHANK - PENIS VS VAGINA (SHANKS KILLER MIX)
02. JUSTICE - D.A.N.C.E (LES RYTHMES DIGITALES MIX)
03. CROOKERS VS SALT N PEPA - LOVE TO PUSH IT (URSULA 1000 EDIT)
04. DUSTY KID - PSIKA / K O R E
05. DIPLO vs THE BEATLES - SHAKE IT OUT (TWIST AND SHOUT)
06. SCOTTIE B - NIGGAZ FIGHTIN'
07. BIZARRE INC. - PLAYING WITH KNIVES (L-VIS 1990 B.MORE MIX)
08. LETHAL BIZZLE - SELFRIDGES GIRL (BOY 8-BIT MIX)
09. EARTH, WIND & FIRE - LET'S GROOVE
10. FREDRICO FRANCHI - CREAM (FRANCHI ALTERNATIVE MIX)
*WITH LADY SOVEREIGN - LOVE ME OR HATE ME (ACAPELLA)
11. DUKE DUMONT - WHEN I HEAR MU'SIC
12. DEBBIE DEB - WHEN I HEAR MUSIC
13. HUMAN RESOURCE - DOMINATOR (HOSTAGE MIX)
14. DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? - LET'S MAKE OUT
15. BEN MONO FT. CAPITOL A - BEATBOX (JESSE ROSE MIX)
16. CRYSTAL CASTLES - ALICE PRACTICE (FUTURECOP! MIX)
17. SE:SA - LIKE THIS LIKE THAT (SINDEN & COUNT OF MONTE CRISTAL MIX)
18. RADIOCLIT - DIVINE GOSA (SWITCH MIX)
19. KLAXONS - AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (JUSTICE MIX)
20. STEED LORD - FEEL THE HEAT
21. KYLIE MINOGUE - LOCOMOTION
22. FUTUREHEADS - WORRY ABOUT IT LATER (SWITCH MIX)
23. DUSTY KID - THE CAT (CROOKERS MIX)
24. JOHNNY CASH - RING OF FIRE (NIGHT FACILTIES MIX)
25. JACK PENATE - SECOND MINUTE, SECOND HOUR (AARON LA CRATE MIX)
26. JUSTICE - WATERS OF NAZARETH (JOHN REDDEN MIX)
27. DIZZEE RASCAL - PUSSYHOLE (BEATSMUGGLAZ MIX)
28. KISSY SELL OUT - HER
29. GORDON EDGE - SET YOUR BODY FREE (CROOKERS MIX)
30. JAPANESE POPSTARS (CHARLIE FANCLUB MIX)
31. MITCHELL BROTHERS - MICHAEL JACKSON (CALVIN HARRIS MIX)
32. I WILL SHANK YOU FOR A PENNY - MUSIC BOX
33. STEVIE WONDER - MASTERBLASTER
34. EXAMPLE - SO MANY ROADS (HERVE MIX)
35. PHAROE MONCH - SIMON SAYS (ESTAW MIX)
36. HIJACK - TROUSER JAZZ

check it outtt.

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.