It's our first Christmas under the banner of whiteboydancefloor and hope the day has been an enjoyable one for you all. Sad to here the news about James Brown, godfather of soul, dead at 73. I regret never seeing him perform.
I don't know about you, but my Christmas revolved around CD's, CD's and more CD's. Couldn't get it any better in my book.
Highlights from my Christmas CD's were:
* Tv on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
* Valentinos - Damn & Damn Again
* Midnight Juggernauts - Secrets of the Universe
* 12th Man - Boned
* The Beatles - Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club
* The Unicorns - Who will cut our hair when we're gone
* Valentinos - Self titled
* Jeff Buckley - Grace (it's a crime I didn't already own this)
* Xui Xui - The Air Force
* The Sleepy Jackson - One was a spider, One was bird
*More Beatles
Hope Santa was good to you also.
In keeping with the spirit I thought I'd post something obvious. I've heard a lot of people knocking this track, I can't see where this song goes wrong.
Mp3: Surfjan Stevens - Get behind me Santa
Monday, December 25, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Top 20: #5 to #1 The Final Countdown!
Finally we have got down to the final 5 of our Top 20 countdown for tracks of the years. These tracks selected may not be the ones you'd expect or agree with, but for whiteboydancefloor, these tracks made 2006 something more than it is, was, has been.
#5 TV On The Radio – I Was A Lover (Mp3)
‘Wolf Like Me’ is a good song, but it is too obvious of a choice for the best track off the excellent Return to Cookie Mountain. ‘I Was A Lover’ however, is less so. It is like a cheese grater, slowly and uncomfortably grinding along, peeling away the layers by heaping on more of its own. I love its weirdness and its abstract nature, however it is surprisingly hooky especially that little effect that sounds like some sort of bugle or trumpet and the title vocal hook. In short, TV on the Radio are still one of the best bands on the planet, and this song explains why. – Chris
Pix said: "I must say I was a lover... of Wolf like me (bad joke) but I do agree that it is all too obvious for something worthy of this top 5. I was a lover delivers the same sucker punch that Wolf like me does but in a much more subtle-sophisticated manner. Slightly more baron yet variant than Wolf like me too, however both are great songs".
[Buy] from Amazon
#4 Herbert – Moving Like A Train (Mp3)
Matthew Herbert is a consummate music geek. He certainly has the look, and after assembling some 630+ samples of the most random things like a petrol pump and various bird noises to create the nu-jazz masterpiece Scale, he also has the skills. Choosing a favourite track from this album was difficult, yet ‘Moving Like a Train’ encompasses everything I love about this nerdy white boy. I will leave the sample picking for the trainspotters as I can pick hardly any of them, but the result is some wonderfully smooth jazz-pop meticulously pieced together with some excellent guest vocalists to boot. – Chris
Pix said: "Not for a second did I ever envisage that Herbert would feature anywhere in the whiteboydancefloor top 20 until I actually gave this track and Herbert in general a more well deserved listen. The results are its position at #4 winning over some great tracks".
[Buy] from Amazon
#3 Spank Rock – Backyard Betty (Mp3)
‘A breath of fresh air’ is a horrible cliché, however this is so true of Philadelphia’s Spank Rock. To me, Hip-hop as a genre seems tired, old and irrelevant….so what do this MC and producer duo do? Release an album full of innovative, offensive and sharp witted Hip-hop that appeals to the indie kids as much as die-hard rap fans. ‘Backyard Betty’ is one of the most pummeling and vicious urban tracks I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a snarling slab of electro-hip hop with Spank Rock’s filthy and sexually explicit rhymes placed over XXXChange’s uncompromising beats and glitchy electronic blips. There would be few who could compete with Spank Rock in this sort of form. Whilst the competition parade sexual images in their videos, ‘Backyard Betty’ and its lyrics make these pretenders look tame and frigid in comparison. I’d tap that hoe. – Chris
#2 Justin Timberlake - Sexyback
Commercial music tick box complete. It seems Timberlake has struck a chord with many a blogger across the blogosphere. "Sexyback" was the first chance for the world, particularly skeptical bloggers, to look at Timberlake and find some semblance of musical talent. Sexyback really threw Timberlake into another class of pop musicians and the track much like Timberlake doesn't waste precious time getting to the point, it's at the point when the song begins. Not only a personal dancefloor favourite of whiteboydancefloor but more so a demonstration of 'commercial music' that isn't bland and flavourless. In all honesty Sexyback doesn't need buzz words or in depth analysis, it is well presented and gives any dancefloor an injection of bad whiteboy dancing. Quite clearly the ackward whiteboy dancing this song inspires enabled it to receive bonus points.
[Buy] from Amazon
#1 Hot Chip – Arrest Yourself (Mp3)
Many may argue that ‘Over and Over’ and ‘Boy From School’ are the best tracks from Hot Chip’s second album The Warning as many year end polls have already showed. I tend to disagree. ‘Arrest Yourself’ I believe is the definition of the Hot Chip sound. It is inherently bizarre and quirky just like the band themselves, with that ascending synth arpeggio riff that is varied throughout intro and verse setting up an odd and strangely abrasive journey. The song never really finds a rhythm or comfortable space which in a way makes it so charming. The saxophone sounds as though it has been run over by a steam roller ala Lisa Simpson’s and that drum beat is hypnotically syncopated, clicking and tapping through every off beat imaginable as though the drummer has ingested some sort of depressant. The chorus floors me every time, it has a certain je ne sais quoi, where sax, drums and synth seem to trip over each other yet in dueling for real estate seem to create a perfect balance. - Chris
Pix said: "The only difficult part about Hot Chip is decided which of their tracks is better than the other. Arrest yourself may seem like an unusual choice, but it succeeds on so many levels".
[Buy] from Amazon
The Top 5 artists are all fantastic in whiteboy eyes. The best part of this whole relatively fickle caper is that there are more arguements of which songs from one particular artist rather than which artists to begin with. Artists like Hot Chip, Justin Timberlake, Spank Rock, Herbert & Tv on the Radio are not mere one hit wonders but more so artists in every sense of the word with a great deal of fine music to offer.
#5 TV On The Radio – I Was A Lover (Mp3)
‘Wolf Like Me’ is a good song, but it is too obvious of a choice for the best track off the excellent Return to Cookie Mountain. ‘I Was A Lover’ however, is less so. It is like a cheese grater, slowly and uncomfortably grinding along, peeling away the layers by heaping on more of its own. I love its weirdness and its abstract nature, however it is surprisingly hooky especially that little effect that sounds like some sort of bugle or trumpet and the title vocal hook. In short, TV on the Radio are still one of the best bands on the planet, and this song explains why. – Chris
Pix said: "I must say I was a lover... of Wolf like me (bad joke) but I do agree that it is all too obvious for something worthy of this top 5. I was a lover delivers the same sucker punch that Wolf like me does but in a much more subtle-sophisticated manner. Slightly more baron yet variant than Wolf like me too, however both are great songs".
[Buy] from Amazon
#4 Herbert – Moving Like A Train (Mp3)
Matthew Herbert is a consummate music geek. He certainly has the look, and after assembling some 630+ samples of the most random things like a petrol pump and various bird noises to create the nu-jazz masterpiece Scale, he also has the skills. Choosing a favourite track from this album was difficult, yet ‘Moving Like a Train’ encompasses everything I love about this nerdy white boy. I will leave the sample picking for the trainspotters as I can pick hardly any of them, but the result is some wonderfully smooth jazz-pop meticulously pieced together with some excellent guest vocalists to boot. – Chris
Pix said: "Not for a second did I ever envisage that Herbert would feature anywhere in the whiteboydancefloor top 20 until I actually gave this track and Herbert in general a more well deserved listen. The results are its position at #4 winning over some great tracks".
[Buy] from Amazon
#3 Spank Rock – Backyard Betty (Mp3)
‘A breath of fresh air’ is a horrible cliché, however this is so true of Philadelphia’s Spank Rock. To me, Hip-hop as a genre seems tired, old and irrelevant….so what do this MC and producer duo do? Release an album full of innovative, offensive and sharp witted Hip-hop that appeals to the indie kids as much as die-hard rap fans. ‘Backyard Betty’ is one of the most pummeling and vicious urban tracks I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a snarling slab of electro-hip hop with Spank Rock’s filthy and sexually explicit rhymes placed over XXXChange’s uncompromising beats and glitchy electronic blips. There would be few who could compete with Spank Rock in this sort of form. Whilst the competition parade sexual images in their videos, ‘Backyard Betty’ and its lyrics make these pretenders look tame and frigid in comparison. I’d tap that hoe. – Chris
Pix said: "Spank Rock are like miracle bakers. They make even the most stale bread fresh again".
[Buy] from Amazon
#2 Justin Timberlake - Sexyback
Commercial music tick box complete. It seems Timberlake has struck a chord with many a blogger across the blogosphere. "Sexyback" was the first chance for the world, particularly skeptical bloggers, to look at Timberlake and find some semblance of musical talent. Sexyback really threw Timberlake into another class of pop musicians and the track much like Timberlake doesn't waste precious time getting to the point, it's at the point when the song begins. Not only a personal dancefloor favourite of whiteboydancefloor but more so a demonstration of 'commercial music' that isn't bland and flavourless. In all honesty Sexyback doesn't need buzz words or in depth analysis, it is well presented and gives any dancefloor an injection of bad whiteboy dancing. Quite clearly the ackward whiteboy dancing this song inspires enabled it to receive bonus points.
[Buy] from Amazon
#1 Hot Chip – Arrest Yourself (Mp3)
Many may argue that ‘Over and Over’ and ‘Boy From School’ are the best tracks from Hot Chip’s second album The Warning as many year end polls have already showed. I tend to disagree. ‘Arrest Yourself’ I believe is the definition of the Hot Chip sound. It is inherently bizarre and quirky just like the band themselves, with that ascending synth arpeggio riff that is varied throughout intro and verse setting up an odd and strangely abrasive journey. The song never really finds a rhythm or comfortable space which in a way makes it so charming. The saxophone sounds as though it has been run over by a steam roller ala Lisa Simpson’s and that drum beat is hypnotically syncopated, clicking and tapping through every off beat imaginable as though the drummer has ingested some sort of depressant. The chorus floors me every time, it has a certain je ne sais quoi, where sax, drums and synth seem to trip over each other yet in dueling for real estate seem to create a perfect balance. - Chris
Pix said: "The only difficult part about Hot Chip is decided which of their tracks is better than the other. Arrest yourself may seem like an unusual choice, but it succeeds on so many levels".
[Buy] from Amazon
The Top 5 artists are all fantastic in whiteboy eyes. The best part of this whole relatively fickle caper is that there are more arguements of which songs from one particular artist rather than which artists to begin with. Artists like Hot Chip, Justin Timberlake, Spank Rock, Herbert & Tv on the Radio are not mere one hit wonders but more so artists in every sense of the word with a great deal of fine music to offer.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Top 20: #10 - #6
Time to start getting down to the business end of things.
#10 Love is all – Talk Talk Talk Talk (Stream via Myspace)
The previous installment of the top 20 featured a large amount of music which is quite dense and populated with sound. Subtle nuances and ‘slumbering’ musical add ons are not something Love is All really concern themselves with on “Talk Talk Talk Talk”. The track could be guilty of being a bit too busy at times, but the continuous mayhem seems to work in the favour of these Swedes. The “one more time” chant for me personally went from being annoying to infectious. I like that. - Pix
Chris : 'Busy and ambitious pop music that is as fun as it is clever...rim shots, spastic saxophone and over-delayed guitars make a nice meal'
[Buy] Love is all - Nine times that same song from Amazon
#9 Whitest Boy Alive – Burning (Mp3)
This was my personal favourite of 2006. Whitest Boy Alive didn’t exactly burst into our ear dreams, but more so knocked on the door and politely made sweet white boy love to us… Which we all know is the best kind of love, right? “Burning” sets the benchmark for the album “Dream” and typifies a sense of effortless to music. While the vocals of Oye and the “shuffling drumbeat” (Sandwich Club, 2006) do tend to take a bit of attention away from the brilliance of the guitar, the overall experience is a soft yet completely danceable phenomenon. You wouldn’t be wrong in saying this track is a bit of a white boy anthem of sorts. If 2006 wasn’t the year of the white boy, then 2007 will be! - Pix
Chris : ‘Breezy indie rock that is executed with clinical precision and restraint’
[Buy] Whitest boy alive - Dreams from Amazon
#8 Asobi Seksu – Thursday (Mp3)
A dream pop band who remind me of the bastard child of Sigur Ros and My Bloody Valentine with a vocalist intoning in both English and Japanese sounds like a good idea doesn’t it? Of course it does, and this good idea sounds exactly like Brooklyn band Asobi Seksu. ‘Thursday’ from their second album Citrus is Asobi Seksu at their ethereal best, an angelic track that reaches for the highest of heights and climbs there in a measured and beautiful manner. It inches vertically in stages, each time heaping on layers of blissful guitar as it progresses until the summit is attained before you even realise you are there. Vocalist Yuki Chikudate floats through the mist as the rhythm section is whipped into an angelic frenzy at its wonderful and satisfying climax. Shoegaze is back, but it’s certainly not looking at the floor. - Chris
Pix Said: “Gentle, something from my secret garden”
[Buy] Asobi Seksu - Citrus from Amazon
#7 Cansei De Ser Sexy – Music is my hot hot sex
Why does everyone rave about “lets make love…” and completely overlook “Music is my hot hot sex”. Without doubt the chorus is far more memorable and the riff leading into the verse is so sexy and crunchy. This is the kind of song I’d want to eat for breakfast after a magical night with Lovefoxxx (throw in Ira for good measure). I won’t go into it like everyone else, but they undoubtedly get the award for best band name of 2006 and “music is my hot hot sex” for best track title. The self titled album is flawless from start to finish and I love that people don’t disagree with CSS’s talent, merely what song is better! BRILLIANT!
Chris : 'CSS are an indie kids wet dream; simple music performed by spunky chicks that you can dance to'
[Buy] CSS - CSS from Amazon
#6 The Valentinos - Rain (Stream via Myspace)
I would call The Valentinos success to some degree underrated. Musically they are setting a very high benchmark for what Australia has to offer in the way of music. While the influences which preceded The Valentinos are very present in the music, there is no denying that the only limits The Valentinos face is the ones they put on themselves. “Rain” is another track that I would describe as soaring high above the clouds of what is good, more residing somewhere in the heavens. The chorus is simple yet addictive and “Rain” transitions between sections with an immortal like ease. Australian music doesn’t come much better.
Chris : ‘There is substance behind the style...one of the most infectious choruses of any track i've heard all year’
[Buy] The Valentinos from their label's website Mosquito Tweeter.
#10 Love is all – Talk Talk Talk Talk (Stream via Myspace)
The previous installment of the top 20 featured a large amount of music which is quite dense and populated with sound. Subtle nuances and ‘slumbering’ musical add ons are not something Love is All really concern themselves with on “Talk Talk Talk Talk”. The track could be guilty of being a bit too busy at times, but the continuous mayhem seems to work in the favour of these Swedes. The “one more time” chant for me personally went from being annoying to infectious. I like that. - Pix
Chris : 'Busy and ambitious pop music that is as fun as it is clever...rim shots, spastic saxophone and over-delayed guitars make a nice meal'
[Buy] Love is all - Nine times that same song from Amazon
#9 Whitest Boy Alive – Burning (Mp3)
This was my personal favourite of 2006. Whitest Boy Alive didn’t exactly burst into our ear dreams, but more so knocked on the door and politely made sweet white boy love to us… Which we all know is the best kind of love, right? “Burning” sets the benchmark for the album “Dream” and typifies a sense of effortless to music. While the vocals of Oye and the “shuffling drumbeat” (Sandwich Club, 2006) do tend to take a bit of attention away from the brilliance of the guitar, the overall experience is a soft yet completely danceable phenomenon. You wouldn’t be wrong in saying this track is a bit of a white boy anthem of sorts. If 2006 wasn’t the year of the white boy, then 2007 will be! - Pix
Chris : ‘Breezy indie rock that is executed with clinical precision and restraint’
[Buy] Whitest boy alive - Dreams from Amazon
#8 Asobi Seksu – Thursday (Mp3)
A dream pop band who remind me of the bastard child of Sigur Ros and My Bloody Valentine with a vocalist intoning in both English and Japanese sounds like a good idea doesn’t it? Of course it does, and this good idea sounds exactly like Brooklyn band Asobi Seksu. ‘Thursday’ from their second album Citrus is Asobi Seksu at their ethereal best, an angelic track that reaches for the highest of heights and climbs there in a measured and beautiful manner. It inches vertically in stages, each time heaping on layers of blissful guitar as it progresses until the summit is attained before you even realise you are there. Vocalist Yuki Chikudate floats through the mist as the rhythm section is whipped into an angelic frenzy at its wonderful and satisfying climax. Shoegaze is back, but it’s certainly not looking at the floor. - Chris
Pix Said: “Gentle, something from my secret garden”
[Buy] Asobi Seksu - Citrus from Amazon
#7 Cansei De Ser Sexy – Music is my hot hot sex
Why does everyone rave about “lets make love…” and completely overlook “Music is my hot hot sex”. Without doubt the chorus is far more memorable and the riff leading into the verse is so sexy and crunchy. This is the kind of song I’d want to eat for breakfast after a magical night with Lovefoxxx (throw in Ira for good measure). I won’t go into it like everyone else, but they undoubtedly get the award for best band name of 2006 and “music is my hot hot sex” for best track title. The self titled album is flawless from start to finish and I love that people don’t disagree with CSS’s talent, merely what song is better! BRILLIANT!
Chris : 'CSS are an indie kids wet dream; simple music performed by spunky chicks that you can dance to'
[Buy] CSS - CSS from Amazon
#6 The Valentinos - Rain (Stream via Myspace)
I would call The Valentinos success to some degree underrated. Musically they are setting a very high benchmark for what Australia has to offer in the way of music. While the influences which preceded The Valentinos are very present in the music, there is no denying that the only limits The Valentinos face is the ones they put on themselves. “Rain” is another track that I would describe as soaring high above the clouds of what is good, more residing somewhere in the heavens. The chorus is simple yet addictive and “Rain” transitions between sections with an immortal like ease. Australian music doesn’t come much better.
Chris : ‘There is substance behind the style...one of the most infectious choruses of any track i've heard all year’
[Buy] The Valentinos from their label's website Mosquito Tweeter.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Top 20: #15 to #11
Poorly worded disclaimer #2: Dear Mr (or Miss/Mrs) Record Label. We don't post these songs to make a buck out of music, we post these to encourage people to discover new music and put these albums and singles on their Christmas lists to help support the artists. We are not doing this for no other reason than to allow others to share in the wonderous music we have been lucky enough to experience. You'll notice the sign of a true blogger is living in complete poverty, being a university student or both. We are poor because we spend all our money on your cds and seeing your bands play to allow us to review it all. See this blog for what it is and if that still doesn't suffice, all copyright holders will have their music immediately removed upon request. I hope you have a merry christmas, free from meddling, sueing and nazi censorship as I too hope for myself. All Universal artists mp3's have been removed from the Top 20 posts.
Here we come again fine people. The second installment as we make our way down to #1. This selection stinks of diversity in such a brilliant way. Could also be mistaken for the best video clip installment as almost all of these songs have got some brilliant clips. Apart from maybe Camera Obscura which is marginally dull and very smash hits-ish, but makes up for it with a brilliant track.
#15 Liars - "Lets Not Wrestle Mr Heart Attack" (Mp3)
Drums Not Dead was a stark and unsettling percussive concept album that moved Liars further and further away from their dance-punk past and into more esoteric territory. Most tracks in isolation from the album may fall slightly flat, as in the context of this LP each tracks full potential is realised, yet ‘Lets Not Wrestle Mr Heart Attack’ seems to work just fine on its own. Tribal percussion pummels throughout a relentless track punctuated by their Australian vocalist Angus Andrew wailing nearly incoherently as the chaos and texture thickens and that irrisistable high-hat semi-quaver creates only momentary gasps for breath.
Pix Said: "I still don't get it, but it is the finest state of confusion I'll ever have fully clothed"
At home on the dancefloor as much as the iPod, The Knife realise their full potential on ‘We Share Our Mothers Health’. Equal parts danceable freak-out and eerie apocalyptic jam, The Knife manage to combine awkwardly syncopated rhythms, bizarre synth effects and frightening vocals to create this wild beast of a composition. It bounces around its padded cell, trying in vain to escape into freedom and sanity, yet is left contained where mental faculties are lost to somehow create a cohesive and beautifully ugly track.
Pix Said: "Perfect gift for King Kong this Christmas"
[Buy] The Knife - Silent shout from Amazon.
The idea of leaving a place that is suffocating and where you don’t quite fit in rings true for me, which is possibly why I love this song so much. The evocation to ‘get out of this country’ and all its connotations of escape, freedom and hope are echoed in the lush production, soaring string section and folky guitar tone. I can’t help but feeling like hopping aboard a Greyhound bus or a motor scooter and taking off down the highway into the sunset every time I hear it. This song creates the mood and paints the picture perfectly.
Pix Said: "Quote. Beautiful. End Quote"
[Buy] Camera Obscura - Lets Get Out of this Country from Amazon.
#12 Junior Boys – Count Souveneirs (Mp3)
Don’t try and resist, Count Souveneirs soars high in the heavens of sublime music and will have you swaying from side to side in the most daggy fashion. Junior Boys are simply all class, one of only a few who manage to mould electronica with real feeling and emotion. This track is vocally chilling with lyric that comes from great depths of the soul yet doesn’t meander on when it realises there is more important obstacles to encounter. Count Souveneirs finds that balance between the beauty in a subtle nuance and the craving for hook that’s still blissfully slumbering.
Chris Said: "Cohesively connects human & machine"
[Buy] Junior Boys - So this is goodbye from Amazon.
#11 Xiu Xiu – "Boy Soprano" (Mp3)
Jamie Stewart has the most horrifying voice in indie-rock, and I don’t mean that as an insult. Thematically Xiu Xiu have always been a little unsettling, and when Stewart utters ‘I wouldn’t trust me either’ on ‘Boy Soprano’ it is almost terrifying because you believe his every word. When matched with the ever abrasive, off-kilter and strangely tuneful rhythm section this songs odd beauty is realised. Despite this track being rather typical of Xiu Xiu, it still is no less amazing nor scary. Check out the video also, its pretty impressive.
Pix Said: "I still can't believe it's not butter"
[Buy] Xui Xui - The Air force from Amazon.
Enjoy once again. And it only gets better... or does it? You tell me.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Top 20: #20 to #16
And counting! That’s right everyone, it is that time of year. Approaching our first year in office, Whiteboydancefloor could not think of a Christmas present for you all than to serve you all a generous helping of “Best of” lists to lead you up to Christmas.
Rather than provide individual lists, Chris & myself have decided that our ego’s could be sidelined for brief moments to nut out a collective top 20 list and we agree the result is something with more integrity than Whiteboydancefloor divided by two.
The result is the list we give to you now. Starting from #20 and working our way down in a completely non-pathetic Channel 9 fashion.
We hope.
#20 Tigercity – “Are you sensation” (Mp3)
If anyone thought all the good disco hooks had been harvested, exploited and turned into green house gas emissions, think again.
Chris said: “Sophisticated and addictive...”
Read Post: Tigercity, Gang Awry-ing & Robokopping
#19 Be Your Own Pet – “Bicycle, Bicycle, You are my bicycle”
Be Your Own Pet are my drug of choice yet I love that I would never want to let them stay at my place for fear they’d ruin the joint. One cannot stress just how rousing this track is until you hear it for yourself. Punk rock never sounded so fresh. Jaded severely by witnessing car crashes like Magic Dirt, women trying to rock was lost on me before 2006 when bands like Be Your Own Pet shot to my ears like a shot of Rare breed or Chivas Regal. “Bicycle, Bicycle, You are my bicycle” is frenetic and unchained yet put together in such a fine package, its quality cannot be denied. The shouty bridge in this track rivals that of Monkey Wrench, and that’s no lie! - Pix
Chris said: “Bulls in a china shop , yet what a good looking and fresh sounding bunch of bulls. Punk is not dead”.
Read Post: Be Your Own Pet on Conan, Linus Loves Someone who isnt Lucy
Friday, December 15, 2006
I Understand What You Want
The Sleepy Jackson are a really polarising band. I know people who love these guys to bits, and I know some who think they are a truly horrible band and a waste of perfectly good oxygen. I was always in between the poles. They always seemed to be just there for me, doing nothing particularly remarkable. I didn't particularly like Luke Steele (nor his sister)and I really didn't care if they lived or died with their sort of alt-country-pop-indie-rock schitck that never excited me, but never offended me.
Eventually they grew on me, and this video from their latest album seals the deal for me. Its been around for a couple of months now but damn, its got this sort of cool disco-ish groove with strings and all with Steele's slightly dorky vocals holding it together wonderfully. Maybe I like it because it isn't too Sleepy Jackson, its more Donna Summer or Escort but whatever it is, it works.
VIDEO: The Sleepy Jackson - I Understand What You Want
The Third Big Day Out Announcement is upon us. Check it out here. Anyone else as pleased as I about Dappled Cities Fly playing in Sydney? I'm certainly not hanging out to see The Vines however.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
I know how it feels to be your age
Feminism basically sucks. We all know that. Except feminists. But empowered and intelligent women making shit hot music is something we like (see whitegirldancefloor week we featured back in April). One band who have been on high rotation for me who I unfortunately failed to feature in that week were The Long Blondes.
Three ladies and two lads from Britain make this band, a band who are rocking out in a fairly simple yet effective fashion on their new album 'Someone To Drive You Home'. Its full of clever and at times pretty dark lyrics and catchy melodies mixed together, creating some very cool guitar pop.
MP3: The Long Blondes - Once and Never Again
New Kitsune compilation is full of the good shit to get you moving from one of the worlds coolest record labels based in electronic music's current Seattle, Paris. It is a great collection of some of the best electronic music released recently in my opinion, with Fox n' Wolf, The Valentinos, The Gossip, Digitalism and Simian Mobile Disco appearing remixed or otherwise. The opening track is from SMD and it is a corker.
MP3: Simian Mobile Disco - I Believe (Link removed thanks to fascism)
Buy Kitsune Maison 3
Monday, December 11, 2006
More of the Worst Albums of 2006 #2
As I search through mountains of music, bought from fine record stores, ripped from friends cd collections and downloaded off the finest blogs this planet has to offer, It is simply too hard to choose which of this fine nectar should be harvested via whiteboydancefloor. Currently the whiteboydancefloor team are making preparations for 2007 and duelling our way through to creating our "best of" lists.
And so what comes with this over exposure to great music? Well for me it is an overwhelming need to reminisce over horrible music if for nothing else than to ensure that the equilibrium between good and evil is maintained.
Let the countdown begin. Oww and please, lots of hate comments would be great.
5. Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
I know, very harsh to do this to such an amazingly talented group of lads. But any band that comes even remotely close to sounding like they are making an attempt to coldplay-ify themselves really should be taken out into the field and viciously raped by a Grizzlie Bear. The second track on Supermassive Black Hole, "Starlight" was written by Chris Martin, don't tell me otherwise. Some would say I'm being alittle too harsh on poor little Muse and I am, but just like your 4th grade teacher said to you "i expect more from you young man/woman/muse". There are moments (not songs) but moments on this album where Muse get nice and vintage on us, ripping through some beautiful yet violent passages, however my ears are skeptical with any of the bands I love and what they hear is a band heading further toward the island of Coldplay and further away from any homeland nostalgia to their original home on Planet Radiohead.
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Why do we do this to ourselves? RHCP's announce they have a new album comming out and everyone goes bananas. And after the horrid shift that was "By the way", I seriously don't think the RHCP's are even trying to rekindle the funk. As a psychologist I think there must be very specific attributes which enables an individual to funk, I am not completely sure about all of these traits however I certainly know that legions and legions of fans from 3 generations, Endless amounts of money and resources, A fierce stance against band members taking hard drugs and cuddling before performing is not going to be adhesive to making good music.
Anyone who wants to say to me "oww Pix mate, Stadium Arcadium" is bloody brilliant, do what I did. I heard Stadium Arcadium and thought, yeh, this is great, "Heyyy oh, listen what I say oohhhh" and I bopped along for a bit. Then I thought, "hang on a sec, this is the band who made Blood.Sugar.Sex.Magik & Mothers Milk, this is horrendous". Quite frankly I don't care how amazing Californication is, it was the beginning of the downward spiral.
3. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Yeah Yeah, easy target to rip on I know. But seriously I cannot stand hearing "if i just lay here, would you lie with me" one more time without shooting someone. If I was a poof or a girl and my lover wrote this song about me, I'd shit on his car and rip out the flowers in his garden (or scratch his land rover if he isn't a poof with a garden). This band will go one of two ways, either dwindle out like every other shit band who puts their life into one song and spends the rest of their life playing it as the "killer closer" to all their sets OR go on to be horribly successful like Nickelback and much like the back, for all the wrong reasons.
I am not going to analyze this album, It just fucking sucks and that's All you need to know.
Oww and Yes i did download it, and I am aware of all the better purposes these Kb's could have been used on.
2. Eskimoe Joe - Black Fingernails, Red Wine
With so much fantastic aussie music going around, you'd think someone would come to Australia and go oh my god, the music that gets played on your radio is amazing! But instead if someone asked you, so who wins all the Music awards in your country, you wouldn't have to hang your head in shame and say Eskimoe Joe.
It absolutely kills me alittle more each day to think that these guys are at the top of the game, slowly but surely they are gaining the killer tour riders, the big tour buses and the bitches waiting to pleasure them post show.
They brought out "A song is a city" and everyone thought oo0o0o edgey, but they have just curbed all the edges into squeaky clean, your mum loves it pop rock. It shocking to think just how big this band might get. I just hope the world isn't as foolish.
And the winner is......
1. Audioslave - Revelations
Let's get straight to it. WORST NAME FOR AN ALBUM EVER.
If you were Bob Dylan, Surfjan Stevens, Jeff Buckley, Soundgarden or RATM, you have the right to name your album something like "Revelations" because the chances of you being on the money are high.
Audioslave are not on the money and it is reflected in the complete lack of radioplay they are receiving for this new album. Their debut album was so brutally rock n roll but also encompassed quite an original sound and it took everyone by surprise. In times where the concept of supergroups are growing old on the masses, Audioslave have required the hype and novelty of great musicians playing together to be replaced by actual continued musical talent.
At times the music is as bland as Pearl Jam 06 but atleast Pearl Jam have a back catalogue of good songs to run with. You only have one album Audioslave. Clearly they burnt themselves out making the debut and I don't see them ever recovering. I don't know if the Audioslave schtick has gotten old and exhausted or if they are making worse music with every album, either way it is time to vote this shit off the island.
Alittle tip Morello, you'd better know how to be good at sucking cock if you want De La Rocha back, along with any respect you might still be able to regain.
Oww and my final thought. Alittle tip Cornell. That little coy moustache of yours isn't fooling anyone. You are indeed a real hack. Get rid of it before I get rid of you.
And so what comes with this over exposure to great music? Well for me it is an overwhelming need to reminisce over horrible music if for nothing else than to ensure that the equilibrium between good and evil is maintained.
Let the countdown begin. Oww and please, lots of hate comments would be great.
5. Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
I know, very harsh to do this to such an amazingly talented group of lads. But any band that comes even remotely close to sounding like they are making an attempt to coldplay-ify themselves really should be taken out into the field and viciously raped by a Grizzlie Bear. The second track on Supermassive Black Hole, "Starlight" was written by Chris Martin, don't tell me otherwise. Some would say I'm being alittle too harsh on poor little Muse and I am, but just like your 4th grade teacher said to you "i expect more from you young man/woman/muse". There are moments (not songs) but moments on this album where Muse get nice and vintage on us, ripping through some beautiful yet violent passages, however my ears are skeptical with any of the bands I love and what they hear is a band heading further toward the island of Coldplay and further away from any homeland nostalgia to their original home on Planet Radiohead.
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Why do we do this to ourselves? RHCP's announce they have a new album comming out and everyone goes bananas. And after the horrid shift that was "By the way", I seriously don't think the RHCP's are even trying to rekindle the funk. As a psychologist I think there must be very specific attributes which enables an individual to funk, I am not completely sure about all of these traits however I certainly know that legions and legions of fans from 3 generations, Endless amounts of money and resources, A fierce stance against band members taking hard drugs and cuddling before performing is not going to be adhesive to making good music.
Anyone who wants to say to me "oww Pix mate, Stadium Arcadium" is bloody brilliant, do what I did. I heard Stadium Arcadium and thought, yeh, this is great, "Heyyy oh, listen what I say oohhhh" and I bopped along for a bit. Then I thought, "hang on a sec, this is the band who made Blood.Sugar.Sex.Magik & Mothers Milk, this is horrendous". Quite frankly I don't care how amazing Californication is, it was the beginning of the downward spiral.
3. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Yeah Yeah, easy target to rip on I know. But seriously I cannot stand hearing "if i just lay here, would you lie with me" one more time without shooting someone. If I was a poof or a girl and my lover wrote this song about me, I'd shit on his car and rip out the flowers in his garden (or scratch his land rover if he isn't a poof with a garden). This band will go one of two ways, either dwindle out like every other shit band who puts their life into one song and spends the rest of their life playing it as the "killer closer" to all their sets OR go on to be horribly successful like Nickelback and much like the back, for all the wrong reasons.
I am not going to analyze this album, It just fucking sucks and that's All you need to know.
Oww and Yes i did download it, and I am aware of all the better purposes these Kb's could have been used on.
2. Eskimoe Joe - Black Fingernails, Red Wine
With so much fantastic aussie music going around, you'd think someone would come to Australia and go oh my god, the music that gets played on your radio is amazing! But instead if someone asked you, so who wins all the Music awards in your country, you wouldn't have to hang your head in shame and say Eskimoe Joe.
It absolutely kills me alittle more each day to think that these guys are at the top of the game, slowly but surely they are gaining the killer tour riders, the big tour buses and the bitches waiting to pleasure them post show.
They brought out "A song is a city" and everyone thought oo0o0o edgey, but they have just curbed all the edges into squeaky clean, your mum loves it pop rock. It shocking to think just how big this band might get. I just hope the world isn't as foolish.
And the winner is......
1. Audioslave - Revelations
Let's get straight to it. WORST NAME FOR AN ALBUM EVER.
If you were Bob Dylan, Surfjan Stevens, Jeff Buckley, Soundgarden or RATM, you have the right to name your album something like "Revelations" because the chances of you being on the money are high.
Audioslave are not on the money and it is reflected in the complete lack of radioplay they are receiving for this new album. Their debut album was so brutally rock n roll but also encompassed quite an original sound and it took everyone by surprise. In times where the concept of supergroups are growing old on the masses, Audioslave have required the hype and novelty of great musicians playing together to be replaced by actual continued musical talent.
At times the music is as bland as Pearl Jam 06 but atleast Pearl Jam have a back catalogue of good songs to run with. You only have one album Audioslave. Clearly they burnt themselves out making the debut and I don't see them ever recovering. I don't know if the Audioslave schtick has gotten old and exhausted or if they are making worse music with every album, either way it is time to vote this shit off the island.
Alittle tip Morello, you'd better know how to be good at sucking cock if you want De La Rocha back, along with any respect you might still be able to regain.
Oww and my final thought. Alittle tip Cornell. That little coy moustache of yours isn't fooling anyone. You are indeed a real hack. Get rid of it before I get rid of you.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
My Brother is a Kite
Ah shoegaze. What would we do without it. There is a new wave of acts that seem to be reinventing the genre, mixing it in with other influences and releasing some pretty amazing stuff (see Asobi Seksu). One such act is The Brother Kite, the Providence, Rhode Island collective who are making incredible shoegaze-influenced (some may argue otherwise) dream pop. Much like the cover art of their latest release Waiting For The Time To Be Right, their music evokes images of driving towards the sunset, sunroof and windows down on a balmy evening with the breeze through your hair. Lushly textured and soaring, this track 'Hold Me Down' just takes me away to this other place. Expect this to be in several end of year Best Of lists, including ours.
MP3: The Brother Kite - Hold Me Down
MYSPACE: The Brother Kite
On the subject of lists (nice little segue there Chris), what is it about us that needs to rank things in order of merit? How come we strive to find the greatest moment of our lives, our favourite films and our favourite albums? Why do we love 'Best Of' lists and the subsequent debate that follows? I don't know the answer, but what I do know is that it is very enjoyable to indulge in a good old best of list now and then.
The ABC recently commissioned a survey to find out Australia's favourite albums, and the results were revealed on that very network on Sunday night. The results were very unsettling. Dark Side of The Moon is a very deserving #1 but Anthony Callea was at number 32? Ahead of incredible albums such as Disintegration, Kind Of Blue and Purple Rain? Come on Australia...where is Loveless? Or Forever Changes? Or Remain In Light? Or many other great albums for that matter. Disappointing, although there are some really kick ass albums there, the omissions are glaring. Tell us what you think.
ABC's 'My Favourite Album' complete list
Monday, December 4, 2006
Modular/Ksubi Unfair Xmas Party
The annual Modular/Ksubi Christmas bash went down at The Forum in Sydney on Friday night. Lots of skinny jeans, attractive ladies, mind-altering substances and glow sticks were on hand to get on down to some hot new musical talent.
The Vendettas kicked things off with a great set of highly catchy and proficient tunes. The small crowd that had gathered early were apprecitve if not a little stationary to a band who write and perform some great rock music. As Pix has already noted, their frontwoman is a total fox and the band put on a fantastic show. Very good start to the evening.
MYSPACE: The Vendettas
The venue packed out pretty quickly after this, just in time to catch Aussie hype-kids The Ghosts. When I say kids, they look pretty young...but that works to their advantage, with a precociousness and ambition that many bands lack. Their set was nearly identical to the show they played at the Knife Factory last monday, yet they seemed to grow an extra leg in their larger surroundings, with very danceable tunes with a slightly darker edge. These guys were fantastic.
MYSPACE: The Ghosts
Next up were probably my most anticipated band of the evening, Sydney's own Van She. The band emerged in their usual dapper fashion, belting out some new tracks that suprisingly were better than the great material from their debut EP, alongside their older 'classics'. 'Kelly' whipped the now large throng into a heaving, dancing mass and to close out their unfortunately short set, a more uptempo version of 'Sex City' was greeted with even more furious boogie-ing. I expected these guys to be poor live for some reason....but they are anything but. Great stuff Van She
MYSPACE: Van She
Then on came the international acts. New Young Pony Club come all the way from the UK and their brand of new wave-influenced pop went down like the smoothest of ales. Their live sound was tight and dense, yet sharp. Their front-woman, who reminded me of M.I.A., was a snarling and pulsating vixen on stage who brought the crowd into their world and set the dancefloor alight. I know their is lots of hype surrounding this band, however ever single bit of it is justified. NYPC ruled the night and their excellence was crystallised for me then and there.
MYSPACE: New Young Pony Club
On to the headliners. NME's fuck buddies Klaxons. I must say, I am not a fan of this band at all...yet I wiped away all prejudices and said to them 'Impress me'. They failed. At times the band were pretty good, with moments of chaotic punk emerging yet it wasn't enough. Their songs aren't good to start with, which makes bringing them to life live a challenge. By about song three, I wanted to hack my ear drums out. However I do see some potential there as they are extremely green, but on that performance it seems there is no substance behind the facade of hype just yet. The punters loved it, but I sure didnt.
MYSPACE: Klaxons
What did I think of the night? It was fantastic to see new bands coming through making some incredible pop music for an appreciative audience. The Vendettas and The Ghosts are as exciting as Van She are cool, and as groove-worthy as New Young Pony Club are exciting. Riot In Belgium did well to round out my night in a typically slamming DJ set which helped wash out the horrible aftertaste of Klaxons.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
