I like very much

I felt a bit guilty leaving everyone on the weekend with that atrocity from Evermore, really I think that should of been something I dropped on Monday when everyone is pissed off anyways.

So to make amends here is a few tunes I've been diggin'

Emiliana Torrini

First up is Emiliana Torrini. Took me a while to get into this tidy track entitled "Jungle Drum" and I cannot honestly tell you whether or not it was seeing her cute little face in the film clip might have enhanced my opinion of it. But thats the business isn't it, it pays to be hot and for me, it definitely pays to have that hint of slightly broken english to her vocals too. My only criticism, once you've heard Jack Black do his "fliggigeoooreeeooos" everyone else seems below par. But from the minute she pops up and announces "HEY I'm in love" I think she had my jungle drum beating.



Website: Emiliana Torrini

*****

Swan Lake

Ok I won't sit here and tell you I am the wikipedia when it comes to Indie. While all you cool kids were playing your little indie songs, I was playing rugby league, getting smashed by tongans pretending I was going to be somebody, much like you, except the tongans merely rolled you at the train station on your way to the UnOfficial Broken Social Scene Book Club meeting. So when I say Swan Lake is a band featuring Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade), Dan Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers), and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes, Blackout Beach) you'd probably jizz in your pants right?

I couldn't give a shit who they are or were, I know about 10 songs collectively from all those other bands and no im not sorry for that. What I do know is that Swan Lake is brilliant and I like it alot.

Will this inspire me to go searching for every member's back catalogue? certainly not. But I think this enhances the street cred of this super group, in that someone who knows nothing of their past is still impressed!

Mp3: Swan Lake - Spanish Gold 44
Myspace: Swan Lake

Contender for Worst Track of 09 / Ever

I'm probably contender for the worst blogger ever but I can hold my head up high that I do not have to put my name to this absolute abomination of a song. I am absolutely horrified.

I will proudly say I saw Evermore live, loved every minute of it too. After that highly impressive moment, I was a fan swaying in the wind with "Light Surrounding You" and while I was undecided, I felt they were atleast making a normal progression musically, if maybe a little safe.

So bring on this song, hey boys hey girls or some shit, PATHETIC! How can a band who were heading down the road of being respected musicians take a wrong turn even more horrendous than The Living End (no jokes intended about mr cheney and his luck on the road).

He looks like the frontman of My Chemical Romance and he sounds worse than anything that Youth Group could produce.

When the song was on the radio and it was followed by Coldplay, which normally leads me to consider suicide, I was so greatful to Chris Martin and his group (who have the personality of a cash register) to save me from this horse shit.

Evermore... you have sunk to an all time low. I'd rather listen to TV Rock fronted by the panalists on The View.

Do you realise?

THE FLAMING LIPS ARE COMING BACK TO AUSTRALIA

Now i must confess. I am an absolutely schmuck (can't even spell it). When they came for the Big Day Out... I rocked out to Metallica and proceeded to go home.

One of the biggest regrets of my life, but what can I say, I was young and dumb!

Don't you make the same foolish mistake!!!!

THE FLAMING LIPS - JULY 2009

Sydney - Hordern Pavilion – Tues 28th July
Tickets from Ticketek
Ph 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

Melbourne - Festival Hall – Wed 29th July
Tickets from Ticketmaster
Ph 136 100 or www.ticketmaster.com.au or
Festival Hall Box Office, 288 Rosslyn St.

Tickets on sale Thursday April 2nd from 9am

Website: The Flaming Lips

Bumper to Bumper

This guy is dope

Mix: Sheng's Mix March / April 09

The Blue Depths

I think this is going to be a very fruitful year for a band like Odawas. After hearing their new track "Harmless Lovers Discourse" I was absolutely blown away by the life in their delicate tones. "Harmless Lovers Discourse" has a real arresting quality and as the heart-beat-like pulse of the base drum kicks in, the track only continues to soar to great heights. Throw in a truely moving bassline line with a very small yet appropriate inclusion of synth and you have yourself a real winner.

Don't ask me why but since the very first time I heard this track, I really got the feeling that "Harmless Lovers Discourse" could be used as apart of the soundtrack to an epic indie movie. I know people think that of every light and fluffy alternative track but really give this one a go, it is brilliant.


Mp3: Odawas - Harmless Lovers Discourse
Website: Odawas.net
Buy: Purchase "The Blue Depths"

Flight on a Friday

We here at the dancefloor love those Trans-Tasman comedic minstrels 'Flight of The Conchords'. They made a HBO series, not unlike another two man comedy duo (Tenacious D) which got commissioned for a second season. Its still not on TV over here so I thought I'd simply share some of the new material with you to liven up your Friday as you count to somewhere between 3 and 5pm.









There are a fair few other songs as well. If you havent even seen the first series yet I recommend you get down to JB HiFi... or just use BitTorrent. The second season will no doubt start screening here in a few weeks. Normally just after Rove. Enjoy your weekends. If I wasnt working till 10 tonight and tomorrow I'd probably do the same.

Basement Jaxx @ The Enmore Review

Okay, ill try to keep this as brief as possible because theres ALOT that could be said but I dont want to bore you all. Went to the Enmore last night as I'm sure some of you are aware to go and see Basement Jaxx live for the second time in my life - the first being back in England in '07.

Didn't know until the day that they'd be receiving support from Australias own 'The Potbelleez'. I've never seen them live and never taken a particular interest. I know who they are and what their one hit is. Started off with two DJ's basically playing through 'Dont Hold Back' before that ugly dude and skanky chick came out as well. This is unabashed pop music and it is hilarious. Unfortunately it isnt their intention. Watching the backing vocalists 'sing' is hilarious as when they dont the vocals are still there. The chick looked pretty wasted and despite the fact she'd been singing her heart out for the first song, when it came time for her to do some lead vocal in the second song she started singing and words didnt come out - her mic wasnt even up! The frontman got a guitar out at random times which was an insult because he plays it about as well as most drunk people do at backyard parties. Come to think of it, much worse than some of the people I've seen play. When he cracked out the acoustic for a reprise of 'Dont Hold Back' at the end I nearly cried but chose to laugh instead. *The Potbelleez are absolutely shit. What they were even doing on the same stage as Basement Jaxx is beyond belief and I'm sure that if any of them stayed and watched Basement Jaxx put on the show they did they might have gone home for a bath in Hydrochloric acid. I can dream anyway.* That being said they were very humble towards their hosts and I have to give them points for entertainment. Even if for me it was a laugh.

Not long after they left Basement Jaxx emerged exactly as I remember them, crass, jovial, extravagant. The costumes were amazing, from the wedding dress for opening number 'Good Luck' to massive booty-covering Basement Jaxx undies to retro 80's dress to a cape combining the Australian, UK and Jamaican flags. To see it from up close this time really brought home the quality of thought that has gone into this stage show.

Alot of new songs were played, as well as the ones I was praying to hear like Red Alert and as long as someone was at the front of the stage it was constantly engaging. If anything the only time I lost attention or wasn't overly amazed were during the electro grooves. But two percussionists still gave me plenty to watch. Everyone on stage was going absolutely nuts and the crowd was reciprocating gratefully. I can't say I've ever actually been to a show that could be considered entirely electro (apart from Daft Punk) and the crowd was certainly different. You could tell who'd taken their pills on a Tuesday but generally everyone was good. The dickheads kept away.

The light show was brilliant, the crowd interaction was fun and throughout the night there were eleven different people on stage. Every one of them such a distinct personality. I dont know names so Im not going to try but from the two big sassy mamas, to the younger one who could dance absolutely amazingly (although they all could), to the rasta MC to the not so rasta MC to the guy with the mo in the singlet during the encore (who turned out to be Sam Sparro) to the Timberlake-esque dude to the drummers to the tuba/trumpet guy and the list goes on. The night ended with the obligatory 'Wheres Your Head At?' which got the whole place moving and as they all left the stage I couldnt have asked for anything more. Needless to say that when they played the encore featuring 'Do Your Thing' and 'Bingo Bango' and absolutely everyone on stage I lost my junk.

So what can be said of my night with Basement Jaxx? Its hard to properly convey it to people that werent there. In the lead up I was trying to get people to come to the show, letting them know what they were in for and so many were nonplussed. Now that its been and gone I could tell them (and you) how much you missed but you really wont understand. You'll just think you missed a gig that someone else really enjoyed but all I can say is you missed a hell of a lot more than that. Its only the start of March but I can pretty safely say that unless Rammstein come out I've witnessed the gig of the year in my books. They're still in the country so go and see them if you can.

*The views expressed in this rant are entirely my own. I know it and so should you. Sure I thought they were crap but that doesnt mean you will. Go and check them out live and make your own mind up.

The Big O - Review

Having only started Uni midway through last year I hadn't (till this point in time) any experience with the much-talked about 'O Week'. Last year at Macquarie I'm pretty sure they were treated *cough* to Grinspoon and other local acts, but to hear that The Fratellis, The Music and more were coming down was enough to inspire me to get to the Manning Bar at Sydney Uni.

Walked straight in, went upstairs first to check out where the Cassette Kids would be playing and found the place nearly empty. Heading downstairs it was a pretty similar story and we weren't there that early. Got a nice position on the fence for when Bluejuice hit the stage. Last time I'd seen them was at Splendour and while they were entertaining they werent amazing. A new drummer was introduced before letting us know that 'pretty much' everything would be new today - and from what I can tell it was. These guys possess an energy you dont see in many bands these days, Jake Stone jumping all over the place, from the gate to the stage to the gate to the crowd, to crowdsurfing, to hanging from the ceiling upside down directly above me while STILL SINGING is remarkably impressive. The new songs seem to have a bit more emphasis on that Bluejuice groove that I dig so much and I look forward to seeing them again. The small venue certainly contains their energy better than a festival if you ask me.

After they finished it was a bit of a wait for The Fratellis which would normally induce a cigarette break and such but there was no way I was forfeiting my position on the front now. I've only seen Oasis and PUSA from the front and I was going to add to that list. After what seemed like forever, with constant soundchecks and obviously some minor technical issues they took the stage. While I'd say that the Fratellis arent the most physically extroverted band live they played a good energy set with better song choice than Splendour and you could tell they were enjoying themselves. Closing with 'Nuts from a hippy' and 'Baby Fratelli' was enough. Had the night ended there I would have left a happy man.

Given that I'm not the most massive fan of The Music I got myself off the front for their set so someone else could enjoy it. I've never hated the music or even disliked them but I did realise something the other night - they're boring. Yes, the live sound they have, every time I've seen them, is absolutely faultless. Yes they have a good feel and they have fun but I've come to the realisation that its all just one song. From the tempo (which is the same for every song live) to the key of the melody to the structure of each song, they are EXACTLY the same. You can sing the chorus to 'Strength In Numbers' over the chorus of 'The People' and vice versa. If you're wasted they're fun to dance to but I mean come on, its like they're not even trying anymore. They're good at what they do but by the end of their hour and twenty minutes I was starting to wonder what the Fratellis were doing and trying to remember where I parked.


And that was it. Three bands in the course of a night. They all played well despite my boredom at the end of the music. Will I be going back again - yes. The location is good, the crowd is not too massive and not quite drunk enough yet (well.. most of them) and it was fun. I didnt, however, get to catch ANY of the artists on the other stage (Ben Lee, Yves Klein Blue and the Cas-Kids) but I dont care. Let the semester begin