Just Read This

If you get tired of just hanging around
Pick up a guitar and spin a web of sound
And then you could be strung out all day
With lovers and clowns
But now I find myself hanging around

It's been a long war, we're tired and dirty
Still not dirty enough for you
-
Well I've been thieving
I stole the light from the dawn
And if you come round this ledge
you wish you'd never been born
tell me can you see me
Can't you see through it all?
I'm empty lost and alone
Oh won't you heed my call?
It's been a long war, we're tired and dirty
Still not dirty enough for you
Oh I'm so tired of hanging around
Oh I'll pick up a guitar, spin a web of sound


So tired - of hanging around
Just hanging around
Just hanging around

Inspiring brilliance.

The Allender Band

Robin Allender + friends second attempt at success and immediately for fruitful. The lead man, Robin Allender had a debut album of 'The Bird and The Word' which was all right, but nothing special.

You need to check out however the new single 'Green Wound' which has to be described as simply beautiful. It's so relaxed and chilled, but still got an edge of new with it that keeps you intrested.

The Allender Band - Green Wound

Or buy the début album here:
http://www.dreamboatrecords.co.uk/shop/

New Music - Team Waterpolo

Preston pop-rockers Team Waterpolo have seemed to be teetering on the edge of making it big since I first heard them in September 2007. This seems a long time to have your best singles out in the world and not being recognised, but the band only formed in July 2007!

I'm not sure what they've been doing since releasing they're clearly best songs 'So Called Summer' and 'Problematic Girls', but they should have been experiencing a Ting Ting's like rise to fame.

While, admittedly not pushing any boundaries in any particular direction, the feel of this music sets them apart from many other new bands around at the moment. There are echoes of Los Campesinos and Late of the Pier hanging around the synthesisers, but the flow and reigned in attitude of these guys stands them apart.


They don't beat on the eardrums, but lure the listener to pay attention whilst remaining energetic and positive. There seems to be an air of summer 'everything is all right' that penetrates the thoughts and induces happiness so that you find yourself gently musing along with them.

The very quickly and beautifully crafted sound of this band helped me through my A levels and I really do hope they manage to become one of the bands of this summer. If it is not to late....


Team Waterpolo - Letting Go
Team Waterpolo - So Called Summer
Team Waterpolo - Problematic Girls

http://www.myspace.com/teamwaterpolo

New Music -

Blacks Kid's meteoric rise to chart topping fame really did deserve the speed in which it achieved it. The first EP 'Wizard of Ahhhs' came out in 2007, followed by Hurricane Jane and I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You in April and June 2008.

The album, also entitled the Wizard of Ahhhs, follows in the same vain as the singles and is a quality listen. A combination of male and female vocals cutting through the mellow sounds of the keyboard and simple guitar riffs creates an individual and enticing sound.

A diverse and high energy band with an album to match, I'm really looking forward to seeing these guys live and they are definitely worth checking out.


Black Kids - Hurricane Jane

Black Kids - I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

Exposure - Ray Lamontagne

Went shopping today which, as i live in the middle of nowhere, is not a very frequent event. So i obviously ended up in HMV and checked out their 2 for £10 section.

I always like the look of these sales, but they never seen to actually sell anything decent. This time however i did find 2 albums worth it, Ray Lamontagne - Till the sun turns black and Ryan Adams - 29.

I know these arn't exactly up to date albums, but i thought i would bring them to people attention.

Ryan Adams is more know then Ray Lamontagne, but I've never listened to any of his stuff and thought I'd give it a listen- its good for anyone also not quite knowing his music. Ray is who i want to bring to people attention.

Ray's first album in 2004, Trouble, really is a great album. This guy went from working a 65hr week in a shoe factory to hearing a song on the radio at 4am and deciding he wanted to be a singer/songwriter.

Recording Trouble in 2 weeks it is one of my favourite albums ever.


The title track, 'Trouble' got quite a lot of airplay and is a seriously impressive track. Ray's voice is what sets him apart and it is simply ridiculous, you have to hear it to believe it, i have no idea how to describe it.

Ray Lamontagne - Trouble

I love this song and its quality runs through the album

Ray Lamontagne - Jolene

Ray has more then just a voice however, if you listen to the lyrics i guarantee you will be impressed by the intelligence, diversity and soulfulness of them.

'Till the Sun Turns Black' is the 2006 follow up and whilst still being quality is different. it's good, but not so individual. Ray moved away from using his singing so much and has a much more instrumental aspect to the music. I really like this, but it's not to the taste of most.

Ray Lamontagne - Be Here Now




Ray's most recent output is a surprisingly good cover of Gnarls Barkley, Crazy

Ray Lamontagne - Crazy cover

Hopefully this will bring him more of an audience and indicates a new album in the works. Anyway please give him a listen and tell me what you think.

New Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

Bit of drama about this album, which is the main reason I'm writing about it. I'm not a big fan of The Raconteurs, they're alright, but I'm not big on that sort of American indie rock its all a bit unimaginative and samey.

The reason I'm writing about it is the drama behind it. So Jack White (that's the main guy) waltz's into his record label and says "i want this album, me n my mates have just written, out as soon as possible." and the say "OK, we can get it out on all formats by the 25th"

Unfortunately some guy at itunes stuck it on the Internet last Friday. They took it off after about half an hour, but not soon enough to stop the opportunist few.

So now days before release there's this album floating about, classic!

I got the album from some other blog, just do a Google search and you'll find one. I want to stick it up myself, but as somebody is going around removing rapid share etc links off the stuff and i found a number of blogs closed down that came up on the search I'm not going to.

However it is easy enough to find and is a wonderful echo of Arcade Fire's Intervention cock up a few years ago. They didn't find it funny and i doubt Jack is either, but i am.

MGMT vs Vampire Weekend

I haven't seen this thread anywhere yet so i may be barking up the wrong beanstalk, but I got to say it makes sense.

2 similar bands, both coming out of New York, at the same time and both with lead singers with weird names - could these 2 bands be placed next to each other?

MGMT are more surprising in sound and in 'Electric Feel' are astonishingly like the Bee Gees! though i doubt they're proud of that so I'll move on.

The bands have similar sounding lead singers, check Vampire Weekends 'A punk' to the previously mentioned 'Electric Feel' and there is a definite similarity.

The tempo and sound of both bands is also similar comparing 'Kids' to 'A punk' and you can slip them over each other quite easily.

Where the bands do differ is their use of electronics and synthesisers. If we compare the 2 main singles from both bands 'Time to Pretend' and 'A punk', whilst being similar in feel and intro, MGMT is all big synth that makes the track whilst Vampire Weekend use a great little guitar riff and what seems to be bongo drums.

That i think that this is the main difference between the bands. Vampire Weekend though new in sound and portrayal do use guitars etc.


MGMT are more progressive in their music, perhaps comparing them to Late of the Pier 'The Bears are Coming' would be closer. Both bands have heavy use of synth and that characteristic grindy bass sound.


Vampire Weekend - A Punk

MGMT - Time to Pretend

MGMT - Kids

MGMT - Electric Feel

Late of the Pier - The Bears are Coming