ALBUM: Hot Chip - Made In The Dark

Most of the tracks have been availiable on the internet for weeks, but Hot Chip's third album is the eagerly awaited comeback for the band that made you sing "Over and Over"... erm... again and again?

Where The Warning was more refined than their debut Coming On Strong, the same is also true of Made In The Dark. Opener "Out At The Pictures is reminiscent of "Careful", but... better. Similarly the next track and previous single "Shake A Fist" is more danceable and more fun than "Boy From School", with an impromptu game of "Sounds of The Studio" thrown in after a quick game of Sonic The Hedgehog. It kicks this album screaming into life with a somewhat grimey video game beat alongside some Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard's hypnotic vocals.

By the time "Ready For The Floor", obviously this album's "Over and Over" and soon-to-be-classic Hot Chip, beeps into life, you start to wonder why on Earth it took them three albums to make this one so good.

Then after what sounds like Rolf Harris' heavily distorted vocals for the intro of "Bendable Posable", the album starts to take a bit of a downward turn. Slow ballad "We're Looking For a Lot Of Love" sits uncomfortably in the album like the only sober one at the party who has to drive the others home. As does title track "Made In The Dark".

"One Pure Thought" starts out with a guitar intro that Orson would be proud of, it soon becomes a cross between Grandaddy and The Go! Team. It is a definite example of their apparent "rockier" sound, as is "Hold On", which sounds like what LCD Soundsystem would make if they didn't take themselves so seriously. However, it comes off less as a change of sound, and more of a redundant gesture about what could have been.

"Don't Dance" is another throwback to the barely danceable quirkiness of The Warning, while the final two tracks "Whistle For Will" and "In The Privacy Of Our Love" seem half-arsed attempts at making a point that Hot Chip can write serious love songs.

What you get then, is an album that builds on the band's previous work, but not in one complete direction. While the more layered sound and production works better with the sound than the sparse chip-tunes that featured on "The Warning", at times the songs become overloaded and seem to lose focus. A good group of songs, and chock-full of possible singles, this album doesn't flow particularly well as either a dance or indie album. Too quirky to dance to and to dancey to quirk to, it instead straddles both genres uncomfortably with some old fashioned R&B papering over the cracks.

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ALBUM: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

As the latest American hype-band, they are in the same vein as all those that have come before, but with the added effect of strings and a small nod towards world music that arguably makes them stand up above the rest.

Former single and arguably the best track of the album, "Mansard Roof" starts this self-titled album on exactly the right chilled-out and minimalist note, and the sparse snare drumming that drives throughout the whole album begins almost as soon as the song does, and doesn't really finish until the end of closer "The Kid's Don't Stand A Chance".

While obvious similarites with Paul Simon's Graceland and even a hint of the Beach Boys on a couple of the tracks, as well as the afrobeat of "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", it seems as if they've made an obvious effort not to be lumped in with your average Spinto Band and are intent on making themselves stand out.

Unfortunately piano-led stormer "Walcott" brings them straight back down to New York with a bump, yet the album is all the better for it. The subtle mix of contemporary Indie alongside a wealth of mostly neglected musical styles leads to an album that almost borders on the chilled-out genius of The Shins.

Alas, a couple of tracks let them down, most notably Strokes b-side material "I Stand Corrected" and what sounds like what should be the theme to the Grand National and/or a BBC costume drama, "M79".

Similarly "A-Punk", while a good track in itself, never really goes anywhere, and is fairly demonstrative of this album, which while seeming to promise so much for each song, never really delivers that final master-stroke that would make it a great album. Instead what it becomes is a pleasant, yet mediocre 35 minutes from a band who could definately do a lot better.

Homepage
Myspace

This season, I have mostly been listening to... (January Edition)

This is the second time I've done one of these, I think I may make it a regular feature. If nothing else, it lets me talk about anything else I couldn't squeeze in anywhere else. Anyways, January 2008, a time of frantic revision (ha!) and exam worries for some, as well as a recovery from the festive time past. For me, however, catching up on those great albums from last year that I somehow overlooked or ignored completely was first on the agenda.

The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
From the beginning of "Sleeping Lessons" you can instantly recognise the changes that James Mercer and co. have made from their, well, lazy, 2003 effort Chutes Too Narrow. What follows is possibly their most consistent album to date, also featuring the brilliant "Australia".

Myspace

Burial - Untrue
I was put onto this by a good friend of mine, but it seems that was first after ignoring perhaps every end of year album poll that featured this anonymous dubstep musician somewhere in the top 20. To be honest, dubstep is a genre I've never really understood, let alone really sat down and had a listen, but was genuinely pleased and impressed with what I heard on this, Burial's second LP.

Myspace

Four Tet - Pause
Pause was Four Tet(AKA Kieran Hebden)'s first album for Domino, released in 2001. It was (according to Wikipedia) one of the first albums to be dubbed "folktronica" based on the albums sparse acoustic guitar sound based around computer typing effects and simple drum loops. Of all Four Tet's albums, this is the one that most appeals to me as being the most complete listen. More together than Dialogue, and less polished than Rounds and Everything Ecstatic, it is the perfect example of a slightly bored post-rock band member waiting for his bandmates to finish college.

Myspace

Metronomy - Pip Paine, Pay Back the £5000 You Owe
This album is one that definately grows on you. At first, the production seems both lazy and clumsy, but a few listens later and this album is a classic. My personal favourite tracks being "You Could Easily Have Me" and "Trick or Treatz". Their new album is out soon and if latest single "Radio Ladio" is to be believed, is will be at least as good as their first.

Myspace

British Sea Power @ Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth, 21/01/2008

Initial support band John and Jehn, wandering onto stage looking like a couple of Dickensian Opium fiends, seemed, if anything, a little bored with the proceedings. Calling them "Bohemian" would neither cover the classical dress sense nor their "We are from London, but we hate London" attitude. Instead it appears that they are actually a couple of post-modern French existentialists out for a good time. The kids today, eh?

For most of the time, John plays guitar and programs the drum machine, while Jehn plays keyboards and occasionally plays bass on tracks such as "Make Your Mum Proud". It is one of those occasions where you aren't sure what's missing until its there. As soon as Jehn picks up her bass, they seem to find their groove for their last two tracks. But it seems to be a bit too late for this set, at least.

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Make Model, I have to admit, I was not exactly looking forward to. After seeing them play a fairly boring set at the muddy inaugural Connect Festival in Scotland, I wasn't expecting anything fantastic. However, either they have improved or I have become less immune to their particular take on twee Scottish Indie-Pop. Playing their first gig in Portsmouth, the EMI-backed sixtet played some songs I recognised alongside some newer tracks such as latest single "The Was", presumably for their forthcoming album, probably out this time next year.

While they never really break any new ground, they are fairly pleasant exponents of the twee-pop genre, yet in a more similar vein to Belle and Sebastian than their welsh contemporaries Los Campesinos.

Myspace
Official Site

No foliage and less frolics, this new-look and slightly more serious British Sea Power tore through their set which borrowed heavily from their latest album, Do You Like Rock Music?

Walking on stage to opener "All In It", BSP regulars Yan, Hamilton and Noble began "Lights Out For Darker Skies" alongside their replacement drummer Tom White of the Electric Soft Parade and Brakes, as usual stickman Wood (far left, on picture above) is out injured. Also included are the touring viola player Abi Fry (who also tours with Bat For Lashes) and one man Horn section Phil Sumner.

An early set highlight is "Canvey Island", which is swiftly followed by older song "Remember Me". Soon Hamilton takes over vocal duties for new album track "Down On The Ground" as well as "How Ever Will I Find My Way Home?" from their 2005 LP Open Season.

While White is an able and competent drummer, the chemistry is missing and Wood is definitely noticeable by his absence on some tracks. However, the rest of the band are on good form and play on to a slightly more mature, and increasing indifferent crowd. While the front few rows are still vying for space with their elbows, equally to BSP classics such as "Fear of Drowning" and most recent single "Waving Flags", further back, Make Model may as well still be on stage for all anyone else seems to notice.

While even the front few stop moving around during instrumental track "The Great Skua", the pace is picked up with another Open Season track "Please Stand Up". Later, after live favourite "The Spirit of St. Louis", guitarist Noble climbs aboard the PA system, and stays there for almost the entirety of main set closer "True Adventures".

The encore includes next single "No Lucifer" and Decline Of... track "Carrion, followed by the traditional semi-improvised "Rock In C", following the tradition of trashing the stage and Noble getting up on Hamilton's shoulders.

Even though their latest has been their best charting album (at number 10 this week), and the band probably put little less than a foot wrong tonight, from the crowd's reaction it seems, unfortunately and unjustly so, that they aren't as relevant as the rest of the Indie tripe. A critically acclaimed band with a small but hardcore following they remain.

Myspace
Official Site

Video: We Are Scientists - After Hours

Ahead of releasing their second major-label LP Brain Thrust Mastery on March 17th, We Are Scientists, now short of original drummer Michael Tapper, have released the video for their next single "After Hours" here.

While the video is an almost typical comical WAS take, it doesn't seem to be as funny as, say "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt". And while the song is in the same vein as the majority of their consistent, yet could-do-better debut, it lacks the proper pop hooks that ran all way through With Love and Squalor.

Don't get me wrong, I look forward to hearing the new album, and definately on seeing them tour again, I can't help but feel a little bit dissapointed by this.

Even after a couple of listens, this track seems to drift uncomfortably between contemporary US Indie and something All American Rejects would have written. Okay, maybe I went a bit too far there.

Myspace
Official Site

ALBUM: British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

From orchestral introduction "All In It", straight from the songbook of The Arcade Fire, it's clear that British Sea Power haven't spent the last three years resting on their laurels for their third album. It soon becomes apparent that this will be par for the course.

From the anthemic probable single "Lights Out For Darker Skies" to the ballad of Bird Flu, "Canvey Island", whats good to see is how well these songs actually fit together. The coherence and consistency on show here is definitely what was lacking on their previous album, although this comes at the price of perhaps a lack of craziness when compared to Decline Of...

Instead, the album dips its toes into both and ends up with a sound almost retrospective of their career to date. The storming "No Lucifer" complete with Soccer AM chant wets the appetite to what should be another live BSP show, but that should not take away from the value of this work recorded.

For it seems BSP have been experimenting with a much more North American sound, ditching the "Post-punk" style of The Futureheads and moving onto a much more traditional Indie Rock sound, but still very much of their own style, in their own way. Still including obscure references to Football Teams and historical events, such as on lead single "Waving Flags", but now also with a slight post-rock feel. None of this is unsurprising with the involvement of Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Efrim Menuck, who reportedly worked with them in Montreal, as well as former Arcade Fire drummer Howard Bilerman.

And while the album has its more mellow moments, such as instrumental, almost post-rock track "The Great Skua", which serves as a rough interlude, and semi-acoustic "Open The Door", these tracks work much better next to the more frenetic moments than they did on Open Season.

The first interesting album of 2008 has certainly kicked it off to a great start, and while this album takes a little bit of getting used to, it has raised the bar somewhat for British Indie bands, that desperately need to up their games this year.

At Home with Sigur Ros

The other night I watched Sigur Ros' film Heima. I realise I'm not exactly up-to-date with this, and its been out a few months now, but it was on my Christmas List, but as no one bought it for me, so I got it as a late Christmas present to myself.

And I have to say, it's absolutely brilliant.

This double-disc DVD documents the band's 2006 homecoming (Heima means "at home") where they decided to pay back Iceland for supporting them all this time, playing anywhere and everywhere for absolutely free. Playing the small villages and towns across the island, they only expected a few people to turn up, but are pleasantly surprised that entire towns and villages come and see them, toddlers and grandparents too.

In terms of documentary, not much new is learnt. We don't get a magical new insight into life on the road, or get to see the band as they are, but this isn't because the documentary doesn't include it. IT is made pretty plain that this band are still humble and grateful for their success, and are possibly the most genuine group of people out there. Interviews with all of the band, including the string section Amiina are set before, after and during live excerpts of the band playing their erm... "hits".

Alongside this are fantastic panoramic views of the Icelandic countryside that fit in so well with the music you begin wonder how you could ever listen to it anywhere else. If nothing else, the views allow you to finally realise how organic Sigur Ros' music really is. It makes it as natural as the green hills and the black sandy beachs from where they've come. And the eagerness of the Icelandic people to welcome back this massively talented group.

This film is a must-watch for fans of Sigur Ros, and also something you should probably see if you are a general fan of Iceland, the countryside and beautiful music. The lush landscapes and eesoundscapes on offer will leave you begging for more.

As for icelandic talent, Bjork who?

Trailer
Official Site

The next "....." pt.3

On most people's musical journeys of discovery, or mine at least, it comes to a point where you get bored of whats being thrown out into the British Indie scene, naked under their Libertines T-Shirts, with perhaps only a vague nod towards anything before Up The Bracket.

So then you look further afield than dear old blighty and have a little glimpse at the much less derivative and generally healthier US Indie scene. Usually discovering Modest Mouse somewhere along the way. But on the whole, worshipping whichever is the "next big thing from America". Remember The Spinto Band? Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? Cold War Kids?

Of course you do. And the next band to fall firmly into that category are Vampire Weekend.

Mixing the chilled out genius of The Shins (who they supported) with a traditional Afrobeat percussion, its easy to see why a band like Vampire Weekend wouldn't survive on a UK diet alone. They are one of those bands that, if they existed in just the suffocating London or Manchester scenes, would still, unfortunately, be doing their day jobs. But thanks to the massive appetite of your average American music fan, the sheer size of the place, and the US's uncanny ability to have bands sell a million albums and still be unknown, these have manged to scrape enough of a living in America to take on the world. They are not the first band to do so, and will not be the last, and it seems a shame that British msuic can't be the same. It seems as if there are proportionally fewer small bands who stick with independent labels and actually have enough fledgling success to tour Europe or the World.

The best example of their strange juxtaposition of styles is on "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", where the traditional African beat is behind lyrics about Peter Gabriel. Although the prospective album highlight will still be former single "Walcott", ironically their most American-sounding song, but the one I can't stop listening to.

Signed to XL, they release their debut album Vampire Weekend on January 29th, 2008.

Official Site
Myspace

This year's "......." pt.2

Does It Offend You, Yeah? bridge the gap that you never knew existed between the dance-punk of !!! and Death From Above 1979 and straight dance and electro house of Daft Punk and Digitalism. Think Holy Fuck, but slightly more rehearsed. Although I have to admit, what first attracted me is their sampling of Japanese cult classic film Battle Royale on their song of the same name.

They make this section due to the apparent comparison of them being "this year's Klaxons", or somewhat unfairly, "the Hadouken of 2008". Nevertheless, this Reading four-piece boast both the tunes and the remix talent and should release their debut album on Virgin before the year is finished.

Get a free mp3 of "Let's Make Out" by signing up to their mailing list here.

UPDATE: 15/01/08 - Their debut album You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into is set to be released on March 17th. Details here

This Year's *Insert last big thing here* pt.1

Firstly, a quick explanation of what this is. Basically, every eyar around this time, every half-arsed indie rag has its preview of what artists will be big this year. And usually, very lazily claims they will be "this year's Franz Ferdinand". This year of course, there will lazy tag-lines from sub-editors everywhere saying "this year's Kate Nash" or "this year's Klaxons". So, I thought I'd get in there first.

Adele is apparently this year's Amy Winehouse. Or the next Lily Allen or Kate Nash depending on how you look at it. However, she bears a much greater resemblance to Russian-American Anti-folkie Regina Spektor, moreso even then than that bit-tah lemon Nash anyway. This obvious influence, plus the slightly more obscure parts of contemporary soul and jazz, leads to music about as relevant to Allen or Nash as Take That are to The Stone Roses. They might all be British and ocassionally drop their t's when they sing, but it seems, for Adele at least, the assumed similarities are purely for marketing purposes. Which is a shame, because it would seem that Adele, of all four of here alleged genre-mates, is the only one that has the talent.

This Londoner, reportedly good friends with XL Labelmate Jack Penate, will have her album 19 out the 28th January.

Myspace

Some cool stuff

Free Blood

Now a full-time project for former !!! other guy John Pugh, Free Blood shares the similar funk-punk-dance stylings, but to a greater, more spazzed up degree. The dancier parts of Myth Takes plus some sampling and you start to get the idea. Signed to Adventures Close To Home, they are reportingly working on an album for the end of the year.

http://www.myspace.com/freeblood

LA Priest

Side project of Late Of The Pier frontman Samuel Eastgate, featuring the same bedroom synthesizers and laptop beats of his original band, but with an obvious lack of instruments. With a passable resemblance to a certain French House duo, its unsurprising that this may get lumped with the legions of Daft Punk Impersonators. But why should that ever put anyone off?

http://www.myspace.com/samueldust

Favourite 10 Albums of 2007 (5-1)

5:

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
For any band, the second album is always going to be difficult. For the Arcade Fire, following the amazing Funeral would seem to be an impossible task. However, they did what they do best; converting an abandoned church into rehearsal space and recording studio, experimenting with new techniques and new instruments and slightly refining their sound into something much more mystical and ethereal.
From storming opener "Black Mirror" its clear to see this will never be the "difficult second album" that their British indie contemporaries almost always fall victim to.
Release Date: 05/03/2007
Favourite Track: "My Body Is A Cage"

4:


!!! - Myth Takes
Fresh from supporting Red Hot Chili Peppers on their UK Tour, this almost unpronouncable dance-punk collective released arguably their best album to date. More complete than both their eponymous debut and their sophomore effort, Louden Up Now, the band, despite the tragic death of original drummer Mikel Gius, and the subsequent line-up changes, have matured and perfected their cacophony of sound. Unlike many of their peers, they are also able to back up great recordings with a great live show.
Release Date: 05/03/2007
Favourite Track: Bend Over Beethoven

3:


LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem, the group revolving around DFA Records boss and producer, James Murphy, released something quite special with their dance-punk self-titled debut, and manage what few others do in creating a follow-up: making it even better. Where the debut had gratuitiously overlong tracks, and therefore an album that was difficult to listen to in one sitting, Sound Of Silver has relative nuggets of crossover genius. Lead single "North American Scum", their self-effacing anthem on their home country is easily as good, if not better than the best parts of LCD Soundsystem. And its all better from there on in.
Release Date: 12/03/2007
Favourite Track: All My Friends

2:


Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Tony Allen & Simon Tong - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Had it not been the inclusion of a certain Radiohead album (see below), then I could not have justified not having this as my number one. The supergroup's album, touted as "the natural successor to Parklife", is much easier to compare with the darker moments of Gorillaz' Demon Days rather than heyday of Britpop. However, the common themes that are apparent do, of course, share Albarn's intelligent and witty observations, and run through the album like a stick of rock. This, and more such projects planned would seem to sadly, reduce any chance of a Blur reunion, but if Damon Albarn can keep making music as good as this, I don't think many would mind.
Release Date: 22/01/2007
Favourite Track: Three Changes

1:


Radiohead - In Rainbows
Although rumours of Radiohead's ungracious departure from former label EMI (it has been recently claimed that they simply wouldn't meet their pay demands) have recently shed some more light on the motives of this album's unique pay-what-you-like release, when it comes down to whats important, Thom Yorke haven't quite shot up their own collective arse just yet. Being Radiohead, of course, it is not instantly comparable to any of their other albums, but instead achieves the great feat of being an almost retrospective appraisal of their previous work, as well as being something brand new and still relevant today. While "Nude" is an older song dating back from the days of OK Computer, and "Jigsaw Falling into Place" is a song newer than my last haircut, they both fit well in an album almost as complete as my personal favourite, Kid A. While I am still not sure where exactly I'd place this amongst the discography, it is nevertheless, regardless of the massive hype surrounding its release, an extraordinary album.
Release Date: 10/10/2007 (Download) 31/12/2007 (CD)
Favourite Track: 15 Step

Nick's Favourite 10 Albums of 2007 (10-6)

10:

UNKLE - War Stories
UNKLE (AKA James Lavelle and friends)'s, third album, with collaborations with The Cult's Ian Astbury, Clayhill's Gavin Clark, Massive Attack's 3D (who also designed the cover art) and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, As well as with bands The Duke Spirit and Autolux, is an absolute stormer. While others are still lamenting the absence of DJ Shadow two albums down from Psyence Fiction, this album is clearly a step towards a live band setting as opposed to the massive amount of sampling used in their previous work. That isn't to say, that Lavelle doesn't use his own extensive studio skills on this album, however. Bringing in the best of both Psyence Fiction and Never, Never Land in an album that's arguably the best of the three.
Release Date: 09/07/2007
Favourite Track: "Keys to the Kingdom"

9:


Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
Despite this being their seventh album in ten years, Deerhoof were very new to me personally. Nevertheless this album has lead to a veritable deluge of their music onto my computer. But thats for another time. Although I admit first impressions were not great, and my initial thoughts when listening to opener "The Perfect Me", were some sort of terrible Horrors-esque "gawfic rock", by the end of the song, the insane juxtaposition of the hammer-horror organ and cute-bordering-on-creepy-vocals of Satomi Matsuzaki had me intrigued, to say the least.
This album, featuring artwork by David "Worried Noodles" Shrigley served as a fantastic introduction to a band whose cult status has long been assured thanks to their mixture of pop sensibility alongside pure experimental silliness. Just listen to them now.
Release Date: 23/01/2007
Favourite Track: "Kidz are so small"

8:


Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night
Their sixth, and my favourite since 1997's amazing Dig Your Own Hole, this album features the usual plethora of talent, and, erm, a Salmon. And while the aforementioned "Salmon Dance" is its one bum note, its less awful, more misplaced on an album that more heavily relies on more traditional house rather than hip-hop. The rest of the album ranges from the stomping dancefloor beat of "Do It Again" (feat. Ali Love) that appears a better remnant of the dissapointing Push the Button, to Klaxons-featuring, "All Rights Reversed", to the simple retro stylings of "Battle Scars" featuring Willy Mason.
Release Date: 02/07/2007
Favourite Track: "The Pills Wont Help You Now"

7:

Digitalism - Idealism
In my mind, this is easily the best of the big three Indie-Dance albums released this year. Not as repetitive as Justice, less boring than Simian Mobile Disco, and both dancier and rockier than the two combined. I mean, they've even got a Cure remix on their album ("Digitalism in Cairo" is a re-edit of The Cure's "Fire In Cairo"). With a better live show, and 15 track album compared to Justice's 12 and SMD's 10, they're even better value-for-money. But despite these relative differences, the fundamental still rings true - Idealism is a great album. Even some songs have their own intro songs. What's not to like?
Release Date: 21/05/2007
Favourite Track: "Anything New"

6:


Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Once again, a band who I should have been listening for a while, and almost as soon as first track "Peacebone" begins, its clear that Animal Collective have been a massive, massive oversight on my part, having given up the chance to see them at a festival a few years ago to see no one in particular. And I was keen to give them a try. I was not dissapointed. Their disjointed folktronica featured on this apparently more accesible album (their first for "super-indie" label Domino) is exactly what I had been looking for and I personally cannot wait until they release their new EP in April.
Release Date: 10/09/2007
Favourite Track: "Fireworks"

This Season, I have mostly been listening to...

British Sea Power - Krankenhaus? EP

Featuring the previous free download "Atom" as the lead track, this new EP serves as both a sneak-preview and a "look at what you could have won" for their new album, out early next year. Although arguably "Atom" is the weakest track, the 5-track EP also features a 9-minute epic in the same vein as "Lately" from The Decline Of... called "The Pelican", which will hopefully feature live in some form or another.
My favourite track on this is "Down on the Ground", which, alongside "Atom", will feature on Do You Like Rock Music? released on the 14th January. The EP is currently availiable from itunes and from BSP's homepage.

http://www.myspace.com/britishseapower

Holy Fuck - LP


Even though this is technically their third self-titled release (The album cover just says "HOLY FUCK"), this band are still very new to me. Their improvised proto-electronica instrumental noise is a cacophony of sounds from a huge range of instruments from the usual (guitars, synths, drums) to simply bashing whatever is at hand. While this album is more just a captured moment of what Holy Fuck may really be capable of doing live, tracks such as the amazing "Safari" and equally superb "Frenchy's".

http://www.myspace.com/holyfuck

Avant Garde Drummer Wanted For A Pop Band - Life Is Long And Memory Fragile

Essentially this a collection of bedroom demos by couple of guys who are friends of a friend of a friend. And I really like it. While it is rough and unpolished, the songs, frequently reaching far over the six minute mark, there is a definite talent shining through.
Clashing somewhere between Explosions In The Sky's epic post-rock and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's rougher side, with a plethora of North American Indie influences in between, its almost shocking that these guys are from the Isle Of Wight.
My personal favourite from the this album is "Failed Negatives (The photographs in my mind)", which journeys through most of the above influences without quite falling to pretention.
While their identity still remains a mystery thanks to my poor research skills, they are apparently expanding, with possible ambitions of being a British Broken Social Scene, with the tunes to match. One to watch, definitely.

http://www.myspace.com/avantgardedrummerwantedforapopband

Bionic Sheep - Sexcrime EP

Described as a "junglist' experiment" this EP, based on the public information broadcast on the dangers of pornography. On that alone, it already sounds promising, but this sub-20 minute laptop-generated assault of breaks and beats definitely lives up to it.
Of course, there is no physical release, but the EP can be downloaded from here:
http://tinyurl.com/27knst

Coming soon: Best of 2007...

CSS @ Carling Academy, Brixton, 03/12/2007

It seems odd to me, with over 3 years (yes, I know, three whole years) of going to gigs in London, I have never been to the Brixton Academy. I've been almost everywhere else, from The Dublin Castle in Camden, to Wembley Stadium, in.. erm... Wembley. But never here. I thought it would be bigger.

And better.

While a slanted floor has its advantages (seeing everything from the back, for example), it does mean you have to put in safety barriers every so often so the crowd doesn't just slip down the slope and congeal into a warm, sticky mess. But herein lies the problem. People who forget or get there late push to the front and get stuck there. And don't know where to go. But I digress.

This isn't a problem, of course, for opening band Metronomy, who face a criminally empty room, and are currently working on their second album, provide the suitable robotic warm-up for the almost-headlining set from Justice. Dressed all in black, the live trio of Joseph Mount, Gabriel Stebbing and Oscar Cash, each with their own personal light display on their chest that looks like it was stolen from a Travelodge. For most of the set, these are combined with some interestingly lazy dance routines that involve a lot of pointing, and the result is that they look like some sort of Smart Price Daft Punk.

However, they save the best until last, with a group of similarly-light-clad dancers joining them onstage, bringing much need life to the set for the last two songs that were easily their best: "Heartbreaker" and current single "Radio Ladio".

www.myspace.com/metronomy

From Smart Price Daft Punk, to the heir-apparent to their French House throne, Justice. With a stage-set that includes a massive shining white cross, things look promising. Kicking off with the overlong and overblown intro song "Genesis", perhaps Justice have been told they will charged for every different beat they use, so they make sure their opening one lasts at least 15 minutes, drowning out everything else, with the occasional quiet bit in between.

Already, as much as it pains me to say, I was dissapointed, but looking forward, at least, to "D.A.N.C.E.", which unfortunately is horribly butchered from the opening with some sort of piano ballad, and doesn't really recover. Even "The Party" fails to make much of an impression.

The set does pick up however, with the always amazing "Waters of Nazareth" as well as fair few remixes slipped in, such as their version of "Atlantis to Interzone" and the ever-present "We Are Your Friends", but the damage has already been done, and I personally am dissapointed.

Your best bet is probably to just stick on the album and get a few mates over.

http://www.myspace.com/etjusticepourtous

After almost an hour of Justice, CSS quickly take to a stage covered in Christmas trees, while the crowd get covered in snow, and start out with album track "Fuckoff is not the only thing you have to show" before quickly heading into fairly new track "The Beautiful Song".

Although Lovefoxx tries to be her usual self, the band seem visibly nervous at playing such a large stage and this perhaps rubs off - the band aren't quite on top form tonight, and the playfulness that made them a festival favourite this summer is at a minimum.

The new songs also don't sit well alongside crowd-pleasers "Alala" and "Off the Hook", but all-too-soon the band saunter off backstage before returning for L7 cover "Pretend We're Dead". But the biggest cheer is always going to be for just one song. The band finish off the shortened set with the awesome "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above", making sure they finish with a bang that the rest of the set lacks.

With Lovefoxx promising before she leaves that the next time they play in England, the new album will be finished, but to be honest, based on tonight's performance, it doesn't seem like it will be anything special.

www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy