Radiohead @ Victoria Park, Hackney, 24/06/2008

I've had the undoubtable pleasure of seeing Radiohead once before, on my 18th Birthday two years ago at the Hammersmith Apollo, where, amongst classic tracks, they squeezed in more than half-dozen unreleased "new" tracks that would eventually form the bulk of their next album In Rainbows, over a year later. I was very eager to repeat what was possibly the best gig of my life.

With doors opening at four, and DJs keeping the crowd somewhat entertained (assuming that all of the rumoured 30,000 members of the crowd were familiar with and big fans of minimal beats and filter noise), Bat For Lashes took to the stage in the only scheduled support slot relatively late on. They, AKA Natasha Khan and her backing band, proceeded through a 45 minute set of Bjork-ish music that was far more impressive compared to my aborted attempt to see them at last year's Connect Festival in Scotland. I think my exact words then were "Sod this, this is boring."

After some technical difficulties and a brief acoustic set, the band were able to finish, with almost everything plugged back in properly, with a rousing version of "What's A Girl To Do?", which fitted comfortably alongside some very strong new material for a new album rumoured to be out before the end of the year.

During the brief intermission between acts we discussed the gigs apparent green credentials. The t-shirts, although still extortionately priced at £20, were each made from recycled plastic bottles that had been saved from landfill sites. The stage lights were energy efficient, meaning that they gave off less heat and therefore used less energy. The band themselves were re-using recycled water carriers for their onstage drinks and had elected to take with them "only" twelve guitars and two laptops for the whole tour, and use alternative forms of transport to airplanes whereever possible. All very respectable, but still did not explain why this gig cost £40 a head.

However, as soon as Thom, Jonny, Ed, Colin and Phil walk out on stage, all thoughts on environment and cost are forgotten as they begin with In Rainbows' opener "15 Step", which is just as good, if not better, than when I heard it two years previously. It sets par for the course in which every track, bar "House Of Cards", from In Rainbows is given an airing. It is for songs in before a pre-Rainbows track is played, in the form of the still-amazing "National Anthem", and over an hour into their set before anything pre-Kid A, with "Just" possibly being the most well-received song of the night, although hopefully not just because of Mark Ronson's brassed-up bastardisation, which is followed by the first of three OK Computer tracks; "Climbing Up The Walls".

In the meantime, relatively obscure album tracks in the form of fan-favourite "The Gloaming" from Hail To The Thief and "Dollars & Cents" from Amnesiac. Alongside these is are the fantastic "Pyramid Song" and the blistering former single "There There". Of all the latest tracks, the clear fan-choice is "Reckoner", whereas my personal choice was the awe-inspiring "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi". Even "Faust Arp", featuring just Thom and Jonny, is impressive.

Before "Everything In Its Right Place", a slightly chattier Thom begins a chant of "Free Tibet" with the Tibetan flag draped over the piano and a couple of amps. The main set ends with "How To Dissapear Completely" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", a suitable summing up of the night so far.

In the interim, there is the talk of what they will play for their (possibly) multiple encores, with some naively hoping they will give a certain "Creep" an airing. With Thom returning with a piano anticipation heightens and there is talk of perhaps "Karma Police" or "Sail To The Moon". Instead, there is an audible moan from sections of the crowd as he begins to play one of my favourite In Rainbows tracks, "Videotape".

The rest of the encore is curiously hit-free, almost in defiance to Parlophone's decision to issue a greatest hits record without their permission since their departure from the label. Instead, the brilliant "Airbag", complete with jingle bells, is played, with The Bends' opener "Planet Telex" also being played alongside the curiously chosen "Bangers n' Mash" - a song which only features upon the second In Rainbows disc availiable in the limited edition discbox last December (which incidentally is currently selling on ebay for almost double the £40 original price). The first encore ends with an unfortunately lacklustre version of "The Tourist" from OK Computer.

The second encore again begins with Thom behind a piano, this time alone and playing a barely recognisable version of "Cymbal Rush" from his solo album The Eraser. This was followed by Thom and Jonny performing "You And Whose Army?" with a camera putting Thom's face on the big screen (pictured) as he played piano. Finally, they ended on the classic Kid A track "Idioteque", with the whole band onstage.

Overall, the gig went on to show that Radiohead can pretty much play any song, from any album, and still put on a great gig, showing how consistent they have been ever since 1995's The Bends right through to last year's In Rainbows. Some reviews will criticise the lack of "hits", but if anything, this shows how the band don't feel the need to rest on the laurels and rely on songs like "No Surprises", "Karma Police" and "Street Spirit" to make a show absolutely brilliant.

While it may not be considered a classic gig in terms of their legendary Glastonbury appearances in 1997 and 2003, it just goes to show how great a band they still are and how relevant they remain.

Radiohead continue their world tour through Europe and North America this July and August.

ALBUM: Feeder - Silent Cry

Let's be honest here, ever since their landmark album Echo Park, Feeder have become more and more of a guilty pleasure. It's not that they are particularly bad - not at all - their brand of post-grunge anthemic arena-pop-rock remains as infectious as ever, it just that they have never really broken a huge amount of new ground in front of their competitors, but then again, no one ever asked them too.

If nothing else, this album demonstrates how Feeder are the strawberry jam of the British music world. It can pretty much be put on anything within reason, be it on toast, porridge or the line-up of Download Festival. Some may prefer blueberry jam or marmite, but no one can really say they don't like strawberry jam. Strawberry Jam is also simple, sweet and one third japanese.

But before I over-stretch an already straining metaphor, Feeder's latest album, and their first full album of new material since their Singles album and re-issued B-Sides compilation Picture Of Perfect Youth, has all the hallmarks of what has come before. The anthemic lyrics, the less-than-subtle loud-chorus, quiet-verse formula that they have used in almost every song, and the general feeling that these tracks were made to be blasted out into an arena-sized auditorium full of teenagers.

Opening track "We Are People" starts out like Weezer before Nichols and a frankly epically-proportioned drumbeat drive the track on. "Itsumo" follows a similar formula, but with an intro more in tune to Coldplay's "Fix You". "Fires" is unashamed pop with its ballady yet driving intro and verse, countered with the somewhat inevitable guitar crescendoes for the chorus. "Heads Held High" is an acoustic number that would not have been out of place on Pushing The Senses.

For a while in the development of this album, there was rumoured to be a return to the old Feeder sound that many fans had been asking for, and this is present in a couple of cases, but the tongue-in-cheek joviality of Feeder's early albums Swim and Polythene is gone in favour of the "emotionally availiable" sound of their most recent albums. At the time of their last album, the band were roundly criticised for apparently being influenced by both the fashionable misery-mongers of early 00s bands such as Coldplay and Travis, as well as trying to satisfy the softer end of the emo-market.

However, throughout Silent Cry, it is difficult not to notice how much of a mark that the somewhat softer Pushing The Senses has made, and while it's unlikely for Feeder to be placed in the same sentence as pop-emoers 30 Seconds to Mars, it would not be a massive leap of imagination to link the two, insulting as that is to Feeder.

Rather ironically, even though the album resembles the poppier edge of their countrymen Lostprophets, it contains fewer hooks than any of their previous singles, despite what greatest hits single "Lost & Found" appeared to be alluding to, instead favouring power over precision, blasting every song to within the very inch of their lives. Basically - it all sounds a bit samey, but still good enough to put on your toast.

6/10

Silent Cry is out now in the UK on Echo records.

New Sigur Ros Album!

I know its old news now, but Sigur Ros have announced details of their new album out on June 23rd. It is going to be called Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, which roughly translates as "With A Buzzing In Our Ears We Play Endlessly". It also features at least one track in English ("All Alright") and is a bit of a change in direction for the band - who have said they were greatly influenced by their acoustic shows in Iceland that were featured in their documentary Heima.

Track Listing:

1. "Gobbledigook" – 3:05
2. "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" (Within me a lunatic sings) – 4:05
3. "Góðan daginn" (Good day) – 5:15
4. "Við spilum endalaust" (We play endlessly) – 3:33
5. "Festival" – 9:24
6. "Suð í eyrum" (Buzz in ears) – 4:56
7. "Ára bátur" (Row boat) – 8:57
8. "Illgresi" (Weeds) – 4:13
9. "Fljótavík" [A place in Iceland] – 3:49
10. "Straumnes" [A mountain near Fljótavík] – 2:01
11. "All alright" – 6:21

Gobbledigook was made free from sigurros.com, where the whole album is currently streaming, as well as Last.fm, where the album is free to listen to ahead of its release.

It is also availiable as a deluxe "Discbox" for $120 (£60) similar to Radiohead's self-released double-vinyl, double-cd gift set for last year's alum In Rainbows.

Sigur Ros Homepage

Video HIT

Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down


This is the new single from the Mystery Jets, from their latest album, Twenty One. Not to be confused with that band, Three Doors Down, or that decade, the 80s.

PS: I'll write some more crap soon.

ALBUM: Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue

These genetically-generated scamps seem to have made themselves known to me through adverts, tv appearances and blog hype. Like any other band really. These guys, in particular featured in the american episode of Skins (the one where Cassie goes mental and fucks off to New York) and a mobile phone provider advert. Actually, there's nothing stopping me saying who it is, its Orange, and despite them not being my provider, the person who decides the soundtrack to the adverts has an awesome taste in music.

But I digress.

Having heard only "Hummingbird" and their take on Grizzly Bear's "Knife", my hopes were very high. I was expecting something that was both unashamedly poppy and energetic, yet with enough ragged fuzzy bass and strained guitar that I wouldn't feel too guilty about it.

I wasn't really expecting this.

Opener and title track "Red, Yellow and Blue" has the same afrobeat air of Vampire Weekend, yet lacking its pretension and soul-sucking precision. Lalonde's voice reminiscent of Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Josh Grier of Tapes n' Tapes, and eventually so does the rest of the band. Struggling for an original sound, only "Hummingbird" immediately stands out and is clearly and somewhat predictable the best track of the album.

The mood is often lethargic despite the upbeat tone and tempo, and the band all too often descend into Jack Penate style guitar wankery that takes away so much from the often delicate chaos of the subtle guitar and bass interplay.

What does happen when the band slow down for the second act, is that their somewhat timeless influence does shine through, showing a pleasant mix of the contemporary and the classic.

But, to be honest, its just all a bit samey. The same tricks are pulled out of the bag in every song and the singer's voice soon becomes wearing (again bearing similarity to Alec Ounsworth) on an album that is not nearly as fun as "Hummingbird" suggested. It's not a horrible listen, and is a bit of a grower, really, except that that's not what I wanted. Its horribly reminiscent of being told I'd have to clean my plate of horrible vegetables before getting any chocolate ice cream - and then finding that these disgusting carrots have filled me up already.

I'm pretty these guys weren't Canadian I would have hated it even more.

6/10

Red, Yellow & Blue is out now in the UK on Warp Records

ALBUM: The Futureheads - This Is Not The World

I've been a fan of The Futureheads since a friend lent me a copy of their debut album shortly before that Kate Bush cover sent them towards stardom and became their biggest hit, and somewhat ironically, their most well known song. Since then, success has been few and far between, culminating in their removal from 679 recordings (now "re-branded" as the hypercool "sixsevennine"), but I'm almost pleased. Don't get me wrong, I like them, a lot. But I would hate any Johnny Kooks-lover to pick up a copy of News & Tributes and play it at their local NME-sponsored indie-disco. But, of course, they never would.

Apart from the aforementioned Hounds Of Love, The Futureheads eponymous debut was full of immediate, punky songs that wore their hearts on their sleeves while still being humourous and engaging. About what We Are Scientists are try (and fail) to accomplish in their songs (although WAS win the prize for the funniest mailouts and videos for a bantamweight Indie band). News & Tributes was, the more mature and gentle second album, featured some songs that followed the pop-punk family tree from Fugazi to Fall Out Boy, and unfortunately fewer of the close harmonised post-punk that made their debut so comfortable.

Clearly unable to repeat their original plan, and surely not wanting to repeat their sophmore mediocrity, the Sunderland four-piece went back to their own studio, and promptly plotted their revenge on 679. This Is Not The World is the result.

Opener "The Beginning Of The Twist" shows that through their label drop they haven't skipped a beat - a Futureheads classic in the making, and straight back to what they are good at - Anthemic songs with choruses that make you want to scream along. "Walking Backwards" seems to start as a bastardised version of "A to B" but quickly rises to a chorus all of its own.

By track three, the Jam-esque "Think Tonight", it seems as if they've realised their perfect formula. Take a few parts of their revivalist debut, throw in a few more classic post-punk leanings and then simmer all the parts together for over three minutes. But that's the problem - it seems that they now feel the need to make tracks that you actually start to get bored of. Past the three minute mark and each song starts to wear a bit thin. This is a new problem, as on The Futureheads, none of the songs lasted three minutes, and on News & Tributes not many of the songs were that interesting to begin with.

Take for example, the single "Radio Heart". The title phrase is sung exactly 17 times in the 3 minute course of the song, and the word "Radio" is used a further 6 times. And this is pretty much what every song is like - as if - dare we say it - they've run out of ideas.

However, latest single "This Is Not The World" and "Broke Up The Time" are two songs where the formula almost works to perfection, reminding the humble listener that The Futureheads always sounded a little bit like The Jam, really, and they always repeated their lyrics a lot. Still I can't help but think that a lot of these songs could benefit from being trimmed back by a solid minute.

Ultimately however, the tracks are all of a similar standard, and there isn't a lot to pick out of the crowd, but the result is a solid album that builds on, if only slightly, their previous body of work.

My favourite tracks: "Broke Up The Time", "Sale Of The Century" and "The Beginning Of The Twist"

7/10

This Is Not The World is out now on nul records.

You might also like this live review.

MySpace Mystery Tour, Again

This time, we kick off with a local band who I stumbled across via Facebook, strangely. They are from Dartford in Kent, where I went to School, and despite this, they don't suck.

Okay, so Post-Rock bands are getting a little more commonplace, but CODES IN THE CLOUDS do one of the better Explosions In The Sky impressions I've ever seen. Their debut single "Distant Street Lights" could be on any of EITS's albums and I would never have noticed the difference. Some would say this is insulting, and it is to a point, but they do seem jolly good for a band that are still (essentially) on the toilet circuit. The guys are signed to British indie label Erased Tapes.

www.myspace.com/codesintheclouds

One of their top friends, THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, even have a song named "Cracks in the Clouds". This Newcastle based group have a slightly less derivative sound, but I fear that may only be because I don't know enough about post-rock. Related more closely to Múm than their countrymates Sigur Ros, their stuttered electronica also reminds me of Four Tet's less awkward moments and Low's subtle and dark stylings. However, none of this hides what is essentially some fantastically poppy arrangements that have me torn between declaring these guys a collective genius or just being a bit too try-hard and pretentious.

http://www.myspace.com/thebritishexpeditionaryforce

From here, we come across Danish indie-pop in the form of EFTERKLANG. Like Architecture In Helsinki but without all that really annoying stuff that happens when they actually play a song, you know, the music bit. "Caravan" is about at atmospheric and orchestral as this sort of stuff gets, but its a wonder why no one has ever done before. My guess is they tryed and ended up sounding too much like The Arcade Fire for anyone to notice. In fact they've released two albums and the name does seem a bit familiar; one of these bands that something like the London Lite interviews because they are vaguely on the cusp of being massive but are also a bit leftfield - only not quite enough to offend their readers.

They are currently touring North America and have an absolute shitload of UK festival appearances lined up over the summer. Probably worth a go.

http://www.myspace.com/efterklang

I clicked on a link called RUMRAKET, which sounded as if it was going to be a boy-girl duo who combine hard house samples with live percussion based around smashing their heads against dustbins and possible each other. Luckily, however, it appears to be a burgeoning (although with a large roster and many releases to their credit) Scandinavian record label - in the same way that Ed Banger are to French House, Rumraket is to Northern European Indietronica. They've even got Amiina, the string quartet who play with Sigur Ros and US Hype band Grizzly Bear signed up, and are actually formed by the previous group, Efterklang.


Now I'm off to see if they've got a label sampler for sale...

http://www.myspace.com/rumraket

Crystal Castles rip off?

Crystal Castles have been accused by a number of high profile Chip-tune artists (yeah I had no idea either) of ripping them off.

More specifically, remixing their songs without crediting them and for commercial gain.

From wikipedia:

"In mid-2008, Crystal Castles became focal in several plagiarism disputes. Pitchfork Media and The Torontoist published stories about Crystal Castles' use of Trevor Brown's artwork without permission. The image, depicting a black-eyed Madonna,^[23][7] was used by the band on merchandise, after being found on an "old flyer, without credit", with the hope "that the artist might reveal themselves and make contact".^[7] The band were also alleged to have plagiarised several songs from the chiptune community, including "Insecticon", which shares similarity with a song by Lo-bat called, "My Little Droid Needs a Hand", and were accused of "stealing the beat" from Covox's "Sunday", in the song "Love and Caring"."

Weird.

Anyway more posts soon, I swear, its all gone a bit quietly recently as I procastinate for exams and revision, etc.

Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction UPDATE! Part 3

NME/RADIO ONE STAGE ADDITIONS
READING SUNDAY
THE MUSIC
Hey remember us, you guys? When sounding like Kasabian was still cool? What do you mean that never happened?

HADOUKEN!
I would be tempted if I didn't feel as if I'd be woefully out of place here. I really didn't like "That Boy, That Girl", was only mildly interested in "Liquid Lives", and not been turned by anything I've heard since, but they are named after a move from Street Fighter. Hmm, decisions.

LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION
Test Icicles were arses, really. With songs like "Weezer vs. Foo Fighters" and "Boa vs. Python", their only release For Screening Purposes Only, was pretty shocking, only made up for the fact that their label signed them because they though they were going be like Franz Ferdinand. Anyway, regardless, they were amazing fun live, so much so that hearing them play actual songs was a great dissapointment. Lets hope that this, Dev Hynes' solo project, is a bit better musically.
CAJUN DANCE PARTY
They were one of my "bands to drop everything and see" last year but they turned out to be a bit wank in the "playing live" department. With an album newly released and another (apparently) on the way, lets hope their show has improved a little bit.

ADAM GREEN
Former member of the Moldy Peaches, Adam is touring his new album Sixes and Sevens.

YEASAYER
One of a clutch of a new wave of "experimental" American Indie bands alongside MGMT and Grizzly Bear, continuing the good work of their predecessors. Should be fun.

THE METROS
Sub-razorlight, sub-kooks, sub-kings cross rent boys all over cack, unfortunately from my neck of the woods, Saaarff Laandan.

I will not be covering the Lock-Up stage because I don't anything about it. It's unlikely that I will venture in there, but this does not mean I think it is all rubbish, just that I'm not that bothered. Or something.

DANCE STAGE
READING SUNDAY
CSS
Looks like I have someone to see instead of Metallica and The Cribs. CSS will have released their second album "Donkey" by then, which reportedly has a much more serious and rocky sound. The song "Rat Is Dead (Rage)" is availiable from their website now.
Can't wait to Hear: Their brilliant cover of L7's "Pretend We're Dead"

DIGITALISM
The German duo return to Reading to play another blistering set. I'd heartily recommend their album "Idealism" for any Daft Punk fans, or anyone who think Simian Mobile Disco are better than Justice.
Can't Wait to Hear: "Anything New"

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO
So, the album was a bit weak, and the above mentioned Idealism was far better, but apparently these guys do a really good show and may well be a bit of a laugh. Their remixes are certainly better than their original stuff, anyway.
Can't Wait to Hear: Any of their remixes.

CHROMEO
These guys are a bit odd, and after two albums of their electrofunk stylings, they are still going strong. Fancy Footwork is the more recent, and the better of the two.
Can't Wait To Hear: "Fancy Footwork"

CRYSTAL CASTLES
The Canadian duo of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass return to the Dance stage with the new album under their belt. Apparently they are awesome live.
Can't Wait To Hear: "Knights"

LETHAL BIZZLE
Funfact: I saw Lethal Bizzle the other day having a waterfight outside the Wedgewood Rooms ahead of his gig later that night.

HOLY FUCK
These improvising electronic Canadians are said to put on an amazing live show, and having missed them twice already, I really want to see what they can do.

THE WHIP
After a string of singles, the Manchester electro-poppers released their debut album "X Marks Destination" not long ago. It's alright, but is a bit too much White Rose Movement and not enough Rapture.

ROBOTS IN DISGUISE
This trio of Mighty Boosh extras (Dee Plume is dating Noel Fielding and the entire band have appeared in both the series and the Live tour) are apparently in a band. And have released 3 albums. Who knew?

THE SHOES
Not a clue + laziness = end of post!

Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction UPDATE! Part 2

NME/RADIO ONE STAGE ADDITIONS
READING SATURDAY
SEASICK STEVE
I saw him perform at last years inaugural Connect Festival at Inverary in Scotland, and he was absolutely brilliant. He produced Modest Mouse's first album dontcha know.

THE TING TINGS
I think these guys have passed me by. I did listen to one of their songs, I think, but it was pretty boring. Saw them on TV the other day too, they appear to only have a drummer and a singer. I don't get it. Kids today, eh?

MYSTERY JETS
Returning to Reading at roughly the same slot they had in 2006, the Eel Pie Island dwelling bizarros are currently touring their new Stephen Street and Erol Alkan produced album "21", which is in shops now.

SANTOGOLD
One of those occasions when the name is familiar but you don't actually know anything about them. Wikipedia tells me she is an American singer-songwriter whose sound is comparable to Tamil tearaway MIA.

JOE LEAN AND THE JING JANG JONG
The worst name for a band since Vincent Vincent and the Villains, they aren't very good at their Razorlight impression either, managing to sound worse, somehow.

KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES
All I can say about these guys is that when I walked past the queue for them playing the Wedgewood Rooms a few months back, 80% of it was 14 year old girls wearing black and pink with to much makeup. AVOID AVOID.

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB
Pleasant jangly pop written by teenagers, for teenagers. See also: Cajun Dance Party.

Reading/Leeds Festival Line-up reaction UPDATE!

MAIN STAGE ADDITIONS
BRITISH SEA POWER (Saturday Reading)
BSP make a welcome return to Reading with their debut appearance on the main stage. Which is a bit of a dissapointment really. They are a tent band through and through and the crowd at the main stage will remind them of it. Still an amazing band though.
Can't Wait to Hear: "Lately"

THE AUTOMATIC (Saturday Reading)
What's that that's over the hill? It's a... erm... crappy band. Working on their second album hasn't made them much more money. They're already a Pennie down. badum tish.

ALEXISONFIRE (Sunday Reading)
Comment goes here.

NME/RADIO ONE STAGE ADDITIONS
READING FRIDAY
JACK PENATE
Obviously a bit of an early booking after his show on the Carling Stage last year, but now the album's gone it seems as if the fans may have as well? Although I do like one of his songs, I can't remember which. But it matters little as they're all pretty much the same anyway.

ONE NIGHT ONLY
By managing the unfeasible trick of having their first "hit" just be another way of saying their name (it was called "Just For Tonight), ONO's abbreviation says it all too well. If it was for One Night Only, why are you still around?

THE DUKE SPIRIT
I saw these guys around the release of their first album being very out of place supporting KASABIAN at Ally Pally. They weren't particularly impressive, but I think my tastes may well have come around to theirs, especially as I wouldn't be seen dead at a Kasabian gig anymore.

BE YOUR OWN PET
Uh-oh, a possible clash here with BSP, but I will willingly make the dash between Main stage and big top for the chance to see BYOP's energetic live show.
Can't Wait To Hear: "Wildcat!"

BLOOD RED SHOES
Returning after last year's tumultous set in the Carling Stage, Laura-Mary and Steven will hopefully play to a slightly bigger crowd this time around.
Can't Wait To Hear: " I Wish I Was Someone Better"

MAKE MODEL
Scottish Indie-folk scamps have got another busy year of festivals and support slots (As I type this, their myspace has them scheduled to support Indie cruiserweights The Fratellis, We Are Scientists and The Futureheads) before their debut album is released at some point in the autumn.

Royworld are the worst band ever (ish)

Who the fuck are Royworld?

I was unlucky enough to catch some of their tripe on BBC's Popworld-humping music show "Sound", a show which again manages to achieve the highly difficult task of taking something from Channel 4 and making it complete and utter rubbish (we're looking at you, Graham Norton).

In their section, the four members of, possibly the worst-named band ever, "went back to their roots" at Goldsmith's College (which the show was at pains to point out, has alumni including Blur's Alex James and Graham Coxon) and showing us, the adventurous viewer, exactly where they "used to rehearse", and here is where "we used to record our stuff", while dressed in standard issue Serious Indie-pop winter trenchcoats and a swapshop of designer stubble and £50 haircuts.

Besides the terrible name and their overly-manicured record label arrival, their sound is pretty shocking too. Take equal parts of every Hoosier, Wombat and member of Scouting For Girls, teach them some songs Athlete turned down, and then proceed to declare it "epic" and "massive".

But never original.

They are coming to a daytime radio show and minor headlining role at a fringe festival near you.

If you dare:
http://www.myspace.com/royworldtheband

ALBUM REVIEW: Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

They've been around a little bit, the electronic duo of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, and have split opinions for almost as long.

Tied inexplicably to the "new-rave scene", these guys are way more rave than the noisy art-punk of Klaxons et al, complete with a DIY punk ethic and the drugged-up pretention of a band who think they are better than everyone else.

Recent heavy promotion, including a small cameo part on Skins and an NME tour headliner slot means they are certainly being pushed for the big time. But make no mistake, this is Ethan's band.

Take "Alice Practice", which is the song they played on Skins and arguably their biggest track to date. The story goes that 18 year old vocalist was testing the mic and recording equipment by shouting obscurely worded lyrics and had no idea she was being recorded. Ethan then fitted a backing track around et voila, a song is born. In a recent interview in respected and hate-filled paper The Stool Pigeon showed that the relationship between Alice and the significantly older Ethan is a strange combination of Woody Allen and his "muses" and a twisted familial relationship of older brother and fightened younger sister.

Alice is not allowed to talk, and presumably is allowed little creative control over this album, which incidentally is the sound made by a dying 90s video arcade as the last forlorn teenager runs out of pound coins for the Street Fighter machine, and promptly kicks the shit out of it. Even the band is named after an old Atari game (that Wikipedia will lead you too should you search for "Crystal Castles").

Unsurprisingly, the album also contains "chipped" remixes of some songs, but under different names. "Crimewave" is creditted as "Crystal Castles vs. Health", "Vanished" samples Van She and opening track "Untrust Us" heavily uses old DFA1979 track "Dead Womb" (itself based on some sampling).

However the standout track for em, alongside a few slightly weaker ones, is former Kitsune maison resident "Knights", featuring Alice's despairing vocals, for once not distorted as much as on the rest of the album, where they are altered to the point that Ethan truly does exercise total control over the album.

What shocked me the most about this post-apocalyptic Arcade Fire (event, not band) is how fun it is. I can't listen to the retro stylings of "1991" without being reminded of the similar nostalgia-synth of Chromeo and just grinning. "XXZXCUZZ Me" (a remix of one of their own tracks) is literally the sound of a SNES being born, not from a factory, but screaming from the pregnant cartridge slot of another Super Nintendo.

It's not all great, and tracks like "Love and Caring" are an aural air strike of beeps and bips. But there's more than enough good stuff here to make up for it.

I expected pretention, and there is a fair heap of that, but on the whole what struck me is that past the polished, even hostile exterior of the band, and many of the tracks, Ethan and Alice are having a massive laugh with what they are doing.

8/10

Crystal Castles is out in the UK on the 28th April

65Daysofstatic @ Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth 16/04/2008

Tonight's openers PILGRIMFATHERS are one of those uncomfortable "neo-prog" bands where the only "progressive" aspects are the heavily distorted vocals and the increasingly unkempt hairiness of the members as you moved from drummer through to vocalist. i.e. not very good.

http://www.myspace.com/thepilgrimfathers

GAY FOR JOHNNY DEPP are a NY hardcore band who kick the gig screaming into life with their aggressively homoerotic odes to their thespianic hero. Sample lyric: "Cause I want my Johnny bleeding... fuck him in the ass." Lead singer Marty Leopard appears tonight dressed as a reverend, but soon strips down to his stars and stripes boxers, leaping into the crowd for every song. The rest of the band, either outstaged or embarassed, remain still for most of the set, which focusses upon their 25 minute debut LP "The Politics Of Cruelty".

http://www.myspace.com/gayforjohnnydepp

65DAYSOFSTATIC come on stage, and to be honest, I was expecting big things. I'd heard a number of people saying how great they were live, and having only got into them fairly recently, I was hoping my lack of knowledge of the songs wouldn't let me down.

Its very easy for a review to throw away words like "Epic" and "awe-inspiring" like the poster to a Bruckheimer movie or a Daily Mail review of U2's latest, but in this case I would say its greatly justified.

Debut single and arguably their biggest song "Retreat! Retreat!" is thrown away early into the set, almost as if the band want to dissociate themselves from The Fall Of Math and focus upon One Time For All Time and The Destruction Of Small Ideas.

65DOS's set tonight within the tiny Wedgewood Rooms is massively beyond these four walls. Instrumentally, the drummer is the only one you can hear consistently (most of the absolutely crazy drumbeats are actually him, occasionally assisted by a drum machine), and the guitars frequently descend into a whirlwind of noise and atmosphere, the bass occasionally popping its head up during some of the quieter more melodic parts.

I'm afraid I haven't really got much of an idea what else they played that night, but that shouldn't be a bad thing. This is post-rock. This is 3 minutes of noise followed by a minute of quiet followed by a drum break and then 3 minutes of noise.

This is pretty fucking epic.

http://www.myspace.com/11488230

What a load of tossssss

I stumbled across this like a blind man digging for pennies in the bottom of what he thinks is a pocket of his coat, but it actually the warm slimy ear of a great dane. Or something.

Anyway I totally agree with the heartfelt sentiment expressed in this article what I read.

Set sarcasm detectors to fun.