BTBW 26.01.09

First Radio show back after Christmas. No MP3 unfortunately...

Run_Return - Tributary

Moscow Olympics - No Winter, No Autumn
Born Ruffians - Foxes Mate for Life
David Byrne & Brian Eno - Strange Overtones

Four Tet - Ringer
Weird Tapes - The Heavens
Telepathe - Devil's Trident

Dntel - To a fault
Phosphorescent - A picture of our torn up praise
Animal Collective - My Girls

Anathallo - Noni's Field
Broken Social Scene - Stars and Sons
Anathallo - The River

Apalloosa - The day we fell in love
Kings of Convenience - Weight of my Words (Four Tet Remix)
Junior Boys - Double Shadow

Weird Tapes - Nightstalking
Madvillain - Money Folder (Four Tet Remix)
Shed - The Lower Upside Down

Peter Broderick - Moment
Au Revoir Simone - Lark

Gregor Samsa - Jeroen Van Aken
James Yorkston - When the haar rolls in

BSITWT#53

David Byrne and Brian Eno - Strange Overtones

Wow

The Field, Crawdaddy, Friday night

Crawdaddy welcomes back the Field this Friday night, 30th January. Having played a live solo gig there roughly year ago, Axel Willner returns with a live band this time, which should be fun to see. Although I must point out that he is back here without having released a whole lot of note in the last year, which is a little cheeky, but to be expected these days. His 2007 album From here we go sublime, however is still an absolute gem so we can't moan too much

LIVE: Hockey, Passion Pit, Whelans, March 01

Passion Pit have already been touted as a tip for 2009 here by Ed. The excitement being stirred up around these guys is so excessive that it has left me sceptical as to how good they can be, but in any case I am open to suggestion. Sleepyhead is certainly a catchy number, and something tells me it has the potential to be this year's MGMT-style dancefloor filler. But overall I'm yet to believe the hype.

Hockey, while commanding less column inches, are certainly demanding plenty of my listening time. Work has the subtle elements of a Whitest Boy Alive song, the synth-driven funk of Too Fake is reminiscent of the best James Murphy has to offer, while Song Away is just a glorious eighties throwback.

If I was backing either of these two bands, I imagine Passion Pit will be a bigger band, simply due to the self-fulfilling hype that surrounds certain bands every January. As for quality, I would put my house on Hockey laughing loudest and last.

Tickets can be bought here

Hockey MySpace
Passion Pit Myspace

Gregor Samsa - our pretentious heroes

It would be wrong to deny that we here at BTBW are averse to the odd overtly pretentious
Taking this into account, you will have to forgive me for claiming that we have a new best band in the world ever. Not just today, but ever.
Gregor Samsa are a band from Brooklyn, NY, who make very pretty shoegaze/ambient instrumental music, some of which is not totally unlike Sigur Ros' album ().
The real beauty, however, is in the name. Gregor Samsa was a character in Franz Kafka's novella The Metamorphosis. Genius!!! Surely mention of these is the ultimate way to oneupmanship success at the next charity night organized by your local organic second hand farmer's flea market


Aside from the outrageous name the music is soothing, ethereal stuff, well worth attention
Gregor Samsa myspace

BSITWT #52

Born Ruffians - Foxes mate for life

Thanks to Elaine for sending me in the right direction!! Can't stop dancing at my desk with this on a loop


Red, Yellow and Blue is out on Warp Records

BSITWT #51

Gang Gang Dance - 'House Jam'

Taken from Gang Gang Dance's fourth album Saint Dymphna, released through Warp Records(Europe and Australia) and on The Social Registry label (U.S. & Canada).

http://www.ganggangdance.com/

Above link courtesy of the folks at Merryswankster (posting from hostel internet sucks).

St Jerome's Laneway Festival, Sydney 8/02/2009

St Jerome's Laneway Festival, now in it's fourth year, returns for another stint in The Basement, Macquarie Park and Reiby Palce, Circular Quay. A boutique festival if ever there was one, it takes place in urban laneways and disused spaces within the city centre. The festival itself has received rave-reviews in recent years, Pitchfork Media described it(in typical Pitchfork prose) as "Australia's most insurgent and unique pop music event".

The 2009 lineup provides many possible highlights, those on my particular hit-list include: Pivot, Architecture in Helsinki, Born Ruffians and Four Tet. All going to plan, I also hope to be in attendance for performances by Buraka Som Sistema, The Hold Steady, No Age and The Temper Trap. Girl Talk and Stereolab complete the headline roster.

The complete lineup can be inspected at the Laneway Festival site.

St Jerome's Laneway Festival takes place on Sunday 8 February 2009, 12pm-10pm. Tickets are sold out.

dOP @ LowerState - Saturday 31 January

French group dOP are LowerState's first guests of the new year. Noted as being at the cutting edge of the electronic scene due to their ability to combine a diverse range of sounds (rap, blues, free jazz, Malian kora, house, experimental pop) into "oddly stirring, funky packages".

Doors 10:30pm / €12 with support from Rory D & Audiofeen.

More info at www.lowerstate.ie

Note to Scenesters: You Need To Be This Good To Be This Cool

Straight from the "I Knew Them Before You" department comes Brooklyn duo Telepathe. Deep, dark synths and a refreshingly haphazard approach to structuring keep these guys firmly on the good side, unlike a certain other popular, dull New York duo. Although some characteristics leave them very much in line with the trend (drum machines, synths, neon face paint, and a lazily fringed, moody female vocalist), the temptation to bunch them with other (albeit quality) scenester favourites such as Crystal Castles is to genuinely court laziness - this is an original, engaging mix of dreamy electronica and punchy beats.

Their Dave 'TVOTR' Sitek-produced Dance Mother is out on IAMSOUND - home of Long Boots and Florence and The Machine - in a fortnight's time. Expect to hear it soundtrack your next visit to Urban Outfitters shortly thereafter.

www.myspace.com/telepathe

Fever Ray

Once you watch the video below it should be blindingly obvious who Karin Dreijer Andersson is. One half of The Knife, whose 2006 album Silent Shout was one of the most strikingly innovative and exciting albums of the year in electronic music, Andersson is now embarking on a solo project under the moniker Fever Ray. Her eerie enchanting voice has not changed, but if the initial release If I had a Heart is anything to do by, her style is a whole world darker than that of the Knife. As she puts it herself, it is a "stirring mantra, a boundless loop, a deep sleep spreading over fields and endless oceans. A dark evocation of hope and a demand for “more, give me more”. There you have it...

The Fever Ray album will be released in March, but is available on digital download now

Word of warning: this video is scary

Henrik Schwarz, Feb 7

Germany's Henrik Schwarz brings his jazzy techno show to town in early February, as the post-Christmas blues begin to seem like a thing of the past. Schwarz will be forever lauded on this blog for his remix of Stateless' Bloodstream, which may well be the best song ever. This is guaranteed to be a gig for all music lovers, as Schwarz is unlikely to offend anyone with anything resembling dirty dank techno, opting instead for the more uplifting jazzy style that should get us all shaking our booties.

Schwarz plays the Twisted Pepper, Middle Abbey Street, Sat Feb 7

Realisation from last year

Anybody who was at Vicar Street on November 7 will surely remember it as one the best gigs of 2008. Seattle's Fleet Foxes rolled into town and gave a stunning rendition of their eponymous debut album, full of charm, warmth and genuine talent. At one stage lead singer Robin Peckhnold came out in front of the mic and took everybody aback with the clarity and quality of his voice. He played a gorgeous solo version of a track that I am only after recognising 5 minutes ago. It was Katie Cruel by Karen Dalton, a little-known but hugely respected folk singer from the Greenwich Village scene of the 1960's.

Described here as "the best singer you've never heard of", cited as an important influence by none other than Bob Dylan, she only ever released two albums and will forever remain an enigma. Something on your mind is a particularly beautiful track in which her unique voice is obvious to all. You can listen to it here.
Sadly she never became the star her talent merited, struggling with addiction before dying homeless in 1993.

Here is Pecknold's version of Katie Cruel

Weird Grapes

Not for the first time, BTBW has been rendered utterly useless. In a brazen act of vertical disintermediation, New Jersey collective Weird Tapes have taken to posting their very own tunes on their very own blog. They're gonna be HUGE this year, so hurry on if you want to keep the oneupmanship points ticking at your next uber-hip carbon neutral organic ketamine party.

Download everything here. Nightstalking is an ever-so-kitch gem.

Girls with synths!!

It seems as if the days of skinny boys in skinnier jeans with outrageous fringes dominating the trendwaves is coming to an end. For 2009, it appears that solo ladies throwing it back to the synth-driven pop of the 80's are about to take centre stage. First disclaimer*: I actually don't think much of any of this. Some of it is catchy, but I doubt any of it will be making it onto the Small Hours, which is course the only barometer worth mentioning. Leading the charge are UK's Little Boots, LaRoux and Lady GaGa from the US. Little Boots seems to have something, with hints of Crystal Castles' crazy sounds to her music, and the electro element of a higher quality than most. Stuck on Repeat is electro-pop as it was meant to be. There are even shades of the likes of Haddaway and that crowd of 90s frommage electronique classique hidden in there. A lot of the dominant synths and her voice are very much grounded in 80's pop though. She is already lined up to play with Ting Tings and Hot Chip this year so she is clearly on the right path. LaRoux's Quicksand is a seriously catchy pop tune, which will doubtless have us all dancing like crazy this year, but it's hard to fully disassociate the music from that of Britney Spears. Lady Gaga seems to be the mouthiest of the lot, and for this will probably be the most successful, but to be honest she pisses me off. The synths here are hugely misused and abused and her vocals are just filthy for no reason. She should be stopped before she thinks she is important.

In a more indie direction, Florence and the Machine, who has already been a talking point in blogland in 2008, is also being tipped for good things this year. I include her in this post as she is a woman. And a solo artist. Even though she doesn't really use synths.

LaRoux plays the Academy 16th March
Lady GaGa plays the O2 on Feb 1st
That's Little Boots in the photo
* I thought there'd be more than one disclaimer

Morrissey

Leisureland, Galway. Wednesday 29 April 2009. One of two shows in the south during his 2009 tour, the other being in the INEC in Killlarney. Tickets here.

Passion Pit - Chunk of Change EP

Destined for big things this year, Passion Pit have been hotly tipped by just about everyone. Featuring on the longlist for the Sound of 2009, the Boston natives will not surprise many if they are named as the BBC critics choice. Their breakthrough track 'Sleepyhead' has dominated dancefloors and playlists worldwide. A catchy electro track with a punchy vocal from frontman Michael Angelakos, it was apparently written for his girlfriend as a gift. Their Chunk of Change EP offers more of an insight into what these guys can offer. Check it out for yourself at the download link below.

Tracklisting:
1. I've Got Your Number
2. Smile Upon Me
3. Cuddle Fuddle
4. Live to Tell the Tale
5. Better Things
6. Sleepyhead

http://rapidshare.com/files/172249168/PPCOF.rar

http://www.myspace.com/passionpitjams

The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules

As previously mentioned here, The Whitest Boy Alive will be releasing a new album early this year. Entitled Rules, each track is based on a different rule. Word is that the band have taken an organic approach to recording, doing it all live and not using any additional effects.

Rules is due for release on 3 March 2009 on their own Bubbles label.

Tracklisting:

01. Keep a Secret
02. Intentions
03. Courage
04. Timebomb
05. Rollercoaster Ride
06. High On The Heels
07. 1517
08. Gravity
09. Promise Less Or Do More
10. Dead End
11. Island

http://www.whitestboyalive.com/

Picks of 2008

A thoroughly enjoyable and fast-paced year in music has come to an end. Here are some of my favourite parts(in no particular order):

ALBUMS




TV on the Radio - Dear Science







Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires







Portishead - Third







M83 - Saturdays = Youth






Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes








Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago







Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid






Flying Lotus - Los Angelus







Foals - Antidotes







Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair







Jape - Ritual







Pivot - O, Soundtrack My Heart






R.S.A.G. - Organics Sampler







Shed - Shedding The Past








Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend




COMPILATIONS

Matthew Dear - Body Language Vol. 7

Luciano - Fabric 41

Cian O'Ciobhain - An Taobh Tuathail Vol. 2

Marcel Dettmann - Berghain 02

Matt Helder - Late Night Tales

Sasha - Invol2ver

GIGS

The Whitest Boy Alive @ Hordern Pavilion

Luciano @ Pulse Radio Boat Party


LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING TIME WITH

Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow and Blue

Buraka Som Sistema - Black Diamond

Deerhunter - Microcastles/Weird Era Continued

Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel

Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

Why? - Alopecia

Friends and Family