It’s not an enjoyable process, trying to nail down what you think is the best album of the decade. It’s a drawn out, tedious ordeal. Some albums had that instant, ’slap-in-the-face amazing’ effect but grew tiresome to some degree while others discreetly worked their magic. For me, the task was made harder by the fact that only in the past year did I expand my musical horizons, stumbling upon gems such as Fingers Crossed by Architecture in Helsinki and Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavillion.

In making my choice however I chose to overlook my new romances and also, eventually, discarded post-rock favourites Mogwai and Explosions in The Sky. I was left torn between two acoustic beauties; Eddie Vedder’s soundtrack to Into The Wild and For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver. Both are emotionally stirring pieces of art and appropriately short in duration so that to listen from start to end doesn’t feel a chore. The latter won in the end on the basis of the strength of each individual track, not a hint of filler here.

The album opens with the breathtaking Flume, a suitably subtle into as the simple guitar riff echoes softly before Justin Vernon’s mournful voice almost whispers, “I am my mother’s only one, it’s enough.” From this very instant the unashamedly personal nature of Vernon’s lyrics is apparent as is his powerful delivery. The impact made by Flume is carried throughout the remaining eight tracks.

My first encounter with Bon Iver came as I was flicking aimlessly through the countless music channels and I came across a sound like nothing I had heard before, The Wolves (Act I and II).  The opening notes allowed to resonate long enough to send a shiver down the spine before a chorus of voices proclaim, “someday my pain, someday my pain will mark you.” For two and a half minutes the song maintains it’s slow soulful sound before the tempo increases ever-so-slightly and the sense of building to a climax is notable as the cries of “what might have been lost” grow louder to compete with the bashing of symbols before the song exits as gently as it entered.

My selection is based purely on the music but the story behind the album is better than most and goes a long way to explaining the anguish which is tangible throughout. Vernon, in the aftermath of a break-up retreated to a log cabin in the snow to gain some perspective. He filled his days by hunting for his food, chopping firewood and allowing his inner turmoil inspire his songwriting. The initial recording was done in the cabin and even after being mastered the album retains it’s rawness. Throughout the nine tracks Vernon caresses soft guitar with high-pitched vocals dripping with emotion. I could preach about the beauty of each individual track as they all possess something different and impact in their own way but the album is best summed up by its piece de resistance, Skinny Love. I sometimes worry that so much attention is given to this track that it overshadows the other songs (I know I am a case in point) but it really is an oustanding piece of work and in my view one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed. It possess all the traits which define the album, the unique guitar sound, Vernon’s ability to vary his vocals to emphasise the emotion of the lyrics and an overall sound that makes you want to stop whatever you are doing and give your undivided attention to this wonderful music.

“if all your love is wasted, well then who the hell was I?”

If you dont agree with me you might agree with one of these;

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

Brand New – The Devil And The God Are Raging Inside Me

Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinoise

Bloc Party – Silent Alarm

At The Drive In – Relationship Of Command

The Libertines – Up the Bracket

I’m so excited for the annual Bad Sex Awards put out the Literary Review. The nominated passages included famous and non-famous writers.  (See contending passages here) My favorite previous contender was Zadie Smith’s deliberately awful sex scene on On Beauty. Leaves with that “Urgh, I wanted this to happen?” aftertaste.

I think the biggest crime I’ve seen in these passages are the strong vein over-thinking, the sense of, “yes, I did do the reading and, in fact, decided to regurgitate it here!” That’s not the place for it! Nobody feels like a friggin’ seismograph during sex. It’s nice that you saw a seismograph in that museum, but it has no place during this moment in your novel.

Maybe it’s one of the side-effects of academia’s increasing shadow over the world of novel writing. Or it’s just an aesthetic misfortune in general human thinking in the too-much-information age. We learn all these fun things and stuff them into our stories. Fair enough. But if you can recognize your weakness and curb it, please do so.

The Philip Roth entry is pretty bad, but from what I can tell from the synopsis of The Humbling, the entire book seems like it could’ve been up for this contest. However the entries from Richard Milward and Paul Theroux give it some stiff competition turgid competition throbbing competition pulsating… uh, they might win.

God, the word choice in some of these just makes me want to heave.

I’ve had to write sex scenes before, and I never like doing it because I’m so afraid that it’ll turn out like these. I think the best think to do is a. try not to compare sex to something really far-fetched b. firmly decide whether the reader should be attracted or repulsed/ strategically map out how to do this and  c. try not be clever. (Don’t believe the movies, no one’s clever in bed…if everything’s going properly.)

Fumble by Architecture in Helsinki

We the Indie Music fans of the world have a duty.  The world we’re leaving for our children is in terrible peril! While the media has pumped us full of Save he Whales, Save the O-Zone, and Save the world from the likes of John and Kate, there is a much more threatening evil on our doorstep.

Yes Indie Citizens…I’m talking about carbon copy, teeny-bop, pop.

I’m talking about the Jonas Brothers. I’m talking about Hannah Montana…or Miley Cyrus…or Hannah Montana…oh whatever. I’m talking about The Cheetah Girls! Yes. It’s horrible. And it’s threatening to lead our children down the path of musical starvation, turning them into Star whatever point whatever and KIIS FM  zombies who won’t know the difference between a good song and a radio jingle!

In the same way that my father saved me from Debbie Gibson, Maddonna, Tiffany, Milli Vanilli, and Vanilla Ice with the Beatles…I believe we should all fight the mainstream music maleficence take and introduce our kids to good music. Music that doesn’t feature just 3 power chords. Music that doesn’t feature “jaded” in the lyrics . Yes, music that doesn’t suck.

Let me help get you started. Here are some songs that have gone over like the Berlin Wall on my kids:

• Mates of State – My Only Offer. My kids love this song. EVERY one of them, ranging from 8 years old to 4, even the 6 month old likes it.
• Architecture in Helsinki: That Beep: This song has been so requested at our house that I’ve almost had to hide the CD.
• Of Montreal: Brush, Brush, Brush. Ok, I don’t care that this song is off the soundtrack for the weirdest kids show on TV. Yo Gabba Gabba has the Teletubbies and Poobah beat for psychotic mental trip, and truth be told, I really can’t stomache the show, but this song is cool. And Of Montreal is one of the indie-est Indie bands on the planet.
• They Might Be Giants. (see video below). You can pick just about anything from John and John. Their music is fun and wacky, and they even do kid music. I’ve actually been listening to their kid stuff for years with my kids, and let me tell you: they sure beat Raffi! In fact, you don’t even have to buy a CD to get your kids started. Go right over to Itunes and subscribe to the Friday Night Family Podcast (or click here to watch it in “syndicate”). Other great TMBG hits your kids will love: “Experimental Film,” “The Mesopotamians,” “Man It’s So Loud in Here,” and even the classic “Birdhouse in Your Soul”. Below is a ditty from their new Kiddie Album.

• Rodrigo and Gabriela – Diablo Rojo. Pretty much anything by this duo will make your kids dance.

• Robert Bobbert / Apples in Stereo – We Are Superheroes. You can count on just about anything from Apples in Stereo. Robert Bobbert is the lead singer and has done his own stuff (like the link above).

• Dan Zane and Friends – Hello. Ok, this guy really IS a kiddie musician, but this song was featured in a recent Coke Ad, and it’s very cool. (sorry, no download link).
• Dogs Die in Hot Cars – Godhopping. Just a cool song all around. Fast paced, and it talks about children in poor countries…so bonus points for teaching kids social responsibility.
• 8 1/2 Souvenirs – Happy Feet. This is a great swing outfit. Their stuff is…well…happy.
• Forro in the Dark – Asa Branca (Featuring David Byrne). Brillian brazilian beats. Used to be a legit free download on music.download.com, I’m sure it still is somewhere.
• Guster – Amsterdam. Pretty much anything of this album (Let’s Keep it Together), is great. In fact, I think this album is one of the best (if not THE best) indie albums of all time. Yes. I just said that.
• Oingo Boingo – We Close Our Eyes. Come on, it’s Halloween. I had to include something from Boingo.

the cemetery-architecture in helsinki-in case we die-2005

cinder and smoke-iron and wine-our endless numbered days-2004

chicago-sufjan stevens-illinoise-2005

dancing behind my eyelids-mum-go go smear the poison ivy-2007

dorothy parker blue-the real tuesday weld-the london book of the dead-2008

don’t ask-grizzly bear-horn of plenty-2005

float on-modest mouse-good news for people who love bad news-2004

first of the gang to die-morrissey,you are the quarry-2004

fire eye’d boy-broken social scene-2005

grumpus-lambchop-nixon-2000

The following is a list of the ten albums that I feel, are the best releases in the last 10 years.  None of the decisions were made based on critical acclaim but merely on what I think are the most progressive and meaningful albums from 2000 to the present.  Every band is trying to do something different with their music and the following are examples of success in that goal.  Every one of these has a quality or style that is purely unique and influential.

10: TV On The Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain (2006 – 4AD, Interscope)

While Return to Cookie Mountain is not the most recent release by the band it is certainly the most notable.  On this album billows of drum and guitar sound accompany a very vocal-based album that is melodic and sing-able at times and merely a wall of sound at others.  The band, which operates out of Brooklyn, has created a name for itself in its unique genre-less compositions similar only to that of Radiohead and top 40 radio in Mars.

Notable tracks:

03. Province (this track features David Bowie on backing vocals)

06. A Method

9: Akron/Family – Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free (2009 – Dead Oceans)

While everything on the album is recognizably Akron/Family, the album spans genres inexplicably.  Starting in a bit of a dirty blues-rock feel and moving through electronic tracks and folk concoctions, the band even hits on some borderline scream punk just to say they did it.  Often, transitions between acoustic and more electronically derived tracks are rough and uncomfortable but this Frankenstein of an album dances gracefully the entire time.  The band, from New York City, remains relatively undiscovered but they ought to be.  Akron/Family has a lot to add to the musical scene and effectively captures the style that many bands strive for.

Notable tracks:

01. Everyone Is Guilty

03. Creatures

07. Many Ghosts

8: The xx – xx (2009 – Young Turks)

The xx is amazingly simple but still a sound that’s very rarely made.  The London quartet functions with two vocalists in what seems like a dialogue relationship.  Overall, nearly every song has a calm intensity to it that satisfies repeatedly.  xx is greatly successful for the group’s first release so releases in the future will surely be under radar.

Notable Tracks:

03. Crystalized

07. Shelter

7: The Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004 – Merge)

I don’t know what to call The Arcade Fire’s but after I saw a concert on the Neon Bible Tour I was convinced that they were the house band from Eli Sunday’s church in There Will Be Blood. Apparently, living in Haiti leaves you pretty oblivious to American culture and the way music is being made over here because The Arcade Fire has created in Funeral an experience that is completely different than anything…ever.  There is a very eerie vibe surrounding the album and a deep emotion that lies within it.

Notable Tracks:

04. Neighborhood 3 (Power Out)

06. Crown of Love

07. Wake Up

6: Why? – Alopecia (2008 – Anticon)

Lead singer Yoni Wolf’s music is disturbingly honest but for some strange reason that is what keeps you coming back for more. Alopecia says everything you’ve wanted to say but haven’t had the guts.  It’s Jewish hip-hop that in all the ways Matisyahu is not.  Whereas most hip-hop is about the ego, Alopecia is about life.  These are stories of bad decisions, failures, and missed opportunities and they are all presented in very honest and effective ways.

Notable Tracks:

02. Good Friday

08. The Fall of Mr. Fifths

10. A Sky for Shoeing Horses Under

5: The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love (2009 – Capitol)

With the bands fifth release, The Decemberists delve even deeper into the story-telling style that they are known for.  On this album every track flows seamlessly to the other and themes come and go throughout the duration of the album representing the stories that are interwoven inside it.  The band draws on its resources for The Hazards of Love as Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, Becky Starke of Lavender Diamond, and Jim James of My Morning Jacket are all brought in to play various characters in the stories and provide vocals for the album.  The Hazards of Love is a seamless blend of music steeped in an ancient troubadour tradition and converted by modern themes and musical styles into what can best be described as a musical.

Notable Tracks:

03. A Bower Scene

08. The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid

10. The Rake’s Song

4: Architecture in Helsinki – Places Like This (2007 – Polyvinyl)

This album is beautifully fucking crazy.  Enough said.

Notable Tracks:

02. Heart It Races

03. Hold Music

08. Lazy (Lazy)

3: Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake Its Morning (2005 – Saddle Creek)

When Conor Oberst double released Digital Ash In A Digital Urn and I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning in 2005 he had officially divided his music in two.  Previous albums, which had mixed darker and more electronically-derived tracks like “Lover I Don’t Have to Love” with folk tunes like “Bowl of Oranges” had given birth to both a pair of very different-looking twins.  While Digital Ash was ill-recieved, I’m Wide Awake its Morning broke into an entirely different well of musical possibilities.  Not only did this album influence every Bright Eyes release since, it also spawned tons of followers in what is now “indie-folk”. Conor Oberst is the Bob Dylan of his time.

Notable Tracks:

04. Lua

06. First Day of My Life

10. Road To Joy

2: Radiohead – Kid A (2000 – Parlophone, Capitol)

Kid A marks the transformation of Radiohead from a band to a soulless fucking robot.  Fortunately it is the soulless fucking robot that people prefer.  Its amazing that an album as experimental as this one achieved as much success as it did but even though Kid A debuted without a single or music video, it was able to draw itself enough attention to go platinum in a week.  You know the rest.

Notable Tracks:

01. Everything In Its Right Place

03. The National Anthem

08. Idiotheque

1: Department of Eagles – In Ear Park (2008 – 4AD)

You may not have expected this one but I have a strong faith that, although very undiscovered In Ear Park is the greatest album that has been released all decade.  There is a huge difference between bands that record songs and bands that record art.  In Ear Park is not about chords and progressions but about what the music does when it gets inside your head.  While Department of Eagles consists of just Daniel Rossen (also known for work in the band Grizzly Bear) and Fred Nicolaus, this particular album was scored on a huge scale.  Starting out from the very beginning with a pretty simple guitar melody the album soon erupts into a very symphonic experience that will make your hairs stand on end.

Notable Tracks:

01. In Ear Park

03. Phantom Other

07. Classical Records

In occasione dell’uscita di “Nel paese delle creature selvagge” di Spike Jonze (dal 16 ottobre nelle sale americane e presto anche in Italia), quei genietti di Kitsune Noir hanno ben pensato di fare uscire una compilation scaricabile gratuitamente dal web che racchiude una miscellanea delle band più interessanti degli ultimi tempi nel panorama indie/alternative, come Animal Collective, Architecture In Helsinki, Peter Bjorn And John e molti altri…

Non si tratta ovviamente della colonna sonora del film, che sarà tutta ad opera di Karen O degli Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, ma di una selezione di brani “ispirata”, interessante e, soprattutto, gratuita!

Andate qui per il download

kitsunenoir.com

Daha önce Lykke Li ve El Perro Del Mar’ın San Francisco sokaklarındaki performansını müzik defterine koymuştum. Ama blogotheque ekibini çok da araştırmamıştım. Ama bugün sitelerinde girdiğimde ve birkaç röportajlarını okuduğumda aslında ne kadar mükemmel bir proje olduğunu fark ettim..

Paris’te yaşayan bu guerilla ekip, müzik ve filmi sokaklarda, değişik mekanlarda bir araya getiriyorlar. Take Away Shows adı altında çektikleri bu canlı performansların özelliği farklı mekanlarda, spontane olmaları. Seçtikleri isimler de, çektikleri mekanlar da çok etkileyici! Bir asansörün içinde Arcade Fire, bir gitar dükkanının içinde Eric Truffaz, Teksas sokaklarında bir kamyonetin arkasında Jose Gonzales, nehrin ortasında bir teknede French Cowboys, kocaman bir mutfakta Efterklang, hareket halindeki bir minibüsün içinde Vampire Weekend, tuvalette Grizzly Bear veya süpermarkette Bowerbirds performansı izlemeyi kim istemez?

Fikir ortaya şöyle çıkmış.. Proje sahipleri Moon ve Chryde, Arcade Fire’ın Paris’teki konserinde sahneden inip herkesle birlikte sokağa çıkmasından ve performansını sokakta sergilemesinden çok etkilenmişler. “Aslında hepimizin müzikten istediği bu” diye düşünüp, Blogotheque’i, 2006 yılında kurmuşlar. 

“La blogotheque presente un concert a emporter” ibaresiyle açılıyor tüm video’lar. Ve her videonun çekim hikayesini okuyabiliyorsunuz site üzerinden..

Take away show’ların birkaçından bahsedeyim…

Yo La Tengo - Sokaklarda çocuklar eşliğinde With a girl like You, tek kelimeyle muhteşem bir performans (ekip de onları best of the best olarak ifade ediyor)

Eric Truffaz - Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner’ parçasının performansını bir gitar dükkanının içinde gerçekleştiriyor.

My Brightest Diamond - büyüleyici bir performans; ormanda ağaçların arasında yalnızda ksilofon eşliğinde bir Disappear performansı veya New York’ta suyun ortasında L’Hymne A L’Amour seslendirişi izlemeye değer.

Sebastian Tellier - Şahane! Belfort’ta gece nehirde bir iskelede, ateşlerin arasında eğlenceli bir performans.

Animal Collective - Alışveriş arabaları ve kukalarla Animal Collective’e yakışır bir performans.

Patrick Watson - Ekibiyle birlikte cadde üzerinde bir camekanın içinde veya metroda veya gece sokaklarda etkileyici performanslarını sergiliyor.

Architecture in Helsinki - gümbür gümbür bir şov. Heart it Races’ı apartman pencerelerinden sokağa bağırarak seslendiriyorlar. Sadece biraz daha iyi çekilebilirdi sanki..

Fleet Foxes - Armonilerini en güzel yankıyı veren Grand Palais’de sergiliyorlar.

Jose Gonzales - Teksas sokaklarında, hareket halindeki bir kamyonetin arkasında Hints’i seslendiriyor

Sigur Ros - La Closerie des Lilas’nın içinde Vid Spilum Endalaust performansı çok keyifli.

French Cowboys - ‘A Sall Away Show’ bu kez.. Nehrin ortasında bir teknede çok keyifli bir performans.

Vampire Weekend - Otoparkta Kids Don’t Stand A Chance performansı veya hareket halindeki bir minibüsün içinde Mansard Roof seslendirişler çok keyifli.

Beirut - Paris sokaklarında kalabalık orkestrasıyla kur dolu performansı çok güzel.

Arcade Fire - Bir asansörün içinde Neon Bible seslendiriyor. Mutlaka izlenmeli.

Efterklang - Grafitilerle dolu duvarların arasında, merdivenlerde Mirador performansı veya Bottom of the Hill mutfağında Echo Wave performansı çok güzel.

Lykke Li ve El Perro Del Mar - San Francisco sokaklarında After Laughter, Dance Dance Dance ve Somebodys Baby düetlerini yapıyorlar.

Grizzly Bear – Küçücük bir tuvalette Shift’i seslendiriyor veya Paris sokaklarında yürüyen bir a capella korosu olarak The Knife’ı söylüyorlar.

Tom Jones – Otel odasında We Got Love, If We Should Ever Leave You, Green Green Grass of Home parçalarını seslendiriyor.

Bloc Party – Bar kapısının önünde This Modern Love’ın akustik performansını sergiliyor.

Stephen Malkmus - Kapanmış bir barın içinde, ters çevrilmiş sandalyelerin arasında We Can’t Help You seslendiriyor.

St Vincent – Çatı katı bir odada yatağın içerisinde Marry Me parçasını seslendiriyor.

Xiu Xiu – şişeler, kutular ve bilimum aparatlarla değişik bir Improvisation performansı gerçekleştiriyor.

Bu yazdıkların sanırım sitede bulunan performansların sadece 4′te biri.. Diğerlerini bizzat vatanında görmek üzere buraya tıklayın..

Favori videolarımı eklemek istiyorum ama liste çok uzar. O yüzden sadece birkaçını aşağıda ekliyorum, izlemenizi şiddetle öneriyorum. Yakında dvd de basarlar herhalde.. Basarlarsa her müzik severin koleksiyonuna gireceğinden eminim! Peki ben Blogotheque olsam kimi nerede çekmek isterdim acaba? Bunu bir düşüneyim…….. 

Click here to Download FREE MP3!

This weeks playlists at Rate My Playlist feature songs with hand claps in them.  It’s good.  Download it and enjoy!

Click here to download the FREE MP3!!

Handclaps are awesome…handclaps in songs are just downright delightful.  Check out and download our Playlists this week.  We present our favorite songs that feature our beloved natural instrument.  Hope you enjoy!

Sunshine music for a grey day, The Very Best is a collaboration between Malawian drummer Essau Mwamwaya and Radio Clit, formed after a chance meeting in Essau’s Clapton furniture shop.. so pretty much a local band for me!

This track is a version of AUstralian band Architecture in Helsinki’s “Heart It Races”, which is equally brilliant:

Global Music from round the corner!

Pyramid Rock

Not Hard Enough

For the sixth year in a row, the Pyramid Rock Festival returns to Victoria to bring in the New Year, from the 29^th of December 2009 until the 1^st of January 2010.

Set on a private coastal farm in Phillip Island, roughly two hours drive from Melbourne; Pyramid Rock is a camping music festival that caters for over 12,000 festival-goers from across Australia and will be showcasing over 50 musical acts, including Empire of the Sun, Van She, Architecture in Helsinki and Grinspoon.

The festival is an all ages event. Property is searched for alcohol, glass bottles, fireworks, flares and dangerous weapons. Alcohol is to be purchased and consumed in the designated licensed area only. According to the terms and conditions of entry, breach of these conditions ‘may’ lead to the confiscation of such offending articles and the removal of the patron from the venue.

It is hard to take these terms and conditions seriously when year after year thousands of patrons manage to smuggle copious amounts of alcohol into the event. Nathan Llewellyn, a 21year old apprentice electrician, who has attended the event for the past 4 years said it is easy to get alcohol into the festival because the people searching the cars are of similar age and can relate to everyone. “If you are nice and just talk to them they don’t really care, they are just people doing it for a free ticket,” he said.

“We didn’t even get checked last year, we just drove through one of the isles that no one was checking, so everyone got heaps of piss in,” Llewellyn said.

“The year before that, we bought a blue 78’ Gemini station wagon for 500 dollars just for the trip, then cut a hole in a fake LPG gas cylinder and filled it with grog.

“The girl searching the car even said to me ‘Give me a couple and I can say that you have given up all your grog.”

A regular volunteer at music festivals Claire Warden said the checks are done fairly briefly over the cars and people are asked if they have alcohol. “There are random thorough checks done,” Claire said.

“ There are no real consequences for us if we let someone through with alcohol because there is no real way of detecting that, ” she said.

“They just have to have faith that you are doing your job properly.”

Claire said a lot of the time many people just don’t hide their alcohol very well, therefore it is easy to confiscate it.

Bass Coast Shire Council Planning Department Manager Antony Duffel said he was not aware that a large amount of alcohol was getting into the festival. “The last festival was regarded as one of the best,” Mr. Duffel said.

“There were not as many complaints about various issues such as over consumption of alcohol,” he said.

“From a council point of view I think the organisers have done a good job.”

Festival Director Angus Cameron started the Pyramid Rock Festival in 2004 as a reaction to the massive party crowds that flock to Phillip Island every year to bring in the New Year. The main street        CLICK FOR PHOTO ALBUM in Cowes on New Years Eve used to be out of control; there was heaps of violence and lots of drunken bored teenagers trying to make their own entertainment.

Inspector Brian Curley of the Bass Coast Service Area said the Police supported the go ahead of the festival because it could be managed by paid security and promoted less of an impact on the Police and the community. “It is more open, well lit and secure,” Inspector Curley said.

“In terms of drugs and alcohol, we are not saying it is better to take it there more than in town, however it is easier to manage in a controlled environment,” he said.

“In town there are lane ways and dark streets.”

Currently people who get their alcohol confiscated are still allowed into the festival. Inspector Curley said the organisers should put in place some sort of penalty.

“There is not much of a deterrent,” Inspector Curley said.

“ People will just buy less to offset the risk.

“If it gets taken then it is just a loss of 40 dollars and they still get to go into the festival.”

Victoria University student Mitch Yeats said he wouldn’t go if there was the possibility that he wouldn’t be allowed into the festival. “ It would ruin it…it would be so much more expensive if we had to buy alcohol there,” Yeats said.

“ It wouldn’t have the same relaxed atmosphere,” he said.

“We go so we can sit around and drink with our friends at our campsites, when there are bad bands on and nothing to do.

“A whole part of the experience is sneaking in the alcohol and deciding a way to smuggle it in.”

The Festival Song by Pez, filmed at The Pyramid Rock Festival 08/09

View Larger Map

The Very Best’s debut album Warm Heart of Africa has just been released on Green Owl records. Dynamic production brothers Radioclit and singer Esau Mwamwaya combine to bring you an exhilarating and constantly surprising selection of pop, dance, afro and indie tracks collaborating with artists such as M.I.A. and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.

Album’s like this aren’t usually on my agenda, and this blended genre isn’t something that i normally enjoy as much as others, but the unique and colourful remixes that are produced i can always look forward to. Afro-Indie can be a minority so when artists such as Architecture in Helsinki come and add their spices and herbs, it creeps further towards pop and the mainstream for all to love.

Touring their album now available on iTunes or Amazon via Green Owl Records

A favourite of mine for you,

mp3: The Very Best – Warm Heart of Africa (Architecture in Helsinki Remix)

This mashup of architecture in helsinki and the very best is just happy happy joy joy. And the video doesn’t miss a beat. Enjoy:

do a little kamphopo dancing this weekend.

Think pink tulips and sparkling white wine. Think flowing summer dresses and wide-brimmed hats. Think sugar and chocolate and coffee and cream. Such was my Saturday afternoon, spent with some truly wonderful women.

What we were eating:

• savoury canapes – two fillings: (1) smoked salmon, (2) chevre, semi-dried tomato & oven-dried sage;
• a cheese plate of sorts – chicken liver and green peppercorn pate, Mersey Valley pickled onion cheddar, plum jam and green olives from the Mondo Markets, plain crostini;
• sweet canapes – three fillings: (1) mandarin, cointreau & ganache, (2) ganache & choc-coated coffee bean, (3) cheesecake & rose pashmak;
• pink cupcakes – courtesy of N.

What we were drinking: Grant Burge sparkling, Three Kings sauvignon blanc.

What we were listening to: seu jorge, Architecture in Helsinki.

What we were hoping: that the afternoon would never end.

G’day pop fans!  Welcome to Vol. 4 of PopBRiefs, we kick off as per usual with…

Headliners

NEW YORKE, NEW YORKE 

Great news for Radiohead fans, with frontman Thom Yorke revealing on the Radiohead blog that he’s working with Red Hot Chilli Peppers bassist Flea (amongst others) on developing his solo work from The Eraser.

Yorke released two new songs this month and has also contributed a track called ‘Hearing Damage’ to the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack.  I bet that will be a sunny little pop tune!  Vampires + Radiohead = DARK.

WINEHOUSE ‘GOTTA HAVE FAITH’

Amy Winehouse is to fly a faith healer to the UK in a bid to help her overcome her addictions. Winehouse met Peter Hippolyte while holidaying in the Caribbean earlier this year, and he explained his ‘method’ to UK’s Heat Magazine:

“We hug each other and I put my hands on her shoulder. I tell her not to worry and we sing to each other.

When I come to the UK, I will use my hands to help heal her and use my psychological healing to organise her mind. We will say prayers together and she will drink bush tea with antioxidants”.

That should do the trick then…

LADY GAGA AT THE BITTER END 

Sadly, not at the bitter end of her career (although her “Fame Kills” tour with Kanye West has been cancelled), but early-2006 footage of Lady Gaga performing as the Stefani Germonatta Band has popped up on YouTube.

Not surprisingly, the song is called ‘Hollywood’, showing that the obsession started early! And finally…

AC/DC TOUR ON (BLACK) ICE

News from the NME that AC/DC have postponed six dates on their current US tour, as frontman Brian Johnson recovers from medical procedure.  According to AC/DC’s official website  they’ve cancelled shows from Phoenix to Milwaukee.

The inside news is that it is just removal of excess gravel that has built up in the throat, and that he’ll be no worries for the Australian tour!

Cover story

Eddie Mack - Cover Story

This week’s Cover Story  is just plain dodgy.  The album is Eddie Mack, recorded ‘Live at the Open Face Sandwich Club’.  Most of the open faces would have been the dropped jaws in the crowd, for anyone sat directly in front of the smiling entertainer.

Presumably the young lady is sitting on the piano to hold the sheet music for Eddie. I’m also presuming ‘Brown-Eyed Girl’ was on his playlist!

Well done Eddie, a touch of class.

Bad ink

Mr. Tees?

‘I pity the fool!’ who is the subject of this week’s Bad Ink shot.  It looks like they have dressed Mr. T in Crocs, and decided to rename him ‘Mr Tees’. 

This sort of artwork would usually win you third prize in a primary school art contest, but today it wins this week’s ‘Worst Tattoo In The World’ award.

This guy really deserves to go down in a hail of Snickers…

Do Yourselves A Favour

Single Of The Week this time around comes from those indie kids Architecture in Helsinki, authors of the funky release ‘That Beep’ which reached 28 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 this year.

The single selected is ‘Like It Or Not’ off the 2007 album ‘Places Like This’. The album is chock full of great tunes, and definitely worth a listen – great clip too.

Do Yourselves A Favour!

Waazzaaa! Tubesteak is coming at you with fresh jams from his new Hotlanta studio. After checking some of the previous podcast jams, Tube sensed some complacency — which was hopefully avoided in volume eight of our podcast. Included is some serious rock as well as some mellow pieces — all of which lean to the more avant-garde side.

Click here to listen to and download the Decent Community Podcast.

You should know that this podcast is more exploratory and probably contains some unfamiliar jams — but therein lies the premise! It’s like getting fresh vegetables from your local farm stand, instead of going to the big ole chain supermarche’ (french for supermarket). Give it a listen — I’ll bet cash you’re feeling these tracks!

pra cantar, e rodopiar…e dançar e…todos arrrrr!!!

Para quem não conhece, isso sim é Indie Pop.

Faixas do álbum:

1. Paragraph I: Hibernation

2. High in Your Saddle

3. Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town

4. Eyelashes

5. Spanish Bride

6. Musical Chairs

7. Lovely Shoulders

8. A Call to Your Arms

9. Ghosts Have the Best Time

10. We’ve Got the Face of the Earth

11. The Jaguar

12. Signing Off (We’re Almost Not Even Here) Part I

LINK – This Vital Chapter

Parece com? Architecture in Helsinki.

Clipe da música Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town.

Enjoy o/

Okay so those crazy Brazilians BONDE DO ROLÊ are back…kinda. They’re still making an album with their buddies, including DJ Chernobyl, Diplo, Boys Noize, and Switch. But they had time to kick out a pretty samba-sounding track, which is such a Beastie Boys-style move, but sounds a little like Architecture In Helsinki or something, quite amusingly. I put a little something extra too, as I remembered loving the Gotan Project original, and Bonde do Rolê’s buddy Edu K mashing it like potatoes a while back:

“Sarita” – Bonde do Rolê (zshare)

BONUS: “Mi Confesión” (Edu K Remix) - Gotan Project (zshare)

Remember these guys? Good old Bonde do Rolê, running around the place like a bunch of hyperactive toddlers making a load of noise and babbling on about releasing the chickens? What ever happened to them, eh?

Since she left the band, ex-lead singer Marina seems to have been releasing a record about once a month with a lengthy list of collaborators including Architecture in Helsinki, Radioclit, Metronomy aand Soko. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew have disappeared from view.

Until…

wait for it…

NOW!

The Bonde are very definitely back,  but their self-described ‘DJ-Marlboro-on-acid’ sound is no more. Oddly enough, new single Sarita kicks off as a laid-back samba groove before going…well, just weird, really. It’s hard to describe, so have a listen for yourself: 

What all this has to do with a forthcoming film about transexual sambistas in the Tavares Bastos favela is beyond me, but be sure to head on over to IM//UR for the full skinny. Whatever’s going on, all that matters is that the Bonde are back, and music’s about to get wonderfully stupid once again.

Casiokids! Casiokids! Casiokids!

Who are they? Okay so these guys are on Moshi Moshi records (Hot Chip, Friendly Fires, Lykke Li, Architecture in Helsinki, Matt And Kim) so they’re legit and fun, but other than that all I know is that they’re from Norway, and they like big paper mache heads (see video below)?

Sounds like? Well they are kind of what I expect a collaboration between Hot Chip and the lead singer of Sigur Ros to sound like…yeah… haunting discopop? I’m not sure if that’s the best explanation but it’s all ive got. Think music that would fit on a playlist with The Knife, Empire of the Sun…Hot Chip

So basically i dont know much about them, but i totally dig this track…

Buy the 7″ here!

Oh man Norway, yes.

Who wants to go on a hot air balloon ride with me?

Es un conjunto musical de Indie pop-avant-garde australiano. El grupo está integrado por: Cameron Bird, James Cecil, Gus Franklin, Isobel Knowles, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, Tara Shackell, y Kellie Sutherland.

Se caracteriza por una gran variedad de sonidos, obtenidos a través de medios electrónicos y por la experimentación con gran cantidad de instrumentos, incluyendo instrumentos de viento-metal, flautas, sintetizadores analógicos, samplers, un glockenspiel (también conocido com Lira), una tuba, un clarinete, un trombón, trompetas e instrumentos más frecuentes como batería, guitarra y bajo. Su último album, In Case We Die (2005) fue grabado con 41 instrumentos.

Architecture In Helsinki comenzó a tocar alrededor del año 2000, tocando frecuentemente en multiples giras nacionales y algunas internacionales. Han girado por EEUU con bandas como Death Cab for Cutie y Clap Your Hands Say Yeah y abierto shows para artistas como David Byrne, The Polyphonic Spree, Yo La Tengo y Belle & Sebastian.

Myspace