I don’t believe in the X Factor, the programme, or the definition of someone having said X Factor. The X Factor is so much more difficult to define than a teenager with a wacky haircut and the latest warble to be deemed fashionable by multi-millionaires with a heartfelt passion for a certain part of the music business (that being the business part!)

 I read an interesting article about getting a thousand loyal fans in order to make your musical career sustainable. May not seem like a lot of people but it really is. If you play to 100 people in a night, I reckon 10% will take an interest/compliment you/want to know more. Of those 10, probably 10% will take it further. Therefore, if my maths serve, 1000 gigs will get you 1000 fans, if you’re lucky and work like a lunatic.

But if you’re a teenage desperate who has made it to the big X Factor shows, it’s all there. You do passable, sometimes terrible, occasionally great versions of karaoke favourites, thus appealing to the watching masses music-wise. You’ve already bypassed the need to connect socially with prospective fans via the internet or by other means because your emotional rise to the top has been documented in the series, plus you’ll be splattered all over the tabloids so everyone already feels a connection with you. If you win your CD makes it into the record shop and onto the interweb thanks to the all powerful machine backing you up. If you’re a runner up there’s still a chance your album will make it onto the supermarket shelves. I now browse the CD section and see completely unfamiliar faces next to Michael Jackson and the Kings of Leon with inspiring album titles like ‘This Time’ and ‘Believe’ with one new formulaic song and 10 cover versions. It’s a brilliant setup – genius! It totalIy bypasses the uncertainty of where your next fan is coming from. I’m not belittling the people who make it to the finals – it is immensely hard work performing in any way. I also applaud the makers and the panel for creating something that draws people in, gets the whole nation debating and on the edge of their seats and makes them lots of money whilst bringing some young hopeful’s dream to fruition for a month or two.

 The only problem I have with this fruitful setup is with the other side of the music business – the music side. I briefly saw a panel show, Xtra Factor or something and Joss Stone was commenting about the programme being all about the singing. It’s not. It’s about drama. It’s about ‘is Cheryl going to cry this week?’; ‘is Louis going to walk out again?’; ‘is one of the contestants going to swing for Cowell?’ The panel are the only real celebrities on the show, the only famous ones, and probably the only ones with the X Factor – in their case the X Factor being their ‘Panel Personality Traits’. Oh, and Dermot (lovely, lovely Dermot.) And it’s the drama of the contestant’s struggle, how they have progressed in just 6 short weeks, caterpillar to butterfly, what they had to go through or sacrifice to reach the final – who needs Eastenders? But it’s not about music. It’s not about a song you can listen to for 20 years and still love passionately. It’s not about a band that you grow with and love more every time you see them live, watch a video, find out they are lovely as well as brilliant. If you want music, watch Later…With Jools Holland – a programme I always, and I mean always, love when I see it because of it’s diversity and for it’s unashamed love of just watching people performing.

The X Factor is great television. And what, I hear you cry, has it done for music? Well, the X Factor is great television. 

The point of this rant? The next time someone says, ‘you’re a musician? Why don’t you go on X Factor?’, I shall perhaps reply, ‘because I’m a musician’ or I shall perhaps direct them to this post.

And to you, the X Factor viewer. Do me a favour, instead of watching it next week, try one or all of these ACTUAL MUSICIANS instead. You don’t have to go out to find them (links included) but you do have to put more effort in than just sitting with the remote and a bag of Maltesers (mmmmmm, Maltesers, sounds good!) 

 Here’s 13 bands/singers and their links that I have discovered on my travels that I love or find interesting and think you should try discovering too:

Josh Rouse

http://www.myspace.com/joshrouse

Gemma Hayes

http://www.myspace.com/gemmahayes

Sad Day For Puppets

http://www.myspace.com/saddayforpuppets

Hope & Social

http://www.hopeandsocial.com/

Sketches

http://www.myspace.com/sketchesband

Bell X1

http://www.bellx1.com/

Dave Thorne

http://www.myspace.com/thedavethorne

Matt Costa

http://www.mattcosta.com/home

Ahmond

http://www.myspace.com/ahmondband

Bent

http://www.bent-world.com/site2/home/

Angus & Julia Stone

http://www.angusandjuliastone.com/a_book_like_this/index.htm

The Swell Season

http://www.myspace.com/theswellseason

The Milk And Honey Band

http://www.myspace.com/themilkandhoneyband

Photo thanks to Diana Broeders

As we walked into Het Paard last night it was practically empty. Are these the only 12 people that got tickets for the concert we wondered? By the time support act The Postmarks started playing we might have made it to 20. They played a suitably sullen few songs until for some reason the lead singer cheered up and the band made us all come closer to fill in the big awkward gap. Much better.

By the time Bell X1 took the stage the room had just about enough people in it to not be embarassing. Thankfully, what we lacked in numbers we made up for in enthusiasm. There was a warm reception for all the songs, particularly from a small but noticeable Irish delegation of ladies. The band played a diverse setlist, making sure to play their better known material such as Flame, Bad Skin Day, Rocky Took a Lover and of course their modest Talking Heads soundalike hit The Great Defector. Even the song that first brought the band to my attention: Eve the Apple of my Eye.

I went to this show because friend and Bell X1 advocate CoR invited me. I know and like a few of their songs, but was never properly grabbed by the Bell X-bug. I would have to say that this remains the same after the concert. In a way that’s odd, because I can’t fault the band. Paul Noonan has a good voice and puts his soul into his performance, the band is solid and their songs are decent. Maybe it’s a classic case of “It’s not you, it’s me” for me and these Dublin boys.

I really enjoyed the show all the same. The intimate setting was a nice change from some of the overcrowded sardine tin concerts I’ve recently been to. Highligts for me were the frenzied performance of Tongue, and Noonan’s very impressive attempts to speak Dutch! Hoofd, schouders, knie en teen!

Ik zever nog maar even door over muziek. Want ik heb nog wat concertjes staan deze maand. En verder toch geen zak te melden. Weet u trouwens wat verbazingwekkend is? Dat WordPress wel de optie biedt om audio te plaatsen, maar dat de bestandtypen die je daarvoor kunt gebruiken geen van allen audiotypen zijn. Typisch, nicht? U zult het dus weer met joetjoepjes moeten doen. Bijvoorbeeld van het altijd wonderschone I am Kloot, waar ik woensdag heen ga. Over deze band hoef ik intussen volgens mij niks meer uit te leggen, daar heb ik al genoeg over gezegd. Liefhebbers kunnen overigens nog mee, het is nog niet uitverkocht!

Bij het dubben over of ik al dan niet nog een passepartout ga halen voor het Le Guess Who? festival in Utrecht eind november, stuitte ik op een ander pareltje: Patrick Watson. Deze eigenaardige Canadees met een groot gevoel voor filmische sferen komt namelijk speciaal voor dat festival weer even langs. Ik trok zijn album Close to Paradise weer even uit de kast waar onder andere dit fijne nummer op staat:

Ook hier zijn nog kaartjes voor verkrijgbaar (ook voor het losse optreden), dus schroom niet en ga gezellig mee! Wat wel is uitverkocht is deze act:

Maar als u heel lief bent mag u op mijn tweede ticket mee. Want laten we eerlijk zijn. Snoop is niet mijn eerste keus als het om muziek gaat. Hij staat niet eens in mijn top tien. Maar om hem een keer in Tivoli te kunnen zien spelen, dat is dan wel weer de moeite waard natuurlijk! Wel vreemd dat de website meldde dat het concert binnen 15 minuten was uitverkocht, maar ik uren later toch echt nog gewoon een kaartje kon kopen.

Dus. Dat was mijn novembermaand concertmaand. Tenzij ik me bedenk en toch nog even naar Bell X1 ga:

En nog even ga kijken bij Moss.

Electric Picnic 2009, Stradbally, Co. Laois

This was my first etime to shoot with my new Canon 5D MkII, more on that later, but in short, this camera is phenomenal.. Full review and sample images later.

 

 

Bell X1 headlined the main stage on Sunday night.

All bar two of the stages at EP are housed in giant circus like tents. A nightmare at times for photographers when often coupled with harsh red lighting but a stroke of genius for keeping music fans dry and happy considering the harsh weather.

Band der Woche: Editors.
Ich sag nur In This Light And On This Evening. Ein sehr gutes drittes Album.
Erwähnswert hier: Papillon, Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool, Bricks and Mortar, … Ach, eigentlich alles.

Sonst noch gerne gehört: The Maccabees, mal wieder The Last Shadow Puppets und Vampire Weekend (siehe unten)

Songs der Woche:
1) Lykke Li vs. Kings of Leon – Knocked Up (Rodeo Mash Up)

2) Vampire Weekend – Horchata

Wiederentdeckt: Bell X1 – Eve, the Apple of my Eye

(die Album Version ist aber noch besser als die hier)

—-

Morgen werde ich endlich die Gelegenheit haben Inglourious Basterds OmU zu sehen.
Lang hat es gedauert! Aber Warten lohnt sich dann doch manchmal.
___
(Und nun noch ein kleiner Tipp an diejenigen, die Joko – den Joko von MTV – mögen. Klick. Es besteht akute Lachgefahr.)

Heute hat China Geburtstag. Dazu kann man stehen wie man will. Gleichzeitig ist heute Weltvegetariertag. Wie ich jetzt die Verbindung schaffe? Garnicht! Wie auch? Habe SIE einen markigen Spruch auf Lager, der Grünzeugkonsum und China verbindet? Vermutlich nicht. Dieser Post ist nur dazu da, weil mir etwas eingefallen ist.

Es fehlte nämlich in der Auflistung meiner liebsten Folk-Alben noch jemand. Jemand sehr wichtiges sozusagen. Und es wundert mich, dass ich von 2 Personen noch nicht virtuell zusammengeschrien wurde aufgrund der Blasphemie, die das ausser Acht lassen dieses Künstlers bedeutet. Hier also noch hinzugefügt:

Damien Rice

Gut, so weit sind wir. Aber welches Album? Schwierig. 2 Alben. 2 Auswahlmöglichkeiten. Beide gleichwertig. Ich fühl mich wie der Esel zwischen den 2 Heuhaufen, der sich nicht entscheiden kann und schlussendlich verhungert. 50/50 führt immer zu dem garantiert falschen Ergebnis. Bei rym hat “O” die deutlich bessere Bewertung. Andererseits sind das auch Leute, die “John Coltranes – Love Supreme” für eines der besten Alben aller Zeiten halten. Schwierig. Ach, ich nehm einfach beide:

Damien Rice – “O” / “9″”

“Juniper” waren ziemlich gut. Der junge Rice am Mikrofon, eine Rockband im Rücken, aber irgendwie nichts wirklich extrem besonderes.

Ihm gefiel die eher kommerzielle Ausrichtung in die die Band tendierte nicht wirklich und verließ sie. Als Solokünstler würde er bis dato 2 Alben veröffentlichen, die seinesgleichen suchen. Man könnte ihm extreme Schmalzigkeit unterstellen und irgendwie hätte man damit auch recht, aber Rices Alben sind nichts was man hört, wenn man in Macho-”I’ leg di flach, Oalde!”-Stimmung ist. Nein, die sanfte Untermalung (am besten mit Gitarre) und die jauchzigen Texte, das ist es was man erwartet und hören will. Und es funktioniert. Es hämmert sich ins Hirn und taucht an den unsäglichsten Stellen des Alltags wieder auf. “Hey, ich geh lecker Kuchen kaufen! … … Oh… Ohgott… geh aus meine Kopf “9 Crimes”!!! … Ich glaube ich bleibe doch zu Hause “

Und wie so viele Leuten denen sich seine Musik ins Herz gebrannt hat, warte auch ich darauf das da etwas neues käme. Ich habe nicht gelesen ob da auch was kommt. Schade.

Achja, was wurde eigentlich aus Juniper? Die haben sich einen relativ ähnlich klingenden Frontsänger geangelt und ziehen seitdem als “Bell X1″ durch die Lande.

I don’t know why I took so long to give these guys a listen.  I’d been hearing the name here and there and never stopped to look.  So I looked recently.

Ever had a band that made you stop in your tracks?  Elbow did that to me in recent weeks.  These guys did but not for the same reason.

I thought Talking Heads had reformed.  When I heard his voice and the tune I was caught in a time warp.  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad thing.  Just a wee bit of a surprise from this irish gem of a band.

I expect Bell X1 is quite sick of the comparison.  I wouldn’t blame them.  They bring something new to the table but it has its roots in my 80s roots.  the music is forward, not retro.

Give The Great Defector a listen.  There’s great literary references as well as some strange and interesting lyrics overall.  You can find the music on Youtube easily enough.  Give Bell X1 a few minutes of your time.  You won’t be sorry!

I know I’m luckier than many. Even as a writer of marginal talent, I’ve been able to find forums for my writing, and as a result of this am exposed to more fresh music than other folks. Since I also spend too much time in both used and new CD stores, I uncover CDs of interest- including many I didn’t even know I need.

For example, last weekend I stopped into one of the local stores and found a reissue of Mark Lindsay’s Arizona and Silverbird albums on one disc. I barely know Mark Lindsay from Lindsay Buckingham, and haven’t listened to Paul Revere & the Raiders except on oldies radio…although “Indian Reservation” has long been a favourite. I bought the album without even thinking about it, and it was only when Track 1 started once I got home that I realized “Arizona” was that Arizona song. I’ve listened to the disc twice through, and while it isn’t essential I’ve enjoyed discovering something I hadn’t before listened to.

If I work hard enough, I’ll usually find something of interest.

Like many, I spend too much of my free (and other) time listening to music. Here is the first installment of a piece I am assembling where I reflect upon some of the music I’ve either taken off the shelf, purchased, or have been sent since June. While not necessary stunning in all cases, all of these albums are ones I’m really glad I listened to this summer.

Presented in no particular order-

Cry Cry Cry Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, and Richard Shindell (Razor & Tie, 1998) We probably all have albums that we love but seldom- if ever- pull off the shelf. This trio project isn’t one of those as I didn’t know I loved it, and in fact can’t remember listening to it prior to this summer although I must have. I rediscovered Cry Cry Cry while on Santorini and for some reason it really resonated with me as I walked the streets of Fira. The blending and interplay of the three voices is quite special as songs from some of the finest contemporary writers are interpreted. Highlights include “Cold Missouri Waters” by James Keelaghan, Buddy Mondlock’s “The Kid,” and “Down By the Water” written by Jim Armenti, whose version can be seen/heard here, live in a grocery store. Weird. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqSzNKPoRqo

Potato Hole Booker T (Anti- 2009) I wasn’t sure what to except from this one. I’ve always enjoyed the Booker T sound, but am by no means a learned listener. I’ve been hit and miss with the Drive-By Truckers- who serve as the band for this ten-track album- and Neil Young- who plays guitar. It is a rock album with lots of guitar, and I find it really groovy. Of course, the Hammond B3 comes through loud and clear. I’m glad I took a chance on it. There is also a nice set recorded July 4 posted at the Live Music Archive, if you can get past the annoying talking head.

Armageddon Prism (Capital, 1979) A western-Canadian FM-staple, every song on this disc is recognizable to guys of a certain age. Some of the effects sound dated, but dang- the songs have hooks. As a Trooper fan, I couldn’t publicly admit to liking these guys during grade 9 and 10; at least, that was the rule in my head. I’m glad I stopped over-thinking things.

UN, The Boy Bands Have Won, and English Rebel Songs 1381-1984 Chumbawamba (1998, 2004, 2008) Over the past two years, and really for no tangible reason, I’ve been collecting Chumbawamba discs whenever I run across them. Even though almost every album takes a different approach to pop and folk music, I’ve yet to be disappointed. I downloaded these ones from eMusic and iTunes after catching the Chumbawamba Acoustic quintet at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in early August. I love the blending of voices, the way the female vocals soar above the instruments. The songs are clever and, and times, insightful and thought-provoking.

Nothing Gold Can Stay The Duke & The King (Ramseur, 2009) I can’t write about this album yet because it makes me ache. I can’t stop listening to it. The most beautiful sounding album I listened to all summer. Sparse, mellow, dreamy. Love The Outsiders reference, which I noticed as soon as I saw the album…realizing it comes from a poem. Frost? Buy this one.

As Time Goes By The Bluegrass Brothers (Self-released, 2009) As time goes by, the Bluegrass Brothers just get better. Since I first heard the Virginia band five or so years ago, they have made huge strides- from an enthusiastic if non-descript area family band, to a crew of pros that can hold their own with the finest of the professional bands. They are not fancy but they are lively, pouring out straight-ahead hardcore bluegrass without a hint of progressive intent. I don’t want all my bluegrass to sound this rustic, but I’m glad The Bluegrass Brothers remain true to their vision. Check out “Stanley Tradition.”

A Quiet Evil Lee Harvey Osmond (Latent Recordings, 2009) Turn Tom Wilson loose, and odd things are bound to occur. Featuring Michael and Margo Timmins, Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize, and Brent Titcomb, the album mines deep, virgin musical ground. It isn’t what I would immediately label as roots music, but is has all the elements- original music, ties to country, rock, and folk, and textured vocals that shy away from pop gloss. The album seems dark, yet is soothing and enlightening. The presence of Aaron Goldstein’s pedal steel brings in shades of country, but the overall sound has as much in common with X and Los Straitjackets as it does Fred Eaglesmith.

Western Bell Kelly Joe Phelps (Black Hen Records, 2009) An excellent album to accompany coffee…I drank a lot of coffee during summer mornings last month listening to this one while preparing to write about it. Phelps sings not a word. Instead, in producing a nocturnal collection of eleven solo guitar instrumentals, the west coast native allows his 6- and 12- strings to reclaim their rightful place. Haunting and adventurous, the tunes never get bogged down. So balanced and spacious are the songs, it is difficult to accept that much of the album was improvised in the studio.

The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets (YepRoc, 2009) Pure fun. Modern surf music created far from the ocean. Nearly every song seems to have been inspired by a previously recorded, familiar song. In “Minority Report” I hear repeated echoes of “This Diamond Ring” and Mashmakhan’s “As Years Go By.” In another, I swear I hear “Theme from A Summer Place.” Thoroughly engaging, if too brief, clocking in as it does at just a cough over thirty minutes. Inspired packaging, too.

Blue Lights on the Runway Bell X1 (Yep Roc, 2009) Sometimes albums surprise me. Duh! I didn’t know anything about this group despite seeing their name in the British mags (Uncut, MOJO) that I read. The rockiest and simultaneously poppiest album on this list, Ireland’s Bell X1’s fourth album was their first for me and brought to mind the wonder years of the 80s British Invasion- Modern English, Lloyd Cole, Nik Kershaw, The Icicle Works, et al. Perhaps most in common with the simple sophistication of East Side Story Squeeze, this one continues to impress. Musically, it is much deeper than most of the modern, non-roots music I encounter.

I’ll post more reflections in a few days. As always, thanks for dropping in at Fervor Coulee. Donald

Belfast Custom House

Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club

Bell X1

Think day three was the least populated of the festival and was a little disappointed on behalf of Duke Special in his hometown especially as about two-thirds of the audience had gone by the time he arrived on stage at about 11.20! Also by that stage most people had gotten very messy – I thought us Dubs were bad on the drinking front but from what I saw on Saturday we are nothing compared to the Northerners! I don’t think Duke got the best reception – people were tired and drunk and not sure that his style of music suits a headline act at a festival. Not sure it translates to that outdoor environment – hard as he tried. My sister likened it to the end of a drunken wedding.

Duke Special

I haven’t recently blogged about my most recent musical acquisitions, so … here you go.

• The All-American Rejects, “Gives You Hell”
• Ludwig van Beethoven, Choral No. 4 from Symphony No. 9 … otherwise known as the “Ode to Joy”
• Bell X1, “I’ll See Your Heart and Raise You Mine”
• Brandi Carlile, “Creep”
• Brandi Carlile, “The Heartache Can Wait”
• Brandi Carlile, “Late Morning Lullaby”
• Brandi Carlile, “One Magic Kiss”
• Brandi Carlile, “Throw It All Away”
• Brandi Carlile, “Tragedy”
• Brandi Carlile and Chris Isaak, “Love Me Tender” … Carlile and Isaak did a great cover of the Elvis Presley classic.
• Charlotte Sometimes, Waves and the Both of Us
• Kelly Clarkson, “I Do Not Hook Up”
• Julee Cruise, “Mysteries of Love”
• Miley Cyrus, “The Climb” … Shut up.  This one will make its way to a CD for someone.  She knows who she is. *evil grin*
• Ben Folds, “Gracie”
• Ben Folds with Regina Spektor, “You Don’t Know Me”
• The Foundations, “Build Me up, Buttercup”
• The Fray, “Never Say Never”
• Nina Gordon, “Tonight and the Rest of My Life” … This is a really spiffy song.
• Green Day, “Know Your Enemy”
• Green Day, “21 Guns”
• Sophie B. Hawkins, “As I Lay Me Down”
• Ha-Ash with Brandi Carlile, “Already Home”
• Iowa State University Cyclone Marching Band, “ISU Fights! / Rise, Sons of Iowa State”
• Lady GaGa, “LoveGame” … Shut up.
• Led Zeppelin, “Kashmir”
• Sarah McLachlan, “Answer”
• Meg and Dia, “Monster”
• Mysto and Pizzi, “Somebody’s Watching Me” … You have probably heard this on a Geico commercial.
• Bebo Norman, “Britney” … Yes, he’s singing about that Britney.
• The Oak Ridge Boys, “Elvira”
• Jessica Riddle, “Even Angels Fall”
• Shiny Toy Guns, “Major Tom” … You have probably heard this on a Lincoln car commercial.
• Regina Spektor, Far
• Taylor Swift, “Love Story” … Shut up.
• Taylor Swift, “You Belong with Me” … Shut up.
• Third Day, “Born Again”
• University of Colorado Golden Buffalo Marching Band, “Fight CU”
• University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band, “Hawkeye Victory Polka” … otherwise known as “In Heaven, There Is No Beer”
• University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band, “On, Iowa!”
• University of Mississippi Pride of the South Marching Band, “Dixie” … It’s a good rendition of the song.
• West Virginia University Mountaineer Marching Marching Band, “Hail, West Virginia!”

Ray D’Arcy has been playing this a lot of late. (I don’t always control the radio in work, hence the reappearance of D’Arcy et al in my life.) Bell X1 have covered Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer’ admirably. It feels like another song entirely. I always feel the original is a fun-in-the-sun kind of song, a song to listen to when driving to the beach or the lake, the sand not yet finding its way onto and into every available surface and crevice.

 This version is the song you’ll listen to at night, when summer is ending and things begin to inevitably change for the worse. It tastes like dusk, like warm white wine in dewy grass and funny little cigarettes. It’s the end of something, a song to welcome a new, darker season to. And I kind of love it.

Bell X1, ‘The Boys of Summer’.

Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker
On a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, dont
look back, you can never look back.
I thought I knew what love was,
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but-

TOUR DATES
07/27 The Parish – Austin, TX
07/30 The Casbah – San Diego, CA
07/31 Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA
08/01 Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
08/03 Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
08/04 Chop Suey – Seattle, WA

(with The Wallflowers)
08/14 Lowell Summer Music Series – Lowell, MA
08/15 Discovery Park – Freeport, ME
08/16 The Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT

(with Bell X1)
09/18 Maxwell’s – Hoboken, NJ
09/19 Bearsville Theatre – Woodstock, NY
09/21 World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA
09/22 Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA
09/23 Cambridge Room @ HOB – Cleveland, OH
09/24 Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI
09/25 Double Door – Chicago, IL
09/27 Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN
09/28 High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI
10/08 Rams Head Tavern – Annapolis, MD

10/09 Highline Ballroom – New York, NY

This is the first single taken from Bell X1’s new album “Blue Lights on the Runway” released earlier this year. They play support to U2 later today at Croke Park along with The Script, another great Irish band. This upbeat, catchy tune is illustrative of their sound with quirky lyrics, such as “You’re the chocolate at the end of my Cornetto I love the way your underwire bra Always sets off that X-ray machine” and “You’re just picking your knickers from your arse Like you’re playing a one stringed harp”, and poppy sound. I went to see them on tour earlier this year and enjoyed their joyous set. They have also made an impact in America with one of their songs “Eve the Apple of My Eye” appearing in The O.C.

They have set up their own Blog – click here to access.

Longtime readers of this blog (of which there are none), are likely to remember that Your Monkey recently wrote about his admiration for the Bell X1 single “The Great Defector.”  While your Monkey liked the song on the first listen and continues to like it to this day, he may have erred a bit in his headline for the piece:

Bell X1 Writes the Next Great Talking Heads Song.

Sure, there is no denying that this song shares a lot of the same qualities as a Talking Heads song (the upbeat rhythms, the playful lyrics, the David Byrnian-vocal intonations), but the snarky headline seems to imply that Bell X1 are just an imitation act.

The more your Monkey hears from this Irish band, the more he likes what they have to offer. Recently, the singles Rocky Took a Lover and the Ribs of A Broken Umbrella have made an impression on him. It is clear that this band has a strong sense of melody, a whimsical lyrical style, and some legs to their music.

Bell X1 songs have been the clear standout tracks on recent podcasts from the KEXP and Radio Nowhere, and your Monkey would be crestfallen if his immature style of headline writing has damaged the band’s self esteem in any way.

So please accept these sincere apologies.

And here is another Bell X1 song for your listening pleasure. This is from a live DVD and the performance has an infectious energy. Enjoy!

Lily Album - It's definitely her

We are a blog after all. So lets make some lists.

Top 10 albums of the year so far

1. Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
2. God Help the Girl – s/t
3. Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications
4. Bell X1 – Blue Lights On the Runway
5. Rhett Miller – s/t
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz
7. Wilco – Wilco (the Album)
8. The Mummers – Tale To Tell
9. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
10. Bob Evans – Goodnight, Bull Creek!

We’ll leave the full babble for the end of the year. But Lily Allen’s new, confident, mature, nasty, fun record has topped our list so far, with Stuart Murdoch’s new project God Help the Girl coming in a very close second. Jarvis Cocker starts all over as a British Nick Cave figure. So far a wonderful year for music and so much more to come.

So many albums only just missed out. Here’s our top 10 songs not on our top 10 albums list.

1. Phoenix – Lisztomania
2. Yves Klein Blue – Getting Wise
3. Regina Spektor – Dance Anthem Of the 80s
4. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – A Teenager In Love
5. Casiotone For the Painfully Alone – Natural Light
6. Franz Ferdinand – Katherine Kiss Me
7. Doves – 10:03
8. Camera Obscura – You Told A Lie
9. Gomez – Airstream Driver
10. Jason Lytle – Yours Truly, The Commuter

So I missed the last two days (sorry!), and as such, I’m posting 2 Songs of the Day…s.  The first is a song from Bell X1’s album, Flock, entitled Flame.

The second song is from Delta Spirit’s debut album, Ode To Sunshine, entitled “Trashcan“. (hint, watch in HQ)